"the highest endeavour of the mind, and the highest virtue, is to understand things by intuition"
Useful information
Useful Dates
Term and Exam dates
University
Term and examination dates (This link will take you to a University web
page, press the back button to return here.)
Autumn Term
Week 4: 25 October 2012 at 7.00pm in 5.300A
Welcome Reception for all students in the School
This is a good opportunity for an informal, friendly, drink and chat with
members of staff and other students in the School, both new and returning.
Weeks 4 - 7: Date and time to be advised
Study abroad meeting
Meeting for any first or second year students interested in study abroad –
further information to be provided.
Week 7: 7 November 2012 at 1.00pm
Undergraduate Staff/Student Liaison Committee
Week 8: W/c 19 November 2012
Reading Week
Week 10: 4 December 2012 6.00pm - 8.00pm
Student Christmas Party - Details to be confirmed
Spring Term
Week 18: 30 January 2013 time to be advised
Undergraduate Staff/Student Liaison Committee
Week 20: 13 February 2013 time to be advised in 5B.137
Postgraduate opportunities meeting. Meeting for students interested in
postgraduate study
Week 21: W/c 18 February 2013
Reading Week
Summer Term
Week 30: 24 April 2013 time to be advised
Undergraduate Staff/Student Liaison Committee
Week 30: 24 April 2013 at 3.30pm in Wk 30
Drop-in module selection sessions
Staff will be available in their offices to discuss next year’s module choices
with first and second year undergraduates
Week 31: 1 May 2013
Philosophy & Art History Undergraduate examination workshop
Weeks 33-36: 13 May - 7 June 2013
Exam period
Week 36: w/c 3 June 2013
Barbeque and picnic by the lake. Always planned for the last day of the exams -
so come and unwind over some food, drink and, hopefully, sunshine!
Week 39: w/c 24 June 2013
Undergraduate examination boards
(dates TBA)
Week 42: w/c 15 July 2013
Graduation ceremonies
Week 49: w/c 2 September 2013
Re-sit Examinations
Notices will be put up around the School reminding you of these events. Please check for any amendments to dates and
times.
Philosophy Reading Weeks
Under normal circumstances no lectures or classes will take place during the
following weeks, unless you are notified otherwise by your lecturer or class
teacher:
Autumn Term:
week 8 (week commencing Monday
19 November 2012)
Spring Term:
week 21 (week commencing Monday
18 February 2013)
If a member of staff has to miss a lecture or class due to illness, or for some
other reason, Reading Week may be used to catch up on the missed session.
Communication Methods
School: Notice Boards
General information relevant for all students
will be on the notice board opposite room 6.129.
This will include such information as the school’s student support
system, school seminars and events, etc.
First, second, third and final year notice boards are outside the
Undergraduate Office (6.130).
Consult these for class lists.
Further down the corridor, and also in the Philosophy corridor on 5B, you will
find notice boards announcing seminars and conferences, both at Essex and at
other universities, and a variety of other information.
School : Mail/e-mail
School:
Mail/E-mail:
Official letters will be sent to your contact (term-time)
address and via e-mail. It is
your responsibility to make sure that the University has your correct
contact address. Should you move
house then please change your address via ‘myEssex’ your student web portal,
see below. School fliers and
notices are usually sent via e-mail and are posted on the school notice
boards.
When you first register you will be
given an e-mail address.
Please check your e-mail daily as this is the main form of
communication between the School and its students.
An email will be sent out if a lecture, class or seminar has to be
postponed or cancelled.
Common Rooms
The School currently has two Common
Rooms: 5B.137 and 6.143 (also
affectionately known as ’Thomas’ Room’ in memory of Professor Thomas Puttfarken
a former member of staff).
Both rooms are for students to relax and meet informally with fellow students
and staff and are open from 9.00 am – 5.00 pm.
They are also used for various events and meetings throughout the year.
Hot and cold drinks are available at reasonable prices – 45p per a cup of
coffee or tea! In 5B.137
The Times and
The Guardian are provided for both
staff and students to read, as are various philosophical magazines and journals
such as Radical Philosophy,
Philosophy Now,
The Philosophers and
Think.
We do ask that these are not removed from the Common Room.
Philosophy Society
This is a student-run society that aims at creating and
promoting a friendly environment for the practice of philosophical discussion
and debate. On some occasions a paper (normally by a student or occasionally by
an invited member of staff) is read and discussed. Emails will be sent out
advertising events and posters will be displayed around the School. Volunteers
to help run the Society are always welcomed. Anyone
interested in joining should email
philosoc@essex.ac.uk.
Undergraduate Staff/Student Liaison Committee
Every Department, School and Centre in the University is
required to establish at least one Staff/Student Liaison Committee. We have two
such committees, one for undergraduate students and one for graduate students.
The function of the Undergraduate Staff/Student Liaison
Committee (USSLC) is to provide a forum in which undergraduate can, through
their elected representatives, voice opinions on any matters relating to their
studies and experiences in the School.
The Chair of the Committee is the Director of Undergraduate
Studies. Student representatives from Art History and Philosophy from a cross
section of years and courses make up the membership. The Deputy School
Administrator acts as Secretary to the USSLC. The Committee
meets once a term and its Minutes are received by the following School Meeting.
Student representatives are elected at the beginning of the
autumn term. If only two nominations are received for any year both nominees
will automatically be elected. If more than two nominations are received then a
secret ballot will be held. The USSLC will also be asked to elect one of its
representatives to attend School Meetings and meetings of the Undergraduate
Working Party.
The University‟s „Code of Practice for Student
Representation within Departments‟ can be found at:
www.essex.ac.uk/quality/pages/sslc.htm
Departmental Seminars
Departmental seminars
for 2012-13
Requesting References
The provision of a reference to a current or former student is an important
service provided by the staff of the University and enables the University to
enhance our graduates' employability through the provision of personalised
endorsements of their character and achievements, specific to positions and
study programmes for which they are making applications.
Members of staff expect to be asked to act as referees for their students, but
please ask them in advance and use the Department’s
Reference Request Form. Do not
leave it until the last minute and expect a reference to be produced within the
next day or two. They do have other things to do, or may be away from the
University.
Third/final year students wanting to apply for grants from funding bodies to
support graduate study must make sure that their referees are available to write
references at the required time. Quite often deadlines fall within the Easter
vacation, when staff are away from the University, undertaking research, attending
conferences, or sometimes taking a holiday.
Every reasonable effort will be made to provide a reference for students who
have studied in the Department, within a minimum period of three years following
departure from the University. Requests received outside of this time scale may
be met if a member of staff is equipped with the necessary information on the
student and is willing to provide a reference. Thereafter, factual statements,
including attendance dates and marks, may be provided where no individual member
of staff is available to supply a reference, using records in the departmental
office or central administration.
A copy of any references issued will be retained within the Department for a
period of six years following the date on which the reference was written (ten
years in the case of research students). If you would like the Department to
keep a copy of your references beyond this date you will need to give your
written consent.
Requests for references should be submitted on this
form.