Regulation 6: General academic regulations and procedures for students on taught programmes

6.1 Entry requirements
6.2 Enrolment requirements
6.3 Supervision
6.4 Residence and attendance
6.5 Progress and programme transfers
6.6 Leave of absence
6.7 Academic appeals
6.8 Re-admission

6.1 Entry requirements

To be admitted to a taught programme of study, a candidate must:

(a) have reached the age of 17 on the first day of the month in which his/her programme of study would commence. Candidates who have reached the age of 17 but not 18 will only be admitted with the written authorisation of an appropriate adult, normally their parent or guardian. Anyone who has not reached the age of 17 on the first day of the month in which their programme of study would commence will not be admitted without the Registrar and Secretary, or their nominee, being made aware of such admission and must obtain the written authorisation of an appropriate adult, normally their parent or guardian and inform the Registrar and Secretary, in writing, of such authorisation. Prospective students between the ages of 16 and 17 will be admitted only where they can demonstrate the ability to live independently in the University community. If assessments of this ability are inconclusive, admission may be deferred.

Students who are under the age of 18 at the time of registration will be required to sign an undertaking with the University which outlines how the University will engage with them differently until they have reached the age of 18.

(b) meet other programme entry requirements specified by the Board of Studies.

Powers of Boards of Studies

• To specify entry requirements for relevant taught programmes.

6.2 Enrolment requirements

(a) Enrolment periods for awards relating to taught programmes are set out in the relevant
programme specification, as approved by University Education Committee.

(b) This includes parameters for reductions (through application of the Policy on the
Recognition of Prior Learning and the award of credit) and extensions.

(c) Programme requirements, including variations to enrolment requirements, are as
approved by the University Education Committee on the recommendation of the Board of
Studies concerned. These are set out in relevant departmental documents.

(d) Students enrolled for an award may only be enrolled at the same time for a qualification
at this or another institution if such enrolment forms part of an approved programme of study
involving another institution or institutions.

(e) Students are not permitted to count the same period of enrolment for more than one
award.

(f) Paid employment and voluntary work:

(1) Students enrolled on full-time programmes may undertake a maximum of 20 hours
of paid employment and voluntary work per week during designated periods of study.
All paid employment and voluntary work undertaken by a student (including ‘on-call’
hours where a student is not actively engaged in work but where they have to be in a
particular place) count toward the 20 hour maximum limit. This maximum is subject to
any restrictions imposed by the student's sponsor or funding body and the approval of
his/her supervisor.

(2) Exceptions to these requirements may be made by University Education
Committee (at the programme level) or the Board of Studies (for individual students)
on the recommendation of the Board of Studies or Supervisor respectively, for certain
categories of employment closely related to the programme of study. Such exceptions
may not be made for students studying on a student visa.

(3) It shall be a condition of whatever arrangements are made regarding paid
employment and voluntary work, residence and attendance that regular supervision
will be provided for.

(g) Exceptions: Exceptions regarding the above may only be made by the University
Education Committee on the recommendation of the Board of Studies.

(h) Students must complete their annual enrolment within the defined enrolment period.
Where a student does not complete their enrolment by the published deadline, the University
will invoke the assumed withdrawal process.

(i) In addition to completing their enrolment by the enrolment deadline, all students must
provide the University with current, valid identity documents to evidence their eligibility to
study in the UK. Failure to provide ID or present documents for verification as required, will
result in the University withdrawing the student from study.

(j) Sponsored international students studying on a student visa must comply with the
conditions of their visa, the Terms and Conditions for Sponsored students and with the
University’s attendance management policy for sponsored international students. Where a
student's visa is curtailed for any reason, or where a student’s passport or visa has expired
and a new application cannot be evidenced, the University will suspend the student's
registration until the student is able to rejoin the course. In the event that a student is not
able to secure a further visa, the University will withdraw the student from study.

Powers of Boards of Studies

• To recommend to University Education Committee for approval requirements for
  taught programmes.
• To recommend to University Education Committee any exceptions to the specified
  award and enrolment requirements, including those relating to the recognition of prior
  learning.

