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Swansea University
From The Student RoomTSR Wiki > University > Choosing a University > University Guides > Swansea University
 Chancellor: Professor Sir David Williams Vice Chancellor: Professor Richard B. Davies Founded in 1920, the University stands in parkland overlooking Swansea Bay on the edge of the Gower Peninsula, Britain's first 'Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty'. As Wales' second city, Swansea enjoys a full range of social, cultural and sporting amenities and excellent transport links: London is 192 miles away, under three hours by train, and Cardiff, the capital of Wales, is less than an hour away. FacilitiesThe university is split into 10 academic schools – Arts, Humanities, Medicine, Human Science, Health Science, Physical Sciences, Environment and Society, Law, Engineering, Business & Economics. LibrariesLibrary & Information Services at Swansea provides a combined library, IT and Careers service. The main Library & Information Centre on the Singleton campus has over 800,000 books and periodicals, along with a wide range of electronic resources including over 23,000 electronic journals. There are over 1,000 study spaces, almost half of which are equipped with networked PCs. LIS was awarded the Charter Mark in 2006. The Library & Information Centre also has major archive collections, based on the South Wales Coalfield Collection, several papers of Welsh writers in English and the Richard Burton Collection, which was recently donated by his wife, Sally Burton. It is hoped that the collection will form the hub of a learning resource dedicated to the actor’s life and work. Recent developments include a major extension in opening hours (8am to 2am Sundays to Thursdays; 8am to 8pm Fridays and Saturdays), the installation of a Costa coffee pod in the Group Study Area and the transfer of the stock of the Morriston Hospital Nursing Library to the Library & Information Centre. IT and ComputingSportsWelfareHealthcare
ShopsThere are a number of shops available to students at Swansea University; In Fulton House there is a small newsagents / post office, Niche, a newly opened shop, stocking Fairtrade produce, international foods and a smoothie bar, The Travel Shop and a branch of Endsleigh Insurance. Level 2 shop is situated on the second floor of Nelson Mandela/Union House selling general sundries, newspapers, alcohol and a selection of university merchandise. There is also a branch of Spar located in the Student Village.
For those living around the university, there are a number of shops and takeaways in the Brynmill, Uplands and Sketty areas, and a branch of Tesco next to the Quadrant bus station. RestaurantsFor those that enjoy eating out, Swansea offers a wealth of venues that cater for most budgets and appetites. The city centre and Marina area offer a number of chain restaurants, fast-food outlets and independent eateries, however for many students it is not necessary to venture further than St Helen's Road and Bryn-y-Mor Road, where one can experience various foreign cuisines from French to Indonesian, not to mention numerous Indian and Bangladeshi restaurants of varying quality. Uplands also offers a wealth of food outlets; these tend to edge more towards fast-food than fine dining, although the Uplands Cafe deserves a particular mention as a student-friendly venue. Venturing further round Swansea Bay, there are a number of restaurants in Mumbles, as well as the Pub on the Pond in Singleton Park, a favourite for students taking up the "2 for £10" offers, as well as entertaining visiting relatives. Students preferring to stay within the confines of university accomodation can dine in several cafeterias located in Fulton House, a web-cafe in the base of the Callaghan building, or the cafe-bar in the Taliesin Arts Centre. Fast food is available from Le Cafe on the first floor of Nelson Mandela/Union House. BanksThere are branches of most major banks in Swansea City Centre. In addition, students can access a branch of Lloyds TSB in the Taliesin Centre, and find a Lloyds TSB ATM in the foyer of Fulton House. There is also a Natwest ATM available on the first floor of Nelson Mandela/Union House. TransportBright Orange Bus (BOB) services run by First connect the University to the Student Village in one direction and the city centre in the other every 10min during the day, and every 20min in the evenings until midnight. Several other services also run through the uni to Oystermouth, the Mumbles and the Gower. A bus pass can be purchased for approximately £120 a term or £300 a year which allows unlimited travel on all First buses in the Swansea area. The train station is a short walk from the Quadrant Bus Station providing links to Cardiff, London and beyond. Careers servicePart-time jobsReligous facilitiesSocialBars, Pubs and clubsEventsClubs and societiesAccommodationAccommodation policyThree collections of student residences provide accommodation for 2,800 undergraduates (approximately 98% of first year undergraduates are able to gain a place in University accommodation). FacilitiesResidencesAll sites provide wireless Internet access, communal Meeting Rooms and basic amenities: Singleton Halls — provides accommodation for 850 students on the Singleton campus in traditional halls of residence. The halls offer a combination of part (Kilvey, Rhossili and Cefn Bryn) and self-catered rooms (Caswell, Langland, Oxwich and Preseli). A new hall of residence will be built on the Singleton campus, with construction work commencing in Spring 2006, although due to substantial delays it is currently still under construction. The older Singleton Park tower blocks date from the late 1960's - each floor having a kitchen or pantry and communal bathrooms, with the exception of Preseli Hall which includes en-suite facilities. Hendrefoelan Student Village — Opened in 1977, the largest area of student residences at Swansea University, which provide accommodation for 1,644 students. The student village is located 2½ miles away from the Singleton campus, and is made up of a mixture of shared housing and flats, all self-catering. Tŷ Beck (Beck House) — Six large Victorian town houses situated in the Uplands area of Swansea, approximately a mile from the Singleton campus. Predominantly provide rooms for postgraduates, mature students (aged 22 or over) and students with families, as well as overseas exchange students. Formerly the undergraduate residence, Neuadd Beck (Beck Hall). There were previously also halls of Residence — Neuadd Gilbertson and Neuadd Martin — at Clyne Castle. The University also provides a number of houses in Brynmill and Uplands, which are let to both undergraduate and postgraduate students. Private sectorStudent unionPricesEnvironmentArchitectureLocal areaAnd what a location! From the campus you can travel along the sea front to the Marina and the city centre, or to the vibrant old fishing village of Mumbles. Situated between the lively modern city of Swansea and the unspoiled beaches of the Gower Peninsula the location is unparalleled. The Gower ends at the spectacular three-mile beach of Rhosili, which is a mecca for surfers. The south coast also attracts walkers, wind surfers, rock climbers and hang-gliding enthusiasts. The area also provides a natural field laboratory for the University, and field trips to the peninsula are part of life for students studying natural sciences. Alternatively, you can head north to explore the countryside around the Towy Valley, where you will find the dramatic ruins of Carreg Cennen Castle to the south east of Llandeilo, or make for the Brecon Beacons National Park. The park's mountain ranges and huge open spaces provide the perfect setting for walking, caving and climbing. Swansea itself hosts the acclaimed Marina and rejuvenated Wind Street which have given the city a new cultural air, to be enjoyed by visitors both old and new. It is full of surprises, with its pedestrianised shopping centre only a five-minute walk from a promenade along the sweep of the bay. The city has had a market since medieval times and today's permanent covered market continues this tradition, many of the stalls displaying traditional locally produced food. Teaching qualityThe University offers over 529 undergraduate courses and 130 postgraduate courses in subjects ranging from American Studies to Zoology. As well as these full and part-time options the University offers an extensive range of continuing-education programmes and we pride ourselves on the holistic experience we are able to offer our students. With around 10,300 students the University is substantial enough to have excellent facilities, but small enough to have a friendly feel. Applying to SwanseaThinking of applying to Swansea University? Why not read some Personal Statements which were used for applying here? Other Swansea ArticlesWhy not read these other Swansea University Articles? Links | 
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