Address: Penglais, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, SY23 3FL, Wales, United Kingdom
International Politics, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Agriculture
Aberystwyth University stands in the Welsh county of Ceredigion, with its main campus at Penglais on the hill above the town of Aberystwyth. It began in 1872 as the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, and the university describes it as the first university college in Wales.
The college first occupied the seafront building now called the Old College, which was partly destroyed by fire in 1885. It later belonged to the federal University of Wales, incorporated by royal charter in 1893, and in 2007 the Privy Council granted Aberystwyth independent status with the right to award its own degrees. Over the twentieth century the main teaching site moved gradually from the seafront up to the Penglais hill, where the campus is now found.
Academic work is organised in departments that include Law, Physics and International Politics, alongside the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, known as IBERS. The Department of International Politics was established in 1919 and is presented by the university as a pioneering department in its field. The official website is published in both English and Welsh, which reflects its place in Welsh public life.
Domains taught:
Agriculture, Computer Vision, Ecology and Sustainability, Life Sciences, Marine Science, Physics, Robotics
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Collaborations with Welsh government bodies, agricultural organizations, and international research institutions like the Inter-University Centre for Terrestrial Ecology.
Research:
Research strengths include climate change, sustainable agriculture, international relations, robotics, and Welsh culture. Home to several research centers including IBERS.
Famous Alumnis:
HRH Charles III (as Prince of Wales), Alex Jones, Carwyn Jones, Sharon Maguire
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
2100
Current students***:
8200
Foreign students***:
10%
Cumulative former students***:
75000
Pros
Beautiful coastal location, strong sense of community, high student satisfaction, research excellence in specific fields like agriculture and robotics.
Cons
Relatively remote location and smaller city environment, which might not suit all.
Best For
Students interested in environmental sciences, agriculture, international relations, robotics or Welsh culture, in a scenic and supportive setting.
Bangor University is also in Wales and covers marine and environmental science, a close match for the earth and environmental strengths found at Penglais.
Cardiff University serves the Welsh capital with journalism, engineering and healthcare programmes.
Swansea University lies on the south-west Welsh coast and combines engineering and materials science with health sciences.
University of Reading in Berkshire is known for agriculture and meteorology, which echoes the rural and environmental side of IBERS.
Newcastle University in Newcastle upon Tyne offers medicine, engineering and agriculture.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Universität Bremen in Germany focuses on marine and environmental sciences, comparable to the environmental research done in Ceredigion.
Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, Canada, is known for ocean studies, health professions and law.
University of Manitoba in Canada has agriculture and food science among its main fields, which parallels the rural sciences at IBERS.
Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro in Italy lists computer science, life sciences and agricultural sciences among its specialties.
North Carolina State University in the United States combines engineering, agriculture and veterinary medicine.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
When did Aberystwyth University open?
The institution opened in 1872 as the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, and the university describes it as the first university college in Wales. It has held independent degree-awarding status since a Privy Council decision in 2007.
Where is the main campus located?
The main campus is at Penglais, on a hill above the town of Aberystwyth in Ceredigion, Wales. The Old College on the seafront was the original home of the institution and was partly damaged by fire in 1885.
What was its link with the University of Wales?
Aberystwyth belonged to the federal University of Wales, which was incorporated by royal charter in 1893. Since 2007 it has awarded its own degrees instead of degrees of the federal university.
Which departments and institutes does it have?
Law, Physics and International Politics are among its academic departments, and IBERS brings together biological, environmental and rural sciences. The Department of International Politics dates from 1919.
Is information available in Welsh?
The official website has a Welsh-language version alongside the English one, so applicants can read about courses and services in either language. Details of Welsh-medium study are given on the course pages.
Where can applicants check entry requirements and tuition fees?
Entry requirements and fees are published on the course pages of the official university website. Applicants should check the current figures there, because they change from year to year.
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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