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Academic Senate approves the results for all undergraduate units, based on recommendations from the Deans of Division.

The Dean of the Division in which a postgraduate coursework unit is offered determines the required academic work for satisfactory completion of the unit. The Dean of the Division in which the unit is offered also determines whether the unit has been completed satisfactorily (refer to Postgraduate Coursework Rule 6).

The Dean of each Division has an obligation to advise students in writing within two weeks of the beginning of each unit of the work required to complete it satisfactorily as well as the date of by which all assessable work must be completed (Senate Resolution 75/155). The Divisions are also responsible for providing students with information about any requirements in respect of footnotes and bibliographies in essays and written assignments. Students may receive written instructions about a unit assignment or assessment. An example of these instructions can be found in the unit outline for ECON350: http://www.econ.mq.edu.au/courses/econ350/assess.htm.

Many Divisions have developed their own procedures for assignments and assessment. They can be viewed on the divisional websites or obtained in a hard copy from a Division or Department. Following are links to some of the documents containing information about divisional procedures for assignments and assessment:

• Linguistics and Psychology Assignments and Assessment Procedures
• LLB Student Survival Guide
• SCMP Essay Writing Guide

Student self-assessment is used to ensure that students are on-track to complete their assignment and to provide students with feedback and advice (mostly for postgraduate and distance education students and students completing practicum units, for example Student Self Assessment Form from the Department of Electronics ).

Completion of a unit may include sitting for a formal examination which is normally scheduled during the mid- or end-of-year examination periods. The Bachelor Degree Rules and the Postgraduate Coursework Rules stipulate that if students do not attend all classes or hand in all assignments, they may not be permitted by the Dean of the Division to attend the final examination for a particular unit (see chapter: EXCLUSION) .

EXAMINATION TIMETABLES

The draft examination timetable is generally available eight weeks before the commencement of the examination period. The final examination timetable is available four weeks before the commencement of the examination period. All examinations are held at the time set specified in the official examination timetable that can be obtained from the examination timetable website. It is Macquarie University policy not to set early examinations for individuals or groups of students. All students are expected to ensure that they are available until the end of the semester, that is the final day of the official examination period. This is particularly important for the international students who are planning to return to their home country.

Students sitting examinations at the North Ryde campus may obtain their individual examination timetable, with room and seat number, from the examination timetable website. To access this information a student must enter their student number. Staff can also obtain a full copy of the examination timetable from this website.
A copy of the examination timetable is also displayed outside Academic Program Section on Level 4 of the Lincoln Building (C8A). During the exam period another copy is also available for perusal at the Student Enquiry Service located on the ground floor of the Lincoln Building.

Students are advised to carefully check the time and place of their examinations as no special provision may be made for a candidate who does not present for examination at the correct time and place. If students misread the timetable or have any clashing examination times they should report immediately to the Academic Program Section.

Distance education students sitting examinations at the North Ryde campus are sent a letter which contains their individual examination timetable with room and seat number locations. The University has a policy of not providing information related to the location of examinations by telephone. Distance education students sitting examinations at country centres are also sent a letter advising them of the date and time of their examination as well as information regarding the location of their examination centre.

GENERAL PROCEDURES APPLYING TO THE CONDUCT OF EXAMINATIONS

The following procedures apply for the conduct of examinations in undergraduate and postgraduate coursework units:

EXAMINATION RULES

Students sitting examinations must also comply with the following Examination Rules:

SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR EXAMINATIONS (STUDENTS WITH A DISABILITY)

Special arrangements for examinations during the formal examination period are provided to assist students with a disability or health condition. Special arrangements for examinations are organised in collaboration with the Academic Program Section, and the owing Division of the unit being assessed.

All requests for special arrangements for examinations are assessed by the Equity Support Unit. For more information and documentation please refer to the Equity Support Unit’s website.

Provisions for an examination may include:

EXTENSION OF TIME TO COMPLETE ASSESSMENT TASKS

For all assessments other than examinations, a student unable to submit the work on time may be granted an extension. An application for extension should be made to the unit convenor in the manner specified in the unit study guide. In cases where a student’s ability to complete the assessable task continues to be affected by protracted illness or unavoidable disruption, the student should also apply for special consideration.

SPECIAL CONSIDERATION

Students who are prevented by unavoidable disruption from completing any of the work required to complete a unit may request that a special consideration be taken into account by the Dean of Division when assessing the student’s performance.

