The University of Glamorgan (Welsh: Prifysgol Morgannwg) is a university in Glamorgan, Wales with campuses in Trefforest, Glyntaff, Trefforest Industrial Estate, Merthyr Tydfil and Cardiff. It is the only university in Wales that is completely independent from the federal University of Wales.

History
The University of Glamorgan was founded in 1913 as a School of Mines based in Trefforest to serve the large coal mining industry in the South Wales valleys. It later became Glamorgan Polytechnic, then The Polytechnic of Wales, before becoming The University of Glamorgan in 1992, the second established University in Wales.

In recent years, the university has started up many new successful undergraduate degree programmes, several of which have quickly earned a reputation for excellence, including creative writing and journalism, forensic and police sciences, nursing, chiropractic and criminology.

Presently it has around 18,222 students on campus, with around 15,118 of them being undergraduates and has a reputation for friendly and teaching-focussed staff. 3,104 students do not study direct at the campus however.

Campuses
The University has several campuses:

• Trefforest - the main campus plays host to the bulk of academic departments and facilities, including the indoor sports centre and students union. It is easily accessed via Trefforest railway station from either Cardiff, Merthyr or the Rhondda; regular bus services or the A470.
• Glyntaff - is the home of the Law School and the School of Care Sciences, and also boasts its own library specially geared to the study of Law and nursing
• Tyn Y Wern - (pronounced "tin er wern") is located a few miles down the A470 in Trefforest Industrial Estate and hosts the sports fields
• Partner colleges - The University has specialised "partner colleges" throughout South Wales; for example, Barry College for aeronautical engineering.
• Merthyr Tydfil - the former Merthyr Tydfil College has become part of the University of Glamorgan, although its focus remains on delivering Further Education rather than Higher Education.
• Cardiff - The Cardiff School of Creative and Cultural Industries is to be based at a new Cardiff campus located by Queen Street train station.

Facilities
There are two halls of residence, both within the Trefforest campus:

• Glamorgan Court - is the newest, with all the rooms in the hall buildings arranged into clusters of six en-suite bedrooms with a shared kitchen.
• Neuadd Philip Evans & Neuadd Philip Squire - which have kitchens on each of the three sections of each of the three floors, communal toilets and showers. Each building also has a communal lounge with a TV.

The Students Union is also on the Trefforest campus. The Student Union is the home to a number of sports teams, sports clubs and societies as well as Leek, the student newspaper and GlamTV, the student TV station for Glamorgan (and the only student TV station in Wales).

Additional educational facilities include a 24-hour PC lab, wireless internet access in specified areas, world class equipment for nursing courses (including life sized dummies that simulate human beings, from breathing to giving birth), a TV studio, an on-campus radio studio, two theatres, and an art gallery

• Islamic society: Muslim students have enjoyed freedom and security of high standards. The university's Islamic society is one of the most active ones in Wales and the society's activities revolve around the specially built prayer rooms for men and women with proper toilet and Wudu facilities. The mosque is also used by residing Muslims nearby and is only the second mosque in the Valleys.
• The Islamic society hosted last years FOSIS camp
• In 2005 It had the most number of representatives, from Welsh universities in the NUS conference in Blackpool
• Regular Friday, Eid prayers are offered as well as daily Iftar in Ramadan and Taraweeh
• Won three Awards in 2006 at the Eid festival arranged by FOSIS
   
• Learning Resource Centre: The library of the university has books and all other media facilities as well as daily newspapers from around the country and journal articles. Online research journals such as Mintel and Keynotes are available for students to use for free.
• Other: Facilities for the disabled are taken very seriously and proper material and work is done to ensure that people with disabilities can move around and learn properly.

Reputation
The University of Glamorgan is one of the most cutting edge higher educational institutions in the United Kingdom.[citation needed] Several of its courses are among the highest ranked in their field, and the equipment of some departments (most notably the Nursing School) is second to none in the UK.[citation needed] The University has been a major contributor to the widening participation agenda of the Welsh assembly, and provides a range of foundation certificate courses, some of which require B grades in order to permit progression to the BSc/BA programmes. The bulk of full-time students enter through the UCAS system with A-levels or equivalent qualifications and many of the university BA/BSc courses are selective in that they require specific A-levels or above average grades for entry.

