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The University of Southampton
Biological Sciences

Biological Sciences National Student Survey 2016 results demonstrate high student satisfaction

Published: 15 August 2016
Students outside the Life Sciences
Students outside the Life Sciences Building

Results of this year’s National Student Survey (NSS) show excellent satisfaction levels for Biological Sciences degrees at the University of Southampton. Among the categories being rated by final year students, teaching, learning resources, academic support, personal development and course organisation and management all scored highly.

The results support Biological Sciences’ ranking as fourth in the Russell Group for satisfaction with teaching (the Guardian, 2017). 100% of BSc Biology and BSc Biomedical Sciences students agreed that ‘staff are good at explaining things’, whilst 100% of BSc Zoology and BSc Pharmacology students agreed that ‘the course is intellectually stimulating’ and 100% of BSc Zoology students agreed that ‘staff are enthusiastic about what they are teaching’. As a result, many students felt they had benefitted from their personal development. 100% of BSc Pharmacology students and 93% of BSc Biomedical Sciences students agreed that ‘my communication skills have improved’.

Learning resources have also been endorsed by this year’s NSS. 100% of BSc Zoology and BSc Biochemistry students agreed that ‘the library resources and services are good enough for my needs’ and 100% of BSc Zoology students agreed that ‘I have been able to access general IT resources when I needed to’. Our students learn in our state of the art Life Sciences building; take a virtual tour here.

Student satisfaction with academic support and course organisation and management were highlighted through the survey. 100% of BSc Zoology students agreed that ‘I have been able to contact staff when I needed to’ and 100% of BSc Pharmacology students agreed that ‘the course is well organised and is running smoothly', whilst 95% of BSc Biomedical Sciences and BSc Zoology students agreed. 96% of BSc Biology and BSc Biomedical Sciences students agreed that ‘the timetable works efficiently as far as my activities are concerned’.

Across the board, overall course satisfaction rates were high, with 100% of BSc Zoology students and 100% BSc Pharmacology students satisfied or very satisfied with the overall quality of their course. 98% of BSc Biology students, 94% of BSc Biochemistry students and 93% of BSc Biomedical Sciences students agreed.

 

 

Photo of Charles Dunlop
My placement year was the real highlight. I was at Astra Zeneca in Cambridge, one of the country’s biggest pharmaceutical companies. I did geno-medicine, modelling cancer to find better treatments, it’s one of the latest technologies and I was fortunate to get all that laboratory experience.
Charles DunlopBSc Biomedical Sciences with a placement year, 2016
Photo of Sophie Watts
I ended up spending most of the summer chest-deep in rivers looking for mink and watervole tracks, we monitored the river Avon all the way from Fordingbridge to Christchurch. The mammalian research at GWCT also included work with squirrels and hedgehogs.
Sophie WattsBSc Biology, 2016
Photo of Leighton Osbourne
Studying Pharmacology has given me the essential skills required to be an effective member of a team in both a research and non-research environment.
Leighton OsbourneBSc Pharmacology, 2016

Examples of success- NSS 2016

Biological Sciences

Teaching

93% of Biological Sciences students were satisfied or very satisfied with the teaching of their course

97% of Biological Sciences students agreed that staff are good at explaining things

92% of Biological Sciences students agreed that staff are enthusiastic about what they are teaching

95% of Biological Sciences students agreed that the course is intellectually stimulating

Academic support

92% of Biological Sciences students agreed that I have been able to contact staff when I needed to

Organisation and management

91% of Biological Sciences students were satisfied or very satisfied with the organisation and management of their course

94% of Biological Sciences students agreed that the timetable works efficiently as far as my activities are concerned

93% of Biological Sciences students agreed that the course is well organised and is running smoothly

Learning resources

90% of Biological Sciences students were satisfied or very satisfied with the learning resources

93% of Biological Sciences students agreed that the library resources and services are good enough for my needs

90% of Biological Sciences students agreed that I have been able to access general IT resources when I needed to

Personal development

90% of Biological Sciences students agreed that my communication skills have improved

Overall

96% of Biological Sciences students were satisfied or very satisfied with the overall quality of their course

 

BSc Biochemistry

Teaching

94% of BSc Biochemistry students agreed that staff are enthusiastic about what they are teaching

94% of BSc Biochemistry students agreed that the course is intellectually stimulating

Learning resources

100% of BSc Biochemistry students agreed that the library resources and services are good enough for my needs

