Hannah de Graff Key Skills Communication

Current affairs have always been an area of interest to me, and I would like to further this by taking a degree that incorporates a variety of aspects relating to this topic, such as Media and English. My career aspirations are that upon completion of such a degree to pursue a career in Journalism. This I see as a creative role, with a multiplicity of responsibilities and wide ranging variety on a day to day basis. After researching a number of options, I have selected six relevant courses which appeal to me: Media and Print Journalism The University of Huddersfield English Language Studies with Media The University of Brighton English and Media Leeds, Trinity and All Saints College Journalism and English The University of Salford Journalism Studies The University of Sheffield Multi-media Journalism Bournemouth University

I am going to compare each of these in terms of location, accommodation, local and accommodation amenities, transport and entertainment, and then choose my favourite two. Location Media and Print Journalism at the University of Huddersfield is studied at the Music and Humanities school, close to the centre of the town. English Language Studies with Media, studied at the University of Brighton, is located on the Falmer campus, at the School of languages. Falmer Halls of Residence are ideally situated close by. At Trinity and All Saints College in Leeds, the course is taught at TAS campus, a 40-acre campus six miles from the city centre of Leeds. Compared with the two previous universities, this is the furthest away. Journalism and English at Salford University is studied on the Adelphi Campus, within a mile of the city centre. This is a great deal closer than the college at Leeds. At the University of Sheffield, Journalism studies are taught in the Social Sciences department, five to ten minutes away from the centre. Bournemouth Media School is the location of Multi-media Journalism, two miles from the centre of Bournemouth. Accommodation At Huddersfield, 1,713 rooms are available at the University recommended Storthes Hall Park Student Village and Ashenhurst Houses, which are close to the Queensgate campus. Flats on Halls of Residence at both sites comprise either six or eight bedrooms. Huddersfield University A shuttle bus to and from the University is provided for all students living in the Storthes Hall Park Student Village. Rates start from 54 per week.

Hannah de Graff Prices at Falmer halls of Residence in Brighton are 13 higher than those in Huddersfield, at 67. Each flat contains six to eight bedrooms, the same as Huddersfield. Each room has its own en-suite shower, and residents share a kitchen/communal area, also the same as at Huddersfield. There are nine halls of residence at Leeds Trinity and All Saints College, providing 500 single study rooms. All bedrooms have the option of catered or self-catered services, and en-suite bathrooms. All the halls are a short distance to lectures. Prices start from 59 per week, which is dearer than Huddersfield but cheaper than Brighton. Salford University has almost 4,000 study bedrooms, and

Self catered halls at Leeds Trinity and All Saints College

there are currently eleven choices of accommodation available to students. Kitchen and bathroom facilities are shared, and there are catered and self-catered flats available. Laundrette facilities are situated on the ground floors, and internet access is also available, which would be a suitable way to keep in touch friends and family. Prices start from 43.61, which is cheaper than all other accommodation so far.

Fifteen different self catered accommodation options are available at Sheffield

University, with 2,000 rooms. Prices start from 49.14 per week and rise to 63.49 per week. Catered accommodation, with 2,867 places, is also available.

Bournemouth Universitys Halls of Residence can house up to 900 hundred students. Price in the Student Village start from 68 per week, which is dearer than all other accommodation from the other five universities.

Transport Rail and bus links are a few minutes walk away from the University of Huddersfield. The town is close to many of the major motorways and road routes. Manchester airport and Leeds/Bradford airport are both less than an hour away. Huddersfield is just over an hour and a half away from Grimsby. Therefore I would be able to travel home regularly to visit family and friends. The only downside to this is that I would have to change trains at both Leeds and Doncaster. The railway station is a five minute walk away from the University of Brighton, but with an estimated five and a half hour journey to Grimsby, it would be difficult and expensive to get home often. There is a daytime bus service from the campus to Brighton city centre. A number of bus routes pass Trinity and All Saints College, making it easy to travel into the city centre. The college is situated approximately 1 mile from Horsforth Railway station on the Leeds-Harrogate line. From Leeds to Grimsby, the journey time would be an hour and a half, but it would also mean a change of trains at Doncaster, which may cause problems if there is a lot of baggage. It is a lot closer to Grimsby than Brighton is though, an important factor when deciding upon which universities are my favourites. Salford University's on-campus railway station - Salford Crescent - connects the University to national services via a direct link to Manchester city centre. There is then a direct rail service from Manchester to Grimsby, making it extremely easy for me to travel home regularly. Salford and Manchester have extensive and reliable bus services. The campus is on a main route into Manchester city centre. There is also a Metrolink serivce available. Sheffield is jus over an hour away, and with a direct train from there to Grimsby, it would also be ideal to travel home regularly. Sheffield has regular

Hannah de Graff

buses and trams that run by the university, for an easy way to get to the city centre and back. Bournemouth station is five minutes away from the university, but like Brighton, would be too far away to travel home reguarly, with an estimated six hour journey length. Part of the local transport network, Bournemouth University operates a student-oriented bus service known as Uni Linx. This service operates during term time only and provides transport between our two campuses and extends to areas populated by students in Poole, Bournemouth and Boscombe.

Entertainment Bars, poolrooms, sports equipment and video and games rooms are all on site at the University of Huddersfield. With the centre only a short distance away, there is a host of pubs clubs and restaurants to suit all tastes. There is a restaurant and caf/bar as well as a Student Union bar and small shop on the campus at the University of Brighton. Sporting facilities and a private leisure centre are also on campus. Brighton has favourite high-street stores and hundreds of unique shops to cater for all. Cafes, pubs and bars are all around, and a huge selection of artists and bands perform throughout the city. Leeds boasts a variety of nightlife and culture, as well as shopping and a number of regular sporting events, such as football at Elland Road. The Student Union also hold regular events. Combining a vibrant nightlife full of cafes, restaurants, bars and clubs with a thriving cultural scene of theatres, music and galleries, Manchester has lots to see and do. At Sheffield there are more than 30 cinema screens, some of the best theatre in the country, Meadowhall Shopping Centre, live music to suit all tastes, legendary club life, and many cafe bars. Bournemouth University is surrounded by the natural One of the many bars in Sheffield beauty of Britain's south coast. Bournemouth is probably best known today for its centre - a busy cosmopolitan place, big on entertainment, mainstream shopping and nightlife. Conclusion After researching each of the six universities and all they have to offer, I have chosen my two favourite: Salford University: the university is located close to the centre, with excellent transport to get me to the city and back. There is a direct rail line to Grimsby, which appeals to me because I would like to see family and friends regularly. The accommodation in Salford is the cheapest I have looked at and there is plenty of entertainment on offer. The University of Huddersfield: accommodation rates are, like Salford, amongst the cheapest of all six universities, there are good transport links around the area, as well as being close to many motorway and road routes to

Hannah de Graff take me to other major cities easily. Because the university is close to the centre, it would be straightforward to get there to enjoy the entertainment.