Policies & procedures

Your exams are an opportunity to demonstrate your skills, talent and hard work. It is an offence for a candidate to infringe, or attempt to infringe, the regulations governing the conduct of examinations or to engage, or attempt to engage, in conduct for the purpose of gaining for himself or herself, or for another candidate, an unfair advantage with a view to obtaining a better result than he or she would otherwise achieve.

Examples are:

1. copying from the examination script or other work undertaken for assessment by another candidate;

2. personation of others;

3. fabrication of results;

4. plagiarism, that is, the presentation by a candidate of work, including ideas and theories, of another person as if it were the candidate’s own work;

5. collusion;

6. contract cheating: engaging third parties to undertake assignments; and

7. having inadmissible material on your person during an examination, eg, mobile phone, other electronic device, notes

Reports of alleged offences are considered under procedures approved by the Council in consultation with the Senate in accordance with the Ordinance on Student Discipline.

You should note that there are severe penalties for such offences. The following action is typical of the penalties imposed upon a student who is found guilty of a first offence:

1. a reprimand;

2. a warning;

3. a fine – currently up to a maximum of £250

4. no credit for the coursework or examination concerned;

5. postponement for a year of the repeat of the coursework or examination (where a repeat has been granted) and withholding of permission to gain further credit towards a qualification in the interim.

You have the right to appeal, in appropriate circumstances, against a decision of a Board of Examiners or a Faculty Board or a Campus Progress and Award Board. An appeal must be based either:

• on evidence of extenuating circumstances relevant to your progress which in your view was not in the possession of the Board of Examiners when it made its decision (SA1 appeal)
• on a procedural or other irregularity associated with the decision
  (SA2 appeal)

The Completed form and all supporting evidence must be submitted by the date published on the portal – My Studies tab, Examinations and Assessment channel.

All information will be kept confidential.

What happens to your appeal form?

The completed SA1 form will be considered by an appeals panel normally comprised of the Chairperson of the Board of Examiners, accompanied by the Head of School and the Course Director.

You will normally be entitled to be heard in person and to be accompanied by a member of the University (for example, a student or a Students’ Union officer or a member of staff, subject to there being no conflict of interest, ie, the person must not be related to you).

The completed SA2 form will be considered by a Senior Officer. If the Senior Officer decides that you have not provided evidence of procedural or other irregularities in your completed SA2 form the appeal will be disallowed and the original decision of the Board of Examiners will be confirmed.

If the Senior Officer decides that you have provided evidence of procedural or other irregularities he/she will either agree with the faculty the amendment to be made to the original decision of the Board, or convene a panel comprising members of staff not associated with the original decision to consider the evidence.

For more information, please visit this page.

If you believe that extenuating circumstances apply to your performance in coursework or an examination, written medical evidence, or evidence of compassionate circumstances, must be presented no later than five working days following the submission date of coursework or the examination to your Course Director. Please note that in the Faculty of Computing and Engineering this evidence should be submitted to School Offices.

Evidence of ill health or extenuating circumstances should be presented using form EC1.

Evidence of ill health must be authenticated by your medical adviser. Medical certificates should be forwarded directly to your Course/Subject Director. Self-certification cannot be accepted.

Only in exceptional circumstances will late evidence be considered, in accordance with the procedures set out in the section ‘Appeals against Academic Decisions’.

Publication of results 

Awaiting exam results is both an exciting and anxious time. Decisions of Boards of Examiners are published through the Portal and are normally available within two working days of the meeting of each Board.

Coursework and examination marks are also published through the Portal by a set deadline following each examination period.

If you fail an examination, you will find details of what to do next in your course regulations. If you are unsuccessful it is your responsibility to ensure that your Course/Subject Director provides you with a written record of the decision made by the Board of Examiners on your academic progress.

Transcripts

Students who have successfully completed their course and obtained an award will receive a statement of academic record containing a breakdown of the modules taken and results achieved.

This will be provided free of charge and mailed to your home address following graduation. If you wish to send your transcript to a prospective employer, or educational institution, you are advised to request the recipient to return the document to you.

However, should you require further copies of your transcript, application can be made to the appropriate campus Examinations Office.

The form is available from the student portal at portal.ulster.ac.uk, My Studies tab, Examinations and Assessment channel, then Office Services or from the Alumni website at daro.ulster.ac.uk/alumnirelations.

The following fees, which are subject to review, will be payable each time you apply:

• £25 for one copy of the transcript;
• £10 for each additional copy.

You may also request a statement of academic record while you are a currently enrolled student. This will provide the results of modules approved by examination boards up to the date of the request. The charges above apply.

