Student Charter

Your Study : Part 2

Personal Tutors

Every student is allocated a Personal Tutor in the department(s) responsible for his or her study scheme. Your Personal Tutor will provide you with support and guidance in your studies and offer advice on personal circumstances which may affect your work. You will be given the opportunity to meet your Personal Tutor at least three times in the first year of your course and at least twice a year thereafter.  Additional meetings will be organised as needed. Your Personal Tutor may refer you to other experts if you wish and if you agree to releasing confidential information to them.  (See our Statement on Confidentiality on www.aber.ac.uk/en/regulations/contents/student/appendix-6/)

Advice on Your Future Career

Our Careers Service  (www.aber.ac.uk/careers) will help you to develop your skills and interests from the first year on and relate them to finding a suitable career. Its approach is varied - short individual discussions are supplemented by lectures, workshops, IT and psychometric tests. The Careers Service works closely with academic departments to enable most students to participate in the Awareness and Skills Development Programme (for first years).  A comprehensive Careers Library is available, regular vacancy bulletins are issued, and talks and visits by employers are arranged every year. Up-to-date details of these services are advertised on our web pages http://careers.aber.ac.uk/cas_web/interface/view_content.php

It is up to you to visit the service, use its facilities and make an appointment to see an Advisor.

Getting to Know Aberystwyth

We provide an opportunity for all new students to participate in an introduction to student life by means of the Freshers' Weekend, full details of which are in the Freshers Handbook sent out to all successful applicants from mid-August onwards.  Useful information also appears from June onwards on www.aber.ac.uk/en/successful-applicants   Students arrive at Aberystwyth on the Friday before the start of term and spend three days in preparation for life and learning at Aberystwyth. There is a full and varied programme which includes sessions on student services, both academic and welfare, and on social and recreational matters. There are also study skills sessions and a programme of group activities to help you to familiarise yourself with the campus and with support services.

The aim is to foster a sense of community and at the same time provide an introduction to academic life. You will have an opportunity to meet academic staff, to find out about your Honours/Joint Honours departments and get help and advice on choosing your courses. The induction programme helps to integrate new students fully into the university and helps you make the most of your opportunities from the first day.

Deans' Office

The Deans are the Chairs of their respective Faculties and are required to confirm late changes of modules, all changes of study scheme and changes of Faculty. Deans will also decide on the appropriate penalty for students who fail to satisfy departmental requirements for attendance and submission of work. The Deans' Office provides a contact point on the Penglais campus between students and the Academic Office. As well as providing an appointments service for students to see the Deans, it also stocks leaflets and handbooks available from the Academic Office and acts as a postbox for students to drop off forms which need to be returned to the Academic Office.

Guild of Students

Aberystwyth Guild of Students is the representative body for students in the University and provides a wide range of services for students from its hub at the Penglais Campus.  You can access support on academic and welfare matters from the Student Advice and Counselling Centre.  If you just want to get more involved in sports or societies, the Guild organises Student Activities and Volunteering for the University.  Full information is available on www.aberguild.co.uk

Membership of the Student Guild is automatic and free. However, you have the right not to be a member and you will not be unfairly disadvantaged if you choose to exercise this right.

If You Want to Make a Complaint

It is our policy to resolve complaints responsibly, speedily and effectively. Complaints about academic or non-academic matters will be dealt with promptly and fairly. If you wish to make a complaint, your first step should be an informal approach to the member of staff concerned who should be able to resolve the matter in most cases. Where such an approach does not resolve matters satisfactorily a formal complaint may be made in writing to the relevant Head of Department. The complaints procedure can be accessed on www.aber.ac.uk/en/regulations/contents/student/appendix-2/.

Postgraduates

Taught postgraduates will receive details of attendance requirements for their courses and methods of assessment at registration. Research postgraduates will receive a Code of Practice for Research Postgraduates before they arrive at Aberystwyth and will receive The Postgraduate Training Handbook after their arrival. Copies of both handbooks are available from the Admissions & Recruitment Office.