Independent Study

Introducing Independent Study

Your course is made up of scheduled contact hours as well as independent study.  Your scheduled contact hours are the lectures, seminars, tutorials, lab, studio and field classes that you are expected to attend.  Independent study is the work you do outside these classes and is essential for completing your course successfully.  Independent study will include additional reading, reviewing your learning from lectures, tutorials etc, completing set tasks, preparing for and completing assessments.  Your tutors will provide information about essential tasks that you are expected to complete.  In the early stages of your course you will be supported in developing the skills you need to carry out effective independent study.

Studying a full-time degree requires a similar time commitment to a full time job (approximately 40 hours per week). Your tutors will provide guidance on the amount of time you are expected to spend on different aspects of your course.  This is to provide a guide; in practice, every student studies differently.   It is really important, therefore, to develop time management and prioritisation skills to ensure that you can maintain a healthy balance between your academic work, other activities that you do and other responsibilities that you may have. See links below for help with this.

Independent Study Top Tips

• Organise your space - this can help to maintain a divide between leisure and study. See also a list of quiet study spaces provided by the University. 

• Establish regular patterns for independent study. Develop a weekly timetable with scheduled slots for undertaking different tasks, balancing these with other activities you do. You can find examples in our Study Skills Online Time Management resources. 

• Reflect on how you prefer to learn for different tasks or under different circumstances. Watch this short video to understand more about your preferred ways of learning and for ideas on other possible approaches. 

• Read the guidance provided by your department in programme and module handbooks. This will help you understand what to prioritise for your independent study.Engage with the reading lists for your modules. These materials have been identified by your tutors as important for your learning on the module and engaging with them will put you in a good position for success. 

• Set up a study group.  Independent study doesn’t necessarily mean studying on your own.. View this workshop on Setting Up a Study Group or visit 301 Academic Skills Centres Peer Learning webpages to find out more. Be aware, though, that you shouldn't collaborate with other students on work that you will be submitting for assessment - this is known as collusion and it is not good academic practice.

• Independent study and wellbeing are closely related. A range of factors including physical health, social health and emotional health heavily influences performance of any kind, including academic. Balancing your overall health and wellbeing and safeguarding regular time to do this will increase your resilience to stress and support your overall academic performance.Take a look at the guidance available on Academic Skills for Wellbeing. 

• The approach you take to your independent study will need to develop over time. What works well for you in the first year might not lead to the same success in year two or when you move into the final year of your programme when you may be working on a dissertation or final-year project. You may find it helpful to access the Study Skills Online: Reflective Practice resources to support you in reflecting on your academic progress.  

• If you are still unsure about how to structure and approach your independent study, speak to your personal tutor and consider booking a 1:1 study skills tutorial at the 301 Academic Skills Centre.

Access Further Guidance and Support for Independent Study

There are a range of resources available to support you in developing your approach to independent study:

• • 301 Independent Study Online guidance and interactive workshop

  • Library Research and Critical Thinking tutorials and workshops

  • 301 Study Skills Online (Online resources and workshops covering a range of topics including; Time

  • Management, Reading techniques, Note Taking, Critical thinking, mind mapping, reflective practice,

  • learning online, digital lecture capture and more)

  • Student Wellbeing Resources (Resources from the Student Wellbeing Service including; 1:1 appointments,

student support groups, a blog, and other online resources)

• • Assistive Technology (Information about the assistive technology tools that the University provides to support your learning)