This instrument commences on the day after it is registered.
3 Authority
This instrument is made under section 8 of the Programs and Awards Statute 2013.
[Note: Under section 50(3) of the Australian National University Act 1991 a statute may empower any authority or officer of the University to make rules or orders. Section 9.5 of the Vice-Chancellorship Statute authorises the Vice-Chancellor to make rules and orders for a number of statutes, including the Programs and Awards Statute.]
4 Definitions
In this instrument:
assessment, for coursework, includes any task required to be performed by a student for a judgement to be made of the student’s level of performance in the coursework.
Associate Dean, for an ANU College, means an Associate Dean appointed under the ANU College Governance Rules by the College Dean for the college.
course means a subject of scholarly study, whether it is taught:
(a) in a connected series of classes or demonstrations; or
(b) by means of practical work, including, for example, the production by students of essays, theses or case studies or the attendance and participation by students in seminars or workshops; or
(c) by clinical or professional practice; or
(d) in another way or in a combination of ways.
coursework means:
(a) for a program for a coursework award—the courses, and other written or oral work (if any), undertaken by a student for the program, but does not include any thesis component of the program of at least 24 units duration; and
(b) for a program for a research award—the courses, and other written or oral work (if any), undertaken by a student for the coursework component (if any) of the program.
coursework award: see the Coursework Awards Rule 2016 (No. 2), section 7 (Coursework awards).
Delegated Authority means:
(a) for a program for a coursework award—the Delegated Authority for the program under the Coursework Awards Rule 2016 (No. 2); and
(b) for a program for a research award—the Delegated Authority for the program under the Research Awards Rule 2016.
examination, for coursework, includes any task required to be performed by a student for the assessment of the student’s performance in the coursework.
exercise a function includes perform the function.
final assessment, for coursework, means the final task required to be performed by a student for the satisfactory completion of the coursework.
function includes duty and power.
hurdle assessment, for coursework, means an assessment that tests competency, skills or knowledge considered to be fundamental to passing the coursework or is required by a discipline-specific or other accreditation authority.
research award: see the Research Awards Rule 2016, section 6 (Research awards).
semester includes session.
special assessment arrangements, for a student for an assessment, include, for example, additional reading or writing time, the provision of special equipment, separate accommodation or the services of an amanuensis.
student means a person who is enrolled in a program for a coursework award or research award.
supplementary assessment, for coursework, includes, for example, assessment by a formal assessment, a practical assessment, a take-home assessment and an essay.
working day means a day that is not a Saturday, a Sunday, a public holiday in the Australian Capital Territory, or a University holiday.
[Note: The Interpretation Statute defines the following terms that are relevant to this instrument:
ANU College
College Dean.]
5 Application of instrument
This instrument applies to the assessment of coursework undertaken by a student during a program for a coursework award or research award if the coursework is required to be assessed under this instrument.
[Note: For the coursework required to be assessed under this instrument, see the Coursework Awards Rule 2016 (No. 2), section 41 (Application of Assessment Rule) and the Research Awards Rule 2016, section 64 (Application of Assessment Rule).]
Part 2—Assessments
6 Eligibility to be assessed
A student is eligible to be assessed for coursework undertaken during a program for a coursework award or research award if the student complies with the requirements of the rules and orders applicable to undertaking the coursework.
7 Final assessment requirements
The final assessment for coursework must be in the form of a compulsory examination where a student is required to sit the whole of the examination on a particular day starting at a particular time, or another form of assessment (including, but not limited to a practical examination, take-home examination, or essay).
8 Notice of final assessments
(1) This section applies to a final assessment to be conducted, during a University assessment session at the end of a semester or trimester, for coursework undertaken during a program for a coursework award or research award.
(2) If the assessment is to be administered by the Registrar, the Registrar must publish notice of the manner, time and place of the assessment on the University’s timetable website at least 15 working days before the commencement of the assessment session.
(3) If the assessment is to be administered by the ANU College offering the program, the Delegated Authority must ensure that notice of the manner, time and place of the assessment is given in accordance with subsections (4) and (5) at least 15 working days before the commencement of the assessment session.
(4) Notice under subsection (3) must be given in at least 1 of the following ways:
(a) display on a notice board used for the purpose by the ANU College;
(b) being given in class;
(c) email;
(d) publication on the website for the program.
(5) However, notice under subsection (3) must, if possible, be published on the website for the program, even if it is also given in another way (or other ways).
(6) Failure to comply with this section in relation to a final assessment does not affect the validity of the assessment or anything done in relation to the assessment.
