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6.1 Assessment Procedures and Requirements
6.2 Unsatisfactory Progress
6.3 Assessment Grades
6.4 Cheating, Plagiarism, Collusion and Recycling

6.1 Assessment Procedures and Requirements

6.1.1 Designation of Lecturer-in-Charge

There will be a Lecturer-in-Charge, nominated by the Head of School, for each unit offered by that School. The Lecturer-in-Charge of the unit is responsible for coordinating the preparation of Unit Outlines and for coordinating results in accordance with University policy.

6.1.2 Range of Assessment Methods

Assessment may include a range of methods such as formal end of study period examination, continuous assessment throughout the study period, written assignments, essays, theses, practical assessments and field trips/projects. The Unit Outline will describe assessment methods to be used in a unit.

6.1.3 Completion of unit requirements

To complete the requirements for a unit a student must -

1. comply with all University statutes, regulations and rules:
2. pay all relevant fees and charges;
3. complete all unit requirements as prescribed in the Unit Outline;
4. gain a grade of Pass Conceded or higher in accordance with Regulation 6.3.

Examples of unit requirements include - - attending classes (eg lectures, tutorials, laboratory and practical classes)

- undertaking and submitting research and assignment work for assessment
- undertaking projects and/or group work
- undertaking examinations
- undertaking field work, industrial and/or practical placements or community engagement
- undertaking police checks or submitting declarations such as ‘prohibited person declarations’
- obtaining a current first aid or CPR certificate
- undergoing required immunisation.

6.1.4 Unit Outline

By the end of the first lecture week, the Lecturer-in-Charge of the unit will make a Unit Outline available to each student enrolled in that unit. The Unit Outline includes details of unit objectives, assessment tasks, percentage of marks allocated to assessment tasks, dates for the submission of assessment, and any special requirements of that unit.

6.1.5 Attendance requirements

Attendance at scheduled lectures and classes is expected. It is compulsory to attend classes so designated in Unit Outlines.

6.1.6 Allocation of grades

Grades in a unit are assigned by the Lecturer-in-Charge, and must be ratified by the Head of School or nominee prior to submission to Student Administration. A student's grade in a unit may be changed only within six months of the original allocation of final grade and then only with the approval of the relevant Head of School, or as provided under Regulation 8.

6.1.7 Factors affecting performance

If a student believes that personal circumstances are likely to affect performance in an assessment task in a unit, the student is responsible for notifying the Lecturer-in-Charge and Course Co-ordinator before the due date for submission of that assessment task.
Students may apply for consideration of circumstances, which significantly hamper their participation or performance in an assessment. Applications should be submitted before the due date for the assessment task but where significant circumstances supported by documentary evidence prevent this, or in the case of examinations, applications will be accepted no later than five working days after the relevant assignment submission date or examination date for the unit for which consideration is sought¹⁵.

6.1.8 Extension for an assignment

A student may apply to the Lecturer-in-Charge for an extension to the submission date of an assignment. Requests for extension must be made on the appropriate form on or before the due date for submission, and must demonstrate exceptional circumstances which warrant the granting of an extension.

Assignments submitted after the due or extended date will incur a 10% penalty of the maximum marks available for that assignment. Assignments received more than three calendar days after the due or extended date will not be allocated a mark.
Unless otherwise specified in the Unit Outline, an extension of time will not normally be available for tests such as:

1. in-class tests;
2. laboratory exercises or tests;
3. computer or online exercises or tests using the University’s Learning Management System or similar technology;
4. similar tests specified in the Unit Outline.

6.1.9 Extension for submission of Honours thesis

An Honours student may apply to the Head of School for an extension to the submission date of an Honours thesis. Requests for extension must be made on or before the due date for submission, and must demonstrate exceptional circumstances which warrant the granting of an extension. The maximum extension which may be granted is 6 months.

Honours theses submitted after the due or extended date will incur a penalty of 10% of the maximum marks available for that thesis.

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6.2 Unsatisfactory Progress

6.2.1 Undergraduate and non-award students

6.2.1.1 Students at risk
An undergraduate student or student in a non-award course who has -

1. failed 50% or more of the credit points for which the student enrolled in any standard study period; or
2. failed any unit on two occasions; or
3. failed any professional experience or community engagement unit¹⁶:

should be aware that further failure may lead to liability for termination of his/her enrolment. Such a student should seek academic advice before continuing in the course.

6.2.1.2 Requirement to show cause why enrolment should not be terminated

A student will be required to show cause why his/her enrolment should not be terminated if the student has failed 50% or more of the credit points taken over the last two standard study periods in which the student was actively enrolled.

A student in an Honours program will be required to show cause if the student has achieved less than a Pass in any individual coursework unit in the Honours program.

6.2.1.3 Timing of submission showing cause why enrolment should not be terminated

Any submission from a student showing cause why his/her enrolment should not be terminated must be in writing and be submitted within 20 working days from the date of notification of the requirement to show cause.

6.2.1.4 Consideration of show cause submission

The submission from a student showing cause why his/her enrolment should not be terminated will be considered by the relevant Course Co-ordinator who may determine -

1. that the cause shown is of sufficient merit to warrant the student’s continuation in the program;
2. that the cause shown is of sufficient merit to warrant the student’s continuation in the program, subject to specified conditions; or
3. that the cause shown is not of sufficient merit to warrant the student’s continuation in the program.

The student will be advised of the decision of the Course Co-ordinator within 20 working days from the date of the student’s lodgement of the show cause submission.

