Queen Mary, University of London Student Guide 2011-12

Queen Mary, University of LondonStudent Guide 2011-12

Using the Student Guide

DisclaimerThe information given in the Student Guide is correct atthe time of publication. In the unlikely event of substantialamendments to the material you will be informed.

QMUL cannot accept responsibility for the accuracy ofinformation given by third party publications and websitesreferred to in the Student Guide.

FeedbackIf you have ideas on how the Student Guide can beimproved for future edit ions, please let us know at theaddress given above.

The Student Guide offers information on life and study atQueen Mary, University of London. All of the material inthe Student Guide is institution-level information andapplies equally to all students unless it specifically statesotherwise. You will also receive a handbook from yourschool containing data specific to your programme ofstudy. The School of Medicine and Dentistry issuesmaterials that may override some information given in theStudent Guide for its students.

The other important QMUL documents that you mayneed to refer to are the Academic Regulations. Theseprovide authoritative information on governance andquality issues, and on study requirements. Nothing in theStudent Guide or school handbooks overrides any aspectof the Academic Regulations, which always takeprecedence.

You can read the Academic Regulations and the StudentGuide online at: www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk.

Research degreesIf you are completing a research degree then you mayneed to contact the Research Degrees Office or refer toseparate research degrees information, available online atwww.arcs.qmul.ac.uk.

The Student Guide is available in a large print format. If you need a largeprint copy, or if you have any other special requirements, please contact:

Academic Registry and Council SecretariatQueen Mary, University of LondonTel: +44 (0)20 7882 3354Email: [email protected]

Contents

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Welcome 2Introduction to Queen Mary 5Campus Information 5Key information 9Student administration 9Student Card 9Communications 9Updating personal details 10Computing facilities 10Academic Regulations 11Behaviour 11Academic advice 11Representation 12Disabilities and learning difficulties 13Textbooks 14Field courses 14Studying abroad or elsewhere in UK 14Placements and sandwich years 14Medical examinations 14Debtors 15Complaints 15Data protection 16Visas and immigration 17Safety 18Fire 18Insurance 19Lost property 19Parking 19Charity collections 19Posters and leaflets 19Smoking on campus 20Breastfeeding on campus 20TV Licence 21Part time work 23The Academic Year 23Attendance and participation 23Absences 24Enrolment 25Tuition fees 25Interrupting studies 26Changing your programme of study 27Withdrawal and deregistration 28Module registration and withdrawal 28Module marks and grades 30Core and compulsory modules 30Assessment methods 30Examinations 20Special exam arrangements 31

Missed exams 32Award requirements 33Progression requirements 34Degree classifications 38Advanced standing 40Examination Boards 40Discretion, Pass and Aegrotat Degrees 41Graduation 42Failure 42Resits 44First sits 45Extenuating circumstances 46Assessment offences 50Appeals 51Graduate Attributes and Careers 53Developing your graduate attributes 53Careers Service 53Mind the GAP site 56Career Diagnosis 56Dental Work 57Careers Brief 57Student Support Services 59Academic Registry 59Advice and Counselling Service 59Bursaries, Grants and Scholarships 60Careers Service 61Disability and Dyslexia Service 61English Language and Study Skills 61Faith 62International Office 63IT Services 63Language Learning 64Legal Advice Centre 65Library Services 65Occupational Health Service 68Residential Services 68Student Health Service 68Students’ Union 69Study Abroad and International Exchange Office 70Tuition Fees 70Westfield Nursery 71Further Information 73Glossary 75Useful telephone numbers 81Maps 84Calendar 91

The Student Guide is an important handbookthat will help you during your studies. You willlearn what you can expect from QMUL and, inturn, what we expect of you as a proactive andindependent learner. It explains QMULprocedures and aspects of the regulations thataffect you, while highlighting the wealth offacilities and varied support services that areavailable. Please take full advantage of theresources, activities and recommendations thatare on offer.

Read it carefully and keep it as a source ofreference throughout the year. If you lose ormislay it then you can obtain another copyfrom your School or Institute, Registry at MileEnd, or the Student Office at Whitechapel. TheGuide is also available online at:www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk.

If you have questions about anything that youread in the Guide, please enquire at therelevant office. You will be expected to befamiliar with and observe the variousguidelines, regulations and procedures that arecovered in this document.

The Student Guide summarises the mainprovisions of Queen Mary’s regulations andprocedures and their full text is available onlineat www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk (see ‘FurtherInformation’ at the end of the Guide). Note thatthe General Regulations and the Examinationand Assessment Regulations apply to allstudents, while in addition there are individualAcademic Regulations that govern yourprogramme of study. Each school and institutehas its own practices on matters such asattendance requirements, handing inassessment, tutorial arrangements, safetyprocedures, and so on. These and other usefulguidelines for your programme of study arecontained in your degree programmehandbook. Make sure that you get a copy ofthe handbook for each school or institute inwhich you are taking modules.

With best wishes for your time at Queen Mary.

Professor Simon Gaskell Principal

Welcome

Welcome to Queen Mary, Universityof London. Congratulations onsecuring a place to study here andwelcome back if you are a returningstudent. I hope that you will have asuccessful, enjoyable and productiveyear with us.

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Queen Mary is a leading college ofthe University of London, createdover time through the merger ofQueen Mary College, WestfieldCollege, The London HospitalMedical School and StBartholomew’s Medical College.

We are a multi-faculty institution with 21academic schools and institutes across threesectors: Humanities and Social Sciences,Science and Engineering, and Medicine andDentistry serving nearly 17,000 students. Withjust over 30 percent of our students comingfrom overseas, Queen Mary is a truly diverseinstitution.

Queen Mary was ranked 13th in the UK in the2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE)according to the Times Higher Education. TheGuardian places Queen Mary even higher, 11thin the UK. Our staff members have beenhonoured by election to Fellowships of theRoyal Society, the British Academy, the RoyalAcademy of Medical Science and the RoyalAcademy of Engineering. Amongst University ofLondon multi-faculty colleges, Queen Mary wasranked fourth. The Times Higher Education’sWorld University Rankings 2010 placed QMUL16th in the UK out of the 29 UK universitieswhich make it into this year’s top 200 globaluniversities.

Queen Mary’s mission is to:

• Produce research of the highest quality whichplaces us in the top rank of universities.

• Teach our students within and outside the UK to the very highest academic standards,drawing in creative and innovative ways onour research.

• Transfer the knowledge we generate tobusiness and the community, regionally,nationally and internationally.

Campus InformationQueen Mary is based on four sites in central and east London:

Mile EndOur Mile End campus houses the Faculty ofHumanities and Social Sciences, and theFaculty of Science and Engineering (exceptingthe Centre for Commercial Law Studies).

WhitechapelWhitechapel is the main base of Barts and TheLondon School of Medicine and Dentistry,Queen Mary’s medical and dental division.

West Smithfield and Charterhouse SquareThe Charterhouse Square and West Smithfieldsites are home to three of our medicalinstitutes, and teaching and research in someclinical subjects are carried out here.

Introduction to Queen Mary

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Lincoln’s Inn FieldsLincoln’s Inn Fields, the heart of London’s legal world, is the location of our Centre for Commercial Law Studies (CCLS).

The campuses at Mile End and Whitechapelare only one mile apart, and the WestSmithfield, Charterhouse Square and Lincoln’sInn Fields sites are just a short tube journeyfrom Whitechapel or Mile End.

Introduction to Queen Mary (cont)

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This section offers answers to some of the mostcommonly asked questions on life at QueenMary. If you need further information on any ofthe issues covered then please contactAcademic Registry or your academic school orinstitute.

Who deals with student administration?Academic Registry undertakes mostadministration for students not studyingundergraduate medicine or dentistry, includingregistration and enrolment, maintainingrecords, examination administration andproviding official transcripts. The Student Officeat Whitechapel performs the same functions forundergraduate students in the School ofMedicine and Dentistry (MBBS and BDSprogrammes).

Academic Registry, CB05, Queen’s Building, Mile End Tel: +44 (0)20 7882 5005email: [email protected] www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/registry

Student Office, G08, Garrod Building, Turner Street, WhitechapelTel: +44 (0)20 7882 2239www.smd-edu.qmul.ac.uk

What is the Student Card?You will receive a photographic identity cardfrom QMUL upon enrolment. This card is veryimportant and you must carry it with you at alltimes on campus. If you cannot produce itupon request, or cannot satisfy staff that it isyour card through comparison of your face andthe photograph, you may be removed from thepremises.

Your Student Number (e.g. 108574125) is alsoprinted on the card. You must take your cardinto all of your examinations to display it forinspection and to copy your student number onto your script.

The card also serves as your library card,Students’ Union card and access card. Manybuildings have security points at which mustshow your card for access, while others requireyou to scan the card to release the doors.

It is vital that you keep your card safe. If youlose your card or if it is stolen then you shouldcontact Academic Registry or the StudentOffice for assistance. You will need to completea Replacement Student Card Application form,and a fee is charged for replacement cards. Ifyour card was stolen then you will need to givea crime reference number.

How will QMUL communicate with me?We will communicate with you in several ways.Formal correspondence will be sent to you byletter, so it is vitally important that you keep usup to date with your personal details andaddress. We will also communicate internallythrough messages sent via your School orInstitute and also using notice boards.Messages relating to general student recordprocesses, including examinations, will beposted on the MySIS message board.

It is most common for us to contact you byemail; you are assigned a QMUL email addresswhen you enrol and you need to check youraccount daily. You can access your email

Key Information

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account by logging on to a QMUL computer or,if you are off-campus, at: http://my.qmul.ac.uk/.General information and news will be posted on the QMUL Intranet, at:http://connect.qmul.ac.uk. The School ofElectronic Engineering and Computer Sciencedoes not use the main QMUL network, andprovides its students with alternative computingand email accounts.

How do I update my personal details?Each time you change your term-time or homeaddress, or your name, telephone number oranother personal detail you must inform QueenMary. You will be able to update your addressand contact details on line using MySIS,however a change in name must be done inperson at Academic Registry or the StudentOffice with accompanying identification. QMULis not responsible for the non-receipt ofcorrespondence arising from failure to updateyour contact details.

How do I use QMUL computing facilities?Our Computing Services department offers arange of facilities, including a personal log-onfor workstations on campus and a QMUL emailaccount. You will need to register for theseservices at the start of the academic year. TheSchool of Electronic Engineering and ComputerScience does not use the main QMUL network,and provides its students with alternativeaccounts.

Your QMUL email account is the main way inwhich we will communicate with you and it isimportant that you check it regularly.Computers and printing facilities are availableon campus in open-access rooms and thelibraries.

Full information on getting started with yourcomputer account and the facilities available isgiven on the Computing Services website at:http://qm-web.css.qmul.ac.uk.

Key Information (cont)

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What are the Academic Regulations?The Academic Regulations are the definitiveguide to the articulation and management ofour academic standards for taught degreeprogrammes. The regulations containinformation on examination, award andprogression procedures, as well as regulationson study, governance and administrationprocesses at Queen Mary. When you enrol withQMUL as a student you agree to abide by theseand other regulations.

The Student Guide contains summaryinformation on the most commonlyencountered regulations, but you will also needto look at the specific regulations for yourindividual programme and modules. TheAcademic Regulations are authoritative, and ifyou are in any doubt over an issue this is thedocument that you should consult. You canread the Academic Regulations online, at:www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk. If after reading thesedocuments you are still not sure about anyaspect of the Academic Regulations then youshould contact your academic school orinstitute or the Academic Secretariat.

What are the expectations for studentbehaviour?You are subject to the Code of StudentDiscipline when you are on QMUL premises,involved in QMUL affairs or dealing with othermembers of QMUL. The penalties for breachesof the Code may involve fines, payment ofcompensation or, for more serious offences,suspension or expulsion.

You are expected to behave in an orderlymanner, both on and off campus, and to abideby both the Academic Regulations and theregulations governing student conduct,including the Code of Student Discipline. TheCode of Student Discipline is also available online at: www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk

Be aware that Facebook©, YouTube© and othersocial networking sites can be viewed by allusers of the Internet. Students have beendisciplined in the past for making defamatorystatements about members of staff and otherstudents online as well as for acts whichbrought the name of QMUL into disrepute.

Where can I get advice on my studies?At the start of your studies you will be allocateda personal tutor. Your tutor will provideguidance and support during your studies, andwill be familiar with the kinds of difficulties thatstudents experience at university. If yourpersonal tutor cannot answer your questions,they will know who can.

Each school or institute also has a seniormember of staff with overall responsibility forstudent advising, generally called the SeniorTutor, or in the School of Medicine andDentistry the Dean for Student Affairs. This isthe person you should see if your personaltutor is not able or available to help on anissue. You may also seek advice from yourschool or institute office.

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How can I express my views and influencedecision-making?Your views are important to us, and there are anumber of ways in which you cancommunicate your opinions.

School and Institute LevelAll schools and institutes have committeescomposed of student and staff representativesthat enable you to express views on yourdegree programme or any other issues thatconcern you. These Student-Staff LiaisonCommittees (SSLCs) play an active role indeveloping and improving facilities. SSLCproposals go to the Head of School/Institute,who reports back to the Committee on theoutcomes. SSLCs also nominate studentmembers to attend Faculty and QMULcommittees. You can stand for the committeeyourself, or report issues to your electedrepresentative.

Your School or Institute will also monitorprogrammes of study by taking soundings ofstudent opinion. This is often done throughquestionnaires and module feedback forms.You should always take the opportunity tocomplete and return these so that you cancontribute to the development of teaching atQueen Mary.

Institution levelQueen Mary Students' Union (QMSU)represents our students at local and nationallevels. The Union is run by students forstudents and its policies are decided atmonthly General Meetings, which you are

encouraged to attend. Student representativesare elected annually, and include a group ofsabbatical officers who work full-time at QMUL.QMSU includes Barts and The LondonStudents’ Association (BLSA), which is basedat Whitechapel and represents our medical anddental students.

The Union is recognised in the QMUL Charteras our students’ corporate body, and itsrepresentatives sit on Council and most QMULcommittees. Students are also elected to attendSenate. Student representation is vital andallows you to contribute to our decision makingprocesses. You will automatically become amember of QMSU on enrolment, though youmay opt out of membership if you wish.

