Biological Sciences National Student Survey 2016 results demonstrate high student satisfaction
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.
Other University of Southampton sites
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.
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.
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.
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