Where credit towards a course offered at this College is sought, the follow- ing alternatives are available:
2. 1.1 Exemption
Exemption from completing a specific unit may be given on the basis of prior completion of a unit or other experience equivalent in content and level, or exemption from an unspecified unit may be given on the basis of prior completion of a unit or other experience which is judged to be equally acceptable within the structure of the course.
2.1.2 Partial Exemption
Subject to the approval of the Head of School or Division responsible for the course, applicants may be given relief from a part of the work
RULES AND RELATED PROCEDURES
72
but only partially equivalent in content. Students are required to enro in the unit(s) concerned in a specified semester and ascertain whict assessment components are required for completion of the unit(s) frorr the lecturer in charge. Upon satisfactory completion of all other wor~
required either full exemption from the unit or a grade will be award ed, subject to the discretion of the Head of School or Division respon sible for the course.
2.1.3 Substitution
The College may require applicants who have already completed s unit similar to one included in their current course to take a substitutE unit.
2.2 APPLICATION FOR CREDIT 2.2.1 Application Procedures
An applicant who wishes to seek credit for studies undertaken ir another course, whether at this College or another recognised insti·
tution, should apply to the Academic Registrar, stating the basis o·
the request and the amount of credit sought. Application for Credi!
forms are available from the Student Administration Offices on eact campus or from the Academic Registrar.
2.2.2 Eligibility
Students already enrolled in a College course may submit an appli·
cation for credit at any time, but they are advised to do so well before the commencement of any semester in which the award of credit ma) have an effect on their enrolment. Where late credit applications are approved, students may not be able to enrol in further units during a particular semester to replace units in which credit has beeli awarded.
Applicants for admission to the College who also seek credit should submit a credit application at the earliest possible time. While the Col·
lege will consider all such applications promptly, it will not necessari·
ly finalise consideration of applications during the admission period.
In determining eligibility for credit the Head of School or Division responsible for the course will consider details of the applicant's pri·
or study i.e. content, grades achieved, recency, and may wish to in·
terview the applicant, or may require the applicant to undergo an appropriate form of assessment which may be preceded by an individu·
alised program of study.
2.2.3 Documentation
Applicants are responsible for providing an official transcript of results and copies of the outline or syllabus of units completed. Before doing so, applicants are encouraged to contact the appropriate Head o1 School, Division or Department to determine which of their former units are likely to be relevant. Undocumented applications will not be con·
sidered.
2.2.4 Notification
Decisions on applications for credit will be conveyed in writing by the Academic Registrar.
2.3 LIMITATIONS ON THE AWARD OF CREDIT 2.3.1 Maximum Credit Available
Subject to 2.3.5 below, the total credit given towards a course (that is exemptions plus partial exemptions) will not exceed one half of the total requirements of that course unless there are exceptional circum- stances. In such cases Academic Board approval is required. In cases
where applicants have completed more than one half of a course at another institution but wish to complete their course at this College, arrangements may be made by applicants with their former institution to approve a specific course plan at this College which would lead to qualification for the award of the former institution.
2.3.2 Time Limit
Studies undertaken ten or more years preceding the date of applica- tion will not normally be considered for credit purposes, unless evi- dence can be produced on the current relevance of the unit(s) concerned and/or the extent to which applicants have been able to update their content knowledge. In such cases, applicants may be offered a viva voce examination or other form of assessment in order to demonstrate their capabilities in the unit(s) in which credit is sought.
2.3.3 Level of Course
Applicants will normally be eligible for credit only on the basis of studies completed at a level similar to or higher than the College course they intend to undertake.
Where an applicant for credit has completed studies at a lower level than the course in which credit is sought, credit will normally be award- ed in the form of partial exemptions. However, where the courses con- cerned cover substantially the same subject matter in comparable depth, full exemptions may be awarded where performance has met specified criteria.
2.3.4 Studies Undertaken as a Pre-requisite for Entry to a College Course The College will not give transfer credit for studies taken as part of any course or prescribed special program of bridging studies, com- pletion of which is regarded as a pre-requisite for entry to the College course in which the applicant is seeking credit.
2.3.5 Specified Minimum Study Requirements
Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the College may, in respect of any course, prescribe a minimum number of units which all persons enrolled in that course are required to complete. Appli- cants for credit should refer to the Head of the School or Division responsible for the course.
