Student Handbook Academic Year: 2020-21 Contents
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Student Handbook Academic Year: 2020-21 Contents 1. Introduction 4 11. Let’s Grow 21 14. Degree classification 42 18. Professional services support 50 11.1 Enhancing academic 14.1 Calculating the ‘mean’ 43 18.1 The Student Self-service 2. Academic Regulations 5 Portal (SSP) 50 knowledge 22 14.2 Certificates 11.2 Skills development 22 and transcripts 44 18.2 Centre for Student 3. Quality and Enhancement Engagement, Wellbeing 11.3 Graduate employability 23 14.3 Graduation 44 Manual (QEM) 7 and Success (SEWS) 50 11.4 Developing leadership 18.3 IT services and support 51 skills 26 15. Interim exit awards 45 4. Student Services area 18.4 Professional services staff: of our website 8 key contact details 51 12. Bloomsbury Radio 27 16. Learning resources 46 5. Programme specification 9 16.1 Birkbeck College library 46 19. Student Guild 52 13. Assessment 28 16.2 IT facilities 46 19.1 Societies 6. Modules and Award Map 11 13.1 Feed-forward 16.3 Virtual learning and clubs 53 and feedback 28 6.1 Taking modules environment: Canvas 47 13.2 Information and at mixed levels 11 16.4 Bloomsbury Online 20. Student representation and assessments 29 Library and Databases Course Committees 54 7. Module Study Guide 12 13.3 Submitting assignments 30 (BOLD) 48 13.4 Extensions Appendix A: Key student-facing 8. Academic staff 13 to assignment deadlines 32 17. Academic support 49 policies on the Quality and 13.5 Mitigating circumstances 34 Enhancement Manual 57 8.1 Office hours 13 17.1 Academic staff 49 13.6 Re-sitting/resubmitting 8.2 Staff absence 13 17.2 Learning enhancement 49 assessments 35 Appendix B: Attendance FAQs 60 17.3 University of 13.7 Assessment grading 36 9. General teaching methods 14 Northampton Skills Hub 49 13.8 Passing a module 37 Appendix C: Grade criteria 62 9.1 Behaviour and classroom etiquette 16 13.9 Students with disabilities, long-term medical Appendix D: Assessment FAQs 64 conditions and specific 10. Learning enhancement 20 learning difficulties 40 13.10 Plagiarism and cheating 40 2 | Student Handbook 3 2. Academic Regulations The Academic Regulations which apply Where students have a profile of to you throughout your studies are those non-engagement with assessments of the University of Northampton. The and learning across the year, they Regulations, and the University's Student may also still be considered for Handbook 2020-21 which provides an termination under the accumulated explanation of the Regulations, are failure regulation, shown below available at: (if the levels are breached): https://www.northampton.ac.uk/ • More than 60 credits at Level 3 about-us/governance-and-management/ (Foundation Study Framework) university-policies-procedures-and- regulations/ • More than 80 credits at Level 4 The University of Northampton has • More than 60 credits at Level 5 introduced new regulations called • More than 60 credits at Level 6 ‘Emergency Regulations’ due to the impact of Covid-19. These regulations Progression to next stage for Level apply to your studies for the year 2019- 3 students (Regulation 3.7.3) 20 and it also impacts the academic year 2020-21. • As an exception to 3.7.3, if you are studying the Level Some of the University’s Academic 3 year of the Foundation Regulations apply differently to our Study Framework, you are not 1. Introduction courses, because they consist of permitted to progress to Level 30-credit modules. The following 4 until you have passed all 120 differences are particularly important: credits at Level 3. This Student Handbook should be read alongside your Programme Handbook, Accumulated failure (Regulation Condonement (Regulation 3.7.13) which contains information specific to your chosen programme of study. 3.7.2) Condonement does not apply and, Revisions to accumulated failure therefore, you must pass every count to remove any credits failed module at a minimum grade of D- in 2019-20. in order to successfully complete your degree. 4 | Student Handbook 5 Maximum number of credits that can be studied each academic year (Regulation 3.3.2) 3. Quality and You can only take four 30-credit modules [120 credits in total] in one Enhancement academic year. If you are taking a 2-year accelerated course, then you Manual (QEM) can study a total of six 30 credit modules [180 credits in total] in one academic year. The Quality and Enhancement Manual Section Three: All policies (QEM) can be found on our website and If, after exhausting all opportunities includes information and documents This section contains all our policies for reassessment, you fail a module relevant to your course. and other key documents, many of your studies will continue into an which are very relevant to students, additional academic year, provided The QEM is broken down into three such as: you are not in breach of the key sections: accumulated failure rule. • Engagement Policy Section One: Corporate and You can obtain further advice Academic Governance • Disability Policy from our Academic Registrar or • Student Complaints Policy your Course Leader. This section includes information on our corporate structure, and Procedures our corporate and academic You can find a list of key student-facing governance framework and our policies in Appendix A below. core values. The QEM is available at: Section Two: Operational areas www.bil.ac.uk/qem This section provides information about all our key operational areas. Within each sub-section, you can explore the Quality Code’s expectations for the area and how we do things at Bloomsbury Institute. 