Welcome Week is designed to ensure you have everything you need in place before teaching officially begins. It is the best time to meet your course team and peers, get your locker allocated, and have your health and safety risk assessment inductions completed and signed off.

We will also make sure you are fully equipped with your PPE and can help sort out any issues so that your start is as smooth as possible.

​Beyond the paperwork, this week is a great opportunity to get a feel for the department and jump into a hands-on activity to break the ice. Getting these basics settled allows you to focus entirely on your studies once the semester kicks off.

You will also meet your Personal Academic Tutor (PAT), a dedicated member of the team who will be your primary point of contact and "go-to" person for support throughout the entire year. We look forward to seeing you there and helping you get settled!​

Your Course

The academic year at Canterbury Christ Church University is split into two semesters :

• Semester 1 (September to January)
• Semester 2 (late January to May)

During your Engineering Foundation Year, you will complete five modules in total, each assessed through a variety of methods. Full details of assessments will be provided when you begin your studies.

During Semester 1 you will study:

• ​ The Big Picture – a university-wide module with shared lectures; Engineering group seminars led by Stuart Lambert

• ​ Fundamentals of Applied Mathematics and Programming – led by Atif Rasheed

During Semester 2 you will study:

• ​ Interdisciplinary Communication Skills – Engineering group seminars led by James Cugley

• ​ Fundamentals of Engineering – led by Ghazal Sheikholeslami

• ​ Applied Science – led by Azza Mahmoud

Teaching and Learning Approach

Teaching is delivered on campus through a combination of lectures, seminars, workshops, and practical sessions, designed to support different learning styles. You will engage in problem-solving activities, group work, and hands-on tasks.

Virtual Learning Environment

You will use Blackboard as your main learning platform, where you can access lecture materials, assignment briefs, submission links, and important announcements. You may also use Microsoft Teams for communication, meetings, and additional support sessions.

First few weeks and equipment

The start of the semester is all about finding your feet and getting comfortable in our laboratories and IT environments. The department provides all necessary equipment and software, so there is no need to invest in expensive tools or high-spec hardware. Most of our software is available via a Virtual Desktop, meaning you do not need a high-performance laptop; any device with reliable internet access will allow you to connect remotely and work from anywhere.

​Your welcome and induction will be w/c 14th September 2026 - we look forward to meeting you then.

​​Detailed reading lists for each module and the course will be provided during Welcome Week and will be included in your module handbooks. However, here is some reading and visual recommendations that may give you a further insight into Engineering and the Engineering Foundation Year:

​Book recommendations:

• ​Ingre, David (2017). Engineering Communication: A practical guid to workplace communications for engineers.

• ​Charleson, Andrew. Structure As Architecture. United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis, 2015.

• ​Johnson,S.Hewett,S.Holt, J.Miller. (2015). Advanced Physics for You. 2nd edition.

• ​Bird, J. (2017) Engineering Mathematics, 8th Edition, Routledge, London, ISBN-Print: 978-1138673595

​Visual Recommendations-

• ​Megastructures: Engineering Marvels