Information for registered students

Student guide
2019–2020

The World Class: studied

anywhere, valued everywhere.

london.ac.uk
 Contents
Introduction 1
The University of London and
the member institutions 2
Part one: how you study 4
Online resources 5
Using libraries and bookshops 7
Studying at a recognised
teaching centre 10
Part two: your student journey 11
Funding your studies 12
Registration 13
Assessment 17
Graduation 21
After graduation 23
Part three: our commitment to you 24
Improving your student experience 25
Inclusive practice 27
Get involved! 28
Your Programme Specification and Regulations 29
Complaints procedure 30
Contacting us 31

Published by: University

of London
© University of London 2019

i Student guide 2019–2020

Introduction

This guide provides you with essential information

about studying with the University of London. It will
tell you where to find information at every stage of
your student journey, from registration through to
graduation and beyond.
For information that is specific to your course you
should refer to the detailed content on the virtual
learning environment (VLE).
We hope it will become a key document that you will
refer to again and again.

1 Student guide 2019–2020

The University of London and
the member institutions
We are the University of London, which is a federal Academically, the programmes are designed and
University and one of the oldest, largest and most developed by the following member institutions:
diverse universities in the United Kingdom. The XX Birkbeck, University of London
University of London consists of 18 independent
member institutions with outstanding global XX City, University of London
reputations and several prestigious central academic XX Goldsmiths, University of London
bodies. Some of the member institutions are XX King’s College London (KCL)
specialised (such as the London School of Hygiene
XX The London School of Economics and Political
& Tropical Medicine or the Royal Veterinary College),
Science (LSE)
while others are multi-faculty (such as University
College London or Queen Mary). XX London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
(LSHTM)
The University of London collaborates with member
institutions to bring distance and flexible learning to XX Queen Mary University of London
students worldwide. XX Royal Holloway, University of London
As a student, you are registered with the University XX Royal Veterinary College (RVC)
of London, which handles the practical elements XX School of Advanced Study (SAS), University of
of running the programmes, such as processing London
fees, administering registration, and organising your
XX SOAS, University of London
examinations.
XX University College London (UCL).

2 Student guide 2019–2020

We deliver the large majority of our programmes through a collaboration between us and 12 member
institutions of the University of London. However some of the flexible and distance learning programmes draw
solely on academic input from the University of London, and are delivered without academic lead by a member
institution.
Standards are maintained through proportionate and robust procedures, including external scrutiny and student
engagement when required.
All of the member institutions have long and fascinating histories, and many of them have changed their names
as they have merged with other institutions over the years. The timeline below gives you an idea of our
common heritage, from the foundation of the oldest College to the present day.

18th century 19th century 20th century 21st century

RVC founded as the University of London SOAS founded. By the In 2016, City University
first veterinary founded 1836. end of the century, all became a member
college in England. Birkbeck, UCL, King’s, 10 Colleges have institution of the
Royal Holloway, Queen formally become part University of London
Mary, LSE and LSHTM of the University of and changed its name
all come into being. London. to City, University of
London.

Governance
Our programmes are governed by a number of
committees and sub-committees which monitor,
develop and initiate improvements to the
programmes and to the working of the University.
They are ultimately accountable to the Board of the
University of London Worldwide. For more information
about our governance arrangements please see our
website.

3 Student guide 2019–2020

Part one: how you study

4 Student guide 2019–2020

Online resources

XX sufficient bandwidth to download documents of

at least 2 MB
XX screen resolution of 1024 × 768 or greater
XX a web browser (the latest version of Firefox,
Chrome or Internet Explorer with JavaScript and
Cookies enabled) is recommended
XX a word processor that reads Microsoft Word format
(.doc)
XX Adobe Acrobat Reader, or other PDF reader.
Some functionality may not be supported on all
mobile devices and some modules/courses may have
other requirements, such as Flash player or audio.
Please consult your study materials for details of what
you need.
Student Portal
The Student Portal is your most important resource,
and acts as a gateway to all other resources that will
support you with your studies. When you register
with us, you will be emailed a username and a
temporary password which will enable you to log-in,
Accessing our resources providing you with access to:
XX your student records
Apart from a few key functions, such as examinations
and graduation, the majority of your student XX the Student Information Desk (SID)
experience with us will be online. We have a range of XX your virtual learning environment (VLE)
online services to support you through your studies, XX the Online Library
deliver learning materials, and help you to get in touch
XX your student email account
with us and with your fellow students.
XX registration, assessment, results and other
To get the best out of your programme, you must
information.
have regular access to a computer with an internet
connection. We also recommend that you meet the As with all websites, the higher the bandwidth of your
following minimum requirements: internet connection, the smoother your experience of
the Portal will be.

