Bath University for Politics and IR

[DinkyDaisy]

Some of you may recognise me from my previous threads on Surrey and Essex, both of which my ds has attended offer days for. He was impressed by both though Surrey has the edge at the moment.
He is going to Bath with his Dad next weekend. What can he expect from Bath politics and IR? What should he look out for? Is there anything about Bath University he should particularly check out?
I know Bath a favourite on Mumsnet but ds not sure yet as was so impressed by Surrey course.
He has an offer of AAB for Bath and an invitation to do their 18 hour access to Bath course before the end of July.
Any advice I can pass onto him before he goes is welcome. Thanks.

What it says in various documents online is different from the inside knowledge that those who have DCs at Bath and those who have attended offer holder days have.

The OP's DC is choosing between these two places.

Frankly, I'd say on almost every measure, objectively, Bath is the better choice - but obviously something about Surrey is currently selling itself better.

All may change with ds this weekend after a proper visit to Bath!
Ds rushed it last time as we did Bristol on the same day.
Ds and his Dad spending the weekend in Bath so offer day Saturday and being tourists on Sunday.

I've heard that Bath is s very friendly university for students. If your DS is interested in sport, then the options are great at either hobby or serious competitive level. Neither of those relate to the course, but could contribute to his overall happiness!

@Piggywaspushed
We are talking about politics. Not every course at Bath. Politics is difficult for placements nearly everywhere. I also think Bath is better but not by much.

My ds is a long, tall, stretch of poor coordination! However, he likes to try new things so very hobby type sport (not football or rugby- maybe low level tennis or even Frisbee!!) could be up his street. Alongside board game clubs and dungeon and dragons type stuff! Plus political debating like clubs. Model United Nations, etc...

This is what a PP's DD studies at Bath and what my DS applied for. Bath is renowned for social sciences. So , I think we do know a bit more, in all honesty.

Bath has 2/3 of their students doing placements or a year abroad. They start the prep in their first year. I also wonder if Bath will manage to sustain those numbers as more and more universities offer a placement year and more and more students see the value in doing one.

DD is at Bath and has secured a placement for next year.

I had meant to say DD is applying for placement next year not this! I cannot comment on Surrey at all because DD did not apply but Bath are very very supportive with placements you have to consider they have been doing them for years before other Unis started doing them and the reputation they have does carry weight along with their links to industry - they have a fantastic placement team and the head of it sold it very well (as you would expect) at the open day. There were a fair few Politics and IR students on the day talking about their placement experiences and all had been very happy. This was something that Nottingham nor any other Uni we visited really talked about in any depth, yes they may have sold the course well but placements were not really focused on. I will be honest I am not in education (I am a nurse) and DD is my first DC to go to Uni, for me I walked out of training with a life long career and the placement year was very important to me especially with quite a generic degree. I did get a feel that Bath really nurtures its students in this respect far more than any other Uni we looked at.

I think happiness and them feeling comfortable wherever they go is very important though as they are the ones who have to do the graft and be happy there but ultimately Uni needs to lead to a career.

@DinkyDaisy DD also did the access to Bath course and had a AAB offer fortunately she got over the requirements anyway but the course was very easy and laid back and took the pressure off her WRT A-level results- they can do it over a period of time and it really is just prepping them for life at Uni. DD was lucky to have been placed in a large hall (Westwood) with 21 others and has honestly thrived. She had a shitty time in high school with a lot of complex friendship issues and was really anxious about starting Uni and fitting in. We are from the Midlands and she worried she may feel out of place in a Southern Uni (no offence to anyone intended I promise) but there is such a huge mix of kids from all backgrounds and areas. One of the lads on her corridor went to our local boarding school - small world and her closest friend is from Warwick, new Boyfriend from Dorset. It has Bristol on the doorstep if they want it but with a large student population has found Bath itself has all she needs. A small campus isnt for everyone though, I took DS (who is going to Uni this year) and he much prefers a City Uni. Tell him to keep and open mind and really explore the campus and Bath itself, each student has different hopes and expectations - good luck to him I know as parents we try not to intervene too much but gently guide 😊

tango It was a big selling point for DD too.

Something that was nice was that a politics student rang. Ds prepared and had lots of questions. Student surprised as said most prospective students she had rung didn't have questions...

