Our city and campus

A culturally diverse city

Birmingham is an exciting, culturally-diverse city with a fantastic arts sector. It’s the only English city outside the capital to boast a world-class symphony orchestra, ballet company, opera company and producing theatre. It also has the UK's oldest working cinema, some of the country's finest art galleries and a thriving scene of independent arts companies and festivals.

Career opportunities

The city’s rich creative offering provides inspiration and career opportunities to our students and graduates. And for students at the School of Jewellery, there is the added benefit of studying within the heart of the Jewellery Quarter. This unique area dates back more than 250 years and is still home to over 500 jewellery businesses, providing an exceptional creative environment for jewellery making courses.

The Museum of the Jewellery Quarter

The Museum of the Jewellery Quarter, which opened in 1981, is built around an historic jewellery workshop and shows the history of the region.

It was voted third best free tourist attraction in Europe by Trip Advisor in 2008, behind the Pantheon in Rome and the National Gallery in London.

There is also a 'living museum', where craftsmen and women use traditional methods to produce jewellery which is then sold direct to the public.

A unique historic environment

The Jewellery Quarter has been described by English Heritage as ‘a unique historic environment in England – a national treasure’, and is a popular tourist attraction. The region also contains Birmingham’s last remaining Georgian Square, in the peaceful surroundings of St Paul’s Cathedral, and boasts restaurants, bars and galleries.