[HDNG]INTRODUCTION:[EHDNG][PARA][BOLD]For general information about Birmingham: [EBOLD]see [ULNE]University of [PARA]Birmingham[EULNE].[BOLD] [EBOLD]About a Geoff Capes stone's throw (10 minutes [PARA]walk) from the centre of Birmingham is the Aston Triangle, [PARA]which is really a parallelogram. The 'Triangle' is the modern [PARA]green landscaped campus of brown brick buildings which make [PARA]up Aston University. The campus's [ITAL]more thoroughly modern [PARA]excesses[EITAL] include the [ITAL]startling [EITAL]red and blue glass entrance with 2 [PARA]towering [ITAL]Buck Rogers-style[EITAL] sky lifts on the outside, and inside, [PARA]the 21st century continues. [ITAL]Despite being so compact, the [PARA]campus has room for the Vice Chancellor's Lake.[EITAL][HDNG]ATMOSPHERE:[EHDNG][PARA][ITAL]It's unusual to find a university that's always been a university (as [PARA]opposed to a former poly) that has such a large vocational [PARA]element to its courses. [EITAL] Most courses are linked to careers and [PARA]involve a year on a work placement. [ITAL] This sets the tone for the [PARA]students - they have a heavy work load and are career-minded, [PARA]refined and business-like. Sometimes the University feels as [PARA]much like a training centre as a home for student fun and frolics.[PARA]But still, it's a busy and varied community in a busy and varied [PARA]town with room for all sorts. [EITAL][HDNG]THE CITY:[EHDNG][PARA][STAT][BULL] Population: 2,200,000 [BULL] London: 105miles [BULL] Manchester: [PARA]75miles [BULL] Bristol: 75miles[ESTAT][PARA][ITAL]Birmingham is best known for being ugly and run down - the [PARA]Handsworth Riots and the Birmingham Six (you can still visit the [PARA]pub they didn't blow up - The Tavern in the Town by the Odeon). [PARA]And there's the vowel-boiling accent sent up by everyone as the [PARA]hallmark of the typical ignorant oik and Frank Skinner.[EITAL][PARA][ITAL] But (courtesy of EC cash) Birmingham is on the up, like a [PARA]phoenix rising from the fag ash of the Industrial Revolution, [PARA]coughing and spluttering and spreading brand new space age [PARA]wings.[EITAL] The canals (of which there are more in Birmingham than [PARA]Venice) have been cleaned up. Grotty alleys have been cobbled [PARA]or paved and pedestrianised ([ITAL]and often dehumanised as a result[EITAL]).[PARA]The Broad Street area in the centre now has the New Convention[PARA]Centre, [ITAL]one of the best venues for miles with some of the best [PARA]acoustics.[EITAL] It has the Birmingham Rep Theatre, Ronnie Scotts [PARA]Jazz Club, a new indoor arena and a modern modish piazza full [PARA]of [ITAL]cache [EITAL]cafes and [ITAL]chic [EITAL]shops. Birmingham Museum and Art [PARA]Gallery has the kind of collection (particularly Pre-Raphaelites) [PARA]that turns Lloyd Grossman's drawl into a drool. The Sadlers [PARA]Wells Ballet has moved back to 'Brum' (as those who know it, [PARA]know it) and the D'Oyly Carte Opera has joined them here. The [PARA]Bull Ring shopping centre, [ITAL]the ugliest ever spewed onto Britain's [PARA]streets[EITAL], is destined for demolition and monstrosities are being [PARA]replaced by [ITAL]swish [EITAL]shopping centres like the Pallasades [PARA](incorporating New Street Station), the Pavilions and City Plaza, [PARA]which usually has a man playing Grand Piano at the bottom of [PARA]the escalator. [ITAL]If you haven't got the idea by now, the message is: [PARA]forget your prejudices, Brum is breaking into brilliance. [EITAL][PARA][PARA]Apart from the [ITAL]neat [EITAL]campus, Birmingham centre is [ITAL]quite run [PARA]down and cramped[EITAL], but serious renovation is in progress and [PARA]escape to the city's amenable amenities is easy.