Instructions for Exam Candidates

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1 Instructions for Exam Candidates November 2015

2 DISCLAIMER While every reasonable effort is made to ensure that the information provided in this document is true and accurate upon publishing, no guarantees for the currency or accuracy of the information are made and Swansea University accepts no liability whatsoever for any loss, damage or inconvenience caused as a result of reliance on such information. It is your responsibility to check your personal details held on your computerised Academic Profile Record carefully, and in particular the module record, since this data is the basis for creating the examination timetable. You should report any discrepancies immediately to the respective School or the Student Records Office in the Abbey Stable Block Building and make sure the alteration is made. Failure to do so will result in a seat not being available for you in the examination or an examination clash. Published by Academic Services, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA2 8PP, United Kingdom Tel. +44 (0) Fax: +44 (0) academic.services@swansea.ac.uk

3 CONTENTS 1. Introduction Examination dates 2015/ External Candidates Examinations through the medium of Welsh Religious obligations Candidates registered with the Disability Office and requiring specific provision Requests for Examinations to be held overseas Instructions for Examination Candidates Extenuating circumstances General information Academic Misconduct... 5

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5 1. INTRODUCTION Dear Student I am writing to give you the examination dates for the Academic Year 2015/2016 and other relevant information. Please read this information carefully and make sure you are aware of all the facts relevant to you, including examination dates. If you need to act upon anything mentioned below, please do so ASAP. Jacqui Walsh Senior Assessment and Awards Officer (Examinations) Swansea University j.walsh@swansea.ac.uk 8th October

6 2. EXAMINATION DATES 2015/2016 End of Semester 1 Examinations - Monday 11th January 2016 to Saturday 23rd January (Wednesday 27th to Friday 29th January 2016 will be contingency days that may be required if circumstances dictate). Please make sure you are available during the whole period A Provisional Timetable will be on display in the foyer of Fulton House and on School/ College notice boards from mid November This is for your information only and is subject to change. It is for all students and staff to check there are no examinations missing or examinations clashing (same date and time). Please contact Student Academic Services (Examinations Office) immediately if there are any omissions or you have any concerns regarding spacing of exams on examsoffice@swansea.ac.uk 2.3. The Final Timetable will be on display in the foyer of Fulton House, on School/College notice boards and, in addition, a personalised version will be available on your Academic Profile Student Record from late November Once the Final timetable has been released, no further changes can be made. End of Semester 2 Examinations - Monday 16th May 2016 to Friday 10th June A Provisional Timetable will be on display in the foyer of Fulton House and on School/College notice boards from early March This is for your information only and is subject to change. It is for all students and staff to check that there are no examinations missing or examinations clashing (same date and time). Please contact Student Academic Services (Examinations Office) immediately if there are any omissions or you have any concerns regarding spacing of exams on examsoffice@swansea.ac.uk 2.5. A Final Timetable will be on display in the foyer of Fulton House, School/College notice boards and, in addition, a personalised version will be available on your Academic Profile Record from mid-march Once the Final timetable has been released, no further changes can be made. Supplementary Examinations (Resits) - Wednesday 17th August 2016 to Saturday 27th August A personalised version will be made available on your Academic Profile Record from early August Please be aware personal timetables will not be sent by post to students home address. Bookings for accommodation should be made online. 3. EXTERNAL CANDIDATES 3.1. Students who are required to repeat the level of study can only apply to repeat failed modules as internal candidates. The exceptions are Taught Masters, GDL and some Health Science students, who may apply to repeat modules as external candidates. However, some undergraduate students who are required to repeat failed modules may be allowed to enrol as an external candidate, but only in exceptional circumstances and only as an outcome of an Appeal Panel or as a decision of the Regulations and Cases Board. If you wish to be considered please contact Undergraduate Officer at undergraduatequeries@swansea.ac.uk 3.2. Application forms and fees should be forwarded to Student Academic Services (Examinations Office) for processing to j.walsh@swansea.ac.uk 2

