The Student Room Group
Students on campus at the University of Warwick
University of Warwick
Coventry

Ask Absolutely Anything! (+FAQ)

Welcome to the University of Warwick FAQ Thread

Post #1 - Introduction, links to other resources, and various campus maps
Post #2 - Frequently Asked Questions (before/when you arrive)
Post #3 - Frequently Asked Questions (after you arrive)


WhereThis thread is for any general questions you may have about life at Warwick, everything from arrivals weekend to your end of year exams. There are a few more specific topics that are better discussed elsewhere, so please take a quick look below to check whether this is the best place to ask your question!

question? Where should I ask my

For everything else, check out the FAQs below! Feel free to post if your question isn't answered here or if you want further clarification on anything!

Links

University of Warwick TSR wiki page

University of Warwick Wikipedia article

Warwick students' personal statements

Choosing accommodation - help and advice thread

Entertainment guide for the University of Warwick

Campus map and interactive map (useful for searching room locations)


MapsOriginal credit for these maps goes to the University of Warwick. You can find the original, full map (in PDF format) here . Click on the pictures below if you want to see the maps in full size. See the student guide to on-campus accommodation thread for further details on accommodation.

blocks Central campus teaching

services Miscellaneous buildings and

blocks Accommodation

work Construction


Continued in the next post...

Scroll to see replies

Before you arrive...

This post contains information on the things that might be more relevant before and as you arrive - accommodation, enrolment, arrivals weekend and campus


Frequently

Accommodation

Enrolment

weekend Arrivals

Campus


Continued in the next post...
(edited 12 years ago)
Students on campus at the University of Warwick
University of Warwick
Coventry
After you arrive...

This post contains information on the things that might be more relevant after you arrive, though of course you may still be interested beforehand


Frequently

Entertainment

day Lectures, timetables, and the university

assessment Exams and

Finances

Miscellaneous


If you can't find the question you're looking for, or you want some clarification/expansion/personal opinions on any of the above points, please post below!

Credit for many of these answers goes to the past and present students of the university who posted in this thread. Particularly, calcium878, castroneves, Chrrye, Clarfairy, EierVonSatan, estel, Kolya, Notebooksecrets, princess1729, Quinion, TheTallOne.
Good thread :yy:

Perhaps we need a new accommodation thread as the OP needs to be updated year on year.
(edited 13 years ago)
EierVonSatan
I'd happy to make someone the new Thread starter in that thread so that they can edit the OP to update it and what not. Would you be interested in that at all?


Yeah sure :smile:
this topic is indeed useful. Thank you.


Maybe, as a suggestion, may I ask to have a departmental section containing much "fussy" information and details on the departments' dynamics, facilities, environment, feeling etc etc. :rolleyes:
davidcarvalho
this topic is indeed useful. Thank you.


Maybe, as a suggestion, may I ask to have a departmental section containing much "fussy" information and details on the departments' dynamics, facilities, environment, feeling etc etc. :rolleyes:


We might as well have a Warwick Undergraduate Course Guide thread :p:
davidcarvalho
Maybe, as a suggestion, may I ask to have a departmental section containing much "fussy" information and details on the departments' dynamics, facilities, environment, feeling etc etc. :rolleyes:

As much as I'd love to, I only know about my own department really. Perhaps if you let us know what department it is, someone might be able to come along and answer for you?
secretmessages
As much as I'd love to, I only know about my own department really. Perhaps if you let us know what department it is, someone might be able to come along and answer for you?


oh, i see, it's quite understandable.

Well, I'd like to know more about the Maths and the Physics departments :yes:

cheers.
davidcarvalho
oh, i see, it's quite understandable.

Well, I'd like to know more about the Maths and the Physics departments :yes:

cheers.


I think I know the person for you :smile:

estel
:h:


What I have done is force you to do a reply though :colonhash:
TheTallOne
I think I know the person for you :smile:


uh yeah :biggrin:
You're from Mathematics I believe?
Right, several question are just popping up. First of all, how big is the Maths department? How relevant is the intake and the contributions from the MathPhys students to the department? Is it likely that the modules from the Maths core from my course will be taught in the maths dept?

If you had some photos from the inside, that would be definitely a bonus. It does seem to be pretty astonishing :woo: .

cheers :smile:
davidcarvalho
uh yeah :biggrin:
You're from Mathematics I believe?
Right, several question are just popping up. First of all, how big is the Maths department? How relevant is the intake and the contributions from the MathPhys students to the department? Is it likely that the modules from the Maths core from my course will be taught in the maths dept?

If you had some photos from the inside, that would be definitely a bonus. It does seem to be pretty astonishing :woo: .

cheers :smile:


Yeah I do Maths. The only time I've been aware that MathsPhys have been in our lectures is during Differential Equations, mainly because Dave Wood (who <3 Maths Phys) rips the piss out of Maths Phys students in his lecture (the first ten weeks of Term 1). The degree is actually with the Physics department, so I'm not totally sure how things work, but your tutor will be with the Physics department and any support classes for Maths modules are more likely to be seminar style rather than supervisions (then again, when I studied a Physics module, I had a seminar style support class of ~30 while the Physics dept probably have small groups that actually discuss problems you have - called supervisions).

50 people enter each year and the course outline is here. It seems you do Analysis, Differential Equations, Foundations, Linear Algebra and Maths By Computer. What you are not doing (compared to the core for Maths students) is Geometry and Motion, Vectors and Matrices and Probability A. These modules will either be taught with Maths students (Maths, MMath, Maths and Philosophy/Business Studies/Economics) or with the Stats department (MORSE/Maths and Stats, in the same building, possibly at different times but covering the same content, but with professors who belong to the Maths dept). I did Classical Mechanics and Special Relativity and half of it is basically M1-3 at A level.

Maths department is massive. Intake of 300 students each year, there are a total of 1000 undergraduates and 60-100 postgraduates, along with 60 staff, 30 of who are professors. We're in one of the new buildings, opened in 2003, which has two large lecture theatres seating over 300 each along with 3 supplementary theatres which hold between 50 and 80 students.

Photos:
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/maths/gallery/4-new.jpg
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/maths/gallery/snow2.jpg - Computer Science is the building on the left. There's a nice (but redundant and pointless) bridge that lights up in neon lights at night).
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/maths/gallery/lecture.jpg - This is MS.02, the second largest lecture theatre on campus. That's Mario in the picture :h: but you won't get him as he does Geometry and Motion in the first year.
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/maths/gallery/tutorial2.jpg - Supervision area, Maths department only though, I think.

Also, check out this 20 minute or so long video here which was made a few years back. It shows The Street - a large foyer at the centre of the building (4 minutes in where everyone hides from the supervisors), the computer rooms (those computers have been replaced by new ones, some of them run Linux :h:), a seminar room where they have the silent fight along with a supervision area (where the emergency chalk thing is shown). Oh and there's a lecture at some point and you can see shots of the lecture theatre in the department. Oh and the room with the spiral staircase is the Maths Staff Common Room. The only times anyone as an undergraduate can enter that room is on the Open Day or at The Integrating Factor (Maths Society social) last year. Not sure if it will be in there this year as the Copper Rooms have fully opened now.
If anyone has a German or English department question... feel free to contact me, I am a finalist studying those two subjects. :-)
TheTallOne
Yeah I do Maths. The only time I've been aware that MathsPhys have been in our lectures is during Differential Equations, mainly because Dave Wood (who <3 Maths Phys) rips the piss out of Maths Phys students in his lecture (the first ten weeks of Term 1). The degree is actually with the Physics department, so I'm not totally sure how things work, but your tutor will be with the Physics department and any support classes for Maths modules are more likely to be seminar style rather than supervisions (then again, when I studied a Physics module, I had a seminar style support class of ~30 while the Physics dept probably have small groups that actually discuss problems you have - called supervisions).

