University of Chester
Encyclopedia
The University of Chester (informally Chester) is a public research university
located in Chester
, United Kingdom
. The University, based on a main campus
in Chester and a smaller campus in Warrington
, offers a range of foundation
, undergraduate
and postgraduate
courses, as well as undertaking academic research.
Chester is a member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities
, the Cathedrals Group
, the North West Universities Association
and Universities UK
.
, including future Prime Ministers
William Ewart Gladstone
and the 14th Earl of Derby
. It was the UK's first purpose-built teacher training college
, which makes it one of the longest established higher education
institutions in the country. In 1842, Gladstone opened the College's original buildings for its first intake of ten male student teachers on the Parkgate Road site, just outside the City Walls, that the University occupies today.
In 1921, Chester formally became an affiliated college of the University of Liverpool
, which meant that the University of Liverpool awarded Chester's qualifications and Chester's students were able to use Liverpool's facilities.
The institution was threatened with closure in the 1930s, but its future was secured by the Bishop of Chester
in 1933. From then on, the College continued to grow steadily. By the 1960s, as the UK was massively expanding its higher education capacity in reaction to the Robbins Report
, the College was considered as a possible candidate for university status. These proposals, however, weren't followed through.
The College continued to expand. Women were first admitted in 1961. In 1963, the government renamed teacher training colleges to colleges of education, so Chester's name became Chester College of Education in 1963. In 1974, the number of courses was expanded beyond teacher education to include Bachelor of Arts
and Bachelor of Science
degrees. To reflect its wider remit, the College was renamed Chester College of Higher Education.
In the early 1990s, The School of Nursing and Midwifery (now the Faculty of Health and Social Care) was established. The College also began to offer a Bachelor of Theology
degree, HND
s and more postgraduate
courses, such as master's degree
s and PhD
s. It also embarked on a £10 million campus improvement programme. By 1995, Chester had earned the right to call itself University College Chester. This name, however, was short-lived as the government changed the requirements for university college
s in 1999 to include only those that had their own degree-awarding powers. Thus, Chester had to drop the University College tag and reverted to the title Chester College of Higher Education, though the more descriptive Chester, a College of the University of Liverpool was frequently used in publicity material.
The College expanded in 2002 through the acquisition of the higher education faculty and campus of Warrington Collegiate Institute. (The further and adult education campuses of Warrington remained independent and are now known as Warrington Collegiate
.)
In 2003 Chester was granted its own degree-awarding powers, allowing it to be known as University College Chester once again.
In 2005, University College Chester was awarded full university status and became the University of Chester. This was followed by the right to award its own research degrees in 2007 and, following the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise, a significant proportion of the University’s research was declared to be of international quality, with a proportion of 'World Leading' research in History (15%), English, Sports Studies, and Drama (each 5%).
The University of Chester has two campuses. The 32 acres (129,499.5 m²) main campus is located on Parkgate Road, just north of the City Walls. It has a mixture of Victorian
buildings (such as Old College, right, which includes a chapel built by some of the original students) and modern buildings (such as the Students' Union). The campus also features a fitness centre, sports hall, swimming pool, science and language laboratories, bar and various shops.
Some departments are housed offsite at locations within walking distance of the main campus, for example, the Department of English is located in a Grade II-listed former Victorian vicarage.
There are two significant sites which are recent additions to the institution's estate. The former County Hall, which is located in the city centre near the racecourse, houses the Faculty of Education and Children’s Services and the Faculty of Health and Social Care and is known as the Riverside Campus.
The university has also developed the Kingsway Campus with the addition of a three-storey teaching block, ground floor exhibition space and art gallery and sports changing rooms. The £2.4 million scheme at the university’s Faculty of Arts and Media features a number of green innovations, such as ground source heating.
The university-owned student accommodation is primarily reserved for first year and overseas students. This consists of halls of residence and houses nearby.
The smaller Warrington campus originally hosted a camp for Canadian
officers in World War II
and is located in the Padgate
area of Warrington
. This campus includes the North West Media Centre, which has close ties to Granada Television
, a business centre and a new state of the art learning resource centre.
The university also has a number of bases at NHS sites across Cheshire
and the Wirral
.
In addition, a number of research
centres operate alongside the departments.
Dr Peter Blair and Dr Ashley Chantler edit Flash: The International Short-Short Story Magazine, a major literary periodical, which publishes stories and reviews of up to 360 words by writers from around the world. Contributors have included: Ama Ata Aidoo, Roberta Allen, Beryl Bainbridge, Elleke Boehmer, Dave Eggers, David Gaffney, Rodge Glass, Michael Cawood Green, Allan Kolski Horwitz, Liesl Jobson, James Kelman, J. Robert Lennon, Kobus Moolman, Ewan Morrison, Dan Rhodes, Matt Thorne, Alan Wall, and Gee Williams.
The Executive Committee are the trustees of the Union. Members are elected each year before the end of March and each has a different role, such as Entertainments representative, Welfare and Campaigns representative and Publications representative. The support staff for the Union consists of a number of full-time employees, part-time student staff and volunteers from the elected Executive Committee and the Union Council.
