Examination Regulations

The Norwegian version of these examination regulations is the authoritative version,
this translation is under revision.

 EXAMINATION REGULATIONS

AT

MOLDE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE

Adopted by the Board of Directors on 10 December 2002 in accordance with the Law of 12 May 1995 Number 22 pertaining to universities and university colleges including the revisions dated 1 July 2002

 § 1 Areas of application

This rule applies to all students, both ordinary and private, that intend to take the examination at Molde University College and the method of evaluating the examination where the results becomes part of a certificate of completion/grade report or is part of a grade in a certificate of completion/grade report.

 § 2 Definitions 

 § 3 Admission to the examination 

1.      The right to take an examination is determined by § 40 in the Law.

In order to take an examination the candidate must be registered and have paid the semester fee in accordance with the Law and the regulations by the Student Organization (Studentsamskipnader).

2. The deadline for registering and reporting for the examination should be made known at the beginning of the semester.
3. In order to take an examination in a subject, there may be a requirement for a prerequisite course or assignment, or the participation in an obligatory lecture and/or practice.  These requirements should be described in the course or curriculum description.  Only those candidates that have fulfilled these requirements have the right to take the examination.
4. The right to continue in a specific program of study is determined by the rules and special requirements of each program.  Such requirements are determined by the Institute and are found in the description of the program and study plan.
5. A candidate has the right to take an examination up to one year after the normal examination date without paying an examination fee as a private student.  If the curriculum or study plan is changed in the interim, the candidate cannot ask for an examination that is based on the previous rules and syllabus.
6. If a new examination is requested in a subject that is no longer offered at the college, the candidate can be offered a new examination based on the previous syllabus up to one year after the course has been discontinued.  

§ 4 Exemption from the Examination

1.      A student can be exempted from taking an examination or test when the student can document that the examination or test is equivalent to one taken at the same or another institution.  The Head of the Institute will determine whether the exemption is valid after receiving an opinion from the teacher. 

§ 5 Make-up and New Examinations

1.      The basis for scheduling a new or make-up examination is that one or more candidates have failed or have valid reasons for missing the examination.

2. New and make-up examinations can have another form of evaluation than the original examination.
3. Candidates will have an opportunity to register for the make-up or the new examination, if one has been scheduled.  

§ 6 Forms of Evaluation

1.      The Board of Molde University College approves the form of evaluation for individual subjects.  See § 46 nr. 5 of the Law

2. The form of evaluation will be included in the course or study plan for the individual academic program.  The method of evaluation will be found in the course description or study plan, and the method of evaluation used for examinations and pre-tests.  The requirements for taking the examination must be clearly stated.
3. An examination can consist of one or more partial examinations.  Partial examinations can be evaluated differently and can be offered at different points in the course.  The course or study plan must clearly state how the assessment of the partial examination is calculated into the final grade.  What specific examinations count toward a degree is stated in separate guidelines or study plans.

4. A course or subject area can use a special system for examining candidates who do not follow the normal study progression.
5. The College Board can issue supplementary requirements regarding the form of the examination.  See § 17 in the Law. 

§ 7 The Evaluation Scale

1. The grade should be either (a) pass/fail, or (b) a letter grading scale from A to F, where A is the best and E is the lowest grade, and F is failing.  See § 50 nr. 6 of the Law.   A grade of E is the lowest required for passing an examination.  The candidate who does not earn an E or better, will be given Ikke bestått (Fail).
2. When a student has retaken an examination, the best grade will count.
3. Until 1 August 2003 the grading scale used is 1.0 to 6.0 where 1.0 is the best grade.  

§ 8 Registering for the Examination

1.      All candidates must register for the examination by a specified date except for those courses that have automatic registration.

2. A student who misses the examination because of illness or who, for some other acceptable reason, cannot take the examination at the ordinary time, or who must discontinue taking the examination for the aforementioned reasons, must personally request permission to register for the make-up examination in that course, except when the course has automatic registration.

§ 9 Examination under Special Circumstances

1.      Candidates who need special arrangements for taking the examination for medical or other reasons, must apply for these before the semester begins or before the deadline.  The need must be documented by a doctors statement or statement from another expert.  The documentation must include the specific need to be met when taking the examination.  Normally this request must be applied for each semester.

2. These special arrangements can include physical adaptations, aids and/or extended time to take the examination.
3. Candidates, who do not speak Norwegian as their native language, will be given the opportunity to use a two-language dictionary for the examination and the opportunity to submit the answers in English.  In special situations, the student may ask to have the examination in English.
4. Candidates with dyslexia will be given the opportunity to use vital support tools for a written examination, and must submit documentation of the disability.
5. Other forms of examinations can be used in special situations for candidates that cannot manage the ordinary form of examination.
6. Under certain circumstances, a candidate may take the examination at another university college or university.  The candidate must cover all extra costs in connection with arrangements for this examination.  

§ 10 Using Support Tools During a Written Examination

1. Support tools permitted during the written examination will be listed for each course and it will be plainly written on the examination itself.
2. Candidates are not allowed to take mobile phones or other communication equipment into the examination room.
3. Use of illegal support tools will be considered as cheating.  If a candidate has such aids available after the examination has begun, it will be considered an attempt to cheat.  

§ 11 Censor

1. Rules about censors are found in § 50 of the Law
2. The Board appoints external censors, see § 50 of the Law

External censors are appointed for a period of 4 years.

3. The institute determines how an external censor will be used in the evaluation process.  These decisions are taken into account when plans are made for courses and degree programs.
4. If two censors do not agree on a grade, a third censor will be brought in.

5.  §§ 51 nr. 1 and 52 nr 4 of the Law requires the appointment of two new censors.  One will be an external censor, see § 50 pkt.5 of the Law. 

§ 12 Complaints about Formal Errors in an Examination

1.      Those that have taken an examination or test can send a complaint regarding errors in an examination within three weeks after the candidate becomes aware of the situation that warrants a complaint.

2. The complaint will be handled by the college grievance committee according to  § 51 of the Law.
3. The complaint with the justification for the complaint should be sent to the college Administration that will handle it according to the grievance procedure.  

§ 13 The Basis for complaints about grades (§ 52) 

1.      A candidate has the right to know the basis for the grade received.  The censor can choose whether to give the reasons orally or in writing.  See § 52 pkt. 1 of the Law.

2. Concerning a grade received on a group examination, all those in the group must agree and sign the complaint about the grade. See § 52 I of the Law.
3. Complaints about grades received on examinations must be submitted within three weeks from the date the results were published.
4. A grade determined by a new censor cannot be challenged. See § 52 pkt. 6 of the Law.
5. Students must be advised in advance about their right to challenge a grade.
6. Complaints about grades should be in writing and must be based on good reasons.
7. Complaints can be made about all types of censored written examinations, but not when the final grade is affected by an oral examination. See § 51 and § 52 of the Law
8. The evaluation of an oral presentation or the assessment of practice exercises or the like, that do not lend themselves to re-evaluation, cannot be protested.  Complaints about grades on oral examinations can only apply to formal errors.
9. In situations where there is an ongoing evaluation, the Institute decides whether the student can complaint after the evaluation of separate tests, assignments or other types of assessments, or the complaint should be made when the results from the course, subject, or topic is published.  

§ 14 Private Students 

1.      In order for a private student to take an examination, the student must be registered and have paid for the examination according to the Boards stipulated fee. In addition, the semester fee must be paid to the Student Organization as indicated in the Law and guidelines.

2. The students themselves must register for the examination by a specified deadline.  

§ 15 Grade Reports 

1.      Candidates, who have satisfied the entire educational requirements stated in the description of the curriculum, the study-plan and the Law, have the right to receive documentation of their education in the following manner:

a)      The candidate who has completed professional training or attained a degree will receive a certificate.

b)      The candidate, who completes a curriculum that does not offer a certificate, will receive a final grade report instead.

c)      Candidates who complete units that are not included in a) nor b) will receive a grade report that includes all examinations passed at the college.

2.      Candidates who are exempt in accordance with § 49 of the Law, and who have completed a curriculum, can receive a certificate of completion from Molde University College.

3.      Normally, only one certificate/final grade report is provided per candidate.  If a candidate has obtained a better grade by retaking an examination, the candidate can request a new certificate/grade report.  The previous documents must be relinquished.

4.      If a candidate takes an examination in subjects or courses where the contents overlap, there will be a reduction in the credits received.  This will be done by the Student Administration after receiving a statement from those concerned in the subject area and the faculty leader responsible for the curriculum.  The reduction in credits will be taken from the subject or course that gives the most favourable results for the student.

5.      Certificate  possibly along with the basis for the certificate (final grade report)  should contain at least the following information:

§         Name and identification number

§         Which study that has been taken

§         Date study was completed

§         Degree or title awarded

§         Name, credit, date of final examination and final grade in the subject/course and what was included in the study

§         Which courses were possibly exempt/approved and the education that was the basis for the exemption/approval

§         Title of the written project or thesis can be included

§         Grading system that was used

§         Tests or partial examination results that were part of the final grade in the course are normally not included in the certificate of completion.

6.      The final grade report will provide at least the following information:

§         Name and personal number

§         Name of the course, credits, semester examination was given, the grade for the subject/course/group of topics/ theme received, the curriculum completed and the total number of credits earned

§         What course, subject or group of subjects for which the student has been  exempted and the education that was the basis for such an exemption.

§         Title of a major written report or thesis can be included.

Grades from tests and partial examinations that are part of the final grade in a subject/course are normally not included in the final grade report.

7.      A Diploma Supplement will be provided along with a certificate of completion or final grade report. 

§ 16 Relationship to National Guidelines

If these regulations are in conflict with the rules in the National Guideline, the latter apply. 

§ 17 Supplementary Regulations

The Board of Director