Dr Rachel Horrocks Birss

Rachel is the Academic Skills for Undergraduates Coordinator. She teaches across the University, offering bespoke classes on academic writing, effective learning, time management, presentation skills, and reflection. Rachel is module lead for the STEP UP module for Humanities Articulation students and co-teaches the LTHE (Learning to Teach in Higher Education) course for PGRs who teach. She also coordinates the Lightning Sessions workshop programme and leads on the development of undergraduate resources, including the Writing for Success Diagnostic Tool.  

Rachel has a keen interest in assessment and feedback, and she leads the TESTA (Transforming the Experience of Students Through Assessment) process for the University. She has worked to develop and streamline the process and has presented on TESTA at conferences across the country.   

Before joining the University, Rachel completed her PhD in English at the University of St Andrews. Her research focussed on Renaissance court performance, and she is particularly interested in the way elements of drama and literature can be incorporated into the classroom.