The University is situated on three sites each about two minutes walk from the town centre. The main building surrounds a grassy quad and is aesthetically pleasing, or at least more so than a few of the other buildings on campus. It seems that once again a university has fallen foul of 60s and 70s architecture.
The city, however, has just had a facelift, similar to that of Glasgow. It also has a great location on the northern side of the Firth of Tay and is surrounded by miles of beaches and hills. The riverside and port areas of the town have been transformed to attract more visitors and there are some fine historic buildings (and modern ones too) in the city.
The only disadvantage of the location is the fact that it is very far north. The University boasts, "it only takes 1 hour 30 minutes to get to Edinburgh"...but its not bloody walking distance, is it? The area is served well by train and bus (National Express and otherwise), and there is an airport. Once you're in the city there are good transport links and most things are pretty walkable. For essay busting jaunts and excursions a car would be useful though.
The social life locally is good, with a variety of popular pubs and clubs. Current favourite bars for Abertay students are: The Bread - situated right at the heart of the Abertay campus, it is a cosy pub where students retire to after a hard days study, or to watch sport on the big screen. The Nether Inn - rustic interior and a real student favourite. The Beat Bar - cosy music venue. The Pheonix - dark, pseudo-Irish bar, has been a student haunt for decades,
pulls in some excellent live acts. On a sunny day go for Laings with its kick ass beer garden.
Clubs - Mardi Gras - the most popular club,
although commonly known as 'the club the smells a
little like urine' a guaranteed good drunken night out if you aren't too picky. Fat Sams - 'the' club in Dundee, classy to Mardi Gras's commercialness. Glam - fledgling club, changes its name every year or so, terminally unpopular & a bit dodgy say the
students. Reading Rooms - music venue/club, dark dingy metal/punk atmosphere, bring a shotgun on metal nights.
Accomodation is not a problem at Abertay Dundee. There is enough for all the first years that apply, which is helped by the fact that most students (between 55%-60%) come from the local area. The standard of the accommodation is also good, with a mix of modern, purpose-built buildings and converted Victorian terraces. Kitchen facilities are good and are usually shared among 6 or so students.