National levelFinal-year students at all English universitiesare invited to take part in the HEFCE NationalStudent Survey (NSS) each year. This is youropportunity to share your experiences of QueenMary with the wider world and with futurestudents. Please do complete the Survey, andfill it in honestly. If you are a finalist then youwill usually be contacted by email in thesecond semester. The results are important asthey are used in compiling university leaguetables that can determine national university‘rankings’.

In order for HEFCE to carry out the NSS, weneed to inform them of your contact details(generally your QMUL email address). Yourconsent for this is sought as part of theenrolment process, and no information isdisclosed without your consent.


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What support is available for students withdisabilities or learning difficulties?We offer a comprehensive range of supportservices for students with disabilities or learningdifficulties. Fuller details are given in theStudent Support Services section of this Guideand online, at: www.dds.qmul.ac.uk

We also offer support for students who mayhave specific English language needs as well asproviding academic study support. Moreinformation is given in the Student SupportServices section of this guide and online, at:www.languageandlearning.qmul.ac.uk

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Do I need to buy textbooks?Buying textbooks is normally optional, althoughyou will find it helpful to have some books ofyour own. Most modules will have one or morerecommended or compulsory titles, and youare expected to budget for these. A limitednumber of copies of popular books willgenerally be available in the Library.

The QMUL bookshop at Mile End stocks mostrecommended titles, and operates a second-hand scheme through which you can sellbooks that you no longer need and buy othersat discounted rates. Be aware that some titlesvary considerably between editions and thatyou may require the most up to date version.

What are the arrangements for field courses?Field work is an integral part of some degreeprogrammes in the School of Geography andthe School of Biological and ChemicalSciences. If you are a student in either of theseSchool, speak to your personal tutor and referto your School handbook for detailedinformation.

Can I spend a period studying abroad orelsewhere in the UK?You may be able to spend up to one yearstudying elsewhere in the United Kingdom orabroad, depending on your School or Institutepractices and programme requirements. Theresults that you achieve during this period will count towards your award, and may be

rescaled or weighted to bring them in line withQMUL marking. See ‘Study Abroad’ in theStudent Support Services section for moredetails.

Can I do a sandwich year or an industrialplacement?Some programmes of study have a sandwichyear as an integral part of the degree, forexample ‘Computer Science with IndustrialExperience’. On these programmes you will be expected to do a year in industry and it will count towards your degree. If you are notstudying a programme like this then you canstill take a year out of your studies undertakinga placement. This should be spent undertakingan activity relevant to your programme of study;however it will not count towards your degreeand will not appear on your transcript.

What is the QMUL policy on medicalexaminations?QMUL reserves the right to require you toundertake a medical examination at any time todetermine your fitness to study. We mayrequire full disclosure of any report on yourfitness to study or practise.

If you have been absent due to illness or aninfectious or contagious disease then you mustproduce a medical certificate confirming fitnessto resume your studies. Students on medicaland dental programmes must inform the QMULHealth Centre if they are, or have reason tobelieve they may be, infectious carriers of anydisease or condition specified as requiringnotification.


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What happens if I am in debt to QMUL?You will not be entitled to receive your moduleresults, to re-enrol for the following academicyear, attend graduation to receive any award of QMUL or the University of London until thedebt is repaid.

If you fail to pay your tuition fees promptly and on time then QMUL is entitled to terminateyour enrolment and registration. If this happensthen you will be de-registered and will nolonger be a student of QMUL.

If you are at all worried about your ability to payyour tuition fees, or your situation changesduring the year then you must contact the FeesOffice immediately, and may wish to seekadditional advice from one of the welfareadvisors in the Advice & Counselling Service(see Support Services for contact details).

What if I need to make a complaint?We hope that you never need to make acomplaint about any part of your time at QueenMary, but we recognise that problems canoccasionally arise. We have a structuredprocess in place for complaints.

You should begin with an informal complaint atSchool/Institute or service level: in most casesproblems can be resolved at this stage. If youare unhappy with the outcome then you canmake a formal complaint to the Head of School/Institute or service, followed by a formalcomplaint at institution level, the outcome ofwhich may be appealed against. Finally, youmay make a petition to the Office of theIndependent Adjudicator (OIA), though it is veryrare for a complaint to reach these later stages.

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Support is available from the Students’ Union,the Advice and Counselling Service, Student-Staff Liaison Committees, and staff withappropriate knowledge or involvement in the case.

The Student Complaints Policy is available online, at:www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/student_complaints.Please read this in full if you intend to lodge acomplaint. For information on departmentalcomplaint procedures you should refer to yourSchool’s handbook or website.

How will my personal data be used andprotected?The information that you provide at enrolmentis held on a computerised database andmaintained in accordance with the DataProtection Act. We ensure that the data is heldsecurely and not disclosed to third partieswithout your consent, unless we are obliged todo so by law (for example the annual studentrecord that we submit to the Higher EducationStatistics Agency). When you graduate, yourdetails will be transferred to our AlumniDatabase so that we can stay in touch with youin the future. For more information, visit:www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/information_governance

The Higher Education Statistical Agency(HESA) requires us to collect details of ourstudents’ ethnicities and disabilities as a meansof monitoring the success of equalopportunities policies at a national level. Thisinformation is kept confidential and helps us to


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provide you with information on facilities andservices that may be useful. We hope that youwill cooperate with this initiative.

When you enrol or re-enrol online you will beasked to read a declaration about the methodswe use to store and communicate your datawhen required. You must read this declarationcarefully.

What if I am a student who applied forimmigration permission using a CAS issued byQMUL?If you are in the UK with Tier 4 (General)Student immigration permission and youapplied for your immigration permission using aConfirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)issued by QMUL, we are required to reportcertain events to the UK Border Agency. Theseevents are:

• Failure to enrol

• Interruption of studies

• Withdrawal from studies

• De-registration

• Early completion of studies

• Progression to an out of attendance studymode (e.g. re-sitting out of attendance)

QMUL is also required to monitor yourattendance on or engagement with yourprogramme of studies. We will monitor thefollowing:

• Submission of coursework and attendance atexams

• Online confirmation of engagement exercisesin January and May

• Your compliance with localengagement/attendance monitoring policiesin your school or institute.

If we determine from our records that you areno longer attending or engaged with yourprogramme of studies or your attendance orengagement is not satisfactory, we will ask yourschool or institute to begin taking measures toaddress your attendance or engagementproblem. If your attendance or engagementdoes not improve, you may be deregistered.QMUL is required to report students who arede-registered to the UK Border Agency whomay curtail (cut short) your immigrationpermission.

All students with Tier 4 (General) Studentimmigration permission must make sure thatQMUL has your up to date contact details andimmigration information. You must also makesure that the Academic Registry, ResearchDegrees Office or Student Office at the Schoolof Medicine and Dentistry has the following:

• A copy of your current passport detailspage(s)

• A copy of your current immigration sticker or card

• Your current contact details (E.g. Postaladdress, email and telephone number)

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You should let us know of any changes as soonas possible. You can update your contactinformation online at https://mysis.qmul.ac.uk/

To update your passport or immigrationpermission details, you will need to take yourdocuments to the Academic Registry or SchoolOffice.

What safety regulations apply at Queen Mary?Your programme of study will inform the safetyregulations that affect you. Schools or Institutesteaching in laboratories, workshops, clinicalsettings and performance areas will givespecific guidance in their handbooks; read thiscarefully. You must attend any health andsafety training sessions held by yourdepartment and abide by the QMUL Healthand Safety Policy, which can be viewed online,at: www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/policy_zone/index.html#health_safety

What should I do in the event of a fire?On hearing a fire alarm in a QMUL building,you should immediately leave through thenearest emergency exit. Do not go to any otherpart of the building for any reason. Proceed tothe designated emergency assembly area andreport to the Fire Marshal. Do not leave theassembly area or re-enter the building untilinstructed to do so. Failure to follow theseprocedures may lead to disciplinary action.

Tampering with fire alarms or fire-fightingequipment is a serious offence, and we willtake disciplinary action against any studentresponsible.


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What are QMUL’s insurance arrangements?QMUL has insurance arrangements that coverthe safety and wellbeing of enrolled students onQueen Mary premises or engaged in QMULactivities, but these do not cover personalpossessions, and you are strongly advised tomake arrangements for these yourself. Propertymay potentially be stolen from cloakrooms,cafeterias, examination halls and other campuslocations, so you should ensure that you areprotected. The Students’ Union can advise youon policies specifically designed for students.

If you are living in QMUL accommodation thenyou will have automatic contents insurance forpossessions kept in your room; for detailsconsult the Residences Office’s Handbook forResidents, at: www.residences.qmul.ac.uk//Docs/21155.pdf

Where is lost property kept?If you have lost something at QMUL, pleasecontact the Security Control Room at yourcampus. If the item has not been handed in,the Security Service will produce a lost propertyreport that can be referred to by your insurancecompany if you make a claim. We will keepyour contact details and a description of thelost property on file in case the item is handedin later. Please see www.security.qmul.ac.uk formore details. Your School/Institute may alsohave its own lost property store.

Can I park my car on campus?There are no parking facilities available forstudents unless you have specialcircumstances. Please contact Student andCampus Services if you think you havecircumstances which require a permit at:www.security.qmul.ac.uk/Parking/

Can I collect funds for charity on campus?Yes, if you obtain written permission from theSecretary to Council at least two weeks beforethe collection is to be made. Full details can beobtained from the Council Secretariat (E12,Queens’ Building).

Can I display posters or distribute leaflets oncampus?Yes, but only on designated notice boards andwith the permission of the person, office ororganisation responsible for that board.Materials for display or distribution must bearthe name of the group responsible and contactdetails for an authorised person or officer whocan be contacted to deal with queries.

Can I smoke on campus?Only in designated areas, which does notinclude Library Square. QMUL is a smoke freecampus and therefore if you need to smokeyou must go off site to do so. You cannotsmoke in the QMUL halls of residence.

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Are breastfeeding facilities available oncampus?The following rooms are available, on a bookingbasis only:

Mile End Campus:Nursery, 406 - 408 Bancroft RoadTo book contact Max Moorcock, 020 78822790, [email protected]

Whitechapel Campus:Abernethy Building, First Floor, Room 1.16To book use the diary in room 1.10 and enterthe times you require. NB, Only suitable formothers to express milk.

Charterhouse Square:Wolfson Institute, Meeting room 002To book contact Linda Goodchild, 020 78826224, [email protected]

Do I need to get a TV licence if I live in halls?Yes, you must have a TV licence to watch orrecord television. As well as TV sets and videoor DVD recorders, this includes using mobilephones, set-top boxes, laptops or personalcomputers to receive or record televisionprogrammes. However if you are returninghome for the summer holidays and only need alicence for nine months, you may qualify for a


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refund on the remaining three. You can getmore information from the students' section ofthe TV Licensing website.http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/for-your-home/students-aud1/

Can I work part-time for QMUL?There are opportunities to work for QMUL as astudent ambassador or for the Students’ Unionin one of the catering outlets. For informationon working as a student ambassador, pleasecontact the Education Liaison and AccessOffice on [email protected]. Pleasesee the Students’ Union website for anyemployment opportunities www.qmsu.org/jobs/.

Although we recognise that most full timestudents are required to work part time, it isstrongly recommended that you keep this to anabsolute minimum so as not to interfere withyour studies.

If you are struggling with your finances (andmost students do at one time or another) thenthere is help available. Please see ‘Advice &Counselling Service’ or ‘Bursaries, Grants andScholarships Office’ in the ‘Student SupportServices’ section.

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This section provides key information onacademic processes and regulations that youwill encounter during your time at Queen Mary(QMUL). Processes for dental and medicalstudents will vary detail in some areas, and theSchool of Medicine and Dentistry will supplyadditional materials covering this information.You may find it useful to read this section inparallel with the QMUL Academic Regulationswhich can be found online at:www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/policy_zone/

What is expected of me in terms of attendanceand participation?Before enrolling you should have alreadyensured that your programme is acceptableand suitable for you in terms of being able tomeet the specified attendance, learning andassessment requirements. We cannot normallyalter a programme of study to meet anindividual’s needs.

You are expected to attend all elements of yourprogramme of study during the specified termdates (including the entire exam period). Youmust also meet all published assessmentdeadlines and sit tests and invigilated exams.

Your academic school or institute will notify youof attendance and assessment requirementsthrough its student handbook, website or noticeboards, or by email. It is your responsibility tofind out what is expected of you at the start ofthe academic year and to arrange your time soas to meet all deadlines and be present in alllearning activities (lectures, seminars, labs etc).

If you are taking modules from more than oneacademic school or institute, remember thatsome schools and institutes have differentcoursework submission procedures; if in doubt,contact your school or institute.

Can I be absent?You may not be absent without permission, andpermission can only be granted by the Head ofSchool/Institute. Certification must be providedfor illness and other such causes of absence,and you must arrange to catch up on missedlectures and work. If you feel you are going tobe absent for a significant period of time (forexample more than 2 weeks) and thereforemiss too much to be able to catch up, then youshould discuss this with your academic advisor/personal tutor and give serious consideration tointerrupting your studies; see below ‘How do Iinterrupt my enrolment or change myregistration status?’ for more information.

If you fail to meet your academic school orinstitute’s requirements for attendance and/orsubmission of assessment then yourregistration, from a module or from theprogramme itself, may be terminated by yourschool or institute (see ‘what is deregistration?’below). QMUL has a responsibility to theGovernment and other external agencies toensure that students attend and submit theirassessment. Therefore non-attendance andpoor performance is taken very seriously and ifyou are consistently absent or do not submitassessment then it is highly likely you will bederegistered and this information reported toauthorities such as the UK Border Agency,Transport for London and the Student LoansCompany.

The academic year

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What is enrolment?Along with registration, completing enrolment ispart of the process of you becoming a studentof QMUL and as such is compulsory. Only onceyou are fully enrolled will you be able to go tolectures and other learning activities as well asaccess facilities such as the library or theStudent Union. Enrolment also allows us tocheck that your records and fee-payments areup to date and collate important information.When you enrol you also confirm that you willabide by the QMUL regulations.

