Uaneen Award: DCU's Leadership and Engagement Module
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN BECOMING A UANEEN AWARD STUDENT, THIS PAGE IS FOR YOU!
DCU formally recognises and rewards the achievement of holistic education by accrediting a module in extra-curricular activities – the Uaneen Award. The Uaneen Award is a unique scheme that formally recognises the work done and learning acquired by students within University and outside clubs, societies, community work and extra-curricular activity in general. Depending on your degree programme, the Uaneen Award can be either a contributing 5 credit elective or a non-contributing optional additional 5 credit module. In both cases, successful completion means that you will be awarded credits that are included in the degree parchment. DCU is the first third-level institution in the Republic of Ireland to reward extracurricular activity in such a manner. The Uaneen Award is managed and administered by DCU's Office of Student Life and is endorsed by IBEC. The Uaneen Award is only available to final year students and is a year long programme.
If you have any questions or queries, please contact uaneen@dcu.ie
“I chose to complete the Uaneen Award because I had a really enjoyable experience throughout university getting involved in extracurricular activities. The Uaneen Module was non-contributing to my degree, and I was concerned if I was making the right choice to add an extra class to an already busy final year. It was completely worthwhile and made fully achievable by having both online and in person tutorials to choose from and a suite of online resources. Having such a range of learning materials on Loop really allowed me to learn about the competencies in detail and revisit anything I needed improvement on. My course is based on St Pats, so the online evening tutorials suited me best and allowed me to get any of my questions answered. A great aspect of this module was learning how to write reflectively and be guided by my mentor. Before I started my portfolio, I felt I understood what I learned from my extracurricular activities, but Uaneen gave me the opportunity to deepen that understanding personally and professionally. Upon completion of my portfolio, I had confidence in my ability to write reflectively, identify my strengths and weaknesses while providing me an insight into career areas I wanted to pursue. I would highly recommend final year students embarking on the Uaneen journey. ”
What is the Uaneen Award all about?
Let’s answer some of your burning questions!
+ Courses that Offer Uaneen as a Contributing Module
- AF BA in Accounting and Finance *
- ALTSYA BA in Applied Lang & Translation Studies
- BAJH Bachelor of Arts (BAJH)
- BAJHI Bachelor of Arts (BAJHI)
- BAJI Bachelor of Arts (BAJI)
- BAJII Bachelor of Arts (BAJII)
- BAJM Bachelor of Arts (BAJM)
- BAJMI Bachelor of Arts (BAJMI)
- BAJP Bachelor of Arts (BAJP)
- BAJPI Bachelor of Arts (BAJPI)
- BCL (Law and Society)
- BCLN Bachelor of Civil Law (Law & Society)
- BCLYA BCL (Law and Society)
- BECE Bachelor of Early Childhood Education
- BED Bachelor of Education
- BS Bachelor of Business Studies
- BSE Bachelor of Business Studies (Exchange)
- BSI Business Studies ( with INTRA )
- BSSCI BA Social Sciences & Cultural Innovation
- CCSYA BA in Contemporary Culture and Society
- CS BA in Communication Studies
- EPL BA in Economics, Politics and Law
- EPLYA BA in Economics, Politics and Law (Int)
- IR BA in International Relations
- IRYA BA in International Relations (Exchange)
- JR BA in Journalism
- JZCM BA in Jazz and Contemporary Music Perfor
- MMA BSc in Multimedia
- SSH BSc Sport Science and Health
+ Who's it for?
This year-long academically accredited Award is for any final year student who is committed to extracurricular activities internal or external to DCU (including Clubs, Societies, Sports, Volunteering, etc.)
+ What’s involved?
- Register for the module.
- Attend an information session at the beginning of Semester 1.
- Fill in a Log of Activities in week 1
- Fill in an Assessment Form in week 4.
- Attend workshops and tutorials in Semester 1 and 2.
- Write a 2,000 word piece by the end week 10 of Semester 1 word piece to create a 4,000 word portfolio to be submitted in Semester
- Build on the 2,000 word piece during Semester 2 to create a 4,000 word portfolio to be submitted in week 8of Semester 2
+ How do I register?
You can register when registration begins on your student portal. All final year students should be offered the Uaneen Award as either contributory (UM404) or non-contributory (UM405) once registration begins. UM404 and UM405 both offer 5ECTS. If you don’t see the module option applicable to you and wish to register, please contact DCU Registry directly to have this module added.
+ Why should I do the Uaneen Award?
This module is for any student who has been actively involved in extracurricular activities, either inside or outside DCU and who want to be recognised for the time and effort they put into those activities. Taking this Award helps you enhance your employability. By completing the module, you will help yourself to identify your leadership skills as you will have had the opportunity to think about the positive characteristics and strengths you have gained through your involvement. The module will allow you to demonstrate and articulate your proactive learning and development through your extracurricular activities.
+ What do I have to do to complete the Uaneen Award?
We will ask you to submit the following to us over the course of the academic year:
- A Log of Activities (non-graded) – this is similar to a diary and will outline each activity you are involved in, the length of time you have been involved and what your role / duties were.
- An assessment form (non-graded) – we will ask you to complete 4 paragraphs of 200 words each to discuss your values and competencies.
- A 2,000 word mini-portfolio at end of Semester 1 (non-graded).
- A 4,000 word portfolio at end of Semester 2 (graded).
