Bangor University

About the University
Bangor University is a long-established university, with over 120 years’ dedication to academic excellence. Over half of the Schools assessed to date in the teaching quality assessments have received the top rating of ’excellent’, and the most recent Research Assessment Exercise confirms its status as a world-class research institution with an international reputation. Bangor is also rated the top university in the UK for help and support provided to students, reflecting the priority given to enhancing the student experience for those from all backgrounds and of all ages.

Postgraduate Bursaries
The University offers a variety of tailored postgraduate bursaries and scholarships, allowing numerous opportunities for UK, EU and international students to partially or fully fund their postgraduate study. In addition, funding worth thousands of pounds is also drawn down from Research Councils and various other specialist organisations that are keen to invest in the University’s diverse expertise. Information about specific funding opportunities within your field of study can be obtained from individual academic Schools via the University’s main website, www.bangor.ac.uk.

Location
Bangor provides one of the best university locations in the UK, well-deserving of its place in the top three best university towns. It is situated between the mountains of Snowdonia and the Irish Sea, at the centre of a region that attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists each year, offering some of the finest beaches and most dramatic scenery in the country, as well as a wealth of cultural heritage in the form of castles, monuments and countless other emblems of North Wales’s living history. All this, plus the cosmopolitan atmosphere and amenities of a thriving university city, makes Bangor a fascinating place to live, and offers an unrivalled environment for study.

Students can rest assured that Bangor is a relatively safe place to live. The crime-rate is believed to be amongst the lowest in the UK and, as it is a compact city, university buildings, accommodation and the city centre are all within safe walking distance. As Bangor is not an industrialised city, pollution levels are low, and the proximity of the mountains and the coast offer unparalleled opportunities for outdoor pursuits.

Living in Bangor enables students to combine a high-quality educational experience with a wonderful living environment. North Wales is an area of outstanding natural beauty, yet close to major cities such as Manchester and Liverpool, so travelling to and from Bangor is easy – only a two-hour train journey from Manchester International Airport and 3.5 hours from London.

Research Strengths and Achievements
Bangor University is a thriving, forward-looking institution offering excellent postgraduate opportunities in both taught courses and research degrees over a wide variety of academic disciplines. We are committed to encouraging each and every individual student to reach their full potential.

Teaching standards are high with most departments rated ‘excellent’ for teaching quality. Coupled with the high calibre of research activity, students on taught postgraduate courses can enjoy teaching of a high standard delivered by true experts in their field. Our high ratio of teaching staff to students enables us to focus on each student’s individual needs, and our links with overseas academic institutions mean that the University attracts high-profile academics from all over the world. The Centre for Cancer Research and the 5* rated School of Psychology are prime examples. Our postgraduate students come from over 50 countries world-wide, creating the kind of metropolitan feel in both the University and the wider city that makes living and studying in Bangor such an enjoyable and rewarding experience. 

Many of our Research Institutes are recognised as Centres of Excellence, endorsing their innovative and creative approaches and their role in contributing to regional prosperity. Partnerships are formed with government organisations and private companies, and a recently forged partnership with the Wales Development Agency and European Commission is currently facilitating the creation of a world-class Management Development Centre for North Wales, a new development on the University campus.

Resources
The University’s constituent academic Schools and research centres enjoy excellent resources, which includes the rare and outstanding facility of the £3.5 million Prince Madog ocean-going research ship. Other specialist equipment and facilities include the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanner, nanotechnology development laboratories and clean-rooms, dual energy x-ray absorptiometry room, underwater weighing room, climate chamber, motion analysis room, neuroscience laboratories, and botanic gardens. The University also benefits from several large and well-stocked libraries, which provide essential cross-discipline support in meeting the intellectual aspirations and development of its students, from essential textbooks and periodicals to electronic and microfilm resources, in addition to a wealth of specialist material available in the University Archives and Welsh library.

Student Quotes

“I have found Bangor to be one of the best places for combining theoretical and experimental work in research via an intensive curriculum. The world-renowned researchers at the University have provided me with a great opportunity to touch and extend research frontiers, and the postgraduate bursary was a brilliant motivation to succeed.”
Chie Takahashi, International Student studying MSc Psychological Research

“I came to Bangor originally to pursue a degree in Marine Biology and Oceanography. Seven years later and I’m still here, now in the final year of my PhD with the School of Ocean Sciences. Bangor has a great atmosphere with a close, friendly community. It’s right next to the sea, which is brilliant for relaxing days at the beach, and near the mountains for walking and climbing. In terms of both academic opportunities and quality of life, I couldn’t have made a better choice.”
Barbara Berx, studying for a PhD in Ocean Science

“The taught MA course in European Studies has been an incredibly interesting and enlightening experience for me. I have been able to follow modules in European history and literature, as well as preparatory modules in Research Methods and Critical Theory, which were invaluable in aiding the transition from undergraduate to postgraduate study. The support I have had from staff, both for the taught modules and the summer dissertation, has been excellent. Postgraduate study at Bangor is, frankly, first-rate!”
Adam Yeomans, currently studying MA European Studies