6.3 Supervision

Students on taught programmes are allocated a supervisor who must be a member of University staff. An additional supervisor (who is not necessarily an academic member of staff of the University) may be appointed where desirable.

Students must attend supervisory meetings (or participate in alternative arrangements in the case of distance learning programmes) in accordance with their department’s supervision policy. For undergraduate students, supervisory meetings usually take place at least twice per term.

Powers of Boards of Studies

• To specify alternatives to face-to-face meetings between students and supervisors – for example, in the case of distance learning programmes
• To recommend to Senate programme-level exceptions to supervisory requirements.

6.4 Residence and attendance

(a) Students must normally live within reasonable travelling distance of their designated place of instruction for the duration of designated periods of study. Where fieldwork or practice placements constitute part of a programme of study, these locations may be regarded as the designated place of instruction. Students are required to provide the University with accurate contact details (including home and term time address) and to ensure these are updated as necessary throughout the year.

(b) Students may be absent from their designated place of instruction during periods of study provided that absence does not interfere with their ability to fulfil their academic obligations or their Student visa requirements. It is expected that students will attend all timetabled teaching and supervision meetings associated with the programme of study. Students are responsible for seeking approval for absences at other times from their supervisor or, in the supervisor’s absence, the Chair of the Board of Studies concerned.

(c) “Designated periods of study” will usually equate to University terms, and include a summer term for students on taught postgraduate programmes. Exceptions to this will be recorded as programme requirements in departmental documentation.

(d) Exceptions: distance learning programme: Students on distance learning programmes are expected to demonstrate attendance through participation in all designated academic engagements.

(e) Exemptions: Students seeking exemptions from residence or attendance requirements for up to four weeks on medical or other reasons should request authorised leave from their Board of Studies. Absences of up to ten days can be requested through the procedure for self-certification for short periods of absence due to ill-health. A maximum of seven days for any one period of illness can be self-certified.

(f) It shall be a condition of any arrangements that are made regarding paid employment, residence and attendance that regular supervision will be provided for.

Powers of Boards Studies

• To define designated places of instruction.
• To define designated periods of study where these do not correspond with University terms.
• To define the academic engagements required for programmes of study
• To define exceptions to residence and attendance requirements in programme documentation, as approved by Senate.
• To approve exemptions or recommend exemptions to residence or attendance requirements to Senate in accordance with the Exceptional Circumstances affecting Assessment Policy.

6.5 Progress and programme transfers

(a) Students must meet progression requirements as specified in the University regulations
and in programme documentation. Students who fail to meet progression requirements will not be permitted to continue. Where they have exhausted all reassessment entitlement
according to the procedures laid out in the University policies on assessment and associated
procedures, their enrolment with the University will be terminated, except in cases where the
programme specification for their programme of study includes automatic provision for
transfer to a related programme.

Recommendations from the Board of Studies relating to the achievement of progression
requirements are to be made and considered by the Standing Committee on Assessment
acting on behalf of Senate; at this point a decision will be made.

Students may appeal against decisions on academic progress and programme transfer.
Such appeals can be made to Special Cases (see Regulation 6.7 below).

(b) Students following a programme leading to a professional qualification must comply with
the requirements of the external organisations in which training and education is undertaken
and/or with the requirements of appropriate professional and regulatory bodies. Students
who fail to meet such requirements will not be permitted to continue and their enrolment with
the University may be terminated or they may be permitted to transfer to another
programme. Further details are specified in the University’s Fitness to Practise Policy.

(c) All students enrolled on taught programmes are required to complete successfully the
University's 'Respect at York' Online Learning. Failure to complete this learning may result in
disciplinary action.

(d) All students on taught programmes are required to complete successfully the online
University Academic Integrity Tutorial before the end of the first stage or year of their
programme of study as specified in Regulation 5.7. Failure to comply with this regulation
may result in termination of enrolment with the University.