5 Student guide 2019–2020

Support XX gives a sense of shared identity to all our students.
If you have technical difficulties logging in to the It is important that you check this email account
portal, please go to the ‘Portal: FAQs’ page (the link regularly because we will use it to tell you about new
is located on the portal log-in page) where solutions developments and other important matters.
to the most common problems can be found. If you Remember that we will use email to send you
can’t find the answer there, please contact the Student important information, so it is your responsibility to
Advice Centre for user support. The Student Advice leave sufficient space in your mailbox to receive emails
Centre will try to respond to your query within two and attachments from us and from your member
working days, however, this may take longer during institution.
busy periods and holidays.
Please do not send junk email to your fellow students.
VLE In particular, you must not under any circumstances:
XX post anything abusive, defamatory, obscene or
The VLE is a password-protected area which is otherwise illegal
accessed from the Portal and is specific to your
programme. This is where you will find your study XX copy or forward email or any other private
materials, important announcements from your messages without permission
member institution and opportunities to interact with XX include material which is confidential or the
other students or tutors. Your VLE login details are the copyright of which is owned by someone else,
same ones you use to access the Portal. You should unless you have first obtained permission
check the VLE regularly for updates and information. XX post material which contains viruses or other
Remember, you can also use the discussion areas on content which may disrupt the University’s systems
the VLE to connect with other students and feel part XX post any advertising or promotional material
of our student community.
XX behave in an impolite or offensive manner.
Student email account If you receive unsolicited email of any of these types,
the best thing to do is delete it straightaway.
When you register you will be given a University of
London email account, which you can access through New to computer technology?
the Portal. There are many benefits to this, but
primarily it: If computer technology is new to you, you may find
it helpful to complete the European or International
XX speeds up communication between you and the Computer Driving Licence or an equivalent course.
University This will help to ensure that you are a confident PC
XX provides a safe communications channel user. You can find out more at www.ecdl.org

6 Student guide 2019–2020

Using libraries and bookshops

Reading is an essential part of any degree study Why do I need to use the Online Library?
programme. In order to support you during the course XX To access good quality information resources that
of your studies, all registered students have free access are relevant to your programme, which are not
to the University of London’s excellent Online Library. freely available from the internet.
In addition, depending on your course of study,
textbooks and essential reading materials may be sent XX Learning to use the library effectively will equip you
to you as part of your study pack. with the information skills you need to quickly find
resources you need, and to succeed in your studies
Please consult your study guide to see which essential and in your career.
readings are provided (if any), and which ones you will
XX Having access to superior academic information
need to buy yourself.
resources can help you to obtain better grades.
Libraries XX It is also a place to go for support from professional
librarians.
The Online Library
How to use the Online Library
The Online Library provides access to over 100 million
There is an individual homepage (‘gateway’) for each
academic journal articles, newspapers and a growing
programme. You can access the study programme
collection of eBooks from Dawson Books. All library
gateway from the Online Library Study Programme page.
resources have been carefully selected because of their
high academic quality and as such they are more reliable The Online Library’s databases are password-
than those that are freely available on the internet. protected. To find out more about library passwords
please see here.
To access the Online Library from the Portal, select the
‘Study’ tab. You can also access it directly by visiting To help you to find your way around the Online
http://onlinelibrary.london.ac.uk Library, take the tour.
This should only take you 10 minutes and it will save
you a lot of time in the future.
Resources in the Online Library
Databases
The Online Library provides access to a wide variety of
databases, many of which contain full-text electronic
journals and eBooks. There are Quick Start Guides for
each of the databases to help you learn to use them
effectively; you can find these on each database
information page, or on the Quick Start Guides page.

7 Student guide 2019–2020

To view the databases that are specific to your Senate House Library
programme, go to your Online Library Study
Programme gateway. Your databases are listed on You are entitled to use the University Library, which is
the left side of your gateway. The databases are also based at Senate House in central London. For more
accessible from the databases page. information about using the Library, please read the
libraries list on our website.
Summon
Other libraries
Summon is the Online Library’s Google-like search
engine that provides fast, relevancy-ranked results Many of our students use local or university libraries
through a single search box. Search across the close to where they live. We provide details of libraries
databases for journal articles and newspapers using that offer facilities to our students on our website.
the Summon search box. This information is updated regularly and is correct at
Read the Quick Start Guides for further information. the time of publication. If you find a library that is not
included or if you discover problems with any of the
Support for using the Library libraries listed, please let us know.
You may be able to find the information you need
instantly at the Online Library Student Support
section, which contains useful guides and links to
frequently asked questions.
The Online Library Team are available between 09.00
and 17.00 (UK time) Monday to Friday. Contact them
with your enquiries by email or telephone:
[email protected]
+44 (0)20 7862 8478
You can also make enquiries by filling in a web form
and through our Ask a Librarian live web chat service.
See here for more details.
A specialist librarian will aim to respond to enquiries
submitted by email or web form within 72 hours.
Keep up to date with Library developments in the Hot
Topics section of our website.

8 Student guide 2019–2020

Depending on your programme of study, you may be
able to use your member institution’s library. Please
check your Programme handbook/VLE to see if this is
the case.
Bookshops
If you need to buy textbooks, the bookshops page
on our website gives details of our dedicated online
bookshop in partnership with Earthprint.
Through Earthprint, books are delivered by courier
anywhere in the world. They stock our recommended
titles on a wide range of topics, and you can also
request other books if you can’t find what you’re
looking for. You may find this service particularly
useful and cost-effective if you are based in a country
or region where postal delivery of books is slow or
unreliable.
On the same web page, you will also find a list of other
booksellers that our students have found useful in the
past. If you know of a bookshop that is not included in
our list, but which has provided you with good service,
we would be grateful if you could let us know. We can
then contact the bookshop to ask if we can include
them on our list next year.