If you are permitted by a Board of Examiners to take/retake examinations/coursework or submit/resubmit dissertation in the next academic year without attendance you should note that:

1. You are required to re-enrol with Student Services at the beginning of the academic year. If you are required to take/retake coursework and/or examination for a single semester two module only, and have no semester 1 modules, you may elect to retake this at the January examination period provided that you notify the campus Examinations Office prior to the start of the academic year. If successful, you may be permitted to proceed to the next year of the course and take semesters out of sequence. This is subject to consultation with your Course Director.

2. If you are required to take/retake Semester One modules only, you may, if successful, be permitted to proceed to the next year of the Course and take semesters out of sequence. This is subject to consultation with your Course Director.

3. If you require a replacement ID card you should contact Student Services.

At Ulster, we aim to provide a high quality and enjoyable student experience. We have developed rigorous procedures to ensure the standard of our courses are maintained and enhanced.

A University panel examines all new course proposals. Each course undergoes a period of revalidation and is examined annually by external auditors. Courses are revalidated on a five yearly cycle.

Ulster University aim to give students a voice on course design and delivery, to ensure both are meeting the high standards we hold of ourselves. Therefore, as a student you will be asked to complete questionnaires on the quality of your modules and the National Student Survey in your final year.
Courses are subject to on-going development and updating; you will be informed of any changes which would affect your study.

Course management 

Each course is administered by a Course Committee, staff who contribute significantly to the teaching of the course and also includes student representatives.

The Course Committee, with the external examiner(s), becomes the Board of Examiners for the course and therefore determine the assessment results and academic progression of students.

A Campus Co-ordinating group looks after inter-subject matters and a campus board governs progress and award in light of assessment results. Also, Module Co-ordinators manage the delivery of individual modules.

Course organisation 

Course Director, Course Committee 

The Course Committee are responsible for all the organisation and management of a course. You will be issued with a handbook relating to all the course content, however, if there are any queries relating to your course that your Adviser of studies and the Module Co-ordinator cannot assist you with, the Course Director should be your point of contact.

Module Coordinator 

The Module Coordinator is tasked with overall responsibility of the modules, this includes:

• Planning the modules and implementing any changes
• Co-ordinating and managing the teaching of the module
• Organising the examining of students partaking in the module

A Course Support Area is available within the Virtual Learning Environment, Blackboard Learn, to assist communication.

Adviser of Studies 

You will be assigned an Adviser of Studies who will guide you in all of your academic, including your progress. We encourage you meet at least once a semester with your adviser to discuss your  progress and to answer any queries.

Student Views

The University very highly values your views on the programmes and modules that you are taking and aims to be responsive to both positive and negative feedback on your overall experience whilst you are a student at the University.

You have many opportunities to provide feedback to us, through the Staff-Student Consultative Committees, student representatives, course committee, online surveys, lecturing staff and the complaints procedure.

Staff-Student Consultative Committees (SSCC)

This is the key method for obtaining feedback from full-time students about your programme of study and is a good opportunity for you to have a direct input into how your course is run and how it might develop in the future.

The SSCC is made up of elected student representatives from your programme/subject area, who are there to represent the views of your group of students.

Through this committee, you may discuss specific matters within individual modules but also more general issues such as approaches to teaching and learning assessment, library and IT resources, general University facilities and health and safety.

Student Representatives

Student Representatives are elected from within your programme or subject area to act as ‘Course Reps’ on the SSCC or Course Committee.

Student Reps are there to represent your class as a whole and feedback any information to students on the course. Anyone can become a Course Rep, however, you will have to be elected by fellow students.

All Course Reps are given the opportunity to attend essential training for the role, as well as receiving hand-outs fully detailing the role. It is excellent for future employers, that can make your more employable come the end of University.

If you are interested in becoming a Course Rep, please consult with your Course Director during the first few weeks of your course.

We hope that you will have chosen a course that best suits your skills, interests and career aspirations. If you decide that you want to change your course of study, your proposed change of course should be discussed carefully with your Studies Adviser and with the Course Director of the course to which you intend to apply.

All applications for a change of course must be made on a Student Record Amendment Form obtainable from Student Services or the University portal.

You may be permitted, on educational grounds, to transfer to another course within or outside Ulster University with recommendation for continued financial help in the form of loans and means tested grants.

The process must be completed within 16 months of initial registration. For initial advice on such transfers please contact Student Services.

Ulster University Information Services Directorate maintains a range of policies, standards and guidelines for the secure and reliable delivery of services across the University. The scope of these documents varies. Some documents apply across the entire University, to both central and departmental systems, while other documents are more focused in scope or advisory.

