Postgraduate prospectus
Student services: computing, IT and
online services
At Essex, we believe that the IT facilities and online services are an important part of your
experience as a student. All students need to use IT and online resources as part of their work,
whether to write essays, run specialist software, access information on the web or exchange
e-mails with staff and fellow students. We are committed to providing first class IT facilities
and an online learning environment to complement the work of lectures, seminars, workshops,
and tutorials.
Every student is provided with an individual account, giving access to our computing
facilities including e-mail, the web learning
materials, and personal online file storage.
You can access most online services and information anytime and anywhere through the student
web portal:
myEssex. Arrangements about your course, together with a range of learning materials
and supporting information, will typically be available. The portal also provides secure
access to your individual University record, together with a personalised gateway to student
services, and news and event information.
A key area of myEssex is the e-portfolio, myLife, which is your own personal online space.
You are encouraged to use this to record and reflect on your many experiences and achievements,
not only academic but also those relating to your personal development and career planning during
your time at Essex.
In addition to any specialist IT facilities provided for your chosen subject, our central open
access computer laboratories at our Colchester campus provide more than 500 modern Windows PCs and
at our Southend campus provide more than 100. These run over 100 software packages of various types
and all have connections to the University’s high-speed network and the Internet, as well as laser
printing facilities. Assistive technology and specialist support software is available in all the open
access labs. At our Colchester campus, laboratories are available seven days a week and over 100
are accessible for 24 hours a day. At our Southend Campus, laboratories are available throughout
The Gateway Building’s long opening hours.
You can connect your own laptop or PC to the University network via the connection point in
every student room at both campuses, and by using the extensive wireless (wi-fi) service available
at all campuses. At our Colchester campus, wireless
coverage includes the Library, cafés, Students’ Union facilities and even some areas of Wivenhoe Park. At our Southend campus, this includes the
majority of teaching rooms, the open study area, social spaces and Students’ Union facilities
within The Gateway Building and Clifftown Studios.
Web pages provide you with comprehensive information about using the IT facilities but, if you
need more help, our IT Help Desk staff will provide you with documentation and personal assistance
with your computing needs. Our Help Desk also sells popular IT consumables and small items of
equipment. Outside working hours, student IT assistants at the Colchester Campus are in the open
access computer labs to offer you help or advice.
We provide training to teach the basics of Windows, Office software and some applications
software such as SPSS and End note up to the level required for the
European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL) computer qualification. The University is a registered ECDL test centre and
you may decide to take the tests for this internationally recognised qualification.