Swansea University
Visit websiteHendrefoelan or Bay Campus
Hi
My son is away inter-railing and we, his parents, have been left to choose his accommodation at Swansea University. He went through clearing and is very pleased to be going to Swansea to study Economics but it was not one of the universities he visited on an Open Day.
He will be studying on Bay Campus and has the option, for the next 24 hours, of either living on Bay or Hendrefoelan Village. He has been told that there is a high percentage of male students on Bay and that the social scene is not that great. On the other hand, he has been told that the social scene at Hendrefoelan has, in the past, been very good but is not sure how the re-development has affected that. He is also not sure whether the bus journey between Hendrefoelan and Bay will become tedious.
A stressed-out parent would very much appreciate some advice.
My son is away inter-railing and we, his parents, have been left to choose his accommodation at Swansea University. He went through clearing and is very pleased to be going to Swansea to study Economics but it was not one of the universities he visited on an Open Day.
He will be studying on Bay Campus and has the option, for the next 24 hours, of either living on Bay or Hendrefoelan Village. He has been told that there is a high percentage of male students on Bay and that the social scene is not that great. On the other hand, he has been told that the social scene at Hendrefoelan has, in the past, been very good but is not sure how the re-development has affected that. He is also not sure whether the bus journey between Hendrefoelan and Bay will become tedious.
A stressed-out parent would very much appreciate some advice.
Bus? It's a pleasant half hour walk. (graduated 1986)
Swansea University
Visit websiteOriginal post by jamesthamesview
Bus? It's a pleasant half hour walk. (graduated 1986)
its 30 minutes walk to Singleton over 40 minutes by bus to the new bay. The bay accommodation would be far better for him. The problem is HSV is far cheaper than the Bay. He really doesnt need to travel that distance everyday. Furthermore the number of students on HSV has reduced from over 1600 to under 700. The pub and the shop have now closed. What was true 2 years ago wont be the same scene this. HSV is 10 minutes walk from Killay where there are 3 pubs 2 small supermarkets and a takeaway and 10 minutes walk towards the university there is a chip shop and a supermarket. The pub there isnt really for students. The Commercial in Killay will suit them better now the Wonky Sheep has closed. The Bay campus has a Tesco express and a bar and is a 10 minute bus ride from the City Centre with more frequent buses than HSV. If you can afford the accommodation at the Bay campus let him go there.
I've lived on both and Bay Campus is definitely favourable. Just noticed this thread is from a year ago if anyone wants more detail let me know.
Original post by Themysticalegg
I've lived on both and Bay Campus is definitely favourable. Just noticed this thread is from a year ago if anyone wants more detail let me know.
Hey, I’m in Swansea today and thought I’d be nosey and go and see the Bay Campus - it looks amazing in photos. Any must sees? Good walks by the beach?
There probably isnt that much to see like most campuses. You could have a look at the various academic buildings and call into the tower to see if anybody can show you the accommodation blocks. The difficulty is that you are in holiday periods so there might not be anybody available. I suspect the great hall may not be available due to graduation ceremonies. You could look at the banks, shops and bars and the gym. They probably will be open. How are you getting there. The number 8 bus goes every 15 minutes from the bus station. The X1, X3, X5, X7 and X8 stop outside the campus al.so. Good luck. Hopefully somebody will be available to show you around your department. You should be able to get maps from the Tower Information centre to do a self guided tour.
Original post by ajj2000
Hey, I’m in Swansea today and thought I’d be nosey and go and see the Bay Campus - it looks amazing in photos. Any must sees? Good walks by the beach?
Hello 
Honestly didn't think Bay Campus would become a tourist attraction. 
There will be some students on the campus for those doing Masters/PhD so luckily some facilities are open such as the cafe in the Great Hall and maybe Tafarn Tawe. (the pub) In terms of points of note the best attraction is definitely the beach have a walk along the length of it and the park square before you reach the beach next to the library. You should be able to get into most of the main buildings like the School of Management and Engineering Central.
The thing with Bay Campus is have a walk around and the first port of call is definitely the Tower Information Centre as pointed out by Swanseajack, staff can advise what is open and out of those what is worth seeing. If you're gonna take anything from this definitely take the map I've linked below as it's useful for self guided tours!
Enjoy!
https://www.swansea.ac.uk/media/BayCampusMap.pdf
Honestly didn't think Bay Campus would become a tourist attraction. There will be some students on the campus for those doing Masters/PhD so luckily some facilities are open such as the cafe in the Great Hall and maybe Tafarn Tawe. (the pub) In terms of points of note the best attraction is definitely the beach have a walk along the length of it and the park square before you reach the beach next to the library. You should be able to get into most of the main buildings like the School of Management and Engineering Central.The thing with Bay Campus is have a walk around and the first port of call is definitely the Tower Information Centre as pointed out by Swanseajack, staff can advise what is open and out of those what is worth seeing. If you're gonna take anything from this definitely take the map I've linked below as it's useful for self guided tours!
Enjoy!
https://www.swansea.ac.uk/media/BayCampusMap.pdf
Original post by ajj2000
Hey, I’m in Swansea today and thought I’d be nosey and go and see the Bay Campus - it looks amazing in photos. Any must sees? Good walks by the beach?
