Welcome to the School of Computer Science

1. Welcome to theSchool of Computer Science Norman Paton PGT (Postgraduate Taught) Director

2. Who am I? • Career: • Professor of Computer Science. • At Manchester since 1995, but new to this role. • Research: Databases, distributed information management, bioinformatics. • Teaching: none at Masters! • PGT Director: • Overall responsibility for masters programmes. • On the escalation route for problems or issues. • Contacts: • Office: 2.20. • Email: npaton@manchester.ac.uk • Please call me: • Norman.

3. Welcome • I hope you are • well • excited • eager to embark on your MSc & MResprogramme • ...but you might also be a bit • lost • confused • bursting with questions

4. Welcome to our Welcome Week • … prepare you for the next year in Manchester • we explain • the school • the programme • the course units, etc. • ...so that you are ready to start on your programme next week • there is no ‘warming up’ period!

5. Welcome to our School of Computer Science • One of the major research institutes in Computer Science in the world • Possibly the oldest Computer Science university department in the world • The home of the earliest stored-program electronic computer (1948) • One of the largest departments in the UK • This is your opportunity to make use of the staff and facilities for education and research!

6. Welcome to the University of Manchester • One of the largest student campuses in Europe ...and all that goes with that • Good university facilities - sports, support, etc:see Student Union for a range of activities: http://manchesterstudentsunion.com/ • Great ‘student life’ • Student Charter

7. Welcome to Manchester • Large, lively, and active city: events, sports, nightlife, shopping... • Long history - centre of the industrial revolution • Football, Cricket, Cycling Centres • Great location with beautiful surroundings: • Lake District • Peak District • Wales, Snowdonia • Coastal areas...

8. Who does what? • Organisation: • PGT Director: • organisation and planning • Programme Directors: • advice and guidance on academic and related matters • Student Support Office • look after students • help with most organisational matters • first point of contact for questions that are not specific to a taught activity • Teaching: • (Senior) Lecturers, Readers, Professors • teach courses, set exams, … • supervise projects • check how to address them: often by their first name • Lab demonstrators • help with labs, coursework, example classes

9. Programmes & Directors • The following are our programmes and their Programme Directors: • MSc in Advanced Computer Science • Joshua Knowles. • MSc in ACS and IT Management • GoranNenadic • MRes in ACS • Konstantin Korovin • Part-time & Foundation Route • Alex Walker • Continuing Professional Development • Andy Brass

10. Student Support Office Relevant people include: Chris Susie Richard CallandHymas Ward

11. Your MSc Year Semester 1 Semester 2 Period 1 Period 2 Period 3 Period 4 T3 C1 T1 C1 T1 C2 T3 C1 Project Welcome Week Exams Exams T2 C1 T2 C2 COMP60990/Project Terminology: TiCj = Theme i, Course Unit j Assessment: • 50% Taught Course Units: • Coursework + Exams (end of semesters) • 50% Project: • COMP60990 Research Methods & Professional Skills: Progress Report • Dissertation.

12. By Friday you must have • Chosen which themes you wish to follow: • Taking a theme involves taking two course units in the same semester. • You need to choose two themes in the first semester, and one theme in the second semester (the latter taking account of dependencies). • Chosen which pathway you wish to follow: • Taking a pathway involves taking certain themes. • You may well have applied for a pathway, but in general you can change pathways at any time: • … but the security pathway is full.

13. Your MSc Project • Half of your MSc • Normally involves both research and system development. • Preparation through COMP60990 • Technical Reading and Writing • Carrying out experiments, collecting evidence, ... • Project allocation: • at the end of the first semester: December • Choose from a list of many suggested projects or talk to staff about your ideas or areas of interest. • Supervisor to help and guide you through the project.

14. Your MSc Project • Assessment: • Project Progress Report: May, 30 credits • must be passed to continue with project • background, first steps towards project, project plan • plus COMP60990 coursework • Dissertation: September, 60 credits

15. Your MRes Year Semester 1 Semester 2 Period 1 Period 2 Period 3 Period 4 T1 C1 SM1 SM2 SM3 Taster Welcome Week Exams Res. Symposium Your Project T2 C1 T2 C2 Terminology: SM = scientific methods Assessment: • 1/3 Taught Course Units: • Coursework (ongoing) • Exams (end of semesters) • 2/3 Project: • Progress Report (April) • Dissertation (September)

16. Your MRes Project • 2/3 of your MRes • Normally involves both research and system development. • Preparation through Scientific Methods (SM) units COMP80131, 80122, 80142: • Carrying out experiments, collecting evidence, ... • Technical Reading and Writing • Project allocation: • Taster Project: around reading week • MRes Project: at the end of the first semester: December • Choose from a list of many suggested projects or talk to staff about your ideas or areas of interest. • Supervisor to help and guide you through the project.

