Resources and Facilities
The School of Classics Student Advisors are:
Prof Theresa Urbainczyk and Dr Helen Dixon
(i) The School Office
The School Office is open from 9.30am to 1.00pm and 14.00pm to 17.00pm during term time. The School Administrator, Michelle McDonnell, will assist you with general queries and direct you to the appropriate member of the academic staff if you need more specific help.
(ii) Members of staff
Many members of staff keep office hours, which are displayed prominently on their doors; they will be free at these times to discuss any issues with students. You are also welcome to try making contact at other times, or to make an appointment by phone or email. A full list of members of staff and their contact details is given here .
(iii) Noticeboard
There are noticeboards opposite the lift outside the main door of the school, and also all along the corridor outside the Classical Museum . Here will be posted notices such as timetable adjustments, tutorial lists and other routine messages. It is your responsibility to check the noticeboards for messages which may concern you.
(iv) Website
The School maintains the present website at http://www.ucd.ie/classics . Here you may find information on courses and forthcoming events, as well as links to some of the most useful external websites on classical subjects.
(v) Staff-Student Committee
Early in the first semester, you will be asked to elect representatives from each module to the Staff-Student Committee. It is the role of the Staff-Student Committee to provide a forum to air criticisms, problems and other feedback from the student body, and to allow staff to react and respond accordingly. You should approach one of your committee representatives if you wish to raise any general issues concerning course content, teaching and assessment.
The Classical Museum (recently renovated) is based in room K216 in the Classics School. It is open to all students on Tuesday and Friday 10am – 1pm and Thursday 2.15pm – 5pm during the teaching semester. The museum contains Greek and Roman antiquities, coins and inscriptions. The Museum Curator, Dr Christina Haywood (K205), will be happy to answer any queries you may have.
The Classical Society is a student-run body which organises various social events throughout the course of the year. Among the events organised for the coming academic year are:
- weekly coffee mornings
- guest speakers
- wine receptions
- the annual table quiz
All students are encouraged to participate in the society’s events, which provide an opportunity to make social contacts outside lectures and tutorial groups. Keep an eye out on the noticeboards for details of forthcoming meetings.
Books on Greek and Roman civilization are found in the main library on the Belfield campus. You should make the effort to familiarise yourself with the layout of the library as early as possible. Literature books are shelved under the classmarks 870 and 880; books on ancient history and archaeology are shelved between classmarks 930 and 938; and books on ancient philosophy are shelved under the classmarks 180-188.
With the best will in the world, problems often arise that are beyond anyone’s control. If you are suffering from illness or other personal difficulties, you should get in touch with your module co-ordinator immediately. We aim to deal with such cases sympathetically, compassionately, and in the strictest confidence, and we will do our best to accommodate and assist any student who has a genuine reason (medical or otherwise) for difficulty in his or her studies. Bear in mind that we can’t do anything for you if you don’t let us know first!
(i) Illness
If you are unable to attend classes due to illness, you should in the first instance contact your tutor. For an absence of longer than a week we request that you let us have a medical certificate from your doctor. If your illness prevents you from attending classes for a substantial period of time, and particularly if it affects your coursework or examination performance, you should contact your module co-ordinator for further advice. The Extenuating Circumstances form can be found by clicking here .
(ii) Personal difficulties
If your personal circumstances are affecting your work, it is essential that you make contact with the School. There is an extensive network of welfare and support services at U.C.D. on which you are entitled to draw. Your module co-ordinator is available to advise, or you can contact any of the following College of Arts and Celtic Studies staff (all cases will be treated in the strictest confidence):
- Kieran Moloney (Student Adviser) Room G003; tel. 716 8366
- Aisling O’Grady (Student Adviser) Room D001; tel. 716 8349
- Fr David Brough (Chaplain) Room G004; tel. 716 8543
- A full list of UCD Student Support Services staff can be found on the University’s website.