Timetabling FAQs

When do lectures start and finish each year?

All formal undergraduate teaching and learning activities take place during the designated teaching and learning weeks (as identified in the annual academic year calendar) and on weekdays (Monday to Friday) between 09.00 and 18.00. Undergraduate teaching activities are generally not scheduled during the two Study/Review weeks.

How long are classes at Trinity?

Teaching activities are normally scheduled in full-hour timeslots (or multiples thereof) commencing on the hour and finishing at 10 minutes to the hour.

Who is responsible for timetabling at Trinity?

Timetabling of lectures within the shared curriculum for the new common architecture is conducted by the Central Timetabling Unit (CTU). All other timetabling for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes is conducted by the relevant School and/or Programme Office.

What timetabling system is used at Trinity?

Facility CMIS (known as CMIS (see-miss), Central Management Information System, is the timetabling system used at Trinity.

When will the (teaching) timetables be available?

Timetables are generally released, and available to view, in the My.TCD.ie portal at least two weeks in advance of Orientation week, at the start of the new academic year.

Where can I see my timetable?

Your personal timetable details can be viewed by logging into the portal, My.TCD.ie.

How do I find out if any changes have been made to my timetable?

Please check your timetable details regularly in the portal to ensure you have the most up-to-date information. If you have any queries about your timetable please contact your School or Programme office directly.

I’m missing modules on my timetable. What do I do?

If you have finished all module choices with OME or your School and are still missing modules in your timetable, please contact your School or Programme office directly for assistance.

I have a clash in my timetable – what should I do?

Please report your timetable clash directly to your School or Programme office.

When will I know what tutorials I have to attend?

You will be assigned to your tutorial groups by your School or Programme Office as quickly as possible after you have registered to your compulsory and optional modules. Please consult with your School or Programme Office if you cannot see your tutorial group details – they should be available in your portal timetable.

I have a lecture in the Arts Building immediately after a lecture in the Trinity Business School – how can I get to the Arts Building in time?

All lectures are expected to commence on the hour, and conclude at 10 minutes to the hour – this should allow sufficient time to get to your next lecture in time.

The timetable for my module has changed – how will the students be notified of the change?

When the timetable details have been adjusted in the timetabling system, CMIS, they will be copied to the portal timetables overnight and will be viewable by students the next morning. It is also suggested that an email notification is sent to the students using the Module class list functionality in the My.TCD.ie portal.

I need to cancel my lecture today. What do I need to do?

It is recommended that an email notification is sent as early as possible to the module class list using the functionality available in the My.TCD.ie portal.

How do I enrol Teaching Assistants onto a module so they can access the module content in BlackBoard?

Once you are assigned to the module teaching event in the timetabling system, CMIS, you will be able to access your module in Blackboard. If you would like to enrol another staff member on your module in Blackboard as an Instructor or Teaching Assistant please consult the information available at https://tcd.blackboard.com/bbcswebdav/institution/staffhelp/enrolmentandaccess.html.

Who resolves clashing fixed timetable events?

The Central Timetabling Unit (CTU) will resolve clashes between fixed timetable events. Any tutorial/seminar timetable events clashing with a fixed timetable event will need to be resolved by the module owners of the tutorial/seminar events.

Can I change my event to a different block hour?

Yes, events timetabled into block hours may be swapped around within the block hours. Please advise any required changes to the CTU by email to timetabling@tcd.ie.

Why can’t I change some timetable events?

There are several reasons why you may be unable to make a change to your timetable events:

• there is a clash in the event
• the event is ‘fixed’
• the event is ‘locked’

Resolving the clash will allow you move the event. If the event is part of the shared curriculum timetable and has been fixed by the CTU please contact the CTU via timetabling@tcd.ie so the event may be unfixed. If the event has been locked please contact the CTU so the event may be unlocked.

What are my subject block hours?

Please consult the Pillars, Blocks and Timeslots table for confirmation of your subject year block hours for timetabling.

What timetabling does the CTU do?

