Subject tasters
Discover our undergraduate degree courses with a subject taster, available to Year 12 and 13 students (and equivalent) across the East of England. They're the perfect introduction to university.
Tasters are available across a range of subjects from art, design, business and computing, to the sciences and health, plus many more.
Our subject tasters are offered to groups of students both on and off campus*. School and college tutors should book places in advance.
For more information or to book a subject taster, please email schoolsandcolleges@aru.ac.uk or call 01245 684711.
You can also check our events listing for details of one-off events happening this term.
Art and design
Portfolio preparations
Discover how to create and present a collection of your own artwork at Cambridge School of Art. It's an essential skill for anyone who wants to apply for an art course at university. Whether you’re interested in traditional forms of art, such as drawing, painting or printmaking, or the modern processes of computer game, fashion or interior design, this is a workshop you can’t afford to miss. Includes a Q&A session, so you can ask us anything you want about preparing your portfolio.
- Offered year round in Cambridge, workshop lasts for one hour
Tour of the Degree Show
Take a look around our degree show, the annual exhibition by our graduating art students. See examples of the work produced on all of our courses, including computer games, short films and clothes designs. You’ll be guided by the students themselves, so you can ask them about their work, their time at University, and what they’re moving on to after the course.
- June in Cambridge, tour lasts for one hour
Wednesday workshops
Create your own masterpiece using our professional art facilities in this interactive workshop. Experiment with a range of creative processes including photography; life drawing (Illustration/Fashion/Fine Art); letter press (Printmaking/Graphic Design); mono print (Printmaking/Fine Art); framing (Interior Design).
- October–July for Year 12 or October–December for Year 13, one full day in Cambridge
Digital media taster session
Explore the world of creative digital content, from mobile apps to digital animation.
- October–July for Year 12 or October–December for Year 13, 10am-2.30pm in Cambridge
Animal Sciences
Evolution and biodiversity
Get an introduction to the key principles of natural selection before exploring how those principles have shaped all life on Earth. This session involves hands-on activities and props.
- Offered year round in Cambridge, session lasts for two hours
Business, leadership and management
LEGOTM – from the factory to the toy cupboard
Work in a production line, in competition with another team, to design the production process for a helicopter model built with LEGO. Our hands-on exercise is perfect for accounting, finance and business management students.
- Offered in Chelmsford year round, session lasts for one hour
Witches, wizards and the watch – leadership lessons from Discworld
Suitable for all students who are interested in studying leadership and management, business or economics.
- Offered in Chelmsford year round, session lasts for 40 minutes
Entering the dragons' den
Work in groups to come up with a business idea, then pitch your idea to an expert who will decide whether to fund it. Suitable for all students who are interested in studying business at university.
- Offered in Cambridge year round, session lasts for 45 minutes
- This session can also be offered off-campus
The power of economics
Our interactive workshop looks at how economics is applied across the business world, and the kind of jobs a knowledge of economics can lead to. It's suitable for all students who are interested in accounting, finance, economics and business management.
- Offered in Chelmsford year round, session lasts for 40 minutes
- This session can also be offered off-campus
The theory behind 'Golden Balls': an introduction to game theory
Game theory is the study of the relationships and interaction between people, including possible conflict and co-operation. Work together to assess how different people might approach risk, in our video-based session. Perfect for students interested in business and economics.
- Offered year-round in Cambridge, session lasts for approximately 40 minutes to one hour
- This session can also be offered off-campus
The PIT market game
Game theory is the study of the relationships and interaction between people, including possible conflict and co-operation. Work together to assess how different people might approach risk, in our video-based session. Perfect for students interested in business and economics.
- Offered year-round in Cambridge, session lasts for approximately 40 minutes to one hour
Bring it on: the bright spots and low life of business law
A 40-minute session aimed at students who are interested in business or business law.
- Offered in Chelmsford year round, session lasts for 40 minutes
Survival of the fittest: corporate strategy in action
A 40-minute session aimed at students who are interested in business, economics or maths.
