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Dear students,

As promised last week, we are coming back to you regarding Semester 1 exams and assessments. While current plans are in keeping with government guidance and with the plans of other universities, we are aware that the prospect of sitting in-person exams has raised some understandable concerns in light of the current public health situation. 

We want you to know that we take these concerns very seriously. We have been working with staff and student representatives to discuss a set of measures to ensure that everyone stays safe and that no one is disadvantaged if they need to defer because they are unable to sit an in-person or online examination.

Deferral Session

Most examinations which are deferred from the Semester 1 session will take place from 7th – 19th February 2022, with contingency dates of 21st – 26th February 2022. In scheduling the deferred examinations in late afternoons, evenings or weekends within this period, consideration will be given to other factors such as existing teaching or lecture requirements, to minimise the impact on students and staff whenever possible.

Reasons for Deferring

While there is no automatic right of deferral, procedures are in place if you need to defer your online or in person examinations for covid-related or other medical reasons. No record of deferral will appear on your transcript. If you a) contract covid or b) display symptoms or c) are a close contact, you must not attend an in-person exam or sit an online exam on campus. It is also possible that d) if you fall ill with something else, you may not be able to sit an online examination in a private setting.

If you test positive for covid, you must not attend an in-person exam or online exam on campus and must contact either your Tutor (UG) or Course Director (PG) as soon as possible. Within three days of the scheduled examination, you must provide a copy/screen shot of the text message confirming the positive PCR covid result from the HSE ensuring that the date is displayed.

If you have symptoms consistent with covid but cannot access a PCR test, you must not attend an in-person exam or online exam on campus and must contact your Tutor (UG) or Course Director (PG) immediately, and prior to the starting time of the examination. Retrospective evidence of having taken or scheduled a PCR test must be submitted within three days of the scheduled examination. If you have been unable to take or schedule a PCR test, you must submit a screenshot showing that no slots were available within three days of the examination.

If you are a household close contact of a confirmed covid case, even when you are fully vaccinated and showing no symptoms, you must restrict your movements until you have 3 negative antigen test results within 5 days. You must not attend an in-person exam or online exam on campus. Contact your Tutor (UG) or Course Director (PG) on the first day to inform them of the household member’s positive result, providing them with a copy/screen shot of the text message confirming the positive PCR covid result from the HSE to the household member or the text message to you confirming you as a close contact. Make sure that the date is displayed.

If you cannot attend for other health reasons, you must contact either your Tutor (UG) or Course Director (PG) as soon as possible and provide documentation within three days of the scheduled examination.

Additional guidance

If you require a subsequent deferral from the February session or if you fail your deferred examination in February, the next available session in which you may sit it is the reassessment session in the autumn. Failed examinations taken in December or January will also be retaken in the autumn reassessment session.
If your in-person examination is required for professional accreditation reasons or because it is lab-based, and needs to be deferred for all students to the deferral session, you will be informed by your module coordinator.  

       
If you cannot submit continuous assessment assignments for Covid-related or other reasons (e.g., medical or ad misericordiam), you should contact your Tutor (UG) or Course Director (PG) to agree a revised submission date.

For more information about the upcoming exams, please visit the Academic Registry website.

Finally, we recognize that government guideline may change and preclude the holding of Semester 1 examinations in-person. If so, we will contact you as soon as possible and where possible examinations will be switched online. However, where this is not possible an alternative timetable for such examinations will be developed and circulated.

Kind regards,

David Shepherd, Dean of Undergraduate Studies and Senior Lecturer
Martine Smith, Dean of Graduate Studies