How does University differ from school and college?

You may have heard stories about how university life differs from school and college and what to expect when you arrive.  You may also be wondering whether these stories are accurate or not. Hopefully this blog will answer any remaining questions you have.

How many lessons will you have?
Unlike in school or college, you will not have a full day of lessons, where you are stuck in the same building all day unable to leave.  On the Department of English Language and Communication, the amount of lectures/seminars you have will depend on the amount of units you take.  They usually consist of a straight 2 hour lecture/seminar per unit.  This means that depending on the timetabling, you may only have to be in the university for 2 hours a day.

Example of what your timetable may look like. Please note that you may not have to attend all these lectures, only the ones of the unit(s) you take.

What is the difference between a lecture and a seminar?
Typically speaking, a lecture is where the tutor stands at the front and delivers the content of the lesson, whilst you take notes. Interaction in lectures is minimal. Whereas, seminars are more interactive and it gives you a chance to get involved, ask questions and more.  However, on the Department of English Language and Communication, the classes tend to be small, as a result the lectures tend to be more interactive than other, larger departments.

Do the lecturers care if your attendance is low?
There tends to be a rumour that at university, lecturers are somewhat impartial to your attendance. However, that is just a rumour, every student will have a Personal Academic Tutor (PAT) who will encourage you to attend lectures and check on your progress throughout the academic year.

What are the assessments like?
There are many different types of assessments, the most common are:

• Written assignments: Your lecturer will set a topic or question that you will have to provide a written essay for.  There is usually a word limit with a 10% leeway.  This means that if the word count for the essay has been set at 2,000 you can write 200 words more or less. You may be asked to submit a paper or digital copy.  The main difference you may experience from school or college is that all essays must have an appendix containing references. Don't fret, this will all be explained and demonstrated before your first assignment.
• Presentations: Just like you may have experienced at school or college, you may have to participate in presentations.  These will be assessed presentations and you will be marked on your presentation skills as well as the content in the presentation.
• Exams: Likewise to school and college, you may have to complete some exams. The exams will be monitored by the lecturers and exam conditions (no electronic devices, no speaking etc) will be in place.

You may have other assessment types such as, portfolio tasks, practical assessments, teaching assessments and more.