6 ways to learn at university

Everybody learns differently; you just have to find your style. To help you, here are six different styles of learning you might encounter at university.

In the lab 🔬
Experiment with the latest technology.

Labs give you the opportunity to think creatively, develop your own techniques and explore your interests. You'll get to work with the latest industry-standard equipment and materials and test out your own theories. Working with your peers, you can make observations and ask your own questions.

Lab work offers you a great chance to develop your problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.

Many of our courses allow you to spend time in the lab, for example, our pharmacy, engineering, and biomedical sciences courses.

Out in the field 🔍
Honing your skills in relevant surroundings.

Many of our courses offer you the chance to experience activities out in the field. Field study gives you hands-on experience and puts your classroom learning into practice.

Fieldwork can introduce you to the relevant industries from your chosen course. It allows you to engage in authentic activities performed by professionals in the field. It gives you a taste of what you could be doing after graduation.

Being out in the field enhances your knowledge and helps you understand your course in the context of the working world.

Our archaeology and forensics courses offer you plenty of chances to get experience out in the field.

On a work placement 🤝
Work with experts in real-world situations.

A placement is a period of work experience and may be an essential or optional part of your degree. They can be an amazing opportunity to gain work experience in your chosen industry and can help you develop professionally.

During your placement, you'll work with industry professionals and will be given real responsibilities and challenges to develop your skills. It's a great opportunity to take what you've learned in lectures into the workplace.

Placements are great for improving your industry knowledge and skills. You'll also get the chance to improve your soft skills, such as working as part of a team and problem-solving. It's a great opportunity for you to get ahead and gain some industry experience before you graduate.

Not only that, but placements can also help you explore potential career paths and get a feel for what you'd like to do after you graduate.

Many of our courses allow you to spend time on placement, for example: Business and Management, Midwifery, Nursing and Paramedic Science.

We know placements can be a little scary. We want you to know there's nothing to worry about! Academics and support staff will always be on hand to make sure you get the most from your placement.

From a book 📚
Words, pictures, and a little peace and quiet.

Books will become an everyday part of your life throughout your university journey.

They're an important tool in academia, and you'll use them to help you with writing assignments as part of your course. Extra-curricular reading can help to fill in gaps in your knowledge and provide differing perspectives.

Our J.B. Priestley Library is open 24/7 so whenever you feel like diving into a new book, we've got your back.

Many of our theory-based courses, such as Sociology, Psychology and Criminology and Criminal Behaviour will require you to do some of your learning through books.

In the classroom ✏️
Watching, listening, learning, and engaging.

Most of your learning will come from being in lectures and seminars. Classroom learning gives you the opportunity to have face-to-face interaction with your peers and teaching staff.

The structured setting offers you an immersive experience. It gives you the chance to discuss your learnings in a wider setting and work as a team to complete activities set by teaching staff.

Aside from academic benefits, classrooms are a great chance to socialise with your coursemates and engage in meaningful and interesting discussions.

You'll also get the opportunity to ask your own questions and receive immediate feedback.

The majority of our courses will involve some classroom-based sessions.

From a video 📽️
Visual guidance from an on-screen tutor.

Similar to learning in the classroom, video-based learning is another great and interactive way of learning.

It helps to provide visuals that can paint a clear picture of what you're learning. If you're watching a lecture online, you can interact with the content on the screen.

Platforms like YouTube offer a whole host of educational resources at our fingertips. A quick search could offer multiple results and when used in combination with written materials, video-based learning can help you process information better.

Often, lectures are recorded and you're free to revisit the lesson at any time. This is particularly useful if you have missed a lecture and need to catch up with the recording.

We know everybody has a different learning style and we're here to support you in every step of your journey. Our various support teams are always on hand to offer support and guidance if you need a little help finding your groove.

Find out more about our support services.

What's your favourite way to learn? :smile: