Are you wondering what lectures and seminars are like at Bournemouth University? When considering if you would like to go to university; if BU is the correct choice for you; or if you are wanting to prepare yourself to come to BU, it is normal to wonder how your days studying will look.
What to expect
At BU, you will have both lectures and seminars timetabled throughout the week. Usually, there will be one lecture and one seminar a week per unit, for instance, this year of university I took a unit around Politics, and I had one lecture scheduled a week, and then a seminar that was connected to the teaching in the lecture that week also.
The lectures are usually two hours long and are based on different topics within your discipline. The seminars are one hour and are there to complement the learning in the lecture by adding additional information and for giving space for more in-depth questions. Sometimes lecturers will also use the seminar to go over the assignment criteria in more detail.
Lecturers usually set reading to complete before the seminars, usually journal articles that are related to the topic you are learning. These are great to build a breadth of knowledge and are useful to use when doing your assignment.
This may vary depending on your course, as some courses, like Psychology, for instance, may have more workshop or lab-related sessions. Take a look at your courses page that you would like to/you are doing to see the specifics for your course. You can search for courses here.
Your lectures and seminars will be either on BU’s Talbot Campus or Lansdowne Campus depending on the subject. Mostly your lectures will be in a lecture hall, and seminars may also be in a lecture hall or a seminar room.
A seminar room is a smaller classroom that gives the space for more in-depth and personal learning. Both spaces at BU function to make the best of the session. If you are attending an open day, make sure you take a look at the lecture halls and seminar rooms to see where you will be!
Also, don’t worry, you can pop out to the toilet if you need to!
Why they are important
Both lectures and seminars are vitally important both for your learning and also so you can do your assignments as best as you can. I take Sociology and I have found the content to be extremely interesting and have been able to relate it both to everyday life and also potential job prospects.
The seminars are designed to complement the lectures, so they are vital for deeper understanding. It is also a plus that it is more time you can spend with your course friends.
What to bring to lectures and seminars
To help you prepare for attending lectures and seminars it is important to think about how you make notes the best so you can retain the information effectively. I bring my laptop as I find it easier to create and refer back to notes this way. However, other people prefer to write notes, bringing a notepad and pen to lectures and seminars.
It is also useful to bring water, or a drink of your choice, and a snack in case you get hungry! (I can’t concentrate if I am hungry!)
If you have a reading that you have been set for a seminar, it may be useful to bring that reading on your laptop if you are using one and/or your notes on your observations from the readings.
Please find below some useful links when thinking about courses, lectures, and seminars at BU.
Find out more about BU’s courses here
Map of Talbot Campus here.
Map of Lansdowne Campus here
Chat with a Student Ambassador to learn about BU and students living here.
From a final year, to a first year
Day in the life of a student nurse
Going to university with Type One Diabetes
Learning life skills at BU – cleaning and laundry
