The University of Aberdeen has had more success at attracting applicants for 2000 entry than most other Scottish universities, especially in the areas of Engineering, Social Sciences and Arts, according to the latest figures from Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).
The number of Master of Arts (MA) applications has increased by 6.3% (200). Dr Christine Kay, Head of Undergraduate Admissions said: “The University of Aberdeen offers a broad and flexible MA degree that continues to be attractive to prospective students in the UK and around the world. New programmes such as Anthropology, Film Studies, Music and Finance are bringing in new applicants. There has also been a lot of interest in Sports and Leisure Management which starts this September.”
The Department of Engineering is delighted by an increase of 27% (127) in its applications this year, an encouraging sign to an industry short of new engineers and proof of the University’s excellence in this area.
Graduates of the University of Aberdeen gain the highest level of professional accreditation and have higher than average starting salaries. The University has increased the breadth of courses and programmes available to Engineering students, for example, combining Engineering with a Diploma in Management.
Vice Principal and Dean of the Faculty of Science and Engineering Professor Dominic Houlihan said: “The University is delighted to see an increase in applications, against the national trend. We believe this is due to the structure of our degree programme, our excellent research which has won recent national awards, and the employability of our graduates.”
Applications from elsewhere in the UK increased by 3.5%. Despite the political and economic problems in many overseas markets, overseas applications have increased by 17.8%. The University of Aberdeen receives significantly more overseas applications, apart from the Universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow, than any other Scottish university.
Senior Vice Principal Professor Ian Macdonald said: “The University is moving ahead very strongly and this is further evidence of our continuing success. It goes with a succession of outstanding recent professorial appointments and improvements in teaching and research quality.”
Director of Student Recruitment & Admissions Services Lori Manders said the University has been taking a more proactive approach to student recruitment.
“We have increased marketing of the University to prospective students, held more Open Days for prospective students to tour the campus and to meet faculty, made improvements to our prospectus, and increased our work with schools and colleges in the UK”, she said.
“Research carried out by the Institute for Employment Studies concluded that the University of Aberdeen is clearly seen as belonging to the first division, an attractive university with a high reputation, and today’s figures bear this out.”