Location
By enrolling at University Centre South Devon (UCSD), students are emerged in beautiful South Devon surroundings with so much to offer.
Very much traditional seaside area, the Paignton campus sits only a few miles away from the famous English Riviera coastline, one of the UK’s exclusive UNESCO Global Geopark landscapes. Nestled on the border of a Devonshire countryside boasting numerous National Trust Areas of Interests, students are captivated to develop in calm, peaceful and natural surroundings.
Here’s just a few of our choices for the best areas easily accessible from the campus;
Dartmoor National Park
Surround yourself in untouched natural beauty in historic surroundings. Head out across the moors where you’ll be met with 368 square miles of nationally protected rich heaths, moss-smothered boulders and rushing streams at your feet. Take on the challenge of reaching many of the famous ‘ten tors’ rock formations all before retreating to the warm comforts of one of Dartmoor’s many Medieval market towns for some well-deserved relaxation.
Torquay Harbour
Carefully balanced between use as a fully operational working harbour, bustling port and local tourist hotspot; Torquay harbour offers a vibrant mixture of cafes, restaurants and bars in picturesque settings. The striking Millennium Bridge footbridge links both sides to nearby popular attractions such as Living Coasts Costal Zoo Aquarium and Cockington Court. Showcasing unmatched views of Torbay, the Harbour provides premier nightlife fun for nearby students.
Exeter
Often considered the spiritual heart of Devon, the city’s Gothic cathedral takes heart amongst the modern centre full of high-street retail outlets and premier restaurants. The large student populations based in the city help provide a young and cultured metropolis with an abundance of independent art and live music events taking place throughout the year.
Plymouth
You can travel to the Ocean City by car, bus and train. Plymouth is a vibrant and action-packed destination where you’ll always have something to do; whether that’s exploring its historic past, shopping and eating at Drake Circus or attending gigs and live shows at the pavilion.
Studying at UCSD gives you the opportunity to gain a top-quality degree in the heart of Torbay, ensuring that you not only achieve your ambitions, but also keep your studies affordable.
We work extremely closely with local businesses and organisations to guarantee that our curriculum remains relevant to future employment opportunities. Our foundation degrees are designed with their input, so the skills you learn are in high demand in industry and will drastically increase your job prospects when you graduate.
Our work with employers helps the best talent realise their potential here in South Devon, making them the cornerstone of economic growth in the local economy. With a multitude of projects planned or already underway in the South West, there have never been more opportunities for graduates, as businesses seek skilled practitioners in the local area.
For instance, Animal Science students have worked with local zoos; Digital and Media students have developed live briefs for local enterprises such as Living Coasts; whilst Construction students have participated in restoration projects at heritage sites of regional significance.
Our entire curriculum has opportunities for work experience so you can develop true practical skills, as well as making valuable contacts with employers to get an early foothold in industry.
If you’re local to Torbay, studying at home could save you money by reducing your living, travel and rent costs. It means you won’t have to put your life on hold while you’re studying, and makes getting a degree convenient, manageable and affordable. You will still be getting a university experience, but with the benefit of being able to balance your family, work and social commitments.