How you'll be taught
You'll receive exceptional teaching, support and guidance
You'll get the same outstanding teaching, support and guidance as in any other year.
But it will be different to before the pandemic. Our teaching has transformed based on student feedback, and we want to ensure you benefit from the lessons we learnt in how to deliver excellent teaching.
Blended learning
Our students told us they wanted to keep some of the positive changes we made to teaching and learning delivered in a blended (mix of online and face-to-face) format. However they also enjoyed and wanted to maximise the opportunities for interacting face-to-face with each other and with staff, both in the context of their course and the wider university experience.
All students are now taught through mainly face-to-face teaching, with some online learning also.
Scroll below to find out more. You can also read about how our current students have been learning during the pandemic.
1. Teaching
Usually most of your learning to be face-to-face teaching but with some elements of online provision - potentially about 20% overall. We call this our 'blended and connected approach'.
You'll get plenty of contact time with your lecturers, and all campus facilities and teaching spaces are open to you with all the necessary safety measures. You'll also get all the resources you need through our virtual learning environment, Moodle – including reading lists, learning activities and recorded teaching sessions to catch up on revise whenever suits you.
We want you to have every opportunity to be on campus for practical, studio and workshop work, and field and lab-based activities. You'll also get access to simulation experiences where necessary.
Your arrival on campus might be prevented or delayed due to ongoing travel restrictions, or you might need to self-isolate. If this is the case, we'll make sure you can access everything you need online and we'll continue to support you remotely.
2. Support
You can access all the support you need online or face-to-face. You can also talk in person or online with your personal tutor, and our guidance and support teams.
Personal tutor
Your personal tutor is your key point of contact, and is a someone in your department. You can meet them face-to-face, following any safety guidelines. You can also meet via video chat or over the phone, and contact them by email when you need their support.
Your personal tutor will help you adapt to new and effective ways of learning and studying, giving you any academic and pastoral support you need. They can also direct you to further specialist support or guidance.
Professional support services
Our guidance and support advisors can help with concerns or give you advice – from your wellbeing or physical health needs, to religious guidance, support in halls, academic skills, finance and more.
Further guidance and support
Our MyPort Information Hubs will be open for in-person and online support and guidance. MyPort staff can:
- Support you in your student journey, including help with assessments and course questions
- Provide guidance and support on all aspects of your student experience, such as local services in Portsmouth
- Help you access other University services, like where you can get wellbeing support or financial advice
3. Remote software access
You can download most of the software you need for your course – for free at any time – from the University Apps Anywhere store.
If you need to use a high-spec lab computer or a computer on campus with specialist software, you can log in to these computers remotely from home. Our Information Services department can help you set up remote access when you join us.
4. Using the library
The University library is full of resources to help you with your studies - both in person and remotely. As well as physical books and resources, you can access over 700,000 ebooks and hundreds of online journals. You can also speak to the librarians to help with finding the materials you need, by email or live chat via the library website.
5. Exams and assessments
Some exams and assessments will take place on campus, but many will take place online. Your course leader will let you know about the plans for the assessment on your course and any changes as a result of Covid. You'll know in plenty of time if assessment plans change so you won’t be disadvantaged.
If you can't complete an assessment on time because of self-isolation or illness, you can apply for extenuating circumstances so you’re assessed fairly.
Please get in touch with us if you have specific questions about how your course will be delivered.
6. Placements and exchanges
Employers in the UK are looking forward to welcoming you into one of the placement roles available. Some employers will also have support ready for you to work remotely and still benefit from the learning experience. If you need to work in-person, employers will follow government guidelines and are required to meet our health and safety requirements. We'll make sure you get all the support you need to find a placement in the UK and in some cases you may get the opportunity to take part in a virtual exchange or placement.
Outbound student exchanges abroad and international placements will take place where and when they are possible, and on a case by case basis to ensure your safety. We look forward to welcoming inbound exchanges on campus and these pages inform you about the learning provision available. See our study and work abroad coronavirus FAQs for more information.
How our students have been learning
Our current students regularly worked with and spoke to course tutors, and collaborated with other students through online meetings, chat and discussion forums. They went online to access recordings or summaries of lectures and large group teaching sessions. Most lectures were broken down into small chunks that are easier to follow and focus on.
When and where it was safe, students and lecturers met in person in small groups, with social distancing in place. These groups were smaller than normal tutor groups, which provides more one-to-one time with teaching staff, and plenty of time to contribute to discussions and group work. Small group teaching also took place online in a mix of live and recorded sessions depending on the course and topic.
Find out more about how our current students learned during 2020/21.
Student accommodation
Take a look at where you'll stay when you study at Portsmouth, how much it'll cost, and what you'll get for your money – plus where to get housing support and how to get a guaranteed room in our halls.
