Hatfield College
| Year founded | Total student population | Total PG population | Length of contract |
| 1846 | 860 | 200 | 50 weeks; PGCE shorter lets |
Hatfield College is in the city centre, nestling near the Cathedral on a World Heritage site. The College was founded in 1846 - it is the second oldest College in Durham, preserving the best of established traditions combined with a modern outlook and approach.
We attract highly motivated, academically strong students from a range of backgrounds, schools and countries. We are a diverse community that celebrates its diversity. The College encourages all its students to make the most of their time in Durham. If you are an able and motivated student with potential, we are interested in you, from whichever background or nation you come.
Hatfield students get involved: they work hard and they enjoy a wide range of extra-curricular activities, such as sport, music, debating and other cultural activities within the College. Some become College Mentors, providing pastoral support to groups of undergraduate students. Others learn new skills and sports, and discover that postgraduate study provides many opportunities for development both within and without their formal, structured learning.
Hatfield College is committed to supporting and developing its students. We aim to help each one to realise his or her full potential. We seek to provide a context for personal development to enhance future success and employability. The College Trust also supports postgraduate students by research grants, travel scholarships and bursaries.
The College has approximately 200 postgraduate students. About 44 of them live in our dedicated postgraduate residence, James Barber House, about five minutes' walk from the main College site.
Our postgraduates are all members of the Middle Common Room (MCR). Members of their elected Executive Committee ('the Exec') represent postgraduates on College committees and to College staff. The Exec is elected annually and comprises the MCR President, Vice-President, Welfare Officer, Treasurer, Secretary and Social Secretary. In consultation with postgraduate students in general meetings, the Exec regulates the affairs and common social life of the MCR.
Hatfield College offers a number of events (without charge) specifically for postgraduates throughout the year. We hold an annual welcome dinner for all our postgraduate students, a reception with the Master of the College and a black-tie dinner to celebrate the end of the academic year. Each term, the College hosts research colloquia at which postgraduates make short presentations about their research, followed by questions and discussion.
Our students often say that their time at Hatfield has played an important part in their intellectual and personal formation and development. What they remember especially is 'the Hatfield spirit' - the sense of belonging to an active, engaged and supportive community that promotes both personal development and the common good. Our College motto (written in Latin) is often paraphrased, 'Be the best you can be' - and our aim is to help support our students as they seek to do that.
Additional college fees
- MCR fee: £40
- Hatfield Trust fee: £20 (used exclusively for the benefit of students)
- MCR members require an academic gown for formal dinners, the approximate cost of a second hand gown is £25
- Optional charge of £15 for those who wish to use the College gyms
Accommodation
| Total PG rooms | % standard | % ensuite | % single gender | % shared |
| 44 | 98% | 2% | 0% | 0% |
- 44 single rooms (self-catered) at James Barber House, our dedicated postgraduate residence.
- Accessible accommodation: We have one en-suite room at James Barber House.
Catering
- Postgraduates living in self-catered accommodation at James Barber House may purchase meal tickets to take meals in College as they wish.
- Formal dinner events: There is a reserved number of places for postgraduates (regardless of whether they are catered or self-catered students) at formal dinners. These are held twice a week in Michaelmas Term, once a week in Epiphany Term and from time to time in Easter Term.
- Special dietary requirements can be met for vegan, vegetarian, food allergies, in consultation with our catering manager. Please contact us to enquire.
Facilities
Dedicated PG facility:
- James Barber House is for the exclusive use of postgraduates. It has a dining room, large self-catering kitchens, gardens, courtyard and lounge with recreational facilities. All postgraduate members of the College may use the facilities at James Barber House.
- On the main College site, we have a common room and a kitchen exclusively for the use of postgraduates.
Other facilities:
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Societies, sports and outreach
We encourage our postgraduates to enjoy the strong sense of community at Hatfield by joining clubs and societies that are of interest to them, e.g. sports teams, musical, theatrical and other cultural activities. Many of our postgraduates are also College Mentors to undergraduate tutorial groups.
The MCR executive committee is the only postgrad-only society or committee in the College.
Support
We take our responsibilities for helping to support our students seriously.
- The Senior Tutor is responsible for the support of all students in the College.
- Dr Anthony Bash is the Tutor for Postgraduates and works with the Senior Tutor. He is the 'first port of call' for most issues to do with postgraduate support.
- All postgraduate students have a College Mentor whose role is to assist with the support of students during their time in Durham.
- The College chaplain provides advice and support for all students, irrespective of faith background or none.
- The MCR offers welfare support to its members through the MCR Welfare Officer.
