Our University

University of Southampton

The University of Southampton is a research-intensive university and a founding member of the Russell Group. Our successes are acknowledged in international and UK league table rankings and education awards. Our degrees and courses enable you to develop critical thinking and independent learning skills that are essential for future leaders and decision makers. Our lecturers are leaders in their fields and offer you the chance to learn about world-changing research as it happens.

The University of Southampton is one of the founding members of the prestigious Russell Group; a group which is committed to maintaining the very best research and teaching standards. The Russell Group organisation brings together the knowledge and resources of 24 top UK universities who work together to protect and improve the quality of university teaching, to support and facilitate innovative research projects, and to build stronger links with business leaders and policy makers.

Russell Group universities attract the best academics, who are working on the most innovative research projects. This is due to the funding and support on offer at universities like Southampton. At Southampton our world-class academics include familiar names like Sir Tim Berners-Lee, Dame Wendy Hall, Sir Nigel Shadbolt, Sir David Payne, Professor Guy Poppy, Sir Martin Glennie and Professor Michael Kelly.

Highfield Campus
While your programme will be taught at Winchester School of Art, in Winchester, as a student at University of Southampton you will have access to all of the facilities at the Highfield Campus in Southampton. Highfield Campus is home to many innovative buildings, lively arts venues, and great sports and leisure facilities. We aim to inspire staff and students with stunning places to work and a vibrant atmosphere. At the same time, we take care to make the best use of energy and resources.

When you're not studying, Highfield has plenty to offer. Our well-known arts venues include the Nuffield theatre, Turner Sims concert hall, and the John Hansard Gallery. You can swim in the 25m pool at the Jubilee Sports Centre, or make use of the gym facilities. And if you need a break to rest and refuel, choose from the range of restaurants and bars run by the University or by our Students' Union, both at Highfield and the WSA campus.

You can travel between Winchester School of Art and Highfield Campus using our free Shuttle Bus, which travels between the two campuses at regular intervals throughout the day.

Winchester School of Art

Winchester School of Art has an established history of almost 150 years with a long tradition of creative education and excellence while developing a future-facing and dynamic environment for teaching, learning and research. A highly contemporary and distinctive outlook ensures that WSA can meet the challenges of our creative future as well as addressing the challenges of today.

Introducing Winchester
Winchester is a wonderful city in which to study. Close to the south coast, it has great historical significance but is also modern and vibrant, with a diverse cultural life.  You will find an independent cinema, two theatres, live music venues, galleries, good sports facilities and excellent restaurants and pubs. There is a strong creative community in the city and public art by artists such as Anthony Gormley and Elisabeth Frink are on display.

All year round Winchester hosts a wide range of festivals with themes including comedy, music, film, literature, arts, food and drink, as well as the internationally famous summer Hat Fair and the Christmas Market at the Cathedral.

It takes just over an hour to get from Winchester to London by train and we are only 12 miles from busy Southampton and the main University campus.  Winchester city centre, railway station, bus station and halls of residence are all only a 10 minute walk from our campus.

Our Campus
At Winchester School of Art our campus is shared by more than 1,500 undergraduate and postgraduate students, making a vibrant, contemporary, interdisciplinary community. The campus is modern and purpose-built, with workshops, studios and spaces designed to promote creativity whilst meeting ever-evolving industry standards.

Significant and ongoing investment is the key to our ambition: to have the latest cutting-edge facilities and resources and provide the best possible support for our students. Professional creative management suites and presentation areas are supported with extensive workshops and resources, including digital-printing facilities, professionally equipped photographic studios, screen-printing facilities, a variety of specialist computer suites, an Apple authorised video-editing centre, laser cutting, 3D printing/prototyping machines, and networked data storage for all students.

We have our own Gallery, whose exhibitions and events focus on the work of staff, students, and alumni, together with a network of curators, artists and designers. Our Library houses collections of printed and electronic books, journals and magazines, each of which reflect the programmes of the School. Our on-campus shop supplies a range of art and design supplies and materials to equip you for your studies, at an affordable cost.

Winchester School of Art is linked to the University of Southampton’s Highfield campus via regular transport services, allowing you to benefit from other resources at the University. Our campus is ideally positioned on the edge of Winchester, a short walk from the high street and surrounded by open countryside and a nature reserve. A regular train service allows quick access to London in little over an hour, with the station only a ten minute walk from the campus. Southampton Airport is also accessible by train, taking just seven minutes from Winchester, offering international flights.

Open Days

At the Open Day you'll be able to find out more about studying at WSA from our Programme Leaders, other academic staff, and our students. We offer a tour of our campus and nearby halls of residence. You may also wish to take a stroll around Winchester City Centre which is just a couple of minutes walk from our campus. Winchester was recently voted the Best Place to Live in the UK by the Sunday Times.

If you are unable to come to one of our Open Days, you might look to view some of our campus and facilities by using our online Virtual Campus Tour. On this page you can see our campus here at the Winchester School of Art, but also some of the buildings you might like to use at Highfield, Southampton, such as the Hartley Library or Sports Facilities.

The next Open Day will be held in mid June 2019. Please note, you must book a place in order to attend.