LINCOLN COLLEGE HIGHER EDUCATION COURSE ......Handbook for OU Validated Provision 2018/19 Page 4 COURSE DELIVERY 2. Welcome I would like to welcome you to Lincoln College, and to thank

Handbook for OU Validated Provision 2018/19 Page 1

LINCOLN COLLEGE HIGHER EDUCATION

COURSE HANDBOOK

BSc (Hons) Clinical Herbalism

2018-19



Contents

1. Campus map

2. Welcome 3. Academic calendar 4. Key contacts 5. Introduction to your programme of study 6. Programme specifications 7. Module specifications 8. Student support 9. Opportunities for personal development planning 10. Work placement information 11. Facilities and support 12. Assessment and progression opportunities 13. Dissertations and projects 14. Determination of results 15. Other institutional policies and regulations 16. Student participation and evaluation 17. General reading list (not module specific)


COURSE DELIVERY

2. Welcome

I would like to welcome you to Lincoln College, and to thank you for choosing to study here with us. The programme you have chosen to study is delivered at Lincoln College and is validated by the Open University. The purpose of this handbook is to provide you with all the information you will need for successful study here with us. It sets out your rights and obligations as a student of Lincoln College and the Open University, and points you in the direction of further information, such as full copies of regulations and procedures which will apply to you. This Handbook is also available on the Herbal Medicine General Information page on Moodle.

Throughout the academic year you will have the opportunity to provide feedback on your course and your overall experience here at Lincoln College. We will also be actively looking to recruit students as college HE Student Representatives who will meet with the staff team regularly to discuss academic developments and student issues.

Should you have any questions or problems during this module or at any other time during your course, please get in touch with your tutor or myself - we will be happy to help. I wish you the very best with your studies.

It is your responsibility to familiarise yourself with the contents of this handbook, and to use it for information and guidance on matters relating to your programme and status as a student. You will not be permitted to rely on ignorance of regulations, policies or procedures contained in this handbook as a ground for mitigation, special treatment or appeal.

Matters detailed in this handbook are subject to review and change during the year. Every effort is made to ensure that the information is accurate and up-to-date at the time of publishing. Lincoln College will inform you of any changes occurring during the year.

As a student on a HE (university level) course, it is expected that you will conduct yourself in a manner which is professional and sets an example to all other students around you.

Due to the depth and nature of your college studies, you are required to attend a minimum of 80% of your taught classes and whilst 100% attendance is desirable, it is recognised that illness, work or family commitments may lead to occasional absence. If this is the case, please inform your tutor as soon as possible and ensure that you take responsibility for catching up with any notes or work missed.

It is also expected that you undertake personal study in your own time to support your taught lessons. This may take the form of background reading, research or completing tasks set by your tutor. At this higher level of study, it is crucial to your progression and success that you complete all personal study work set for you by your tutor so please ensure tahat you endeavour to meet any deadline expected of you.

Robyn James - Programme Leader


3. Academic Calendar The 8 teaching weekends (not including the Induction weekend) normally run from 10-6 on the Friday; 9-6 on the Saturday; 9-4 on the Sunday. Some teaching weekend Fridays begin at 9am, and some include classroom teaching on the Thursday before and/or the Monday after. Full details of the timetables within each weekend are available on the Moodle General Information site, as is a full Assignment Calendar. Full-timers:

• Induction weekend (compulsory) 21 - 23 Sep • Weekend 1: 28 – 30 Sep • Weekend 2: 19 – 21 Oct. Also Thurs 18th Oct for 2nd years. • Weekend 3: 16 – 18 Nov • Weekend 4: 14 – 16 Dec • Weekend 5: 1 – 3 Feb • Weekend 6: 1 – 3 Mar. Also Mon 4 Mar for all years. • Weekend 7: 29 – 31 Mar • Weekend 8: 3 - 5 May • Emergency: 16 – 17 Mar – If all goes according to plan we will not use this weekend at all,

but please keep it free. It will be used if unforeseen circumstances force rearrangement of part/all of an earlier weekend.

• Summer Exams: – 2 days to be confirmed. We hope that they will be during the week starting 3rd June or 10th June but cannot guarantee this. Please do not book holidays between late May and mid June until we have final exam dates (probably in January 2018)

Most weekends run from 10am til 6pm on the Friday: 9am til 6pm on the Saturday; 9am til 4pm on the Sunday.

Part-timers: Your attendance depends on the modules for which you are enrolled. Please speak to your year co-ordinator. The training clinic runs 9.00-12.30; 1.30-5.00 on Tues, Wed, Thurs and some Fridays during term times. On Mon it runs from 10-1.30; 2.30-6.00. Term 1: 3rd Sept – 21st Dec. Level 1 students may join from Mon 22nd Oct. Clinic closed 29th Oct – 2nd Nov inclusive Term 2: 7th Jan – 5th Apr. Clinic closed 18th – 22nd Feb inclusive. Term 3: 23rd Apr – 28th Jun. Clinic closed Mon 6th May and 27th – 31st May inclusive.

