Faculty of Arts : Guide to courses
2. General information

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2. General information
    2.1. The Handbook
    2.2. Arts' Transition Program
        2.2.1. Study Group program
        2.2.2. Study skills seminars
        2.2.3. Tutorials in arts
        2.2.4. Students at Risk program
        2.2.5. Transition website
    2.3. Disability support scheme
    2.4. The web
    2.5. Email
    2.6. The award of grades
        2.6.1. FAQs about the grading policy
    2.7. Withdrawal from subjects
    2.8. Late withdrawal from subjects

2. General information

Commencing a course in a new environment can be challenging. All students are encouraged to make themselves aware of the wide range of support programs and services available to them as students in the Faculty of Arts. Overseas student exchanges, internships, careers seminars, public lectures and events and many other diverse and enriching programs all add to the Arts experience. A good place to start your introduction to the University, and to the Faculty, would be by visiting the Faculty website at http://www.arts.unimelb.edu.au/.

If you have any concerns about your course or require assistance with your enrolment at any stage of your degree, you are always welcome at the Student Support Centre (SSC). You should contact the SSC to seek assistance. Faculty staff contact details are located at the end of this section, see The Faculty of Arts Student Support Centre or visit http://www.arts.unimelb.edu.au/about/contact.htm.

Students must also make themselves aware of their rights and obligations while at the University. Essential information on matters such as enrolment, assessment, and special consideration in the event of illness is contained in this Handbook and in the Student Diary which is issued to every student upon enrolment.

2.1. The Handbook

Students are expected to read carefully:

the General information (What are my responsibilities as a student?) section at the front of this Handbook which explains the regulations and services that apply across the University;
the Faculty of Arts introductory section, and in particular the specific course information (eg. Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Social Work, BA combined courses, etc.);
the area of study entries (eg. history, creative arts, etc.), which detail requirements for majors and honours programs, prerequisites, subject descriptions, and other information necessary for course planning.

The most up-to-date version of this Handbook is available on-line at http://www.unimelb.edu.au/HB/.

2.2. Arts' Transition Program

The Faculty of Arts provides a Transition Program to first-year students that is designed to help students adjust to life on campus and university study. These programs are aimed at reducing some of the problems typically experienced by first-year students, for example adapting to different methods of teaching and learning; making connections with fellow students and staff; and knowing where to go to for help in relation to both study and other matters.

2.2.1. Study Group program

The Faculty runs a study group program for students enrolled in first-year subjects available in the English, History and Political Science departments. Students attend a series of introductory lectures that begin to equip students with new skills for a successful university experience. Students nominate their preferred study groups, which meet weekly during Semester One. The study groups are deliberately small, and are facilitated by a senior student Mentor. The purpose of the study groups is to provide an informal forum for discussion of issues that arise in lectures, tutorials, essays and exams.

Information on the study group program can be found on the web at http://www.arts.unimelb.edu.au/currentstudents/firstyear

2.2.2. Study skills seminars

These seminars are open to all first-year Arts students and help students have been designed specifically for Arts students. The seminars help students to understand what is expected of them in terms of University study. The program covers the skills which are important for success at University: such as how to construct effective notes from lectures and tutorials and how to plan, draft and edit your essays. Students can attend as few or as many of the six sessions as they wish. Seminars are run in lunchtimes in first semester and a repeat program is offered in second semester. The program and session overheads can be found at http://www.arts.unimelb.edu.au/currentstudents/transition/studyskills.htm

2.2.3. Tutorials in arts

All new tutors in the Faculty receive training in the kinds of difficulties faced by new students. The Faculty's Tutor Induction Program ensures that front-line teaching staff have up-to-date information on identifying students at risk and on the referral services available within the University.

2.2.4. Students at Risk program

The Student at Risk program aims to assist first year students who have failed one subject or more in their first semester of study. Students are invited to meet with the program coordinator to discuss their situation and to work out effective strategies to help improve their academic performance.

2.2.5. Transition website

The University's transition website is an excellent resource for new students with practical information on all kind of issues relating to starting out as a student at the University. Further details on Arts' Transition Program can be found at http://www.arts.unimelb.edu.au/currentstudents/firstyear

2.3. Disability support scheme

The Faculty employs a course adviser who specialises in assisting students with disabilities: the Faculty Disability Contact Officer. This adviser works with the student, the University Disability Liaison Unit and teaching staff to assist students with their special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at http://rachmaninov.acadreg.unimelb.edu.au:8002/disability/index.html

2.4. The web

Visit the Faculty of Arts website for the latest course and subject information, arts projects, and links to all arts area of study homepages.

Links to admissions and enrolment information for undergraduate students provide information to complement the course requirements outlined in the Handbook.

To log on to our website from the University home page, select Arts from the Quick Find: Faculties and Schools menu, or go directly to http://www.arts.unimelb.edu.au/.

2.5. Email

Each student must set up a University of Melbourne email account as part of the enrolment process. Your University of Melbourne email account is the primary means by which the Faculty of Arts and Student Administration will contact you to make you aware of important dates and administrative requirements that you must fulfil. Therefore, you must check and clear your email account regularly. There are often negative consequences if you do not act on advice sent to you by email.

If you do not re-enrol by the date outlined in an email about course planning you will be liable for enrolment fines and/or have your enrolment terminated. This will result in the forfeit of your place in your course.

Failure to check your email account or being unable to receive mail because your account is full are not valid reasons for avoiding the negative consequences of not acting on email advice.

