Teaching and exams

All students are allocated a College Tutor and they are available to assist you with any pastoral (non-academic) concerns. Your Director of Studies (DoS) is responsible for your academic work and progress in a particular subject.

Tutors

Downing College has a Senior Tutor and a number of Tutors. 

Every student is assigned a Tutor, whose subject differs from that of their students.

Tutors can provide advice and signpost to the most appropriate source of support.  It is in each student's best interest to inform their Tutor as soon as any illness or difficulty occurs which is likely to affect study or examination performance.

Tutors are normally available to see their students in College during Full Term and are contactable by email. They can be seen by appointment and such appointments should be made via email.

In an emergency contact the Tutorial and Admissions Office (01223 334811) or the Porters’ Lodge out of office hours (01223 334800).

Directors of Studies

Each student is allocated a Director of Studies (DoS) who is responsible for their academic work and progress in a particular subject, as well as their general welfare.

Undergraduates and some postgraduates are required to see their Director of Studies, either individually or as a group, at the start and end of each Term to discuss their studies and progress.

Throughout the academic year, Directors of Studies monitor academic progression via students' supervision reports on the Cambridge Colleges' Online Reporting System for Supervisions (CamCORS) and self-assessment questionnaires.  If deemed necessary, students are warned when studies are being neglected.

Directors of Studies act in an advisory capacity by suggesting subject options, lecture courses, seminars and practical classes where relevant.  Career advice is also provided, which is particularly important with regard to Law and Medicine because of the formal requirements for these professions.

Furthermore, an essential part of the role is to guide students as to paper choice in examinations, the checking of entries on the Cambridge Student Information System (CamSIS) and, at the end of the year, discussing examination results.  References are written as and when requests are received.

Every August, in preparation for the new academic year, Directors of Studies provide introductory material and reading lists which are posted online for new students.  On arrival, Directors of Studies meet with Freshers to explain in detail the teaching system and supervisions which will be arranged for them.

The majority of Directors of Studies are Fellows of the College, but in some subjects the Director of Studies is attached to another College, Department or Faculty.  These are denoted by an asterisk in the full list of current Directors of Studies below.

 

Student support

The Downing Wellbeing team offer additional support. You can email: studentwellbeing@dow.cam.ac.uk. The Student Health Practitioners can be contacted by email: health-practitioner@dow.cam.ac.uk.

Tutorial and Admissions Office

Should you have any enquiries in relation to your studies you can drop in to the Tutorial and Admissions Office on B Staircase. The office is open from Monday to Thursday, 9am to 5pm, and Friday 9am to 4pm (closed for an hour for lunch).

The Tutorial team can also be contacted by email: tutorial-enquiries@dow.cam.ac.uk.