17. Your MRes Project • Assessment: • Taster Project: 10 credits, presentation • Project Progress Report: April, 30 credits • must be passed to continue with project • background, first steps towards project, project plan • Dissertation: September, 80 credits

18. This Week • See timetable in your pack • Content: • Meeting your Programme Director • Introductory talks for themes & course units • Student Representatives Self Organisation • Introductory Laboratory Session: • getting to know the MSc Labs, tools, eLearning tools, ... • Welcome Fair in Student Union & Events for Overseas Students • Uni Sport & Library • eLearning/Blackboard intro: • Plagiarism On-Line course • English Language testing • Health & Safety • even if • English is your mothertongue • you are fluent • you have an English degree • ...

19. English Language Classes • Free. • Throughout semester 1. • In the School, targeted at CS students. • Mondays 17:00 - 19:00. • Wednesdays 16:00 - 18:00. • It would be foolish not to: • time spent here will likely be saved later.

20. Attendance at lectures, labs, project... • is compulsory • slide hand-outs won’t give you the same insight • full picture, details, important points, etc. only in lecture • is monitored, through • clickers, electronic coursework submission or • signatures on roster • if you have to miss classes, let lecturers know • during your main project phase, June - September • you are here in Manchester and • work full time on your project and dissertation

21. Documents Online • Masters Handbook • general information about all MSc & MRes • project, course units, rules, regulations, responsible people • must be read! • Timetable • some last minute changes sometimes have to be made • Per course unit: • syllabus: what is learned? • web-site: what is happening? • eLearning (Blackboard or Moodle): • coursework, assignments, hand-in, deadlines,... • discussion, questions, announcements,… • material, pointers,…

22. Some warnings… • the year will be long & you will need to work hard • you might struggle • success is not guaranteed • even if you work hard • academic malpractice (collusion, plagiarism, …) • is taken very seriously in this university • … any offence • will be prosecuted, normally by a jury in the school or at Faculty • leads to loss of marks, resubmission of work, and sometimes worse. • … make sure you understand academic malpractice • complete Plagiarism On-Line course • ignorance is no excuse

23. Computer Science Facilities • Senior Common Room, 1.23 • with hot and cold food, a good place to meet & work informally • Resource Centre • Room LF21 - all course textbooks and other resources. • Student Support Office • Room LF21 - For administrative and general support • Ask Here First - after having looked in the MSc Handbook • Your Master Labs: • Room 2.25 a,b

24. Computer Accounts and Intro Labs • See the Welcome Sheet & Intro Labs • If you experience any computer problems: • submit details of problem via www.manchester.ac.uk/itservices • phone the University's IT Service Desk on 0161 306 5544 • visit the Helpdesks in the John Rylands Library or the Joule Library in person • Read your university email regularly • especially regular “Masters News” • sometimes used for formal communicatons • use account forwarding for your convenience • Access the School’s website for documents & information • Make sure that you are ready to start next Monday

25. Java • It is essential that you know Java and can program confidently in it • for coursework and perhaps for your project • If you don’t know it or need further help, • there is an on-line course for you to take. • Go to • http://moodle.cs.man.ac.uk/course/ • Self-Study Courses • Introduction to Software Development in Java • and follow that class

26. School Seminars • The School runs regular research seminars on Wednesday, 2.15pm • These are given by eminent speakers from around the world • A great opportunity to learn about many new topics and the latest stage of research in an area.

27. Student Representatives • Student reps from part of PGSSCC:http://intranet.cs.man.ac.uk/csonly/committees/C_PG_SSCC.php • Student reps are responsible for specific areas: • one per programme (ACS, ACS&ITM, MRes) • one for part timers • MSc lab computers, emails, accounts • social events • eLearning environments • taught course units • common rooms, general infrastructure, • etc. • You self-organise in Common Room • tomorrow (Tuesday) during Lunch Break 13:00-14:00

28. Help • Related to taught part or project • you haven’t understood some stuff in lecture/meeting • you miss some knowledge/skills that • lecturer assumes • project requires • you don’t understand what you are supposed to be doing • check course material • ask • your co-students who probably have similar problems • either directly or through Blackboard/Moodle • your lab demonstrators • your lecturer

29. Help • Related to organisation of MSc programme • when or where lectures/labs/… take place • how course units are assessed • how projects are allocated • ... • check out school’s PGT web site • look at Masters Handbook • ask the student support office • ask your Programme Director

30. Help • Related to your personal & family life, health, etc.: • finding your way in a new city/country/Uni/continent can be stressful & difficult • you might need help to find your way around • you’ll probably have to work hard -- but that should be an enjoyable experience • Help is available from numerous sources: • Your Programme Director • Student Support Office • http://www.sos.eps.manchester.ac.uk/ • many many more, e.g., see MSc Handbook

31. Help: if • your circumstances • health, • family, • personal, ... • prevent you from concentrating on your studies • we need to know in time to help • mitigating circumstances process and • mitigating circumstances form • ask SSO • talk to your Programme Director • ...the process is confidential and there for you!

32. Thursday Excursion • A great opportunity to • make friends & meet people • learn about Manchester United: the teamthe multi-national organization & its information processing needs • Meet Thursday, 13:00 • for coach to Old Trafford • Return (approximately) 17:00 • ...it would be a pity not to!

33. Masters Student RepresentativesSelf-OrganisationPlease email your names to sso@cs.man.ac.uk