Student Welcome Pack
One of the key benefits of studying online with Sussex is the flexibility you have to plan your study time around your career and other commitments, from wherever in the world you choose. Before starting the course, we recommend you check your equipment and internet access to ensure your technology is reliable and meets the minimum requirements, allowing you to get the most out of the course content and activities.
To get the most out of your programme, it’s essential that you fully engage and participate in all aspects of your course, including the live sessions, activities, interactive exercises and online discussion forums. If, for any reason, you’re struggling to take part or keep up with the course, please speak to the Student Success Team in the first instance. They are there to help you complete your studies successfully. Do bear in mind that this course is academically rigorous, and you should set aside at least 20 hours study time a week.
We’ve created a student induction module on Canvas, the University’s online study platform. You’ll receive an email link to the online registration system. Here you can collect your Sussex username and password. You’ll then need to log in and complete your online registration. Once you have completed both these tasks, you will be given access to Canvas. Log in to the platform and work through the induction activities before starting the course. It will help to prepare you for the weeks ahead.
As part of your induction, you’ll receive an email invitation to attend a welcome webinar, where you will:
- engage with your Course Director
- meet your Student Success Advisor
- identify a selection of specialist services available to you
- interact with the other students joining the course
- have the opportunity to ask questions.
As an online student at Sussex, you’ll not only benefit from our excellent teaching, but also from the support provided by our dedicated Student Success Team.
The success of our students is at the heart of everything we do. The Student Success Team understand the investment you are making in your future with us and we look forward to supporting you throughout your studies.
The Student Success Team is committed to making sure you get the most out of your time with us. We will be your first point of contact for any issues that might affect you on your journey. You’ll be assigned a personal Student Success Advisor who will regularly reach out to you, from enrolment to graduation, ensuring you can focus your attention on your studies.
The Student Success Team will:
- help you navigate your studies
- provide advice and guidance
- answer any non-academic questions
- remind you when your fees are due, or when assessment deadlines are approaching.
It’s very important to note that the Student Success Team will only contact you through your University of Sussex email account, so please check this account regularly. They’ll contact you with key information updates throughout the course and keep track of your progress.
How to contact the Student Success Team
All Sussex students are given a Sussex email account when they register on their course. Please use this account to contact the team. We won’t send any emails to your personal email once you’ve registered on the course, so please check your Sussex email regularly to make sure you don’t miss vital information.
You can also arrange regular support calls with your Student Success Advisor. We appreciate that our students come from all over the world and work in different time zones, so we always try and arrange calls when it’s convenient for you.
You can contact the Student Success Team in a way that suits you:
- Email – studentsuccess@sussex.ac.uk
- Telephone – +44(0)1273 019313
- Zoom – a Welcome Webinar link will be shared with you
- Book a call with us
Review the table below for guidance on who to contact for various queries.
Student Success Advisor
- Getting started with your studies
- Administration support regarding your online studies
- Timely assessment reminders
- Connecting students with specialist services within the University
- Information regarding module tutors and how to connect with them
- Regular check-ins to provide support and guidance
- Support with completing studies and staying on track
- Ongoing support during required breaks
- Helping you settle into your first module and online learning journey
- Specific support regarding the final stage of the course
Module Convenor*
- Your subject content and programme materials
- Queries regarding marking and grades
- Assessment support and information
- Suggestions and guidance for further reading
- Any academic concerns or queries
*Your Module Leaders and Online Tutors change from module to module. At the start of each module, you will be told who your Module Leader and Online Tutor will be. You can contact them via Canvas if you have any questions about the assigned work or assessments.
You don’t need to be a technical expert to take part in your course, but we do expect all students to have a basic level of computer literacy. Support is available for students that encounter any problems. Please contact the Student Success Team if you have difficulty accessing your learning and assessment activities or materials.
Delve into Canvas, your online study platform
Canvas is an advanced learning platform designed to facilitate, stretch, and complement your learning journey. Within Canvas, you can access your learning materials and activities, connect with other students, carry out group work, and source research.
If you have any technical problems with Canvas, please call the Canvas helpline on +44 (0)800 060 8441. The helpline is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Technical requirements for Canvas
Chrome is the recommended browser for Canvas. We recommend you always keep your browser up-to-date and use the best internet connection you can. Canvas will still run with the minimum specifications, but you may experience slower loading times. Canvas and its hosting infrastructure are designed for maximum compatibility and minimal requirements. You can find more information on Canvas system requirements on the Canvas site.
