How teaching is organised

The fundamental aim of our teaching arrangements is to create an environment in which students share the responsibility for their own learning and, jointly with staff, are able to pursue a programme that achieves the highest standards of academic scholarship.

We use a combination of teaching and learning strategies to help you participate and learn during your studies. The formal, structured component of teaching usually comprises lectures and seminars/tutorials, labs or workshops.

Attendance at all classes is compulsory and monitored across seminars, workshops, labs and tutorials. We also spot check lecture attendance each semester.

Lectures

Lectures are presentations by the course lecturer(s) to the entire group of students taking the course. Lectures offer you an opportunity to hear the lecturer's interpretation of material relevant to the course, and to make notes to supplement your other learning materials and readings. Lectures may not cover all of the required course material, but it is usual for this forum to address the major areas of the course.

Lectures may also include discussions of relevant examples and cases, demonstrations of analytical techniques, or the chance to draw on the expertise of invited speakers. Information relating to the administration of the course (such as instructions regarding assessed coursework, information regarding the course examination) is also often disseminated in lectures.

Seminars/tutorials

Seminars and/or Tutorials are small group sessions, giving you the opportunity to participate in exercises and group discussions, and to benefit from direct contact with a course tutor. It is worth noting that not all courses have seminars.

Labs

Some classes are held in computer clusters due to the nature of the teaching, these are known as labs and will be clearly marked on your timetables.