Friday, 19 September 2008

FAQ sheet 2008

Undergraduate Psychology

Division of Psychology and Language Sciences

Information for

Psychology Affiliate Students

FALL TERM ARRIVALS 2008-9

Important Contact Information

Name

Position

Office

Phone

Email

Dr. Brad Duchaine

Affiliate Tutor

Alexandra House

Room 208

X21005

b.duchaine@ucl.ac.uk

Irma Kurniawan

Affiliate Demonstrator

Bedford Way

Room 204C

Email only

i.kurniawan@ucl.ac.uk

Matthias Gruber

Affiliate Demonstrator

Alexandra House

Room 110

X21128

m.gruber@ucl.ac.uk

Alastair McClelland

Departmental Tutor

26 Bedford Way

Room 204d

X25384

a.mclelland@ucl.ac.uk

Diane Cheung

Affiliate Programme Secretary

26 Bedford Way

Room 314

X25333

d.cheung@ucl.ac.uk

Jo Strange

Undergraduate Administrator

26 Bedford Way

Room 303

x25334

joanna.strange@ucl.ac.uk

John Draper

Deputy Faculty Manager

26 Bedford Way

Room 306

x25338

j.draper@ucl.ac.uk

International Office

South Wing, Main College, Room 19

x37765

international@ucl.ac.uk

Internal Extension Numbers can be dialled on any UCL office telephone or called from outside UCL by omitting the first digit and prefixing the last 4 digits with 0207 679

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I find more information on the affiliate program?

Please check this site frequently:

http://www.psychol.ucl.ac.uk/courses/affiliate/index.htm

This site will be updated often with important announcements. Also, a link to a discussion board where you can ask questions will be implemented will be added soon.

How many psychology classes should I take?

If Psychology is your primary department, you must take at least two psychology classes. Beyond these two courses, you can take additional courses in psychology or in another department.

If Psychology is your secondary department, you must take at least one psychology class.

How many courses should I take in total?

You need to sign up for 2 course units per term. So, if you are here just for the fall term, you need 2 course units. If you are here for the full academic year you need four. Most classes award 0.5 course units so most students will register for four courses per term. Half of your course units must be in your home department.

I need to register RIGHT NOW or I won’t get into my psych classes and I will totally freak out…

There is absolutely no rush to register for psychology classes (as long as you register by 03 October). However, courses in other departments may fill up. So, if there is a course you really want to take in another department, it would be wise to check with their affiliate tutor soon to see if you can register.

Where can I find information about the courses offered?

You have been given a guide with course descriptions. Additional information (e.g., past lecture notes) on most courses can be found at:

https://www.online.psychol.ucl.ac.uk/courses/courselisting.aspx

Note: To see lecture slides you must access this page from within the UCL campus and have a psychology site password, which will be given to you shortly by Steve Williams.

How do I register for courses?

To register for Psychology courses follow the following steps:

1) Fill in a PSYCHOLOGY COURSE APPROVAL FORM.

2) Have it approved by and turn it in to the affiliate tutor or the affiliate demonstrators.

3) Enter your courses into the PORTICO system.

Other departments have different procedures for registration. Some departments may allow students to simply sign up for a class using PORTICO. Most, however require that you speak with their affiliate tutor first. The safe thing is to see the relevant affiliate tutor right away. Courses in other departments can and do fill up.

When is the best time to find the Affiliate Tutor to get his initials/signature?

The affiliate tutor and demonstrators will be available from 2-3pm on Tuesday 23 September and from 12-2pm Thursday 25 September to discuss / approve course choices.

When is the deadline for Registration?

The deadline for entering your final course choices into the PORTICO system is Friday 03 October 2008. However, if necessary, changes can be made by Jo Strange (Undergraduate Administrator) at a later date.

Where is the International Office?

Room 19, South wing, Main College – Ref: C3, Map 2.

Where can I find individual course instructors?

Contact details are in your course information sheet.

Why do some courses run for the whole term while others run for only half a term?

The advanced courses (3rd year courses) generally run for only half a term. However, this does NOT mean that they require only half the work! On the contrary, although they meet fewer times you are expected to do a great deal more independent reading for these classes. Simply attending the lectures and doing only the core readings will not adequately prepare you for the examinations.

What are “Seminars” and do I need to register for them?

If you are taking 2 or more psychology classes, then you are required to attend a weekly seminar meeting. For those of you from the United States, think of these as recitations or discussion sections for all of your courses combined into one weekly meeting. These seminars serve as a basis for discussion of material arising in lecture courses, and as a forum to help students prepare for their final assessments or end-of-year examinations. Seminar leaders will prepare standard appraisal forms that include remarks on attendance, oral participation, and % grades on three brief essays. Copies of these appraisal forms will be made available to students’ home universities as evidence of our general policy that small-group teaching is integral to affiliate students’ experience in the Psychology Dept., and as specific evidence of each student’s performance in the small-group learning experience.

The seminars are led by the Affiliate Program Demonstrators. You do not need to register for your seminar; you will automatically be assigned to a group.

What about exams?

Fall-term only students generally do not sit exams. Instead, you will turn in two 2000-word essays per course by the end of the term. Details on the essay topics will be available by around mid-term.

If you are here for the entire academic year, you sit final exams with the regular degree students. The final exams are in the “third term” – “term” is the UK word for semester. Examination schedules will be available sometime in the spring term.

If I am here for the year, can I write essays instead of sitting exams?

No.

I am here for the year and but want to leave London early; can I make alternative arrangements for the exams?

Almost certainly not. The International Office has strict guidelines that the departments must adhere to. You should ascertain your exam schedule before making any plans to leave before the end of term (12 June is the last day). And, even then, be aware that occasionally exams must be rescheduled and that a rescheduled exam is not a valid excuse for absence.

How should I prepare for the essays/exams?

This is precisely the kind of question that the demonstrators will be able to help you with at your weekly seminars. If you are only taking one psychology class and are not going to seminars, you can still ask your assigned demonstrator for assistance.

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