- Offered in Chelmsford year round, session lasts for 40 minutes
Demonstration of team-based learning
Take part in a collaborative task, working as part of a team, and present your findings. Our interactive workshop is tailored for students who are interested in business management and leadership.
- Offered in Cambridge and Chelmsford year round, session lasts for one hour
Many hands make light work
An experimental workshop that seeks to answer the question: 'Does teamwork really encourage people to work hard?'
- Offered in Cambridge year round, session lasts for 30 minutes
Starting university and building your academic skills
Our interactive workshop is suitable for any students who are considering studying business subjects at university.
- Offered in Cambridge year round, session lasts for 30 minutes
The role of the internet in changing how employees interact with employers
- Offered in Cambridge year round, session lasts for 30 minutes
International business and collaboration
Explore the global nature of today's business landscape in our interactive workshop.
- Offered in Cambridge year round, session lasts for 30-45 minutes
- This session can also be offered off-campus
What's it like to study business and human resources management?
Aimed at students who are interested in studying business, economics or human resources, this interactive talk features activities that demonstrate the kinds of teaching you'll experience in our Business School.
- Offered in Cambridge year round, session lasts for 45 minutes
- This session can also be offered off-campus
What does it mean to be a 'citizen of the world'?
Take part in an interactive workshop based on Dr Irene Skovgaard Smith's research into work, identity and belonging across borders – and the implications for the business world. Of interest to any students who are considering studying business at university.
- Offered in Cambridge year round, session lasts for 45 minutes
- This session can also be offered off-campus
Computing and digital technology
Keeping secrets safe
Find out how cryptography helps to keep information secure, and see a practical example of steganography – concealing a hidden message or file within an ordinary message.
- Offered year round in Chelmsford, session lasts for one hour
Cybersecurity
Take part in a practical session where you'll learn all about the importance of keeping computers up to date.
- Offered year round in Chelmsford, session lasts for one hour
Find the Aztec gold
Test your networking skills as you try to find the Aztec gold. This session is suitable for students with CCNA knowledge who've used Cisco's Packet Tracer tool before.
- Offered year round in Chelmsford, session lasts for one hour
Encryption
Investigate current encryption techniques used by IT professionals to protect data, and test your skills at decrypting intercepted messages.
- Offered year round in Chelmsford, session lasts for one hour
AppInventor 2
Our AppInventor 2 sessions cover an introduction to Google's Android AppInventor tool, and a tutorial that focuses on animating bouncing balls across a phone's screen with user interaction.
- Offered year round in Chelmsford, session lasts for one hour
Little Robots
Learn to control mobile robots via control codes, either through a mobile app created using AppInventor, or by communicating through Bluetooth.
- Offered year round in Chelmsford, session lasts for one hour
Entrepreneurship for network engineers
Our one-hour session focuses on starting your own business in the networking sector.
- Offered year round in Chelmsford, lasts for one hour
Computing courses overview
An overview of all the computing courses that we offer at Anglia Ruskin; suitable for computing students in years 12 and 13.
- Offered year round in schools and colleges; talk lasts for 40 minutes
Crime and investigation
The mystery of the horrible hypothesis
In this activity, originally developed for the Cambridge Science Festival, you'll be tasked with solving a fiendish murder mystery. Encounter a crime scene and learn about some of the basic principles of forensic analysis.
- Offered year round in Cambridge, session lasts for four hours and is suitable for years 9 to 13
Subject taster sessions
Explore some of the fascinating topics you can study on our policing, criminology, history, philosophy and sociology degree courses. Discover 'How to be happy' and 'How to rule the world', and find answers to questions like 'Do prisons work?' and 'What is it like to be a bat?'. These sessions will help you understand how the education and employment you choose can change the world around you.