During your time at QMUL you will be requiredto complete different enrolment activitiesdepending on whether you are a new orreturning student.

Pre-enrolment New students will receive an email informingyou that the first stage of enrolment, online pre-enrolment, is available to you with the link intoMySIS (My Student Information System -https://mysis.qmul.ac.uk) embedded in theemail along with your login details. This email issent to students from mid-August onwards,depending on when your admissions offerbecame unconditional.

When new students login to pre-enrol onlineyou will see up to six sections to check andupdate: personal and academic details,qualification history, address information, dataconsent, studentship information (researchstudents only) and the declaration. Studentscan save the data and log-in again later if theyneed to find information from elsewhere tocomplete the process.

Once new students have completed online pre-enrolment, the next stage will be to completeenrolment in person. Completing pre-enrolmentis a condition to being able to fully enrol.

EnrolmentThis is another process for new students only,where you are required to physically attend theenrolment centre, submit importantdocumentation about your fees, your identity,and have your photograph taken. Uponenrolment you will be issued with your StudentID Card, which will include a photograph ofyour full head and face and must be carriedwith you at all times on QMUL premises; see‘What is the student ID card?’ in the keyinformation section.

Re-enrolmentRe-enrolment is an online process accessedthrough MySIS which all returning studentsmust complete at the start of each newacademic year. It confirms you have returned,and updates us with key information that mighthave changed over the past year. An email willbe sent to students informing you that you can re-enrol once you have progressed into the next academic year. In order to access re-enrolment, returning students need to log into MySIS - https://mysis.qmul.ac.uk with yourQMUL username and password. Students willhave received their QMUL username andpassword at enrolment in the first year. If youhave lost or forgotten your username orpassword you will need to contact the ITServices Helpdesk on +44 (0)20 7882 5297 oremail [email protected]

The academic year (cont)

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Please note that if you are a returning studentin debt for tuition fees, you will not be able toaccess re-enrolment until the debt has beencleared. Where students are also members ofstaff, you should be aware that you will need aseparate student QMUL username to accessenrolment processes.

If you have a problem with either pre-enrolmentor re-enrolment, you should contact theAcademic Registry/Research DegreesOffice/SMD Student Office (as appropriate) inthe first instance for assistance.

Temporary enrolmentIf you are unable to fully enrol by providing allthe information required at enrolment (forexample, you do not have confirmation of yourtuition fee arrangements) then you may betemporarily enrolled for a limited period of time.This will allow you to continue attendinglectures and have some access to libraryfacilities, however it will expire and if you do notprovide the information required by that time,your enrolment and registration will beterminated and you will no longer be a student.This includes returning students who do notcomplete the online re-enrolment process andreturning international students who do notprovide up to date visa information.

What are the arrangements for tuition fees?Tuition fees cover registration and exam fees.They do not include fees for text books, anyspecialist equipment and some field courses.Payment of tuition fees is a precondition for full enrolment. Exceptionally, you may betemporarily enrolled for a fixed period before

paying or confirming payment of fees or youmay pay through instalments. For furtherinformation please contact the Fees Officedetails of which are given in the StudentSupport Services section.

If you fail to pay your fees on time then QMULis entitled to terminate your enrolment andregistration. If this happens then you will be de-registered and you will no longer be astudent of QMUL. If you are at all worried aboutyour ability to pay your tuition fees, or yoursituation changes during the year then youmust contact the Fees Office immediately andmay wish to seek additional advice from one ofthe welfare advisors in the Advice &Counselling Service (see Student SupportServices for contact details).

If you are de-registered for non-payment of feesbut then pay the outstanding amount you canbe reinstated as a student, however you will becharged an administrative fee for re-enrolment(currently £250). Students are advised thatreinstatement shall not occur until theappropriate point during the following academicyear.

How do I interrupt my enrolment or change myregistration status?Permission for interruption of studies on thegrounds of illness or other good cause may begranted by your academic school or institute.You may only interrupt for a maximum of 2years in total; interruption for a period longerthan this will be granted only in highlyexceptional circumstances and with the

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express permission of the Academic Secretary.Any break in your studies for a significantperiod requires submission of an ‘Interruptionof Studies’ form, available from AcademicRegistry and online at: www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/registry/maintenance_of_student_records.html

Interrupting your studies will mean thatalthough you remain registered you will ceaseto be an enrolled student of QMUL andtherefore will not be able to attend lectures oruse facilities such as the library. If you areresitting out of attendance then you cannotinterrupt your studies, as you are not enrolled.

If you do interrupt then the AcademicRegulations in place at the time of your initialregistration remain in effect. You are advised to

contact your tutor and the Advice andCounselling Service before interrupting orwithdrawing; funding regulations changefrequently and it is important that youunderstand how your decision might affect yourentitlements in the future.

Until you have formally interrupted orwithdrawn from study you will officially remaina student of QMUL and be liable for tuition feesand, where appropriate, residence fees. Thedeadline for interrupting studies is the end ofsemester 2 (normally the end of March).

Can I change my programme of study?Yes, but normally within the first two weeks.This can be straightforward if the twoprogrammes are closely related, but if the


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change is more fundamental then you mayneed to start the new programme from thebeginning. This will mean extending yourperiod of study and paying additional tuitionfees.

It is possible when changing programme, withthe approval of your school or institute, to studya reduced number of modules on part-timebasis. This can be useful if you require just afew additional credits to meet the requirementsof your new programme. Normally, however youmust be registered for modules of a minimumof 45 credits.

The ‘Change of Programme of Study’ form,available from Academic Registry and online atwww.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/registry/maintenance_of_student_records.html, requires signatures fromyour new (where appropriate) and existingHeads of School/Institute (or their delegatedauthority) before the change is approved. Youshould always consult your personal tutor andAcademic Registry before changing yourprogramme of study.

What are withdrawal and de-registration? Withdrawal from your programme orderegistration by QMUL will lead to theimmediate termination of your enrolment andregistration with QMUL which means you areno longer a student. If you withdraw or arederegistered from your programme then youmay not use any QMUL facilities. The deadlinefor withdrawing from your studies is the end ofsemester 2 (normally the end of March).

Deregistration from a module does notnecessarily lead to the termination of yourenrolment. We may deregister you from amodule in the event of unsatisfactoryattendance or failure to submit the specifiedassessment. Where the module is not replacedwith a suitable alternative, the mark awardedwill be either that achieved up to the point ofderegistration, weighted as applicable, or zero.If this happens then it will affect your overalldegree classification, be recorded on yourtranscript and may be mentioned in anyreferences your academic school or institutegive in the future.

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Deregistration from a module(s) or from aprogramme of study will not occur withoutwarning from your academic school or institutegiving you the opportunity to improve or explainyour absence or poor performance. If you arederegistered then you may appeal using theCollege Appeal Regulations (CAR) if you feelyou have grounds on which to do so.

What is module registration?Your programme of study is made up of anumber of different modules, each covering akey topic or theme. Some (or even all) of themodules may be required for your programmeand you will have to take these, but at the startof each academic year you can choose yourother modules (electives) from a list set up byyour School/Institute. This selection, and itsvalidation by your School/Institute, is calledmodule registration.

If you are not registered for a module then youare not permitted to attend lectures or to takeany assessment for that module. If you registerfor a module then you are deemed to be takingit or to have taken it even if deregistration orwithdrawal follows, unless you transfer theregistration to another module.

How do I register for a module?To register for your modules you will log-in toMySIS (your personal area of SIS) with yourusual computer log-in, and make preliminarychoices from a list using the descriptions to tellyou what the modules are about. Any core orcompulsory modules will be preselected andyou cannot change these.

Once you are happy with your choices, you willsend them to your School or Institute forapproval (e.g. they will make sure there aren’tany timetable clashes and you have a balanceof modules in each semester) – you can sendcomments to them with the selection if youwish. All of your selections must be confirmedand approved by the specified deadline. Thefinal outcome of your choices will be confirmedto you by email. Module registration has to becompleted by the specified deadline (normallymid October within the first two weeks ofteaching).

All modules have a limited number of places,and priority is given to students who arerequired to take them for their programmes.Therefore it is important that you choose yourelectives and complete module registration assoon as possible.

Can I withdraw from a module?During the first two weeks of each semester,students on certain programmes of study areable to modify their choice of modules byundoing your choices in MySIS. Howeverremember that you may risk losing your placeon popular modules if you don’t act quickly.

Can I take a module from another University of London (UoL) college?Yes. As a student of QMUL you can register totake modules at other UoL colleges such asKings, UCL, SOAS and the LSE. To take such amodule you will need to get the approval ofyour academic school or institute as well as


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approval from the other college. To register forone of these modules you will need to completethe appropriate form available from AcademicRegistry.

What are the requirements for passing amodule?You must complete all specified assessment to the standard required in the modulespecification and regulations. For examplesome modules will require you to get a specificmark in the coursework element in order topass. An aggregated, weighted mark will beawarded for each module you take.

The pass mark for a module is an overall totalmark of 40.0, except for MBBS, BDS andpostgraduate programmes, where therequirement is 50.0. There may also bespecific hurdles for particular items ofassessment in the module, and you shouldalways read the module description for details.In such cases if you do not achieve therequired marks then you will fail the module.

If you pass a module, you cannot take any ofthe assessment again in order to improve yourmark.

How are undergraduate modules graded?Performance in undergraduate modules excepton the MBBS and BDS is graded as follows:

Grade A – 70.0 – 100.0 Grade B – 60.0 – 69.9

Grade C – 50.0 – 59.9 Grade D – 45.0 – 49.9

Grade E – 40.0 – 44.9 Fail – 0.0 – 39.9

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These grades are purely related to academicperformance. Other grades are awarded toindicate extenuating circumstances,assessment offences, non submission or not sitting assessment etc.

What is the difference between core and compulsory modules?A compulsory module is a module that must betaken. A core module is a module that must betaken and passed. Both have to be taken andtherefore you will not be able to opt out ofthese modules during module registration (see‘What is module registration?’ above). Theseare different to elective modules which youchoose to take and do not have to be passed.Your school or institute will be able to confirmwhich modules are core and compulsory.

How will I be assessed?Modules are often assessed by a combinationof assessment methods; the types used aremostly determined by the subject area. QMULhas identified five different assessmentmethods: examinations, coursework, practicalassessment, dissertations/projects andprofessional capability.

For all types of assessment there will be apublished deadline by which you must submityour work, or date when you will sit theassessment (such as an exam or test). It isimportant that you submit your assessment bythat date, as academic schools and instituteswill impose a penalty for late submission. If,due to extenuating circumstances, you are

having difficulties in completing yourcoursework by the deadline, contact therelevant school or institute in advance and askabout getting an extension; do not wait untilafter the deadline. Extensions will not normallybe given without evidence of valid extenuatingcircumstances. Remember that handwrittencoursework must be legible or it may not bemarked.

Will all the assessment I do count? Although the majority of the work you do willcarry marks, some of your assessment will notbe compulsory, and is designed purely to givefeedback on your progress. Other assessmentwill be ‘required’ and must be completed to asatisfactory standard though it does not counttowards the final mark. Finally, there isassessed coursework which does count towardthe module mark. QMUL has a code ofpractice for assessment and feedback whichyou can access at http://www.esd.qmul.ac.uk/acprac/learnteach/aflinks.htm. This will tell youwhat you can expect from QMUL in terms offeedback on your work and how you may beassessed.

How will I know when my exams are takingplace?QMUL will publish the full exam timetable atleast three weeks before the first exam. You willreceive your timetable towards the end of thesecond semester, via your School or Instituteand online. If you are resitting out ofattendance then your timetable will be postedto you at the address held by QMUL. If you


have not received your timetable by the end ofthe second semester then you should contactyour School/Institute or Academic Registry.

The entire timetable, with all amendments, canbe viewed online. Please remember it is yourresponsibility to check your timetable and tolook for possible amendments.

If you have registered for modules at anotherUoL college then the details of the exam will besent to you once we receive them from therelevant college; this is normally during theEaster vacation. If you do not receive thisinformation, contact the Exams Office at thecollege teaching the module.

Do not make vacation arrangements that willinvolve you being away before the formal endof the exam period, this is due to theoccasional and unavoidable necessity tochange the date of an exam.

Am I entitled to special exam arrangements?If you have a disability or specific learningdifficulty then you may request special examarrangements, for example, additional time orspecial equipment. You should discuss yourneeds with the Disability and Dyslexia Servicebefore the end of the second semester.Applications made after this date will not beaccepted unless they are the result of a recentaccident or recently diagnosed medicalcondition. Visit the Disability and DyslexiaService website, at: www.dds.qmul.ac.uk.

What happens if I arrive late for my exam?You should make sure that you arrive at least30 minutes before the start of your exams,allowing sufficient time for transport difficulties.However if you do arrive late you may beallowed to enter but you will not be awardedadditional time in compensation. If you arrivemore than 30 minutes late then you will only beadmitted if no other student for your exam hasleft the venue. You may not leave the examvenue unaccompanied in the first 30 or final15 minutes.

What should I bring to my exams?Only the materials permitted for the exam asstated in the rubric, together with your StudentID Card. These materials should be kept looseon the desk or in a clear plastic bag or pencilcase. Calculators, dictionaries, word lists and

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other translation devices are not permittedexcept where specified in the rubric. You willbe asked to place your Student ID Card on yourexam desk so that the attendance list andidentities can be checked.

QMUL is not responsible for the security ofyour belongings, so please do not bringvaluable and unnecessary items with you. Youwill be required to put all personal possessionsaway from you and ideally in a bag placed in adesignated area of the venue. You will bepermitted to keep your wallet, purse and/ormobile phone with you but these must bestored underneath your desk and NOT in yourpocket. You can have a thin jacket or cardiganbut again this must be stored under your desk(not on the back of the chair) if you are notwearing it.

Ensure that your mobile phone, if you mustbring it, is turned off and left with no alarmsset. The alarm on many models of mobilephones will sound even when the handset isswitched off. If your phone causes adisturbance during an exam then it will beconfiscated and be treated as an assessmentoffence.

Before the start of every exam you must emptyyour pockets completely. This is because if youare in possession of unauthorised materialsthen you will have been deemed to havecommitted an assessment offence. Obviouslythe use of unauthorised material is anassessment offence, however the Assessment

Offence Regulations make no distinctionbetween possession and use and intention isirrelevant. For example, you may leave somerevision notes in your pencil case, howevereven if it was an accident and you had nointention of using them during the exam, this isan assessment offence and the penalty is thesame. Please note that unauthorised materialincludes any notes stored on your mobilephone or other personal media device, all ofwhich can be checked by an invigilator.

You should make yourself familiar with theAssessment Offence Regulations and theAssessment Regulations on the Registrywebsite, at: www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/registry.

What happens if I miss an exam?If there is no good reason for your absencethen you will be given a mark of zero. If yourabsence was due to extenuating circumstances(an unplanned reason outside of your control)such as medical reasons, you will normally beallowed to sit the exam at the next opportunitywithout the missed exam counting as one ofyour permitted attempts, see below ‘Whatshould I do if I am unwell on the day of myexam?’.

What should I do if I am unwell on the day of my exam?Do not attempt an exam if you are unwell. Inattending you are judged fit enough to sit theexam (‘fit to sit’) and the mark that you obtainwill stand. It is important to note that youcannot get extra marks to compensate for anyillness you were suffering on the day.


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If you feel unable to sit an exam due to illnessthen you must notify your school or institute by submitting a claim for extenuatingcircumstances as soon as possible before thedeadline in your school or institute. This mustbe accompanied by a doctor’s certificate givingdetails of your illness and confirming that youwere unfit to attend on the date of the exam.You should aim to see your doctor on the day.If your claim is accepted by the Exam Boardthen you will normally be permitted to take theexam at the first available opportunity as if for afirst time (a ‘first sit’).

If you are absent without good reason then youare likely to fail the module (see ‘What happensif I miss an exam?’).

What do I need to do to receive myqualification?Undertake an approved programme of studyand meet the requirements for progression (ifapplicable) and the requirements for award.Each award type has regulations setting out itsrequirements; these are contained within theAcademic Regulations.

What are academic levels?Each module has a level reflecting its academiccomplexity within its discipline. The levelsrange from 3 (foundation or pre-universitylevel) to 7 (Masters level). If you are following athree year undergraduate degree programmesuch as a BA or BSc then you will be expectedto progress to and graduate with level 6

(Honours level) modules in your thirddevelopmental year. A MEng or MSci award isdesignated level 7. The Queen Mary AcademicCredit Framework details the academic level ofeach award and is available online, at:www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/policy_zone

What is progression?Progression is the process where you movefrom one developmental year to the next,usually at the end of the academic year. Toprogress you must pass modules to a set valueof academic credit and any specified coremodules. For some postgraduate programmes,you may be required to meet additionalprogression requirements in your taughtmodules before moving on to the project ordissertation. You will not be able to advance tothe next developmental year if you have notmet the requirements for progression.

If you meet the required number of credits forprogression but fail a core module then youmay, subject to the approval of the ExamBoard, transfer to a pathway or programme for which you have met the requirements.

If you do not meet progression hurdles forMEng or MSci then you may be required totransfer to the associated BEng or BScprogramme, while if you perform exceptionallywell on a BEng or BSc programme you may beadvised to transfer to the associated MEng orMSci. If you achieve a merit or distinction inFdA or FdSc then you may be offeredadmission to the appropriate developmentalyear of an associated honours degreeprogramme.

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What are the progression requirements for myaward?The tables below outline the generalprogression requirements in terms of academiccredits for each award. Most programmes ofstudy also specify core module requirementsfor progression and some MEng and MSciprogrammes require you to get a minimumyear or weighted average to progress. Yourschool or institute will hold this information.Even where you meet these requirements, youcannot normally progress carrying more than30 credits of trailing resits.

Note: After the foundation year, level 3 modulesdo not count towards the requirements forprogression or award.

Note: BA degrees in modern languages havean additional progression hurdle for the yearspent abroad, and a correspondingly highercredit requirement for the award. Your schoolor institute will be able to give you detailedinformation.

Note: There may also be a thresholdrequirement for progression. Please contactyour school for details.

What are the special arrangements for LLB progression?If you are enrolled on the LLB programme thenyou must pass all modules undertaken eachyear to progress or to complete the award. Ifyou fail any modules then you will, unlessreferred, need to resit the entire diet of exams.If you fail up to one subject in the Intermediateor Part I exams then you may be ‘referred’, orpermitted to resit only the failed subjects at thenext opportunity.


BA, BSc, BSc(Econ), BEng, BSc(Eng)

Progress from/to Credits youmust take

Credits youmust pass

Foundation yearto DevelopmentalYear 1

120 90

Developmentalyears 1 to 2

120 90


120 180 of total240

For award 360 270

MSci, MEng

Progress from/to Credits youmust take

Credits youmust pass

Foundation Yearto DevelopmentalYear 1

120 90


120 105


120 210 of total240


120 300 of total360 (MSci)

315 of total360 (MEng)

For award 480 420

What about the progression rules for the MBBSand BDS?Both of these programmes normally requireyou to pass everything to be able to progress,however you should consult with yourindividual school or institute handbook for more information.

What are the credit requirements for my award?To receive your award you must take and passmodules to a set value of academic credit. A

single module is equivalent to 15 credits.Individual award regulations specify theacademic levels at which credit must beachieved, details of which are given in theAcademic Regulations and the Queen MaryAcademic Credit Framework both of which are available online, at:www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/policy_zone.

The value of academic credits required variesbetween awards as follows:

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Award Credits you must take Credits you must pass

BA; BEng; BSc; BSc(Econ); BSc(Eng) 360 270

LLB 360 360

BA Modern Language programmes with a year abroad

480 270*

MSci; MEng 480 420

Dip HE 240 180

Cert HE 120 90

FdA; FdSc 240 240

Foundation Certificate 120 90

Grad Dip 120 90

Grad Cert 60 45

MA; MSc; MBA; MRes; LLM 180 180

MClinDent 360 360

PGDip 120 120

PGCert 60 60

* The 270 credits must consist of credits achieved in developmental years 1, 2, and 4.Please contact SLLF for further details.

Note: Credit requirements for awards onlyapply to students who enrolled in 2008onwards. If you enrolled in 2007 or earlier thenyour award requirements will be framed interms of units to be taken and passed andthere will not be the same emphasis onacademic levels.

What is my award classification?Your award classification is the ‘grade’ ofdegree with which you will graduate and isbased on the College Mark, which is aweighted average of marks from all the

modules that you take. The weightings varybetween awards, and are detailed in the tablebelow. The mark is always calculated as thoughthe required number of modules was taken.The College Mark is calculated to one decimalplace.

If you do not meet the requirements for youraward but do have resit entitlements then youmay be offered the opportunity to exit with alower award for which you have met therequirements. You will then become ineligibleto take the remaining resit opportunities.


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College Mark Weightings

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Award Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4

BA (except Geography and modern languages); BEng (exceptElectronic Engineering); BSc(Eng) (except ElectronicEngineering)

1 2 4 -

BA (Geography); BSc; BSc(Econ); BSc(Eng) ElectronicEngineering

1 3 6 -

BEng (Electronic Engineering) 1 3 6* -

BA programmes in modern languages 1 2 2 4

BSc Computer Science with Industrial Placement 1 3 6

MSci in Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Chemistry (SBCS); MSciin Environmental Science; MEng (except SEMS Engineeringprogrammes)

1 2 3 4

MSci in School of Mathematical Sciences 1 2 4 4

MSci in Department of Physics; MSci in SBCS (except Chemistry and PharmaceuticalChemistry); MSci in Department of Computer Science

1 3 6 6

MEng in SEMS (Engineering programmes) 1 2 4 5

MEng in Electronic Engineering 0.8 1.6 3.2 4.4

FdA; FdSc 1 2 - -

Grad Cert; Grad Dip 1 - - -

Dip HE 1 2 - -

Cert HE 1 - - -

* 6, of which 4 = non-project modules and 2 = project module� 4.4, of which 2.4= non-project modules and 2 = project module

Example: A BSc(Econ) is weighted 1:3:6. There are ten weighting units (1+3+6), so oneweighting unit is equivalent to 10 per cent of the College Mark. Here, the marks from the firstdevelopmental year will count for 10 per cent of the College Mark, the second year 30 percent, and the third year 60 per cent.


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Award Classifications

Grad Cert; Grad Dip; FdA; FdSc

College Mark Classification

70.0 - 100 Distinction

65.0 - 69.9 Merit

40.0 - 64.9 Pass

BA; BEng; BSc; BSc(Econ); BSc(Eng); MSci; MEng


70.0 - 100 First Class Honours

60.0 - 69.9 Second Class Honours, Upper Division

50.0 - 59.9 Second Class Honours, Lower Division

45.0 - 49.9 Third Class Honours

Less than 45.0 Pass

MA; MSc; MBA


70.0 - 100 + module mark of 65 or more in dissertationproject

Distinction

65.0 or more Merit

50.0 - 64.9 Pass

LLM



60.0 - 69.9 Merit

50.0 - 59.9 Pass

Note: Some programmes have specialregulations and award classifications may differ.Please contact your school or institute forfurther information.

Note: If you are studying for LLB, MBBS orBDS then you should refer to the academicregulations for information on awardclassification.

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MRes


70.0 - 100 + module mark of 70 or more in dissertationproject

Distinction

65.0 or more Merit

50.0 - 64.9 Pass

MClinDent; PGCert; PGDip



65.0 - 69.9 Merit

50.0 - 64.9 Pass

What is advanced standing?If you enrol on a programme for which youhave evidence of prior certified learning youmay be admitted with advanced standingwhich will exempt you from one or two years ofan undergraduate programme or from certainmodules of a postgraduate programme.Undergraduates may be admitted directly tothe second year of a three year programme orthird year of a four year programme. Youcannot be admitted directly to the final year ofan undergraduate degree. Postgraduatestudents may be given advanced standing forup to 25% of the taught component of amasters programme. The decision to awardadvanced standing is made during theadmissions process.

If you have advanced standing, then only theassessment completed at Queen Mary duringthe current registration period will be taken intoaccount, placing you on an equal footing withother students. When calculating your CollegeMark (overall average) any advanced standingwill be taken into account by using a differentcalculation.

Advanced standing is not permitted where theprior learning has already counted towards aprevious qualification at the same level.

What are Examination Boards?Examination Boards ensure that marks andclassifications are awarded fairly andconsistently across QMUL in accordance withthe Academic Regulations. There are twotypes; Subject Examination Boards (SEBs)

regulate modules and programmes of study,and report to and advise the DegreeExamination Boards (DEBs), which considerand approve all recommendations for awards,classifications, retakes and failures. Furtherinformation is given in the AcademicRegulations, at: www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk.

You should make yourself aware of the date ofthe Subject Examination Board meeting(s) foryour programme of study. These are normallyheld in mid to late June for undergraduateprogrammes, and in October for postgraduateprogrammes.

What is discretion?Examination boards have the discretion toupgrade an award classification in very limitedspecified situations, provided that they aresatisfied that the student's performancewarrants the higher classification and meetsany criteria set for the use of discretion. Not all


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students meeting the criteria will automaticallybe raised; this is solely at the academicjudgement of the board.

Typically, an undergraduate student would onlybe considered for upgrade if his/her Collegemark is within either 1 or 2% of theclassification boundary and has a profile ofmodule mark performance at the higher level.Different mechanisms may apply forpostgraduate taught students.

What is an honours degree?Undergraduate degrees awarded withclassifications of first class, second class(upper division), second class (lower division)and third class are awarded with honours.Programmes not classified in this manner maybe awarded with honours subject to individualprogramme regulations.

What is a pass degree?This is a degree without honours. Pass degreesare sometimes offered to students where thereare accepted extenuating circumstances andthe student has achieved a College Mark of40.0 or greater, but has only passed between240 and 270 academic credits. There is nopass degree for MSci, MEng or postgraduateawards. If you are offered and accept a passdegree then you will lose your right to furtherresits.

What is an aegrotat degree?If you miss some or all of your final yearassessment due to illness or severe extenuatingcircumstances and do not qualify for the awardof a degree then you may be offered anaegrotat degree if the examiners are confidentthat you would have reached the requiredstandard had you completed the assessmentand you are unlikely to return to do so.

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You may decline the aegrotat and take themissed assessment at the next availableopportunity provided that you have notexhausted your resit attempts. If you accept theaegrotat then you will lose your right to sit themissed assessment.

When are the graduation ceremonies held?The graduation ceremony is normally held inthe Great Hall. You may attend in person or askfor it to be conferred in absentia if you cannotattend. The main ceremonies take place in Julyfor undergraduates and in December forpostgraduates. If you are unable to attend themain ceremony for your award then you mayregister for the next available series ofceremonies. Please note that degrees areawarded at the relevant Degree Examination

Board meeting and therefore if you are unableto attend the ceremony you will still receiveyour degree.

You will be asked to indicate whether or notyou wish to attend before your final exams. Donot delay in responding as you may find thatthere are no places left if you wait until yourresults are published.

After you have graduated, your name andaddress will be transferred to our AlumniRelations database so that we can keep intouch with you. Your degree certificate will beposted to your home address directly from theUniversity of London. It is therefore importantthat your registered address is up to datebefore you leave QMUL. For further information on graduation, go to:www.qmul.ac.uk/graduation.

What happens if I fail one or more modules?If you do not achieve the minimumrequirements to pass (normally just achieving apass mark) then you will fail the module. Youmay, depending on your programme, bepermitted a specified number of furtherattempts to pass by resitting the assessment orretaking the module.

What is condoned failure?Postgraduate students must normally pass alltheir modules to meet their awardrequirements. However, the relevant SubjectExamination Board may disregard failure in upto 30 credits where you have achieved amodule mark of 30.0 - 49.9 in each of the


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failed modules and your overall average is 50.0 or greater. This is known as condonedfailure. Some awards have special regulationsthat either do not permit condoned failure orwhich specify different requirements forcondoned failure, please check with yourschool/institute for more information.

