Helping you achieve academic success
I am an experienced academic passionate about inspiring individuals to aim high. I have assisted multiple students and early career academics to achieve their goals.
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I am an experienced academic passionate about inspiring individuals to aim high. I have assisted multiple students and early career academics to achieve their goals.
I'm Dr Tom Gibbons, owner of Gibbons Academic.
Get the help that you need now.
years of experience
Specifically for university students and early career academics, as well as research, academic writing and higher education consultancy services based on over 20 years of experience in UK Higher Education.
Academic Research
University Lecturer
Academic Publications
Tutoring Hours
Tom was on the winning team of three lecturers awarded “Most Innovative Approach to Engaging Students using Education Technology” category at the 2022 Pearson HE Innovate awards which is a national competition with entries from institutions across the UK.
Read about how Tom has helped other students, colleagues & clients like you
Tom was my lecturer and dissertation tutor during my 3 years at Teesside Uni, sitting for an undergraduate degree in Sports studies. He was always very approachable and helpful. His dedication, knowledge and guidance played a pivotal role in helping me achieve my goals. I will forever be grateful for what he has done for me during those 3 years!
Tom is a superb tutor. He has a vast wealth of knowledge in a variety of sociological pathways and supervised and guided me through my PhD over a 5-year period. I fully trusted his guidance, knowledge and support and his quality and meticulous nature resulted in me passing my viva with very minor corrections! Tom is adept at working with a variety of students both individually and as a group and always demonstrates his detailed understanding of sociology and a genuine passion for teaching and tutoring. He can simplify complex sociological theories and concepts in a way that is easy for students to understand and decipher. He is very patient, approachable, and provides great feedback, which I received over a number of years. I highly recommend him.
Tom is a great academic and lecturer. He supervised my undergraduate studies and was my PhD supervisor for two years. He is an expert in academic writing and qualitative research methods, but what sets him apart is his passion for teaching and his dedication to helping students reach their full potential. In other words, he genuinely cares about your academic development! He is certainly one of the best teachers I have ever had! He speaks well and he's always enthusiastic. I would highly recommend Tom to support any student at any level looking to advance their studies.
Dr Gibbons is a one-of-a-kind empathic and fantastic teacher who is extremely good with students of different levels. I would highly recommend Dr Gibbons for any tutoring services. From the smallest piece of advice to more constructive in-depth sessions he will be there to support, guide and help you in a professional, friendly and enjoyable way.
I am incredibly grateful for the outstanding tutoring I received. Tom’s class inspired me to deeply understand the qualitative research terms and teach me how to perform it professionally. Highly recommended!!
Tom is a fantastic tutor. Tom taught me sociology and research methods during my undergraduate and master's. He has a wealth of knowledge in sociology and made the topic engaging, fun, and he was able teach complex sociological concepts in a way that they were easy to understand and apply. Tom’s passion for sociology and his ability to help students reach their full potential is clearly evident in his students’ success- he supported me after my master’s with applying for a PhD. I can’t thank Tom enough for his guidance during my studies.
Tom was my tutor during the Class of 2013. He was fantastic in all respects. Not just a tutor but a mentor, he worked with me through my 3 years at Teesside to help me recognize and reach my full potential. He is beyond knowledgeable and passionate but above all he is approachable. With his support and patience, I achieved a First Class Honours. I couldn't have got there without him!
Tom was a previous lecturer of mine and is patient, supportive, very experienced & highly knowledgeable.
Excellent! Able to identify grammar issues with my work, assisted me to structure my dissertation. Friendly but professional ability to identify issues that I have with completing my work along with clear concise easy to follow feedback.
Tom gave me many resources to study from based on my interests. He was friendly and I hope to see him again.
Great session with Tom who provided valuable feedback for the dissertation.
Tom provides a combination of practical tools and knowledge for tutoring level 7 research students. I’m very well supported.
I had the pleasure of being taught by Tom during my time at Teesside University. He was always supportive, clear in his teaching, and genuinely cared about student success. His knowledge and dedication made a real difference in my learning and I’m grateful for the guidance and encouragement he provided. I highly recommend him to anyone looking for a dedicated and knowledgeable educator.
Tom was my tutor at undergraduate level. He made all his seminars and lectures very interesting and promoted interesting discussion and thoughts behind the topic rather than just telling us information. He was very helpful and always went above and beyond to provide support when it came to assignments. Definitely recommend his services.
