exams results

tintinr35

just rang the politics department there (because i have been tryin admin all day and all i can get is a machine) and was told the middle of july.
im so glad this is the last dealings i will be having with UCD

Vainglory

MIDDLE of July?


I think I'm going to cry.

Fremen

Bah! just got my results there.

I got a 2.1, but if they let me use the beneficial aggregation rule with my results from third year AND the within-the-per cent rule (i.e. 69.1% gets you a first, though this rule isn't documented in marks and standards), then I might be able to upgrade it.

Assets Model

What is the story with within a percent rule? I heard if you got 59% you automatically got 60% and even if you got 58% you may be moved up? Is that true?

Stepherunie

I had a chat with my year head about this and according to him once all the exams are corrected the results go to the exam board. The external examiner takes a look at the results and the results curve. Then the external examiner may choose to take a look at some exam papers of students that are borderline moving up a grade (i.e sitting on 69). They may then decide to upgrade that person or all those sitting on 60 if they feel that the results are not in line with previous years.

However this isn't complete set rule. We got our results for one of our exams last semester and out of 38 of us, 36 of us received firsts. I was talking to my year head about it because I honestly didn't believe that they'd leave 36 firsts stand as it would complete throw the curve. However because all the correcting was in line with the marking scheme the external examiner okayed the results.

mloc

I think it depends on the subject.

I know in our faculty at least we were told that if everyone qualified for a first they'd get them; that is, there is no curve as such. Being a degree year the results are checked by the extern and all those achieving first class honours or those borderline (within 1.5%) were called in for an oral examination by the extern. The examination was based on our thesis and any material from the pharmacology course, from any year (1st - 4th year).

katarin

tintinr35 wrote:

ya they put a hold on ur results u know that view holds button on sis......

is that true? i owe 7.50, id better get paying..

Stabshauptmann

Assets Model wrote:

What is the story with within a percent rule? I heard if you got 59% you automatically got 60% and even if you got 58% you may be moved up? Is that true?

No. There is no automatic upgrade rule.

I have had 5 borderline results, one a X9.5.
There may be a policy (either formal or informal) to do this in certain schools. But I cant find any official rule. If the policy does exist it doesnt seem universal.

Stabshauptmann

Stepherunie wrote:

We got our results for one of our exams last semester and out of 38 of us, 36 of us received firsts. I was talking to my year head about it because I honestly didn't believe that they'd leave 36 firsts stand as it would complete throw the curve. However because all the correcting was in line with the marking scheme the external examiner okayed the results.

This kind of **** is happening all over UCD and other 3rd level institutes. Its making a degree worthless. Unless we do something pretty soon we're going to be in the same boat as Switzerland where you need a masters just to start your career or a PhD for a decent one.

Think about this though, most people in my course would flip if they got a 2.2, most people I know consider it a huge slap in the face. I taught a first year class this year and they had some assignments which were graded by a graduate student. I was to mark them too as a bench mark.

I'd honestly have given )without any regard to a curve,
One 1st,
Four 2.1's
Ten 2.2''s
and Five passes

The examiner gave half of them firsts and the other half 2.1s. Its ****ing ridiculous

machiavellianme

aequinoctium wrote:

is it true that they won't give you your degree if you have overdue library books?

i just heard that from a friend...

No its not true, but it's a pain if you come back as a broke postgrad and get hit with massive fees on your account.

Stepherunie

I don't think that my example is a widespread incidence. In defence of the lecturer in question the pressure put on him was phenomenal. This year is his first time lecturing as he's just completed his PhD. Having spoken to people about this, generally colleges like to ease new lecturers in by giving them 10 - 15 hours per week lecture time.

This particular lecturer was given 26 hours teaching time per week (all brand new courses that he had to design), a job as second year year head (the hardest class to be year head of due to there workload and pressures), erasmus co - ordinator (which included spending many hours with me trying to sort out my lack of vaccinations and where the hell they could be obtained) and he was engaged in a large research project. That's a lot to take on in one year.

The actual exam was tough, none of us found it easy, it was the marking scheme that proved to suit us. And as my year head said himself, next year this wouldn't happen.


Being honest, I don't get 2:2s because they don't exist for me. With a 50% pass rate everyone works to get 60 because we all know that we have no chance of getting postgrads for about a decade if not more unless we get 2:1s. The knowledge that we lack the chance to progress without this pushes us all to succeed. Thus it's rare to have more than one or 2 pass degrees in my course (this may increase due to the doubling of class sizes). I think part of it is also because if you fail one exam in final radiography you get an automatic pass degree so everyone works there asses off to ensure that that doesn't happen.

So to say that all degrees are being watered down and marked easier, I simply don't believe it.

Oh and apologies for being woefully on topic. To be on topic, had a chat with my lecturer a few days back, looks like June 25th of so for my exam results.

Sarn

Stepherunie wrote:

..Having spoken to people about this, generally colleges like to ease new lecturers in by giving them 10 - 15 hours per week lecture time.

