Frequently Asked Quentions

General

1. I have additional questions not answered here – what should I do?

Check this directory to identify: who at LUMS can help you address your question.

2. What are the range of support services available to us at LUMS?

LUMS has a variety of offices and resources which you can use for a wide range of questions and issues. See here to see what these offices/ services are, and what kinds of questions and issues you can use them for: Support Services at LUMS

3. How do I find out about events happening around campus?

Most events from LUMS centers, departments, offices and student societies are advertised on email and social media. Some (though not all) upcoming events are listed in this calendar: University Calendar (lums.edu.pk)

4. Some of my classes are online, and sometimes this is hard – what can I do?

Last year, we collected feedback from LUMS students and faculty about: what you can do to manage studying online. These tips, along with best-practices around the world, are given here: Online Study Tips

Academic Advising

1. Is it possible to schedule an in-person meeting with an academic counsellor, if we are on-campus (hostelite)?

Yes, please email your school’s advising unit to schedule an appointment.

2. Can we take any courses at the education school during our undergrad at another school?

Yes, provided you meet the specific course’s pre-reqs + the academic plan for your school/ intended major allows for taking such a course (i.e. you have the flexibility to take such course). How much leeway you have to select courses depends on your school, major and academic year.

3. Can there be a double minor, if someone wants to go ahead with double minor?

Yes, but graduation may get delayed if you need the extra time to meet the requirements of both minors.

4. Will we be assigned instructors, or do we get to choose our own?

I assume this is a question about faculty advisers -- SSE/SAHSOL students get assigned faculty advisers in first year. SDSB students in their sophomore year and Gurmani students in their 3rd/4th years. If your school assigns a faculty adviser, this is done automatically.

5. How many minors can we have?

This depends on the following factors: 1) how much course-choice are you left with, after courses essential for your graduation (i.e. university cores, school cores, major requirements, etc.) -- this varies by school/major. 2) Whether or not you are able to get into the courses needed to complete minor requirements at the time of enrollment; and 3) how carefully you plan your courses each semester. Students usually complete up to two minors.

6. The fsc students who have not gotten their results yet are they also supposed to take 12 credit hours?

Students who are restricted to 12 ch have already been notified by the admissions office, in their admission-letter -- if you did not receive that instruction in your admission-letter, then you are not restricted to 12 ch.

7. When do we decide our minors?

Unlike majors, minors are not declared. Students take courses that meet the requirements of the minor and receive the minor if they meet all the requirements at the time of graduation. (See point 5 for planning).it is a lookback option and has to be declared only at the time of graduation.

8. Who do we have to contact relating to issues concerning October November exams, i.e. adjusting course-load, exemptions from instruments, etc.?

You should contact your school’s advising unit to discuss work-load management/ course-selections. You will contact OSA for petitions (e.g. to be excused from a course in order to appear for your level exams -- but please note that students will only be accommodated for LUMS attendance/quizzes/exams etc. that fall on the same day as their a level exam.)

9. What is the difference between a minor and free elective?

To graduate with a LUMS degree, certain courses fulfill specific requirements (e.g. university cores, school cores, major requirements, etc.) after meeting all these requirements, you still have space/credit hours to take additional courses of your choice that you are eligible to enroll in. they add to the overall credit-hour requirements needed to graduate -- this is a free elective (note: at SAHSOL, free electives are completed during the by phase of your degree, i.e. the first two years). A minor, on the other hand, requires the completion of a group of courses as prescribed by the minor (each minor at LUMS has its own requirements for the number and type of courses that will enable you to graduate with that minor).

10. What's the difference between free electives and the electives of our majors?

A free elective is a course that counts towards your overall ch-requirement for graduation, but is otherwise not needed for any other requirement (i.e. it is not needed for a major or a school core or a university core, etc.). Moreover, a free elective is a course that can be from any discipline/major/minor or school at LUMS (that you are eligible to enroll in). A major elective is different: it is a course from within the relevant major - in majors, some specific courses may be required -- while other courses you have a choice in, i.e. you can take any course in the major. This is a major elective.

11. Kindly tell us about a double major. Is it advised? How many people pursue a double major?

Is it possible to do a double major in 4 years? It is not possible to do a double major in 4 years -- one or two students in the whole batch opt to do double major. It is however possible to complete a double major within the maximum of 6 years that LUMS allows to undergraduate students (7 years for SAHSOL students). Historically, most double majors take at least two additional semesters.

