Founded in 1843, the School of Art and Design at Nottingham Trent University is one of the oldest in the United Kingdom and currently has more than 2,500 students.
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The government Select Committee on Art and Manufactures produced a report in 1836 highlighting concerns about the standard of design in industry. Higher standards abroad forced manufacturers to buy or copy foreign designs. The Board of Trade established schools of design:
The original school at the People's Hall in Beck Lane (now Heathcote Street), moved to Plumptre House in Stoney Street in 1852 and to Commerce Square, off High Pavement in 1858. In 1863, a site was purchased in Waverley Street for the building of a new school.
The school was opened by Henry Pelham-Clinton, 6th Duke of Newcastle on 19 June 1865. The architect was Frederick Bakewell. In front of the building is a statue of the artist Richard Parkes Bonnington, produced by Watson Fothergill.
In art and design, the School was ranked in the top three universities overall in the country by the Higher Education Statistics Agency in 2006-2007 for the number of students who successfully gain course-related placements.
NTU was ranked in 2006-2007 as being in the top three universities in England and Wales for its graduate employability record; 97% of graduates find related employment of further study within six months of finishing their course[1]
Nottingham Trent University's City site is based close to the heart of Nottingham city centre, its facilities, transport links and student accommodation are supported by the many local shops, bars and amenities nearby. Nottingham also consistently ranks amongst the top ten UK cities as an excellent shopping and nightlife destination. [2]
The School of Art and Design is based at the University's City site (in Nottingham city centre) and is serviced directly by the Nottingham's tram network, Nottingham Express Transit.[3]
All of NTU's art and design courses are based on the University's City site, a few minutes' walk from NTU's main student facilities and Nottingham's city centre.
Bonington building — a purpose-built centre for creativity, upgraded in 2005.
Waverley building — a restored, listed building with design heritage.
The Waverley building was home to the first Nottingham School of Art and Design in 1843. In recognition of its importance, the University has upgraded all facilities within Waverley as part of an ongoing regeneration plan.
Maudslay building — a centre for industry and technology.
The Maudslay building has been recently upgraded to incorporate real-life, industry-standard design facilities and modern working studio environments.
Courses are offered at undergraduate levels (BA Hons in numerous disciplines) and also MAs in a wide range of subjects. It also offers Graduate Diplomas in some fields and a Professional Certificate in Photography.
There is an MA by "registered project or thesis" offered as a flexible postgraduate course, allowing students to tailor their course specifically around their areas of individual interest.
At the postgraduate level of research degrees, all of the institution's research groups were rated as nationally or internationally excellent in the Research Assessment Exercise of 2001.
In the field of art and design, NTU has links with a wide range of companies, professional bodies and institutions on an international level, including Apple, Arcadia Group, Arts Council England, Bosch, Debenhams, Fashion Institute of Technology, Marks & Spencer, Mothercare, Next, Reebok, RSA, and Sony.
The University has international liaison staff, course tutors and trained counsellors to give international students advice and practical help, and also offers a detailed orientation programme the week before term begins. University representatives regularly travel to international education fairs to give advice and information to overseas applicants.
NTU has links across Europe, the United States, Japan, Korea, China, Australia, India, Africa, and the Far East, both through individual contacts and exchange programmes.
Many of NTU's undergraduate courses offers the opportunity to spend time studying at a university overseas. Students can do this in Europe through the Socrates-Erasmus Programme, as well as in an even larger range of countries worldwide through the University's study abroad scheme.