What is the difference between a resit and a retake?A resit requires simply that you sit theassessment on a further occasion; you will notneed to attend any teaching for the module.You will either resit the assessment you failedor one item of assessment weighted at 100 percent (this is called synoptic re-assessment),depending on the regulations for each module.You should contact the school/instituteresponsible for the module if you are unsurewhat type of re-assessment is applicable. Themodule mark for your resit will be pegged (nonMBBS, BDS only), and will count for the year inwhich you originally took the module ratherthan the year of the resit. You will need to pay aregistration fee but no tuition fees for thatmodule. A resit counts as one of your permittedattempts for a module.

A retake requires attendance at classes,completion of all elements of assessment forthe module (whether or not previously passedor not) and payment of additional tuition feeson a pro rata basis. Permission to retake will beapproved by the relevant Examination Board.Retake module marks are not pegged. For LLB,

MBBS and BDS students, permission to retakewill normally require you to retake the entiredevelopmental year rather than just themodules that you have failed.

Please always seek advice from your school orinstitute if you need to resit or retake a module.

When do resits take place?Resits normally take place during the nextacademic year, although some Schools offerlate-summer exams in August forundergraduate students. This allows studentswho do not meet progression requirements achance to rejoin their original cohort.

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The anticipated provision of late-summer resitsfor 2011/12 is as follows, although pleasecheck with your School:

• No late-summer resits: Electronic Engineeringand Computer Science; English and Drama;Georgraphy; History; Languages, Linguisticsand Film; Physics

• Late-summer resits for first developmentalyear only: Engineering and Materials Science;Mathematical Sciences

• Late-summer resits for first and seconddevelopmental years only: Biological andChemical Sciences; Economics and Finance;Law; Business and Management*; Politicsand International Relations*

*only where needed for progression

MBBS students have a resit period in lateAugust. Timing of BDS resits are dependent onyour developmental year of study.

Finalist students are not permitted late summerassessment. Some schools and institutes mayrun late-summer resits for postgraduatestudents, please contact your school directly forfurther information.

Do I have to pay to resit?Yes, there will be a fee to pay. It is usually £65per 15 credit module.


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If the next available opportunity to take yourresit is in late summer then you will not be ableto opt out and will be expected to take therelevant assessment.

Students out of attendanceIf you have not progressed to the nextdevelopmental year or have failed to meet therequirements for award then you will still berequired to register for your resits by thepublished deadline using the online task viaMySIS. This is an ‘opt in’ task as unless youchoose to take a resit you will not be registeredfor it. If you do not ‘opt in’ and register for yourresits by the published deadline then you willlose the right to any further attempts to passthe module.

What are first sits and first takes?First sits and first takes allow you to resit orretake the relevant module(s) without itcounting as one of your permitted attempts. Forfirst sits or first takes the module marks are notpegged and the module will count for the yearin which you originally took it. First sits and firsttakes always take place at the first availableopportunity. For some students this may be inthe late summer, depending on progressionrequirements and school practice.

If you are awarded a first sit then depending onthe reassessment practice for the module youwill either complete the missing assessmentonly (the mark for which will be combined withyour other assessment marks for that module)or take one item of assessment weighted at100 per cent.

What are pegged marks?Module marks (the overall total) for most resits are ‘pegged’ at the minimum pass mark.Regardless of the quality of your answers, youcannot achieve a higher score for the modulethan the minimum pass mark. You may notnormally resit or retake a module that you havealready passed in order to improve your mark.

Resits for LLB, LLM, MBBS and BDS studentsare not pegged. Marks for first sits and firsttakes are not pegged for any student.

How do I register for resits? Non MBBS, BDS and LLB students onlyStudents in attendanceIf you have progressed to your nextdevelopmental year but have failed a module(s)and still have a number of attempts left to pass,then during the online module registrationprocess in MySIS, at the beginning of theacademic year, you will be able to confirmwhether or not you wish to take the resit. Thisis your opportunity to ‘opt out’ as unless youstate otherwise you will be registered for theresit.

If you do not opt out of any resits by theprescribed deadline then you will be registeredfor these resits and expected to take therelevant assessment. Please note that MySISwill prevent you from opting out of so manyresits that you are unable to meet theprogression or award requirements for your programme.


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outside your control so as to cast doubt on thelikely validity of the assessment as a measureof your achievement, then you may wish tosubmit an extenuating circumstances claim.Extenuating circumstances include events suchas illness or the death of a close relative(parent, guardian, sibling). They do not includecomputer difficulties, local transport delays,printing problems, misreading your examtimetable or planned holidays.

Please note that if you do attend or submit yourassessment then extenuating circumstancescannot be taken in to account in marking yourwork or by giving you another attempt. If youmiss the assessment and your case is acceptedthen you will be given another opportunity, youwill not receive any additional marks.

How many times may I attempt a module?Most undergraduate students who began theirprogrammes in 2010/11 and earlier have threeattempts in total: the first attempt or first sit,and two resit or retake opportunities. Thosestarting in 2011/12 and later have twoattempts: one a first attempt or first sit and one resit. However, LLB students have fourattempts while MBBS and BDS students have only two.

Postgraduate students have two attempts topass a module: the first attempt, first sit or first take, and one resit or retake attempt.

Failure must always be agreed by the relevantSubject Exam Board before resit assessmentcan take place.

What happens if I miss a resit attempt?The missed resit will count as one of yourpermitted attempts and the DegreeExamination Board may agree to terminate your registration and enrolment.

What happens if I need to resit a module thathas been discontinued?Assessments for modules that are no longertaught are only offered for one year after thediscontinuation date. After that point, therelevant Subject Examination Board mayimpose an alternative form of assessment.

What are extenuating circumstances?If you believe that your ability to undertake orcomplete a particular item of assessment hasbeen negatively affected by circumstances

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Extenuating circumstances forms will beavailable from your school or institute. If youbelieve that you have a case for considerationthen you should submit this form withsupporting documentation (for examplemedical certification, death certificate, policereport and crime number, or other writtenevidence from a independent professional) tothe designated office in your school or institute by the specified deadline. All claims must bereceived no later than three working daysbefore the meeting of the relevant examinationboard’s extenuating circumstancessubcommittee. If you are on a joint honoursprogramme, claims must be submitted threeworking days before the meeting of the earliestexamination board’s extenuating circumstancessubboard. Your School or Institute will provideinformation about these deadlines. Note thatalthough the accompanying documentation canbe submitted after the form, claims without anyevidence cannot be accepted. It is in your bestinterest to provide information and evidencethat is as comprehensive as possible.

All claims for extenuating circumstances areconsidered by a subcommittee of theExamination Board which makesrecommendations for approval by the SubjectExamination Board. The claims themselves andthe proceedings of the subcommittee arestrictly confidential and will not normally bediscussed at the full Examination Boardmeeting.

If you have continuing problems then you mustkeep your personal tutor informed as often asnecessary. The Exam Board needs to knowwhether your circumstances have changed orare unaltered.

It is your own responsibility to make a claim forextenuating circumstances, not that of yourtutor; however, reminders will be sent out fromyour school/institute to submit your claim formsat critical points during the year. Ensure that ifyou do have what you believe to be a validclaim, that you complete the submissionprocess in accordance with your school orinstitute’s guidelines and deadlines.

Please be assured that any claim you make isstrictly confidential. It will not be discussedgenerally by members of staff, and certainly notmade available to other students. Althoughsome circumstances are often difficult to talkabout it is important that you make themknown as soon as possible if they arenegatively affecting your academic progress. Itis very difficult for extenuating circumstances tobe taken into account if you do not disclosethem at the appropriate time (before theExamination Board meeting). Please refer tothe full guidance notes on extenuatingcircumstances available from the Advice andCounselling Service or online atwww.welfare.qmul.ac.uk/.


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What is an assessment offence?Allegations of any of the following will be dealtwith according to the Assessment OffencesRegulations;

• Breaches of any sections of the AcademicRegulations relating to the conduct ofassessment.

• Plagiarism.

• Fraudulent reporting of source material.

• Fraudulent reporting of experimental results,research or other investigative work.

• Colluding in the preparation or production ofsubmitted work unless such joint or groupwork is explicitly permitted.

• The use, or attempted use, of ghost writingservices for any part of assessment.

• The submission of work, or sections of work,for assessment in more than one module orassignment, including where previouslysubmitted for assessment at anotherinstitution.

• Impersonating another student in anexamination or assessment, or theemployment of an impersonator in anexamination or assessment.

What is plagiarism?Using someone else’s work or ideas in yourown written work is not plagiarism if you haveappropriately acknowledged the source.Plagiarism is when you present someone else’swork as your own, irrespective of intention.This includes close paraphrasing, copying fromand using the ideas of another person withoutproperly crediting their work or failure to

reference yourself when repeating work youhave previously submitted - ‘self plagiarism’.You may also commit plagiarism by failing toappropriately credit the input of other studentsin assessed group projects. Plagiarism isconsidered to be a serious offence, and carriessevere consequences under the AssessmentOffences Regulations, from failure of modulesto permanent withdrawal from QMUL. QueenMary uses technology that can automaticallydetect where the work of another has beenused in your submission and is used toindicate where work is plagiarised.

It is your responsibility to ensure that youunderstand plagiarism and how to avoid it. Therecommendations below will help, but if indoubt ask for further guidance from yourpersonal tutor.

• Record your sources when taking notes, andcite these where you use ideas from theoriginal source.

• Ensure that references are not lost whencutting and pasting information betweendocuments.

• Be sensible: generally accepted views do notalways require acknowledgment (e.g. lighttravels faster than sound).

• Be particularly careful with quotations andparaphrasing.

• Ensure that all sources are referencedappropriately in the text of your work andfully credited in your bibliography.

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If you feel you need additional guidance withyour academic writing (or with your English fornon-native speakers) then the Language andLearning Unit offers numerous tutorials andworkshops free of charge to students. Pleasesee ‘English Language and Study Skills’ in theStudent Services section of this guide.

What is an exam offence?The possession of unauthorised materials orany other extraneous aid (such as a mobilephone), making a disturbance, attempting tocopy from another student, forging your examtimetable or accessing the question paperbefore the exam are all examples of examoffences.

Unauthorised materials are anything which youare not specifically permitted to access duringthe exam; revision notes or text books forexample. It is simply the possession of thesethat is considered the offence, not the intentionto use them and therefore it is very importantyou ensure that any notes you have are notaccessible during the exam, and this includesstoring notes in the toilets. If you find you haveanything on you during the exam please putyour hand up and give the material to aninvigilator.

Mobile phones and some mobile entertainmentdevices (MP3 players, iPod touch© etc) arepermitted in an exam venue but must bepowered off and the battery removed if possibleso that it cannot make a noise during theexam. Do NOT just switch your phone to silent.

Your phone must be stored in your bag in thedesignated area or on the floor under the examdesk; it must never be stored in your pocket.You will be reminded to empty your pocketswhen you enter the venue and asked again ifyou temporarily leave to use the toilet. As manymobile phones can access the internet it iseven more important that you make sure yourphone is turned off and not in your pocket. Ifyou go to the toilet, are asked to empty yourpockets and are found to have a mobile phoneon you this will be an offence and your phonewill be confiscated.

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Exam offences are considered very seriouslyand therefore the penalties are severe; you mayfail all the modules you took this year, besuspended or even deregistered from QMUL iffound guilty.

If you are suspected of an offence during anexam then an invigilator will inform you of this,annotate your exam script and impound anyprohibited materials (including mobile phones)and the script. You will be able to continue theexam, using a new script if necessary.

Any allegation of an exam offence will beinvestigated by the Academic Secretary’sdesignated nominee in accordance with theAssessment Offence Regulations. If thisinvestigation reveals a genuine offence then the matter will be referred to the Chair of theAssessment Offences Panel, and you will be notified. For more information visit:www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/exams/assessment_offences/

What are the penalties for an assessmentoffence?The penalties for an assessment offence rangefrom a formal warning to permanent withdrawalfrom QMUL. The penalty applied will dependon many factors, including the value and typeof the assessment, and whether it is a firstoffence or not.

When an accusation of an assessment offenceis made then it will be investigated either by asuitable member of staff in the school orinstitute or by the Academic Secretary’snominee.

If the item of assessment is not an exam and isworth 30 per cent or less of the total modulemark, then it will normally be investigated byyour school or institute and the penalties thatcan be applied will range from a formalwarning and resubmission of the assessment toa mark of zero for the assessment.

If the assessment is an exam or is worth morethan 30 per cent of the total module mark thenthe matter will be referred to the AcademicSecretary’s nominee, who will notify the Chairof the Assessment Offences Panel. If you donot deny the offence, the Chair of theAssessment Offences Panel can impose arange of penalties from a formal warning tofailure of your entire diet of modules. Harsherpenalties may be imposed only by a full panelhearing where guilt is found but not admitted,including the recommendation for expulsionfrom QMUL.

You will always be given the opportunity toexplain the circumstances of the allegedmisconduct.

Please refer to the Academic Regulations forfull details of procedures and penalties formisconduct in assessment. These are availableon line at: www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/examinations/assessment_offences/

You may appeal against a decision of theAssessment Offences Panel or its Chair. Thismust be done, in writing, to the AcademicSecretary within 14 days of receivingnotification of the decision. The College AppealRegulations contain further details and can befound online at: www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/student_complaints/


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Can I appeal against my module or degree results?Yes, we do have procedures to request thereview of Exam Board decisions and these areknown as academic appeals. If you areconsidering this route, please refer to the fullinformation on academic appeals given on theRegistry website at:www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/exams/academic_appeals

You must submit your appeal using theappropriate pro forma within 14 days of thepublication of your results, at: [email protected]. Although interviews arenot required you may request a meeting withthe member of the Academic Secretariat whowill be dealing with your case.

Academic appeals can be made on twogrounds; please note, however, that you cannotappeal against academic judgement:

• Procedural error where the process leading tothe decision being appealed against was notconducted in accordance with QMUL’sprocedure, such that there is reasonabledoubt as to whether the outcome might havebeen different had the error not occurred.Procedural error includes allegedadministrative/clerical error and bias in theoperation of the procedure.

• That exceptional circumstances, illness orother relevant factors had, for good reason,not been made known at the time or had notbeen taken into account properly.

Where there are insufficient grounds to reviewthe decision, your appeal will be rejected andyou will be informed of this, with a fullexplanation for the decision. Please note thatthe following are NOT considered valid groundsfor an appeal:

• Appeals against the academic judgment ofinternal or external examiners.