(edited 4 years ago)
Depending on the time you have you could stay on the number 8 or 10 after leaving the Bay campus and stay on until you get to Singleton Campus as well .From there you can go to wonderful Mumbles which is the jewel in Swansea's crown. Catch the 2a from outside the medical school.
Bay Campus is great, but quite a distance out of the city centre (1hr 5min walk) so personally we'd always recommend staying closer to the city centre and travelling to the campus for the lectures as you'll spend a lot more time outside lectures than in them
Original post by ajj2000
Many thanks for the responses. I had a really great trip to see the campus - will write a few notes when i’m on a laptop.
Great to hear you enjoyed yourself. Have a safe trip home.
I would probably recommend living on campus. That way you are closer to your lectures. Heck, you can literally roll out of bed and head straight to lectures. In addition, you don't have the hassle of dealing with potentially dodgy landlords.
Bay is pricey. However, if you live elsewhere, you would have to factor in bus fares and other utilities.
I wouldn't recommend the student village if you're studying at Bay since it's about 2 hours to Bay.
If you want to live in town, there are other commercial student accommodation like St. David (run by student roost, Swansea) and other new student accommodations. You could also consider renting via SAS lettings, which is run by the University. https://www.swansea.ac.uk/accommodation/sas-lettings/
Bay is pricey. However, if you live elsewhere, you would have to factor in bus fares and other utilities.
I wouldn't recommend the student village if you're studying at Bay since it's about 2 hours to Bay.
If you want to live in town, there are other commercial student accommodation like St. David (run by student roost, Swansea) and other new student accommodations. You could also consider renting via SAS lettings, which is run by the University. https://www.swansea.ac.uk/accommodation/sas-lettings/
So, a few notes on the Bay Campus and Engineering buildings in case anyone might consider going to have a look around over the summer.
I had no real reason to visit Swansea Bay Campus. I had looked online and thought it might be interesting - the reasons for looking being that two separate friends had suggested weekends in Swansea and going to see what the Engineering facilities were like (one friend had studied mech eng in Swansea a long time ago and fancied seeing what it was like nowadays before retiring to his country of origin, the other is an architect who had specialised in designing science related facilities for universities - I think she might have bid for some work at Swansea but not been successful). I'm a middle aged Chartered Accountant - in no way a prospective STEM student!
Anyway, a few observations. I've been to a fair number of universities for different reasons over the years so started thinking about how Swansea compared and what it might be like to study there.
Getting to the campus:
I drove in from the M4 on the way to the West coast - very quick detour so very easy to combine with a holiday/ weekend camping trip. Parking was easy (I guess because its out of term) but seemed easy enough in the surrounding area anyway. I made the mistake of only paying for two hours but would have liked longer.
Initial observations:
The campus is very new, looks very modern and attractive. As a visitor the buildings are pretty accessible. Many universities have far tighter security but I went for a wander. Due to the time of year it was very quiet - I think much quieter feeling than other campuses I have been to - might be an issue for someone who would spend all year there such as a mature or overseas student.
The beach is spectacular! Beautiful long wide beach - I looked around and only saw one person on it. I'm not really a beach person but do like walking on the sand. I think its a big plus point to have outside space to spend time with friends.
As I note the Bay campus is basically STEM and business type courses. I think this could be a good mix of being part of a bigger university for socialising but with the more full time/ full on degree course students able to meet and live with others who also have very busy timetables.
I went into a few of the departments (no problems getting in) - most of the science/ engineering buildings I saw had large windows in the passages so you could see into the labs - very interesting to see and lots of impressive equipment and projects.
Tour of facilities.
There was a cafe in the main Engineering area where I got a coffee. On the way out I made use of the trip to get the contact details for any future recruitment I might need to do for year in industry students and graduates. The main reception staff were amazingly helpful and give me the email address of the person responsible in the A+F course, and range around to see if anyone was available to meet me. As it happened there was a training session for the business departments, but one of the engineering lecturers came to see me for a coffee.
I got some great advice about how the courses and years in industry worked - the fact they were willing to meet someone who just dropped in for a break in a journey shows how focused the university is in building links with employers.
I also had a tour of the engineering department - very impressive. Really well equipped and some very helpful and outgoing staff.
I think the campus is suitably different to a lot of other universities that its well worth visiting. I think many who take a look around would be keen to learn more - Swansea would be a great option for lots of prospective students. My view is that it is worth seeing what different universities are like long before shortlisting. You don't need to spend a lot of time to form a view of how campus universities differ from more urban environments, and how different sized universities feel. Plus South Wales is beautiful!
I had no real reason to visit Swansea Bay Campus. I had looked online and thought it might be interesting - the reasons for looking being that two separate friends had suggested weekends in Swansea and going to see what the Engineering facilities were like (one friend had studied mech eng in Swansea a long time ago and fancied seeing what it was like nowadays before retiring to his country of origin, the other is an architect who had specialised in designing science related facilities for universities - I think she might have bid for some work at Swansea but not been successful). I'm a middle aged Chartered Accountant - in no way a prospective STEM student!
Anyway, a few observations. I've been to a fair number of universities for different reasons over the years so started thinking about how Swansea compared and what it might be like to study there.
