Your Applicant Day in Cambridge

Exploring Aquatic Biodiversity for Environmental Science 
Aquatic ecosystems support a substantial source of the earth's biological diversity. Learn how to use taxonomic identification keys and microscopes to uncover the incredible diversity of aquatic life. You’ll explore how these tiny organisms play a vital role in monitoring environmental health and discover the fascinating connections between biodiversity and ecosystem sustainability. It’s the perfect opportunity to see environmental science in action and understand the importance of protecting our planet’s waterways.

Smart Moves: The Science of Animal Decision-Making 
Animals are continually making decisions throughout their lives to maximise their chances of survival and succession. Investigate how woodlice navigate in a complex environment by making decisions within a simple maze. You’ll explore how environmental conditions may influence their decisions and gain insight into the science behind those choices. It’s a unique opportunity to see how even tiny creatures can teach us about adaptability and problem-solving in nature. 

Animated Shorts
Bring your ideas to life by creating your own animated short film using magazine cutouts, a rostrum camera, and Dragon Frame software. This exciting session introduces you to essential tools, methods, and concepts in animation. You'll also experience what it’s like to be a student at ARU, while connecting with future course mates, engaging with expert lecturers, and hearing from current students as you explore everything the Cambridge School of Art has to offer.

360 Escape Room
Come and play in our digital media studio: explore our sound recording and 360 cameras and discover how to create your own stories. Explore ARU’s campus, design clever puzzles, and test your creations on a VR headset. Experience what it’s like to be a Digital Media Production student as you collaborate with future course mates, engage with lecturers, and hear from current students. Discover the innovative community of Cambridge School of Art and bring your creative ideas to life! 

Future Bodies: A Metamorphosis of Form
Step outside the box in this innovative workshop, where you'll explore unconventional approaches to the human form in fashion design. Use critical theory and two-dimensional techniques to create striking images that can be used in fashion promotion, such as for a zine or magazine spread. Discover what it’s like to study fashion at ARU, connect with future course mates and lecturers, and gain insights from current students while immersing yourself in the creative atmosphere of Cambridge School of Art.

For applicants to: Fashion Design, Fashion Communication and Branding

Experimental Collaborative Floor Drawing
Join us in creating a large-scale collaborative drawing inspired by music, where rhythm, scale, and layers of gestural marks come together in a vibrant masterpiece. Experience the essence of being a Fine Art student at ARU as you explore creative processes and techniques. You’ll have the chance to connect with future course mates, engage with expert lecturers, and get insights from current students while discovering the dynamic community at Cambridge School of Art.

Design Process
How do designers come up with new ideas? In this workshop we’ll start with conceptual design and explore the design process, transforming concept into final outcomes with some hands-on making. You’ll also have the chance to dive deeper into your course, connect with future course mates and current students from Cambridge School of Art, and experience the vibrant ARU community firsthand.

Masked Avengers
Immerse yourself in creativity as we explore ideas around character, portraits, and the written word and how these could be expressed through mask-making using simple materials. Uncover how these concepts come to life in illustration and get a taste of what it’s like to be a student at ARU. Connect with future course mates, engage with expert lecturers, and learn from current students while discovering the vibrant community at Cambridge School of Art.

 

Model-Making an Interior

In this hands-on session, you’ll use limited materials to create a 3D model in response to a short text, exploring the concept of ‘enclosure’. This creative challenge will give you a glimpse into the world of interior design and spatial thinking. It’s a fantastic opportunity to meet future classmates, connect with your course lecturers, and experience what life as a student at ARU is really like, all while developing your skills in 3D modelling and creative problem-solving.

Visual Telephone Game

Get ready for a fun and creative challenge with the Visual Telephone Game! You and fellow applicants will explore the campus through prompts and visual clues, capturing images along the way. Whether you choose to work in teams or go solo, this activity will spark your creativity and get you thinking like a photographer. It’s also a great chance to meet future classmates, connect with your course lecturers, and experience life as a student at ARU while discovering the exciting world of photography.

