Study skills support

Learning development services at Birkbeck are available both College-wide and in your faculty or school. Along with your subject lecturers, learning development and study skills staff at Birkbeck are academic specialists - the methodologists of academia. We are the equivalent of personal trainers for your studies, and our purpose is to help you optimise the quality of your work.

Learning development staff offer services in two main areas: developing your academic skillset and specialist technology to help you study.

DEVELOPING YOUR ACADEMIC SKILLSET 

Study skills are not personal qualities that students either do or don’t have; they are a skillset that can be learned and refined, and the fundamentals can be learned easily and quickly. Engagement with our training and resources will help develop your existing abilities and serves as part of your lifelong continuing professional and personal development, offering you the best chances of success in your university studies.

Our workshops and resources cover a wide range of academic practice such as high-level reading and research skills, critical and independent thinking, writing essays, assignments and dissertations, and citation and referencing. We cater for all levels of study and academic experience, from foundation to PhD, from experienced students to those coming back to university after a long time, or for the first time.

SPECIALIST TECHNOLOGY TO HELP YOU STUDY

Technology has the power to transform the way you study. You could try text-to-speech software to allow you to listen to your academic reading, plan your academic writing using mindmapping software, or use speech-to-text (dictation) software to get your first draft done.

Explore how you can use technology to tailor your learning to suit your preferences and needs. You could watch our quick Breaking Barriers Kit video below, find IT Skills workshops to attend and explore the Breaking Barriers Kit section of the Birkbeck Study Skills Moodle module.