[HDNG]INTRODUCTION:[EHDNG][PARA][BULL] The College is part of University of Wales and students are entitled to use its facilities.[EBOLD][PARA]Swansea, Wales's 2nd largest city after Cardiff, squats on the south coast on the Gower peninsula - the country's 1st designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and [ITAL]a great place to have beach parties[EITAL]. Swansea serves a large catchment area for shops and all that sort of thing. It all started with the Industrial Revolution when Swansea became important as a port - now it has more than 5 miles of harbour and [ITAL]grim [EITAL]industrial development around the outskirts to the north and to the east round the bay towards Port Talbot. [ITAL]The city centre's a bit better[EITAL] - a more modern and [ITAL]not unpleasant[EITAL] selection of slate and stone houses, and brick and concrete shopping malls. Out west is better still, for there, about 21/2 miles out of town, amongst the rolling parkland overlooking the bay ([ITAL]which looks good from a distance[EITAL]), is the University of Wales, Swansea. Its buildings are almost exclusively concrete blocks with concrete paths interspersed with concrete. But the surrounding park is [ITAL]very pleasant [EITAL]and about 350 yards on the other side of the coast road (which runs through the park) is a [ITAL]beautiful [EITAL]sandy beach with dunes stretching into the distance. Meanwhile, the climate's mild but wet.[HDNG]ATMOSPHERE:[EHDNG][PARA][ITAL]Just under half the students live on campus (and, yes, that means just over half don't) which makes the place a hive of hustle and a bed of bustle. It's not a big place, so there's a general air of familiarity. High spirits abound, particularly when the weather warms and fun focuses on the beach - during summer, the surfer T-shirts abound in a million shades of dayglo. Students throw themselves into a range of activities - particularly the Rag. An important bonus is that the people of Swansea brim with Welsh welcome - students mix melodiously with the community and locals often get involved in campus activities.[EITAL][ITAL][HDNG]THE CITY:[EHDNG][EITAL][PARA][ITAL][STAT][BULL] Population: 182,100 [BULL] London: 160miles [BULL] Cardiff: 40miles [BULL] Bristol: 60miles[ESTAT][EITAL][PARA]Although Swansea itself may not be a tourist attraction, the surrounding countryside brings in the holiday trade. They have to be fed and housed and so Swansea does the business. Consequently, there's a [ITAL]good [EITAL]level of tourist facilities as well as all the amenities for the local residents: shops (some open till midnight); 1st and 2nd hand book shops; supermarkets; 3 large shopping malls; banks; a market and a street market once a week; libraries and museums (notably the Swansea Museum). In the summertime, tourists and students descend to bask on the beaches at The Mumbles, the [ITAL]oddly [EITAL]named village on the Gower peninsular 11/2 miles west of the campus.[HDNG]TRAVEL:[EHDNG][PARA][BOLD]Trains: [EBOLD]Direct trains from Swansea station, 3 miles from the campus, to Cardiff, York, Crewe, Shrewsbury and London (ú21.80, 1:27hrs, 1/hr).[PARA][BOLD]Buses: [EBOLD]National Express services to London (ú17.00, 3:40hrs, 5/day), Bristol (ú6.25, 2:05hrs, 3/day), Cardiff (ú3.25, 1:10hrs, 9/day).[PARA][BOLD]Car: [EBOLD]A465, A48 and 5 miles off the M4.[PARA][BOLD]Hitching: [EBOLD][ITAL]Catch a bus to the M4 and then lifts are pretty easy.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Local:[EBOLD] A quick way to spend 60p: catch a bus to the city centre from the campus which only takes 5 mins. [ITAL] The service is good and regular to anywhere that matters though.[EITAL] During the day there are buses every 1/2 hr from the Hendrefoilan Student Village (50p) and from the Clyne Halls (30p) -see below.[PARA][BOLD]Taxis: [EBOLD]Free phone at the campus for students with flammable cash - [ITAL]not as expensive as many places[EITAL].[PARA][BOLD]Bicycles:[EBOLD][ITAL] The hills inland from the coast have some crazy contours, but for the journey between campus and the city centre, a bike's an asset.[EITAL][HDNG]FACULTIES and STUDENT NOS:[EHDNG][PARA][BOLD]Arts[EBOLD] 2,200[BOLD][PARA]Science[EBOLD] 1,300[BOLD][PARA]Engineering[EBOLD] 1,200[BOLD][PARA]Eco/Soc Sci[EBOLD] 700[BOLD][PARA]Law[EBOLD] 55[BOLD][PARA]Health Care[EBOLD] 300[BOLD][HDNG]LIBRARIES and COMPUTERS:[EHDNG][EBOLD][PARA][BOLD][STAT][BULL] Books: 635,000 [BULL] Periodicals: 2,925 [BULL] Study places: 1,255 [BULL] Computer workstations: 250[ESTAT][EBOLD][PARA]3 libraries: the Main Library (1/2 million books), the Natural Science and Chemistry Libraries. Plus departmental bits and pieces.[HDNG]CAREER PROSPECTS:[EHDNG][PARA][STAT][BULL] Careers Service [BULL] No of staff: 7full/1part [BULL] Unemployed after 6mths (1992): 11.1%[ESTAT][HDNG]FAMOUS ALUMNI:[EHDNG][PARA]Donald Anderson MP (Lab); Ian Bone (founder of Class War); Nigel Evans MP (Con); Gwynne Howell (opera singer); Lionel Kellaway (Radio 4 presenter); Mavis Nicholson (TV interviewer); Paul Thorburn (Welsh rugby union player); Alun Richards (writer); Richie and Nicky (Manic Street Preachers).[HDNG]FURTHER INFO:[EHDNG][PARA]Prospectuses for undergrads, part timers and postgrads, from Schools Liaison Office.