Performing Arts Taster Session
Join us for an exciting taster of life at ARU, where you will take part in a collaborative day working with fellow applicants, current students and lecturers on our performance courses. In the first session, you’ll team up with students from all three disciplines for a high-energy acting class. This is your chance to meet future classmates while exploring core acting techniques. After a short break, we’ll break into discipline-specific groups to dive deeper into skills unique to each course. Whether you’re exploring Acting, Drama or Musical Theatre, it’s an unmissable opportunity to experience your future studies in action!

For applicants to: Acting, Drama, Musical Theatre

Film and Media: Exploring Visual Storytelling
Dive into the fascinating world of film and media in this interactive session. You’ll explore how visual storytelling shapes and reflects ideas about society, from themes of representation to analysing the transformation of stories across different mediums. Through creative activities and thought-provoking discussions, you'll uncover the power of visual representation, touching on topics such as gender, comics, and screen media. This is a great opportunity to meet future classmates, your course lecturers and gain insight into life at ARU, all while expanding your understanding of how media influences our world and shapes our ideas.

For applicants to: Film, Film and Media

Collaborative Music Recording in Studio 5
Get a taste of life as a music student at ARU in our state-of-the-art recording studio. In this hands-on session, you'll collaborate with your fellow students as performers, producers, and sound engineers to create a music recording. While rehearsing, setting up microphones, or working the mixing desk, you'll have the chance to chat with current students and staff about what the course has to offer. It’s a great way to meet future classmates, connect with your course lecturers, and experience life at ARU, all while diving into the world of collaborative music production.

For applicants to: Audio and Music Technology, Music and Sound Production, Music Performance, Music Production

Creative Writing: Building a Fictional World
Bring your writing materials and dive into a series of short exercises designed to help you create a dynamic and believable fictional world. You’ll develop characters, conflicts, and key locations that make your story come alive. This is a great opportunity to meet future classmates, connect with your course lecturers, and experience what it’s like to be a student at ARU. Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just starting out, you’ll leave with fresh ideas and the tools to bring your imagination to life.

For applicants to: Creative Writing, Writing and English Literature, Writing and Film

The Future of the Impossible: Building a Billion-Dollar Idea
Step into the role of innovators and disruptors to pitch a bold business idea that could change the world. You’ll work together to develop a groundbreaking product or service idea to solve a current, exciting global challenge such as AI integration, sustainability or climate change, looking at business plans, marketing concepts and financial implications. You’ll then make a high-energy two-minute pitch to our judges.

Level Design Workshop
BA (Hons) Computer Games Design
You will be given a choice of level design activities, using industry-standard tools to manage how the space in the game influences the player experience. You might decide to challenge them with game mechanics, evoke particular moods, tell them a story, or involve them in a mystery. We will discuss how these goals relate to the goals of the design course and other games courses.

Jumpstart Game Programming: Blueprints in Action
BSc (Hons) Computer Games Programming
In this hands-on activity, you’ll dive into an Unreal Engine project designed to spark your creativity. Fix gameplay mechanics, tweak physics, and bring interactivity to life by building your own obstacle course. You’ll solve challenges through Blueprints, Unreal's visual scripting system, combining your problem-solving and development skills.

Introduction to Unreal Engine 5
BA (Hons) Computer Games Art
In this session, we will introduce Unreal Engine 5, covering the basics of navigating the software and setting up projects. Participants will use modular level assets to start building their first level, gaining hands-on experience with arranging reusable components to create the foundation of a game environment. This workshop will familiarize attendees with UE5’s interface and core tools, providing a strong starting point for their first assessed project.

Unearth Secrets from a Seized Hard Drive 
Step into the role of a digital forensic investigator in this exciting activity. You’ll start by examining the contents of a seized hard drive to understand hidden metadata collected when files are downloaded. Learn how forensic experts use this information to trace digital footprints and solve cybercrimes. It’s an exciting opportunity to explore the digital world of crime and see how technology is used to uncover the truth.

Artificial Intelligence Unveiled
Take a deep dive into the fascinating world of artificial intelligence. In this activity, you’ll explore the principles behind intelligent machines and how they learn, think, and make decisions. Discover the cutting-edge technology that powers AI, from recognising patterns to solving complex problems, and see how it’s shaping the future. 

