Receiving support on my course
I applied to Bath for its high ranking in Architecture and for the research my lecturers were focusing on.
As a non-traditional student without an Architecture or Engineering related degree, I was worried my experience would not be enough for such a technical degree. However, the Director of Studies was kind enough to answer my concerns about the program and reassure me that my professional experience was more than enough as a prerequisite for the course. He was the reason I got into Bath.
The academic staff have been nothing but kind and supportive. As the academic representative, our lecturers were constantly reminding me to let them know if there is any room for improvement and any course related issues were resolved quickly when we brought them up.
Working on interdisciplinary projects
My favourite unit was the multidisciplinary project. After a semester of intensive technical learning in my discipline, I got to design a masterplan and retail centre alongside students who focused on other disciplines - building conservation, structural engineering, and architecture.
While the technical modules were informative, this multidisciplinary module gave me a glimpse of the professional world where these practices do have to work together to create integrated solutions. Having a better understanding of their perspectives allowed me to think more holistically.
The central campus also encouraged more cross-disciplinary interactions and gave me a greater sense of academic community.
Developing employability skills
We had a unit that specifically focused on job searching. The lecturers introduced us to many practicing architects, engineers and consultants during our course. We were encouraged to speak to them and form connections.
When I wanted to work with an industry partner for my dissertation, my supervisor actively engaged with potential industry partners to find a good match for me.
My course also has a strong alumni network all over the UK. These connections will be invaluable in the future for job searching and for project collaboration.