30,823 discussions, 145 guides
Derby University
30,823 discussions, 145 guides
Derby University
University of Derby
Kedleston Road
Derby
DE22 1GB
Tel: 01332 622222
1851
1278AM D:One The Campus radio station is produced and presented by members of the Radio Society. It offers listeners the usual mix of music, chat, entetainment and university news. Any student who wishes to gain some worthwhile broadcasting experience is more than welcome, although you will have to join the Radio Society for the small charge of £5.
Dusted Is the monthly, student run magazine. It proves very popular and is packed with feature articles, fun and entertainment, pictures and sport. Dusted is compiled by the students, for the students and is absolutely free. You can pick up a copy from any of the campuses and it is also delivered to all of the major student venues.
The University is probably not in too much of a hurry to build too much more. It has already shelled out a cool £40 million in the last five years building great new Halls of Residence. A new Arts Centre has been established through the renovation of an old mill (Banks's Mill). The University has also won grants to build a new Health Research Centre, a new Public Arts Centre, a new Multi-Cultural Faith Centre, and £5million worth of more Accommodation (much needed). From the Union point of view, their subsidiary company Five Toes has just opened the Riverside Fitness Centre. There are also plans for a Students' Union TV station, hopefully to be launched in September 2005.
Cedric Brown - meter reader turned BG chairman.
The Union Arms - Is on the main Kedleston Road Campus, and has recently been refurbished. The bar has a gothic style, a separate games room, sells fresh rolls for the peckish, and has an upper balcony surrounding the lower bar. Good warm up point for a night on the town. Blends - Is a brand new cafe bar that sells speciality coffees, teas and beers. A trendy, stylish hangout from 8am to 8pm, touch pricey, located on Kedleston Road. The Riverside Bar - Located close to the Halls of residence, an easy stumbling distance makes this a popular watering hole for all. Sky TV, pool tables, games machines and hot and cold food all day, makes this the starting point for a night out at the UDSU nightclub venues. Woodlands - The student pub with an Irish Theme, and popular with those living out in the second and third years due to its location. Watch out for the barbeques in the summer and some good promotional nights. Lonsdale Bar - Small relaxed bar characterised by Karaoke and Sports viewing. Mickleover Bar - Provides a (much needed) respite from the nearby library in the form of a relaxing pint or two after lectures. On the other hand, pep yourself up in the morning with some of their teas and a sandwich.
Mondays - Uncut held in the Pink Coconut, and endorsed by the Derby Student's Union. Although banned in Saudi Arabia (haha - ed). Tuesdays - Solid State held in the Union Two and the Late bar. A mix of Soul, Funk, from the sixties, seventies and a touch of the eighties. Free entry. Wednesdays - Spank, £1 entry in Union One for live bands and special promotions. Thurdays - Sweetie - this is only once a month and is a mix of everybody's favorites. £2 entry in Union Two. Fridays - Cloud 9 in Union One, a dance party with the resident DJ's. DoubleDecker held in Union Two host DJs specialising alternative/indie music - The Who, The Smiths, Stone Roses, Beatles etc. As a result it is cheaper to get in than Cloud 9. (ed - risk of musical discrimination here!). The Late Bar sometimes also puts on Technique a happyland fest! Saturdays - Lovebubble is chart and comercial dance, not too cheesy, more Ibiza-like. Sunday - A day of rest (just as well after all that lot). Bars open until 2am on pretty much all nights.
The Student's Union runs a May Ball every year, there is also a large Sports and Societies Ball in March for prizes to be given in respect of various achievements.
Societies are culturally orientated here, but a large section of the societies is devoted towards music and entertainment. Choose Grape and Grain for an especially good hangover - won Derby Uni Society of the Year.
Success in the circa 40 sports clubs seems to be confined to the speciality sports. Snooker were national finalists in Birmingham this year. Karate and American Football are also strong in terms of results. There is even a Polo Club but this could be expensive going!
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Peak Hall - Is probably the cushiest of the halls. Built in 1998, it has ensuite rooms and that form flats of six. The catch is that many rooms will go to higher fee-paying international students. Disability adapted rooms are available here. 5 rooms share 1 kitchen. Sir Peter Hilton - Much the same as above but 3 years older and with more rooms. Nunnery Hall - Same quality as above, in a courtyard format but closer to the city centre and all that that brings. Princess Alice Hall - Also built around a courtyard. There are more study bedrooms to each kitchen than else where (7 instead of 5) but the jazzy common rooms compensate a little for this. Built in 1994. St Christopher Court - Another city centre hall, but inhabited mainly by international and mature students. Nevertheless a very comfortable and convenient hall to get into - with plenty of parking, and a smart and airy common room. Lonsdale Hall - Best location for the Mickleover campus. 16 lodges comprise this development which is an interesting mix of old and new (rather biased towards the new though). One of the Lodges was part of an old hall belonging to Bishop Lonsdale, and houses the UDSU bar, launderette and hall offices. Lovely fireplaces apparently. Lonsdale also offers a 5 day accommodation option for students who don't plan to be around at the weekends, this is of course cheeper and potentially worthwhile. Laverstock Court - 9 lodges, consisting of flats of 7 study bedrooms (with washbasins), a common room and a kitchen. Great city centre location and within spitting distance of the Woodlands Bar. Uttoxeter New Road - A group of Victorian houses that have been adapted for student accommodation, just over the road from Laverstock Court. The houses have a character that makes for a close community atmosphere. Mickleover - Set of grubby buildings that were built in the 1950's for the teacher training college. Lonsdale is a better location for this campus. High Peak College (Buxton) - A slightly weird set-up that is separate from the University itself, that offers part-week occupancy as well as full-term. Rooms have washbasins, share common rooms, laundry and kitchens and occupants may use the College dining hall for a price of course! All in all accommodation is pretty impressive and the result of a five year expansion plan has been comfortable and well serviced rooms (also in terms of connection to phonelines and parking areas).