(7) In this section:
notice board means a notice board commonly used for displaying notices to students, including an electronic notice board or an appropriate part of the University’s website.
9 Special assessment arrangements: approval by Registrar
(1) This section applies to a student with a temporary or chronic disability if the student has dealt with the University’s Disability Services Centre in relation to the disability.
(2) The student may ask the Centre to determine special assessment arrangements for the student for an assessment.
(3) Special assessment arrangements determined for the student under subsection (2) must be approved, in writing, by the Registrar.
(4) If the Registrar approves the special assessment arrangements, the Registrar must tell the Delegated Authority about the special assessment arrangements approved for the student.
(5) The Delegated Authority may ask the Registrar to make changes to the approved special assessment arrangements.
(6) The Registrar must tell the relevant Chair of Examiners about the special assessment arrangements approved for the student.
(7) The assessment must be conducted in accordance with the special assessment arrangements approved for the student (including any changes made to them by the Registrar).
10 Special assessment arrangements: approval by Delegated Authority
(1) This section applies to a student with a temporary or chronic disability or other condition if section 9 (Special assessment arrangements: approval by Registrar) does not apply to the student.
(2) The student may ask the Delegated Authority to approve special assessment arrangements for the student for an assessment.
(3) The Delegated Authority may, in writing, approve the special assessment arrangements.
(4) If the Delegated Authority approves the special assessment arrangements, the Delegated Authority must tell the relevant Chair of Examiners about the special assessment arrangements approved for the student.
(5) The assessment must be conducted in accordance with the special assessment arrangements approved for the student.
11 Examiners etc.
(1) The Delegated Authority must, at the commencement of the semester or trimester in which coursework is offered and in writing, appoint a Chair of Examiners and at least 1 other examiner, for the coursework.
(2) The Delegated Authority may, in writing, at any time appoint an additional examiner or additional examiners of the coursework.
(3) The Chair of Examiners for coursework must:
(a) ensure that the academic performance of each student attempting the coursework is adequately and fairly assessed; and
(b) ensure that no student is failed in the coursework unless the student’s performance in assessments in the coursework has been reviewed by at least 2 of the examiners appointed for the coursework; and
(c) submit to the examiners’ meeting for the coursework a written report setting out, for each student examined, the marks and the grade of result that the Chair recommends be awarded to that student.
(4) Before submitting recommendations under subsection (3)(c), the Chair of Examiners may require a student to take a further assessment to ensure that the academic performance of the student in the coursework is adequately and fairly assessed. The further assessment may be oral, written or practical.
(5) The Delegated Authority must ensure an examiners’ meeting is held to consider reports on marks, grades of results and further assessments required by the Chair of Examiners, and to moderate results.
(6) Before submitting recommendations to the examiners’ meeting for coursework, the Chair of Examiners must:
(a) permit full-time members of the staff who participated in the teaching of the coursework to examine and comment on the recommendations; and
(b) take into account any matters that they put to the Chair.
(7) The Chair of Examiners must make final marks and a grade of result recommended for award to each student for the coursework available to the Delegated Authority for the Delegated Authority’s approval.
(8) The Delegated Authority may approve, for a student for the coursework:
(a) the marks and the grade of result recommended or amended by the Chair of Examiners; or
(b) in exceptional circumstances, marks and a grade of result that are different from the marks and the grade of result recommended or amended by the Chair of Examiners.
(9) After the Delegated Authority has approved the results for the coursework for release, the Delegated Authority must send the results to the Registrar.
(10) The Registrar must publish the results in the coursework.
(11) In this section:
publish: to remove any doubt, publish includes publish electronically in an appropriate part of the University’s website, including a part of the website accessible only to a student whose results are published.
12 Review of decisions
(1) If, after the final result of a student for coursework has been published, the student considers that the result is inappropriate or incorrect because the established criteria of assessment or some aspect of this instrument or relevant policy or procedure has not been followed, the student may, within 20 working days after the day the result is published (or any further time that the Associate Dean may allow), discuss the result with the Course Convenor for the coursework.
(2) If the student discusses the result with the Course Convenor, the Course Convenor must, taking the discussion with the student into account, review the result and decide whether or not to amend the result.
(3) The Course Convenor must tell the student the decision made on the review.
(4) If, after discussing the final result with the Course Convenor and being told the Course Convenor’s decision on the review, the student considers that the result (as amended, if at all, by the Course Convenor) is inappropriate or incorrect because the established criteria of assessment or some aspect of this instrument or relevant policy or procedure has not been followed, the student may appeal to the Associate Dean against that result.
(5) The appeal must:
(a) be in writing; and
(b) be given to the College Student Office within 20 working days after the day the student is told the Course Convenor’s decision (or any further time that the Associate Dean may, in writing, allow); and
(c) state clearly the reason why the student considers that the result is inappropriate or incorrect; and
(d) include any relevant supporting evidence available to the student.
(6) The Associate Dean must consider the appeal, and may conduct the inquiries, and have regard to anything, that the Associate Dean considers appropriate on any matter relating to the appeal, including, for example, recommended outcomes sought from other parties.
(7) The Associate Dean may:
(a) confirm the result appealed against; or
(b) approve marks and the grade of a final result for the student (which may be different from the marks and the grade of result recommended by the Chair of Examiners).
(8) The Associate Dean must send the student written notice of the decision on the appeal, and a statement of reasons for the decision, within 20 working days after the day the appeal is given to the College Student Office.
(9) The Associate Dean must also send the results to the Registrar.
(10) Subject to subsection (11), the Associate Dean’s decision is final.
(11) The student may appeal to the College Dean against the Associate Dean’s decision:
(a) within 20 working days after the day the student is given written notice of the Associate Dean’s decision and a statement of reasons for the decision; and
(b) on procedural grounds only.
(12) The College Dean’s decision on the appeal is final and must be given in writing to the applicant and the Registrar within 20 working days after the day the appeal is made to the College Dean.
(13) Except with the Delegated Authority’s approval, if a student is waiting for the outcome of a review of, or an appeal against a decision relating to, marks and grade of result in coursework (the assessed coursework), the student may not enrol in other coursework for which the assessed coursework is a prerequisite until the student is awarded a passing result in the assessed coursework.
(14) However, if the student is already enrolled, the student is entitled to remain enrolled pending the outcome of any review or appeal under this section.
(15) An Associate Dean may, in writing, appoint a member of the staff of the University (the nominee) to exercise all or any of the Associate Dean’s functions under this section.
(16) A function exercised by the nominee under the appointment is taken to have been exercised by the Associate Dean.
(17) Subsections (15) and (16) do not prevent the Associate Dean from exercising a function in relation which the nominee has been appointed.
13 Deferred examinations
(1) This section applies if a student was eligible to take an examination for coursework but was unable to attend the examination.
(2) The student may apply to take a deferred examination.
(3) The application must be:
(a) in writing; and
(b) given to the Registrar within 3 working days after the student failed to attend the examination (or any further time that the Delegated Authority or Registrar may, in writing, allow); and
(c) accompanied by a written statement setting out the circumstances that prevented the student from attending the examination and by any relevant supporting evidence available to the student.
(4) The Delegated Authority or Registrar may permit the student to take the deferred examination that the Delegated Authority or Registrar decides.
14 Special consideration etc.
Statement by student
(1) If a student considers that the student’s academic performance in relation to coursework has been adversely affected by illness or other cause during the period of studies to which an assessment relates, the student may, before the assessment is held, give the Delegated Authority a written statement of the circumstances, together with any medical or other evidence.
Invigilated examinations
(2) This subsection applies if an examination is conducted under the supervision of invigilators and, during the examination:
(a) a student tells an invigilator that the student considers that the student’s performance in the examination has been adversely affected by illness or other cause during the examination; or
(b) someone else at the examination tells an invigilator that it appears that a student’s performance in the examination has been adversely affected by illness or other cause during the examination; or
(c) it otherwise appears to an invigilator that a student’s performance in the examination has been adversely affected by illness or other cause during the examination.
(3) As soon as possible after completion of the examination, the invigilator must tell the Delegated Authority in writing.
Other assessments
(4) If a student considers that the student’s performance in an assessment (other than an examination conducted under the supervision of invigilators) has been adversely affected by illness or other cause during the assessment, the student may, before the conclusion of the assessment, tell the Delegated Authority.
Notification of examiners etc.
(5) If the Delegated Authority is told about a matter under subsection (1), (3) or (4), the Delegated Authority must report to the examiners about the matter.
(6) The examiners must take the report into account in making their assessment of the student’s performance in the relevant coursework.
Permission to undertake further assessment
(7) The Delegated Authority may permit the student to undertake further assessment for the coursework.
15 Eligibility for supplementary assessments
(1) A student must be offered supplementary assessment for coursework if the student achieves a final result for the coursework of N45%—N49%.
[Note 1: This includes ungraded (CRS) coursework.]
[Note 2: For subsection (1), the student must have achieved a result of N45%N49%, not NCN.]
