This module is intended to support to transition to 3rd level education for students on the new BA Arts (Professional Pathways) degree. This new degree integrates traditional AHSS subject areas with a range of transferable and applied skills modules. This module is the first of these transferable and applied skills offerings. In the module students will be supported to plan for successful academic progression through increasing their familiarity with relevant UL systems and and supports and through a specific focus on increasing their digital capabilities. This module is based on learning and feedback from an existing, comparable module 'Preparing for Academic Success' which has been offered to BA Arts students since 2016.

This module is intended to help students make a smooth transition to third level education, by bringing them together in one module with their fellow BA (Professional Pathways) class members to learn about their degree and about the nature of the third level process. In the module, students will be introduced to some of the main UL systems and supports that are in place to enable their successful progression. Students will be introduced to effective assignment planning and completion, element of effective communication, the Library services, self-care strategies and to the UL VLE. The module will also feature a core component of group work designed to strengthen collaborative capacity. Finally, the module will contain an introduction to Digital and Future skills. This will include an elaboration of what the notion of digital capabilities means, digital problem solving, information, data and media literacies, digital productivity, including the basics of video and podcasts production, and digital identity and well being.

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to: - Recognise and have an understanding of the basic components that make up the structure of typical academic assignments. - Apply and adapt this across all of their different modules - Demonstrate an understanding of core UL systems and digital platforms - Display strengthened their foundational digital skills

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to: - experience a sense of community and collaborative learning with students from across the BA Arts (Professional Pathways) - Appreciate the importance of team work and effective collaboration.

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to: N/A

This module will consist of lectures, and lab sessions. In lecture sessions students will meet with staff from across UL who will introduce them to a variety of systems and supports essential to their successful academic progression. In lab sessions, students will apply some of this learning by engaging with relevant systems and with the module's digital and future skills elements. Group work activities will enable students to practice collaboration through the management of an active group work exercise. In general, assessment on the module will focus on work / assignment planning, group work activities, quizzes and assignments to test practical digital and future skills.