Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Virtual Reality Design (Optional Placement)

at University of Plymouth United Kingdom

This one year MA Architectural Design program explores architecture, design and urbanism, with an emphasis on the critical investigation of space through practical, theoretical research interests and creative activities. Design is the crucial agency for exploring spatial creativity, coupled with an experimental design practice that operates from a core architectural discipline, yet celebrates the blurring of disciplinary boundaries to forge innovation and new disciplines in spatial enquiry.

You will undertake architectural design studio projects that immerse you within spatial debates and cross-disciplinary activities, including working on live projects, community engagement and public events. Supporting your work in the design studio, you will engage with emerging research in architecture, connecting sustainable practices and integrated technology. You will generate a dissertation through detailed design development of a selected aspect of your design studio work. Support is provided in the design studio through weekly tutorials, workshops and seminars. All students will be encouraged to develop a personal and critical path of design discovery. The studio culture fosters a unique design-led research practice, converging theory, design and technology.

Key features

• Encouraging discovery and critical development in a studio-based culture that fosters a unique research-led practice, converging theory, practice and technology.
• Co-taught with the RIBA-validated Part II programme, sharing coursework, projects and studio space.
• Advances the understanding of the role architectural design plays in today’s most pressing societal, environmental and cultural challenges.
• Encompasses a wide range of skills, theory and practice from urban situation to building performance.
• Develops the capacity to conceptualise spatial thought in relation to architectural design and production at all levels of design, fabrication and use.
• Framed by issues of place, people, tectonics and environmental concerns

Will gene therapy become an established treatment for cancer? What are the potential benefits of stem cell research? How has the revolution in genome sequencing provided insights into human biology? On this flexible course, you’ll develop skills and knowledge across the spectrum of subject disciplines – enabling an understanding of these and other key questions relating to human biology, health and disease.

This course is delivered by the School of Biomedical Sciences in the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry and enhanced by links with healthcare professionals. You’ll benefit from a rich and varied learning environment. You will also have the opportunity to enhance your employability with an optional placement year. We’re very proud of our National Student Survey (NSS) 2018 return showing that the course had an overall student satisfaction of 95 per cent.

Have you considered

• BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science
• BSc (Hons) Nutrition, Exercise and Health
• BSc (Hons) Psychology with Human Biology
• BSc (Hons) Medical Physiology

Key Features

• Delivered by the School of Biomedical Sciences in the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry and enhanced by links with healthcare professionals.
• A strong foundation in a broad range of bioscience disciplines underpinned by a biomolecular knowledge-base relevant to contemporary human biosciences today.
• Opportunities to include optional elements of psychology at each stage of the programme.
• Enables students to explore themes of personal interest within the biosciences at all stages.
• Staff with expertise in a wide range of biomedical research topics directly inform learning and teaching.
• Strong international reputation in translational research with significant financial investment in laboratory infrastructure.
• Emphasis on practical laboratory skills relevant to research and other scientific careers.
• Benefit from a rich and varied interdisciplinary learning environment, which includes collaboration with a wider health care education community at the University.
• Optional placement opportunities provide students with relevant work experience.
• Personal tutoring in modules throughout the programme of study.
• Equips graduates with the confidence, knowledge, skills and other attributes suitable for a wide variety of careers within this rapidly expanding field.
• This course has competitive entry for up to ten ring-fenced places at the end of stage one for progression onto medicine and dentistry. Applicants must meet minimum academic requirements for consideration. e.g A levels - Minimum of AAB to include A grades in Biology, one other science from Chemistry, Maths, Physics, Psychology, Geology or Geography. General Studies will not be accepted.

Study the literature of the sea in the Ocean City and explore the Devon settings that have inspired authors like Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle. From the graphic novel to transatlantic literature, English at Plymouth will take your love of reading in new directions. Explore texts that have shaped our world as you navigate the challenges of the future. We’ve decolonised our curriculum, giving you free rein to study an eclectic range of literature across cultures and geographies.

Key Features

• Personalise your degree by choosing from a wide variety of optional modules in literary studies and creative writing, or widen your horizons by taking specialist modules in other subjects in the school.
• Learn from internationally recognised research-active staff.
• Receive free set texts for all core modules throughout the three years.
• Benefit from assessment through coursework, with no written exams.
• Make the most of a rich cultural life with The Arts Institute programme and the University’s links with local cultural organisations, like The Box and Theatre Royal.
• We’re very proud of our National Student Survey (NSS) 2020 return – 94% of students agreed staff are good at explaining things, and 94% said that the course is intellectually stimulating.*

Zoology is the science of animals and you will study the whole diversity of animal life, from tardigrades to elephants. You'll gain in-depth knowledge of how animals work, develop key lab skills in molecular biology, physiology, and cell biology that are sought after by employers and build fieldwork skills on two residential field trips.You'll also gain the expertise and skills to be a professional zoologist and work across a diverse range of professions or go on to further study.

