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MSc Student Handbook 2016/17

8. Advice and Support

You will be allocated a personal academic adviser and there is a programme director for each degree programme; see below.

For straightforward administrative enquiries, you should normally ask in the Maths Office first. For general academic advice, you should normally ask your adviser / programme director [they may well be the same person], the Senior Tutor or the Student Support Officer. Their roles are described below.

How do I know who my adviser is?

The relevant Programme Director will generally be assigned as an academic adviser for postgraduate students; see Contact Information. MySIS will show who your current adviser is and we post lists of postgraduate advisers at the start of the academic year on the notice board immediately outside the  School office (CB309), in the Queen's Building. If you cannot find who your current adviser is then please contact the Maths Office.

The Adviser's Role

Your adviser's role is to give you information and advice during your studies; in particular to discuss with you and approve any options in your "module registration" – the list of modules you register for each year. You should get to know your adviser, since normally you should ask your adviser to act as a referee for job applications, etc. If possible, you will keep the same adviser throughout your time at Queen Mary. Teaching is not part of an adviser's role, although your adviser may be willing to help you with mathematical problems.

You should visit your adviser at the start of each semester to agree your programme of study for that semester, and you should visit your adviser at least once again during each semester to discuss your progress. It is also important that you discuss with your adviser any academic, financial, medical or other problems as soon as they arise. Your adviser can then refer you to the appropriate person within Queen Mary to deal with your problem, which you may also need to report to the Programme Director (if not personal academic adviser) or the Student Support Officer; see below.

The Advising Contract

The aim of the adviser-advisee relationship is to

  • Foster and develop in our students a sense of value for and ownership of their education.
  • Actively promote our students' involvement in the planning and achievement of their academic and career goals.
Responsibilities of the Adviser
  1. Be available for advisees for scheduled meetings and via email according to School policy.
  2. Help the advisee to understand the academic and administrative processes of Queen Mary.
  3. Help the advisee to understand the expected standards of achievement and likelihood of success in certain areas of study.
  4. Help the advisee to decide on details of a study programme and give advice about modules.
  5. Be involved in discussions with the student and other School staff in the event of poor attendance or performance.
  6. Refer advisees to other resources when appropriate, such as specialist careers or counselling advice.
  7. Provide references for current and former advisees.
  8. Read the Staff Handbook and the Student Handbook.
Responsibilities of the Advisee
  1. Be aware of your Academic Adviser's office hours. When using email, follow email etiquette.
  2. Acquire information needed for selecting modules appropriate to your study programme.
  3. Seek academic and career information needed to meet your educational goals.
  4. Become knowledgeable about the relevant policies, procedures, and rules of Queen Mary.
  5. Be prepared with accurate information and relevant materials, such as completed forms, when contacting your adviser.
  6. Read the Student Handbook.

Please note: Due to the refurbishment of the Maths Building, meetings with your Academic Adviser should be scheduled via email to take place at a mutually convenient time; see Contact Information.

The Student Support Officer's Role

The Student Support Officer is there to help you with any difficulties that are not primarily academic, and to provide an additional layer of support between the Maths Office and the academic staff. The Student Support Officer is an expert on the technical and bureaucratic aspects of student life. In particular, the Student Support Officer will act as a back-up adviser when your personal adviser is not available, will help you report extenuating circumstances, will direct you to the appropriate Queen Mary support services such as Advice and Counselling (see above), and may be available when the Maths Office is closed.The Student Support Officer will also help us to monitor your attendance, exercise submission, and marks for in-term assessment, and may discuss these issues with you.

Advice and Counselling

The Advice and Counselling Service offers free and confidential professional services to students. International students with visa-related queries may find this service particularly helpful. The service is located on the ground floor of the Geography Building at Mile End, and is open on weekdays throughout the year, including most vacations

The Programme Directors' Roles

Each degree programme has a director, who decides which modules students must study within that programme. Normally, your degree title will be the title of your programme and the programme director decides what conditions you must satisfy to obtain that degree title.

MSc Network Science - Dr. Ginestra Bianconi

MSc Mathematics - Dr. Rosemary Harris

MSc Financial Computing - Dr. Sebastian del Bano Rollin

MSc Mathematical Finance - Dr. Sebastian del Bano Rollin

Students on joint programmes for which Mathematical Sciences is the secondary School can contact the relevant programme directors within SMS - these contacts are listed above. For students on joint programmes there is also a contact in the secondary School (e.g. SEF / EECS) - these contacts are listed below. 

MSc Network Science - EECS - Ms. Jennifer Richards [jennifer.richards@qmul.ac.uk]

MSc Financial Computing - EECS - Ms. Virginia Elgar [jennifer.richards@qmul.ac.uk]

MSc Mathematical Finance - SEF - Mr. Nicholas Owen [n.j.owen@qmul.ac.uk]

The Roles of the Director of Taught Programmes and Director of Postgraduate Studies

The Director of Taught Programmes is Dr. Mark Walters.  He oversees all taught programmes and takes primary strategic responsibility for programme development and resource allocation. The Director of Postgraduate Studies is Dr. Sebastian del Bano Rollin.  He takes primary operational responsibility for postgraduate programmes including student information and quality assurance.

Getting Help

If you have administrative or technical questions relating to a specific module then you should approach the module organiser, either at the end of a lecture or in the module organiser's office hours; see Contact Information. Some module organisers may also provide additional support for students who are finding the module difficult – ask about this if necessary.

Writing Support

Mathematical Sciences students often have difficulty writing essays and other descriptive text. However, this is an essential skill that you will probably use much more than mathematics in your working life, so you need to improve it during your university course.

  • We offer some general guidance on mathematical writing.
  • The Language Centre provides a range of programmes in academic English and study skills, including in-sessional programmes for students currently studying at Queen Mary, pre-sessional programmes, foundation programmes and pre-masters graduate diplomas to prepare students for their undergraduate and post-graduate studies, courses in modern foreign languages, and courses for specific purposes.
  • Learning Development works with students at any level from any subject discipline, undergraduate or postgraduate, to become more effective in their academic work. They can help with aspects of study including reading effectively, writing, exam technique, revision, note-taking, time-management, critical thinking, avoiding plagiarism, presentation skills and group work. Throughout the year they run one-to-one tutorials, drop-ins, retreats and various workshops. They also host the Royal Literary Fund (RLF) Writing Fellows. Learning Development also provides a range of study support including free and impartial guidance in maths and statistics with specialist tutors giving advice on how to understand the subject, develop an overview of the topic and tackle general problems.

My QMUL

my.qmul should be used  together with this handbook for general information on your time at Queen Mary. my.qmul contains a wide range of information, including:

 

  • Academic and student support services
  • The academic year
  • Campus facilities
  • Details of some key Academic Regulations
  • How to? advice
  • QM contact information
  • Calendar
    • Graduation
    • Student administration, and enrolment advice
  • QM policies
  • Campus and QM information

 

Access my.qmul at: www.my.qmul.ac.uk