Open Universities Australia

at MQ

2013

Handbook

2

Open Universities Australia at Macquarie University

The Centre for Open Education (COE), Macquarie University, welcomes you to the Open

Universities Australia (OUA) program. We hope that you find your studies fulfilling and

successful.

OUA is owned by a consortium of Australian universities of which Macquarie University is a

member. Macquarie University offers Non-award, undergraduate and postgraduate

programs through OUA‟s online course delivery. Studying through OUA is an excellent

avenue for balancing study with other commitments from the comfort of your own home.

This handbook, in conjunction with the information provided on the OUA website, aims to

provide answers to most of your queries. The friendly staff members at COE are always

available to assist you with course enquiries and administration.

Best wishes for your future studies.

Andrew R Burrell

Director, Centre for Open Education

Macquarie University

3

TABLE OF CONTENTS

2013 STUDY PERIODS AND SESSIONS ..............................................................................................................4

CENTRE FOR OPEN EDUCATION ..........................................................................................................................6

UNIT ENROLMENT ........................................................................................................................................................7 ENROLLING IN UNDERGRADUATE UNITS .............................................................................................................................. 7 ENROLLING IN POSTGRADUATE UNITS ................................................................................................................................. 7 RECEIVING STUDY MATERIALS FOR YOUR UNIT .............................................................................................................. 7 WITHDRAWING FROM UNITS OF STUDY ................................................................................................................................ 8

UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM INFORMATION ...............................................................................................9 REGISTERING FOR A BACHELOR OF ARTS BY OPEN UNIVERSITIES AUSTRALIA .................................................. 9 DEGREE REQUIREMENTS ........................................................................................................................................................... 9 APPLYING FOR ACADEMIC CREDIT (UNDERGRADUATE) ............................................................................................. 10 TRANSFERRING FROM OUA TO A HECS ON-CAMPUS OR DISTANCE EDUCATION PLACE AT

MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY ........................................................................................................................................................ 11

POSTGRADUATE PROGRAM INFORMATION ............................................................................................... 13 ELIGIBILITY AND APPLICATION PROCESS FOR SOCIOLOGY, ANCIENT HISTORY, EDUCATION AND

APPLIED LINGUISTICS ............................................................................................................................................................... 13 ELIGIBILITY AND APPLICATION PROCESS FOR PICT AND ISS .................................................................................. 13 ARTICULATING TO A HIGHER COURSE IN PICT AND ISS ............................................................................................. 13 ANCIENT HISTORY ..................................................................................................................................................................... 14 SOCIOLOGY .................................................................................................................................................................................. 14 APPLIED LINGUISTICS ............................................................................................................................................................... 14 EDUCATION ................................................................................................................................................................................... 14 POLICING INTELLIGENCE AND COUNTER TERRORISM/INTERNATIONAL SECURITY STUDIES........................ 14 ACADEMIC CREDIT ..................................................................................................................................................................... 14

COMPLETION AND GRADUATION ..................................................................................................................... 16

STUDYING ONLINE .................................................................................................................................................... 17 TEACHING MATERIALS .............................................................................................................................................................. 17 ACCESSING THE ONLINE LEARNING FACILITY ................................................................................................................ 17 FIRST TIME LOGIN ...................................................................................................................................................................... 18 CHANGING YOUR PASSWORD ................................................................................................................................................ 18 MACQUARIE STUDENT PORTAL AND STUDENT EMAIL .................................................................................................. 18 IT POLICIES .................................................................................................................................................................................. 19 ACCESSING CD RESOURCES ................................................................................................................................................ 19 ONLINE TUTORIALS AND NETIQUETTE ................................................................................................................................ 20 STUDY ROUTINES ....................................................................................................................................................................... 21 LIBRARY ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 21 LEARNING SKILLS ....................................................................................................................................................................... 22 TECHNICAL SUPPORT ............................................................................................................................................................... 22 STUDENTS WITH SPECIFIC ACCESS NEEDS ...................................................................................................................... 22

ASSESSMENT .............................................................................................................................................................. 24 SUBMISSION OF ASSIGNMENTS ............................................................................................................................................ 24 ASSIGNMENT RECEIPT DISCLAIMER (COE ONLINE SUBMISSION FORM) ............................................................ 24 PLAGIARISM .................................................................................................................................................................................. 25 ASSIGNMENT EXTENSIONS ..................................................................................................................................................... 25 EXAMINATIONS ............................................................................................................................................................................ 25 EFFECTIVE EXAMINATION PREPARATION .......................................................................................................................... 26 RESULTS ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 26 REVIEW OF MARKS, GRADE REVIEW AND APPEALS AGAINST GRADE REVIEW DECISIONS ......................... 27