~ . ASSESSMENT 3.1 GRADING
Students' performance in units will be graded on a scale from one to seven as defined below, unless use of a two point (satisfactory/unsatisfactory) grad- ing scale has been approved by the appropriate Board of Studies for a par- ticular unit.
3.1.1 Principal Grading Scale
7: High Distinction (HD): Exceptional performance, reflected in com- plete and comprehensive understanding of subject matter; genuine mastery of relevant skills; demonstration of an extremely high level of interpretive and analytic ability and intellectual initiative; and achieve- ment of all major and minor objectives of the unit.
6: Distinction (D): Excellent performance reflected in a very high level of understanding of subject matter; development of relevant skills to a very high level; demonstration of a very high level of interpretive and analytic ability and intellectual initiative; and achievement of all major and minor objectives of the unit.
5: Credit (C): Good performance reflected in a high level of understand- ing of subject matter; development of relevant skills to a high level;
demonstration of a high level of interpretive and analytic ability; and achievement of all major objectives of the unit; some minor objectives
RULES AND RELATED PROCEDURES
74
4: Pass (P): Satisfactory performance reflected in adequate unde standing of most of basic subject matter; adequate development , relevant skills; adequate interpretive and analytic ability; and achiev ment of all major objectives of the unit; failure to achieve some mini objectives.
3: Pass Conceded (PC): Marginal performance reflected in inadequa understanding of basic subject matter; partial development of rel1 vant skills; some evidence of interpretive and analytic ability; achiev1 ment of most major objectives of the unit; failure to achieve some mini objectives.
2: Failure (F): Unsatisfactory performance reflected in inadequate u1 derstanding of basic subject matter; inadequate development of rel1 vant skills; insufficient evidence of interpretive and analytic ability; ar failure to achieve a number of major and minor objectives of the uni 1: Gross Failure (GF): Very unsatisfactory performance reflected failure to master basic subject matter, failure to develop relevant skill:
little or no evidence of interpretive and analytic ability; and failure I achieve major and minor objectives of the unit.
3.1.2 Alternative Grading Scale
S: Satisfactory: Satisfactory performance reflected in adequate u1 derstanding of most of basic subject matter; adequate developme1 of relevant skills; adequate interpretive and analytic ability; an achievement of major objectives of the unit.
U: Unsatisfactory: Unsatisfactory performance reflected in inadequa1 understanding of basic subject matter; inadequate development of rel~
vant skills; insufficient evidence of interpretive and analytic ability; an failure to achieve one or more major objectives of the unit.
3.1.3 Administrative Codes
A Assessment temporarily incomplete.
E Full exemption awarded on the basis of satisfactory comple tion of a unit or units in another tertiary course (either at BCAE or another tertiary institution).
K Failure by withdrawal, awarded where participation in a unil ceases, no assessment items are attempted, and no inten- tion to withdraw is notified; or where an application to with- draw without assessment after the seventh week of lecturei is not approved.
T Studies extending over more than one semester (thesis, dis sertation or similar units) where the longer period is part of the accredited course requirements.
W Withdrawal without assessment, awarded where a formal re quest for withdrawal from a unit during weeks three to seven inclusive, is approved.
3.2 SUPPLEMENTARY ASSESSMENT 3.2.1 Eligibility
Supplementary assessment in a maximum of two units may be avai able to a final semester student if satisfactory completion of the unit(i would enable the student to graduate from the course. Under specie circumstances, including failure in a compulsory unit offered only i the second last semester of a course, the Chairperson of a Board c Council or nominee may approve supplementary assessment in ore er to allow the student to graduate without extension of the course Supplementary assessment should normally be completed before th1 commencement of the subsequent semester.
Such assessment may take the form of an assignment, examination or other assessment procedure, as determined by the Head of School or Division.
3.2.2 Application Procedure
Students eligible for supplementary assessment will normally be ad- vised prior to or at the time of the release of results. However all stu- dents who believe they may be eligible, whether or not they have been notified, should apply to the Academic Registrar, within seven days of the release of results. A form is available for this purpose from cam- pus Student Administration Offices.
3.2.3 Notification
Students will receive written notification of the outcome of their appli- cation, including, where appropriate, the date, time, location and for- mat of the supplementary assessment, which would normally take place in January and August of each year.
3.3 Deferred Examinations 3.3.1 Eligibility
Students who through illness or other circumstances beyond their con- trol are unable to attend an examination at the prescribed time or com- plete an examination, may subsequently be eligible for a deferred examination.
