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Search : Index : Faculty of Arts
Prev 1. Arts: the critical faculty
Next 3. Undergraduate courses
2. General information
2.1. The Handbook
2.2. Arts' Transition Program
2.2.1. Tutorials in arts
2.2.2. Students at Risk program
2.2.3. 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. Studying part time
2.9. Maximum time to complete your studies
2.10. Studying overseas for credit
2.11. Taking more than 50 points in a semester (over-loading)
2.12. Taking extra subjects (over-enrolling)
2.13. Taking leave of absence
2.14. Repeating a failed subject
2.15. What if I fail a significant part of my studies?
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.
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, BA combined courses, etc.);
the area of study entries (eg. history, cultural studies, 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/.
The Arts Faculty acknowledges that the university represents a new environment for first-year students. For many, making the transition to university is exciting but can also present hurdles. One of the most significant challenges for first-year students is adjusting to the requirements of university styles of learning and teaching as well as self-managing the study load, and working out how to juggle the other important areas of life.
Arts Transition offers a range of programs that assist first-year students to adjust to the university culture and learn what is expected in university study. The programs are designed to be fun, informative and all programs include opportunities to meet other students new to university.
All new tutors in the Faculty receive training in small group teaching and have in-depth knowledge of student services available across the campus. Tutors in the Faculty of Arts are committed to assisting first-year students to make a successful transition to university. 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.
The Student at Risk program aims to assist first year students who have failed one subject or more in their first semester of study. There are many reasons why a student might fail a subject in their first semester; these can include difficulties in making the adjustment to study at university, or personal difficulties. Students are invited to meet with the program coordinator in a constructive interview to discuss their situation and to work out effective strategies to help improve their academic performance.
The First-Year Students website is an excellent resource for new students with practical information on all kind of issues relating to starting out as a student in the Faculty of Arts and getting the most out of your degree. Further details on Arts Transition can be found at http://www.arts.unimelb.edu.au/currentstudents/firstyear
The Faculty Disability Contact Officer works with students, the University Disability Liaison Unit and teaching staff to assist students with their special requirements, with a particular focus on accommodations for in-class and examination assessment tasks. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability
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/.
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. Your email account can be activated and accessed at https://webmail.student.unimelb.edu.au
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.
The Faculty of Arts has a policy on the award of marks that is aimed at promoting fairness and consistency in grading across all Schools.
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 Schools 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 School, 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 School.
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.
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 Schools 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 Schools 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 School. Any variations from the norm will be considered by the boards of examiners for individual programs, and reported by the Head of School 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. Schools 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 Schools 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 School consider that the 'raw' scores awarded differ too markedly from the School 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 Schools or the Faculty of Arts Student Support Centre.
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.
Students who withdraw after census dates are liable for course fees for subjects for which they have withdrawn. The census date for each subject you are enrolled in is printed on your enrolment invoice. It is your responsibility to be aware of these dates. Following are dates that you must take into account when seeking withdrawal from subjects:
Standard semester subjects
withdrawal before the second Friday of semester (before 9 March for semester one, before 3 August for semester two), no record of the subject will remain on your academic transcript;
withdrawal after the second Friday of semester but before the census date (before 31 March for semester one, before 31 August for semester two), WD (withdrawn) will be added to your academic transcript but you will not be liable for subject fees;
withdrawal after the census date but before the Friday of the fourth last week of semester (4 May for semester one, 5 October for semester two), WD (withdrawn) will be added to your academic transcript and you will be liable for course/subject fees.
withdrawal after 4 May for semester one and 5 October for semester two is not permitted. After these final cut-off dates, students who have legitimate reasons for applying for Special Consideration are permitted to do so. However, they are not eligible to withdraw.
Summer semester subjects, winter intensive subjects and subjects taught intensively during the semester
withdrawal after the census date has passed, WD (withdrawn) will be added to your academic transcript and you will be liable for course/subject fees.
withdrawal is not permitted beyond seven days after the census date has passed.
The census date for these subjects varies according to the duration of each subject. This is determined by calculating the total number of days elapsed between the teaching start date and the date that the last piece of assessment is due, including weekends, public holidays, and so on.
The census date for summer semester, and other intensively taught subjects is printed on your enrolment record/invoice. It is your responsibility to be aware of these dates. To check subject census dates please visit the following web site: http://fee.acs.unimelb.edu.au/index.aspx.
Cut-off dates for non-standard semester subjects are determined by DEST and are strictly applied. The DEST census date for each subject is printed on your enrolment invoice and it is your responsibility to be aware of it.
You do not require special permission from the Faculty of Arts to study on a part-time basis. The minimum enrolment allowable for arts students is one subject in each semester. However, students should note that all arts programs must be completed within 10 years (see below).
Students intending to study part time should note that most classes are held during business hours. A small percentage of subjects are offered in the evening, but choices are limited and timetabling is subject to change on a yearly basis. For these reasons students with full-time work commitments may find it very difficult to complete a degree without attending day-time classes. See also Time commitment to study.
All arts courses―the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Arts and Sciences, arts combined degrees, concurrent certificates and diplomas, and the Bachelor of Creative Arts―must be completed within 10 years from the date of commencement of study.
The Faculty of Arts encourages students who are strong academic performers to consider studying overseas for credit towards their degree. You can study as part of an official exchange program or take other studies, particularly intensive in-country language courses, at recognised tertiary institutions overseas. The University and the Faculty offer a range of Melbourne Abroad Scholarships to assist very high-achieving students to study overseas; these are awarded on a competitive basis. For more details of overseas study options visit our website http://www.arts.unimelb.edu.au/currentstudents/programs/os4credit.html.
The minimum academic requirement to study overseas is an average grade of H2B across all subjects attempted as part of your course. If you wish to study in a language other than English you will also need an H2B in your language at Melbourne, and you must have studied beyond beginners level.
You must also ensure that you have sufficient space in your degree to accommodate credit for studies taken overseas (ie. 50 points for one semester's work or 100 points for two semesters' work).
Usually you are only eligible to apply to study overseas at second-, third- and fourth-year levels, although special conditions apply to honours students studying overseas. You can receive a maximum of 100 points towards your degree (37.5 points towards honours or the DML) for study taken overseas.
You must arrange a credit contract with the Faculty of Arts if you wish to study overseas for credit towards the BA or the arts component of a BA combined degree. This involves asking academic staff in Faculty of Arts Schools to agree that the subjects you want to take overseas are equivalent to subjects taught in this Faculty. The Faculty of Arts office then determines how many points credit you will be granted for these subjects and at what year level. You must sign the credit contract before you leave the country and take approved subjects in exchange for guaranteed credit. Grades acheived while on exchange will not be translated into a University of Melbourne mark/grade on your academic transcript.
Please note that arranging overseas study is a lengthy process that requires planning at least a year in advance of when you intend to leave.
All enquiries about studying overseas as part of an exchange or other program should be directed to the exchange and study abroad programs administrative officer in the Faculty of Arts on +61 3 8344 9802.
In addition, several Schools of the Faculty of Arts teach subjects overseas as intensive fieldwork programs.
| See individual subject entries for details: | |
|---|---|
| 107-466 Contemporary Culture: Art in New York (not offered 2007) | |
| 107-467 Renaissance and Baroque Rome 1450-1750 | |
| 110-226 Intensive Chinese Program: China | |
| 116-030 Paris: Ville Lumiere (on site in Paris) | |
| 116-224 Rome: Fact or Fiction (not offered 2007) | |
| 116-226 Beginners Italian: Study Abroad(not offered 2007) | |
| 116-228 The Story of Italian: Study Abroad(not offered 2007) | |
| 131-018 Searching for the American Dream | |
| 131-044 Renaissance Nuremberg & Central Europe (not offered 2007) | |
| 131-075 The Graeco-Roman City in Antiquity | |
| 131-272 Venice and Cultures of Consumption (not offered 2007) | |
| 131-273 'La Serenissima': The Myth of Venice (not offered 2007) | |
| 131-278 Gallipoli | |
The standard workload for arts students is 100 points per year (eight subjects) with subjects distributed evenly and totalling 50 points per semester (four subjects).
Students who attempt more than 50 points in a semester usually withdraw from subjects to reduce their enrolment back to 50 points, or they sometimes fail one or more subjects. Nevertheless, if you have a strong academic record (H2B average and no failed subjects in the previous two semesters) and good reasons to overload your enrolment, consult a Faculty course adviser for permission to overload. An overload increases the number of points you complete in a semester but does not increase the number of points you require overall to complete the degree (eg. 300 points for the regular BA).
Language students should note that 56.25 points in a semester is not considered an overload.
Students are not permitted to enrol in more than the maximum 300 points required for the BA, more than the minimum number of arts points required for a combined arts degree, or more than 100 points for the Diploma in Modern Languages or Diploma in Arts. However, if you have an excellent academic record (honours-entry standard), you may consult a course adviser for permission to take up to a maximum of 12.5 points of extra subjects in the single BA or Diploma. Students wishing to over-enrol to complete two majors in a BA combined degree should refer to the section on Completing majors in combined arts degrees.
All extra study is liable for additional course/subject fees.
For a range of reasons many students find that they need to take a semester or an entire year break from study.
Over the course of your degree you may take up to a maximum of two semesters (12 months) leave of absence. Students must have completed at least 50 points of their degree or course to be eligible to take leave of absence. Those who require more than 12 months away from their studies should discontinue their course and re-apply once they are able to continue.
Please note that from 2008 the University will no longer offer combined degrees. Several undergraduate courses will also be unavailable for first-year entry in 2008. For this reason, students enrolled in the following courses at first year level in 2007 will not be able to apply for leave of absence in that year. In other words, they must complete all first year course requirements before 2008:
All Bachelor of Arts combined degrees
All Bachelor of Arts (Media and Communications) combined degrees
Bachelor of Creative Arts and all Bachelor of Creative Arts combined degrees
Bachelor of Arts and Sciences
Bachelor of Social Work and all Bachelor of Social Work combined degrees
Application forms for leave of absence are available from the Student Support Centre or SIS website, see The Faculty of Arts Student Support Centre.
If you fail a subject, you will be required either to repeat the failed subject, or to complete another subject worth the same number of points and available at the same year level (or higher) in order to complete your degree.
You can not enrol in a subject if you have attempted it twice before. This means that if you fail a compulsory subject twice, you will not be able to complete the course for which the subject is a mandatory component, eg. the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Arts (Media and Communication), Certificate or Diploma. In such circumstances, you will be required to discontinue your studies in the course.
Students who fail one or more subjects may be invited to discuss their situation with a course adviser.
Students who fail 50 per cent or more of their course in a semester will be required to meet with the Faculty of Arts' Unsatisfactory Progress Committee.
Each student's case is considered individually, and each student is asked to explain the reasons for their poor performance, in writing as well as in an interview. If you have failed two out of the last three semesters, despite repeated warnings of the consequences, you will be required to see the full Unsatisfactory Progress Committee. The committee is first and foremost concerned with understanding the problems you have faced during the year and what you propose to do about these problems to ensure they do not recur.
The outcome of the Unsatisfactory Progress Committee's review will depend on the nature and degree of your unsatisfactory progress, the nature of your problems, the submission that you make, and the extent to which you can demonstrate that you can overcome the problems that have affected your study.
In most cases the Unsatisfactory Progress Committee will allow you to continue with your enrolment, but will require you to discuss your enrolment with a course adviser. If appropriate, the committee may enforce a number of restrictions on your enrolment, including limiting your enrolment to part time, recommending some leave of absence or in some cases may recommend to the University's Academic Board that you be suspended from your course.
If you are suspended from your course, you will not be re-admitted until you can demonstrate academic rehabilitation by successfully completing a specified amount of tertiary studies elsewhere, or studies through the Community Access Program.
Status: Official 2007 Last Modified: Tuesday October 31 22:19 SGML to HTML Conversion: Information Division - CWIS (SDI) Authorised by: Academic Registrar Enquiries: http://unimelb.custhelp.com/
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