University of Glamorgan
Created | Updated Sep 8, 2006
Located in what can only be described as Wales, situated in the small mining village of Trefforest in the heart of the Rhondda1 Valley, the University of Glamorgan offers you education in an attractive, if generally rain-soaked, South Wales village. If you're looking to get about as far away from your parents as possible2 and have a crack at further education at the same time, this might just be the place for you.
Location
The little Welsh town of Trefforest is built on the banks of the river Taff3, and is about 20 minutes north of Cardiff, either by car, from the M4, or by rail. Trefforest station can be reached direct from Cardiff Central, which is itself in a direct line from Paddington via Bristol, Newport and, of course, Swindon. Trefforest Station is situated right at the foot of the campus. You will find that if you go straight up the valley until you collapse from exhaustion, you are probably there. The Halls of Residence are, in the main, about five minutes further up. The University has displayed its fondness for law students by putting the Law School over on the other side of Trefforest, along with the Law Learning Resources Centre and the Welsh Institute for Health and Social Care. In an effort to make the Lawyers feel less rejected, the University has started work on their School of Creative and Cultural Industries in Cardiff.
The Campus
The campus is sufficiently well equipped that, if you were really lazy4, you'd hardly need to leave. As well as the pubs and entertainment in the Student Union, you will also find the building has a post box and a cash machine. The building also houses a laundrette, although there are laundry facilities you can use yourself at the top of the campus. The Union building is right next door to the purpose built sports centre. Including its own gym, the centre has various membership rates, depending on how much you want to spend on pretending to be fit.
Further down the slope, you will find the campus shop, which also has its own post box, and also houses a branch of a well-known students insurance company5, as well as a very small travel shop. Just a skip, a jump and a trip along the slope (rather than down it) you will find the refectory, where you can buy and, if you're that way inclined, eat, food. 'H' block, one of the main teaching buildings, houses a coffee shop. There is a second coffee shop in 'J' block, opposite the computer suite, which is open 24 hours a day during term time, and has, of course, internet access throughout6. Walking from coffee shop to coffee shop you will also notice there is a bookshop on campus. If you're a bit above paying for stuff, the Learning Resources Centre7 has lots of books, as well as computers, videos, journals and loads of other academic material. The Campus also has its own, albeit small, health centre.
Things to see and do
Nobody is for a moment suggesting that you should relinquish a second of valuable studying time for the purposes of your own amusement, but if your lecturers should prescribe some compulsory down time because you've just been working too hard, there are plenty of options.
History
If history is your thing then not only does the degree course come highly recommended but you have chosen an area with a rich cultural history. Wales has, thanks largely to years of occupation by the English8 an impressive display of castles. You can easily get to Cardiff Castle by, well, going to Cardiff. From there it is a long and slightly scary but very much worth it train ride to Caerphilly Castle where you can awe at the functioning replica catapults and marvel that the wall hasn't fallen on you. For more Guide related castle info see Some Great Castles of Wales.
Culture and Drinking Stuff
If what you're really after is alcohol9 then you will be pleased to hear that, although the Student Union has rather cruelly installed steps, once you navigate them you will find a bar. More good stairs related news is that if you emerge from the first bar and fall down the interior stairs you will find another bar. Hooray! This is Smiths, which hosts various discos, Comedy Nights and other fun events. The Student Union organises regular bus trips to nightclubs in Cardiff. You can also take the short train journey to the capital for a variety of entertainment venues including St David's Hall and, of course, The Millennium Stadium where, unless Wembley Stadium has miraculously been built, you can see the FA Cup Final.
Pontypridd
Ponty, birth place of Tom Jones, will quickly become your Mecca, in the sense that you can play bingo there. Sadly, the Wimpy is no longer there, but there are plenty of shops and supermarkets just a short train ride away. Incidentally, if you see the guard at one end of the train, get on right at the other end and you might be able to get off before he gets far enough to sell you a ticket10. Pontypridd has a nice park you can stroll in when the weather is nice11 and a river you can be sick in, if you want.
Accomodation
In the old days there used to be catered Halls of Residence at the foot of the main campus, to allow for people who were too lazy to either walk all the way up a hill or indeed do any of their own cooking. These lackadasical types have been got rid of and the University has left itself with two halls of residence (well, each 'hall' is many different buildings, but let's not get bogged down with linguistics).
Glamorgan Court
The highest buildings on the Campus, the Glamorgan Court buildings are the most modern addition to the Halls of Residence. These are buildings with seven sets of flats per buidling, each set is equipped with a kitchen with a single sink, fridge/freezer, oven, table and chairs. There are six rooms (all en-suite) per set. Some basic maths will tell you, then, that the number of students housed in every building is 42.
Neuadd Philip Evans / Philip Squire
Don't ask what 'Neuadd' means. These buildings are slightly older, but are still basically modern, purpose built facilities. In these buildings, the showers and toilets are communal, although they do have a lounge in each building with a TV. 'Neuadd' may mean, 42, but it is unlikely12. Whether that matters is up to you.
Getting There
If you follow the stairs that lead you up to the refectory you will find yourself in a small seating area. To your left is the refectory, ahead of you is a flight of stairs leading to some more stairs13. Ignore those routes. To your right is a small path heading off into the trees. It will bring you, via a small, quiet clearing with a fine view over the campus, to the Glamorgan Court area. It is a nice alternative route to the top of the hill when the weather is dry.
Off Campus
According to the University, there is an extensive range of University-approved accomodation that stretches a mile's radius out from the campus, and which is about five to ten minutes walk away. These are mainly occupied by second and some third year students but you could go straight there in your first year, if you prefer. Rent starts from as little as £35 a week and you can find more details at www.studentpad.co.uk.
Entry requirements and Final Results
This is something of a problem. Obviously this entry could feature the current grade averages and entry requirements for the University of Glamorgan, but then they might well change. Either somebody checks and edits this entry every year14 or we palm the job off on somebody else. Which is much easier anyway. So, if you want to see what this year's answers are, please visit:
The Times Online Good University Guide
who will, or should, have all the latest information on what you have to put in and what you can expect to get out. If you want to know whether they do the course you are after, best visit:
The UCAS Website15
Famous Alumni
Yes, you too could (if you become famous) join this list of exhalted stars. Unsurprisingly, for a Welsh University, they're mainly rugby players. You may have heard of Rupert Moon and Jonathan Humphreys. If you're English, you will doubtless have heard of Michael Owen. Well... he has the same name as a bloke who went to Glamorgan. Who is a Rugby player. The list also includes Olympic Athlete Ian Hamer and entertainer Max Boyce, which speaks for itself.
And Finally
Ah.. the University of Glamorgan. Where they teach you the History of the Welsh in English. Where the bike sheds are at the top of a hill. Where it rains every day except the day you go and have a look round and decide the weather is lovely here. If you have read all this and you still don't want to go that's no problem - just have another drink and read it again...
1 Unless you're Welsh, don't even try to pronouce the place names2 Unless you live in Wales, obviously3 Which, if you're not Welsh, is, needless to say, not remotely amusing. At all.4And why not?5Can't go around advertising on the BBC, can we?6And one printer7 That's library to you and me8 For which they have been very ungrateful9shame on you10If anyone asks - you didn't read that here, right?11i.e. never.12 Actually, it doesn't, it means 'Hall'. Sorry about that13There are always more stairs14Fat chance15UCAS is the central organisation that processes applications for full-time undergraduate courses at UK universities and colleges
