The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) is a leading modern university with roots stretching back to 1828. We have over 230 undergraduate courses and 200 taught postgraduate programmes, with a staff and student population of nearly 40,000 making us one the largest University’s in the country. As the first modern university in the UK to be included in the QS World Rankings, we currently hold four out of five QS Stars for excellence.

In 2016 the Centre for World University Rankings (CWUR) estimated the University to be amongst the top 3.7% of worldwide universities while the year culminated in the University winning the ‘Excellence and Innovation in the Arts’ category at the prestigious Times Higher Education Awards.

As a broad-based institution, UCLan offers a wide range of courses across a strong academic portfolio: from forensic chemistry to fashion brand management; from architecture to journalism; including respected courses in dentistry, pharmacy, medicine and an expanding engineering provision. See www.uclan.ac.uk for our full range of courses.

We ensure our courses are relevant to employers by embedding employability skills into every degree course. We employ professionally-qualified practitioners with industry experience and seek industry-accreditation wherever appropriate.

The University has close links with a huge range of employers including Adidas, BAE Systems, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, Samsung, Cisco, the NHS and NASA. We support all our students in securing work on live projects from real companies, work experience, internships or workplace learning. UCLan’s Careers centre brings together advice on careers and work placements, employability and enterprise course electives, business start-up and self-employment services.

The University produces high quality international and world-leading research across an expanded range of disciplines within Science, Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences. UCLan has been officially recognised as demonstrating elements of world-leading research in all 16 subject areas that were submitted to the latest Research Excellence Framework exercise. Nearly 49% of the research we submitted was assessed as being of world-leading (4*) or internationally excellent (3*) quality. We are proud of cultivating a research environment that delivers demonstrable benefits to industries, organisations and community groups.

Examples of our leading-edge research include collaboration with NASA on solar dynamics, the Government on sector-leading stroke research and industry-leaders on cutting-edge digital media projects.

In 2017 the University entered into a strategic partnership with Lancashire Constabulary, the first of its kind within policing and forensic science in the UK, where forensic experts and students will work alongside each other in new, purpose-built police facilities to research, investigate and deliver forensic science services in Lancashire.

According to the Higher Education Business and Community Interaction Survey, UCLan’s commitment to business incubation makes it the leading UK university for the number of graduates still running thriving businesses after three years of trading. Recently the University’s spin-out business Alusid, which designs and manufactures a sustainable and unique material made from up to 100 percent recycled waste, was named Best Start-Up at the Institution of Chemical Engineers Global awards.

Last year the University celebrated its 30th anniversary of working with educational institutions in China, and during this period it has established a strong and vibrant network of partners. The University now enrols students from more than 100 countries and has partnerships with 125 international institutions.

UCLan’s commitment to provide opportunities for our UK students to spend a period of study abroad has recently been recognised by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education in the UK as good practice. Our travel bursaries have been used by UCLan students to work and study in locations as far afield as Argentina, Peru, South Africa, Vietnam and the Arctic Circle. All students are also offered the opportunity to study a range of world languages, including Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Russian.

In the most recent National Student Survey more than 8 out of 10 UCLan students said they were happy with the quality of their overall educational experience at UCLan, and nationally we rate highly for the learning resources we provide on campus (NSS 2016).

Our award-winning library offers 24-hour access to computers and there is free Wi-Fi throughout the campus. We have a full range of support services for students including a one-stop student information centre; a free counselling service; a Medical Centre; a pre-school centre and a Multi-Faith Centre.

Today the University’s five-year 200 million Preston Campus Masterplan vison is well underway. Two new ‘social space’ facilities are being constructed at a cost of over £8 million and will be ready in the autumn of 2017. The new social spaces will enhance the overall campus experience and provide a place for staff and students to come together in a relaxed environment.

Alongside these facilities will be a £30 million-plus, state-of-the-art Engineering Innovation Centre (EIC). Opening in 2019, the EIC will deliver a range of key objectives, including the reclamation of Lancashire’s role as a national powerhouse for advanced engineering and manufacturing, ensuring that local skills reflect social and economic needs, and increasing the number of females in engineering careers.

At the heart of the University’s campus development plans is the creation of a circa £60 million student centre and new square. Drawing together the City and University like never before, the new facilities will act as a welcoming gateway to the University. The student centre will manage the vast majority of student enquiries and front line student services while the square will host a huge range of events on behalf of the entire community, helping to improve the commercial fabric of the University quarter and stimulating new regeneration opportunities.

The University is in a great location too. With traditional and contemporary shopping experiences, a thriving café culture and busy yet safe evening social scene, Preston also boasts beautiful parks, culturally-important museums and a thriving marina and docks area.

Our campus is only a few minutes' walk from Preston city centre, which is close to Liverpool and Manchester, and only two hours from London by train.