Module Information

The Environmental Science core includes an assessed tutorial component with personal academic tutors in small groups of about five students. In this module study personal skills are developed, career ambitions explored and academic discussion takes place around a defined syllabus in Environmental Science.

1) To assist students in making the transition between A level and university level
2) To introduce students to key concepts and ideas in Environmental Science
• 3) To help students identify and effectively employ appropriate sources of data and information in Environmental Science
• 4) To provide support for, and coherence between, the core modules in Environmental Science
• 5) To develop students' study skills
• 6) To develop students' personal transferable skills.

The Environmental Science core includes an assessed tutorial component with personal academic tutors in small groups of about five students. In this module study and personal skills are developed, career ambitions explored and academic discussion takes place around a defined syllabus. Academic coursework in the Level 1 Tutorial module examines the themes that emerge from the topics discussed in the first year Environmental Science modules and through such enquiry develops a range of academic study skills. These include:

The planning of work routines and the setting of academic and personal targets;
Library use and how to build an effective reading programme; styles of note making/annotation and bibliographic referencing;
Data gathering, analysis and interpretation;
Environmental Science Essay Writing and examination technique (students are introduced to good writing skills and the qualities used to assess written work).
The development and assessment of these study skills will take the form of two short assignments. In the first semester, for example, these might involve Library skills: in the second semester, research skills in the gathering and reporting on secondary or local field data. The marks for both these assignments will be used in the final assessment. In addition, a minimum of four essays must be submitted as required by the tutor and the marks from three of these will be used in the final assessment. Topics for essays will vary. The essays are both formative and summative and students should expect feedback from the tutor after each piece of work on how they may improve subsequent essays.
The tutorial module offers students the opportunity to engage directly in their learning, to contribute to discussion and give presentations on their work in a small group setting. Alongside its academic role, discussion can take place of CV building and careers opportunities. A tutor's judgement of the overall performance of a student over the full programme forms a final, minor component in module assessment.