STEP UP to University: Continuity and belonging for articulation students.

Articulation plays a key role in widening access to HE, but tailored support is necessary for a smooth transition. Articulating students often see themselves as lacking key skills and express concern at the significant differences between college and university. This case study explores how the academic skills team at the University of Dundee supports articulation through STEP UP: a credit-bearing module designed for students enrolled on a Social Sciences Higher National Certificate (HNC) course at Dundee and Angus College who hold a direct entry place for second year Humanities at the university. A key strength of the STEP UP approach is its emphasis on continuity between college and university, welcoming students to the University during their college year. Students implement feedback on their college writing to complete their first university essay, providing them with a clear link between their college and university assignments. They also reflect on their transition by creating a reflective output and presenting a group project on 'Becoming, Being, and Belonging' as a university student. Rather than adopting a deficit approach, emphasising the 'gap' between college and university, STEP UP empowers students to recognise the skills they have developed during their HNC and identify how to employ these skills at university. As Scottish institutions adjust to the new tertiary landscape, STEP UP demonstrates how emphasising continuity rather than difference can help articulation students develop their sense of belonging at university. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]