The Union runs bars (CH1 on the main campus) as the previously known 'Padgate Union Bar' on the Warrington campus was in August 2010, taken over by the university. The Union also has three shops. Two are on the Chester campus, consisting of a general shop and clothes shop, and these functions are combined into one at Warrington. The Union also runs over 75 sports clubs and societies; with each campus having its own teams, many of which compete in British Universities and Colleges Sport competitions. Once a year, the Union runs an inter-campus competition known as Varsity on campus where sporting societies, such as seven-a-side football, and non-sporting societies, such as poker, compete. Other non-sporting societies include the Drama Society, the Amnesty International
Society and the People and Planet Society. A student radio station, The Cat 1251AM, is based on the Warrington campus and broadcasts daily, with presenters on air from September until June.
CSU won the NUS 'Community Relations Award' at the NUS 2011 ceremony.
In 2007, the Sunday Times released averages of all its tables over 10 years, ranking Chester as 78th in the country (out of 119 institutions) from 1998 - 2007.
in 1954. The arms, pictured above, are made up of an argent
shield featuring the St George's cross
on which there is a golden wheatsheaf, representing the Earldom of Cheshire
. In the first quarter of the shield is a clasped open book, symbolising learning. The crest
features a mitre
, signifying the institution's founding by the Church of England, in front of two crossed swords, which are taken from the County of Cheshire's coat of arms. The golden scroll contains the Latin
motto
, "qui docet in doctrina", an extract from Saint Paul's epistle
to the Romans and translates as "he that teacheth, on teaching" or "let the teacher teach".
The coat of arms was used as the College's logo until the early 1990s when a new logo, with a depiction of the Old College building, was introduced. The coat of arms returned to the College's logo in 2002 when a simplified version became part of the logo. The University's current logo, introduced in 2005, features the shield and scroll from the coat of arms.
, Terry Waite
CBE, Sir Andrew Motion
, Tim Firth
, Ken Dodd
OBE, Sue Johnston
OBE, Phil Redmond
CBE, Willie Carson
, Matthew Kelly
, Estelle Morris
(Baroness Morris of Yardley), Christine Russell
, Ronald Pickup
and Tony Robinson
.
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
located in Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The University, based on a main campus
Campus
A campus is traditionally the land on which a college or university and related institutional buildings are situated. Usually a campus includes libraries, lecture halls, residence halls and park-like settings...
in Chester and a smaller campus in Warrington
Warrington
Warrington is a town, borough and unitary authority area of Cheshire, England. It stands on the banks of the River Mersey, which is tidal to the west of the weir at Howley. It lies 16 miles east of Liverpool, 19 miles west of Manchester and 8 miles south of St Helens...
, offers a range of foundation
Foundation degree
The Foundation Degree is a vocational qualification introduced by the government of the United Kingdom in September 2001, which is available in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
, undergraduate
Undergraduate degree
An undergraduate degree is a colloquial term for an academic degree taken by a person who has completed undergraduate courses. It is usually offered at an institution of higher education, such as a university...
and postgraduate
Postgraduate education
Postgraduate education involves learning and studying for degrees or other qualifications for which a first or Bachelor's degree generally is required, and is normally considered to be part of higher education...
courses, as well as undertaking academic research.
Chester is a member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities
Association of Commonwealth Universities
The Association of Commonwealth Universities represents over 480 universities from Commonwealth countries.- History :In 1912, the University of London took the initiative to assemble 53 representatives of universities in London to hold a Congress of Universities of the Empire...
, the Cathedrals Group
Cathedrals Group
The Cathedrals Group is an association of universities and university colleges in the United Kingdom...
, the North West Universities Association
North West Universities Association
The North West Universities Association is a representative body in the North West of England, intended to advance the development of the fifteen higher education establishments.-Role:...
and Universities UK
Universities UK
Universities UK began life as the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals of the Universities of the United Kingdom in the nineteenth century when there were informal meetings involving Vice-Chancellors of a number of universities and Principals of university colleges...
.
History
The University was founded as Chester Diocesan Training College in 1839 by a distinguished group of local leading figures in the Church of EnglandChurch of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
, including future Prime Ministers
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone FRS FSS was a British Liberal statesman. In a career lasting over sixty years, he served as Prime Minister four separate times , more than any other person. Gladstone was also Britain's oldest Prime Minister, 84 years old when he resigned for the last time...
and the 14th Earl of Derby
Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby
Edward George Geoffrey Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby, KG, PC was an English statesman, three times Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and to date the longest serving leader of the Conservative Party. He was known before 1834 as Edward Stanley, and from 1834 to 1851 as Lord Stanley...
. It was the UK's first purpose-built teacher training college
Teacher training college
A teacher training college is a college of higher education that specialises in training students to be teachers.Many universities offer similar facilities, a number of which acquired their provision by taking over a teacher training college or by a teacher training college evolving into a...
