Departmental welcome events
Colchester Campus
Essential, informal induction talks within your home academic department provide the best opportunity for you to meet
your fellow students, some of the lecturers who will be teaching you, and ask any questions - absolutely unmissable!
From drama auditions to graduates' stories, you can also find out much more about what's going on in your Department by watching some of our great new videos on the
University of Essex Vimeo channel.
Event information has been amended or updated where you see this symbol
Choose your department
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Department of Economics
We hope you’re excited to soon be starting your studies at Essex! In order for you to get the most out of Welcome Week you should come along to our Departmental events.
These include a welcome reception, where you’ll meet Directors of study and your new lecturers and have an opportunity to make new friends with other students on your course.
We also have a meet-your-mentor event, where you'll be paired-up with a current Economics student who already knows their way around and can help you along the way.
As well as the more sociable events going on, we have sessions on each of our main modules which will cover module content and materials. There is also an employability
session so you can see what extra-curricular opportunities there are for you during your studies which will help you find a job in the future. You may not know, but we have
an amazing student society who organised trips, seminars, movie nights, nights out and much more, take a look at the
Economics Society website.
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Department of Language and Linguistics
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Adobe PDF
(262K)
Download this A4 welcome sheet which includes the time, venue and further details about your
departmental welcome event. Please note, Samantha Durling, who will be presenting the UG administration meeting on Wednesday 3 October, is now the Departmental Administrator for Language and Linguistics.
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Department of Government
Hello to new Government students! You should have received the name and e-mail address of a Department of Government peer mentor; a student in their second or third year who is there to give a helping hand
from a student’s point of view. If you haven't yet received their details, please e-mail: Becky Fray, First-Year Undergraduate Administrator at: rfray@essex.ac.uk who will be happy
to point you in the right direction!
Don’t forget to come to the Welcome Talk, get yourself registered, check out the SU events and come to our Table-top Sale and social event
to meet the administrators and academics of the Department. Got any last minute questions? Feel free to contact Becky for more - see you soon!
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Department of Sociology
A warm welcome from the Department of Sociology
On behalf of the Department of Sociology, I would like to take this opportunity of wishing you a very warm welcome to Essex. I am sure you have
worked very hard to get here and I hope that over the next few weeks you will settle in and begin to get to grips with your studies.
To assist you in this, the University, the Students' Union and the Sociology Department have arranged various events during
Welcome Week and you will receive full details in your induction pack.
You will also receive a course handbook in your induction pack. The handbook is a valuable source of information about how the Department is
organised and how the degree programmes run. You should keep it safe to use for reference over the coming months. You have a great opportunity here,
and with some time, commitment and effort, you should reap excellent rewards, both academically and personally. The Sociology staff wish you the very
best in your studies and look forward to working with you over the coming years.
Dr. Michael Bailey, First Year Director
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Essex Business School
Hello and welcome to all new and returning Essex Business School students!
Exciting times are approaching fast. Your studies at EBS are soon about to begin and we are here to help and support you from day one.
We have several important Welcome events to help you get started on your studies in the best possible way. These events combine giving you
vital information, having fun, and getting the opportunity to make friends with both new and returning EBS students. You will also meet key
members of our teaching and administration staff to whom you can address the initial questions you may have.
The PDF document below contains our downloadable A4 welcome sheet which gives you the times and venues (plus further details)
of the Welcome Events relevant to you. Please check with your Course Team if you are not sure when or where any of your Events is taking place.
We are all looking forward to see you at our Welcome events!!
We're also holding a Welcome event for all second and third-year new and returning students, to help you get the most out of your studies.
The events includes advice and tips to fit what is expected at this level of study and to set you up for your year ahead. We'll inform you about
new changes for the year, tips on progressing at EBS and a career after EBS. The Welcome event will also include magic, invited speakers from industry
and former students, plus a prize-giving ceremony for good student performance last year. More details of the event are on our webpage,
can be found on our webpage
for 2nd and 3rd year students that include useful information for both new 2nd year students and returning students. , details as follows:
Date: Wednesday 9 October 2013
Time: 3pm - 6pm
Venue: LTB 7
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Centre for Psychoanalytic Studies
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School of Health and Human Sciences
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Department of Maths
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Department of Psychology
You're a new Psychology student, why should you attend your Welcome Day on 1 October?
Because this year, our Welcome events are bigger and better than ever! We have a talk in the morning to communicate lots of important
information, and to introduce you to key staff who are involved in teaching and support in year one. We will then have a buffet lunch,
which will include a chance for you to meet your adviser. Our adviser system is a way for students to receive support from a
dedicated member of academic staff throughout your three years at Essex, and your adviser is a good person from whom to request letters of
reference. In the afternoon, fellow students will escort you around the campus, including a tour of the department, and will take you to
register for your year one modules. Don't miss out!
Peer mentoring in our department
Last year the Department of Psychology rolled out a peer mentoring scheme for the first time. Many students who took up the
opportunity to have a mentor (a fellow student in the second or third year) said that they appreciated having a peer to talk to and
to answer questions. This year we have more peer mentors and we would encourage you all to opt in to the scheme by letting us know that
you too would like to have a mentor for your first year here at Essex. You might also wish to be trained so that you can become a mentor
in your second or third year. The mentor scheme is a valuable means of support and we would like to see our scheme grow.
With your help, we can provide mentors and student families for all students in the department.
Top study tips
The best way to do well on your assessments is to practice the effective and clear communication of your understanding of the material.
Many times students work hard on reading, but neglect to spend equal time on their communication of the key concepts from that
reading. Since you are assessed on what you write, it is important that you express yourself clearly. We suggest that study groups are
a good way to practice. Form small groups early on in the year, and summarize to each other the main points from your readings.
For lab reports, make sure that you are able to state the variables, hypotheses, interpretations of results and conclusions.
You might wish to bring your study groups to the lecturer for help. Just e-mail the appropriate lecturer to arrange an appointment.
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Adobe PDF
(222K)
Download this A4 welcome sheet which includes the time,
venue and further details about your departmental welcome event. Amendment to Careers Session for First Year students - please note: this session
takes place on Thursday 3 October, 2-4pm (not on Wednesday)
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School of Biological Sciences
Key information to get you off to a great start
Be sure to attend your first introduction to the School of Biological Sciences at 2pm on Wednesday 2 October
in Ivor Crewe lecture Hall B. You will be welcomed by key staff involved in organising first year courses giving
you some top tips on what you need to know. Immediately after this you will enrol with the School of Biological
Sciences and we’ll provide you with your own special welcome pack! All our new students also have a safety lecture
later in the week, set your alarm so you don’t miss it.
Get to know the students on your course and make new friends
On Friday 4 October at 11am (after your safety lecture) come along to the School to meet some fellow students and take part
in a fun group activity in the lab or out and about on campus. Sports and Exercise Science students have their
own events – see below.
Sports and Exercise Science students compete!
Make sure you attend the Sports and Exercise Science (SES) Welcome event on Friday 4 October to meet your fellow students
and help your team to a winning performance in the quiz! Then come along to our 'Back to School Sports Day' to take on the
second and third year students. Find out what it’s really like to study Sports Science at Essex and gain
some useful tips for making the most of your first year.
Did you know that the lecturers teaching your course are here to help you?
Every new student has a personal tutor so make sure you attend your tutorials as it is a great opportunity
for both staff and students to get to know each other. There are many other sources of support such as your
senior tutor, course directors and our award winning Student Support team.
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School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering
Welcome to Computer Science and Electronic Engineering
We hope you will have a really enjoyable and rewarding time with us. It's really important that you attend our
Welcome Week events starting with the departmental talk on 1 October at 1.30pm. This talk will communicate lots
of important information, and introduce you to key staff who are involved in teaching and supporting you in year one.
After the talk, there will be refreshments during which you will have a chance to talk with staff and meet your fellow
students. The sessions later in the week help you find your way around the School and get you up to speed with the
extensive laboratory facilities that we have. Don't miss out!
Peer mentoring in our department
The School runs a peer mentoring scheme for first year students. Last year, many students who took up the opportunity
to have a mentor (a fellow student in the second or third year), said that they appreciated having an experienced
student to talk to and to answer questions -
check details here on the CSEE website about the scheme. If you're interested in having a mentor you can opt
in by contacting Rachele Winn in the School Office, rachele@essex.ac.uk.
You might also wish to be trained so that you can become a mentor in your second or third year.
The mentor scheme is a valuable means of support and we would like to see our scheme grow.
With your help, we can provide mentors for all students in the department.
Visit the new CSEE website for new undergraduate
and postgraduate students joining us in October 2013.
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School of Law
To all our new undergraduate students – welcome to the School of Law!
We’ve organised a programme of events for your first week to welcome you into the School of Law. On Monday 30 September, your Senior Peer Mentoring Team
will show you how to find your way around campus. There will be a Welcome Talk at 3pm for all students. The talk will be given by a panel of
staff members and you will have the opportunity to find out more about the University. International students are also invited to an International
Students’ Welcome Talk at 4.15pm.
On Tuesday 1 October, our Head of School and our Undergraduate Director will formally welcome you to the School of Law. You’ll be given essential information
about the School and about your degree course.