This particular lecturer was given 26 hours teaching time per week (all brand new courses that he had to design)

Are you sure it wasn't 26 lectures for the year. The most student contact hours I've heard for a lecturer is 60 hours a year and that is considered extreme, on average it'd be around 30. Of course this doesn't take into account lecture preparation time etc.

Rosita

Assets Model wrote:

What is the story with within a percent rule? I heard if you got 59% you automatically got 60% and even if you got 58% you may be moved up? Is that true?

I haven't ever heard of this but I was upgraded once in History and it was explained to me that I had done much worse in one exam - I overran on one question and struggled for time on the third as a result -than my consistent mark in others and assignments, so they upgraded me (I was about 1.5% short) on the basis that they felt it was a fairer refelction of where I was at.

I am sure I was upgraded once in English too as my mark was nice and round, but I never bothered getting feedback on that one.

I know nothing of any automatic upgrading of people, and I doubt it occurs.

Stepherunie

Sarn wrote:

Are you sure it wasn't 26 lectures for the year. The most student contact hours I've heard for a lecturer is 60 hours a year and that is considered extreme, on average it'd be around 30. Of course this doesn't take into account lecture preparation time etc.

Nope, per week, that was what he said anyway. He was running a number of different courses over the four years of the degree and a contributing lecturer to a number of other courses.

Stabshauptmann

Stepherunie wrote:

So to say that all degrees are being watered down and marked easier, I simply don't believe it.

Cool.

But I have read in national newspapers research that supports the opinion (20th March Irish times), lecturers who share the opinion (the provost of Trinity is vocal on the subject), the Observer I think ran an article about it, its is my own experience, and two siblings of mine who grade papers in two different subjects in two different universities hold the same opinion.

I dont see an abundance of research on the subject in Ireland, but there is in the USA and the UK.

Grade inflation is a problem in these countries, and I believe it is a problem here too.

Vainglory

I think UCD has one of the lowest rates of first class honours grades among all the NUI's. It's also distinctly harder to get a first in arts than it is in say, science (and it's not because we're not as smart, either.)

Stabshauptmann

Well comparing between disciplines will always be difficult. What does a regression of arts results over time look like?

Stepherunie

Kaptain Redeye wrote:

Cool.

But I have read in national newspapers research that supports the opinion (20th March Irish times), lecturers who share the opinion (the provost of Trinity is vocal on the subject), the Observer I think ran an article about it, its is my own experience, and two siblings of mine who grade papers in two different subjects in two different universities hold the same opinion.

I dont see an abundance of research on the subject in Ireland, but there is in the USA and the UK.

Grade inflation is a problem in these countries, and I believe it is a problem here too.

There's a school of thought that agree with you and then they're the school of thought that don't. I happen to be in the latter.

One reason I find is this; the previous examination system to enter into college purely relied of the need to do honours Irish and to pass the leaving Cert, there was no points requirement to enter into any course, thus of course without denying the intelligence of those entering college, there was no competition for places. It was purely a question of whether or not your parents could afford to send you to college.

Over time this changed, students are now required to gain points to enter college, and whilst some points have decrease overall despite decreasing numbers of students points continue to reach an upward trend, now one could argue that this is due to grade inflation in the secondary system though that doesn't appear to be too apparent. It could also mean that students of a higher level are entering into third level education, particularly in the NUI/TCD system.

With the increasing points for courses comes increasing work ethics, want of knowledge etc, thus students tend to perform better in college. Students are also realising that it is no longer sufficient to just have a degree to get a good job, with the increasing numbers of students in third level education comes increasing competition for jobs, thus students must achieve more and more and get better degrees to get that dream job.

Also the methods by which students are being examined in third level are changing, no longer do we rely on testing the student at one interval by one method only to prove there knowledge of subjects. More modern methods of teaching and examining are being used by all colleges which allow students to show there understanding of the material and ability to use it rather than just how good they are at regurgitating information ad nauseum.


I think the better grades students receive are more to do with a changing Ireland rather than a dumbing down of the college system.

panda100

Just wanted to ask a question.....does the type of degree you get i.e honours really matter?I know two people who qualified with 1st class honours arts degrees and they both ended up unemployed for ages and now are just working in shops in town. I know a girl then who scrapped a pass in arts and is writing for the indo now. Even in medicine the people who get honours get a good intern place and then thats about it. Surely a degree is just a degree at the end of the day and it doesnt matter what marks you get?

redcar

Ok I have a stupid question... but I am a first year, so forgive me.
When I get my results I am presuming that they will be online like Christmas. But I will need to get a printed copy of them, for my grant application.
So the question is, whats the procedure for that, go up to admin or something like that?
I would look at the UCD website but I can never get an answer from there, its always impossible.

