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Students set to start degrees in English at Queen's University Belfast in September have been warned they will initially be taught remotely.

A letter sent to prospective students envisages courses will combine online lectures, chat groups and video calls with "some face-to-face teaching".

The author, Prof Moyra Haslett, said it was likely that, for the start of the academic year at least, teaching would be "entirely online".

The plans were provisional, she added.

Lectures usually held in university buildings would be conducted remotely, said Prof Haslett, from the School of Arts, English and Languages.

"In place of our weekly lectures delivered in our lecture venues within Queen's, we will be providing lectures online," she said.

On tutorial discussions, Prof Haslett wrote: "These are likely to take the form of discussion boards and the use of video-conferencing tools to have online discussion groups."

While she said "effective teaching" could still take place despite the coronavirus crisis, her letter accepted that ultimately digital technologies were "no replacement for the immediacy" of face-to-face learning.

'Authentic campus experience'

Robert Murtagh, president of NUS-USI, said students needed more information about how they would be taught.

"Incoming students are concerned about what they're going into next year... we want decisions to be right with reflection that quality isn't going to be the same," he said.

"But we also need to make sure that decisions are communicated to students and prospective students as soon as possible."

Students on other courses, who are due to return to Queen's in September, say they want more information about how their degrees will be taught.

Oisín-Tomas Ó'Raghaillagh, who is due to start the second year of his Film and Theatre Making degree in September, said there were also questions about issues like accommodation. accommodation at the university.

"I don't know what I'm going to do in terms of booking accommodation right now because I don't want to be spending so much money on accommodation in Belfast if classes won't be running in person," said the Strabane student.

In a statement, Queen's University said: "We are planning to commence teaching in September, applying the relevant social-distancing measures and hygiene measures to assure the safety of students.

"A connected learning approach is anticipated with online delivery complementing face-to-face teaching as necessary.

"University accommodation will be available with relevant safety measures applied to ensure students receive an authentic campus experience."