My DD is also at Bath doing Politics and IR (waves to @TangoWhiskyAlphaTango and @Piggywaspushed )
Also a Cambridge reject and had offers from Exeter, Bath and Lancaster. The offer holders' day swung it for her, especially as we'd just been to Exeter and she wasn't impressed (by the town itself more than anything)
As Tango says, the first semester was pretty easy, with about 10 actual contact hours a week between lectures and seminars. DD enjoyed her one optional module, which was social policy. The second semester seems a bit more intense so far.
I've not heard of anyone having issues with the placement year, as above pps have said. Lots of help given. Mine is lucky enough to also have an EU passport and is hoping to do hers abroad.
The city is fabulous, safe, yet lively. It seems a very involved and caring university. I had to do the Tiger Mother thing in January when (just before exams) my daughter's house (and about 20 others) were without electricity for 10 days (!!!) and in fairness they were quickly given meal vouchers, supermarket vouchers and have had a rent credit of £400.

The personal tutor system also seems to work very well, and seems to be chosen specifically for each student. DD is half Italian and her personal tutor is Italian.

I just felt that the whole thing felt "right" after the holders' day, so hopefully you'll feel the same @DinkyDaisy

@So1invictus Heyyyyyy!! You have had a name change. Hope all is well with you x

@TangoWhiskyAlphaTango yes, I was going to resurrect the old thread 🤣 New boyfriend huh? Mine is also apparently making progress in that area 🤣🤣❤️

Morning all.
Ds about to look at accommodation at Bath. Will be self-catering and not too expensive. Seen door to Norwood House from Plug Tub. Noisy? Suggestions welcome! Thanks.

DD is in Eastwood Terrace and @TangoWhiskyAlphaTango 's DD is in Westwood.
Mine put Eastwood as her third choice and that's what she was allocated.
I'd say they are all absolutely fine. Norwood is one of the cheapest as some of the lower floors do apparently get the noise a couple of times a week from the Plug and Tub. DD has friends almost everywhere and says Norwood is absolutely fine. She has some good friends in Quads (£££) and that was what she put as 1st choice. What she has said is that the bedrooms there are absolutely tiny as of course they are also en-suite.
Nothing is "catered" as such- not like in our day when you went to a canteen. Some of them have obligatory food credits that can be used in the campus eateries. This is because, unlike Eastwood, Westwood and Norwood they have very small kitchens. Most of the kids in the "food credit" places still do some cooking, and some of the kids in the non food credit places still go to the campus eateries when they feel like it.
You'll read utter horror stories about all of them 😂 DD changed her mind and preference list a hundred times after reading reviews online, seeing pictures of minging bathrooms and disgusting kitchens etc. (en suite posh £££ residences too- en suite,= damp= mould) Lots of reviews saying Norwood is foul, Eastwood is too basic, Westwood is like Prisoner Cell Block H, Quads is unfriendly and you only ever meet 5 people, Polden is full of rich foreign students etc.
They are all fine. Rinse and repeat.

What IS excellent is the student living team who are there for anything they need. Whether that be practical or emotional. When they moved in there was a welcome pack and games/beer for them all left in the kitchen to break the ice.

Thank you @So1invictus I shall pass on to ds who I suspect has muted me due to radio silence!

Students tend not to choose Bath on the basis of its accommodation. The expensive ones aren't as luxurious and nice as other universities, and the grottier cheap accommodation isn't as cheap as the equivalent in other universities!

DD was in Westwood. Bad points, it really does look like a prison. Could they not have painted the doors and bannisters in a colour other than grey? There's not much communal space.

Good points - sharing with so many, smaller groups form and you find someone you get on with. Really close to lectures. Room size was decent, she had a sink and loads of useful shelving and storage.

Thank you all.
Ds clearly busy but hope for some communication after 2.30pm when open day finishes...
Last offer day of 3 and hope will clarify things for him...

DD allocated Westwood as @So1invictus said and it was her second choice and absolutely loves it. Like many other Uni's accommodation is allocated at random so they don't really get a choice. WW is very sociable with 21 on one floor - she has made some really good friends, downside is no communal space and so they congregate in the kitchen and bedroom not big but it has not bothered DD one jot. Does not seem to stop them having a lot of fun.

Oh my word my child annoys me. Had me on speaker in Travel Lodge and talked about irrelevant stuff.. To me anyway!
Eventually got that Bath 'good' ..
Pretty. Bigger than he thought as a campus. Annoying that taster lecture same as the open day one. Worried that options first come first served and he might end up doing something he doesn't want to do (any reassurance here?). His Dad being irritating in the background!
Ds muttering being made to go on a walking tour by his Dad.
Happy families!!

Polden is full of rich foreign students etc

I think this bit is true though* *😂

Worried that options first come first served and he might end up doing something he doesn't want to do (any reassurance here?)

In what way? Modules? DD has had no issues with not getting what she chose.

Yes modules.
Good to hear no issues with your dd.

There was a fastest finger on the buzzer module thingy- I think it was for the one where yours did law and mine social policy @TangoWhiskyAlphaTango DD was definitely waiting to hear if she'd got onto SP as there were only so many places. It's only one little part of everything though.