(2) A student must be offered a supplementary assessment for coursework if the student fails the coursework because of a requirement that a pass in a hurdle assessment is necessary to achieve a pass in the coursework and the student achieves a final result for the coursework of not less than N45%.
[Note: For subsection (2), the student must have achieved a result of N45% or above, not NCN.]]
16 Offers of supplementary assessments
(1) If a student is eligible for a supplementary assessment for coursework, the student’s Notification of Results must show an interim result of PX for the coursework.
(2) If a student is notified of an interim result of PX for coursework, the notification constitutes an offer by the Delegated Authority of a supplementary assessment for the coursework.
(3) However, subsection (2) does not prevent the Delegated Authority from offering a supplementary assessment in writing or in any other way.
(4) To remove any doubt, if a student is offered a supplementary assessment for coursework, it is not necessary for the student to formally accept or reject the offer.
(5) If a student fails coursework following supplementary assessment, the student may be eligible to be offered supplementary assessment in another attempt at the same coursework.
17 Supplementary assessments
(1) The Delegated Authority must, in writing, determine the form a supplementary assessment of a student for coursework is to take.
(2) The Delegated Authority must give the student adequate notice of the form, time and place of the supplementary assessment.
(3) To remove any doubt, a supplementary assessment of a student for coursework offered by the ANU Medical School may be set for any time not earlier than 3 working days after the day the student is notified of the student’s interim result for the coursework.
(4) If a student passes a supplementary assessment for coursework, the student is regarded as having passed the coursework with a result of 50PS.
(5) Unless the Delegated Authority otherwise approves, a supplementary assessment must be held before the end of the first week of the semester or trimester after the semester or trimester to which the assessment relates.
(6) If a student fails a supplementary assessment for coursework, the student is regarded as having failed the coursework with a result of:
(a) for a supplementary assessment offered under section 15(1) (Eligibility for supplementary assessments)—N plus the original mark; and
(b) for a supplementary assessment offered under section 15(2)—NCN.
(7) The Registrar must publish the result of a student in coursework for which a supplementary assessment is undertaken or otherwise tell the student the result.
(8) There is no limit to the supplementary assessments that a student may be offered.
(9) In this section:
publish: to remove any doubt, publish includes publish electronically in an appropriate part of the University’s website, including a part of the website accessible only to a student whose results are published.
18 Prerequisite coursework
Except with the Delegated Authority’s approval, if a student is waiting for the result of a supplementary assessment for coursework (the assessed coursework), the student may not enrol in other coursework for which the assessed coursework is a prerequisite until the student is awarded a result of 50PS in the assessed coursework.
19 Assessment of clinical or professional practice
(1) Clinical or professional practice undertaken by a student must be assessed in the way determined, in writing, by the Delegated Authority.
(2) Without limiting subsection (1), the Delegated Authority may determine that clinical or professional practice be assessed by:
(a) written or oral examination after completion of the practice; or
(b) assessment of reports by the student’s supervisors during or following internships or other forms of professional practice.
Part 3—Miscellaneous
20 Approved forms
(1) The Registrar may, in writing, approve forms for this instrument.
(2) If the Registrar approves a form for a particular purpose, the form must be used for that purpose.
(3) The Registrar must ensure that approved forms are available on the University’s website or any other way that the Registrar considers appropriate.
21 Service of notices etc.
(1) This section applies to a notice or other document that is required or permitted to be served on an individual under this instrument (whether the word ‘give’, ‘notify’, ‘send’, ‘tell’ or another word is used).
(2) The document may be served on an individual:
(a) by giving it to the individual; or
(b) by sending it by prepaid post, addressed to the individual, to an address shown in the University’s records as the individual’s semester address, work address or permanent home address; or
(c) by emailing it to:
(i) if the individual has an email address provided by the University—that email address; or
(ii) in any case—an email address otherwise recorded by the University as the individual’s email address.
(3) A document served by post on an individual under subsection (2)(b) is taken to have been served on the day it would have been delivered in the ordinary course of post.
(4) A document served by email on an individual under subsection (2)(c) is taken to have been served on the day it would been received in the ordinary course of email transmission.
22 Delegation by Registrar
The Registrar may, in writing, delegate all or any of the Registrar’s functions under this instrument to a member of the staff of the University.
23 Repeal etc.
(1) The Assessment Rule 2015 is repealed.
(2) To remove any doubt, a reference in a rule, order or other document of the University to the Assessment Rules (whether with or without the year of its making or the year and number of the year of its making) includes a reference to this instrument.