Jonny Arson

panda100 wrote:

Just wanted to ask a question.....does the type of degree you get i.e honours really matter?I know two people who qualified with 1st class honours arts degrees and they both ended up unemployed for ages and now are just working in shops in town. I know a girl then who scrapped a pass in arts and is writing for the indo now. Even in medicine the people who get honours get a good intern place and then thats about it. Surely a degree is just a degree at the end of the day and it doesnt matter what marks you get?

panda, in Arts if you're aiming to study for any Masters or Post-Grad courses then undoubtedly the level of degree you recieve matters significantly.

i can only presume those two people you know had no interest in doing any post-grad course because with a 1st class honours in Arts you should stroll into any course in your department, i may be wrong but the general consensus in Arts seems to be get at least a 2:1 and you should get some sort of masters course but that may vary depending on the relevant subject or school.

unquestionably the higher your degree the better prospects you should expect but sort of like you said, i know people with good degrees (not just Arts) and they are struggling to get any decent job and i know people who have dropped out of college with no degree and are in decent jobs on ok money! Depending on where you are applying, some places will favour employees with higher standard of degrees and some will just bother looking for the word ''degree'' on your CV irrespective if your degree is a bare bones pass. The job hunting world can be quite topsy turvy!

Jonny Arson

redcar wrote:

Ok I have a stupid question... but I am a first year, so forgive me.
When I get my results I am presuming that they will be online like Christmas. But I will need to get a printed copy of them, for my grant application.
So the question is, whats the procedure for that, go up to admin or something like that?
I would look at the UCD website but I can never get an answer from there, its always impossible.

there is absolutely nothing concrete on the UCD website about dates for exam results in comparison to last year where each course had concrete dates well in advance

the website does say ''Please note that in order for Semester 2 results processing to take place, official Statements of Results will not be available between 13th June and 9th July 2007'' but i would take that with a pinch of salt knowing UCD's pathetic administration all too well

you will not recieve a printed statement of your summer exam results until they officially come out for everyone! I think deadlines for grant applications are around late July so you should be grand in that regards. I think you just print whatever results are displayed for you on the SIS but I may be wrong about that!

Stabshauptmann

panda100 wrote:

Just wanted to ask a question.....does the type of degree you get i.e honours really matter?I know two people who qualified with 1st class honours arts degrees and they both ended up unemployed for ages and now are just working in shops in town. I know a girl then who scrapped a pass in arts and is writing for the indo now. Even in medicine the people who get honours get a good intern place and then thats about it. Surely a degree is just a degree at the end of the day and it doesnt matter what marks you get?

The discipline and grade of your degree will have differing importance depending on what you want to do with it.

I doubt there are too many employers here on the UCD board to say how it is they choose employees; but I imagine only the very daft make decisions based solely on qualifications.

In theory, one should choose an employee based on:
1)Organisational Fit/Character
2)Aptitude
3)Existing skill base/qualifications

Having a better degree than someone else is no guarantee that you'll find a better job. You could be very smart but totally unintelligent or have no social skills.

The value of your degree depends very much on who you apply to.

Dunnes Stores dont care what qualifications a shelf packer has.

An accounting firm just want you to have a 2.2. Most accounting firms will hire graduates of any discipline. All they want is for you to have a 2.2, because that shows them that you will prob be able to pass the professional exams. It doesnt matter what you've studied because you're still going to have to sit the professional exams.

And thirdly an investment bank. They only want people who've studied finance related subjects, and you'd want to have done pretty impressively too. It's a steep learning curve and they dont want to waste time on unsuitable candidates.

Rosita

redcar wrote:

Ok I have a stupid question... but I am a first year, so forgive me.
When I get my results I am presuming that they will be online like Christmas. But I will need to get a printed copy of them, for my grant application.
So the question is, whats the procedure for that, go up to admin or something like that?
I would look at the UCD website but I can never get an answer from there, its always impossible.

Go to admin across from the Arts Block and they will give you any number of copies you want. Judgement Forms they call them. No charge for a current student.

Obviously you should ring to make sure that they will have them, since it's the current years exams, but I see no reason why they wouldn't have them as soon as they are available on SIS. But naturally I have been there long enough to know that you can assume nothing.

Rosita

Rang the exams office just now and they said that the latest date will be 9th July but that results will most probably be available during the week before. Presumably the UCD website will be updated to give precise details nearer to the time.

Pythia

redcar wrote:

Ok I have a stupid question... but I am a first year, so forgive me.
When I get my results I am presuming that they will be online like Christmas. But I will need to get a printed copy of them, for my grant application.
So the question is, whats the procedure for that, go up to admin or something like that?
I would look at the UCD website but I can never get an answer from there, its always impossible.

It's pretty easy to find on the UCD website.

http://www.ucd.ie/registrar/studentdesk/#1

BMcG05

Rosita wrote:

Presumably the UCD website will be updated to give precise details nearer to the time.

Presuming with UCD is a dangerous sport

massivemagumbos

final year economics results OUT NOW on the department notice board.

Got myself a degree!!! haha

elmyra

Me me me I have a question! *raises hand*.


When you say you get the results of your finals posted out, will they also be online, and if not, will they be sent to both your home address and college address? I will inevitably be working the day they come out and home is a bit of a drive away...and I don't particularly want them opened for me. Any ideas?

Pythia

massivemagumbos wrote:

final year economics results OUT NOW on the department notice board.

Got myself a degree!!! haha

Does this include people who do economics who aren't in arts, ie business people?
I must check the board on my break from work.