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Exam Regulations for Bodø University College
§ 1 Applicability 2
§ 2 Definitions 2
§ 3 Requirements for enrolment to exam 2
§ 4 External candidates 2
§ 5 Exam enrolment 3
§ 6 Ordinary exam 3
§ 7 New exam 3
§ 8 Reduction of credits 4
§ 9 Exam types 4
§ 10 Grading system 4
§ 11 Special arrangements 4
§ 12 Remedies allowed at supervised individual written exams 5
§ 13 Absence from exam 5
§ 14 Sensorship 5
§ 15 Diploma -Transcript of Records 6
§ 16 Annulment of exam, cheating, expulsion 6
§ 17 Justification and complaint 6
§ 18 Supplementary rules 7
§ 19 In force 7
Exam Regulations for Bodø University College
Passed by the Executive Board of Bodø University College June 15th 2004, pursuant to the provision of ”Act of May 12th 1995 no. 22 relating to Universities and University Colleges”.
The regulations given here apply for students and private candidates who take exams at Bodø University College. For study programmes under national curricula regulations, the national curricula have priority in cases where they diverge from these regulations.
See § 2 Definitions in “Study Programme Regulations for Bodø University College”.
1. According to the Act, §40, anyone who fills all general and possible special exam enrolment requirements and other requirements to sit for the exam at a study program or course, is eligible to take an exam.
2. To be allowed to take an exam, the candidate must be registered as a student and enrolled in the exam in question before expiration of the deadline given by Bodø University College.
3. The curriculum shall clearly identify all exams and continuous assessments in the programme/ course that will be specified in the diploma/certificate or that will be part of a calculated grade for completed programme/course.
4. Students are normally eligible for exams agreed upon in their individual study contracts.
5. In cases where current curriculum describes any special requirements regarding prerequisites, compulsory teaching/contact hours, lab exercises, placement/internship or other requirements necessary for enrolment to an exam, these requirements must be fulfilled before the candidate can be enrolled to the exam (cf. the Act § 40, item 2 and § 46, item 5).
6. A student may take any given exam maximum three times. However, he/she may apply for a fourth time, and shall in such cases be summoned to counselling with respective professor about his/her study progression. If the student still maintains the application for the fourth sitting, he/she must supply documentation that counselling as here mentioned has taken place. The application will then normally be granted. A student cannot claim a new examination to be arranged more than one year after he/she, according to the individual study contract, should have sat for the ordinary examination.
7. Examination papers that have earlier been subject to a final evaluation cannot be handed in again for a new evaluation. If the student takes more courses with similarity or overlap of contents, separate papers/answers must be produced and handed in for every exam.
8. In cases of failed placement or internship, the student may repeat the placement or internship all over again. If the placement or internship is failed a second time, the student is not allowed to continue his study program/course. Only on special occasions and based on a written application from the student together with a proposal from the placement supervisor, may the Faculty Board/Senate grant exemption from these regulations.
9. A student admitted to a study programme or course is entitled to enrol in respective exams for one year after his study should have been completed, with relation to the prescribed time from his/her first semester. The right to continue on a programme/course may be regulated by special requirements for each study programme/course. Such regulations are passed based on academic considerations from the Faculty Board or based on current national curricula, and shall be specified in the relevant curriculum description.
10. Unless otherwise decided by Bodø University College, the student must have paid his semester fee to be enrolled in an exam, cf. ”Act of June 28th 1996 no. 54 about Student Welfare Foundations” and “Regulations of February 12th 2001 no. 153 of Student Welfare Foundations”.
1. Rights of external candidates are limited to access to public lectures and to being enrolled in exams. They are not entitled to have their exercises or papers corrected/evaluated. “Lectures” are here understood to embody the transfer of knowledge offered collectively to all students of the relevant subject, and with active student participation limited to single questions and comments. The faculties/departments may grant external candidates access to non-public teaching.
2. External candidates must pay an exam fee according to the decision of the Executive Board, in addition to the semester fee to the Student Welfare Foundation.
3. External candidates must apply for admission to relevant subjects within given deadlines. Documentation of general and possible special competence for admission to respective subjects must be enclosed with the enrolment application. Bodø University College may - on special occasions - grant dispensation from the enrolment deadline.
4. Unless conflicting with this article,”Exam Regulations for Bodø University College” also apply for external candidates.
1. An exam schedule specifying date and time for all ordinary exams and deadlines for handing in exam papers is normally announced at study start each academic year, and no later than at the start of the semester the exam is planned for. The date and time for resittings is to be announced no later than two weeks ahead of the relevant exam or deadline for handing in papers.
2. The exam location is decided by the relevant faculty/department and shall be specified both in the curriculum and in the exam schedule. Students may apply for having their exam arranged in a different location, and if granted, they may be charged a fee to cover extra costs related to exam arrangement at the new location.
3. Fixed exam dates can only be changed by the Board/Senate of the faculty/department responsible for the relevant course. The students are responsible for not enrolling in exams conflicting in time, i.e. being arranged on the same dates.
4. Students are automatically enrolled in ordinary exams according to their progress plan in the individual educational contract they have with Bodø University College. Students not having such a contract must enrol in relevant subjects within given deadlines. Enrolment in a subject implies enrolment in all exams for this subject. Students who want to take an exam from a subject/course not included in their individual educational contract, or who want to resit a previous exam, must enrol to relevant exams within the given deadlines each academic year /semester.
5. Students, who want to resit exams not included in their individual educational contract, must enrol in relevant exams within the given deadlines.
6. Students themselves have the responsibility to check in ”Arena” that their individual educational contracts are correct according to planned study progress, and that enrolment in subjects and exams has been effectuated correctly.
7. Deadline for withdrawal from an exam is 2 weeks (14 days) before the relevant exam date.
8. Withdrawal from exam after deadline or during the exam without a valid reason is not approved and will be regarded as using one exam attempt. Valid reasons for withdrawal after the deadline imply that the exam is annulled and the student is given the right to make a new attempt later, provided that accepted documentation from a medical doctor etc. has been handed in promptly after the exam date (cf. Exam regulations § 3).
9. It is the personal responsibility of each student to be informed about time and place for his/her exams.
1. The Faculty/Department Board/Senate decides the exam period for ordinary exams each semester.
2. For any given subject/course, the ordinary exam and a resitting will normally not be arranged the same semester.
3. The Faculty/Department Board/Senate may decide separate exam assessments for external candidates and students who take subjects/courses not included in their individual educational contract.
1. A ”New exam” will be arranged whenever the ordinary exam had candidates who failed or were registered and absent due to illness or other valid reason.
2. When it - according to the current curriculum - is a prerequisite for proceeding on a programme/ course to have passed a given exam, candidates who failed this ordinary exam are entitled to have a new exam arranged before or at the start of the next semester, given that they have forwarded (in writing) a request for it within one week after the ordinary exam results were published. If the students fail the new exam, they are not entitled to another exam attempt until the next ordinary exam.
3. Syllabus, reading and exam types for the new exam shall be the same as for the latest ordinary exam. The Faculty/Department Board may approve of exemptions regarding exam types.
4. A new exam may be arranged when a subject is closed down or there will be more than one year between two ordinary exams in the subject. The relevant Faculty/Department Board/ Senate will decide if and when new exams are arranged.
5. When a new exam is arranged for students who are entitled to it (cf. item 1, 2 above), it is also open for students who have passed the exam but want to improve their grade.
6. When a candidate has passed the same exam more than once, the best result counts. If different grading systems have been used, the current system for the relevant subject is to be used unless the student requests otherwise.
7. Enrolment in a new exam must be done according to § 5.
If a student has passed exams in subjects that completely or partially cover the same contents, this will normally lead to a credit reduction in the student’s diploma, certificate or transcript. Overlapping content between subjects of different courses/programmes at Bodø University College is normally mentioned in the respective curricula descriptions. The credit reduction will normally be effected for the course with the most recent exam.
1. Bodø University College will safeguard that applied evaluation methods are to promote learning, ensure quality and secure the student’s legal rights. The student shall be given continuous assessments and feedback during his course/programme. The curriculum shall inform of exams included in the course/programme, which ones will be in the diploma or be part of a calculated final grade, and how the final grade is to be calculated.
2. The curriculum must contain specification of the load of each exam given in credits, weight in a calculated grade, exam type and duration.
3. Individual examination must cover at least half of the evaluation basis in all study programmes.
The grading system applied at exam, test, assessment of paper or other evaluation, is to be Passed/Failed or a scale with five grades from A–E for passed and F for failed. The grading system is to be described in the curriculum.
1. Candidates in need of special arrangements for the exam must apply for it within the given deadlines for exam enrolment. The application should be directed to Bodø University College by/ the Director of Academic Affairs. Certified copies of documentation of needs must be enclosed (see separate regulations and application form).
2. Special arrangements may be granted for candidates for whom Norwegian is not their mother tongue, or who can verify special disabilities (e.g. mobility-, hearing- or eyesight disability, dyslexia or hidden disabilities), pregnant persons, breastfeeding mothers etc.
3. Students with dyslexia or other reading/writing problems may - if they wish - have an anonymous verification of this problem attached to their exam paper. The Faculty/Department Board/ Senate may grant an alternative exam type, based on an application from the candidate. Certified documentation of the candidate’s special needs must be enclosed with the application.
4. Candidates, who for religious reasons cannot have their exam on a given weekday/date as given in the exam schedule, may apply for having it on a different day. Access to the exam on this new date is generally limited to the relevant students only.
5. Candidates who so prefer may submit their written answers for an examination in English. On special occasions and based on a written application from the student, he/she may be granted an English version of the examination paper. Such applications are decided by the relevant Faculty/ Department Board/Senate, and must be handed in before the deadline for enrolment to the relevant subject.
6. Special arrangements may also (cf. item 3) be granted by way of special practical physical arrangements, remedies and/or extra time. Candidates for whom Norwegian is not their mother tongue, may be granted extra time for an exam.
A candidate who is granted extra time for a supervised individual written exam will normally be given a maximum of:
· 30 minutes extra time for supervised individual written exams lasting for up to 4 hours.
· 45 minutes extra time for supervised individual written exams lasting for 4-6 hours.
· 60 minutes extra time for supervised individual written exams lasting for more than 6 hours.
A candidate who is granted extra time for an unsupervised written exam/project task for which he/she produces an individual answer, will normally be given a maximum of
· 1 day exam; 2 hours extra time
· 2 days exam; 4 hours extra time
· 3-5-days exam; 6 hours extra time
· 6 days or more exam; 1 day extra time
Upon approval by the relevant Faculty/Department, extended extra time can be granted on very special occasions.
1. The description of each subject in the curriculum shall include a listing of allowed remedies for each exam. The remedies shall also be listed in the examination paper.
2. Simple calculator (cf. separate regulations), pencil, pen, ruler and bilingual dictionaries are considered general remedies that can be utilised at all exams unless otherwise stated separately.
3. Notice that not only the utilisation, but even the mere possession of remedies that are not allowed for use during an exam, will be considered cheating.
1. Students, who claim to have a valid reason for not showing up at the exam, must immediately hand in written notice to Student Services Exam branch, explaining their absence.
2. Written documentation of valid reasons for absence from an exam must be handed in the same day as the exam is arranged or as soon after as such documentation can possibly be produced. In case of the candidate’s illness or illness among his/her closest kin, a medical certificate confirming this is required. The Director of Academic Affairs will decide if absence from an exam is approved as valid or not.
4. Absence from an exam owing to the candidate’s own dispositions will not normally be approved as valid.
5. Absence from exam for valid reasons will not be counted as an “attempt” with regard to exam regulations § 3 item 6. Absences not approved as valid will count as an exam attempt and will be given the mark “absent”.
1. Exam evaluation criteria and systems are to be described in the curriculum.
2. Deadline for releasing exam results is 3 weeks from hand-in date for exam papers unless for special reasons there is a need for extra time (cf. the Act § 50, item 4). For subjects with combined exams, including a written exam followed by an oral examination to adjust the final result, the result of the written part must be published no less than 48 hours prior to the oral test. A student who has failed the written part of a combined exam cannot proceed to the oral examination.
3. When an exam commission, normally consisting of two examiners, is unable to agree on the grade for a candidate, a third and external member (a moderator) is to be appointed to the commission. If they still cannot agree, the moderator will decide the grade.
4. Exam results are published by SMS cellular phone services and through the Arena system.
5. All compulsory exercises/work that is part of the requirements for subjects, main subjects or courses must be approved before a final grade can be given and before the respective exam results can be released.
6. For continuous assessment a grade is not to be given until all assessments are completed as described in the respective curriculum. Feedback given to students regarding their work during the assessment period is considered as feedback/counselling and cannot be subjected to complaints.
1. Diploma/Certificate and Diploma Supplement will be issued for all completed programmes/ courses according to approval by Bodø University College. Transcripts of Records are issued on request from the students.
2. For courses that do not offer a diploma or a certificate, a transcript of records is normally issued on completion of the course.
