As you go through your second year you may be starting to think about your final year; particularly your Final Year Project and your plans for beyond your course.
Your second year is a really important year for starting to build up experiences (both academic and personal), and to start planning for your next year.
Think about how your studies contribute to your future goals - if you use your second year well then you’ll find you’re much better placed to have a great final year at Leeds.
Use your time to explore some of the ideas below for making the most of the opportunities at Leeds for progressing your ambitions.
Your tutors might start talking about your Final Year Project in your second year, and you will be expected to start on it as soon as your final year begins. To help you to prepare for this take a look at The Final Chapter. This is the Skills@Library resource to support students in their Final Year Projects. It covers the whole process of undertaking a research project, and has lots of useful information on planning and preparing your project to get you thinking about how to start. You can also watch videos of staff and students from the University of Leeds sharing their top tips for success.
Think about the modules you have taken in your first and second year so far – is there anything that you found really interesting, or any areas that you would like to explore further? Keep a list of ideas that you can refer back to when you start your Final Year Project.
You’re still in the middle of your course but this is a great time to start planning so that you are better placed to follow your desired path after your final year. You could explore volunteering, stand as a School Rep or join a society, to help you gain the experiences and build up the skills you need. You may already have a strong idea of what career path you would like to follow, or maybe you’re still undecided, but your second year is an important year to start planning.
Have a look at the Skills@Library employability pages. Here you’ll find some ideas for identifying and building your employability skills. You will also find advice on promoting yourself by writing and talking about your skills.
Leeds for Life includes a database of opportunities offered by schools, faculties and external organisations. These include volunteering or becoming a University ambassador.
The Careers Centre offers help with making career plans and identifying the best ways to achieve your aims. The work experience unit at the Careers Centre is one of the first points of contact for information about internships and industrial placements.
Video - Third year students offer their advice about the second year
