h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

As a current undergrad I can probably give a little information on this.
The University of Newcastle upon Tyne began life as an offshoot from Durham called Kings College and Armstrong College (I think). These still form the oldest bits of the uni and the stained glass in Kings Hall has the Durham coat of arms. Anyway it became a university in its own right sometime around 1900 (I can't remember the precise date). Newcastle students are the only students in the whole country who actually own their union building cos some dude gave it to us. This means all the money made in it goes to improving student things and none in rent type stuff to the uni. The unions pretty good, depends obviously on music taste etc. but the Mens bar has good drinks deals. Important note - the Mens bar is not just for men and never has been - its named after the latin motto 'Mens Agitat Molem' which translates as 'Mind Over Matter'. Theres loads of societys and clubs, especially sports ones and the rocksoc is exceptionally good. I can't remember precisely how many students are here but its a pretty big uni and the student population in the city is large because of Northumbria Uni and various colleges. Unlike many other cities, Newcastle and Northumbria unis seem to get on reasonably well and only really compete in sports. The city is good, pretty cheap because its so far north and you can normally get good deals. Recommended drinking holes (the staples of student life)are Dobsons and Madisons for cheap trebles, Goose for cheap doubles, Trillians for exclusively rock music, Shearers (attached to Newcastle Uniteds ground - St James) for cocktails, Hancocks on pound a pint nights, Trent House Soul Bar for non club/chart music and more unusual makes and go to its sister club world hq for nights ranging across a whole spectrum. Footy is huge in Newcastle and you will be trampled to death by rampaging hordes of black and white striped people before and after a match if you are going in the wrong direction. Word to the wise-NEVER insult Newcastle United infront of a Geordie if you want to get away with your life. Incidently, Geordies get there name from a type of mining lamp that was used in the area. newcastle is a cheap place to live. if you know where to go (ie the market etc.) you can have a lot more money to spend on nice things. oh and Newcastles pretty respected as a uni so youll get a decent degree from here.
From my personal experience Newcastle is excellent for music - 4 courses - Popular/Contemporary, Folk (only one in England I think, in the British Isles second only to the uberexclusive Limerick), BA (the 'normal' Music degree) and BMus (same as BA but 4 years with third year abroad). The reasearch rating is v.good, its been awarded centre of excellence etc. etc. All the courses crossover which is great and the 'normal' degree is not traditional, focus is very much on the twentieth century and beyond and you are very much encouraged to explore all musics, in fact musics of other cultures/traditions is basically the foundation of the courses (it is called the International Centre for Music Studies). You can of course spend a lot of time studying Haydn if you want to but you will be forced to do a couple of compulsory modules in contemporary culture and ethnomusicology, which of course gives a broader outlook. This is maintained in the BMus which makes you go and study music in another culture (and if you really want, another language). Oh and the folk degree is taught at the Sage concert hall in Gateshead.
Even if music isnt your thing, go to the Sage. It is amazing. the acoustics are wonderful. and it is full of slightly oddly shaped things and a big blue glass fence thing.
anyway i think id better leave some of newcastle for people to discover.

oh i forgot to say where it is. its bang in the middle of the city centre. shopping streets are literally over the pelican crossing from the campus. accessible by train (about 20 mins walk), bus (1 min walk) and metro (across the road). also airport but youll need to get a taxi or metro. btw metro is brilliant, goes all over the twin cities of newcastle and gateshead and out to sunderland and whitby bay so you can go to the beach quite easily.

Great stuff - thanks for that, SR. It's good to have info from a current student.

The University originated as the College of Medicine, established in 1834, and became a college of Durham University in 1851. In 1963 it became independent from the University of Durham.

University website: http://www.ncl.ac.uk
Students' union site: http://www.unionsociety.co.uk/

Has an award-winning student newspaper called The Courier: http://www.unionsociety.co.uk/main/media/thecourier/

Nice list of famous alumni: Kate Adie, Rowan Atkinson, Bryan Ferry and Dr Miriam Stoppard.