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Bangor University
From The Student RoomTSR Wiki > University > Choosing a University > University Guides > Bangor University
 Formerly a part of the University of Wales, Bangor University was founded in 1884, becoming independent of the UoW in 2007, although degrees are still awarded under that moniker. The University's major selling point is its location, sandwiched between the beautiful Snowdonia National Park and the island of Anglesey. Though primarily located in Bangor, certain departments are located instead in nearby Wrexham. Bangor itself is a small coastal town featuring excellent views and sprawling countryside. A significant proportion of the local population is Welsh-speaking, including the student population (estimated at approximately 30%). FacilitiesLibrariesBangor University has five libraries, and each library is situated within close proximity for the departments it caters for. Main LibraryThe Main Library in Bangor is situated on College Road, this library houses material for Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences and Psychology. Within the Main Library the Welsh library is contained, this provides materials for those students studying and learning in Welsh. The Main library is also home to two smaller libraries, they are the Department of Manuscripts and Archives and the Music Library, which contains over 3,000 CDs, 20,000 scores and an extensive video/DVD collection. There are facilities in this library to listen/view the CDs or video/DVDs. There is also the law library in the main library which has law journals and computers for the exclusive use of law students. College Road, Bangor, LL57 2DG Tel:01248 382983 Deiniol LibraryThe Deiniol Library is situated on the Deiniol Road which is in the centre of the City. This library is the Science library, you will be able to find scientific journals and reference books, and they have an extensive collection of ordnance, soil and geological survey maps. The library has Wi-Fi access and has printing/photocopying facilities. Deiniol Road, Bangor, LL57 2UX Tel:01248 382984 Wolfson LibraryThe Wolfson Library is situated in the town of Menai Bridge and provides the materials required for Ocean Sciences and Marine Biology. Askew Street, Menai Bridge, LL59 5EY Tel:01248 382985 Normal Site LibraryThe Normal Site Library is situated on the Holyhead Road heading towards the Menai Bridge. This library meets the needs of those studying sport, health and exercise sciences, and the library also offers material for education and has a range of children's books ideal for those studying at university for a teaching qualification. Holyhead Road, Bangor, LL57 2PX Tel:01248 383048 Health Studies LibraryThe health studies library is split into 2 locations as Bangor run their radiography course in Wrexham, because of this part of the library collection is based in Wrexham, the remainder is on the Ffriddoedd Road in Bangor. Material for nursing, midwifery and health can be found in the Health Studies Library Fron Heulog, Ffriddoedd Road, Bangor, LL57 2EF Tel:01248 383131
IT and ComputingBangor University has superb IT and computing facilities. There is a dedicated team working to improve access and meet the needs of the university's and students' computer needs. Bangor has over 1,000 PCs for student use in some of the many computer labs around the site. Some of the computer labs are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week so if you aren't one of the 1,000 or so who have connection in halls then there are facilities there for you to use. Here are some of the Computer labs to be found at Bangor:
Bangor University also has Wi-Fi access for students who wish to use their laptops/mobile devices. There are WiFi access points around Bangor, here are just a few of them:
The University provides a large range of printing facilities. These include:
Software can also be purchased through the IT services team, and will be compatible with the current network version. SportsSport is a BIG part of life at Bangor University, The university and the surrounding area have so much to offer, from outdoor pursuits to martial arts, from rugby to swimming, Bangor has got it covered. There are two university-run sports centres in Bangor; Normal Site Sports Hall and Maesglas Sports Centre (Ffriddoedd site). For more information about Sports provisions at the University of Wales Bangor you can look at the Sport at Bangor article. WelfareBeing a student in Bangor you can be guaranteed that you will be well looked after. There is a fantastic team within the student services department that are able to help with any welfare concerns, not only that you can talk to your personal tutors about any issues you have, they may be able to help or direct you towards the relevant person who will be able to aid you with your issues. There are specialists working in Student Services that can help with the following:
