Masters Degrees in Portsmouth, United Kingdom

The city of Portsmouth is situated on the southern coast of England, a little over 60 miles from London. It is home to one university and over 20,000 students, but is conveniently situated for study in other nearby university cities such as Southampton (around 15 miles away).

What’s it like to study a Masters in Portsmouth?

It probably won’t surprise you to learn that Portsmouth is one of England’s most historic and important ports. The city has fulfilled this function for hundreds of years and continues to serve as a major naval base, international trading gateway and travel hub for passengers sailing between the UK and mainland Europe.

As a postgraduate student in Portsmouth you’ll have the opportunity to explore the city’s wide range of heritage sites. Many are situated in and around its Historic Dockyard, which houses artefacts and attractions from across the region’s maritime history.

These include the Mary Rose Museum, presenting the recovered remains of Henry VIII’s 16th-century warship, as well as the HMS Victory, from which Admiral Horatio Nelson led the British fleet at Trafalgar and which is still ceremonially registered as a serving vessel in the Royal Navy (though, thankfully, fears of foreign invasion have decreased somewhat since Nelson’s day).

Those less interested in soaking up the city’s maritime history can explore its many other historic buildings, including the childhood home of the author, Charles Dickens. Portsmouth also has strong road and public transport links, making it a great base from which to visit other cities in the south of England or to travel to and from London.

Universities in Portsmouth

Portsmouth’s sole university is the University of Portsmouth, which traces its origins to 1869, but received its charter in 1992. It is usually ranked in or around the top 50 universities in the UK and has placed within the top ten for its research performance in a number of specific fields.

Careers in Portsmouth

As you’d expect, Portsmouth’s economy is closely linked to maritime industries. The Portsmouth Naval Base is home to a significant proportion of the Royal Navy’s fleet, while BAE Systems Maritime in based in the city. Other important sectors include financial services, advanced manufacturing and the creative industries.