4. Key Contacts

Head of Higher Education Becki Hamnett Email: [email protected] Tel: 01522 876000 ext. 6204 (Mon-Fri: 9.00-16.00) HE Administration Officer Lucie Burkett Email: [email protected] Tel: 01522 876000 ext. 6398 (Mon-Fri: 9.00-16.00)


Programme Leader

Robyn James Email: [email protected] Tel: 07400 001094 (Tues or Thurs: 10.00 – 17.00) Course Team

Eleanor Devereux [email protected]

Katie Dobiesz [email protected] Tel: 07832221574 (Mon-Fri: 9.00-17.00)

Hannah Sylvester [email protected] 07906 376342 (Wed only: 09.00-18.00)

Jason Tsai [email protected] 01522 876000 and ask for Jason. Or mobile is 07901 211628 but poor reception at College (Wed 10.00-16.00 or Thurs 10.00-13.00)

Donald Purves [email protected] 07504839301 (Tues, Wed, Fri 10.00 – 18.00) Clinic Manager Anne Parkin [email protected] Tel: 01522 876000 ext. 5239 (Mon-Thurs 09.00-12.00) External Examiner Graeme Tobyn Gillian Leddy


5. Introduction to your programme of study

Background to the programme, history and philosophy The BSc (Hons) Herbal Medicine aims to provide students with the background knowledge, skills and competencies required of professional medical herbalists. Students should leave with a sound understanding of both the herbal and conventional approaches to diagnosis and treatment of health and disease. Graduates will be equipped with the skills necessary to establish their own practices as medical herbalists, to enter employment in a related field, or to undertake research into herbal medicine. Our graduates will have a continuing passion for the study and practice of herbal medicine and will be life-long learners with the skills to continue to broaden their understanding of this and of other subjects. The BSc (Hons) Herbal Medicine is distinctive in that the course encourages students to develop a robust traditional holistic philosophy of herbal medicine but places this alongside a rigorous grounding in conventional medicine and other philosophies to enable a deep understanding of health and disease from several viewpoints. The integration of the clinical training within the structure of the university degree enables the demonstration in practice at the clinic of the theory taught in the classroom. Professional body recognition, accreditation The course is accredited by the European Herbal and Traditional Medicine Practitioners Association (the EHTPA).

Attendance requirements Due to the depth and nature of your college studies, you are required to attend a minimum of 80% of your taught classes and whilst 100% attendance is desirable, it is recognised that illness, work or family commitments may lead to occasional absence. If this is the case, please inform your tutor as soon as possible and ensure that you take responsibility for catching up with any notes or work missed. Should you not meet the 80% attendance target (without prior agreement with the programme leader) you will be placed in a level one disciplinary process, where you will be given specific targets and deadlines to make necessary improvements. If you fail to meet agreed expectations you will be taken to the next stage and subsequently any continued failure to meet set expectations will ultimately go to the final disciplinary stage and could see you being withdrawn from your programme. Registers are taken for each session; the tutor logs the attendance & punctuality data on ProMonitor, which you can monitor through your own login on ProPortal.

If, due to unforeseen circumstances, you are required to be absent for a longer period, please inform you tutor at the earliest opportunity so that we can support you and make sure you do not fall behind in your study. In some circumstances you may feel it might be necessary for you to interrupt your studies, in the first instance you should discuss with your programme leader who will be able to give you further advice and guidance along with procedural advice. Interruptions will have implications with your funding being frozen until you restart your studies (within an agreed timeframe), this will affect any maintenance grants as well as your fees. Due to the relatively long vacation periods and nature of your course, it is preferable that holidays are not taken during term time; please see the academic calendar (in section 3) for details.


It is also expected that you undertake personal study in your own time to support your taught sessions. This may take the form of background reading, research or completing tasks set by your tutor. At this higher level of study, it is crucial to your progression and success that you complete all personal study work set for you by your tutor so please ensure you endeavour to meet any deadlines expected of you.

Progression routes, employment or further study opportunities The majority of our graduates go into private practice as self-employed medical herbalists or set up businesses as suppliers, manufacturers or retailers of natural products. However, there are also employment possibilities within the many companies working in the fields of natural medicine, toiletries and supplements. Graduates have also gone onto further study, taking Masters programmes in Clinical Research, Ethnobotany and more.

6. Programme specifications

A full programme specification can be found on the Moodle Herbal Medicine – General Information site. This includes information on learning and teaching strategy, assessment methods, programme structure and a curriculum map.

Course timetable

The course timetables for each level can be found on the Moodle Herbal Medicine – General Information site. These timetables also include the course rooms.

Course overview planner with assessment tracker

Assignment timetables can also be found on the Moodle Herbal Medicine – General Information site.

Tutorial support

Your personal tutor is responsible for general academic, pastoral and career support. She or he is your first point of contact for discussion of academic progress and for advice about how to make the most of the support on offer to achieve your ambitions. You will usually stay with the same personal tutor throughout your studies. At the start of the year, your personal tutor will book you in for one-to-one tutorials throughout the year, but you are also welcome to contact him/her for additional advice or discussion whenever it would be helpful. Personal tutoring is a two-way collaborative relationship whereby students are expected to invest time and effort into making it a success in the same way as staff are.

Specific learning resources and reading lists

These are available on the Moodle sites for each module.

Hand in procedures

Most assignments are submitted online using specific links on the Moodle module sites. All assignments should be labelled clearly with your name as part of the file name as well as in the title line. Please use large or moderate margins (at least 2cm on each side) and either one and a half or double line spacing.


7. Module specifications

All the module specifications can be found on the Moodle Herbal Medicine – General Information site.

8. Student support, guidance and advice

For every year of full-time study a £500 bursary (£250 part-time study)is made available to students to spend on professional qualifications and other academic equipment to enhance their learning on top of their degree; this puts students at a work-ready advantage in interview – giving employers the reassurance they will not have to invest heavily in additional training.

For more complex or ongoing needs Student Services is here to help you concentrate on your courses by supporting you with any issues you may have. They are based in Monks building, just behind Main Reception.

Our Counsellors can provide a confidential counselling service for you and the Chaplain offers spiritual and pastoral support. We are developing relationships with other faith leaders locally to support the growing number of students from other faiths and we have opened a Multi-faith Room.

Our Student Support Officer offers financial support and advice. Both full-time and part-time students in financial need can apply for help from our Access to Learning Fund. Applications to the fund are normally means-tested.

Our Guidance Advisers are the first point of contact for students who need Careers information, advice or guidance. They have access to a range of careers related resources, both IT and paper-based.

