Bangor University offers an exceptional experience set amidst the captivating landscapes of North Wales, where courses spanning the arts, humanities, and sciences await. The welcoming, student-centred atmosphere in this vibrant and cultured city, combined with the university's size and friendly nature, are reasons why countless students choose to make Bangor their academic home.
Bangor is known for having a relatively low cost of living, and the university itself is committed to helping students effectively manage their finances while studying for a postgraduate qualification. Bangor University creates a supportive environment by implementing cost-saving initiatives and a welcoming atmosphere.
Bangor University is renowned for research into industries like accounting, electronic engineering, sports science and psychology. In fact, the last Research Excellence Framework (REF, 2021) recognised 85% of Bangor's research as being either world leading or internationally excellent.
The university is also well known for providing a comprehensive platform of student services, ensuring that the entire student community has the resources needed to achieve their academic goals, and develop themselves personally. There's a wide and diverse range of Clubs, Societies and Volunteering Projects which provide a great place for postgraduate students to make friends and try new things with like-minded individuals.
The university offers a wide range of taught and research postgraduate options, including degrees available full-time or part-time, along with distance-learning and blended-learning routes.
Taught courses at postgraduate level include masters, PG Certs, PGDips and PGCEs in a range of subject areas spanning arts, humanities and business, environmental sciences and engineering, and human sciences.
Postgraduate research courses include the PhD (full-time 3 years of study), MPhil (full-time 2 years of study), MRes, EdD, MMusRes and MRes, LLM and DHealthcare. These are also offered on a variety of pathways in arts, humanities and business, environmental science and engineering, and human sciences.
The university has an impressive range of learning resources and facilities, including an extensive collection of books and journals; over 1,000 computers for student use, 24-hour PC rooms, social learning spaces, its own research vessel the ‘Prince Madog', state-of-the-art science labs and an fMRI Scanner to name a few. Bangor University also has a Natural History Museum and Botanic Gardens which are open for students to visit.
Canolfan Brailsford, the university's sport centre is a hub for sports lovers, housing two main sports halls, three well-equipped gyms, a multi-route climbing wall and a range of impressive outdoor facilities including a FIFA and World Rugby certified 3G pitch.
There are dedicated postgraduate halls of residence at Bangor where students are placed with other postgraduates at their level of study. There is a choice of two residential villages situated either side of the main university buildings with room options including standard, en-suite, studio and townhouse. Both villages are within walking distance of most teaching and the city centre.
As would be expected from a university that places great emphasis on student support, Bangor is keen to demonstrate their longstanding belief that further education should be available to students from all economic backgrounds. Each year, a range of scholarships and bursaries are awarded to new and returning students on both merit-based and needs-based criteria. Alternatively, flexible payment plans mean that students can spread the cost of gaining a postgraduate qualification over the course of the year.
Students applying for a taught or research degree course at Bangor University will need to meet a number of admission criteria before being accepted onto their programme of study.
Exact entry requirements vary depending on the type of qualification and course being applied for, and prospective postgraduate students are likely to need an undergraduate degree in a relevant subject or extensive relevant work experience to study a postgraduate course. The university admissions office is open all year round and is the best place to ask any specific queries or questions.
Prospective applicants are advised to review the course-specific pages on the Bangor University website for comprehensive information on entry requirements, including specific criteria and application deadlines for each course.
Courses at the university are conducted in English, and international applicants may need to meet minimum English language proficiency requirements before enrolment.
Various language assessment systems are accepted, and full information can be found online.
Postgraduate tuition fees can vary depending on a number of factors, such as the course which has been chosen to study, as well as the level of the course, and whether it is studied on a full-time or part-time basis. The student's home fee status will also determine the cost of tuition, and the university recommends that prospective students visit the Bangor University website for all the latest information regarding tuition fees.
Bangor University offers hundreds of courses across the arts, humanities and sciences. The university prides itself on the quality of the teaching and students are taught by true experts in their fields.
Postgraduate taught courses are offered on both a full-time and part-time basis in most cases, allowing students to fit their studies around their lifestyle. In addition, the selection of distance learning courses, as well as ‘blended' courses that combine remote and face-to-face study opportunities, allow for further personalisation.
A master's degree usually consists of some taught modules and a research project or dissertation; weighting varies depending on whether it's a taught or research master's. Some business, environment and law courses also allow students to start their studies in January rather than September.
