Terms of Reference

1. General Information About Our Service:

1.1 Scope of Support

• Our advice and guidance are based on general academic principles. If your tutor, lecturer, or supervisor gives you different advice on the same topic, you should follow their guidance, as they are subject specialists who set and mark your work.  

• Our service is available to all undergraduate, postgraduate, part-time, and full-time students on taught programmes in the Faculty of Business & Law.  If you are on a research programme, you will need to seek support from the Graduate School.  

• If you belong to another faculty, please consult your course team for other support options.

1.2 Communication & Availability  

• We offer a range of online and face-to-face appointments. Use the available booking systems to make an appointment, or you can provide us with three alternative date/time options (Monday-Friday, 9am-4pm) for scheduling. 

• We strive to visit you in your lectures or seminars, upon request, to teach academic and study skills for upcoming assessments, where our schedule allows.

• We also offer skills workshops and assessment-focused study sessions in 'The Study', designed to help you build core academic skills and prepare for upcoming assessments. These sessions are beneficial if you want to deepen your understanding, reduce procrastination and improve focus. Current sessions can be viewed here.

• We aim to respond to your emails within two working days, though it may take longer during busy periods. 

1.3 Academic Integrity 

• Our role is to support you in understanding and meeting the academic standards required for your assignments. We want to help you develop your skills and apply them consistently in your work.  

• It’s your responsibility to make sure that your work follows university policies on originality and academic honesty.

• We will work with the faculty's Academic Regulations Team (ART) to offer training to any student alleged to have committed an academic offence.  

1.4 Conduct  

• We reserve the right to decline service if you display rude, aggressive, or threatening behaviour.

2. How Our Service Works:

2.1 One-to-One Tutorials

• Our one-to-one appointments are designed to provide you with tailored, interactive support to help you improve your academic work.  

• During these sessions, we’ll work directly with you on specific areas of your assignments, such as structure, argument development, and academic style.  

• This approach helps you develop your skills, so you can apply the feedback and strategies we discuss across your current and future assignments.

2.2 Skills Workshops and Study Sessions

• We offer skills workshops throughout the academic year. These sessions are designed to help you strengthen key skills. 

• Assessment-focused study sessions are available to help you prepare for specific assessments, providing targeted support on the requirements and expectations of upcoming assignments or exams.

• These sessions, held in our own teaching space, complement our one-to-one support, giving you additional opportunities to develop and apply your academic skills in a group setting.

• See our upcoming sessions here: The Study

2.3 Arranging Appointments  

•  Use the available booking systems to make an appointment, or you can provide us with three alternative date/time options (Monday-Friday, 9am-4pm) for scheduling. 

•  If you need to cancel an appointment, please let us know in advance through your calendar invite or by email. 

•  If you miss booked appointments without notifying us, we retain the right to suspend your access to our support for the rest of the academic year.

2.4 Focus on Active Learning

• Rather than sending in work for written feedback, we encourage you to engage in the learning process through one of our one-to-one or group sessions.  

• During your one-to-one appointment, we’ll address your questions and concerns, guiding you as you identify areas for improvement in your work.  

• This method not only supports you with your current assignments but also helps you build transferable skills for future tasks, making it a more effective way to enhance your academic performance.

2.5 Timing & Deadlines  

• We aim to respond to your appointment requests and other emails within two working days, though it may take longer during busy periods.  

• Please note that we do not hold appointments to discuss assessed work within two working days of submission deadlines, unless referred by the course team or Student Engagement Officers

• We cannot discuss work within the automatic 48-hour extension offered for coursework in any one-to-one or group setting.