[HDNG]INTRODUCTION:[EHDNG][PARA]Homing in on Keele University, the helicopter flies from the north [PARA]over the Derbyshire Peak District, over the [ITAL]less inspiring [EITAL][PARA]landscape of North Staffordshire and towns such as Hanley and [PARA]Stoke-on-Trent (Keele is just 5 miles west now). 2 miles away to [PARA]the east of the campus, we buzz over Newcastle - not the [PARA]Geordie one, but the smaller Newcastle-under-Lyme (a [PARA]population of just 72,000). Finally, we come over a hill and spread[PARA]out below us are the modern geometric blocks of the University [PARA]in nearly 1 square mile of parkland. The chopper descends by [PARA]the library and the [ITAL]beautiful [EITAL]Keele Hall, the oldest building (19th [PARA]century) on the estate. We leap the last few feet before the [PARA]helicopter lands and run through the paved and green open [PARA]spaces which redeem the [ITAL]stark [EITAL]architecture, screaming, [PARA]'Where's the clue? Where's the clue?'. Students run in all [PARA]directions yelling, 'Oh my God, it's Anneka Rice!'.[PARA]The clue reads: 'You're in Keele University. [ITAL]The middle of [PARA]nowhere is just around the corner. Beware the wind, it gives a [PARA]blow job not easily forgotten[EITAL].'[HDNG]ATMOSPHERE:[EHDNG][PARA][ITAL]Keele is a small, friendly and busy University, with almost all [PARA]students and 60% of the staff and their families living on campus.[PARA]It's important that it should be friendly because escape to [PARA]Newcastle-under-Lyme or even Stoke is hardly freedom, [PARA]although from time to time, students do just have to get away. [PARA]Students often have a range of interests (possibly because the [PARA]course structure is weird - see below), and a lively attitude to their[PARA]social life. Whatever you do, you can never forget you're a [PARA]student; The place can feel like a 600-acre ivory tower, made by [PARA]IKEA.[EITAL][ITAL][HDNG]TOWN:[EHDNG][EITAL][PARA][ITAL][STAT][BULL] London: 147miles [BULL] Manchester: 34miles [BULL] Birmingham: [PARA]43miles[ESTAT][EITAL][PARA]Keele is hardly a village, let alone a town. The area around Keele [PARA]was built on the 19th century pottery industry, hence the cunning [PARA]name, The Potteries. Wedgewood, Spode and Royal Doulton [PARA]pottery all came from round here (Habitat and Tupperware didn't).[PARA]Writer and playwright Arnold Bennett used the area as the [PARA]setting for his works - 'Five Towns' is based in Stoke (although [PARA]it's actually made up of 6 towns). [ITAL]Local facilities in the old market[PARA]town of Newcastle are a little limited.[EITAL] [ITAL] However, there's more than[PARA]enough to get by - [EITAL]all the major banks and a fair few shops (not [PARA]after 10pm, though). For more of the trappings of [PARA]commercialism, Hanley in Stoke is better equipped. The [PARA]Potteries Shopping Centre is full of all the national traders. Local [PARA]attractions include all the various Pottery Museums, the once [PARA]industrial, but now leisure canals, the Stoke City Museum and Art[PARA]Gallery and Alton Towers, the [ITAL]mega[EITAL] theme park, 1/2 an hour [PARA]down the road.[HDNG]TRAVEL:[EHDNG][PARA][BOLD]Trains:[EBOLD] There's no station at Keele, nor at Newcastle. Trains [PARA]from Stoke-on-Trent go to London (1:50hrs, 1/hr), Manchester, [PARA]Birmingham and all over.[PARA][BOLD]Coaches:[EBOLD] National Express doesn't go to Keele either, the [PARA]nearest service being Stoke, from which there are services to [PARA]London (ú14.75, 3:25hrs, 5/day), and Birmingham (ú4.75, 1hr, [PARA]every 2hrs).[PARA][BOLD]Car: [EBOLD]The M6 is within smelling distance of the campus; in fact in [PARA]runs along the southern edge of the park. However, there's not a [PARA]junction for a couple of miles in either direction. The A525 runs [PARA]right past the campus and the A34, A50, A52, A53 and A531 are[PARA]all nearby.[PARA][BOLD]Hitching:[EBOLD] [ITAL]Hitchers need to get to the M6 junctions (by bus) which [PARA]is quite hopeful, if replete with drunk drivers and psychotics.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Local:[EBOLD] Cheap runabout passes are available from the Union's [PARA]travel agency for use on the local buses,[ITAL] which are quite cheap [PARA]anyway[EITAL] (campus to Newcastle: 77p). [ITAL]They give good local cover [PARA]and, supposedly,[EITAL] run every 30 minutes.[PARA][BOLD]Taxis:[EBOLD] Plenty of taxis which charge between ú1.50 and ú3 to Newcastle.[PARA][BOLD]Bicycles:[EBOLD] [ITAL]Bikes are a useful way of getting around the campus [PARA]although the landscaped hills are bumptious bumps. [PARA]Off-campus, there are hazardous roundabouts.[EITAL][ITAL][HDNG]NOS and REQUIREMENTS:[EHDNG][EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Humanities[EBOLD] 1,198 22pts[BOLD][PARA]Sciences[EBOLD] 368 18-20pts[BOLD][PARA]Engineering[EBOLD] 38 18-20pts[BOLD][PARA]Soc Sci[EBOLD] 1,443 24pts[BOLD][PARA]Business[EBOLD] 242 22-24pts[BOLD][PARA]Maths[EBOLD] 222 18-20pts[BOLD][PARA]Education[EBOLD] 287 22pts[BOLD][PARA]Medicine[EBOLD] 144 18-20pts[HDNG]LIBRARIES and COMPUTERS:[EHDNG][PARA][STAT][BULL] Books: 500,000 [BULL] Periodicals: 2,000 [BULL] Study places: 660 [PARA]Computer workstations: 560[ESTAT][PARA]2 libraries: the main one in the centre of the campus and the [PARA]Nuffield Library. 60% of students leave[ITAL] if not computer literate, at[PARA]least knowing their IBM from their RSVP.[EITAL][HDNG]CAREER PROSPECTS:[EHDNG][PARA][STAT][BULL] Careers Service [BULL] No of staff: 7full [BULL] Unemployed after [PARA]6mths (1992): 9.8%[ESTAT][HDNG]SPECIAL FEATURES:[EHDNG][PARA][BULL]Almost everybody does joint honours courses (ie more than [PARA]one main subject). On the majority of courses the 1st year is [PARA]spent studying subjects from a variety of faculties. After that, [PARA]students decide what subjects they want to major in. [ITAL]The result [PARA]is that students get an insight into matters they might have [PARA]otherwise completely ignored.[EITAL][PARA][BULL]September 1994 sees the start of Keele's semesterisation; 2 [PARA]terms, running from September to January (with a Christmas [PARA]break) and January to June (with an Easter break). [ITAL]Um... big [PARA]difference...[EITAL][ITAL][HDNG]FAMOUS ALUMNI:[EHDNG][EITAL][PARA]Bamber Gascoigne ('University Challenge' presenter and writer); [PARA]John Golding MP (Lab); Jack Straw MP (Lab); Adelaide Tambo [PARA](ANC official); John Taylor (failed Tory candidate, GMTV lawyer).[HDNG]FURTHER INFO:[EHDNG][PARA]Prospectuses for undergrads, part time and full time postgrads [PARA]and course leaflets. An Alternative Prospectus is available from [PARA]the SU for 35p.
