New Academic Calender 2007/2008

Funkstard

"New Academic Calendar



At its meeting on June 28th, Academic Council determined that in academic year 2007/08 the Autumn Semester would begin on September 10th 2007 and end on December 21st 2007 and that the Spring Semester would begin on January 28th 2008 and end on May 16th 2008.



There will be no change in the duration of semesters - each semester will last for 15 weeks comprising 12 weeks teaching, 1 week reading period, and 2 weeks examination period.



Academic Council also determined that, in the Spring Semester, there should be a one week break from teaching around Easter time. That explains why there is a total of 16 weeks between the start and end of the Spring Semester.



Further details regarding the new calendar will be made available shortly.



I wish to take this opportunity of thanking the campus community for their active engagement in the debate surrounding this important change in the way that we organise our business. "

Much, much better. None of this studying over Christmas b*llocks. 5 full weeks off for Christmas and a week off for Easter. Finished for summer on the 16th of May!

kaimera

Me likes.

Or I would if I was to be here next college year

bluedolphin

Excellent for 4th years with FYPs due in second semester, but will mess up study-abroad options with the fact that other colleges twinned with UL have completely different calenders...

cooperguy

Im much happier. We can have a class trip abroad round easter instead of at the start of february:D

Mossin

I cant wait for it to come into effect... It means longer Christmas holidays, and no pressure during them.

Also, I'll be going on Co-op after Xmas nest year and thats all I'll have to concentrate on.

It does mean a shorter summer for us this coming summer, but that is just for this year, after this it will be ok again.

Brendygg

I think its a great new calendar, bout 5 weeks off for xmas thats brilliant and not havin to be worryin about tests is great. Will make xmas 2007 much better! handy week off for easter will be nice too

sceptre

bluedolphin wrote:

Excellent for 4th years with FYPs due in second semester, but will mess up study-abroad options with the fact that other colleges twinned with UL have completely different calenders...

Some do, some don't. Some are more in line with the new calendar. There will be some students travelling to UL in semester 2 that will now have no spring break. Travel from UL shouldn't be directly adversely affected at all and if anything should actually improve. The 'twinning' arrangements are in any case pretty slack and express more a willingness to take X students than a requirement to take X students.

kaimera

So how many academic calender changes will you have been thru after this one mr. sceptre?

440Hz

kaimera wrote:

So how many academic calender changes will you have been thru after this one mr. sceptre?

tut tut!!! very low blow, for a girl

Mossin

New Academic Calendar


At its meeting on June 28th, Academic Council determined that in academic year 2007/08 the Autumn Semester would begin on September 10th 2007 and end on December 21st 2007 and that the Spring Semester would begin on January 28th 2008 and end on May 16th 2008.



Further details regarding the new calendar are as follows:



Teaching Semesters



Autumn Semester Weeks 1-13


September 10 2007 to December 7 2007


Spring Semester Weeks 1-13


January 28 2008 to May 2 2008






Examinations



Repeat Examinations


August 27 2007 to September 1 2007

Autumn Examinations


December 8 2007 to December 21 2007

Spring Examinations


May 5 2008 to May 17 2008






Conferring Ceremonies






Summer Conferring


August 27 2007 to August 30 2007

Winter Conferring


January 21 2008 to January 23 2008




Other Major Dates




Orientation


September 4 2007 to September 7 2007

Open Days


October 15 & 16 2007

Easter Teaching Break


March 19 2008 to March 25 2008

fatgav

Anyone know if these changes will effect MIC?

bluedolphin

sceptre wrote:

Some do, some don't. Some are more in line with the new calendar. There will be some students travelling to UL in semester 2 that will now have no spring break. Travel from UL shouldn't be directly adversely affected at all and if anything should actually improve. The 'twinning' arrangements are in any case pretty slack and express more a willingness to take X students than a requirement to take X students.

Not necessarily so. With American colleges, yes, the new calendar either doesn't really change things at all, or else for the better. However, with European colleges, many start around the same time as UL does presently or later, with exams running into the start of February. Currently, this means UL students just scrape back in time for the start of the second semester.

As I am presently on Erasmus I am experiencing this first hand. Officially, my exams here in my Erasmus college do not finish until the 16 February, which is the end of the current week 1. The story is the same for most of my friends in European universities, with one of my friends not finishing until the end of the current week 2 (i.e. she will not be able to attend classes in UL until week 3).

With the new academic calendar, things are going to be pretty much messed up in this regard. UL students abroad in European institutions will miss the beginning of the second semester - for example, under the new calendar I would miss the first three weeks of college and not be back on campus until week 4. The situation is much worse for my friend who theoretically miss the first five weeks and not be around until week 6!?!?

I'm not sure how this situation can be rectified - unless the study abroad component of courses was moved to second semester, thereby allowing students to let it run on into the summer vacation if needs be.

One other thing to be noted in this review is that study abroad does not contribute towards QCA for many courses i.e. it's pass/fail. Therefore, without degrading it in the slightest, I think many students would find it preferable to miss the beginning of a semester in their chosen institute should it be moved to the second semester, rather than miss the beginning of UL's semester where work effort contributes to QCA should it stay in the current first semester.

I also know that some students do currently go abroad in the second semester (eg BBS) and therefore it would not be feasible to send studenst just in the second semester.

I agree with the new academic calendar but I think certain aspects need to be thoroughly thought through first.

kaimera

I'm going to sticky this thread as a FYI for new students and for current students unaware of the changes

For current 4th years, graduation now takes place the last week in August, 28, 29, 39th I do believe.

Repeat exams are on that week also.

Winter Graduation takes place in January.