#warwick2014 Student Handbook 2014: Student life at Warwick warwick.ac.uk/welcome Checklist Welcome to the University of Warwick! This handbook is a handy reference for your first year at University. Have a read through now to find out lots of useful and important information and keep it with you for future reference. You can also find this information and more on the Welcome to Warwick website at warwick.ac.uk/welcome The following checklist will help you during your first few weeks: Visit your academic induction – see warwick.ac.uk/welcome/firstweeks Attend the Vice-Chancellor’s Welcome Address – see warwick.ac.uk/welcome/firstweeks Visit the Library’s Get Started sessions: p7 Visit study spaces available to you: p7-8 Explore the academic skills programmes: p18-19 Access Students’ Union information and entertainment: p15-17 Discover more about life at Warwick: p18 Explore campus using our interactive map – see warwick.ac.uk/maps/interactive Your Student Handbook Contents Introducing your University _04 Academic matters _06 Support and welfare _10 Security _13 Accommodation and Living with Others _14 Welcome to the Students’ Union _15 The year ahead: be part of it _18 The campus _24 Transport on campus and to the local area _26 Policy and regulations _28 The Warwick Student Community Statement _30 Life after Warwick _34 Contacts _35 warwick.ac.uk/welcome _03 Introducing your University Our history... The University of Warwick’s first intake of 450 Great teaching won’t just come from our undergraduates arrived in 1964. Now, in 2014, you academics; your fellow students, who are as are part of a globally-connected community of ambitious and passionate about learning as you approximately 23,000 students (full-time equivalent) are, will also inspire you. and more than 5,000 members of staff. Over our One of the many academic opportunities available to relatively short history, we have grown to include 28 undergraduate students is the Warwick Undergraduate academic departments, more than 50 research centres Research Support Scheme (URSS), which enables and several sites, including the University Hospital in you to apply for funding for your own research project. Coventry and a base in Venice, Italy. We consistently Also, you’ll be able to contribute to the undergraduate rank in the top ten of British university league tables. research journal, Reinvention, which is managed jointly by the University of Warwick and Monash … and our future University in Australia. In 2015 we will celebrate our 50th anniversary. Vision If you’re a postgraduate student, you’ll get access to the 2015 is our strategy for becoming one of the world’s top Postgraduate Hub which will provide you with support universities. The strategy was developed with input from and resources dedicated to your needs. All researchers our staff and students, and students remain at the can also access the Wolfson Research Exchange, a heart of the strategy as we move forward. community space that provides all Warwick researchers Your ideas, enthusiasm and commitment to Warwick with a forum for interdisciplinary collaboration. are essential and we hope that during your time here you will become involved in any way you can. From something as simple as using recycling facilities to help towards our goal to become a more sustainable campus, to representing the student body on development committees, you can contribute towards helping us become a universally-acknowledged world centre for higher education. Throughout 2015 we’ll be celebrating our 50th birthday with a range of events on and off-campus, so keep an eye out for details of how you can get involved! To learn more about our history, management and vision for the future visit warwick.ac.uk/about Teaching excellence You are joining a dynamic community where knowledge is being created. Our academics are passionate about their subjects, brilliant at their research and dedicated to your learning. Teaching is reflected in the 11 prestigious National Teaching Fellowships awarded to us by the Higher Education Academy since 2006. We also celebrate our best teachers through the Warwick Awards for Teaching Excellence. 04_ Student Handbook 2014 Did you know? Great teaching won’t just come from our academics; your fellow students, who are as ambitious and passionate about learning as you are, will also inspire you. warwick.ac.uk/welcome _05 Academic matters Developing your skills The Library has a vast collection of more than one million books, 13.5 kilometres of archives, access to w warwick.ac.uk/skills 48,000 e-journals, 80,000 e-books and more than No matter what level of study you are joining us at, 7,000 digitised core text readings, all catalogued on the academic side of university life may present new a web-based system. This makes it simple to search challenges. Our skills programmes for undergraduate, by computer or by mobile phone apps