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Programme code | 1MUSI004U |
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Programme type | Joint Honours (UG) |
Programme director(s) |
Steffan Davies (German)
Pauline Fairclough (Music) |
Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
School/department | Department of Music |
Second School/department | Department of German |
Teaching institution | University of Bristol |
Awarding institution | University of Bristol |
Relevant QAA subject benchmark groups |
Music (2019) (benchmark statement)
Languages, Cultures and Societies (2023) (benchmark statement) |
Mode of study | Full Time |
Programme length | 4 years (full time) |
Music - The programme aims to give a wide understanding of the European musical tradition from medieval times to the present day.
The programme provides an intellectual training through study of the historical, technical, analytical, compositional and performance aspects of music, examines contemporary cultural and social settings for music and provides opportunities for the acquisition of a broad range of intellectual, critical and creative skills in preparation for:
a career in the musical professions (including performance)
employment in a wide range of other musical and non-musical contexts
further study at postgraduate level.
The Joint programme allows students to study a European language as the part of their programme, spending the third year of study abroad.
German - The programme aim is to deliver, within a programme which also includes work undertaken in a non-language department, a command of modern spoken and written German to a high level of fluency and accuracy, and also to provide the opportunity of studying the rich cultural, linguistic, political and social history of the German-speaking world from the Middle Ages to the present day. The programme combines the traditional and the innovative, students gain an interest in and knowledge and understanding of the Germanic world, past and present, including its language, literature, broader culture, institutions and politics. Through the ages the language, culture and political and economic weight of the German-speaking world have made a lasting impact on civilisation in Europe and beyond, and today it remains a powerhouse at the centre of the European Union. Learning the German language is the key to understanding this fascinating society and its complex development. The programme aims to promote the self-development of the individual learner and thereby to offer society the resource of intellectually trained individuals, capable of both independent and collective work, with both subject-specific and transferable skills. Graduates enter employment in a wide range of contexts, building on the skills and values of an education in the humanities.
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning and Teaching Methods |
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Acquisition of knowledge through lectures, seminars, tutorials and directed reading with emphasis, where appropriate, on primary materials and their interpretation. Independent learning is pursued through written coursework, supervised research projects and individual practice/rehearsal, as appropriate, for Performance units. |
Methods of Assessment | |
Examination (Level C/4 'Historical Studies'; Level I/5 'Approaches to Music History I' & Approaches to Music History II'; Level I/5 & H/6 split-level music-history options Coursework (Level C/4 'Historical Studies'; Level C/4 'Technical Studies I' & 'Technical Studies II'; Level C/4 'Practical Studies: Instrumentation and Conducting' (instrumentation coursework); Level C/4 'Composition'; Level I/5 and Level H/6 'Further Technical Studies' and 'Advanced Technical Studies'; Level I/5 'Compositional Strategy', 'Studio Composition Live' and 'Writing for Orchestra'; Lecel I/5 'Performance' (logbook); Level I/5 'Transcription and Editing'; Level I/5 & H/6 split-level music-history and analysis options; Level H/6 Extended Study Performance' (programme notes) The following units are wholly assessed by coursework submissions (written exercises, dissertation or portfolio): Level C/4 'Criticism and the Arts'; Level I/5 & H/6 options 'The Film Musical' and 'Discourses of Cultural Degeneration'; Level H/6 option 'Aesthetics and Criticism'; Level H/6 'Extended Study' (in 'Musicology', 'Composition' or 'Studio Composition'); Level H/6 'Musicology Project', 'Composition Project', 'Studio Project' and 'Editing Project' Recital or other demonstration of practical skill (Level C/4 'Practical Studies'; Level C/4 'Composition' (participation in workshops); Levels I/5 and H/6 'Performance' options) |
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning and Teaching Methods |
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Intellectual skills are developed through seminars, tutorials, oral presentations and written assignments (essays and supervised research projects). All units are structured so as to develop the skills of analysis, bibliographical control, synthesis and critical evaluation (points 1-4). Additionally, specific units at all levels focus on other intellectual skills such as planning, problem-solving and research methods (5, 6). At all levels of the programme there are seminar settings in which students have the opportunity to develop oral presentation skills (7). Formative feedback on these seminar presentations, and tutorially in relation to written exercises provide occasions for contextual reflection (8). |
Methods of Assessment | |
All assessment tasks (written examinations, assessed coursework and supervised research projects) test powers of analysis, bibliographical control, synthesis and evaluation (points 1-4). Problem-solving (point 5) is assessed both by written examinations and coursework (written and oral). Research skills are assessed through written coursework and supervised research projects, which also provide opportunities for self-directed work (point 6). Common to the assessment of all these is the requirement for accuracy and clarity of expression (7). |
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning and Teaching Methods |
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Seminars and tutorials are used to develop oral communication by requiring students to engage in group discussions, make convincing individual oral presentations and act as a respondent to the presentations of others. Team-working exercises (eg seminar presentations) are integrated into specific units in each of the last two years of the programme. Written communication is developed through project assignments, regular coursework and supervised research projects, typically within the various historical options but also in Level H Aesthetics and Criticism. |
Methods of Assessment | |
Assessment is primarily through written media (examinations, assessed coursework, and supervised research projects) providing evidence of a variety of essential communication skills (1, 2, 4). Assessed coursework and dissertations are also used to test key skills in the following units: Level C Historical Studies I and II; Level I Core Units; Levels I and H List C options; Level H Extended Studies (3, 6,7,8). Performance skills are tested by ensemble work and solo recitals at all levels (4, 5, 6). A programme of lessons and rehearsals documented in a log book tests the ability to sustain development over time and to write reflectively about the experience (1, 4, 5, 6, 8). |
Statement of expectations from the students at each level of the programme as it/they develop year on year.
Level C/4 - Certificate |
By the end of their studies at level C, students are expected to be able to demonstrate a sound knowledge of the fundamental principles of musicology (including a grasp of appropriate repertoires and texts and a satisfactory level of competence in the relevant bibliographic skills) as well as an ability to apply these in written texts of different kinds; confidence in handling elements of musical notation and language (for example, intervals, rhythms, modes, metres and sonorities); competence in the memorising of musical materials sufficient to enable accurate realisation of notation in sound; where appropriate, demonstrate a degree of personal expression and creativity in practical music-making; foundational knowledge of composition (whether acoustic or studio), and including the basics of sound recording and manipulation, MIDI and notation software. The expectation is that their work may require substantial direction from members of staff at this stage (supplied tutorially and in dedicated support seminars). |
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Level I/5 - Intermediate |
At level I students are expected to be able to demonstrate that they have expanded the range and depth of their knowledge of the various sub-disciplines and their capacity to evaluate these using a variety of critical perspectives. They should also have developed a higher level of competence in the relevant technical and/or practical skills. At this stage, students should be developing a capacity for mature reflection on specific aspects of the subject and for self-directed learning (for example, through the researching and writing of approved seminar projects). It is expected that at least a part of this gradual process of absorption will occur in seminars, in which second-year students are taught together with third-years and have the opportunity to gain insight and confidence from observing the contribution of more experienced students. Composers are expected to develop a critical relationship to their evolving musical language such that a personal 'voice' can be recognized intuitively and rationalized in the specific handling of and inter-relation between musical elements. Analytical studies may play a part in the acquisition of this skill. Performers are expected to refine the technical and interpretative aspects of their craft both as soloists and in an ensemble situation. |
Level H/6 - Honours |
At level H students are expected to expand the breadth of their knowledge through their study of optional subjects and to develop further their ability to gather and assimilate information. They are expected to synthesise material in an appropriate way, engage in sophisticated critical evaluation of texts about music, construct effective and detailed arguments (both orally and in writing) that display competence in the practices, processes, techniques and methodologies that underpin musicological practice. As composers, they are expected to refine the creative imagination, lateral thinking skills, and disciplined objectification of original ideas in a practical form. As performers, they are expected to develop a sensitivity to the musical demands of pieces in a variety of styles, and/or an affinity with the relevant performance practices of one particular style, and to communicate their interpretations with confidence in a performance setting. At this level students are expected to be able to demonstrate their capacity for self-directed study using the skills acquired and developed at level C and I. |
The intended learning outcome mapping document shows which mandatory units contribute towards each programme intended learning outcome.