Getting to the campus:
I drove in from the M4 on the way to the West coast - very quick detour so very easy to combine with a holiday/ weekend camping trip. Parking was easy (I guess because its out of term) but seemed easy enough in the surrounding area anyway. I made the mistake of only paying for two hours but would have liked longer.
Initial observations:
The campus is very new, looks very modern and attractive. As a visitor the buildings are pretty accessible. Many universities have far tighter security but I went for a wander. Due to the time of year it was very quiet - I think much quieter feeling than other campuses I have been to - might be an issue for someone who would spend all year there such as a mature or overseas student.
The beach is spectacular! Beautiful long wide beach - I looked around and only saw one person on it. I'm not really a beach person but do like walking on the sand. I think its a big plus point to have outside space to spend time with friends.
As I note the Bay campus is basically STEM and business type courses. I think this could be a good mix of being part of a bigger university for socialising but with the more full time/ full on degree course students able to meet and live with others who also have very busy timetables.
I went into a few of the departments (no problems getting in) - most of the science/ engineering buildings I saw had large windows in the passages so you could see into the labs - very interesting to see and lots of impressive equipment and projects.
Tour of facilities.
There was a cafe in the main Engineering area where I got a coffee. On the way out I made use of the trip to get the contact details for any future recruitment I might need to do for year in industry students and graduates. The main reception staff were amazingly helpful and give me the email address of the person responsible in the A+F course, and range around to see if anyone was available to meet me. As it happened there was a training session for the business departments, but one of the engineering lecturers came to see me for a coffee.
I got some great advice about how the courses and years in industry worked - the fact they were willing to meet someone who just dropped in for a break in a journey shows how focused the university is in building links with employers.
I also had a tour of the engineering department - very impressive. Really well equipped and some very helpful and outgoing staff.
I think the campus is suitably different to a lot of other universities that its well worth visiting. I think many who take a look around would be keen to learn more - Swansea would be a great option for lots of prospective students. My view is that it is worth seeing what different universities are like long before shortlisting. You don't need to spend a lot of time to form a view of how campus universities differ from more urban environments, and how different sized universities feel. Plus South Wales is beautiful!
Very interesting but perhaps I can add to your thoughts. The campus opened in 2015 and originally housed Engineering and Business subjects. Last year computer science and mathematics moved there from the Singleton campus into the new computational foundry. The ease you had with parking and the lack of people there was due to the fact you visited during holidays. Both are very different during term time.
As you say it is very close to junction 42 of the M4, is just over 2 miles from the city centre and approximately 5 miles form the other campus which houses medicine and health subjects, law, other sciences, humanities and languages. Last year the buses ran every 10 minutes day time term time between the 2 campuses and the city centre and hourly throughout the night most days.
Due to the nature of the subjects taken in the bay campus there are far more males than females. However Swansea has a very famous nightlife street called Wind Street and students for both campuses and those in Trinity St Davids will head there especially on Wednesday which is student night.
I am glad you enjoyed your holidays and fund the people welcoming.
As you say it is very close to junction 42 of the M4, is just over 2 miles from the city centre and approximately 5 miles form the other campus which houses medicine and health subjects, law, other sciences, humanities and languages. Last year the buses ran every 10 minutes day time term time between the 2 campuses and the city centre and hourly throughout the night most days.
Due to the nature of the subjects taken in the bay campus there are far more males than females. However Swansea has a very famous nightlife street called Wind Street and students for both campuses and those in Trinity St Davids will head there especially on Wednesday which is student night.
I am glad you enjoyed your holidays and fund the people welcoming.
Original post by ajj2000
So, a few notes on the Bay Campus and Engineering buildings in case anyone might consider going to have a look around over the summer.
I had no real reason to visit Swansea Bay Campus. I had looked online and thought it might be interesting - the reasons for looking being that two separate friends had suggested weekends in Swansea and going to see what the Engineering facilities were like (one friend had studied mech eng in Swansea a long time ago and fancied seeing what it was like nowadays before retiring to his country of origin, the other is an architect who had specialised in designing science related facilities for universities - I think she might have bid for some work at Swansea but not been successful). I'm a middle aged Chartered Accountant - in no way a prospective STEM student!
Anyway, a few observations. I've been to a fair number of universities for different reasons over the years so started thinking about how Swansea compared and what it might be like to study there.
Getting to the campus:
I drove in from the M4 on the way to the West coast - very quick detour so very easy to combine with a holiday/ weekend camping trip. Parking was easy (I guess because its out of term) but seemed easy enough in the surrounding area anyway. I made the mistake of only paying for two hours but would have liked longer.
Initial observations:
The campus is very new, looks very modern and attractive. As a visitor the buildings are pretty accessible. Many universities have far tighter security but I went for a wander. Due to the time of year it was very quiet - I think much quieter feeling than other campuses I have been to - might be an issue for someone who would spend all year there such as a mature or overseas student.
The beach is spectacular! Beautiful long wide beach - I looked around and only saw one person on it. I'm not really a beach person but do like walking on the sand. I think its a big plus point to have outside space to spend time with friends.
As I note the Bay campus is basically STEM and business type courses. I think this could be a good mix of being part of a bigger university for socialising but with the more full time/ full on degree course students able to meet and live with others who also have very busy timetables.
