30,863 discussions, 145 guides
Dundee University
30,863 discussions, 145 guides
Dundee University
University of Dundee
Dundee
DD1 4HN
Scotland
Tel: (0)1382 344 160
1967
Student Times
The Student Times is the DUSA newspaper which is produced every three to four weeks. It relies on students getting involved...and plenty do...to keep it updated on whats going on, and who doing what to whom. For anyone interested in journalism it is an excellent start, looks great on your CV and you might even learn something!
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.
Sir James Black - Nobel Laureate, Medicine
Brian Cox - Actor
George Robertson MP - (Labour) Secretary General, NATO
Sir Robert Horton - Chairman, Railtrack plc
Eric Sanderson - Chief Executive, Bank of Scotland
DUSA (Dundee University Students Association) seems to have a fixation with long bars. It is claimed that the Liar Bar has the longest bar in Europe, but we are not entirely sure if this is true! It is a doughnut shaped bar named in honour of a book by the former rector, Stephen Fry, and is incredibly popular and often packed.
There are also three other bars: Pete's Bar, which also happens to have a long bar, plays host to Association Ents. nights and is open until 2:30am Friday and Saturday. There is also a multitude of cheap beer.
Tav's Bar is a bit more sophisticated, and its clientele are more likely to discuss the current economic climate in Mongolia, than the latest football scores. However, it opens everyday at 10am and holds its own when compared with the Liar Bar.
Mono is the Association's club venue. Refurbished in 1999 it remains one of the most popular and cheapest nights out in Dundee. Mono II is on the way as part of a big money refurbishment plan.
Functions are run every night and are pretty varied. The gimmicks tend to change, but the music never does. This is especially true on the free nights.
The Union tends to hold the acclaimed DoThisDoThat! Night every Saturday fortnight. This is wildly hyped and hotly supported. At Christmas, the societies who can afford to, hold some function to mark the occasion. However, most major events tend to be held during the Summer term. The Union works on the theory that most students seem happy just to get wasted in the Students' Union every couple of days. Admittedly, it is where most people do meet up at the beginning of the night but there isn't exactly a proactive effort to provide the big night out many students are looking for.
The number of societies at Dundee is disappointingly low. In the past, many have complained of underfunding to little or no avail. So few new societies have been created. This is where the Union has failed students the most. There are a range of societies which exist to cater for a diverse range of interests on paper but they are often largely inactive. Political Parties, English Lit and sports societies are covered. However, The main societies, which receive the lion's share of funding, are the University Drama group the Lip Theatre Society, the Student Times and the Debating Society. Law students and Medics have genuinely benefited from well-run independent student societies which successfully organise events and discounts for their students. The International Students Society also does well.
Queens award for Enterprise 2004, awarded to the centre for energy petroleum, mineral law and policy in the international trade category. Well Done!
A significant proportion of students arriving at Dundee are local and prefer to stay at home, thus 90
University accommodation is a mixture of university owned flats and five halls of residences. Belmont Hall, West Park, Wimberley, Peterson and Seabraes each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Students in their first year at Dundee who request a place in halls before the deadline will be reserved accommodation.
In terms of proximity for students on the main campus, Belmont, Seabraes and University owned flats are ideal. For students on the medical campus, Wimberley is more convenient, the site, purpose-built for students, consists of 35 houses, accommodating 210 residents. Each house is a self-contained unit and consists of 6 small single bedrooms, a kitchen, shower room, toilet and lounge or sitting area. West Park and Seabraes offer the best range of facilities with en-suite accommodation and room phones in West Park Villas. Belmont is located centrally on the main campus, adjacent to the University Institute of Sport and Exercise, squash courts, tennis courts and Swimming pool and yet is only 10 minutes walk from the City centre. The Students Association and the Chaplaincy Centre are also close by. Most complaints centre on the quality of food in catered accommodation, the difficulty of adequate compensation under hall insurance (Private contents insurance is cheap and highly recommended), and Peterson rooms being far too small. It should also be noted that Peterson is strictly non-smoking.
In terms of cost, university hall accommodation is relatively expensive with few able to justify the premium. However, University flats are incredibly good value if gross costs are taken into account. The facilities tend to be better maintained and many have found it to be an incredibly shrewd choice.
Private housing is in abundance, and rents are particularly cheap for the UK. To avoid unscrupulous landlords, use the Universitys own residence office. Flats and houses vary substantially but most are very spacious, in good areas.
The main campus is a short walk from the City Centre. Architecturally, there is a mixture of old, new and poo. The psychology departments extension has been completed but the Students' Union building is proof that architects have a sense of humour.
The city overlooks the beautiful River Tar. Recent developments near the University include a revitalised cultural quarter and the Overgate Shopping Centre. Dundee isnt exactly a tourist magnet so prices (and wages) tend to relatively low.
The local area is in the lowest insurance band rating, and this is just one reflection of the success of council-police community safety initiatives. The city itself is kept relatively clean and is generally calm.
Regular bus services are part of a good transport system. The close proximity of students to the town centre and the campus means that there is never too far to travel. Commuting between cities is best done by train and the railway station is conveniently close to the main campus. There is an airport with daily flights to England for those who really want to escape.
Socially, clubbers will benefit from the saturated market. Mardi Gras is the premier nightclub in Dundee, however, there are several others that prove popular amongst students. The Unions Mono venue hosts the nationally acclaimed and deservedly phenomenally successful DoThisDoThat! night.
Live music has also been revitalised, triggered by the two pubs- The DogHouse Bar and the West Port Bar who have scooped some of the best up-and-coming talent. Classical music aficionados will be delighted by the Caird Hall Concerts and outstanding jazz concerts can be found at the Rep and DCA venues.
There are a few upmarket venues in Dundee. Amongst the most impressive are Dundees Rep Theatre, Cul-De-Sac, DCA and Yates. Yates is particularly affordable. In fact, most pubs seem to compete directly with the Students' Union, offering better pints and better value. Like all city centres, Dundee has its fair share of places to eat out. For students, the best value will be found at Leonardos, Cul-De-Sacs and the pubs. The Globe, West Port and Doghouse are very welcoming towards students. Dundee is not a big city, however, it has successfully laid claim to the best aspects of living in one.
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.
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.
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 isnt a barrier to study here. The local area of Dundee is also particularly well equipped for people with hearing difficulties.
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 Ninewells kiosk in the hospital. Serviced by John Smiths 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.
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.
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.
DUSA run a free night bus every night of the week from 10pm until the last person is delivered home!! How nice of them!
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 its 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.
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.
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 Dundees 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.
For issues of health, finance and legal matters, there is a Student Advisory Service, Counselling Service and the Chaplaincy. Overall its important to understand that complaints are taken seriously, and people will act if your welfare is genuinely threatened.
