- Libraries:
- The University operates several libraries across the campus, with special Art, Law, Maths and Medical libraries situated conveniently within their respective facilities across the campus.
The main library and the Law library extend opening hours by the start of the second term.
Cunning Dundee students also use the fabulous libraries of the neighbouring Universities, Abertay Dundee and St. Andrews. The city libraries are also available but are usually useless for the books students need.
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- Computing:
- Several IT suites have been closed and replaced by a mega-suite in the Tower basement of the main campus. The proposals seek to address the complaints of unreliability by discarding the older stock and increasing access (in theory).
IT facilities at Dundee’s main library and the Law Library leave a lot to be desired, and require upgrading as a minimum. There are smaller departmental IT suites, which are usually reserved for postgraduates and teaching.
On the whole facilities are far from satisfactory for most students, in contrast to the provision and support provided for students of other unis nearby. Printing facilities are felt to be excessively costly. Bringing your own computer and printer is strongly recommended.
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- Sports:
- The University manages an extensive range of sports facilities. There are two sports halls, a fitness centre, a swimming pool overlooking the Union and other notable facilities
Outside there are 33 acres of sports fields, including changing rooms, and floodlit facilities. There are four floodlit tennis courts on the campus. Dundee neighbours with St. Andrews, so golfers are well catered for.
Most students gain a lot of satisfaction from the sporting facilities at the University, and the Sports Union has been the hub of plenty of activity.
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- Future Plans:
- An impressive campus building programme continues to develop with key buildings such as the centre for Interdisciplinary Research due for completion over summer 2005.
Work on the new life sciences teaching unit will be complete in September 2006. Other projects due to start this year are the campus green and the new sports facilities on campus and at Riverside which will both be completed by summer 2007.
Early 2006 will see the start of a 2300 metre squared extension to the main library. The new building, due for completion in spring 2007, will house a cafe as well as teaching and meeting rooms. It seems as though, at present, there is a nearly continuous programme of building and development.
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- Disabled Students:
- The University has responded to criticism and feedback over the past few years. There have been a number of minor improvements, especially across the main campus, which will benefit wheelchair users.
The Disability Support Centre may not exactly grab headlines, but the work it does is much appreciated. The advice and support it gives makes sure that disability isn’t a barrier to study here.
The local area of Dundee is also particularly well equipped for people with hearing difficulties.
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- Student Welfare:
- For issues of health, finance and legal matters, there is a Student Advisory Service, Counselling Service and the Chaplaincy. Overall it’s important to understand that complaints are taken seriously, and people will act if your welfare is genuinely threatened.
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- Parking:
- Being close to the City Centre and with such a compact campus, means that there is a serious shortage of parking spaces. Spaces are rationed and there is a permit system in operation, which must be applied for every year. Those who can't get a permit, and that will be pretty much most 1st year students, must run the gauntlet of Dundee's notoriously efficient traffic wardens.
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- University Shops:
- There are four shops operated by the Union across the campus. They have been improved recently. The shops try to cater for the needs of the students in a rush and they are OK price wise too,
The Union Shop – Based in the Central Union building and recently combined with the off-licence. The New College Shop is similar , but on the other side of the main campus. The Art Shop is based in the Art College, rather unsurprisingly, and is a handy point to pick up Art Supplies instead of town. Medics also appreciate the Ninewell’s kiosk in the hospital.
Serviced by John Smith’s and Sons, The University bookshop is incredibly small, and offers few real discounts. Prices are just about competitive though. Recently, it has tried to reinvent itself as a small coffee lounge, this has not been particularly successful.
There is also a Waterstones in town.
Cost conscious students are advised to use the very small 2nd hand bookshop on Perth Road, or rely on the internet to find real bargains.
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- University Bookshops:
- The campus bookshop supplies many of the course reading lists. The prices, however, are regular retail price and there is often a long wait for a rare or out of stock text.
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- Banking:
- A small branch of the Royal Bank of Scotland operates on campus within the Students' Union. Clydesdale, Bank of Scotland and Natwest are also nearby. Students form South of the border should be warned that English banks are not always present in Scottish towns and cities so wait til you get to uni before opening an account.
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- Transport Policy:
- DUSA run a free night bus every night of the week from 10pm until the last person is delivered home!! How nice of them!
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- Green Areas:
- Dundee is a City University, and there are no large parks nearby. There are grassy knolls dotted about on campus though and true to most prospectus photos students congregate here during summer months to discuss lectures, upcoming projects and whether wrestling is fixed.
Belmont Hall has it’s own grassy verges, but given it is also the way home for many late night revellers, I would hesitate to sit in it.
For those who like to walk, the University does manage a Botanic Gardens, but these are fairly out of the way.
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