BATH SPA UNIVERSITY

Introduction01.Teaching-led researchOur research and scholarly activity is of direct benefit to students,underpinning the curriculum andimproving the student experience.02.A great range of coursesBath Spa’s wide range ofpostgraduate awards provideopportunities for advanced study that are both academicallychallenging and vocationallyrelevant, leading to the awardsof graduate certificate, graduatediploma, postgraduate certificate,postgraduate diploma and Master’sdegree (MA, MSc, MFA, MMus orMTeach). In addition there is a livelyresearch environment at Bath Spa,with opportunities for supervised,original research leading to thedegrees of MPhil and PhD.03.Superb campusesVisitors and students are oftenbowled over by our campuses. Howmany universities boast medievalbuildings and their own parklandestate? There’s a unique mix of theold and the new, with state-of-theartmodern facilities alongsidehistoric buildings – providingan inspiring and safe studyenvironment. Our Art and Designcampus at Sion Hill has recentlyundergone major re-developmentand now has some of the bestfacilities and equipment in thecountry. There are proposals for amajor development of the NewtonPark campus starting in 2012(subject to planning approval). Theenhanced academic facilities, socialamenities and additional studentaccommodation on campus will besustainable and innovative, whilstblending sympathetically with theunique and historic setting.04.Bath – a top student cityA beautiful and unique city, with historic attractions, stunningarchitecture, and excellent shopping.Bath also has a lively social scene, butis friendly, compact and a safe city.3rd top city in the UK for ‘safetyand security’ – Complete UniversityGuide 200905.Environmental ethosStaff and students at Bath Spashare a strong environmentalethos – partly in response to ourexceptionally beautiful campusesthat we’re looking after for futuregenerations, but also to make surethat we minimise our impact onthe environment.Bath Spa has achieved the Gold Award under the nationalEcoCampus scheme and is ranked11th out of 133 UK universities inthe People and Planet Green League2010 for its environmental policyand performance.06.Staff who careOur staff care about their students.They are accessible, supportive andpassionate about their subjects, andthey put a lot of effort into developingdynamic approaches to teaching andassessment. They undertake what wecall ‘teaching-led research’. Thatmeans they’re actively engaged inresearch and scholarship so thattheir professional and academicexpertise is current, and oftencutting edge – but the research is of direct benefit to you. It’s relevantand applied, and used to informwhat, and how, you are taught.Five lecturers at Bath SpaUniversity have received NationalTeaching Fellowships since thescheme was launched in 2000.07.“Small and friendly”This is what students often saywhen we ask them what they likeabout Bath Spa University – there’sa real community feel. With around6000 students it’s small enough forstudents to feel that they won’t getlost in the crowd – but large enoughto provide good facilities and socialactivities.“Students like the ‘small and friendly’atmosphere, which the university isanxious to retain” The Times GoodUniversity Guide 201008.Accessible to allWe have built our success onaccessibility and equality ofopportunity. The unique study andsocial environment we offer is a keyfactor in our distinctiveness - and inour popularity. Our students comefrom a range of backgrounds andcultures, from all parts of this countryand from overseas, and with a varietyof academic credentials.09.International universityWe welcome students from acrossthe globe to study here, and we havelinks with many universities abroadand are members of importantinternational organisations.Member of the Association ofCommonwealth Universities and of the International Association ofNew Generation Universities.10.A long history of successWe can trace our history back over150 years, to the original Bath Schoolof Art, and our first trainee teacherstrained here over 60 years ago. Sowhile the University is modern andprogressive, it builds on a long historyof tradition and success in highereducation.5