What to expect from university study
University study is an exciting challenge. It's a shift away from what you’ve done before and the expectations can be very different to what you were used to at high school or even in the workplace.
What is expected of you while you're studying at AUT
Personal responsibility
As an AUT student you're responsible for your own learning. This includes:
- Organising your own time and making sure that you're completing work for your courses
- Attending all your classes - if you're unable to attend a class it's a good idea to let someone know. You can talk to your lecturer or a student advisor
Study effort
Even full-time study doesn’t mean you’re at uni five days a week. Your timetable will include several hours when you're required to attend lectures and tutorials. However, you're also expected to spend additional time completing your own independent study.
It can be helpful to treat your study as if you have a full-time job. As a general guide, you should aim to spend at least two hours additional study time per week for each course, completing readings etc. You'll also need to allocate additional time in the lead up to completing assignments and studying for exams.
Activities that you'll be expected to carry out during your own time include:
- Reading lecture notes and making sure you understand them
- Reading textbooks
- Wider reading
- Working on tutorial exercises and coursework assignments
- Completing online activities, wikis and contributing to discussions
The key is to make sure you plan carefully to ensure that you have a balanced workload and some time for relaxation. It’s a good idea to complete a timetable for the semester.
Technical skills
You'll be expected to have a good level of grammar, spelling and punctuation, and be able to demonstrate critical thinking. AUT offers free workshops that can help you to develop these skills.
You'll also be expected to source information from the library. Developing research skills is important. Learn more by attending a workshop offered by the library.
Plan your study time
An average student is expected to spend 150 hours per course each semester and about 40 hours per week, which is like having a full-time job. This could mean:
- Per course: 30-50 hours of class time (lectures, tutorials, workshops and labs) & 100-120 hours for you to study and do assignments
- For four courses: 120-200 hours of class time & 400-480 hours for studying and assignments
- Per week: 8-13 hours of class time & 27-32 hours for studying and assignments
Each semester is about 15 weeks long.
Contact us
Need help or have a question?
Contact the Student Hub throughout your studies at AUT.
Email: studenthub@aut.ac.nz
Phone: 0800 288 864
Contact us online
What to expect at a lecture
- Join lectures on time, take notes and ask any questions you have
- Lectures may have 20 to 30 students in them or more
- If your lecturer includes interactive material during their presentations, you may be asked to discuss a topic with a classmate
- Lecture notes will be accessible through Canvas for many courses
Student conduct
On enrolling at AUT, you signed an acknowledgement agreeing to adhere to AUT regulations. Familiarise yourself with AUT’s student conduct policy by reading our policies and regulations. You can find these in the AUT Calendar.