4

2013 STUDY PERIODS AND SESSIONS

STUDY PERIODS

(Undergraduate)

Deadline for Enrolment 10 Feb 12 May 11 Aug 10 Nov

Start of Study Period 25 Feb 27 May 26 Aug 25 Nov

Final Date for Withdrawal

without Academic Penalty 7 Apr 7 Jul 6 Oct 5 Jan 2014

End of Study Period 26 May 25 Aug 24 Nov 23 Feb 2014

Publication of Results on

eStudent 8 Jul 8 Oct

6 Jan

2014 7 Apr 2014

SESSIONS

(Postgraduate)

Deadline for Applications 25 Jan 22 Jun 18 Oct

Start of Session 25 Feb 22 Jul 18 Nov

Final Date for Withdrawal

without Academic Penalty 7 Apr 1 Sep 29 Dec

End of Session 2 Jun 27 Oct 23 Feb 2014

Publication of Results on

eStudent 15 Jul 9 Dec 7 Apr 2014

Course materials are contained within the website of each online unit.

5

* Schedule of units:

Undergraduate units are offered in a minimum of two study periods per year and

postgraduate units are offered in a minimum of one session per year. To plan your unit

selection in 2013, please see the OUA website at https://www.open.edu.au/courses/maq

* NSW Public Holidays

New Year‟s Day Tuesday 1 January Wednesday 1 January

Australia Day Monday 28 January Monday 27 January

Good Friday Friday 29 March Friday 18 April

Easter Saturday Saturday 30 March Saturday 19 April

Easter Sunday Sunday 31 March Sunday 20 April

Easter Monday Monday 1 April Monday 21 April

Anzac Day Thursday 25 April Friday 25 April

Queen‟s Birthday Monday 10 June Monday 9 April

Labour Day Monday 7 October Monday 6 October

Christmas Day Wednesday 25

December

Thursday 25

December

Boxing Day Thursday

26 December

Friday 26 December

Please note that staff at Macquarie University will not be available on these days.

Please note:

Each year, the University closes from 25 December to 1 January inclusive. During this week

there will not be any administrative or technical support available to students.

6

CENTRE FOR OPEN EDUCATION

The OUA program at Macquarie University is coordinated by the Centre for Open

Education. One of the principal roles of the Centre is to provide the primary point of contact

between distance students, OUA students and the University.

For undergraduate studies inquiries, please call + 61 2 9850 6830 or log on to

http://ask.mq.edu.au

For postgraduate studies inquiries, please call + 61 2 9850 9272 or log on to

http://ask.mq.edu.au

Queries about academic matters, such as referencing and assessment requirements,

should be addressed to the tutor of the unit. To contact your tutor, use the method

explained in the Unit Guide in the unit website.

If you wish to request an extension for an assessment, please email

ouainfo@mq.edu.au (using your Macquarie University student email account

http://students.mq.edu.au) with details of your name, Macquarie University student

number, the unit code, the reason for your extension request and any supporting

evidence.

Please note that results for your assessment tasks are generally given to you by your tutor

three weeks after the assessment due date. Final results for the unit are published on e-

Student (via http://students.mq.edu.au) seven weeks after the end of the Study Period or

Session.

For fee information (including details of FEE HELP and HECS) and information about how

to enrol in units, please telephone Open Universities Australia on 1300 36 36 52 or +61 3

8628 2555.

Please note: Units of study are taught online so access to the Internet is essential and

broadband access is recommended.

Students currently enrolled in a degree on campus at Macquarie University are not

permitted to undertake Macquarie Units through OUA without approval from the Associate

Dean of Learning and Teaching in the relevant faculty.

7

UNIT ENROLMENT

Enrolling in Undergraduate Units

Enrolment is done via OUA at http://www.open.edu.au. You can either enrol in the 24 core

and elective units that meet the requirements of the major your wish to undertake in the

Macquarie University Bachelor of Arts, or you can enrol in individual units that interest you.

The deadline for enrolment is usually two weeks before the start of the study period.

However, “prerequisites” apply: you generally need to have studied a subject at 100 level

before taking a 200 level unit. Units at 300 level are normally taken after 100 and 200 level

units in that field of study. Please note we recommend studying only one or two units per

study period, especially if you have work, travel or family commitments.