The CTU timetables:

• Lecture events only for modules belonging to pillar subjects included in shared curriculum timetables. Additional teaching events for the same modules, i.e., tutorials/seminars, etc. are timetabled locally by relevant Schools.
• The CTU is also responsible for room allocation for shared timetabling lecture events, and for supporting general room allocation for all other formal timetabling events.
• Trinity Elective modules are also timetabled by the CTU.

Where do I timetable tutorials or seminars groups?

Tutorials, seminars or small group teaching events should be scheduled outside subject block hours.

What are the Trinity Elective times?

The specific Trinity Elective timeslots are:

If I know there isn’t a timetable clash can I schedule a lecture into a Trinity Elective timeslot?

No, lecture events may not be scheduled into Trinity Elective timeslots for any modules that include cohorts of students eligible to take Trinity Electives.

If a module is classified as an Open Module can the School decide where it is timetabled?

All modules that are classified as Open Modules must be scheduled within the relevant subject year block.

What rooms are available to book for teaching?

All teaching spaces, including centrally timetabled space, locally managed formal teaching space, specialist teaching space, off-campus teaching spaces, etc. are recorded and visible in the University’s timetabling system (CMIS).

Teaching spaces are categorised as:

• Senior Lecturer Pool Room (A) - bookable by all Timetablers, for all teaching events
• Departmental Room (B) - bookable by School Timetablers, for own School teaching events
• Private Departmental Room (D) - only bookable by School Timetablers, for own School events
• Enquiries Room (E) - bookable by Trinity Enquiries team, for Trinity Enquiries and College events
• Private (P) - only bookable by School Timetablers, for local own School events

If you would like to possibly use a B or D category room outside your own School/Department, please seek advance permission from the allocated School/Departmental before booking the available room.

Who do I contact if I want to book a room for a non-teaching activity/event?

The Central Events team are responsible for the booking of University space for non-teaching activities on an ad-hoc basis following completion of the annual timetabling process.

They are also responsible for the booking of all teaching spaces outside of normal teaching and learning weeks (as identified in the annual academic year calendar) and outside normal teaching times – Monday to Friday 09.00 to 18.00.

What is CMIS?

Facility CMIS (known as CMIS (see-miss)), Central Management Information System, is the timetabling system used at Trinity. CMIS is the source of truth for data relating to undergraduate and postgraduate timetabling, and is used for reporting on timetabling activities and timetabling performance.

How do I get access to CMIS?

Contact your School/Area Admin Manager who will request a user account from the CTU once approved this will be provided by the Business Support Application team in IT Services. Users may only use their own personal user account to log onto Facility CMIS. The BAS team will also arrange to have the CMIS application installed on your PC or laptop.

I can’t find a lecturer in the dropdown menu to add them to a timetable event in CMIS?

If the lecturer does not appear in the Lecturer table in CMIS it’s possible that they are already timetabled at the same time. Please check the lecturer’s full timetable in CMIS. Please also check that the person is listed on People Finder as the information on staff interfaces to CMIS from CoreHR. If the issue persists, please contact timetabling@tcd.ie.

The Timetable views have disappeared from the Timetable tab – how do I get them back?

It’s likely that your ini configuration file is damaged. Please contact asksusu@tcd.ie for a replacement ini file.

I can’t see the entire list of modules from my school?

If you know that the modules have been set up in SITS and have been interfaced into CMIS please contact us at timetabling@tcd.ie and we’ll investigate further. Please include details of the modules you are trying to view.

Why does CMIS keep crashing?

There are several reasons why your CMIS application might crash:

• Poor internet connection
• VPN connection has been lost
• Significant amount of data being retrieved
• Multiple users trying to access the same data tables

To resolve try logging out of CMIS and back in again.

If your CMIS application keeps crashing please notify the BAS team by emailing asksusu@tcd.ie.

CMIS is saying it’s locked - what can I do?

CMIS locks when any one of the same resources are being used by multiple users. Try logging out of CMIS and back in again. If the resources are still locked, please notify the error by email to asksusu@tcd.ie.