7 4. EXAMINATIONS THROUGH THE MEDIUM OF WELSH 4.1. Any candidate who wishes to submit examination scripts or assessed work in Welsh is required to notify their College and the Student Academic Services (Examinations Office) / Academic Director in writing by 31 October 2015 to enable arrangements for translation of the examination materials to be made. 5. RELIGIOUS OBLIGATIONS 5.1. Students who are, because of religious obligations, unable to sit examinations on certain days e.g. on Saturdays, should inform Student Academic Services (Examinations Office) before 31 October 2015 for the January 2016 examinations, and no later than 1 February 2016 for the May/June 2016 examinations. Every effort will be made to avoid scheduling examinations on these days, but cannot be guaranteed. 6. CANDIDATES REGISTERED WITH THE DISABILITY OFFICE AND REQUIRING SPECIFIC PROVISION 6.1. Candidates registered with the Disability Office/Wellbeing and requiring specific provision during the examination periods should contact Student Academic Services (Examinations Office) on or by on examsoffice@swansea.ac.uk before the end of each term to discuss examination arrangements for the next term. It is the responsibility of the student to contact Student Academic Services (Examinations Office) directly. 7. REQUESTS FOR EXAMINATIONS TO BE HELD OVERSEAS 7.1. All University examinations, including resits, must be taken at Swansea. It is not the policy of this University to allow students to sit examinations with the British Council or any similar body overseas. 8. INSTRUCTIONS FOR EXAMINATION CANDIDATES 8.1. Candidates sitting written examinations in the University are reminded that they are required to have available on their desks in the examination room proof of identity, such proof being a valid ID and Library card issued to each student at enrolment Candidates unable to produce their Student ID or Library card when requested by the Invigilator in the examination room may not have their mark processed Candidates must not have in their possession in the examination room, nor make use of, any book, manuscript, electronic calculator or any other aid that is not specifically allowed in the rubric of the examination paper. If calculators are permitted they must not contain any userrecorded data or program and must be incapable of electronic communication Candidates are only allowed to take permitted aids for their examination in to the examination venue. These aids (e.g. pencils, biros) must be carried in a clear and transparent pencil case or poly pocket which will be examined on entry to the examination venue No mobile phones, pagers nor any other unauthorised electronic device are allowed in the examination rooms or any other accessible room, i.e. public toilets. Unauthorised possession of a mobile phone or any prohibited electronic device will be reported to the Director of Academic Integrity 8.6. No candidate is allowed to enter the room after the examination has been in progress for 30 minutes and no candidate may leave the room until the examination has been in progress for 45 minutes. 3

8 8.7. No candidate is to leave the examination room in the final thirty minutes of an examination since movement during this period may cause disturbance to other candidates still in the examination room No food may be consumed in the examination venues Any student wearing a head covering (i.e. crash helmet, baseball cap, woolly hat, hijab, etc) will either be asked to remove it, or, in the case of hijabs etc, will be asked to show that they are not concealing any ear pieces/listening devices etc. in their ears Candidates are not permitted to use their own calculators unless it is clearly indicated on the rubric of the individual paper that they may do so. The University will, however, provide a standard calculator (Casio FX-83 or FX85) for use at each venue English/foreign language dictionaries will not be allowed into examination venues unless it is clearly indicated on the rubric that they may be used. Invigilators will have a supply of English only and English/Welsh dictionaries at each venue which candidates will be able to refer to, provided the rubric allows this If, in the opinion of an invigilator, a candidate is causing a disturbance or has been observed acting in breach of a regulation, e.g. talking to or communicating with another in an examination, he/she shall be warned. If the candidate continues to be disruptive or continues to act in breach of the regulations he/she shall be required to leave the venue. The candidate will not be readmitted for that examination and the incident will be reported to the Director of Academic Integrity At the end of the examination, students must remain seated in silence until all examination scripts have been collected and the Chief Invigilator announces that they may leave the examination venue. 9. EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES 9.1. The University has introduced a policy relating to how the University will consider extenuating circumstances. Extenuating circumstances are defined as serious and acute problems or events which are beyond a student s control or ability to foresee which may have affected a student s performance and/or may have impeded a student s ability to attend, complete, or submit an assessment on time Students who are affected by extenuating circumstances before an examination to such an extent that their performance is likely to be significantly affected might wish to consider postponing the sitting of the examination until a future date. In this case, students should submit a request for deferral of that examination to their College A claim for a deferral on the basis of extenuating circumstances relating to an absence from an examination or an illness during an examination must be submitted to the Home College either in advance of the examination date; or, within 5 WORKING DAYS of the examination taking place. Any such claim must be in writing using the prescribed form and accompanied by supporting documentary evidence. It is the responsibility of the student to obtain and submit supporting evidence A student who is taken ill during an examination MUST inform the Chief Invigilator either during, or immediately after the examination and BEFORE leaving the examination venue. Any claim of extenuating circumstances based on an illness during the examination must also be submitted to the Home College within 5 WORKING DAYS of the affected examination 4

