The National Student Survey (NSS) results have just been announced for 2012. The survey, which is conducted annually on behalf of the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), asks final year students to rate various aspects of their course in terms of how satisfied students are with eight aspects of their University experience, including the teaching on their course, the assessments and feedback, and the organisation and management of the university.
These results are then collated and analysed to present an overall picture of student satisfaction for their particular course and the University as a whole. The NSS then presents its findings in the form of a league table which ranks Universities by student satisfaction ratings overall and for that subject area.
This year, Kent was ranked 3rd in the UK overall, behind the Open University (1st) and Oxford and Cambridge (joint 2nd), with 91% of students completely satisfied with the University of Kent experience overall. This represents a 3% increase of satisfaction, as well as a great improvement of 13 places compared to last year.
As an academic school, the School of European Culture and Languages (SECL) received a 90% satisfaction rating, many subjects within the School achieved fantastic results, and all were within the top 30 in the UK for their subject.
Hispanic Studies, which covers Spanish, Portuguese, and South American language and culture came 1st in the UK, as 100% of Hispanic Studies students said that they were completely satisfied with the course overall.
English Language and Linguistics also achieved a top ten position and came 6th in the UK with 91% satisfaction. The teaching quality was praised in particular, with 97% of students agreeing that staff are good at explaining things and that the course is intellectually stimulating.
Also in the top ten is Italian which is ranked 2nd in the UK[1] with 92% satisfaction. The teaching staff were particularly well praised, with 91% of students saying that the staff are supportive and that they can get in contact with them easily.
Comparative Literature was ranked 2nd in the UK with 93% overall. 100% of Comparative Literature students said that staff are good at explaining things and that the study material is interesting.
Classical and Archaeological studies were ranked 4th for Classics and 5th for Archaeology, with 96% and 95% respectively[2]. This also signified a rise of 4 places for Classics when compared to last year’s result which is a big achievement in just one year.
French at Kent was ranked 21st out of around 1,000[3] French degrees offered in the UK, with 85% satisfaction. The staff were rated as extremely enthusiastic, and 93% of students felt that their transferable skills had improved due to the course.
Philosophy was ranked 22nd in the UK with an 88% satisfaction rate. 96% of students praised the organisation of the course, and also said that staff were good at explaining things.
Finally, 85% of Religious Studies students at Kent were satisfied with their course, ranking 23rd in the UK. Religious Studies staff were also rated as being good at explaining things, with 97% of students agreeing; and 82% of students felt that they receive detailed feedback on their assignments.
For more information please visit http://unistats.direct.gov.uk/
1 For universities which offer single honours Italian, not joint honours only courses
2 Separate scores reflect the fact that the two are often offered as separate subjects, though it is a single honours at Kent
3 Including Joint honours degrees