- Faculty of Arts
THE ACADEMIC YEAR AND SEMESTERS
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The academic year is divided into two (02) Semesters
Semester – I (15 Weeks)
Semester – II (15 Weeks)
(The Calendar of Dates for the Year Provides to Students with
Information Regarding Duration of Semesters, Period of Study
Leave/Vacation)
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TIME TABLES
Master timetables for the courses as well as the final
examinations for the both semesters will be
announced at the beginning of each academic year.
These should be considered as fixed. Students
should select their courses in a way that avoid
clashes of classes and examinations.
REGISTRATION POLICY OF COURSE
UNITS
It is mandatory to the all students to select course
units for both semesters at the beginning of the
academic year. All first year students should obtain
‘Form A1’ from the IDC and return the duly
completed form to the IDC within the first two weeks
from the commencement of the academic year. The
deadline for changing course units is also within the
first two weeks of the semester. Students are required
to keep a photocopy of the completed Form A1’ with
you until the end of the first year.
SUBJECT CATEGORIES AND CODES
Course Units come under several main subject categories. The
current list of main subject categories and the associated subjects’
codes are given in Table – 1
Table 1 – Subject Categories and Associated Codes
SUBJECT
SUBJECT
CODE
SUBJECT
SUBJECT
CODE
Pali and Buddhist Studies
PLG/BST
Islamic Civilization
ICV
Demography
DMG
Communication and
Media Studies
CMS
Economics
ECN
Political Science and
Public Policy
PSC
English
ENG
Sinhala
SLG
Geography
History
International Relations
GYG
HIS
INR
Sociology
Foundation*
Elective
SOC
FND
ELT
*FND Course Units are offered for 1st Year Students, while Elective Course Units (ELT)
are for 2nd and 3rd Year Students.
* The first two digits of the unit code indicate the year and the semester in which the
course unit is offered (For example SOC 1101 is Introduction to Sociology offered in the
1st Semester of the year, SOC 1202 is Principles of Psychology offered in the 2nd
Semester of the 1st Year).
FIRST YEAR IN ARTS
Students have to select ten (10) course units for the academic year
in the following manner:
Sources from which the 10 Course Units should be selected
for the Year (2011/12) in Arts
The Students
Principal
Subject
I
Principal
Subject II
Principal
Subject
III
English
(FND)
FND
Total
For those who have not
been exempted after
the English Test
2
2
2
2
2
10
For those who
been exempted
the English text
2
2
2
00
4
10
have
after
Six (06) course units (two (02) from each principal subject), and
+ English FNDE two (02) units (FNDE 1108 – Proficiency Course in English and
FNDE 1209 – Proficiency Course in English), and
+ Two (02) FND units = 10 (Students who are exempted from the English
Proficiency course have to select four (04) FND course units).
IM: The Students will be allowed only up to a maximum of seven (7) course units
per semester in any combination (current/repeat/incomplete). 1st year students can
only select course units offered for the First year – 2011/12.
COURSE UNIT SELECTION
There are three important options you need to consider when
selecting course units. They are:
•Do you want to read a three year Degree in
Arts?
•Do you want to read a four year Degree in
Arts?
•Do you want to read a Bachelor of Education
as the major in the final year of study?
COMPULSORY/MANDATORY COURSE UNITS
For the first year undergraduates, certain course units are
Compulsory/Mandatory For examples:
There are four Course Units for first year students offered by the
Department of Demography – DMG 1101 –Introduction to
Demography (Compulsory), Also,
To specialize in Demography FND 1106 – Intermediate
Mathematics or FND 1206 –Intermediate Mathematics (Compulsory)
To specialize in Geography FND 1106 or FND 1206 (Compulsory)
To specialize in Economics FND 1216 – Quantitative Methods for
Economics (Compulsory)
To read Bachelor of Education (from second year) – FND 1110 –
Education for Individual and Social Development (Compulsory)
•For more information, Please consult the relevant Departments to obtain
information and requirements.
NON-CREDIT COURSE UNITS
Under course system, students can register
for non-credit or audited course units.
The maximum number of non-credit
course units that can be selected is two
(02) per academic year.
CREDIT BASED COURSE UNIT SELECTION
A credit is defined as fifteen (15) contact teaching hours. At
present, each course units is given three (03) contact teaching
hours per week. As each semester has fifteen (15) weeks, one
course unit is weighted as three (03) credits. The minimum
amount of credit requirements for the first year in Arts is thirty
(30). So, when you successfully complete 10 course units, you
obtain thirty (30) credits.
Minimum Course Unit Requirements (MCUR)
Year of Study
MCUR
1st Year in Arts
10
2nd Year in Arts
11
3rd Year in Arts
11
4th Year in Arts
10
Mark Ranges, Grates, and Grade Points (Examinations)
Marks
Grade
Grade Point
80% and Above
A+
4.00
75% and 79%
A
3.75
70% and 74%
A-
3.50
65% and 69%
B+
3.25
60% and 64%
B
3.00
55% and 59%
B-
2.75
50% and 54%
C+
2.50
45% and 49%
C
2.25
40% and 44%
C-
2.00 (Pass)
30% and 39%
D
0.00 (Fail)
00% and 29%
E
0.00 (Fail)
HOW TO SUBMIT THE MEDICAL CERTIFICATES
Category I
An undergraduate who falls ill during a period of examination should report
to the Chief Medical Officer (CMO)/University Medical Officer (UMO) of the
University of Colombo with immediate effect.
The students are required to submit the MC issued by the CMO/UMO to the
dean of the Faculty of Arts with the duly completed form issued by the IDC
within a period of two (02) weeks from the date of examination.
Category II
Submit the following certificates to the University Medical Officer (CMO/UMO)
within seven (07) days from the LAST DATE OF RECOMMENDED medical
leave.
•Valid
Medical
Certificate
(Ex:
Government
Hospital/District
Medical
officer/MCs issued by registered private general practitioner in case of less
than five (05) days of medical leave). Application Form (Can be obtained
from the IDC).