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Making the decision to go to university is a big step. It's a financial commitment and it requires you to put in time and effort in order to succeed. It's also a brilliant opportunity to open up new career and life opportunities. This page includes some advice about how to prepare to make the most of the opportunities coming your way.
Adjusting to university life
Adjusting to university life
There are two important things that all students have to work out as they adjust to university life: the financial commitment and the time commitment.
There are two important things that all students have to work out as they adjust to university life: the financial commitment and the time commitment.
First, finances.
First, finances.
The most important thing to do to prepare for university is to ensure that your Student Finance England application is underway. Our welfare adviser is Tammy Oyekanmi (studentsupport@newman.ac.uk) and can answer questions you may have about finance and welfare matters. In particular, there are always lots of questions about welfare benefits for full-time students (you can see more details here).
Our welfare adviser can help with:
Planning a budget, money management
Dealing with debt
Financial support for student parents (childcare costs etc.)
Welfare benefits and tax credits
Disability benefits
Housing rights
For some FAQs on welfare and finance (e.g. council tax), go here.
Secondly, making time.
Secondly, making time.
University will take up a lot of your time. During most weeks, you'll have the following hours of sessions on campus:
Mondays: 9.00am - 11.00 and 12.00pm - 14.00pm
Fridays: 9.00am - 11.00 and 12.00pm - 14.00pm
In addition, there will be work to complete for your assignments, and you'll find online material to help with this.
Many of our students work part-time or more while studying, and many also have caring responsibilities. Your tutors are aware of the challenges of balancing all of these, and we're here to help you make the balance work.
BA Applied Humanities academic year starts on Monday 1 September 2025 and ends on Friday 7 August 2026. This academic year consists of campus-based sessions and independent study. Birmingham school half-terms and school holidays are protected: there will be no scheduled sessions in those weeks, but there will be individual coaching sessions that can be attended on campus or online on Microsoft Teams (remotely).
Your first on campus session will be a Welcome and ID check session on Monday 1 September from 10-12 in room DA001. A member of the teaching team will meet all new students near the main reception area and show you to the room. Don't forget to bring your photo ID so we can verify your enrolment.
Online learning: what you'll need
Online learning: what you'll need
Some of the material for you to access will be contained within an online learning environment called Moodle.
Some of the material for you to access will be contained within an online learning environment called Moodle.
You'll need access to a computer and wifi.
You'll need access to a computer and wifi.
You can complete these activities using a laptop, or PC with wifi at home. If you don't have these, you'll need to be able to use computers on campus.
You can complete these activities using a laptop, or PC with wifi at home. If you don't have these, you'll need to be able to use computers on campus.
To get started, you don't need to install any specific software. Once you've enrolled at Newman, you'll get access to a free copy of Office365. Any additional software you are asked to use as part of your studies will be available as a free version.
You'll also need to develop some digital skills. This doesn't mean you need to have excellent - or even any - digital skills right now. These pages will help you get started, by introducing you to the basic idea and features of online learning. Once you get started on your degree, you'll work on your digital skills gradually, with the support of your tutors and peers.
You'll also need to develop some digital skills. This doesn't mean you need to have excellent - or even any - digital skills right now. These pages will help you get started, by introducing you to the basic idea and features of online learning. Once you get started on your degree, you'll work on your digital skills gradually, with the support of your tutors and peers.
Digital skills
Digital skills
Your online learning will take place on our virtual learning platform Moodle. Moodle is like Facebook for university. It's where you'll find content, links to submit your assignment, messages from your tutors and lots more. You'll have separate pages on Moodle for the different modules you will take during your degree.
Your online learning will take place on our virtual learning platform Moodle. Moodle is like Facebook for university. It's where you'll find content, links to submit your assignment, messages from your tutors and lots more. You'll have separate pages on Moodle for the different modules you will take during your degree.
You'll be able to access Moodle once you've enrolled. Once enrolled, you'll get access to the Moodle page called AHU410: Unlock your potential. This is the module you'll be taking first, between September and January.
You'll be able to access Moodle once you've enrolled. Once enrolled, you'll get access to the Moodle page called AHU410: Unlock your potential. This is the module you'll be taking first, between September and January.
Knowing how to find your way around Moodle is an important part of your degree. But Moodle is only part of what you'll need. There are a range of other digital skills you will develop in your degree.
Knowing how to find your way around Moodle is an important part of your degree. But Moodle is only part of what you'll need. There are a range of other digital skills you will develop in your degree.
What are digital skills and why do they matter?
What are digital skills and why do they matter?
Digital literacy, digital competency and digital capability are all popular terms for the same thing: being skilled at using a range of technologies that support living, learning and working in a digital society -- now and in the future.
Digital literacy, digital competency and digital capability are all popular terms for the same thing: being skilled at using a range of technologies that support living, learning and working in a digital society -- now and in the future.
Digital skills include:
Using a computer
Communicating through online apps and other technologies
Performing a variety of tasks in digital environments
Using the internet and other digital technologies to find, evaluate, use or create information
Operating mobile devices of various kinds, such as phones or tablets
Being familiar with enough online tools to choose the right one to accomplish a given task
Understanding how to comply with the law in term of copyright and intellectual property rights
Accessibility
Accessibility
Digital material can be made more accessible. Below are a list of ways that you can explore to make your online learning more accessibly.
Digital material can be made more accessible. Below are a list of ways that you can explore to make your online learning more accessibly.
A great resource is BBC’s My Web My Way website for How to Guides for help with a range of accessibility issues.
Audio Alternatives
Audio Alternatives
How to make your computer speak text aloud in Windows
How to make your computer speak text aloud in Mac OS X
Converting text documents to audio with Balabolka. (Text to Speech)
WordTalk (Text to Speech)
Changing the way you interact with your computer
Changing the way you interact with your computer
How to use your keyboard to control the mouse in Windows 7
Changing the way things look on the screen
Changing the way things look on the screen
Built in Accessibility Options
Web Usability for users
Web Usability for users
Web Usability is an Australian website that aims to make the web more usable for everybody, including those with disabilities.
In our first few weeks, you'll hear more about our accessibility support and learning support services. You will also be able to find this information and more, on our internal intranet website which you will be able to access once you've enrolled.
In our first few weeks, you'll hear more about our accessibility support and learning support services. You will also be able to find this information and more, on our internal intranet website which you will be able to access once you've enrolled.
Want to know more? Visit the Study Space.
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