What Are Academic Skills?
University learning requires a diverse skill-set which depends to some extent on the subject that you are studying. This means, for example, that some students need to be skilled in the manipulation of databases and spreadsheets in fields such as economics, psychology and epidemiology, while others, such as engineers need to be able to operate specialist machinery. Training for these subject-specific skills is normally incorporated into modules you’ll study in your School. However, each School will expect every student to have a reasonable degree of competence in a range of skills that are not subject specific, although they may be specific to university learning. These can be described as Academic Skills. For example, university lecturers expect that their students will be able to • Listen to and understand lectures • Take notes from lectures • Read with understanding • Make notes from source material • Think critically • Work on their own initiative • Ask pertinent questions of thems
Whether you have come to University straight from school or college or after some years in work or raising a family, you will have certainly found that it differs in many ways from any studying you’ve done before. The Academic Skills tutors are here to help you find your feet in those first few weeks and to develop the skills you need to succeed whatever challenges you face throughout your course.
Academic skills are the skills necessary to do well in an educational setting. They include reading, writing, math, research, computer, and study skills. Academic skills are necessary for being successful in school, and in many cases, in a professional career. The majority of school districts begin teaching academic schools at a very early age. Even the earliest students learn reading, writing and basic math skills. Older students learn computer and notetaking skills. Time management, study skills, and organization techniques are taught to almost all students, regardless of age or location. Basic academic skills, such as reading, writing and math, are the cornerstone for a complete education. Knowing these three skills allows a student to study history, science, advanced math, literature, and all other subjects. This area of skills is essential for further academic success, allowing students to better learn the material presented to them, as well as giving them the opportunity to learn
In order to achieve academic success, you will need to cultivate a number of complex skills, many of which are interrelated and transferable. Throughout the website, we have used the term ‘academic skills’ in preference to ‘study skills’, ‘key skills’, ‘core skills’, and ‘transferable skills’, in order to draw the distinction between the basic skills that are developed throughout schooling and those specifically required in a higher education context. Of course, ‘academic skills’ are, for the most part, a continuation of these lower level skills, and are therefore infinitely transferable to non-educational contexts, but some might also be completely new to you.