For applicants to: Artificial Intelligence, Cyber Security, Cyber Security and Digital Forensics, Computer Science, Software Engineering

Experience Education at ARU
Join us for an immersive day that will spark your curiosity and challenge your thinking. Engage with the 'Big Education Question' through an interactive Mentimeter activity, where your voice shapes the discussion. Dive into a hands-on session exploring the development of a child, using interactive equipment to uncover answers to key questions. Conclude with a thought-provoking 20-minute lecture on topics such as Education for All, Global Education, or Social Justice in Education. You’ll have the opportunity to connect with future course mates, meet our passionate lecturers, and experience what it’s like to be an education student at ARU. This is your chance to explore the field and shape the future of learning!

Language and the Body
Discover how our identities are interpreted like texts in this engaging session. You’ll explore the fascinating interplay between language, the body, and identity, and uncover how we 'read' people in much the same way we understand characters in novels. Along the way, you'll meet future course mates, connect with your course lecturers, and experience what life as a student at ARU is truly like.

For applicants to: English, English Language and Communication, English Literature, Liberal Arts

Memorial, Monuments, and Meanings: Should the Statues Fall?
Dive into the debate surrounding statues and monuments in this thought-provoking taster lecture. Discover why they spark controversy and explore insights from history, philosophy, politics and sociology to deepen your understanding of our modern world. You’ll engage in thought-provoking discussions while getting the chance to meet future course mates, connect with expert lecturers, and get a real feel for life as a student at ARU.

For applicants to: History, Philosophy, Philosophy and English Literature

Extraction of DNA from Living Material
All life has DNA: the chemical instructions on how to make a living thing, from humans to strawberries. In this hands-on experiment you’ll learn how to extract DNA from a strawberry using everyday household items – it's like uncovering the blueprint of life! As biomedical scientists, we isolate DNA regularly to understand how it’s affected in different diseases, paving the way for precision medicine and new treatments. Come and see how you could be part of this exciting field. 

Exploring Tissue Microscopy
Get up close and personal with the building blocks of life. In this activity, you’ll examine a range of tissue samples under the microscope, including some from cancerous samples. You’ll explore the fascinating structures of cells and tissues and see first-hand the differences between healthy and diseased samples. It’s a brilliant insight into the world of Biomedical Science and how you could be studying the body to understand and help fight disease.

Discover Midwifery: Hands-On Skills and Insights at ARU
Discover more about midwifery, meet our students and academics and learn about the history of midwifery. Get hands-on in our skills lab, for a flavour of all the skills you need to be a competent and confident practitioner.

Navigating Nursing Today: Professionalism, Challenges and Expectations
Join us for a dynamic, interactive session designed to give you an insight into nursing in today’s society. We’ll explore professionalism, behavior, and expectations in the nursing workforce, as well as the challenges you might face, to help you feel prepared for your journey into nursing and what lies ahead. Get hands-on in our skills lab, with state-of-the-art mannequins, for a flavour of all the skills you need to be a competent and confident practitioner.

Operating Department Practice: the NHS's Best-Kept Secret
Gain an understanding of the diverse role of the ODP and the perioperative environment, along with an overview of our BSc (Hons) Operating Department Practice course including academic and placement elements. Immerse yourself in our skills lab where you'll explore and practice the key skills required to become a confident and competent practitioner.

Discover the World of Vision and Eye Care in Our Clinic 
Step into the world of optometry and discover what it takes to help others see the world clearly. This session will introduce you to the optometry profession and show you how vision is measured. You’ll gain insight into how people see, and explore the fascinating science behind it. The session also includes a tour of our state-of-the-art University Eye Clinic, giving you a glimpse of where real-world learning meets cutting-edge technology. 

Can You See What They See? The Ultimate 3D Vision Challenge
In this hands-on workshop, you’ll explore how we measure vision and understand how people see the world. Learn about the tests and techniques used by optometrists to assess sight, and how vision is evaluated. You’ll also dive deeper into 3D perception, discovering how we experience the world in three dimensions. Through interactive experiments, you’ll gain insight into how our brains process depth and perspective to help us navigate the world around us. 

