Our inspirational staff

Univeristy life is very different from school...

It’s common to have a bit of ‘imposter syndrome’ in your first few weeks, or even worries that your tutors will think you’re asking silly questions (spoiler alert: they won’t!). 

Our academic tutors are a lovely bunch of people, who are here to help you settle in, and share their knowledge and enthusiasm for your subject. 

Want the proof? Let our students tell you… 

What my tutors are like...

"Mervyn Cooke is just an absolute angel. He’s like everyone’s music uncle! Everyone goes to him for a cup of tea and a chat. It’s really nice and he’s really supportive. He’s really good at recommending books as well!”  

- Amber, Music and Music Technology BA graduate

“The foundation staff were amazing, they really stand out as they're the ones who take you under their wing and help you grow so much. Doug Ingram and Peter Watts were definitely part of the reason why I've gotten this far, they really helped build me up academically.” 

- Franklyn, Theology and Religious Studies with Foundation Year BA

How I've found the teaching style...

“I did a really good module with Chris Collins, called 'Twentieth-Century Plays'. We were a very diverse class, with a range of experiences, but he always created a safe environment for discussion, which was nice.”  

- Devraj, second-year English and History BA

"Steph Lewthwaite is so lovely. I had her for two of my modules this year and I really appreciate the way she teaches and runs the seminars. She’s always really interested to hear what students are saying. I found that with Anthony Hutchison as well. His seminar structures are really good at creating that discussion between students, rather than it just being a talk from the seminar tutor."    

- Hannah, second-year American and Canadian Studies (Study Abroad) BA

My favourite module

"'Poverty, Disease and Disability: Britain 1795-1930'. was so interesting to study during the time of Covid. You could see so many parallels. Although we were looking at something that was happening hundreds of years ago, things like the Cholera riots had parallels to the anti-vax movement, for instance. I also got to create a board game for my assessment, which was something I absolutely loved."   

- Emily, third-year History and Politics BA

“In my second year, Isobel Elstob taught modules all about the art of the Black Atlantic, and that opened me up to things that I’d kind of been able to experience through exhibitions in the city, but hadn’t been directly taught. It’s actually really hard to find anyone teaching in that specialism in the UK. I was lucky that I was able to take those modules.” 

- Chloe, History of Art BA graduate

How my personal tutor helped me

"Joe Merton was my personal tutor in first and second year. I joined university in my early twenties, and Joe was incredibly helpful in providing me with that framework for understanding the difference between being a historian at school level and undergraduate level.”  

- Christos, Ancient History and History BA graduate

"My mental health at university has definitely been up and down but I have a great support team. I've worked with Disability Support Services who were fantastic and my personal tutor, Mike Jones, has been just incredible. It's really important to have a good relationship with your personal tutor because they're not only a great source of information, but invaluable in being able to know where to go to get more help. "

- Priya, third-year English BA

Staff expertise

"I did a lot of medieval options which I never though I’d do. Joanna Martin really helped me with that. At the beginning I was a bit like ‘I’m not sure I’m going to like this’, but by my third year I really enjoyed doing medieval studies because she really helped me."

- Charlotte, MA English Studies

"Hannah O’Regan is really cool. We had an in-person lecture and we walked around the campus, a small group of us, and she asked 'What would you eat as a hunter gatherer?'. She was telling us a bit about her bears project, too, and I was just really inspired by her passion for the subject.” 

- Emily, first-year Archaeology BSc

Dissertation support

“Picking a dissertation subject is the most daunting thing you’re going to do at uni and it comes around so quick. But my dissertation supervisor, Chrysanthi Gallou, is just brilliant, she’s my favourite lecturer. Having her has really calmed my nerves as she understands what it’s like to do all this and has been through it with loads of students before." 

- Ciara, second-year Classical Civilisation BA

“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t have Dr Alex Simcock. She was the one who saw the passion I have for Disney. When I had the first meeting with her she was like, ‘What is your favourite movie?’. It’s Maleficent, and she gave me an exercise to watch it again but from a different perspective. I researched Disney beforehand, so I knew a bit about it, but meetings with Alex made me pinpoint the area. I realised nobody has researched this, so why shouldn’t I do it? It opened my eyes. It’s been incredible.”  

- Melania, third-year Film and Television Studies BA