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning and Teaching Methods |
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Knowledge and understanding are acquired through: lectures, seminars, tutorials, intensive language classes, directed reading, regular written coursework and practical language work (supported by the facilities of the Multimedia Centre), and a compulsory period of residence in the country or countries where the language is spoken. |
Methods of Assessment | |
A range of essay writing skills (short and extended essays), providing summative and formative assessment. Project work. Special subjects to allow students to address areas in-depth and the option of a dissertation. Examinations and coursework assessment in all three years spent in Bristol. Language is formally assessed through coursework, translations, essays, oral presentations and aural comprehension. |
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning and Teaching Methods |
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Intellectual skills are developed through seminars, tutorials, oral presentations and essay writing. Units are structured in such a way that the skills of analysis, synthesis and evaluation of literature are developed. History and linguistics units develop similar skills in that specific field. Language, problem solving and research are honed in the year abroad assignment. The option of Independent Study is also available in the final year. |
Methods of Assessment | |
A variety of assessment methods are used as per individual unit aims and objectives. Essay writing and examinations test the students' ability to analyse information and present reasoned arguments. Research skills are assessed by means of extended written coursework and dissertation. Language is formally assessed by translations, essays of various types, oral presentations and aural comprehension, including interpreting. |
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning and Teaching Methods |
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Seminars and tutorials are used to develop oral communication by requiring students to engage in class discussions and to give short introductory talks/presentations to initiate discussion. These oral skill are further developed in the language classes. The ability to think and work independently is stimulated by dissertation, essay and project tasks. |
Methods of Assessment | |
All units are assessed through written coursework and extended essays. These require a detailed and expansive handling of literature and extensive reading in support of their conclusions. The knowledge base is also tested through traditional unseen written examinations, through project work and Dissertation. |
Statement of expectations from the students at each level of the programme as it/they develop year on year.
Level C/4 - Certificate |
Year 1 of the programme has been expressly designed to lay the foundations which will allow students to fulfil the programme aims and objectives. A core unit in language is geared to lead the student in the development of their language skills. The year introduces and includes preliminary work on some of the main themes and key concepts of German literature, history and linguistics to provide a familiarity with these disciplines. It enables students to understand the cultural heritage, historical development and modern contours of the German-speaking world. The expectation is that their work may require considerable direction from members of staff at this stage, and the Year 1 units are designed with this in mind. |
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Level I/5 - Intermediate |
In Year 2 students are expected to be able to demonstrate that they have expanded the range and depth of their knowledge in various areas of the discipline and their capacity to evaluate their work through the wide range of options available beyond the core language unit. The themes and language readings will be of greater depth and substance. Students will develop their analytical skills, their ability to structure their work and present it fluently. They will be encouraged in group work skills through active participation in seminars. They will be developing a capacity for self-directed learning (for example, through the researching and writing of essays and projects). Spoken and written language skills will be reinforced and enhanced. In Year 3, students will develop their command of spoken and written German during the mandatory period of residence abroad when they either follow a formal programme on instruction at and academic institution in a German-speaking country. Their linguistic critical, research and presentational skills will also be enhanced through the writing of dissertations in German during the year. |
Level H/6 - Honours |
Students are expected to have expanded the breadth of their knowledge through the study of optional units; the units are more closely linked to staff research interests developing the conceptual and methodological approaches used with more depth and complexity. Students will be expected to develop further their ability to gather and assimilate information, to synthesise these in an appropriate way, to engage in sophisticated evaluation of language texts. These skills will be perfected in the writing of longer and more demanding essays, already introduced during their study abroad. There will be an emphasis on independent learning, self-directed study and research skills. |
The intended learning outcome mapping document shows which mandatory units contribute towards each programme intended learning outcome.
For information on the admissions requirements for this programme please see details in the undergraduate prospectus at http://www.bristol.ac.uk/prospectus/undergraduate/ or contact the relevant academic department.
Workload Statement
In common with the rest of the University, units in the Faculty of Arts
adhere to the credit framework which sets out that 20 credits normally
equates to some 200 hours of student input. Some of this time will be spent
in class, with the remainder divided between preparation for classes and
preparation for, and completion of, the assessment tasks. Some of this
activity may occur within the University’s online learning environment,
Blackboard, which you may use to prepare wikis, to interact with other
students, to download tutorials or to receive feedback.