The HE Assessment and Support Coordinator can provide assessment to students with learning difficulties and disabilities. The assessment can support the needs of students who identify themselves or are referred by tutors. For students with access to DSA Amy Cook is responsible for managing these arrangements and monitoring the success of the support in place.

For more information about our services contact the Guidance Team Leader on (01522) 876000

Induction arrangements You should have been sent a letter as an email attachment with a full Induction timetable before enrolment. Please contact Robyn James if you need this resending. Careers guidance The BSc (Hons) Clinical Herbalism programme includes a module called Preparation for Practice in the final year. This focuses on the skills needed to either set up your own business, or to obtain employment in a relevant area. The College also has a Careers Guidance Team, who offer help with finding graduate jobs or going into postgraduate research. See the ‘Student Services’ tab at the top of each Moodle page and click on ‘Careers Guidance’ then on ‘HE Graduates’.


9. Work Placement information

There are two placements during the programme, one consisting of 10 hours is part of the Clinical Practice Intermediate module at level two and one consisting of 20 hours is part of the Clinical Practice Advanced module at level three. It is anticipated that most students will elect to complete the first placement in the summer break between levels one and two and the second placement in the summer break between levels two and three. The placements may be undertaken in a setting of the student’s own choice and with the agreement of the clinic tutor and should be chosen to reflect the interests, experience and motivations of the student. The student is expected to find the placement themselves. One of the two placements should be with a medical herbalist or other CAM professional practitioner and the other in a non-CAM placement.

Whilst a proportion of your hours have to be completed within the Lincoln training clinic, it may also be possible to do some of your 500 hours within local training clinics if an appropriately trained and experienced herbalist is willing to undertake this responsibility. Unfortunately, we are unable to approve any new external clinics in 18/19 but hope that this will be possible in 19/20. 10. Facilities and Services

Our Libraries at Lincoln, Gainsborough and Newark provide a supportive and stimulating environment for your independent study. Remember to carry your Student ID card with you as you will need it to borrow resources and laptops, log on to computers and use the print/copy/scan facilities. Make sure that your tutor has booked you on an introductory tour of your local Library! The Library | Lincoln College | Monks Road | LN2 5HQ The Library | Gainsborough College | Acland Street | DN21 2LG The Library | Newark College | Friary Road | NG24 1PB Telephone: 01522 876232 Email: [email protected] Follow us on Twitter @LincolnCollLib for news, events and updates from the Library

Opening Times

Lincoln Gainsborough Newark

Term Time

Monday 8.15am – 7.00pm 8.45am – 4.45pm 8.15am – 6.00pm

Tuesday 8.15am – 8.00pm 8.45am – 4.45pm 8.15am – 7.00pm

Wednesday 8.15am – 8.00pm 8.45am – 4.45pm 8.15am – 7.00pm


Thursday 8.15am – 8.00pm 8.45am – 4.45pm 8.15am – 6.00pm

Friday 8.15am – 4.15pm 8.45am – 12.30pm 1.00pm – 4.00pm

8.15am – 4.15pm

Saturday 9.00am – 3.00pm Closed Closed

Vacation

Monday to Thursday *

9.00am – 4.15pm 9.00am – 12.30pm 1.00pm – 4.15pm

9.00am – 4.15pm

Friday * 9.00am – 4.15pm 9.00am – 12.30pm 1.00pm – 4.00pm

9.00am – 4.15pm

*Gainsborough and Newark vacation times may vary. Please phone before travelling.

Additional HE Study – evenings and weekends Room D103 in Deans Building provides access to computing and study facilities in the evenings and weekends.

Please report to Deans Reception for access to the room.

Monday - Thursday 5.30pm – 10pm

Friday 5pm – 10pm

Saturday - Sunday 8am – 8pm

Resources and services

Resources are arranged in Subject Zones which are clearly marked in the Libraries. Use the Online Library Catalogue 8 olib.lincolncollege.ac.uk to find out what’s available to borrow, to check your library record, reserve items and renew your books. You can also access all of our eBooks via the catalogue.

Take advantage of the specialist educational resources available to help you succeed in your course - use the ‘Discover HE’ service to search our wide range of quality resources including journal articles, books and eBooks, as well as recommended websites for your subject area. Go online to Moodle > the library and click on Discover HE (see below).


You’ll find lots of useful information on the Library Moodle pages including a range of study skills guides and important information about copyright.

Learning Adviser support

Our Library staff is on hand to help you to make the most of what is available and to find resources for your studies. Learning Advisers offer workshops on a range of topics, including referencing and locating resources and information for your assignments. Ask your tutor to arrange a session or contact us to book yourself a place.

Subject Area Learning Adviser Art & Design, Construction, Engineering, Sport Richard Stanton

Business, Complementary Medicine, Teacher Training, Travel & Tourism

Janet Dick

Social Sciences Aloria Maltby

Borrowing

You may borrow up to eight books plus three back-dated periodicals and two DVDs at a time. Charges are made for the late return of items, so please remember to renew your items if you need them for longer periods. You can renew items up to four times online or by phone; items must be renewed at a Help Desk every fifth renewal.

If you can’t find a key book or journal article that you need for your course, HE students can recommend books to be purchased for the Library. Please ask a member of staff for assistance and look out for information in the Library about how to recommend books.

Interlibrary Loans

If you need a journal article or specialist book which the Library doesn’t have, we can make arrangements with other libraries both regionally and nationally to obtain items on your behalf.


Requests can be made online through Discover HE, downloading the form from Discover or by filling in a form available in the Library. For each request, you are required by law to make a copyright declaration.

If you are a student on an HE course you are entitled to request Interlibrary Loans to support your studies. These are subject to a quota depending on which year of a course you are on.

