Learning and teaching

Teaching methods

Teaching and assessment are tailored to the subject area and the aims and learning outcomes of the particular course.  Teaching methods include:

Lectures

Lectures provide the structure of all undergraduate and some postgraduate courses and offer a sound base for students’ independent learning. Many lecturers are at the forefront of their fields and will discuss the latest developments in their area.

Seminars and classes

Seminars and classes allow medium-sized groups of students to explore a particular topic and are often less formal than lectures. Everyone is expected to contribute actively to the discussions.

Practical classes are an important part of many courses, particularly in the sciences.

Required submitted work

Required submitted work, including dissertations, long essays or research projects, forms a significant part of many courses. This work gives students the chance to develop their skills in original research by testing out theories and advancing their own ideas.

Work experience

Some courses give the opportunity for students to go on field trips, undertake work placements, language courses abroad or study visits. For instance, students in Modern and Medieval Languages spend a year working or studying abroad, and Engineering includes opportunities for a work placement with a company.

Graduate students

Graduate research students are expected to work largely on their own initiative, but this varies according to the subject area and the chosen course of study. Study in the sciences usually involves daily attendance in the faculty or department and close contact with an appointed supervisor. Study in the arts and humanities often involves more work in one of the University libraries, and less frequent contact with a supervisor. Faculties and departments are responsible for appointing a supervisor, whose role is to guide the student in their programme of study or research. All supervisors provide close individual support, and are experts in the chosen field. Most supervision involves regular discussions on progress and the submission of written work.

Supervisions

Small-group teaching sessions for undergraduates are known as supervisions. They are usually one hour in length with 1-4 students and (usually) a member of the College who is a specialist in the subject. Supervisions are arranged by Colleges and are a great opportunity to explore course material in much greater depth than lectures allow. The structure of supervisions varies, and is often tailored for the students concerned. All supervisions aim to clarify points raised in lectures, to engage in in-depth problem-solving and to allow students to explore and discuss particular aspects of the course. Supervisions help students to develop skills to learn independently, in the ways most suited to them.

Students are usually asked to prepare for supervisions, by either submitting essays or completed problems beforehand or preparing work for presentation during the supervision. Supervisions are not formally assessed (they do not count towards the degree) but are a way for students to receive feedback on their work. Students are encouraged to use them to explore new approaches to learning and topics outside of the lectures. All students receive regular reports from their supervisors, which may be used by the College to provide evidence to the University of diligent study, if required.

The title of this document is: University of Cambridge: learning and teaching
URL: http://www.cam.ac.uk/univ/learning/univrole.html

Last updated: 16/02/2011

Further information

How the University works

The University and the Colleges