Your first weekProgramme of events for Welcome Week29 September – 5 October 2013

Welcome I am delighted to welcome you as you start your educational journey at the University of Essex.We aim to provide a transformational learning experience in our living and learningcommunity, an experience which will prepare you to shape your future with confidence andenable you to contribute meaningfully to the wider world. As well as your studies, you will havemany rich opportunities to take part in the arts, sports, volunteering and student societies.Work hard, play hard and make the most of all that our University provides. I wish you successand a happy and fulfilling student career at Essex.

Professor Jane Wright Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education)

Your first week 1

Contents

How to use this programme 2

My first week 3

Getting ready 4

Getting here 8

Getting started 10

Diary pages 20

Beyond your first week 43

Maps 45

Useful checklists 47

How to use this programme

How to use this programme This programme provides you with useful information about WelcomeWeek, plus advice to help you settle in so you can start enjoying yourstudies and social life. The first sections are about how to prepare, howto get here and how to get started. From page 20 you will find a diary ofevents for the week so that you can build your timetable. It’s worth takingtime to do this before you arrive, as it will help structure your week.

Knowing what you need to do – and when todo it Welcome Week may be a confusing time and it can be hard to know,and remember, what’s important and what’s for fun. To help youorganise your time when you arrive we have included a checklist and ablank timetable to complete.

Online updatesThere may have been changes to times and locations of events sincethis programme was printed. You can:

Check for updates to this programme and to your departmentalevents online at: www.essex.ac.uk/welcome

Visit our University of Essex Welcome Facebook page via:www.facebook.com/UoEWelcome

Find out about University of Essex Students’ Union events at:www.essexstudent.com/freshers

Where to go if you have questions when you get here On arrivals day (Sunday 29 September 2013) there will be plenty of

staff and students around campus to answer questions and pointyou in the right direction.

Throughout Welcome Week, look out for our student ambassadors(current students who help out at major University events) wearingpurple or red ambassador t-shirts.

There will also be staff on information points in the centre of campusduring Welcome Week.

Our University’s Student Support team and our Students’ UnionAdvice Centre are available during Welcome Week and throughoutthe year – contact details can be found at: www.essex.ac.uk/students.

Finding your way around At the back of this book is a map of our Colchester Campus. Freemaps will be available and there will be plenty of people around to givedirections. You will almost certainly feel lost from time to time but this isnot unusual, and you will learn to find your way around in the first fewweeks. Tours of our Colchester Campus will be available on Sunday,Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of Welcome Week, and tours ofColchester town centre will be available later in the week. Please seethe ‘Diary Pages’ section of this programme, or visit the informationpoint on Square 4 once you get here, for more details.

If you have spare time during Welcome Week we recommend that yougo and find your teaching rooms and your departmental office so thatyou don’t risk being late for classes and lectures once teaching starts.

2 Your first week

Your first week 3

My first week

What day? What time? Where?

My Welcome Talk Monday Ivor Crewe Lecture Hall (Square 5)

My registration time Sports Hall (up the hill from Square 3)

My departmental events

My optional and fun events

4 Your first week

Getting ready

Your first week 5

Accessing your University e-mail account If you have used your myEssex student portal, you will be able toactivate your University of Essex computing account online from 2September 2013. This will enable you to use services such as youruniversity e-mail account, online materials relating to your course andonline services available at the Albert Sloman Library. If you haveactivated your computing account you will be able to use thecomputing labs and the IT network in student accommodation whenyou arrive and before registration.

The University of Essex and studentstore.co.uk You may be thinking of buying a laptop to aid your studies. If you arethen we recommend that you take a look at our student store andcompare it with alternatives.

The IT Helpdesk sees lots of broken laptops and wants to put a stop tothese problems. We have looked at the laptops we purchase for theUniversity and have selected ones you could buy that will last threeyears – and if they don’t they will be repaired on site (included in thepurchase price). This gives you three years of guaranteed computing ata fixed price.

The laptops we recommend are from the same company and at thesame price that we get them for our staff. If you want the same thenyou can buy them online.

For more information please visit www.studentstore.co.uk/essex.

Your Essentials – eat, play, liveTo make moving in to your new home as stress-free as possible,University of Essex Campus Services have grouped together some ofour most popular products and services in one place so you canpurchase them in advance of your arrival. Go to:www.everythingessex.co.uk/your-essentials to purchase your mealplan, sports membership, Students’ Union entertainment pass, bedding,kitchen and food packs.

Getting ready

6 Your first week

Getting ready

Money matters By the time you are reading this information we hope that you havefunding for your course in place. Information on all aspects of studentfunding can be found on our University website at:www.essex.ac.uk/studentfinance. Most undergraduates will receivetheir funding termly – if you would like some money management andbudgeting tips please select the “Funding and money” tab on ourStudent Support website at: www2.essex.ac.uk/stdsup.

If you are beginning an undergraduate course and have previouslystudied at higher education level, your entitlement to financial supportmay be affected. Advice on your funding is available from StudentSupport. Postgraduate students are not eligible for the same fundingsupport as undergraduates and need to source their own funding.Further information is on our student finance web pages at:www.essex.ac.uk/studentfinance.

Paying tuition/accommodation fees – details of when, where and howto pay your fees, can be found on our University website at:www.essex.ac.uk/finance/for_students.

Council tax Most full-time students, both undergraduate and postgraduate, areexempt from the payment of council tax and this is automaticallyapplied if you are living in University-owned accommodation. If you willbe living in your own home or privately rented accommodation, you will

require a council tax certificate to prove eligibility for a discount orexemption. Once you are registered you can request this from thestudent documents portal at: https://www.essex.ac.uk/studentdocs.Any enquiries about the council tax on your property should bedirected to your local council tax office.

All students requesting council tax exemption require a hard-copyletter to make the application, which you can obtain using the methodabove. However, if you are applying for exemption and you live withinthe Colchester Borough then you must make your application directlyto Colchester Borough Council (CBC) by using their online portal:https://iconnect.colchester.gov.uk/build/. The portal is quick and easyto use, and all you need is your personal details including your PRIDnumber that is found on your registration card. However, if you doencounter difficulties please contact the Council offices in the firstinstance.

Disabled students Want to meet your named disability adviser?Tell us about your disability? Find out moreabout what we do and what support may beavailable? Please come to the DisabilityServices Registration and Welcome inStudent Support to speak in confidencewith a trained disability adviser so that wecan plan how to best to support you in yourstudies (please see diary pages for furtherinformation).

Your first week 7

Students’ Union (SU) You can start to access almost all of our SU’s services and supportonline before you arrive, including joining sports clubs and societiesand buying event tickets at: www.essexstudent.com/freshers.

Your healthThere is a Health Centre conveniently located on the ColchesterCampus, with experienced doctors who specialise in student health.The medical team includes doctors, nurse practitioners and a healthcare assistant who provide a comprehensive service including a nursetriage system which enables patients with urgent problems to be seenon the day.

Under University regulations you are required to register with a localdoctor for the duration of your studies. You are advised to pre-registeras a patient online during the summer in order that the Health Centrestaff can commence the process of registering you as one of ourpatients. To complete the registration process as a patient, you mustattend one of the Health Centre registration sessions during WelcomeWeek. You will receive an appointment date and time for this in yourWelcome Pack in your room (if living in University accommodation oncampus) when you arrive at University.

For further details visit the Health Centre website at:www.rowhedgesurgery.co.uk and click on the link to University HealthCentre section. This will give you the information you need prior toregistering as a patient, and explains who is entitled to register for

NHS care. It also gives details of the clinics and services we offer.Alternatively, if you are living off-campus you can choose to registerwith a local GP (General Practitioner) surgery near to where you areliving.

What else can I do to get ready?One of the best ways to prepare for your first week at our University isto read all the information you are sent, sign up to our social mediasites, and regularly check the Welcome Week web pages to ensurethat you keep up to date with developments and give yourself the beststart possible. There is a lot of information to get through but it’s worthtaking the time to have a look before you arrive.

