Policies & Procedures for Current Students

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This page provides you with assessment information on deferring exams, special consideration, reasonable adjustments in examinations for students from non-English speaking backgrounds (NESB), alternative examination sittings for students with religious obligations and late submission of assignments. You will also find information on the faculty committees.

Deferring Exams

If there are special circumstances beyond your control which prevent you from sitting an examination at the prescribed time, you may apply to sit a deferred examination. Please note that for progressive assessment (ie tests and examinations conducted during the semester) you should refer to the week 1 unit information which outlines the specific procedures that apply when you miss an item of progressive assessment through special circumstances.

Deferred examinations are a significant concession and as such, will only be granted if you submit a properly documented application within the prescribed University timelines. Applications that do not conform to the stated guidelines will be refused. The Faculty will not normally consider applications for deferred examinations which are lodged outside of the prescribed University timelines.

You are responsible for managing your personal and work commitments to ensure that you are available to undertake examinations during the published central examination period and at times specified in week 1 unit information for school based examinations. The Faculty does not offer deferred examinations for reasons such as holidays and part-time work commitments.

If you are granted a deferred examination, you must undertake the examination at the prescribed time. The Faculty does not offer any further deferment of examinations. Please visit the student services website for further information on deferring exams.

Special Consideration

If you consider that your performance in an assessment item was adversely affected by illness or other extenuating circumstances, you may apply for special consideration. The Faculty of Science requires students who are applying for special consideration to provide evidence as specified on the Application for Special Consideration form. Applications that do not conform to the stated guidelines will be refused. The Faculty will not normally consider applications for special consideration that are lodged outside of the prescribed University timelines.

Please visit the student services website for futher information on special consideration.

Reasonable adjustments in examinations for students from non-English speaking backgrounds (NESB)

Any NESB student may take into an examination a hardcopy bilingual translation dictionary. Dictionaries must not be annotated in any manner. The Faculty does not permit the use of electronic dictionaries, scientific dictionaries nor dictionaries containing definitions. Any NESB student who is in the first calendar year of tertiary studies conducted in English language instruction may apply for extra time in examinations for units offered by the Faculty of Science. This extra time will be 5 minutes for every full 30-minute period of working time.

Students from NESB wishing to use a bilingual dictionary do not need to apply for this concession. For examinations conducted during the semester and for school-based final examinations, you must inform the exam supervisor of the dictionary prior to the commencement of the exam. This is not required for final examinations conducted centrally by the Examinations Unit.

Eligible students from NESB who wish to apply for extra time in examinations must complete the Faculty NESB application form [PDF]. Applications for examinations conducted during the semester must be submitted to the relevant unit coordinator/s at least two weeks prior to the examination date. For all examinations conducted in the University's final examination period, applications are to be submitted to the Science Faculty Office, Level 4, R Block, GP Campus by the end of Week 9 of semester.

For further information, please visit the student services website.

Alternative examination sittings for students with religious obligations

If you have religious obligations, which preclude attendance at examinations in accordance with the official timetable, you have the right to alternative examination arrangements in accordance with QUT policy.

Late submission of assignments

The policy and procedures for late submission of assignments are outlined in the week 1 unit information for each unit. You are responsible for ensuring that you read and understand the procedures for seeking an extension of the due date for submission of assessment items and the penalties which apply for late submission where no extension has been granted.

Faculty Committees

The following committees contribute to the decision-making processes within the Faculty of Science.

• Planning & Resources Committee
• Science Academic Board
• Faculty Advisory Committee
• Faculty Teaching & Learning Committee
• Faculty Research Training & Postgraduate Studies Committee
• Faculty Health & Safety Advisory Committee
• Faculty Equity Committee
• Faculty Information Management Committee
• Faculty Marketing Committee

For further information about these committees, please contact us.