About University of Sunderland

Sunderland has been an important centre for education since 674 AD, when Benedict Biscop built St Peter’s Church and monastery. Among its early students was a seven-year-old boy who became known to history as The Venerable Bede, a renowned scholar and teacher. The river bank surrounding the ancient church of St Peter’s is now the setting for our award-winning Sir Tom Cowie Campus at St Peter’s.

Our modern roots lie in Sunderland Technical College, which opened at the Galen Building in Green Terrace in 1901.

General Information

• The University of Sunderland is one of the top Universities located in Sunderland, in the North East of England.
• The University of Sunderland gained university status in 1992.
• It now has campuses in Sunderland, London and Hong Kong.
• The university has 13,020 students and was one of six universities to be short-listed for ‘University of the Year’ in the Times Higher Education Supplement Awards 2012.

Interesting Facts

• Our Media and Film Studies courses are 15th in the UK according to The Guardian University league tables 2018.
• Facilities: We’re always investing in new facilities, like our new Living Lab which features a mock hospital ward, a pharmacy dispensary, a dementia-friendly patient’s flat and a hi-fidelity simulation suite. We’ve also recently invested over £1m in engineering facilities, including a dedicated mechanical lab and a fluid lab.
• Employability: 93.4% of our graduates are in employment, further study or training within six months of graduating, according to DLHE 2016/17 (based on full-time, first degree, home leavers).
• Location: Sunderland is a coastal city with beautiful beaches, historical sites and a modern city centre. Roker Beach and the Marine Activities Centre is just a short walk from our St Peter’s campus. We’ve got 12 beaches in total, ranging from small and rugged to wide, sandy beaches with fish and chip shops, a promenade and an enticing range of watersports on offer.
• Well-connected campuses: There’s a free campus bus service linking the campuses, halls of residence and the city. Prefer walking or cycling? We’ve got that covered too – there’s a Cycle Hub, or you can plan a walk and enjoy the fresh air. It takes about 18 minutes to get between the two campuses on foot.
• Support: There’s a free travel pass on offer for new undergraduate students (eligibility criteria applies) which gives you access to the entire region.
• Quality: We’ve risen 38 places in The Guardian League Tables in the last two years – we were the highest climber in 2017 and we’ve risen another 8 places this year.

Notable Alumni

• Ortis Deley – English television presenter, radio DJ and actor.
• Jonathan Morrell – English presenter and journalist currently employed by Channel 7, in Perth.
• Tony Scott – English film director and producer.