Unavoidable Disruption
Academic Senate has adopted the definition of unavoidable disruption to studies (Bachelor Degree Rule 7(4)) and the Postgraduate Coursework Rules (6(4)) as resulting from an event or set of circumstances which:
(a) could not have reasonably been anticipated, avoided or guarded against by the student; and
(b) were beyond the student's control; and
(c) caused substantial disruption to the student's capacity for effective study and/or the completion of required work; and
(d) interfered with the otherwise satisfactory fulfillment of unit or course requirements.
Circumstances routinely encountered by students would not normally be acceptable grounds for claiming unavoidable disruption to studies. Such circumstances include:
(a) routine demands of employment;
(b) routine family problems such as domestic tension with or between parents, spouses, and other people closely involved with the student;
(c) difficulties adjusting to University life, to the self-discipline needed to study effectively, and the demands of academic work;
(d) stress or anxiety associated with examinations, required assignments or any aspect of academic work;
(e) routine need for financial support;
(f) demands of sport, clubs and social or extra-curricular activities.

Academic Senate treats as unavoidable disruption cases where the student has been prevented from attending an examination for the following reasons:

(a) as a member of the armed forces involved in compulsory exercises;
(b) as a person in full-time employment required to be overseas by his or her employer;
(c) as a person representing Australia at an international sporting or cultural competition.

Request for Special Consideration
The Macquarie University Handbook of Undergraduate Studies sets out the procedures to be followed by students when making a request for special consideration, and confers discretion on the Dean of the Division offering the unit to make decisions in relation to the granting of special consideration. This applies to any of the work required to complete a unit including assignments, examinations and take-home examinations. Special consideration is only appropriate for assignments when the disruption cannot be dealt with satisfactorily by means of an extension (see above).

Students who experience unavoidable disruption or misadventure during teaching weeks or during mid-semester vacation periods are required to complete an Advice of Absence or Other Circumstances form.

Students who experience unavoidable disruption or misadventure during the examination period are required to complete a Request for Special Consideration form. Students who are unable to complete other assessment tasks after the end of the teaching period, should also lodge a request for special consideration (see above).

Both of the forms mentioned above require supporting medical or appropriate documentation. In general, a medical practitioner/allied health professional would need to complete the Professional Authority component of the form.

All forms must be handed in to the Academic Program Section, Registrar’s Office. Please refer to the procedures outlined below for submitting Request for Special Consideration.

The Bachelor Degree Rules and the Postgraduate Coursework Rules provide that special consideration may be granted where a student:

(a) is prevented by unavoidable disruption from attending an exam or satisfying unit requirements, or
(b) is affected immediately prior to an exam by unavoidable disruption, or
(c) is substantially affected during an exam by unavoidable disruption.

Disruption during the examination should be reported to the examination supervisor either during or immediately after the examination as well as by the lodgement of a Special Consideration form.

The Special Consideration form (and supporting documentation) must be submitted to the Academic Program Section no later than five working days after the date of the examination for the unit for which a student is seeking special consideration (in any case no later than the day following the final day of the examination period). Requests for special consideration for units that do not have an examination scheduled during the formal examination period must be submitted by no later than the day following the final day of the examination period.

In cases where a student is personally unable to apply for a special consideration, e.g. severe illness or hospitalisation, another person may lodge a request for special consideration on behalf of the student.

When completing the Request for Special Consideration form, a student must:

(a) indicate the unit(s) for which consideration is requested;
(b) set out the nature and causes of the disruption to studies/examination and indicate relevant dates;
(c) supply an original Professional Authority form, or other appropriate evidence of illness or misadventure. Some Divisions, e.g. Economic and Financial Studies will only accept the Professional Authority Form as evidence of illness or misadventure and will not consider any request for special consideration unless that Form is included with the request for special consideration. Students must attach the originals of all documents with their request for special consideration.

A student also must supply one copy of the Request for Special Consideration form and Professional Authority form (or other appropriate evidence of illness or misadventure) for each of the Divisions offering the unit(s) for which special consideration is being sought as well as one copy for their Division of registration. The Academic Program Section will record the request for special consideration against the student’s record on the Academic Management Information System (AMIS) and arrange for the request for special consideration to be circulated to the Divisions offering the unit(s) for which special consideration is being sought.

Possible outcomes of the granting of special consideration could be that the Dean of Division, acting on a recommendation from the unit convenor may either:

1. Make a minor increase to the mark without additional work being required; or
2. Grant permission to sit a supplementary/special examination or equivalent form of assessment; or
3. Make no change to the student’s final mark.

If a student is granted a permission to sit a supplementary or special examination he or she must be available for supplementary testing at the time chosen by the examiner which may not be fixed until after results have been released. A special examination shall be conducted by such means and on such date as determined by the Dean of Division, provided that the examination must be held not later than six weeks after the notification of examination results for the study period. In special circumstances, the Dean of Division may determine a later date but before the commencement of the next succeeding regular examination period.

Absence from a special examination at the time chosen by the examiner may lead to failure in the unit. Students who have requested special consideration should check the website of the relevant Division or contact the Division office for further details regarding the date and time of special examinations.