8 Your first week

Getting here

Your first week 9

Getting here

Arrivals Day We want your arrivals day to be ACE – Arrive, Check-In, Explore!If you will be living in University-provided accommodation, we expectyou to arrive on Sunday 29 September 2013 – this is arrivals day.More details will be in correspondence you receive from ouraccommodation team and on p22 of this programme.

A very good way to make your arrivals day as smooth as possible is toensure that your belongings are packed properly – you will need totransport your own luggage to your accommodation which can involvea 5-10 minute walk so you may want to consider bringing luggage withwheels on or bringing a fold up trolley.

If you think you may need to arrive after arrivals day you must checkwhether you would miss any compulsory events. Arrangements forcollecting the key to your accommodation may be different and you willhave to request late registration if you miss the main registration period(see page 13).

If you are aged under-18 at the start of your course, you must arrive onSunday 29 September 2013 and attend all your induction events.

If you are not going to be living in University-provided accommodation,you do not need to be on our Colchester Campus on arrivals dayalthough you would be very welcome if you would like to visit.

Travel information Detailed information about how to travel to our University, for thosecoming from both within the UK and from overseas, can be found onour website at: www.essex.ac.uk/about/getting_here.

On arrivals day, our Students’ Union offers a regular minibus servicefrom the main Colchester Railway Station to our Colchester Campus.The University of Essex also runs a coach service on arrivals day forstudents who will be arriving at Heathrow or Gatwick airports. Moredetails and information on how to book in advance is at:www.essex.ac.uk/ish.

For local travel information to help you get around the local area onceyou have arrived visit: www.essex.ac.uk/transport.

Please ensure that you make your travel arrangements in plenty oftime to ensure that you are able to arrive on Sunday 29 September.

10 Your first week

Getting started

Your first week 11

Getting started

Your employability At Essex we take your future very seriously. We know that employabilitymay not be the first thing that springs to mind in Welcome Week butplease don’t leave it until your final year. Your first few weeks are goingto be busy but now is exactly the right time to start planning for yourfuture. So we have laid on special sessions with your department soyou can get your employability off to a flying start! In fact, the first yearis a great time to make the most of all the other free training, events,workshops and specialist advice on offer at Essex throughout the restof the year.

There are so many ways you can gain new skills with the Employabilityand Careers Centre (E&CC) that will look great on your CV like: each year around 300 students gain paid placements within the

University through our original frontrunners scheme; secure a paid extra-curricular graduate level internship in a wide

range of roles and companies; extend your studies by spending a year abroad as part of your degree; take part in the two day team-based enterprise Boot Camp.

Your department will also offer opportunities to develop discipline-specific skills as part of your studies and the Students’ Union runs thepopular Essex Apprentice event each year, as well as offeringhundreds of volunteering opportunities.

The E&CC can also help you understand and demonstrate the skillsyou have to an employer. For example, you can: gain an extra-curricular employability award– the Big e award –

which will be recorded on your degree transcript;

benefit from one-to-one expert advice on career opportunities andjob seeking;

use the Essex CV – a suite of high quality guides on applying forwork;

learn from famous entrepreneurs and take part in enterpriseworkshops;

meet leading employers through on-campus workshops andrecruitment fairs.

Another option is to sign up for an employability module with theUniversity Skills Centre as part of your degree.

Get started now! Attend the employability session in your department,school or centre during Welcome Week and find out more about

12 Your first week

Getting started

improving your prospects during your course of study. If you have anyquestions please visit us on Square 2 or e-mail us at:careers@essex.ac.uk.

Your safety Our Colchester Campus is generally a safe environment but, just thesame as when you are at home, it is important to follow some commonsense tips to help you stay safe as you settle in to student life. Wework closely with local agencies, including the police and ColchesterBorough Council, to help us ensure our Colchester Campus remains assafe as possible for both students and staff, and we have a PoliceCommunity Support Officer who can answer questions about yoursafety and how to keep your belongings safe.

Our Information Centre, situated on Square 3, is staffed by Universitypatrol officers 24 hours a day. Our officers are friendly, approachableand willing to assist. You can contact them by telephone: 01206872125 for general enquires (from a StudentCom PC phone in theresidences dial: 224 2125) or in an emergency dial: 01206 872222(from a StudentCom PC phone in the residences dial: 224 2222).

Further information can be found by visiting:www2.essex.ac.uk/stdsup/safety/safety.shtm

General advice for staying safe on campus Avoid walking or cycling alone in isolated areas or along isolated and

unlit or poorly lit footpaths; try to arrange to walk with others andkeep to well-lit streets

Always lock your accommodation when you leave and don’t letstrangers in to your building

If you live in ground floor accommodation don’t leave your windowopen if you are not in your room, it makes it too easy for thieves

Make use of our Students’ Union minibus to get to and from off-campus residences late at night

Further information about staying safe and staying well throughoutyour time at Essex can be found in Your campus guide for ourColchester Campus.

Academic welcome There are several compulsory events to attend during your first week,to introduce you to life at our University and help you settle in to yourstudies. Details of when and where each event is happening can befound in the diary pages of this programme that start on page 20 –make sure you get your compulsory events in your timetable beforeyou start adding the optional choices.

You must come to: Welcome Talk International Students’ Welcome (if you are an international student) Registration English Language Assessment (if English is not your first language) Department, school or centre induction events

Your first week 13

As well as providing useful information, these events will give you theopportunity to meet staff and fellow students before you begin yourcourse. With this programme, you should also have receivedinformation about induction events being run in your department,school or centre, and other departments, schools or centres that youmay be involved with. To check the information, please visit:www.essex.ac.uk/welcome which will contain updates or alterations to events.

Information for students who are under-18 atthe start of their course If you are under-18, you must arrive on Sunday 29 September 2013and you must attend all your induction events in Welcome Week. Therewill be opportunities for you to ask any questions you have, and tomeet relevant staff in your department, school or centre. You will begiven important information about your time at Essex. You should alsoarrange to meet your departmental under-18s contact — please checkyour Essex e-mail account for details of this meeting. If you are unsureabout which events and talks you should attend, please go to one ofthe information points on campus or e-mail: sso@essex.ac.uk.

Registration Registration for new students will take place at the Sports Hall,Colchester Campus. You should register at the appropriate time somake sure you check the following information and in the diary pagesto find out when you need to be there.

UK/European Economic Area (EEA) students - If your country ofnationality or residency is listed below you must register on thedates/times shown for UK/EEA students, according to yourdepartment, school or centre, unless stated otherwise. Austria Greece NorwayBelgium Hungary PolandBulgaria Iceland PortugalCyprus Ireland RomaniaCroatia Italy SlovakiaCzech Republic Liechtenstein SloveniaDenmark Latvia SpainEstonia Lithuania SwedenFinland Luxembourg Switzerland*France Malta United KingdomGermany Netherlands*Note: Switzerland is not in the EEA but is included because Swissstudents do not require a visa to study in the UK.

Non-European Economic Area (EEA) international students - if yourcountry of nationality or residency is NOT listed above you mustregister on the dates/times shown for non-EEA international students,according to your department, school or centre, unless statedotherwise. If you are a non-EEA international student please makesure you have read and understood the ‘What to do before you arrive’and ‘UK Border Agency Information’ leaflets in your Welcome Pack.

14 Your first week

Getting started

What to bring to registration a) Photographic identification. Please note if you are a non-EEA

international student you MUST bring your passport and your visawhich allows you to study at the University of Essex. If you haveapplied for a new Tier 4 visa you need to provide a copy of yourpassport and previous visa, as well as proof of postage of your visaapplication. If you do not provide the appropriate paperwork theUniversity will not be able to register you. You will not be able tostart your studies until you are fully registered. If you have anyquestions please e-mail: visalet@essex.ac.uk.

b) Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) statement, if you area non-EEA international student, please bring a printed copy withyou.

c) Original award qualification certificates, if you have been asked toprovide these.

d) Documentation relating to the payment of your tuition fees. If youare a self-funded student please bring the first instalment of yourtuition fees, unless you have paid this in advance.

Please refer to our Registration Office website for further informationabout registration arrangements at:www2.essex.ac.uk/academic/offices/reg.