+ What help will I get?
We have dedicated staff who will guide you every step of the way to creating your portfolio. There are also extensive resources available online to help you including:
- Workshops
- Tutorials
- One-to-one Mentoring
- Peer-to-peer meetings
- Drop-in Clinic
- Extensive Loop resources
+ What extracurricular activities count in order to take the Uaneen Award?
We consider any unpaid experience you voluntarily gave up your time for and were involved with for a minimum of one year, so that includes:
- All sports
- Coaching
- DCU Clubs
- DCU Societies
- Volunteering
- Community involvement
No work, paid or unpaid, for any commercial entity will be considered as an extracurricular activity so cannot be used in your portfolio. You cannot use anything in your Uaneen portfolio that you have gained either any previous financial or academic reward for.
+ Can I use any of my experiences from before DCU in my portfolio?
No, we ask you to base your portfolio based on your extracurricular activities you have been involved in for the duration of your Undergraduate degree. Your level of involvement included in your portfolio should reflect a minimum of one year high level of engagement with your chosen activity/ies.
+ How do I know I have enough extracurricular activities to take the Award?
We ask you to fill out a Log of Activities early on in Semester 1 and if we don’t think you have enough to qualify, we let you know in plenty of time before the deadline for ‘Change of Module’.
+ I didn’t do the Bronze or Silver Engagement Award. Can I still take the Uaneen Award?
Yes, you can!
+ Is there two types of Uaneen Award? What’s the difference between UM404 and UM405 modules for the Uaneen Award?
UM404 is a Contributory Module so the 5ECTS make up part of your 180ECTS points to gain your Undergraduate degree. UM405 is a Non-Contributory Module so the 5ECTS are extra points and are not part of the 180ECTS that make up your Undergraduate degree. Postgraduate students can also register for UM405 and gain extra 5ECTS.
+ Why take the Uaneen Non-Contributory Module UM405?
Some programmes don’t offer Uaneen as part of the core modules. Students who have been actively involved in extracurricular activities still want to gain acknowledgement and reward for that involvement and UM405 is the best option for them to gain that recognition.
+ I want to take the Uaneen Award as UM405 but I am worried about the extra workload involved.
It does take a little extra commitment to add on an additional module in final year, but we have plenty of resources available to you to help guide you to writing your final portfolio. Students who take the module, particularly those who chose UM405, find it a thoroughly rewarding and fulfilling experience.
+ Can I take this module for one semester only?
No, this is a full year-long module. There is no option to take it as a single semester module.
+ I am returning to complete a Masters programme after a few years away from studying. Can I still take the Uaneen Award as a non-contributory module?
The Uaneen Award considers activities students have been involved in during their time of study within DCU only. You can take the Uaneen Award if you intend to become involved in Clubs or Societies from the very beginning of your year of study. According to the marking scheme, students are asked to have a minimum of one year involvement in order to pass the module. Please note according to the marking criteria, students score lower in their portfolio when drawing on one year's activity.
+ I am coming to DCU to complete a Masters programme. Can I still take the Uaneen Award as a non-contributory module?
The Uaneen Award considers activities students have been involved in during their time of study within DCU only. If you completed an Undergraduate programme at any other University other than DCU, you will not be able to use any of your extracurricular activities you were involved in prior to studying here. It will be necessary for you to become involved in DCU Clubs or Societies from the very beginning of your year of study to qualify for the Award. Please note according to the marking criteria, students score lower in their portfolio when drawing on one year's activity.
+ Is this a hard module?
This module is a reflective practice module and requires a different style of writing to the more familiar academic writing. It can be challenging to begin with to identify your core values, ethics and competencies or to comprehensively demonstrate and articulate how you have developed through your extracurricular activities.
+ Will I be given an Award at the end of the module?
Yes, you will receive a signed certificate by the President of DCU at your Graduation Ceremony along with your degree parchment.
+ Who should I contact if I can’t see the answer I need here?
If you have any other questions, please contact uaneen.dcu.ie
Uaneen Module Requirements
Students are required to attend a number of workshops each semester. Students will submit a Log of Activities, a reflective assessment form and a 2,000-word reflective essay towards the end of Semester 1. During semester 2, students will engage with their mentor and then submit their 4,000-word reflective portfolio assignment at the end of Semester 2. This assignment will be a critical reflection on the skills and competencies gained through involvement in extracurricular activities while in DCU. Throughout the year, students will be expected to attend short tutorials to assist them in writing their portfolios. There are also many resources on Loop.
Uaneen Fitzsimons 1971-2000
The Uaneen Award is named after a DCU alumni – Uaneen Fitzsimons.
Uaneen died tragically at age 29 in 2000. Uaneen was a dynamic student, a Communications Studies graduate who was actively involved in society life, particularly the Media Production Society, during her years in DCU.
Uaneen was a TV presenter, DJ, lover of music and of life. Uaneen started out her career with BBC1, but after a year there, she moved to Dublin, where she began a degree in Communication Studies at DCU. In 1997, she joined RTE Cork as a presenter and researcher for No Disco.
She epitomises the type of student who makes a huge impact through their extracurricular activities – for themselves, their group and their community.
Uaneen’s favourite flower was the sunflower and this is incorporated into our logo in her memory.
Check out some photos from our Uaneen Graduations! That’s right, there is a whole separate ceremony where you will receive your Uaneen Award during Graduation season.