9 Student guide 2019–2020

Studying at a recognised
teaching centre
Many of our students choose to attend classes at a Choosing a teaching centre
local teaching centre, and benefit from the support
they can offer. We have a long track record of working with teaching
centres across the world. If you decide to support your
The type of support teaching centres provide varies.
studies by attending a teaching centre, we suggest
Most of them provide regular classes or occasional
that you first check our guide to teaching centres
revision sessions. Others may provide online or
on our website. This guide gives plenty of advice on
correspondence support. They may also offer social
factors to consider when choosing a teaching centre.
and recreational facilities, libraries and other services
that could benefit you during your studies. Please note
that enrolment at a teaching centre is in addition to
registering as a student with the University of London.
We advise you to wait for confirmation from us that
you are eligible for the programme of your choice
before enrolling at a teaching institution and paying
their tuition fees.

10 Student guide 2019–2020

Part two: your student journey

11 Student guide 2019–2020

Funding your studies

Payment methods Your right to cancel

The website has all the details about how you can pay. If you change your mind, and you let us know within
All payments must be made in pound sterling (GBP) 14 days of your original payment, you may be eligible
and you will need to provide your full name and for a full refund of payments made. Details of which
student number with any payment that you submit. fees are refundable are outlined in the Refund and
Compensation Policy.
Student loans We will make the refund within 14 days of receiving
your request. Some fees are non-refundable, for
If you live in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern
instance, the application fee. Where this is the case, it is
Ireland and are registered on an undergraduate
clearly indicated on the fees schedules.
degree, Diploma of Higher Education or Certificate
of Higher Education you may qualify for a part-time You should also read the section on despatch of
tuition fee loan from the Student Loans Company. course materials p.15, as they must be returned to
Terms and conditions apply. See the website for more us before we will make any refund. There is more
details. information on the website.
If you are a UK or EU national and you have lived in After 14 days, any fees paid to the University will not
England for three years, you could be eligible to apply be refunded unless there are mitigating circumstances
for a postgraduate loan worth up to £10,000. The which we will consider on submission of the relevant
majority of our master’s programmes are eligible (true evidence.
at time of publication. Terms and conditions apply. See See the Terms and Conditions for full details.
the website for more details).
Financial assistance
We are unable to offer financial assistance to students.
However, there are other options which you might like
to consider. They are outlined on the website.
Non-payment of fees
If you fail to pay the appropriate programme fees, we
reserve the right to suspend or withhold education-
related services and facilities. This may result in the
suspension or termination of your registration with us.
Please refer to the Terms and Conditions for further
information.
12 Student guide 2019–2020
Registration

How to register with us

You can usually register for your chosen programme
online, via the Student Portal. Follow the links to
complete your registration. You will receive an instant
‘confirmation of registration’ message on completion,
which you can print off for your records and use to
provide proof of your registration with us. You will
also receive a follow-up email to confirm that your
registration has been completed.
If you require proof of registration, the Registry Office
will be happy to send you an official letter. (SOAS
students should refer to their Programme Regulations
because the procedures are different.)
Student Terms and Conditions
As a student you are a ‘consumer’ of education and are
entitled to protection within the law. In support of that
you will be asked to agree to the Terms and Conditions
(T&Cs) when you initially register with us for your first
year of study, and again for each subsequent year of
study. The T&Cs contain references to a number of
documents setting out our regulations and policies,
which you should read and understand in advance of
agreeing to the T&Cs.
Further information about key aspects of the
agreement and a downloadable pdf of the Terms and
Conditions is available on the web site.
Changing your personal details
If any of your personal details change (for example
if you are moving home or if you change your
email address or phone number) you will be able to
update them via the Student Portal, by clicking into
‘My Account’. This will ensure that you continue to

13 Student guide 2019–2020

receive important information and study materials
from us, without delay. If you change your name you
should contact us through the online enquiry system, In brief
including documentary evidence of your new name. XX We will send you an email alert when
Recognition of prior learning online registration opens for your
programme.
You may be able to apply for recognition of prior
learning. If so this will be stated in the programme XX You must complete your registration and
regulations. Where prior learning is recognised, the pay the fees before the deadline.
decision to award credit (known as recognition of prior XX You must indicate all the modules/
learning (RPL), or ‘credit transfer’ or ‘exemption’ at other courses that you intend to study, even
institutions) will be made by the University of London. if you are continuing to study the same
If your application for recognition of prior learning ones as in the previous year.
is successful you may not have to take a particular
module/course as part of your programme. XX You will only be able to enter for
You must make a formal application for RPL by
assessment in the modules/courses that
contacting the Admissions Office via the Student you select at registration.
Portal. Visit the website for further details on how to
apply.
Maintaining your registration When the registration period opens (normally in
September/October or December/January, depending
When you register as a student, you will receive on your programme) we will send you an alert
introductory study materials (materials are provided by email, reminding you to complete your annual
in hard copy and/or online, or a mixture, depending registration online. This is the quickest and most
on your programme) and login details for your VLE efficient way to register and will mean that you receive
where you can access materials and resources. In each your new study materials without delay. The annual
subsequent year of your studies, you will need to online registration allows you to:
confirm that you are still studying your programme
XX select modules/courses and request your study
and pay any required fees in order to continue as
materials
a student and receive further study materials from
us. We call this ‘continuing registration’. Students on XX pay fees where required
programmes with multiple study sessions should XX receive confirmation of your registration instantly
consult their VLE because the process is different.
XX track your progress through the system.