50 people enter each year and the course outline is here. It seems you do Analysis, Differential Equations, Foundations, Linear Algebra and Maths By Computer. What you are not doing (compared to the core for Maths students) is Geometry and Motion, Vectors and Matrices and Probability A. These modules will either be taught with Maths students (Maths, MMath, Maths and Philosophy/Business Studies/Economics) or with the Stats department (MORSE/Maths and Stats, in the same building, possibly at different times but covering the same content, but with professors who belong to the Maths dept). I did Classical Mechanics and Special Relativity and half of it is basically M1-3 at A level.

Maths department is massive. Intake of 300 students each year, there are a total of 1000 undergraduates and 60-100 postgraduates, along with 60 staff, 30 of who are professors. We're in one of the new buildings, opened in 2003, which has two large lecture theatres seating over 300 each along with 3 supplementary theatres which hold between 50 and 80 students.

Photos:
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/maths/gallery/4-new.jpg
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/maths/gallery/snow2.jpg - Computer Science is the building on the left. There's a nice (but redundant and pointless) bridge that lights up in neon lights at night).
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/maths/gallery/lecture.jpg - This is MS.02, the second largest lecture theatre on campus. That's Mario in the picture :h: but you won't get him as he does Geometry and Motion in the first year.
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/maths/gallery/tutorial2.jpg - Supervision area, Maths department only though, I think.

Also, check out this 20 minute or so long video here which was made a few years back. It shows The Street - a large foyer at the centre of the building (4 minutes in where everyone hides from the supervisors), the computer rooms (those computers have been replaced by new ones, some of them run Linux :h:), a seminar room where they have the silent fight along with a supervision area (where the emergency chalk thing is shown). Oh and there's a lecture at some point and you can see shots of the lecture theatre in the department. Oh and the room with the spiral staircase is the Maths Staff Common Room. The only times anyone as an undergraduate can enter that room is on the Open Day or at The Integrating Factor (Maths Society social) last year. Not sure if it will be in there this year as the Copper Rooms have fully opened now.


much obliged, TheTallOne, that was clearly an insightful review of what I was seeking.
But now, by answering the questions, you just made me raise some more :biggrin: , notably the "reputation" of the MathPhys course and students.
I Love Mathematics. It is indeed the thing I love the most. I think as a mathematician and not as a physicist. Albeit my primary focus was/is Physics, I was quite thrown out of it mainly due to the somewhat frequent lack of evidence or proof that I always encountered while learning Physics.
As much as I love Physics, the "mathematical side skills" I needed to acquire soon grew immensely on me and today I'm quite confident to state that I could be one of those happy clever undergrads getting in to Maths courses.
With this in mind, I categorically chose Warwick because of its reputation and leadership in the area. Mathematics and Physics at Warwick seemed a pretty advanced and theoretically consistent course and, being a joint degree, I felt it could suit my interests and aims, mainly due to: a) its interdisciplinary nature and flexibility; b) the flair for natural and exact sciences. Now my point is, for some reason (not quite logical, so it seems), Maths students tend to look down on MathPhys or even Physics students (that's what I've been noticing). Would you agree with this?
I definitely don't want to regret this option I'm going to take, so I definitely want to be proved wrong!

Thanks once again
David
davidcarvalho
With this in mind, I categorically chose Warwick because of its reputation and leadership in the area. Mathematics and Physics at Warwick seemed a pretty advanced and theoretically consistent course and, being a joint degree, I felt it could suit my interests and aims, mainly due to: a) its interdisciplinary nature and flexibility; b) the flair for natural and exact sciences. Now my point is, for some reason (not quite logical, so it seems), Maths students tend to look down on MathPhys or even Physics students (that's what I've been noticing). Would you agree with this?
I definitely don't want to regret this option I'm going to take, so I definitely want to be proved wrong!

