University of Sussex - Organisation and Administration

Organisation and Administration

The university was founded with the unusual structure of "Schools of Study" (ubiquitously abbreviated to "schools") rather than traditional university departments within arts and science faculties. The Schools were intended to promote high-quality teaching and research.

In the early 1990s, the University promoted the system by claiming, "Clusters of faculty together within schools to pursue new areas of intellectual enquiry. The schools also foster broader intellectual links. Physics with Management Studies, Science and Engineering with European Studies, Economics with Mathematics all reach beyond conventional Arts/Science divisions." By this time, the original schools had been developed somewhat and were:

• African and Asian Studies (abbreviated to AFRAS)
• Biological Sciences (BIOLS)
• Chemistry and Molecular Sciences (MOLS)
• Cognitive and Computing Sciences (COGS)
• Cultural and Community Studies (CCS)
• Engineering and Applied Sciences (ENGG, formerly EAPS)
• English and American Studies (ENGAM or EAM)
• European Studies (EURO)
• Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MAPS)
• Social Sciences (SOC)

There was also the Institute for Development Studies (IDS).

In 2001, as the university was celebrating its 40th anniversary, the then Vice Chancellor Alasdair Smith proposed major changes to the curriculum across the 'Arts schools', and structural changes were agreed by the senate which would create two Arts schools and a "Sussex Institute" in place of the five schools then in place. Corresponding changes would be made in Sciences.

The changes were finally implemented in September 2003. After discussion in senate and the schools, disciplinary departments which had been located across the different schools, were located firmly within one school, and undergraduates were offered straightforward degree subjects. The multi-disciplinarity provided by the school courses was now to be achieved through elective courses from other departments and schools.

The new schools were:

• Humanities (HUMS)
• Life Sciences (LIFESCI)
• Science and Technology (SCITECH)
• Social Sciences and Cultural Studies (SOCCUL)
• Sussex Institute (SI)

In 2009 the university adopted a new organisational structure. The term "Schools of Studies" was retained, but each was headed by a "Head of School" rather than the traditional "Dean". Many of these new heads were appointed from outside Sussex rather than from existing faculty. The schools as of 2009 are listed below. The term "department" has been retained in some cases, where a school contains separate disciplines.

• Engineering and Informatics (two separate schools before 2011)
• Life Sciences (Includes: Biology, Environmental Science, Chemistry and Biochemistry and houses the Centre for Genome Damage and Stability)
• Mathematical and Physical Sciences (Includes: Mathematics, Physics and Astronomy)
• Psychology
• Business, Management and Economics
• Education and Social Work
• Global Studies (Includes: Anthropology, Geography and International Relations, as well as interdisciplinary programmes in Development Studies)
• Law, Politics and Sociology
• English
• History, Art History and Philosophy
• Media, Film and Music

The changes did not affect the Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS).