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Visiting Students: Start Your Academic Journey

How do I choose my classes?

Course Choice

At UL, courses are called modules. Study Abroad students can ONLY choose courses/modules from our Spring 2025 Module Booklet. 

The modules are listed by year in the booklet:

Faculty, Department, Level & ECTS (Credits)

• Year 1 - these modules are normally taken by first year students.
• Year 2 - these modules are normally taken by second year students and may require a knowledge of material covered in Year 1 modules.
• Year 3 - these modules are normally taken by third year students and may require a knowledge of material covered in Year 1 and Year 2 modules.
• Year 4 - these modules are normally taken by fourth year students and may require knowledge of the material covered in Year 1 to 3 modules.

Module codes

Every module has a unique code, which carries a range of information. The following is an example:

HI4152 - FROM KINGDOM TO REPUBLIC: IRISH HISTORY, 1660-1960

Where can I find syllabi for the classes offered at UL?

Should you require further information on a module you are interested in, you can search for the module in the .

Typically, the information provided in the UL Online Book of Modules will suffice if you need to have the class pre-approved by your home university. However, should you require further information, please contact us at study.abroad@ul.ie and we can contact the course leader on your behalf. 

Please note, the UL Online Book of Modules cannot be used for initial selection - it contains information on ALL classes, not just the ones available to visiting students. A full list of modules available for Study Abroad students can be found in our Spring 2025 Module Booklet.

The Autumn 2025 Module Booklet will be released in mid-February 2025 when the applications for the Autumn semester open. The module offering normally only changes slightly each semester, so please use the Autumn 2024 Module Booklet as a reference until the Autumn 2025 Module Booklet is published. 

Credits, Teaching Style and Assessment

Credits

It may help you to know that 6 ECTS (credits) equates to 3 US credits. Each Study Abroad student must have a module load that equates to 24 ECTS/12 US credits to satisfy immigration.

You must register as a full-time student and take modules to the value of 24 to 30 credits per semester. Students will take four or five modules per semester. If you, the student decides to select four modules for your semester abroad, you must have permission from your home university.

Teaching style

The teaching style within UL varies from faculty to faculty and from lecturer to lecturer.  Most of the academic staff in UL are informal and it is possible to ask questions.

Lecture: The way in which a module is taught will depend on the subject matter, but typically, the teaching of a module will be based on lectures, supported by tutorials or labs. Depending on the subject, some modules also include practical sessions. Therefore, for some modules, you may have a lecture, lab, and a tutorial but for other modules you may only have lectures and a tutorial. Students are expected to supplement formal teaching with their own private study.

Lectures are formal talks given at set times according to a timetable published in advance and normally last two hours. Depending on the subject and the module, the size of the class may vary.

A lecture gives students the starting point for their work; some lecturers allow time at the end for questions. Many students take notes of the main points the lecturer makes or in some cases the lecturer may provide handouts summarising the work covered.

Tutorial: A tutorial is a group discussion lasting one or two hours. Typically, a tutorial group might contain ten to fifteen students and will be led by a tutor. Students will be expected to contribute to the discussion, perhaps offering different perspectives or suggesting new approaches.

Lab: Practical/Lab base modules take different forms depending on the subject. For language students, there may be sessions in a language laboratory. There are also laboratory-based classes for students taking science subjects like Chemistry or Physics and maybe computer-aided design classes for engineering students.

Assessment

Study Abroad students are expected to undertake the same workload as domestic students and to follow all aspects of the module, including attendance at classes and tutorials and completion of assessment and examinations.  The lecturer will give you, the student the assessment profile.

Examinations are normally made up of essays or coursework to be submitted throughout the semester and may have an end-of-semester examination. A tutorial and attendance contribution may also be an element.

View our academic calendar for semester & exam dates here.

At the end of each semester, you will be awarded a grade for each module you are registered for, which represents the quality of your performance in that module.

View our grading conversion chart on page 11 here

Transcripts

An official 51±¾É« transcript will be issued through Digitary to you and your home institution within one month of the publication of results.

Registering for your modules

The Study Abroad team will register students for their chosen modules post arrival in UL. Study Abroad students do not register for their own modules. 

Pre-selected Modules (10 modules submitted in your application)

You must choose a total of 10 provisional classes. You will complete final modules selection for 4 to 5. The additional classes are in case there is an issue with one of your initial choices, and you need to choose another. Please choose classes from the same academic year, where possible. 

Module Selection (after arrival)

Study Abroad students DO NOT register for their modules online in advance of arrival. During Week 1 or Week 2 of classes, once students have decided on the modules they will take, they will submit a survey to the Study Abroad Team on the modules they would like to be registered for. The Study Abroad Team will then register the modules manually for each student.

The UL module timetable will be emailed to students once it is published (this is usually during orientation week) and students can then begin to compile their own timetable from the modules they have chosen. If there are timetable clashes, students must choose from their alternative module list. This is why we ask you to submit 10 pre-selected modules (approved by your home university) in case of any clashes. The module timetable will not be changed.