• Lack of awareness of the relevant procedureor regulations.

• The retrospective reporting of extenuatingcircumstances that might have beenreasonably made known at the time.

• Appeals that are based on the informalassessment of your work by members ofacademic staff.

• Marginal failure to attain a higher class ofdegree.

• Vexatious or frivolous appeals.

Where there are genuine grounds then yourappeal will be upheld and either a proceduralor regulatory error will be amended, or in casesrelating to extenuating circumstances the casewill be referred to the relevant Exam Board toreview its original decision.

If you are unsatisfied with the outcome thenyou may request that the Principal’s Nominee(currently the Vice-Principal for Teaching andLearning) reviews the case on the grounds ofprocedural error only. Alternatively, you maychoose to refer your case to the Office of theIndependent Adjudicator for Higher Education,see below.

If you are unhappy with the outcome of yourappeal then you may approach the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA) within three months of receiving your completion of procedures letter. For further information on academic appeals please visit:hwww.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/exams/academic_appeals

Developing your graduate attributesQueen Mary’s Graduate Attributes from an employer perspectiveWe want you to make the most of your studentexperience. For that reason, We have workedwith employers and recent graduates to agreeQueen Mary graduate attributes – 32 skills,values and behaviours which will help toensure you get the job you want on graduation.

The 32 attributes have been mapped againstthe Confederation of British IndustryEmployability Skills and the skills requirementsof our professional accrediting bodies and beenshown to provide a solid foundation fordeveloping your employability.

We will help you identify opportunities for yourattribute learning in curricular and extra-curricular activities.

You can read more about our graduateattributes statement here:www.qmul.ac.uk/gacep/statement/index.html

How to develop your graduate attributes profileHere are some of the ways you can ensure thatyou develop the knowledge, skills values andbehaviours that employers’ value before yougraduate.

Engage fully in your degree programmelearningMake sure that you:

• Identify where in your degree programme theopportunities for developing graduateattributes occur

• Engage fully in these learning activities

Engage in work experience and other forms ofextra-curricular activity Make sure you take up some of the wide rangeof opportunities open to you, such as:

• High quality work experience opportunitiesavailable on-campus e.g. 400+ paid jobs(from E-learning Assistant to Hall Steward) orvolunteer PASS Mentor roles in yourdepartment, supporting other students withtheir academic study)

• Over 700 volunteer work experienceopportunities in community organisations viaQueen Mary Students’ Union Provide’sVolunteer Service, the student-led, socialenterprise ‘SIFE’ projects or VolunteerInternship Scheme.

• A programme of enterprise educationactivities designed to support yourunderstanding of how businesses functionand how to develop the skills required forbusiness

• A programme of entrepreneurship activitiesdesigned at developing the skills for, andpractice of, starting a business.

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Graduate Attributes and Careers

The QM Careers team can help you identifywhich of these opportunities will best help youto fill gaps in your graduate attributes profile.

Enhancing your ability to reflect on yourlearning and monitor your progress foremployabilityEmployers like to employ those individuals thatare very active in their own professionaldevelopment. Here are some of the ways youcan make this visible and help monitor yourown progress.

• Complete the Drapers’ Skills Certificate: Thecertificate is an optional activity open to allstudents engaged in on-campus roles andactivities.

• Use our online materials to identify how yourprogramme of study and each on-campusextra-curricular activity helps to developspecific graduate attributes.

• Look out for the bi-annual promotionalcampaign aimed at motivating you to engageearly in the process of development of yourgraduate attributes

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Graduate Attributes and Careers (cont)

Be active in career decision making andpreparation for employment – from your arrivalat Queen MaryLook out for and use these opportunities andsupport.

• Your Departmental Careers Team (youracademic 'Careers Liaison Tutor', adepartmental careers adviser, anadministrator and your personal tutor). Talk toyour DCT about what work experience to doand when. Your careers adviser will help youfind vacancies and complete applications andinterviews.

• A tailored programme of careers eventsappropriate to your academic discipline andoverseen by your Departmental CareersTeam.

• Your school and institute’s careers web pageswhich will tell you what to do when in termsof career preparation, and give you a pictureof what graduates from your discipline go onto do.

• A network of ‘Alumni Careers Ambassadors’(~80+ ACAs in March 2011), graduates fromyour course now participating in a range ofnetworking events and one-to-one services inyour department such as the LinkedUpMentoring Service and speed-meets.

• Integrated writing support within the careersservice to help you with applications.

Make employability information work for you!Look at these early on and plan ahead.

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Queen Mary Careers ServiceLooking for part-time work or an internship?Need help with your CV or a job interview?Want to find out about your options when you graduate?

The QM Careers team provides information,advice and employer events to help you getwork whilst you study and after you graduate.

• Book an appointment for one-to-one careersinformation or advice. Book by phone or inperson the day before you would like to comein, or drop by on the day – we may haveappointments free.

• Find out more about the world of work fromemployers and former students at our careersevents (see our website for a full listing).

• Attend workshops on job applications,interviews, assessment centre techniquesand a range of graduate skills – fromleadership to commercial awareness.

• Find a range of part-time, internship and full-time job vacancies on our website.

We look forward to meeting you! Find us inroom WG3 in the Queens’ Building (near theOctagon).

Keep up to date with our latest news andevents: www.facebook.com/qmcareers andwww.twitter.com/qmcareers

ContactTelephone: 020 7882 8533Email: [email protected]

Mind the GAP Graduate Attributes andEmployability Site for all StudentsThe Learning Institute maintains the Mind theGAP website. The site can help you develop yourknowledge of and engagement with graduateattributes and employability. The site provides arange of self-study materials and case studies ofstudents and employers.

Contactwww.mindthegap.qmul.ac.uk

Graduate Attributes and Careers (cont)

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Career Diagnosis for Medical StudentsDental Work for Dental StudentsThe Learning Institute and the Careers Service,in collaboration with staff from the School ofMedicine and Dentistry, maintain the CareersDiagnosis and Dental Work websites. The sitessupport medical and dental students in makinginformed career decisions. The site providesaccess to a range of targeted career guidancematerials and support for the development ofthe skills necessary to manage your career.Information about local and London basedcareers events are also posted on the site.

Contactwww.cxdx.qmul.ac.uk/ www.dxwx.qmul.ac.uk/

Careers Brief for Law StudentsCareers Brief is a dedicated law careerswebsite brought to you by the School of Lawand Queen Mary Careers team. Careers Briefprovides comprehensive information oneverything you need to know, from choosingwhether to enter the legal profession, to offeringadvice on assessment days and how toapproach applications. It also lists the 20+ lawcareers events (most involving employers)taking place each year on campus.

Contactwww.law.qmul.ac.uk/careers/

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Student Support Services

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We offer a wide range of support services forour students, from healthcare and counsellingto academic and career developmentworkshops. This guide outlines details of themain services available to you at Queen Maryand provides contact information for you toaccess the facilities. For fuller information on aservice, look online or get in touch directly.

Academic RegistryRegistry deals with most aspects ofadministration for your degree, includingenrolment, module amendments, recordkeeping, personal details, student Oyster cardapplications, CAS requests for visa extensions,examinations and production of certificatesand transcripts. We generally provide supportto all students and can help with a wide varietyof queries. If you are not sure about somethingor do not know who to contact, ask us.

Registry is located on the ground floor of theQueens’ Building (CB05). There is a separateStudent Office for the School of Medicine andDentistry at Whitechapel, in the GarrodBuilding on Turner Street and a separate officefor research degree students on the groundfloor of the Queens’ Building (E15).

ContactTelephone: 020 7882 5005 (Academic Registry – Mile End)020 7882 2239 (Student Office)Email: [email protected] [email protected]/registry

Advice and Counselling ServiceThe Advice and Counselling Service offers freeand confidential professional services tostudents. The service is located on the groundfloor of the Geography Building at Mile End,and is open on weekdays throughout the year,including most vacations. Detailed informationand advice is available online.

Welfare AdviceWelfare advisers can advise on solutions andoptions relating to financial, legal and practicalissues, to help you concentrate on your studies.The service can advise you about your rightsand entitlements, and also offers an advocacyservice if you need professional representationto remedy your difficulties. The service alsooffers preventative advice, on issues such asplanning a budget and maximising your incomefrom a range of sources, to help you avoidproblems emerging during your studies.

CounsellingBeing a student can present many personaland emotional challenges, and these cansometimes have negative effects. Counsellingcan help you to understand difficultexperiences and feelings. If you are finding lifedifficult, the opportunity to think and talkreflectively about your difficulties can bringrelief and meaningful changes. Counselling isoffered for any personal issue that may affectyou.

International students: Extending yourimmigration permission to stay in the UKWelfare advisers can advise internationalstudents about all types of immigrationapplication, including Tier 4 and working in theUK after your studies. The welfare advisers inthe Advice and Counselling Service are the onlystaff at QM who are authorised by the UKgovernment to offer immigration advice to ourstudents. See the Advice and CounsellingService website for information aboutimmigration issues.

The Advice and Counselling Service offers adaily drop in service Monday to Friday duringthe main College term times. For moreinformation and contact details please visit theAdvice and Counselling Service’s website. Ifyou are on a placement, studying abroad, orfind it difficult to get to Mile End, some servicescan be provided via telephone or email.

ContactTelephone: 020 7882 8717Email: [email protected] www.welfare.qmul.ac.uk

Bursaries, Grants and ScholarshipsStudent LoansIf you have applied for funds from StudentFinance Direct then you will receive the firstinstalment once you have enrolled fully for theacademic year.

BursariesIf you are eligible for a Queen Mary Bursaryyou will automatically be sent informationregarding this to your College email account.

Access to Learning FundUK students who have taken out their fullmaintenance loan entitlement (if eligible) mayapply for help from the Access to LearningFund. Information and application forms areavailable from the Bursaries, Grants andScholarships Office (Queen’s Building, CB02)and from Registry. Or can be downloaded fromwww.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/bursaries/alf.html

ContactTelephone: 020 7882 5079Email: [email protected]/bursaries

Dean’s Benevolence FundStudents in the School of Medicine andDentistry in financial difficulties may apply forgrants or loans. Priority is given to students ingood standing who need short-term assistanceto help them complete their studies.

ContactTelephone: 020 7882 2124

Student Support Services (cont)

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Careers ServiceYour school/institute’s careers adviser and theQueen Mary careers team will support you inall aspects of your career preparation: fromfinding and applying for part-time work andinternships, to deciding on a career after yougraduate. There are materials for self study aswell as QM JobOnline, a ‘one-stop-shop’ portalfor on-campus, local and London vacancies.

Please see the Graduate Attributes and Careerssection of this guide for further details.

Disability and Dyslexia ServiceThe College’s Disability and Dyslexia Service(DDS) offers advice, guidance and support forstudents with disabilities, including specificlearning difficulties like dyslexia and dyspraxia,from application through to graduation. Therange of support that the DDS is able to provideincludes:

• Support and guidance in applying for theDisabled Student’s Allowance

• A fund for supporting international studentswith disabilities

• Liaison with academic staff regarding‘reasonable adjustments’

• Support in ensuring that course materials arefully accessible for disabled students

• Screenings for students who think they mighthave specific learning difficulties

• Advice and guidance in arrangingappointments with an educationalpsychologist to assess whether a student isdyslexic

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• One-to-one study skills support for studentswith dyslexia and other specific learningdifficulties

• On-site DSA assessments of need for dyslexicstudents

• Mentoring support (including peer mentoring)for students with mental health issues andAsperger’s syndrome

• Note-taking and other human support

• Access to assistive technology

• Guidance in accessing examinationconcessions such as additional time

ContactTelephone: 020 7882 2756Fax: 020 7882 5223Email: [email protected]/

English Language and Study SkillsEnglish Language and Study Skills provide awide range of learning support services, whichare open to all and are free of charge. Theseinclude in-sessional English courses,workshops and individual tutorials to helpimprove writing and study skills (includingtutorials with a Royal Literary Fund Fellow) and learning support in mathematics and thesciences. We also have an on-line Englishlanguage support provision which includes adiscussion board and English languageexercises and guidance.

Further information and booking forms areavailable on the ELSS website.

ContactTelephone: 020 7882 2827www.languageandlearning.qmul.ac.uk/current/index.html Email: [email protected]

FaithThe College chaplaincy, St Benet’s, is locatednear the main entrance to the Queen’sBuilding. St Benet’s is an inclusive Christianchaplaincy and all students and staff, of anyfaith background or of none, are welcome at StBenet’s, which is open 9.00 – 17.00 onweekdays during term-time. St Benet’s offersconfidential pastoral support, informal Sundaymorning services and a range of other socialactivities.

Queen Mary also has a multi-faith centreavailable for students and staff of all faiths touse. The Centre is located on the Mile Endcampus and has two rooms (Prayer Rooms 1and 2) that are carpeted and free fromfurniture with floor cushions provided. TheCentre is open each weekday in term-timebetween 9.00am and 7.30pm and is availablefor use by any recognised faith society of theCollege’s Students’ Union.

There are a large number of faith groupsocieties affiliated to the Students’ Union. Fulldetails, including contact details are availablefrom the Queen Mary faith website below.


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Contact Telephone: 020 7882 3179 (Reverend Jenny Petersen)www.faith.qmul.ac.uk

Contact Multi Faith Centrewww.qm-mfc.co.uk

International OfficeThe International Office (Queen’s BuildingE104) offers general advice and services forstudents from overseas studying at QueenMary. If the International Office staff cannotassist you directly they will direct you to theappropriate QMUL or external service. TheStudy Abroad and International ExchangeProgramme Office (Queens E09) offers adviceand support to visiting Study Abroad Associatestudents and deals with queries from fulldegree students interested in participating inQueen Mary’s International ExchangeProgrammes.

ContactTelephone: 020 7882 3066www.qmul.ac.uk/international

IT Services IT Services provides you with centralisedcomputing services, facilities and support. Weoffer open access computer suites for coursesand general use including Internet access andemail.

The open access computer suites can be foundat the locations below. Most suites are openduring normal working hours and evenings,

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with reduced hours at weekends and duringvacations; others are accessible at all timesusing your Student Card for access. Somerooms may be booked for teaching during theday. Computer availability screens are locatedin the main library and outside some of theopen access computer suites. Some academicdepartments provide additional computer suitesfor their own students.