Late registration You must register at the times indicated. If you cannot arrive at theUniversity on time, you will need the permission of the Dean of thefaculty to which your department, school or centre belongs in order toregister late in the week commencing Monday 7 October 2013. Pleasecontact the Registry in the first instance at: registry@essex.ac.uk.

Your first week 15

Registration card When you attend registration, you will receive your Universityregistration and library card. This card is printed with your personaldetails and a photograph. The card is used: to identify you as a student of our University; in the Library and must be produced when you wish to borrow items; to gain access to the library reading room out of normal opening

hours; during examinations, to verify your identity; to prove your eligibility to enter Students’ Union venues; in the Sports Centre, to book classes or use the other facilities; and for meals purchased on meal plan as part of ‘Your Essentials’.

Your Essentials allows you to add blocks of pre-paid breakfast, lunchand dinner meals to your registration card. Look for “Your Food” menusand redeem your meals in a number of outlets on campus at any timeduring the academic year. Flexible and convenient, Your Food meal planwill save you both time and money and provide delicious and nutritiousfood. To find out more visit: www.essex.ac.uk/uecs/your_essentials.

What’s on my registration card? In addition to your name, photo and level of study, your card shows:

PRID – this is your personal identifier. In our example it isTESTB11004. This identifies your financial and library accounts at ourUniversity. If you stay at Essex and take a second course, you will keepthis identifier. Your PRID is also shown as a barcode, for use by handheld scanning devices.

Registration number –this is associated withyour personal academicrecord for your course. Inour example shown it is0886051. If you stay atEssex and take a secondcourse, you will be given anew registration number.

Expiry date – this is the expected end date of your course. If youextend your course, you will need a new card.

Login – this is your username for your University computer account, inthis example jtestb. Add @essex.ac.uk to create your e-mail address.

If you are under-18 years old when you start your studies, yourregistration card will state this clearly. Once you turn 18, you will beable to exchange your registration card for a new one at no cost.

Module enrolment All students (except research students) will have the opportunity toselect optional modules prior to arrival, and can check the details usingmyEssex for applicants and by selecting the myLearning link. Fromhere, you will be able to access eNROL, the online module enrolmentservice to view your compulsory modules and to choose your optionalmodules. Please note that some courses contain compulsory modulesonly. You are then normally permitted to change optional modulesduring the first two weeks of the term in which the module starts and

16 Your first week

Getting started

you will be able to do this using eNROL. If you are in any doubt, orwant advice about choosing your modules at any stage, you shouldseek help from a member of staff in your department, school or centre.

Module directory You can browse our module directory at: www.essex.ac.uk/modules.Each entry includes a description of the module content, the learningoutcomes, the teaching, learning and assessment methods, and areading list. The directory also links to the course materials repository,an online portal which provides access to teaching materials andbackground resources, including past exam papers.

Timetable details You can view your personalised teaching timetable on the web here:www.essex.ac.uk/timetables.

You will be prompted to enter your University of Essex login in theformat: username@essex.ac.uk.

A mobile device optimised timetable can beaccessed on a smart phone using a browser at:bit.ly/pockettimetable or by scanning the QR code.You should regularly check your online timetable as

teaching events are subject to change. A full guide to online studenttimetables is available at: www2.essex.ac.uk/academic/offices/tt/.

myEssex You will have a personalised web portal, which presents links toresources and services relevant to you and the modules you arestudying. If you accessed myEssex for applicants, all your settings willcarry forward once you are a registered student. We use myEssex todeliver alerts to certain student groups with important reminders ofwhat’s on, so it is important to use myEssex throughout your studies.

FindYourWay@essex As with any new environment you may find thelayout of our Colchester Campus confusing for thefirst few weeks but don’t worry! There is an app foriPhone and Android mobiles that you can downloadand a website here: http://findyourway.essex.ac.ukthat will help guide you around the campus. This webpage can also be viewed by scanning the QR code.

Joint course students If you are taking a joint course, it will be ‘owned’ by a particulardepartment, school or centre to which you belong. In addition, otherdepartments, schools and centres may contribute to your joint course.When checking to find out when events will be held by yourdepartment, school or centre, you should also check and attend eventsheld by other departments, schools or centres who contribute to your

Your first week 17

course. If you are an undergraduate, you can check if you are taking ajoint course:

1) Check if your course is on the list at:www2.essex.ac.uk/academic/offices/reg

2) Look across and note the departments, schools or centres whocontribute to your course

3) Look on our Welcome Week web pages: www.essex.ac.uk/welcometo find details of the events run by those departments, schools orcentres

4) Note these events in your blank timetable

Postgraduate students should check which are their contributingdepartments by asking their lead department upon arrival.

English language assessment and academicEnglish language supportThe University Skills Centre provides English language assessmentand support to students at the University of Essex. All students whosefirst language is not English are encouraged to take the UniversityEnglish language assessment in order to benefit from the free Englishlanguage support services. The assessment is not a pass/failexamination, and is not used to determine entrance to Universitydepartments, schools or centres.

What if I have an advanced English language qualification? Almost all students whose first language is not English will have aninternationally recognised English language qualification, but these are

hard to equate one with another. We ask students to sit another simpletest to provide statistical data on likely English language supportneeds. Only students who have taken this assessment will be eligiblefor these classes.

When does the test take place? Part I (written section) of the test will take place on Wednesday in ourLecture Theatre Building. Part II (an online section) can be taken oneither Thursday or Friday. Please ensure that you attend both parts ofthe assessment at the correct times (see the diary pages of thisprogramme for Wednesday).

How do I get my test results and more information on Englishlanguage classes? Your scores will be e-mailed to you during the first week of the autumnterm, together with information on how to register for free Englishlanguage support classes. Classes on offer in the autumn term include:Academic Writing Skills, Orientation to Essay Writing, AcademicSpeaking, Pronunciation, Grammar Review, PhD Language Support,and Social English.

How can I get more information? There will be information sessions about the assessments and Englishlanguage support provision on Monday 30 September 2013 at 10amand 12pm in LTB 8. If your ‘Welcome Talk’ is at 11am we suggest thatyou attend the 10am information session. You can also look at ourwebsite at: www.essex.ac.uk/skillscentre/english_language.

18 Your first week

Getting started

Registration with the police Students from the countries listed below, and who are studying at ourUniversity for more than six months, will usually be required to registerwith the police. Your entry clearance should state ‘police registrationwithin seven days of arrival’. Afghanistan Algeria ArgentinaArmenia Azerbaijan BahrainBelarus Bolivia BrazilChina* Colombia CubaEgypt Georgia IranIraq Israel JordanKazakhstan Kyrgyzstan KuwaitLebanon Libya MoldovaMorocco North Korea OmanPalestine Peru QatarRussia Saudi Arabia SudanSyria Tajikistan TunisiaTurkey Turkmenistan United Arab EmiratesUkraine Uzbekistan Yemen

*Some citizens of Hong Kong have new passports and are required toregister with the police; if you are unsure if this applies to you, pleasecheck with the police when you arrive.

It is important to note that you must register with the police withinseven days of your arrival in the UK. You will be able to register withthe police who will be present in LTB B on Tuesday, Wednesday andThursday of Welcome Week. To do this, you will need:

your passport and your Identity Card for Foreign Nationals (ICFN) orBiometric Residence Permit (BRP) if you have been issued with one;

the registration fee of £34 in cash; two passport-sized photographs; your overseas (home) address; proof of the full address of where you are living in the UK (for

example your accommodation allocation letter, tenancy agreement,bank statement or utility bill); and

your original offer letter.

If you have a spouse and/or children with you in the UK you will alsoneed to take: their passports and ID card (ICFN or BRP), if they have one; the registration fee, £34 per person over the age of 16; and two passport-sized photographs of each person over the age of 16.

Children under 16 years old do not register with the police.

If you arrive in the UK on or before Monday 23 September 2013, or ifyou miss the registration sessions in LTB B, you will have to go to thenearest police station to register. You should ring the central policestation in Colchester, telephone: 101 extension 10390 and make anappointment with the Foreign Nationals Registrar once you have arrived in the UK.

