Student Voice Analytics for Pharmacology — UK student feedback 2018–2025
Scope. UK NSS open‑text comments for Pharmacology (CAH02-02-01) students across academic years 2018–2025.
Volume. ~621 comments; 98% successfully categorised to a single primary topic.
Overall mood. Roughly 52.8% Positive, 44.0% Negative, 3.3% Neutral (positive:negative ≈ 1.20:1).
What students are saying
The Pharmacology narrative is led by Assessment & Feedback and by the quality of teaching. Taken together, Feedback, Marking criteria and Assessment methods account for roughly one in five comments (≈19.2%). The tone here is challenging: Feedback is the single largest category (8.7% share) and is strongly negative (index −30.8, below sector by −15.7). Marking criteria (5.4%) is even more critical (−55.4), with students signalling uncertainty about what “good” looks like and how work is judged. Assessment methods (5.1%) are also net negative (−23.2), albeit broadly in line with sector.
Set against this, students are consistently positive about the people and the core learning offer. Teaching Staff (8.5%) is a clear strength (index +50.3, well above sector), and students also praise the Type and breadth of course content (8.0%, +40.3, above sector). Student support (4.9%, +32.9) and the Availability of teaching staff (3.6%, +39.4) are valued, while Delivery of teaching (5.4%) trends positive. Gains in Student life and Personal development (each 2.1%) carry very strong tone.
Operational delivery is a mixed picture. Communication about course and teaching (2.5%) attracts a strongly negative tone (−46.8, below sector), as does Scheduling/timetabling (3.4%, −35.1). Organisation and management of course (3.6%) is closer to neutral (−10.3, slightly better than sector). Workload (3.3%) is a notable pressure point (−42.4). Remote learning (3.3%) is mildly positive and sits above the sector baseline. Placements/fieldwork/trips appear with average frequency (3.4%) and a near‑neutral tone.
Finally, some topics are less prominent here than in the wider sector. Module choice/variety appears less often (1.5% vs 4.2% sector), as does Personal Tutor (1.8% vs 3.2%) and Learning resources (2.8% vs 3.8%). In contrast, assessment‑related categories and workload are over‑represented relative to sector.
Top categories by share (Pharmacology vs sector):
| Category | Section | Share % | Sector % | Δ pp | Sentiment idx | Δ vs sector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feedback | Assessment and feedback | 8.7 | 7.3 | +1.4 | −30.8 | −15.7 |
| Teaching Staff | The teaching on my course | 8.5 | 6.7 | +1.8 | +50.3 | +14.8 |
| Type and breadth of course content | Learning opportunities | 8.0 | 6.9 | +1.1 | +40.3 | +17.7 |
| Marking criteria | Assessment and feedback | 5.4 | 3.5 | +1.9 | −55.4 | −9.7 |
| Delivery of teaching | The teaching on my course | 5.4 | 5.4 | +0.0 | +12.7 | +3.9 |
| Assessment methods | Assessment and feedback | 5.1 | 3.0 | +2.1 | −23.2 | +0.5 |
| Student support | Academic support | 4.9 | 6.2 | −1.3 | +32.9 | +19.7 |
| Availability of teaching staff | Academic support | 3.6 | 2.1 | +1.5 | +39.4 | +0.1 |
| Organisation, management of course | Organisation and management | 3.6 | 3.3 | +0.3 | −10.3 | +3.7 |
| COVID-19 | Others | 3.4 | 3.3 | +0.1 | −33.6 | −0.7 |
Most negative categories (share ≥ 2%)
| Category | Section | Share % | Sector % | Δ pp | Sentiment idx | Δ vs sector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marking criteria | Assessment and feedback | 5.4 | 3.5 | +1.9 | −55.4 | −9.7 |
| Communication about course and teaching | Organisation and management | 2.5 | 1.7 | +0.8 | −46.8 | −11.0 |
| Workload | Organisation and management | 3.3 | 1.8 | +1.4 | −42.4 | −2.4 |
| Scheduling/ timetabling | Organisation and management | 3.4 | 2.9 | +0.6 | −35.1 | −18.6 |
| COVID-19 | Others | 3.4 | 3.3 | +0.1 | −33.6 | −0.7 |
| Feedback | Assessment and feedback | 8.7 | 7.3 | +1.4 | −30.8 | −15.7 |
| Assessment methods | Assessment and feedback | 5.1 | 3.0 | +2.1 | −23.2 | +0.5 |
Most positive categories (share ≥ 2%)
| Category | Section | Share % | Sector % | Δ pp | Sentiment idx | Δ vs sector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student life | Learning community | 2.1 | 3.2 | −1.0 | +62.5 | +30.4 |
| Personal development | Learning community | 2.1 | 2.5 | −0.3 | +55.7 | −4.1 |
| Teaching Staff | The teaching on my course | 8.5 | 6.7 | +1.8 | +50.3 | +14.8 |
| Type and breadth of course content | Learning opportunities | 8.0 | 6.9 | +1.1 | +40.3 | +17.7 |
| Availability of teaching staff | Academic support | 3.6 | 2.1 | +1.5 | +39.4 | +0.1 |
| Student support | Academic support | 4.9 | 6.2 | −1.3 | +32.9 | +19.7 |
| Career guidance, support | Learning community | 2.5 | 2.4 | +0.0 | +27.6 | −2.5 |
What this means in practice
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Make assessment clarity the first fix. Publish annotated exemplars, checklist‑style marking criteria and brief “how this maps to the grade” notes. Use calibration exercises and short feedback SLAs so students know when and how feedback will help their next submission.
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Stabilise the operational rhythm. Name owners for timetabling and programme communications; use a single source of truth (e.g., one regularly updated hub); and send a concise weekly “what changed and why” update. These steps directly target the most negative delivery categories (scheduling and comms).
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Protect and amplify people‑centred strengths. Keep visibility and availability of teaching staff high (office hours, rapid Q&A channels) and keep content structure transparent. Where possible, share examples of effective teaching practice across modules.
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Monitor pressure points. Track workload distribution and assessment bunching by cohort; adjust deadlines and sequencing where possible to reduce spikes without reducing standards.
Data at a glance (2018–2025)
- Top topics by share: Feedback (≈8.7%), Teaching Staff (≈8.5%), Type and breadth of course content (≈8.0%), Marking criteria (≈5.4%), Delivery of teaching (≈5.4%).
- Cluster view:
- Delivery & ops (placements, scheduling, organisation, comms, remote): ≈16.2% of all comments.
- People & growth (personal tutor/support, teaching staff, delivery of teaching, personal development, student life): ≈28.4%.
- Assessment & feedback set (feedback, marking criteria, assessment methods, dissertation): ≈21.2%.
- How to read the numbers. Each comment is assigned one primary topic; share is that topic’s proportion of all comments. Sentiment is summarised as an index from −100 (more negative than positive) to +100 (more positive than negative), then averaged at category level.
How Student Voice Analytics helps you
Student Voice Analytics turns open‑text survey responses into clear, prioritised action. It tracks topics and sentiment over time (by year) for every discipline, and supports whole‑institution views as well as fine‑grained department and school analysis.
You get concise, anonymised theme summaries and representative comments for programme teams and external stakeholders, plus like‑for‑like sector comparisons across CAH codes and by demographics (e.g., year of study, domicile, mode of study, campus/site, commuter status). Segment results by site/provider, cohort and year to target interventions where they will move sentiment most. Export‑ready outputs (web, deck, dashboard) make it straightforward to share priorities and progress across the institution.