Overall

94% of BSc Biochemistry students were satisfied or very satisfied with the overall quality of their course

 

BSc Biology

Teaching

93% of BSc Biology students were satisfied or very satisfied with the teaching of their course

100% of BSc Biology students agreed that staff are good at explaining things

91% of BSc Biology students agreed that staff are enthusiastic about what they are teaching

96% of BSc Biology students agreed that the course is intellectually stimulating

Academic support

93% of BSc Biology students agreed that I have been able to contact staff when I needed to

Organisation and management

90% of Biological Sciences students were satisfied or very satisfied with the organisation and management of their course

96% of BSc Biology students agreed that the timetable works efficiently as far as my activities are concerned

93% of BSc Biology students agreed that the course is well organised and is running smoothly

Learning resources

91% of BSc Biology students agreed that the library resources and services are good enough for my needs

Overall

98% of BSc Biology students were satisfied or very satisfied with the overall quality of their course

 

BSc Biomedical Sciences

Teaching

92% of BSc Biomedical Sciences students were satisfied or very satisfied with the teaching of their course

100% of BSc Biomedical Sciences students agreed that staff are good at explaining things

93% of BSc Biomedical Sciences students agreed that the course is intellectually stimulating

Organisation and management

95% of BSc Biomedical Sciences were satisfied or very satisfied with the organisation and management of their course

96% of BSc Biomedical Sciences students agreed that the timetable works efficiently as far as my activities are concerned

94% of BSc Biomedical Sciences students agreed that any changes in the course or teaching have been communicated effectively

95% of BSc Biomedical Sciences students agreed that the course is well organised and is running smoothly

Learning resources

92% of BSc Biomedical Sciences students were satisfied or very satisfied with the learning resources

93% of BSc Biomedical Sciences students agreed that the library resources and services are good enough for my needs

93% of BSc Biomedical Sciences students agreed that I have been able to access general IT resources when I needed to

90% of BSc Biomedical Sciences students agreed that I have been able to access specialised equipment, facilities or rooms when I needed to

Personal development

93% of BSc Biomedical Sciences students agreed that my communication skills have improved

Overall

93% of BSc Biomedical Sciences students were satisfied or very satisfied with the overall quality of their course

 

BSc Zoology

Teaching

94% of BSc Zoology students were satisfied or very satisfied with the teaching of their course

90% of BSc Zoology students agreed that staff are good at explaining things

100% of BSc Zoology students agreed that staff are enthusiastic about what they are teaching

100% of BSc Zoology students agreed that the course is intellectually stimulating

Academic support

100% of BSc Zoology students agreed that I have been able to contact staff when I needed to

Organisation and management

90% of BSc Zoology students agreed that the timetable works efficiently as far as my activities are concerned

95% of BSc Zoology students agreed that the course is well organised and is running smoothly

Learning resources

93% of BSc Zoology students were satisfied or very satisfied with the learning resources

100% of BSc Zoology students agreed that the library resources and services are good enough for my needs

100% of BSc Zoology students agreed that I have been able to access general IT resources when I needed to

Overall

100% of BSc Zoology students were satisfied or very satisfied with the overall quality of their course

 

BSc Pharmacology

Teaching

93% of BSc Pharmacology students were satisfied or very satisfied with the teaching of their course

90% of BSc Pharmacology students agreed that staff are good at explaining things

90% of BSc Pharmacology students agreed that staff have made the subject interesting

90% of BSc Pharmacology students agreed that staff are enthusiastic about what they are teaching

100% of BSc Pharmacology students agreed that the course is intellectually stimulating

Academic support

90% of BSc Pharmacology students agreed that I have been able to contact staff when I needed to

Organisation and management

90% of BSc Pharmacology students were satisfied or very satisfied with the organisation and management of their course

90% of BSc Pharmacology students agreed that any changes in the course or teaching have been communicated effectively

100% of BSc Pharmacology students agreed that the course is well organised and is running smoothly

Learning resources

90% of BSc Pharmacology students agreed that I have been able to access general IT resources when I needed to

Personal development

100% of BSc Pharmacology students agreed that my communication skills have improved

90% of BSc Pharmacology students agreed that as a result of the course, I feel confident in tackling unfamiliar problems

Overall

100% of BSc Pharmacology students were satisfied or very satisfied with the overall quality of their course

 

 

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