Your first week 19

Other events There are a range of events, tours and activities available which do notrelate directly to your academic department, school or centre. Theseinclude events that are open to all new students and some that aretargeted to specific groups, eg mature students. Some take place onmore than one day, eg the ‘Strategies for study’ workshops, whileothers happen only once, so please read the details carefully beforedeciding what you would like to attend. You must prioritise yourcompulsory events over the optional events to ensure that you don’tmiss the most important things. Please also look out for informationabout the wide range of activities offered in our ‘Choose YourAdventure’ programme, which will be published separately. We areplanning exciting sports- and arts-based events and activities, details ofthese will be published on the Welcome Week webpages and on ourWelcome Week Facebook page as soon as they are finalised, so keepup-to-date online and don’t miss out!

What Else?The following list is of other optional events that are listed in the diarypages: Arrivals Day Welcome Strategies for study workshops Tours Campus tours Town tours Tours of the Albert Sloman Library Games Without Frontiers Microfiction Students not living in university-provided accommodation Mature students’ reception Freshers’ Fair Welcome Village Multi-Faith Chaplaincy event Disability Services Registration and Welcome

20 Your first week

Diary pages

Your first week 21

Diary pages

There is a blank timetable on page 3 for you to complete so that youcan be as prepared as possible for Welcome Week. Follow theinstructions below to ensure that you do everything you need to do andlots of things you would like to do:

1) Add your compulsory events (the list of what you have to do is on page 12)

2) Add optional events (the list of the things to choose from is on page 19)

3) Visit our Welcome Week web pages and Facebook page for up-to-date information about changes to the programme or new eventsthat are being added.

4) Visit our Students’ Union web pages and have a look at what theyare offering.

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Diary pages

Arrivals day

Sunday 29 September We want your arrivals day experience to be ACE – Arrive, Check-In,Explore!

All new students who are going to be living in university-providedaccommodation should arrive today. Students who will be under-18 atthe start of their course must arrive today.

Arrive - on arrival you will receive a warm welcome from the staff andstudents you meet and there will be plenty of people around to helpyou find your way about.

Check-in - If you will be living in university-provided accommodationyou should already have received your letter of allocation, your contractand invoice, which includes payment methods and accommodationcharges, travel information, key collection instructions and somegeneral details about the facilities in the rooms. All of this is alsoavailable on our website:www.essex.ac.uk/accommodation/colchester_arrivals/default.aspx

Explore – Once you’ve moved your belongings into your room we lookforward seeing you out and about on campus. There will be a range ofactivities, stalls and information on the squares at the heart of ourcampus and this is also where you will find the shops and cateringoutlets. A range of tours will be available from the information point onSquare 4 so come along and find out what is on offer!

Arrivals Day Welcome 11am – 7pm Square 4 Welcome to the University of Essex! As a new student who has justarrived onto our Colchester Campus and found your accommodation,you will probably have a few more questions to ask – so come along toSquare 4 for some answers. Alongside refreshments in our cafés,there will be information on services provided by our University and ourStudents’ Union to help you find your feet.

You can also find out how to register for your course, how to log on toour IT network, take a quick tour of our Colchester Campus, and findout more about what’s happening throughout Welcome Week.

You can make friends with other new students arriving today, and askcurrent students about their experiences of living on campus. Familymembers are welcome too.

There will also be an opportunity to buy used household items donatedby previous years’ students.

If you will be under-18 at the start of your course, you must arrivetoday so you can settle in and attend all of your induction events.

Your first week 23

Parents and Adults Crèche 11am – 4pm Tony Rich Teaching Centre You’ve returned from the supermarket with enough tinned food to seeout the Armageddon, and heaps of fruit and veg that, we hate to say it,will probably never get touched; you’ve traipsed up and down corridorsladen with lamps, duvets and countless boxes of books and DVDs; andyou’ve been given the distinct impression that you may be crampingyour child’s style as they say hi to their new flatmates.

So why not give them a while to settle in, and come and join us at theParents and Adults Crèche? We’ll have plenty of tea and biscuits, andwill be hosting a talk on all the essential information you need to beaware of as a parent of an Essex student. There’ll also be theopportunity to meet University staff and other parents and we’ll bemore than happy to answer any questions and calm any worries youmay have about this very exciting, but perhaps quite anxious time,before you go back to say your goodbyes.

Campus tours Not sure where anything is? Don’t worry! Campus tours will be leavingfrom the information point on Square 4 at regular intervals throughoutthe day. While you’re here, you can also sign up for a town tour whichwill take place Wednesday to Friday this week.

Arts Venues: Open from Day 1Our popular theatre and art gallery located on Square 5 will be open onarrivals day and buzzing with great stuff to see and do. Art Exchangegallery has a very cool exhibition about exploring urban places whilstLakeside Theatre will have performances in the awesome LakesideCafé and outside on the squares. Into the arts? Join us on Facebooknow at: www.facebook.com/LakesideTheatre andwww.facebook.com/ArtExchangeUoE then come and say hello whenyou arrive!

24 Your first week

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Monday 30 September Welcome to Essex Talk Compulsory for all students

This talk will introduce you to the essentials for succeeding at Essex.From academic expectations and study support, to IT services,employability, security, social and sporting life and accommodation, wewant you to start making the most of your time at Essex from your firstweek.

All new students, undergraduate and postgraduate, UK, EU andInternational, should attend this talk at the time given for yourdepartment. The talk is presented by a panel of helpful staff members,with plenty of opportunities to ask questions and get as muchinformation as possible to set you on your way.

International students must also attend the international students’welcome at 4.15pm to help you with a range of essential informationfrom visas to registration with the police and working in the UK. Ouraim is to help you settle quickly - at Essex and in the UK - and you willhave the chance to ask about anything you’re unsure of.

Each talk lasts just under an hour and will start promptly so pleasemake sure you arrive at the Lecture Hall before the start time.

11am Ivor Crewe Lecture Hall All students in the following departments, schools or centres: Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies in the Humanities History Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies International Academy Philosophy and Art History Psychoanalytic Studies Economics Government

1pm Ivor Crewe Lecture Hall All students in the following departments, schools or centres: Biological Sciences Mathematics Psychology Computer Science and Electronic Engineering Health and Human Sciences Sociology

3pm Ivor Crewe Lecture Hall All students in the following departments, schools or centres: Essex Business School Law Human Rights Language and Linguistics Study Abroad Programmes

Your first week 25

International students’ welcome Compulsory for all international students

4.15pm Ivor Crewe Lecture Hall All international students from all departments/schools/centres shouldattend this session where we will introduce you to staff and servicesthat can help you settle into studying in the UK. You will also be able tospeak to other international students who have been studying at ourUniversity for at least a year.

Welcome Village 11am – 6pm Square 4 Come along to Welcome Village, on Square 4, on Monday, Tuesday andWednesday of your first week to have any questions answered byhelpful, friendly University staff and students about the range ofservices on our Colchester Campus to support you. These include Arts,Accommodation, Employability and Careers, Equality and Diversity, help

from the IT helpdesk, International Welcome, Nightline, Multi-FaithChaplaincy, the Sports Centre and Transport. And don’t forget, if youwant to join one of our many sports clubs and societies, come along toour celebrated Students’ Union Freshers’ Fair on Saturday 5 Octoberfrom 12pm - 4pm on Squares 3, 4 and 5.

English language test briefing 10am or 12pm LTB 8 Information about the English language test which will take place onWednesday for all students whose first language is not English.

Campus tours Not sure where anything is? Don’t worry! Campus tours will be leavingfrom the information point on Square 4 at regular intervals throughoutthe day. While you’re here, you can also sign up for a town tour whichwill take place Wednesday to Friday this week.

Write.Read.Think.Good. Microfiction forbetter diction1pm – 2pm 5N.7.23 Do you want to learn to write better essays? Want to have fun doing it?Want to earn a certificate in writing skills? This may be just the thingfor you. The University has recently devised a new certificated writingskills course using a completely unique methodology: microfiction.

