College of Humanities and Social Science
Annual briefing session for those responsible for leading their School’s provision
of academic and pastoral support.
6 September 2011
Possible topics for academic mentoring meetings with DoS/Programme Director
Freshers
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How studying at University compares to studying at school or in other contexts
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Students’ expectations and goals – e.g. What are you looking forward to most?
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Students’ concerns or uncertainties – e.g. Are there things you are worried
about or uncertain about?
Later in Year 1 UG (e.g., start of Semester 2)
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How are things going?
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Have your expectations been confirmed?
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What are you finding most interesting/enjoyable?
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What are you finding most challenging?
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In what ways are you finding studying at University to be similar/different to
your previous experience of studying?
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What are your main goals for the coming semester?
Year 2 UG
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What skills and abilities have you developed in Year 1?
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What are your main goals for the coming year?
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How do these skills, abilities & goals relate to the graduate attributes framework
and the employability agenda – see
http://www.employability.ed.ac.uk/Graduateattributes.htm
1. research & enquiry
2. personal & intellectual autonomy
3. communication
4. personal effectiveness
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Importance of aiming higher than the minimum threshold for honours entry.
Year 3 UG
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How honours level learning & teaching builds on but differs from pre-honours –
cf. SCQF level descriptors for levels 8 versus 10
http://www.scqf.org.uk/content/files/SCQF_Level_Descriptors_for_website__Feb_2010(2).pdf
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To what extent have you achieved the goals you set in Year 2?
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What are your main goals for the coming year?
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How do these relate to graduate attributes framework?
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Career plans – encourage engagement with Careers Service
http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/careers/home
Year 4 UG
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How does dissertation (or similar) work build on earlier skills and abilities?
What new skills & abilities will be required and developed?
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To what extent have you achieved the goals you set in Year 3?
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What are your main goals for the coming year?
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Further discussion of career plans and strategies for applying for
employment/further study – encourage engagement with Careers Service events
and resources on CVs, interview technique etc
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Encourage reflection on strengths, experiences and achievements – generic
skills as well as subject knowledge, extra-curricular as well as curricular
PGT
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How postgraduate level learning & teaching builds on but differs from
undergraduate level – cf. SCQF level descriptors for levels 10 versus 11
http://www.scqf.org.uk/content/files/SCQF_Level_Descriptors_for_website__Feb_2010(2).pdf
What are your main expectations of the programme and your goals for the
coming year?
How do these goals relate to the graduate attributes framework and the
employability agenda – see
http://www.employability.ed.ac.uk/Graduateattributes.htm
1. research & enquiry
2. personal & intellectual autonomy
3. communication
4. personal effectiveness
Nature of the transition to the dissertation stage.
Career plans and strategies for applying for employment/further study –
encourage engagement with Careers Service http://www.ed.ac.uk/schoolsdepartments/careers/home
Encourage reflection on strengths, experiences and achievements – generic
skills as well as subject knowledge, extra-curricular as well as curricular