12. Can we drop course mid-term if it increases our workload?

If your workload is becoming unmanageable, you can consider reducing your course-load? things to consider in this situation: 1) minimum-requirements: undergraduates cannot take less than 12 credits in a regular semester (the only exception this semester is someone who is conditionally-admitted and giving a-levels exams -- if you fall in that category, discuss with your advising unit -- otherwise all students must take at least 12 credits). 2) Appropriate courses: discuss with your advising unit which course to leave, as which courses to take/ not take has implications for future courses you can take/ not take, or majors you can pursue/ not pursue. 3) Timing: you can drop a course before the drop-deadline (so your transcript will not show the course), or withdraw from a course after the drop deadline (so the course will be listed on the transcript with the notation (a ‘w’ sign) that you withdrew from the course). Note: when you drop a course affects whether a fee is charged for the course and whether you need your adviser’s approval before dropping the course. The tuition fee for withdrawn courses is not refunded.

13. Why I am enrolled in ss100a, introduction to writing?

Students with low sat score in reading / writing are enrolled in a remedial course ss 100a.

14. Will books and notes be provided as pdf?

And when? This depends on each course -- you should ask your course instructor how to access their course’s readings.

15. Are pre-registered classes that we are enrolled in enough to fulfill the 12 credit hour minimum requirement?

Depends on your school. Please ask your school’s advising unit

16. How big of a jump is it from A-levels to LUMS? (Academic aspect)

The difference between a levels and LUMS is significant. First, in a levels, you give a final exam that determines your grade. In LUMS, every assignment counts towards your final grade. Second, the depth of content in any given subject is greater in college vs. A Levels. Also, in a levels you study a particular subject for 1-2 years. In LUMS, you will start each course in a particular term and end it in that term and receive a final grade for it -- then take new courses in the next term. another difference relates to choice: in a levels you select some subjects and stick with them for a long time, but in LUMS, you will need to make a lot of academic decisions about a lot of things: which major to declare, which courses to select every semester, whether to do an independent study or not, etc. etc. so overall, the transition from school to university is a significant change -- study habits that served you well in school may need to change in order to accommodate the requirements of a college education.

SSE-Related Questions

1. I have heard SSE have forced enrollment? What does that mean?

When you have to go into zambeel and select and add your own courses, this is regular enrollment. When the school automatically adds a course to your schedule, this is called forced enrollment.

2. If I am a physics major, can I still have some courses in CS? Or do I have to do a minor in CS to get to know about it?

All SSE students are required to take core courses in first year. One course of CS, as school core, has to be taken by all; moreover, the bucket of free elective can be used to take more CS or any other courses of your choice.

3. What if I want to switch from MHGSS to SSE? What subjects should I target for the transition to be as smooth as possible?

For guidance on school transfers, see here.

4. Can we take additional courses on top of first year mandatory courses at SSE? (18 + 16 ch are assigned for first 2 semesters).

SSE freshmen cannot enroll in more than 18 credit hours in one semester at SSE. Since all of them are core courses, students are not recommended to drop any, in order to take some other courses.

MGHSS-Related Questions

1. When will HSS students find out about writing and communication enrollment?

All students have been enrolled and it's visible on zambeel. If it is not visible on zambeel by now, it means you will be enrolled in it in spring.

2. For the first semester, we need to take four courses (for 16crhs) that satisfy the MGHSS buckets right? Do we need to take electives and minor requirements into account right now?

MGHSS first year core has three buckets to be finished in the first year (fall and spring semester). Ideally students should plan to finish two buckets in first semester that gives them space to enroll in electives. All possible combinations have been discussed in detail with students during o-week.

3. Can someone please send a list of all the core courses available to mgs students under each course bucket which is available to freshmen?
The list has been shared with all students and uploaded in the online folder shared with them before O Week.

4. How can Gurmani students take SDSB courses?
Students will have access to SDSB courses during add/drop phase. (3^rd September, Friday)

SAHSOL-Related Questions

I am in SAHSOL, Is my major indecisive like SABSEE for first year?
No, your major is not unconfirmed -- SAHSOL students are confirmed to be in the law major/ BA-LLB program as soon as they are admitted; however, students will have to submit an undertaking form on zambeel towards the end of their first year.

Office of International Affairs

Can you please give some info regarding International Exchange Programs?

OIA is currently managing 50+ exchange partners. The number of our partner universities is growing extensively and rapidly. Through these programs, students from our partner universities as well as LUMS can study for a semester or the summer at the host institution, sometimes on partially or fully funded scholarships. For more information regarding the programs, please email international@lums.edu.pk

Registrar Office

1. What are cross listed courses? Can you give an example?

Courses that are offered by 2 departments because they can be considered interdisciplinary in nature. Within zambeel you can enroll from either department (if seats are open). An example is game theory which is offered by the economics department (MSHSS) and math department (SSE). A course completed with a particular prefix will not be changed to the other cross listed course prefix. Even if cross is listed.

