TABLE OF CONTENTS

• 1 IMPLEMENTATION OF ASSESSMENT
  
• 1.1 Assessment scales and their application
  
• 1.1.1 Foreign languages and second national language
  
• 1.1.2 Bachelor's thesis and maturity test
  
• 1.1.3 Recognised and compensated studies
  
• 1.2 Assessment event
  
• 1.3 Announcement of results and registration
  
• 1.4 Improvement of grades and rectification of assessment
  
• 2 PRINCIPLES OF RECOGNITION AND COMPENSATION
  
• 3 INSTRUCTIONS FOR BACHELOR'S THESIS AND MATURITY TEST
  
• 4 OTHER DIRECTIONS
  

1 IMPLEMENTATION OF ASSESSMENT

The curricula consist of courses, which can be either compulsory, optional or free-choice (A 352/03 § 9). The description of a course includes the name of the course, its code, objectives, contents, scope, language of instruction, study requirements and their assessment scale (Degree Regulations 16.6.2004). The student completes the course according to the requirements specified in the course description. Detailed assessment criteria are given to students at the beginning of each course.

Learning assessment measures attainment of the objectives determined for a course. The assessment aims at being unbiased, reliable and instructive. In addition it should also be encouraging, motivating, versatile and efficient.

The study attainments required for a course must be completed by the end of the second term after the ending of the course. An incomplete course will be studied and assessed according to the most current curriculum.

Decisions concerning the language which students who have been educated abroad or in a language other than Finnish or Swedish are required to use in their Bachelor's thesis and maturity test are made by the rector (Degree regulations 16.6.2004). Otherwise decisions concerning the students' right to use a language other than the language of instruction of the university of applied sciences in their studies are made by the school (see Act 351/03 § 15).

A student who has been guilty of cheating in the university of applied sciences or has in some other way violated the rules and regulations of the university of applied sciences can be punished depending on the seriousness of the misdemeanour either by giving him a warning or temporarily suspending him for one year at most. Before a decision is made the student must be granted an opportunity to be heard on the matter. The decision on a warning given to the student is made by the rector and on temporary suspension by the University of Applied Sciences Board. (L 351/03 § 28.)

A partly or fully completed course will be marked as failed if the student has been found guilty of cheating. The procedure used to inform the student that he has been found guilty of cheating is determined by the school.

The school may provide supplementary directions related to the implementation of assessment.

1.1 Assessment scales and their application

A course can be assessed in several parts whose weight is decided by the school. However, only one grade is given for each course.

Grading of each course can be either numeric on a scale of 0 - 5:

fail (0)
satisfactory (1 - 2)
good (3 - 4)
excellent (5)

or verbal on a scale pass - fail (0).

In the Diploma Supplement the grades are given as follows:

0 = Fail
1 = Sufficient
2 = Satisfactory
3 = Good
4 = Very good
5 = Excellent
P = Pass

1.1.1 Foreign languages and second national language

Compulsory foreign languages (see Decree 352/03 § 8) will be assessed on a numeric scale of 0 - 5. The language proficiency requirements in oral and written Swedish and the procedures used in language studies are approved by the rector.

The language proficiency in the second national language (Swedish) required of state officials is assessed on the basis of the decree (481/2003 § 16 and 17) as either good or satisfactory. The grade 'good' corresponds to grades 4 and 5 on the numeric scale and the grade 'satisfactory' to grades 1, 2 and 3. If the degree in state official Swedish consists of more than one course, and their joint grade requirements have not been specified or the weights of the courses has not been determined, the grade for the degree is the arithmetic average of the grades given for the courses. The average is rounded off to the nearest integer (e.g. 2.4 -> 2 and 2.5 -> 3).

1.1.2 Bachelor's thesis and maturity test

The Bachelor's thesis is assessed on a numeric scale of 0 - 5 and the maturity test on a verbal scale of pass - fail (0).

1.1.3 Recognised and compensated studies

If the grade for a recognised or compensated course/study module corresponds to the above numeric or verbal scales, it will be marked as the student's grade. For study modules grades given on a numeric scale of 0 - 5 can also be marked as one joint grade. In this case if needed the grade for the study module will be the average of the course grades, weighted according to the scope of the courses, rounded off to the nearest integer (e.g. 2.4 -> 2 and 2.5 -> 3).

If a course or study module has been assessed using another grading scale, the course will be marked as passed in the course register. However, a grade in state official Swedish completed in a university will be converted as follows: satisfactory (s) = satisfactory 2, good (g) = good 4. If a recognised study attainment in civil servant Swedish is supplemented in the Oulu University of Applied Sciences, the grade given is the arithmetic average of the grades for the recognised attainment and the supplementary attainment. In addition grades for ECTS credits earned abroad are converted to the numeric scale according to the conversion table used in the ECTS system.

1.2 Assessment event

The term assessment event refers to all supervised events which the student attends in order to complete the study requirements specified in the description of the course. All students who have enrolled as present and students who have been admitted to study at the open university are eligible to attend assessment events. Students must be prepared to prove their identity. The equipment and material to be used in the assessment event are determined by the school. Students attend assessment events primarily in the school which has organised the course in question.

