Your Learning

As a postgraduate student, you have the opportunity to shape your learning in a way that works best for you. That’s exciting, but it can also be daunting.

The first way you might notice this is in your timetable. Timetables will differ considerable based on your programme, however, on all programmes students will have the majority of their time for their independent study. All of your teaching staff will have office hours or consolidation workshops (depending on your school) when you can meet them to talk about aspects of the course. The library offers academic skills workshops and one-to-ones. Then there’s the reading to factor in, as well as any activities your seminar leaders may ask you to undertake. And don’t forget your assignments…

The second thing that might differ from your previous studies is the assignments. In a postgraduate level assignment, we’re interested in finding out what you think about a particular topic – and about the texts you read and the recommendations you make. You’ll be given suggestions of what to read and will be expected to develops arguments and analysis to help you to present your position as convincingly as possible. Once you’ve been given the information you need for an assignment, you’ll be expected to make your own plan for how to complete it. Make sure you take a note of the deadline and build assignment work into your independent study time.

The third thing once you get your timetable, make sure you check where each activity is located and how to get there (some buildings might be a little distance apart). If you think you might not be able to attend campus, make sure you get in touch to find out about online options.

The fourth thing you may notice is the relationship you have with your teaching staff. They will treat you as an adult. That means that they’re interested in your perspective, but it also means that they expect you to take the initiative if you need any support. You won’t be chased to come to office hours or to do your reading. If you find you’re struggling make sure that you reach out to your Personal Tutor, Lecturer and Seminar lead, as well as the Wellbeing support services for your School.

The fifth and most important thing about being a university postgraduate student is that you’re among other university postgraduate students. All of you have chosen to be here at the University of Birmingham. All of you are studying subjects you have selected. All of you can decide which activities, sports, and clubs you want to join. It’s a chance for you to find people who are interested in the same things as you… and maybe also to find out quite a bit about yourself.

Watch: Transitioning from Undergraduate to Postgraduate study

Here are some useful videos to walk you through what that experience might look like and give you some tips on how to learn effectively.

Learning Effectively Online

You will be studying online. This might not be something that you are used to so here's a video which will show you how to study effectively as you are joining us online.

You can find out more about learning online by taking a look at resources from the Academic Skills Centre.

Boost your personal study skills by watching the videos below and reflecting on how you manage your time, notetake and work with others.

Watch: Time Management

Watch: Notetaking for lectures and reading

Watch: Group Working

Here's a short guide on academic reading which you might find useful as you prepare to start your course. In a few weeks we'll share with you more infomation about your School which will include some suggested readings to get you started!

If you want to start exploring the library resources before you arrive, here's a useful guide that tells you all about how to access articles, books and other resources both online and at the library.

Assessment

Throughout your time at the university you will be engaging in a number of different assessments. These can be anything from exams and essays to group work and presentations. These assignments will be designed to assess how well you have understood and can engage with the topic on that module.

You shouldn't be worried about assessments and will only be assessed on things you have learnt in the module. You can start to prepare for assessments at any time and there are some general skills which will support you to do your best. Check out this 'understanding assessment' resource for more information and tips. This resource will take around 60 minutes to complete.

What is reflection?

Sometimes you will be asked to provide reflections on things you have learnt or experienced. This is most commonly used on practical modules or where students are engaging with placements or vocational topics. Reflections are a little different to traditional assessments, the video below tells you more.

Academic Writing

You may be wondering how writing at The University of Birmingham might differ from your previous experience at school or another institution. Here's a short video on academic writing.

You can also watch this short video to hear from one of our students talking about their experience of academic writing.

Online safety is incredibly important and we encourage all of our students to learn how to keep themselves safe online. To support you to do this please take a look at the Online Safety Canvas Course. You will need to log in with your student credentials to access this course.

Developing a positive online presence

You might also want to start thinking about your online presence and what that says about you. Employers will sometimes look at your online social media presence when you apply to work for them. Here's a helpful resource to help you do this, you will need to log in with your student credentials to access this course.