2. What is the difference between dropping and withdrawing a course?

Dropping a course will have no impact on your transcript, however withdrawing will have a ‘w’ on your transcript. In both cases, the course dropped (or withdrawn from) will not be part of your GPA calculation. Dropped courses is charged according to the tuition fee deadlines but for a withdrawn course complete tuition fee is charged.

3. Can someone explain how credit hours are calculated and how do you know how many you have fulfilled?

A 3 credit hour class has 2 classes a week (75 minutes each), whereas a 4 credit hours course has 2 classes a week (100 mins each). 50 minutes normally is considered as one credit. A student can see the total number of completed credits in zambeel as well as on unofficial transcript under ‘successfully completed credits’.

4. What's the maximum amount of credit hours one can take in one semester?

In SDSB first year students can take maximum 18 chs in a regular semester and sophomores, juniors and seniors can take maximum 20 chs in a regular semester. in MGHSS, first year students take a maximum of 16 chs in a regular semester; sophomores, juniors and seniors can take a maximum of 20 chs.

5. Is live enrollment first come first serve or random selection?

Live enrollment is first come first served.

6. Can we change our class timings if we have a valid reason?

Class timings mentioned in the class schedule cannot be changed.

7. Can we change our timetable of classes in the first semester?

By choosing the courses you take, you also get to choose your preferred sections and class timings at the time of enrollment. (This does not apply to pre enrolled courses - the sections and timings for those are assigned to you. You may be able to swap pre-assigned sections for university cores (only) during enrollment). After enrollment is over (including add/drop), you cannot change your courses or sections (and associated timings/timetable) during the semester.

8. Can we have mutual swaps in the same courses, and if yes then how?

In case allocated section of university core courses (Writing and Comm, Islamic Studies and Pakistan Studies) is clashing with a class that students is interested to take then student can find a student who is willing to swap his/her section. In such a case both students can send their consent to helpdeskro@lums.edu.pk and RO will process the swap. Section change is discouraged in other regular courses.

10. I’m admitted to SSE. Actually I wanted to inform that I have completed my 2 semesters in GCU Lahore in BSc biotechnology. I couldn’t apply on transfer application because my one year wasn’t completed at GCU so I applied on normal application. So what I wanted to ask is that can I get credit for the courses that I’ve studied or like some of my credit hours be exempted for similar courses so that like the effort I made in completing these 2 semester don’t go null and void.

Please contact Office of Admissions at helpdeskao@lums.edu.pk

11. CGPA I need to maintain my merit scholarship?

The minimum CGPA requirement to be placed on the DHL list is 3.60. However this does not guarantee that the student will be granted merit scholarship as that is based on ranking and a particular number of top students from each school are selected for merit scholarships. For further details, please contact Office of Financial Aid at helpdeskofa@lums.edu.pk.

12. On what basis is a merit scholarship continued in the subsequent years?
Please contact Office of Financial Aid at helpdeskofa@lums.edu.pk.

13. Can I get credit for the similar courses that I’ve studied in my two semesters at GCU though I’m not admitted on transfer application?

Please contact Office of Admissions at helpdeskao@lums.edu.pk

14. Can we request for a change in our class timings if we have a valid reason?

Class timings mentioned in the Class schedule cannot be changed.

15. Can freshman swap courses for different timings in our forced enrolled courses?

This information is available in class schedule at RO portal

17. How do we get to know what courses are online or in person?

This information is available in the class schedule available at RO portal

18. CGPA I need to maintain my merit scholarship?

Career Services Office

1. Can freshman students work? Are these work opportunities available for first years? Can we get internships during our first years?

Very few employers consider freshmen for part-time free-lancing jobs and internships which we share with them as per requirement of employers. Furthermore, CSO regularly shares career development activities with freshmen to develop their employability skills and prepare their appropriate career path.

2. Can first year students work as well in the departments you just mentioned? There is an exclusive job portal of HR LUMS where students can explore opportunities offered by LUMS departments.

For more information regarding CSO, please email cso@lums.edu.pk.

Office of Co-Curricular Activities

1. How we will get to know each society and how they can help us if everything is online?

The list of societies is available on the OSA website https://osa.lums.edu.pk/student-society. You can also follow OSA on social media Facebook or Twitter.

2. When do we get to join the different societies at LUMS?

Societies will start reaching out to students through our newsletter, social media and OSA mails for their orientation and membership processes. Any student can reach out to CCA at cca@lums.edu.pk for specific queries.

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