6.2.1.5 Termination of enrolment

Unless otherwise determined by the Course Co-ordinator, a student’s enrolment in an undergraduate course or non-award course is terminated if the student -

1. has failed any unit or its equivalent on three occasions; or
2. has failed the same professional experience or community engagement unit or its equivalent on two occasions or failed two separate professional experience or community engagement units; or
3. having previously been required to show cause, has failed to do so or has been notified that the Course Co-ordinator determined that the cause shown was not of sufficient merit to warrant the student’s continuation in the program: or
4. having previously been allowed to re-enrol for cause shown, has in any standard study period failed more than one credit bearing unit undertaken subsequently while enrolled for the same course.

6.2.2 Postgraduate students

6.2.2.1 Students at risk

A postgraduate student who has failed more than 30 credit points or more than 40% of the total credit point requirements of the course should be aware that further failure may lead to liability for termination of his/her enrolment. Such a student should seek academic advice from the Course Co-ordinator before continuing in the course.

6.2.2.2 Termination of enrolment

Unless otherwise determined by the Course Co-ordinator, a student’s enrolment in a postgraduate course is terminated if the student has -

1. failed 50% or more of the total credit point requirements of the course;
2. failed any unit or its equivalent on three occasions; or
3. failed the same professional experience or community engagement unit or its equivalent on two occasions or failed two separate professional experience or community engagement units.

6.2.3 Effective date of termination

Any termination of enrolment under this Regulation will take effect from the end of the study period during which the student became liable for such termination.

6.2.4 Request for review of termination

A student may apply for review of any termination of enrolment under the provisions of Regulation 8.

6.2.5 Application for re-admission to same program

Any subsequent application for re-admission to the same program or, in the case of a dual degree, to either of the courses within the dual degree, will not be considered until at least one calendar year has elapsed from the date of termination. Re-admission is subject to approval by the relevant Head(s) of School.

6.2.6 Application for admission to different program

A student whose enrolment in a program has been terminated may subsequently apply for admission to another programafter the period of exclusion or suspension has been completed. In cases where no specific period of exclusion or suspension has been identified, a student will be considered for admission not earlier than one calendar year from the date of exclusion or suspension.

6.2.7 Application for re-enrolment in units failed

A student who has failed a unit on three occasions may not enrol in units in that discipline until at least one calendar year has elapsed from the date of termination; re-enrolment in such units is subject to the approval of the Head(s) of School(s) concerned.

6.2.8 Subsequent failure

The enrolment of a student who has been re-admitted to a course under Regulation 6.2.5 or 6.2.6 will be terminated in the event that the student fails any further unit or units. Such a student may not apply for re-admission to any course for a further period of one calendar year from the date of such termination.

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6.3 Assessment Grades

6.3.1 Time for completion of unit requirements

A student will complete the assessment requirements for all relevant units no later than the end of the examination period for the relevant study period.

6.3.2 Result grades

6.3.2.1 Unit grading codes

All units will be assessed and recorded according to the codes listed in Table 1. Where a student cannot be awarded a final grade for a unit at the end of the study period, the grade will remain blank. If no final result grade has been assigned to the unit within twelve months of the end of the study period, the blank grade will be converted to Fail - NN.

Table 1 - Grading Codes - Units

6.3.2.2 Honours course grading codes

All Honours courses will be assessed and recorded according to the codes listed in Table 2.

Table 2 - Grading Codes - Honours

6.3.3 Pass Conceded

A student may be awarded a Pass Conceded grade by the Head of School in exceptional circumstances. A Pass Conceded grade does not meet prerequisite requirements for enrolment in units requiring a minimum of a Pass grade. A Pass Conceded grade may only be redeemable upon the student re-enrolling in the unit in a subsequent semester and attaining a grade of Pass or better. A pass degree student may not accumulate a Pass Conceded grade in units amounting to more than 15% of the total credit points required for completion of the award. A unit in which a Pass Conceded grade has been awarded may not be counted for the purposes of admission to, or credit towards the requirements of, an Honours year or postgraduate program.

6.3.4 Fail grade

A student who fails a unit will either re-enrol in that unit in a subsequent study period in which it is offered or, if the unit is not a core unit, enrol in another unit consistent with the relevant course rules.

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6.4 Cheating, Plagiarism, Collusion and Recycling

6.4.1 Investigation and resolution of any allegation of cheating, plagiarism, collusion or recycling

Any allegation of cheating, plagiarism, collusion or recycling will be investigated and resolved in accordance with the Academic Honesty Policy.

6.4.2 Consequences of exclusion

In the event that a student is excluded for breach of the Academic Honesty Policy, any subsequent application for re-admission will not be considered until at least one calendar year has elapsed from the date of exclusion. Re-admission is subject to approval by the relevant Head of School.

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¹⁴ See also the Assessment Policy and Procedures.

¹⁵ Refer to Clause 5.2 in the Assessment Policy and Procedures.

¹⁶ Excludes volunteer experience units.

¹⁷ All units will be assessed and recorded according to the grading codes in this Table. Assessment tasks in all undergraduate units will be developed so that, in classes of 30 students or more, typically the following proportions of students will achieve the stated final grades:

1. Distinction (DI) or better - 20%
2. Credit (CR) - 30%
3. Fail (NN) or Pass Conceded (PC) - no more than 10%.

Where the final grades in an undergraduate unit significantly deviate from these standards, the Lecturer-in-Charge will provide to the School Assessment Review Committee relevant evidence to substantiate the decision.

¹⁸ Numerical equivalents of grades may be used in the calculation of the grade point average.

¹⁹ Results of PS (ungraded Pass) are excluded from the calculation of a grade point average.

²⁰ It should be noted that results from deferred examinations may be delayed and this can cause difficulties for students in terms of graduation, application for scholarships and applications to enrol at other institutions.

²¹ The award of Honours grades will be determined by the relevant School Committee on the basis of results obtained in all units required in the Honours course, weighted according to their credit point values.