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Our Hunter Street site, on the banks of the River Great Ouse, is home to the Schools of Business, Humanities, Medicine, the Radcliffe and Ian Fairbairn Lecture Theatres, and the Foundation Department. There are also halls of residence, the Students’ Union building (with Refectory, Bar and Fitness Centre), and the University Bookshop, as well as the Registry and the main student service departments.
Verney Park is a ten-minute walk away. Here you’ll find the Schools of Law and Science, the Franciscan Coffee Bar, and further halls of residence. Our residential site at
Moreton Road is located just to the north of the University. A free shuttle bus runs between the sites.
The University has two libraries, both of which provide social study space and computer access. The Verney Park library services the Law, Psychology, Computing and Foundation departments, while the Hunter Street library caters for all other disciplines.
Both libraries offer a loans and reference service for 12 hours each day during term, and there are specialist staff to help you during normal office hours. Opening hours are extended during examination periods.
The libraries hold extensive subject collections (with multiple copies of popular texts available on ‘short loan’) and a web-based library catalogue provides access to search and user services across campus and from home. Considerable investment in electronic resources gives access to the full text of many journal articles, e-books, databases and reports. On the rare occasion when material is not immediately available, it can be acquired quickly through the inter-library loan system.
We realise the importance of technology to support your learning needs. Open access computer rooms are available to students around the clock. All our halls of residence are networked and wireless internet access is provided in the libraries and at myriad hotspot locations across the campus. Most programmes take advantage of ‘Moodle’ – a virtual learning environment which ensures access to programme materials at any time from anywhere.
Programme-specific facilities include two dedicated teaching laboratories and two dedicated research laboratories for Applied Computing; computer aided language learning laboratories for our modern language programmes; the Sir Ray Tindle Studio (for radio and television broadcasting); and a dedicated Mac facility for digital audio and video editing, and for publication design.
At the heart of student life is the restored Tanlaw Mill. Here you will find the Union Restaurant, the Student Bar, the well-equipped Fitness Centre, a games room, a music room, a table tennis room, and ‘The Studio’ where you can take part in fitness classes and other social activities. At Verney Park the Franciscan Coffee Bar is open throughout the day and there are further common rooms in ‘The Cellars’.
The Student Bar offers the cheapest beer and latest opening hours around, and there are regular Karaoke evenings, ‘Open Mic’ nights, quizzes and pool tournaments. There are parties with live music or DJs on most Wednesday and Friday nights during term. The Students’ Union organises trips to nightclubs in Oxford and Milton Keynes, as well as more cultural visits both in this country and in Europe.
For those who prefer more academic or artistic pursuits, there is a range of clubs and societies, from the Vice-Chancellor’s Economist Club to the award-winning ‘Cheerleaders’. There is a termly series of public lectures and concerts; the ‘Film Place’ (the town’s cinema which operates at the University on Friday and Saturday evenings); and numerous talks and seminars led by distinguished speakers and open to all.
There is also plenty going on in the town of Buckingham, where societies, churches, the Swan Pool and Leisure Centre, pubs and restaurants all extend a welcome to students.
There are good transport links to Oxford and Cambridge, as well as to Milton Keynes which is just a 30-minute train journey from London. If you’re bringing a car, there is free parking available for students on campus.
The highlight of the Buckingham social calendar is the Swan Ball, at which graduating students celebrate their success with family and friends. The Ball is open to all students and staff of the University. Other favourites include the Law Society Ball, Rag Week, and (for the sporting) the Chancellor’s Cup.
All universities are different and unique and you will be weighing up key things such as whether you prefer large or small, city or campus, close or far from home. You will want to know about the style of university, the vibe, the social life and what activities there are to take up alongside your studies.