Tom provided me with the confidence and knowledge required to plan and design my PowerPoint presentations to the students I teach, in a simplified manner. His expertise in teaching sociological theories is most useful for those who desire to understand these theories in a structured and simplified way.
Throughout my three years studying Sport & Exercise (Sports Studies) at Teesside University, I had the pleasure of being taught by Dr. Tom Gibbons. His passion for the subject and deep knowledge of the social, cultural, and political aspects of sport made a lasting impression on me. Dr. Gibbons had a unique ability to bring theory to life and always encouraged critical thinking and open discussion. His teaching style was engaging, thought-provoking, and supportive—creating an environment where students felt comfortable exploring new ideas and perspectives. He challenged us to think beyond the surface, helping me to develop a more analytical and well-rounded understanding of sport in society. What stood out most was his genuine interest in his students' development. Whether through thoughtful feedback, academic guidance, or just being approachable and encouraging, Dr. Gibbons consistently went above and beyond. I'm truly grateful for his support and the impact he’s had on my academic and personal growth.
Tom is a competent and exemplary tutor. His ability in research at the highest level enables him to navigate the complexity of teaching with ease. His advice is practical and achievable. I worked with him for over 15 years in HE and I have no hesitation in recommending him to you.
Tom is an experienced educator and researcher with whom I've had the pleasure of working for over 15 years across various roles, including teaching teams, PhD supervision, grant writing, and co-authoring books and numerous peer-reviewed publications. He is an outstanding teacher with a deep commitment to student success, and I highly recommend him.
During my postgraduate studies, Tom taught me for research methods, a traditionally difficult topic to teach. Tom was knowledgeable in all things qualitative research but more importantly he was clear, enthusiastic and approachable to all students, making the learning experience enjoyable.
When I started my university journey, I met Tom, who taught me the value of motivation, hard work, and studying with passion. If you want to get to know Tom, all you need to do is attend one of his lectures, presentations, or seminars; you'll enjoy yourself and never feel bored.
I found Tom's teaching style very satisfactory as he was always clear and concise. His support when needed was always above and beyond. Tom is always interested in his students as people too, which makes his tuition more personalised.
Dr Tom put his trust in me once during my application for the course and it changed my life. My dream of a career in football became a reality because of the support and dedication to research Dr Tom provided me throughout my degree. An incredible mentor, thank you for everything Tom.
I had a chance to work with Dr Tom Gibbons who worked as a senior lecturer and module leader for undergraduate research projects at Teesside University. I found Tom a very keen member of staff who properly supervised students and guided new staff on his module. Tom is a very knowledgeable and puctual person. His strong scientific background can help students and academics in their presentations, paper writing and in the provision of sound critical advice. Working side by side with Tom was a very fruitful experience for me.
I had the pleasure of being taught by Tom during my undergraduate studies at Teesside University during my BSc Sport & Exercise Science degree. First in the Sport in Society module during my first year, and later in a Research Methods module in my second year. Across both modules, Tom consistently demonstrated an outstanding ability to engage students in critical thinking, encourage meaningful discussion, and foster an inclusive and supportive learning environment. It was through Tom’s teaching, guidance and invited guest lectures on his modules that I developed a strong interest in qualitative research methodologies. His passion for the subject and his own research, particularly the value of individual lived experiences and qualitative analysis, played a significant role in shaping my academic path. This influence was pivotal in the development of my dissertation, which explored the lived experiences of physical education teachers using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach, a style of research I certainly would not have discovered or pursued without Tom’s module content and support. Beyond subject knowledge, Tom exemplifies the qualities of an inspiring educator: approachable, insightful, and genuinely invested in the development of their students. I’m incredibly grateful for the impact he had on my academic journey from my first year through to my dissertation subject and would recommend Tom to anyone seeking a dedicated and knowledgeable tutor.
If you were to make a list of all the ideal skills, experience, knowledge and personality traits required to provide effective academic support, Tom could tick off every one of them. He has significant expertise in tutoring students and mentoring early career academics and I have picked up a lot of tips from him over the years. Perhaps most importantly, Tom is an easy going, kind and empathetic person with a genuine commitment to wanting to help people succeed in their studies and careers.