Help and support

We seek to understand students' needs and provide appropriate support:

Support offered in the Department

• Pastoral support: We have designed student support mechanisms at all levels (from Certificate through to PhD) to ensure you get the advice and guidance you need to succeed on your programme of study.
• For all students, your Programme Director will assist you in making academic decisions about your path through the programme.
• Within all programmes, there are further pastoral support mechanisms including allocated personal tutors (staff from whom you can seek help with any difficulties encountered), and dedicated staff contacts who can offer advice in specialised areas such as disability and safety.
• Research students and project students at Masters and Bachelors levels also benefit from the support of their academic/research supervisors.
• Many modules have an online presence in Moodle, and there are areas within it that contain information and advice relevant to your programme of study. For some courses there are bespoke course webpages, designed to provide you with all the information you need during your studies. Links to these resources for current students are available.
• PhD Graduate Studies lecture series: as as PhD student here, you will be expected to attend our graduate studies lecture series.
• Computer services: We offer excellent computer support and services. We have an extensive network of Unix and VMS servers and workstations support research activities. A central file server controls access to the shared disk space, and a number of workstations are dedicated as computer servers, while others are dedicated for real-time interactive graphics work.

Other support available to you

• My Birkbeck Helpdesk: At the My Birkbeck Helpdesk, we can help you with all your application and enrolment queries. The Helpdesk can be found to the left of the main entrance to the College via Torrington Square.
• Disability and dyslexia support: we can offer you advice about disability access, support in lectures and seminars, accessible information, and support for assessments.
• Financial support for undergraduate students: if, like many first-time undergraduate students you are concerned about the costs of studying, you will be reassured to know that at Birkbeck, we are committed to helping you find ways to gain the financial support you need to achieve your ambitions.
• Help with study skills and other learning support issues: our expert study skills team offer a wide range of study skills and learning support to help you while you're studying.
• Evening nursery: as a student here, you will be able to take advantage of our evening nursery.
• Careers information: as a Birkbeck student, you will be able to use the Specialist Institutions' Careers Service. You can also check the biology careers web sites listed here.