Shorter summer for UCC students

Summer will be shorter for University College Cork students this year as a result of a restructuring of its academic year.

While medical, nursing and other graduates were conferred at the campus yesterday, the college has reminded returning students of the resumption of classes from September 8. The change is due to a move to semesterisation and means courses beginning a few weeks earlier than previously, although students are also likely to be finished by mid-May for most programmes.

The semester system should help spread student workload more evenly during the year, meaning modules can be taught and assessed fully in a single teaching period. The inclusion of pre-Christmas exams into the timetable should also mean fewer final exams each summer.