Your expected study duration depends on which award you’re studying:
- Masters (MA/MSc): Minimum of 2 years, up to a maximum of 4 years
- Postgraduate Diploma (PG Dip): Minimum of 1 year 4 months, up to a maximum of 2 years 4 months
- Postgraduate Certificate (PG Cert): Minimum of 8 months, up to a maximum of 20 months
Your course is designed to offer flexibility, so if you need to take a break, you can step off and re-join later — as long as you agree a return date and complete the course within the maximum allowed timeframe for your award.
We strongly recommend that you do not take a break until you’ve completed your fourth module, as this gives you the most options for when you can return and helps minimise any delay to your graduation. Taking a break before this point may limit your re-entry points and could significantly impact your graduation date.
If you’re considering a break:
- You must arrange it with your Student Success Advisor before the first day of teaching of your next module.
- If you’ve already paid for a module you won’t be taking, you may be able to request a refund.
- Your advisor can help you understand how a break will affect your study timeline and help you map out a revised graduation plan.
If, for any reason, you are unable to return on your agreed date, please speak to your Student Success Advisor as soon as possible to discuss your options and ensure you remain within your overall study time limit.
The University of Sussex warmly invites students who have successfully completed their course online to attend their graduation ceremony on campus. Graduation events are usually held in Brighton, East Sussex, UK.
You can choose which ceremony you’d like to attend, allowing you to organise your attendance at graduation around any commitments you might have or planned travel to the UK. Our graduations usually take place twice a year in January and July, and there’s no time limit on attendance; you can complete and pass your degree and attend a ceremony in the year(s) following. The University of Sussex also holds several graduation ceremonies in overseas territories. Your Student Success Team can let you know if there are any ceremonies in a location near you, once you’ve completed the course. The graduation team at Sussex will be happy to help you find the ceremony location and date that works best for you.
Sussex Alumni Network
The Sussex Alumni Network is an active community of Sussex alumnus based in over 100 countries worldwide. When you graduate from the University, you’ll be invited to join the network. Joining provides access to a range of events and networking opportunities.
Find out more about alumni engagement and opportunities.
Before the start of each module, you’ll be made aware of all future payment deadlines, but it is ultimately your responsibility to ensure you pay on time. If you fail to make a payment, you will not be able to access the next module.
Methods of payment
Students can pay via debit card, credit card or PayPal. There’s also the option to pay via Convera bank transfer, but this must be initiated as soon as possible to ensure we receive the payment before the deadline.
Refunds
If you decide to defer your start date or withdraw from your course, you will need to inform us by 4pm UK time on the first Monday of the module. Deferrals or withdrawals made after this date will not be eligible for a refund unless there are exceptional circumstances. For future modules, if you wish to opt-out, the same deadline applies.
Please contact the Student Success Team at studentsuccess@sussex.ac.uk for more information.
Library Services
Students have access to online library resources and learning materials through their student account. This includes eBooks, journals, newspapers and databases. If the Library doesn’t have a copy of a journal article or chapter, you can ask for a digital scan to be emailed to you. Your Online Distance Learning (ODL) Librarian will support you through Canvas with any Library-related queries and will offer study and research skills webinars to help with assignments.
Health, Wellbeing and Counselling Services
You will have access to a range of selfhelp materials including SilverCloud, an interactive tool for managing mental and behavioural health. Further information is available on our health and wellbeing pages and you can also contact the Student Success Team.
Student Support Unit (SSU)
The Student Support Unit (SSU) is a team of specialist advisors who work with students who need support due to a disability or conditions such as mental health, autism spectrum and other learning difficulties.
The University offers a range of resources to support students to successfully complete their course. Information about these services is available at Student Support and you can always contact the Student Success Team if you need more help.
Careers and Employability Centre
The Careers and Employability Centre provides students with 1-2-1 careers support and guidance throughout their time at the university and for up to three years after they graduate.
The centre provides a number of resources, including recordings of CV writing workshops aimed at helping Masters students.
Student Union
All registered students at the University of Sussex are members of the Students’ Union. The Students’ Union exists to represent students’ interests both within the University and the wider community and campaigns on relevant local, national and international issues.