I went into a few of the departments (no problems getting in) - most of the science/ engineering buildings I saw had large windows in the passages so you could see into the labs - very interesting to see and lots of impressive equipment and projects.
Tour of facilities.
There was a cafe in the main Engineering area where I got a coffee. On the way out I made use of the trip to get the contact details for any future recruitment I might need to do for year in industry students and graduates. The main reception staff were amazingly helpful and give me the email address of the person responsible in the A+F course, and range around to see if anyone was available to meet me. As it happened there was a training session for the business departments, but one of the engineering lecturers came to see me for a coffee.
I got some great advice about how the courses and years in industry worked - the fact they were willing to meet someone who just dropped in for a break in a journey shows how focused the university is in building links with employers.
I also had a tour of the engineering department - very impressive. Really well equipped and some very helpful and outgoing staff.
I think the campus is suitably different to a lot of other universities that its well worth visiting. I think many who take a look around would be keen to learn more - Swansea would be a great option for lots of prospective students. My view is that it is worth seeing what different universities are like long before shortlisting. You don't need to spend a lot of time to form a view of how campus universities differ from more urban environments, and how different sized universities feel. Plus South Wales is beautiful!
I had no real reason to visit Swansea Bay Campus. I had looked online and thought it might be interesting - the reasons for looking being that two separate friends had suggested weekends in Swansea and going to see what the Engineering facilities were like (one friend had studied mech eng in Swansea a long time ago and fancied seeing what it was like nowadays before retiring to his country of origin, the other is an architect who had specialised in designing science related facilities for universities - I think she might have bid for some work at Swansea but not been successful). I'm a middle aged Chartered Accountant - in no way a prospective STEM student!
Anyway, a few observations. I've been to a fair number of universities for different reasons over the years so started thinking about how Swansea compared and what it might be like to study there.
Getting to the campus:
I drove in from the M4 on the way to the West coast - very quick detour so very easy to combine with a holiday/ weekend camping trip. Parking was easy (I guess because its out of term) but seemed easy enough in the surrounding area anyway. I made the mistake of only paying for two hours but would have liked longer.
Initial observations:
The campus is very new, looks very modern and attractive. As a visitor the buildings are pretty accessible. Many universities have far tighter security but I went for a wander. Due to the time of year it was very quiet - I think much quieter feeling than other campuses I have been to - might be an issue for someone who would spend all year there such as a mature or overseas student.
The beach is spectacular! Beautiful long wide beach - I looked around and only saw one person on it. I'm not really a beach person but do like walking on the sand. I think its a big plus point to have outside space to spend time with friends.
As I note the Bay campus is basically STEM and business type courses. I think this could be a good mix of being part of a bigger university for socialising but with the more full time/ full on degree course students able to meet and live with others who also have very busy timetables.
I went into a few of the departments (no problems getting in) - most of the science/ engineering buildings I saw had large windows in the passages so you could see into the labs - very interesting to see and lots of impressive equipment and projects.
Tour of facilities.
There was a cafe in the main Engineering area where I got a coffee. On the way out I made use of the trip to get the contact details for any future recruitment I might need to do for year in industry students and graduates. The main reception staff were amazingly helpful and give me the email address of the person responsible in the A+F course, and range around to see if anyone was available to meet me. As it happened there was a training session for the business departments, but one of the engineering lecturers came to see me for a coffee.
I got some great advice about how the courses and years in industry worked - the fact they were willing to meet someone who just dropped in for a break in a journey shows how focused the university is in building links with employers.
I also had a tour of the engineering department - very impressive. Really well equipped and some very helpful and outgoing staff.
I think the campus is suitably different to a lot of other universities that its well worth visiting. I think many who take a look around would be keen to learn more - Swansea would be a great option for lots of prospective students. My view is that it is worth seeing what different universities are like long before shortlisting. You don't need to spend a lot of time to form a view of how campus universities differ from more urban environments, and how different sized universities feel. Plus South Wales is beautiful!
It's nice to see an insight from a first timer, only four years ago it was still basically a construction site! The campus is quite busy during the academic year as the only ones who have remained at this point are Masters/PhD students/staff and some international students waiting for their graduation before they leave. (The campus is far busier than when I joined in 2015 due to the construction of new accommodation blocks and far more academic buildings.) As Swanseajack pointed there is a serious imbalance in the number of males and females on Bay Campus. The Campus is rather welcoming anyone can go on campus without any restrictions, any areas we can access you can also. Both Swansea libraries are open access quite often you will see some locals and college students using the facilities. I made quite a few lifelong friends from my time at Bay Campus. My favourite item is the flight simulator in Engineering Central. (Never had the pleasure of using it though. )
I'm not a beach person and found myself going onto it after lectures very often, it's wonderful! I am glad staff were so helpful especially with the engineering lecturer!
Honestly as a student who went on a year in industry placement. I am very glad my university places such an emphasis on placements, employability and internships as I never intended to go on one until year 2. I am glad you enjoyed your trip and we hope to welcome you onto the campus again in the future!
