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Heriot-Watt UniversityTSR Wiki > University > Choosing a University > University Guides > Heriot-Watt University
Heriot-Watt University is a university primarily based in Edinburgh, Scotland, with additional campuses in Galashiels, Stromness and Dubai. The eighth oldest higher education establishment in the UK and a university since 1966, today Heriot-Watt has around 6500 undergraduate students.
FacilitiesLibrariesHeriot-Watt University Library covers all the subjects taught in the University - the major scientific and engineering disciplines, management, languages, and textiles and design. It has an extensive range of books and journals, and provides access to a large number of ejournals online. It has wireless internet access on all floors and two bookable rooms for group study. The main subjects covered are: • Accountancy and Finance • Actuarial Mathematics • Biochemistry • Brewing • Building and Estate Management • Business Law • Business and Management • Chemical and Process Engineering • Chemistry • Civil Engineering • Computer Science • Economics • Electrical and Electronic Engineering • Languages - with particular emphasis on interpreting and translating from Arabic, French, German Spanish and Chinese • Marine Biology • Mathematics • Mechanical Engineering • Microbiology • Offshore and Petroleum Engineering • Physics • Planning and Housing • Textiles IT and ComputingAll computers in University buildings are run on a network called PC Caledonia. There is at least one PC Caledonia lab in each academic building, and over 100 computers connected to the network can be found in the library. All university accommodation has free internet access for residents which runs externally from the PC Caledonia network. SportsThe campus is renowned for the quality of its sports facilities, which include three sports halls, numerous playing pitches, squash courts, gyms, a Sports Medicine Centre and Performance Laboratory, and a Sports Academy.Used by students, staff, and members of the local community, the Sport and Exercise Centre also assists students on campus studying Sports Science. Heriot-Watt’s Sports Academy is used extensively by Hearts Football Club.
WelfareHeriot-Watt University Student Welfare Services provides students with support, advice and information on accommodation, funding and a range of personal and disability issues. They also offer a professional and confidential counselling service which covers personal matters, support and train the campus wardens and offer support and professional advice to staff when they are concerned about a student’s mental health or personal circumstances. HealthcareThere is a medical centre at the main campus where students without a local GP can register for NHS medical care. Students can register with the medical centre when they accept their offer to come to Heriot-Watt or when they enrol to their course. ShopsThere is a student shop located in the main university building selling food, toiletries, cleaning products, newspapers, stationery, alcohol and Heriot-Watt branded items including hoodies and gifts. There is also a Blackwell's book store located on campus. While this may not be the cheapest place to buy books, it does stock all the academic books that every course at Heriot-Watt uses making it a reliable place to find the texts students need.
RestaurantsElements An on-campus space incorporating café and bar, Elements offers a range of food including sandwiches, cakes and snacks weekdays from 8.30am to 3.00pm. Central Dining Room The dining room offers breakfast, lunch and dinner through the week, and serves breakfast and snacks at weekends. It opens on weekdays from 7:30am to 10.00am for breakfast, 11.45am to 2.00pm for lunch and 5.15pm to 7.00pm for dinner, and from 8.30am to 7.00pm at weekends. The Piece The Piece sells a range of both snacks and drinks and is open weekdays from 8.30am to 8.00pm. Café Brio Café Brio is a coffee bar that offers both hot and cold snacks alongside a lunch selection that includes homemade soup, baked potatoes, toasties and paninis. Open weekdays from 8:00am to 5.15pm. Dewey’s at the Library Dewey’s is a coffee bar on the main library’s ground floor that serves hot drinks and snacks throughout both semesters. Open weekdays from 9.00am to 7.00pm. Da Vinci’s at the Postgraduate Centre A café bar on the Postgraduate Centre’s ground floor, Da Vinci’s offers hot and cold drinks alongside soup, baked potatoes and paninis. Open weekdays from 8.30am to 3.30pm. The Bistro at Edinburgh Business School An on-campus restaurant, The Bistro serves lunch prepared by an award-winning chef between 12:00pm and 2.00pm and is open from 9.00am to 3.00pm on weekdays. Liberty’s A student-run café bar, Liberty’s serves soup, rolls and sandwiches until 3.00pm. It also serves a variety of hot and cold drinks, and provides wifi free of charge. Open weekdays from 9.00am to 6.00pm. BanksThere is a Royal Bank of Scotland branch with ATM located on campus. Other ATMs include an Alliance and Leicester machine in the Student Union and an independent machine at the main entrance. Part time jobsHeriot-Watt’s Careers Service advertises part time jobs through its Careers Direct service, which also highlights opportunities for graduates of the university. The service provides automatic email updates when new part time jobs arise, and also allows students to search for work experience, internships and volunteer opportunities. TransportThe 25 and 34 Lothian Bus services run every 15 minutes between the Campus and the City Centre. The N25 runs the route of the 25 through the night, which is good if you are coming from a night out in the city centre. Careers serviceHeriot-Watt University has a Careers Advisory Service that provides impartial and confidential careers advice and guidance to students and graduates. They help students to identify career goals and to develop the skills required to find employment. Religious facilitiesHeriot-Watt University has a Chaplaincy which is open to everyone and welcomes those who are religious and those of no faith. It is used by students, university staff, external groups and conferences. The Chaplaincy is mainly aimed at Christians, with events throughout the week, a full-time Chaplain and several part-time Chaplains from various Christian denominations. Freshers are sent a leaflet containing this information and listing external contacts for Jews, Buddhists, Sikhs, Hindus and Muslims, although other religions are not acknowledged. In addition to events for Christians, the Chaplaincy has activities for international students and a group for wives of international students. Heriot-Watt also has a designated Muslim prayer room where Muslim students can pray each day and where meetings of the Muslim society are often held. Heriot-Watt Discussions