Ready to Save Lives? Dive into Paramedic Skills and Real-Life Scenarios
Take part in an interactive scenario that will give you a taste of what our Paramedic Science students do. You'll be taught some skills that paramedics use, then apply your own problem-solving skills to a scenario. Paramedics often have to apply their skills in sub-optimal settings, and this is a great way to learn about providing the best care to your patients.

Discover the World of Social Work: Theories, Skills and Standards in Action
Dive into the world of social work. We'll explore key theories, uncover how they’re used in real life, and discover the professional standards that shape this incredible field.

Blood in Action: Secrets in the Splatter
Step into the fascinating world of bloodstain pattern analysis. In this hands-on activity, you’ll be in the lab dropping blood from different heights onto various surfaces, from carpet to glass, and uncovering the hidden stories within the splatter. Dressed as a forensic expert, you’ll interpret these patterns to understand what happened at the crime scene. It’s a captivating way to explore the science behind solving mysteries and see how even the smallest detail can reveal big secrets.

Behind the Tape: A Crime Scene Experience 
Step into the shoes of a forensic investigator and immerse yourself in the world of crime scene analysis. Explore our authentic crime scene rooms, each with their own unique story and challenge. You’ll have the chance to examine evidence, uncover crucial clues, and try to piece together what happened. This hands-on experience offers an exciting glimpse into the skills and techniques used, from analysing the scene to interpreting evidence. Are you ready to crack the case? 

For applicants to: Crime and Investigative Studies, Forensic Science

Understanding Crime and Control: A Criminology Workshop
Dive into the fascinating world of criminology in this interactive workshop. Using real-life case studies and group discussions, you’ll explore how society defines crime, the role of culture and law, and the strategies used to manage criminal behaviour. This dynamic session mirrors the engaging teaching style of our criminology and policing course, offering a hands-on introduction to core concepts. You’ll analyse key crime types, debate controversial policies, and see how criminology shapes justice in the real world. It’s a great opportunity to meet future classmates, connect with your course lecturers, and experience life as a student at ARU.

Law in Crisis: Solve the Mystery
Engage in a thrilling, interactive challenge that combines law with detective work and logical reasoning. A mock mystery, high-stakes legal case with clues, witness statements and evidence provided. As legal detectives, you’ll analyse the facts (and possibly the lies), apply basic legal principles and theories to prepare a short legal argument and solve the case. Each team will present their legal argument in front of the judge before a jury decides the winner.

Memorial, Monuments, and Meanings: Should the Statues Fall?
Dive into the debate surrounding statues and monuments in this thought-provoking taster lecture. Discover why they spark controversy and explore insights from history, philosophy, politics and sociology to deepen your understanding of our modern world. You’ll engage in thought-provoking discussions while getting the chance to meet future course mates, connect with expert lecturers, and get a real feel for life as a student at ARU.

For applicants to: Politics and International Relations, Sociology

Can Consumers Trust their Senses?
Explore the fascinating world of consumer perception and discover whether what our sensory encounters tell us, is actually true. Through engaging and thought-provoking discussions, you’ll work together to delve into how our senses can influence decision making and how what we perceive may not always align with the truth. Learn about the psychology behind trust and perception in this eye-opening session.

Psychology in Everyday Life
Many of us would like to live long, healthier lives, which includes eating well. What we eat affects how we feel. Food should make us feel good, but if we eat too little or eat too much, our health and quality of life could be affected. In this participatory session, we'll consider some of the factors which guide our food choices and eating behaviour. Specifically, we'll look at some common beliefs on these topics and contrast them with findings from psychological research.

Eye Tracking and Sport Performance: Understanding Focus and Precision
In the world of sport, every split-second decision counts, from the reaction times of athletes to the strategic choices made by coaches. Eye tracking is emerging as a revolutionary way to get impactful insights into these decision-making processes. In this session, you’ll discover how athletes use visual focus and reaction times to improve their skills and decision-making on the field. You’ll see how tracking eye movement can improve performance and help athletes gain a competitive edge. It’s a fascinating way to understand the connection between vision and sports excellence.

