The Student Room Group
Freshers Week, University of Bath
University of Bath
Bath

info about studying engineering in university of bath/living in bath?

i’ve just received a conditional offer for chemical engineering at the uni of bath (meng + plus industry year) and was just wondering in general what life is like at bath as i’m thinking of making it my firm!
for engineering specifically, how’s the department? facilities? what is the learning like and how are the teachers?
also the gender ratio (although not really worried about that) but more importantly ethnic diversity? i know already that bath is a predominantly white area so i’m not expecting it to be like london say, but just wondering if there’s spaces to find people who you share the same culture with.
societies/clubs - are they generally well managed and well attended and would this be a good way to make friends of similar interests? usually i’m quite extroverted but admittedly a bit nervous about making friends😅
any other info about accom/nightlife would also be appreciated as well as honest pros and cons of the uni☺️☺️
(edited 3 months ago)
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Freshers Week, University of Bath
University of Bath
Bath
Original post by hiabsotd
i’ve just received a conditional offer for chemical engineering at the uni of bath (meng + plus industry year) and was just wondering in general what life is like at bath as i’m thinking of making it my firm!
for engineering specifically, how’s the department? facilities? what is the learning like and how are the teachers?
also the gender ratio (although not really worried about that) but more importantly ethnic diversity? i know already that bath is a predominantly white area so i’m not expecting it to be like london say, but just wondering if there’s spaces to find people who you share the same culture with.
societies/clubs - are they generally well managed and well attended and would this be a good way to make friends of similar interests? usually i’m quite extroverted but admittedly a bit nervous about making friends😅
any other info about accom/nightlife would also be appreciated as well as honest pros and cons of the uni☺️☺️

Hi there @hiabsotd,

Wow, congratulations on your ChemEng offer - what fantastic news! I am a Bath graduate so thought I'd jump in here and see if I could offer you some info 🙂

Life in Bath: Bath is quite a small city compared to some, and I think that gives it an cosy, safe atmosphere. However there is a surprising amount to do in Bath for its size (5 supermarkets, shopping streets, parks/gardens, coffee shops, night clubs); and the open Georgian architecture makes the whole city beautiful! There is also a bus and train station next door to each other, so if you ever wanted to explore a bigger city, you can head to Bristol for a night out (£4 for a student return 😊). I would definitely recommend visiting in-person if you are able as this is a great way get a feel for the place. The only real cons I have regarding the city are the cost of living, which is higher than some other cities, and the available parking for cars during the week!

Engineering department: The scope of what you can study, research and get involved with within the Engineering department is huge. What perhaps differentiates Bath’s engineering department from most other unis is that it is largely industry-leaning. Most of the lecturers are also active researchers working on cutting-edge engineering projects as well as teaching, and the facilities you will be using (labs, design studios, workshops etc) reflect this. I’d definitely recommend chatting to your lecturers about the research work they are involved with they are generally really happy when students come to them interested and may well be open to getting students involved. Please do keep an eye on your inbox for your invite to an offer holder/applicant visit day if you are able to come in-person this is a fab way to get to know more about ChemEng, and you’ll also have the chance to chat with the lecturers, current students and have a tour of the labs.

Ethnic/gender ratio: I’m afraid I am not 100% sure of the specific figures for the Engineering department but Bath uni has a fairly equal split of male and female students, and around a third are international or from BAME communities; this is something the uni are really proud of 😊. And yes you are correct that Bath is not as ethnically diverse as some larger cities, but it is still a surprisingly culturally rich city there are international supermarkets, cultural festivals throughout the year, international street food stores, lively multi-faith and music scenes.

Societies: You are 100% correct that societies are a great way to meet people with similar interests. Bath has over 100 including many which are cultural/faith-based. Like you, I was really nervous making friends but managed to find a lovely network of friends through the Baking Appreciation and Tabletop Gaming societies. They are all student-led; and the the size is very variable some larger ones have 40 or so members but some smaller ones may only have 10-15.

