Academic Support

Our Centre for Academic Success team have put together the below resources on the following topics:

• Spaced Learning
• The Pomodoro Technique

As well as these resources, please remember the team are available for 1:1 appointments, during which they can help advise on exam and revision strategies: One-to-one support - Swansea University.

Part of preparing for academic success is understanding the university's rules for academic conduct. Many students do not realise that if you are investigated and confirmed for academic misconduct, the penalty will depend on the circumstances but may include a mark of 0% on an assignment, 0% on a module, or in some more serious cases you may face withdrawal from your programme of study. If you are investigated for academic misconduct, this may delay the release of your results and may delay your progression.

To ensure that you are following the rules, and do not accidentally do something that will be considered academic misconduct, please review the information and resources below:

• Academic Integrity regulations.
• Understanding Plagiarism
• Academic Success: Skills for Learning, Skills for Life
  

Past Papers are available for some programmes in the MODULES area in the Canvas HUBs (please see below).

• HUB: Biosciences
• HUB: Computer Science
• HUB: Engineering Community
• HUB: Geography
• HUB: Maths
• HUB: Sport and Exercise Science Community

For programmes that do not provide access to past papers, please check each of your Canvas module pages for revision resources and sample questions. Please also contact the relevant Module Coordinator for further guidance.

• For Engineering students, Module Coordinators provide general feedback following each exam period via Exam Feedback Forms which are located under Exam Feedback Forms on the Canvas Faculty HUB.

• For Science Students, general Exam Feedback is normally either added to the Canvas Course pages for each module, or Module Coordinators will provide each student with an opportunity for individual feedback. Please check with your Module Coordinator.

The Engineering Maths Cafe

The Maths Cafe specialises in support for Engineering and Sport and Exercise Science students. You are encouraged to bring your questions and problems in a 'ready-to-share' format, e.g. a photograph of your workings, screenshots, lecture notes etc. so that we can work through specific examples with you. 

Every Wednesday and Thursday from 1-3pm in Engineering Central A027 commencing 16th October 2024.

Open to all students, the Centre for Academic Success offers a range of online resources, group workshops and also online 1-1 tutoring by appointment for maths and statistics topics. Please see the Centre for Academic Success webpage for more information and to book an appointment: https://myuni.swansea.ac.uk/academic-success/maths-and-stats/ 

Specifically for Biosciences, find resources for maths and statistics on the HUB: Biosciences Undergraduates

Specifically for Engineering students, find a number of online resources on the Canvas HUB:Engineering Resources page, including:

• HELM – Helping Engineers Learn Mathematics Workbooks
• Khan Academy
• Math Centre
• Math Tutor
• Lecture Notes – For the engineering analysis modules
• Links to external sites
• MathCentre contains a range of support, worksheets, that you can work through to teach yourself, or use an aid. Please see their website for further information: http://www.mathcentre.ac.uk/courses. 

For resources to help with Engineering software, the Canvas HUB: Engineering Resources page includes:

• Information about software available for Engineering students.
• Information on Remote PC Access.
• Support resources for ANSYS, AutoCAD, MATLAB and SolidWorks.

Our Computer Science Department offer a series of programming support sessions to assist students with their programming skills. These sessions are designed to help students develop their programming abilities and succeed in the course.

Sessions run in 016 Computational Foundry 12-2pm Monday-Friday during term time.

The VR Café will run from 1pm-3pm every Monday and 12-2pm every Tuesday during term time.

It will take place in A123, Engineering East and is a space to try out the VR kit and use simulations to help you learn and remember content.

When visiting the Café, please remember to complete the attendance survey each time you attend.

The Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) Cafe runs Zoom sessions through Canvas on Wednesdays and Thursdays, 1 - 3pm during term time. On Thursdays the Cafe will run as a hybrid session, and in addition to the Zoom option we will also be in-person in Engineering Central Room A027.

These are drop-in support sessions for queries related to Engineering-specific software (including SOLIDWORKS, Matlab and Ansys). Staff will be able to help with software and problem-solving questions, but will not have specific knowledge of module work, and will not be able to work with students on any specific assignments.

When visiting the Café, please remember to complete the attendance questionnaire at the beginning of your visit. 

To join a CAE Cafe Zoom session, please see the Canvas HUB: Engineering Resources page.

In addition to the CAE Cafe, the Canvas HUB: Engineering Resources page includes:

• Information about software available for Engineering students
• Information on Remote PC Access.
• Support resources for ANSYS, AutoCAD, MATLAB and SolidWorks.

All teaching staff have designated office hours during the week where you are encouraged to drop in to discuss lecture content, request assignment feedback or to raise any academic issues related to your modules that you may have. You can find out when an academic's Office Hour is via the relevant Canvas module page or by asking the academic staff directly via email.

You will be assigned a Personal Tutor within the first few weeks of enrolling on your course. Your Personal Tutor will invite you to meet throughout the year in a series of compulsory individual and group sessions, but please remember that you can also contact your Personal Tutor as needed to discuss any queries or concerns you may have regarding your programme of studies, your academic progress, academic support, etc. Your Personal Tutor is there to provide support and encouragement to achieve your academic potential and is an individual academic contact for every student.

Find the contact details for your Personal Tutor on the University Intranet (log on to https://myuni.swansea.ac.uk/ select Intranet, and go to Student Profile/Course Details/Course Contacts).

In addition to your Personal Tutor, you may also contact the Year Head for your level and programme of study with any more general queries or concerns you may have about your course. Find the contact details for your Year Head in the Part 2 Handbook for your programme and level.