Dubbed the “campus of cool”, Goldsmiths is best known for excellence in the arts, but it stresses that it brings the same creative approach to a wider range of subjects.

The nickname, which does no harm in recruiting students, comes from the inclusion of Goldsmiths alongside MTV, Apple and the Tate among 50 “cool brandleaders” identified by the Brand Council.

Alumni include Mary Quant and Damien Hirst among many other famous names, such as Malcolm McLaren and Linton Kwesi Johnson.

Graduates of the college have won the Turner Prize no fewer than six times. There is another side to Goldsmiths, however, in its tradition of communitybased courses, which predates membership of the University of London.

Evening and other part-time classes are still as popular as conventional degree courses and many subjects can be studied from basic to postgraduate levels.

A history of providing educational opportunities for women is reflected in one of the largest proportions of female students in the British university system – nearly two thirds at the last count.

Community

Determinedly integrated into their southeast London locality, the campus has a cosmopolitan atmosphere. Over a quarter of all undergraduates are over 21 on entry (a large proportion of these over 30), many coming from the area’s ethnic minorities, and there is a growing proportion of overseas students.

The age profile helped Goldsmiths to the biggest rise in applications in 2007, although the figure at the start of 2008 was close to the national average.

The older premises have been likened to a grammar school, with their long corridors of classrooms. But the Rutherford Building, containing library and IT services, won an award from the Royal Institute of British Architects, and a Grade II listed former baths building has been converted to provide more space for research and art studios.

State-of-the-art

The new Ben Pimlott Building, which features a dramatic metal “scribble” by the acclaimed architect Will Alsop, contains state-of-the-art studio facilities and two multidisciplinary centres for interaction between the arts and social sciences. Although dominated by the arts, Goldsmiths’ portfolio of subjects stretches through the social sciences as far as computing and psychology.

Both media and communications and sociology were rated internationally outstanding in the last research rankings, which were a spectacular success for the college. Anthropology, art and design, music and English and comparative literature were close behind, leaving more than a third of the academics entered for assessment in the top two of seven categories.

The research grades helped transform Goldsmiths’ financial position, allowing more investment in teaching. Teaching quality scores were generally good though not spectacular, but psychology and history produced outstanding results in the first national student satisfaction survey.

Employability

Employment prospects are good, especially for an institution with such a high proportion of students taking performing arts subjects, where a period of unemployment after graduation is commonplace.

Indeed, on postgraduate courses, recent success rates have been among the best in Britain. Student politics has survived at Goldsmiths to an extent not seen at many universities – the union building was given the name Tiananmen – while a college in which Alex James and Graham Coxon, from Blur, are just two of a number of successful rock alumni cannot fail to have a thriving music scene.

The union has a strong tradition in volunteering and an award-winning newspaper, and recently won a gold Sound Impact Award recognising work on ethical and environmental issues. The surrounding area has enjoyed a mini-boom as a prime location for loft apartments.

Although sky-high prices put them way beyond the reach of the student housing market, there are plenty of more reasonably priced options in the vicinity. Most first years are allocated one of the 971 residential places within walking distance of the campus and overseas students can be housed throughout their course.

Sports enthusiasts have been less well provided for, although a wellequipped and affordable gym opened on campus in 2006. There is a swimming pool and indoor complex in Deptford, but the main pitches are eight miles away.

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