BA Student FAQs

Please visit the BA key contacts page.

Please consult UCL maps.

These are listed on the UCL website.

Terms 1 and 2 are teaching terms. Term 3 starts off with revision week and is then devoted to exams.

The first week of the academic session (Term 1) is Induction Week for incoming, new first-year students. Teaching does not start until the second week of Term 1, which is when second-year students and finalists are required to attend.

The dates of reading weeks and UCL closure dates are also listed on the UCL website.

You will be asked to complete a provisional module form for of your module choices, which will open in late August. This is so we can check you have chosen modules appropriate to your degree and year of study. You must take 120 credits per year, ideally spread over both teaching terms.

You will then complete your module registration via Portico; please read the Student User Guide first.

Modules which do not agree with your provisional choices may be rejected so make sure you liaise with us if your selections change.

It is generally not possible for you to change modules once they have been confirmed. If for some reason you have a problem and need to do this, consult your personal tutor and then you will need to change email philosophy@ucl.ac.uk

Please check your module summary on Portico. It is extremely important that it is correct: if not, you will be registered for the wrong modules.

Please consult the UCL on-line timetable. The custom timetable is very useful in seeing clearly the terms and class times for particular modules. If you use your personal timetable function, this updates overnight so you won't be able to see your personal timetable on the same day you submit your module selection.

You can change the view in the online time table from grid to list so you can see the dates of the events.

Please email philosophy@ucl.ac.uk to check if there is space

Please note you must check YOUR PERSONAL TIMETABLE for confirmation that your change has been approved.  This form applies to philosophy modules only. For other modules taught by other departments, please contact the teaching department for assistance.

NB: this change is not guaranteed and is subject to final approval by the departmental tutor and seminar availability.

The deadline to change seminar groups is the end of week two in each term.

UCL requires students to attend at least 70% of monitored teaching sessions in any modules for which they are enrolled.

The Philosophy Department does not monitor attendance at lectures (though attendance is recommended and expected). It monitors attendance at all other scheduled classes (i.e. seminars and tutorials).

If you fail to reach the 70% attendance requirement, you are liable to be barred from assessment in the affected module. If that bar is upheld, this will prevent you from progressing in your degree.

If you’re unwell for a particular class, or have some other practical issue that will prevent you from attending, we appreciate being informed about this in advance. A quick email to the relevant member of teaching staff (e.g. either the tutorial assistant or module leader) is fine.

We will attempt to proactively follow up with any students who are missing monitored classes regularly, and it’s helpful to know in advance if a student’s attendance issues are a result of something more minor or more serious.

Unfortunately, if you have a chronic condition that prevents you from attending class, the UCL regulations require that you interrupt your study until the condition is resolved and you’re able to resume attendance. In other words, the attendance requirement (unlike submission deadlines for assessment) are not liable to be lifted or relaxed due to extenuating circumstances. 

Please visit the Extenuating Circumstances page.

Exams are held throughout the entire month of May. Students need to be present at all times: when you are not taking exams, you need to be revising!

NB: if you have any debt on your record (including Library fines), you will be barred from taking exams.

This is produced by the UCL Registry usually at the end of March each year. You will receive your own personal exam timetable.

Yes, we do offer revision classes in the third term prior to the unseen written examinations for each module. Every module, for which an exam forms part of the assessment, offers a one-hour revision class. The scheduling of the revision classes takes place after the central examinations timetable is released and we try to schedule as many as possible during the first week of the term 3. 

Marks and feedback comments will be returned to you four weeks after the coursework submission date. (Please note that these marks are provisional and depend upon second marker and external examiner scrutiny.)

Marks cannot be released until after the BA Board of Examiners, which is usually held in mid-June every year. If you are a continuing student these marks become automatically available on Portico shortly after the Board of Examiners.

Condonement allows a student to progress from one year to the next and/ or to be awarded a qualification where they are carrying a small amount of failure, as long as their overall performance is of a good standard and the requirements of any relevant Professional, Statutory or Regulatory Bodies are met. Students who meet the Condonement Criteria will not be reassessed.

A student's eligibility for Condonement in any given module is determined by the programme on which they are enrolled - some modules may be 'Non-Condonable' i.e. students must pass them. Condonement applies to module marks falling within a certain range, and students will need to meet defined criteria to be eligible for Condonement.

See the Guide to Undergraduate Condonment and the Academic Manual Chapter 4, Section 9.3 Condonement for further information.

You may order your transcripts via the UCL on-line shop.

You may order 1 x free copy of your transcript per academic year, providing the order is made prior to the end date of your programme.  If there are marks on your record that have not been ratified by UCL, your transcript order will be held. The marks will need to be confirmed by the examination board before we can complete your order.  Please note that you are no longer considered a current student once your end date is reached.  

If you have recently been awarded your degree, your official Degree Certificate and Transcripts will be sent to you within 6-8 weeks.

If you have any queries either before or after you have placed an order, please contact transcripts@ucl.ac.uk

A standard statement of student status confirms your enrolment status, mode of attendance, programme of study, programme start date, programme end date, qualification and award details (if awarded). You must ensure that your home, contact and term-time address details are correct on Portico prior to obtaining the letter, as these may also be included in the statement of student status.

If you are a current UCL student enrolled on a programme of study at UCL, please log in to Portico to print out your statement of student status. You can also Log into askUCL to request a Statement of Student Status.

The UCL Academic Manual includes all of UCL’s regulations.

The Department's Student Handbook provides academic guidance along with practical information and specific advice for Undergraduate Philosophy Students.

First, please review the Student Handbook.

If you still can’t find the answers, please contact philosophy@ucl.ac.uk for assistance.