26 Your first week

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Defined by us as a piece of writing in 10 words or fewer, we usemicrofiction as an approach to help you to develop three key skills foruniversity success: communicating big ideas (write.good); extractingbig ideas (read.good); and organising big ideas (think.good). Deliveredin three one-hour parts, the write.read.think.good programme willprovide you with a range of tools to engage effectively in the academicwriting process, avoid plagiarism, and complete your assignments to ahigh standard by agreed deadlines. Each programme (two choices ofdates are available) will take place on three consecutive days.

To find out more visit www.essex.ac.uk/ldev/microfiction

Strategies for study workshop 1 5pm – 6pm LTB 3 (This workshop is repeated on Friday) Using University guidance and resources to support independentlearning; planning and managing your time effectively.

The Welcome Week carousel is a series of three workshops intendedfor undergraduates, including those returning to study after an interval.All students are welcome and all sessions are free. Each workshop willbe repeated so that you can find a time best suited to you.

Students not living in university-providedaccommodation 5.30pm – 7.00pm Level 2, Students’ Union (access via Square 3 SU entrance) An official welcome event for all new students living away from ourColchester Campus. This is your chance to meet other students whowill be living off campus, and find out how our University and Students’Union can help you get the most out of your time at Essex.

Your first week 27

Tuesday 1 October Registration – UK and EEA students Registration is compulsory for all students UK/EEA students by department, school or centre, continuesWednesday. Registration for everyone takes place in the Sports Hall.For a list of what to bring, see page 12.

9.00am – 10.15am Health and Human Sciences

10.15am – 10.45am Computer Science and Electronic Engineering (including the Centre

for Computational Finance and Economic Agents) Biological Sciences

1.00pm – 2.15pm Language and Linguistics Study Abroad Programmes

2.15pm – 3.00pm Economics Sociology

3pm – 4pm Human Rights Centre Law Government

Mature students’ reception 10.30am – 11.30am 4S.6.28 Are you returning to education after working, travelling, having childrenor doing something else? We appreciate that your professional,educational and life experiences may vary, as will your individual needs.Do you have questions about how to get advice on funding, theopportunities available to enhance your CV while at university, or howto adjust to studying at university? This reception provides you with anopportunity to meet other mature students in an informal setting, andhopefully make some useful contacts. Students and staff will beavailable to answer your questions or point you in the direction of anappropriate service for help. Perhaps you don’t have any of thesequestions, but would like to meet other mature students? This event isfor you as well. We look forward to meeting you. Refreshmentsprovided.

Welcome Village 12pm – 3pm Square 4 Come along to Welcome Village, on Square 4, on Monday, Tuesday andWednesday of your first week to have any questions answered byhelpful, friendly University staff and students about the range ofservices on our Colchester Campus to support you. These include Arts,Accommodation, Employability and Careers, Equality and Diversity, helpfrom the IT helpdesk, International Welcome, Nightline, Multi-FaithChaplaincy, the Sports Centre and Transport. And don’t forget, if youwant to join one of our many sports clubs and societies, come along to

28 Your first week

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our celebrated Students’ Union Freshers’ Fair on Saturday 5 Octoberfrom 12pm - 4pm on Squares 3, 4 and 5.

Registration with the police 9am – 4pm LTB B Also on Wednesday and Thursday. For internationalstudents (and dependants) whose visa states thatpolice registration is required. See page 18 fordetailed information about who should attend andwhat you need to bring.

Write.Read.Think.Good. Microfiction forbetter diction1pm – 2pm 5N.7.23 Do you want to learn to write better essays? Want to have fun doing it?Want to earn a certificate in writing skills? This may be just the thingfor you. The University has recently devised a new certificated writingskills course using a completely unique methodology: microfiction.Defined by us as a piece of writing in 10 words or fewer, we usemicrofiction as an approach to help you to develop three key skills foruniversity success: communicating big ideas (write.good); extractingbig ideas (read.good); and organising big ideas (think.good). Deliveredin three one-hour parts, the write.read.think.good programme willprovide you with a range of tools to engage effectively in the academicwriting process, avoid plagiarism, and complete your assignments to a

high standard by agreed deadlines. Each programme (two choices ofdates are available) will take place on three consecutive days.

To find out more visit www.essex.ac.uk/ldev/microfiction.

Disability Services Registration and Welcome 10.00am – 12.30pm4N.6.2 (Student Support)(This session will be repeated on Thursday)

Our confidential service can offer advice and support during your timeat university.

It is important to register with the disability service so that we can planhow to best to support you in your studies. To register you will need toprovide supporting evidence of your condition such as a doctor’s letter,medical report or a diagnostic assessment of dyslexia, and should bringthis along to the registration.

If you have not already been in touch we would encourage you todisclose to us any medical condition, disability, specific learningdifficulty (such as dyslexia), mental health difficulties or any otherindividual needs.

Student support will be open 10am – 12.30pm specifically to provideinformation about our disability services and for you to register with us. Information will be available on: Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSA)

Assessment of Need Individual exam arrangements Screening for dyslexia Wellbeing services Academic support Study skills tuition Accessibility around campus

Please come along either on Tuesday or Thursday to meet the teamand find out more.www2.essex.ac.uk/stdsup/disab/welcome.shtm.

Please note that this is separate from your main student registrationand your Health Centre registration so you need to do those too!

Games Without Frontiers: The Acid Test 3pm – 4pm 5N.7.23 The Acid Test is a fun exercise enabling you to explore your planningand problem-solving skills and those of other people in your team.Planning and problem solving are important skills for university-levelstudy in all fields of work, so why not take this opportunity to improvethese skills, and meet and work with some new people at the sametime?

Games Without Frontiers is a short programme of workshops runningfrom Tuesday to Friday that give you the opportunity to play educationalgames which help to identify and develop the sorts of skills which arecrucial for success at university and beyond. The programme is also a

chance to meet other students of different nationalities, from differentdepartments, and at different levels of study. Places for each sessionare limited to approximately 30 students so are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Strategies for study workshop 2 5pm – 6pm LTB 3 (This workshop will be repeated on Friday)

Note taking for ‘critical thinking’ and plagiarism prevention.

The Welcome Week carousel is a series of three workshops intendedfor undergraduates, including those returning to studyafter an interval. All students are welcome and allsessions are free. Each workshop will be repeated sothat you can find a time best suited to you.

Campus tours Not sure where anything is? Don’tworry! Campus tours will be leavingfrom the information point onSquare 4 at regular intervalsthroughout the day. While you’rehere, you can also sign up for atown tour which will take placeWednesday to Friday this week.

Your first week 29

30 Your first week

Diary pages

Wednesday 2 October Registration – UK/EEA students and non-EEAinternational studentsRegistration is compulsory for all students UK/EEA students and non-EEA international students, continuesThursday.

Registration for everyone takes place in the Sports Hall. For a list ofwhat to bring, see page 14.

9.00am – 9.45am Essex Business School – UK/EEA students

9.45am – 10.15am Language and Linguistics – non-EEA international students Sociology – non-EEA international students

10.15am – 10.45am Biological Sciences – non-EEA international students Economics – non-EEA international students

10.45am – 11.15am Human Rights Centre – non-EEA international students Law – non-EEA international students

11.30am – 12.00pm Psychoanalytic Studies – All students UK/EEA and non-EEA

international students

1.00pm – 2.30pm Essex Business School – non-EEA international students

1pm – 3pm Government – non-EEA international students Study Abroad Programmes – non-EEA international students

3pm – 4pm Health and Human Sciences – non-EEA international students Computer Science and Electronic Engineering (including the Centre

for Computational Finance and Economic Agents) – non/EEAinternational students

Welcome Village 12pm – 3pm Square 4 Come along to Welcome Village, on Square 4, on Monday, Tuesday andWednesday of your first week to have any questions answered byhelpful, friendly University staff and students about the range ofservices on our Colchester Campus to support you. These include Arts,Accommodation, Employability and Careers, Equality and Diversity, helpfrom the IT helpdesk, International Welcome, Nightline, Multi-FaithChaplaincy, the Sports Centre and Transport. And don’t forget, if youwant to join one of our many sports clubs and societies, come along toour celebrated Students’ Union Freshers’ Fair on Saturday 5 Octoberfrom 12pm - 4pm on Squares 3, 4 and 5.

