Student Life

Teachers’ Conference 2011

Andy McGowan – CUSU Access Officer

Content

• Academic Experience

• Social Life

• College Life

• Cambridge as a city

• Support

• Transition to Cambridge

Studying at Cambridge

• Small-group teaching –supervisions

• Lectures, classes, seminars, practicals, field trips

• Independent study

• Facilities

• Tutor/Director of Studies – oversee academic progress and welfare

Example timetable for 1st Year Law

Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri

9am

10am Criminal Constitutional

11am Criminal Civil Constitutional

12pm Tort Tort Civil

1pm

2pm Constitutional (Wk1)

3pm Civil (Wk2)

4pmTort (Wk2) Criminal (Wk1)

Social life

• Sport, music and drama at every level

• College community

• University clubs and societies

• Pubs, clubs, bars, theatres

• Freshers’ Fair

Examples of University Societies

• CU Lawyers without Borders

• CU Association Football Club

• The Cambridge Student

• Sheila and Her Dog Society

• Homerton African Dancers

• Selwyn Jazz

• CU Jugglers’ Association

• Massage Society

• CHaOS (Hands-on Science)

• Cambridge City FC Supporters Association

• Assassins Guild

• Cam FM

• Belly-Dance Society

• Real Ale Society

• iPhone Society

• Improvised Comedy Ents (ICE)

• Horse Racing Society

Fitting it all together – Andy (Law)

• 9:30am: Turn off alarm

• 9:45am: Get out of bed

• 10:45am: Jump on bike and head to my lecture

• 11am: Criminal Law Lecture

• 12pm: Tort Lecture

• 1:15pm: Lunch with friends

• 2pm: Head to library to do some supervision work.

• 4:30pm: Criminal Law supervision

• 5:30pm: Stop via Sainsburys on way home

• 6:00pm: Dinner with friends

• 7pm: JCR Meeting then to the bar/JCR to watch the football/play pool

• 11pm: Time for some more reading/essay writing before bed

Fitting it all together – Sarah (Chemical Engineering)

• 7.15am: Turn off alarm

• 7.30am: Go for a morning jog

• 8.45am: Cycle to lectures

• 12pm: Finish 3 hours of lectures = lunchtime (and birthday-present shopping!)

• 2pm: ‘Practical’ session in the lab

• 4:00pm: Finish lab, head home and get distracted by Desperate Housewives

• 5:00pm: Supervision in college

• 6:00pm: Badminton match

• 7pm: Attempt to combine dinner & writing up my lab report.

• 9pm: Go with friends to an Open Mic night at a different college

College life

College Life

• Students’ primary community

• Provide accommodation (central site & off-site)

• Centres of social life (‘mini campus’) – lots of social activities and facilities to use at very low cost/free

• Responsible for organising supervisions (not always with supervisors at own College)

Cambridge as a City

• The University is a big part of the city

• Community Engagement

• Something for everyone

• Easy to get around

Welfare and support

• Academic

• Pastoral

• Financial

• Disability Service

• University Counselling Services

• Students supporting students- College JCRs- CUSU (including Autonomous Campaigns)- Peer-to-peer support- “College family”

Transition to Cambridge

• It is a step-up from school/college

• Lots of support available

• Opportunities for feedback (college, department)

• Transkills - http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/education/transkills/index.html

• Very low non-completion rate

Any questions???

access@cusu.cam.ac.uk