Aberystwyth University Geography/History departments any good?

Hi... I'm currently deciding if I should apply to History or Geography at university later on this year ( I study both at AS level and find them really interesting). Does anybody have any advice on what each department is like at Aberystwyth University? And what being an Aber student is like in general?
Thanks!

Hey! I'm currently a first year studying History at Aberystwyth University. The first thing I can advise you to do is go on an open day, I went to an open day and that definitely helped me decide! When it comes to the departments obviously I can only give my opinion on the History department but I do know from friends that the Geography department is also very good. If you want to know any specifics on the history department then feel free to pm me 😊
When it comes to living in Aberystwyth again I recommend going on an open day to not only explore the university but also the lovely little town. The town itself is really quite a magical place, very friendly people, plenty of pubs and one of the best sunsets ever😂
If you would like any more specific information then please do pm me and I'll do my best!

Hi Crewsy98,
That's really helpful advice thank you! I agree that the town is really beautiful and friendly too (I've visited a couple of times.) In a way, the 'friendliness' factor (and scenery) is a big attraction for me. Just out of interest, what sort of thing did you put on your personal statement when you applied to University? I'm struggling particularly on how to begin writing my ps... And what's the best thing about the history department at Aber? Do they have any unusual areas of specialism?
Thanks,
DaisyDragon

No problem, glad I could help!
With my personal statement I wrote quite a bit on my work experience as it was in a museum and therefore relevant to History, but I wouldn't worry too much if you've done any work experience that maybe isn't that relevant, you should probably still include a bit on any work experience. Other than that it was quite a general PS in my opinion. The way I started was by referencing a history related quote and then discussing it.
I'm not really sure about the BEST thing about the department, but all the staff and lecturers that I've been in contact with have been more than willing to really listen to people's opinions and seem to be always willing to help. Also the Aberystwyth History society has close links with the department and they offer some really fun trips and also the other general socials. I haven't really noticed any specialism in the department, but the Welsh history they teach here is very good. For a first year the general time period for any history module is Byzantine Empire being the earliest time period all the way up to modern and contemporary history. I hope that answered your question, again feel free to reply here or pm me if you have anything else
😊

Thank you again... It's good to know that the History society arranges some fun trips. Really, I'm considering Geography as well because it has a more active approach to the work and lots of field trips, so it's good to know History has some of that style too. I feel like I've got a deeper interest in History than in Geography... Is the accommodation at Aber okay? I really like the look of the seafront residences, but am worried if I apply for it, I'll only get a back room that doesn't even look onto the sea! Any way around that?

When it comes to accommodation check the date for when you can apply and I recommend applying as soon as possible. I applied for Rosser and I got a place, and I'm really happy with it. I'm not sure if there's anything you can do about the Seafront room, you could contact the Accommodation office just to ask.
Have a look online at the other accommodations, that's what I did just to be sure.

You might want to look closely into both departments if you're concerned about the perceived quality of your degree, or interested in carrying on in research/academia afterwards - I think the Geography department in general is considered one of the better ones in the country and is world-leading in certain areas, I can't speak for History because I don't know.

Aber's a nice place to be but it might feel a bit weird if you're coming from a bigger city.