Universities have been asked to end face to face teaching early in the lead up to the Christmas break.
This is being done to enable students to undertake a Covid-19 test and, if positive, complete a period of self-isolation prior to travelling home. Government has also requested this to reduce a large migration of students at one time within the UK.
The earlier move to fully online teaching will also allow for more flexible travel plans enabling you to leave campus earlier and continue your studies at home should you wish to do so.
The University will adopt a phased approach to moving teaching fully online in the lead up to the Christmas break, as follows:
Monday 30 November - start of online-only teaching for:
- Faculty of Business and Law
- Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
- School of Creative Technologies
- School of Architecture
Students from these faculties and schools, if they wish, will be able to travel home from 3 December onwards following the end of the national lockdown.
Monday 7 December - start of online-only teaching for:
- Faculty of Technology
- Faculty of Science and Health
- School of Film, Media and Communication
- School of Art, Design and Performance
Students from these faculties and schools, if they wish, will be able to travel home from 5 December onwards.
More information on faculties, schools and departments is on MyPort and if you're not sure which faculty you're in, you can check with your MyPort Hub.
Exceptions and staying on campus for Christmas
Exceptionally, some essential teaching (largely placements) in health-related courses, will continue as originally scheduled during the period running up to the Christmas break.
Through this two-phase approach to moving teaching online, there is sufficient time for students to be tested for Covid-19 and, if positive, complete their period of self-isolation before travelling home for Christmas. Details about the availability of tests for students will be made available as soon as possible.
We recognise that not all students will be leaving campus over the Christmas break and we are working in partnership with the Students’ Union to identify what support will be available to you over the Christmas period.
January 2021
It is the University's intention that teaching will resume after the Christmas break as originally planned from 4 January. Teaching will continue to be delivered using a blend of online and face to face sessions as has been the case so far this academic year. If government guidance changes and impacts our plans for January we will let students know as soon as possible.