Assessment Statement
Please select the following link for a statement about assessment. This is University of Bristol access only.
https://www.bris.ac.uk/arts/current/under/assessment.html
The BA Joint Honours programme in Music and German is a full-time (4 year) programme. It requires 480 credit points including 240 from levels I and H and 120 from the year abroad. All students take 60 credits at Level C, 20 of which are Mandatory (see Section 18). The remainder of the programme (240 credit points) is made up of optional units at Levels I and H (though there are certain limitations on the combination of these). The particular permutations of credits obtainable from the Music Units are shown in Section 18 above. Credit points are awarded for satisfactory completion of each unit (ie. attendance, undertaking the prescribed exercises and passing the assessments, in accordance with current Arts Faculty regulations and ordinances). The study of a 10 credit point unit should involve 100 hours of learning effort (including contact teaching hours); the study of a 20 credit point unit should involve 200 hours of learning effort (including contact teaching hours). Virtually all aspects of the BA (Hons) programme in Music taken by Joint Honours students offer the opportunity to acquire and develop transferable skills much valued by employers, and reflected in the encouraging employment statistics relating to recent graduates.
http://www.bris.ac.uk/Depts/Music
http://www.bristol.ac.uk/Depts/German/
Mandatory Unit German Language is must pass. For further information and a definition of must pass units please see the Glossary of Terms
Unit Name | Unit Code | Credit Points | Status | ||
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German Language 1 (Post A-level) | GERM10009 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-4 | |
German Literature and Film: Genres, Texts, Contexts | GERM10035 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-1 | |
German History and Thought | GERM10037 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-2 | |
Instead of the above German language units, ab initio students take: | |||||
German Language 1 (ab initio) | GERM19003 | 40 | Optional | TB-4 | |
Students must choose one from the following | |||||
Historical Studies 1: Western Art Music (up to 1750) | MUSI10045 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
Historical Studies II : Western Art Music (1750 to the present day) | MUSI10046 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
40 credit points from the following: | |||||
Technical Studies I: Harmony and Harmonic Analysis | MUSI10047 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
Technical Studies II: Introduction to Baroque Composition | MUSI10048 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
Composition - Acoustic | MUSI10057 | 10 | Optional | TB-2 | |
Composition - Studio | MUSI10056 | 10 | Optional | TB-1 | |
Practical studies: Performance | MUSI10058 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 | |
Certificate of Higher Education | 120 |
Mandatory Unit German Language is must pass. For further information and a definition of must pass units please see the Glossary of Terms
Unit Name | Unit Code | Credit Points | Status | ||
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German Language 2 (Post A-Level) | GERM20001 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-4 | |
Instead of the above, students who took German ab initio GERM19003 in their first year should take this unit | |||||
German Language post ab initio | GERM20032 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 | |
Students must choose at least one but no more than three units from the following list: | |||||
Divided Germany | GERM22037 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
From Caligari to Hitler: German Film 1919-1945 | GERM20033 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
Structures and Varieties of German | GERM20035 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
Students may choose up to two units from the following list: | |||||
Political Systems of Modern Europe | MODL20008 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
Woman and Nation | MODL23017 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
Gender in Post-Socialist Central and Eastern Europe | MODL20011 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
Foreign Language Skills for Semester Abroad Students | MODL20018 | 10 | Optional | F | TB-1 |
Students may choose up to one unit from the following list: | |||||
Catalan Language (Elementary) | MODL23014 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 | |
Czech Language (Elementary) | MODL23015 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 | |
Students must take units in Music to the value of 40, 60 or 80 credits,from lists A and C, including at least one of the core units MUSIC20142 Approaches to Music History I or MUSI20143 Approaches to Music History II. No more than two Music units may be chosen from List C. | |||||
Approaches to Music History II | MUSI20143 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
Approaches to Music History I | MUSI20142 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
List A | |||||
Compositional Strategy | MUSI20047 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
Further Technical Studies | MUSI20099 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
Transcription and Editing | MUSI20056 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
Studio Composition Live | MUSI20057 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
Performance | MUSI20058 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 | |
Writing for Orchestra | MUSI20141 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
List C | |||||
The Film Musical | MUSI20144 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
African-American Music in the 20th Century | MUSI20066 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
Music in Soviet Russia 1917-1991 | MUSI20073 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
Inside Medieval Music | MUSI20113 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
Music in Times of War | MUSI20119 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
Opera & Politics | MUSI20120 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
Diploma of Higher Education | 120 |
