We’re keen to make sure our postgraduate students have the best possible experience while studying at Westminster. To do that we need to know what you think we are doing well and what we can do better.
If you’re thinking about taking part this year, these are the answers to some of the questions students often ask.
What is the Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey?
The Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey or PTES is a national survey of postgraduate taught students inviting them to comment on their course and experience.
The survey is coordinated at the national level by Advance HE (formerly the Higher Education Academy). You can find out more on the Advance HE website.
The questionnaire takes around 15 minutes to complete.
Who is eligible to take part?
To be eligible, postgraduate taught students must be fully enrolled and in the following categories:
- Full-time students – commenced in September 2023 or January 2024
- Part-time second-year students – commenced in September 2022, January 2023, or September 2023
Students are not eligible to complete the survey if they are:
- Overseas campus students (non-UK based) and UK franchise
- Not studying a programme of at least 60 credits, the greater part of which is at M level and taught (HEA requirement)
- Not fully enrolled
How can I take part?
All eligible students will receive an email containing a unique link to the survey on Monday 4 March 2024. Simply click on the link and complete the online form - this link is unique to you and therefore should not be shared. The survey is open until midnight on Thursday 13 June 2024.
Any students not completing the survey within the first couple of weeks will receive further reminders.
Why should I take part?
The Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey is your chance to tell us your thoughts about your course. The results help us compare how we are doing with other institutions, to make changes that will improve what we do in future and to keep doing the things that you value. This will help improve the experience of students like you in the future.
What does it cover?
- The experience of teaching and learning, including: staff, learning materials, working with other students, workload, and feeding back on experience.
- Engagement and course challenge.
- Assessment and feedback, including supervisor support for dissertation or major project.
- Organisation and management, including induction and involvement in course decisions.
- Resources and services, including learning resources and overall support.
- Skills development, including independent learning, research skills and career skills.
- Overall satisfaction and motivation for taking the programme and information provided by the institution to help course choice.
It will also include a few extra questions about issues that are particularly relevant to us and to students at University of Westminster, including the Students’ Union and the one thing that would improve your overall experience.
Is the survey confidential?
Your responses to the survey are strictly confidential, and all responses are anonymised before they are made available to your institution.
Read further details on how the University uses your personal information.
The survey is confidential and no-one will be able to identify you from any results which are reported anonymously. The survey asks that any comments you make should not identify yourself or any specific members of staff.
Read the privacy statement for the University’s PTES.
Where can I find out more?
If you have any questions about PTES please contact the Student Surveys team in Strategy, Planning and Performance by email: [email protected].