14 Student guide 2019–2020

It is very important that you register and pay any will receive the new guide by the start of the academic
required fees while the registration period is open. year.
If you do not, we will not know you are a current For course materials sent in hard copy, any texts
student, which means that you will not be sent or study guides that are not ready at the point of
any study materials or be permitted to enter for despatch will be listed as ‘to follow’ on your letter and
assessment. So make sure that you indicate all of the will be sent to you as soon as possible.
modules/courses that you intend to study, even if you
are continuing to study the same ones as before. When your materials are sent, you will receive an email
alert to let you know they are on the way. The majority
Extension and renewal of our study material packages can be tracked on the
of registration courier’s website or by using the delivery tracker in
the Student Portal. Select ‘SRN’ from the drop-down
All of the programmes we offer have a maximum menu in the ‘Track Shipment’ box and then enter your
registration period, which varies from programme to student number to see the status of your delivery, as
programme. It may be possible to renew or extend well as your past history of shipments.
your registration for a specified amount of time, for
When you register well in advance of the study session
example, for another year. For more information on
your study materials may not be immediately available.
the specific arrangements for your programme, please
Please also allow some time for us to process your fee,
check your Programme Regulations.
check your selections and despatch materials.
If you wish to apply for extension or renewal of
You should contact us for assistance if you have
registration please contact the Registry Office.
not received your study materials in time for
Changing your module/ commencement of study.
course choices Queries about your study materials

If you would like to change a module/course on your When you receive your study materials it is important
programme after you have completed registration, to check the contents carefully. If there are any
you should contact the Registry Office via the Student discrepancies, please report the matter to us as soon as
Portal. (SOAS students should refer to their Programme possible and within 14 days via the ‘Ask a question’ tab
regulations because the procedures are different.) on the Student Portal. We may not be able to put things
right if issues are reported a long time after the event.
Receiving your study materials
Your VLE will normally provide information and
Depending on your programme of study, your course resources that may be of use prior to the start of
materials will be provided online only or delivered to your study session. Some study materials may be
you in hard copy. For new modules/courses, or where provided online in your VLE as well as in hard copy,
there has been a major revision to a subject guide, you and some materials and resources may be online only,
depending on your programme.

15 Student guide 2019–2020

Transferring to another programme you need confirmation of your results as part of the
transfer process, we will provide you with the relevant
If you would like to transfer to another of our evidence.
programmes, you should first check the relevant
How to apply to universities in
course page to see if you satisfy the entrance
the United Kingdom
requirements for that programme. If you do, you can
apply to transfer your registration. Applications to United Kingdom universities must be
made via the Universities’ and Colleges’ Admissions
Requests to transfer must be made to the Registry
Service (UCAS). The UCAS contact details are:
Office via the Student Portal. When asking to transfer
you must give your full name, student number, the UCAS
programme on which you are currently registered and Rosehill
the programme to which you wish to transfer. New Barn Lane
Cheltenham
If your request is approved, in certain circumstances
Gloucestershire
you may be awarded credit based on what you have
GL52 3LZ
already studied, or your grades may be transferred.
United Kingdom
However, the decision to award credit remains at our
www.ucas.com
discretion.
Tel: + 44 (0)871 468 0468
If you have made an assessment entry on your current
For consideration of a place from October in a
programme, we will not consider a request to transfer
particular year, the UCAS applications deadline is
until the assessment results are confirmed.
usually mid-January. You should, however, check their
Transferring to another university website for confirmation of the deadline and note that
certain programmes may have alternative dates.
If you wish to transfer to another university in the
United Kingdom or elsewhere you should check with
the university concerned whether this is possible, as
each one has its own conditions and procedures.
We would advise you to start making enquiries at
least a year before you wish to transfer. If you live
overseas, the British Council is a good source of
information about universities in the United Kingdom
and how to apply to them, or you can contact the
Admissions Office at the university concerned. If

16 Student guide 2019–2020

Assessment

The following information will guide you through the

assessment process, from making an assessment entry
through to receiving your results.
You may contact us at any time with any queries
related to the assessment process by raising a query
using the ‘Ask a question’ link in the Student Portal.
Global MBA and Professional Accountancy students
should refer to their induction module for advice
relating to assessment entry because the rules and
process may differ from the guidance given here.
Coursework
If you are studying for a module/course assessed by
coursework only, or dissertation, you will still need to
make an assessment entry so that your subsequent
mark can be approved by the Board of Examiners and
released to you.
How to enter for examinations
In order to sit an examination you must make an
official assessment entry so we know you intend to
sit and can make the necessary arrangements. Most
students will make examination entries online via the
‘My account’ section of their Portal homepage. From
here you will be able to download your entry form,
confirm your entry and pay any examination entry
fee. Assessment entry may vary slightly depending on
your programme of study and where you choose to sit
the examination. You should contact us or your local
centre if you are not sure. Assessment entry deadlines
are published on the Student Portal.

17 Student guide 2019–2020

Changing your contact details you have entered, the dates and times on which you
will sit your examinations, and your candidate number.
You must inform us if your contact details change. If
you change your address or contact information after You should use the ‘ask a question’ link on your portal
you have submitted your assessment entry form, let us homepage to contact the Student Assessment Office
know as soon as possible by changing your details on if you have not received your Admission Notice 10 days
the Portal. You should also inform your examination prior to your first examination.
centre if your contact details change. If you do not wish to miss the opportunity to sit, it is
vital that you make sure that you are able to take your
Absence from examinations
examinations on the dates given.
You may withdraw from any examination you are
Your Admission Notice must be printed out and taken
entered for, although please note that any assessment
into every examination along with photographic
entry fees cannot usually be refunded for absence or
identification (driving licence, passport or national
withdrawal. You should let us know if you intend to
identity card). Your paper may not be marked if you
withdraw for any reason and you should tell us if you
do not present both the Admission Notice and a valid
were absent from any examination that you did not
form of identification. Do not write anything on your
withdraw from.
notice before you take it into your examination. It is an
You should also let your examination centre know if examination offence to bring unauthorised notes of
you withdraw or know that you will be absent. any kind into the examination room.
The examination timetable We send details on examination conduct and the rules
applying to examinations with your Admission Notice.
The examination session is generally held at the same This information is important and you should read it
time each year and you should keep this in mind when carefully.
making plans such as booking holidays. Examination
timetables are usually posted on our website three to Examination centres
six months before the examination session.
Students are able to sit examinations across the world
Admission Notice by using the examination centres, which are listed on
our the Student Portal.
If you have made an assessment entry, we will send
You should contact your local centre as soon as you
you an Admission Notice by email approximately
can. The centre will give you any extra information
three to four weeks before the examination session
you may need in relation to their local procedures and
begins. This notice allows you to be admitted into the
examination venues. It is important for you to check
examination room and provides important information
on the centre’s local entry deadline for entry as it may
including confirmation of the examinations for which
be before ours.

18 Student guide 2019–2020

The centre will charge you a fee to cover the costs why you cannot supply the documentation when you
of administering your examinations. This fee is contact us.
determined by the examination centre and should More information on mitigating circumstances can be
be paid directly to them. The local fee is charged in found on the Student Portal.
addition to the examination entry fee that you pay
to us. The local fee can vary significantly from place Receiving your examination results
to place so please check with your centre directly.
Students sitting in London will be charged a London Your results will be released online and you will be sent
centre fee for each examination. You can find out more an email informing you when they are available. Dates
about the London centre fee on our website or by for release of results are published on the Student
contacting us. Portal.
As mentioned before, it is important for you to let your We ask you to be patient and not to contact us before
centre know if you change your contact details. Your your release date. We will do all we can to get your
centre may need to let you know about last minute examination results to you as quickly as possible when
amendments to your examination arrangements. they are released.
We have approved centres in most countries. In larger Assessment offences
countries, we have several centres covering most areas.
All forms of assessment are subject to a strict set of
In most cases, students use the exam centre that is
rules and regulations. For timed written examinations,
closest to them. You should contact us if you are not
these rules ensure that all candidates have an equal
able to get in contact with your centre.
experience under examination conditions so that no
Mitigating circumstances student can gain an unfair advantage over another.
For coursework submissions, these rules ensure that
Mitigating circumstances are any serious circumstances a student cannot receive credit for using somebody
beyond your control which may have adversely else’s work without acknowledgement, or by re-using
affected your academic performance. You must let their own work for more than one assessment.
us know of any mitigating circumstances that you The regulations follow widely-held principles,
would like us to consider within three weeks of the many of which you will already be familiar with. For
last examination in the session concerned or before example, you cannot refer to revision notes during
your coursework submission deadline in the session an examination. However, this does not mean it is
concerned. You must submit to us a full medical safe to assume that you already know the rules. You
certificate or other supporting documentation. may not know, for instance, that it is an assessment
If you are having problems with obtaining your offence to have revision notes in your possession at
supporting documentation you should still contact any time during the examination, even if you do not
us within the three-week period. You should explain make use of them. In fact all aids, including electronic

19 Student guide 2019–2020

devices such as phones and some watches, are strictly
prohibited during the examination. Some items, such In brief
as calculators and statute books, may be permitted, XX You will not be able to make an
but you will be told in advance if this is the case.
assessment entry until you have
Breaking the rules, even accidentally, can result in a completed your annual registration and
penalty ranging from the equivalent of a zero mark paid all the related fees.
for the paper or assignment in question, through to
termination of registration in extreme cases. XX Timed written examination timetables will
be made available approximately three
It is important that you take the time to refer to the
to six months before the examination
overview of assessment rules on our website as well as:
session.
XX the detailed ‘Rules for taking written examinations’,
‘Plagiarism rules for coursework’ and the XX You will receive your Admission Notice by
‘Assessment Offences’ sections in the General email approximately three to four weeks
Regulations before your examinations.
XX the documents sent to you before you sit an XX You should check the Portal, VLE and
examination, including the Rules for Examinations website regularly for information and
and any lists of permitted materials updates.
XX any referencing guidance on your VLE, if your
programme has a coursework requirement
XX any other relevant information posted on your VLE.
All suspected assessment offence cases will be
considered under the Procedures for the Consideration
of Allegations of Assessment Offence (updated for
2019 –2020) and all results for the academic year will be
withheld until the investigation is complete.

20 Student guide 2019–2020

Graduation

Your final certificate content of the programme that has been successfully
completed. It also provides further information about
Completing your studies represents a tremendous the role of the member institution and method of
personal achievement that demonstrates hard work, study.
commitment and dedication. As proof of this, we The diploma supplement includes a transcript of
will send you an official certificate (sometimes called modules/courses taken and marks achieved as well as
a ‘diploma’), printed on parchment, confirming the the overall classification. You will find this particularly
level of award you have achieved. It will carry the useful for showing to future employers or other
University of London logo and signature of the Vice- educational establishments. Note that your transcript
Chancellor, and will indicate that you were registered shows all of your examination attempts.
with the University of London as well as the name of
the member institution for your programme. For most Because they are legal documents, you will only
students the certificate will be posted to you at your be sent one copy of your certificate and diploma
registered address, so you must keep your contact supplement. If you lose them and require a
details up to date. For students in some countries, the replacement, please send an email to us at
graduation documents are sent to the Examination [email protected] and state your name,
Centre. student number, qualification and year of graduation.
Note that a fee is charged for replacements.
Bachelor's and Master's degrees will also receive a
diploma supplement describing the nature, level and Due to the volume of awards that we process

21 Student guide 2019–2020

each year, you will normally receive your certificate The graduation ceremony
three to six months after the date of award for your
programme. The date of award for undergraduate Each year, usually in March, a ceremony is held in
programmes is usually 1 August and for postgraduate London at which graduates from undergraduate
programmes it is usually 1 November or 31 December and postgraduate programmes are presented to the
following your final examinations. Prior to this, you will Chancellor or Vice-Chancellor of the University of
be able to see what award you have gained on your London. Many of our graduates from all over the world
last ‘Notification of results’ on the Student Portal. attend this formal ceremony, together with family and
friends.
Other records of achievement
The ceremony ends with a reception for graduates and
Transcripts their guests, which provides an opportunity for you to
meet our staff and representatives from the member
A transcript is the full academic record of your studies.
institutions in a more informal atmosphere.
It shows the assessments and attempts you have
made, and the mark or grade you achieved. We will send you information about the graduation
ceremony with the notification of your results. We
While a single copy of the final transcript is provided
recommend that you apply to attend as early as
free as part of your diploma supplement (for Bachelor's
possible. Although spaces for graduates are unlimited,
and Master's awards) the Transcripts Office can supply
tickets for guests are allocated on a first-come, first-
you with transcripts at any time during or after your
served basis, and the demand is always high. If you are
studies to confirm your progress to date. You can have
unable to attend the ceremony that year, you would
as many copies as you like, but there is a fee for each
be most welcome to attend another year, provided
additional transcript you request. In order to request
space is available. For further information, please
a transcript you will need to download and fill out an
contact the Graduation Team, who are responsible for
application form from the website.
organising the ceremony.
Official letters confirming your award
The Transcripts Office can also provide official letters
which confirm your award. These are generally
acceptable as proof of your degree for employment
and visa purposes, and bear the signature of the Chief
Operating Officer and the official seal.
You should be aware that, at certain times of the
year, processing may take several weeks. You should
therefore contact us as early as possible if you need a
letter of certification or a transcript.

22 Student guide 2019–2020

After graduation

Alumni Network How our alumni can help you

The Alumni Network has a number of Alumni
Welcome to the world class
Ambassadors who can help you while you are
Whatever your location, you will be studying for a studying. They can offer advice on how to cope with
valued qualification from the University of London. your studies, based on their own experience.
On graduation you will automatically become an There are a number of Alumni Ambassadors from a
alumni of the University of London and a member variety of programmes all over the world – you are free
of its Alumni Network, with members in over 180 to contact any of them.
countries.
You can also hear first-hand from alumni and
Being part of our alumni network provides a wide academics on our YouTube channel.
range of benefits: taking part in our global events,
Find out more at: london.ac.uk/alumni
meeting other graduates in their academic or
professional field, sharing their experience with Email: [email protected]
potential students or just staying in contact with the Take your next steps by studying again
University. The Alumni Network is here to help our
student graduates build a lifelong relationship with the Graduates can apply to register for further University of
University of London and each other. London degrees, with a bursary of 10 per cent of fees.
The bursary will be awarded for a full Bachelor’s or
There are different ways to keep in touch and be part
Master’s degree.
of our supportive community.
In order to receive this bursary, you must have
Join us and engage with our Alumni Ambassadors,
completed a Bachelor’s or Master’s with us and be
International Chapter Network and find out about the
classified as one of our graduates.
latest alumni events via our online and social media
communities. No additional proof will be required, since we will
already have a record of you having successfully
Follow us on:
completed a degree with us.
XX Facebook – facebook.com/londonualumni
Find out more at: https://london.ac.uk/alumni/alumni-
XX LinkedIn – linked.in/alumniassociation bursary
XX Instagram – londoninternational.ac.uk/Instagram

23 Student guide 2019–2020

Part three: our commitment
to you

24 Student guide 2019–2020

Improving your student
experience
We are committed to delivering an exceptional Learning materials
student experience for all of our students, regardless
of which of our programmes you are studying and All new students will receive a multifunctional Study
whether you are studying independently or with a Planner. It includes a student calendar with planning
recognised teaching centre. advice and goal setting. This will be available in the
study packs sent to you.
Student Charter
Employability
We believe that clear expectations can help to improve
the quality of your study experience with us. The Careers advisors
Student Charter lists what you can expect us to do and We offer 1-2-1 careers support for several postgraduate
also what will be expected of you as a student. You programmes, plus interactive online support, webinars
can find it on our website. and resources to all students to improve your
Student Experience employment opportunities. This includes a library of
videos created specifically for University of London
We have a dedicated Student Experience team who students.
are undertaking various initiatives to enhance your Business placements
experience as a University of London student.
This ongoing initiative offers business placement
Resources opportunities for second year to third year students.
The placements are with high value organisations
Student induction which can provide career exploratory and career
An interactive online induction for students provides confirmatory work experience to enhance each
an introduction to the University of London. student’s graduate potential.
The induction helps you gain an understanding
Your wellbeing
of the resources available to you, how to locate
them, and how to fully utilise them. This content We are affiliated with Nightline, a student-led
isn’t programme-specific and covers study skills, organisation that offers confidential listening when
employability activities and support, careers webinars you need it most. You can contact a trained student
and self-reflective careers exercises, to focus your volunteer at Nightline for emotional and practical
career aspirations from the outset. You will also find support by phone, Skype, email or instant messaging.
study skills support in areas such as critical thinking,
academic writing and time management. Their opening hours are in the evenings from 18.00 to
08.00 UK time throughout term time. You can find the
dates and contact information on their website.

25 Student guide 2019–2020

Social media
We use our social media platforms to help our student
community form connections both with the University
itself and with each other. We post news, tips, quotes,
articles and other topics to engage our global student
body and create a sense of community. We actively
promote Student Blog articles so that you can identify
with your peers’ experiences and we encourage you
to become a contributor too.

26 Student guide 2019–2020

Inclusive practice

We welcome applications from anyone with access Special examination arrangements

requirements. Our mission is to ensure that any
student who meets the academic criteria is provided If you have access requirements or you think you
with support to cope with the demands of their need examination access arrangements you should
course. We recognise that everyone is an individual, contact the Inclusive Practice Manager to discuss
and we will work with you to identify barriers to your needs as early as possible, preferably at the point
studying and make reasonable adjustments to remove of application. This will allow us to make a decision
them. and to make the arrangements in good time for your
examinations.
Specific access requirements
The University has an Inclusive Practice Arrangements
We have an Inclusive Practice Policy to ensure all Panel that considers such requests. The aim of the
students have an equal opportunity to succeed in their panel is to ensure that you are not disadvantaged (or
studies. advantaged) when compared with other students.
We will make every effort to make reasonable Additionally, you should ensure that you complete
adjustments where possible to enable you to the relevant sections of your application so that we
complete your studies. You may have access are aware of your needs. You will also be able to
requirements, for example, if you: request access arrangements when you complete your
registration. Medical evidence or other supporting
XX have a disability or learning difficulty
evidence will be requested and any information you
XX are currently in prison provide about your circumstances will be treated
XX have legally-imposed travel restrictions. confidentially.
If you have disclosed a disability or informed us of an Information for HM Forces
access requirement, we will make every reasonable overseas and HM Ships
effort to enable you to sit your written examinations
If you are serving and you are unable to leave the
or complete other forms of assessment for your
base, we may be able to make arrangements to sit
programme. Examination access arrangements can
your exams at the base. You should contact us by
include:
using the ‘Ask a question’ link on your Student Portal
XX use of a word processor homepage. You can also tell us by completing the
XX additional breaks during an examination access requirements section of your application or
registration.
XX a separate room
XX other adjustments.

27 Student guide 2019–2020

Get involved!

Student voice Student Experience Survey

We encourage you to be an active member of the This is our main survey for measuring overall student
University of London student community. Engaging satisfaction. Carried out once every two years, it is sent
with our formal feedback channels through the to students with an experience of assessment.
YouEngage programme means that your views help The 2017–2018 edition of the survey attracted over
inform the decisions we make and improve the 9,000 responses and these were considered at all levels
experience of studying for yourself and other students. of the University. For information about how feedback
YouEngage gives you the opportunity to have your from this survey is being used, visit our website.
views about the student experience heard. This could
be through: Feedback from students in the past has contributed to
the following enhancements:
XX serving on the university’s committees and quality
panels as a student member enhanced levels of academic support including
XX
more tutor contact and video content
XX joining the Student Voice Group - for more
XX improved VLEs through a new annual review
information and meeting notes click here
process of each programme VLE
XX signing up for online student focus groups
XX more staff, a mobile-compatible website and new
XX completing the Student Experience Survey databases and ebooks for the Online Library.
XX responding to other invitations for feedback, which For more examples of how we have responded to
may be sent by email, through the Student Portal or your feedback, watch these four videos featuring
posted on the VLE members of the Student Voice Group, our Pro-Vice
XX writing for the Student Blog Chancellor (International) and staff members from
XX sending an idea to the University. across the University.
The next edition of the survey opens in November
2019. We’ll contact eligible students by email with an
invitation to participate.