I’d recommend that as well as going to an applicant visit day if possible, chatting to some current students on Unibuddy here there are student ambassadors who are all super-friendly and happy to chat by instant-messaging about the city, the university, the course (we have a few from engineering on here!) and can give you their honest opinion of their time here.

I really hope this helps! Wishing you the best of luck in your next steps and please feel free to post any more questions you have here 😊

Holly
University of Bath
Reply 3
Original post by University of Bath
Hi there @hiabsotd,

Wow, congratulations on your ChemEng offer - what fantastic news! I am a Bath graduate so thought I'd jump in here and see if I could offer you some info 🙂

Life in Bath: Bath is quite a small city compared to some, and I think that gives it an cosy, safe atmosphere. However there is a surprising amount to do in Bath for its size (5 supermarkets, shopping streets, parks/gardens, coffee shops, night clubs); and the open Georgian architecture makes the whole city beautiful! There is also a bus and train station next door to each other, so if you ever wanted to explore a bigger city, you can head to Bristol for a night out (£4 for a student return 😊). I would definitely recommend visiting in-person if you are able as this is a great way get a feel for the place. The only real cons I have regarding the city are the cost of living, which is higher than some other cities, and the available parking for cars during the week!

Engineering department: The scope of what you can study, research and get involved with within the Engineering department is huge. What perhaps differentiates Bath’s engineering department from most other unis is that it is largely industry-leaning. Most of the lecturers are also active researchers working on cutting-edge engineering projects as well as teaching, and the facilities you will be using (labs, design studios, workshops etc) reflect this. I’d definitely recommend chatting to your lecturers about the research work they are involved with they are generally really happy when students come to them interested and may well be open to getting students involved. Please do keep an eye on your inbox for your invite to an offer holder/applicant visit day if you are able to come in-person this is a fab way to get to know more about ChemEng, and you’ll also have the chance to chat with the lecturers, current students and have a tour of the labs.

Ethnic/gender ratio: I’m afraid I am not 100% sure of the specific figures for the Engineering department but Bath uni has a fairly equal split of male and female students, and around a third are international or from BAME communities; this is something the uni are really proud of 😊. And yes you are correct that Bath is not as ethnically diverse as some larger cities, but it is still a surprisingly culturally rich city there are international supermarkets, cultural festivals throughout the year, international street food stores, lively multi-faith and music scenes.

Societies: You are 100% correct that societies are a great way to meet people with similar interests. Bath has over 100 including many which are cultural/faith-based. Like you, I was really nervous making friends but managed to find a lovely network of friends through the Baking Appreciation and Tabletop Gaming societies. They are all student-led; and the the size is very variable some larger ones have 40 or so members but some smaller ones may only have 10-15.

I’d recommend that as well as going to an applicant visit day if possible, chatting to some current students on Unibuddy here there are student ambassadors who are all super-friendly and happy to chat by instant-messaging about the city, the university, the course (we have a few from engineering on here!) and can give you their honest opinion of their time here.

I really hope this helps! Wishing you the best of luck in your next steps and please feel free to post any more questions you have here 😊

Holly
University of Bath

this is so helpful thanks so much!
Reply 4
You should soon receive an invite to a Visit Day - a tour of the Dept, talks about the course, and a chance to chat to current students.
Reply 5
Original post by hiabsotd
i’ve just received a conditional offer for chemical engineering at the uni of bath (meng + plus industry year) and was just wondering in general what life is like at bath as i’m thinking of making it my firm!
for engineering specifically, how’s the department? facilities? what is the learning like and how are the teachers?
also the gender ratio (although not really worried about that) but more importantly ethnic diversity? i know already that bath is a predominantly white area so i’m not expecting it to be like london say, but just wondering if there’s spaces to find people who you share the same culture with.
societies/clubs - are they generally well managed and well attended and would this be a good way to make friends of similar interests? usually i’m quite extroverted but admittedly a bit nervous about making friends😅
any other info about accom/nightlife would also be appreciated as well as honest pros and cons of the uni☺️☺️

i'm in my first year at bath studying chemistry w management so i can't really speak on engineering, but i'll try and cover the more general points about the uni.

i do have a flatmate studying chemical engineering and although the majority is men, she says it's the engineering course with the most even male:female ratio.

as for ethnic diversity, there are SO many societies and groups for pretty much anything you can think of, including cultural groups, so you'll definitely be able to find people in those. you can look on their student union's website for a list of all the sports clubs and societies the uni has.

i was probably most nervous about making friends, especially since i have pretty bad social anxiety and was allocated accommodation of 17 people which terrified me. i remember the first night we moved in, i could hear my new flatmates all meeting and talking on the stairs through my door and it took like half an hour of composure before i could physically bring myself to come out my room and talk to them, but i'm so glad i did. people are really welcoming and as someone who's never had that many friends, i haven't found it as hard as i thought it would be.
this kinda leads me into accommodation, and i highly recommend westwood as you're kinda 'guaranteed' to have some friends because there's so many people lol. although it isn't super glamorous with the shared bathrooms the rooms are pretty spacious and it's a good location on campus.

lastly the city/nightlife. the nightlife isn't terrible, there's a few clubs (labyrinth being the most popular) and they're not bad. i would be mindful of getting back to campus after a night out tho (if you live on campus) because buses run VERY sporadically past 1/2am and are usually full when you try to get on them so be prepared to walk 40 minutes up the hill or take an uber...

that's pretty much all i can think of but if you have any other questions i'll be happy to answer :smile:)
Reply 6
Hi there, congratulations on the offer. As far as I know that department has pretty good facilities and very knowledgeable teachers. As for Bath’s ethnic diversity, although the city is very white there are a lot of international students (I think they make up around 30% of the entire university cohort). There are a lot of societies for people of the same ethnicity/background to meet, these are all really well managed.
Living in Bath is pretty good, its main downside is the expenses. You’re housed on campus in first year but will need to find city accommodation after that. The city is tiny, so this can be a bloodbath. Landlords essentially charge as much as they want, so you probably won’t find a decent place (in the current circumstances) for under £160pppw. The university is also well out of the city, so a bus pass is essential. This can set you back about £600 a year. Trains from Bath can also get expensive, to London it is £60 return, but this is a quick and easy journey which is also a plus. The nightlife in Bath can get boring pretty quickly, but there is enough to do for a freshman. Sadly just lost one of the best venues in town, and I think other independent venues will follow. There’s a mix of chains and independent businesses in Bath. Lots of restaurants, shops, and cafes to choose from. This includes a lot of international cuisine and supermarkets, which you might not expect.
Reply 7
Original post by hiabsotd
i’ve just received a conditional offer for chemical engineering at the uni of bath (meng + plus industry year) and was just wondering in general what life is like at bath as i’m thinking of making it my firm!
for engineering specifically, how’s the department? facilities? what is the learning like and how are the teachers?
also the gender ratio (although not really worried about that) but more importantly ethnic diversity? i know already that bath is a predominantly white area so i’m not expecting it to be like london say, but just wondering if there’s spaces to find people who you share the same culture with.
societies/clubs - are they generally well managed and well attended and would this be a good way to make friends of similar interests? usually i’m quite extroverted but admittedly a bit nervous about making friends😅
any other info about accom/nightlife would also be appreciated as well as honest pros and cons of the uni☺️☺️

What were your predicted?
Reply 8
Original post by theanon2
Original post by hiabsotd
i’ve just received a conditional offer for chemical engineering at the uni of bath (meng + plus industry year) and was just wondering in general what life is like at bath as i’m thinking of making it my firm!
for engineering specifically, how’s the department? facilities? what is the learning like and how are the teachers?
also the gender ratio (although not really worried about that) but more importantly ethnic diversity? i know already that bath is a predominantly white area so i’m not expecting it to be like london say, but just wondering if there’s spaces to find people who you share the same culture with.
societies/clubs - are they generally well managed and well attended and would this be a good way to make friends of similar interests? usually i’m quite extroverted but admittedly a bit nervous about making friends😅
any other info about accom/nightlife would also be appreciated as well as honest pros and cons of the uni☺️☺️

What were your predicted?


i take maths physics chem and textiles and was predicted 4A* ☺️☺️

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