, which makes it one of the longest established higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
institutions in the country. In 1842, Gladstone opened the College's original buildings for its first intake of ten male student teachers on the Parkgate Road site, just outside the City Walls, that the University occupies today.
In 1921, Chester formally became an affiliated college of the University of Liverpool
University of Liverpool
The University of Liverpool is a teaching and research university in the city of Liverpool, England. It is a member of the Russell Group of large research-intensive universities and the N8 Group for research collaboration. Founded in 1881 , it is also one of the six original "red brick" civic...
, which meant that the University of Liverpool awarded Chester's qualifications and Chester's students were able to use Liverpool's facilities.
The institution was threatened with closure in the 1930s, but its future was secured by the Bishop of Chester
Geoffrey Fisher
Geoffrey Francis Fisher, Baron Fisher of Lambeth, GCVO, PC was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1945 to 1961.-Background:...
in 1933. From then on, the College continued to grow steadily. By the 1960s, as the UK was massively expanding its higher education capacity in reaction to the Robbins Report
Robbins Report
The Robbins Report was commissioned by the British government and published in 1963. The Committee met from 1961 to 1963...
, the College was considered as a possible candidate for university status. These proposals, however, weren't followed through.
The College continued to expand. Women were first admitted in 1961. In 1963, the government renamed teacher training colleges to colleges of education, so Chester's name became Chester College of Education in 1963. In 1974, the number of courses was expanded beyond teacher education to include Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
and Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degrees. To reflect its wider remit, the College was renamed Chester College of Higher Education.
In the early 1990s, The School of Nursing and Midwifery (now the Faculty of Health and Social Care) was established. The College also began to offer a Bachelor of Theology
Bachelor of Theology
The Bachelor of Theology is a three to five year undergraduate degree in theological disciplines. Candidates for this degree typically must complete course work in Greek or Hebrew, as well as systematic theology, biblical theology, ethics, homiletics and Christian ministry...
degree, HND
Higher National Diploma
A Higher National Diploma is a higher education qualification in the United Kingdom. This qualification can be used to gain entry into universities, and is considered equivalent to the first or second year of a university degree course....
s and more postgraduate
Postgraduate education
Postgraduate education involves learning and studying for degrees or other qualifications for which a first or Bachelor's degree generally is required, and is normally considered to be part of higher education...
courses, such as master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
s and PhD
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
s. It also embarked on a £10 million campus improvement programme. By 1995, Chester had earned the right to call itself University College Chester. This name, however, was short-lived as the government changed the requirements for university college
University college
The term "university college" is used in a number of countries to denote college institutions that provide tertiary education but do not have full or independent university status. A university college is often part of a larger university...
s in 1999 to include only those that had their own degree-awarding powers. Thus, Chester had to drop the University College tag and reverted to the title Chester College of Higher Education, though the more descriptive Chester, a College of the University of Liverpool was frequently used in publicity material.
The College expanded in 2002 through the acquisition of the higher education faculty and campus of Warrington Collegiate Institute. (The further and adult education campuses of Warrington remained independent and are now known as Warrington Collegiate
Warrington Collegiate
Warrington Collegiate is a learning provider in Warrington for people aged 16 and over. Located on Winwick Road, Warrington, England, the college mainly offers vocational courses, and is an alternative to Priestley College- Courses :...
.)
In 2003 Chester was granted its own degree-awarding powers, allowing it to be known as University College Chester once again.
In 2005, University College Chester was awarded full university status and became the University of Chester. This was followed by the right to award its own research degrees in 2007 and, following the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise, a significant proportion of the University’s research was declared to be of international quality, with a proportion of 'World Leading' research in History (15%), English, Sports Studies, and Drama (each 5%).
Campuses
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
buildings (such as Old College, right, which includes a chapel built by some of the original students) and modern buildings (such as the Students' Union). The campus also features a fitness centre, sports hall, swimming pool, science and language laboratories, bar and various shops.
Some departments are housed offsite at locations within walking distance of the main campus, for example, the Department of English is located in a Grade II-listed former Victorian vicarage.
There are two significant sites which are recent additions to the institution's estate. The former County Hall, which is located in the city centre near the racecourse, houses the Faculty of Education and Children’s Services and the Faculty of Health and Social Care and is known as the Riverside Campus.
The university has also developed the Kingsway Campus with the addition of a three-storey teaching block, ground floor exhibition space and art gallery and sports changing rooms. The £2.4 million scheme at the university’s Faculty of Arts and Media features a number of green innovations, such as ground source heating.
The university-owned student accommodation is primarily reserved for first year and overseas students. This consists of halls of residence and houses nearby.
The smaller Warrington campus originally hosted a camp for Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
officers in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and is located in the Padgate
Padgate
Padgate was a village on the edge of Warrington, England, and today it is a large residential part of the town. During World War II it had a small RAF Station. RAF Padgate will be well-remembered by thousands of young men who were selected for RAF national service and on this site received their...
area of Warrington
Warrington
Warrington is a town, borough and unitary authority area of Cheshire, England. It stands on the banks of the River Mersey, which is tidal to the west of the weir at Howley. It lies 16 miles east of Liverpool, 19 miles west of Manchester and 8 miles south of St Helens...
