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About us Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences Go on Exchange @BSS! Study Related Information

Study Tips

Study tips

  • Don’t be late for lectures.
  • Keep deadlines.
  • Start studying/ preparing lectures from the very first semester week onwards, otherwise you will have trouble understanding the course content and won’t have enough time to prepare for exams.
  • Show initiative (ask questions, express your opinion).
  • Expect having to do a lot of independent studying (e.g. you have to do a lot of reading/ research besides lectures) with minimal direction from the lecturer.
  • If you approach your study week as a normal work week (= 40 working hours), you will have weekends off.
  • If you attend lectures well prepared, you will understand better what the lecturer is talking about and remember more.
  • The lecturers will post information on courses and reading material on the Student Portal (= what you need to read per week, slides, journal articles, etc.). Take this into account for your weekly planning.
  • If you have difficulties handling the workload or exam preparation, please make an appointment with a study advisor (via the Student Service Desk). The study advisor can help you with your time management, handling stress, fear of failure, etc.

Important to know

  • Be prepared for multiple choice exams! You can't get minus points for a wrong answer, so you should always complete all questions, even if you have to guess an answer. Detailed rules about MC exams at the psychology department can be found in your welcome kit!
  • You might have to get used to the philosophy of examinations at BSS as it might be very different from what you are used to. There is a chance you might fail the first exam, so be prepared to take the resit. Important: Check the academic calendar for the resit weeks well in advance! If you failed the first exam but you cannot take part in the resit, mind that there are no other possibilities/ no individual assignments to pass a course! BSS exams can only be taken at UG, not at your home university!
  • In general, there is a low hierarchy between students and staff but it is always advisable to start on a more formal level.

Key academic skills

  • Critical thinking
  • Managing discussions
  • Working together with fellow students, supervisors, research teams
  • Presenting your work to others
  • Scientific/quantitative approach
  • High level of English language skills


Last modified:05 December 2023 2.02 p.m.