Materials Science ranks among the top in the Russell Group in several question categories in the National Student Survey 2023 which collects students’ opinions on key aspects of their University experience. This includes 1st place for learning opportunities, academic support, learning resources and student voice.
The results are another strong showing for the Department, after it topped the NSS rankings in 2022 for ‘overall satisfaction’. This year, among a number of changes to the NSS, the ‘overall satisfaction’ category has been removed.
Professor Nicola Morley, Head of Department, said “I am so proud of all our staff and students in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. We are a close community and this is reflected in our fantastic results. We take the views of our students seriously. As well as reflecting on our NSS results we regularly engage with our students across all levels of study to find out how they are getting on.”
It comes as the University of Sheffield was placed top overall in the Russell Group in the NSS 2023. The survey, in which more than 335,000 final year students from across the UK have fed back on their higher education experience, places Sheffield top of the UK’s 24 world class, research-intensive universities, based on aggregate responses. Sheffield received the highest positive responses to 27 questions that asked students to rate their academic experience, mental wellbeing, resources and support.
Sheffield is also in the top three across the Russell Group for learning opportunities, student voice and mental health, and top five for learning resources, academic support and organisation and management.
This year’s survey, which is led by the Office for Students (OfS), also added a new question to explore freedom of expression. Sheffield is the top five in the Russell Group for students feeling free to express their opinions and beliefs during their studies, according to the results.