Your BA Programme is not about rote learning facts.  We believe in giving you the opportunities and the tools to become critical thinkers: people who can read, summarise, synthesise, analyse, discuss and communicate. This self-directed learning is about more than developing knowledge: it shapes you.  Through a mixture of lectures, readings, tutorial/seminar attendance and seminar work, assignments, group projects and exams, you can demonstrate what you have learned.  Approaches differ from one module to another, but all are designed to optimise your learning outcomes. Your grade for each module is the culmination of your understanding of the ideas presented in lectures, seminars and tutorials, ideas that are developed through your own reading, and the work you put in to apply this understanding to the module’s core learning objectives. 

Writing essays and completing coursework may require you to learn new skills and approaches towards your writing.  You can get advice and support from the UCD Writing Centre which offers free, high-quality tuition in writing to students who want to improve their writing skills.  More information is available on their website: UCD Writing Centre. 

You will become very familiar with Brightspace during your time in UCD. Brightspace is our e-learning environment.  It is a piece of software which is widely used in the University community. You can access Brightspace through www.ucd.ie/connect and here you will find a separate Brightspace page for each of the modules that you are taking.  Brightspace also gives you access to the platform where many module co-ordinators will ask you to submit your work, and this is to check that your work meets the requirements for academic integrity and conforms to the University’s Plagiarism policy.

Fully engaging with lectures, tutorials and seminars is vital to develop an understanding of each module and gain the skills and insights required to perform to the best of your abilities.  It is not sufficient to read somebody else’s notes, or slides. Participation is about making learning connections, drawing on the skill and knowledge of the lecturer and your fellow students. Simply put, the best outcome and most enjoyable experience is from full engagement in all aspects of your modules, whether in a formal setting or through self-directed learning.  

Lectures are delivered by an academic with expertise in that area of study.  The lecturer will set out the topic, the questions it raises and indicate the various connections that exist between this and other topics. Because lectures are usually related to the research areas of the people giving them, they provide much more than can be found in the textbooks.   To benefit from lectures, students need to develop specific study skills.  You can do this by attending (on-line or in person depending on circumstances), listening, taking notes and reflecting on them afterwards.   

Tutorials are a small group learning setting where you take an active role in your learning. They are aligned with your lectures, but they do not repeat what you have already heard.  Rather, tutorials develop the themes and topics of the module with a strong focus on skills. Where offered, they are vital to your success in the module. Assessments are often developed and delivered via tutorials. (opens in a new window)  You will be advised if you need to register for tutorials but how you register varies from School to School and subject to subject. In most cases, you will choose a tutorial group during the online registration process. This will be made clear to you during your registration, but if you are unsure, contact your School Office, or College Office.  

Many modules are based on two lectures each week with one tutorial/seminar every two weeks, or one lecture and one tutorial per week, but it varies according to Programme, School and Subject. You can check the requirements for each module through Course Search by clicking on the module title on your SISWeb registration page.  You can expect to spend about 125 hours on each 5-credit module over the course of the trimester: this time includes lectures, tutorials, group work, and time spent reading up on course material, studying it critically and doing assessments.