Bath Spa University is a university based in, and around, Bath, England. The institution was formerly known as Bath College of Higher Education, and later Bath Spa University College. He won the full university status in August 2005.
History
The institution traces its roots back to the founding of Bath School of Art in 1852, after the impact of the Great Exhibition of 1851. In 1946 Bath Teacher Training College was opened in Newton Park campus, as part of efforts to cover postwar wartime shortage of teaching a one-year course for ex-service people. The current institution was formed in 1975 as Bath College of Higher Education by the merger of the Institute of Teacher Education and Bath Bath College of Domestic Science. In 1983 Bath Academy of Art also merged into the university. In 1992, the university was granted degree-awarding powers in 1997 and adopted the name of Bath Spa University College. In March 2005 the institution was granted university status, becoming Bath Spa University, in August 2005. It has been placed on the 60, but it is usually somewhere in the 70 low-to-middle of the 120 UK universities in the leader boards.
Campus
Newton Park
The Newton Park campus, located west of Bath, close to the village of Newton St Loe, is the largest of the three campuses of the university. This is where most of the courses are taught, with the exception of Art and Design, and some of the PGCE courses. The campus is based in Newton Park in English grounds designed by landscape architect Lancelot "Capability" Brown and leased the Duchy of Cornwall. The site has a lake, nature reserve, forest and arable farmland. The Newton Park Campus is home to the majority of student accommodation, which consists of six rooms.
Michael Tippett Centre
Located in Newton Park is the Michael Tippett Center, which is the only purpose-built concert hall in Bath. Besides being used for teaching music, the center is used for exhibitions, musical performances and plays.
University Theatre
The University Theatre is also located on the campus of Newton Park and was part of a £ 5.7m plan designed by Fielden Clegg Bradley Architects LLP and was completed in 2006. It has an auditorium of 186 seats with full backstage and technical team, including three teaching studios large. The place is used by the School of Music and Performing Arts for teaching students, actors, directors, production managers, choreographers and dancers.
Corsham Court, Corsham
The University has established a new center in Corsham Court after an absence of over 20 years. Corsham Court became home to the Bath Academy of Art (now Bath School of Art and Design and the University), when its facilities were destroyed during World War II. Walter Sickert, who taught at the school who also mentored Lord Methuen RA, head of the Court. The center will include support for the development of research projects, graduate studies and research and study areas for artists and designers who are studying for masters and doctoral level, facilities for project work for all undergraduate and a series of lectures for the use of academic and support services across the University.
Sion Hill, Bath
Sion Hill campus is located in the north of Bath in Lansdown district. This campus houses the School of Art and Bath Design and Art and Design courses are taught here. Until 2009, the University also owned the nearby Somerset Square. The sale of this Georgian crescent listing was intended to fund a new campus in the city center. This development, along with the School of Design Innovation Dyson, did not proceed due to planning issues related to the site chosen by the river.
Culverhay, Bath
This campus is located in the South down area of Bath. It is next to Bath Community Academy (formerly Culverhay School) and was school blocks Humanities. The campus is home to most of the Postgraduate Certificate in University courses Education Secondary ½ years of education, including History, Music, English, Geography, Mathematics and Religious Education. Campus facilities are not as extensive as those found in Newton Park, but IT facilities and a common room.
Dartmouth Avenue, Bath
University School of Art and Design has established a new company in Dartmouth Avenue. The site was developed as a series of studies in painting and media, as well as a project space of year’s two students. This was done to compensate for the loss incurred space selling Somerset. The site has been expanded in an annexe to accommodate creative studios and a second, larger project space (the first is now mainly used for the drawing classes of life).
Burdall Yard, Bath
Burdall Yard is a Centre of the Arts School of Music and Performing Arts in downtown Bath. The center is used as a teaching space, testing and performance and also organizes cultural events. These have included, Party in the City (Bath Festival) and composition of UK Festival concert with singer / songwriter Eddi Reader.
Ashman Yard, Bath
The Theatre Production Center is in the yard Ashman between Newton Park campus and downtown Bath. This facility for the School of Music and Performing Arts was officially opened by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Christina Slade, in 2012. Students based here practical work on the BA (Hons) Theatre Production course. Facilities include a construction workshop, sewing, prop making workshop, production office with Mac editing suite and a student common room.
Transport
Bath Spa railway station is on the Great Western and Wessex Main Line, with train services to several stations in the south of England, including London Paddington, Reading, Bristol Temple Meads, Cardiff Central, Southampton Central and Portsmouth Harbour. Heart of Wessex line also lower Bath Spa and also serves Oldfield Park Railway Station, close to the main sites outside of the residence halls. Most services at both stations are operated by First Great Western.
Newton Park is served by bus service 15 (operated by First and formerly the SPA1, and before 418), which extends between the campus and the city center every 15 minutes during term time. At other times, the service is less frequent, although the service runs until 3am during term time for the benefit of students traveling to and from the clubs of the city. Services X39 and 337 offer an alternative to those who are able to walk driveway University.
Sion Hill is served by the 700 service uncommon, operated by independent local coaches TC. Other services, such as service and the service of a Ride andPark 31, operating in the near Lansdown Road.
Plans
The university continues to develop, especially in Newton Park Campus, where for a period of ten years the student accommodation should be demolished and new housing built in its place. Existing buildings can be modified to cope with the influx of students expected in the coming years. The Duchy of Cornwall, the owner of the university, issued objections to these plans.
Organization
Schools of Study
The University has six schools of study.
• Bath School of Art and Design is based in Sion Hill Avenue and Dartmouth campus "and teaches art art fine graphic communication, interactive media, media, design studios based materials and textile design visual culture.
• The Graduate School is responsible for the higher grades.
• The Faculty of Education Education taught as an academic subject, and also has the responsibility to provide PGCE and postgraduate studies in education.
• The Faculty of Humanities and Cultural Industries is responsible for undergraduate courses in English Literature and Creative Writing (including writing of Youth) and the Masters in Creative Writing (MACW). It also teaches subjects such as history, cultural studies, the study of religions, media and film studies.
• The School of Music and Performing Arts is responsible for courses in music, dance, theater and performing arts.
• The School of the Society, Business and Environment is responsible for the teaching of biology, environmental science, nutrition, food, geography, tourism management, psychology, sociology, health studies and business.
Partnership and collaboration
The University has formed partnerships with a number of regional education colleges and institutions. According to the Association, students take the first year of higher education course at the local university and, if successful, the rest of its course at Bath Spa University.
The partners are:
• Circomedia
• City of Bath College
• City of Bristol College
• New College, Swindon
• Norton Rad stock College
• Weston College
• Wiltshire College Salisbury and Trow bridge
Student life