Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Our priority at the School of Social & Political Sciences is to ensure that students have their teaching face-to-face on campus.
To help explain what this means in practice and what you can expect when you join us, we have compiled a list of frequently asked questions.
Registration and Enrolment
When can I register and enrol?
You will be able to register for the academic year 2024/2025 from early August. The latest date for completion of programme registration and enrolment onto courses for most of our PGT programmes is Friday 29 September 2024, however there are some exceptions with an earlier deadline. These include:
- MSc City Planning; closes Monday 23 September 2024
- MSc City Planning & Real Estate Development; closes Monday 23 September 2024
- MSc Real Estate; closes Monday 23 September 2024
New students will receive their GUID's (Glasgow University ID) during August. You must secure accommodation, register and enrol online as soon as you can, and travel to the University to commence your studies by your programme start date.
Please note: the latest enrolment date is the last possible date you can enrol online to start your studies and we would encourage you to complete enrolment as early as possible to build your timetable. You will not be able to commence your studies if you miss this date. Some courses do fill up early. It will not be possible to register for a programme after the stated registration and enrolment dates.
The latest date of arrival in Glasgow is only for international students affected by visa delays or travel restrictions, meaning you may not be able to arrive in Glasgow in time for your programme start date. Even if this is the case, you must secure accommodation, register and enrol online as soon as you can to build your timetable, and by your latest enrolment date, to have access to your programme learning materials. Please note, this will not include any access to live lectures. It will not be possible to commence your study if you are not in Glasgow by the latest arrival date.
When does teaching start?
The academic year will commence on Monday 16 September 2024, during which time you will be expected to participate in relevant academic induction events.
If you are joining us from outside of the UK, the International Student Support Team organise an International Student Welcome with events commencing from Wednesday 11 September. Full details can be found here.
Teaching officially starts on Monday 23 September 2024.
Information on arrangements for individual programmes will be shared by SPS programme administrators in advance of the start of teaching.
Do I need to be in Glasgow to study my programme?
Yes, across the School all of our programmes are defined as on-campus teaching programmes and you are expected to undertake your studies in Glasgow.
What if my travel to Glasgow is delayed?
We understand that some of our international students may have some challenges in joining us on campus in early September.
Any student who is unlikely to arrive in Glasgow for the start of teaching must notify the University of the delay and their expected arrival date. This is particularly important for any international student travelling on a UK visa.
Am I able to complete my programme fully online?
We do not offer any of our postgraduate taught programmes as online programmes. For 2022-23, all SPS programmes will be delivered as on-campus programmes, using a blend of on campus teaching, with some courses having online elements.
Although we will accommodate students who are not in Glasgow by ensuring that learning materials which support essential course learning outcomes can be accessed online as a temporary measure, you should not equate this to parallel teaching of face-to-face and online classes.
It is in the interest of all students to come to Glasgow at the earliest opportunity.
I am an international student, and my CAS letter says I can arrive up to 24 October. Can I wait until then and study online in the meantime?
Although CAS letters have a later arrival date, this is a date set for visa purposes to support students with genuine medical or travel difficulties. It is not a date set for teaching purposes. We recommend that students aim to be in Glasgow as close as possible to the start of the teaching period.
I've not heard anything about accommodation, do I still have a guaranteed room in Glasgow?
Despite having increased the number of rooms under University management by 25% for this academic year, there has been a significant contraction in the private rental market within the city and therefore demand for accommodation continues to substantially exceed availability.
The University is no longer able to provide guaranteed accommodation for anyone who has not already received confirmation of University Accommodation. Please be aware that the city has limited private let or private sector purpose-built accommodation available.
If you have not yet made your accommodation arrangements, we strongly advise that you do not complete registration and enrolment or travel to Glasgow until you have secured your accommodation.
We understand the concern students and their families have about finding accommodation in Glasgow for the new semester. Our Students’ Representative Council Advice Centre provide advice and guidance on private let accommodation options.
For information and guidance on the options available to you, please see Accommodation update and further options.
