1. Structure of the first year  This session is for all of Year 1  Electrical and Electronic Engineering E&EE  Electrical and Computer Engineering COMP  Electrical and Communication Engineering COMM  Electronic EngineeringEEng  Computer Systems EngineeringCMPSE  Communication Systems EngineeringCMMSE  Computer Interactive SystemsCINTSYS  Electrical and Energy EngineeringEnergy  Electronic and Software EngineeringESE  Electronic Engineering with Business ManagementEEngwBM  Computer Systems Engineering with Business ManagementCMPSEwBM  Communication Systems Engineering with Business ManagementCMMSEwBM  Computer Interactive Systems with Business ManagementCINTSYSwBM

2. Welcome!!

3. u Dr Mike Spann u m.spann@bham.ac.uk m.spann@bham.ac.uk u www.eee.bham..ac.uk/spannm www.eee.bham..ac.uk/spannm u N415 u 01214144328

4. u In this short talk I will tell you about: u The different degree streams we offer u Our module (credit) based system for the B.Eng and M.Eng degrees u The structure of the academic year u Teaching methods u Timetable information u Lab and tutorial arrangements

5. u Electronic, Electrical, Computer and Communications Engineering, Communications Systems Engineering u The first semester of the first year is common to all of these programmes u Opportunities to switch at end of semester 1 and at end of year u Computer Systems Engineering, Computer Interactive Systems u Common first year u Opportunities to switch at end of semester 1 and at end of year

6. u Degrees with Business Management u The degrees with Business Management are major/minor degrees taught jointly by the School of EECE and the Birmingham Business School. u In each year, students take 80 credits taught by EECE and 40 credits of material taught by the the Business School

7. u Electronic and Software Engineering u This is a joint honours programme taught jointly by the School of EECE and by the School of Computer Science. u Electrical and Energy Engineering u This is a degree programme containing 80 to 100 credits of compulsory core material from the E&EE programmes and 20 to 40 credits of compulsory material taught mainly by the other Engineering schools covering the wider aspects of Energy Engineering.

8. Modules and credits u Each year of study comprises 120 credits u You wil1 study 1 or 2 semester courses worth 10 or 20 credits each u Some modules are compulsory u Others are optional (including MOMD’s) u Except for degrees with Business Management! u Your timetable will reflect your degree program

9. u Depends on your degree stream and is described in detail in the Student Handbook document u There are a small number of optional modules but most are compulsory u It is important you are clear about this by the end of the talk!! u The table in the handbook should be all you need to figure this out What modules am I taking?

10. MOMDs u Up to 20 credits of MOMD’s can be chosen provided no timetable clash is generated u Its up to you to check this u You may drop EE1F1 (Intro to Info. Eng.) in semester 1 and/or EE1F2 (multimedia) in semester 2 and replace them with MOMDs u Also applies to language courses

11. Languages u You may study a 20 credit language module u Most modern European languages offered plus Japanese u A reasonable pass at GCSE in a language required

12. Academic year  Terms: Attendance periods  Semesters: Teaching periods  Autumn term – 11 weeks  Teaching & learning for semester 1  Spring term – 11 weeks  Teaching & learning for semester 2  Summer term – 8 weeks  2 weeks revision classes  4 weeks exams  2 weeks post exam

13. Teaching methods u Your course will mainly be delivered in 3 ways u Formal lecture u Tutorial u Laboratory u There will also be grouped based activities and informal ‘drop in’ clinics

14. Teaching methods u Lectures u Some modules to the whole class, others to smaller class sizes for optional or degree specific courses u Laboratories u You will be randomly split up into 2 lab groups (A or B) u You will normally work with a lab partner u Tutorials u Small group teaching u Generally none assessed but an opportunity to learn without the added pressure of formal assessment u However, you do get feedback on your work

15. Assessment methods u Formal exam u Typically 1½, 2 or 3 hour papers u Coursework u Essay u Computer programming assignment u Formal laboratory report u Design exercise u You must respect the deadlines for submitting coursework as big penalties for late submission apply u More about this another time

16. Coursework  Big part of assessment is coursework  Coasting and cramming doesn’t work  Work steadily and consistently  We have a receipt-based system for handing in coursework  All explained in the handbook

17. u Weeks 1-11 u Note the timetabled slots for personal tutor meetings u Specific issues will be discussed at each one u Important you attend u Main labs for electronics don’t start until week 4 u Computer programming labs start week 2 u However, the IT skills labs starts in week 3 u Introduction to computing facilities lab in week 1 u Tutorials don’t start until week 3 Timetable information

18. Lab/Tutor groups u You are allocated a lab group (A or B) u Dependant on your degree stream to a certain extent u Otherwise, randomly allocated u Timetable reflects lab group u The tutorial system will be explained to you by the course lecturers before the tutorials start u Tutorials in 1A1, 1F1 and maths (1D1, 1J1)

19. Labs/Tutorials u Main labs are the programming and electronics labs u IT labs run weeks 1-3 u Programming labs start week 2 u Electronics labs start week 4 u Also we have maths tutorials (EE1D1 and EE1J1) u Out of hours access

20. New Initiatives in Sustainability u Sustainability is an important part of Engineering u Reduce energy use Close windows, turn lights off u Recycle bins in The Link and N418 u Minimise printing Use double sided printing, draft mode u Electronic information – less paper u Campaigns throughout the year (we’ll ask you)

21. The School Needs to Hear Your Opinions You can contact your year’s reps with your concerns/ideas/suggestions in person or via Student Information section on WebCT Read feedback on progress of issues as they are addressed on Student Information section on WebCT Changes are made as a result of student comments

22. Student Reps Act as link between Students and University. (See www.youtube.com/guildofstudents)www.youtube.com/guildofstudents Have weekly meetings with Prof Russell to deal with problems rapidly. Sit on Staff Student committee to consider longer term issues You can identify them from their photos and contact details on student notice-boards

23. Issues dealt with u Timetabling issues, u Feedback delays, u Course work issues, u Problems with room facilities, u Problems with swipe-card access, u Problems with computing facilities, u Disk quotas, u Remote access to computing facilities, u Requests for software.

24. Elections There are 2 Rep posts for the first year available Candidates email Dr Tarte before 5pm, Friday 7 October with name, photo and statement of why they want to be a rep for public releaseDr Tarte Profiles go onto WebCT by 5pm Monday October 10 th Secret Ballot held in week beginning Monday October 17th