. This campus includes the North West Media Centre, which has close ties to Granada Television
Granada Television
Granada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....
, a business centre and a new state of the art learning resource centre.
The university also has a number of bases at NHS sites across Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
and the Wirral
Wirral Peninsula
Wirral or the Wirral is a peninsula in North West England. It is bounded by three bodies of water: to the west by the River Dee, forming a boundary with Wales, to the east by the River Mersey and to the north by the Irish Sea. Both terms "Wirral" and "the Wirral" are used locally , although the...
.
Organisation
The University is organised into seven faculties of study. Five of these are also subdivided into academic departments. The Faculties and departments are:- Faculty of Applied SciencesApplied scienceApplied science is the application of scientific knowledge transferred into a physical environment. Examples include testing a theoretical model through the use of formal science or solving a practical problem through the use of natural science....
- Department of Biological SciencesBiologyBiology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
- Department of Clinical Sciences
- Department of Computer ScienceComputer scienceComputer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
, Information SystemsInformation systemsInformation Systems is an academic/professional discipline bridging the business field and the well-defined computer science field that is evolving toward a new scientific area of study...
and MathematicsMathematicsMathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity... - Department of SportSportA Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
and Exercise Sciences
- Department of Biological Sciences
- Faculty of BusinessBusinessA business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
, EnterpriseEntrepreneurshipEntrepreneurship is the act of being an entrepreneur, which can be defined as "one who undertakes innovations, finance and business acumen in an effort to transform innovations into economic goods". This may result in new organizations or may be part of revitalizing mature organizations in response...
and Lifelong LearningLifelong learningLifelong learning is the continuous building of skills and knowledge throughout the life of an individual. It occurs through experiences encountered in the course of a lifetime...
- Department of BusinessBusinessA business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
, ManagementManagementManagement in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
and StrategyStrategyStrategy, a word of military origin, refers to a plan of action designed to achieve a particular goal. In military usage strategy is distinct from tactics, which are concerned with the conduct of an engagement, while strategy is concerned with how different engagements are linked... - Department of FinanceFinance"Finance" is often defined simply as the management of money or “funds” management Modern finance, however, is a family of business activity that includes the origination, marketing, and management of cash and money surrogates through a variety of capital accounts, instruments, and markets created...
and Resource ManagementResource managementIn organizational studies, resource management is the efficient and effective deployment of an organization's resources when they are needed. Such resources may include financial resources, inventory, human skills, production resources, or information technology... - Department of MarketingMarketingMarketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments...
, TourismTourismTourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
and Events Management - Centre for Work Related Studies (Professional Development)
- Department of Business
- Faculty of ArtArtArt is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
s and MediaMass mediaMass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
- Department of Art and Design
- Department of MediaMass mediaMass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
- Department of Performing ArtsPerforming artsThe performing arts are those forms art which differ from the plastic arts insofar as the former uses the artist's own body, face, and presence as a medium, and the latter uses materials such as clay, metal or paint which can be molded or transformed to create some physical art object...
- Faculty of EducationEducationEducation in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
and Children's Services - Faculty of HealthHealthHealth is the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person's mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain...
and Social Care - Faculty of HumanitiesHumanitiesThe humanities are academic disciplines that study the human condition, using methods that are primarily analytical, critical, or speculative, as distinguished from the mainly empirical approaches of the natural sciences....
- Department of EnglishEnglish studiesEnglish studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,...
- Department of HistoryHistoryHistory is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
and ArchaeologyArchaeologyArchaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes... - Department of Modern Languages
- Department of TheologyTheologyTheology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
and Religious StudiesReligious studiesReligious studies is the academic field of multi-disciplinary, secular study of religious beliefs, behaviors, and institutions. It describes, compares, interprets, and explains religion, emphasizing systematic, historically based, and cross-cultural perspectives.While theology attempts to...
- Department of English
- Faculty of Social Science
- Department of GeographyGeographyGeography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
and DevelopmentEconomic developmentEconomic development generally refers to the sustained, concerted actions of policymakers and communities that promote the standard of living and economic health of a specific area...
Studies - Department of LawLawLaw is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
- Department of PsychologyPsychologyPsychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
- Department of SocialSocial studiesSocial studies is the "integrated study of the social sciences and humanities to promote civic competence," as defined by the American National Council for the Social Studies...
and Counselling Studies
- Department of Geography
In addition, a number of research
Research
Research can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
centres operate alongside the departments.
