During your first year you will typically have 11-12 hours a week of timetabled sessions – around 8 hours of lectures and 3-4 hours of seminars or small group work. Lectures will provide you with the framework and foundational knowledge for each subject, whilst seminars, held in smaller groups, provide you with the opportunity to discuss key ideas with your tutor and peers. A variety of teaching methods are used with the aim of creating a stimulating environment in which you are encouraged to develop your learning skills and to actively engage and participate in your learning process.
Assessment methods varied to allow you to develop a range of academic and transferable skills throughout your programme and these include individual essays, examinations, presentations and group activities.
Independent learning
When not attending lectures, seminars or other timetabled sessions you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. Typically, this will involve reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects, undertaking research in the library, preparing coursework assignments and presentations, and preparing for exams. To help with your independent learning, you can access the Library, our social study spaces in halls of residence and our learning spaces at Brookfield.
Academic support
Our Centre for Academic Achievementprovides help in the following areas:
- study and exam skills
- academic writing
- presentations
- dissertations
- numerical data skills
- referencing sources
Our AccessAbility Centreoffers support and practical help for students with dyslexia or other specific learning difficulties, including physical, mental health or mobility difficulties, deafness, or visual impairment.
Teaching staff
You will be taught by an experienced teaching team whose expertise and knowledge are closely matched to the content of the modules on the course. PhD research students who have undertaken teacher training may also contribute to the teaching of seminars under the supervision of the module leader. Our teaching is informed by the research we do. You can learn more about our staff by visiting our staff profiles.