Class sizes can vary across the subject areas but being a smaller university, teaching is more personal, and students will have more time with lectures and academic staff.
Bangor University offers a comprehensive range of taught postgraduate courses, spanning a wide range of subject areas and delivered through the following academic faculties:
College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
College of Science and Engineering
College of Medicine and Health
Students benefit from a superb quality of teaching and an inclusive, supportive community.
One of Bangor University's strengths is the quality of its research output which, according to the last Research Excellence Framework (REF2021), determined that 85% of the university's research is either world-leading or internationally excellent.
The university supports a network of research groups and centres, through which their groundbreaking academic work engages with some of the most significant challenges faced by society.
Bangor University currently offers the following distance learning courses at postgraduate level:
These courses allow postgraduate students to access Bangor's superb curriculum from anywhere in the UK, gaining an internationally respected qualification without disrupting their existing lifestyle and commitments.
Blended Learning
ACCA Pofessional Qualification
PGCert Advanced HEMS Practive
These courses allow postgraduate students to learn through a combination of online and in person lectures.
85% of Bangor's research is either world-leading or internationally excellent, according to the last Research Excellence Framework (REF2021). The university received some excellent results in the REF2021 assessment, further demonstrating its status as a powerhouse of research and academic exploration. According to REF2021, Bangor is ranked second in Wales and 30th in the UK for the impact of its research, which is felt across many subject areas and disciplines, in which it addresses social, cultural, and environmental challenges.
From healthcare breakthroughs to tackling global environmental issues and shaping future energy solutions, Bangor University is leading the way, and the work of its postgraduate students is critical to its success. Bangor's Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences course is ranked 1st in the UK for research impact, and demonstrates the research priorities of the university.
The quality of its course delivery is due to the expertise of its academic tutors and researchers, five of whom are listed among the world's most highly cited researchers. This puts them comfortably among the top 1% of researchers worldwide.
Bangor is a small and affordable city benefiting from its amenities being within easy walking distance. There are plenty of cafes and eateries in the city to grab a coffee or a meal, and the nearby Bangor pier is a firm favourite with students.
Bangor's location, between the Eryri (Snowdonia) mountains and the sandy beaches of Anglesey, give students a range of free outdoor activities on their doorstep.
There's a wide range of clubs and societies to try out, from traditional sports such as football, rugby, netball and hockey, to new activities like pickleball, canoe-polo or sub-aqua. There are subject-specific societies, such as the Law Society and Geographical Society, as well as religious and cultural societies such as the Sisters of Islam and Afro-Caribbean Society, plus societies focused on hobbies and interests.
Undeb Bangor, the students' union, is the home of student life at Bangor, run by Elected Student Officers who ensure that the union represents the students' needs. The School Rep system allows students to implement changes to the academic journey at Bangor. Listening Sessions ensure that every voice including underrepresented voices are given the opportunity to be heard. Student-led volunteering projects give students the chance to give back to the community and gain valuable work experience.
Bangor University fosters a close-knit community of students, and provides an extensive and efficiently organised platform of support services to ensure that its entire population of learners have the resources and guidance needed to succeed.
Student Services offers financial help, counselling, assistance for dyslexic and disabled students and advice on housing, while the study skills centre offers workshops to ease students through their studies. There's also a research writing group to boost dissertation or thesis related skills for those who are undertaking a PhD. Students are assigned a personal tutor at the beginning of their studies, an academic member of staff who can help guide them through their studies and be a friendly face to chat to.
Bangor University has an excellent reputation for producing quality graduates. There are resources available whilst at the university to help boost employability and develop students' personal skills. The university has a dedicated careers and employability team who can help with career options, undertaking work experience, finding a graduate job, or setting up your own business, we are here to help you develop your employability and realise your career ambitions.
Bangor has close working links with local and global industries, as well as a number of partnerships with other universities which provide endless collaboration opportunities.
Studying a postgraduate degree at Bangor University offers far more than just a qualification. It introduces students to a connected world of academics, practitioners, businesses, and professional organisations through which they can find a myriad academic opportunities, openings for meaningful research positions, and competitive employment roles in leading organisations across a multitude of professional sectors.
A Bangor degree opens doors to international travel, and further study at other universities and organisations within the university's wider research community.
