[HDNG]INTRODUCTION:[EHDNG][PARA]Durham City, laced by the River Wear, lies in the heart of the [PARA]Geordie-speaking North East, near the Northumbrian moors, 10 [PARA]miles from the North Sea and 52 south of the Scottish border. [PARA]The University is planted in the middle of the ancient, small city, [PARA]and [ITAL]on weekdays during term time, students dominate it socially [PARA]as much as the cathedral and castle do physically[EITAL]. The Castle is [PARA]one of the University's colleges, which are spread out in 3 main [PARA]groups [ITAL]giving the advantages of a collegiate, a civic and a [PARA]campus university. [EITAL][HDNG]ATMOSPHERE:[EHDNG][PARA][ITAL]As England's 3rd oldest university, there's something of the [PARA]Oxbridge about Durham, with its traditions, its formal dinners and[PARA]balls (the black-tie variety). One major difference though is the [PARA]strength of its central SU. Although the weather's chilly, the [PARA]hearts are warm. The college system and the size of the city [PARA]certainly create a communal atmosphere that some find [PARA]claustrophobic, especially as relations with the locals aren't the [PARA]warmest. [EITAL][PARA][PARA][ITAL][HDNG]THE COLLEGES:[EHDNG][EITAL][PARA][ITAL]Much of a student's social life is centred around the college [PARA]where they eat, sleep and drink.[EITAL] However, unlike Oxbridge, [PARA]teaching is not college-based. The colleges are grouped into 3 [PARA]areas[ITAL] and each group has a flavour of its own. It is important to [PARA]pick the right college - they vary.[EITAL] Student numbers in brackets:[PARA]The oldest colleges are on 'the Peninsula' and [ITAL]they appeal [PARA]particularly to those who admire their architecture and tradition, if [PARA]not their facilities: [EITAL][PARA][BOLD]University College[EBOLD] or 'Castle' (456):[ITAL] predominantly public school [PARA]students sacrifice a few creature comforts to live in a castle in [PARA]their 3rd year. [EITAL] The Castle (founded in 1072) is the oldest building [PARA]used for student accommodation in the country.[PARA][BOLD]Hatfield[EBOLD] (555): all male until 1988,[ITAL] rugby and beer. [EITAL][PARA][BOLD]St Chads[EBOLD] (225):- all male until 1988,[ITAL] croquet and Pimms. [EITAL][PARA][BOLD]St John's[EBOLD] (278): [ITAL]church links, largely Christian. [EITAL][PARA][BOLD]St Cuthbert's Society[EBOLD] (731): 75% live out of college, many mature [PARA]students .[PARA]'The Hill Colleges', near the science departments, were mostly [PARA]built in the 60s[ITAL] and tend to be more progressive: [EITAL][PARA][BOLD]St Aidan's[EBOLD] (464): [ITAL]motivated and progressive students; they have [PARA]to be to climb that hill. [EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Van Mildert[EBOLD] (542): [ITAL]like Aidan's, but perhaps less motivated and [PARA]not on a hill.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Trevelyan [EBOLD](471): all female until 1990,[ITAL] honeycomb maze [PARA]architecture. [EITAL][PARA][BOLD]St Mary's[EBOLD] (396): still all female,[ITAL] knitting and nighties. [EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Grey [EBOLD](468): [ITAL]slightly more character than its name suggests. [EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Collingwood [EBOLD](469): no-one had to share rooms until recently, [ITAL]but [PARA]still a good level of facilities and quite a cool atmosphere. [EITAL][PARA]The 3rd area is the hilly north bank of the Wear where [BOLD]Hild/Bede[EBOLD] [PARA](858) stands alone -[ITAL] [EITAL]the largest college[ITAL], a mixture of all sorts, [PARA]accused variously of being too insular or too dominant.[EITAL][PARA]There are also [BOLD]The Graduate Society[EBOLD] (588) for postgrads and [BOLD][PARA]Ushaw College[EBOLD] (88), a Catholic seminary 4 miles outside the city.[PARA]The 15th college, [BOLD]University College, Stockton [EBOLD](450), [ITAL]is completely[PARA]unlike the main site, in terms of atmosphere, history and [PARA]geography[EITAL]. It's a joint initiative with the [ULNE]University of Teesside[EULNE], [PARA]although UCAS applications are still to Durham, and it only [PARA]accepted its first intake in 1992. It has 450 undergraduates, many[PARA]from the local area, and over 40% mature. Stockton is about 21 [PARA]miles south of Durham, and 3 miles from Middlesbrough, [ITAL]and [PARA]looks a bit like a building site[EITAL]. [ITAL]Facilities are a bit rudimentary at [PARA]the moment[EITAL], but students are entitled to use those at the parent [PARA]institutions.[HDNG]THE CITY:[EHDNG][PARA][STAT][BULL] Population: 85,000 [BULL] London: 240miles [BULL] Newcastle: [PARA]15miles[ESTAT][PARA]Durham used to be the epicentre of the north-east's mining [PARA]tradition. There was a time when the annual Durham Miners' [PARA]Gala (pronounced GAY-ler) was the country's largest Labour [PARA]meeting - recently though, it has only attracted 5,000 people and [PARA]no Labour leaders. [ITAL]Nowadays (as far as it seems to students at [PARA]any rate), there's not much in Durham that isn't connected to the [PARA]University or the Cathedral:[EITAL] a shopping mall, lots of quaint [PARA]shoppes, DLI arts museum, open air and covered markets, but [PARA]no shopping after 10pm. [ITAL]The fun-seekers and money-spenders [PARA]take themselves to Newcastle.[EITAL][PARA][PARA][BOLD]Stockton: [EBOLD]Stockton is part of the Teesside conurbation, and was [PARA]the birthplace of commercial passenger railways in 1825. It's now[PARA]an area of bigtime urban renewal, with a couple of shopping [PARA]malls, and easy access to Middlesbrough (see [ULNE]University of [PARA]Teesside[EULNE]).[HDNG]TRAVEL:[EHDNG][PARA][BOLD]Trains: [EBOLD]Main-line connections to London King's X (3hrs, 1/hr), [PARA]Newcastle (15mins, 1/hr), Bristol, Edinburgh and elsewhere.[PARA][BOLD]Coaches:[EBOLD] National Express and Blue Line services to many [PARA]destinations: London (ú17.50, 4:45hrs, 4/day), Edinburgh (ú13, [PARA]4:30hrs, 1/day), Manchester (ú11.50, 4:40hrs, 2/day).[PARA][BOLD]Car:[EBOLD] 5 mins off the A1.[PARA][BOLD]Air:[EBOLD] Newcastle Airport on the A691 - flights to London, Northern [PARA]Ireland and Europe.[PARA][BOLD]Hitching:[EBOLD] [ITAL]Good grooving from the A1.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Local:[EBOLD] [ITAL]Good [EITAL]buses around town and surrounds which lazy [PARA]students use to get to the hill colleges (most walk). Fares from [PARA]25p. No trains around the city but a [ITAL]useful[EITAL] service into Newcastle.[PARA][BOLD]Taxis:[EBOLD] Some of Britain's cheapest taxis (minimum fare ú1; only [PARA]ú15 to Newcastle, making it a worthwhile share).[PARA][BOLD]Bicycles:[EBOLD] [ITAL]A bit hilly for bikes.[EITAL][PARA][PARA][ITAL][HDNG]NOS and REQUIREMENTS:[EHDNG][EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Arts[EBOLD] 1,572 25pts[BOLD][PARA]Science[EBOLD] 2,193 25pts[BOLD][PARA]Soc Sci[EBOLD] 2,634 25pts[BOLD][HDNG]LIBRARIES and COMPUTERS:[EHDNG][EBOLD][PARA][BOLD][STAT][BULL] Books: 790,000 [BULL] Periodicals: 3,465 [BULL] Study places: 1,000[PARA][BULL] Computer workstations: 613[ESTAT][EBOLD][PARA]In addition to the University's main library with 540,000 books, [PARA]there are 3 other libraries (education, ecclesiastical texts and [PARA]special collections). Each college has its own library as do many [PARA]departments providing at least another 50,000 volumes. There [PARA]are 6 classrooms of computers around the University, computer [PARA]rooms in most colleges as well as a computer centre and it's all [PARA]networked. All students can do an optional computer literacy [PARA]course.[HDNG]CAREER PROSPECTS:[EHDNG][PARA][STAT][BULL] Careers Service [BULL] No of staff: 7full/3part [BULL] Unemployed [PARA]after 6mths (1992): 8%[ESTAT][HDNG]SPECIAL FEATURES:[EHDNG][PARA][BULL]Durham terms are only 9 weeks.[PARA][BULL]A new ú30 million, 17-acre science park is on the cards, and a[PARA]new college is being built at Howlands Farm.[PARA][BULL]A Japanese university has a campus in Durham for the [PARA]purpose of forging cultural links with British students.[PARA][BULL]1994 sees the launch of the UK's first degree course in [PARA]classical ballet, in conjunction with the Royal Academy of Dancing.[PARA][PARA][ITAL][HDNG]FAMOUS ALUMNI:[EHDNG][EITAL][PARA]George Alagiah (BBC reporter); Paul Allott (England cricketer); [PARA]Biddy Baxter (ex-producer of 'Blue Peter'); Will Carling (England [PARA]Rugby player, known to his team-mates as 'Bumface'); the Crane[PARA]brothers (climbers); Jack Cunningham MP (Lab); Hunter Davies [PARA](journalist); Harold Evans (ex-Sunday Times editor); Graham [PARA]Fowler (another England cricketer); Judith Hann (Tomorrow's [PARA]World presenter); Nasser Hussein (yet another England [PARA]cricketer); Cmdr Tim Lawrence (Princess Anne's hubby); [PARA]Edward Leigh MP (Con); Mo Mowlem MP (Lab); Marcus Rose [PARA](another England rugby player); John Stephenson (yet another [PARA]England cricketer); Robert Swan (arctic explorer and UN [PARA]Ambassador for Youth and the Environment); Jeremy Vine (BBC[PARA]reporter); James Wilby (actor).[HDNG]FURTHER INFO:[EHDNG][PARA]Prospectuses for undergrads, postgrads and adult students. [PARA]Alternative Prospectus from SU (ú2.50).[PARA][PARA]