Mandatory Year Abroad is must pass. For further information and a definition of must pass units please see the Glossary of Terms
Unit Name | Unit Code | Credit Points | Status | ||
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Year Abroad TB-1 | MODL20014 | 60 | Mandatory | AYEAR | |
Year Abroad TB-2 | MODL20015 | 60 | Mandatory | AYEAR | |
120 |
Unit Name | Unit Code | Credit Points | Status | ||
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German Language 3 | GERM30001 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-4 | |
Students must choose at least 20CP but no more than 60CP from the following: | |||||
Exiles and Migrants in German Literature | GERM30058 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
Language Variation and Change in German | GERM30074 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
Performing Germany: National Identity in Changing Times | GERM30075 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
German Economic Policy Narratives | GERM30076 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
Students may choose up to two unit from the following list: | |||||
Communism in Europe | MODL30001 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
Independent Study 1 | MODL30005 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 | |
Translating in a Professional Context | MODL30010 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
Sociolinguistics: Language Variation and Change | MODL30015 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
Gender, Sexuality and Cinema | MODL30018 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
The Italian City: Medieval and Early Modern Cultures | MODL30020 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
Pan-Africanism: ideas and archives | MODL30026 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
Environmental Entanglements: Issues in Ecocriticsm | MODL30032 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
This unit is available to students studying Programmes of French German Spanish Italian and Russian: | |||||
Liaison Interpreting | MODL30006 | 20 | Optional | TB-1,TB-2 | |
Students may choose MODL30011 if they took MODL23014 in their second year of study and students may choose MODL30012 if they took MODL23015 in their second year of study: | |||||
Catalan Language (follow-on) | MODL30011 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 | |
Czech Language (follow-on) | MODL30012 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 | |
Students must take units in Music to the value of 40, 60 or 80 credits, from lists B and C. LIST B options |
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Advanced Technical Studies | MUSI30113 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
Musicology Project 1 | MUSI30063 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
Composition Project | MUSI30064 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
Studio Project | MUSI30065 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
Performance | MUSI30066 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 | |
Aesthetics and Criticism | MUSI30029 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
Extended Study: Musicology | MUSI30058 | 40 | Optional | TB-4 | |
Extended Study: Composition Portfolio | MUSI30059 | 40 | Optional | TB-4 | |
Extended Study: Studio | MUSI30060 | 40 | Optional | TB-4 | |
Extended Study: Performance | MUSI30061 | 40 | Optional | TB-4 | |
Editing Project | MUSI30139 | 20 | Optional | TB-1,TB-2 | |
LIST C options | |||||
Music in Soviet Russia 1917-1991 | MUSI30079 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
Hip-hop Music and Culture | MUSI30107 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
African-American Music in the 20th Century | MUSI30105 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
Intertextuality in Music | MUSI30106 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
Music in Times of War | MUSI30128 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
Opera & Politics | MUSI30129 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
Feminine Voices, Gender and Identity in Popular Music Culture | MUSI30133 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
Students must choose at least one but no more than three units from the following list: | |||||
Music and German (BA) | 120 |
Unit Pass Mark for Undergraduate Programmes:
For details on the weightings for classifying undergraduate degrees, please see the Agreed Weightings, by Faculty, to be applied for the Purposes of Calculating the Final Programme Mark and Degree Classification in Undergraduate Programmes.
For detailed rules on progression please see the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes and the relevant faculty handbook.
Please refer to the specific progression/award requirements for programmes with a preliminary year of study, the Gateway programmes and International Foundation programmes.
All undergraduate degree programmes allow the opportunity for a student to exit from a programme with a Diploma or Certificate of Higher Education.
Integrated Master's degrees may also allow the opportunity for a student to exit from the programme with an equivalent Bachelor's degree where a student has achieved 360 credit points, of which 90 must be at level 6, and has successfully met any additional criteria as described in the programme specification.
The opportunities for a student to exit from one of the professional programmes in Veterinary Science, Medicine, and Dentistry with an Award is outlined in the relevant Programme Regulations (which are available as an annex in the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes).
An Ordinary degree can be awarded if a student has successfully completed at least 300 credits with a minimum of 60 credits at Level 6.
The pass mark for the professional programmes in Veterinary Science, Medicine and Dentistry is 50 out of 100. The classification of a degree in the professional programmes in Veterinary Science, Medicine, and Dentistry is provided in the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
Please note: This specification provides a concise summary of the main features of the programme and the learning outcomes that a typical student might reasonably be expected to achieve and demonstrate if he/she takes full advantage of the learning opportunities that are provided.
University of Bristol,
Senate House,
Tyndall Avenue,
Bristol, BS8 1TH, UK
Tel: +44 (0)117 928 9000