University of Derby

The University of Derby has been awarded Gold by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) in the country’s first ever Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF).

What do the TEF Awards mean for you?

Our main campus is in Derby, a hi-tech city with lots going on. The campus is spread across several sites, from our main one at Kedleston Road which also houses our Sports Centre and main library, to One Friar Gate Square, our specialist building for law and criminology courses. Markeaton Street is your base for arts, engineering and technology and boasts a new STEM Centre as well as a separate building dedicated to fashion and textiles. A short step from here is the beautifully restored Britannia Mill, where you can study fine art, dance, social work or creative expressive therapies.

All our sites provide study spaces and food outlets for your downtime between lectures. We’ve invested £200 million in our facilities over the past ten years which means you’ll be learning in hi-tech surroundings, including a mock hospital ward, multi-scene Forensic Training Facility and Bloomberg Financial Markets Lab, to name a few.

There’s free transport between sites in Derby, accommodation and the city centre, so it’s easy to get around.

Our Buxton Campus is a leading spa and wellness town on the edge of the Peak District, one of the UK’s busiest national parks. The town provides the perfect location for our hospitality, spa, culinary arts, events, tourism and outdoor courses. We’re based in the historic Devonshire Dome, equipped with everything you need to perfect your skills, including high-specification kitchen, restaurant and café and award-winning commercial day spa.

At Chesterfield you’ll find the old and new combining to create state-of-the art provision for nursing and health care courses. We’ve transformed the former Chesterfield Girls’ Grammar School into a modern, bright base for your studies. Among its facilities is a cutting-edge Immersive Interactive Simulation Suite, replicating real-life scenarios in a safe learning environment.

Our active Union of Students organises a host of activities to help you get the most out of your time with us. Welcome Fortnight gives you not one but two weeks of fun as you settle in to University life.

Club nights and parties will soon have you making friends, while outdoor cinemas and open mic nights provide something a little more laid-back. Sport is on offer at competitive or social level, and societies cover a range of academic subjects, hobbies and other interests. The Union is also there to represent and support you throughout your time at the University.

Derby has a vibrant and compact city centre with plenty of places to eat and drink. There are cinemas, an arts centre, and a good choice of entertainments, from night clubs to escape rooms, trampolining centre, a Christmas ice rink, bowling and indoor golf. If you love to shop, the indoor Intu shopping centre has a good selection of high street shops, while the historic Cathedral Quarter has some more individual boutiques and specialist shops.

Buxton is a quieter town and a great base for outdoor pursuits, perfect if you love walking, climbing, cycling or canoeing. It’s also well-known for its art and cultural scene, with a popular summer arts festival among several events. There’s a good choice of shops, bars and restaurants, but it’s only a short journey to the bright lights of Manchester if you do want a big night out – so you can get the best of both worlds here.