University of Exeter Business School

Study Culture

Preparing to study

You may not have studied in the UK before. Although you will have to satisfy certain academic requirements to receive an offer, we would recommend that you do some pre-arrival research into UK study methods too. There is an excellent web resource with interactive modules to give you an insight into study in the UK.

Study in Exeter

You may find the study culture here at Exeter differs to what you are used to. While you are studying at Exeter, you will experience several different methods of teaching and learning. You will be trained to read widely around a topic and research it thoroughly, to reflect on the ideas you have encountered and to analyse and describe them.  You should expect to be an active contributor in seminars, tutorials and online learning environments. In addition, you will be guided and supported by tutors to become increasingly independent and innovative in your learning.

Have a look at the new student website for more information about studying in Exeter. 

Teaching

When you start a new module, you will be provided with a Module Handbook containing details of the module's aims and objectives, syllabus, reading list and assessment methods. It will also explain the number of contact hours you will receive and provide guidance on the amount of independent study expected.

Most modules follow a lecture-and-tutorial format.

Lectures typically last one to two hours and take place weekly. They:

  • Provide a concise introduction to, and explanation of, key concepts and ideas.
  • Help students understand complex ideas presented in textbooks, journal articles and research papers.

Most lecturers give advance notice of the topics to be covered, and it is advisable to undertake some preparatory reading before attending a lecture.

Tutorials and classes typically take place weekly or fortnightly. They:

  • Provide opportunities to discuss and explore ideas and issues raised in lectures.
  • Enable tutors and fellow students to provide feedback on your written work.

It is important to contribute actively in tutorials. They provide a supportive environment in which to test ideas, make mistakes, develop your ability to present arguments clearly and logically, and engage in constructive academic discussion. Criticism of an idea should not be interpreted as criticism of the person presenting it.

Some mathematics-based modules may include larger weekly exercise classes instead of tutorials, while others may offer drop-in help hours. Attendance at tutorials and classes is compulsory.

Private study

British higher education places a large emphasis on private study. It will form a vital part of your study here at Exeter.  The power of critical analysis, the ability to understand and present a logical argument, and the self-discipline to organise your own time to promote active study, are all skills that are implicit in a degree programme and developed within private study time.

How much private study should you be prepared to do?  A very rough guide, and a minimum requirement, is to take the ‘contact hours’ for each module (i.e. lecture plus tutorial times) and double them.  So, for a 30-credit module with a weekly two-hour lecture plus associated hour-long tutorial, you would expect to spend a minimum of six hours on private study – more if it is a subject you find difficult.

This works out at a 36-hour week, more or less the equivalent of working 9-5 Monday to Friday!

Assessments

Modules are generally assessed through a mixture of group work, coursework, project work and examinations; the weighting of each of these components will vary according to the academic requirements of the module, but the emphasis is generally on the final examination. Examinations are normally held at the end of the module, in January and May/June.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the act of representing another person's work or ideas as your own without appropriate acknowledgement or referencing.

What does this mean?

You must not copy sections of work from a textbook, journal article or online source, including websites such as Wikipedia. If you wish to use an author's exact words, and this should only be done selectively and for specific purposes, you must provide a proper reference. You will receive guidance on how to do this, including through the ELE module on referencing and academic honesty.

The use of essays purchased from essay-writing services or essay banks is strictly prohibited.

Why do some students copy other people's work?

We recognise that students may copy from other sources because:

  • they lack confidence in expressing ideas in their own words;
  • they have been educated in a system that emphasised memorising large sections of text;
  • they have fallen behind with an assignment and are attempting to save time.

The School's perspective

  • Do not worry about making mistakes in English. We understand that paraphrasing can be challenging for international students, and you will not be penalised for language errors as long as your meaning is clear.
  • Expressing ideas in your own words allows your lecturer to assess your understanding of the material.
  • Developing effective time-management skills is an important part of university study.

What we ask you to do

You are required to complete the ELE module Academic Honesty and Plagiarism, which provides detailed guidance

English language support

Please note that, in addition to the credit-bearing English language modules offered by INTO, there is a wide range of non-credit-bearing courses, workshops and tutorials available to students whose first language is not English. These are designed to help students develop their academic English skills and provide support for studying in English.

Further details can be found on the INTO English Language Skills Development webpage . Further information about the insessional language courses will be provided during the Business School module registration sessions in September and January.