All the campuses and accommodation are in or close to Derby. Based in the East Midlands, it is the starting point of the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site and is steeped in history. The city itself has a variety of entertainments and shopping on offer and is culturally lively with various museums, an art gallery, theatre and cinema. Traditional and worldwide cuisine can be found in the numerous cafes and restaurants and there is a great selection of traditional pubs that prove even more popular during the annual CAMARA Summer and Winter beer festivals.(Infact it is famed for being the real ale capital of the U.K.) Derby boasts 6 sports centres and has many fine parks and gardens. There are more than 300 areas of public open space in the city, covering over 2,000 acres of land available for everyone to enjoy. All in all not a bad place at all, what with weekly markets and various festivals throughout the year there's always something to do.
University and City coucil are not as phobic of cars as some others further down South. Most Halls of Residence have been built with ample parking space (although in some cases you will need to buy a permit). You may find it difficult however if you wish to drive to lectures in the mornings as space on the campuses is limited. To compound this problem, most Halls are a fair walk from the Academic Departments, so choose your Halls according to your course.
No dedicated University branches, but with the centre of town or a shopping area being not far away from any of the sites, Banking should not be a problem and you will be free to choose the bank with the best package.
Library access is pretty poor, but due to the modernity of the Halls of Residence, access and adapted accommodation is very good. The University runs a proficient disability support and advise service.
UDSU Shop at Kedleston Road Cross between a newsagents, chemist, stationer, confectioner and card shop. It also offers a film processing service. Based in the Atrium
Mickleover Shop Is a smaller version of the Shop at Kedleston Road, but does provide a better selection of snacks. Also sells stationery and is based in the SU block.
Rotunda Essential for the arty base of Derby students, Rotunda is a discount art store for all your creative needs. There are also snacks and other essentials on sale. Based at Britannia Mill
There is a University bookshop that will order in course texts for students. Apart from this the Students' Union runs a second hand bookshop.
The Fizeek fitness suite is to be found on the Kedleston Rd campus, monthly membership costs £13, yearly £90 it is open during week days but to some students disappointment closed at weekends. Apart from that you will have to travel away from the town centre to a new 20 acre sports field site to play team sports. Derby has 6 sport centres many of which offer student membership.
UniBus routes link the main Kedleston Rd campus with the main halls of residence as well as the Mickleover and Ceders sites. The buses go into the city centre and railway station.
This is the land of rolling down and dale, and also home to those dark satanic mills (which are now incorporated into Derby's Halls of Residence. The rolling contours and dry stone walls of the Peak District are just out of town and a very pleasant part of the world when its not raining. The campus itself however is in the city centre which has many trees and green areas.
The Kedleston Road Library looks like one of Lord Rogers space-age fridges, and houses the majority of the sciences collection as well as that of Law, History and Geography. Opening times: a somewhat stingy 08.45hrs to 19.00hrs. Lift access for disabled. In gothic architectural contrast the Green Lane Library houses the Art and Design, Television and Film collections. Opening hours are a bit better weekdays 8.45am to 7pm sometimes 9pm. Poor disabled access In tune with the rest of its campus The Mickleover Library is not a good example of the finest 50's architecture, we have to careful though this is very superficial. It houses the Nursing, Social work, Counselling (etc.. you get the drift) collection. Houses an interesting collection of 19th Century Childrens literature but the opening hours are a measly 9-5. Britannia Mill is Derby's world of fashion centre and houses the fashion, ceramics, jewellery, art history collection. Again 9-5 opening. Lift access for the disabled. Cedars is the learning centre for therapy in all shapes and forms (at least those offered by Derby). Opens 9-5 and disabled access is just as limited. High Peak learning centre is on the High Peak College campus at Buxton, and it houses a hotch-potch of odd collections ranging from hairdressing to travel and tourism. Opens 9-5, but disabled access is good here.
On the whole computing services are pretty good with centres on the four main campuses and 290 PCs in the Learning Centres. Opening hours range from 9am to 9pm to 9am to 7pm. There is also internet access from the Halls of Residence but a fee is payable for this.
The Heath Centre is spread over three sites: Kedleston Road, Mickleover, and High Peak. A University surgery is based at Kedleston Road. The Centre is very student orientated and prepared to address issues such as eating disorders, drugs and drink, emergency contraception, and exam stress. A physiotherapist is also available. There are two Nurseries one at Mickleover and one at Lonsdale Hall. There is also the facility to get legal advice, help with disabilities, there is a hardship fund as well. The Union has an advice centre that will provide support for international students, finance, health, housing, extenuating circumstances and debt.
