Education since 1834

The University can trace its origins back to the School of Medicine and Surgery, established in 1834, and Armstrong College, founded in 1871.

These two colleges formed one division of the federal University of Durham and were merged to form King's College in 1937. The Durham Colleges were the other division of the federal University.

King’s College was renowned not only for providing an education in fundamental disciplines such as mathematics, science, arts and literature, but also for pioneering regionally important applied sciences such as geology, mining, naval architecture, engineering and agriculture.

During this time, the City of Newcastle was known worldwide as a hub of industrial activity, with a strong civic university as its intellectual underpinning.

In 1963, the federal University was dissolved and King's College became the University of Newcastle upon Tyne as we know it today.

Interactive Timeline

Take a step back in time and click through some of the milestones that have shaped Newcastle University over the last 200 years.