Key Features

• Study the biology of animals in marine, terrestrial and freshwater aquatic habitats. A spectacular range of these habitats are right on our doorstep.
• Gain a strong foundation in theoretical aspects of ecology, physiology, anatomy, behaviour, evolution and genetics.
• Develop high-level laboratory skills across animal biology in a wide range of taxa and habitats and gain key transferrable skills that are sought after by employers.
• Undertake in-depth field studies of animals, including residential courses in the UK and abroad that develop field techniques and familiarity with a wide range of ecosystems and fauna.
• Undertake self-study throughout your course, using our well-equipped library and range of online scientific journals, as well as LABPlus, our unique laboratory and resource centre designed for science and engineering students.
• Have the opportunity to boost your employability by taking a placement year between your second and final years of study, working in the industry, anywhere in the world - you can read more about this in the 'course details' section of this page.
• Take an extended personal research project on a range of topics, often linked to ongoing staff research, in your final year.
• Benefit from our strong links with external organisations such as the Wildlife Trusts, the Natural History Museums in London and Plymouth, the National Marine Aquarium, the Field Studies Council, Whitley Wildlife Trust, the Donkey Sanctuary, Dartmoor National Park.
• Explore a range of contemporary issues in zoology.

 This exciting programme is pioneering, patient-centred and delivered in a supportive and research-rich environment. You will develop the highest level of core dental skills and knowledge needed for a hugely rewarding career as a healthcare professional. We offer you state-of-the art facilities and are committed to making you a dental practitioner with clinical skills of the highest order and a strong sense of social awareness.

You will treat patients through partnership with Peninsula Dental Social Enterprise and the wider NHS in Devon and Cornwall, become familiar with a variety of clinical situations, and prepare for a future career path through solving clinical problems. You’ll also discover how clinical dentistry and research is practiced in different social and cultural contexts in other parts of the South West, UK and the world.

Key Features

• Programme mapped against the General Dental Council’s guidance ‘Preparing for Practice’.
• Treat patients through partnership with the NHS Primary Care Trust in Devon and Cornwall.
• Engage directly with participants and service users in a unique and meaningful way with the Community Engagement Team.
• Benefit from the state of the art facilities provided by established Peninsula Dental Social Enterprise (PDSE), a Community Interest Company (CIC).
• Become familiar with a variety of clinical situations.
• Prepare for a future career path through solving clinical problems.
• Become competent at diagnosing disease and planning preventive care.
• Choose your own areas of interest to study further.
• Early clinical contact with a strong patient focus.
• Gain the core dental knowledge and communication skills you need to practise as a competent and caring dentist.
• Strong partnerships within the University.
• Students will spend Years 1, 2 and 5 in Plymouth and Year 4 in Truro. Students in Year 3 travel 2 days a week, via transport organised and paid for by the School, to the Dental Education Facility in Exeter.   .

Key Features

• Join a unique multidisciplinary course and study both the architectural design and engineering of buildings.
• Gain industry experience with the option to take part in a year-long paid work placement
• Learn using industry-standard facilities, resources and equipment, including a designated design studio space, specialist laboratories and workshops, Mac and PC suites and a 360-degree immersive vision theatre.
• Live, real-world projects. Test your newly developed architectural and engineering knowledge and skills.
• Professional accreditation. The only fully accredited BSc Architectural Engineering course by The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) and the Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE) in the UK.

Are you passionate about biology in all of its forms? Do you want to study a broad biology degree without the constraints of choosing a specialism too soon, with equal emphasis on lab and field skills? You will build an understanding of biology from viruses to mammals and from freshwater to rocky shores, gaining state-of-the-art practical and transferable skills highly sought by employers, graduating ready to shape the future of fields from ecosystem management to laboratory research.

In the 2019 National Student Survey, 97% of students felt staff on this course were good at explaining things and 95% found the course intellectually stimulating.* This programme focuses on biology of a wide range of environments from soils and the oceans to hydrothermal vents and volcanic lakes.

Key Features

Are you ready to make your mark in the legal world? Our academically challenging law degree will prepare you for a successful career. With a strong focus on developing skills in the workplace, we’ll ground you in the fundamentals of law so you can set your sights high.

