Seeing as you do ATPL theory after PPL, no you wouldn't be able to get any further than PPL at university. It would be far too much work and if you started studying ATPL theory during your degree, your marks for both would suffer. Just concentrate on getting a PPL (it's probably better to do it before going to university) then while doing your degree build hours. You need to build 150 hours to do a CPL, so you may aswell make the most of your 3 years at university flying-wise and fly on weekends and spare days. That ensures that upon graduating, you can pretty much go straight onto the CPL without having to do loads of hours building.
Try the university air squadron. If you don't want to join the RAF, they don't have to know that. If you get a PPL before going to university, they will know you're serious about flying and you'll be ahead of the rest of the people wanting in. It should give you an advantage getting in and the UAS could save you a hell of a lot of hours because the free hours will count towards the 150 needed.