- Offered year round in Cambridge, sessions last from one to one and a half hours, as required
Subject-specific CPD for teachers
Learn how to be a leader in your subject area, and make sure your pupils get the most out of your teaching. These sessions focus on the areas of expertise of our research-active staff, including public service, criminology, history, philosophy and sociology. You can be confident about getting the most up-to-date and relevant information for your chosen area. Includes refreshments on arrival and a tour of our campus.
- Mid–late June in Cambridge, from 10am-2.30pm or 5-7.30pm
Education and early childhood
Education taster sessions
Suitable for students who are interested in the subjects of education and childhood studies, our taster sessions include a talk about our courses and a Q&A, followed by practical activities.
- Offered year round in Cambridge and Chelmsford, session lasts for approximately one hour
English and media
Subject taster sessions
Find out more about our degree subjects, including English language, English literature, film studies, media studies and writing. Discover the skills you'll learn on each course, and the careers they can lead to. These interactive sessions include a Q&A with our student ambassadors, so you can ask them all about their experiences on individual courses, and at university in general.
- Offered year round in Cambridge, sessions last from 45 minutes to one and a half hours, as required
Finance
Money is not a dirty word – how to be a smart trader
This interactive session will introduce you to the world of stock markets, trading and investment. We'll use our Bloomberg Financial Markets Lab, giving you a taste of a genuine trading floor.
- Offered in Chelmsford year round, workshop lasts for one hour
Juridifying the financial world
Our interactive talk raises awareness of the influence of the law in regulating accounting and finance practice.
- Offered in Chelmsford year round, talk lasts for one hour
- This session can also be offered off-campus
Learning statistics using multimedia technology
Statistics and business are inextricably linked. Learn how new technologies can help you to tackle and interpret statistics, in our interactive session.
Suitable for all students who are interested in studying business, economics, statistics or maths.
- Offered in Chelmsford year round, session lasts for one hour
Health
Public health workshop
Our one-hour, activity-based workshops can explore a range of topics, such as the NHS, rationing of healthcare, social determinants of health, or big data and health. Ideal for students interested in the areas of health and social care
- Offered year round in schools and colleges
Childhood obesity and public health
A public health workshop that focuses on the topic of childhood obesity. Explore the issues around obesity, the impact on healthcare, and the cost to individuals and the healthcare system.
- October–July in Chelmsford, workshop lasts for 40 minutes
The role of an ODP
Find out more about the role of operating department practitioners (ODPs), with our hands-on taster sessions in Cambridge and Chelmsford.
- October–July in Cambridge and Chelmsford, sessions last for 40 minutes
Scrubbing for work
Learn more about the role of an operating department practitioner: what they do, where they work and what's involved in becoming one.
- Offered year round in schools and colleges, sessions last for one hour
The role of a healthcare scientist
What does a healthcare scientist do? Find out in our hands-on taster session. Ideal for students interested in health, biology or sports science.
- October–July in Cambridge, sessions last for 40 minutes
Understanding cardiac
Understand more about the role of healthcare scientists, and the different career pathways that you can follow – including the cardiovascular discipline.
- Offered year round in schools and colleges; sessions last for one hour and are aimed at Year 12 students
The role of a paramedic
What's it like working as a paramedic? Where do they work and what exactly does the job involve? Find out in our one-hour taster sessions.
- Offered year round in schools and colleges, sessions last for one hour
Hands-on paramedic
Join us in our skills labs for a hands-on activity session, giving you an insight into the working life of a paramedic.
- October–July in Cambridge and Chelmsford, sessions last for 40 minutes
Humanities and social sciences
Subject taster sessions
Explore some of the fascinating topics you can study on our policing, criminology, history, philosophy and sociology degree courses. Discover 'How to be happy' and 'How to rule the world', and find answers to questions like 'Do prisons work?' and 'What is it like to be a bat?'. These sessions will help you understand how the education and employment you choose can change the world around you.
- Offered year round in Cambridge, sessions last from one to one and a half hours, as required
Subject-specific CPD for teachers
Learn how to be a leader in your subject area, and make sure your pupils get the most out of your teaching. These sessions focus on the areas of expertise of our research-active staff, including public service, criminology, history, philosophy and sociology. You can be confident about getting the most up-to-date and relevant information for your chosen area. Includes refreshments on arrival and a tour of our campus.
