Intro Week is normally very busy and you will have a lot to think about. Here is a check-list of the things you need to do in these first few days: 

1. Confirm your pre-selected modules and receive your departmental timetable (this will be confirmed by the end of the week)

2. Where appropriate, attend meetings with your dual department. 

3. Complete your University registration. 

4. Register with the University Health Service. 

5. Meet your personal tutor.

Many students find that studying History at degree level is rather different from their experience at school or college. Here are some key differences: 

• Greater freedom to explore the topics and questions that interest you. 

• New kinds of teaching styles and methods, including lectures, seminars, and office hours. 

• Fewer classes scheduled on your timetable - and more independent reading and research. 

• More emphasis on you taking responsibility and asking for help for your own work when you need it. 

We hope that you use your first year to build the skills and confidence you need to flourish on your degree and to get the best possible results you can. So what is the key to success? 

• Take responsibility for your learning. Information is power - make sure you read the information here on the History Hub; read your module handbooks, and do check and read your University emails - this is our main way to contact you and to share important information. 

• Ask when you need help. Academic staff hold drop-in sessions (‘office hours’) each week and at these times you do not need to make an appointment beforehand. Seminar tutors will be happy to answer further questions you may have about material covered in the seminars or discuss ways you might improve your oral or written work. Personal tutors are also ready to discuss your general academic progress. 

• Learn your way around the library and electronic resources. The reading lists for modules will include a mixture of books and journal articles. If you are struggling to access reading materials, speak with your seminar tutor or ask a member of library staff about further induction sessions. 

• Check what’s expected. At the start of any module, look carefully at the materials provided on Blackboard. Make sure you know what kind of preparation is expected for each class, how you will be assessed, and when the deadlines for assessed work are.

• Try to improve your essay-writing. The History Hacks site provides guidance on study skills, and you can check out the marking criteria, and a Style Guide explaining the conventions of academic writing you are expected to follow, on the History Hub.

• Aim high. You’ve all done well to get here and you should have high expectations of yourself. We reward excellence and each year the Wellings Prize in Modern History is awarded to a student who shows distinction and promise in their first-year exams. There are similar prizes at Levels 2 and 3. 

The History Reception is often a good first port of call, and our email address is history.ugenquiries@sheffield.ac.uk. If you want to change a module, find a room, or simply need help with any general queries, our friendly support staff can help. The History Welfare Team can also be found opposite the History Reception, or you can email history.ugwelfare@sheffield.ac.uk.

Personal tutors are always ready to talk about your academic progress or personal problems which are affecting your studies. If you have doubts about whether you have taken the right module/degree course, are struggling with the workload, anxious about money, or worried about your academic progress, come and speak with your personal tutor or the Welfare Team. Sometimes students feel the need to break from their studies for medical or personal reasons (called a Leave of Absence) and we are here to talk about these options.

Your personal tutor may not always be able to help personally, but they will help you find more specialised sources of support if needed. You may be advised to speak with the History Welfare Team, or you might be directed towards one the of University’s specialist services. 

During your time at University it is almost inevitable that illness will affect your studies at some point. You might also experience personal circumstances which affect your work. Don’t panic - here are some tips on what to do: 

• If you miss a seminar please make sure you send an email to your seminar tutor explaining why you are unable come to class. You can "self-certify" for absences lasting up to a week.

• If you are absent for more than a week, or if you are experiencing problems (medical or personal) that are having an ongoing affect on your studies, you should submit an Extenuating Circumstances form.

• If these circumstances are due to illness you should visit the University Health Service and complete the Online Extenuating Circumstances form, to receive medical evidence.

• If there are health or serious personal difficulties which mean you are struggling to meet an essay deadline, make sure you ask for an extension in good time – we are sympathetic if there are genuine problems. For extensions, you should complete the extensions request form, found on the History Hub, and the Student Support Officer will consider your request and respond to you.

• Students who are unable to attend an exam because of illness should contact the Welfare Team history.ugwelfare@sheffield.ac.uk BEFOREHAND (wherever possible). Exam Boards will require medical evidence.

• Your personal tutor will be happy to meet and discuss any concerns of an academic or personal nature. To download these forms and for more advice please visit the Help Within the Department page. 

Some students see the first year purely as a time to have fun, rather than concentrating on their academic work. It is true that the marks gained at Level 1 don’t count towards your final degree classification. And we certainly hope you enjoy your first year! But – and this is a big BUT – students who don’t put the work in sometimes come unstuck. No one wants to be back in an exam hall in August, paying to resit exams, so it’s worth thinking about the following:

• In order to pass a module, you need to make a reasonable attempt with every piece of work and attend every exam. A missed or failed essay/exam may result in a resit fee.

• If an essay is late, marks will be deducted and this can result in an essay failing. Even a few minutes delay will incur a penalty.

• The University expects attendance throughout the whole of each semester and we record absence from seminars. Repeated absences without good reason will affect your oral mark and you will be asked to meet with the Student Support Officer.

• Remember you need to pass all of your Level 1 modules in order to automatically progress to Level 2. 

More important than all of the above is this: your first year is your opportunity to develop as an historian. First-year marks do not affect your final degree result because we feel you need the time to find your feet. Use this year well and you will go into Level 2 confident that you know how to carry out research effectively, write coherent and persuasive essays, and discuss your ideas effectively in class. 

There are lots of activities, sports, jobs, and volunteering opportunities available to you as a Sheffield student. They are a great way to meet new people, expand your interests, and gain useful experience for the future. Applying for a job might seem a long way off now, but in three (or four) years’ time you’ll find that being able to speak about the organisational and personal skills you acquired as a member of a society or team is very valuable. 

Here are some of the History activities you might like to participate in: 

• History Society: run by History students, the society organises socials, an annual trip abroad, guest lectures, sports events, and careers talks.

• History Student-Staff Forum: a twice-semester meeting which gives students a chance to have their say.

• Witness: a project in which students get the chance to interview Sheffielders about their part in the city’s history.

• History in the City: a student-led project which sends volunteers out into local schools to mentor A Level students.

• New Histories: a free online History-themed magazine brought to you by students from the University of Sheffield.

• Department seminars: the History Department regularly hosts guest speakers to present on their research, and students are welcome to come along. 

You will hear more about all of these over the next few weeks, but you can find more information on the Department website. We also have a Careers section on our main History Hub to advertise upcoming events, conferences and jobs targeting History students.