The campus is quite busy during the academic year as the only ones who have remained at this point are Masters/PhD students/staff and some international students waiting for their graduation before they leave. (The campus is far busier than when I joined in 2015 due to the construction of new accommodation blocks and far more academic buildings.) As Swanseajack pointed there is a serious imbalance in the number of males and females on Bay Campus. The Campus is rather welcoming anyone can go on campus without any restrictions, any areas we can access you can also. Both Swansea libraries are open access quite often you will see some locals and college students using the facilities. I made quite a few lifelong friends from my time at Bay Campus. My favourite item is the flight simulator in Engineering Central. (Never had the pleasure of using it though. ) I'm not a beach person and found myself going onto it after lectures very often, it's wonderful! I am glad staff were so helpful especially with the engineering lecturer!
Honestly as a student who went on a year in industry placement. I am very glad my university places such an emphasis on placements, employability and internships as I never intended to go on one until year 2. I am glad you enjoyed your trip and we hope to welcome you onto the campus again in the future! Original post by ajj2000
So, a few notes on the Bay Campus and Engineering buildings in case anyone might consider going to have a look around over the summer.
I had no real reason to visit Swansea Bay Campus. I had looked online and thought it might be interesting - the reasons for looking being that two separate friends had suggested weekends in Swansea and going to see what the Engineering facilities were like (one friend had studied mech eng in Swansea a long time ago and fancied seeing what it was like nowadays before retiring to his country of origin, the other is an architect who had specialised in designing science related facilities for universities - I think she might have bid for some work at Swansea but not been successful). I'm a middle aged Chartered Accountant - in no way a prospective STEM student!
Anyway, a few observations. I've been to a fair number of universities for different reasons over the years so started thinking about how Swansea compared and what it might be like to study there.
Getting to the campus:
I drove in from the M4 on the way to the West coast - very quick detour so very easy to combine with a holiday/ weekend camping trip. Parking was easy (I guess because its out of term) but seemed easy enough in the surrounding area anyway. I made the mistake of only paying for two hours but would have liked longer.
Initial observations:
The campus is very new, looks very modern and attractive. As a visitor the buildings are pretty accessible. Many universities have far tighter security but I went for a wander. Due to the time of year it was very quiet - I think much quieter feeling than other campuses I have been to - might be an issue for someone who would spend all year there such as a mature or overseas student.
The beach is spectacular! Beautiful long wide beach - I looked around and only saw one person on it. I'm not really a beach person but do like walking on the sand. I think its a big plus point to have outside space to spend time with friends.
As I note the Bay campus is basically STEM and business type courses. I think this could be a good mix of being part of a bigger university for socialising but with the more full time/ full on degree course students able to meet and live with others who also have very busy timetables.
I went into a few of the departments (no problems getting in) - most of the science/ engineering buildings I saw had large windows in the passages so you could see into the labs - very interesting to see and lots of impressive equipment and projects.
Tour of facilities.
There was a cafe in the main Engineering area where I got a coffee. On the way out I made use of the trip to get the contact details for any future recruitment I might need to do for year in industry students and graduates. The main reception staff were amazingly helpful and give me the email address of the person responsible in the A+F course, and range around to see if anyone was available to meet me. As it happened there was a training session for the business departments, but one of the engineering lecturers came to see me for a coffee.
I got some great advice about how the courses and years in industry worked - the fact they were willing to meet someone who just dropped in for a break in a journey shows how focused the university is in building links with employers.
I also had a tour of the engineering department - very impressive. Really well equipped and some very helpful and outgoing staff.
I think the campus is suitably different to a lot of other universities that its well worth visiting. I think many who take a look around would be keen to learn more - Swansea would be a great option for lots of prospective students. My view is that it is worth seeing what different universities are like long before shortlisting. You don't need to spend a lot of time to form a view of how campus universities differ from more urban environments, and how different sized universities feel. Plus South Wales is beautiful!
I had no real reason to visit Swansea Bay Campus. I had looked online and thought it might be interesting - the reasons for looking being that two separate friends had suggested weekends in Swansea and going to see what the Engineering facilities were like (one friend had studied mech eng in Swansea a long time ago and fancied seeing what it was like nowadays before retiring to his country of origin, the other is an architect who had specialised in designing science related facilities for universities - I think she might have bid for some work at Swansea but not been successful). I'm a middle aged Chartered Accountant - in no way a prospective STEM student!
Anyway, a few observations. I've been to a fair number of universities for different reasons over the years so started thinking about how Swansea compared and what it might be like to study there.
Getting to the campus:
I drove in from the M4 on the way to the West coast - very quick detour so very easy to combine with a holiday/ weekend camping trip. Parking was easy (I guess because its out of term) but seemed easy enough in the surrounding area anyway. I made the mistake of only paying for two hours but would have liked longer.
Initial observations:
The campus is very new, looks very modern and attractive. As a visitor the buildings are pretty accessible. Many universities have far tighter security but I went for a wander. Due to the time of year it was very quiet - I think much quieter feeling than other campuses I have been to - might be an issue for someone who would spend all year there such as a mature or overseas student.
The beach is spectacular! Beautiful long wide beach - I looked around and only saw one person on it. I'm not really a beach person but do like walking on the sand. I think its a big plus point to have outside space to spend time with friends.
As I note the Bay campus is basically STEM and business type courses. I think this could be a good mix of being part of a bigger university for socialising but with the more full time/ full on degree course students able to meet and live with others who also have very busy timetables.
