My Academic Advisor

2. Your Academic Advisor’s main duties

You can talk openly and confidentially with your advisor about any difficulty, academic or personal, that may affect your studies. They can offer insights, suggestions, and guidance. If your advisor is unavailable or unable to help with a particular issue, you can contact the School’s Senior Tutor, who has overall responsibility for student advice.

There are four key areas where academic advisors can effectively support you:

• "academic" – supporting students to attain academic success and achieve their desired qualification. 
  
  Academic advisors can help you understand course expectations and key processes, support your transition into university life, suggest effective study strategies, provide constructive feedback on your academic progress and engagement with your studies, offer advice on choosing elective modules, and guide you towards useful academic resources. Your advisor is here to help you engage with your learning in the way you intend to.
  

• "pastoral" – supporting students on a more personal level to address difficulties that may impact their studies.

  Academic advisors are there to listen, offer understanding, and help connect you with the right wellbeing or counselling services when needed.

• "development" – supporting students’ general personal development.

  Academic advisors can encourage you to get involved in extracurricular activities, help you develop transferable skills, and build your confidence for both academic success and future professional opportunities.

• "practical" – discussing plans and providing references for applications to further study and/or employment.

  Academic advisors can discuss your plans for your next steps after your studies, whether that’s further education or employment. They can discuss your options with you and provide informed references to support your goals.