Wireless networking is available across thecampus sites to allow you to connect laptops tothe College network. Halls of residence are fullynetworked with a wired socket in each studybedroom. We recommend using the Eduroamservice when connecting to the college networkfor added security. Access to e-mail, filestoreand other services relevant to your study atQueen Mary is available from the Internet as awhole.

The IT Services Helpdesk is located in theQueens’ Building (W209) at Mile End offeringhelp and support, small product sales such assoftware and memory sticks plus scanning andcolour printing services.

Registration for IT Services occurs duringenrolment and details are available online.

The use of IT facilities is covered by Collegeregulations prohibiting, among other things,software piracy and unauthorised computeruse.

Contact IT Services Help DeskTelephone: 020 7882 5932Email: [email protected] http://qm-web.its.qmul.ac.uk

Language LearningLanguage Learning offers the opportunity todevelop your skills in other languages. Coursesare available at all levels in French, Spanish,Japanese, German, Arabic and Chinese.Courses run for between two and four hours aweek over one, two, or three semesters.Additional information and application formsare available online.

ContactTelephone: 020 7882 2842 www.languageandlearning.qmul.ac.uk/language

Computer Suites

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Mile End campus Whitechapel campus West Smithfield campus

Main Library Whitechapel Library West Smithfield Library

Queens’ Building Garrod Building Robin Brook Centre

The Hive / Level One

Joseph Priestley Building

Francis Bancroft Building

which can be accessed not only fromnetworked PCs within the Library buildings, butalso via the Library website from anywhere elseyou have internet access.

As an extension of the library collection, QueenMary also funds access and borrowing rightsfor all students at Senate House Library,formerly the main University of London Library,which has one of the largest arts, humanitiesand social science collections amongst UKuniversity libraries.

All members of Library staff are happy to helpwith any queries you may have about anyaspect of the services we provide. Staff can befound at the Welcome Desk and in the HelpZone on the ground floor of the Mile EndLibrary, and at the Help Points at Whitechapeland West Smithfield Libraries. For morecomplex enquiries about your subject or someof our services, you may be referred to aspecialist in that area. In particular, the team ofAcademic Liaison Librarians are most familiarwith the resources for your subject – you willmeet them during induction sessions and theycan be contacted at any time during yourstudies.

Mile EndMile End Library ground floor was refurbishedduring 2010 and now provides a bright,modern environment where conversationallearning is encouraged, with clusters ofnetworked PCs and power points to everyworkspace. The ground floor also houses the

Legal Advice CentreQueen Mary’s School of Law runs an awardwinning Legal Advice Centre, offering freeguidance on problems concerning landlord andtenant, employment, private contracts,consumer transactions, civil partnerships andintellectual property. It also operates Pink Law,which are advice sessions specifically aimed atthe LGBT community. Advice is given by lawstudents under the supervision of volunteersolicitors. The Centre cannot advise you onclaims against the College or current students.Detailed information is available online.

ContactTelephone: 020 7882 3931Email: [email protected] www.advicecentre.law.qmul.ac.uk

Library ServicesQueen Mary Library Services provide the studyenvironments, resources and staff you need tosupport your learning during your time at theCollege. There are Libraries on each of themain Queen Mary campuses; at Mile End,Whitechapel and West Smithfield. The Mile EndLibrary provides resources for all subjectstaught on that campus, while the Whitechapeland West Smithfield Libraries are the specialistlibraries for medicine and dentistry.

The Libraries contain wide-ranging collectionsof print books and journals and audio-visualresources. In addition, the Library providesaccess to an ever-increasing number ofelectronic books, journals and databases,

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WhitechapelWhitechapel Library is based in the church ofSt Augustine with St Philip, just behind theRoyal London Hospital. The Library has up todate course textbooks, as well as print journals,on the ground floor and in the basement. Alarge number of networked PCs are availablethroughout the Library, together with printing,photocopying and scanning facilities andwireless network access for laptops. TheLibrary provides a range of study spaces fromsilent study to more informal areas, with groupstudy facilities located in the recentlyrefurbished basement area.

West SmithfieldWest Smithfield Library, within the grounds ofSt Bartholomew's Hospital, retains the charm ofa traditional library, with the building andinterior dating back to 1879. Course textbooksand journals are housed on the ground floorand in the gallery. There is silent study space inthe gallery, and a more lively group study areain the 24 hour access basement, both withnetworked Queen Mary PCs. Printing,photocopying, and scanning facilities are allavailable, as well as wireless network access forlaptops.

Teaching Collection, containing the coursereading list books most in demand byundergraduates, and the Quick Reference andStudy Skills Collections, as well as the DVDcollection and associated viewers, scanning,printing and photocopying facilities, theLearning Cafe, bookable group study rooms, aseminar room and assistive technology room.The first and second floors of the building,containing the main book and journalcollections, are silent study areas, withindividual study spaces and a further cluster ofnetworked PCs in the First Floor West ReadingRoom. Wireless access for laptops is availablethroughout the building, including a wirelessprinting service.

The Hive, also on the Mile End campus,provides an informal environment for groupand social study, with more clusters ofnetworked PCs.


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Library opening hoursThese are the planned term-time openinghours for 2011-12, but may be subject tochange. Current opening hours are available on the Library website.

Mile End Library is usually open 24 hours aday, seven days a week before and during themain exam period.

Contactwww.library.qmul.ac.ukTelephone: 020 7882 8800Email: [email protected]

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Term-time openinghours

Mile End Whitechapel West Smithfield The Hive

Monday 8.30am -midnight

8.40am -midnight

10am - 9pm 8am - 8pm

Tuesday 9am - 9pm

Wednesday 9am - 10pm

Thursday 9am - 10pm

Friday 8.40am - 8pm 9am - 8pm

Saturday 11am - 5pm 10am - 7pm 2pm - 7pm

Sunday 1pm - 7pm 2pm - 9pm 2pm - 7pm

Vacations Check times on the Library website

Residences Reception, based in France House,Westfield Way at Mile End, offers a 24 hourreception handling all enquiries relating to themanagement of residential accommodation andmaintenance requests.

Residential Support and Pastoral Care, alsobased in France House Reception, handleissues relating to discipline, pastoral care andsocial events.

If you are a resident in College accommodationyou should consult the Residents’ Handbookfor comprehensive information on all hallrelated issues, and contact details for therelevant section of Residential Services.

ContactTelephone: 020 7882 5522Email: [email protected] www.residences.qmul.ac.uk

Student Health ServiceThe Student Health Service (SHS) providesmedical support for QMUL students, and islocated on the ground floor of the GeographyBuilding at Mile End. If you live in the E1, E2,E3 or E14 postcode areas then you shouldregister at the start of term. It is a requirementfor all students living in halls of residence to beregistered with the Student Health Service.

You can register online atwww.studenthealth.qmul.ac.uk or in person byvisiting the service. If you live outside of theareas covered by the service then you can betreated whilst on campus by requesting

Occupational Health ServiceOccupational Health (OH) is a distinct branchof preventative health care, which specialises inthe relationship between work and health. TheQueen Mary’s OH Service is concerned withthe prevention of ill health related to study,primarily in students of the School of Medicineand Dentistry, as the practical nature of theircourse brings them into contact with patients.

The OH Service is provided by a small team ofhighly trained specialists, including: OHAdvisers who are trained nurses with a specialqualification or experience in OH and aConsultant Occupational Physician.

The OH Service is located on the ground floorof the Geography Building on the Mile EndCampus and is open Monday – Friday, 09.00 –16.30.

ContactTelephone: 020 7882 8700Email: [email protected]://qm-web.ohs.qmul.ac.uk/

Residential ServicesResidential Services incorporates:

Housing Services, based in the Queen’sBuilding (Room E01) at Mile End, deals withstudent halls applications, room allocations andresidential fee payments. The Office alsoprovides comprehensive guidance on privatesector housing.


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Immediately Necessary Treatment orTemporary Resident status, but you should alsoregister with a local general practitioner.

Who is entitled to NHS treatment?Resident in the UK for 6 months or moreYou are eligible to receive free treatment at the SHS under the NHS.

Resident in the UK for less than 6 monthsIf you are from a country with a reciprocalhealth agreement with the UK, you are eligibleto receive free treatment at the SHS under theNHS.

If you are from a country that does not have areciprocal health agreement with the UK, youare not eligible to receive free treatment at theSHS under the NHS (this includes, forexample, Associate Students from the USA).You can attend the SHS as you need but youwill be charged the current fee of £40 perconsultation. In addition you will have to payfor any medication, tests, or hospitalattendances.

It is essential, therefore, that you arrangeadequate health insurance cover before leavingyour home country.

In an emergency on campus, first-aid staff can be contacted on 020 7882 3333.

You must ensure that you are immunisedagainst meningitis C. This can be arrangedthrough your own doctor or the Student HealthService.

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ContactTelephone: 020 7882 8710 (Monday – Friday 9.00 – 17:00)020 8980 3023 (Monday – Friday 16.30 – 18.30; QMUL vacations) 020 7377 7056 (weekends and out of hours) www.studenthealth.qmul.ac.uk

Students’ Union Queen Mary Students’ Union (QMSU) is led byelected students who work to be the voice ofthe student body and improve all aspects ofyour University life. They can support you on allelements of your university experience, as wellas represent your views to QMUL and nationalauthorities. QMSU encompasses Barts and TheLondon Students’ Association (BLSA) whichrepresents Medical and Dental Students. BLSAis based at Whitechapel. You will automaticallybecome a member of QMSU on enrolment,though you may opt out of membership if youwish.

The Students’ Union operates a number offacilities including the QMotion Health andFitness Centre, Fitness to Practice & the Shield,Drapers Bar, Griff Inn, Ground Café, Infusionand the Village Shop and services across eachQMUL campus. QMSU also supports a widerange of student societies, sports recreation &clubs, campaigns, volunteering and mediaoutlets. The Union also offers independentadvice and representation services, such as theCourse Representative system which providesstudent academic representation for every yearof every course. Full information on allStudents’ Union services is available online.

Erasmus coordinator in your department. Youwill be permitted to study abroad only if youhave met your progression requirements.

During your time abroad you will sitexaminations set by your host institution andthe results will count towards your award.Therefore you will need to make sure thatthese are equivalent in ‘volume’ to those youwould be taking at Queen Mary, or there maybe implications for your degree classification. Ifin doubt you should consult Academic Registryor your personal tutor. If you have outstandingresit examinations that fall during your timeabroad then you must return to Queen Mary tosit them at the normal time.

ContactTelephone: 020 7882 5074www.qmul.ac.uk/undergraduate/exchange

Tuition FeesThe invoicing and collection of tuition fees isthe responsibility of the Finance Office(Queen’s Building, W117).

It is important that you keep up to date withtuition fee payments, as students in debt shallbe de-registered and cease to be students ofQMUL. As de-registration normally occurs inFebruary this means students who are de-registered are unable to take any examinations.

In very exceptional circumstances, a studentwho is in debt as a result of failing to pay theirtuition fees, may be permitted to complete theyear. In such instances if you remain a debtor


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ContactTelephone: 020 7882 8030www.qmsu.org (QMSU)www.bartslondon.com (BLSA)

Study Abroad and International ExchangeProgramme OfficeMany students at Queen Mary have theopportunity to study abroad for a period. TheSocrates Erasmus programme permits study atinstitutions in Europe, while Queen Mary’srelationships with universities in the UnitedStates, Australia and Singapore allow travelfurther afield for some disciplines. Certaindepartments have additional exchangeprogrammes specific to their fields of study,and many language students spend acompulsory year abroad as part of their awardrequirements.

In general, if you are registered for a three-yearundergraduate degree then you may spend thefirst semester or the whole academic yearabroad in your second developmental year,while if you are registered for a four-yearprogramme you may spend one or twosemesters abroad in the third developmentalyear. There may be preconditions of languageability for certain countries; the Language andLearning Unit can offer tutoring.

If you are considering studying overseas youshould discuss your options with your personaltutor first. Detailed advice on the InternationalExchange Programme is available online. If youare interested in participating in an Erasmusexchange you should discuss this with the

at the end of the academic year, you will not bepermitted to attend graduation or enrol for thenext year and your results and award will bewithheld. If you are in debt or are facingfinancial difficulties then you must contact theFees Office immediately and may wish to seekadvice from the welfare offices in Advice andCounselling.

Please note if you are de-registered it may bepossible to be reinstated once the debt hasbeen cleared, however this is subject to anadministrative charge (currently £250).Students are advised that reinstatement shallnot occur until the appropriate point thefollowing academic year.

For further information relating to your tuitionfees, including how to pay them, please refer tothe QMUL website at:www.qmul.ac.uk/tuitionfees/

ContactTelephone: 020 7882 7676Email: [email protected]/tuitionfees/

Westfield NurseryQueen Mary’s Nursery provides full day care for65 children aged three months to five years.The nursery prioritises students and staff atQueen Mary, but is also available to thoseoutside QMUL. All practitioners are fullyqualified and receive continuous professionaltraining on early years practice. The Nursery isOfsted registered and holds Investors in Peoplestatus.

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The Nursery has been on the Mile End campussince 1991 and housed in purpose builtpremises with two outside play areas since2002. It is open 48 weeks of the year, from8.30 - 17.30 on weekdays. Early application isadvised as demand is high. Please contact theNursery directly for an information pack.

ContactTelephone: 020 7882 2782Email: [email protected]

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The Student Guide is a brief, user-friendlysummary of key information and, as such,cannot cover every detail of the regulations andprocedures that will affect you. This page givesa list of the principal regulations andprocedures that govern your behaviour andconduct whilst you are at Queen Mary orinvolved in QMUL activities:

Further information on all issues covered in theStudent Guide, and details of all General,Academic and other regulations can be foundat: www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk.

