UCD Exams - Degree Courses

garrettod

Hi,

Is it typical to have more than one written exam per day, for the UCD degree courses ?

Many thanks,

Maldesu

I've had it happen as have a few friends over the 3 years (which was 6 different exams sessions). Think mine was a 9am session and a 6pm session. Can't recall it happening more that once to me or anyone I knew, but it probably does happen. You can look at the ucd exam timetable here to see what it is like for this semester. Obviously, this changes every year but it will give you an idea.

Mr.Saturn

Obviously it depends on a load of different things like courses and subject combinations, but it has happened to me at least twice. In one case it was my two most dreaded exams with a four gap between 1 ending and the other beginning.

I can comfortably say, with the benefit of hindsight, it was the most miserable day of my BA.

Dores

Sometimes happens, there is 1 hour break allowed between exams, that's all.

garrettod

That seems very unfair, for people sitting 3 hour written exams... to be expected to do two the same day (writers cramp, mental fatigue etc.)

Maldesu

2 hours usually. To be fair to UCD, they do make an effort to try not have subjects on the same day, but there are thousands of students. For example, my friend had a classics and geography exam on the same day with little time between them, but there was no other classics or geography exam scheduled for that day. When you are in the exam your probably sharing a room with people doing a Science subject, Engineering, Medicine, Sports etc.

At the end of the day, UCD have to facilitate thousands of students in the RDS over a space of two weeks, making sure there isn't someone sitting two exams at the same time. Trying to make sure there is one a day per person would probably drag exams a week longer or more. I'd rather sit two in one day, than hang about an extra week or so for my last exam to come around. Especially at Crimbo - RDS is sooo cold.

garrettod

Hi,

I guess that bit is down to personal preference - for me, reaonable gaps between exams allows time to recover (in terms of metal and physical stress), do a bit of prep work prior to each exam to assist with getting decent grades etc. Whether exams run for 2 weeks, or 4 weeks is not a concern for me as long as spacing between exams is reasonable.

On a general point... as UCD has grown, with more and more students and courses, it's clear that it needs more exam days by default don't you think ? This in turn would automatically help reduce or remove the risk of two exams on the same day (and there are both 2 hour and 3 hour exams, so appreciate that we are both right on that one )

Maldesu

Hmm. I think it the exam period had to be stretched out, the exams would probably get held after Christmas, meaning study during the holidays, which would be awful imo.
As UCD expands, I think their aim would be to change level 3 modules into more project work or report type assignments but keep entry level modules as exams. They could also start using Sunday's but I don't think they would. I do notice as I run through the exams list that there are a lot more 1 hour exams there now, so that could be indicating a change. I know when I did some of them, they were two hours.