As the undergraduate and NSS surveys launch for 2024, we want to tell you about how we have responded to recent student feedback. Your input has an important role in how we continue to develop and improve our teaching and student experience. We benefit from a range of student feedback channels, and we appreciate the time you take to share your thoughts and experiences.
Here are some examples of actions we have taken from student feedback over the past year. We hope they encourage you to engage with this term's surveys, and to come to our Consultation Forum and Mid-Term Social on 8 February, where you can engage directly with key members of the department.
Mental Health Support
You told us we could improve how we let you know about the School’s mental health services.
- We now include regular reminders and links to Mental Health services in the weekly undergraduate newsletter, and there are also links on every Economic History moodle page.
- We are changing the information we share with new students in 2024 to ensure that they are aware of the School’s mental health services.
- We will be highlighting this during welcome meetings and in other welcome materials. We will also make this information more accessible on our departmental website after its update this winter.
Understanding Marking Criteria
You tell us that you don’t find the grading process easy to understand.
- In EH102, this year we are increasing the time spent on marking criteria in class.
- More generally,EH102 assignment feedback sheets are structured so that students can see where they have done well and where they need to improve according to the marking criteria.
Support on essay writing
You have said you want more help in understanding how to write essays.
- For undergraduates, we are increasing the proportion of class time in EH102 – our core writing skills course – spent on how to research, write and structure essays.
- Most classes EH102 will involve formulating an essay plan from the week’s topic – this will help students understand how to create a structure their papers that meets our criteria.
- From 2024, our writing advisers will run an introductory welcome week session to help new arrivals understand how to write effectively.
Careers mentoring
You tell us that you want more support in thinking about careers.
- We have expanded opportunities for our students’ personal development via our alumni mentoring scheme which now includes final year undergraduates.
Social activities
You told us that you wanted more social activities, especially with food and snacks!
- We have expanded the number of social activities, introducing the pottery café to all three terms, for example.
- We have also extended our student weekly breakfasts to cover the whole of Winter Term, after enthusiastic feedback.
- We are investigating other inclusive off campus activities for the start of the academic year.