and even easier Masters and research students are available to support to renew or reserve items. Our growing quantity of your academic skills development. See the website for electronic literature is available wherever and whenever further information. you are meaning no queues, no book returns and no reserve lists. Examinations The first two floors are designed to aid informal and Although some departments run exams throughout the collaborative working, with more than 200 computers year, the majority of exams for undergraduate students and other multimedia equipment, such as plasma take place during weeks four to nine of the summer screens and interactive smart boards. The extension term. Exams for all students are staggered throughout building and upper floors retain a traditional style – they that period so, even if yours finish early, we ask that are discreet and quiet – and are ideal for research, you are considerate towards other students who may revision and writing. The Library is open 7:30am-12 still be sitting their exams. Details of times and venues midnight, seven days a week during term time, with for your exams will be made available later in the year. extended opening hours at important times of the Some exams will also take place on Saturdays. academic year. Students studying for a taught postgraduate degree may have exams at different times throughout the year. Your department will advise you of your dates. Library and study spaces Samuel Kidman w warwick.ac.uk/library Chemistry e [email protected] The University has extensive study spaces around the campus for quiet, reflective study and for group work. All facilities can be accessed with your University card. “Warwick Library, with The Library millions of books… and w warwick.ac.uk/library Library Road, Central Campus enough computers and work The Library is right at the heart of our campus and you’ll space to accommodate find it invaluable. We provide access to expert staff and services in a recently refurbished, dynamic and creative thousands of students, will learning space. The librarians who specialise in your subject area will get you quite happily through help you with your academic enquiries and offer training sessions to help you get the most out of the Library’s your degree.” resources. If you need extra support you can always book a consultation session for one-to-one help. warwick.ac.uk/welcome/blogs 06_ Student Handbook 2014 Get Started sessions Modern Records Centre The Library’s Get Started sessions give you the w warwick.ac.uk/go/mrc opportunity to familiarise yourself with facilities, meet Ground floor, Library Extension staff and find out more about your course resources. The Modern Records Centre has recently been You can access some bite-sized Get Started sessions redeveloped and now includes a dedicated teaching online at warwick.ac.uk/lib-getstarted space, a refurbished researchers’ area and an improved exhibition area. The Centre holds nationally important The Learning Grids archives for the study of social, economic and political University House: w warwick.ac.uk/grid history with a wealth of material, including a series of Rootes Building: w warwick.ac.uk/gridrootes online resources, which can be used for a wide range of BioMed Grid: w warwick.ac.uk/biomedgrid undergraduate and postgraduate course modules. Leamington Spa: w warwick.ac.uk/gridleamington The Teaching Grid The Learning Grids are innovative and flexible spaces supporting individual study and collaborative learning w warwick.ac.uk/teachinggrid in a range of locations on and off campus. They foster Second floor, Library group study, presentation planning and practice. The Teaching Grid is designed to develop teaching Learning Grid Advisers offer peer-to-peer guidance excellence at Warwick and provides a flexible classroom during staffed hours and are available to help you for your tutors to try out new ways of teaching, including deliver your presentations and support you in the use of trying out new technologies. Some of your classes may multimedia for your assignments, revision and projects. be held in the Experimental Teaching Space on Floor 2 You will find the Learning Grids in: of the Library. Δ University House – open 24 hours a day, only closing on Wolfson Research Exchange Christmas Day w warwick.ac.uk/researchexchange Δ Rootes Building – close to student accommodation and Third floor, Library open 8am-10pm every day during term time The Wolfson Research Exchange is a researcher space Δ BioMed Grid – based on Gibbet Hill campus that provides a forum for interdisciplinary collaboration to all Warwick researchers. Last year, the Research Δ Leamington Spa – bookable study spaces based in Exchange held more than 900 research-led events, Leamington’s Town Hall more than any other space at Warwick. Join our flourishing PhD network with more than 350 members for networking and support.