- Mid–late June in Cambridge, from 10am-2.30pm or 5-7.30pm
A day in the life of...
Find out about an key figure in history or a particular job role in the humanities or public services from our expert lecturers, and take part in a learning activity based on the talk. These sessions can be tailored to your pupils' studies and level but might include, for example, the case of Socrates' trial and what makes for a fair trial; or Anne Boleyn, the Tudors and the role of monarchs in relation to the church.
- Offered year round in Cambridge, sessions last from 45 minutes to one and a half hours as required
Social policy taster session
Take part in a 40-minute debate about current issues in the areas of social policy, politics and sociology. There's also a 20-minute talk about our BA (Hons) Social Policy degree course.
- Offered in Cambridge, session lasts for one hour
Law
UCAS personal statements for law
Find out through a specially prepared presentation on how to approach and complete a UCAS personal statement for law.
- Schools' Autumn and Spring terms
Mini lectures/tutorials
Hear our law lecturers talk about their special areas of expertise, including family, criminal and business law. Find out what attracted them to these subjects, and to law in general. These mini lectures and tutorials will give you a chance to discover what aspect of law you're most interested in, and what you will need to know to practise it.
- Late September–December, and early February–late April (generally on Wednesdays)
Why study law?
Find out what makes law an exciting subject to study, and how it relates to so many areas of our modern lives. Taking a law degree can help you become a practising lawyer, but it can also prepare you for work in many other professions, including politics, the police and prison services, or even teaching. This talk will help you decide whether studying law is for you.
- Late September–December, and early February–late April (generally on Wednesdays)
Capacity building 'street law'
Workshops that are 'capacity building' (in a legal sense). They tackle such issues as sexting, consent and cyberbullying and put them in a legal context.
- Offered in Cambridge during schools' Autumn term. Sessions last for 60 minutes and are suitable for year 12, 13 and Access students (please check if your school/college is eligible as this activity does come with restrictions)
'Taster' sessions in law
These presentations provide attendees with an insight into a specific area of law, its contemporary application and some of the challenges law faces. Each presentation is carried out by an expert in the specific area of law being looked at. The sessions are interactive and deliberately provocative and challenging.
- Offered in Cambridge and Chelmsford during schools' Autumn term. Sessions last for 60 minutes and are suitable for year 12, 13 and Access students.
Guided court visit
This offering involves student ambassadors taking visiting school attendees on a guided tour/sitting in at the local courts (Crown or Magistrates depending on time of day and availability). The tours allow for considerable interaction between attendee and ambassador.
- Offered in Cambridge and Chelmsford during schools' Autumn term. Sessions last for 60 minutes and are suitable for year 12, 13 and Access students.
Marketing and tourism
The tourism of mega-events
An interactive workshop that looks at how mega-events, such as the Olympic Games in Rio in 2016, deliver a wonderful tourism experience. Suitable for students who are interested in business, tourism and hospitality.
- Offered year-round in Cambridge, session lasts for one hour
- This session can also be offered off-campus
Gamification in tourism
How can computer games be used in the tourism industry? Our workshop looks at a number of approaches that are currently in use, and why they're judged to be effective. Suitable for students who are interested in business, tourism and hospitality.
- Offered year-round in Cambridge, session lasts for one hour
- This session can also be offered off-campus
Music and performing arts
Subject taster sessions
Get hands-on experience of what it's like to study a music or performing arts degree at university, with these interactive, practical workshops in our professional facilities. Choose from any of our subject areas: Music; Creative Music Technology; Popular Music; Drama; or Performing Arts. Includes a campus tour and student life session, so you can find out all about life at university, too.
- October-July for Year 12 or October-December for Year 13, 10am-2.30pm in Cambridge
Studying the performing arts at university
Find out what it's like to study performing arts and drama at degree level in this talk and discussion session. Ask our staff and students anything you like about performing arts, the careers a degree can lead to, or what to expect from university in general.
