[HDNG]INTRODUCTION:[EHDNG][PARA][BULL] Formerly Portsmouth Polytechnic[EBOLD][PARA]Portsmouth sits by the Solent within champion spitting distance [PARA]of the Isle of Wight. Built on Portsea Island, it is one of Europe's [PARA]most densely populated cities. For 400 years, Portsmouth has [PARA]been one of Britain's foremost naval ports and [ITAL]the maritime [PARA]influence is still unavoidable[EITAL]. [ITAL] Sailors, students and locals all walk [PARA]the same streets but remain virtually oblivious of each other[EITAL]. [PARA]Many of the university buildings are converted military [PARA]establishments, [ITAL]but some are decidedly prefab, blending starkly [PARA]with the confusion of concrete carbuncles and more elegant [PARA]architecture [EITAL]which stretches north into the heart of the city. The [PARA]other main campus, at Milton, is 21/2 miles from the Guildhall site.[HDNG]ATMOSPHERE:[EHDNG][PARA][ITAL]The transition from polydom has been more natural than in many[PARA]of the other new universities and it has retained its exciting and [PARA]energetic atmosphere and student life continues to revolve [PARA]around the battle of beer and brains. [EITAL][PARA][PARA][ITAL][HDNG]THE SITES:[EHDNG][EITAL][PARA]The Guildhall campus is definitely the dominant site and students [PARA]at Milton, which merged with the then Poly in 1976, can feel like [PARA]lesser cousins (business studies and information science are [PARA]based there). A ú30m building project is underway at Milton [PARA]though, providing more teaching space and accommodation [PARA]which may well shift the balance.[HDNG]TOWN:[EHDNG][PARA][STAT][BULL] Population: 174,700 [BULL] London: 70miles [BULL] Southampton: [PARA]21miles[ESTAT][PARA]Portsmouth is compact, [ITAL]if not bijou[EITAL]. Small enough to walk [PARA]around town: down to the beach or to pay a visit to all sorts of [PARA]maritime sights: The Mary Rose; The Warrior; The Royal Marines[PARA]Museum; The Victory and so on. [ITAL]More useful but much more [PARA]ugly[EITAL], there's the Tricorn shopping centre. You can find most [PARA]major branch stores here and in the other shopping streets and [PARA]centres. There's also a daily fruit and veg market, plenty of [PARA]supermarkets and late-night corner shops.[HDNG]TRAVEL:[EHDNG][PARA][BOLD]Trains:[EBOLD] Main-line connections to, among other places, London [PARA]Waterloo (1:24hrs, 1/hr), Southampton (20mins) Cardiff, [PARA]Birmingham and Bristol and Edinburgh.[PARA][BOLD]Coaches:[EBOLD] National Express services to many destinations [PARA]including London (ú9, 2:20hrs, 8/day), Manchester (ú23.50, [PARA]7:45hrs, 1/day), Bristol (ú10.25, 3:30hrs, 1/day).[PARA][BOLD]Car:[EBOLD] The A27, which runs along the south coast, becomes the [PARA]M27 between Portsmouth and Southampton. The A3 connects [PARA]the town with London.[PARA][BOLD]Air:[EBOLD] Southampton Airport is 22 miles away.[PARA][BOLD]Ferries:[EBOLD] Regular ferries to the Isle of Wight, Spain and France (St[PARA]Malo, Cherbourg, Caen, Le Havre), and the IoW hovercraft.[PARA][BOLD]Hitching:[EBOLD] [ITAL]Good opportunities from lorry drivers coming off the [PARA]ferries on to the A3.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Local:[EBOLD] Bus services are [ITAL]quite good[EITAL], but most distances are walkable.[PARA][BOLD]Taxis:[EBOLD] [ITAL]An unnecessarily extravagant way of getting around, but it [PARA]doesn't work out too expensive since the town's so small.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Bicycles:[EBOLD] [ITAL]The University is investing in 150 bikes for student use, [PARA]and the Council is well into cycle lanes.[EITAL][PARA][PARA][ITAL][HDNG]NOS and REQUIREMENTS:[EHDNG][EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Business[EBOLD] 2,608 16pts[BOLD][PARA]Engineering[EBOLD] 1,454 10pts[BOLD][PARA]Environment[EBOLD] 1,589 15pts[BOLD][PARA]Humanities[EBOLD] 4,032 12pts[BOLD][PARA]Science[EBOLD] 2,170 10pts[HDNG]LIBRARIES and COMPUTERS:[EHDNG][PARA][STAT][BULL] Books: 500,000 [BULL] Periodicals: 3,000[ESTAT][PARA]The Frewen Library is on the main site with the smaller [PARA]Goldsmith Library at Milton. Satisfactory computer provision, [ITAL][PARA]although they seem to have lost count[EITAL].[HDNG]CAREER PROSPECTS:[EHDNG][PARA][STAT][BULL] Careers Service [BULL] No of staff: 8full/4part [BULL] Unemployed [PARA]after 6mths (1992): 9.5%[ESTAT][PARA][ITAL]Efficient and effective [EITAL]service at University House on the [PARA]Guildhall campus and an information room in Milton.[HDNG]SPECIAL FEATURES:[EHDNG][PARA][BULL]The University operates a 2-semester rather than a 3-term system.[PARA][BULL]Dyslexic students are allowed to do their exams on PCs.[HDNG]FAMOUS ALUMNI:[EHDNG][PARA]Phil Newport (cricketer); Clive Norley (Rugby referee).[HDNG]FURTHER INFO:[EHDNG][PARA]Prospectuses for undergrads, postgrads and part-time students.