Thanks once again
David


I'm not sure about the Phyiscs department, but it was only those lectures where Maths Phys students were mentioned (even though the module is in the branch of applied maths which is most closely related to Physics, perhaps). Nothing about Maths Phys is mentioned elsewhere, and hasn't been since the first term. Personally, I don't see much of them about (well I only know a few Maths Phys students as they don't spend much time in the department). I don't really care what course people do as we're all sitting in the same lecture theatre doing the same module that has the same weight. You are doing over 70% of what a normal Maths student has to do so practically you're doing the same thing in the first year.
TheTallOne
I'm not sure about the Phyiscs department, but it was only those lectures where Maths Phys students were mentioned (even though the module is in the branch of applied maths which is most closely related to Physics, perhaps). Nothing about Maths Phys is mentioned elsewhere, and hasn't been since the first term. Personally, I don't see much of them about (well I only know a few Maths Phys students as they don't spend much time in the department). I don't really care what course people do as we're all sitting in the same lecture theatre doing the same module that has the same weight. You are doing over 70% of what a normal Maths student has to do so practically you're doing the same thing in the first year.


Just to point out that I'm not basing what I said on your comment, at all. It's just an impression I have from what I've gathered so far.
Well anyway, so you think the lectures of the Maths Core modules lectures will be held in the Physics department?:rolleyes:
davidcarvalho
Just to point out that I'm not basing what I said on your comment, at all. It's just an impression I have from what I've gathered so far.
Well anyway, so you think the lectures of the Maths Core modules lectures will be held in the Physics department?:rolleyes:

You'll likely have maths modules in the maths building, and physics modules elsewhere (science concourse, physics, arts centre conference room). Is that what you were asking?
secretmessages
You'll likely have maths modules in the maths building, and physics modules elsewhere (science concourse, physics, arts centre conference room). Is that what you were asking?


yeah pretty much. Just to get an idea of "how scatted" my lectures will be all over the place eheh.
For instance, if I decide to take some computer science modules, would they be automatically taken by the CS department or the physics dept, etc ?

thanks
davidcarvalho
yeah pretty much. Just to get an idea of "how scatted" my lectures will be all over the place eheh.
For instance, if I decide to take some computer science modules, would they be automatically taken by the CS department or the physics dept, etc ?

thanks

If you take computer science modules, they will be organised and taken by the computer science department (99% of the time). However, this doesn't mean they'll actually take place in the department building. I do CS, and due to the fact that we have quite a small building, a lot of our lectures are scattered around campus (maths, physics, humanities, social studies - seriously, CS students are probably the most scattered out of the whole university). Maths lectures will generally be in the maths building because of their large and plentiful lecture theatres, physics lectures will generally be in the physics department, or on the science concourse, but you could find yourselves in humanities too. The maths and physics buildings are probably ~5 minutes walk apart.
Reply 19
davidcarvalho
Just to point out that I'm not basing what I said on your comment, at all. It's just an impression I have from what I've gathered so far.
Well anyway, so you think the lectures of the Maths Core modules lectures will be held in the Physics department?:rolleyes:



Zing.

Hai :h:

The lectures are entirely independent of the actual degree course that you're doing. All maths modules will be lectured by the maths department lecturers in the maths department, and almost always with the straight maths students. (There are exceptions in some first year modules, which have some 500 students registered for them. In these cases there's a second lecturer for the joint degree students. Sometimes it's a better lecturer, sometimes worse).
Similarly, physics modules are lectured with all of the single honours physics students (though there are significantly fewer of these, perhaps 120 or so) - but you are doing every single one of the core physics modules (except Maths for Physicists I, obviously).

The first year maths modules that Joint honours students miss out on (G&M) are supposed to be covered with worksheets in your Tutorial module, but these aren't covered nearly as well as in the lecture course, and the content is assumed by most successive modules; which kinda sucks.

Worst thing about the course: being seen as a second class student by the maths department itself. Not in the way that you're treating individually, of course, but the maths department is a bit up itself in some respects. Namely: MathPhys students don't get access to the Maths undergraduate workroom, despite having first year supervision sessions in there. Rage rage rage. (This doesn't have any real effect on your studies of course, it's just a gripe that generations of joint honours students have complained about with the SSLC).

I don't think it's true that the degree is looked down upon by other people in either department :smile:. Yes, there are constant jibes thrown by some (*cough*Tom, Hathlan*cough*), but in their more lucid moments I insist that they'll actually conclude it's an infinitely superior degree to their own, and any gripes they outwardly express are purely the result of unfettered jealousy.

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