Bangor University

Located in North Wales, between the mountains and the sea, Bangor University offers postgraduate degrees within three colleges:

• Arts, Humanities and Business
• Environmental Sciences and Engineering
• Human Sciences

Known for its research work, Bangor is renowned in particular for its research into industries like accounting, electronic engineering, sports science and psychology. In fact, the last Research Excellence Framework (REF, 2014) recognised that three quarters of their research as being either world leading or internationally excellent.

Bangor University has achieved a Gold Award, the highest rating possible, in the national Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF, 2017). The TEF assessment took into account teaching quality, learning environment and student outcomes and learning gain.

Bangor University students on Postgraduate Search say:

“The university is great, I did my undergraduate degree here and after leaving for two years I decided to come back for my postgraduate. I can’t think of anywhere else I would rather study.”

“It's been great! I have the opportunity to explore North Wales while also experiencing the research life. The professors are friendly, the students are friendly, the staff is friendly, and the uni is great.”

“Absolutely blooming amazing, honestly I studied my undergraduate here and I came back to study postgraduate so worth it, definitely join a club best experience!”

Bangor’s Skills and Employability Service offers one-to-one advice, online help and workshops to help you find work after your postgraduate studies. There’s also the Postgraduate Bangor Employability Award, which recognises the work you do outside your studies.

Our postgraduate student reviewers speak very positively about the employment support available to them at the university.

Bangor University students on Postgraduate Search say:

“The career and employability area of the university has many events that encourage students to know more about their careers, what steps to follow and the options that they have available. You can also make an appointments for personal advice.”

“University offers great modules which opens your way to the outside world. The Job Centre at Bangor gets a lot of job listings and opportunities to grab on.”

“The university offers a wide range of career workshops as well as career fairs and events promoting various companies and helping students building their career. One to one meeting are also available in order to help students with curriculum and covers letter.”

Students are impressed with the quality of course and lecturers at the university and reviewers spoke highly of the engaging course content and proactive lecturers.

 Bangor University students on Postgraduate Search say:

“We have a small lecture size (24) and we have lots of seminars so everyone gets a chance to speak and have lots of debates about the important topics.”

“The course is excellent in all terms and there is nothing I don’t like about it. The lecturers are amazing and helpful. The lectures are fantastic. The course content is very rich making it an excellent opportunity to learn new things every week.”

“I love the way the courses are applied as well as the assignments and workshops. All the lecturer are very enthusiastic and always willing to help.”

As a postgraduate student, you’ll be equally as welcomed by Bangor University Students’ Union as the undergraduates. The Union is independently run by four full time officers and 21 other members of staff. As well as putting on events, they also ensure the student voice is being heard and represented.

Bangor University students on Postgraduate Search say:

“All our clubs and societies are free to join which is amazing! Timetables are kept clear on Wednesday afternoons for people to do sports practice and we have lots of great facilities.”

“I believe the Students’ Union is making significant, incremental contributions to students’ quality of education & academic life and is keen on providing constant support in all aspects affecting a student’s time at the university.”

“Student Union at Bangor University is incredible. They appreciate diversity and inclusivity. They conduct a lot socials. They are active and forthcoming in organising events for all the societies in the Uni.”

There’s a limited number of self-catering rooms for postgraduate students in university accommodation - based close to campus at

• Glyder (Ffriddoedd Village) - from £110 per week (2019/2020 prices)
• St Mary’s Quad - from approx. £132 per week (2019/2020 prices)
• St Mary’s Studios - from approx. £162 per week (2019/2020 prices)
• St Mary’s Townhouses – from approx. £100 per week (2019/2020 prices)

Although many of the student reviews are positive about their student housing, many postgraduate students tend to find a place to live privately. Bangor’s Student Housing Office can help you find somewhere to stay while you study.

Those that were staying in student housing rated Bangor’s accommodation so highly that they came in the top 3 in the accommodation category in the Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2019.

Bangor University students on Postgraduate Search say:

“My accommodations is 5 stars, and when it's not, they quickly come to fix the issue. Couldn't be more pleased with where I am living.”

“Clean, spacious and I’d consider it very good value for money”

“The accommodation is amazing with a beautiful view of the mountains. The room is perfect for one person with all the required things. We are 15 people in one corridor. Being someone who likes her own space. This gave me an excellent opportunity to interact and socialize with other flatmates.”

Bangor’s libraries come particularly highly rated, while it has over 1,000 computers for student use with nine computer rooms open 24 hours a day. Most of the university’s buildings are clustered together in the centre of Bangor so everything is easily accessible.

The student reviews are regularly positive about the facilities for being modern and of good quality – and many reviewers commended the university for constantly improving the facilities on offer.

Bangor University students on Postgraduate Search say:

“Excellent. Bangor has the best infrastructure for most of the courses. My friends from psychology and sports department have spoken highly of their streams. Bangor Business School has a treasure of knowledge and resource material.”

“All my university facilities are excellent including library and computer rooms, cafes and laboratories.”

“Fab! The gym has been recently refurbished and is amazing. We have lots of resources that many unis don’t have such as the botanical gardens.”

