National Student Survey 2014 - summary
The survey and response rates
The National Student Survey (NSS) is an annual survey of final year full and part-time undergraduate
students in UK universities. Students were asked 23 questions covering six broad areas: teaching,
assessment & feedback, academic support, organisation & management, learning resources and personal
development. The responses of Oxford students can be compared with the responses of students on
similar courses at other universities using the renovated Unistats website - https://unistats.direct.gov.uk/ (aimed at prospective students and their parents).
59% of all eligible Oxford final year undergraduates responded in 2014, the University’s highest ever
response rate to this survey. For those Oxford subjects (expressed as JACS codes) that achieved a response
rate of greater than 50%, subject results were also published. These also feature on the Unistats website
expressed in JACS code headings and in Key Information Sets (KIS) widgets on the University’s Admissions
pages.
The final question in the NSS asks students if they agree that ‘Overall I am satisfied with the quality of the
course’. For the Russell Group as a whole overall satisfaction was marginally down this year with no RGI
scoring above 91%: this puts Oxford in joint first position amongst RGIs with Cambridge, Exeter, Newcastle,
Glasgow and Durham.
Table 2 shows students responses by subject to this question.
Oxford and Cambridge lead in ‘The teaching on my course’ (93% respectively). Oxford, Cambridge and
Imperial (all on 95%) have a clear lead on Learning Resources. Oxford (on 72%) and Cambridge (on 73%)
place behind Exeter (76%) and Durham (74%) on ‘Assessment & Feedback’: all RGIs score relatively lower
in this area than in the other sections of the survey, as has been the case in previous years. Oxford places
3rd from the bottom of RGIs on ‘Organisation & Management’ (79%), ahead of Edinburgh (77%) and King’s
College London (76%) and marginally behind Cambridge (81%) but further behind Exeter (87%) and
Durham (89%). This is the only academic-related indicator for which Oxford scores below the RGI mean.
OUSU once again places lowest in the survey for student satisfaction with the Students’ Union, slipping a
further 5% from last year to 31% satisfaction in 2014.
1
The University and colleges has access to the NSS results by Oxford subject providing there were more than nine
respondents. Some subjects have been aggregated together to ensure that the number of responses exceeds nine.
Table 1. NSS Results for Oxford, Cambridge and Russell group 2014 % of students agreeing with each statement
Institution
Oxford
Cambridge
Subject
All Subjects
All Subjects
Measure
% Agree
% Agree
RGI Average
B-C
B-D
The teaching on my course
93
93
89
0
4
1. Staff are good at explaining things.
93
93
91
0
2
2. Staff have made the subject interesting.
3. Staff are enthusiastic about what they are
teaching.
90
89
84
1
6
93
92
89
1
4
4. The course is intellectually stimulating.
96
96
90
0
6
Assessment and feedback
5. The criteria used in marking have been clear in
advance.
6. Assessment arrangements and marking have been
fair.
72
73
68
-1
4
57
62
71
-5
-14
82
77
77
5
5
7. Feedback on my work has been prompt.
71
75
67
-4
4
8. I have received detailed comments on my work.
9. Feedback on my work has helped me clarify things
I did not understand.
71
71
64
0
7
78
77
62
1
16
Academic support
10. I have received sufficient advice and support with
my studies.
11. I have been able to contact staff when I needed
to.
12. Good advice was available when I needed to
make study choices.
86
87
81
-1
5
84
86
77
-2
7
93
92
89
1
4
80
81
76
-1
4
Organisation and management
13. The timetable works efficiently as far as my
activities are concerned.
14. Any changes in the course or teaching have been
communicated effectively.
15. The course is well organised and is running
smoothly.
79
81
82
-2
-3
80
81
84
-1
-4
79
82
81
-3
-2
77
82
81
-5
-4
Learning resources
16. The library resources and services are good
enough for my needs.
17. I have been able to access general IT resources
when I needed to.
95
95
89
0
6
98
97
90
1
8
95
96
91
-1
4
18. I have been able to access specialised equipment,
facilities or rooms when I needed to.
92
91
85
1
7
Personal development
19. The course has helped me to present myself with
confidence.
83
81
82
2
1
79
76
79
3
0
20. My communication skills have improved.
21. As a result of the course, I feel confident in
tackling unfamiliar problems.
83
79
83
4
0
87
86
82
1
5
Overall Satisfaction
I am satisfied with the Students' Union (Association
or Guild) at my institution
91
91
87
0
4
31
37
66
-6
-35
Table 2: % of students agreeing that ‘Overall, I am satisfied with my course’, by subject
2014
2013
2012
2011
University of Oxford (1824)
91
91
92
93
Bachelor of Arts in Archaeology and Anthropology (13)
100
100
Bachelor of Arts in Modern Languages (French & German) (13)
100
87
90
90
Bachelor of Arts in Modern Languages (French & Italian) (11)
100
-
100
92
Bachelor of Arts in Modern Languages (French & Spanish) (13)
100
100
100
80
Bachelor of Arts in Modern Languages (French) (12)
100
94
100
100
Bachelor of Arts in Modern Languages (German) (14)
100
-
-
-
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Philosophy (16)
100
-
-
-
Bachelor of Fine Art (17)
100
-
Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (139)
99
99
99
99
Bachelor of Arts in History and Politics (28)
96
93
90
88
Bachelor of Arts in Jurisprudence (English Law with Law Studies in Europe ) (26)
96
90
86
95
Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy Politics and Economics (137)
96
92
93
96
Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature (123)
95
90
93
92
Bachelor of Arts in Jurisprudence (108)
95
89
91
92
Bachelor of Arts in Literae Humaniores (55)
95
92
98
91
Bachelor of Arts in Music (40)
95
86
95
95
Bachelor of Arts in Biological Sciences (64)
94
90
89
88
Bachelor of Arts in Geography (52)
94
90
89
86
Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Theology (16)
94
92
92
94
Master of Physics (62)
94
87
90
93
Master of Physics and Philosophy (12)
92
-
-
-
Bachelor of Arts in English and Modern Languages (French) (10)
90
-
100
100
Bachelor of Arts in History of Art (10)
90
-
-
-
Bachelor of Arts in Theology (29)
90
91
100
97
Bachelor of Arts in Biomedical Sciences (18)
89
-
-
-
Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Management (57)
89
100
88
90
Master of Biochemistry in Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry (46)
89
96
88
85
Bachelor of Arts in History (138)
88
92
95
94
Bachelor of Arts in Experimental Psychology (30)
87
96
94
94
Master of Mathematics in Mathematics (67)
87
93
98
96
Master of Chemistry (104)
85
91
91
95
Master of Earth Sciences (23)
83
67
100
77
Master of Engineering in Engineering Economics and Management (12)
83
-
-
-
Bachelor of Arts in History and Economics (10)
80
-
-
-
Bachelor of Arts in Classical Archaeology & Ancient History (14)
79
92
-
-
Bachelor of Arts in Human Sciences (18)
78
100
82
91
Bachelor of Arts in Physics (27)
78
60
62
87
Master of Engineering in Engineering Science (72)
74
69
84
89
Master of Engineering in Materials Science (14)
64
100
94
85
-