Please follow this link to access the University’s policies, standards and guidelines for the secure and reliable delivery of services across the University.

Code of practice 

The University’s Acceptable Use Code of Practice (AUCOP) gives guidance and direction on what is and what is not acceptable. It also alerts you to behaviours and practices that are contrary to criminal or civil law e.g. downloading copyright protected materials.

You will be invited to acknowledge these terms and conditions of use before being afforded access to University systems.

Related links

• Wireless Laptop Support 
• The AUCOP and associated policy documents 

Our department offers a range of online services to you. In co-operation with Microsoft, we provide you with a web-based email service hosted by Microsoft’s Outlook Live environment. This also includes SkyDrive, your personal online disk space. Important files can be saved and accessed from any PC connected to the internet.

We provide web and email access for laptop users via our wireless service. Coverage is available on all campuses and a number of Open Access Areas have been specifically designated for laptop use.

It is important to note that the University will communicate with you only through the provided University email account.

Working safely online

You must be vigilant when using any computer connected to a network. Here are some useful tips for staying safe online:

• Change your passwords regularly.
• Never open attachments in unsolicited emails or click on web links within such messages.
• Never provide any personal information in response to unsolicited email.
• Scan any files you receive from external sources using anti-virus software before opening or attempting to use them.
• Do not download unauthorised programs to our desktop (such as screensavers or joke programs).
• When submitting assignments, save your work as an Adobe pdf document using the Save As option within Office 2007 applications. This will prevent any possibility of others tampering with your work.
• On your home PC, install anti-virus software (you can obtain a free copy of McAfee via the Portal) and ensure that it is regularly updated. Install a personal firewall and ensure that Microsoft Windows update facility regularly installs patches (some applications will also do this).

We have a Student Charter which explains what you can expect from the University in terms of the academic and other services available. The Charter also explains what we expect of our students.

This Charter aims to be inclusive and we have developed a range of Charters for specific services or for student groups with different needs.

We have separate Charters for:

• Teaching and Learning
• Information Services
• Student Welfare and Relations
• International Students

For more information on these Charters, please visit this webpage.

The International Students Attendance Policy has been developed as part of QA Higher
Education’s commitment to providing a supportive learning environment to enable
students to achieve their full potential and also to ensure we meet our sponsorship duties.
This policy outlines attendance and engagement requirements for Ulster University
‘Student’ permission, previously known at Tier 4 permission, students and also aims to
provide clarity for both students and staff on these matters.

Read the policy in full here.

We hope that your time at Ulster University will be enjoyable and rewarding. You can be reassured that if you were to experience bullying or harassment, we take that very seriously. The University is committed to promoting a good and harmonious learning and working environment, and any such incidents will be dealt with appropriately.

The Policy includes details on how to deal with any incidents of alleged bullying or harassment, please contact Student Support or your Course Director for further information.

The University has a clear policy on Copyright and Intellectual Property Rights, and has provided useful guidelines to follow. Please visit this link to view these.

Any student convicted of a criminal offence after applying and before enrolling, or whilst enrolled as a student of the University must notify the Registrar without delay. Failure to do so may result in the student being required to withdraw from the University.

For further information, please refer to our university regulations.

All staff will ensure that data use, retention and storage comply fully with the Data Protection Act 1998. Please follow this link to the University’s Data Protection Policy which details:

• Introduction to the personal data processed by the University
• Health information
• Published data
• Prevention or detection of a criminal offence
• Partnership institutions
• Photographs
• Computer use
• Criminal convictions and criminal record checks
• Ulster University Students’ Union
• Disclosure to Third Parties
• Students on courses leading to professional recognition
• Access to data held
• Photography and video at Ulster University

Misuse or damage to University property or facilities is likely to lead to disciplinary action which could result in termination of your studies and/or payment for damages and call out charges.

A breach of discipline can range from a failure to comply with any Statute, Ordinance, Regulation or Rule prescribed for the conduct and discipline of students, to theft, riotous or disorderly behaviour and plagiarism.

Examples of penalties for a breach of discipline include the following based on actual cases:

• a fine for plagiarism with coursework disallowed
• a fine for damage to University property in addition to being punished in the courts
• removal from accommodation for intimidation of other residents
• suspension from studies and associated privileges

For further information, please visit this link.

Ulster is an open and inclusive institution that celebrates diversity.

We ask that you respect the views and feelings of your fellow students and the University staff by not wearing clothing bearing images or words that are offensive or insulting.

In the event that there is a perceived threat of intimidation, this should be brought to the attention of the Executive Dean in the first instance by emailing Tim.Harris@qa.com.