6 | Student Handbook 7 4. Student 5. Programme Services area specification The course that you are studying e.g. Business Management (4-Year) or LLB (2-Year) sits of our website within a programme e.g. Business Management or Law. Accounting The Student Services area of our website contains links to many important sources Business Programme Law and Financial Management of information that you will need to refer to on a regular basis during your studies. Management The Student Services area includes links to: BA (Hons) BA (Hons) Business Accounting Attendance Portal: access to check Student Self-service Portal (SSP): LLB (Hons) Law Management and Financial your attendance a vital tool for any communication including Foundation including Foundation Management year (Four Year) with your Academic Administrator year (Four Year) including Foundation Timetable: access to check (see Section 18.1 below) year (Four Year) your timetable IT Support Knowledgebase: access BA (Hons) Disability and Wellbeing: advice BA (Hons) Business Accounting to search for information on various Courses LLB (Hons) Law Management and Financial and support on short-term or long- learning technology related matters (Three Year) term health conditions and specific (Three Year) Management (Three Year) learning differences Canvas: access to our virtual learning environment BA (Hons) Academic Calendar: access to check BA (Hons) Business LLB (Hons) Law Accounting your academic calendar i.e. semester Student Forms: an area where you Management (Two (Two Year and Financial dates, submission and exam periods, can find all the main forms you Year Accelerated Accelerated Management (Two Year Accelerated resubmission periods etc. might need BISG – Bloomsbury Institute IT and LT Services: link to Student Guild – where you can find information and support in these all the latest events and information areas about societies The Student Services area of our website BOLD (Bloomsbury Online Library is available at: and Databases): access to our online library and databases www.bil.ac.uk/student-portal/ 8 | Student Handbook 9 For each programme there is a Programme Specification, which includes information on the following: 6. Modules and • The educational aims of • Assessment Regulations the programme • Support for students and their • The subject-specific knowledge learning, career and progression Award Map and skills (i.e. the learning opportunities outcomes) that a student will • Methods for evaluating and enhancing demonstrate achievement of A module is set at one of four levels: Levels 6.1 Taking modules through formal assessment the quality and standards of teaching 0 and 4-6, Level 0 being the least complex and learning and Level 6 being the most complex. at mixed levels • The transferable skills that a student The module level is demonstrated by the • Indicators of quality and standards will have developed (with an indication learning outcomes for the module. Upon Taking modules at mixed levels is of those skills that a student will possible, but subject to the following: Specific programme information [i.e. for successful completion of a module, you demonstrate achievement of through Accounting and Financial Management, are awarded the specified number of formal assessment) • You cannot progress from Foundation Business Management, and Law] can credits at the specified level. Year and take any Level 4 modules be found in the relevant Programme • The teaching, learning and assessment Modules are taken at set levels and in unless you have successfully completed Handbooks. methods and strategies designated semesters. The way in which all Foundation Year modules. The Programme Specification is published the modules must be taken is outlined in • The structure of the course • You cannot take a module at the within the Programme area of Canvas the Award Map. higher level if there is a pre-requisite • Professional body requirements (see Section 16.3 below). For information about the modules and module which has not been passed. Award Map for your programme, please • Emergency regulations have refer to your Programme Handbook. suspended the restriction on the number of credits from a lower level that students can study alongside credits from a higher level. Students will be able to study full-time (up to a maximum of 120 credits) if repeating failed modules, subject to any pre- requisites or other restrictions that are in place [University of Northampton, Academic Regulation 3.7.3].