The Overhead Squat Assessment
How a person performs an overhead squat can tell you a lot about their neuromuscular control, flexibility, and stability. In this session, you’ll discover how fitness professionals use this assessment to identify muscle imbalances, improve performance, and reduce the risk of injury. You’ll learn to assess posture, alignment, and movement patterns in this interactive session. Whether you’re passionate about fitness, rehabilitation or human performance, you'll gain valuable insight into enhancing a person’s movement quality and reducing the risk of injuries.

Unlocking the Power of Mental Toughness in Sport and Exercise
Mentally tough athletes understand that optimal performance is a marathon, not a sprint. Each step along the way moves them closer toward their ultimate goal. In this session, you’ll discover the vital role mental toughness plays in sport and exercise performance. Through our interactive session, you’ll explore how athletes build resilience, manage stress, and maintain focus under pressure. This activity is designed to give you an insight into how mental toughness is trained and applied, and how it can enhance athletic performance.

Eye Tracking and Sport Performance: Understanding Focus and Precision
In the world of sports, every split-second decision counts, from the reaction times of athletes to the strategic choices made by coaches. Eye tracking is emerging as a revolutionary way to get impactful insights into these decision-making processes. In this session, you’ll discover how athletes use visual focus and reaction times to improve their skills and decision-making on the field. You’ll see how tracking eye movement can improve performance and help athletes gain a competitive edge. It’s a fascinating way to understand the connection between vision and sports excellence.

Taping and Strapping for Injury Prevention
Injury strapping and sports taping provides extra support to injured or vulnerable areas of the body, enabling athletes to continue performing with minimum pain or discomfort. This also serves as an effective tool for rehabilitating injuries during a person’s recovery. In this hands-on session, you’ll take part in practical demonstrations and explore how these methods support joints and muscles during physical activity, reducing the risk of strain or injury. This activity offers an insightful experience in essential injury prevention and recovery techniques.

The Overhead Squat Assessment
How a person performs an overhead squat can tell you a lot about their neuromuscular control, flexibility, and stability. In this session, you’ll discover how fitness professionals use this assessment to identify muscle imbalances, improve performance, and reduce the risk of injury. You’ll learn to assess posture, alignment, and movement patterns in this interactive session. Whether you’re passionate about fitness, rehabilitation or human performance, you'll gain valuable insight into enhancing a person’s movement quality and reducing the risk of injuries.

Unlocking the Power of Mental Toughness in Sport and Exercise
Mentally tough athletes understand that optimal performance is a marathon, not a sprint. Each step along the way moves them closer toward their ultimate goal. In this session, you’ll discover the vital role mental toughness plays in sport and exercise performance. Through our interactive session, you’ll explore how athletes build resilience, manage stress, and maintain focus under pressure. This activity is designed to give you an insight into how mental toughness is trained and applied, and how it can enhance athletic performance.

Eye Tracking and Sport Performance: Understanding Focus and Precision
In the world of sports, every split-second decision counts, from the reaction times of athletes to the strategic choices made by coaches. Eye tracking is emerging as a revolutionary way to get impactful insights into these decision-making processes. In this session, you’ll discover how athletes use visual focus and reaction times to improve their skills and decision-making on the field. You’ll see how tracking eye movement can improve performance and help athletes gain a competitive edge. It’s a fascinating way to understand the connection between vision and sports excellence. 

The Overhead Squat Assessment
How a person performs an overhead squat can tell you a lot about their neuromuscular control, flexibility, and stability. In this session, you’ll discover how fitness professionals use this assessment to identify muscle imbalances, improve performance, and reduce the risk of injury. You’ll learn to assess posture, alignment, and movement patterns in this interactive session. Whether you’re passionate about fitness, rehabilitation or human performance, you'll gain valuable insight into enhancing a person’s movement quality and reducing the risk of injuries.

Taping and Strapping for Injury Prevention
Injury strapping and sports taping provides extra support to injured or vulnerable areas of the body, enabling athletes to continue performing with minimum pain or discomfort. This also serves as an effective tool for rehabilitating injuries during a person’s recovery. In this hands-on session, you’ll take part in practical demonstrations and explore how these methods support joints and muscles during physical activity, reducing the risk of strain or injury. This activity offers an insightful experience in essential injury prevention and recovery techniques.