biology at the university of York!! important

so! i have a place at York for 2024 entry buut i’ve been reading stuff with people saying that the contact hours arent good and you barely get any lab time and alot of the time it’s online lessons and it just sounds terrible being a hands on learner and all.

So, are there any prople at the uni doing the subject who can confirm or deny this AND sort of give me a summary and everything of the Uni of York for a Biology major.
Otherwise I’m contemplating declining my offer and going for sheffield instead?

Reply 1

BankaiGintoki

21

Original post by Anonymous

so! i have a place at York for 2024 entry buut i’ve been reading stuff with people saying that the contact hours arent good and you barely get any lab time and alot of the time it’s online lessons and it just sounds terrible being a hands on learner and all.

So, are there any prople at the uni doing the subject who can confirm or deny this AND sort of give me a summary and everything of the Uni of York for a Biology major.
Otherwise I’m contemplating declining my offer and going for sheffield instead?

https://www.york.ac.uk/biology/news-events/other/2023/times-2024-rankings/#:~:text=The%20Department%20of%20Biology%20has,they%20provide%20to%20our%20students.

Department of Biology
6th for Biological Sciences

In your first year, you can expect:
https://www.york.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/bsc-biology/
Lectures 2-4 hours per week
Workshops 3-5 hours per week
Practicals 3-6 hours per week
Small-group teaching 5 hours per semester

Reply 2

Anonymous #1

OP

Original post by BankaiGintoki

https://www.york.ac.uk/biology/news-events/other/2023/times-2024-rankings/#:~:text=The%20Department%20of%20Biology%20has,they%20provide%20to%20our%20students.

Department of Biology
6th for Biological Sciences

In your first year, you can expect:
https://www.york.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/bsc-biology/
Lectures 2-4 hours per week
Workshops 3-5 hours per week
Practicals 3-6 hours per week
Small-group teaching 5 hours per semester

thank you! but do they still do the whole “online lessons” nonsense? or was what i saw wrong and only during the height of the pandemic? i just need to make sure entirely

Reply 3

University of York

Official Rep

13

Original post by Anonymous

so! i have a place at York for 2024 entry buut i’ve been reading stuff with people saying that the contact hours arent good and you barely get any lab time and alot of the time it’s online lessons and it just sounds terrible being a hands on learner and all.

So, are there any prople at the uni doing the subject who can confirm or deny this AND sort of give me a summary and everything of the Uni of York for a Biology major.
Otherwise I’m contemplating declining my offer and going for sheffield instead?

Hi!

I asked the Department of Biology about contact hours and online lessons. They suggested looking at this page under timetabled activities for an estimate of the contact hours you will get in your first year.

Regarding online lessons, they said:

- We do use online resources (such as video recordings) in our teaching. These resources support a diverse range of in-person teaching sessions, including lectures, small group tutorials, practicals and workshops. If the student is a 'hands-on learner' I hope that they will really appreciate our curriculum, which is heavily focused on active learning in workshops, tutorials, practicals and computing sessions.
- We have high quality, flexible, and inclusive programmes that combine an innovative mix of in-person and online delivery, which are really valued by our students and pre-date the pandemic. This enables us to deliver an interactive learning experience that makes the best use of technology, so that contact time is meaningful, purposeful, and effectively supports student learning and progression.”
- Our teaching programmes include a variety of different activities including lectures, laboratory sessions, tutorials (individual and group), field trips, placements and workshops.
- We also provide pre-recorded materials online ahead of in-person classes that are not the same as lectures. These recorded sessions are strategically designed to complement the effectiveness of in-person lectures, tutorials, practicals, and workshops. This is an approach that has been around for many years and certainly pre-dates the pandemic.
- Student feedback has strongly endorsed the effectiveness of our teaching approach - reflected in the excellent 2024 UK National Student Survey (NSS) scores in disciplines such as Biology where York remains in the top three in the Russell Group for teaching on programmes including Biosciences, Molecular Biology, Biophysics and Biochemistry.
- Our approach enables students to engage and learn in different ways, for example to work together in groups, discuss key concepts and ideas, get to know each other and solve problems - an approach that is successful when delivered in person or online.
- Employer feedback indicates that skills developed from interactive sessions are invaluable to students, and it’s increasingly vital to have an ability to interact online and in-person.
- Using a mixed mode delivery also provides increased opportunities for speakers from all over the world to contribute to online teaching sessions, which provides vital global perspectives that prepare our graduates as citizens of the world, but also aligns with our commitments around environmental sustainability

Sorry this is quite a long reply! The Department have offered to put you in touch with a course rep, so let me know if you have any questions for a current Biology student and I can get a response for you!

Hazel :smile:

Reply 4

NikkiRed

6

Original post by Anonymous

so! i have a place at York for 2024 entry buut i’ve been reading stuff with people saying that the contact hours arent good and you barely get any lab time and alot of the time it’s online lessons and it just sounds terrible being a hands on learner and all.

So, are there any prople at the uni doing the subject who can confirm or deny this AND sort of give me a summary and everything of the Uni of York for a Biology major.
Otherwise I’m contemplating declining my offer and going for sheffield instead?

Hi,

Congratulations on your place! I’m a current biology student at the Uni of York. To ease your concerns, there is plenty of opportunities for lab work, which you begin doing right from week 1 and continue to do so weekly.

Secondly, whilst lectures are recorded and available to view online afterwards, all teaching is in person. York use a variety of teaching styles to suit everyone, which is hands on, supportive, and encourages you to engage in the content in person.

The biology department as a whole is really well run and very friendly; from the lecturers through to the receptionists!

Hope this has given you some reassurance,
Nikki.

(edited 1 year ago)

biology at the university of York!! important

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