Introductory meeting for Year 1 Geological Science and

Environmental Geology students

Rob Chapman (Programme Manager EG)

Nigel Mountney (Programme Manager GS)

Role of the Programme Manager

• Responsibility for what is in the programme• Responsibility for reviewing the programme and implementing

change• Ensuring the programme meets University and external regulations• Actively seeking feedback from you (the students) at the beginning

and end of academic years• Provision of guidance to individual students

How is University different from School?

• Multidisciplinary subjects• Apply understanding between courses• Some modules in Year 1 are preparatory for Year 2 • You cannot re-sit exams that you have already passed to

get a better mark• The responsibility for your learning lies with you!

The distinctive qualities of Year 1

Background information

120 credits level 1

120 credits level 2

120 credits level 33

2

1

Year

The First Year: 120 credits

Core courses, 80 credits Optional/electivecourses, 40 credits

The core courses

• SOEE 1150 Fundamentals of Geophysics, 10 credits, Semester 1• SOEE 1470 Introduction to Computing and Data Analysis, 10

credits, Semesters 1 & 2• SOEE 1490 Understanding the Earth 1, 20 credits, Semester 1• SOEE 1500 Understanding the Earth 2, 20 credits, Semester 2• SOEE 1510 Practical Geology*, 20 credits, Semesters 1 & 2

*Includes field trips to Pembroke (Easter) and the small group tutorials

The Northern Scotland or Lake District field trip (Early summer) is part of the Level 2 syllabus

EG is the same except SOEE 1150 Fundamentals of Geophysics, 10 credits, Semester 1

Choosing Your OptionsGS have 40 credits of ‘non-core’ courses to chooseEG have 50 credits of ‘non-core’ courses to choose

BUT some non-core courses are compulsory if you do not have certain A Levels

Chemistry

If you do not have A-Level Chemistry you must doSOEE 1550 (Chemistry for Geoscientists) If you have A-Level Chemistry you might consider taking SOEE 1141 in Semester 2

Maths

Why take extra maths?

• It gives you more flexibility with options choices in later years

• There is a Maths route through the degree options which would allow you to take a Geophysics masters course

If you only have Maths to GCSE level you are required to take SOEE 1480.(some others of you may also be asked to take this module)

If you have AS or A-Level Maths you might wish to take SOEE 1300 as an option.

Choosing Your Options: 2

There are several optional modules offered by Earth Sciences

There are a large number of other modules available elsewhere in the University (elective modules)

You cannot take more than 20 credits of electives from other departments.

You have to record your choices online

Each of these Maths and Chemistry courses is worth 10 credits, so the number of spare credits left to choose depends on how many Maths or Chemistry course you need/want to do.

Choosing Your Options: 3

Earth Science options (all 10 credits)

SOEE 1034: Natural Hazards, Semester 1SOEE 1120: Vertebrate Evolution, Semester 2

Both courses are very popular

SOEE 1210: The Geological Origins and

Occurrences of Gold in the British Isles

• Semester 2• Includes a weekend field trip to Scotland• Cost: £40

• Limit of 24 students – first come, first served

Payment for the ‘gold’ course

• Either now• Or at the Faculty Finance office: 33 Hyde Terrace • The deadline for payment is October 24th

• If you haven’t paid by then, you will have to change modules, and after this date the University charges you

£50 to do this.

Choosing Your Options: 4

If you have A-Level Maths and want to keep openGeophysics options in Year 2 you can take SOEE 1310 inYear 1 and SOEE 2430 in Year 2

Choosing Your Options: 5

Choosing electives from other departmentsMake sure your choice is compatible with your core timetable

Make sure you understand what is involved in the course

Tutorials and Tutors

There are two types of ‘tutors’

Personal Tutor

Everybody has one!!

Same person for all your time at University

‘Pastoral Care’

Academic Tutors

Small group teaching

Change from year to year

Academic Tutorial Groups

• You have been assigned to a tutorial group with a

particular staff member.• There are 5 meetings per semester

• You will be notified of meeting time by e-mail – CHECK

YOUR E-MAILS • DO NOT MISS THE TUTORIAL MEETINGS!

Personal tutors

• You will be invited to meet your personal tutor for a one-to-one chat once every semester, and twice in your first semester in Year 1. Your attendance is recorded.

• The purpose of this system is:– You have a person to see for any issues that you may want to

discuss. These may be personal, or academic. However, if you would rather discuss any personal issues with another member of staff, ask Julie Philpott.

– A member of staff gets to know you well and can write informative, accurate references, when required.

Registration

• If you have not done this already, do so before the Freshers’ Fair

Freshers’ Fair

Tuesday 23rd and Wednesday 24th in the Great Hall

Timetables • Available on the web• Some courses have ‘complicated’ timetables with different

activities • On the timetable:

LEC = lecture: attend this session

PRAC = practical: you will be in one of a number of possible timetable slots for these activities

• Check week numbers. Not all courses are the same every week

• You will need to add tutorial group sessions to your personal timetable

• You need to look at your personal timetable, not the programme timetable

Courses with multiple sessions

• SOEE 1470 Computing, Geoff Lloyd, (4 times p/w)• SOEE 1490 Structural Geology (3 times p/w) • SOEE 1490 Geological Materials (3 times p/w) • SOEE 1550 Chemistry practicals, in wks 4,9

• You only do ONE of each of these in each week • You have been allocated to a particular session• You CANNOT swap between sessions

Reading your timetable

SOEE 1470Computing

SOEE 1490Geological Materials

SOEE 1490Structural Geology

1 2 3 4 5

Recap on timetables

• For modules with multiple slots:– Computing– Structural Geology Practical– Geological Materials Practical– Chemistry Practical

• You will be allocated a particular session. YOU CANNOT SWAP!• Use your Personal timetable, not the programme timetable • Don’t forget to add tutorial sessions to your timetable

• EXTRA SESSION ON TIMETABLES AT 12 NOON TODAY

• OPTIONAL BUT GO TO IT!

Who do you approach for advice?

First instance: the relevant administrator

Geological Sciences, Environmental Geology and Geophysical Sciences :

Luisa Nanovo

Assessment Various forms of assessment are used during the Programme

Coursework

Assessed written work includingscientific essays, field reports,series of short answer questions, MCQsGroup work: scientific posters

Exams

There are penalties for late submission: 5% per day

Plagiarism

Copying from :

Other studentsDirectly from booksFrom web pages

There are SEVERE penalties – see student handbook

DON’T DO IT!

Progression

You need to pass 100 credits to progress to Year 2, including ALL your ‘Pass for Progression’ modules.

What happens if you fail a PFP module?

You have to re-sit in the summer.

1. This makes a complete mess of your summer holiday.

2. If you fail a second time you cannot progress immediately to Year 2.

Note: Two PFP modules are examined at the end of Semester 1, so don’t get out caught out by having a permanent party in Semester 1, thinking that you have Semester 2 to catch up.

Attendance

Lecturers will record your attendance, so we will know if you are not coming in to the University.

Poor attendance results in:

1. Poor academic performance

2. A compulsory meeting with the Head of School

3. Letters to your parents/guardians

Academic support with essay writing

You will not write any ‘art-style’ essays in core geological

Programmes, though you might in some of your elective

Option modules, if you take any outside the School.

If you want help with essay writing:

Paul Sayer is available for friendly and confidential advice,

by appointment, for two days per week from September

onwards. Paul Sayer is based in room B08 in the

Geography East Building.  E-mail: p.sayer@leeds.ac.uk 

What to do in difficult circumstances

First instance: the Student Support Administrator:

Julie Philpott

Keeping in contact

For various reasons we need to know how to find you.

PLEASE TELL US: Your mobile phone number

You need to check if we are trying to contact you

Check your pigeon hole in the School

Check your University e-mail regularly

Inform us of any change of address

How you can make this School better

Constructive criticism is welcomed

Use student evaluation forms

Consider standing for the staff-student committee

Supporting Documentation

You should have:

• The Undergraduate Student Handbook• Programme Handbook

You have to take on-board a lot of new information right now

Confused?

Don’t stay that way, ASK