How to Become an Academic Rep

Want to ensure your student voice is represented? Find out more about all the rep roles available at your university and how to get involved!

A great representative listens to you and helps make change happen. Course reps work with university staff to improve the academic experience at your university, according to what the students want to see.

If you are passionate about student rights, eager to support your peers and help others, or interested to know more about the behind the scenes of your degree – you could become a rep!

Find out more about the different roles available and how to get involved below.

Sign-Up to be a Course Rep!

If you would like to be a course rep for your year group next academic year, all you have to do is sign up through the survey below. Sign-ups are open from Monday 3 March to Friday 28 March.

Please log in to complete the form below.

Please Log-in to Sign up!

The roles that you can sign up for through this survey are:

Falmouth Course Reps

Course Reps are the foundation of student representation, promoting a partnership between students, academic staff, and the SU. They ensure that the experience of their peers is represented throughout their studies by collecting feedback to present to staff at various points throughout the year, primarily at Student Staff Liaison Groups. It is the responsibility of a Course Rep to ensure that the majority opinion of their course year group is heard by academic staff and that appropriate action is taken in response to student feedback. It is also a key function of Course Reps to ensure that students are aware of how they are represented through The SU and how they can have their voice heard during their time at university.

To find out more about what the role of a course rep involves, download the full Falmouth Course Rep Role Descriptor.

Exeter Course Reps

Course Reps are the foundation of student representation, promoting a partnership between students, academic staff, and the SU. They ensure that the experience of their peers is represented throughout their studies by collecting feedback to present to staff at various points throughout the year, primarily at Student Staff Liaison Committees. It is the responsibility of a Course Rep to ensure that the majority opinion of their course year group is heard by academic staff and that appropriate action is taken in response to student feedback. It is also a key function of Course Reps to ensure that students are aware of how they are represented through The SU and how they can have their voice heard during their time at university.

To find out more about what the role of a course rep involves, download the full Exeter Course Rep Role Descriptor.

Exeter EDI Reps

EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) Reps work alongside Course Reps and Subject Chairs to monitor and champion Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion within their course cohort and wider subject area. EDI Reps gather feedback from students in underrepresented groups and share this feedback with fellow reps and their department, making sure that these discussions are mindful of the whole student community. EDI Reps play a key role in ensuring that underrepresented students within their cohort know how they can gain support and representation through the SU on matters that impact them based on their personal identity.

To find out more about what the role of an EDI rep involves, download the full Exeter EDI Rep Role Descriptor.

Exeter Portfolio Reps

Portfolio Reps are course reps that focus on a specific area within a department’s Student Staff Liaison Committee (SSLC). Each subject area may vary on what portfolio rep roles they have within their SSLC. Some examples of portfolio rep roles include, but are not limited to:

Employability reps – Work with course reps to ensure a focus on the development of employability skills within the department, as well as the provision of the Career Zone.

Study Abroad/Placement (outgoing) reps – Representing the experience of students on a study abroad or placement year within their subject area.

Study Abroad/Placement (incoming) reps – Representing the experience of students who have just returned to university after a study abroad or placement year within their subject area.

For a better understanding of the objectives of a portfolio rep role, please refer to the Exeter Course Rep Role Descriptor.

Run for Department Rep or Subject Chair!

If you have been a course rep before and would like a bigger role in supporting students, consider nominating yourself to be a Department Rep (Falmouth) or Subject Chair (Exeter)!

These roles chair SSLGs (Falmouth) or SSLCs (Exeter) to ensure that these meetings are student-led. They help to support the course reps within their department or subject area to share the word with students on how their feedback is being actioned and how they are represented through the SU.

If you aren’t interested in being a Department Rep or Subject Chair, you can still vote in the Department Rep/ Subject Chair Elections for who you want to represent you.

Nominate yourself through the elections below!

Falmouth Department Rep Election

The Students’ Union (SU) Department Reps play a vital role in academic representation at the Falmouth University, leading SSLG meetings and supporting the course reps in their departments.

Falmouth Department Rep Role Descriptor

Department Reps are senior academic representatives, representing all on-campus students studying in their department at undergraduate level (or postgraduate taught level, if the department has a postgraduate department rep role). Department reps are elected through an online election, and a key purpose of their role is to lead their department’s Student Staff Laision Group (SSLG). Department reps work closely with the reps within their SSLG to ensure that student feedback is actioned and all students within their department are aware of the positive changes being made.

Download the full Department Rep Role Descriptor here.

Nominations will open 3rd March 2025

Exeter Subject Chair Election

The Students’ Union (SU) Subject Chairs play a vital role in academic representation at the University of Exeter, leading SSLC meetings and supporting the course reps in their subject area.

Exeter Subject Chair Role Descriptor

Subject Chairs are senior academic representatives, representing all students studying in their subject area and chairing their subject area Student Staff Liaison Committee (SSLC). Some subject areas have separate undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate taught (PGT) Subject Chairs, whereas others will have the same Subject Chairs represent all students at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. Subject Chairs are elected through an online election, and there is a maximum of 2 positions available for each Subject Chair post. Subject chairs work closely with the reps within their SSLC to ensure that student feedback is actioned and all students within their subject area are aware of the positive changes being made.