On Wednesday 2 October, the Senior Peer Mentoring Team will be running the first of two sessions they’ve developed for you. Our Senior Peer Mentors
are second and third year Law students who have worked together to identify what first year Law students should know to help them succeed.
The first session, ‘Beat the clock’, focuses on time management and organisational skills – two of the biggest predictors of academic
progression and success. Straight after this session, the School of Law is hosting a welcome buffet where you’ll meet staff as well
as representatives of the Student Law and Bar Societies.
On Thursday 3 October, the Senior Peer Mentoring Team will be running their second session, ‘Success 101’. This session focuses on strategies, hints and tips to
help you achieve the best degree you can. After the session, you’ll have the opportunity to meet all of the School of Law’s Peer Mentors. On Thursday
afternoon, you’ll attend your first lecture: ‘An Introduction to Academic, Legal and Professional Skills’.
On Friday 4 October, an introductory session will be held for students registered on the LLB in French and English Laws.
In the afternoon, all Law students are invited to an employability and careers event where you’ll be given information about graduate careers
and how to make the most of the opportunities available to you at Essex.
If you’re eager to start, we recommend that you read some, or all, of the following books:
- The Study Skills Handbook, Stella Cottrell, PalgraveMacmillan (any edition)
- Eats, shoots and leaves, Lynne Truss, HarperCollins (any edition)
- The Student's Guide to Writing: Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling, Dr John Peck and Martin Coyle, PalgraveMacmillan (any edition)
These books should be available in your local bookshop or library.
You may also wish to visit:
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Adobe PDF
(195K)
Download this A4 welcome sheet which also includes the times,
venues and further details on School of Law welcome events.
Please note: there has been a change to this schedule. There will now be just one induction session for the LLM International Trade Law, LLM International Business Law,
LLM International Commercial Law and LLM Internet Law on Thursday 3 October 2013 in LTB1 from 12noon to 2pm. As a result the sessions on Wednesday and Thursday will not take place.
Please also note: the UG session on Wednesday 2 October at 1pm will not take place in LTB4.
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Human Rights Centre
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Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies in the Humanities
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Department of History
Meet your mentor
Congratulations on being accepted into the Department of History - we look forward to meeting you during Welcome Week. We know your first few weeks at Uni can be a confusing place,
so in order to help, the Department of History assigns each student a mentor to help them learn more about the Department and life on campus. Your mentor is a fellow History student
who can offer insight about how the Department works and answer any questions. From coursepacks to coursework, meeting your mentor is a great way to learn more about the Department
of History.
Welcome lunch and help desk
Questions about your teachers? Worried about your timetable? Looking for a free lunch? Join us for our Welcome Lunch where you can meet your fellow students,
speak to staff and ask any questions you have regarding the Department of History. This is a great opportunity to meet your new teachers, and we will have
various stations set up to answer any of your questions. We look forward to seeing you there.
Get involved
The Department of History is a friendly place. We love getting to know our students and putting a face to a name. We encourage all of our students to get
involved and we think the History Society is a great place to start. Drop by the History Society Social to meet the group and learn more about what they do on campus.
From career sessions to party planning, the History Society is a great way to meet people and become involved in your new Department.
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International Academy
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Department of Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies
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School of Philosophy and Art History
Welcome to the School of Philosophy and Art History (SPAH)
We're delighted you're joining us at SPAH, whether you'll be studying Philosophy, Art History or
one of our interdisciplinary courses. We pride ourselves on being a very friendly and accessible community, and
our students think so too: they have awarded us very high NSS ratings for several years in succession.
We offer a quite unique range of courses across philosophy, art history and beyond. We really hope you will
enjoy your time at SPAH and all the intellectual opportunities that are on offer here.
Welcome Week
During Welcome Week we'll be offering a number of events specifically for SPAH students. The main
events for new undergraduates take place on Tuesday 1 October - make sure you come along! But this is only the
start of an action-packed week; events are crammed with useful information and opportunities to meet fellow
students and staff.
Special Highlights of Welcome Week
On the Friday meet your mentor at 10am, a more experienced student who will help you get the best
out of your time at Essex. Not everything is learned in the classroom! You will also learn a lot from
the ‘old hands’ who know how things work! Why not get involved in the Undergraduate Philosophy Society
or one of the many other university societies catering for all interests and tastes? And make sure you
come along to the Careers talk on 3 October at 11am. You may think it’s too early or too boring to think
about employment at this stage, but we intend to show you that thinking ahead is not only useful, but can
also be fun!
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Adobe PDF
(284K)
Download this A4 welcome sheet which includes the time, venue and further details about your
departmental welcome event. Amendment to Art History - MA Curatorial Studies induction please note: this session
takes place on Wednesday 2 October, 3.45-5pm (not on Tuesday 2 October)
Essex Abroad