Dundee University best place to study design, says The Guardian

The Scottish university has beat Goldsmiths, Loughborough and Leeds College of Art to the top spot for design and crafts in 2018, according to the newspaper’s league tables.

The Waterfront, Dundee © Neil Williamson

Dundee University is the best place to study design in 2018, according to The Guardian’s university league tables.

The league table orders the top 100 universities for different subject groups based on several factors, including student satisfaction, student to staff ratio, spend per student, entry requirements, degree results and career prospects.

Dundee knocks Goldsmiths off top spot

The top 10 universities within the design and crafts category include Dundee, Loughborough, Goldsmiths, Kent, Leeds College of Art, Portsmouth, Leeds, Kingston, Northumbria and Manchester Metropolitan.

Dundee, which was not in the top 10 last year, has knocked Goldsmiths off the top spot for the subject group.

The Scottish university came out top for student satisfaction with courses, teaching and tutor feedback, as well as student to staff ratio.

But it fell behind its runner-up Loughborough on entry grade requirements, as well as career prospects for students six months after leaving. However, it had one of the highest scores in teaching effectiveness, which compares entry qualifications with degree results.

Degrees in graphics, product design, interiors and UX

The university offers several design undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, including graphics, textiles, jewellery and metal, product, digital interaction, user experience (UX), illustration, animation and interior and environmental, alongside an art and design foundation course.

Its demographic is 63% female, 92% state school-educated and 87% UK students. 60% are also under 25 years old.

Dundee investing more in design

Dundee University takes the top spot as the Scottish city looks to invest more in design, arts and culture. It is bidding to become European Capital of Culture 2023, and the V&A Museum of Design Dundee is due to open in 2018. The second ever Dundee Design Festival also takes place this month.

The Guardian’s university league tables are ranked based on data collected by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) and the National Student Survey. They are compiled by an independent, education performance measurement consultancy, and assessed by a group of professionals from UK universities.

To see the full rankings for universities’ performance in design and crafts, head to The Guardian’s website. The illustrations for the online league tables have been completed by Adam Avery.

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