The term 'examination' here refers to any examination or test held under formal examination conditions.
3.3.2 Application Procedure
Application forms for deferred examinations are available from cam- pus Student Administration Offices and should normally be submit- ted to the campus Student Administration Officer prior to or within three days of the examination date.
In extreme cases where a student is unable to submit such an appli- cation, a telephone message explaining the circumstances should be relayed to the appropriate campus Student Administration Officer. A formal application should be submitted as soon as possible.
The application should clearly indicate the code and title of the unit, and the date, time and location of the examination. Full details of the circumstances leading to the application must be given, and, where appropriate, a medical certificate or other appropriate documentary evidence should be attached.
3.3.3 Notification
Students will receive written notification of the outcome of their appli- cation including, where appropriate, the date, time, location and for- mat of the deferred examination.
3.4 CHEATING
3.4.1 In undertaking assessment requirements in a unit, students are ex- pected to exhibit honesty and ethical behaviour.
3.4.2 Cheating is defined as any fraudulent response whatsoever by stu- dents to any item of assessment including any instance where: stu- dents deliberately copy or attempt to copy the work of other students;
students use or attempt to use information or materials that are pro- hibited from use in that form of assessment; students submit the work of another as their own; students consciously commit acts of plagiarism i.e. those actions which comprise taking and using as their own, the thoughts or writings of another with the intent to deceive, which oc- curs when:
RULES AND RELATED PROCEDURES
( i) (ii)
paragraphs, sentences, a single sentence or significant parts of a sentence which are copied directly, are not en- closed in quotation marks and appropriately footnoted;
direct quotations are not used, but text is paraphrased or summarised, and the source of the material is not ac- knowledged either by footnoting or other simple reference within the text.
3.4.3 Students found cheating in any item of assessment will have that ite cancelled, receive no marks for it, and not be permitted to repeat during that semester of enrolment.
3.4.4 Students found cheating on more than one occasion may be liab under College By-Law 8 to penalties applicable to a breach of di cipline.
3.5 PROGRESSION AND EXCLUSION
Students' academic performance is evaluated at the conclusion of eac semester. Students whose results for a semester include one or more failun may be permitted to proceed with their respective courses undcer cone tions imposed in regard to repetition or substitution of the unit(s) failed; 1
if the degree of failure in that semester or over a number of semesters sufficiently serious, may be excluded from the course concerned.
Rules on repetition of units and on progression generally are establishE and applied at the discretion of Boards of Studies and vary from course course. However, provisions regarding exclusion are common to all course One or more of the following grounds may be specified in an individual cas (a) failure on two occasions in the same unit;
(b) failure in more than a specified proportion of studies undertaken a particular semester;
(c) failure to achieve a satisfactory level of performance in any mandat' ry studies taken as part of a particular course;
(d) accumulation of failures to levels specified for particular courses;
(e) failure to complete a course within a specified maximum period of tim Students will be advised by the Academic Registrar of any actions require or conditions imposed consequent upon failure, and in the case of excl1 sion, of the specific ground or grounds involved and the period of exclusio
4. REVIEW OF GRADES OR ACADEMIC RULINGS
76
4.1 APP LI CATION
If a student has reason to believe that an error has been made or that s injustice exists after receipt of notification of an official final grade for a ur or of an academic ruling with respect to repetition of units or exclusion fro a course, the student may apply for a review of such grade or ruling.
Such application must be made on the appropriate form available from St1 dent Administration Offices on campus. The application must be lodged wi1 Student Administration within fourteen days of the release of the grade 1 ruling. The application must be accompanied by appropriate information ar documentation and must state clearly the specific grounds on which the ri
quest for the review is based.
It should be understood that the review could lead to no change or to eith1 a less favourable or more favourable outcome for the student.
4.2 PROCEDURE
A review will be conducted only after receipt of a formal application. The form of the review shall be the responsibility of the relevant Head of School or Division and shall be carried out by appropriate members of the academic staff.
While students are encouraged to discuss their work with relevant mem- bers of staff during the semester a review of a final result in any unit or an appeal against it can only occur according to the prescribed formal proce- dures for handling such matters. After grades have been finalised, students should not expect members of academic staff to respond to informal ap- proaches or pressures.
4.3 NOTIFICATION
The student shall be advised of the outcome by the Academic Registrar as soon as practicable.