Intellectual Skills

The development of the appropriate skills for intellectual enquiry takes place throughout the degree. To introduce students to the accepted skills levels for higher education, and to the methodology of learning through seminars, we offer year 1 students the First-Year Seminar series.

Based on a model common in American colleges, these seminars use selected readings which relate to the major curricular themes of the BA programme. Students meet on a regular basis with a tutor to discuss the readings and to relate these to their other studies within the year 1 programme. Tutors guide students to develop their attention to reading and analysis of argument; their analytical thinking; their library and investigative skills; and their utilization of discussion, dialogue and conversation as learning methodologies.