(e) Plagiarism detection software packages may be used at the University's discretion to
detect unfair practice in student submissions. As part of the academic community, students
accept that work they submit for assessment may be submitted to these software packages.
Further information relating to how such software is used can be found in the University's
Data Protection Statement, the Academic Integrity website and departmental handbooks.

(f) Procedures for investigating academic misconduct and the penalties applied where it has
been committed are contained in Academic Misconduct: Policies, Guidelines and
Procedures for all programmes of study.

(g) All cases of students who, in the opinion of the Board of Studies concerned are
academically unsatisfactory, other than in the circumstances described above, shall be
referred to Special Cases for consideration. All relevant evidence about the student
concerned shall be made available to Special Cases, whose decision in each case will be
final.

(h) Where it is necessary to extend a student's programme end-date, either as a result of a
successful exceptional circumstances claim made in accordance with the Exceptional
Circumstances Affecting Assessment procedures, or for other procedural reasons, the extension requires the approval of the relevant Board of Studies. Certain cases will require
the approval of Special Cases, as detailed in the Special Cases guidance on programme
extensions.

(i) Requests to transfer enrolment

(1) Students wishing to transfer their enrolment to a different programme of study must
obtain the approval of the relevant Board of Studies.

(2) Special Cases approval is also required in certain cases, as detailed in the Special
Cases Policy on programme transfers.

6.6 Leave of Absence

(a) Students enrolled on taught programmes may seek permission to take a Leave of
Absence from their programme for a period that will not subsequently be counted towards
their award. The circumstances under which Leave of Absence may be considered and the
procedure to be followed are set out in the documentation for applying for leave of absence.
Permission to take a Leave of Absence may be subject to any restrictions imposed by a
student’s sponsor or funding body.

(b) Students may be required to take a Leave of Absence if they are deemed unfit to study or
attend as the result of a Fitness to Study or Attend procedure, as required by the Fitness to
Study or Attend Policy.

Powers of Boards of Studies

• To make recommendations, using the relevant documentation, to Special Cases regarding leave of absence for individual students.

6.7 Academic appeals

Responsibility for considering or hearing appeals by students has been delegated by the
Senate to the Student Education and Experience Directorate (Special Cases).

Students wishing to exercise their right of appeal against a decision or recommendation
reached by a Board of Studies, Board of Examiners or Exceptional Circumstances affecting
Assessment Committee must follow the Student Academic Appeals Procedure.

When the University's appeals procedures have been exhausted, students who remain
dissatisfied with the outcome of an appeal may be able to make a complaint to the Office of
the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (OIA).

6.8 Re-admission

(a) The readmission process is for former students who are requesting permission to be
readmitted to study, having previously chosen to withdraw or having been withdrawn for reasons other than academic failure or disciplinary exclusion. It does not apply to students
who have failed their programme and wish to be readmitted to the same programme of
study, or one with substantial content overlap. Students that have failed will be required to
follow the appeals process.

(b) Applications for admission received from students who have failed a University
examination at another university shall be considered in the normal way, and may be
accepted without special reference to the Senate (Special Cases);

(c) Applications for admission from students whose enrolment with the University has been
terminated as academically unsatisfactory, other than where triggered by failure of the
programme or failure to progress, must, if approved by the Board of Studies concerned, be
submitted as recommendations to Special Cases;

(d) Special Cases approval is required in cases (a) and (b) below only where the student is
seeking admission to the same programme, or one which has content overlap with a
programme they studied previously at University of York, or if the student has already twice
been admitted to a first year at York. Otherwise they may be accepted directly by the Board
of Studies concerned.

1. Students whose enrolment at York has been terminated through failure to progress,
and have had a new application accepted, will be considered by Special Cases as
exceptional readmissions provided there is evidence that the circumstances leading
to programme failure have substantially changed;

2. Students who have voluntarily withdrawn from University of York, and have had a
new application accepted, will be considered by Special Cases as exceptional
readmissions provided that the department is willing to offer a place to the student
and where there is evidence that the circumstances leading to withdrawal have
substantially changed.