2.6. The award of grades

The Faculty of Arts has a policy on the award of marks that is aimed at promoting fairness and consistency in grading across all departments.

The grading of student work is 'criteria-based' (ie. students are assessed according to their performance against the assessment criteria) and 'norm-referenced' (ie. students are also ranked according to their performance among peers).

Faculty policy requires departments to maintain a specified average mark and a distribution of grades across their entire cohort at each year level.

In the awarding of grades in any department, the average of all marks should be:

70% of the first-year cohort
72% of the second year cohort
74% of the third year cohort

A year cohort is the term used for all students at a particular year level within one discipline or department.

Students are advised that their work will be marked on its academic merit, in relation to the following grade descriptions and taking into account the type of assessment used and the nature of the discipline. Grades and marks for individual pieces of assessment are indicative only. Lecturers will provide specific advice to students on how final marks and grades are to be determined in each subject.

N 0%-49% Fail ― not satisfactory
- Work that fails to meet the basic assessment criteria;
- Work that contravenes the policies and regulations set out for the assessment exercise.
Where a student fails a subject, all failed components of assessment are double marked.
P 50%-64% Pass ― satisfactory
Completion of key tasks at an adequate level of performance in argumentation, documentation and expression.
- Work that meets a limited number of the key assessment criteria;
- Work that shows substantial room for improvement in many areas.
H3 65%-69% Third-class honours ― competent
Completion of key tasks at a satisfactory level, with demonstrated understanding of key ideas and some analytical skills, and satisfactory presentation, research and documentation.
- Work that meets most of the key assessment criteria;
- Work that shows room for improvement in several areas.
H2B 70%-74% Second-class honours level B ― good
Good work that is solidly researched, shows a good understanding of key ideas, demonstrates some use of critical analysis along with good presentation and documentation.
- Work that meets most of the key assessment criteria and performs well in some;
- Work that shows some room for improvement.
H2A 75%-79% Second-class honours level A ― very good
Very good work that is very well researched, shows critical analytical skills, is well argued, with scholarly presentation and documentation.
- Work that meets all the key assessment criteria and exceeds in some;
- Work that shows limited room for improvement.
H1 80%-100% First-class honours ― excellent
Excellent analysis, comprehensive research, sophisticated theoretical or methodological understanding, impeccable presentation.
- Work that meets all the key assessment criteria and excels in most.
- Work that meets these criteria and is also in some way original, exciting or challenging could be awarded marks in the high 80s or above.
Marks of 90% and above may be awarded to the best student work in the H1 range.

2.6.1. FAQs about the grading policy

Why have such a policy?

Without a policy of this kind the distribution of grades could vary considerably across the Faculty. Grade inflation−a steady increase in the proportion of high grades over time−would diminish the value of a higher grade. Some disparities across departments might exist, and could be attributed to differences in teaching and assessment practices, however it is not acceptable for students to receive different marks for similar work completed in different departments of the Faculty.

Will I be disadvantaged by the policy?

No. It is important to note that your relative position compared to your peers is not affected. All students will be marked according to a common policy.

Does this mean each subject or tutorial group will be marked to these averages?

The policy will not result in a complete standardisation of the award of grades in every tutorial or subject of the Faculty. The policy applies to the year cohort in a department. Any variations from the norm will be considered by the boards of examiners for individual departments, and reported by the Head of Department to the Dean of Arts.

Will my grades be 'scaled' to ensure that the averages are met?

It would be possible to 'scale' grades in individual subjects (or even over year cohorts) so that they meet the approved averages, but the Faculty does not recommend scaling as a way to adjust marking practices to the Faculty standard. Departments will be asked to introduce methods of cross-marking (or validation) rather than scale marks in subjects, so that individual academic staff members are free to award marks according to academic merit, using a marking scale common to all departments of the Faculty. However, the marks that you receive for an individual piece of assessment may be adjusted upwards or downwards if the marks awarded do not compare with those of the rest of Faculty, should the relevant department consider that the 'raw' scores awarded differ too markedly from the departmental averages.

Will I be disadvantaged compared to other students from other institutions when applying for further study or scholarships?

No. The Faculty's policy compares well with those of other Arts faculties around Australia, many of which have their own policies for the award of grades. One aim of the policy is to ensure that excellent work receives high marks that reflect the full range of the marks available in the H1 category. No student is expected to be disadvantaged with regard to his or her fellow students in any way by the policy.

Students wishing to obtain more information on the award of grades within the Faculty of Arts should contact individual departments or the Faculty of Arts Office.

2.7. Withdrawal from subjects

Students are not permitted to withdraw late from a subject because they are likely to fail.

A student is deemed to have committed him/herself to assessment by remaining enrolled after the cut-off dates below.

After cut-off dates, students are eligible to apply for Special Consideration, ie. they are rarely eligible to withdraw late. See Late withdrawal from subjects below.

Students who withdraw after census dates are liable for course fees for subjects for which they have withdrawn.

Students are able to withdraw from a standard semester one or semester two subject according to the following timetable:

withdrawal before the second Friday of semester (before 10 March for semester one, before 4 August for semester two), no record of the subject on your academic transcript;
withdrawal after the second Friday of semester but before the census date (before 31 March for semester one, before 31 Augustfor semester two), WD (withdrawn) will be added to your academic transcript;
withdrawal after the census date but before the Friday of the fourth last week of semester (5 May for semester one, 6 October for semester two), WD (withdrawn) will be added to your academic transcript and you will be liable for course/subject fees.

2.8. Late withdrawal from subjects