Colleges within universities in the United Kingdom

A number of universities in the United Kingdom are composed of colleges. These can be divided into three broad categories. In the case of the 18 constituent colleges of the federal University of London, the colleges operate largely as self-governing universities, with teaching and research activities and control over their own finances and admissions, and some have their own degree awarding powers. In the case of Durham University, the University of Cambridge and the University of Oxford, the constituent colleges have the legal status of 'listed bodies' and have some academic activities but are primarily centres of student life. In the case of the Plate glass universities: the University of Kent, Lancaster University, and the University of York, colleges have less autonomy operating under a different legal footing, but still perform some independent functions.

In the past, many of what are now British universities with their own degree-awarding powers were colleges which had their degrees awarded by either a federal university (such as Cardiff University) or another university (for example many of the post-1992 universities).

Oxford and Cambridge

St John's College (Cambridge) New Court and Chapel seen from The Backs

The two ancient universities of England, Oxford and Cambridge (collectively termed Oxbridge), were originally federations of autonomous colleges, with a small central university body, rather than universities in the common sense. While many of the student affairs functions are housed in the colleges, each college is more than a residence hall, but they are far from being universities. While college life and membership is an important part of the Oxbridge experience and education, only the central university body has degree-awarding power. Historically the colleges were created as a way of ensuring discipline among the notoriously unruly students.^[1]

In addition to accommodation, meals, common rooms, libraries, sporting and social facilities for its students, each college admits undergraduate students to the University and, through tutorials or supervisions, contributes to the work of educating them, together with the university's departments/faculties. Graduate students do not receive education from their college. Graduate students at Cambridge and Oxford have to name two college choices on their application, which goes to the department/faculty, and if the university accepts them, it guarantees that the applicant will have a college membership, although not necessarily at the favoured college(s).

The faculties at each university provide lectures and central facilities such as libraries and laboratories, as well as examining for and awarding degrees. Academic staff are commonly employed both by the university (typically as lecturer or professor) and by a college (as fellow or tutor), though some may have only a college or university post. Nearly all colleges cater to students studying a range of subjects.

Since the colleges are all fully independent legal entities within the university, owning their own buildings, employing their own staff, and managing their own endowments, colleges vary widely in wealth, although the richer colleges often provide financial support to the poorer ones. It is entirely possible for some colleges to be in better financial health than the universities of which they are a part. Currently about 2/3 of the £4.3 billion endowment of Cambridge University is in the hands of its colleges, and therefore just 1/3 belongs to the central university.

Typically a student or fellow of an Oxbridge college is said to be "living in college" if their accommodation is inside the college buildings. Most colleges also accommodate students, especially graduate students, in houses or other buildings away from the college site.

University of London

Senate House, the administrative centre of the University of London

King's College London, established by Royal Charter in 1829, is one of the founding colleges of the University of London.

The University of London is a federal university comprising 17 constituent colleges, which largely operate as universities in their own right. For most practical purposes, ranging from admissions to funding, the constituent colleges operate on a semi-independent basis, with some recently obtaining the power to award their own degrees whilst remaining in the federal university. For historical reasons the two founding colleges, University College London and King's College London, have names resembling those of Oxbridge colleges.

The nine largest colleges of the university are King's College London; University College London; Birkbeck; Goldsmiths; the London Business School; Queen Mary; Royal Holloway; SOAS; and the London School of Economics and Political Science. The specialist colleges of the university include Heythrop College, specialising in philosophy and theology, and St George's, specialising in medicine. Imperial College London was formerly a member before it left the University of London in 2007.

Later the expansion of the University saw the growth of the small specialist colleges such as the Royal Academy of Music and Institute of Education, University of London (now part of UCL) either by establishing within or merging into the University.

These colleges, whether they are recognised or listed bodies, can award the University of London degrees. However, their admission processes are completely separate and independent of the central University. The Privy Council has recently granted degree awarding power to most of the colleges, many of which have, since 2008, awarded their own degrees rather than London degrees. Imperial left the federal University in 2007 and is now a university in its own right.^[2]

The University of London also has three Central Academic Bodies: the School of Advanced Studies, the University of London Institute in Paris (ULIP), and the University of London Academy, which are under the direct control of the central University and are not considered colleges.^[3]

Durham University

Durham University is also collegiate in nature, and its colleges enjoy the same legal status as 'listed bodies' as the colleges of Oxford and Cambridge. Generally, however, its colleges are not financially independent (exceptions being Ushaw, St Chad's and St John's). Although the colleges do not have any teaching duties as part of the university, they do provide meals, libraries, computers, scholarships and recreational facilities for their members. The colleges also provide a larger role in the pastoral care of students, with each college having a personal tutorial system, JCR, MCR & SCR and either a Master or Principal in charge of the everyday running of the college. The colleges have a role in the admissions of students, although not as large as those at Oxbridge, and normally confined to identifying students that suit the college ethos and atmosphere. Each college has its own individual character and nature. There are 16 colleges in Durham; the Bailey colleges are located on the historic peninsula around North and South Bailey street and are usually thought of as being the more traditional - all require the wearing of gowns at either matriculation, JCR meetings or Formal meals, except the 'traditionally informal' St Cuthbert's Society. There are 7 other newer colleges known as the Hill Colleges, the College of St Hild and St Bede which falls into neither group, and the two colleges of the Stockton campus.

