[HDNG]INTRODUCTION:[EHDNG][PARA]Sheffield, England's 4th largest city, is the closest city to the north-east corner of the Derbyshire Peak District and one of the furthest places from the coast in the whole of Britain.  Most people immediately connect it with the steel industry - knives, forks and razor blades.  Fair enough, that's what made the place famous and to the east, there's still a [ITAL]sordid [EITAL]reminder of industrial demise.  Now the city is[ITAL] a busy and bustling, but friendly, city[EITAL] with a modern centre and compact Victorian suburbs.  The University is 15 minutes walk (3/4 mile) due west from the city centre on a campus extending over about a mile of buildings massaged into the surrounding urban setting.  Almost all the buildings are less than a century old and have been constructed with some thought and care.  Mostly they're [ITAL]attractive [EITAL]redbrick buildings, although there are a few more modern structures - the arts tower and library, which have just been given a Grade II listing, are [ITAL]quite appealing[EITAL] glass high rises.  The SU is mostly concrete.[HDNG]ATMOSPHERE:[EHDNG][PARA][ITAL]Nearly 1/3 of students stay in Sheffield after graduation which can't be bad.  That's probably because, unlike some cities, being a student in Sheffield is to 'live' here for 3 years rather than just 'stay' here.  The University accommodation has its limitations so students go out into the community which welcomes them.  It also means students form family groups for the purpose of sharing a house, so they form strong friendships.  Student life is hectic and full of opportunities - the SU is wide awake - buzzing with a heady mix of town and gown activities.  Sheffield has a good cultural and racial mix which is reflected amongst the students, who willingly jump head first on to any bandwagon in the belief that their actions might actually make a difference.[EITAL][PARA][PARA][ITAL][HDNG]THE CITY:[EHDNG][EITAL][PARA][ITAL][STAT][BULL] Population: 499,700 [BULL] London: 147miles [BULL] Manchester: 35miles [BULL] Birmingham: 67miles[ESTAT][EITAL][PARA]Sheffield is the cultural core of a wide catchment, offering all sorts of entertainments and diversions.  Cars too are diverted from pedestrian parts of the modern city centre.  It's a hilly, clean, litterless city, threaded by 3 rivers.  The old industrial area has recently been redeveloped and includes the site for 1991's World Student Games, which may have been a financial farce, but left Sheffield well-stuffed for leisure and sports facilities.  The suburbs in the south-west, where the University accommodation is based, were described by John Betjeman as one of 'England's prettiest suburbs' (and he [ITAL]rightly[EITAL] advocated the bombing of Slough).  [ITAL]As far as amenities are concerned, Sheffield has it all, or almost:[EITAL] [ITAL]local luxuries[EITAL] like late-night shops, 52 parks, street markets, museums and galleries (the City Museum, The Mappin Art Gallery and so on).  [ITAL]There are fewer bookshops than might be expected,[EITAL] although 4 big ones and many 2nd hand.[HDNG]TRAVEL:[EHDNG][PARA][BOLD]Trains:[EBOLD] Sheffield Station offers many routes nationally, including London (2:20hrs, 1/hr), Birmingham, Edinburgh, Bristol.[PARA][BOLD]Coaches:[EBOLD] Sheffield is served by South Yorkshire Transport as well as National Express whose services go to London (£12.00, 3:20hrs, 6/day), Birmingham (£9, 2:05hrs, 6/day), Newcastle (£13.75, 3:55hrs, 2/day), Manchester (£4.25, 1:35hrs, 6/day) and other destinations.[PARA][BOLD]Car:[EBOLD] 10mins off the M1, Sheffield is also visited by the A57, A61, A616 and A631.  20mins off the end of the M18.[PARA][BOLD]Air:[EBOLD] Manchester is the nearest international airport.[PARA][BOLD]Hitching:[EBOLD] [ITAL]For getting out to the M1 a bus is needed, but then students can cruise by the rule of thumb.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Local:[EBOLD] Local buses run till about 11pm, but before then, they're [ITAL]frequent, reliable and quite cheap.[EITAL]  The local minibuses are[ITAL] even better[EITAL], not because they run any later, but because they go everywhere .[PARA][BOLD]Taxis:[EBOLD] [ITAL]Worthy wheels for after 11pm[EITAL].  Private companies are cheaper than the black cabs.  Either way it's over £1 per mile.[PARA][BOLD]Bicycles:[EBOLD] [ITAL]Everything may be within thigh power, but it's quite hilly and pedal pinchers prowl.[EITAL]  Endsleigh is considering withdrawing its insurance cover on bikes in Sheffield.[PARA][BOLD]Others: [EBOLD]The [ITAL]eagerly anticipated[EITAL] Supertram should be in action by the time you read this.[HDNG]NOS and REQUIREMENTS:[EHDNG][PARA][BOLD]Arts[EBOLD]  1,941  22pts[BOLD][PARA]Soc Sci[EBOLD]  1,846  24pts[BOLD][PARA]Law[EBOLD]  795  26pts[BOLD][PARA]Architecture[EBOLD]  370  22pts[BOLD][PARA]Science[EBOLD]  2,805  20pts[BOLD][PARA]Engineering[EBOLD]  1,478  20pts[BOLD][PARA]Medicine[EBOLD]  1,226  24pts[BOLD][HDNG]LIBRARIES and COMPUTERS:[EHDNG][EBOLD][PARA][BOLD][STAT][BULL] Books: 1,000,000 [BULL] Study places: 2,000 [BULL] Computer workstations: 800[ESTAT][EBOLD][PARA]The 4 main libraries have [ITAL]a rocket load[EITAL] of books and many of the 63 departments also have their own mini collections.  The computer hardware includes 100 Apple Macs.[HDNG]CAREER PROSPECTS:[EHDNG][PARA][STAT][BULL] Careers Service [BULL] No of staff: 18full [BULL] Unemployed after 6mths (1992): 10%[ESTAT][HDNG]FAMOUS ALUMNI:[EHDNG][PARA]David Blunkett MP (Lab); Willie Hamilton (ex-MP, anti-monarchist); Amy Johnson (aviator); Sir Peter Middleton (ex-Secretary to the Treasury); Jack Rosenthal (screen playwright 'London's Burning', Mr Maureen Lipman); Richard Roberts (Nobel prizewinner); Helen Sharman (Britain's first astronaut); Dave Weatherall (Leeds Utd footballer).[HDNG]FURTHER INFO:[EHDNG][PARA]Prospectuses for undergrads and postgrads.  Commercial to the hilt, the SU produces an Annual Report, which, although it's no kind of prospectus, is a good guide to student activities.[PARA][PARA]