Significant College Policies and Codes ofPractices include:

• Academic Regulations

• Code of Student Discipline

• Code of Practice on Alcohol and Drugs

Further Information

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• Code of Practice on Freedom of Speech

• Code of Practice on Safety

• Code of Practice on Sexual and RacialHarassment

• College Appeal Regulations

• Complaints Policy

• Computing Facilities Regulations

• Harassment Policy

• Information Security Policy

• Library Regulations

• Photocopying Policy

• Race Equality Statement

• Regulations on Assessment Offences

• School of Medicine and DentistryUndergraduate Student Charter

• Web Policy

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This section explains some of the main termsthat you are likely to encounter in the StudentGuide and in your studies.

Academic credit refers to an indicator of theamount and level of learning. Academic creditsare awarded in multiples of 15.

Academic level refers to the relative complexity,depth of study, and learner autonomy requiredin relation to a module in the context of itsdiscipline. Each module shall be assigned alevel from the following scale:

• Level 3: Foundation or pre-degree level(previously level 0)

• Level 4: Introductory (previously level 1)

• Level 5: Intermediate (previously level 2)

• Level 6: Final (previously level 3)

• Level 7: Masters (previously level 4)

Academic year refers to a period running fromSeptember to August. The developmental yearsof most undergraduate programmes followacademic years, and policies and regulationsare always written by academic year. See alsodevelopmental year, and calendar year.

Advanced standing refers to a prior certificatedstudy from another institution that is deemedequivalent to QMUL modules from whichexemption is sought.

Assessed coursework refers to coursework thatstudents are required to complete and submit,and which contributes in whole or in part tomodule marks and awards.

Glossary

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Award refers to undergraduate, graduate, andpostgraduate certificates, diplomas, bachelordegrees (with and without honours),undergraduate masters degrees andpostgraduate masters degrees. The awardsoffered by QMUL are detailed in theOrdinances and the Academic Regulations.

Calendar year refers to a twelve month period.Many masters programmes run for a fullcalendar year (generally September toSeptember), which may cross two academicyears. See also academic year anddevelopmental year.

College Mark refers to the weighted average ofa student’s performance, calculated inaccordance with the regulations for the award,on which the classification of the award isbased.

Compulsory module refers to a module thatmust be taken in order to meet requirementsfor progression or award.

Core module refers to a module that must betaken and passed in order to meetrequirements for progression or award. Coremodules cannot be condoned.

Co-requisite module refers to a module thatmust be taken at the same time as another,specified, module.

Course, course unit See Module. The termscourse and course unit are no longer used.

Glossary (cont)

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circumstances acceptable to the examinationboard. A first sit replaces the first attempt anddoes not count towards the value of academiccredit for which a student must normally beregistered in an academic or developmentalyear. First sit module marks are not pegged.

First take refers to the repeat of a modulefollowing failure at a previous attempt. Thisinvolves attendance and completion of allelements of the module, and submission of allassignments, whether assessed or not. Firsttakes count towards the value of academiccredit for which a student must normally beregistered in an academic or developmentalyear. Module marks for first takes are notpegged.

Invigilated examination refers to a timetabledsummative examination that contributes inwhole or in part to the module mark.

Level See Academic level.

Module assessment refers to assessment of theperformance of a student on a module. Thismay include a variety of elements and forms,including coursework, dissertations, andpractical assignments.

Module refers to an approved block of teachingand learning leading to the award of academiccredit and forming part of a programme ofstudy.

Module mark refers to the overall module result.This may be an aggregate of marks from severalelements of assessment, which may be weighted.

Developmental year refers to a year of aprogramme. Normally one academic year offull time study, during which students arenormally required to be registered for 120credits of modules. Developmental years forpart time students normally last two years. Seealso academic year and calendar year.

Dissertation, project, research project refers toan extended piece of independent studyassessed by an output report or extendedessay. The dissertation or project comprises asignificant part of most masters programmes.In these regulations, the term ‘dissertation’ alsorefers to projects and research projects.

Element of assessment refers to an individualitem of assessment. The assessment for amodule may comprise several elements ofassessment.

Enrolment refers to a process by whichindividuals with offers of places to studybecome students of QMUL. New studentsmust pre-enrol before enrolment, andreturning students must re-enrol each year.

Extenuating circumstances refers tocircumstances that are outside a student’scontrol which may have a negative impact on astudent’s ability to undertake or complete anyassessment so as to cast doubt on the likelyvalidity of the assessment as a measure of thestudent’s achievement.

First sit refers to the repeat of all or part of amodule’s assessment following a certifiedabsence at the first attempt due to extenuating

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Pathway refers to the specific combination ofmodules within a programme leading to anamed award.

Prerequisite module refers to a specifiedmodule that must be taken before a secondspecified module can be taken.

Programme regulations refers to the regulationsfor an individual programme of study, approvedby Senate, or its delegated authority.

Programme of study (programme) refers to apackage of modules approved by Senate, or itsdelegated authority, and leading to an award ofQMUL or the University of London.

Progression refers to the process of movingfrom one developmental year to the next, orfrom the taught element to the project elementof a programme.

Project See dissertation

QMACF refers to the Queen Mary AcademicCredit Framework. The structure of academiccredits and levels applied to all modules andprogrammes leading to awards of QMUL or theUniversity of London (introduced in 2008).

Qualifying mark refers to a specified minimummark that must be obtained in one or moreelements of assessment in order to pass amodule. This is in addition to, and distinctfrom, the requirement to achieve a pass in themodule mark to pass the module. For example:‘Students must obtain a minimum aggregated

and weighted average of 30.0 in addition to amodule mark of 40.0 in order to pass themodule.’

Registration refers to a process by whichstudents sign up for modules of a programmeof study.

Required assessment refers to assessment thatstudents are required to complete to aprescribed standard and to submit, but whichdoes not contribute to the module mark.

Research project See dissertation

Research students refers to students registeredfor a programme of study specificallydesignated as a research programme.Research programmes have separateAcademic Regulations (Section 6).

Resit refers to the repeat of all or part of amodule’s assessments, following failure at aprevious attempt. Resits do not involve therepeat of attendance for the module. They donot count towards the value of academic creditfor which students must normally be registeredin an academic or developmental year.

Retake refers to the repeat of a modulefollowing failure at a previous attempt. Retakesinvolve attendance and completion of allelements of the module, and the submission ofall assessments (summative and formative).They count towards the value of academiccredit for which students must normally beregistered in an academic or developmentalyear. Retakes incur pro rata tuition fees.

Special regulations refers to programmeregulations that diverge from the generalAcademic Regulations for exceptionally goodreason, and which are approved by Senate, orits delegated authority. The special regulationsare detailed in sections 7 and 8 of theAcademic Regulations.

Students refers to students of QMUL.Ordinance C1 describes ‘those persons whoare students of QMUL and associate studentsof QMUL’. The Academic Regulations apply toall students undertaking undergraduate orpostgraduate study at QMUL, and to anypersons whom Senate declares to be studentsof QMUL.

Subject refers to the term by which modulesare known for the LLB and other programmesthat operate under the LLB regulations. (seeModule). Where the term ‘module’ is used inthese regulations, it also refers to subjectsunless stated otherwise.

Taught component refers to the parts of aprogramme that are delivered as taughtmodules, as opposed to dissertations andprojects. The term is generally used in relationto postgraduate programmes.

Total credit value refers to the total amount ofacademic credit required for an award.

Threshold requirement refers to a requirementused in the progression requirements for MSciand MEng programmes. Students must achievea year- or aggregate-average (threshold) inorder to progress to the next developmentalyear. This is in addition to the creditrequirements for progression.

University refers to the University of London,unless otherwise specified.

Assessment types definitionsInvigilated examination (short code EXM): A formal, timed and invigilated assessment that takes place under the regulations forinvigilated examinations. To include but notlimited to: seen and unseen examinations(including on-line examinations) that take place in QMUL’s formal examination periods.

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Glossary (cont)

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Coursework (short code CWK): An assessmentthat takes place during the module. To includebut not limited to: essays, reports,presentations, poster presentations,seminar/tutorial work, in-class or in-semestertests, mid-sessional examinations, projectproposals, gobbet exercises and homeworksheets.

Practical (short code PRA): An assessment thatrequires the application or demonstration ofknowledge and/or skills/competencies in apractical context. To include: laboratory work,computer work, performances, fieldwork,Organised Structured Clinical Examinations and oral assessments in languages.

Dissertation/project (short code DIS): Anextended piece of independent study that isassessed by the output report or long essay. Toinclude but not limited to: dissertations,research projects and project reports.

Professional capability (short code CAP): Anassessment of a student’s professional attitudeand conduct to meet the requirements of aProfessional and Statutory Regulatory Body. To include but not limited to: assessment ofbehaviour and conduct (primarily for primaryqualifying medical and dental qualifications butmay be appropriate in other programmes).

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EmergenciesSecurity (Mile End) 020 7882 3333– Emergency

GeneralMain Switchboard 020 7882 5555

Security (Mile End) 020 7882 5000– General

Security 020 7882 6020 (Charterhouse Square)

Security (Whitechapel) 020 7882 2599

College AdministrationAcademic Registry 020 7882 5005

Admissions and Recruitment Office 020 7882 5511

Appeals and Complaints Office 020 7882 3654

Bursaries, Grants and Scholarships Office 020 7882 5079

Fees Office 020 7882 7676

International Office 020 7882 3066

Residences Office 020 7882 5522

Student Office (SMD) 020 7882 2239

Support and ServicesAdvice and Counselling 020 7882 8717

Careers 020 7882 8533

Chaplaincy 020 7882 3179

Disability and Dyslexia Service 020 7882 2756

Useful Telephone Numbers

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English Language and Study Skills 020 7882 2827

Language Learning 020 7882 2842

Legal Advice Centre 020 7882 3931

IT Services Help Desk 020 7882 5932

Library Enquiries (Mile End) 020 7882 8800

Library Enquiries (West Smithfield) 020 7882 8188

Library Enquiries (Whitechapel) 020 7882 7112

Occupational Health 020 7882 8700

Student Health Service 020 7882 8710

Students’ Union 020 7882 8030

Study Abroad Office 020 7882 5074

The Learning Institute 020 7882 2800

Westfield Nursery 020 7882 2782

External ServicesEmergency Services (police, ambulance, fire-brigade) 999 or 112

Bow Road Police station (for non emergencies) 0300 123 1212

Citizens Advice Bureau 0844 826 9699

NHS Direct (medical advice over the phone) 0845 4647

Nightline (confidential advice line for students, by students) 020 7631 0101

Office of the Independent Adjudicator 0118 959 9813

Samaritans (confidential, impartial support for those in distress) 0845 790 9090

SANEline (Confidential support for those with mental illness) 0845 767 8000

Shelter 0808 800 4444(source of free housing advice)

Student Loans Company 0845 607 7577

The Havens (local support centre for victims of sexual assault) 020 7247 4787

Useful Telephone Numbers (cont)

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IRC 13Informatics Teaching Laboratories 5Joseph Priestley Building 34Library 25Law 28Lock-keeper’s Graduate Centre 33Mathematical Sciences 4The People’s Palace / Great Hall 15Queens’ Building / Octagon 16

Albert Stern Cottages 3Albert Stern House 1Beaumont Court 43Chapman House 35Chesney House 37Creed Court 46France House 45Feilden House 41Hatton House 32

Ifor Evans Place 2Lodge House 38Lindop House 23Lynden House 48Maynard House 36Maurice Court 47Pooley House 49Selincourt House 40Varey House 39

Advice and Counselling Service 17Bookshop 51Clock Tower 62Curve 53Drapers’ Bar 58Ground Café 52Health Centre 18Hive 21Hub 24Infusion 59Mucci’s 54Police Box 30

Post Room 14QMotion Fitness Centre 57Residences Reception 44Security 61St Benet’s Chapel 22Students’ Union 8Students’ UnionOffices / Blomeley Centre 50Village Shop 42Westfield Nursery 9World Marché 55

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Front Block 1Alexander Wing 2Garrod Building 3St Philip’s Church Library 4Dental Institute 5Students’ Union 6Abernethy Building 7Queen Mary Innovation Centre 8Blizard Building 964 Turner Street 10Yvonne Carter Building 11Wingate Building 12

53-55 Philpot Street 13John Harrison House 14Pathology and Pharmacy Building 16

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Pathology and Museum Block 1Robin Brook Centre 2East Wing 338 Little Britain 4William Harvey House 551-53 Barts Close 7


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Calendar of important dates

Below is a summary of important dates for students, including semester dates, holidays, examinations and revisionweek. You are expected to be in College throughout semester 1, 2 and during the full examination period, regardlessof whether you have any examinations scheduled for this time.

A detailed calendar of all important QMUL dates can also be found online at: www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/registry/

Note: Many dates will differ significantly for medical and dental students. If you are studying medicine or dentistry youwill receive an alternative calendar as part of your programme resources.

Some schools and institutes will have a reading week during Semester 1 and 2, please contact them directly for moredetails.

8 August 2011 Online re-enrolment opens for continuing students

17 September 2011 Module registration opens

Enrolment for new students begins

19 September 2011 Start of the first semester

26 September 2011 Start of teaching for most programmes

7 October 2011 Deadline for continuing students to re-enrol

8 October 2011 Deadline for module registration to be completed

21 October 2011 Deadline for temporarily enrolled students to complete enrolment or re-enrolment

December 2011 Winter graduation ceremonies

5 December 2011 Semester 2 module registration opens

16 December 2011 End of first semester

19 December 2011 – 6 January 2012 Winter holiday

9 January 2012 Start of the second semester

21 January 2012 Deadline for semester 2 module registration

31 January 2012 Deadline for payment of tuition fees

7 February 2012 De-registration process for non-payment of tuition fees under Ordinance C3 commences

March/April 2012 Publication of examination timetables

30 March 2012 End of the second semester

2 – 20 April 2012 Spring holiday

23 – 27 April 2012 Revision week

30 April – 8 June 2012 Examination period

July 2012 Summer graduation ceremonies

Late August 2012 Late summer examination period

Academic Registry and Council SecretariatQueen Mary, University of LondonMile End RoadLondonE1 4NSTel: +44 (0)20 7882 5005Fax: +44 (0)20 7882 5588email: [email protected]

Pub8090

Any section of this publication is availableupon request in accessible formats (large

print, audio, etc.). For further information andassistance, please contact: Diversity Specialist,

[email protected], 020 7882 5585

Documents

Queen Mary, University of London Student Guide 2011-12