Student Support and Guidance¶
Department & Postgraduate Support Staff¶
Head of Department: Prof Robert Stevens 2, Room: IT Building 114, Phone: 0161-275 6251.
Head of PGR : Simon Harper (HoPGR) 3, Room: Kilburn Building 2.60, Phone: 0161-275 0599.
Deputy Head of PGR: Dr Bijan Parsia (DHoPGR) 4, Room: Kilburn Building 2.88, Mobile: 0792 717 9742.
Student Support Office: Student Support 1, Room: LF21 Kilburn Building, Phone 0161 306 8155 (internal extension 68155)
- Disability Advisory and Support Service (DASS):
The DASS provides support for disabled staff and students in the University and also offers support and advice to prospective students and employees. They provide a confidential service and enable management of the level of disclosure within the University in order to provide agreed support. They work with a wide range of students, including students with specific learning difficulties (such as dyslexia), mental health difficulties (such as anxiety), medical conditions (such as epilepsy and arthritis), deaf and hard of hearing students, blind and partially sighted students, and students with autism/Asperger syndrome. Disability Advisory and Support Service 5 (DASS 6) Phone: 0161 275 7512 Location: 2nd floor, University Place.
- Student Guidance Service (formerly known as the Academic Advisory Service):
This offers confidential advice on any matter relating to your studies or any issue affecting you and your academic progress. It is independent from Faculties and Departments, completely confidential, and is run by a small team of part-time advisors, some of whom are members of academic staff.
- Housing & Accommodation Issues:
The Accommodation Office deals with student accommodation in the University Halls of Residence. Separate halls are available for undergraduates and postgraduates, but the University also has halls comprising a mix of both.
- Manchester Student Homes:
is a service for students, owned and run by the University, along with Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU). The services are free to students. They list a large number of privately-rented accredited houses, flats and rooms and are also there to give you housing advice if you need it.
- Students Union:
The University of Manchester Students’ Union (UMSU) is an organisation, independent of the University, to which all students automatically belong. The Student Union building houses a wide range of services for students, including welfare and legal advice.
- Health & Health Care:
Upon arrival in Manchester, all students should register with a local General Practitioner (GP). In order to receive National Health Service (NHS) treatment whilst you are in Manchester, you must be registered with a local doctor .
Registering with the doctor will enable international students, their spouse and children (but not visiting relatives) to receive free medical care, provided that they are in the UK for six months or longer.
A list of GPs can be obtained from the staff in University Accommodation. Alternatively, a complete list of GPs, dentists, and pharmacies in Manchester can be obtained online from the NHS Services Directory.Further advice on health issues and health services for students can be found on StudentNet and on the University pages for international students.
- Student Counselling Service:
This is a team of professional counsellors and psychotherapists offering confidential help with any personal issues affecting work, self-esteem, relationships, mental health or general well-being. They are available to all University of Manchester students.
- Careers Advice:
The University Careers Service provides careers information, advice, and guidance to all Manchester students:
- Immigration Advice:
Advice on UK immigration legislation is offered by the International Advice Team based at the Student Services Centre:
- International Students:
International students at the University are especially fortunate to have the support of a dedicated International Advice Team based in the Student Services Centre and the International Society based on the Oxford Road. With over 4,000 members from over 130 countries, the International Society is the best place for you to make new friends from all over the world including the UK. Among the things we do are trips around the UK during the weekend, language classes, cultural evenings, social events, cultural awareness project (Rocketworld), hospitality scheme and families group. Our Families Group offers a warm and supportive atmosphere for the partners and children of students. The group meets every Thursday and is a great way for people in a similar situation to meet and make friends. They regularly celebrate children’s birthdays, go on trips and have visiting guest speakers to share information and give advice. For those still learning English it’s a great place to practice in a supportive environment. For more information, check out International Society 7 . Finally, the Students Union provides the services of an International Students Officer as well as a large number of international societies.
- University Language Centre:
The Manchester University Language Centre offers courses in some 18 languages for personal, professional and academic purposes at various levels to prospective and current students. In particular, it provides programmes for students wishing to improve their English language skills for academic or professional reasons.
University Learning Resources¶
The University Library¶
The University of Manchester Library is both the University’s library and information service and supports all subject areas taught by the University. It provides its members with a large number of services and resources, including the most extensive range of electronic resources of any UK Higher Education library, including on-line subscriptions to journals and data sources.
The University Library consists of the Main Library and several site libraries. Locations, and full details of the services provided and how to access them can be found on their website.
How to access Library electronic resources
Search on Library Search to access e-journals, e-books and databases provided by the Library.
If you are working off campus regularly, it is recommended that you download the Library browser extensions: Library Access and LibKey Nomad to make it easier to access electronic content provided by the Library.
You may also choose to download Browzine, which enables you to browse, read and monitor current scholarly journal content on your mobile device or browser.
Lots of useful information on relevant databases and journals for your discipline area can be found in our Subject Guides
Central Authentication Service¶
One advantage of this central system is that when accessing online journals, rather than having to remember a whole list of different passwords and usernames, you instead just use the CAS. The journal website typically directs you to the Manchester CAS page, where you login, and are then returned to the journal, where you can then access the journal content to which we have a subscription.
The login can also be accessed directly by going to the University Portal: and then pressing the login button.