Education FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Exams
1. Can I apply to change the exam timetable if I have a number of exams in the same day?
Yes. A provisional exam timetable will be sent out around Week 9. It is your responsibility to read this and request a change if you need one. You can do this by contacting your Class Rep.
2. How do I get my results?
Your results will be available on http://www.si.ul.ie/urd/sits.urd/run/siw_lgnon a date prescribed by Student Academic Administration (SAA). You must enter your ID, password (which you got at the start of 1st year) and your date of birth. If you cannot remember your password please contact SAA.
3. How do I go about getting a grade recheck?
The forms are downloadable from the Student Academic Administration website, http://www.ul.ie/studentacademicadmin
It costs €25 for standard exams and €50 for teaching practice. It is important that you apply for rechecks as soon as possible, as there is a time limit.
4. How do I go about viewing my exam scripts?
You apply to the relevant department (not necessarily your own department) to view your exam scripts. So for example if your paper is a History one, you apply to the History Department even if history is a minor option. If it is a law exam, you apply to the Law Department, even if you take Law as a minor.
5. How does QCA translate to my degree?
According to Student Academic Administration the university standard for a 1.1 to a Third Class Honours are as follows;
1.1 – a QCA of 3.4 - 4.0
2.1 – a QCA of 3 - 3.39
2.2 – a QCA of 2.6 - 2.9
3rd – a QCA of 2 – 2.59
However faculties apply what’s called a discretionary band. This means that students below the university levels may still be eligible for a higher degree. In order to find out the discretionary band for your course please contact the relevant department.
6. What happens if I feel very sick during my exama or somebody that I was close to dies?
If you are ill or if there is a death in your family, group of friends, etc. you can apply to have your exam postponed until the repeats in summer (August ’10). This is called an I-grade. If you are ill, then you must get a letter from your own doctor to this effect and present it to the medical centre in the university or you must go directly to the university medical centre to be assessed for a cert. If a death occurs the usual procedure is to go to the university chaplain, Fr. Koenraad Van Gucht and present a letter from a local priest or counsellor at home. Fr. Koenraad may also authorise the necessary documents based on speaking to you. In the event of mental health issues, you may apply for an I-grade by making an appointment with Student Counselling.
However it is very important that you do not apply for an I-grade unless you really need one. Applications that are not genuine may result in serious consequences for you should you have a genuine application in the future and they may also affect the ability of other students to get I-grades in genuine cases.
Timetables
7. Where do I find my class timetable?
Class/exam timetables are available on www.timetable.ul.ie
8. My timetable is missing modules, what’s wrong with it?
There are many explanations as to why your timetable may be missing modules;
- You may not have pre-registered correctly last semester.
- You may not have registered correctly this semester
- Your course may be undergoing ECTS standardisation (BBS 4th year).
- There may just be a mistake in the system.
Mistakes in your timetable may mean that you are not correctly registered for your exams. Please go to Student Academic Administration (S.A.A.) as soon as possible to remedy the mistake (if possible in Week 1, as after this, there is a charge).
9. Can I change the exam timetable if I have a number of exams in the same day?
Yes. A provisional exam timetable will be sent out around Week 9. It is your responsibility to read this and request a change if you need one. You can do this by contacting your Class Rep who will then contact the module director / advisor.
Registration
10. Why do I have to register in Week 1?
You have to register in Week 1 to confirm your module choices for the year, if you have any. If you don’t have module choices, then you must register to ensure that you are able to sit your exams. Late registration will incur a fine.
11. Why do I have to pre-register in Week 5?
You have to pre-register to ensure that you can do the modules you want to the following semester. If you do not pre-resister you may not be able to take the classes that you want to.
Class Reps
12. How do I find out who my Class Rep is?
Please contact the PSA by emailing dan.comerford@ul.ie or aoife.finnerty@ul.ie
13. If my course has no Class Rep, can I apply?
Yes. Just call into the Education Officer in the SU or the PSA President to have a chat about the responsibilities and the rewards!
Lecturers
14. What do I do if my lecturer has not given my class a module outline?
If your lecturer has not given your class a module outline, report it to the Education Officer, Aoife (or Ed) immediately. It is against the rules for a lecturer not to provide his/her class with a module outline. If your lecturer does give you a module outline, make sure you read it thoroughly!
15. What do I do if my lecturer gives course work that is not on the course outline?
The course outline is supposed to be the “contract” between the lecturer and the students. The seriousness of the breach/whether there is a breach at all depends on the circumstances. Contact your Class Rep with any issues of this nature.