3. Students who have been exempted according to “Regulations about study programmes and courses at Bodø University College” § 6, and who fulfil the requirements for completed programme or course, may have a diploma/certificate from Bodø University College if at least half of the programme/course credits have been taken at Bodø University College. If less than half of the credits have been taken at Bodø University College, it will be considered in each case which institution should issue a diploma/certificate.
4. As a rule only one diploma/certificate is issued per candidate. It a candidate improves a grade contained in the diploma/certificate, he/she is entitled to have a new diploma/certificate issued on request. In such cases the diploma/certificate issued earlier, must be returned.
5. On special occasions when the loss of a diploma/certificate is alleged, a duplicate may be issued.
6. The diploma/certificate shall as a minimum contain this information;
a. Name of study programme/course that has been completed
b. Title or degree obtained, if any
c. Name, credits or study points and grades for subjects, main subjects contained in the programme/course and having been subject to a final evaluation
d. Time for passed exam for each subject, main subject contained in the programme/ course
e. Date for completion of programme/course
f. Specification of subjects and main subjects the candidate has been exempted from based on accepted earlier education, if any, and specification of the relevant earlier education.
g. Title of individual work contained in post-graduate education.
h. The grading system that has been used.
7. Results from sub-exams of a combined exam in a main subject or subject are not normally to be specified in the diploma.
8. A Transcript of Records is to contain all exams that a candidate has passed at Bodø University College, including sub-exams from combined exams for which a final grade would be calculated in a diploma.
1. The consequence of intended or gross negligent cheating or attempt to cheat at an exam will normally be annulment of the relevant exam for the candidate involved. The candidate may also be expelled from Bodø University College and denied the right to enrol for any exam at all universities and university colleges in the country for a period of up to one year. Cf. the Act § 54 and § 42 item 3.
2. Candidates who are caught in the act of intended or gross negligent cheating or attempting to cheat at an exam, may be expelled from the institution and deprived of their right to enrol for any exam for up to one year. Cf. the Act § 54 and § 42, item 3.
3. Candidates who fail to act according to ”Instructions for exam candidates at Bodø University College”, hereunder disturbing fellow candidates during an exam, may be dismissed from the exam premises.
4. Students who cause severe disturbances or show gross culpable behaviour may be dismissed from certain areas of the institution or expelled from the institution for up to one year. Cf. the Act § 42, items 1 and 2.
1. § 50, § 51 and § 52 in the Act outline the candidates’ right to submit complaints concerning formal conditions related to the exam or the exam arrangement and the exam results.
2. Complaints about formal conditions related to the exam must be submitted within a period of 3 weeks after the student became aware of - or ought to have been aware of - the conditions in question. Complaints concerning formal conditions are to be treated by the Appeals Committee at Bodø University College.
3. The student is entitled to ask for a justification of his/her exam results. At an oral exam or a judgement of practical skills, the justification must be claimed on the spot, immediately after the exam result has been announced. For other evaluation types the deadline for claiming a justification of an exam result is 1 week after the candidate was informed about the result, though never more than three weeks after the exam result was released. Justification should normally be given within 2 weeks after the candidate asked for it, and can be given orally or in writing as preferred by the examiner. In cases where the exam paper has been evaluated by two or more examiners, they decide between them who provides the justification.
4. If written guidelines have been produced for the evaluation of a given exam, these shall be made available for the students to read after the exam results have been decided.
5. The student may submit a complaint about the exam result within 3 weeks after the relevant result was released. However, if he/she has claimed a justification for this same exam result or submitted a complaint regarding formal conditions related to this same exam, the 3 weeks deadline for submitting a complaint about the exam result will not start running till the justification has been received or the final answer to the formality complaint has been released. If the student has claimed a justification of exam result, he/she may submit a written complaint concerning the exam result within 3 weeks from the point in time the justification was given.
6. Complaints about exam results are to be treated by a new exam commission for a second evaluation. The result of a second evaluation is final. Answers to complaints are to be provided no later than 3 weeks after the complaint has been submitted by the candidate.
7. No written complaints can be submitted concerning evaluation results of oral presentations or other evaluation of a kind that cannot be reviewed. Complaints regarding preliminary tests/exams can only be submitted if the result of the test/exam is “failed”.
The Executive Board of Bodø University College can pass supplementary rules within the framework of these regulations.
These regulations apply from July 1st 2004. From the same date “Regulations concerning exams at Bodø University College of May 14th 1996 no. 710” is repealed.
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