Welcome to the School of Natural Sciences

We are looking forward to welcoming you to the School of Natural Sciences and are committed to providing the best student experience possible.

Welcome to the University of Manchester, and the School of Natural Sciences (SoNS)! The School is in the Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSE), and is made up of five departments:

• Department of Mathematics
• Department of Physics and Astronomy
• Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences
• Department of Materials
• Department of Chemistry

You can find a full breakdown of the Departments in FSE here.

From Monday 16 September, your Departmental Welcome programme will begin for your area of study. There will be a range of activities to help you make friends, meet your lecturers and settle into University life. It is important that you make arrangements to attend all of these sessions. They should automatically appear on your personal timetable which can be accessed once you complete registration. The School will also share a PDF copy of the timetable with you via email nearer the time.

Some classes may appear on your online timetable for week 1, the first week of teaching, but don't worry if there are only one or two - the full timetable should appear sometime during Welcome Week.

Please ensure you have activated your IT account to enable you to access University systems. You will then need to register as a student. We strongly suggest you do this before arriving in Manchester. You can start to register online from the 1 September and we recommend that you register as soon as possible.

Blackboard

Blackboard is the University's online learning system. It allows you to view course material for any units that you are taking. For some units, you can complete and submit coursework and monitor your progress using online tests and quizzes, and communicate and collaborate with your lecturer or other students using discussions or chat. On your "Virtual Common Room" you'll find your Department handbook and much more. You can access Blackboard here.

SoNS Sharepoint area

On Sharepoint you can find the SoNS Virtual Hub where you will find an extensive list of useful information and resources, including wellbeing support and how to request certain documents. You will need to log in with your new University username and password.

Introductory online modules

There will be some important compulsory online modules for you to complete in the first few weeks: Health and Safety; Academic Malpractice; and Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility (EDIA). These will be made available to you via Blackboard.

There are also some non-compulsory modules which will help you prepare for the transition to your studies at the University of Manchester; Essential Transitional Module and My Learning Essentials.

Communications

In September, your Welcome programme timetable will be sent to you via email and will be available online here. This will include information about the activities you must attend.

Before you arrive, information may be sent to your personal email, your student email, or both. Once term starts, checking your student email regularly is vital. You will receive important info via email, as well as regular student newsletters. You can also follow us on Instagram for updates.

University accommodation

Most of you will already have arranged your university accommodation. If this isn't the case, or if you need any help or advice, you should contact the University Accommodation Office by email at accommodation@manchester.ac.uk

Student Support in the School of Natural Sciences

You can get support from the Student Support Hub (School of Natural Sciences) in the Alan Turing Building (map ref: 46). Our friendly team will aim to resolve your query or refer and signpost you appropriately. If we can't answer your question we will find out who can!

Student Engagement and Attendance System (SEAtS)

From Monday, 16 September 2024, we’re introducing a new Student Engagement and Attendance System called SEAtS, enabling students and staff to log attendance at teaching sessions (such as lectures and seminars). The SEAtS system will actively support your engagement and wellbeing, allowing us to offer you further support during your studies should you need it. Find out more about how to use SEAtS to log your attendance here.

Useful resources

We have collected several tools you need for your studies and essential resources, including your timetable, Blackboard, the library, and the Student System. Access the systems.

See you in September!

The Welcome period can be a challenging and exhilarating time, where you will be meeting both academic and support staff and will be able to participate in a range of social events.

You'll need to absorb and process a great deal of information in a relatively short period of time, so try to be as prepared as possible before you arrive by reading any information we send, activating your IT account, registering as a student, familiarising yourself with support available, and getting in touch if you have any questions.

We look forward to meeting you soon!