City of Glasgow College, Riverside Campus

It all started back in the summer of ’94. Oasis and Blur had just released their first albums, starting their careers. Kurt Cobain had just ended his career.
Tom Hanks had won his second Oscar for Forrest Gump, which didn’t hurt his career.
And I was just about to start my career as a salty seadog.
This place was the first stop. I attended here from 94 – 97, back when it was called the Glasgow College of Nautical Studies, or the Naughty College. Another stop here in 2002 and now, ten years later I’m back, and although the name has changed, it’s almost the same.
When the nautical name was dropped, they also dropped a lot of the nautical staff. The department used to have it’s own office on the 7^th floor. Now the main office deals with all departments. This has had a noticeably detrimental effect as it can now take a long time for paperwork to get completed properly, or for course information to be dispersed properly.
There is a fantastic mix of seamen… ahem, seafarers, wannabe seafarers, beauticians, sports therapy students, media students and more. Although the seadogs do tend to stick to their own kind. We’re a peculiar bunch, and I’m not going into why that is here. We don’t think of ourselves as regular students, which is a pity as we miss out on a lot of student association activities.
From a nautical point of view the Riverside Campus is a means to an end. South Shields and Warsash might be better, but they’re further away.
For other, what I might call, normal students (if there is such a thing) then this place is good. Good location, walking distance from the city centre, with a halls of residence located on site, and another one just across the road. Good range of pubs close by, Sharkey’s isn’t as scary as it sounds or looks (see my review of that).

A busy enough place and a good one to use as a landmark for pointing out places nearby.
The title gives away the College’s roots, helping solidify its identity near the Clyde but there is alot more going on in here at various levels including alot of ‘girly’ courses.
I’ve been here a few times for various performances of friends who are studying drama and it’s a nice building with a nice wee café that’s on a decent location with a lively student body who are into all sorts.

Aside from its obvious offerings, expressed in the title, this college offers a wide range of courses including media, social science, drama, child care and beauty therapy.
This great big building was designed to look like a boat, as a nod to its nautical and navy origins. situated just over the Clyde, its easy to get to, with student accommodation right across the road and The Citizens Theatre right around the corner.
You might be surprised by the variety of courses on offer here with everything from maritime to make up, and it’s not too unpleasant that there are a lot of pretty sailors that are pleasing to the eye…(there are made up beauty therapy dollies for the boys too).

This is a great college offering a wide range of courses varying in content and scale of qualification. I attended here a few year ago to complete my HND in Social Science and found it to be a great place with decent amenities (café, swimming pool!!) excellent staff and a few good pubs in close proximity (see the Scotia and Clutha Vaults).
Now despite the name this place ain’t all about the studies of all things nautical, although you do see a fair amount of seamen around the college. And in fact i had a friend who attended this very college in his training to be part of the merchant navy, unfortunately for the merchant navy he relinquished his post and is now a discharged seamen.
Anyway, i digress. Yes, for all your studying needs i would recommend this as a viable option. With good transport links, 5 min walk from Bridge Street Underground and 10 mins form town, kick ass facilities and fantastic teaching staff you could do alot worse than give this place a swatch.