Students and staff
Most of Chester's 15,000 students are from the UK, with a quarter being mature students. There are twice as many female students as male (partially due to the number of nursing, midwifery and teaching students). The small number of foreign students are mainly participants in the university's active exchange policy. There are approximately 1,400 members of staff, 553 of whom are academic. Many of them take part in research and often publish their work through the institution's own publishing house, the University of Chester Press. The review of the staff's research in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise was positive: each of the ten Units of Assessment contained work that was internationally excellent, with world-leading work in several areas, including Drama, Dance and Performing Arts, English Language and Literature, History, and Sports-Related Studies. These results have led to a large increase in the University's Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) research funding from £338,000 in 2008-09, to £790,000 in 2009-10.Dr Peter Blair and Dr Ashley Chantler edit Flash: The International Short-Short Story Magazine, a major literary periodical, which publishes stories and reviews of up to 360 words by writers from around the world. Contributors have included: Ama Ata Aidoo, Roberta Allen, Beryl Bainbridge, Elleke Boehmer, Dave Eggers, David Gaffney, Rodge Glass, Michael Cawood Green, Allan Kolski Horwitz, Liesl Jobson, James Kelman, J. Robert Lennon, Kobus Moolman, Ewan Morrison, Dan Rhodes, Matt Thorne, Alan Wall, and Gee Williams.
Chester Students' Union
Chester Students' Union (CSU) offers services and provides facilities for students and is a member of the NUS. Three sabbatical officers are elected each year. For the 2010-2011 term, is President, Dechlan Jarrett, the Vice-President for the Chester campus, Jack Mason and the Vice-President for the Warrington campus, Sam Wright. Sabbatical officers serve a maximum of two years.The Executive Committee are the trustees of the Union. Members are elected each year before the end of March and each has a different role, such as Entertainments representative, Welfare and Campaigns representative and Publications representative. The support staff for the Union consists of a number of full-time employees, part-time student staff and volunteers from the elected Executive Committee and the Union Council.
The Union runs bars (CH1 on the main campus) as the previously known 'Padgate Union Bar' on the Warrington campus was in August 2010, taken over by the university. The Union also has three shops. Two are on the Chester campus, consisting of a general shop and clothes shop, and these functions are combined into one at Warrington. The Union also runs over 75 sports clubs and societies; with each campus having its own teams, many of which compete in British Universities and Colleges Sport competitions. Once a year, the Union runs an inter-campus competition known as Varsity on campus where sporting societies, such as seven-a-side football, and non-sporting societies, such as poker, compete. Other non-sporting societies include the Drama Society, the Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
Society and the People and Planet Society. A student radio station, The Cat 1251AM, is based on the Warrington campus and broadcasts daily, with presenters on air from September until June.
CSU won the NUS 'Community Relations Award' at the NUS 2011 ceremony.
Reputation
The University of Chester generally enjoys a good reputation, with The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) 2010 audit commending the University for its good practice in ensuring standards and enhancing the quality of learning opportunities, the supportive relationships that underpin the learning and working in the institution and the strength of its partnership work however it has come under fire from the local community recently due to the controversial purchase of Cheshire County Hall. The Faculty of Education and Children's Services also celebrated an 'outstanding' outcome of its recent Ofsted inspection of Initial Teacher Training. The University was ranked =79 in The Guardian 2011 University Guide and 81 in the Complete University Guide 2011. The University's Geography and Development Studies degrees achieved 100% in the National Student Survey and the University has been described as 'building up a solid reputation in a number of subjects beyond education' by The Times. It is ranked as 7th best university in North West England (out of 11 institutions).In 2007, the Sunday Times released averages of all its tables over 10 years, ranking Chester as 78th in the country (out of 119 institutions) from 1998 - 2007.
| 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Times Good University Guide | 71st | 83rd | 91st | 71st= | 86th | 100th= | 68th | ||||||
| Guardian University Guide | 79th | 90th | 80th | 86th | 80th | 90th | 113th | 108th | 102nd | ||||
| The Complete University Guide | 80th= | 81st= | 90th | 90th= | 84th | ||||||||
| The Daily Telegraph | 84th | ||||||||||||
| Sunday Times University Guide | 97th= | 83rd= | 86th | 99th | 97th | 82nd | 93rd | 87th | 79th | 69th |
Coat of arms
The University's coat of arms was granted by the College of ArmsCollege of Arms
The College of Arms, or Heralds’ College, is an office regulating heraldry and granting new armorial bearings for England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
in 1954. The arms, pictured above, are made up of an argent
Argent
In heraldry, argent is the tincture of silver, and belongs to the class of light tinctures, called "metals". It is very frequently depicted as white and usually considered interchangeable with it...
shield featuring the St George's cross
St George's Cross
St George's Cross is a red cross on a white background used as a symbolic reference to Saint George. The red cross on white was associated with St George from medieval times....
on which there is a golden wheatsheaf, representing the Earldom of Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
. In the first quarter of the shield is a clasped open book, symbolising learning. The crest
Crest (heraldry)
A crest is a component of an heraldic display, so called because it stands on top of a helmet, as the crest of a jay stands on the bird's head....
features a mitre
Mitre
The mitre , also spelled miter, is a type of headwear now known as the traditional, ceremonial head-dress of bishops and certain abbots in the Roman Catholic Church, as well as in the Anglican Communion, some Lutheran churches, and also bishops and certain other clergy in the Eastern Orthodox...
, signifying the institution's founding by the Church of England, in front of two crossed swords, which are taken from the County of Cheshire's coat of arms. The golden scroll contains the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
motto
Motto
A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
, "qui docet in doctrina", an extract from Saint Paul's epistle
Epistle
An epistle is a writing directed or sent to a person or group of people, usually an elegant and formal didactic letter. The epistle genre of letter-writing was common in ancient Egypt as part of the scribal-school writing curriculum. The letters in the New Testament from Apostles to Christians...
to the Romans and translates as "he that teacheth, on teaching" or "let the teacher teach".
The coat of arms was used as the College's logo until the early 1990s when a new logo, with a depiction of the Old College building, was introduced. The coat of arms returned to the College's logo in 2002 when a simplified version became part of the logo. The University's current logo, introduced in 2005, features the shield and scroll from the coat of arms.
Notable alumni
- Alan BleasdaleAlan BleasdaleAlan Bleasdale is an English television dramatist, best known for writing several social realist drama serials based on the lives of ordinary people.The Bleasdales live in prescot,liverpool,wales and london.-Early life:Bleasdale is an only child; his father worked in a food factory and his mother...
, screenwriter (Cert EdCertificate in EducationThe Certificate in Education is a professional qualification for teachers in the United Kingdom. There have been two incarnations of the Cert Ed over the years.-New Cert Ed:...
, 1964–1967) - Jim BowenJim BowenJim Bowen is an English stand-up comedian and TV personality. He is best known as the host of the ITV gameshow Bullseye, which he hosted between 1981 and 1995.-Early life:...
, Bullseye presenter (Cert EdCertificate in EducationThe Certificate in Education is a professional qualification for teachers in the United Kingdom. There have been two incarnations of the Cert Ed over the years.-New Cert Ed:...
Physical Education, 1957–1959) - Michael Campbell, drummer in The CourteenersThe CourteenersThe Courteeners are a rock band formed in Middleton, Greater Manchester, England in 2006 by Liam Fray , Michael Campbell , Daniel Conan Moores , Mark Cuppello -Formation:...
(BABachelor of ArtsA Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
(Hons) Television Production, 2002–2005) - John CarletonJohn CarletonJohn Carleton is a former international rugby union player. He toured twice with the British and Irish Lions, to South Africa in 1980 and New Zealand in 1983 and played club rugby for Orrell R.U.F.C.....
, international rugby union player - Jon Clarke, international rugby league player (BScBachelor of ScienceA Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
(Hons) Sport and Exercise Sciences, 2006–present) - George Courtney, MBEGeorge CourtneyGeorge Courtney is an English former football referee based in Spennymoor, County Durham.He is said to be a freemason. His vocational career was spent as a primary school headteacher.-Ascent through English refereeing:...
, international football referee (Cert EdCertificate in EducationThe Certificate in Education is a professional qualification for teachers in the United Kingdom. There have been two incarnations of the Cert Ed over the years.-New Cert Ed:...
Geography, 1959–1961) - DuffyDuffy (singer)Aimée Ann Duffy , known as Duffy, is a Welsh singer-songwriter. Her 2008 debut album Rockferry entered the UK Album Chart at number one. It was the best-selling album in the United Kingdom in 2008 with 1.68 million copies sold...
, singer (BABachelor of ArtsA Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
(Hons) Popular Music, Drama and Theatre Studies, 2004–2006; dropped out) - Jo FletcherJo FletcherJosephine 'Jo' Fletcher is an English female football goalkeeper. She played at full international level for England. She hails from the Wirral.-Club career:Fletcher join Tranmere Rovers Ladies as an under-18 player....
, international footballer (MScMaster of ScienceA Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
Exercise and Nutrition Science, 2003–2005) - Matt GreenhalghMatt GreenhalghMatt Greenhalgh is an English screenwriter. He created and wrote the BBC television series Burn It, and the television film Legless. He adapted Deborah Curtis's Touching From a Distance—a biopic of Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis—into the 2007 film Control, for which he was nominated for the...
, film director and screenwriter (BABachelor of ArtsA Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
(Hons) Media Studies with Business Management and Information Technology, 1992–1995) - Dick HowardDick Howard (soccer)Richard James "Dick" Howard is a former Canadian international goalkeeper, NASL player, educator, long-time FIFA coaching instructor and Canadian national teams coach, author, and print and broadcast journalist on soccer in Canada and abroad.A goalkeeper, Howard made an appearance for Chester in...
, international footballer (HNDHigher National DiplomaA Higher National Diploma is a higher education qualification in the United Kingdom. This qualification can be used to gain entry into universities, and is considered equivalent to the first or second year of a university degree course....
Physical Education, 1963–1965) - Roderick Hunt MBERoderick HuntRoderick Hunt MBE is a British children's author. His most famous series of stories is The Magic Key, which was first written as a part of the Oxford Reading Tree in 1985. There were originally 30 stories, and there are now over 300. They are used by over 80% of British primary schools to help...
