University of the West of Scotland
Overview
UWS is the one of biggest modern universities in Scotland. It has four campuses, situated throughout the west of Scotland.
REAL-WORLD LEARNING
Helping you achieve success…
- Inspiring teaching staff with industry experience
- Industry accredited, career focused courses
- Gain valuable work experience through tailored placements
- Career focused courses- designed in partnership with business and industry
Why choose University of the West of Scotland?
- You will graduate not only with academic skills but also invaluable and essential transferable skills that today’s employers now demand. As a result, your earning power and employability will be greatly increased.
Our robust links with industry, experienced academic staff and career focused courses will prepare you for the working world and improve your future job prospects.
- Band 1 (arts-based) e.g. Business GBP 10,300
- Band 2 (science-based) e.g. Computing GBP 10,815
The University of the West of Scotland offers a strong support system to all its students whether it is relating to your studies, career planning or personal well-being.
Our academic staff are committed to remaining at the forefront of innovation. This means you will be taught by staff with the most up-to-date relevant knowledge and the ability to respond to changes as they happen
- On-campus accommodation
- UWS self-catered, fully furnished apartments for 4 – 6 people
- Guaranteed accommodation for international students
- Competitive rent from GBP 82 – GBP 106 per week
- GBP 1000 bursary available for full-fee paying international students
- Easy to travel to UWS
UWS HAS 4 LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE WEST OF SCOTLAND
Paisley Campus – Is located in the centre of Scotland’s biggest town. On this campus UWS has recently invested in a new student residence, accommodation upgrading, employment centre and a computing laboratory.
Ayr Campus – our new GBP 80 million state of the art campus sits by the River Ayr and is only a 10 minute walk from the seaside town of Ayr.
Hamilton Campus – 20 minutes from Glasgow, our Hamilton Campus is located in the centre of Hamilton – close to two train stations.
Dumfries Campus – Our Dumfries Campus is located within a historic and award-winning 85-acre parkland estate just two miles from the centre of Dumfries.
SUCCESS STORY – NADIA JAHAN [PAKISTAN]
GRADUATE IN MSC CAREERS GUIDANCE AND DEVELOPMENT
Nadia studied at UWS on the Careers Guidance and Development MSc course. She now works for the West of Scotland Regional Equality Council as a Development Worker.
While studying at UWS Nadia participated in 3 work placements. Work placements are integral to many degree programmes at UWS and these placements provided Nadia with valuable practical experience for her future career.
To help her with her finances Nadia worked in Domino’s Pizza, where she moved up the ranks to become Shift Manager. Here, Nadia practised many of the ‘soft skills’ she was learning about at UWS such as listening skills and dealing with difficult customers. ‘I would recommend any international student to get a part time job while at university because you learn about the society, adapt many valuable skills and gain good work experience as well as giving you some extra money at the end of the week’. She would like to start a Domino’s Pizza in Pakistan at some point in the future.
Not only did Nadia take up a part time job during her studies, she also carried out voluntary work for the Scottish Refugee Council and the Shaw Trust, helping people back into the labour market by supporting them with preparing for interviews, writing CV’s and carrying out some administration functions.
Nadia gained a huge amount of knowledge from her course at UWS however it is the ‘soft skills’ that she gained that have been of most use in her professional life. She found that the Client-Centred Approach taught on the programme has been most useful in supporting the different types of clients in her work. Meeting people from a wide variety of backgrounds and countries on her course has not only helped her to understand different cultures but has also benefited her hugely to see things from other’s perspective as well.
‘A great source of support and help I received while on the course came from my lecturer. The encouragement and guidance she gave me was amazing. The lecturers take you through the learning process step by step and actively encourage you to contribute in class. When I was homesick my lecturer gave me a lot of support and she even phoned me when I was ill!’
‘The accommodation at UWS was fantastic and there were many different nationalities in the halls of residence. It gives you a chance to learn about other nationalities and cultures and I am still in touch with my Polish and Chinese friends I met there. The staff at the halls were great and I really miss the environment’.
Nadia is moving on from her current job and will be returning to Pakistan to help set up a Postgraduate Diploma course in Career Counselling and Education at the National University of Sciences and Technology in Islamabad, Pakistan. She will take up a teaching post at the university and will be key in developing course content while adapting it for the needs of the Pakistan market. The course will be developed in conjunction with the University of Warwick and the British Council.
Another goal for Nadia would be for her to study for a PhD at UWS.
UWS was Nadia’s choice of university to study because of the support she received from her Course coordinator prior to arriving in the UK. She said ‘Janet was so lovely in the telephone interview and she even came to pick me up from the airport’. ‘I have already recommended UWS to friends and I feel compelled to promote UWS because of the great experience I had while studying there. In fact, I would like to see if UWS and the National University of Sciences and Technology could collaborate on a project in the future’.
‘UWS allowed me to build my confidence and my communication and practical thinking skills have been significantly developed as a result of studying there. Studying in a different country gives you a different perspective in life and really changes the way you think and act. I am a much more tolerant, progressive and accepting person as a result of studying in Scotland. I would recommend studying abroad to anyone as it builds on your confidence, gives you individuality and a fantastic experience to add to your CV’.