Undergraduate teaching at the University is provided by both the University and the Colleges.

University teaching is provided by your Faculty or Department and usually takes the form of lectures, seminars, classes, and practicals (where relevant).

College teaching usually takes the form of supervisions; they are the responsibility of your College, although in some subjects this is co-ordinated through a Faculty or Department on behalf of the Colleges.

University teaching

The University Timetable provides information on scheduled teaching held for each course, including venue and time. As a matriculated student, you are entitled to attend any lectures (but not classes, seminars or practicals) of any degree course. Students wishing to attend lectures for a subject for which they are not registered will be permitted to do so only if there is room for them in the lecture theatre; you should check with the Faculty or Department concerned before attending such lectures as you may be required to sign up in advance.

Your Faculty or Department will provide you with a handbook containing information on the facilities and services offered locally, in addition to expectations of you during your course of study. The handbook is sometimes a printed document, or sometimes an online resource. 

Among other things, the course handbook should contain information about:

• course structure, including the teaching methods used and why, and what subject options are available
• rules or requirements you need to know, such as those for plagiarism or expected conduct
• how your course will be assessed, including any word limits or deadlines
• support services, both centrally and within the department
• arrangements for student representation.

College teaching

College teaching, in the form of supervision, may be given on University or College premises. Wherever it is given or organised, is the responsibility of your College.

What is a supervision?

Supervisions are intensive, flexible, and bespoke teaching sessions which aim to support students to thrive intellectually and realise their full academic potential. They do this through providing opportunities to engage in collaborative and autonomous learning with peers and academic staff, and for personal development.  Supervisions rely on mutual respect between student and supervisor.

Supervisions are valuable because they help students to learn:

• skills to help them develop as a scholar
• how to structure and present data and arguments
• how to incorporate feedback provided into their work
• how to organise their learning
• how to clarify and explore ideas and issues they have been taught; and
• how to question their assumptions.

Supervision work will vary widely, as it is based on the needs of individual students. Supervisors will be experts in the subject and will take student needs into account when setting work. Supervisors will design work which is complementary to and has a clear relationship with the published curricula for the course. As this work will vary, it is not required that written work must be set and marked at every supervision; work may take the form of close readings or discussion-based sessions on a topic, presentations, problems or examples sheets worked individually or as a group, or field-based sessions.

Supervision Norms 

Faculties and Departments, in consultation with Directors of Studies groups, provide 'supervision norms' which are intended to guide Directors of Studies on the number of supervisions a standard student might expect to receive for each year of study. The actual number of supervisions a given student receives may well vary according to paper choices and, in particular, to their individual academic needs. The norms are updated annually and available from your College Director of Studies or Tutorial Office.

Roles for College teaching

College teaching is usually supported through two key roles: 

• Director of Studies, responsible for monitoring and supporting your progress throughout the course, and arranging supervisors for you
• Supervisors, responsible for designing and delivering the supervision and providing you with formative feedback

Director of Studies

A key academic relationship while at Cambridge will be with your Director of Studies (DoS). As well as monitoring your progress, you can expect them to: 

• provide you with an induction to the course, and to studying at Cambridge
• support you to navigate the course structure by advising on course choice options
• arrange supervisions for you with suitably qualified supervisors
• read and approve your supervision reports, and discuss these with you to provide feedback and guidance
• warn you if there is cause for concern in your academic progress
• normally, be able to provide you with references for future study or employment. 

In return, you are expected to: 

• discuss your interests and plans with your DoS, and take note of their advice on academic matters
• attend scheduled meetings, or give as much notice as possible when circumstances change
• proactively discuss any concerns you have about your supervisions, particularly when they seem not to be working satisfactorily or there is a problem
• respond to requests for feedback on supervisions and supervisors.

Supervisor

Supervisions are at the core of the educational provision of the Cambridge Colleges, as a medium through which you learn to work autonomously and receive formative feedback to help you develop. They rely on mutual respect between supervisors and students.

You may generally expect your supervisor to: 

• teach you in an appropriately sized group in which you have the opportunity to participate fully
• be aware of the content of the course and provide teaching relevant to it
• set, where appropriate, sufficient work of a challenging but reasonable nature; this will be set, and marked, within a reasonable timeframe
• provide you with constructive feedback to develop your performance
• show consideration and respect for your opinions, and respond to questions that you raise during the supervision
• provide regular feedback on your progress through supervision reports; these are usually submitted termly and shared with you and your DoS

In return, you are expected to: 

• engage proactively with questions and discussions during supervisions
• show consideration and respect for the opinions of your supervisor and others in your group
• note and respond to the advice and guidance given to you on any set work
• attend scheduled supervisions, or give as much notice as possible if circumstances change.

If you experience problems with College teaching which cannot readily be resolved directly between you and your supervisor, you should seek help from your DoS (or, if you prefer, your College Tutor or Tutorial Office). If you are unable to resolve any problem through this route, you may wish to lodge a formal complaint. Information on your College’s complaints procedure will be available from your College.

Your DoS or Tutor will also be able to advise you if you are experiencing problems with teaching in your Faculty or Department.

Working while you study

Students are not expected to undertake paid work during term-time. Cambridge seeks to keep student living costs manageable, and accordingly the vast majority of students do not work during term-time, concentrating instead on their academic studies and co-curricular/social activities. Cambridge terms are short so many students work during the vacations, especially, for undergraduate students, in the long vacation in the summer. Students should consult their Faculty or Department for further details regarding official vacation periods during their studies and note that, depending on the course, studies may continue into the summer.

Students are reminded of the financial support that is available through the Colleges and the University.

Any students who undertake work should first consider the impact this may have on their studies and discuss the matter with their Tutor. Students should always take into account personal constraining factors, including visa and financial sponsorship restrictions. Pressure created by paid working will not normally be accepted as extenuating circumstances for examination mitigation, in cases where results are disappointing.