[HDNG]INTRODUCTION:[EHDNG][PARA][BULL] Formerly Bournemouth Polytechnic, Dorset Institute[EBOLD][PARA]Bournemouth is the largest of 3 towns rolled into 1, with Poole to the west and Christchurch to the east and a collective population of 350,000. Following the coast east, the New Forest stretches inland. The University is wedged between Poole and Bournemouth's town centre, 21/2 miles away. It's a modern campus University - the 3 main buildings include the brand New Weymouth House, a concrete 70s [ITAL]kennel[EITAL] and a [ITAL]more futuristic, [EITAL]more recent[ITAL] beehive[EITAL], [ITAL]all looking like beige Lego, [EITAL]linked by redbrick pathways. In Bournemouth's centre, there is a Business School sharing a building with the Institute of Health and Community Studies which (as usual for Business Schools) is [ITAL]flash and swish[EITAL].[HDNG]ATMOSPHERE:[EHDNG][PARA][ITAL]Most courses have a business element. The student population is white and middle class and owns an enormous numbers of cars. Politically, there's a distinct hint of conservativism (with both a capital and a lower case 'C'). Often students can't even be bothered to be apathetic. They show more interest in their looks and clothes than the media, PR and communications around which so many of the courses revolve. It's a high spec world, teeth gritted for the free market, a more economic plastic substitute for the original ivory tower. A plaque in the entrance hall declares the mission of the University is 'To become a pre-eminent vocational university, well-founded in terms of educational quality and student appeal'. Hmmm.[EITAL][PARA][PARA][ITAL][HDNG]THE SITES:[EHDNG][EITAL][PARA]31/2 miles from the main site in the city centre, Bournemouth House is based in the converted offices of Lloyds Bowmaker. About 1,500 students are based here, studying postgrad business courses or at the Institute of Health Studies. There are other smaller Lansdowne sites. A free shuttle bus operates to the main site at least once an hour.[HDNG]TOWN:[EHDNG][PARA][STAT][BULL] Population: 154,400 [BULL] London: 100miles [BULL] Southampton: 26miles [BULL] Bristol: 60miles[ESTAT][PARA]In summer, Bournemouth's [ITAL]a bristling, bustling town[EITAL] full of tourists, little hotels, sandy beaches, sea and ice-cream melting down your wrist. [ITAL]In winter, it's a colder place in every respect.[EITAL] It doesn't lack space though (2,000 acres of parks in town) and has [ITAL]enough shops to keep students in term-time togs, although for more radical rags or for the true shopaholic, a big city trip is needed.[EITAL] The urban village of Winton, 2/3 mile from the campus, has all the shops necessary for daily desires.[HDNG]TRAVEL:[EHDNG][PARA][BOLD]Trains:[EBOLD] From Bournemouth station, 2 miles from the campus, to London (1:37hrs, 1/hr), Birmingham, Edinburgh, Bristol and elsewhere.[PARA][BOLD]Coaches:[EBOLD] National Express services to London (ú11.25, 2:30hrs, 1/hr), Bristol (ú9, 2:45hrs, 4/day), Birmingham (ú19.50, 4:20hrs, 3/day).[PARA][BOLD]Car:[EBOLD] The A38, A31 and A35 - many Bournemouth students have cars, despite parking shortages.[PARA][BOLD]Air:[EBOLD] Bournemouth airport operates flights to Europe.[PARA][BOLD]Ferries:[EBOLD] Ferries go from Poole's busy port to the Channel Islands.[PARA][BOLD]Hitching:[EBOLD] The ferries attract quite a lot of long distance travel and so, from out of town or the ferry port, [ITAL]chances are fair.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Local:[EBOLD] Buses run regularly until about 11pm from 35p (75p to town centre). As for trains, there are frequent stops along the coast, [ITAL]but few students bother.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Taxis:[EBOLD] Numerous firms charging ú1.20 minimum fare and about ú4 from the campus to the station.[PARA][BOLD]Bicycles:[EBOLD][ITAL] Even more students cycle than drive, [EITAL]and there's[ITAL] [EITAL]space to park 600 bikes on campus.[HDNG]NOS and REQUIREMENTS:[EHDNG][PARA][BOLD]Service Inds[EBOLD] 1,167 8-20pts[BOLD][PARA]Computing/Elecs[EBOLD] 559 10-16pts[BOLD][PARA]Conservation[EBOLD] 378 8-12pts[BOLD][PARA]Finance and Law[EBOLD] 605 18-20pts[BOLD][PARA]Health Sci[EBOLD] 237 14pts[BOLD][PARA]Management[EBOLD] 714 8-16pts[BOLD][PARA]Marketing[EBOLD] 364 16-22pts[BOLD][PARA]Media[EBOLD] 1,207 14-18pts[BOLD][PARA]Product Design[EBOLD] 487 10-18pts[HDNG]LIBRARIES and COMPUTERS:[EHDNG][PARA][STAT][BULL] Books: 160,000 [BULL] Periodicals: 1,700 [BULL] Study places: 100 [BULL] Computer workstations: 2,000[ESTAT][PARA]Despite all those computers being available 24 hours a day, [ITAL]shortages still occur[EITAL] because students are expected to do most of their course work on them.[HDNG]CAREER PROSPECTS:[EHDNG][PARA][STAT][BULL] Employment Centre [BULL] No of staff: 7full/1part [BULL] Unemployed after 6mths (1992): 22%[ESTAT][PARA]Most find work in business-related employment.[HDNG]SPECIAL FEATURES:[EHDNG][PARA][BULL]The University is the home of the National Centre for Computer Animation.[PARA][BULL]Most courses have a language component.[HDNG]FAMOUS ALUMNI:[EHDNG][PARA]Stuart Miles (GMTV presenter).[HDNG]FURTHER INFO:[EHDNG][PARA]Prospectuses for undergrads, part timers and postgrads.[PARA][PARA]