Key Features

• Get ahead with a programme designed to help you stand out with employers, whatever your career goals.
• Have flexibility and choice in what you study: the first two years include traditional subjects, such as Criminal Law and Tort, alongside learning dispute resolution skills and a range of optional modules. In your final year you have lots of choice so can tailor your degree to your interests and career ambitions. Our optional modules include legal subjects such as Family, Employment, Environmental, Intellectual Property, Business, Immigration, Human Rights, and Cybercrime.
• Study modules with emphasis on developing your legal and employability skills as well as professional practice.
• Gain valuable, professional experience by participating in our award-winning, pro-bono Law Clinic. Here you work under the guidance of legal practitioners, with real clients making a real difference in the community, without taking time out of your studies. You can do this for credit towards your degree or as a volunteer.
• Join our outstanding Student Law Society, which offers networking opportunities and organises competitions. Our students have excelled in winning national client interviewing and mooting competitions.
• Benefit from excellent research-informed and practice-led teaching by highly qualified staff, including legal practitioners. We have internationally renowned researchers in areas such as the environment, marine protection, immigration and intellectual property. We give policy advice, regionally and nationally, and work for change. We publish an on-line journal, the Plymouth Law Review, with contributions from both staff and students.
• Be part of a supportive community and learning environment, with a dedicated personal tutor system and strong alumni links.

Do you dream of building a suspension bridge or designing earthquake-proof buildings that save lives? Civil engineers imagine, design and create structures and the technical approaches necessary for realising large-scale projects that provide shelter, clean water, sanitation, transportation, energy security and safety from natural hazards. Our engineering students are taught by enthusiastic academic staff who use live site visits and laboratory work to reinforce your academic learning.

Our accredited BEng Civil Engineering is designed to set you on a path to becoming a qualified professional civil engineer. You can choose to take a paid year in industry with a civil engineering employer. We also offer a mentoring scheme that puts you in touch with our network of graduate engineers working in industry. Our academic staff are keen to support and educate you with the skills and knowledge highly sought after by employers of our Plymouth Civil Engineering graduates.

Have you Considered

• MEng (Hons) Civil Engineering
• BEng (Hons) Civil and Coastal Engineering
• MEng (Hons) Civil and Coastal Engineering
• BEng (Hons) Civil Engineering with Foundation Year

Key Features

• Start your professional career from day one with a course accredited by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE), Institute of Highway Engineers (IHE) and The Chartered Institution of Highways & Transportation. Our BEng (Hons) is accredited by our professional institutions on behalf of the Engineering Council for the purposes of fully meeting the academic requirement for registration as an Incorporated Engineer (IEng) and partly meeting the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered Engineer (CEng). You'll qualify for graduate membership of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) and Institution of Structural Engineers.
• Immerse yourself in the real world of civil engineering through site visits, field trips and visiting lectures from leading Chartered Civil Engineers working on major projects.
• Benefit from our £19 million Marine Building, which offers you opportunities to learn water engineering and coastal engineering. We offer major options in structural engineering and water management to equip you to specialise in design and flood risk management. 
• Learn from our teaching staff of professionally qualified experts with relevant experience from the civil engineering industry and researchers with national and international reputations. 
• Get ahead in your career by spending an optional placement year working as a paid student engineer, a great opportunity to further your knowledge and make important industry contacts.
• Learn a host of design skills from problem solving to sustainable development, as well as developing the critical thinking that plays a key role in the work of a civil engineer, including interpreting and analysing data.
• Develop your professional skills including communication, self-management, team working and leadership, all vital in pursuing a rewarding career.
• Increase your employability by taking an extra-curricular HSE-recognised diving qualification (subject to availability).
• Study core subjects include engineering surveying, geotechnics, hydraulics, management, materials, and structural analysis.
• Join our extensive network of Chartered Civil Engineer graduates from the University of Plymouth who now work at all levels in the industry both nationally and internationally.
• Progress onto the MEng (Hons) Civil Engineering at the end of the second year, subject to achieving the required level of academic performance on the BEng (Hons) Civil Engineering.

Experience an academic year working in emergency care and gain an intercalated degree at the same time with the BSc (Hons) in Urgent and Emergency Care. Learn skills that will enable you to work flexibly as a healthcare professional across traditional boundaries to meet the needs of the healthcare community, whilst developing as a competent and adaptive practitioner, with specialist and transferable skills.

You will explore opportunities to set up placements within your locality helping you with the cost of living and development of important relationships in settings where you may like to work in the future. You’ll experience working in genuinely challenging clinical environments. You will also get prepared to lead teams in the future with a specific module on management and leadership, and practice skills that will be essential as you progress to becoming a consultant.

Key Features

• Study with the only university to offer an intercalated degree in emergency care in the UK
• Explore opportunities to set up placements within your locality helping you with the cost of living and development of important relationships in settings where you may like to work in the future
• Experience working in genuinely challenging clinical environments; real-life experiences mean meaningful education
• Get to grips with working and studying with a multi-professional team and all the insight that brings
• Prepare to lead teams in the future with a specific module on management and leadership
• Practice skills that will be essential as you progress to becoming a consultant
• Deepen your research and audit knowledge, helping you to decide (with your emergency department mentor) what area of emergency care you will develop an audit in
• Choose from a range of optional modules including paediatrics and mental health.