Assessment of Learning Outcomes, Appeals
Assessment of learning outcomes
The lecturer presents course description, assessment of learning outcomes, assessment criteria and assignments during the first lecture. The requirements, presented during the first lecture, shall not change during the semester. The course description is available on VU information systems, by clicking “course description” next to the course title.
The forms of assessment of learning outcomes can be regular, interim and final assessment in written (as well as computer-based) or oral form.
If you cannot attend the final assessment on time specified in the examination timetable due to the illness or other important reason, you can submit a request to the Dean asking for the permission to organize the assessment at different time, but no later than within the first two weeks of the new semester. To submit a request, you shall contact your studies coordinator in three working days after the final evaluation or interim evaluation, and provide a medical certificate proving the inability to attend the evaluation on the assigned date. The coordinator will help you prepare a request. If you cannot arrive at the faculty within three working days due to important reasons, you shall report on the reason for the inability to attend as soon as you can do so.
Appeal
If you disagree with the final assessment (except the assessment of the final graduate examinations and final thesis defense), you have a right to submit a written motivated appeal to the Faculty‘s Dispute Resolution Committee. You shall present the appeal to your studies coordinator no later than within seven days after the announcement of the final assessment. In the appeal, you must include motivated reasons for disagreement with the final assessment and indicate a desirable outcome of the appeal.
Appeals regarding interim assessment, final assessments of learning outcomes, as well as violations of the examination or final thesis defense procedures must be submitted no later than within three working days after interim assessments, final assessment of course learning outcomes, final graduate examination, or final thesis defense. You shall specify an exact violation of the procedures and desirable outcome of the appeal.
If you cannot attend the assessment due to a clear, justifiable reason
If you cannot attend the assessment due to a clear, justifiable reason
A student (listener) who cannot attend the final assessment of course learning outcomes on time specified in the examination timetable due to the illness or other important reason, can submit a request to the Dean asking for the permission to organize the final assessment of course learning outcomes at different time, but no later than within the first month of the new semester.
A student (listener) who cannot attend interim assessment of course learning outcomes on time specified in the course timetable due to illness or other important reason, upon the agreement with coordinating lecturer, and with permission of the Dean, can take an assessment at other time as agreed with coordinating lecturer.
A student (listener) must report the administration of the Faculty on the reason of inability to attend the final assessment of course learning outcomes or interim assessment within three days from the date of final assessment or interim assessment time specified in the timetable. If this is not possible due to urgent causes, a student (listener) shall report on the reasons for the inability to attend at the first opportunity.
Examination retakes
Examination retakes
A student can retake failed examinations free of charge during the retake session. The retake session takes place during the first two weeks of September for spring semester examinations and the first two weeks of February for autumn semester examinations. A student whose examination period was extended must retake failed examinations within two weeks after the end of the extension period.
Failing the examination retake
Failing the examination retake
If you have failed the examination retake and have no more than 15 ECTS credits of academic debts after the retake period, you may:
- Retake the subject externally.
Examinations of study subjects are taken externally in the autumn or spring semester in which the subject is conducted on a regular basis. If you wish to study the subject independently and take the examination externally, you must submit a request for retaking examinations as an external student in the VU study information system no later than by the end of the first month of the semester in which the examination will be held.
Taking and retaking exams externally applies to all subjects of a study programme, except for the general university subjects, professional internship, Bachelor thesis, final graduation exam, Final Thesis Project and Master thesis. The possibility and requirements for taking or retaking exams as an external student are provided in the course description of a specific subject.
Information on the date, time and place of taking and retaking the external exam is published in the timetable of a specific lecturer at VU FEBA.
The price of taking and retaking exams externally is 25 percent of the subject price. The student must pay the fee for taking the subject as an external student no later than 3 working days before the exam. If the tuition fee is not paid within the prescribed term, the student is not allowed to take the exam of the subject (module) externally. If the external student does not present at the exam without a justifiable reason, the paid external contribution is non-refundable and does not count towards any other external examination of the same or another subject.
If you failed at retaking externally, you receive an academic debt and have to repeat the subject.
- Repeat the course.
If you want to repeat a study subject, please submit a request for permission to repeat a study subject in the VU study information system no later than the beginning of the semester in which the subject will be repeated.
The price of repeating the course equals the price of one study credit multiplied by the number of subject credits. A fee for repeating the course must be paid no later than within the first month of the semester during which the repeated course is delivered.
Important: Students who have debts and/or academic debts of more than 15 credits, shall be expelled from the University.
Preliminary assessment of final achievements
- If there is an important reason (internship, international programmes, exchange studies), you can apply for taking exams during the preliminary assessment of final achievements.
- If you wish to participate in the preliminary assessment of final achievements, you should submit a request for taking examination of the subject (module) in advance and attach supporting documents (internship or volunteering contract, confirmation of participation in an international programme or study exchange, etc.). This should be done until the 15th of November in the autumn semester, and until the 15th of April in the spring semester. The answer to the student regarding the permission to participate in the preliminary assessment of final achievements is submitted no later than the 30th of November in the autumn semester, and the 30th of April in the spring semester.
- Preliminary assessment of final achievements is organized in May in the spring semester, and in December in the autumn semester. During the preliminary assessment of final achievements, exams can be organized every day.
- The date of the preliminary exam is set by the lecturer of the study subject and is announced on VU FEBA schedule online.