- Offered year round in Cambridge; session lasts for one hour
Studying music at university
Find out what it's like to study music at degree level in this talk and discussion session. Ask our staff and students anything you like about our subject areas – music, popular music and creative music technologyh, the careers a degree can lead to, or what to expect from university in general.
- Offered year round in Cambridge; session lasts for one hour
Preparing for your audition
Find out everything you need to know about preparing for an audition. Discover what will be expected of you, and what you can do to stand out. Whether you're an actor, musician or any other kind of performer, this interactive workshop will give you a head start when competing for a place at university.
- Offered year round in Cambridge; workshop lasts for one and a half hours
Nursing and midwifery
Nursing taster sessions
A one-hour session which mixes an overview of our nursing degree courses with hands-on activity. Suitable for those interested in adult, child or mental health nursing.
- September–December for Year 13; January onwards for Year 12, session lasts for one hour. Available in Cambridge, Chelmsford and Peterborough
Clinical skills taster session
Take a tour of our university facilities and learn more about clinical skills. Complements our general nursing taster sessions.
- Offered from December onwards each academic year in Chelmsford, sessions lasts for one hour
Midwifery taster session
A one-hour session which mixes an overview of our midwifery degree course with a practical session, where we'll use mannequins to mirror a real-life birth.
- September–December for Year 13; January onwards for Year 12 in Cambridge and Chelmsford, session lasts for one hour
Psychology
Psychology taster lectures
Join in with psychology lectures that are being run for current Anglia Ruskin students
- November in Cambridge
The science of psychology
Delve into subjects including learning, sensation, perception and attention in this introduction to experimental psychology. Students will also see how 3D perception works with a portable 3D projector (just like in the cinema). As an extension to this session, we can also go on a tour of the physiology and anatomy of the human body in 3D.
- Offered year round in Cambridge, sessions last for two hours and are suitable for years 9 to 13
Sciences
Problem solving in genetics
Use a series of exciting activities and puzzles to explore the basic principles of genetics. Isolate your DNA, solve a devious puzzle that involves transcribing and translating the genetic code, and learn about the intricacies of DNA replication.
- Offered year round in Cambridge, session lasts for two hours
Careers with chemistry
What can you do with chemistry? Our lecture looks at the different careers available to students who enjoy the subject.
- Offered year round in schools and colleges, aimed at Year 12 students
Medicine of the future
The pharmaceutical industry is growing and pharmaceutical scientists are in demand. Learn about new developments in the drug industry, including types of medicine, drug formulation and where the industry goes next. Our lecture takes place in the University's new SuperLab and includes a practical demonstration.
- Wednesdays from October–July in Chelmsford, sessions last for 40 minutes
Medical science
Take part in a practical session centred around medical science in our brand new SuperLab. Includes lecture and experiment.
- October–July in Chelmsford, sessions last for 40 minutes
Careers in STEM
What can you do with biology? Our lecture looks at the different careers available to students who enjoy the subject – specifically in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM).
- Offered year round in Chelmsford
Optometry taster days
Take part in a range of practical activities that will give you an insight into the role of an optometrist. Our Cambridge campus is home to our dedicated University Eye Clinic.
- Offered year round in Cambridge
Taster lectures and revision sessions – various subjects
Taster lectures
With notice, students can be welcomed into lectures in our Faculty of Business and Law. Lectures typically last for an hour, and will be of interest to Year 12 and 13 students studying business, economics, hospitality or tourism.
- Offered year round in Cambridge and Chelmsford
Economics revision session
Offered on request, our revision sessions are aimed at Year 12 and 13 students studying economics at A Level, or economics as part of a BTEC or Access qualification.
- Offered in Cambridge year round, length of session varies depending on schools' requests
- This session can also be offered off-campus
*Subject taster requests are allocated on a first come, first served basis and are dependent on staff and space availability.