York St John University

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York St John University (formerly known variously as York St John University College, College of Ripon and York St John, York St John College or Ripon and York St John College of the University of Leeds) is located in York, England. It occupies an eight acre (32,000 m²) city centre campus on Lord Mayor's Walk, just a few hundred metres from York Minster. There are currently (2006) around 5,000 students, reading a wide variety of subjects, in four faculties: Arts; Education and Theology; Business and Communication and Health and Life Sciences. It has no institutional connection with the University of York.

1 History and Development
2 Students' Union
3 Courses
4 See also
5 External link

[edit] History and Development

The college descends from two Anglican teacher training colleges, which were founded in York in 1841 (for men) and 1846 (for women). In 1862, the women's college relocated to Ripon. Over the next century, the colleges gradually diversified their education programmes. The colleges merged in 1974 to form the College of Ripon and York St John.

In 1990 the combined institution formally became a college of the University of Leeds; this arrangement allowed it to award degrees in the name of the latter, while remaining in practice largely autonomous. Between 1999 and 2001, all activities were transferred to York and the college received the name York St John College.

In February 2006, the College was granted the right to award degrees in its own name and the right to call itself a University College. On 10 July 2006 the Privy Council approved a request from the college to become a fully-fledged University; the name became York St John University on 1 October 2006, and the first Chancellor (to be installed at a ceremony in York Minster on 7 March 2007) will be Archbishop of York John Sentamu.

[edit] Students' Union

Many activities are organised in association with the students' union and the college offers several sporting and other interest groups in which students can become members.

In response to local fears of studentification a campaign entitled "SSHH - Silent Students Happy Homes" was initiated. This has subsequently been adopted by other students' unions around the UK, although in many instances the expansion of the abbreviation has been dropped, leaving campaigns called "Shh", "Sshh", or variants.

In 2005, the Students' Union launched another community-friendly campaign called 'Pick It Up'. This campaign was designed to reduce litter levels on campus and in the surrounding community.

[edit] Courses

Students can study a range of subjects, including television and film production, linguistics, psychology, sports science, and education. Many others are available and the college prides itself on integrating students of varying disciplines. The college was recently awarded the right to call itself a 'centre of excellence' for performance and is a base for the government programme, Collaborating For Creativity (C4C).

[edit] See also

G P McGregor (1991) A Church College for the 21st Century? 150 years of Ripon & York St John, 1841-1991: A study of policy and its absence. William Sessions Ltd, York, England. (ISBN 1-85072-079-7)