Level 1

Core Psychology modules at level 1

There are five core Psychology modules at level 1. Information on these modules can be accessed here.

Academic Tutors You will be assigned to an Academic Tutor and your first meeting with them will take place within the first week of semester 1. The first contact with your Academic Tutor each semester will be a face-to-face meeting at a prearranged time, whereas the second will be made by e-mail. Details and reminders will be circulated by email.

Teaching at Level 1

Lectures. Lectures will take place around the campus; see the timetable for details. Students will be informed of any changes in timetabling via email.

PSY1005 Tutorials. Tutorials at Level 1 consist of a small group of students discussing assigned work, research design and implementation. Each tutor group will be assigned two academic tutors - one for each semester.

Attendance at tutorials is a School requirement. A great deal of importance is given to this form of teaching and it has two main aims. First, tutorial work provides an opportunity to develop the skills that are crucial for a critical appreciation of the psychological literature, effective study, and for optimising your examination performance. To emphasise this aspect of the tutorial system, the work assigned is linked to the PSY1005 module. Second, tutorials provide the opportunity for closer intellectual and social contact between staff and students than other forms of teaching. One important consequence of this is that students are known personally by at least two members of staff by the end of their second year (students often ask former tutors to be referees when they are applying for jobs).

Workshops. Each student will be assigned to one session. Attendance at workshops is a School requirement. It is essential that you come on your allocated session - both equipment and seating space are severely limited. If, for some essential reason, you need to change your workshop day/time you will need to email the level 1 Student Support Officer (l.fotherby@sheffield.ac.uk) in advance of attending a different group. Changes to groups on a permanent basis must be requested by email and you may be required to provide evidence to support your request.

STUDENT MENTORING SCHEME

The School of Psychology runs, in conjunction with the Student Services department, a scheme whereby undergraduates in their first year can be offered an opportunity to be paired with a ‘student mentor’.

The aim of the Mentoring Scheme is to help you to ‘settle in’ to your course, the School of Psychology, the University and Sheffield by matching you with a student mentor (from the same course wherever possible) from Level 2 or 3. Participation in the scheme is on a voluntary basis and the extent to which you make use of your mentor and the frequency of contact is largely up to you.

The benefits of having a mentor can be considerable. Student mentors are volunteers who, owing to the training received and the fact that they have been here for at least a year, will be able to help with any queries you have about your course, services and facilities available to students at the University or finding your way around the City. Your mentor may not be able to answer all your questions, but they will be able to least direct you to someone who can.

If you have not already applied for a mentor, you may do so at any time during your first* year. More details and/or an application form can be obtained by contacting sheffieldmentors@sheffield.ac.uk.or 0114 222 1262.

*although aimed at new students, requests for mentors in subsequent Levels will also be accommodated wherever possible.

PSYCHOLOGY STUDY BUDDY SCHEME

At the start of each semester, all Psychology students are invited to join the Study Buddy Scheme, in which you are matched with one other student in your year or a group of students in your year (depending on your preference).

How it works:

1. You sign up using a 2-minute form indicating some preferences for your study buddy match. The form will be emailed to you at the start of each semester.
2. We match you up with a study buddy or study buddy group and email you to announce the match.
3. You and your buddy arrange your own meetings.

You might decide to meet up and attend lectures together, or to improve your revision (e.g., share lecture notes, summarise key points from readings,
discuss lecture content, or keep each other accountable during a weekly library session), or meet up for moral support and coffee. It’s completely up to you – hopefully you’ll find something that’s beneficial for both of you.
If you prefer, there will also be an option to be matched with other students in a small group.

Over 450 students have been matched since we started this scheme in 2022, and feedback suggested that 19 of 21 study buddies would recommend the scheme to other students.

If you have any questions about this, please reach out to Alicia Forsberg (a.forsberg@sheffield.ac.uk)

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