Programme Specification and Regulations 2011-2012 - CeFIMS (New Regulations)

Table of Contents

1. Programme Specification and Regulations for the CeFIMs programmes (and for the provision of individual modules) New Regulations
2. Important information regarding the Programme Specification and Regulations
3. Programme Specification
4. Detailed Regulations
   1. 1 Structures of the programmes
   2. 2 Credit transfer and accreditation of prior learning
   3. 3 Registration
   4. 4 Assessment for the programme
   5. 5 Number of attempts permitted at an examination
   6. 6 Assessment offences and penalties
   7. 7 Progression within the programme
   8. 8 Schemes of award
   9. 9 Receiving the final Diploma and Diploma Supplement
   10. 10 Fees and refunds
   11. 11 Transfer of registration
   12. 12 Students with specific access requirements
   13. 13 Complaints, suspension and termination of registration
5. Summary of provision for individual modules
6. Detailed regulations for the provision of individual modules
7. Annex A - Module Structures and Module Outlines
8. Annex B - Assessment criteria
9. Glossary of terms
10. Related documents and other sources of information

4 Assessment for the programme

4.1 (GR)

A student sitting an examination must comply with the rules given in the Notice to Candidates, which accompanies the Admission Notice, in addition to those given in this section.

Assessment methods

4.2

As indicated in the Programme Specification, each module for the awards listed in these regulations, with the exception of the Dissertation module, will be assessed by one three-hour unseen written paper examination and by the submission of two assignments which will take the form of written work prepared in response to a task or tasks specified by the Programme Director.

4.3

Assignments are expected to be about 2500 words in length. The word count should exclude footnotes, endnotes and references, and tables and figures. If an assignment exceeds the word limit by the specified amount, then tutors will implement the following deductions:

4.4

A student cannot sit the written paper examination for a module unless they have completed all the compulsory assignments for that module. Students who sit a written paper examination for a module for which they have an incomplete assignment record will be judged not to have completed the examination and will receive no mark for their performance in the written paper examination.

4.5

The grade awarded on each individual module will be based on the mark obtained in the written paper examination and on the combined mark for the assignments. The examination mark and the combined mark of the assignments will be weighted on the scale 70:30.

4.6

The Dissertation module (elective for MSc degrees only) will be assessed by submission of a written dissertation, relating to both theory and policy issues, of not more than 10,000 words, excluding the bibliography and appendices. All students, except MSc Finance (Quantitative Finance students, wishing to write a dissertation are required to successfully complete the assignments for the Research Methods module before proceeding to the Dissertation.

4.7 (GR)

All examinations will be based on the module outlines that are current for the year of the examination concerned. A student must ensure that they have studied the correct material.

4.8

In the event of a significant change to the content or assessment of a module, or because the module has been withdrawn, a student will be given a notice period of two years in which to complete the assessment for the module concerned, which will be based on the module outline in use at the time of their registration.

4.9 (GR)

An examination is governed by the regulations in force at the time of the examination and not at the time that a student was initially registered or first attempted the examination concerned, except where the conditions for changing regulations with notice apply.

4.10 (GR)

Where necessary, Examiners may change the format or rubric of a written paper examination, from that of the previous year, without giving prior notice to students.

4.11 (GR)

Examinations by written paper are held at established examination centres worldwide. In countries where there is an established examination centre, a student must use the facilities provided by that centre. The University will not establish an alternative centre in those countries.

4.12 (GR)

All examinations are held at the discretion of the examination centre and are subject to any conditions they may impose.

4.13

Notwithstanding the provisions of section 6 of these Detailed Regulations, any assignment or dissertation that forms part of the formal assessment of a module and is deemed by the University to be plagiarised will be given a mark of 0 (zero) and the student will be formally reprimanded. Repeated offences of plagiarism will attract greater penalties: the University may determine that there should be no mark for any of the modules taken in the year concerned; or that the student be excluded from any or all future examinations of the University.

Date of examinations

4.14

Written paper examinations take place in September/October each year.

4.15 (GR)

At any examination session, all students will be examined by the same written paper examination, on the same date, at the same time, except where there are unavoidable delays in the arrangement. However, the University reserves the right to set different papers in the same subject in separate countries and in different time zones.

4.16 (GR)

Where delays are unavoidable in countries other than the United Kingdom, the examination centre will arrange for the relevant examinations to be taken with as little deviation as possible from the original dates and times assigned to them. A student must abide by these revised arrangements. The University reserves the right not to mark an examination taken at a different time from that prescribed.

Submission of assignments and the dissertation

4.17

Completed assignments must be submitted via the Online Study Centre no later than the submission dates given on the module timetables.