Your first week 31

English language test Compulsory for non-UK students whose first language is not English All day – see below for your test time by department.LTB 6 and 7 If your first language is not English you must sit this test. You canattend a briefing session on Monday to find out more.

Session 1 (undergraduates) 9am – arrive and register for assessment 9.30am – 10.45am – assessment Undergraduate students in the following departments, schools andcentres: Mathematical Sciences Computer Science and Electronic Engineering Health and Human Sciences Psychology Psychoanalytic Studies International Academy History Government Law

Session 2 (undergraduates) 11.15am – arrive and register for assessment 11.45am – 1.00pm – assessment Undergraduate students in the following departments, schools orcentres: Biological Sciences Economics Language and Linguistics Sociology Philosophy and Art History (including the Centre for Interdisciplinary

Studies in the Humanities) Study Abroad Programmes Literature, Film and Theatre Studies Essex Business School

Session 3 (postgraduates) 2.30pm – arrive and register for assessment 3.00pm – 4.15pm – assessment Postgraduate students from the following departments, schools andcentres: Biological Sciences Mathematical Sciences International Academy History Philosophy and Art History (including the Centre for Interdisciplinary

Studies in the Humanities) Literature, Film and Theatre Studies Law Human Rights Centre Study Abroad Programmes

32 Your first week

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Session 4 (postgraduates) 5pm – arrive and register for assessment 5.30pm – 6.45pm – assessment Postgraduate students in the following departments, schools andcentres: Economics Institute for Social and Economic Research Language and Linguistics Sociology Government Psychoanalytic Studies School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering (including

the Centre for Computational Finance and Economic Agents) Health and Human Sciences Psychology Essex Business School

Registration with the police Compulsory for some international students 9am – 4pm LTB B Also on Tuesday and Thursday. For international students (anddependants) whose visa states that police registration is required. Seepage 18 for more information.

Write.Read.Think.Good. Microfiction forbetter diction10am – 11am repeated at 1pm – 2pm 5N.7.23 Do you want to learn to write better essays? Want to have fun doing it?Want to earn a certificate in writing skills? This may be just the thingfor you. The University has recently devised a new certificated writingskills course using a completely unique methodology: microfiction.Defined by us as a piece of writing in 10 words or fewer, we usemicrofiction as an approach to help you to develop three key skills foruniversity success: communicating big ideas (write.good); extractingbig ideas (read.good); and organising big ideas (think.good). Deliveredin three one-hour parts, the write.read.think.good programme willprovide you with a range of tools to engage effectively in the academicwriting process, avoid plagiarism, and complete your assignments to ahigh standard by agreed deadlines. Each programme (two choices ofdates are available) will take place on three consecutive days.

To find out more visit: www.essex.ac.uk/ldev/microfiction.

Your first week 33

Tours of the Albert Sloman Library 1.30pm – 4.30pm We offer regular tours during Welcome Week and the first two weeksof term, and you are strongly encouraged to come along to one ofthese. Please sign up in our Library beforehand – details will be on thenotice board in the Library foyer from the beginning of Welcome Week.Tours will be at 15-minute intervals. Each tour will last approximately30 minutes and provides a general introduction to library services.Additional tours, for which you should also sign up in advance, will beconducted at 4pm and 4.30pm each day during the second week ofterm, and at 4pm and 4.30pm on Wednesday 16 October.

Games Without Frontiers: The Symbol Game 3pm – 4pm 5N.7.23 The Symbol Game is a card-based exercise designed to improve groupproblem-solving and communication. It will show you the importance of

setting clear objectives, based on a sound analysis and understandingof the problem, which is important in both study and work. And it’s a lotof fun.

Games Without Frontiers is a short programme of workshops runningfrom Tuesday to Friday that give you the opportunity to play educationalgames which help to identify and develop the sorts of skills which arecrucial for success at university and beyond. The programme is also achance to meet other students of different nationalities, from differentdepartments, and at different levels of study. Places for each sessionare limited to approximately 30 students so are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Strategies for study workshop 3 5pm – 6pm LTB 3 (This workshop is repeated on Friday)

Keeping track of what works for you: reviewing, revising and enjoyingyour study

The Welcome Week carousel is a series of three workshops intendedfor undergraduates, including those returning to study after an interval.All students are welcome and all sessions are free. Each workshop willbe repeated so that you can find a time best suited to you.

34 Your first week

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Campus tours Not sure where anything is? Don’t worry! Campus tours will be leavingfrom the information point on Square 4 at regular intervals throughoutthe day.

Town tours Tours of Colchester town centre will leave from the information pointon Square 4 at regular intervals on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday –you may need to sign up in advance so please visit early to check. Thetour takes around two hours. You will need to pay your own bus fare, soplease bring some change, not notes. This is not atourist tour; it is an opportunity to find out how to getto all the useful places in Colchester, including themajor banks, shops, cinema and police station.

Chaplaincy buffet 6pm – 8pm Multi-Faith Chaplaincy Come and enjoy a free buffet and meet some of the representatives ofthe groups. All are welcome to drop in between these times. You canfind us just off square 2, on level 3.

During Welcome Week there is a range of welcome events open tothose of all faiths and none. Please see our website at:www2.essex.ac.uk/chaplaincy for a full listing.

Your first week 35

Thursday 3 October

Registration – all students from the followingdepartments, schools and centres:Registration is compulsory for all students Registration for everyone takes place in the Sports Hall. For a list ofwhat to bring, see page 14.

9am – 10am Philosophy and Art History (including the Centre for Interdisciplinary

Studies in the Humanities)

10am – 11am History Mathematical Sciences Institute for Social and Economic Research

11am – 12pm Literature, Film and Theatre Studies Psychology

1.00pm – 2.30pm International Academy

36 Your first week

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Disability Services Registration and Welcome 10.00am – 12.30pm4N.6.2 (Student Support)

Our confidential service can offer advice and support during your timeat university.

It is important to register with the disability service so that we can planhow to best to support you in your studies. To register you will need toprovide supporting evidence of your condition such as a doctor’s letter,medical report or a diagnostic assessment of dyslexia, and should bringthis along to the registration.

If you have not already been in touch we would encourage you todisclose to us any medical condition, disability, specific learningdifficulty (such as dyslexia), mental health difficulties or any otherindividual needs.

Student support will be open 10.00am – 12.30pm specifically toprovide information about our disability services and for you to registerwith us.

Information will be available on: Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSA) Assessment of Need Individual exam arrangements Screening for dyslexia Wellbeing services Academic support

Study skills tuition Accessibility around campus

Please come along to meet the team and find out.www2.essex.ac.uk/stdsup/disab/welcome.shtm.

Please note that this is separate from your main student registrationand your Health Centre registration so you need to do those too!

Town tours Tours of Colchester town centre will leave from the information pointon Square 4 at regular intervals on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday –you may need to sign up in advance so please visit early to check. Thetour takes around two hours. You will need to pay your own bus fare, soplease bring some change, not notes. This is not a tourist tour; it is anopportunity to find out how to get to all the useful places in Colchester,including the major banks, shops, cinema and police station.

Tours of our Albert Sloman Library 10.00am – 4.30pm We offer regular tours during Welcome Week and the first two weeksof term, and you are strongly encouraged to come along to one ofthese. Please sign up in our Library beforehand – details will be on thenotice board in the Library foyer from the beginning of Welcome Week.Tours will be at 15-minute intervals. Each tour will last approximately30 minutes and provide a general introduction to library services.Additional tours, for which you should also sign up in advance, will beconducted at 4pm and 4.30pm each day during the second week ofterm, and at 4pm and 4.30pm on Wednesday 16 October.

Your first week 37

Registration with the police Compulsory for some international students 9am – 4pm LTB B Also on Tuesday and Wednesday. For international students (anddependants) whose visa states that police registration is required. Seepage 18 for more information.

