Courses and information to get you ready for University-level study.

Key tasks

• Find your course's digital resources
• Get software and equipment
• Check your University emails

Your course's digital resources 

Blackboard

Blackboard is our teaching hub. You'll need it for a lot of things, including:

• checking your timetable,
• finding course materials,
• accessing email and files,
• getting grades and feedback, and
• communicating with tutors and other students.

Our Blackboard guide tells you more, and you can access Blackboard through MyHallam as soon as you have enrolled (please note it can take 2/3 days for your timetable to be available following enrolment). You will be using it daily, so it's a good idea to sign in and explore before term begins. 

We recommend that you use the Google Chrome web browser when accessing Blackboard to ensure all features are available.

Registering your attendance

To support you in achieving your full potential we register attendance on all our courses. If you are starting your course in 2024, you will be asked to record your attendance at taught sessions using Study Goal. Please familiarise yourself with Study Goal.

Don't forget to save the link to the Study Goal sign in page as a favourite in your preferred browser on any device. 

If you are unable to attend for any reason you should let us know as soon as you are able and you will find out how to do this at the start of your course. Find out more about our commitment to attendance and read our attendance statement.

Your achievement whilst you study at Sheffield Hallam matters to us. Successful progress and positive outcomes are supported by your active participation in teaching sessions; and this includes attendance. Regular attendance on your course is therefore important as this enables you to do well in your degree.

Video call software and equipment

Read our guide to video calls before your first week of teaching.

The guide tells you what software you need and how to access it.

It also includes equipment suggestions, and tips on getting the best out of your online sessions.

Free software

At Hallam we make a wide range of free software available for you to download onto your own computer or mobile device. You can find a list of free and useful software on our Software guide for students.

Your University emails

Download Office365

As a Hallam student you can download Office365 for free.

This gives you access to a range of Microsoft software on your personal device, including Outlook for your University emails and Teams for collaborative work. To log in to your Outlook, use your Hallam credentials - username@hallam.shu.ac.uk and your University password.

Email is an important and widely used method of communication at university and in the workplace. You can find out how to access and use your university email on the Hallam Digital Skills Email guide. 

We recommend that you check Outlook regularly before you arrive, as we will be sending you reminders about pre-arrival tasks and Welcome Week activities.

Welcome to your library

Our campus libraries are here to support you to become an independent learner and succeed throughout your time at Sheffield Hallam. The library team will help you develop the skills you need and provide you with the best resources to support your learning. One-to-one appointments are available with the library team as well as regular webinars and workshops on research and referencing.

To help you get started, have a look at our Reading at University guide and the libraries welcome page.

Academic skills

The Library’s Skills Centre provides academic support to students across all subjects and levels through online guides, webinars and one-to-ones.

You can take the Skills Check e-module, which introduces you to the the key study skills you need for your university-level course and how you can develop these skills.

Digital skills

There are regular tutorials on a variety of digital skills, including training on assistive technology. Visit the digital and technology skills page to see what’s on offer. One-to-ones are also available for queries about software such as Word, PowerPoint and Excel.

Join a Digital Bootcamp

Attend an online bootcamp this September and master the software and digital tools you need to get the most out of your course.

In these 60-minute online sessions, you’ll develop the skills and knowledge you need to access tools like Blackboard, Outlook and Microsoft Teams. Plus, you’ll gain access to a wide range of online resources and self-assessment tools to kickstart your digital capabilities for university and beyond.