The first year experience

The first-year experience in higher education has been the topic of research and comment in English-language academic publications in the UK and worldwide for more than 40 years. The expansion of higher education has led to an increased requirement to support the diverse student population a possible reason for an increasing concern with the first-year experience.

This literature review aims to consider the research literature and institutional 'grey material' exploring the undergraduate and postgraduate first-year experience and to identify key emerging issues to inform university policy makers practitioners researchers and other interested parties.