History
The University was founded in 1872 as University College Wales. The first Principal was Thomas Charles Edwards and initially there were 26 students. Before 1894, when the college joined the University of Wales as a founder member, students were submitted for examinations to the University of London).
The university's coat of arms was awarded in the 1880s. The shield features two red dragons, the red dragon being a common symbol of Wales, and an open book, symbolising learning. The crest is an eagle or phoenix above a flaming tower; it possibly symbolises the rebirth of the College after the fire of 1885. The motto is "Nid Byd, Byd Heb Wybodaeth": "A World Without Knowledge, is No World At All".
The Department for International Politics was founded in 1919 and Aberystwyth says it is the oldest such department in the world.
The Department of Sports and Exercise Science was established in 2000, and joint honours Psychology degrees were introduced in September 2007.
Read more about this topic: Aberystwyth University
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