Address: All Saints Building, Manchester, M15 6BH, England, United Kingdom
Art and Design, Education, Business
Manchester Metropolitan University, often called Manchester Met, sits in central Manchester, England, with All Saints as its main campus. Its history starts in 1824, when the Manchester Mechanics’ Institute was founded to teach artisans the scientific principles of their trades, and in 1838, when the Manchester School of Design opened. The School of Design later became the Manchester School of Art.
The institution became Manchester Polytechnic in 1970. In 1977 Didsbury College and Hollings College merged with it, and in 1983 it joined with the City of Manchester College of Higher Education. It gained university status under the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 and took its present name. The university marked its 200th anniversary in 2024.
Academic work is arranged in four faculties: Arts and Humanities, Business and Law, Health and Education, and Science and Engineering. The Manchester School of Art belongs to Arts and Humanities, and the Dalton Building, completed in 2024, is the home of the Faculty of Science and Engineering. The Business School holds triple accreditation from EQUIS, AMBA and AACSB.
Domains taught:
AI and Machine Learning, Data Analytics, Engineering, Industrial Design, Life Sciences, Manufacturing, Software Engineering
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Strong links with creative industries, businesses, and public sector in Manchester and the North West. Emphasis on employability, apprenticeships, and community engagement.
Research:
Practice-based and applied research in areas such as art and design (Manchester School of Art), education, health, digital technologies, and sustainability (Fuel Cell Innovation Centre).
Famous Alumnis:
Steve Coogan, Julie Walters, Sarah Burton, John Bishop, L.S. Lowry (attended predecessor)
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
4600
Current students***:
39000
Foreign students***:
15%
Cumulative former students***:
255000
Pros
Large and diverse university, strong in creative and vocational subjects, located in Manchester city centre, good industry links.
Cons
Lower research ranking than University of Manchester, focus is more on teaching and applied skills, large student numbers.
Best For
Students looking for creative, vocational, or professional degrees in a large, vibrant city university with a focus on employability and practical skills.
Goldsmiths, University of London, in New Cross, London, is listed for art and design, media and communications, and social sciences, so it overlaps with the creative side of Manchester Met.
Loughborough University in Leicestershire is listed for sports science, engineering and design.
Brunel University London, at Uxbridge, lists engineering, design and sports science.
In Edinburgh, Heriot-Watt University is listed for engineering, business and design.
University of Strathclyde, based in Glasgow, is listed for engineering, business and pharmacy.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
RMIT University is a Melbourne institution in Australia, listed for business and law, design and social context, and vocational education.
Queensland University of Technology, in Brisbane, Australia, covers creative industries, business, law, and science and engineering.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
How did the institution begin?
It traces its roots to the Manchester Mechanics' Institute of 1824 and the Manchester School of Design of 1838. Both were set up to teach working people, the first in science and the second in design.
When did a polytechnic become a university?
Manchester Polytechnic gained university status in 1992 under the Further and Higher Education Act 1992, when polytechnics received the power to award their own degrees. It then took the name Manchester Metropolitan University.
Which colleges merged into the polytechnic?
Didsbury College and Hollings College merged with Manchester Polytechnic in 1977, and the City of Manchester College of Higher Education followed in 1983.
How is the university organised?
It has four faculties: Arts and Humanities, Business and Law, Health and Education, and Science and Engineering.
What is the Manchester School of Art?
It began as the Manchester School of Design in 1838 and is one of the oldest parts of the university. It is now part of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities.
Where can tuition fees and entry requirements be found?
Fees and requirements depend on the course and on home or international status. The official university website and its admissions pages carry the current details.
Creative Design Strategies, Design for Sustainability, Design Thinking, Digital Marketing, Innovation, User-Centered Design
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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