Personal and Academic Development in Human Sciences

A key element of this module will be that all students will read a popular science book selected by the students during semester one. The book content will shape tutorials throughout the semester. Twice in the semester two or more tutorial groups will combine to hold ‘book club’ like discussions regarding the sections of the chosen book. In addition, each student will produce a short book review targeted at a lay audience. Continuing the training in group work, the semester will culminate with a combined symposium with tutorial groups each making a short reflective presentation on how a topic in the book has helped understand the wider topic of Human Sciences and how they feel it will help shape their learning in the years that follow.

The symposium will include ‘Question time’ like debate where the student group can ask staff from across the college about their thoughts hopes and misgivings about the future and where debate amongst the students will be supported and encouraged.

Students will be required write a CV and use this as a basis for discussion on what skills they can develop at university and will be encouraged to engage with Careers Services and schemes such as PSA (Personal Skills Award). As future leaders, policy makers, teachers and researchers the students will be encouraged to engage with social media (e.g. LinkedIn) in a scientific capacity and in tutorials there will be discussions about the negatives and positives of this.

Tutorials will include awareness training and discussions of diversity and inclusivity.

Skills learning from semester one will be reinforced in a second semester essay. There will be formative discussion regarding the first semester written work ahead of this assignment. The module will build on the data handling skills from the first semester and will lay the foundations for a core data handling module that forms part of the LI component of the HS programme(s). 

By the end of the module you should be able to:

• Work in a group to produce a presentation integrating understanding of material from a popular science book with the opportunities offered by the content of the Human Sciences programme.
• Understand the challenges of communicating the value of science to the general public via popular science writing.
• Reflect on how the university experience can benefit potential career pathways and as part of this process create a CV.
• Carry out basic coding in R-studio