I went into a few of the departments (no problems getting in) - most of the science/ engineering buildings I saw had large windows in the passages so you could see into the labs - very interesting to see and lots of impressive equipment and projects.
Tour of facilities.
There was a cafe in the main Engineering area where I got a coffee. On the way out I made use of the trip to get the contact details for any future recruitment I might need to do for year in industry students and graduates. The main reception staff were amazingly helpful and give me the email address of the person responsible in the A+F course, and range around to see if anyone was available to meet me. As it happened there was a training session for the business departments, but one of the engineering lecturers came to see me for a coffee.
I got some great advice about how the courses and years in industry worked - the fact they were willing to meet someone who just dropped in for a break in a journey shows how focused the university is in building links with employers.
I also had a tour of the engineering department - very impressive. Really well equipped and some very helpful and outgoing staff.
I think the campus is suitably different to a lot of other universities that its well worth visiting. I think many who take a look around would be keen to learn more - Swansea would be a great option for lots of prospective students. My view is that it is worth seeing what different universities are like long before shortlisting. You don't need to spend a lot of time to form a view of how campus universities differ from more urban environments, and how different sized universities feel. Plus South Wales is beautiful!
Thanks so much for all of the kind words @ajj2000! If it's ok with you I'll pass it on to our Engineering department they'll be really happy to hear all of this.
Beth
Beth
Original post by ajj2000
So, a few notes on the Bay Campus and Engineering buildings in case anyone might consider going to have a look around over the summer.
I had no real reason to visit Swansea Bay Campus. I had looked online and thought it might be interesting - the reasons for looking being that two separate friends had suggested weekends in Swansea and going to see what the Engineering facilities were like (one friend had studied mech eng in Swansea a long time ago and fancied seeing what it was like nowadays before retiring to his country of origin, the other is an architect who had specialised in designing science related facilities for universities - I think she might have bid for some work at Swansea but not been successful). I'm a middle aged Chartered Accountant - in no way a prospective STEM student!
Anyway, a few observations. I've been to a fair number of universities for different reasons over the years so started thinking about how Swansea compared and what it might be like to study there.
Getting to the campus:
I drove in from the M4 on the way to the West coast - very quick detour so very easy to combine with a holiday/ weekend camping trip. Parking was easy (I guess because its out of term) but seemed easy enough in the surrounding area anyway. I made the mistake of only paying for two hours but would have liked longer.
Initial observations:
The campus is very new, looks very modern and attractive. As a visitor the buildings are pretty accessible. Many universities have far tighter security but I went for a wander. Due to the time of year it was very quiet - I think much quieter feeling than other campuses I have been to - might be an issue for someone who would spend all year there such as a mature or overseas student.
The beach is spectacular! Beautiful long wide beach - I looked around and only saw one person on it. I'm not really a beach person but do like walking on the sand. I think its a big plus point to have outside space to spend time with friends.
As I note the Bay campus is basically STEM and business type courses. I think this could be a good mix of being part of a bigger university for socialising but with the more full time/ full on degree course students able to meet and live with others who also have very busy timetables.
I went into a few of the departments (no problems getting in) - most of the science/ engineering buildings I saw had large windows in the passages so you could see into the labs - very interesting to see and lots of impressive equipment and projects.
Tour of facilities.
There was a cafe in the main Engineering area where I got a coffee. On the way out I made use of the trip to get the contact details for any future recruitment I might need to do for year in industry students and graduates. The main reception staff were amazingly helpful and give me the email address of the person responsible in the A+F course, and range around to see if anyone was available to meet me. As it happened there was a training session for the business departments, but one of the engineering lecturers came to see me for a coffee.
I got some great advice about how the courses and years in industry worked - the fact they were willing to meet someone who just dropped in for a break in a journey shows how focused the university is in building links with employers.
I also had a tour of the engineering department - very impressive. Really well equipped and some very helpful and outgoing staff.
I think the campus is suitably different to a lot of other universities that its well worth visiting. I think many who take a look around would be keen to learn more - Swansea would be a great option for lots of prospective students. My view is that it is worth seeing what different universities are like long before shortlisting. You don't need to spend a lot of time to form a view of how campus universities differ from more urban environments, and how different sized universities feel. Plus South Wales is beautiful!
I had no real reason to visit Swansea Bay Campus. I had looked online and thought it might be interesting - the reasons for looking being that two separate friends had suggested weekends in Swansea and going to see what the Engineering facilities were like (one friend had studied mech eng in Swansea a long time ago and fancied seeing what it was like nowadays before retiring to his country of origin, the other is an architect who had specialised in designing science related facilities for universities - I think she might have bid for some work at Swansea but not been successful). I'm a middle aged Chartered Accountant - in no way a prospective STEM student!
Anyway, a few observations. I've been to a fair number of universities for different reasons over the years so started thinking about how Swansea compared and what it might be like to study there.
Getting to the campus:
I drove in from the M4 on the way to the West coast - very quick detour so very easy to combine with a holiday/ weekend camping trip. Parking was easy (I guess because its out of term) but seemed easy enough in the surrounding area anyway. I made the mistake of only paying for two hours but would have liked longer.
Initial observations:
The campus is very new, looks very modern and attractive. As a visitor the buildings are pretty accessible. Many universities have far tighter security but I went for a wander. Due to the time of year it was very quiet - I think much quieter feeling than other campuses I have been to - might be an issue for someone who would spend all year there such as a mature or overseas student.
The beach is spectacular! Beautiful long wide beach - I looked around and only saw one person on it. I'm not really a beach person but do like walking on the sand. I think its a big plus point to have outside space to spend time with friends.
As I note the Bay campus is basically STEM and business type courses. I think this could be a good mix of being part of a bigger university for socialising but with the more full time/ full on degree course students able to meet and live with others who also have very busy timetables.
I went into a few of the departments (no problems getting in) - most of the science/ engineering buildings I saw had large windows in the passages so you could see into the labs - very interesting to see and lots of impressive equipment and projects.
Tour of facilities.
There was a cafe in the main Engineering area where I got a coffee. On the way out I made use of the trip to get the contact details for any future recruitment I might need to do for year in industry students and graduates. The main reception staff were amazingly helpful and give me the email address of the person responsible in the A+F course, and range around to see if anyone was available to meet me. As it happened there was a training session for the business departments, but one of the engineering lecturers came to see me for a coffee.
I got some great advice about how the courses and years in industry worked - the fact they were willing to meet someone who just dropped in for a break in a journey shows how focused the university is in building links with employers.
I also had a tour of the engineering department - very impressive. Really well equipped and some very helpful and outgoing staff.
I think the campus is suitably different to a lot of other universities that its well worth visiting. I think many who take a look around would be keen to learn more - Swansea would be a great option for lots of prospective students. My view is that it is worth seeing what different universities are like long before shortlisting. You don't need to spend a lot of time to form a view of how campus universities differ from more urban environments, and how different sized universities feel. Plus South Wales is beautiful!
A really nice review of the campus, we've got loads of students studying at Bay Campus so we'll be sure to use your recommendations to them!
Original post by ajj2000
So, a few notes on the Bay Campus and Engineering buildings in case anyone might consider going to have a look around over the summer.
I had no real reason to visit Swansea Bay Campus. I had looked online and thought it might be interesting - the reasons for looking being that two separate friends had suggested weekends in Swansea and going to see what the Engineering facilities were like (one friend had studied mech eng in Swansea a long time ago and fancied seeing what it was like nowadays before retiring to his country of origin, the other is an architect who had specialised in designing science related facilities for universities - I think she might have bid for some work at Swansea but not been successful). I'm a middle aged Chartered Accountant - in no way a prospective STEM student!
Anyway, a few observations. I've been to a fair number of universities for different reasons over the years so started thinking about how Swansea compared and what it might be like to study there.
Getting to the campus:
I drove in from the M4 on the way to the West coast - very quick detour so very easy to combine with a holiday/ weekend camping trip. Parking was easy (I guess because its out of term) but seemed easy enough in the surrounding area anyway. I made the mistake of only paying for two hours but would have liked longer.
Initial observations:
The campus is very new, looks very modern and attractive. As a visitor the buildings are pretty accessible. Many universities have far tighter security but I went for a wander. Due to the time of year it was very quiet - I think much quieter feeling than other campuses I have been to - might be an issue for someone who would spend all year there such as a mature or overseas student.
The beach is spectacular! Beautiful long wide beach - I looked around and only saw one person on it. I'm not really a beach person but do like walking on the sand. I think its a big plus point to have outside space to spend time with friends.
As I note the Bay campus is basically STEM and business type courses. I think this could be a good mix of being part of a bigger university for socialising but with the more full time/ full on degree course students able to meet and live with others who also have very busy timetables.
I went into a few of the departments (no problems getting in) - most of the science/ engineering buildings I saw had large windows in the passages so you could see into the labs - very interesting to see and lots of impressive equipment and projects.
Tour of facilities.
There was a cafe in the main Engineering area where I got a coffee. On the way out I made use of the trip to get the contact details for any future recruitment I might need to do for year in industry students and graduates. The main reception staff were amazingly helpful and give me the email address of the person responsible in the A+F course, and range around to see if anyone was available to meet me. As it happened there was a training session for the business departments, but one of the engineering lecturers came to see me for a coffee.
I got some great advice about how the courses and years in industry worked - the fact they were willing to meet someone who just dropped in for a break in a journey shows how focused the university is in building links with employers.
I also had a tour of the engineering department - very impressive. Really well equipped and some very helpful and outgoing staff.
I think the campus is suitably different to a lot of other universities that its well worth visiting. I think many who take a look around would be keen to learn more - Swansea would be a great option for lots of prospective students. My view is that it is worth seeing what different universities are like long before shortlisting. You don't need to spend a lot of time to form a view of how campus universities differ from more urban environments, and how different sized universities feel. Plus South Wales is beautiful!
I had no real reason to visit Swansea Bay Campus. I had looked online and thought it might be interesting - the reasons for looking being that two separate friends had suggested weekends in Swansea and going to see what the Engineering facilities were like (one friend had studied mech eng in Swansea a long time ago and fancied seeing what it was like nowadays before retiring to his country of origin, the other is an architect who had specialised in designing science related facilities for universities - I think she might have bid for some work at Swansea but not been successful). I'm a middle aged Chartered Accountant - in no way a prospective STEM student!