The time and place of the assessment event and the enrolment procedure are determined by the school. If a student has enrolled for the assessment event and fails to turn up, he will be considered to have attended the event. The school is responsible for the organisation of the assessment event and the fair treatment of students.

1.3 Announcement of results and registration

The results of the assessment of a course or part of a course are announced within three weeks of the assessment event or the designated return date of the study assignment. Decisions on how earlier studies are recognised or compensated are made within three weeks of the submission of the application or of supplements to it. If the results of the assessment or the decisions on recognition and compensation cannot be announced for a valid reason by the designated time, this, together with the new announcement date, will be announced before the time limit expires. The procedure how the results of the assessment are announced is determined by the school, taking into consideration the Act on Openness of Government Activities (Act 621/99 § 24).

The school will announce how the student will be informed of the application of the assessment principles to his study attainment. The student must be given an opportunity to familiarise himself with the assessment of his study attainment, which has been recorded in writing or in some other form. They must be retained for six months after the announcement of the results (See Act 351/03 § 27 and Decree 352/03 § 19.)

The school which has organised the assessment records all data on study attainments in the student administration database Asio. The principles of recording study attainments for parts of courses are determined by the school. The data on study attainments include the student's name, the name, scope, grade and date of the course, and the name of the assessor. For studies taken abroad, the date when the course of study has been recognised will be marked as the completion date.

For recognised and compensated courses and study modules the name, scope, grade, place and time of the course/study module is recorded in the student's study register. Instructions on how studies completed elsewhere are recorded in the appendix to the Diploma Supplement (Transcript of Records) are provided by the school.

1.4 Improvement of grades and rectification of assessment

The student has the right to attempt to improve a failed grade twice and a passed grade once during the two following terms. The best grade will remain on the student's record. If the student is unable to improve a failed grade, the school will determine what kind of guidance will be given to the student.

A student who is not satisfied with the assessment of his study attainment or the recognition/compensation of studies completed elsewhere can request rectification either verbally or in writing from the teacher who has carried out the assessment or made the decision on recognition/compensation. The request for rectification must be made within 14 days of the date when the student has received the results of the assessment and has been informed of the application of the assessment principles to his case. A student who is not satisfied with the above decision can submit a written rectification request to the Degree Board of Examiners of the university of applied sciences within 14 days of receiving notification of the decision. (See Act 351/2003 § 27.) The activity of the Degree Board of Examiners is governed by the Degree Regulations of the university of applied sciences (Degree Regulations 16.6.2004, University of Applied Sciences Board 17.9.2003 § 75).

2 PRINCIPLES OF RECOGNITION AND COMPENSATION

The university of applied sciences must ensure that while taking a degree the student is able to get accreditation for equivalent studies completed in another Finnish or foreign institution of higher education or other educational establishment according to the principles determined in the Degree Regulations and compensate for studies or practical training included in the degree requirements with other equivalent studies, practical training or work experience. (Decree 352/03 § 14).

Recognition means that the studies recognised or the knowledge/skills gained have equivalent content, scope and requirement level to the course requirements. Compensation means that the studies completed, practical training, work experience or knowledge/skills gained are in accordance with the objective of the degree. Recognition or compensation can apply to a single study attainment, course or study module. Other principles are:

• Recognition or compensation of exchange students' studies are agreed upon in advance between the home and host institution.
• A Bachelor's thesis included in a previously completed degree cannot be recognised.
• Studies which are part of a secondary level degree are not recognised and they cannot be used to compensate for university of applied sciences studies.

According to the Degree Regulations (16.6.2004) decisions concerning the language proficiency required of students who have been educated abroad or in a language other than Finnish or Swedish and exemptions from the language proficiency requirements are made by the rector. Instructions on recognition of previous Swedish studies as part of the degree in state official Swedish are confirmed by the rector. Other detailed recognition and compensation procedures are determined by the school.

3 INSTRUCTIONS FOR BACHELOR'S THESIS AND MATURITY TEST

The purpose of the Bachelor's thesis is to develop and display the student's ability to apply his skills and knowledge in a practical expert task related to professional studies. For a Bachelor's degree the student must write a maturity test in the field of his Bachelor's thesis which displays his familiarity with the field and proficiency in Finnish or Swedish. (Decree 352/03 § 7 and 10.) Decisions concerning the language which students who have been educated abroad or in a language other than Finnish or Swedish are required to use in their thesis and maturity test are made by the rector. (Degree Regulations 16.6.2004).

From 1.8.2004 onwards Bachelor's theses are public as soon as they have been successfully completed. More detailed instructions for Bachelor's theses and maturity tests will be provided separately.

4 OTHER DIRECTIONS

These assessment regulations will come into effect on 1.1.2005.

P.O. Box 222, FI-90101 OULU, FINLAND+358 10 27 21030+358 10 27 21371