Games Without Frontiers: Don’t Spill It 3pm – 4pm 5N.7.23 Don’t Spill It involves you working as part of a team to build a device totransport a vessel over a specified distance without spilling itscontents. Working as part of a team is a feature of many academicmodules and other aspects of student life, so this exercise will give youa new way of understanding what is important in team working.

Games Without Frontiers is a short programme of workshops runningfrom Tuesday to Friday that give you the opportunity to play educationalgames which help to identify and develop the sorts of skills which arecrucial for success at university and beyond. The programme is also achance to meet other students of different nationalities, from differentdepartments, and at different levels of study. Places for each sessionare limited to approximately 30 students so are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Write.Read.Think.Good. Microfiction forbetter diction10am – 11am 5N.7.23 Do you want to learn to write better essays? Want to have fun doing it?Want to earn a certificate in writing skills? This may be just the thingfor you. The University has recently devised a new certificated writingskills course using a completely unique methodology: microfiction.Defined by us as a piece of writing in 10 words or fewer, we usemicrofiction as an approach to help you to develop three key skills foruniversity success: communicating big ideas (write.good); extractingbig ideas (read.good); and organising big ideas (think.good). Deliveredin three one-hour parts, the write.read.think.good programme willprovide you with a range of tools to engage effectively in the academicwriting process, avoid plagiarism, and complete your assignments to ahigh standard by agreed deadlines. Each programme (two choices ofdates are available) will take place on three consecutive days.

To find out more visit: www.essex.ac.uk/ldev/microfiction.

38 Your first week

Languages for All information sessions 5.00pm – 5.30pm repeated at 5.30pm – 6.00pm LTB 2 Languages for All is a programme at the University of Essex thatprovides its students with the ability to study a language alongsidetheir degree. All Essex students are eligible for one year of languagetuition at no extra cost and additional tuition in subsequent years isavailable at a moderate fee. Languages for All does not affectstudents’ grades in their core degrees and is designed to fit alongsidea busy student schedule. It aims to encourage language learningamong students in order to increase the following skills:

language proficiency employability the confidence required for students to work, travel and study

internationally intercultural awareness

The programme was started in 2012-13 and has been very successful,gaining high approval rates from students. Students can study a varietyof languages at different levels and two different modes of study areoffered: the Language Express, a taught evening class which takesplace once a week, and the Language Portfolio, online taught moduleswith tutor support.

The languages currently offered are: Arabic, French, German, MandarinChinese and Spanish. Additional provision for Russian is planned for2013-14. For more information please visitwww.essex.ac.uk/languagesforall.

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Friday 4 October

Strategies for study workshops The Welcome Week carousel is a series of three workshops intendedfor undergraduates, including those returning to study after an interval.All students are welcome and all sessions are free. Each workshop hasbeen repeated so that you can find a time best suited to you.

Strategies for study workshop 1 10am – 11am or 11am – 12pm LTB 3 Using University guidance and resources to support independentlearning; Planning and managing your time effectively.

Strategies for study workshop 2 10am – 11am or 11am – 12pm LTB 9 Note taking for ‘critical thinking’ and plagiarism prevention.

Strategies for study workshop 3 1pm – 2pm LTB 9 Keeping track of what works for you: reviewing, revising and enjoyingyour study.

Town tours Tours of Colchester town centre will leave from the information pointon Square 4 at regular intervals on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday –you may need to sign up in advance so please visit early to check. Thetour takes around two hours. You will need to pay your own bus fare, soplease bring some change, not notes. This is not a tourist tour; it is anopportunity to find out how to get to all the useful places in Colchester,including the major banks, shops, cinema and police station.

Tours of our Albert Sloman Library 10.00am – 4.30pm We offer regular tours during Welcome Week andthe first two weeks of term, and you are stronglyencouraged to come along to one of these. Pleasesign up in our Library beforehand – details will be onthe notice board in the Library foyer from thebeginning of Welcome Week. Tours will be at 15-minute intervals. Each tourwill last approximately 30minutes and provide a generalintroduction to library services.Additional tours, for which youshould also sign up in advance,will be conducted at 4pm and4.30pm each day during thesecond week of term, and at4pm and 4.30pm on Wednesday16 October.

Your first week 39

40 Your first week

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Write.Read.Think.Good. Microfiction forbetter diction10am – 11am 5N.7.23 Do you want to learn to write better essays? Want to have fun doing it?Want to earn a certificate in writing skills? This may be just the thingfor you. The University has recently devised a new certificated writingskills course using a completely unique methodology: microfiction.Defined by us as a piece of writing in 10 words or fewer, we usemicrofiction as an approach to help you to develop three key skills foruniversity success: communicating big ideas (write.good); extractingbig ideas (read.good); and organising big ideas (think.good). Deliveredin three one-hour parts, the write.read.think.good programme willprovide you with a range of tools to engage effectively in the academicwriting process, avoid plagiarism, and complete your assignments to ahigh standard by agreed deadlines. Each programme (two choices ofdates are available) will take place on three consecutive days.

To find out more visit: www.essex.ac.uk/ldev/microfiction.

Games Without Frontiers: The SuperteamChallenge 3pm – 4pm 5N.7.23 The Superteam Challenge requires a small team to carry out a range oftasks in a short space of time. To succeed you will need to plan, solveproblems, work as a team and manage time effectively. There areprizes for the successful team.

Games Without Frontiers is a short programme of workshops runningfrom Tuesday to Friday that give you the opportunity to play educationalgames which help to identify and develop the sorts of skills which arecrucial for success at university and beyond. The programme is also achance to meet other students of different nationalities, from differentdepartments, and different levels of study. Places for each session arelimited to approximately 30 students so are allocated on a first-come,first-served basis.

Your first week 41

42 Your first week

Saturday 5 October

Students’ Union Freshers’ Fair 12pm - 4pm Squares 3, 4 and 5 Our Freshers’ Fair is the single biggest attended event of the firstweek, with more than 5,000 students expected for a totally uniqueafternoon of Students’ Union (SU) fun!

There’s more to university life than just studying, and Freshers’ Fair isyour opportunity to sample all of the different activities that our SUruns to make sure that boredom is never an issue you have to dealwith at Essex.

Squares 3, 4 and 5 will be packed with stalls showcasing all of ourSU’s many sports clubs, societies and volunteering projects, giving you

the chance to find out more and sign up to whichever ones take yourfancy. All of the clubs and societies are run by fellow students and theyprovide one of the biggest ways at Essex for you to meet new peopleand develop friendships that, in many cases, last a lifetime. Thousandsof students join a sports club or society each year, and at Freshers’ Fairwe’ll help you find the ones that are perfect for you.

As well as the clubs and societies, our SU’s shops, restaurants, barsand entertainment venues will also have stalls at Freshers’ Fair,showing off all of the amazing events, offers and attractions that youcan look forward to in the year ahead. And, as if all that wasn’t enough,there will also be a whole host of student-friendly companies at theFair, giving you the opportunity to get some great deals as well as pickup some free food and giveaways.

Essex is proud to have one of the best SU’s in the UK, so make sureyou come along to Freshers’ Fair and sample everything that it canoffer to help you love your time at university!

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Your first week 43

Beyond yourfirst week

44 Your first week

This programme has, hopefully, helped you find out what you’ll be doingduring your first week at our University. We know you’ll be keen to findout what happens next...

Teaching begins on Monday 7 October and we recommend that youuse some of your time during Welcome Week to find the rooms foryour lectures, seminars or other key meetings during the autumn term.You should also make sure you know where the admin office is foryour department, school or centre.

Student life isn’t all about study and it’s not all about partying either!Throughout the academic year there will be a range of non-alcoholbased social activities on offer including late night café society in thestylish Zest café on Square 3, cinema programme/films in the LTB, andan exciting and varied arts programme of comedy, film, theatre, musicand exhibitions in the theatre and gallery. This is in addition to thevariety of club, society and volunteering opportunities, so there really issomething for everyone, whatever your interests.

