[HDNG]INTRODUCTION:[EHDNG][PARA][BULL] Formerly Wolverhampton Polytechnic[EBOLD][PARA]It will probably offend every one of Wolverhampton's 266,000 [PARA]inhabitants to say that it's a bulbous mass sprouting out of the [PARA]north west of Birmingham. (For more details about Birmingham, [PARA]see [ULNE]University of Birmingham[EULNE].) From the centre of Wolves (as [PARA]it's called) to the centre of Brum (as it's called) is 13 miles, with [PARA]Walsall, Dudley and West Bromwich in between and no break in[PARA]the urban crush and crawl. Each of these towns in The [PARA]Birmingham Conurbation is distinctly different: for example, [PARA]Wolves is on a hill. It is more residential [ITAL]and has a slower pace [PARA]than Brum itself and is, frankly, more depressing[EITAL]. As for the [PARA]University, Wolves is simply one of its bases. Humanities and [PARA]Social Sciences are based on a campus in Dudley, and [PARA]Education is on the Walsall Campus. And even further flung, is [PARA]the University's Business School in Shropshire near Telford, a [PARA]town of 28,000 souls, 16 miles away.[HDNG]ATMOSPHERE:[EHDNG][PARA][ITAL]Since many students are mature, they set the tone for everyone.[PARA]Many have had to make sacrifices to do their courses and so [PARA]they're enthusiastic about them and committed and happy with [PARA]the break they've got. They're willing to ignore the inconvenience [PARA]of the number of sites. They're making the most of their student [PARA]life, not just workin', but also rockin' an' rollin' an' whotnot [PARA](whotnot includes involvement in the SU which also does its best [PARA]to overcome the split sites). Each site and campus is almost [PARA]completely self-contained and although they have a similar [PARA]atmosphere, they vary is size and amenities. [EITAL][ITAL][HDNG]THE SITES:[EHDNG][EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Wolverhampton Campus:[EBOLD] This is the main campus consists of a [PARA]number of modern buildings. [ITAL]It may not be too ugly, but the main [PARA]building is seriously big and does look distinctly institutional, as if it[PARA]used to be a hospital. Inside, the floors are so clean there's not a [PARA]skirt or trouser leg you can't look up. The reception looks like the [PARA]entrance to a law court or something similarly official and smart.[EITAL] [PARA]Being in the centre of Wolves, it is useful for the shopping centre [PARA]and other civic amenities.[PARA][BOLD]Compton Park Campus:[EBOLD] (1,000 students - Business Studies) [ITAL][PARA]Business Schools always get the best-looking site and this is not [PARA]the exception that proves the rule.[EITAL] This is the leafy smart part of [PARA]Wolves, 11/2 miles from the main site, but connected by public transport.[PARA][BOLD]Dudley Campus:[EBOLD] (1,805 students - Humanities, Social Sciences, [PARA]Continuing Education) 7 miles from the main site, this campus is [PARA]just under a mile from Dudley town centre in a [ITAL]pleasantly [EITAL]green [PARA]suburb. [ITAL]The best things about this campus are the facilities and [PARA]the real ale in the local pubs, but it is not so good for shops or [PARA]transport connections. [EITAL]Dudley itself is a small market town [PARA]dominated by a castle.[PARA][BOLD]Walsall Campus:[EBOLD] (3,403 students - School of Education) 9 miles [PARA]from the main site, this campus is about 3/4 of a mile from [PARA]Walsall town centre -[ITAL] more of a suburb of Brum than a town in [PARA]itself - but is okay for shops and stuff like that.[EITAL] The campus, a [PARA]set of geometric modern purpose-built blocks, also has a few [PARA]facilities of its own for sports and fun.[PARA][BOLD]Telford:[EBOLD] (2,781 students - Business School, Humanities, [PARA]Computing) Out on a limb, this site was set up for students who [PARA]wanted to live and study in their own locality. It's the smallest and [PARA]newest site, but offers most of the courses available elsewhere. [ITAL] [PARA]It's based around a stately home, but is lacking quite a lot by way [PARA]of atmosphere and facilities.[EITAL][ITAL][HDNG]THE CITY:[EHDNG][EITAL][PARA][ITAL][STAT][BULL] Population: 2,200,000 [BULL] London: 105miles [BULL] Manchester: [PARA]75miles [BULL] Bristol: 75miles[ESTAT][EITAL][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][ITAL][HDNG]TRAVEL:[EHDNG][EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Trains:[EBOLD] Wolverhampton Station is 5 minutes walk from the main [PARA]site and operates services all over the country and into Brum: [PARA]London (ú16.50, 2hrs, 1/hr); Birmingham (ú1.65); Edinburgh [PARA](ú27.05); and Bristol (ú12.55). There are also British Rail stations [PARA]at Walsall and Telford.[PARA][BOLD]Coaches:[EBOLD] National Express services to, among other [PARA]destinations, London (ú12.25, 3:40hrs, 6/day), Manchester [PARA](ú10.50, 1:40hrs, 1/day), Edinburgh (ú29.50, 50mins, 1/day) and [PARA]Preston (ú14.75, 2:40, 1/day).[PARA][BOLD]Car:[EBOLD] Wolverhampton, Walsall and Dudley can be reached on the [PARA]M5, M54, M6. The A41 and M54 also connect with Telford.[PARA][BOLD]Local:[EBOLD] The many [ITAL]cheap [EITAL]buses are t[ITAL]he best way of getting [PARA]anywhere[EITAL] and connect with Brum too, [ITAL]although there are the [PARA]unreliable trains too.[EITAL] The University also provides a free, popular, [PARA]but [ITAL]less than dependable,[EITAL] inter-site shuttle bus for staff and [PARA]students, between all the sites[ITAL].[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Bicycles:[EBOLD] Secure bike sheds on the main campus. Unless you're [PARA]Chris Boardman, cycling between the sites is not on.[HDNG]BIRMINGHAM - 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]from where there are 4 Cross-City Line trains every hour to the [PARA]University 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][ITAL][HDNG]NOS and REQUIREMENTS:[EHDNG][EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Art/Soc Studs[EBOLD] 2,414 14pts[BOLD][PARA]Business/Law[EBOLD] 3,498 14pts[BOLD][PARA]Education[EBOLD] 1,466 10pts[BOLD][PARA]Science[EBOLD] 3,398 10pts[HDNG]LIBRARIES and COMPUTERS:[EHDNG][PARA][STAT][BULL] Books: 372,931 [BULL] Periodicals: 3,500 [BULL] Study places: 1,405[PARA][BULL] Computer workstations: 750[ESTAT][PARA]There's a library on each site - including the main Robert Scott [PARA]Library (a 4 storey purpose-built building) - which also houses [PARA]most of the computer service.[HDNG]SPECIAL FEATURES:[EHDNG][PARA][BULL]The Higher Education Shop is a unique advice service for [PARA]people of all ages thinking of going on to higher study (not [PARA]necessarily at Wolves University).[PARA][BULL]The academic year consists of just 2 semesters, from [PARA]October to January and from February to mid-June and about 90 [PARA]modular courses are available.[HDNG]FAMOUS ALUMNI:[EHDNG][PARA]Sir Terence Beckett (deputy chairman, CEGB).[HDNG]FURTHER INFO:[EHDNG][PARA]The undergraduate prospectus and other advice and help is [PARA]available from the Admissions Office.