They will be happy to help with any problem, no matter how major or minor it is, and it is best you get help with it from those who know what they are doing. The knowledge and skills of the Student Services team are not just limited to the list above, there is someone there who will be able to help you with any problem. The Student Services team are located in the Student Union building, reception will be able to advise you on the location of the person you need to see. There is no real need to book an appointment as it's a case of drop by and see them, although it will be possible to arrange appointments. HealthcareThe University has links with a local medical centre, at present this is the Bodant Medical centre. You can sign up with this practice when you get accepted to study at Bangor and you will receive your student health questionnaire over the summer (usually around August time), which is to be completed and returned. You will also receive a form and information informing you about doctor's surgeries in the local area. It is advised that you sign up to a doctor's surgery when studying at university because should you become ill around exam times you can get a doctor's note to certify your illness. The Bodnant Medical Centre runs a drop in session for students (even if not registered with Bodnant Medical Centre) daily so that they can come along with any problems they have and need to discuss with the staff there. They have a student health nurse who is there to deal with family planning issues, vaccinations and general health checks. Special medical examinations and certificates for illness can also be provided at the drop in clinics. The university provide extensive information on student safety to ensure students are aware of dangers and to try prevent the risk of accident occurring. The promotion of healthy living by doing exercise and eating well is also promoted by the university. A good way to keep fit and healthy is to join up to a club or society and get involved with sports activities. Serendipity (the freshers' fair) is a great place to pick up information about health, family planning and how to keep yourself safe. There are stalls about which will provide you with leaflets with the relevant information on. If for any reason you can't find the information you want Student Services will have information available for you, if not they will be able to point you in the right direction. ShopsShopping in Bangor is obviously aimed at students, the city has five main supermarkets. These are Morrisons (upper Bangor), Lidl, Aldi, Iceland and Marks and Spencer. Just outside the city (a short bus ride/ car journey away) you will find Tesco on Caernarfon Road. If supermarkets are not your thing then there are numerous smaller shops including butchers, bakeries and greengrocers. Bangor High Street does have the usual shops such as Woolworths, HMV, Boots, Game, WH Smith and Debenhams. For those of you who are into fashion then there is a Topshop/Topman, but if that's a bit out of our price range then you can always pop into Peacocks, remembering with your NUS card you are eligible for discounts in many of these shops! Upper Bangor is a mini high street for the university students as they populate the majority of upper Bangor. there are hairdressers, laundrettes, newsagents, bookshops and for you keen musicians there is even a guitar shop! 2008 should see the new shopping centre opening, this will contain a few more leading named shops to add to those already on the High Street in Bangor, meaning you won't have to venture too far outside Bangor for anything. If you do have to go outside the city it will probably only be as far as Caernarfon Road (where Tesco is located) as there is a shopping centre there which has a JJB, PC World and a host of other shops. Bangor will meet all your needs as a student, after all the city has 10,000 students and 15,000 residents so it's in its best interests to do so. RestaurantsBangor being a university city its going to have a vast array of takeaway restaurants to cater for the needs of the students. Upper Bangor is packed with takeaway restaurants, you won't have to walk too far to get a bite to eat in this city! There is a broad spectrum of continental eat-in and takeaway restaurants in Bangor, recently a new Noodle Bar has opened up. There are also Chinese, Indian, Greek, Italian, Thai and European establishments that you can eat in or take away. There are many pubs in Bangor which offer great food at reasonable prices, you will be surprised at some of the deals you can get! Yellow has to be one of the best pubs in Bangor with the best food, not to forget the Fat Cat Cafe Bar. If you would much rather a lighter lunch or dinner then there are a host of cafes and takeaways that you can go to. For those of you who fancy a sandwich you can go to Subway and have the sandwich made for you right there in front of your eyes (it's even open late so you can get a healthier option than a kebab), which brings me on to the kebab house in Upper Bangor, strategically placed so that you walk past it on the way back to the Halls of Residence after a night out in the City. The Student Union too have a cafe which serves hot food at reasonable prices. Might be an idea to go down meet your mates and have a meal there, then you're in the right place to go into Academy or Time, the student bar and nightclub. Whatever you decide you want, and whatever your tastes there will be something in Bangor which is suited to you, it's a case of seeing what you like best! BanksBeing a student its important to know what money you have is safe. Here in Bangor there are all the major banks:
the most important thing you do is get the best student bank account you can, you want to make the bank work for you, not the other way round! The banks are all located within close proximity to each other so going between them hunting for the best deal on a student account shouldn't be too difficult. In fact you might not even have to do that. If during freshers' week you go to Serendipity (the Freshers' Fair) then you will be able to pick up information about student back accounts and talk to the bank staff there and then (not to mention picking up some free stuff). If you like the sound of the account they are offering then you may be able to give them some of your information then and arrange an appointment for you to come in and open your account. If you are one of these fortunate students who doesn't need all their loan, or wants to make the loan work for them then there is the option to open building society accounts and an ISA. You will be able to earn interest on the student loan, meaning you are making money by being at university and having the high interest ISA account. Make sure you look at ways to make your money work for you, there's nothing worse than being a student and having to live without having a great deal of money. Look for the deals out there with interest free overdrafts and high interest ISA accounts. They vary from bank to bank so hunt them down for the best deal and don't be afraid to barter with them! TransportTransport in and around Bangor is great and perfect for a student. For a start everything is pretty much within walking distance, however if you want to go out of town to Tesco or the shopping centre then you can always jump on the Arriva buses which are continually on the move round the town. They are cheap and you can get student tickets. A little bit of advice here is you can buy your ticket online and get a further 10% discount on top of the discounted student ticket, so if you are planning a day out of Bangor then you can make it even cheaper. The buses are clean and the drivers are friendly, it's a great service that is offered so you might as well make the most of it. As a student I highly doubt you will have the need for a car because Bangor is so small, that is unless you are going to traveling home often. If this is the case then Bangor does have very good rail links, with direct lines to London's Euston station you can get to London in just over three and a half hours, or you can change at Crewe to get alternative destinations. You can use the National rail website to plan your journey and work out the times it will take to travel. In Bangor there is a very reliable taxi service provided by Chubbs, they also provide a minibus service for those of you who might be planning a night out of Bangor or wanting to get a lot of people home after a party. The staff are very friendly and reliable, and the costs are pretty fair for a taxi service. As a student some of you may consider bringing bikes as your main mode of transport, as you would associate with other university cities such as Cambridge. However in Bangor it is not really recommended that you bring a bike. You won't have any real need for it because everything is so close together; unless you are planning on going mountain biking then there is no real need for the bike. The hills in Bangor will deter you from wanting to ride your bike, because by the time you've followed the roads round on bicycle, you could have gone further on foot by taking the shortcuts through the town. There are many shortcuts through the town, which mean you don't have to walk up such big hills and can get to where you are going a lot quicker. There are also some nice shortcuts which can get you from the pubs to the accommodation in less than half the time it would take to walk the long way round. So in Bangor it's always best to travel by foot, and you'll get a good amount of exercise walking up and down the hills. Careers serviceStudent Services have a fantastic careers service, which can assist you with finding work placements, summer jobs and even part time work to give you a little more money to the beer fund, or at least mean you won't be living off 8p noodles from Morrisons. The careers service offered by the university has experts in the field of careers advising there to help you prepare your CV and even conduct mock interviews to aid you in the pursuit of your future career. There are job vacancies displayed inside the student union building for those people who are interested in getting part time work. The careers team will try to help find a part time job which suits you and they are part of a national network to help find you a job local to you. This also means that you can find vacation/holiday work close to your home address without having to go through agencies. Make time to go to the careers service, they will be there to help you and can aid you in more ways than you think, even to the extent of showing you future career paths with the degree you are taking. Part-time jobsThere are many part time jobs available in Bangor, as there are in many university cities. There are pubs, clubs, and shops that all need extra staff during term time. The population of the city almost doubles when term starts at Bangor University and what is normally a quiet Welsh town becomes a hive of activity. Local businesses will advertise vacancies within the first few weeks of term so if you are wanting to get a job, that is the time you should go for one. Lots of jobs will be advertised on the walls in the careers offices located within student services in the Student Union building. Pop along there and see what is up for offer, the careers team will be able to advise you on how to write a CV and will help you with interview techniques. With the new shopping centre currently under construction a few more job opportunities will be opening up when the stores open. This means that there will be more part time jobs available for university students during term time. Religous facilitiesBangor accommodates for many different religions and faiths. Y Ffynnon on Prince's Road is a multi-faith centre and has a room which can be booked for events. There are buildings which cater for the following faiths:
