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TSR Wiki > University > Choosing a University > University Guides > University of Central Lancashire

UCLan is a university based in Preston in Lancashire in Northern England. It was a former polytechnic. It used to have campuses in Carlisle and Penrith too, but they now form part of the University of Cumbria. The university seems to have a good mix of subjects too - some tending to towards the more traditional while others to the more vocational side of things.

Facilities

Libraries

UCLan has a large, 4 storey library, with a variety of resources including books, videos/DVDs, and journals.

The library also has PCs on each floor, all of which are connected to the university network, as well as having printing capabilities.

Books can be checked in/out either at desks, or via the self-service machines, which means that you won't be waiting too long to take out or return them.

Access to the library is granted by use of a student's personal 'Corporate Card', which has a number of functions around the university. This ID card works as your swipe key to enter or leave the library, and any printing within the university relies on credit on the card for payment.

IT and Computing

The university has a high number of computers, working on Windows 7. The computers are equipped with a large number of programs, accessible via a network, to cater for the requirements of all students on any course. There are also now a number of Macs in the new Media Factory for students of related courses, as well as around 14 or so in the library for use by all students.

A number of the computer rooms are open access; some are available 24/7; however, some may be reserved at certain times for teaching purposes. The sheer number of computers however means that it is unlikely that a student wouldn't be able to find one to use at any given time; as they are provided both in high quantity in the library, and also in various other buildings around the university itself.

Sports

The new Sir Tom Finney Sports Centre, on the university campus, provides a number of indoor sports facilities, including – - Fitness Suite: Technogym cardiovascular, resistance machines, kinesis and free weights. - Cardio Zone: Cardiovascular workout area. - Sports Hall One and Two: Badminton, Basketball, Dodgeball, Fencing, 5-a-side Football, Futsal, Hockey, Netball, Rock-it-ball, Tennis and Volleyball. - Studio Red: Circuit, Dance, Hatha Yoga, Iyengar Yoga, Karate, Jiu Jitsu, Legs, Bums and Tums, Spinning, Tai Chi, Table Tennis and Yolates. - Studio Blue: Aerobix, Boxercise, Circuit, Kombat, Kung Fu, Pilates, Salsa, Step, Studio Weights, Tae Kwon Do and Zumba. - Squash Court Just a short distance away is the UCLan Sports Arena which offers a variety of activities and facilities for the community to enjoy recreational and competitive sport. - 7 grass football pitches - Grass Master Desso grass football pitch, the only one in the country available for public use (floodlit) - 3 grass rugby pitches - An 8 lane, International standard athletics track (floodlit) - A astroturf indoor training facility - 6 five-a-side all weather grids (enclosed area) - 1 seven-a-side all weather grid (enclosed area) - 2 full-size all weather hockey and football pitches, with 7-a-side also available - 4 tennis/netball courts (floodlit) - A cricket pitch - 2 cricket nets - A 1.5km cycle circuit, which includes a shorter, junior track - A multi purpose meeting/activity room - A fitness suite, with the latest range of cardiovascular and resistance machinery - A strength and conditioning room equipped with the latest Kaiser machinery.

UCLan Sports Arena is also available for outdoor sports and activities.

Welfare

The Students' Union is actively involved in student welfare issues, providing a Welfare Officer, voted for by the students.

The campus has 24-hour security, available for all security issues. Security can be called via external phones, or for free on the internal line for those living in halls. The university also has its own Emergency line, which can again be called for free internally.

The campus is covered by CCTV, and also subsidises safety alarms, which can be bought for £1 at the campus shop, Essentials.

The 'Take Me Home' scheme, run by the university, allows students who have no money left to call for a taxi on a given number. Instead of paying instantly, a student must then leave their NUS card with the taxi driver, who will deliver it to the university on their behalf, and receive payment. Students can then collect their cards from the reception the next morning upon payment of the cost of the journey.

A free safety bus is also available to collect students from various locations around the university and deliver them home; the bus runs at various regular intervals throughout the night.

