Training

As well as offering one-to-one support, The Degree Doctor offers a range of short training courses for groups. These are principally aimed at undergraduate students, but some courses are also offered to HEI staff, as well as businesses and other organisations involved in education and skills development:

DD1 Dyslexia – Quick and Handy Study Tips

It is estimated that 10% of the population is dyslexic, and increased awareness of dyslexia has led to more and more people seeking a diagnosis. This course introduces a variety of no-nonsense study tips based on student experience of what works. While the course content is guided by the needs of dyslexic students, the techniques presented are just as vital for non-dyslexic learners and form a firm foundation for post-16 and HE study. This course can be tailored to a desired age range (Key Stage 5 and above), and can be delivered to students and/ or their tutors.

DD2 Essay Writing – From Planning to Proofreading

This course breaks the essay writing process down into a series of steps that can be applied by students throughout their HE career, promoting independent study. Students are invited to take a step back from the process of building an assignment and engage in metacognitive analysis of how they learn, encouraging them to find the way they work best as individuals and use it to their advantage.

DD3 Writing Critically – Questioning, Analysing and Proving Your Point!

Being asked to ‘critically analyse’ often leaves students stumped. This course demystifies critical analysis, giving practical examples and a chance to get hands-on through discussion and a range of challenging yet accessible activities. Students are left with a well-defined sense of what getting critical means and equipped with the tools to do it.

DD4 The Research Process – Key Skills for Undergraduates

Undergraduate students, particularly on professional degrees, are increasingly required to show a variety of research skills at undergraduate level and this can often prove the most challenging aspect of their programme. This course introduces the research process, from locating reading material right through to presenting a dissertation professionally, giving a clear framework to successfully carrying out a research project at this educational stage.

DD5 Workplace Skills for Dyslexic Employees

Employees with dyslexia or other SpLDs bring unique gifts to the workplace but they may face challenges with particular aspects of their jobs, commonly time management, organisational skills, concentration and memory. This short course demonstrates practical and straightforward strategies to tackle these problem areas and improve efficiency, both for the individual and their organisation as a whole. It also provides an overview of available SpLD-focussed assistive technology and how it might help employees maximise their abilities.

Course duration and what’s included

The courses above are full day (usually 10am-4pm), in-house courses, and include a trainer for up to 30 participants, all training materials, participant hand-out packs, and end-of-course evaluation. Please contact us for a price list. The Degree Doctor also offers bespoke courses to suit a range of budgets and requirements. Do get in touch to discuss your organisation’s needs informally and find out more about how we can help you.

Course method and philosophy

The Degree Doctor’s HE-focussed courses are based on the philosophy that solid study skills are the foundation of academic success for all students, and the courses aim to both teach students easy to apply techniques that they can start using straight away and give them a space to think about how they approach academic work. With HEIs increasingly being urged to provide more support to students in-house, The Degree Doctor can help your institution meet these expectations and effectively support students towards success.

The courses introduce a variety of key academic skills and independent study techniques which, with increasing numbers of students coming to higher education via non-traditional routes, many undergraduates find they need additional support with. These courses are taught in a pacey yet accessible style by Dr Sophia Deboick, who brings her experience as an HE tutor and teacher of academic skills, as well as her understanding of the university environment, to these student-centred sessions. A combination of group exercises, discussion, workshopping, individual work and trainer presentation is used to provide variety and maintain engagement. Participant packs are provided on every course, so students go away with user-friendly materials they can use to refresh their skills knowledge throughout their degree. Workplace courses are designed with the employer’s obligations under the Equality Act 2010 in mind, focus on improving efficiency, and take the participant-focussed, pacey approach common to all our courses.

Contact us today to enquire about any aspect of our training provision!