4.18

An assignment may be submitted late only with the approval of the Programme Director who, in giving permission, will specify the additional period allowed. Assignments which are submitted late without such permission will be subject to penalties and may be returned unmarked. This could affect a student's eligibility to sit examinations.

4.19

With each assignment a student must accept the no plagiarism declaration via the online submission procedure to confirm that the completed assignment is all the student's own work and that there has been no plagiarism.

4.20

It is the responsibility of the student to retain a copy of their assignment in the event of any electronic difficulties in its submission to, or return from, the University.

4.21

A student is strongly advised to submit a draft of their dissertation before submission of the final version. However, the draft dissertation will not form part of the final assessment.

4.22

All students submitting a dissertation must submit an electronic copy of the completed dissertation via the Online Study Centre, to arrive not later than 01 October in the year of registering for the dissertation.

Sitting examinations

4.23 (GR)

A student who wishes to sit an examination in any given year must:

• have registered with the University as an International Programmes student for the programme
• have entered for the examination in accordance with the University's and the appropriate examination centre's instructions and deadlines

4.24 (GR)

A student is required to apply to the relevant examination centre for permission to sit the examination. The University cannot accept responsibility for making examination arrangements on behalf of a student. It is entirely at the examination centre's discretion to accept or refuse an entry to an examination.

4.25 (GR)

A fee is normally charged by all examination centres except for London. This fee is payable by a student each time they make an examination entry. The University is not responsible for this fee and cannot influence the level of fee charged.

4.26 (GR)

A student must write the answers to all examinations in English.

4.27 (GR)

The University reserves the right to require a student sitting a written paper examination to remain in the examination room or its precincts for the duration of the relevant examination.

4.28 (GR)

All examination scripts are the property of the University and will not be returned to students. All question papers will be retained by the University.

4.29 (GR)

A student who finds handwriting difficult due to medical or learning difficulties must apply to the University for special arrangements to be made. The University will not transcribe illegible scripts. Any script deemed illegible by the Board of Examiners will be assigned a mark of zero and a fail result will be given. This will count as an examination attempt.

Materials and aids permitted within the examination room

4.30 (GR)

Examinations must be completed without aids, unless indicated otherwise in the individual examination paper. A definitive list of materials permitted in the examination room will also be sent to students who have entered an examination with the Admission Notice/timetable.

4.31 (GR)

Without exception, electronic devices with communication capability are forbidden in the examinations. This includes personal digital assistants (PDAs) and mobile phones.

4.32 (GR)

The use of calculators in the examination is strictly controlled. Calculators may only be used in examinations where indicated in the Notice to candidates.

4.33 (GR)

Calculators will not be provided by the University. A student is responsible for providing their own calculator and for ensuring that it is in working order for the examination. A student must ensure that they have an alternative means of calculation in case their calculator fails during the examination (i.e. a second calculator which must also comply with the specification below) or must be prepared to continue the examination without a calculator. Borrowing another student's calculator during the examination is not permitted. If a student uses an electronic calculator in an examination, they must indicate on their examination script the name and type of machine used.

4.34 (GR)

Where calculators are permitted, the specifications listed below will apply, unless otherwise indicated in the Notice for candidates for the module concerned.

Calculators must:

• be hand held, compact and portable
• be quiet in operation
• have no external wires
• be non-programmable
• not be capable of receiving, storing or displaying user supplied non-numerical data

The use of a calculator that communicates or displays textual messages, graphical or algebraic information is strictly forbidden.

4.35 (GR)

If a student uses a calculator that does not comply with the above specification, they will be considered to have made an assessment offence and will be subject by the rules governing such offences.

4.36 (GR)

It is an examination offence to take into, or use in, the examination room any unauthorised materials or aids. A student must not take into the examination room, or consult during the examination, any books, notes, instruments or other materials or aids that are not permitted. All such materials or aids must be given to the Invigilator before the examination starts. A student who takes any unauthorised materials or aids into the examination room must hand them to the Invigilator when requested to do so.

Illness during examinations

4.37 (GR)

A student who thinks that illness or other circumstances may have affected their performance in an examination must immediately inform the Student Assessment Office ensuring that notification is received within three weeks of their last examination. A supporting medical certificate or other certification obtained at the time of illness must be provided at the same time. Notification received more than three weeks after the date of the last examination will not be taken into account.

Administrative re-check of marks

4.38 (GR)

A student may apply to the University for their results to be re-checked if they think a mark received is due to an administrative error.

4.39 (GR)

A student who wishes to apply for an administrative re-check of marks must do so by specific deadlines and by following the procedure set out on the University of London International Programmes website.

4.40 (GR)

A student who wishes to apply for an administrative re-check of marks must pay an administrative fee which is refundable in the event that an error is found.

4.41 (GR)

The University will not consider appeals against examination results that are made on academic grounds.