[HDNG]TRAVEL:[EHDNG][PARA][BOLD]Trains: [EBOLD][ITAL]Being the belly button of Britain, Brum is brilliantly placed [PARA]for rail links.[EITAL] Inter City links from London (1:40hrs, 3/hr) and just [PARA]about every city in the country all come into New Street Station[PARA][BOLD]Coaches: [EBOLD]National Express services to London (ú9.50, 2:30hrs, [PARA]1/hr), Manchester (ú7.00, 2:20hrs, 8/day), Leeds (ú12.00, 3hrs, [PARA]6/day), Bristol (ú9.50, 1:50hr, 7/day), Cardiff (ú11.25, 2.20hrs, [PARA]5/day), Stoke (ú4.75, 1hr, 7/day) and all over. Also West [PARA]Midlands Travel and London Liner.[PARA][BOLD]Car:[EBOLD] From the north-west and north Wales: M6, M54 and A41. [PARA]From the south-west and south Wales: M5, A38 and A456. From[PARA]London and south-east: M6 (to the M1), M40, A45. From [PARA]north-east: M42 and A38.[PARA][BOLD]Air:[EBOLD] Birmingham International Airport, 9 miles from the campus to[PARA]the east of the city, operates flights to the USA, Europe and [PARA]Ireland as well as inland services.[PARA][BOLD]Hitching:[EBOLD] [ITAL]Well located for branching out to the whole country - [PARA]plenty of traffic and a motorway ring road all round the city as a [PARA]launch pad. [EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Local:[EBOLD] [ITAL]Bus services are very comprehensive, but all too often [PARA]crowded (especially in rush hour).[EITAL] [ITAL] However, while there are [PARA]plenty of services from the outskirts to the centre, it's quite [PARA]difficult to skirt the edge. [EITAL] They run late into the night and are quite[PARA]cheap (65-70p anywhere and ú6.50 for a 2 week pass). [PARA]Overground trains run around the city -[ITAL] they're faster than buses, [PARA]but more expensive and very unreliable. Not worth using, except [PARA]by students who live in Selly Oak.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Taxis:[EBOLD] [ITAL]The cowboy outfits are cheaper than the black cabs [PARA](minimum charge ú2) but when God invented taxis, she wasn't [PARA]thinking of students.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Bicycles:[EBOLD] [ITAL]Routes are juggernaut jungles and a cyclist's life [PARA]expectancy has got to be about the same as James Bond's [PARA]girlfriend's. If a cyclist is lucky, their bike might well get nicked [PARA]first.[EITAL][PARA][HDNG]NOS and REQUIREMENTS:[EHDNG][PARA][BOLD]Eng/App Sci[EBOLD] 1,100 20pts[PARA][BOLD]Life Sci[EBOLD] 650 22pts[PARA][BOLD]Management/Lang[EBOLD] 1,550 22pts[PARA][BOLD]Inter Faculty[EBOLD] 600 20-22pts[HDNG]LIBRARIES and COMPUTERS:[EHDNG][PARA][STAT][BULL] Books: 255,000 [BULL] Study places: 678 [BULL] Computer [PARA]workstations: 670[ESTAT][HDNG]CAREER PROSPECTS:[EHDNG][PARA][STAT][BULL] Careers Service [BULL] No of staff: 3full/2part [BULL] Unemployed [PARA]after 6mths (1992): 8.6%[ESTAT][PARA]Most find jobs, if not with the companies where they did their [PARA]placements, in the same field. 64% go straight into work after [PARA]graduation.[HDNG]SPECIAL FEATURES:[EHDNG][PARA][BULL]The University has 60 bike racks at the University entrance [PARA]and a student Bike Support Group, [ITAL]presumably for abused [PARA]choppers.[EITAL][PARA][PARA][ITAL][HDNG]FAMOUS ALUMNI:[EHDNG][EITAL][PARA]Jeff Rooker MP (Lab).[HDNG]FURTHER INFO:[EHDNG][PARA]Prospectuses for undergrads and postgrads. Alternative [PARA]prospectus from the Guild.[PARA][PARA]
