We want to help you develop the right skills so you get the most out of your academic studies and achieve the best grades possible.
Our Skills Enrichment courses and one-off sessions have been carefully planned to support you at each stage of your academic journey, from getting started on your first assignment to preparing for assessments.
Further details about the sessions during Semester 2, Academic Year 2021-22 are provided below.
Courses
The Discussion and Presentation Skills courses will be delivered in-person on campus.
Discussion Skills
This course is for all students who use English as a second language. It is designed to enhance your English language discussion skills and build your confidence with spoken communication. You will develop your vocabulary and grammar and your speaking, listening and pronunciation skills.
Visiting and Exchange students can obtain three credits taking this course.
| Course length | Day | Dates | Time | Booking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 weeks | Tues | 15 Feb to 3 May (excluding 12 & 19 Apr) | 18:15-19:45 | Closed |
| 10 weeks | Weds | 16 Feb to 4 May (excluding 13 & 20 Apr) | 18:15-19:45 | Closed |
Presentation Skills
Giving presentations is a vital skill that you will need in your studies and in your future work. This course will help you to plan, practise and increase your confidence in delivering presentations, whether face-to-face, online or in a group.
You will learn the skills that make effective presenters and presentations and have the opportunity to record and receive constructive feedback and advice on a short presentation. Suitable for all students at all stages of their studies.
| Course length | Day | Dates | Time | Booking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 weeks | Weds | 16 Feb - 23 Feb | 12:15-14:05 | Closed |
| 2 weeks | Weds | 9 Mar - 16 Mar | 12:15-14:05 | Closed |
| 2 weeks | Weds | 30 Mar - 6 Apr | 12:15-14:05 | Closed |
One-off sessions
These 50-minute sessions are suitable for all students at all stages of their studies. Choose the sessions in the areas you want to develop.
The following sessions are all delivered live online.
| Week | Day | Date | Time | Session name | Booking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | Mon | 14 Feb | 18:15 | Planning & Organising your Assignment | Closed |
| Tues | 15 Feb | 18:15 | Paragraph Construction | Closed | |
| Thurs | 17 Feb | 18:15 | Making your Writing Flow | Closed | |
| 21 | Mon | 21 Feb | 18:15 | Writing Critically | Closed |
| Tues | 22 Feb | 18:15 | Summarising & Paraphrasing Sources | Closed | |
| Thurs | 24 Feb | 18:15 | Scientific Style | Closed | |
| 22 | Mon | 28 Feb | 18:15 | Proofreading & Editing | Closed |
| Tues | 1 Mar | 18:15 | Academic Integrity | Closed | |
| Thurs | 3 Mar | 18:15 | Planning & Organising your Assignment | Closed | |
| 23 | Mon | 7 Mar | 18:15 | Paragraph Construction | Closed |
| Tues | 8 Mar | 18:15 | Making your Writing Flow | Closed | |
| Thurs | 10 Mar | 18:15 | Writing Critically | Closed | |
| 24 | Mon | 14 Mar | 18:15 | Summarising & Paraphrasing Sources | Closed |
| Tues | 15 Mar | 18:15 | Scientific Style | Closed | |
| Thurs | 17 Mar | 18:15 | Proofreading & Editing | Closed | |
| 25 | Mon | 21 Mar | 18:15 | Academic Integrity | Closed |
| Tues | 22 Mar | 18:15 | Planning & Organising your Assignment | Closed | |
| Thurs | 24 Mar | 18:15 | Paragraph Construction | Closed | |
| 26 | Mon | 28 Mar | 18:15 | Making your Writing Flow | Closed |
| Tues | 29 Mar | 18:15 | Writing Critically | Closed | |
| Thurs | 31 Mar | 18:15 | Summarising & Paraphrasing Sources | Closed | |
| 27 | Mon | 4 Apr | 18:15 | Scientific Style | Closed |
| Tues | 5 Apr | 18:15 | Proofreading & Editing | Closed | |
| Thurs | 7 Apr | 18:15 | Exam Skills: Revision | Closed | |
| 30 | Mon | 25 Apr | 18:15 | Exam Skills: Revision | Closed |
| Tues | 26 Apr | 18:15 | Exam Skills: Planning & Writing | Closed | |
| Thurs | 28 Apr | 18:15 | Exam Skills: Reviewing & Style | Closed | |
| 31 | Tues | 3 May | 18:15 | Exam Skills: Reviewing & Style | Closed |
| Thurs | 5 May | 18:15 | Exam Skills: Planning & Writing | Closed |
Before signing up for a session, please make sure that the day and time do not clash with your academic timetable by checking MyTimetable.
Session descriptions
- Planning & Organising your Assignment: In this session you will develop your planning and organisation skills to bring clarity to your writing.
- Paragraph Construction: In this session you will improve the structure of paragraphs to support your ideas and arguments.
- Making your Writing Flow: In this session you will learn how to tie your ideas together and guide the reader through your writing.
- Writing Critically: In this session you will develop your writing skills to show how you interpret evidence, demonstrate your understanding and your stance.
- Summarising & Paraphrasing Sources: In this session you will develop your summarising and paraphrasing skills to increase understanding and give credibility and authority to your writing.
- Scientific Style: In this session you will consider how to write scientific reports effectively.
- Proofreading & Editing: In this session you will build the skills required at the last stage of the editing process to remove surface errors such as grammar and spelling. This will avoid lowering the quality of your work in the eyes of the marker.
- Academic Integrity: In this session you will review how to cite and reference sources appropriately in your academic writing to help you build an effective argument.
- Exam Skills: Revision: In this session you will discuss and share best practice on how to prepare for your University exams and how to plan and manage your revision techniques to get the best from the exam experience.
- Exam Skills: Planning & Writing: In this session you will review different exam formats such as open-book exams and consider how to approach exam questions, make use of resources and manage the exam writing experience.
- Exam Skills: Reviewing & Style: In this session you will discuss and practise some of the essential academic writing techniques needed to ensure that your written response to exam questions has an impact and maintains appropriate academic style.
Self-access academic skills resources
A range of short online skills development modules is also available on academic writing, study skills and other topics for you to access in your own time.
View the academic skills modules
Academic & Employability Skills blog
You can also find a wealth of useful tips and hints on how to get the most out of your studies in the Academic & Employability Skills blog.