Academic skills and development
Each degree course defines the intellectual, practical and professional skills that students are expected to develop as they study. These are listed in your module handbooks and they have been approved by the Quality Assurance Agency in subject benchmark statements. Sheffield Hallam University also defines the skills expected of Sheffield Hallam graduates through Graduate Attributes. Find out how you can get recognised for the stuff you do outside of your course by visiting our Hallam Award page.
How can I develop my academic skills?
Your course has been carefully planned to help you develop these skills. The best way to develop them is through your active and thoughtful engagement in your course activities. The people best placed to help you make sense of your subject are the academic staff on your course. At the same time, we aim to help you learn to study independently. As students have a range of study preferences, there are plenty of resources and services available to help you improve your study techniques and approaches to study.
Who can help me develop my academic skills?
There are many university staff that can help and support you with your academic skills and development such as your named Academic Adviser, Module and Course Leader, Student Support Advisers and Employability Advisers. There are also many teams within Hallam that can provide guidance, information and development activities:
Distance Learner Support
The Distance Learner Support Service offers additional services for students on designated distance learning courses, such as:
- Extended borrowing periods
- Postal book loans
- Access to book chapters and journal articles not available electronically
Library Support
Visit the Library Services page for more details.
The Skills Centre
The Skills Centre provides a range of opportunities to support the development of academic study skills through webinars, one-to-one appointments, peer learning opportunities, and a range of online self-help resources, including study guides, screencasts, and Skills4StudyCampus. You can start with a Skills Check, work through an Essential eLearning Module, and identify further areas to develop; such as Critical Writing, Structuring Assignments and Writing your Dissertation.
