Head of School, Professor Nigel Mason, tells us more about how the School of Physical Sciences will be open for business in September, and how we’re all working hard to deliver the best learning and teaching experience we can – for new and returning students.
We hope you are keeping safe and well.
In these difficult and uncertain times we want to start by assuring you that we will be open in September, so you can begin your journey with us in Canterbury on our beautiful open campus and in our fantastic labs; in a safe way. Combing practical work, small classes, meetings with academics and other social events, we want you to enjoy a student experience that is more than virtual.
Of course, our commitment to the health, safety and wellbeing of our students and staff remains our top priority, as well as ensuring your teaching, learning and wider student experience is still the best it can be.
In common with the sector (and to reduce health risks), we will be replacing lectures in a crowded lecture theatre with a blended approach of online delivery – in an engaging and exciting way – and face to face small group working. In SPS we are embracing the new opportunities (and new methods) that such a blended learning experience can deliver to enhance you participation and engagement with course material and interaction with both teaching staff and your fellow students.
However, studying a Chemistry, Forensic Science, Physics or ASSA degree requires time in our state-of-the art labs so that you gain that hands-on experience that employers expect when they recruit our students. Working in our labs also gives you the chance to meet your fellow students and helps you build friendships and working relationships with academic and technical staff.
Therefore, throughout the summer we are preparing an exciting practical experience that combines hands-on experiments with computational and simulation work, interactive videos and tutorial led discussions.
We are committed to giving you the best experience possible, and ensure you feel part of our community – even in the face of Covid-19. Outside of lab sessions and online lectures, we are building into your timetable a series of engagement events where we will help you become part of our ‘SPS family’. These will start before you join us as part of an extended induction process to get you ready for university life.
Therefore, we will keep you updated over the coming weeks about these plans, as well as sending you further resources and activities to engage with but in the meantime do let us know if you have any questions by emailing spsmarketing@kent.ac.uk, commenting below, or through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.