Arts University Bournemouth

Arts University Bournemouth (abbreviated AUB) is a further and higher education university based in Poole, Dorset, United Kingdom, specializing in art, performance, design, and media. It was formerly known as The Arts University College at Bournemouth and The Arts Institute at Bournemouth and is the home of Bournemouth Film School

AUB is the second largest university in Bournemouth and Poole. Bournemouth University being much larger and AECC University College being smaller.

The university was awarded Gold in the 2017 Teaching Excellence Framework, a government assessment of the quality of undergraduate teaching in universities and other higher education providers in England. This award noted high levels of professional employment among graduates.

Academics

The university offers short courses, Summer courses as well as Foundation Diplomas, BA, MA and Research (MPhil/PhD) degrees. The main focus of all courses lies within the areas of art, design, media, and performance.

The institution runs 23 undergraduate and 10 postgraduate programmes organised in two faculties: the Faculty of Art and Design and the Faculty of Media and Performance. These courses are validated for a maximum period of five years and, during the final year, a periodic review is undertaken by a process similar to that for validation with the addition to the panel of up to two student representatives.

Bournemouth Film School

Bournemouth Film School was established in 1963 as part of a Cine pathway within the Bournemouth and Poole College of Art and Design by Reginald Johnson. The Bournemouth Film School is a registered trademark owned by the Arts University Bournemouth. In 2016 Bournemouth Film School (BFS) celebrated over 50 years of excellence. Arts University Bournemouth is a full member of CILECT.

BFS is made up of:

• BA (Hons) Film Production,
• MA Film Practice,
• BA (Hons) Animation Production,
• MA Animation Production,
• BA (Hons) Visual Effects (VFX) for Film and Television,
• BA (Hons) Make-Up for Media and Performance,
• BA (Hons) Costume and Performance Design,
• BA (Hons) Costume
• BA (Hons) Performance Design and Film Costume
• BA (Hons) Acting
• BA (Hons) Creative Writing.

Student life

Students’ Union

All students of the Arts University Bournemouth are automatically a member of the Arts University Bournemouth Students’ Union (AUBSU), a registered charity affiliated with the National Union of Students. AUBSU runs over 30 clubs and societies, organizes Freshers’ Weeks, volunteering and fundraising events, trains course representatives, and hosts annual general meetings for all students. Each year, elections are held for both sabbatical (President, Vice-President) and all volunteer (e.g. Events Officer, Communications Officer and Equality and Diversity Officer) posts.

AUBSU publishes a free, student led magazine called BUMF. It is published termly and includes content from university course programs, music, poetry, and writing.

Student housing

The University maintains four off campus student halls throughout the town. Places are allocated with a priority to students living further away from Bournemouth and to students with disabilities/medical conditions. The University hosts two accommodation days before the beginning of each academic year, so prospective students can independently form house-sharing groups and view private rented accommodation.

The four main halls of residence are:

• Bath Road – This town center accommodation consists of 84 self-contained studios with modern kitchenettes and en-suite shower rooms.
• Madeira Road – Built in 2014 with 378 beds, located in the town centre of Bournemouth
• Skyline – Located in the Lansdown area of Bournemouth, the Skyline offers ensuite rooms and studios to first year students.
• Campus Halls – New for 2020/21, three on-campus block are being built to house 300 students.

In their second and third years, many students live in nearby suburbs of Bournemouth: typically Winton, Charminster or Boscombe, where they can live in independently owned residences.

Rankings

National rankings

• Complete (2021)                                          48
• Times / Sunday Times (2021)                    43

British Government assessment

• Teaching Excellence Framework              Gold