Anyway, a few observations. I've been to a fair number of universities for different reasons over the years so started thinking about how Swansea compared and what it might be like to study there.
Getting to the campus:
I drove in from the M4 on the way to the West coast - very quick detour so very easy to combine with a holiday/ weekend camping trip. Parking was easy (I guess because its out of term) but seemed easy enough in the surrounding area anyway. I made the mistake of only paying for two hours but would have liked longer.
Initial observations:
The campus is very new, looks very modern and attractive. As a visitor the buildings are pretty accessible. Many universities have far tighter security but I went for a wander. Due to the time of year it was very quiet - I think much quieter feeling than other campuses I have been to - might be an issue for someone who would spend all year there such as a mature or overseas student.
The beach is spectacular! Beautiful long wide beach - I looked around and only saw one person on it. I'm not really a beach person but do like walking on the sand. I think its a big plus point to have outside space to spend time with friends.
As I note the Bay campus is basically STEM and business type courses. I think this could be a good mix of being part of a bigger university for socialising but with the more full time/ full on degree course students able to meet and live with others who also have very busy timetables.
I went into a few of the departments (no problems getting in) - most of the science/ engineering buildings I saw had large windows in the passages so you could see into the labs - very interesting to see and lots of impressive equipment and projects.
Tour of facilities.
There was a cafe in the main Engineering area where I got a coffee. On the way out I made use of the trip to get the contact details for any future recruitment I might need to do for year in industry students and graduates. The main reception staff were amazingly helpful and give me the email address of the person responsible in the A+F course, and range around to see if anyone was available to meet me. As it happened there was a training session for the business departments, but one of the engineering lecturers came to see me for a coffee.
I got some great advice about how the courses and years in industry worked - the fact they were willing to meet someone who just dropped in for a break in a journey shows how focused the university is in building links with employers.
I also had a tour of the engineering department - very impressive. Really well equipped and some very helpful and outgoing staff.
I think the campus is suitably different to a lot of other universities that its well worth visiting. I think many who take a look around would be keen to learn more - Swansea would be a great option for lots of prospective students. My view is that it is worth seeing what different universities are like long before shortlisting. You don't need to spend a lot of time to form a view of how campus universities differ from more urban environments, and how different sized universities feel. Plus South Wales is beautiful!
Original post by Swansea University Enquiries
Thanks so much for all of the kind words @ajj2000! If it's ok with you I'll pass it on to our Engineering department they'll be really happy to hear all of this.
Beth
Beth
Hi Beth
If you could pass on my thanks I'd be very grateful.
Of course! Thanks
Original post by ajj2000
Hi Beth
If you could pass on my thanks I'd be very grateful.
If you could pass on my thanks I'd be very grateful.
Quick Reply
Related discussions
- Which Swansea accommodation is the best?
- Swansea Uni - Bay Campus
- International students
- New Swansea Accommodation - Seren and True Swansea
- Student Accommodation in Swansea
- Will I feel at home at university?
- Accommodation: Everything from Halls to Renting!
- Waiting on Swansea accommodation
- Leeds uni or Swansea Uni
- Ask a Swansea University Student!
- Living on Campus – What To Expect?
- Swansea accommodation
- St. Davids or The Oldway centre (Swansea)
- Nightlife in Swansea University
- Swansea uni
- Room to Rent! Swansea
- Bringing a car to Swansea university
- Looking for a housemate for academic year 24/25 at University of Nottingham!
- Looking for a housemate for academic year 24/25!
- What is Cardiff vs Uni of Nottingham like for social life and/or nightlife?
Latest
Last reply 1 minute ago
Official Cambridge Postgraduate Applicants 2024 ThreadLast reply 2 minutes ago
choosing a medical school (Leicester, St Andrews, Nottingham)Last reply 5 minutes ago
Why do some girls take pleasure in going after other girls boyfriends?Posted 6 minutes ago
LSE undergraduate accommodationLast reply 9 minutes ago
Can someone please mark my AIC essay (my teacher is such an unreliable marker)Last reply 9 minutes ago
JK Rowling in ‘arrest me’ challenge over hate crime lawLast reply 10 minutes ago
CPS Pupillage/Legal Trainee Scheme 2024 (2025 Start)Last reply 10 minutes ago
Best Accommodation for Med Students at University of Plymouth?Last reply 11 minutes ago
Official University of Warwick Offer Holders Thread for 2024 entryLast reply 13 minutes ago
Official London School of Economics and Political Science 2024 Applicant ThreadLast reply 13 minutes ago
Bae systems accommodation barrowLast reply 17 minutes ago
Official University of Edinburgh Applicant Thread for 2024Last reply 17 minutes ago
University of Liverpool veterinary work experience form.Last reply 19 minutes ago
Worried about son who wants to move out, will he be able to afford it?Last reply 20 minutes ago
NICS Staff Officer and Deputy Principal recruitment 2022 2023Last reply 20 minutes ago
Degree Apprenticeship at Accenture (assessment centre)Last reply 20 minutes ago
emmanuella's study discussions #1: motivation and discipline
