Teaching and learning
Find out more about our teaching and learning and get a head start with our suggested reading list.
How will I learn?
You will be taught through a combination of lectures, tutorials/seminars and individual supervision.
How will I be assessed?
You will be assessed through a wide range of methods that will enable you to develop different academic and practical skills.
Our assessment methods include:
- traditional academic essays and exams
- policy analyses and briefs
- policy blogging
- analyses of political actors
- project work
- seminar engagement
Support from your School
Your first point of contact for teaching or academic advice and guidance will be within the programme or course you are studying. A range of trained staff, such as lecturers and tutors, will work with you to help make the most of your studies while you progress through your university career.
All new undergraduate students will also have a Student Adviser, specially trained to be able to provide you with support during your studies.
If you need help with your wellbeing or with any mental health challenges during your studies, your Student Adviser can also refer you to a Wellbeing Adviser, who can chat through how you are feeling, and provide advice and referrals to our other services, such as Student Counselling or the Disability and Learning Support Service, if needed.
This is all part of a new model of student support, developed from the ideas of students and staff, as well as national and international benchmarking across the higher education sector.
Resources to get started
If you’d like to get ahead with some background reading, we recommend the following books. It is not a requirement that you read these books before arrival, especially because you may choose other courses, and entry to some courses may be restricted to ensure that tutorial groups do not become too large. Please do not buy books before your courses are confirmed once you arrive.
Dorling, D. (2015), Injustice: Why Social Inequality Still Persists
Garland, D. (2016), The Welfare State: A Very Short Introduction
Hills, J. (2014), Good Times, Bad Times: The Welfare: Myth of Them and Us
Wilkinson, R. and Pickett, K. (2010), The Spirit Level: Why Equality is Better for Everyone
Zakaria, F. (2015), In Defense of a Liberal Education
Further information
You’ll also find lots of information and links to online publications at sites such as:
- Paul Spicker - Social Policy
- Discover Society
- History & Policy
- CRIN: Child Rights International Network
Read on: