Leeds College of Music - In Depth

Founded: 1966.

Site: Purpose-built building in Leeds city centre.

How to get there: Close to coach and train stations.

Special features: Artists-in-residence 2004/05 Dennis Rollins (jazz trombonist) and David Greed (Opera North).

Academic features: New courses in popular music studies and sound design for film and TV.

Awarding body: Leeds University, Open University.

Main undergraduate awards: BA.

Length of courses: 3 years (some 4 years).

Library & information services: 36,000 volumes, 55 periodicals; 50 study places. IT and library services converged. Annual expenditure £42 per (FTE) student. 15 workstations with access to library, 50 to internet. IT facilities open 11 hours/day; IT support from technician 8 hours/day. Introduction to library, library catalogue and specialist software for all new students. Specialist collection: jazz archive.

Other learning resources: Recital room (regular recitals); new state-of-the-art 350-seat performance space; 5 fully upgraded recording studios (5 extra floors of teaching space for 2005 entry).

Careers: Information and advice service; placement service for some courses. Main employment areas are teaching, performance, music sales.

Student advice & services: Funding adviser, 2 student counsellors, 2 welfare advisers, careers adviser.

Amenities: College bar, all the amenities of Leeds.

Sporting facilities: None on campus; use of gym and swimming pool nearby.

Accommodation: 190 rooms (all ensuite) in new block of student flats, next to the college, from 2005. Plenty of privately owned accommodation available, rents approx £53 per week for room in shared house (self-catering); College uses Unipol bureau.

Living expenses budget: Minimum budget of £6000 pa (excluding tuition fees) recommended by college.

Term-time work: College allows term-time work for full-time students (12 hours/week maximum recommended).

Financial help: £30,000 government funds, some 71 students helped (awards £100-£500; average £300). New Alan Hawkshaw scholarship.

Tuition fees: Home students up to £1200 pa for first degrees (in 2005). International students pay £7141 pa.

Past students: Snake Davis (sax player, M People, Lisa Stansfield), Alan Barnes (jazz saxophonist), Andrew Colman (Young Jazz Musician of the Year 1999), Matthew Bourne (Young Jazz Musician of the Year 2001, BBC Radio Jazz Innovation award 2002).