Painting (Art) postgraduate degrees

The campus is absolutely gorgeous! A wonderful mix of old and new, castles and modern buildings. Reserving rooms encourages students to get out of their rooms and study anywhere on campus, from the top of the castle tower, to the communal "pods" at Commons. The Student Union building has a bar and a small shop, and activities going on almost every day. Karaoke every other Saturday is one of my favourites. Close enough to the city of Bath for easy access, while still having the feeling of a university town. Lots of student discounts and student bars/clubs in town, as the University of Bath is also nearby. Interesting classes, lovely lecturers and guest lecturers, and proper assessments. Few, if not none, tests, allowing for those who do not thrive with simple memorization to show off how they learn. The diversity of students encourages the broadening of your own world view. A wide range of courses, allowing for study into incredibly specific topics. The main issue with the university is the wait time for wellbeing appointments, as it can take up to four months to even get a foot in the door. This means that if you do need help, it is very difficult to achieve. Also, while it isn't the university's fault, it is important to know that the First Bus system is not very reliable, so if you have a job in town, it is quite nerve-wracking.

Worst is the limited contact time with professors. It feels really rushed which is unfortunate because there is so much to discover here and it becomes stressful when we feel like cattle who must be rushed in and out. The university itself is fantastic though. It’s incredibly inspiring to walk through the workshops, lecture halls, and library- it feels like you’re in the center of the world. Everything is state of the art and the staff is phenomenal. I just wish they cut less corners in terms of students’ ability to engage with it all.

The university itself is very modern and clean. The law building in particular is very well maintained and a nice place to study. The student support line is effective and most queries are responded to however some are forgotten/ responded to weeks later. The library is extreamly useful with a wide range of text books and other resources which makes finding sources very easy. There are also lots of other study areas outside of the library which means you can always find a quiet place to sit and work. The surrounding area of Newcastle City has just about anything you could want, with it being just a 5 minute walk from campus you have easy access to shops, transport and other facilities. The only issue with this is for home students which might be travelling by car. I live in the countryside and have no access to busses or metro stations. This means that driving is my only option. Car parking is very limited and expensive. Almost all of the public car parks fill up past 8am and a full day of parking can cost upwards of £14. The university car park requires a yearly pass which costs £700 up front. This is just not manageable as a student to pay up front. Other than that I have had no issues with the university. They are also very inclusive with disabled students. Having a disability myself, they have taken the correct steps to ensure I have no disadvantages compared to abled bodied students and are well aware of the steps which should be taken when I have an episode. Everybody, down to the woman working the cafe on campus, went above and beyond to help me when I did have an episode. The situation was very stressful but the actions of the staff were brilliant and did everything they could. I have a lot of praise for Northumbria University and would recommend it to all students looking to pick a University.

It’s a great place to study because the academic environment is supportive, the teaching quality is strong, and there are plenty of opportunities to grow through projects, events, and collaboration with classmates. The campus community also makes it easy to feel included and motivated. It could be improved by streamlining administrative processes, offering clearer communication, and reducing unnecessary bureaucracy. More practical learning opportunities and better support during exam periods would also make a big difference.