English Language for Academic Study
The Sussex Centre for Language Studies (SCLS), offers an English Language for Academic Study service.
The aim of this service is to help students who have English as an additional language, to develop their Academic English skills, and to adapt to UK academic study, which may have different expectations to universities in other countries.
For many students, it takes time and practice to develop appropriate academic language skills, so we would advise you to make time for this alongside your academic studies throughout the course.
You can email queries and book online 1:1 tutorials with their tutors on topics such as:
- using cautious language in academic writing to develop a strong argument
- developing academic style and vocabulary
- paraphrasing, summarising, and quoting in academic writing
- textual cohesion in academic writing.
Contact them at elas@sussex.ac.uk and in your email, please give your name and details of the course or module you are studying.
This checklist will tell you how to prepare for your first day on the module, helping to ensure your transition to online study is a smooth one. Please complete the following checklist before your module start date.
- Had a Welcome Call with my Student Success Advisor
- Registered for/attended the upcoming welcome webinar
- Completed the activities in the student induction module
- Familiarised myself with the key dates calendar
- Checked my internet connection and hardware
- Accessed my University of Sussex student email account
- Marked Sussex as a safe sender in my personal email inbox
- Explored the Canvas online study platform
Next steps
Before your course start date, please complete your student induction activities and attend your welcome webinar. If you have any questions during your induction period, please do not hesitate to contact us.
We can also support you if you require access to any of the University services mentioned in this pack.
We are sure you have a lot of questions about your course, online learning and more. Below are some of the questions that our team get asked most by our students.
Who do I speak to if I have a concern or problem?
Contact the Student Success Team in the first instance. They can advise you, or point you in the right direction.
Is support available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?
You can contact the Student Success Team between 8:00AM– 5:00PM UK time. If you have an urgent query over the weekend, email studentsuccess@sussex.ac.uk with the word ‘URGENT’ in the subject line, and one of the team will aim to respond within 24 hours.
Where do I find my login credentials?
New students will receive an email from student services with a link to register with the University through Sussex Direct. Once you’ve completed this, it can take up to 24 hours to produce your login details for Canvas. Please note: passwords are set by you and can remain consistent across platforms.
I’ve forgotten my password for the online study platform. What do I do?
You can find information on the IT help page.
How do I get in touch with my tutor?
You should contact your tutor through Canvas in the first instance. If you have any trouble contacting your tutor, please talk to the Student Success Team.
I’m having general technical difficulties. What should I do?
Visit the IT Help Centre or the University of Sussex IT Help Page.
I’m having issues with Canvas. What should I do?
If you have any problems with Canvas, you can call the 24/7 Canvas helpline on +44 (0)800 060 8441. Alternatively, click on the ‘Help’ button at the bottom of the left-hand navigation in Canvas; there’s a live chat link. Alternatively, visit the Canvas Student Guides pages.
Do I need to apply for a student ID/library card?
All students at the University of Sussex are entitled to a student ID/Library card. You’ll need to provide a photograph and ensure your address details are updated when you complete your online registration and ask the Student Success Team to organise a card to be posted to you.
I want to take a break from my studies. What are my options?
Contact your Student Success Advisor to discuss your options. They’ll talk you through your next steps and the impact it will have on your graduation date.
I’m struggling to finance my course. What should I do?
If you have a question or concern about financing your course, please contact the Student Success Team for guidance. The team can also help with queries on fee amounts, and how to pay for the next module.
How do I pay my fees?
You’ll receive an email advising you of the payment date and a link to the payment portal.
What reading do I have to do for each module?
Reading lists for each modules can be found on Canvas. You must register to access the full lists.
How do I access the live classes?
Live sessions (seminars/classes) will be delivered through Canvas. Information on how to join them are provided in each module. Please contact the Student Success Team if you’re unsure how to join a live session.
How many students are there in a typical class?
Class sizes will vary. We aim to maintain a tutor-student ratio of approximately 1:25 students. However, for some activities, the group sizes could be larger or smaller.
When and how do I submit my work?
All work is submitted electronically through Canvas, your online study platform. It’s your responsibility to ensure your work is submitted on time, and failure to submit before the deadline will constitute a non-submission. You can find more information on the Assignments page within the module on Canvas.
When will marks be released?
Provisional marks will be released on Canvas and Sussex Direct; the exact date will vary from module to module. We aim to publish your results around 15 term-time working days after the end of each module.