THE BASICS

Postgraduate Student Handbook 2004/2005 www.apu.ac.uk
THE BASICS
THE BASICS
Admission with Credit
Communication
If you feel that you have achieved credit at an
appropriate level and in a subject relevant to your
studies at this University, it may be possible for
this to be incorporated into your APU programme
of study as academic credit. This process is
known as Admission with Credit (AWC) but is
often referred to as the Accreditation of Prior
Learning (APL). In order to ensure that all
students are treated fairly and consistently in this
process, there are quality assurance systems
common to all areas of the University.
It is really important that you know how to
contact Officers of the University with whom you
need to have dealings; just as important is our
ability to get in touch with you.
It is our policy wherever possible to deal with
claims for academic credit from prior learning at
the point of admission, before registering with the
University. As Admission with Credit often has a
direct impact on a student's programme, the
University’s regulations require that all claims for
Credit from Prior Learning be identified before
week 5 of a student's first semester of study
at APU. If you feel you may have a claim relating
to prior learning which has not yet been
addressed, you should raise this matter in the
first instance with your Field Leader and ensure
that the matter is addressed before that deadline.
Prior Learning most frequently originates from an
earlier certificated course of study; this is
referred to as Prior Certificated Learning (APL).
However, learning may also arise through the
experiences of life or work, and the formal
process to recognise this is the Accreditation of
Prior Experiential Learning (APEL). The
University Centre for Accreditation and
Negotiated Awards (UCANA) is responsible for
matters of academic credit based on both Prior
Certificated and Prior Experiential Learning.
UCANA has offices both in Cambridge and
Chelmsford, where students and staff may seek
advice on these issues. These offices are located
as follows:
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Room 612, Rackham Building, Cambridge
3rd Floor, Sawyers Building, Rivermead
Campus, Chelmsford.
Initial enquiries can be made to UCANA,
3rd Floor, Sawyers Building
Ext. 4669
Email: ucana@apu.ac.uk
How do you communicate with us?
Make sure that you know the following:
1. The name, room number, extension number
and e-mail address of:
a) your Personal Tutor.
b) your Field Leader (the Field Leader for your
Managing Field if you are a Combined
Honours student).
c) how they receive internal mail i.e. how best
to leave a message for them.
d) your Programme and Accreditation Tutor if
you are a Negotiated Programme Student.
2. The location and opening hours of the
Administrative Office for the Inter-Field Group
which deals with your award. It is likely that
most formal business such as obtaining and
handing-in forms will go through this office.
3. You should also know the name of the
Director of Studies of your Inter-Field Group.
4. The location and opening hours of relevant
Field Offices if these are distinct from the
Inter-Field Group Office.
How do we communicate with you?
1. e-vision
What is e-vision?
e-vision is a website developed at APU to provide
our students with a quick and easy way to
access their records. Using e-vision students will
be able to view personal details and update
addresses, view their marks, progress, results
and search for modules. Most students will be
able to access their timetables and re-register
online.
Who will be able to see e-vision?
e-vision will be enabled for ALL students at APU
and Partner Colleges.
Where can I access e-vision?
e-vision is available on the internet, so all you
need is an internet-enabled computer and a web
browser. Then type in the following address:
http://e-vision.apu.ac.uk
For more information visit the e-vision website
or email: e-visionsupport@apu.ac.uk
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2. E-mail
4. Pigeon holes
If you regularly use e-mail and it is a convenient
way of contacting you then you need to visit the evision website and pick up your APU e-mail
address. Once you have done this you are able to
forward it to your own e-mail account if you wish.
However APU can take no responsibility for the
secure onward delivery of any forwarded messages
and this may lead to the loss of information which
is important to you. Official messages, notices and
other communications will be sent to this address
as this is one of the main methods of
communication we have with our students.
These are not found on all campuses. If you have
been allocated one you will need to find out where
it is located.
5. Notice boards
All Universities have them and APU is no
exception. Find out where the relevant Field
Boards are, and the boards for your Inter-Field
Group. Check these notice boards at least twice a
week. They will display information which is
essential for you to progress through your
programme of study.
3. Addresses
We will need to have your current permanent
address (often this means your parents’ address)
on the main University database. We will also need
your semester-time address if it differs from the
above.
If either of these change, it is vital that you visit the
appropriate e-vision screen and update the
information yourself or alternatively complete a
change of address form and hand it in to your
administrative office.
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Postgraduate Student Handbook 2004/2005 www.apu.ac.uk
THE BASICS
Semester Dates 2004/2005*
Official Academic Year: Monday 20th September 2004 – Friday 8th July 2005
Semester One
Semester Two (03/04) Resit Examinations
Week beginning Tuesday 31st August 2004
Semester One Starts
Monday 6th September 2004
Semester One teaching starts
Monday 27th September 2004
Semester One teaching finishes
Friday 17th December 2004
Christmas Vacation
From Monday 20th December 2004
– Friday 7th January 2005
Semester resumes following Vacation
Monday 10th January 2005
Semester One examinations
Week beginning Monday 10th January 2005
& Monday 17th January 2005
Resit Examinations (03/04)
Fortnight beginning Monday 10th January 2005
Semester One finishes
Friday 28th January 2005
Semester Two
Semester Two Starts
Monday 31st January 2005
Semester Two teaching starts
Monday 7th February 2005
Easter Vacation
From Monday 21st March 2005
– Friday 8th April 2005
Semester resumes following Vacation
Monday 11th April 2005
Semester Two teaching finishes
Friday 20th May 2005
Semester Two examinations
Week beginning Tuesday 31st May 2005
& Monday 6th June 2005
Semester One (04/05) Resit Examinations
Fortnight beginning Tuesday 31st May 2005
Semester Two finishes
Friday 24th June 2005
Academic Year Finishes
Friday 8th July 2005
*Please Note – Semester dates may change in respect of Education students – please consult course handbooks for details.
Dates for your calender 2004/2005
Annual holidays dates on which the University will be closed
Christmas Day
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25th December 2004
Christmas Holiday in Lieu
27th December 2004
Boxing Day
26th December 2004
Boxing Day Holiday in Lieu
28th December 2004
New Year’s Day
1st January 2004
New Year's Day Holiday in Lieu
3rd January 2005
Good Friday
25th March 2005
Easter Monday
28th March 2005
Early May Bank Holiday
2nd May 2005
Spring Bank Holiday
30th May 2005
Summer Bank Holiday
29th August 2005
Postgraduate Student Handbook 2004/2005 www.apu.ac.uk
THE BASICS
Other Useful University
Publications/Sources of
Information
There are plenty of sources of information in any
institution. The trick is to know where they are.
1. This handbook describes how APU's taught
postgraduate programmes operate, who runs them
and the University's policies on key issues.
2. Assessment Regulations. This booklet will be
given to you at registration. It contains all the
important regulations which affect assessment and
is drawn from other bulkier university documents.
3. Rules, Regulations and Procedures for Students,
which you should receive at registration.
4. Individual Schools may produce Handbooks with
information specific to their areas. You may receive
these during Welcome Week or via the
Postgraduate Office.
5. All modules are fully described on Module
Definition Forms (MDFs). These are public
documents and can be consulted by you if you
wish to find out more about a module. Ask at the
appropriate Postgraduate Office.
Regional University
Partnership
The Regional University Partnership offers a wide
range of courses in many centres throughout East
Anglia. The Partnership brings colleges together to
provide courses validated by or franchised from the
University and thus to enable students to study
close to home, and at a pace which they choose,
and gain credits towards a nationally recognised
Higher Education Award. The Regional Student
Scheme, which started in 1992, provides such
opportunities for hundreds of full and part-time
students each year. Professor Chris Green OBE is
Director of the Regional Office, which manages the
Scheme in collaboration with Schools and
Departments on the University’s Central
Campuses.
If you are a Regional Student, or would like
further information please contact:
Chelmsford: Marion Garrett on Ext. 4871
Cambridge: Ruth Maitland on Ext. 2526
Registry
6. The University's Graduate School publishes a
series of booklets and Notes of Guidance related
to various aspects of Research Degrees. They are
available free of charge from Fiona Marshall in the
Graduate School on Ext. 4210. These include:
Registry is divided into two units – one based on
the Cambridge Campus in the Rackham Building
and one on the ground floor of East Building at the
Student Centre, Chelmsford Central Campus.
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What do we do?
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The Research Student Handbook
(Updated Annually)
Research Degrees Regulations
(Fourth Edition, September 2003)
Notes of Guidance on the Management of
Intellectual Property Rights (May 1999)
Research Studentships at Anglia Polytechnic
University (May 1997)
You can also view the Graduate School's web site
at: www.apu.ac.uk/research
Finally, don't forget that if the written word doesn't
help, there are people you can ask.
We deal with all matters involved with Registration,
Tuition fees, Student ID cards, Student Loans,
Grants, Council Tax and a lot more besides!
Registration/Financial Support
Your Local Education Authority will assess your
financial situation (and/or your family, if
appropriate) and then inform you how much you
will have to pay, if anything towards your fees. If
your assessment has been done you must bring
the LEA letter with you and pay your contribution.
When you have been through University
registration during Welcome Week you will be
given a registration form as a receipt which is
important and needs to be kept safe as it is proof
of your Registration. If you lose it you will be
charged for a reprint. You will also be provided
with a Student ID card which will last you for your
whole course and will cost £5 to replace, so DO
NOT LOSE IT!
As you know, Grants are no longer paid to new
students but you can get financial assistance in
the form of a Student Loan which is arranged
through your LEA.
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Council Tax
Once you have registered on a full-time course
you are entitled to Council Tax exemption. You will
need to request a certificate but please wait three
weeks before you do so. You only get one
certificate which lasts for your whole course, and
you will have to pay if we have to reprint it.
If you need official documentation for the Home
Office, banks etc. we can provide letters, but not
at a moments notice! We need at least 48 hours
warning so that we can provide exactly what you
need.
If you have any general queries on any of the
above areas, or any non-academic problem
please come in and see us. If we can’t help we
will tell you someone who can!
Student Identification Card
Your Student Identification Card (SID) is
organised by the Registry and has your
photograph and your student number on the front.
This card, which is the same size as a credit card,
and number are personal to you.
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Not only is it identification and proof that you are
registered for an award at APU, it is also required
for you to obtain access to the library, computer
services, to your examinations and if you want to
personally pick up your results. All your
University computer and manual records have to
have your SID number entered and if you want
any information that is held, you will have to
produce your card, which includes your
results/transcripts.
Please note that you will be refused
admission to an examination if you do not
have your SID card with you.
It is therefore very important that you look after this
card. If you do lose it, a duplicate must be obtained
from Registry, for which you will have to pay.