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Examinations Policy

Please note that this policy will be replaced by the Assessment in Coursework Programs Policy and the Unit Assessment Procedures as of 15 February 2010.  Details can be found in Current Policy Projects.

Monash University will conduct annual, final, term, mid-year, supplementary, special and other examinations as appropriate.

The Council may, with the advice of the Academic Board, make regulations relating to-

  • the holding of examinations in degree and diploma units;
  • the appointment of chief examiners and assistant examiners in each unit;
  • the appointment of a board of examiners in respect of each faculty;
  • the responsibilities, powers and duties of chief examiners, assistant examiners and boards of examiners respectively;
  • the form and manner of entry to examination by candidates;

Changes to examination policy and procedures that have academic ramifications require consideration and approval by the Education Committee.

Unit Assessments and Terminal examinations

  • there will be a unit assessment for each unit.
  • a terminal examination will be held in each unit and will be the unit assessment for that unit.
  • the unit faculty board may, after consulting all faculty boards of enrolment, determine that there shall be no terminal examination for a designated unit or that the terminal examination for that unit shall form part only of the assessment for that unit.
  • where, there is no terminal examination in a unit or the terminal examination forms only part of the unit assessment, the chief examiner in that may, in addition to or in lieu of a supplementary examination, prescribe such other supplementary work for assessment as thought fit and, for the purpose of the remaining subsections of this section, a supplementary examination shall be deemed to include such supplementary assessment.
  • where the unit faculty board decides that there will be no terminal examination for a unit such a decision must be made not more than four weeks after the beginning of teaching in the designated unit and shall be made by the unit faculty board after consulting all faculty boards of enrolment and shall be reported to the Academic Board.
  • A terminal examination can be written, oral or practical or any combination thereof as prescribed by the unit faculty board or the dean of the unit faculty on the recommendation of the chairman of department.
  • Where the examiners are empowered to do so by this policy or the published outline of units, they may treat as part of the terminal examination the assessment of work done by candidates during the teaching period or their performance in any formal tests held during that period or both.
  • a terminal examination and any supplementary or special examination held in connection with that terminal examination will be deemed to be one examination.

Supplementary and Special Examinations

  • supplementary and special examinations for a unit may be held and the rules for the conditions governing entry to such examinations will be as prescribed by the faculty board of enrolment and approved by the Academic Board.
  • subject to and in accordance with the rules and conditions prescribed by the faculty board of enrolment, that board or the appropriate board of examiners may allow a candidate to undertake a supplementary examination in the unit concerned.
  • where, there is no terminal examination in a unit, or the terminal examination forms only part of the unit assessment, the chief examiner in that unit may, in addition to or in lieu of a supplementary examination, prescribe such other supplementary work for assessment as thought fit and, for the purpose of the remaining subsections of this section, a supplementary examination shall be deemed to include such supplementary assessment.
  • The faculty board of enrolment or the appropriate board of examiners may allow a candidate to sit for a special examination where:
  • a candidate has been prevented by illness or other serious cause from presenting for all or part of a terminal examination; or
  • the candidate’s work during the academic year or performance in an examination or other assessment has been gravely affected by illness or other serious cause. (Also see Special Consideration Policy and Procedures).

Final Honours Examinations

Final examinations for admission to any honours bachelor degree may be held in accordance with the regulations governing the degree and will otherwise be subject to this policy.

Entry for Examinations

  • subject to Statute 3.5 – Administrative Staff, the faculty manager will be responsible for the administration of terminal, supplementary, special and final honours examinations.
  • the faculty manager may require candidates to enter for any examination in such manner and by such date as they may be directed.
  • the faculty manager may accept a late entry for an examination on payment of such late fee as the faculty manager may determine in accordance with rates prescribed by the Council.

Preparation for Examinations

For undergraduate students between years one and three, week thirteen of the semester should normally be devoted to consolidation and review.

Materials

No candidate will take into an examination any material other than material approved by the chief examiner in the unit concerned. For the purpose of this section, the expression ‘any material’ will include any bilingual dictionary.

Any material submitted by a candidate for the purposes of a terminal examination will thereupon become the property of the university.

Non-payment of Compulsory Fees

Where a candidate has not paid all compulsory fees (which expression includes late fees, the amenities fee and any hospital residential fee) due by him to the university, the faculty manager, after consultation with the dean of the faculty concerned, may:

  • direct that the candidate be excluded from sitting for any examinations; or
  • direct that results obtained by the candidate in any examination be withheld.

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that there is consistency in the examination processes used throughout Monash University.

Scope

This policy will apply to examinations conducted for coursework units and degrees.

Rationale

In many units and degrees taught by the university, examinations are used to assess students` knowledge. In order for the university to attest to the veracity of the student's knowledge it is important that examinations are conducted in an appropriate and consistent manner.

Related Policies and Procedures

Governing Documents

Responsibilities for Implementation

  • University wide - Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education)
  • Faculty wide - Deans, Associate Deans (Teaching), Heads of Departments, Chief Examiners, Faculty Managers/Registrars.

Review Schedule

This policy will be considered for review by Academic Board three years after approval or earlier as required.

Change to "Responsibilities for Implementation" made by Education Committee Meeting 6/2005, 26 October 2005.