The Faculties and Departments decide and design the courses offered, organise lectures (a lecture list is published at the beginning of the year as a special issue of the University's official periodical the which details lecture titles and locations), practical sessions and classes, and set, supervise and mark the examinations. Since the courses are offered by the University rather than by the Colleges, all students in a your subject take the same course, whatever their College.
The academic role of the College is different, but equally important. It is in and through the College that students receive the small-group teaching, ‘supervisions’, that are a particular characteristic of Cambridge.
Directors of Studies (DoS)
Many students get to know their Directors of Studies extremely well, and in »ÆÉ«ÊÓƵ we try hard to make this relationship a rewarding one. We have our own internal DoSs in most subjects who will see you at the beginning and end of each term to advise you on your work and course options, arrange supervisions, and generally monitor your progress. When you apply for jobs or grants, your Director of Studies will write your academic reference. If any problems or questions arise in relation to your work, you should discuss them with your Director of Studies.
Supervisions
Supervisions are a key and compulsory part of College teaching provision. They are your opportunity to engage in dialogue about your work and to have problems addressed and difficulties clarified. Your supervisor is appointed by your Director of Studies (and sometimes centrally, by the smaller Departments) to provide specific supervision for a paper or topic. So you attend the lectures, practicals and classes organised by the University, but can explore their content in much greater depth in supervision,make connections with other areas in the field and have problems discussed and written work marked. Supervisions also provide an opportunity to get out and visit other Colleges, as supervisions are the best available in each subject specialism, which may mean they are based at another College.
It is your obligation to take full advantage of this opportunity by taking time to prepare beforehand (e.g. by listing questions you have), by submitting work to the supervisor’s deadline and by participating in discussion during the supervision itself. We recognize that mature students with partners and families often have many calls on their time, and supervisors will make every effort to schedule supervisions at mutually convenient times. You should never miss a supervision except for very good cause (such as illness or a failure in childcare arrangements), and you should always let the supervisor know in advance if you cannot make the appointment. A student who fails to attend for no good reason will be referred to the Senior Tutor, and the College reserves the right to charge the student for the supervisor’s time.
Study Skills
Undergraduate courses at Cambridge can be extremely rewarding, but they are also demanding. A high level of study skills is required in order to keep up with the pace of the work, and many mature students, particularly those returning to full-time education after a significant break, find that they need to work on these skills. Fortunately, you can expect help from a wide variety of sources. Your Director of Studies and supervisors will give you subject-specific advice, and the College runs workshops as part of the programme and our librarians are always happy to see you one-to-one to discuss your specific questions.
In transitioning to study at the University, have a look at - specifically design to help build your confidence before and during the first term. It includes information about where and how you will study as well as the academic skills you will need during your degree.
Examinations
Undergraduate courses last for three or four years (although affiliated students take one year less), and are examined every summer. The examination (called Tripos) has two parts: a Part I, which lasts for one or two years, followed by a Part II, which can be either for one year or for two: some Triposes also require the taking of a Preliminary Examination. It is possible to change from one course to another after Part I. All degrees are honours degrees, and results for each part of the Tripos is classified into first class, upper and lower second, and third class.
Examinations are arranged by the University, with the entry process overseen by the College. It is essential that you consult your Director of Studies thoroughly about your examination entry and collect any forms promptly when requested to do so by the Tutorial Office.
University examinations are sat in central locations. In exceptional circumstances, the University may allow students to sit papers in College, with, where necessary, an allowance for extra time. Such permission is only granted to students with a serious illness or disability. In all other cases, candidates are expected to sit examinations under the usual conditions, even if they feel there are factors which could detract from their performance. Candidates with certified mild dyslexia are not allowed additional time, but the Examiners will be instructed to ignore minor errors of spelling (except in language examinations where precision is essential).
If you believe you have good reason to take your examinations in College, you should see your Tutor, who may apply to the University's Board of Examinations on your behalf. Applications must be supported with medical evidence, whether from a doctor or educational psychologist (in the case of dyslexia) or other professional consultant. You should be aware, however, that the provision of such evidence will not automatically ensure that the application will be successful. Permission is granted only for the year of application, and on-going medical conditions must be re-assessed in subsequent years.
When the application relates to a pre-existing medical condition, you should normally apply before the end of the Lent Term. Applications relating to unforeseen illness or injury can be made during the Easter Term. Last-minute arrangements can only be made in genuine emergencies,and only – as in all other cases – when the illness or injury is of such severity that it would be out of the question for you to sit the papers under normal conditions.
If you take your examinations in normal conditions, but believe, either in advance or subsequently, that your performance either will be or has been seriously affected by adverse factors, you should consult your Tutor as soon as possible. In acute cases (again, supported by medical evidence) the University may take such factors into account. The University cannot specifically raise a candidate to a higher class, but it can allow a candidate an examination in which the examiners' marks indicate failure, or it can `declare to have deserved honours' a candidate whose class– based on the examiners' marks alone – it considers seriously misleading.
Protocol for Changes to Tripos
You are admitted to the College to study the course for which you applied. Changing course is often possible, and sometimes desirable. The tripos system allows considerable flexibility, but not absolute freedom to change course.
Please note that changes to tripos will be allowed only within the first two weeks of Michaelmas Term. Therefore, if the student wishes to make a change, they should contact the Director of Studies of the new subject within this time. No changes will be approved after this date.
If you think you may wish to change course, please consult your in the first instance before proceeding.
If at any stage you wish to change course, you will need to follow the below process.
- Student to explore the possibility of a change of tripos with the new subject (DoS) and consider whether the allow for such a transfer.
- The new DOS should firstly liaise with the Department to confirm whether such a transfer is possible and acceptable. The new DOS should include the current DOS and Tutor for approval. The Tutorial Manager should also be included in the communication to make them aware of the proposed change.
- The new DOS and Admissions Tutor will recommend a test for the student and agree when the student should be transferred to the new subject.
- Once approved the Tutorial Manager would seek the Senior Tutor’s permission and final approval before moving the student to the new tripos.
- The new DOS and Tutor should explore fees, visa and maintenance costs directly with the student.
If the student misses the deadline for the change of tripos in the current academic year, the College recommends that the student completes the current year in their current tripos. The student needs a result of 2.1 to allow transfer in the following year and if the Department/Faculty allows it. This might mean that the student may have to retake the first year of the new tripos as some subjects do not accept students into the second year.
Please note it might be that the student cannot move to another tripos for Part IB and may have to repeat the first year. Equally, there is no expectation that the transferred students will cover all the material that was taught in the first year of the new tripos unless it is a requirement of the new course. Cambridge degrees are not identified by subject when awarded, only by degree. To receive the BA, students must complete both a Part I and a Part II, but they are not required to complete both in the same subject.