Welcome to Systems Engineering

Eur Ing Chris GuyHead of School

Dr Richard MitchellSchool Director of Teaching & Learning

On Handbooks, Courses, Registration, Thursday Welcome

Dr Andrew AdamsSchool Senior Tutor

On Personal Tutors and PARs

Video from School’s ITNG and Tour of School

Handbooks – Please Keep and Read

Hopefully you will have received a) The School’s Handbook for Students

details general information on School & Unib) The relevant Degree Course Handbook

specific information about your degreec) The School’s Guide to Computing

information about the School’s computersIf you have not got these, spare copies are

available at registration this afternoon (and on the web).

Communications

The web is one source of informationThe School uses much modern technology as a

means of communicating with youE-mail is used regularlyWe also use ‘Blackboard’ : each module you do

has a presence on blackboard, where information is posted – read it regularly – used also for notices, but some staff also use more advanced features

The second welcome on Thursday will introduce BB and email – bring your username/password

Courses and Professional Bodies

Most of our courses are accredited by professional bodies, such as the IEE or the BCS

You may well want to consider joining themNote, both IEE and BCS have local branches

which organise evening lectures and other activities

[The IEE have a stand in freshers week and an event on Oct 13th : see www.iee.org/berkshire ]

You may well want to attend some activities:watch the relevant web sites and emails

Degree Course Organisation

Degrees last 3, 4 and occasionally 5 yearsEach Degree is divided into Parts (aligned to

years)Each Part is divided into ModulesEach Module is worth X credits (usually 20)There are Modules worth 120 credits per PartIn order to ‘progress’ to the next Part, you have

to pass the current PartEach course has a Programme Specification – this

lists the Modules, contains Progression Rules, etc.

These Prog Specs are in your Course Handbook.

Modules and Registration (from 2:00)

Each degree has some Compulsory Modules, many have Optional Modules

You can usually do the Compulsory Modules for other degrees as well as your chosen degree

So if you Pass, you can stay on your current degree, but may be able to change to another for Part 2

Registration is about choosing the Modules Programme Advisors will be there to helpLook at your Course Handbook before then

This also includes Module Descriptions

School Student Information Office G44

This office, in the northern part of the ‘main’ school building, has

spare copies of lecture notesother bits of useful informationcopies of forms, you may needsystem for receiving coursework

And the delightful Glennys and Helen

Systems Engineering Buildings

G45

LiftG56

G44 G46

Room

Theatre

InIn

Gordon

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IT PC Lab : Physics 124

Lift

North

G21Engineering

Second Welcome to Systems Engineering

On Thursday, starting at 10.00 in Madjeski lecture theatre, in Agriculture (Earley Gate campus)Talk on various aspects of Uni / School

Then ‘parallel’ sessions back in Systems EngineeringWelcome from relevant subject groupsHands-on computing sessiontry out email – send message to your tutortry Blackboard: fill in form on programming

Then on Friday (for most) you see your tutor …

Your Tutor

Each Student has a Personal TutorMember of the academic staff of the School,

whoHelps with the transition to University

and to make the most of your time hereAdvises and support you with your studies

and any difficultiesProvides reports and referencesSupports you in developing your PAR

(Personal Academic Record)

What is PAR?

PAR – simple record of tutor-tutee meetingsUseful to both as can help provide overview of tutee’s academic progression encourage students to take more responsibility for

their own learning  encouraging the development of key skills  provide tutors with useful material for references 

ensure that each tutee receives same basic

support  provide written documentation of the tutorial

support a School provides

Your PAR Folder

Given to you at the first meeting (for most this will be this Friday)

For you to keep and you to bring to each meeting

Your tutor will keep the original of each record of meetings and you will get a copy

You both sign the recordIf you want other information to be added give

your tutor a copyIf you don’t want something recorded – say – but

your tutor may forget if there isn’t a record

First MeetingAt registration you will be given the name of

your tutor and a date and time to meet him/her

You will also get a form to fill in about youDo this before the first meetingTake care it is carbonated

The topics for the first meeting includeQuick check on general stuff mentioned hereDiscussion on the form about youCheck on your Part 1 modules and TimetableDiscussion on any special needs

Other MeetingsIn your first year, timetabled meetings:

In the first or second week of each termIn other years, timetabled meetings:

In weeks as detailed in your PARYou fix exact time with your tutor, via emailAlways use your Reading email

Note if you need to see your tutor at other times, send an email, suggesting a few times, or phone

For urgent matters, you may have to see anotherIf you cant get your tutor, ring School 0118 378

7634

Guided Tour

Thanks for your attentionWe will now go for a brief tour of the school,

seeingG44 – School Information OfficeCommon Room – where you will registerG21 – one room for Part 1 labsG56 – another room for Part 1 labs

Don’t forget, the second welcome on Thursday at 10 in Madjeski – bring email username & password

Systems Engineering and Procedures

Dr Richard Mitchell Director of Teaching & Learning

This talk includes some general information about the School, the University and their procedures

Much of it can be found in the School Handbook which, together with other handbooks, should be read and kept for reference.