Throughout the year, the university runs a variety of campaigns on student welfare issues.

Healthcare

UCLan has its own medical centre on the city centre campus, and once you have registered with a doctor, staff are on hand to offer a confidential service on a wide range of medical matters.

The centre is open 5 days a week, Monday – Friday and you can make an appointment by calling 01772 892598.

It is recommended that students register with the Health Centre upon arrival at the university.

The Health Centre opening times are:

Monday 8.15 – 5.30 Tuesday 9.00 - 5.30 Wednesday 8.15 – 5.30 Thursday 8.15 – 5.30 Friday 8.15 – 5.30

Appointments must be booked on the morning of their requirement; it is recommended that students ring as close as possible to the opening time in order to secure an appointment that day, as appointments cannot currently be booked in advance.

There is no NHS dentist currently accepting new patients in Preston, so it is recommended that all new students go for a full dental check-up before arriving at the university.

There are a number of opticians in Preston City Centre, including Specsavers.

Shops

Preston City Centre contains a variety of shops, suiting many requirements. There are two main shopping centres; The Mall - St. Georges, and Fishergate, as well as a number of supermarkets, and an outdoor/indoor market.

Supermarkets near the university:

• Asda - Not within easy walking distance, but a large supermarket recommended if you drive. Asda is also serviced by the regular number 23 bus route running from the town centre, via the university campus and plungington (where most private student housing is located).

• Sainsburys - Again, not within easy walking distance although well served by the number 19 bus route.

• Iceland - Two stores within walking distance from campus; both approximately 10-15 minutes walk; favoured by a number of students.

• Aldi - At most a five minute walk from campus, again, a student favourite.

• Morrisons - Quite a distance away; it can be walked to easily enough but walking back with shopping would be near-impossible.

Other recommended places for student shopping are Home Bargains and Busy Bee, both not far from the Iceland near the market.#

The university also has its own shops, run by the Students' Union. Essentials/Print Studio sells:

• Sandwiches, Soft Drinks, Confectionery;
• Beers, Wines and Spirits;
• Fresh Fruit & Veg;
• New range of Chinese groceries;
• Wide range of Magazines and discounted daily papers ;
• Huge selection of artist materials and stationery;
• UCLan clothing: from Hooded Tops to Woolly Hats;
• E Top-ups for all networks, and UCLan speakeasy cards.

Restaurants/Eating Out

Preston has a wide variety of places to eat out. Locally are restaurants such as Tango Joes and Chiquitos; but there are also a wide variety of pubs serving food daily. Recommended for students are:

• The Guild - At the far end of campus, this 'student local' has a full menu and provides high quality food. With a Greene Key, students can receive a 25% discount on Mondays and Wednesdays.

• Wetherspoons - Near to the town centre, Wetherspoons provides a real pub atmosphere. Whilst not fully student-orientated there are often a number of students here, and there are a variety of different meal/drinks deals to allow for cheap eating.

Banks/Cash Machines

Preston City Centre (around a 10 minute walk from campus) hosts a variety of banks. There are also a number of cash machines in the city centre; most of which offer free services, and are in suitable places.

On the campus itself, there are currently three cash machines; one outside the Foster Building, one outside the SU building, and one on the far side of the library ( a little more out-of-the-way), which although offering free cash withdrawals, can often be busy; meaning that there may be a queue, and that there is a possibility of the machines being empty.

Transport

Preston is served by a number of bus links. As well as these, there is also a train station (approximately 5-10 minutes walk from campus) allowing easy access to other areas, such as Manchester or Blackpool for nights out etc. There are also numerous taxi services around the City Centre and close to the university itself.

However, unless they have a job further afield many students find that they don't need to use transport often, since everything they need is within easy walking distance.

Careers service

'The Bridge' is the student careers/employment service, located in the SU Building. Open 10am to 5pm, Monday-Friday, the Bridge acts as both a student Job-Centre, and offers careers advice. Throughout the year, they also organise jobs fairs etc.

