What is Personal Tutoring?

Your Personal Tutor has oversight of your overall progress. They provide guidance on developing your personal skills and enhancing your employability. They can also signpost you to other expert support if you have specific needs or concerns.  It is important that you keep in regular contact with your Personal Tutor throughout your studies. 

Your Personal Tutor is your personal guide through your studies at DMU and can help and support you by:

• listening to your queries or concerns and offering advice and guidance.
• signposting you to specialist support within the university.
• discussing your academic progress with you.
• supporting you with your personal development planning (e.g. employability; opportunities for extra-curricular activity and experiences such as volunteering).

Why is Personal Tutoring important?

The primary function of a personal tutor is to support your academic, personal and professional development through ongoing provision of support during your time at DMU. They can also refer you to appropriate academic, welfare and support services when this is required.

Personal tutors can make all the difference to your experience and success at university as they contribute towards successful student retention, progression and achievement. Additionally, they will encourage you take advantage of the full range of opportunities available as part of your student experience.

Personal tutors have a crucial role to play in enhancing your learning experience by promoting a sense of community and belonging and in guiding and supporting you on your learning journey.

Who is my Personal Tutor?

Your Personal Tutor’s name and email address can be found either via My Locker > My info, or in the ‘Student Overview’ tile on the myDMU app.

Select the tile. Under ‘General Information’, select ‘My Personal Details’. The name of your personal tutor is located in the header section under ‘Department’. Select the name of your personal tutor to reveal your tutor’s details including email address.

If this is blank or if you are still unsure, please contact cemadvicecentre@dmu.ac.uk

What your PT can do…

• Help students reflect on their academic progress
• Work with them to identify strengths/weaknesses in relation to their studies
• Encourage them to develop their study skills (by signposting to Library and Learning Services, Language Support etc)
• Help them make decisions in relation to their course
• Support them to review, reflect and act on feedback received
• Discuss career ambitions and signpost relevant opportunities and services
• Write references, when necessary
• Help students identify appropriate extra-curricular opportunities
• Refer them to specialist support services as and when necessary

What your PT can not do…

• Resolve administrative problems relating to a student’s studies (e.g. timetabling, registration issues, approve module or programme changes, authorise absences, approve extension requests, requests for repeating assessments, repeating a year etc.) but should direct students to the appropriate place for further guidance (e.g. CEMadvicecentre).
• Provide counselling or specialist advice but should refer students to the appropriate specialist support service on campus (e.g. The Student Gateway, International Student Support, etc.).
• Replace subject-specific academic staff in providing specialist academic guidance on aspects of the student’s programme of study but should advise on how to get guidance, including connecting students to other academics in their field of study.

How to get the most out of Personal Tutoring…

1. Responding promptly to communications (e.g. e-mail) from them.
2. Accepting invitations to meet with them to discuss academic progress and personal development planning.
3. Prepare for meetings and complete any action points resulting from discussions with your tutor, if required.
4. Letting your personal tutor know as soon as you can if you are unable to attend an arranged online or face to face meeting.
5. Keeping them informed of any circumstances which might be affecting your studies and progress.
6. Addressing issues affecting your studies.
7. Remembering that your personal tutor is not just there if things go wrong, they can advise you on a range of issues and also direct you to other sources of advice.
8. Be proactive and actively work together to build a successful Tutor-Tutee relationship.