In your welcome pack you should also have received Your campusguide – this contains a great deal of information that will be of use toyou throughout your course of study, so we recommend that you read itnow and then keep it close, you never know when it might come inhandy!

If you are a postgraduate student, the Graduate School would like toinvite you to attend their welcome event:

Wednesday 9 October 5.00pm – 7.30pm Level 2, Students’ Union A welcome reception for all new postgraduates hosted by the Dean ofour Graduate School. A good chance to meet other graduate students.No need to book, just come along!

Beyond your first week

Your first week 45

MapsIn Your Campus Guide you willfind a series of useful mapswhich you can keep and refer tothroughout the year. To get youhere and find your way aroundduring your first week, an areamap and a plan of ourColchester Campus areincluded in this booklet.

A12

A12

A12

A120

A133

LEXDEN ROAD

SOUTH WAY

HIGH STREET EAST HILL

HYTHE HILL

COWDRAY AVENUE

IPSW

ICH

RO

AD

IPSW

ICH

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AD

A12

ST. ANDREW

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CLINGOE HILL A133W

IVENHOE ROAD

HARWICH ROAD

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A120Harwich

A133Clacton

A12London and M25

A134Sudbury

A12Ipswich/

The North and Midlands

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A12ColchesterCentralA133

Colchester Campus

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B

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Colchester General Hospital

NHS walk-in centre

Fire station

Colchester Institute

firstsite

Town centre

Police station

University Quays

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Routes onto Colchester Campus

Main entrance to the University

Route to Knowledge Gateway and Day Nursery

A

B

Colchester Campus

Colchester

Southend-on-SeaSouthend Campus

London

Loughton Campus

Chelmsford

Harwich

Dover

Folkestone

Luton

Heathrow

City

Stansted

Gatwick

Southend

A12

A12

A12

A13 A13

A127A127

A130

M20

M25

M25

M23

M1

M11

M25

EbbsfleetInternational

(Eurostar)

Liverpool Streetand St Pancras

International (Eurostar)

Luton

Heathrow

M1

M25

ColchesterCampus

SouthendCampus

LoughtonCampus

LONDON

© University of Essex June 2013 Designed and printed by Print Essex at the University of Essex

46 Your first week

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SouthCourts

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9

101

South Towers

North Towers

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11

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15

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1817

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The Houses

8

South TowersBertrand Russell 9Eddington 10

North TowersRayleigh 11Keynes 12Tawney 13William Morris 14

Wolfson Court 15

South CourtsHarwich 1Brightlingsea 2Manningtree 3Walton 4Thaxted 5Frinton 6Rowhedge 7Alresford 8

The HousesAnne Knight 16Isaac Rebow 17Swaynes 18Richard Woods 19Thomas Hopper 20Josephine Butler 21

University QuaysSainty Quay 22Hawkins Quay 23Matthews Quay 24

Student residences

13

Square 2

Square 3

Square 4

Square 5

Square 1

SportsCentre

Tenniscourts

Sports pavilion and sports field

Wivenhoe House hotel and Edge Hotel School

EastLodge

WestLodge

Syntheticpitch

Day Nursery

Health Centre

Constable Building

Lakeside House

The Meadows

Multi-decked car park

Student Centre and Library extension

(opens 2014)

N

New building to house Essex Business School

(opens 2014)

Parkside office village

(opens 2014)

TAXI

P

P

PP

Valley Car Park

Visitors’ Reception

N

Car Park B

Car Park A

NorthCar Park

© University of Essex September 2013 Designed and printed by Print Essex at the University of Essex

P

TAXI

Entrance 2(For multi-decked car park,

staff and visitors only, and Sports Centre parking)

PP

PP

University QuaysB&Q

Superstore

22

24 23

Railway

Foot-bridgeto University

Entrance 5(Pedestrians only)

Entrance 1(Main Entrance)

Entrance 3 (Pre-arranged

disabled parking only)

Entrance 4

Disabled VisitorsFor information on access and parking arrangements, please contact Visitors’ Reception +44 (0)1206 874321 in advance of your visit.

Information/Security Centre

Taxi point

Traffic lights

Bus stop

Car parking

Accessible parking

Cycle path

TAXI

PP

A133 Clacton

B1027Brightlingsea

B1028Wivenhoe

Main Entrance

Boundary Road

Nesfield Road

Boundary Road

No through road Park Road

North Towers

Road

Valley Road

UniversityQuays

A133 Colchester

Barrier control(buses only)

Barrier control(buses

only)

Barrier control(buses

only)

Central buildings

Student residences

Other buildings

New developments

Access to Knowledge Gateway and Day Nursery only

Capon Road

Route to main campus

Your first week 47

Before you arrive Sign up to use myEssex for applicants via:www.essex.ac.uk/students Activate your University of Essex computer and e-mail account (youcan do this once you have signed into myEssex) Complete pre-registration online (open from September): checkand update your personal information; emergency contact; coursedetails; upload a photograph; sign up to our University’sRegulations; pay your tuition fees (if you are a self-funded student) Select optional modules using eNROL, the online moduleenrolment system: via: www.essex.ac.uk/apply If you are living in University campus accommodation, complete theHealth Centre pre-registration form online by visiting the Practicewebsite www.rowhedgesurgery.co.uk and entering the UniversityHealth Centre section If registering with the Health Centre, you will need to bring a printout or list of all childhood vaccinations, and a list of any medicinesyou take regularly Check when your departmental, school or centre events will takeplace during Welcome Week at: www.essex.ac.uk/welcome Plan the other essential events you should attend, eg Welcome Talk,and Graduate School events Plan what other optional events you want to attend (eg studentsnot living in university-provided accommodation, study strategiesworkshops) Start accessing the SU’s services, including joining clubs andsocieties and getting your NUS Extra discount card, online at:www.essexstudent.com/freshers

What to bring with you to registration Photographic identification (eg passport, driving licence) International students (those from non-European Economic Areacountries): bring your passport, visa/Biometric Residence Permitand a printout of your CAS statement Original qualifications (if these have not already been supplied toour Admissions Office) Documentation relating to the payment of your tuition fees (egconfirmation from Student Finance England or your sponsor) Self-funded students: the first instalment of your tuition fees, if youhave not paid in advance

During Welcome Week Attend Welcome Talk, and departmental, school or centre events,essential events and optional events, details available at:www.essex.ac.uk/welcome Attend registration at the Sports Hall and collect your registrationand library card, see the schedule at: www.essex.ac.uk/welcomeand in the diary pages of this programme If you are registering with the Health Centre, don’t forget to attendyour patient registration appointment Check the location of computer labs on campus at:www2.essex.ac.uk/cs/labs or watch their guided tour of thecomputer labs at: http://vimeo.com/uniofessex/pc and find ourComputing Service Helpdesk at:www2.essex.ac.uk/cs/help/helpdesk Login and access myEssex at: www.essex.ac.uk and check yourUniversity of Essex e-mail messages

Useful checklists

48 Your first week

View your personalised teaching timetable online at:www.essex.ac.uk/timetables and check the location of teachingrooms via: www.essex.ac.uk/about/campuses/colchester Meet new friends and make the most of your free time by signingup to student sports clubs and societies at SU Freshers’ Fair

International students Register with the police, if required to do so, see page 18 or:www.essex.ac.uk/welcome Attend the English language assessment, if required to do so, thiscould entitle you to free English language support classesthroughout the year

During your first month Check how you will be assessed/examined on your course Check when you are required to submit your first piece ofcoursework Visit our Albert Sloman Library and understand how to use onlinelibrary catalogues and databases Find out what plagiarism is and how to avoid it Find out about skills development, eg skills programmes, personaldevelopment planning Know where to access information about the regulations of ourUniversity Be aware of the range of support services available to students andbe ready to ask for help if you need it

Visit our Employability and Careers Centre on Square 2 any timefrom your first day at our University and find out how we can helpyou start your career or continue with further study

Useful checklists

Your first week 49

Notes

Containsrecycledmaterials

© University of Essex 2013Designed and printed by Print Essex at the University of Essex

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@uni_of_essex#essexwelcome