Situated between Snowdonia and the sea, everything’s within walking distance in one of the UK’s smallest cities. If you appreciate a quieter life, Bangor may be the destination for you - with stunning scenery on your doorstep to explore, but also all the amenities of a university town.

This is something that seems to appeal to many of our reviewers, who acknowledge Bangor lacks the hustle and bustle of the big city, but makes up for this by offering a tight-knit community and close proximity to nature.

Bangor University students on Postgraduate Search say:

“Bangor is located in a magic region of wales and the city life is perfect for students, providing all sorts of entertainment and activities students wish for.”

“It’s good. It’s quite very silent, peaceful, beautiful and safe city.”

“It’s a quite city but it’s so friendly and you’re always bumping into people you know.”

The Students’ Union offers a wide range of student-run clubs and societies and there are over 170 to choose from. You can get involved with traditional sports such as football, rugby, netball and hockey or try something new like quidditch, canoe-polo or sub-aqua. There are societies that will compliment your academic studies, such as the Law Society, the Geographical Society; religious societies such as the Christian Union and the Islamic Society and societies to compliment your hobbies and interests like comedy, cooking, photography and drama.

Particularly popular among our student reviewers is the fact that clubs and societies are free to join, making it very easy for anybody to get involved, and Bangor came first in the Clubs and Societies category at the WUSCA's 2019 – for the third year running!

Bangor University students on Postgraduate Search say:

“They are great! And all for free!”

“There are so many clubs and societies at the university. And I have attended quite a lot events from the society. Everyone is friendly and the members of the society are very enthusiastic about what they do.”

“AMAZING!!! There are so many to choose from and they are all free to join!!”

The Student Services Centre looks after financial help, counselling, assistance for dyslexic and disabled students and advice on housing, while the Study Skills Centre offers one-to-one help and workshops to ease you through your studies. There’s also a Research Writing Group to boost your skills if you’re doing a PhD.

There is regular praise for the academic support that the university provides. Students also voted them in the top 10 in this particular category in the latest Whatuni Student Choice Awards.

Bangor University students on Postgraduate Search say:

“Tutors offer their best to the student by addressing to their concerns. They give time and listen patiently. Reading week offered in my course is the best way to understand your academic progress.”

“The support is excellent, providing help in all sorts of fields both academic with drop ins and classes for students that need help, as well as one to one meeting for writing skills. Moreover they offer a wide range of counselling programs and workshops. Excellent!!!”

“Excellent levels of support has been perceived on numerous occasions. This is demonstrated on a daily basis in lectures: showcasing professors’ competency & willingness to help, as well as the education & international offices’ clear efforts to accommodate all student backgrounds & needs, in addition to active & regular organisation of supplementary workshops and the presence and voiced support of personal tutors.”

Postgraduate course fees vary so please check the course pages for details.

Please check the university’s website for the most up-to-date information on Scholarships and Bursaries.

Bangor Graduate Loyalty Discount

UK/EU Bangor graduates get a £500 discount on their tuition fees for taught courses.

Santander Taught Postgraduate Scholarship

A number of £5,000 scholarships are available to students who successfully apply. The scheme aims to reward the most academically gifted students in countries covered by the bank’s Santander Universidades scheme.

Postgraduate Access Bursary

You may be eligible for £500 if you were unemployed before starting your course, on Jobseekers’ Allowance/Income Support or in receipt of an Opportunity Bursary, Foyer Bursary, Care Leavers’ Grant or a Welsh Government learning or maintenance grant.

Postgraduate Widening Access Bursary

One of these WA bursaries is limited to Welsh medium study only and one bursary is limited to students from Wales, living outside a Communities First postcode but showing evidence of financial hardship. There are also other scholarships available for specific courses that you can find out more information about on the university's website.

More than three-quarters of Bangor’s research is either world-leading or internationally excellent, according to the last Research Excellence Framework (REF, 2014), while over half of its academic schools are in the UK top 20 for quality of research.

Entry requirements vary depending on the type of qualification and course you want to study, but you’re likely to need an undergraduate degree in a relevant subject.

All colleges at Bangor offer research courses, backed up by a Research Support Office, which can help you find funding opportunities and provides other practical help. There are also opportunities to work with businesses, while Bangor’s Doctoral School provides support for both researchers and supervisory staff.

There’s a wide range of taught courses across Bangor’s five colleges. Masters degrees consist of 180 credits of study; 120 from taught modules and 60 from a research project or dissertation. Some business, environment and law courses also allow you to start your studies in January rather than September.

Bangor offers a small number of distance courses, as well as “blended” courses which also feature face-to-face study - through its School of Natural Sciences and Philosophy and Religion. There’s also a Chartered Banker MBA offered through the Bangor Business School.

The university offers research, taught, short taught and distance learning courses for postgraduate students.

Taught courses include masters, PG Certs, PGDips and PGCEs and each consist of 180 credits of study. 120 of these will come from the modules and the other 60 will come from a research project or dissertation.

Research courses include PhDs (3 years of study), MPhils (2 years of study), MRes, MSCs, MAs, MEd, MMus and MRes. Some of these degrees will also give you the opportunity to go abroad and research in other countries.