• Business school is ranked as the best in Wales and the 12th in UK
• In may 2001 times higer educational supplement numbered Glamorgan amongst the top Business Schools for teaching quality/Business studies, placing it with Warwick, Cranfield and London Business School.
• In 2001 the accounting and finance courses were ranked in the top 5 in UK.
• One of only 20 UK business schools to get an 'excellent ratings' from the government.
• Research partner for the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM), world�s largest and most prestigious entrepreneurship research project.
• Graduates have gone to setup the highest number of successful businesses in the UK of all universities.
• Engineering and English both come in top 15 in the UK
• Awarded the most "entrepreneurial" university in Wales
• Sports facilities have been used by national for practice
• Until 2004 it had the only wall climbing facility in Wales, it is now considered the Tallest in Wales
• Research in biohydrogen production and wastewater treatment is internationally recognised.
• The only university in Wales to be awarded the Environmental ISO 14001
• 12 of the Universities departments have been rated as "excellent".
• The University of Glamorgan, with Cardiff University and South Wales Police, forms the Universities Police Science Institute (UPSI) - a unique organisation in the UK dedicated to research and training in police related matters. The University of Glamorgan's BSc in Police Sciences is the only one of its kind in the UK.
• The highest paid Graduates of any university in Wales.
• A 35 million pound investment in Cardiff City, to be completed in 2007, will house the University Creative Industries Faculty, will create one of the most important hubs in drama, media and production in Wales.
• The University houses one of the two main chiropractic schools in the UK.
• The University hosts the only undergraduate degree in science fiction studies in the world

The somewhat rural location of Trefforest, the post-92 university status, and occasionally bleak league table results (the university can leap tens of places up and down from one year to the next, depending on criterion changes) contribute to the difficulties in recruiting high profile students in some (but by no means all) subject areas. There is a difference in teaching quality between departments and courses - some are world class and highly rated by HEFCW, but in general students are very complimentary of the assistance that staff provide. Glamorgan claims great successes in developing students and through good quality teaching, encouragement and nurturing make them succeed.

The University provides much support for the various houses, and numerous businesses in the area. The train station is frequented almost exclusively by students, and local facilities are primarily used by students.

The economy of nearby Pontypridd, though less dependent, is heavily influenced by Glamorgan. The university has also increased the cultural diversity of the valleys, giving way to newer restaurants, clubs and bars.

Awards

• Glamorgan is the first university in Wales (and only the 8th in the whole of the UK) to have been awarded the nationally recognised Investor in People status, the UK's premier award for staff training and development
• In 2000, The Daily Telegraph reported that Glamorgan is in the top five of modern universities for teaching quality

Fees
Most fees are comparable with or lower than the national average.[citation needed] However, some facilities which are provided for free by other universities cannot be found at. It is viewed by many as providing better value than many other universities, though living on for a course brings up extra costs; for example, photocopying and printing facilities are not free, and considered by some to be expensive.

House rents in the area are considered to be relatively good value.

[Expansion: 2005 through 2007
Currently the University is undergoing a major expansion and reorganising campaign. There are plans for a new campus, called Atrium (Atrium Cardiff) which is opening in September 2007, at the former BT offices near Cardiff Queen Street railway station. The University is currently in the process of merging with Merthyr Tydfil Further Education College. Many of the buildings are being refurbished as well, including Cynon Building which houses the "Glamorgan Business School". Plans for mergers with University of Wales Institute, Cardiff and Newport have been discussed for several years and are unlikely to take place in the near future.

Faculties & Departments
Cardiff School of Creative & Cultural Industries

Faculty of Health, Sport & Science

• Health Sciences
• Life Sciences
• Physical Sciences
• Sport
• Geography and the Environment

Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

• English and Creative Writing
• Humanities and Social Sciences
• Law, Policing and Criminology

Faculty of Advanced Technology

• Built Environment
• Computing and Mathematics
• Engineering

Glamorgan Business School

• Business Excellence BA
• Accounting
• Leisure, Sport and Tourism Courses
• Management and Business

Faculty of Further Education and Collaborative Activities
Centre for Lifelong Learning

• Combined Studies Unit
• Glamorgan GATES
• Centre for Intergenerational Practice
• Llynfi Valley Project
• Race and Ethnicity
• First Campus

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