, children's author (Cert EdCertificate in EducationThe Certificate in Education is a professional qualification for teachers in the United Kingdom. There have been two incarnations of the Cert Ed over the years.-New Cert Ed:...
Divinity and English, 1957–1959) - Helen Jones MPHelen JonesHelen Mary Jones is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Warrington North since 1997...
, politician (PGCEPostgraduate Certificate in EducationThe Postgraduate Certificate in Education is a one-year course in England, Wales and Northern Ireland for undergraduate degree holders that allows them to train to be a teacher....
) - Eddie LeverEddie LeverEddie Lever was the manager of the English football club Portsmouth F.C. from 1952-1958. Lever took over at Pompey in 1952 after championship-winning manager Bob Jackson joined Hull City. He is credited with discovering a 16-year old Jimmy Dickinson in the early 1940s....
, footballer and manager (Cert EdCertificate in EducationThe Certificate in Education is a professional qualification for teachers in the United Kingdom. There have been two incarnations of the Cert Ed over the years.-New Cert Ed:...
, 1931–1933) - J. Thomas LooneyJ. Thomas LooneyJohn Thomas Looney . was an English school teacher who is best known for having originated the Oxfordian theory, which claims that Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford was the true author of Shakespeare's plays.-Life:Looney was born in South Shields...
, devised the Oxfordian theoryOxfordian theoryThe Oxfordian theory of Shakespearean authorship proposes that Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford , wrote the plays and poems traditionally attributed to William Shakespeare of Stratford-upon-Avon. While a large majority of scholars reject all alternative candidates for authorship, popular...
(Cert EdCertificate in EducationThe Certificate in Education is a professional qualification for teachers in the United Kingdom. There have been two incarnations of the Cert Ed over the years.-New Cert Ed:...
, 1890–1891) - James MooreJames MooreJames Moore and Jim Moore are the names of:*Butch Moore , born James Augustine Moore, Irish showband icon during the 1960s*Cowboy Jimmy Moore James Moore and Jim Moore are the names of:*Butch Moore (1938–2001), born James Augustine Moore, Irish showband icon during the 1960s*Cowboy Jimmy Moore...
, rugby union player (BScBachelor of ScienceA Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
Business Information Systems, 2004–2007) - Tracey NevilleTracey NevilleTracey Anne Neville is one of England's most capped netball players, playing for her country 74 times before an injury forced her out of the game in 2008. She currently plays for Leeds Met Carnegie in the British Netball Superleague, after being out injured for two years...
, international netball player (BScBachelor of ScienceA Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
(Hons) Nutrition and Exercise Science, 2004–2007) - Jon SleightholmeJon SleightholmeJonathan Mark Sleightholme is a former rugby union footballer who played on the wing for Wakefield, Bath, Northampton Saints, Yorkshire, England Sevens and England....
, international rugby union player (1991–1994) - David 'Comedy Dave' Vitty, radio presenter (BABachelor of ArtsA Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
(Hons) Media Studies and Business Management, 1992–1995) - Sir Walter Winterbottom, footballer and first manager of the England football teamEngland national football teamThe England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
(Cert EdCertificate in EducationThe Certificate in Education is a professional qualification for teachers in the United Kingdom. There have been two incarnations of the Cert Ed over the years.-New Cert Ed:...
, 1931–1933) - Rob WottonRob WottonRob Wotton is a regular football presenter for Sky Sports and on Sky Sports News. He is a fan of Chelsea FC and his commentary has appeared on their club DVD.He has covered England games home and away for Capital Gold and worked with Jonathan Pearce....
, television and radio presenter (BABachelor of ArtsA Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
(Hons) Health and Community Studies, 1987–1990; Union President, 1990–1991) - Mercy Liao, film producer (BABachelor of ArtsA Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
(Hons) Religious Studies, 2004–2007)
Honorary graduates
Honorary graduates of the University include HRH The Prince of Wales, Dame Joan Bakewell, The Most Rev and Rt Hon Dr John SentamuJohn Sentamu
John Tucker Mugabi Sentamu is the 97th Archbishop of York, Metropolitan of the province of York, and Primate of England. He is the second most senior cleric in the Church of England, after the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams.-Life and career:...
, Terry Waite
Terry Waite
Terry Waite CBE is an English humanitarian and author.Waite was Archbishop of Canterbury Robert Runcie's Assistant for Anglican Communion Affairs in the 1980s. As an envoy for the Church of England, he travelled to Lebanon to try to secure the release of four hostages including journalist John...
CBE, Sir Andrew Motion
Andrew Motion
Sir Andrew Motion, FRSL is an English poet, novelist and biographer, who presided as Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom from 1999 to 2009.- Life and career :...
, Tim Firth
Tim Firth
Tim Firth is an English dramatist, screenwriter and songwriter.Tim Firth was born, and has lived all his life in, the North West of England on the border of Cheshire and Lancashire...
, Ken Dodd
Ken Dodd
Kenneth Arthur Dodd OBE is a British comedian and singer songwriter, famous for his frizzy hair or “fluff dom” and buck teeth or “denchers”, his favourite cleaner, the feather duster and his greeting "How tickled I am!", as well as his send-off “Lots and Lots of Happiness!”...