University of Lancaster

Lancaster University - Alexandra Square

The University of Lancaster has nine colleges, eight of which are for undergraduate students and one – Graduate College – which is for postgraduate students. The undergraduate colleges consist of; Bowland; Cartmel; County; Furness; Fylde; Grizedale; Lonsdale and Pendle, all of which have their own bars with different themes.

Each students is assigned to a specific college upon starting study at Lancaster. Colleges are independent to a student's field of study. Academic staff are also college members.

University of York

View across the University of York's lake, towards Derwent College and Heslington Hall

The University of York is collegiate, and as of 2014 is made up of nine colleges with a tenth planned for the near future.^[4] The colleges are more centralised than at Oxbridge and although they are not listed bodies they perform the same roles as colleges at Durham, and they play an important role in the pastoral care of the student body. One college, Wentworth, is postgraduate only.^[5] The day-to-day running of the colleges is managed by an elected committee of staff and student members chaired by the college's Provost. Colleges have a Junior Common Room for undergraduate students, which is managed by the elected Junior Common Room Committee, and a Graduate Common Room for post-graduate students, as well as a Senior Common Room, which is managed by elected representatives of the college's academic and administrative members. Intercollegiate sport is one of the main activities of the colleges. Currently there are 21 leagues with weekly fixtures, in addition a number of one day events are organised as well.^[6] In 2014 a new tournament was created "College Varsity" which was held between York's colleges and the colleges of Durham University. York hosted the first tournament which was won by Durham's colleges; the second tournament is due to take place in 2015 and will be hosted by Durham.^[7]

University of the Arts London

The University of the Arts London comprises six specialist art and design colleges, dating since the mid-1850s, that were brought together for administrative purposes.

University of Roehampton

The University of Roehampton, London has its roots in the traditions of its four constituent colleges – Digby Stuart, Froebel, Southlands and Whitelands – which were all formed in the 19th century. All four colleges are independently owned, although the university holds a number of relevant long-term leases.

University of Wales

In the University of Wales, colleges were the lower tier of institutional membership in the federal structure, below constituent institutions, following the reorganisation of the university in 1996. Prior to this, the member institutions were all called colleges. After 2007 the colleges and constituent institutions all became independent universities, with the University of Wales shifting to a confederal structure where it validated degrees from these and other institutions. From 2011, the University of Wales has only validated the degrees of University of Wales Trinity Saint David, with which it is in the process of merging (expected to be completed by 2017).

See also

• Sixth form college
• University college
• List of colleges and universities
• House system
• Golden triangle (universities)

References

Universities in the United Kingdom England East Anglia Anglia Ruskin BPP University Campus Suffolk Cambridge East Anglia Norwich University of the Arts London University of London Birkbeck Courtauld Goldsmiths Heythrop Institute of Cancer Research King's London Business School LSE LSHTM Queen Mary Royal Academy of Music RCSSD Royal Holloway Royal Veterinary College St George's SOAS UCL Other BPP Brunel City East London Greenwich Imperial Kingston Law London Met London South Bank Middlesex Regent's University London Richmond, The American International University in London Royal College of Art Royal College of Music Roehampton St Mary's University University of the Arts London Westminster West London Midlands Aston BPP Birmingham Birmingham City Bishop Grosseteste Coventry De Montfort Derby Harper Adams Keele Law Leicester Lincoln Loughborough Newman Northampton Nottingham Nottingham Trent Staffordshire University College Birmingham Warwick Wolverhampton Worcester North Bolton BPP Bradford Central Lancashire Chester Cumbria Durham Edge Hill Huddersfield Hull Lancaster Law Leeds Leeds Beckett Leeds Trinity Liverpool Liverpool Hope Liverpool John Moores Manchester Manchester Metropolitan Newcastle Northumbria Salford Sheffield Sheffield Hallam Sunderland Teesside York York St. John South Arts Bournemouth Ashridge Bath Bath Spa Bedfordshire Bournemouth BPP Brighton Bristol Buckingham Buckinghamshire New Canterbury Christ Church Chichester Cranfield Creative Arts Essex Exeter Falmouth Gloucestershire Hertfordshire Kent Law Oxford Oxford Brookes Plymouth Portsmouth Reading Royal Agricultural University St Mark & St John Southampton Southampton Solent Surrey Sussex UWE Winchester Northern Ireland Queen's Ulster Scotland Aberdeen Abertay Dundee Dundee Edinburgh Edinburgh Napier Glasgow Glasgow Caledonian Heriot-Watt Highlands and Islands Queen Margaret Robert Gordon Royal Conservatoire of Scotland St Andrews Stirling Strathclyde University of the West of Scotland Wales Aberystwyth Bangor Cardiff Cardiff Metropolitan Glyndŵr South Wales Swansea Swansea Metropolitan UW Trinity Saint David Overseas territories American University of the Caribbean Bermuda College Cayman Islands Law School International College of the Cayman Islands Saint James School of Medicine St. Matthew's University University of Gibraltar University College of the Cayman Islands University of Science, Arts and Technology University of the West Indies Non−geographic Lambeth degrees Open University University of London International Programmes Related List by date of foundation (Third-oldest in England) List by endowment List by enrollment Colleges within universities Degree abbreviations National Union of Students Rankings Undergraduate degree classification UCAS HEFCE Category Commons List