Institute of Continuing Education Student Handbook 2019–20 Award-bearing courses - Undergraduate 1 This information relates to undergraduate award-bearing courses for non-matriculated students (i. those who are not members of a Cambridge College) at the Institute of Continuing Education in the academic year 2019-20. If you require this handbook in an alternative format please email qa@ice. Updates to the Student Handbook 20 January 2019 – ICE Library information updated (section 3.3, page 10) 6 May 2020 –Extensions to assignment submission deadlines inserted (section 5.11, page 25) 1 1 Studying with the University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education .2 About ICE qualifications .3 Student commitment and attendance.5 Academic credit and university-level study .6 Table 1: Qualifications of the University of Cambridge offered through ICE .8 Feedback from students.
7 2 Before you start your studies.1 Additional support for students .2 Student Registration Exercise .4 ICE Shuttle service .5 Change of name or address .4 Access to other libraries .5 Cambridge University Press discounts .6 Using the ICE Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) .7 Use of the internet .9 Turnitin UK text-matching software .10 Suspected academic misconduct .11 Student research ethics .12 Field trips and laboratory sessions .2 Table 2 - Issues counselling provided by ICE will and will not deal with .4 Submission of assignments .5 Deadlines for submission of assignments .6 Marking and returning assignments .10 Late submission of assignments .11 Extensions to assignment submission deadlines .13 If you fail an assignment - resubmission .15 Delaying or stopping your studies .16 Confirmation of the award of a qualification.17 Certificates and transcripts .18 Replacement certificates and transcripts .19 Additional information regarding your academic performance. 32 6 ICE Policies and Procedures .3 ICE data retention policy .4 Table 4 – Retention of ICE data .6 Freedom of speech .7 The University’s Health and Safety policy .9 Fitness to Study .10 ICE Student complaints procedure About the complaints procedure .11 University of Cambridge procedure for handling cases of harassment and sexual misconduct .12 Academic appeals from students. 41 About the Examination Review procedure .13 The Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA) .14 University of Cambridge Rules of Behaviour and Discipline .15 University of Cambridge Student disciplinary procedure .2 Cancellation by ICE .3 Cancellation of course place .2 Course-related enquiries .4 Heads of Academic Centre Administration .5 Academic Centre Coordinators .6 Academic Centre Administrators .9 ICE Directors and Divisional Directors.10 Address for hard copy correspondence. 57 3 1 Studying with the University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education 1.1 The Institute of Continuing Education (referred to as ‘we’ or ‘ICE’ throughout the handbook) is part of the world-class University of Cambridge and offers Cambridge-quality, part-time adult education courses, many of which have open access.2 The wide range of courses and qualifications we offer includes University of Cambridge awards.
These awards are referred to within the University as ‘non-member awards’ as students are not required to matriculate (i. join the roll of the University) or become a member of a Cambridge College, as students studying for a University of Cambridge degree must.3 We also offer part-time, postgraduate degrees where students matriculate and are members of a Cambridge College but do not offer undergraduate (Bachelor’s) degrees. However, students who achieve academic credit with the Institute of Continuing Education may count it towards degree programmes at other Higher Education institutions via credit transfer, if they wish (see section 1.4 To ensure that our students (referred to as ‘you’ throughout this document) are aware of the regulations which govern their study, this handbook lays out the relevant policies for part-time study. Many of these policies link into overarching University of Cambridge policies but in some instances, local policies have been developed to accommodate the particular context in which ICE students study.2 About ICE qualifications 1.1 All qualifications offered by ICE are qualifications of the University of Cambridge, endorsed by the relevant Faculties or Departments and approved by the Education Committee of the University’s General Board.3 Student commitment and attendance 1.1 To study at undergraduate level, you will need to set aside sufficient time for the demands of the course.
You should ensure that you are able to prepare for your taught sessions so that you can participate in class and/or in the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). You will need to complete any required reading and go beyond the course materials to develop your knowledge further; for example, through further reading, or through visits to sites and museums. You are also required to undertake all course assignments. The time for fulfilling these requirements is included in the recommended study hours laid out in section 1.2 Full engagement with your course, including attendance at face-to-face sessions, is a factor in achieving successful outcomes.
Regular attendance is essential in enabling you to contribute to and benefit from the strength of your peer-learning community. As such, you are expected to attend all of the teaching sessions scheduled for your course. If you must miss a session due to unforeseen and significant circumstances, you should inform your tutor and the Academic Centre Coordinator in advance of the session. Regular non- attendance will result in a meeting with your Course Director to discuss your course progression.
If you should encounter any significant personal issues which affect your ability to attend, please contact your Academic Centre Coordinator in the first instance and consider the following policies: Mitigating Circumstances Procedure or Intermission.3 Deciding to study for any course is a significant commitment and success often depends on the support of family, friends and employers. If you are unsure about whether you will be able to set aside the time required, or are in a role where your workload fluctuates, we recommend that you discuss this with the appropriate Course Director and/or Academic Director who can advise you on the specific commitments for the course.1 ICE is committed to excellence in adult and part-time education and to facilitating an open and inclusive academic learning environment and, therefore, students are asked to adhere to the Institute’s Student Charter below. What you can expect of ICE: What ICE expects of its students: A learning environment and To become an engaged member of learning opportunities which enable ICE’s learning community and encourage active engagement To embrace the aims and Clear, accessible and timely information expectations of your chosen about your studies, including: programme of study and to take - Details of course-content and resources responsibility for your own learning - Course tuition fees and associated costs by actively participating in learning - The timetable for teaching sessions, VLE opportunities engagement and the submission of To make effective use of guidance assignments and feedback from formative and - How assignments are assessed against pre- summative assignments provided determined and published academic criteria during your programme of study - The circumstances which lead to the To support open discussion based on application of late penalties and how to the principles of evidence-based avoid such penalties academic debate and to engage in a - How to access support if you are way that is tolerant of others’ experiencing problems or a change in viewpoints and perspectives circumstances which impinge on your ability To treat other students and staff with to study courtesy and to behave in a way that does not disrupt teaching, studying, Clear consultation and engagement research or administration with students on any changes to To be familiar with the ICE’s course-content, structure or timings procedures and regulations as given Assistance to understand your in the Student Handbook and to seek responsibility to engage with the clarification from ICE staff if learning opportunities provided and necessary to shape your learning experience To observe the ICE’s social media Timely feedback to facilitate guidelines in all course-related online learning interactions, including conducting Opportunities for you to give course-related activity within the feedback to the Institute and to be ICE’s Virtual Learning Environment clear as to how ICE has acted on it, (VLE) to ensure all students have e. via the End of Course Student equal access Surveys and the Student Barometer To advise the programme team To be treated by ICE staff with (tutors and administrators) of any courtesy and professionalism issues which may interfere with your To study in an environment which ability to study or submit promotes diversity and where there assignments on time, so that is equality of opportunity among appropriate support may be students and staff.5 Academic credit and university-level study 1.1 Academic credit formally recognises and measures the designated learning outcomes that you have achieved at a specified level.2 A programme is designed and approved with clear aims and learning outcomes.
It may be taught in a number of components, as units or modules. The volume of learning for each component, and for the programme as a whole, can be assigned a credit on the basis that each credit typically represents 10 hours of learning; so, a 60-credit course will involve FHEQ 6 around 600 hours of successful study. It is, however, recognised that students study at different paces and use a variety of approaches, so this is a recommendation, rather than an absolute calculation. Examples of how study may be broken down are: pre-class preparation; classroom time (including lectures, seminars, discussions, debates, case studies, break-out groups etc.); engagement within the VLE; peer-to-peer interaction (informal and guided); field work and visits; preparations for assignments; assignment writing and feedback and so on.
When students are examined or assessed, they are asked to demonstrate that they have met the programme learning outcomes, and depending on how well they do, they will receive academic credit which counts towards their award.3 Each qualification carries a specified number of credit points and these are nationally recognised within the Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS). Under the CAT Scheme, each year of a full-time undergraduate degree programme equates to 120 credit points. Each year of a degree is generally studied at a particular level; the first year of a full- time degree programme in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is typically taught and assessed at FHEQ level 4, the second year at FHEQ level 5 and the third year at FHEQ level 6 (Framework for Higher Education Qualifications). For details of the differences between the academic requirements of each level, see Table 1, Qualifications of the University of Cambridge offered through ICE.4 If you do not complete a course, you cannot be awarded credit for part of it.5 Credit cannot be awarded twice for the same learning.
If you are concerned about the possibility of academic overlap in a course you are proposing to take and a course you have previously taken, you should contact the relevant Head of Academic Centre Administration in the first instance.6 The flexibility of the Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme makes it possible to transfer credit awarded by the University of Cambridge through ICE to the degree programmes of other higher education providers. The volume of credit that can be transferred from ICE to a course at another institution is at the discretion of that institution. The rules vary from one institution to another and you are advised to contact the receiving institution as soon as possible.7 To achieve a University of Cambridge qualification, you need to complete an approved course. You cannot therefore transfer credits from other higher education institutions to University of Cambridge awards.6 Table 1: Qualifications of the University of Cambridge offered through ICE 5 1.1 You acquire transferable skills while undertaking many activities, not just your studies, and these can be applied in many other situations.
We have identified a number of such skills which may be further developed during your studies.