There is an ecumenical student group called the Ecumenical Chaplaincy Fellowship. This fellowship is made up of Anglican, Methodist and Roman Catholic Chaplaincies. There are numerous societies which you are able to join with people who share the same faith as yourself; if a society doesn't already exist then you can start one. For example Bangor University has a society for Earth Religions. SocialSocial aspects of university life are extremely important in Bangor and any other university for that matter, there are so many new people to meet! Freshers' week is the time to go out and meet people as it's the time that peer guides are introducing students to their new life in Bangor. Make the most of getting out there in pubs and clubs to meet new people. One of the most important things about student life is getting to socialise with the people you are living with, take the time and effort to get to know them, otherwise things could become a bit hostile. If you are living in halls you won't want this. Bangor is a vibrant city, albeit smaller than most but the students here still know how to have a great time and enjoy themselves! If bars and clubs are not your thing then take a short bus journey out of town and you can go bowling. In town there is the theatre/cinema hybrid so you can go watch a production by one of the three theatrical groups the university has, or watch a film with a few mates. Whatever you want to do then Bangor should cater for your needs, if not it's only going to be a short bus ride out of town. Bars, Pubs and clubsBangor is ripe with bars and pubs, wherever you are staying you're not more than fifteen minutes walk away from a pub. The pubs in Bangor are very varied, some very student orientated, others a little more traditional. Students of course are welcome in all pubs in Bangor, but the more traditional ones won't have special offers for students. Bangor has two nightclubs, Time.Amser (the Student Union owned nightclub) and Octagon Nightclub which is only a five minute walk from the main Student Union. Here are some of the local pubs you might want to look out for:
EventsThere are a lot of events occurring in Bangor throughout the year, Time.Amser (the student Union nightclub) and Octagon (the other nightclub) both have events occurring regularly, We are Scientists and The Pigeon Detectives both performed at the Student Union nightclub Time.Amser in late 2007. Octagon ended freshers' week by having Catchphrase legend Roy Walker come down and get people playing Catchphrase. Any events which will be occurring within the city will usually be shown on posters around the university, not only that but student newspapers and even on the air on Bangor University's very own radio station Storm FM. Being a university city as compact as Bangor word spreads quickly anyway so you'll find out about events very quickly. It isn't just the nightclubs which hold events. Some of the other bars hold special events evenings, for example. Yellow Bar has a £1 a pint night. Paddy's bar quite often have good deals because early September Paddy's were selling shots of vodka for 50p. Clubs and societiesBangor has so many clubs and societies it's hard to keep track of them. If you can't find a society or club that already exists within the university then you are welcome to set up your own society/club. By joining one of the many clubs/societies at Bangor you will be able to meet more people with a similar interest to your own. Serendipity is Bangor University's Freshers' Fair. Here you will be able to talk to people about clubs and societies and about what they do and get involved in. Whether it's sports, religion, theatre, music or otherwise there will usually be a representative on hand to talk to you about the club/society and will be willing to have you come to their taster sessions and see if you are interested. If you see yourself as a bit of a drama queen then you've got three drama groups to join. If technical stuff is more your kind of thing then there is Screws ( Stage crew) who provide technical support to the drama groups. Music more your thing? There is always the music society or Storm FM (the university radio station) to get involved with. If you are a budding DJ then you'll be able to join the ranks of the DJ Society. Maybe sport is more your thing, with Snowdonia on one side and the Menai Straits on the other Bangor has lots to offer in the way of sports clubs. Here are just a few of the outdoor clubs:
Here are some of the indoor clubs you might consider joining:
Check the Student Union Athletics Union web page for full list of sports clubs. For people who are not so sporty or adventurous then there are many other creative societies you can become involved with. Photography is an ever popular club because with the local surroundings there is always the opportunity for some fantastic photographs. Also if photography is your thing then you might want to consider getting involved with the student newspaper which is called SEREN, it is run by students for the students and contains all the latest information, gossip reviews and keeps you up to date with whats happening within the University and the Union. Bangor is a culturally diverse city because of the University, and there are societies in place for ethnic and religious groups to meet up and form friendships, talk about your beliefs and spend time with people like yourself. The full list can be found on the Societies page on the Student Union Website. Most, if not all departments within the university will have a society related to them. Usually events will be organised by departments for days out or balls, so you might want to get involved with the departmental societies. Any society you join will require a small signing on fee, some will be for lifetime membership, others will be an annual subscription cost. Before you are allowed to sign up to any of the sporting clubs you MUST join the Athletics Union as they provide insurance against injuries when