The Bridge also has a website, providing listings of vacancies online:

http://www.uclan.ac.uk/thebridge

Part-time jobs

Part-Time jobs can easily be found within Preston City Centre, as there are a huge variety of shops willing to employ students for part-time work. Other available jobs include working in local call-centres, which often pay above-average, or, occasionally, working for the university itself, either in a shop or cafe, or taking up a university-based staffing role.

There is a local job centre, and the Bridge can also be used to find student-friendly employment opportunities.

Religious facilities

The university has a few religion-based clubs and societies, representing a variety of religious beliefs and faiths. Should a society not exist for any given religion, students are encouraged to start up their own (provided that they can ensure at least ten members).

As well as clubs and societies, the university also has a multi-faith centre. The description/information below is taken directly from the centre's website:

"The Multi Faith Centre extends a warm welcome to every student, and especially to those new to University. If you are looking for a friendly atmosphere, advice, information or personal support, you will find them at the Multi Faith Centre. The Centre is opposite the main doors of the University Library in St Peters Square. Our doors are open throughout each weekday in term time; the coffee lounge offers a hot drink and a place to relax and meet people in an informal setting.

The Multi Faith Centre exists to encourage members of all faith-traditions or none to develop their spiritual and religious understanding as they themselves develop socially and intellectually at University. The Centre is staffed by a team representing a range of major religious traditions. Members of the team work together to provide a friendly welcome, to offer personal guidance, (religious or otherwise), to give information about places and opportunities for prayer and worship, and to put you in touch with fellow members of your own faith tradition. Several different faith groups meet regularly at the Centre for worship and discussion."

UCLan Discussions

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Social

Bars, Pubs and clubs

Throughout Preston there is a huge range of bars, pubs, and clubs to suit everyone. The venues have a range of sizes, and there are places to suit all musical tastes. Many of the clubs provide student nights, and the university itself has two licensed venues, Source and 53 Degrees.

Source is considered to be more of a 'bar' environment, providing table-seating and a number of 'booths', as well as large TVs showing sports and music videos; however, at night-time the tables can be removed to allow for a dance-floor, where live DJs arrive to provide the night's music.

53 Degrees is the university's club. It has a 1600 capacity, split over two floors, Venue 1200 and Club 400, and provides live music and DJs, as well as hosting comedy nights. For more information on gigs etc at 53 Degrees, visit www.53degrees.net.

Every Thursday is Promo night, where drinks prices are greatly reduced. This is the busiest night for both 53 Degrees and Source, who both provide these drinks offers. Entry to 53 Degrees is £5, or, on Thursdays, £2.50 with an early-bird ticket (purchased before 10pm).

Below are some recommended venues for nights out throughout the week:

Monday: Squires/NYNY - Monday night is student night at Squires/NYNY, two adjoining clubs which provide a wide range of music from 10pm-3am. Entry to Squires is £4, and NYNY is accessible free once inside Squires. Inside the clubs, flyers can be collected which allow half-price entry if produced the week later, before 10:30pm. Throughout the night, Squires plays rock/indie music, followed by chart hits and later more hardcore dance, whilst NYNY is the venue for cheesy pop from all decades.

Tuesday: PR1 - On Tuesday's, PR1 hosts 'Where's Mavis?', an Alternative/Rock/Indie night. Entry to the club is £1 before 10pm, and £2 after, and drinks are £2 all night. Roper Hall - Roper offers a karaoke night on Tuesdays which is popular with students; many of which return every week.

Wednesday: Lava/Ignite - This two-floor club provides a student night every Wednesday. In Lava, Indie and Alternative music is played throughout the night; whilst Ignite plays 'Student Anthems'. Entry is free before 9:30pm, £3 before 10:30pm, £4 before 11pm and £5 after. Selected drinks are £1.50 all night.

Thursday: Source/53 Degrees (Promo) - The SU club is considered to be one of the best venues on Thursday, where the weekly 'Promo' event offers drinks deals (changes each week). Entry into 53 Degrees is £5 (or £2.50 with an early-bird ticket (purchased before 10pm), and a variety of music is played throughout the night often with a live band on the upper-level club. Lava/Ignite - This club is becoming increasingly popular on a Thursday night due to it's new 'Skint' night. Entry here is £1 all night, and the drinks are £1 a night too, so it's great for a cheap night out.

