[HDNG]INTRODUCTION:[EHDNG][PARA]A [ITAL]grimy child[EITAL] of the Industrial Revolution, Leeds city centre is [PARA]dominated by the virginally white Parkinson Building clock tower, [PARA]which is the University's landmark. From the top of the clock [PARA]tower, it would be possible to see the [ITAL]tidy [EITAL]terraces of the inner [PARA]city, the [ITAL]sprawling, crawling[EITAL] suburbs and the tangled spaghetti of [PARA]by-passes, ring roads and the M1. Casting eyes beyond the city [PARA]boundaries, the southern edge of the Yorkshire moors loom to [PARA]the north. To the south and west, there are few green spaces [PARA]separating Leeds from Bradford, Wakefield and Sheffield. [PARA]Although founded in the late 19th century, the University has [PARA]undergone spasmodic periods of growth, mainly in the 30s and [PARA]60s, which has created a campus which is [ITAL]the architectural [PARA]equivalent of Bombay Mix. [EITAL]Together with [ULNE]Leeds Metropolitan [PARA]University[EULNE], the University forms a massive 'student land' [PARA]conurbation of homes, halls and other academic buildings.[HDNG]ATMOSPHERE:[EHDNG][PARA][ITAL]With nearly 17,000 examples, it's difficult to draw a very exact [PARA]picture of the Leeds University student. In such a vibrant, frantic [PARA]city (Leeds's serious social scene has usurped Manchester's) the[PARA]prevailing relaxed attitude is odd. A healthy scepticism, bordering[PARA]on apathy, abounds in virtually epidemic proportions and an [PARA]observer more cruel than [EITAL][PUSH]push[EPUSH][ITAL], might suggest that few students [PARA]consider anything deeper than the bottom of their glass. But [PARA]appearances can be deceptive and the large Union Building is [PARA]always busy..[EITAL][ITAL][HDNG]THE CITY:[EHDNG][EITAL][PARA][ITAL][STAT][BULL] Population: 674,400 [BULL] Manchester: 40miles [BULL] London : [PARA]189miles[ESTAT][EITAL][PARA]Although the bombs of 2 world wars missed the city, the 60s [PARA]developers and town planners didn't and Leeds one-way system [PARA]provides endless entertainment. On tour, the frustrated driver will[PARA]trundle round in circles, passing huge, interminable Victorian civic[PARA]buildings - the Town Hall, City Museum, Henry Moore Gallery and[PARA]The Grand Theatre, (home to Opera North). The driver, however,[PARA]will miss the semi-pedestrianised, bustling main street, known as [PARA]the Headrow, [ITAL]the site of every local amenity a student could ever [PARA]want and many they wouldn't.[EITAL][ITAL][HDNG]TRAVEL:[EHDNG][EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Trains:[EBOLD] Leeds BR Station (1 mile from the campus) is the centre [PARA]of the West Yorkshire metro train network which serves all the [PARA]local Yorkshire towns (Bradford, Wakefield, Sheffield and York).[PARA]Many direct services operate further afield to, for example, [PARA]London (2:30hrs, 1/hr), Birmingham, Bristol and Edinburgh.[PARA][BOLD]Coaches:[EBOLD] National Express to London (ú12.00, 3:40hrs, 9/day), [PARA]Manchester (ú3.50, 1:15hrs, 1/hr), Sheffield (ú2.20, 50mins, 1/hr), [PARA]Birmingham (ú12.00, 3hrs, 5/day) and other destinations. Also [PARA]served by Greenline.[PARA][BOLD]Car:[EBOLD] 10mins off the M1 and on the M62 to Manchester. The A64 [PARA]runs to the nearby A1, [ITAL]but a car is unnecessary for local travel, [PARA]due to the good public transport.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Air:[EBOLD] Leeds/Bradford Airport for inland and European flights.[PARA][BOLD]Hitching:[EBOLD][ITAL] Excellent prospects for long distance on the A1, M1 and [PARA]M62, but as ever, there are safer ways of getting around.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Local:[EBOLD] [ITAL]Very reliable, frequent trains and buses[EITAL]. A bus journey to [PARA]'student land' from the city rarely costs more than 50p.[PARA][BOLD]Taxis:[EBOLD] [ITAL]Quick and efficient[EITAL], costing ú2.50 for the mile from the [PARA]station to the campus.[PARA][BOLD]Bicycles:[EBOLD] [ITAL]The city's the right size for bike travel, but has the [PARA]wrong contours and too many people who believe all bike [PARA]ownership is an invitation to theft.[EITAL][ITAL][HDNG]NOS and REQUIREMENTS:[EHDNG][EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Arts[EBOLD] 3,000 18-22pts[BOLD][PARA]Eco/Soc Studs[EBOLD] 2,570 16-22pts[BOLD][PARA]Law[EBOLD] 1,500 22-26pts[BOLD][PARA]Education[EBOLD] 3,600 20pts[BOLD][PARA]Science[EBOLD] 2,500 16-22pts[BOLD][PARA]Engineering[EBOLD] 2,500 18-26pts[BOLD][PARA]Medicine[EBOLD] 2,330 18-26pts[HDNG]LIBRARIES and COMPUTERS:[EHDNG][PARA][STAT][BULL] Books: 2.5m [BULL] Study places: 1,676 [BULL] Computer [PARA]workstations: 1,580[ESTAT][PARA]The main library is in the Parkinson Building, but there are 34 [PARA]others across campus covering every conceivable subject.[HDNG]CAREER PROSPECTS:[EHDNG][PARA][STAT][BULL] Careers Service [BULL] No of staff: 9full/2part [BULL] Unemployed [PARA]after 6mths (1992): 15.7%[ESTAT][HDNG]FAMOUS ALUMNI:[EHDNG][PARA]Andrew Eldritch (Sisters of Mercy); Ray French (BBC rugby [PARA]commentator); David Gedge (Wedding Present); Andy Kershaw [PARA](Radio 1 DJ); Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits); ex-Judge James [PARA]Pickles; Ronald Pickup (actor); Gerald Ratner (former crap [PARA]jeweller); Clare Short MP, Jack Straw MP (both Lab); Nicholas [PARA]Witchell (BBC newscaster).[HDNG]FURTHER INFO:[EHDNG][PARA]Prospectuses for undergrads and postgrads and a guide for [PARA]mature students. The SU produces an alternative prospectus.