General Policy Statement

QA Ltd regards the promotion of the Health & Safety At Work etc. Act 1974 and the Environmental Protection Act 1990 as an essential objective for all people who engage with or work for the Company.

It is our policy to do all that is reasonable to prevent personal injury and damage to property and to protect personnel and the environment from reasonably foreseeable hazards and cover the public in so far as they come into contact with Company’s activities.

General duties of students 

All students will receive a safety induction briefing during their induction week and at the start of their first class.

Students experiencing difficulties with the adjustment of the display screen equipment in the PC rooms or the classroom chairs should inform their lecturer and the equipment will be adjusted accordingly.

Students identifying a Health & Safety hazard are requested to report this to their lecturer or another member of staff for investigation or remedial action.

Smoking Safety Committees

There is a strict no smoking policy, including electronic cigarettes, inside the buildings of our branch campus. Both locations have dedicated outside areas where students are permitted to smoke.

The Health Act 2006 prohibits smoking in enclosed or substantially enclosed workplaces, public places and work vehicles/public vehicles used by more than one person.

Smoking is a risk to health and the third major cause of fire, therefore, student’s co-operation in this matter is essential.

Safety Committees 

A quarterly meeting is held by the Health and Safety committee, any issues that have arisen during the previous meeting as well as concerns raised by students and staff are discussed, as well as actions taken to address these.

Fire procedures 

All students will be informed of the emergency evacuation, fire and health and safety procedures during their induction. Students will be required to complete a fire drill and emergency evacuation in the early stages of their study. Our campuses have a designated Fire Safety Manager. The Fire Safety Manager’s duties are to ensure that:

• All staff fully understand fire precautions and the actions required in the event of a fire related evacuation of the building.
• Provision for the evacuation of any disabled persons in the event of fire.
• All Fire Marshals are fully conversant with their duties.
• Each fire exit doorway, including the locking mechanism, is checked at least once every six months to ensure efficient operation.
• Fire exit doorways and fire exit routes are clearly marked and must remain free from obstruction at all times.
• All fire extinguishers are in their proper positions and any defective and empty fire extinguishers are repaired or replaced.
• Weekly fire alarm tests and 6-monthly evacuation drills are carried out and the results are recorded.
• Records of maintenance, tests, training and inspections are documented in the Fire Log Book.

If a fire is discovered where a student is located

• Students need to activate the Fire Alarm,  then vacate the premises by the QUICKEST and SAFEST route and proceed to the allotted Assembly Point.
• Only if safe to do so a student can report the size and location of the fire (if known) together with details of any casualties to a member of staff.

If there is no fire where a student is located 

• And the alarm sounds, students must evacuate by the QUICKEST and SAFEST route and go directly to the Assembly Point by a safe route and report to the person in charge if required.

Once the emergency is over and the premises can be re-entered, the person in charge will give the ‘All Clear’. On no account must students go inside the buildings until the ‘All Clear’ is given.

Fire Drills 

Fire drills are carried out once every three months. When a fire drill occurs full evacuation will take place, and the fire procedures need to be followed. See above for fire procedures.

Reporting accidents

If an accident occurs while on campus students must report this to a member of staff immediately. If medical assistance is required a first aider will be called to the scene. Once the accident has been dealt with a report will be logged with health and safety manager who will ensure follow up action is taken where appropriate.

If you have a concern relating to the security of the building or students, you should make this known to the nearest member of staff immediately.

For all Campuses in an emergency

In the event of an emergency while you are located in the campus buildings you should report this to the nearest member of staff immediately and follow their instructions.

In the rare event that you are unable to contact a member of staff and you believe you, or other students or staff are in immediate danger please contact the emergency services by calling 999.

Reporting accidents 

We hope that you never have the misfortune to have an accident at University. If you do and require first-aid treatment, you should seek out the nearest first-aider.

The names and location of first aiders are displayed on notices throughout the University.

If you cannot see such a notice, you should go to the Student Services desk for assistance.

If you have an accident, whether you are injured or not, you should complete the Accident Log and sign it. Student Services will be able to direct you to where the Accident Log is located.

The term ‘social media’ refers to online channels of communication which allow users to interact in the public domain by sharing information, opinions, knowledge and interest. Social media is of course popular with students but we have put together some guidelines to protect both you and the University.

These guidelines aim to make clear your responsibility as a representative of Ulster University on social media, what misuse of social media is and the consequences, as well as list the relevant Legislation.

In the event of you wishing to make a complaint about any aspect of your experience at the University or QA Higher Education, please refer to the Student Complaints QAHE procedure.