‘Some people believe that if you ‘It is great that the University is
criticise something you probably asking for student feedback and
don’t like it. However, I’m sure taking it seriously. As a lecturer
the opposite is true. By providing myself on another course, I know
feedback both positive and negative that the student perspective
we can improve what we already can be very different from the
like. Thus, I believe that completing academic one – students have a
evaluation surveys can help to make valuable contribution to make to
our programme better for current and improving the student experience
future students.’ Denis Sosinskiy even further!’ Natasha Peters

28 Student guide 2019–2020

Your Programme Specification
and Regulations
Regulatory information about your programme The Programme Specification contains key information
is available on the website. Understanding the about your programme of study, and includes:
regulations will help you to manage your studies, and XX the structure and content of your programme
prepare for assessment.
XX learning outcomes
Programme Regulations are available at:
XX learning, teaching and assessment strategies.
https://london.ac.uk/current-students/programme-
It is available on the dedicated webpage for your
documents/regulations
course or on your VLE.
The Programme Regulations contain the rules that
The Programme Specification and Regulations are
govern your programme and your registration with us
updated annually. Any significant changes that have
and will tell you about:
been made are clearly indicated at the beginning of
XX assessment for the programme the documents, and explain whether the changes
XX what you must do to progress to the next level will be introduced for all students on the programme
or whether they will only be introduced for new
XX prerequisites for modules/courses
students. If there are lots of changes for new students
XX how your degree classification is calculated (the only, we will usually introduce a ‘Revised’ version of the
‘scheme of award’) programme regulations.
XX syllabuses and module/course outlines
XX assessment criteria.
You will also find the General Regulations at the In brief
above link. These apply to all students. They provide XX You should be familiar with your
information on: Programme Regulations and the General
XX rules for taking examinations Regulations.
XX plagiarism rules XX Any significant amendments to your
XX assessment offences Programme Specification or Regulations
XX prior learning and credit transfer are listed as changes at the beginning of
XX specific access requirements or disabilities
the document.
XX complaints and academic appeals. XX e sure to refer to the most recent edition
B
of the Programme Specification and
Regulations. It is the current versions that
apply and not those for any previous year.

29 Student guide 2019–2020

Complaints procedure

The University of London is committed to providing a

high quality student experience.
However, it is recognised that students will sometimes
become dissatisfied with a service we have provided
or failed to provide. We know that there may be
disagreement regarding progression decisions, the
outcome of a refund request or how the regulations
have been applied. There may also be occasions
where students have grounds to appeal a decision
made by the Board of Examiners.
The Procedure for Student Complaints and Academic
Appeals gives more detail on how the University
considers complaints and academic appeals, from early
consideration through to formal resolution and review,
and information on how to make a submission under
each of the three stages:
XX Stage One – Informal Resolution
We aim to resolve complaints quickly and locally by
encouraging early resolution within the department
that provides the service. This could mean an
apology, an explanation if something has gone
wrong, or immediate action to resolve a problem. made available earlier and/or because our policies
XX Stage Two – Formal Investigation and procedures were not followed in the handling
Stage Two deals with complaints that have not of your complaint.
been resolved at Stage One and those that are If you have a complaint, in most cases your first
complex and require detailed, independent contact with us should be through ‘Ask A Question’ on
investigation. Academic appeals are also considered the Student Portal.
at Stage Two.
If you believe you have a complaint, please take some
XX Stage Three – Review time to read the Frequently Asked Questions on the
Stage Three reviews complaints that have not been website.
resolved at Stage Two. Criteria for making a
submission at Stage Three include that the Complaints against Recognised Teaching Centres
outcome was not reasonable, there is additional cannot be considered under this Procedure. You must
evidence which could not have reasonably been follow your centre’s internal complaints procedure.

30 Student guide 2019–2020

Contacting us
Contact an advisor London, these ‘closure dates’ usually coincide with
United Kingdom public holidays. In particular, the
To contact us please use the ‘Ask a question’ link in the University will be closed from 21 December 2019 until
Student Portal: https://my.london.ac.uk 2 January 2020 and from 9 April 2020 to 14 April 2020.
If you are unable to access the Portal, please use the Do bear this in mind when you are contacting us, but
website: https://london.ac.uk/contact-us rest assured that any enquiries you log online will be
dealt with as soon as possible when we reopen.
If you would prefer to telephone, you can call our
Student Advice Centre on: +44 (0)20 7862 8360. Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

If you need to send us a letter or any other information You can use our FAQ database to see if we have
by post, please use the address below, including the already answered your question. It can be found on
department you wish to contact (e.g. the Assessment the ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ link in the Student
Office): Portal.
University of London This database is available all year round, 24 hours a day,
Stewart House and you will be able to find an answer to the most
32 Russell Square common queries straightaway. All of the information
London WC1B 5DN here is monitored to ensure that it is accurate and up-
United Kingdom to-date. You can also rate the answers to let us know
which have been the most helpful.
Academic queries
Join the social media community
If you have queries of an academic nature you can
contact your Programme Director, but please note that You can connect with your fellow students around
they cannot provide regular advice or tuition. Details the world by following us on social media. We will
of how to contact your Programme Director can be be sharing interesting content such as inspirational
found in your Programme handbook and/or VLE. If you quotes, #FridayFacts, celebrating international days and
are studying at a local teaching centre, or if we provide interacting with students.
a tutor for your programme, you should speak to the
teaching centre or tutor first.
University closure dates
At certain times of year the University closes LC
completely, so we will not be able to respond to
urgent enquiries at those times. As we are based in

31 Student guide 2019–2020

For further information on the range
of programmes we offer, please visit
our website or contact us at:
The Student Advice Centre
University of London
Senate House
Malet Street
London WC1E 7HU
United Kingdom
Telephone +44 (0)20 7862 8360
sid.london.ac.uk

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