Academic and School Support

You are provided with a named personal tutor who will work with you throughout your studies.

What is a personal tutor?

• Your Personal Tutor is your primary contact for general academic guidance and personal support  and will listen to your issues or concerns sensitively and responsively.
• They will support and advise you, and sometimes signpost you to other sources of support within the School, University, or Aston Students’ Union where required.

How to get the most out of the personal tutoring system

• As with most of the opportunities available to you at Aston, the success of this programme is driven by YOU. You can use these meeting to reflect on your performance in modules so far, ask for advice relating to study skills, tap into the industrial knowledge of your tutor or reflect on your placement and career searches and more.
• To get the most out of the personal tutoring system you are expected to prepare for, reflect on and attend any meetings with your tutor. Building this professional relationship is especially important if you are going to rely on your tutor to provide a reference for you at a later date.

How do I find their details/arrange a meeting?

• You  will usually be introduced to your personal tutor during welcome week as part of your induction programme.  Their details should also be displayed to you on your MyAstonPortal homepage.
• To ensure you achieve the best outcomes from your studies, we recommended that you meet your tutor on a termly basis, to ensure regular reflection on your      personal development.
• To remind you to make an appointment with your personal tutor, you will receive an email from the School office asking you to contact your personal tutor to arrange a meeting.
• Your personal tutor may also contact you to arrange a meeting,, but if not, you should book an appointment to see them using the online appointment system, WASS.
• If you have any problems contacting your tutor, or can’t find their contact details please email EAS School Centre reception on eas_reception@aston.ac.uk or visit them on the Main Building, First Floor.

You've found their details and arranged a meeting with your personal tutor - What do you talk to them about?

The focus of your conversations may change depending on where you are at in your Aston journey. Have a think about what you could value your tutor’s expertise on and take some prepared topics with you. 

You could discuss some of the following:

• Preparing for the term ahead: Are there any assessments you are unclear about? guidance with module selection (where appropriate)? Would discussing some goals for completion to help with your time management? Are you familiar with the referencing systems used on your course? 
• Industrial contacts/Employability: Is there an accrediting body for your course that you need to seek membership of? Are there any guest lectures due on campus? Are there any external competitions you need help submitting an application for? Are there any careers and placement events you are preparing for?
• Reflecting on your progress so far: Do you need help turning the feedback you have received on an assignment into a plan for improvement? Are there any ways you can improve your study skills? Are you clear on how your subjects are working together to build your knowledge?

How are the meetings recorded?

Personal tutor meetings can be recorded on MyAstonPortal (MAP) by your tutor. This may also be viewed by staff with administrative access to MAP records. However, it may be useful for you to record or take notes on any immediate actions you decide to undertake based on their advice.

It is important that you are clear on what information is stored about you. This means that only relevant facts will be recorded and you are provided with the opportunity to agree details of information being recorded about your studies wherever practicable. 

Further information about personal tutoring procedures employed throughout the university and further examples of how to focus your meetings can be found here.

The administration of your course is handled by Staff in the EAS School Centre. This is situated on the First Floor of the main building (MB133). School Centre staff will always be willing to help you where possible; it is important to keep the School/University informed of any changes in your situation.

The School Centre offers:-

• A reception area open Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm;

• A coursework office dealing with all coursework submissions and returns, covering all EAS subject groups;

• Dedicated meeting rooms where students can meet with Centre staff in a confidential environment;

• An enlarged student lounge area;

• PCs in the Reception area for student use.

Drop in Sessions

The Taught Programmes Team in the School of Engineering and Applied Science are here to answer any of your questions and queries regarding the administration of your programme/student record etc. and have a broad knowledge of the support services offered by the University and how to access these.

The opening times are as follows:

• Monday 9.30 – 17.00

• Tuesday 9.30 – 14.00

• Wednesday 09.30 – 14.00

• Thursday 09.30 - 14.00 

• Friday 09.30 – 16.00

If you have a problem you are unable to resolve with the assistance of your Personal Tutor, you may wish to contact your Programme Director. Their details should be available to you on My Aston Portal (MAP).

You may need to contact your Programme Director directly to discuss a major change in your circumstances, e.g. to discuss programme transfer options, if you need to take a break from your studies or you have concerns that affect your entire cohort.

Students who are not able to contact their Personal Tutor or Programme Director within two working days (or immediately in the event of an emergency) can approach EAS School Centre Reception for advice (first floor, main building).

You are able to book appointments with an academic member of staff using Aston’s Web Appointment Scheduling System (WASS). This can either be your Personal Tutor which is listed on MAP, or a module lecturer if you are experiencing some difficulties with a module and need further help or guidance. To book an appointment with a tutor visit the link below:

https://wass.aston.ac.uk/wass/pages/login.page.php

1. First log-in using the same USERNAME / PASSWORD that you use for all other Aston Information Systems.
2. Search for the calendar of the tutor you wish to meet with (type in surname of lecturer) or click ‘Browse’ to give a directory of calendars. Then select ‘Search’ on the bottom right hand side.
3. A list of all matching names will be displayed. Click on ‘Make Appointment’ for the person you want to meet with. This will take you to their calendar showing when appointments are available.
4. Click on the date suitable for you, then select a time on the next screen. Clicking the + sign will open a new box, automatically populated with your details. Click on the ‘Save’ box and you have made your appointment.
5. To book an appointment with another member of staff click on the ‘Make an Appointment’ box on the left hand side and continue to follow steps 2 - 4.