9 taking place For further information please access the relevant page on the University website at swansea.ac.uk/academic-services/academic-guide/assessment-and-progress/extenuatingcircumstances-policy/ 10. GENERAL INFORMATION All students taking examinations at swansea university must be aware of the following: It is the students responsibilty to make themselves aware of the dates, times and locations of their examinations before the examination period begins It is the students responsibilty to be aware of the module code and module title of all their examinations before the examination period begins All students should be at the examination venues at least 30 mins before the examination begins All morning examinations start at 9.30 am All afternoon examinations start at 2.00 pm All students must bring their valid student ID card to all examinations. If they do not have one, they should make arrangements to replace it before the examination. Candidates unable to produce their student ID or library card when requested by the invigilator in the examination room may not have their mark processed It is the students responsibilty to be aware of the seat numbers for each examination module All students must conduct themselves in a respectful manner at all times and be aware of, and abide by, all examination regulations, particularly the regulation referring to unauthorised electronic equipment Any valuables brought to examination venues and left with examination attendants are done so at the students own risk. The university does not accept responsibility for any losses. 11. ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT This University takes all cases of academic misconduct very seriously and if you are caught engaging in academic misconduct during an examination the likely penalty will be to cancel the marks for ALL modules taken this year. For those of you who are unsure what constitutes unfair practice in examinations, please take note of the following You are only allowed to bring permitted aids for your examination in to an examination venue. These aids (e.g. pencils, biros) must be carried in a clear and transparent pencil case or poly pocket which will be examined Make sure that you do not have any notes on you or any other items in your possession, as these could be regarded as unauthorised material. If you have any unauthorised material on you, please hand it in to the Chief Invigilator immediately. If an invigilator has good reason to believe you are secreting unauthorised material on your person and you refuse to produce it when requested to do so, then the inference will be made that you have attempted academic misconduct. 5

10 11.4. Make sure you do not have any notes written on your person, including notes made on your arms or hands. If you do, you must wash them off immediately. Furthermore, please do not write on your hands or arms or make notes on handkerchiefs etc., during the examinations. Invigilators will be unaware of when it was done, only that there is writing present and therefore an academic misconduct Do not talk or communicate with any other students under any circumstances Make sure you have left your mobile phones or prohibited electronic devices outside the venue or in the box provided. If you are found to be in possession of a mobile phone or any prohibited electronic device, either in the exam room or in any room accessible to you, i.e. public toilets, you will be reported to the Director of Academic Integrity If you are unsure of anything, please ask before the start of the examination. 6

EXAMINATIONS POLICY 2016/2017

EXAMINATIONS POLICY 2016/2017 Contents Exam responsibilities. Qualifications offered. Exam series. Exam timetables. Entries, entry details and late entries. Exam fees. Equality Legislation. Access arrangements.