SocialBars, pubs and clubsGeordies A student-run bar, Geordies serves hot food alongside both alcoholic and soft drinks and is open 24 hours a day. Zero° A student-run venue, Zero° is Heriot-Watt Union’s main entertainment venue and plays host to several club nights, bands and comedians throughout the year. EventsHeriot Watt Union runs events such as Pub Quizzes as well as organising both nights and acts at the Zero° club on campus. Heriot=Watt’s student societies also organise their own events, which are usually open to members and non-members alike. There is also an active student Raising and Giving group at Heriot-Watt, which puts on a variety of events to raise money for charities. Clubs and societiesHeriot-Watt has over 40 official student societies that cover study, sport and other interests such as film. The Union has a paid activities officer who promotes societies that already exist and encourages new ones to be created. AccommodationAccommodation policyAt Heriot-Watt’s Edinburgh Campus new full-time students are guaranteed a place in accommodation managed by the university. To qualify future students must have an unconditional firm offer to study at Heriot-Watt and apply before the closing date, which for the 2012 intake is 5.00pm, 22 August. While this guarantee does not extend to part-time students, students present for less than a full academic year or students on exchange programmes, the university will offer advice on finding alternative accommodation to those not offered a place on campus. FacilitiesResidencesAt Heriot-Watt University, there are three different types of Residences within the main Edinburgh Campus, all self-catered: en-suite rooms, rooms and flats. The University offers accommodation to first year undergraduates and postgraduates, and normally group them together by interests and sometimes by courses depending on what they put on their application. En-suite rooms There are five separate halls which have en-suite facilities: Robert Bryson, George Burnett, Robin Smith, Lord Thomson and Lord Home. Each room has a desk, wardrobe, bed and radiator. These halls have kitchens shared by four or five people in a corridor, and have facilities which allow students to cook their own meals. Each kitchen has a fridge, freezer, cooker and kettle, with students having to provide all other cooking facilities. Rooms The only non en-suite hall is Leonard Horner Hall (which I live in - the editor of this article :P ). There are four blocks: A, B, C and D. Block A is the Conference Centre, which has around 30 bedrooms which are let out to visitors who visit the University for conferences. Block B, C and D all have around 60 rooms spread over three floors. There are 10 rooms in each corridor, which contains two kitchens to share between five people. There is also a bath and shower room which the whole corridor shares and a separate toilet for females or males within that corridor. The kitchen is the same as the ones in Self-catered en-suite halls, but probably a bit bigger! Within each block there is a TV lounge, where people can chill out after lectures and just hang out with fellow people who live in the halls. Flats According to the Heriot-Watt site, there are three different blocks of flats: Caddon, Ettrick and Yarrow. Each flat is fully furnished and most consist of one twin bedroom with three single bedrooms, an area combining kitchen, dining room, and lounge and bathroom facilities. I've never seen these flats, but seen signs for them!! Private sectorMany Heriot-Watt students live in private accommodation throughout Edinburgh, with popular areas including those nearer the university such as Haymarket, Dalry, Gorgie, Chesser and Sighthill or nearby suburbs like Currie or Juniper Green. Student unionThe Heriot-Watt Student Union aims to represent students both on and off campus, and participates in both day-to-day student life and national activities. The Union is a democratic body, and elects student representatives on a yearly basis so that it may run in the best interests of the students it represents. PricesEn-suite rooms cost £109.13 per week, rooms cost £90.60 a week and single rooms in flats cost £76.20 a week, with large rooms costing £90.54. All costs are inclusive of internet, heating, power and personal effects insurance of up to £3000 and an individual item value of £100. EnvironmentArchitectureIn 1969, the land for Heriot-Watt's current Edinburgh campus was given to the University for one penny and it began moving there from its previous location in 1971. Because the campus is located in a green belt, buildings cannot be more than 4 stories high. The styles of architecture range from angular brown brick buildings to grey box-like structures. The newer buildings, such as the self-catering residences, have a more uniform appearance. Local areaHeriot-Watt's main campus is located at Riccarton, on the western edge of Edinburgh. Due to its green belt location, the campus has a lot of trees and grass, making it a pleasant place to be. In sunny weather, many students like to sit on the grass outside the Union with their drinks and sometimes music is played over the outdoor speakers. The area gets very busy and has a great atmosphere. Another popular place to sit is the Sunken Garden, the large grassy area behind the library. The campus also has its own loch, complete with swans. Other wildlife includes squirrels and many rabbits. The northern part of the campus is the Research Park, where private companies can set up research departments, though this area is mainly empty so there is currently a large grassy expanse between the few research buildings and the university itself. Teaching qualityApplying to Heriot-WattThinking of applying to Heriot-Watt University? Why not read some Personal Statements which were used for applying here? Other Heriot-Watt ArticlesWhy not read these other Heriot-Watt University Articles? Links |
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