participating in sporting activities within the university. The university has a very strong Bi, Gay and Lesbian Society, so if you feel you need support with your sexuality then they will be there to offer assistance ,and you will be able to enjoy yourself on socials that will be organised by the society. AccommodationInformation on accommodation at the University of Wales, Bangor can be found here. Student unionBangor University Student union houses the Student Services department, the University Bookshop, University Shop, Canteen, Coffee Shop, Academi (student Union Bar) and Time (Studion Union Nightclub). Student Services provide information and support on anything and everything that you could come across in university life. They are able to help you with things from stress to finding housing; helping you get part time jobs to offering counseling and guidance. The Union is part of a national network and they work together to help you, the students. That's what it's there for so make the most of it. The facilities and expertise in Bangor are first class and the dedicated staff will do their best to help. PricesEnvironmentArchitectureBangor is a city full of architecture ranging from classical churches and the main university building to the brand new accommodation, not to mention the Welsh miners' cottages synonymous of the area. Not only is Bangor a city of architectural significance; there is also the Menai Bridge, the bridge which opened in 1826 which was a great feat of engineering at the time. This is not the only bridge to be found around Bangor - Britannia Bridge (situated about 800 metres from the Menai Bridge) was constructed in 1850. The bridge was constructed to cater for the new railway systems that linked London to Holyhead (a ferry port to/from Dublin). The main university building was completed in 1911 and is a dominating feature of the city, standing prominently on the top of the hill, and can be seen from most places within the city. The marvellous cathedral has played a big part in Bangor's history. The city's name originates from a cathedral which stood in the same location as the present cathedral over 1500 years ago. The cathedral is a large, imposing building at the end of the high street in the city, a high street which is said to be the longest in Wales. The new university accommodation buildings are a fantastic work of architecture. They look modern but use fantastic bricks to give them a traditional look as well. The student accommodation on the Ffriddoedd site is constructed from similar bricks to that of the main university building. Local areaBangor city is located in one of, if not THE most beautiful places in not just Wales, but in the whole of the United Kingdom. With the Menai Straits on one side of the City and Snowdonia on the other, whichever way you look on a sunny day you will have a fantastic view. Over the Menai Straits is the Island of Anglesey which has some traditional buildings and some fantastic views. If you are a keen walker or mountain biker then this is the place for you. Whilst you are there you can always pop into one of the many small towns like Beaumaris and sample the traditional Welsh pub atmosphere. If nature is more your thing then you have Snowdonia to explore, but should you wish to take trips out into the Straits then you can visit some of the other small islands. Just off the coast of Anglesey is Puffin Island, here you can go and do some ornithology. If that's not your cup of tea then you can have a tea or coffee in the cafe on one of the islands in the Straits which the Archbishop of Bangor used to live on. The historic Victorian pier in Bangor has undergone restoration work over the years. This pier allows you to have fantastic views out across to Anglesey and out across the waves of the Irish Sea. The beaches at Bangor are lovely and clean and an ideal environment for a family fun day out (not to mention students having a great time). Bangor is in a part of the world surrounded by natural beauty, the unspoilt countryside makes it the perfect place for anyone that is sporty or loves life outdoors. Okay, it rains from time to time, but on dry, sunny days there is nowhere better to be in the UK. Bangor is only a short train journey away from many other large cities such as Crewe, Manchester and Liverpool so if you wanted to it wouldn't be difficult for you to spend a day or so out in one of these larger cities. There are lots of local activities occurring all the time and in the villages surrounding Bangor it's as easy as a bus ride there and back. With your student discounts this will cost next to nothing! Teaching qualityAs with any institution teaching will vary from department to department. Different surveys will tell you different information about the quality of teaching; the only people that really know that are the students. It's recommended that you talk to people when you are on open days and interviews, to find out what the students think of the teaching at Bangor. TSR also has a Bangor forum where you can put questions to the current students if you so wish. League tables and most independent studies will not give you an accurate enough guide to the quality of teaching or the quality of the university itself, and even then it's opinionated, so it could mean the university is ideal for you but not for another person. You will need to seek many opinions and find out for yourself. Never rely on other people's information. Applying to BangorThinking of applying to Bangor? Why not read some Personal Statements which were used for applying here? Other Bangor ArticlesWhy not read these other Bangor Articles? Links | 
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