Topics:Illness etc, Exams, Filling in relevant forms ..Examinations, Your ResponsibilitiesMore on web sites, etc.

Systems Engineering Web Site

www.sse.reading.ac.ukhas school wide info and links tosubject group pages and research group pages

School and Subject group pages have standard sections, including those for prospective students and (more relevant to you) current students

You can find timetables, handbooks, module information and often lecture notes

There are links to blackboard – which like email, you should monitor regularly

Feedback

There are plenty of opportunities for you to comment on the courses, which we welcome, as they enable us to improve them: for instance

Staff-Student Liaison Committeescourse representatives (students) and staff meet to discuss course matters - volunteers needed

There will also be ‘feedback’ forms given out near the end of term for comments.

These are particularly important this year as we have reorganised the first year modules

Your Responsibilities

You are expected togo to lectures, labs, tutorials and do assessed workcheck email regularly (use Reading username)see your tutor at PAR meetings (at least)obey rules of University and Schooldo enough work to ensure you are able to graduate with a good degreebe here for 10 weeks of ALL three terms

BUT do remember to enjoy yourself as well !

Lectures

Lectures are not same as School classesYou may get lecture notes, you may notDon’t believe these are sufficientYou should make your own notesConsolidate them after classIdeally, read last week’s notes before next lectureIf you don’t understand, ask in class or at the endSpare copies of notes are often available in the

School Information Office – or from lecturerThere may be extra info for Module on Blackboard

Compulsory Lab Practicals + Tutorials

For Modules SE1CA5, SE1EA5, SE1EB5occur on Mondays … separate timetableyour responsibility to find out when

Starts Second Week, when have lab for SE1CA5you will be given a sheet on this.

Note you may do lab before theory in lectureFor Module SE1SA5 … a further separate

timetableTutorials for other modules (eg SE1CB5,

MA116) also exist, some are on the timetable, others will be set up separately).

How much time should I work?

A 20 credit module may have:2 hours of lectures per week over 2 termsSome practical work (maybe not every week)

make sure you know when your practicals are.Some assessed workSome material you need to read up on or revise.

You should probably spend ~ 40 hours a week on academic work, 10 weeks each term, in Reading

If you have a part time job, allow enough time for your academic work

But also, allow time for relaxation and fun

Assessed Work

Some work has to be given inDetails of the system are in the School Handbook

and on the cover sheet of the work given outEssentially you should submit it via the School

Information Centre (rarely electronically as well)[Some Lab Pracs you submit in the lab]

Submit when the Office is open and get a receiptYou should get the work back when markedKeep a copy of the work – examiners may need

to see it

Submission and Late Work

Late work will be penalisedReminders are not given

Extensions can only be given by the School Director of Teaching and LearningAnd will only be given for a good reasonAnd you must use the relevant form

Do your work on timeDon’t leave it to the last minuteDo submit it even if its incomplete

Examinations and Cheating

You will be assessed by exams at the end of the year and by some coursework

See ‘Examination and Assessment procedures’You must not cheat at eitherRead section on plagiarism in School

Handbookgives examples of what, and what not, to do

Note, software is available for us to use to help in detecting plagiarism

If you have problems

If you have a problem let your tutor knowIf you’re ill let your tutor knowIf you’re ill at exam time – make sure a member

of academic staff knows – before the examWe can take account of such problems, if validBut in order to do so the University has forms to

be filled in, some of which come to me for approval

There are two forms – please use the right one!

The ‘Problem’ Forms

For problems which are temporary and affect your ability to hand in a particular item of courseworkuse a Green Coursework Extension Request

Formcomplete one form per piece of coursework

For problems which are more long term, and affect your ability to demonstrate your general level of achievement, or your examinationsuse a Gold Extenuating Circumstances Form

Both available from School Information Office; both should be submitted there; our response (after a few days) should be collected from there.

Information on the forms

NO action can be taken by the School or Examiners without a properly filled-in and signed form

As much supporting evidence as possible must be supplied

Confidentiality will be maintained but there will always be some people who need to know if your case is to be considered properly

You can discuss with your tutor and write on the form ‘as discussed with tutor’.

Change of Status and Module Forms

The Change of Status form can be useda) to request a degree changeb) to request a repeat a yearc) to request a change of tutor

Requests have to be agreed, so a case may be needed

The Change of Module form can be used to change a module (or many)

They can be collected from the School Info Office; You must fill them correctly and get them signed – then return to office, for sending onwards

Rest of Today’s Welcome

Degrees \ Time 10: 50-11:10 11:15 to 11:35 11:40 to 12:00

Cyb, Cyb&Con, BioMed & Cyb

email CY Intro EE Intro

CS/Cyb AI/Cy Rob

CS Intro CY Intro email

EE/Cyb inc SE email CY Intro EE

EE email CY Intro EE

CS CS Intro email nothing 

EE/CS + CEng CS Intro email EE Intro

IT IT intro More IT intro email

CS in PhR; CY in G56; EE in G21; IT in Ph124; email G45/G46