School of Social and Political Science

Student support update at SPS

The University is implementing a new model of student support across the institution.



Our new student support model
 
In SPS, we introduced the new model of student support to some of our students in 2022-23:

  • All Year 1 undergraduates
  • All new, on-campus postgraduate taught students (excluding Social Work) 

In 2023-24, we will roll it out to all students.
 

The information on these pages is aimed specifically at undergraduate students going into Years 3 and 4, and returning online postgraduate students in 2023-24


What are the main changes?

Student Adviser
A key part of the new model is the Student Adviser, a member of professional services staff who will be your first point of contact for any support, in particular if you have questions relating to progression on your degree programme, your engagement with your studies or any wellbeing concerns. Your Student Adviser will be named on your EUCLID record.
 
Academic Cohort Lead
Academic staff will continue to play a critical role in your studies and have regular contact with you. You will still have a primary academic contact who will be assigned to your cohort and take the lead on activities relating to your academic discipline such as group meetings, skills sessions or even social activities to support you with your studies. A ‘cohort’ is usually a group of 60-100 students: your cohort might be your entire year group, or it could be only those on the same programme as you - it will depend on your subject area. Your Cohort Lead is also the person to speak to on academic matters or should you have any concerns about your academic progress.
 
An ecosystem of student support
Your Student Adviser and Cohort Lead are not the only ones who will support you – they will form part of an ecosystem of student support, comprising joined-up teams of staff across the institution. Other elements of the ecosystem will include those individuals with whom you have regular contact on your courses e.g. Tutors and Course Organisers, the full range of SPS and University support services such as the Student Development Office and new Student Wellbeing Service, and of course your peers – on programme and also via societies and other student-led initiatives and activities.
 
Online postgraduate students: additional support
If you are a returning online postgraduate student in 2023-24, your ecosystem of support will be the same as for our on-campus students. You will have a Student Adviser and your Programme Director will serve as Academic Cohort Lead. In addition, however, Maria Brichs remains your Online Learning Programme Administrator and will still be your main point of contact for most matters around your programme and course administration. If you don’t know who the best person to answer your question is, ask Maria! 
 

SPS: The story so far

In 2022-23 we rolled out the new model to first-year undergraduates as well as all new on-campus postgraduate taught students. Academic staff took on new roles as Cohort Leads and Student Support Officers moved into Student Adviser posts within the newly-named Student Advice & Support team. 

So far, feedback from students and staff has been very positive as well as highlighting some areas for improvement. We have taken account of this while planning for the remaining roll-out this year. We will continue to gather feedback from students to address any challenges that might arise.

We have continued to expand our Student Advice & Support and Student Development teams to work with Cohort Leads to offer additional activities to all students to enhance your studies and build on your sense of community - from University level right down to your programmes and courses. 

We are working with a Wellbeing Adviser from the new Student Wellbeing Service who is embedded here with us in SPS. Student Advisers can refer students to the Student Wellbeing Service for specialised support (self-referral is also possible) and we have additionally been working collaboratively to provide additional wellbeing resources in SPS such as workshops on stress and confidence and drop-ins with our Wellbeing Adviser. 

 

Next steps

At some point between now and the start of Semester 1, you will see the change from Personal Tutor to Student Adviser on your EUCLID record. (If you want to know who your Student Adviser will be before then, see our webpage: SPS Student Advice & Support.) Your Academic Cohort Lead will also be recorded on EUCLID. 

 

Questions

If you have any questions about how we will support you next year, you can ask these in person at welcome back/transition activities, or you can: