Please note - Swinburne University of Technology

Examinations and assessment
Various methods are used to measure student performance
in subjects offered by the Engineering Faculty. These
methods include the use of formal examinations; tests held
during, or at the end of, each semester; project work;
assignments; and laboratory exercises. A statement setting
out the assessment and workload requirement for each
subject is issued to students early in each semester. Each
engineering school also maintains a record of the overall
work program for students in each year group of a full-time
course for student and staff information.
Students are automatically entered as candidates for all
subjects in which they enrol. Students should therefore carefully
check their statement of enrolment which is posted to
them approximately four weeks after the commencement of
each semester.
Students enrolled in subjects spread over both semesters, for
example most subjects in common first-year engineering
degree, should note that mid-year progress reports are displayed
on faculty and school notice-boards by the end of the
first week of second semester. These reports are not formally
published results but are an indication of student progress at
mid-year.
Where a subject is completed in first semester, the assessment
result is published as soon as possible after the end of
semester.
For degree courses, with the exception of final year, the
duration of each academic semester will be eighteen weeks
which includes, subject to approved variations:
(a) thirteen weeks of teaching and one assignment week;
and
(b) formal tests/examinations in the sixteenth, seventeenth
and eighteenth weeks.
The specific weeks devoted to these activities are given in
the Swinburne calendar in the front of this Handbook.
For each subject the total time for formal tests or
examinations per semester will be no longer than one
thirteenth of the formal contact time per semester.
(Students should also refer to the section entitled
'Procedures and Regulations' in the final chapter of this
Handbook.)
Faculty Passing Scheme
The revised regulations on passing by years (Faculty Passing
Scheme) are set out below. These regulations have applied
since 1 January, 1993.
1 General
The Faculty of Engineering operates a Faculty Passing
Scheme which applies to:
(a) full-time undergraduate students;
(b) part-time undergraduate students whose weekly
workload is nine or more contact hours.
A part-time student is one enrolled for subjects which
require a total class, tutorial andlor laboratory contact
time of less than 75% of the full-time course load.
A full-time stuent must normally be enrolled for a
complete year level of a degree program. Full-time
studies may not usually be composed of subjects from
various program levels unless the appropriate associate
dean has approved a special course of study.
Students who have a full-time workload but who are not
pursuing the course prescribed in the Handbook for the
particular year, must have this course approved by the
associate dean of the school concerned before becoming
eligible for consideration under the Faculty Passing
Scheme.
2 Special programs of study
Applicants with 'advanced standing' who are admitted
to full-time studies may be enrolled in special programs
of study as interim measures until they can be enrolled
in the normal groups of subjects. The rules of faculty
passing will apply. Such special programs require
approval by the associate dean of the awarding school.
3 Revised Faculty Passing Scheme
This revised scheme has operated since 1 October, 1990
and applies for all years of undergraduate courses
offered by the Faculty of Engineering, including full-time
common fiat-year engineering or technology.
3.1 Students will enrol only for their individual subjects.
They will not enrol in a Faculty Result code.
3.2 For students to proceed from one full-time year to
another, they must achieve a passing grade (as
defined) in all subjects.
3.3 If, at the end of supplementary assessment, students
do not achieve a passing grade (as defined) in a
particular subject then that subject must be
repeated.
3.4 A full-time student who does not pass hislher fulltime
year's work may be permitted by Faculty Board
to repeat the year's work as a full-time student,
otherwise repeat studies have to be completed on a
part-time basis. (See also Exclusion section.)
3.5 The various grades have been grouped for ease of
understanding.
Passing grades are as follows:
3.5.1 First group
HD High Distinction
D Distinction
C Credit
P Pass
P* Pass (Marginal)
3.5.2 Second group
FP Faculty Pass granted in that subject
SP Passed at Supplementary Assessment
Grades of fail are as follows:
3.5.3 First group
N* Fail (but serious attempt)
N Fail (Outright)
3.5.4 Second group
SN Fail at Supplementary Assessment
3.5.5 Third group
NWD Fail due to late withdrawal
NA Fail no attempt
3.6 Students will, prior to publication of results, be
awarded preliminary grades from amongst the first
group (passing or failing) results or the third group
failing results, if applicable.
3.7 Subjects in which a first group passing grade or a
third group failing grade preliminary result, or a
deferred result, has been achieved will be published
officially without further alteration (but without the
asterisk, in the case of P* and N* results).
3.8 The Engineering Counes Committee will consider
special cases recommended by the appropriate
School, or Sub Dean, First-Year Studies.