Liverpool John Moores University - In Depth

Founded: 1823 as Liverpool Mechanics' and Apprentices' Library. Became Liverpool Polytechnic in 1970; university status in 1992.

Site: 2 sites in Liverpool city centre (City Campus and Mount Pleasant Campus) and one in southern suburb (IM Marsh Campus).

How to get there: Liverpool well-served by rail (to Lime Street Station; from Manchester 40 mins, London 3 hours), by road (via M6 or M62), by coach (to City Centre Coach Station), by air (Liverpool John Lennon Airport) and sea (ferries from Dublin and Isle of Man). Main sites close to Lime Street and Liverpool Central stations and many bus routes.

Special features: Links to local access courses through the Merseyside Open College Federation. Positively welcomes (and long experience of supporting) mature students with non-standard qualifications or from access courses.

Academic features: Modular framework offers range of subjects, single and joint honours. major/minor degree choice.

Awarding body: Liverpool John Moores University.

Main undergraduate awards: BA, BEd. BA/BSc(OTS), BSc, BDes, BEng, LLB, MEng, MChem, MPharm.

Length of courses: 3 years (full-time); 4 years (sandwich). Extended degree courses 4 years (full-time), 5 years (sandwich).

Library & information services: Learning resource centres on all sites; 700,000 printed monographs, 12,000 electronic books, 6300 periodicals (4000 of which e-journals), 1640 study places. Annual expenditure on information provision, £83 per (FTE) student. Learning resource centres, including library, IT, multi-media, audio-visual centres. Ratio 1:12 workstations to students. Access to IT facilities 24 hours/day; helpdesks in all learning resource centres and help in open access IT suites. Induction to all library and information services for new students; IT skills tutorials, 'next steps' guide, student helpers (widgits) help new students with JMU software.

Study abroad: 6% of students spend a period abroad.

Careers: Information, advice and guidance on career development, training and study support.

Student advice & services: Doctor, nurses, chaplains. counsellors, accommodation office, nursery, disability staff, welfare and money advisers.

Amenities: Scholars bar, Cooler nightclub, Sanctuary cafe, art shop, newsagent, cash machines, leisure centre, gym, advice centre, clubs and societies, bars and SU facilities on 3 sites.

Accommodation: All first years housed; some 3000 places (most ensuite) in halls-style accommodation in city centre or IM Marsh Campus, university or privately-owned. Plenty of houses and flats in private sector, co-ordinated by Liverpool Student Homes (run jointly with other city universities). Halls £53-£78 per week; private housing £40-£70 pw + bills.

Living expenses budget: Minimum budget of £4500 pa (excluding tuition tees) recommended by university.

Term-time work: Workbank based at SU, identifies temp, part-time or casual work on campus and in Merseyside area (and nationwide); traditional industrial, clerical plus IT, design, fashion etc.

Financial help: Total available: £900,000 government access funds (1600 students helped); £30,000 own hardship funds, plus £50,000 fee-remission funds (260 helped); £350,000 own bursaries available. Amounts range £100-02000. Also sports scholarships, course-specific awards. Apply for help to JMU Welfare (Roscoe Court, 4 Rodney Street).

Tuition fees: Home students up to £1200 pa for first degrees (in 2005). International students pay £7300 pa (classroom), £7850 (lab/studio).