Delivery of Learning and Teaching
What will my teaching look like?
SPS will aim to deliver most of its teaching on-campus.
On-campus teaching will happen face-to-face in both lectures and smaller groups.
We will also be providing on-campus experience events for all students in our School across the year and encourage you to take part in extra-curricular activities if possible. Many of these events will be run in conjunction with our excellent student societies.
The University’s resources including the library, social spaces and sports facilities will be open and available to use.
What does online learning look like?
Some courses are designed to include elements of online learning. This is known as blended learning. Online learning is intended to complement your on-campus learning and consists of a variety of learning activities which you will complete individually and collaboratively.
Online learning activities will be delivered both live (such as timetabled lectures or seminars and tutorials delivered via Zoom or Teams) and in no fixed time (such as readings, videos, quizzes, discussion forums) though deadlines for completing activities may apply. This approach combines the community-building benefits of whole class activities with the flexibility that comes with being able to work individually at your own pace.
Online learning platforms
What platforms and systems will I use?
Online learning is provided via the University of Glasgow’s virtual learning environment (VLE), Moodle, combined with other appropriate platforms, e.g., Zoom and Microsoft Teams. A VLE is an online system that supports the sharing of learning materials and allows lecturers and students to communicate with each other.
How and when can I access Moodle?
You can access Moodle from your MyGlasgow portal once you have completed academic registration. Registration will open in August. There will be a Moodle site for each of your courses and one for your programme. Moodle access will be granted before the start of teaching. Our Moodle sites will open in September when you will be able to view:
- The course introduction
- Unit introductions
- The first unit
- Information about assessment
- More general course information, including course contacts
- You will also use Moodle for your online induction, with face-to-face social events if possible
Engaging with your learning
How do I engage with and participate in my studies?
Our students are expected to actively participate in their studies. Whether asking a question in a face-to-face session, taking part in a group activity, or responding to an online discussion forum post, you will be demonstrating engagement with your learning, contributing to the learning community and developing your communication skills, which is an important graduate attribute.
What opportunities are there to interact with other students?
Learning activities and assessment will involve collaborating with other students on the programme, online and in person, developing important skills that help you to work well with others as part of a team.
You are also encouraged to participate in the wide range of extra-curricular activities offered by the University to increase your social contact with your peers.
Are there opportunities to interact with lecturers and tutors?
Learning activities will provide opportunities to interact with academic staff on-campus and online. Support and feedback is provided via lecturer and teaching team ‘office hours’, regular sessions which you can use to ask questions or discuss course-related matters with members of staff. Days and times of office hours can be found within individual Moodle courses.
Managing your time
How will I organise myself and manage my time?
Some of your learning hours will be timetabled and some will be determined by you. This flexible approach will allow you to develop and demonstrate key employability attributes including self-motivation, self-discipline and time management skills. We recommend that you use the University’s time management and project management resources and complete the training provided to prepare you for successful learning. These resources can be accessed on Moodle following registration.
When will I get my timetable and what will it look like?
You will create your timetable in MyGlasgow when you enrol in courses and you will need to manage your independent study time. Many activities beyond your scheduled teaching can be completed in your own time. You will find information about these activities and what you need to do to complete them within each course Moodle site instead of your timetable.
On-campus teaching sessions are scheduled. You will see them referred to as On Campus, with location details, on your timetable. We will not be recording on-campus small group teaching sessions or providing online access to these classes. On-campus lectures may be recorded subject to availability of facilities. Your lecturer will inform you if on-campus lectures will be recorded.
Some online sessions will be scheduled. If they are online, you will see them referred to as Online LIVE on your timetable. Where possible recordings will be provided, but this is not guaranteed.
Is the latest arrival date the same as the dates for the start of teaching or completion of registration and enrolment?
No, the latest arrival date is defined by current UK Government (UKVI) policy. This is an immigration deadline, rather than an academic one.
All SSPS international students should aim to arrive on campus for the start of teaching.
