The University of Sheffield
Our Commitment

Your Academic Experience - Taught Students

Students being taught

The University undertakes to deliver the highest possible standards of teaching and to provide an appropriate level of academic guidance and pastoral support to students.  It views learning as a partnership between staff and students, and provides opportunities for students to engage actively in their learning.

Information on Programmes of Study

Departments will provide detailed information and guidance on the aims and structure of programmes of study, the content and availability of modules, associated workloads, the methods and timing of assessments, feedback to students and the calculation of degree classifications.  This information will be provided in Programme Specifications and within departmental or programme handbooks. Programme Specifications are published on the University’s web site alongside Programme Regulations on the Calendar web pages.  In addition, all departments offering dual degrees provision will have a Dual Degrees Co-ordinator who will act as the first point of contact for all issues relating to the academic organisation of dual degrees.

Advance notice will be given of any likely additional costs or visa requirements, such as those in connection with field trips, placements and additional materials.  Changes to any of this published information will be communicated to students at the earliest possible opportunity.

Students are asked to read any published information carefully.  It is also your responsibility to check your registration details at the start of each semester and report any errors or discrepancies as soon as possible as it's harder to put mistakes right later.  Any changes to module registration should be notified to the University within three weeks of the start of each semester.

Attendance Requirements

University Regulations require students to attend throughout each semester, including the full examination period.  This means turning up on time to all designated teaching sessions, tutorials, laboratory sessions and all assessments, including examinations.  Any absences must be notified to the relevant academic department in writing as soon as possible.  Departments regularly monitor student attendance using systems developed by the University to identify and support students who are having difficulty with their programmes of study.

Personal and Academic Support for Students

The University provides every taught student (both undergraduate and postgraduate) with a named academic member of staff as their key point of contact for academic and personal support.  Students should have individual face-to-face meetings with their personal tutor at least once per semester and may request additional meetings as the need arises.  Wherever possible, students will have the same personal tutor throughout their programme of study.

The role of the personal tutor is to provide academic guidance and confidential personal support as a first point of contact for students and to provide a gateway to the wide range of student support services available.  Students must take equal responsibility for making the student/personal tutor relationship work, by maintaining regular contact with their tutor and asking for support as appropriate.  It is important that both personal tutors and students keep to any pre-arranged appointments.

If you ask that information given to your personal tutor should be treated as confidential, this will be respected in all but exceptional circumstances.  All personal information held by departments will be handled in accordance with the University's Data Protection policy and procedures.

Academic Skills Support

A range of IT and information skills training is available to students, taking into account the demands of particular programmes of study and the importance of transferable skills.

301 is the new Student Skills and Development Centre.  Based in remodelled premises at 301 Glossop Road the centre offers a flexible, modern space open to all University of Sheffield students and is your on-campus hub for skills development and support.

Services include:

University of Sheffield Enterprise (USE) offers enterprise support to both academics and students.  USE can help academic staff create an enterprising curriculum for students and can also help students develop their business ideas and enterprise skills. 

Timetables

Lecture timetables will be made available to students before the start of each semester (or, in the case of Nursing and Midwifery students, before the start of each module).

The Assessment Process (by means of examinations or otherwise)

The University seeks to prevent bias by Examiners in favour of or against students by ensuring that all answer books from invigilated examinations are anonymous at the point of marking.  Each department will inform students via departmental handbooks of any examinations which are not marked anonymously.  Wherever practicable and appropriate, departments will also mark non-invigilated examinations anonymously.

Examination timetables will be published in Week 11 or 12 of each semester, with draft timetables being displayed in departments at an earlier stage in the semester, so that any possible clashes can be sorted out.C

Students are expected to satisfy all assessment requirements, including attendance at examinations.  Any illness or other special circumstances during the examination period must be notified as soon as possible to the relevant academic department and a medical certificate provided.  Non-attendance at examinations without a satisfactory explanation or appropriate medical certification may result in automatic failure.

Under the University’s Academic Appeals Regulations a student may seek a review of the recommendation of the Examiners on specified grounds, although it should be noted that appeals against the academic judgement of the Examiners will not be considered.  Any appeal should be made within 14 working days of the publication of examination results.

Feedback

Feedback is a vital part of learning, and should be a two-way process.  The University takes feedback very seriously, and has adopted a number of principles to ensure that it is delivered consistently to all students:

Principle 1

Student engagement with feedback is promoted

Feedback is a 2-way process, an on-going dialogue between you and your lecturers.  In order for feedback to work for you, you need to engage with your feedback to improve future performance and the department should help you to do this.

Principle 2

Feedback is for learning

Feedback should help you to improve your future performance as well as provide comment on work already done.  Feedback should affirm what you already know and offer encouragement.  Feedback comes in many forms: written, face-to-face (both individual and collectively), from your peers, electronically via MOLE, in audio files or email.  Opportunities for reflection on your feedback should be provided by personal tutors or elsewhere.

Principle 3

Feedback is clearly communicated to students

Your department will provide clear information about the types of feedback you will receive and the dates when it is available for all modules.

Principle 4

Feedback is timely

You will receive regular feedback throughout your modules, timed to help with your final assessment.  Feedback on assessed work will normally be within 3 weeks.

Principle 5

Feedback is consistently delivered

Your feedback will be delivered in an accessible and consistent manner, and will relate to module assessment criteria and learning outcomes.  There will be an opportunity to view exam scripts.

Principle 6

Feedback quality is maintained

Your department will ensure that the feedback you receive is of good quality.  Your student reps will be involved in the process of maintaining that quality.

The Use of Unfair Means in the Assessment Process

Students must not use unfair means in the assessment process: plagiarism, collusion and submitting bought or commissioned work are regarded as particularly serious offences.  Material submitted for assessment must be a student’s own original work and each time a submission is made, they will be required to give confirmation to this effect.  The University may take action against any student found to have used unfair means.

Student Engagement in Learning and Teaching and Representation

You are encouraged to become actively engaged with your academic environment, both through involvement with your individual studies and with the structures and processes that underpin learning and teaching. 

This could include taking advantage of opportunities to learn more deeply within or outside your curriculum, have your say about issues that affect your academic life, or take part in projects relating to the development of learning and teaching.  All of these opportunities give you ownership of your learning, provide staff with feedback on your experience and help you attain skills which improve employability. 

Every department has a Student-Staff Committee which meets on a regular basis, and every course has a Course Rep who sits on this committee.  They represent the views of the student body on issues that affect your learning and teaching experience.  Students are also represented on other departmental committees such as the Learning and Teaching Committee, and at a Faculty level.  If you would like to become a Course Rep, look out for publicity in your department and the Students' Union during the Autumn Semester.  

The Students' Union encourages students to take an active role in their Union by participating in the annual Union Officer elections.  Students are also elected annually onto the Union Council and a wide range of Representative Committees.

For more opportunities to get involved in academic activities, visit www.sheffield.ac.uk/lets/student   

Evaluation of Programmes of Study

Feedback from students is one of the main ways the University can improve its teaching and the support it provides to students.  Because we rely heavily on your full and active participation in the evaluation process, you are strongly encouraged to take part in the two main ways of evaluating your programme of study:

  1. Your department will ask you to evaluate your programme of study on an annual basis, including individual modules.  The results are reported to Student-Staff Committees or in other appropriate ways, for example via departmental notice boards and web pages.  You will also be informed about any actions your department is planning to take as a result of this evaluation exercise.
  2. You will be asked to participate in national student surveys where the results contribute to national and international University league tables.  The results of these will be used to make improvements to both teaching and student support.