Colleges

Queen’s College London (QCL) is made up of six faculties, each with their own college, as well as a main university building at the heart of London, which is named Magdalen Hall. Each college is unique, but generally their facilities are pretty similar. Each one, large or small, will have the following essential facilities:

Staffed entrance and reception;

Dining hall;

Lending library;

Student accommodation;

Tutors’ teaching rooms;

Lecture halls.

While there is no central campus, the colleges are located closely to each other. Every student belongs to a faculty, which means that all students have the benefit of belonging to a large university as well as to a smaller academic community. Students can mix freely across colleges, but are likely to spend lots of time in their own, particularly during the course of their first year. St. John’s Library is centrally located and available to all students of QCL, regardless of their faculty.

Student Housing

While QCL students are completely free to find their own accomodation within the city of London, the university can also provide them with housing in the form of dormitories. Renting prices vary based on size in square meters, proximity to the university, and number of tenants. Students on a budget may settle for a shared, smaller room that is further away from campus, whereas more affluent students might prefer to have a large room all to themselves. Any QCL student can apply for housing in a dormitory. However, a few rules apply:

The university maintains a ‘first come, first serve’ approach towards room assignment. While a student can communicate their preference for a certain roommate, this is no guarantee they will actually be housed with that person.

Students are only assigned to a room with a peer of the same sex.

There is a maximum of two residents per room.

A student will be evicted if they fail to pay rent in a timely manner.

A person will be evicted if they are no longer a student at QCL.

The following are all current housing options:

Standard room, 1 person

Standard room, 2 persons

Premium room, 1 person

Staff

Vice-Chancellor - Responsible for the overall operation of the university. Minimum age: 45 years old.

Archibald Kinsley Stuart

Principals - Responsible for the operation of their specific faculty. Minimum age: 40 years old.

Arts and Humanities – First Last

Business and Management – First Last

Engineering and Technology – First Last

Life Sciences and Medicine – First Last

Natural Sciences – First Last

Social Sciences – Isabella Morain

Professors and Lecturers - Researchers that work for the university who can be asked to teach one or multiple subjects. They are responsible for the selection, organization, teaching, and examination of course content. They often conduct research of their own in their field of expertise and can act as supervisors for students involved in projects such as papers, theses, and dissertations. Minimum age: 35 years old for a professor, 25 years old for a lecturer.

Teaching Assistants (TA’s) - Non-first year students that aid in teaching a single course under the supervision of a lecturer. Ususally, they are asked to supervise seminars.

Research Assistants (RA’s) - Non-first year students that aid in research under the supervision of a lecturer. Usually, they are asked to collect and/or analyse data.

Tutors - Students who offer their services to explain the course materials to their peers for a fee.

University Counselling Service - Professionals who aid students in need of emotional or academic counselling.

Academic titles and education

Since QCL is a prestigious university, they are very thorough in their selection of lecturers and researchers. Recent graduates that aspire a career in academics will have to start at the bottom of the ladder. Of course, any prior experience in your field of expertise will give you an advantage. A position as RA or TA during your time at university, for example, is sure to work in your favor.

Professor - A professor (PhD) has finished their post-graduate education, which is the highest academic degree one can achieve. A PhD qualifies the degree holder to teach their chosen subject at university level or to work within a specialized position in their field. They often teach graduate courses. Higher academic positions such as Principal are only available to professors.
Minimum age: 35 years old.

PhD Student - Officially, a UK PhD lasts three years, although many do spend far more time on it than that. During this time, the student works full-time on a research project overseen by their supervisor. A PhD student may elect to teach, although this is not mandatory. To earn their degree, a student must complete their dissertation which is then orally defended in a process called a ‘viva’. Yearly, there is only a limited number of positions for PhD students.

Senior Lecturer - A more experienced lecturer. They have obtained a significant amount of academic experience in their field, whether it be in research or education. Senior lecturers teach both undergraduate and graduate courses, in addition to conducting their own research. Senior Lecturers are more likely to be accepted for a position as a PhD student.

Lecturer - At QCL, a lecturer (MA, MBA, MD, or MSc) has obtained a graduate degree and, preferably, some experience in their particular field. This is the entry-level permanent academic position. Lecturers are responsible both for teaching undergraduate courses and conducting research.

Teaching Assistant - These are teaching positions that are not on permanent contracts. Usually, these positions are given to bright (under)graduate students who are looking to enrich their resumes. They will work closely with their supervisor and usually give seminars or aid in preparing and teaching lectures.