Topics to cover with your students

Read guidance on recommended topics and issues to cover with your students each year in the Academic Personal Tutoring curriculum. 

Supporting your students throughout their degree

This section provides guidance on the broad aims and topics to be addressed with students at different points in their studies. This is designed to be flexible and your School/Faculty may have a more detailed structure which should be followed.

It is neccessary, however, to meet with all tutees in the Spring to discuss their assessment feedback.

• year 1 (and foundation year where applicable)
• year 2
• year 3 (and year 4 where applicable).

Year 1 (and foundation year where applicable)

In the first year of study the focus of Academic Personal Tutoring should be on supporting a smooth transition into higher education and the University of Sussex. 

Autumn term

In Autumn, you should:

• introduce yourself as APT, encouraging students to engage with you, and explaining your role in supporting them to get the most from their studies at Sussex 
• help your students meet each other, primarily through group meetings; encouraging engagement with (for instance) societies, clubs and the Spirit of Sussex Award, explaining how they can add value to their CV by getting involved early on in activities they enjoy
  
• outline expectations for attendance and engagement, explaining why attendance is important 
• ensure your tutees are familiar with Canvas and know how to find their timetable on Sussex Direct and access the Student Hub. 

Spring term

In Spring, you should:

• check how tutees found their first term and what their aims are for the rest of the year
• discuss selecting option or elective modules (where relevant) with tutees
• underline how the skills your tutee is developing will be valued by the graduate job market
• encourage them to explore their options early via the ‘where to start’ and ‘using your degree’ pages
• explain that in the UK – where over half of graduate level jobs are open to all or multiple disciplines – graduates have a lot of choices, so understanding their options is particularly important
• reflect on the skills they’ll develop through activities planned for the summer (whether it’s part-time job, employer insight days, caring, travel etc) and encourage tutees to update their CV, supported by our resources.

During this time, you should also discuss assessment feedback following Assessment Period 1 (A1) with tutees individually by:

• ensuring students have accessed their assessment feedback
• asking students to reflect on key points from assessment feedback
• helping students develop a plan for how they will use their feedback in their next assessments (understanding applications across modules). 

This discussion should be a constructive dialogue that gives students space to interpret their feedback. It should focus on identifying strengths to build on, developing skills, and clear actions (including where to find support where relevant) for future assessments. Read guidance on developing student feedback literacy and understanding how feedback appears to students.

Year 2

The second year will consolidate and build on the first year, including discussion of academic options and chances for experiences outside of study (such as placements and other career-related opportunities). 

In Autumn, you should:

• help students reflect on year 1, thinking about how this experience can be used to plan for the year ahead, celebrating successes and building on strengths they have developed 
• help your tutee build career confidence by continuing to underline the value of the skills they’re developing to the job market and ensuring they’re aware of the range of Careers and Entrepreneurship information and support available
• explain that in the UK – where over half of graduate level jobs are open to all or multiple disciplines – graduates have a lot of choices, so understanding their options is particularly important. Ask what their next step might be in terms of exploring and building experience
• if they’re just beginning this process, the ‘where to start’ and ‘using your degree’ pages may be helpful. If they’re ready to explore sectors, then refer to our sector guides
• if they’re ready to apply for experience, tell them about opportunities such as Career Lab internships (which includes the Junior Research Associates opportunity), placements, internships on the CareerHub vacancy listing, and Study Abroad, ensuring students are aware of general information on building experience and application deadlines for any schemes
  
• begin planning for selecting option or elective modules for third year, where relevant
• If you have ‘direct entry to second year’ students, you should meet with them as though they are new undergraduate students, signposting to support and liaising with the relevant Partnership Tutor.

Spring term

In Spring, you should:

• confirm option or elective modules for third year, where relevant
• discuss assessment feedback from Assessment Period 1 (A1) with tutees, using the feedback guidance provided under Year 1 Spring (see above).

• remind tutees about postgraduate study deadlines and that, whilst most employers hire graduates when they need them (i.e. at a range of times throughout the year), the larger organisations (those with ‘graduate schemes’) recruit to a particular timeline with applications opening as early as August. Signpost tutees to support on making good internship and job applications. 

Year 3 (and year 4 where applicable)

In the final year(s) of study, the focus is on supporting students with more intensive modules and assessments, with an emphasis on skills for independent study and research. APTs should also help students plan for their next steps after university and build confidence in their chosen route. 

Autumn term

In Autumn, you should:

• help students reflect on experiences and feedback from Year 2, using this to plan for the year ahead
• enable students to plan for modules that have a greater focus on independent study and research 
• continue to build career confidence by underlining the value of the skills tutees have developed to the job market
• ask what their next step might be. If they’re just beginning to explore options, the ‘where to start’ and ‘using your degree’ pages may be helpful. If they’re ready to explore sectors, then refer to our sector guides
• explain that in the UK – where over half of graduate level jobs are open to all or multiple disciplines – graduates have a lot of choices, so understanding their options is particularly important. If they’re applying for jobs, signpost to support on on making good internship and job applications
• if tutees are worried about not having enough work experience yet, remind them to apply for the finalist student consultancy and about other internship vacancies listed on CareerHub.

• for students writing dissertations, you should clarify expectations around supervisor-student roles, deadlines, research ethics approval where relevant, and signpost to departmental and Skills Hub guidance.

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