Download the full Subject Chair Role Descriptor here.

Nominations will open 3rd March 2025

Frequently Asked Questions

Have some questions before you sign up? Please check our FAQ below!

What do course reps do?

Course reps collect feedback from their course cohort to present in meetings with course staff, and then work with course staff to find solutions to any problems and bring about any changes students would like to see.

Exeter also have specialist reps who focus on specific areas of your academic experience, such as EDI and employability or other 'portfolio' rep roles.

Please check the role descriptors above for more information on what you'll get up to in the role!

Why should I become a rep? What's in it for me?

Good question!

Here are 6 benefits to becoming an academic rep...

1. Develop Confidence and Leadership Skills

As a course rep, you can gain valuable leadership experience by representing your peers and working with academic staff. The Department Rep or Subject Chair roles take this further, literally leading rep meetings with staff!

You'll gain the confidence to stand your ground and advocate on behalf of others in a professional and diplomatic environment. If you'd like to put yourself out there and step out of your comfort zone whilst also helping others, being a rep could be a great challenge for you!

2. Make a Real Impact on Your Course

Course reps have the power to influence positive changes in their course, ensuring students’ voices are heard and improvements are made. If you’re passionate about your course, being a rep gives you the opportunity to improve the learning experience for future cohorts, as well as the students you are currently studying with.

3. Enhance Problem-Solving Abilities

Handling student concerns and working towards solutions improves critical thinking and problem-solving skills. You will also develop the ability to quickly signpost students to support when they need it, and think on your feet to respond to students' queries.

4. Boost Your CV and Career Prospects

Employers in every industry value leadership, teamwork, and communication skills, making the role a great addition to a CV! Speaking in meetings, working with other reps on your course, and liaising between students and staff on issues are all tangible examples of where you will be able to put these skills to the test whilst in the role.

5. Build a Stronger Network and Foster Student Community

Course reps interact with university staff, sabbatical officers, and other reps, expanding their professional and academic networks. You will get to know the staff on your course and in your department, and can help bring together the student community.

6. Gain a 'Behind-the-Scenes' Look at Your University

Reps learn about academic policies, assessment procedures, and quality assurance, giving them valuable institutional knowledge. This is especially beneficial if you plan to run for sabbatical officer at any point during your time at university.

... and you'll be supported the whole way through! You'll receive rep training and regular contact from the Academic Representation Team at The SU to support you to carry out the role and develop on any skills that you may wish to build on.

How much time would I have to commit to the role?

As this is a voluntary role, the hours you commit to it can be flexible to fit around your studies and part-time work!

For either university, we estimate that you'll need to commit around 8 hours a term for the role. This allows for 2 hours to attend your Student-Staff Liaison Group (Falmouth)/Committee (Exeter) every term, as well as a couple of hours to collect feedback from students and submit this feedback ahead of your rep meeting.

If you are interested in becoming a course rep but are unsure if you can commit to the role, you are welcome to reach out to us to discuss your concerns at the email below.

How many students can be a course rep on my course?

There is no limit to how many students can sign up to be a course rep during the course rep sign up period. We ideally aim to have one course rep per course year group so that every year group on a course can have their voice heard.

It's best to sign up to be a rep within the recruitment period, as if your course gains an unusually high number of sign ups, we may not be able to accomodate adding you as a rep to the course!

How many students can be a Department Rep (Falmouth) or Subject Chair (Exeter)?

At Falmouth, we have one post available per Department Rep role. Bigger departments will have mutliple department rep roles (for example, AMATA has a department rep role for Theatre Arts and another for Music), so you may be working in collaboration with another student to represent your department as a whole!

At Exeter, we have two posts available per Subject Chair role. In the case that two students are elected, you will become subject co-chairs and share the responsibility of administration and chairing meeting in a way that suits you both best.

I'm already a rep. Do I need to sign up/nominate myself again to still be a rep next year?

In short, yes!

When you sign up to be a course rep or get voted into the Department Rep or Subject Chair Role, you are only in the role for one academic year. This is to give students the opportunity to change who their representatives are if they wish, and opting in again also confirms to us that you're definitely keen to carry on as a rep (we don't want to assume!).

If you would like to continue being a course-level rep, you must sign up again - and if you'd like to continue being Department Rep or Subject Chair, please nominate yourself in the elections above!

Why is my course/year group not listed in the sign up form?

If you cannot find your course or year group listed in the sign-up form, it's most likely an error! We are accepting reps for all course year groups at both universities for the next academic year (the role will commence September 2025). If you cannot see your course/year group listed, please contact the Academic Representation team at studentvoice@thesu.org.uk.

I have a question you haven't answered here...

If you have any further questions about becoming an academic rep, please don't hesitate to contact us at StudentVoice@thesu.org.uk!