Events

The university itself organises a number of events throughout the year; including a RAG Week where students are encouraged to participate in earning money for charities.

Course-based social events etc. also occur, often yearly, allowing those on the same course, or indeed in the same faculty, to meet up for various activities.

As well as this, students are welcome to, and often do, organise their own events for various reasons.

Clubs and societies

UCLan SU has a number of different clubs and societies. The current list is below:

•American Football - UCLan Rams •Athletics •Badminton •Basketball •Canoe & Kayak •Cheerleading •Cricket •Cycling •Dance •Equestrian •Fencing •Football - Men •Football - Women •Gaelic Football •Golf •Handball •Hockey •Jiu Jitsu •Karate •Kung Fu •Mountaineering •Netball •Rugby League •Rugby Union - Men •Rugby Union - Women •Snowsports •Squash •Swimming •Table Tennis •Tae Kwon Do •Tennis •Trampolining •Ultimate Frisbee •Volleyball

Clubs and Societies are open to all students, many charge for entry (no more than £5 in most cases), but equally offer benefits such as discounts or free events to make up for this charge. The SU holds a ClubSoc fair at the beginning of each year during which students can find out information about, and sign up for, their chosen clubs and societies.

UCLan encourages its students to start up new societies if they would like to. For a new society to be set-up, all that is required is that 10 potential members must visit the Clubs and Societies office together, as proof that the society, when opened, will actually have members.

Accommodation

===University owned and leased accommodation: ◗ Over 2000 rooms on or adjacent to the main campus in Preston ◗ Self-catering halls, in ensuite flats or flats with shared facilities. ◗ Telephones in each bedroom, providing free internal calls and voicemail, and external calls at competitive rates ◗ Free internet access in all University halls ◗ Free IPTV in University halls which gives you access to TV channels through your PC ◗ 24 hour security presence with CCTV ◗ On-site staff to deal with any issues arising out of hours

Where can you live? ◗ Standard flats: apartments with four, five or six bedrooms with shared kitchen and bathroom facilities within the flat ◗ Ensuite flats: apartments with five to seven bedrooms each with a personal shower room. Shared kitchen/lounge facilities within the flat. ◗ Self-contained flats: 50 self-contained flats, each containing 1 or 2 bedrooms of varying sizes

Private student housing We also have a scheme for registering private landlords who offer accommodation to our students. The choice ranges from large, modern 400 bed halls of residence adjacent to the campus to smaller schemes of 70-100 beds, or houses with between two and six beds. All this accommodation is within a 10-15 minute walk of the campus.

Student union

Prices

Drinks at the UCLan Students' Union are fairly priced. As far as non-alcoholic beverages go, you can get a small drink for 70p. Alcoholic drinks vary in price from £1.25 upwards to around £3.00, but there are almost always special offers on.

There are also a number of cheap food outlets, such as Source, where a decent meal can be bought on a budget throughout the day.

The SU shop's prices are about equal to those in an average supermarket.

Environment

Architecture

UCLan is a very modern university, and it's buildings represent this.

Local area

Preston is a very student-orientated city; the local area has everything a student needs, and there is a great deal of night-life and a wide variety of shops available. The campus is located in the heart of the main activity of the city.

Teaching quality

The Teaching Quality at UCLan varies, as no two lecturers are the same. However, the overall quality is high, and students receive all the support they could need.

Assignments and exams are well prepared-for and students feel that they are treated fairly when receiving grades.

Students are advised to speak to either their tutor, lecturer or course reps if they have any issues regarding teaching quality, so that these can be quickly addressed.

Applying to Central Lancashire

Thinking of applying to University of Central Lancashire? Why not read some Personal Statements which were used for applying here?

Other Central Lancashire Articles

Why not read these other University of Central Lancashire Articles?

• Personal Statements

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