OBE, Sue Johnston
Sue Johnston
Susan "Sue" Johnston, OBE is a BAFTA nominated English actress best known for playing Sheila Grant in the long-running soap opera Brookside , Grace Foley in Waking the Dead from 2000 to 2011 and Barbara Royle in the BBC comedy The Royle Family between 1998 and 2000, and again in 2006, 2008, 2009,...
OBE, Phil Redmond
Phil Redmond
Phil Redmond CBE is an English television producer and screenwriter.He is well-known for creating several popular television series such as Grange Hill , Brookside and Hollyoaks...
CBE, Willie Carson
Willie Carson
William Fisher Hunter Carson, OBE is a retired jockey in thoroughbred horse racing.-Life and career:Best known as "Miserable Willie", Carson was born in Stirling, Scotland. In 1957 he was apprenticed to Captain Gerald Armstrong at his stables at Tupgill, North Yorkshire...
, Matthew Kelly
Matthew Kelly
Matthew Kelly is an English television presenter and Olivier-award winning actor. Having been trained as a theatre actor, he first came to public prominence as a television presenter of ITV light entertainment shows such as You Bet! and Stars in Their Eyes...
, Estelle Morris
Estelle Morris
Estelle Morris, Baroness Morris of Yardley, PC was a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Birmingham Yardley from 1992 to 2005, and served briefly in the Cabinet as Education Secretary.-Early life:...
(Baroness Morris of Yardley), Christine Russell
Christine Russell
Christine Margaret Russell is a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament for the City of Chester from 1997 to 2010. She lost her seat to the Conservative Stephen Mosley at the 2010 General Election.-Early life:She is a Lincolnshire farmer's daughter from South Holland...
, Ronald Pickup
Ronald Pickup
-Life and career:Pickup was born in Chester, England, the son of Daisy and Eric Pickup, who was a lecturer. Pickup was educated at The King's School, Chester, trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, and became an Associate Member of RADA.His television work began with an episode...
and Tony Robinson
Tony Robinson
Tony Robinson is an English actor, comedian, author, broadcaster and political campaigner. He is best known for playing Baldrick in the BBC television series Blackadder, and for hosting Channel 4 programmes such as Time Team and The Worst Jobs in History. Robinson is a member of the Labour Party...
.
Notable staff
- Sir William CrookesWilliam CrookesSir William Crookes, OM, FRS was a British chemist and physicist who attended the Royal College of Chemistry, London, and worked on spectroscopy...
, chemist (1855-unknown) - Prof. Ron GeavesRon GeavesRon Geaves is a professor of religion at Liverpool Hope University in England. He was formerly Programme Leader and Chair in religious studies at the University of Chester in England and Head of Department at the University of Chichester. He is currently Chair of the Muslims in Britain Research...
, theologian (Department of Theology and Religious Studies, 2001–2007) - Rev. Canon Anthony ThiseltonAnthony ThiseltonAnthony Charles Thiselton has written a number of books and papers on Christian theology and the philosophy of religion. He has recently served on the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, appointed by the Minister of Health...
, theologian (Department of Theology and Religious Studies, 2003–present) - Alan WallAlan Wall-Biography:Wall was born in Bradford and studied at the University of Oxford. In addition to his work as a professional author, he has developed a career teaching creative writing with posts at Liverpool John Moores University, the University of Birmingham and the University of Chester...
, novelist (Department of English, 2004–present) - Dr. Howard WilliamsHoward Williams (archaeologist)Howard M. R. Williams, is a British archaeologist. He received his PhD in 2000 from the University of Reading for a thesis on Anglo-Saxon cremation burial...
, archaeologist (Department of History and Archaeology, 2008–present) - Stewart AinsworthStewart AinsworthStewart Ainsworth is a British archaeological investigator, who is regularly seen on Time Team, the Channel 4 archaeological television series....
archaeologist (Department of History and Archaeology, 2010–present)
Further reading
- Burek, Cynthia and Stilwell, Richard, Geodiversity Trail: Walking Through the Past on the University's Chester Campus (Chester: Chester Academic Press, 2007)
- Astbury, Stanley, A History of Chester Diocesan Training College (Chester: Chester College, 1946)
- Bradbury, John Lewis, Chester College and the Training of Teachers, 1839-1975 (Chester: Chester College, 1975)
- Dunn, Ian, The University of Chester, 1839-2005: The Bright Star in the Present Prospect (Chester: Chester Academic Press, 2005)
- Dunn, Ian, The University of Chester, 1839-2008: The Bright Star in the Present Prospect, 2nd ed. (Chester: Chester Academic Press, 2008)
- Newton, Elsie, The Padgate Story 1946-2006 (Chester: Chester Academic Press, 2007)
- White, Graeme J (ed.), Perspectives of Chester College: 150th Anniversary Essays, 1839-1989 (Chester: Chester College, 1989)