You may request additional Interlibrary Loans above your quota. These will be charged at full cost. You will be advised about any full cost requests before items are ordered. Costs vary and can be up to £15 per item.

Computers and Laptops

There are computers available in all our Libraries, providing access to the Internet, Moodle, and your College email account, Microsoft Office plus other specialist software relevant to your course. Laptops are available for use in the Library. Log in to any computer using your Student ID number and password. You can book computers in advance - see our Moodle pages for more information.

As a student of the College you will have printing credit allowance for each academic year. There are printing/photocopying/scanning facilities in the Library with copyright guidelines available nearby. Staff are always on hand if you need any assistance.

Studying in the Libraries

Our Libraries provide areas for individual and group study. The Library at Lincoln campus has a dedicated HE study room for silent individual study, which is available for all students on Higher Education courses at Lincoln College.

Group study is available in the “pods” which are bookable in advance; please ask in the Library for further information. Pods can be booked for 2 hours per group and we recommend no more than 5 students use a pod at a time.

We ask all students to be aware of the impact that their behaviour may have on others. All students must observe the rules and values of the College. Unacceptable behaviour will be reported to tutors and may result in students losing their borrowing rights and being unable to use the Library. Please familiarise yourself with the rules on display.

Interlibrary Loan Quota (HE Students) – requests per academic year

Free £1 per request

Year 1 or equivalent 3 10




Working and studying off campus

You can access the Library resources from off campus – simply go to 8 moodle2.lincolncollege.ac.uk/ and login with your College email address and password.

Once logged in, click on the Library in the menu bar. You’ll find further information and support about studying off campus on Moodle and in the Library.

The College also provides a “remote desktop” which enables students to get the full “on campus” IT experience, including access to your ‘H’ drive and College software, when working off campus. You’ll find further details in Moodle > Help.

Public Libraries

Most public libraries provide the Access to Research service; this enables free access to online journal articles and research from computers within public libraries. Further information is available at: 8 accesstoresearch.pls.org.uk/ including participating libraries.

Inspire Scheme

The Libraries are registered with the Inspire campaign which offers access to library and information services. College students can apply for an Inspire card at the main Help Desks. This card will introduce you to other library services. For further information, including special collections to support research, go to the Inspire website. Please check with the library you wish to visit before making a journey, especially University libraries, as they often have specific requirements for access and it may vary depending on the time of year.

8 inspire-libraries.org.uk/

IT facilities

If the computer is not on (or in Power Saving mode), press the power button on the computer, after a short wait you will be greeted with ‘Welcome to Windows, Press Ctrl-Alt-Delete to begin’

Press down and hold the Ctrl, Alt and Delete keys simultaneously to begin. In the User name box type your student ID number, if your student number is less than 6 digits, prefix the front of the number with zeros (9544 becomes 009544). Your default password is your first name (with the first letter capitalised) then your date of birth in the format DDMMYY, i.e. Paul250469.

Log on to: should be displaying LINCOLNCOLLEGE Logging off To log off the machine ready for another student, click the Start Button at the bottom left of the screen, select Log Off and follow the prompts (do not shutdown the computer unless you are instructed to do so by a member of staff).


Changing your password When you are logged in, press Ctrl, Alt and Delete. Click on Change a Password. Type in your old password, then enter your new password and repeat in ‘confirm password’ box. You will need to memorise your new password; under no circumstances should it be given to other students. Click OK and your password is now saved. Log off and log on to complete the change. Forgotten password If you have forgotten your password, please contact the IT Helpdesk or the Library, who will change the password for you. You will require your ID card as your password will not be changed without it.

Saving your work

Save your work directly into your own area; to do this double click My Computer. You will see an icon labelled ‘My Documents on SRV124 (H:)’ with your student number displayed; double click this icon.

This area can also be selected from within applications e.g. Word, Excel etc. This is where you must save all your work; work saved elsewhere will not be backed up by the system, and could be lost after you log off. Student webmail All students will have a College email account to enable contact between staff and other students on your course. For further information visit: http://webmail.lincolncollege.ac.uk. Your email address will be [email protected] e.g. [email protected]. PLEASE NOTE: This is for communication between students and staff ONLY; at the end of the year all accounts are closed and deleted. DO NOT use this email account to sign up to non-course related mailing lists or entertainment websites. USB memory sticks Single function USB Memory Sticks cannot be used at the College nor can we support dual purpose music players or pre-installed security software. At the end of college year or course (whichever is sooner) It is your responsibility to save your work to portable media if you wish to keep it.


Moodle

What is Moodle?

Moodle is a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). A VLE is a set of web based tools to help you learn, communicate and interact with your tutor and peers, and be assessed online.

How to login (from college)

Moodle will automatically open up and log you in when you click on the Internet browser icon from your desktop in college.

Logging on to Moodle from home.

The direct URL that you need to use https://moodle2.lincolncollege.ac.uk You will automatically be taken to a new login page that looks like this, enter your full student email address (e.g. [email protected]) as username & college password as shown below:


Navigating the site

Find your way around the site using the drop down menus along the top of the page or the buttons in the centre of the front page. Your tutor will provide details on where to find your course.

Profile – Updating Personal Information

Please ensure that your details are correct on your profile page, in particular your email address. Your tutor may expect you to submit assignments using Moodle and it is vital that your contact details are up to date. Please see the Help pages on Moodle for further information.

How to Enrol on a Course

The first time that you click into a course you will be asked to enrol. Follow the instructions on screen, or as shown below:

Subsequently, the quickest way to access any of the courses that you are already enrolled in (or a tutor on) is via the My Courses link on the homepage dropdown menu indicated below. You will see a direct link into any of your courses from the My Courses page.

Where to get help?

Further guides and help are available on Moodle within the Help section.

If you need any help accessing your course you should first ask your tutor. Alternatively speak to a member of staff in the Library. For technical problems (i.e. you can’t login) please contact the IT Helpdesk on 01522 876275 or email [email protected].


College Policies and Procedures

There are a number of policies and procedures that you will need to be aware of as, at some point during your time with us, you may need to make reference to them. You will find the link to all of the appropriate policy documents on the Moodle home page (see below).

Alongside our generic policies, you will also need to be aware of the Higher Education specific policies and procedures such as:

• The assessment regulations relevant to the awarding body of your course (e.g. Open University)

• The mitigating or extenuating circumstances policy relevant to your awarding body

You will also find these policies and documents on Moodle, but within your specific course page. Your personal tutor will ensure that these policies and procedures are fully explained to you as part of your course induction.

Catering services There are on-site catering facilities in Abbey Building, Deans Building, Bishop’s Building and in the Restaurant in Sessions House. The Monks Road campus is approximately 0.25 miles from the City centre and all the usual shops, cafes and restaurants that can be found in a City centre.

11. Assessment and progression regulations

As with any HE course, assessment plays an integral part of the learning experience and allows you to demonstrate your skills and abilities.

Assessment is compulsory and it is expected that you will hand in to deadline, as this is an essential skill in any job or career. Similarly, as you are now working at level 4, 5 and 6 your tutors will be looking for a professional standard of content and presentation so be sure to


take pride in your work and reference fully. Lincoln College will follow the Open University policies and procedures in all matters to programmes validated by the Open University.

Identification of all elements of assessment including type, volume weighting and timings of assessments The forms of assessment and its weighting and timing, and the ways in which the learning outcomes are to be demonstrated through assessment, are set out in the module and programme specifications approved by The Open University at the point of validation. Minimum pass marks for modules To obtain an award students are required to complete all parts of the programme’s approved assessment and comply with all regulations relating to their programme of study. The minimum aggregate pass mark is 40%. This applies to assessments, modules, stages and qualifications.

Rules governing extension to submission deadlines Extensions

Requests for short-term extensions may be granted in exceptional, unforeseen circumstances at the discretion of the year co-ordinator. You may request an extension up to 24 hours prior to the submission deadline by submitting an HE Extension Request Form (available on Moodle – HE Information Centre). You should provide independent verification (eg. Doctor’s note) to support the application for extension, where possible. Poor time management is not sufficient grounds for an extension to be granted.

An extension may be granted for up to 10 working days. If you need more than 10 days, you should consider submitting an application for mitigating circumstances (see the section below).

Extension deadlines must be set at least 4 working weeks in advance of the College Exam Board so that staff have time to get your work marked and moderated.

Work submitted after the published deadline without an authorised extension will be subject to the penalties stated as follows.

Penalties for late submission or non-submission of work Where coursework is submitted late and there are no accepted extenuating

circumstances it will be penalised in line with the following tariff: 1. Up to and including 24 hours after the deadline, a penalty of 10% 2. Submission within 6 working days: a 10% reduction deducted from the overall

marked score for each working day late, down to the 40% pass mark 3. Submission that is late by 7 or more working days: submission refused, mark of 0. 4. Students who fail to submit work for assessments or attend examinations shall be deemed to have failed the assessments components concerned and will be marked as 0.

Mitigating Circumstances

Circumstances that may have adversely affected your performance in all types of assessment

If you believe that your performance in assessment has been adversely affected by unforeseen circumstances beyond your control or if an extension to a submission date


would not be sufficient due to such circumstances, you should submit a claim for mitigating circumstances.

We have an application form for mitigating circumstance along with guidance on how to complete the form in the course documents folder on Moodle.

Process for requesting deferral of modules A student may apply, or be required, to take a study break for a maximum period of twelve consecutive months under the agreed procedure for reasons of ill health or other extenuating circumstances. This may be extended in exceptional circumstances as agreed between The Open University and Lincoln College. The student should notify their tutor at the earliest possible time to instigate the process of “interruption”. Definitions and consequences of academic misconduct, including plagiarism

Academic misconduct

Lincoln College takes very seriously any form of cheating, plagiarism or other form of ‘academic misconduct’. The Lincoln College Academic Misconduct and Maladministration Policy (section 6.4 and 6.5) details the process for managing academic irregularity. https://www.lincolncollege.ac.uk/assets/downloads/Academic_Misconduct_and_Maladministration_vBH120718.pdf If proven, sanctions are determined based on the AMBeR tariff. The term ‘academic misconduct’ is used to indicate that a very wide range of behaviour is punishable. Examples include

§ ‘Cheating’ in an examination by possessing materials prohibited in the examination room

§ Falsifying the results of laboratory, field-work or other forms of data collection and analysis

§ Conspiring with another or others to have work completed by another candidate, including offering work, whether for sale or not, for use by another without acknowledgement

§ Collusion (where the work submitted is the result of the work of more than just the student making the submission but which the student making the submission claims to be his/her own work without acknowledging the contribution of other students)

§ Submitting work for assessment which has been performed or created by other persons or commissioning third parties to perform or create the work whether for payment or not

§ Making your work available to others, giving opportunity for them to plagiarise (group work must acknowledge the contribution of others or collusion may be deemed to have occurred)

§ Submitting work for assessment which is substantially the same work as submitted for a previous assessment (sometimes referred to as ‘self- plagiarism’)

It is essential, therefore, that you recognise that the University and Lincoln College take very seriously any form of illegitimate conduct, especially plagiarism, and that if you are judged to have breached the regulations this could result in you not being awarded your degree.


Mechanisms for provision of feedback to students on performance, and the role of Feedback on assessed work is an essential process and one that makes a significant contribution to a student’s learning and academic development. All Lincoln College students must receive feedback for all formative and summative assessment. At all times students must be given clear communication regarding feedback on assessment procedures which must address the following:

• Students will be provided with an opportunity to act on the feedback in preparing for further assessments in the same or other related modules.

• Feedback will be clear and where written, legible. • Feedback will include specific reference to module learning outcomes or to clear grading

criteria derived from learning outcomes. • The principles on which work is being marked will be made clear to students, whether

this is via learning outcomes or grading criteria. • Feedback will be balanced, to include strengths as well as areas for development. • Feedback will include some targets for future development (relevant at both mid- and

end-module). • General academic features/study skills. • Presentation, style, structure. • Range and use of reading. • Criticality. • Focus on the question/establishment of a key and relevant question. • Feedback will include not only areas for development, but also practical ways to improve

these areas. • Clarification relating to feedback will be made to students on request. All candidate work which is submitted to the specified deadline will be assessed within a period of 20 working days (term-time) from the submission deadline. Excluded from this are substantial pieces of assessment for example dissertations, summative portfolios and major practical projects. In such cases, a deadline for the return of the assessed work will be clearly stated and adhered to. The assessment process will include the provision of appropriate written feedback to the candidate and the internal verification of a sample of assessed pieces of work. In situations where candidates submit work for assessment late, either with or without authorisation, assessment will take place within a timescale agreed between the assessor and the candidate. The timescale agreed should take into account: • the workload of the staff member concerned • key dates for the submission of grades / marks to the awarding body • available of marked work for the processes of the internal and external verification and

moderation • impact on the student’s progress

All feedback and marks are provisional and therefore maybe subject to change until external examination boards have ratified the awards. Once you have handed in your work you can expect feedback within 4 working weeks. To ensure our marking is accurate and appropriate, we undertake rigorous internal verification, however all marks are PROVISIONAL until official ratification by the university and you have received an official written transcript.


Formative and summative assessment Formative assessment refers to a wide variety of methods that teachers use to conduct in-process evaluations of student comprehension, learning needs, and academic progress during a lesson, unit, or course. Formative assessments help teachers identify concepts that students are struggling to understand, skills they are having difficulty acquiring, or learning standards they have not yet achieved so that adjustments can be made to lessons, instructional techniques, and academic support. The general goal of formative assessment is to collect detailed information that can be used to improve instruction and student learning while it’s happening. What makes an assessment “formative” is not the design of a test, technique, or self-evaluation, per se, but the way it is used—i.e., to inform in-process teaching and learning modifications.

Summative assessment is used to evaluate student learning at the end of an instructional assignment/module by comparing it against a standard or benchmark. Note, 'the end' does not necessarily mean the end of an entire course or module of study. Summative assessments will be distributed throughout your course, after a particular module (or collection of topics) has been taught. Summative assessment involves students receiving a grade that indicates their level of performance, as a percentage. Acceptable forms of academic referencing and citation Harvard referencing is the accepted form of academic referencing for this programme. Further advice and guidance about referencing can be found on the Library pages on Moodle. As part of your induction, you will be given an introduction to Harvard referencing and the Learning Advisers also run sessions on it through the year; please ask in the Library for further information about the workshops as well as advice on referencing.

Progression regulations Your progression on your programme of study (i.e. whether you have passed one year and can move onto the next) and your eligibility for the award and degree classification (if applicable) will be determined by Boards of Examiners governed by the University’s regulations. There are two levels of Boards of Examiners:

Module Boards – which decide the mark to be awarded for each module

Programme Boards – which decide whether you can progress to the next year of the programme and the classification of degree if you have reached the end of the Honours stage of a Honours Degree

Boards of Examiners include membership from the staff who deliver the programme, staff from the University and the External Examiner(s) appointed by the University to oversee the academic standards of the award.

The External Examiner will be a member of staff of another University or similar body who is experienced in the subject area of your programme of study.

Appeals and complaints procedures The University and Lincoln College have a set of procedures governing your right to appeal against a decision about your academic progress.


It is important to be aware that you cannot appeal simply because you disagree with a decision of your department - for example to award 55 for a piece of work.

You must be able to show that there has been some defect in the process by which that decision was made, such as not following procedures, bias or prejudice on the part of the examiner, or failure to consider relevant factors (such as mitigating circumstances).

Appeals must be lodged within 10 working days of you receiving notification of the decision against which you wish to appeal. There is a ninety day limit from the submission of the appeal to the conclusion of the review stage.

The University will allow students who have submitted an appeal to graduate and also allow students who have graduated to submit an appeal (provided they are within the 10 working day window). The candidate will graduate with the classification awarded and, if the appeal is subsequently upheld, any change will result in a new award being made.

Policy documents can be found on Moodle

If your appeal is heard but rejected by Lincoln College you will have a final ‘right of challenge’ to the University but only if you can show that the Partner Institution’s Appeal Committee has not acted in accordance with its powers. Details of this right will be provided to you in the event that your appeal within Lincoln College is turned down. Provision for students with special needs The HE Assessment and Support Coordinator can provide assessment to students with learning difficulties and disabilities. The assessment can support the needs of students who identify themselves or are referred by tutors. For students with access to DSA Amy Cook is responsible for managing these arrangements and monitoring the success of the support in place.

For more information about our services contact the Guidance Team Leader on (01522) 876000

12. Dissertations and projects

The Independent Study module at Level 6 requires completion of a independent research project. You will be assigned a tutor as supervisor for this project, who will help you to plan your research, to structure your report and to understand the expectations for this assignment.

Viva voce examinations may be required by a Board of Examiners (with the approval of the External Examiner):

a. To confirm the progression/result status of a student b. To determine the results status of unusual or borderline cases c. When there is conflicting evidence from the various assessment components d. As an alternative or additional assessment in cases where poor performance in

assessment is the result of exceptional circumstances verified through due processes.

13. Determination of results


Results

Once you have handed in your work you can expect feedback within 4 working weeks. To ensure our marking is accurate and appropriate, we undertake rigorous internal verification, however all marks are PROVISIONAL until official ratification by the awarding body or university and you have received an official written transcript.

Feedback and verification policy

All candidate work which is submitted to the specified deadline will be assessed within a period of 20 working days (term-time) from the submission deadline. Excluded from this are substantial pieces of assessment for example dissertations, summative portfolios and major practical projects. In such cases, a deadline for the return of the assessed work will be clearly stated and adhered to. The assessment process will include the provision of appropriate written feedback to the candidate and the internal verification of a sample of assessed pieces of work. In situations where candidates submit work for assessment late, either with or without authorisation, assessment will take place within a timescale agreed between the assessor and the candidate. The timescale agreed should take into account: • the workload of the staff member concerned • key dates for the submission of grades / marks to the awarding body • available of marked work for the processes of the internal and external verification and

moderation • impact on the student’s progress

All feedback and marks are provisional and therefore may be subject to change until the external examination boards have ratified the awards.

You will find an assessment timetable for your level on Moodle General Information

How results are communicated

Your results will be formally notified to you in writing via the College ProPortal site. You will not be able to get your results before the published deadlines, and under no circumstances will your results be given to you over the telephone, nor will they be given to another person on your behalf. You can however notify – to your school - a correspondence address to which they can be sent during the summer vacation. Otherwise they will be sent to your home address. It is the student’s responsibility to keep the institution updated with current address details. If you fail to do so, you may not receive your results, or other correspondence, promptly. Interim grades can be found on ProMonitor but remain provisional until approved by the Exam Board.

Your end of year results will posted out to the address that we have for you on our registration system, they will be in the form of a typed transcript that will show: the details of your qualification (including any statutory, regulatory or professional body accreditation or recognition. Up to date records of each module that you have studied, the grades achieved for each component part and the overall percentage for the module, the credits awarded and the date and year in which they were awarded. It will also show details of non-completion (including the number of attempts taken to complete a module). It will also state whether or not you have passed the year and can progress to the next stage or at the final


year what classification you have achieved. These will only be sent out once the exam board have sat and approved the marks.

Rules for determining degree classification

Classification of bachelor degrees, validated with the Open University, will be based on the average mark across all modules within stage 3 (credit level 6) and stage 2 (credit level 5) at a ratio of 2:1 unless the requirements of a professional, statutory and regulatory body (PSRB) state otherwise.

Honours degrees are classified as:

• First Class Aggregate mark of 70% plus • Upper Second Class Aggregate mark between 60% and 69% • Lower Second Class Aggregate mark between 50% and 59% • Third Class Aggregate mark between 40% and 49%

Where a student leaves their programme of study or has exhausted all assessment attempts they will automatically be considered for an exit award where sufficient credit has been accrued.

Brief explanation on the role of board of examiners and external examiner

The College requires two levels of boards of examiners, both of which have separate and distinct responsibilities:

§ Module boards verify module marks awarded to candidates for summative assessment tasks

§ Programme boards verify progression between programme stages, to awards, and where applicable the classification of awards

The External Examiner process as a whole is designed to assist the University in discharging its responsibility for the quality and standards of the education it provides, the awards it offers and enhancing the quality of its provision. More specifically it includes: • Commenting on the standards of modules/awards and that modules/awards are

comparable to all appropriate nationally recognised standards [Examiners are primarily directed to the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications and applicable subject benchmark statements (see www.qaa.ac.uk). Oversight may include modules which do not directly contribute to a student's classification results, but is nevertheless important in defining the academic standard];

• Ensuring that assessment methods are fair, that assessment is operated fairly and in accordance with University regulations

• Reviewing the assessment performance of students as a cohort; • Reviewing assessment tasks, irrespective of their format, level or stage within a

programme; • Reviewing a representative sample of student output. The purpose of this is to oversee

that robust moderation of assessments has taken place. External Examiners must not be involved in marking student work;

• Verifying that the University's policy for second marking has been applied and provide comment on the evidence provided;


• Commenting on the way in which feedback on assessments is being provided to students to promote learning;

• Commenting on any other opportunities provided to enhance the quality of the student's learning opportunities;

• Commenting on examples of effective practice and innovation relating to learning, teaching and assessment;

• Attending and making recommendations to Boards of Examiners relating to the awards of degrees, diplomas and certificates or the confirmation of results for stand-alone modules;

• Confirming, by signing the Official Candidate List (OCL) that they have been satisfied with the assessment process and the standards achieved by the students;

• Be consulted on curriculum development, including the introduction of new programmes of study and revisions to the existing programmes of study;

• Make a full report on the assessment process to the University on an annual basis; • Immediately report any circumstances relating to allegations of academic misconduct in

writing to the Chair of the Board of Examiners concerned; • External Examiners are not required to give approval to degree classifications or overall

module marks where the decision has been deferred due to issues relating to academic misconduct or an administrative error has occurred with respect to the recording of marks or calculation of result.

• External Examiners shall have enough evidence to determine that internal marking and classifications are of an appropriate standard and are consistent. They shall inspect a sufficient amount of work of the candidates to enable them to arrive at a judgement that can be applied to the assessment as a whole

14. Other institutional policies and regulations Please be aware that as a student you have both rights and obligations in respect of your fellow students, members of staff, and others who come into contact with Lincoln College. Lincoln College has a set of general regulations governing the conduct of students, as well as specific policies and procedures governing such matters as freedom of speech, freedom from harassment and data protection. These set out both your rights and your duties (to fellow students, staff and others).

Disability statement

Under the Equality Act (2010), Lincoln College have an obligation to ensure that Disabled people receive fair treatment throughout the recruitment and selection process and in their employment with Lincoln College.

Adjustments are made wherever reasonable to do so, to allow disabled applicants to compete to the best of their ability during the recruitment process and to assist them in their employment with the College.

You are asked to state the nature of your disability and give details of any requirements you may have to enable you to attend your study. You may be asked to undertake an assessment to support your request. This information is important because it helps us to make sure that you have every opportunity to demonstrate your true abilities.


Grounds and procedures for appeals

The Learner Assessment and Appeals Policy and Procedures apply to all Learners of Lincoln College. They are implemented to ensure that service standards and appeals made regarding internal assessment are monitored and managed fairly and consistently. The policy and accompanying procedures aim to give a framework against which staff and Learners can carry out their responsibilities related to internal assessment; it gives access to appeals procedures for Learners and identifies the service standards that can be expected. Where there is any conflict between this policy and any awarding organisation’s assessment rules, the awarding organisation rules will take precedence but any resulting variations from the policy must be clearly communicated to Learners at the start of the course.

Equal opportunities statement

The college seeks to employ a workforce and maintain a student body that reflects the diverse community it serves, because it values the individual contributions of all people. The college will treat all employees and students with respect and dignity and provide a working and educational environment free from unlawful discrimination, harassment or victimisation. To this end, within the framework of the law and best practice, it is committed to achieving and maintaining a workforce and student body that broadly reflects the local community. Lincoln College seeks to promote and advance equality of opportunity within employers and other organisations that provide work experience and work placement for students and trainees.

We recognise that certain physical, personal, institutional and cultural barriers exist, which should be reduced or eliminated wherever reasonable to prevent them impeding existing and potential students and staff from receiving equality of opportunity in education and employment.

Lincoln College aims to enable its students and staff to maximise their individual potential through the promotion, implementation and advancement of equality of opportunity measures. The aim of this policy is to describe how the college intends to fulfil its responsibilities under the Public Sector Equality Duty (a key measure of the Equality Act 2010). Our ‘general’ duty has 3 aims which require public bodies to have due regard to the need to: • Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation • Advance Equality of Opportunity • Foster good relations

Data protection

Lincoln College and all staff (or others) who process or use any personal information must ensure that they follow the principles of Data Protection at all times. In order to ensure that this happens, Lincoln College has developed its Data Protection Policy.


The aims of the policy include the following: • To explain how data is held and processed • To explain the responsibilities of staff under the Data Protection Act • To explain the principles of data security • To explain student obligations • To provide information relevant to the rights of access to information • To state how and what information will be published • To explain the process of data collection to ensure subject consent is obtained • To provide information on the processing of sensitive information • To provide details on the college’s data controllers for both staff and student issues • To state the position in respect of student assessment results • To provide information on the retention of data.

Lincoln College needs to keep certain information about its employees, students and other users to allow it to monitor performance, achievements, and health and safety, for example. It is also necessary to process information so that staff can be recruited and paid, courses organised and legal obligations to funding bodies and government complied with. To comply with the law, information must be collected and used fairly, stored safely and not disclosed to any other person unlawfully. To do this, Lincoln College must comply with the data protection principles which are set out in the EU General Data Protection Regulation, EU2016/679 that data must be: • be obtained and processed fairly and lawfully and shall not be processed unless certain

c/onditions are met • be obtained for a specified and lawful purpose and shall not be processed in any manner

incompatible with that purpose • be adequate, relevant and not excessive for those purposes • be accurate and kept up to date • not to be kept longer than is necessary for that purpose • be processed in accordance with the data subject’s rights • be kept safe from unauthorised access, accidental loss or destruction • not be transferred to a country outside the European Economic Area, unless that

country has equivalent levels of protection for personal data.

Health & safety issues

The Staff of the College has responsibilities for the health, safety and welfare of students, as people who may be affected by the conduct of the employer's undertakings, and who use the premises as a place of work.

Safety Induction Programmes are organised for all students and formed part of your general introduction to the College at the commencement of this course. General safety matters should be dealt with by Directors of School or by Course Tutors; specific safety matters should be dealt with by specialist lecturing staff, especially where the nature of a discipline or method of work exposes students to particular risks.

You will be taught safe practise in relation to equipment, materials and locations to which you are exposed for the duration of this module.


You are encouraged to develop safety conscious attitudes and to participate in the identification of hazards; you are required to obey safety instructions at all times, and to report identified hazards.

15. Student Participation and evaluation

We view all students as partners in the learning process and are therefore actively encourage their participation in being part of the management of the course and influence how it runs. To facilitate this, we will help them nominate group reps who represent the views and opinions of your group to the course team and college managers via course team meetings and other student voice opportunities.

Student representation Throughout the academic year you will have the opportunity to provide feedback on your course and your overall experience here at Lincoln College. We will also be actively looking to recruit students to the college HE Student Representative System who will meet with that staff team regularly to discuss academic developments and student issues; each year group will be requested to elect a representative that will be able to attend team meetings and cross-college rep meetings. The HE Student Vice President takes up seats on the College Board of Governors, Quality Standards Committee and Academic Affairs Committee in additions to their role within the Student Union and the Student Representative Committee. There are ten Student Union Officers within the Lincoln College Student Union. Each year group of each programme of study elects a representative for that group; the representatives sit on Course Committee meetings and the Student Representative Committee.

Student evaluation

At the end of each module each student is asked to complete a module feedback questionnaire in which they are able to discuss any areas of self-development needs or areas for improvement within the module structure. This is feedback through the various boards to make improvements where necessary to improve the content of the course.

All the Codes of Practice and Regulations are available on Moodle in the Course Documents Folder.

Registered student organisations

National Union of Students

Academic and professional organisations

EHTPA