If you have completed the equivalent of a mandatory prerequisite at another university, you

can apply for a waiver of the Macquarie prerequisite to ouainfo@mq.edu.au at least a week

before the close of enrolment. Please provide your name, date of birth, the unit code, details

of the relevant study you have already completed and a copy of your academic transcript.

Enrolling in Postgraduate Units

You cannot enrol in individual Macquarie University postgraduate units in Ancient History,

PICT, Sociology, Education or Applied Linguistics without first applying for entry to a

postgraduate qualification and receiving confirmation of your acceptance. The deadline for

applications is usually one month before the start of the session.

To apply to do Macquarie University postgraduate study via OUA, please complete the

Application for Postgraduate Studies at http://www.mq.edu.au/oua and return it to COE by

post.

Receiving Study Materials for Your Unit

If you have given us your correct and current address, a Welcome Pack will be posted to

you in the preceding study period/session after you enrol. This contains a Welcome Letter,

details on how to access the online unit, and a CD-ROM containing this Student Information

Handbook and, where applicable, audio files of lectures.

Please inform both OUA and COE (via ouainfo@mq.edu.au) of any change of email or

postal address.

8

Withdrawing from Units of Study

You can withdraw from units via the “My Study Centre” page („My courses and

units‟/‟Withdraw‟) at http://www.open.edu.au. You should withdraw by:

Monday of Week 4 of the study period/session (“financial census”) to obtain some

refund of your unit fees; or

Sunday of Week 6 of the study period/session (“academic census”). After this date,

withdrawal results in a Fail grade on your academic transcript.

If you believe you have special circumstances that forced you to withdraw after the census

date, you can submit an application for special consideration:

If you paid your fees with FeeHelp or an up-front payment, the application is made

via the OUA website. Search for “special circumstances” at

http://www.open.mq.edu.au

If you are studying on a Commonwealth-Supported (HECS) place, please

contact COE directly at ouainfo@mq.edu.au for advice about the special

circumstances process.

9

UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM INFORMATION

Registering for a Bachelor of Arts by Open Universities Australia

You begin as a non-award student by enrolling in individual units of study. After successfully

completing four or more Macquarie University OUA Units, you can apply for the course

Macquarie University Bachelor of Arts via OUA.

You apply for a Commonwealth-Supported (HECS) place by completing the online form on

the OUA website at:

https://www.open.edu.au/courses/arts/macquarie-university-bachelor-of-arts--maq-art-deg-

2012#application-process

There is no fee to register for the BA with a Commonwealth-Supported Place.

If you are not eligible for a HECS place on the basis of your citizenship status (e.g.

international students), you can apply directly by submitting a completed BA Registration

Form to the OUA Program Manager at the Centre for Open Education at Macquarie

University. A non-refundable fee of $360 is charged to register for the degree via this

method. Payment can be made by bank cheque, money order or credit card.

The form can be downloaded at

http://www.mq.edu.au/courses/open_universities_australia/download_forms/

Please note that the degree structure may change from time to time and you must follow the

degree structure in place at the time of your BA registration. The BA must be completed

within 10 years of first enrolling in an OUA unit. In no case shall the award of Bachelor of

Arts be conferred more than once on the same candidate.

Degree requirements

To graduate with a Bachelor of Arts, you must complete 24 units of study (or equivalent)

from one of the following 7 majors:

Ancient History

Cultural Studies

English

Modern History

Philosophy

Politics

Sociology

Please note:

Students must complete 24 units of study

o A major to consist of 8 units of study in the specified area, including at least 3

units at level 3, plus the capstone unit

o A minor to consist of 4 units of study in the specified area, including at least 2

10

units at level 3

Level 1 Units

o A maximum of 10 units of study may be undertaken at level 1

Level 2 and 3 Units

o A minimum of 6 units may be undertaken at level 3, including the approved

coherency and capstone

o At least 14 units across levels 2 and 3

People and Planet Units

o Students must include one People unit and one Planet unit, one of which must

be from an area of study that is not the chosen major, and the other from

outside the Faculty of Arts.

o A list of People and Planet Units (along with other information about the

degree) is on the OUA website at www.open.edu.au

Only one SSK unit may be included in the degree

A second major may be undertaken, if desired

For full details of the degree structure for the seven majors, please see the OUA website at:

http://www.open.edu.au.

Applying for Academic Credit (Undergraduate)

Students registering for the Macquarie BA may be granted credit for previous non-OUA

studies, subject to the following rules:

Only previous diploma or degree studies undertaken in Australia at an Australian

university in the last 10 years will be recognised for credit.

Exclusions

o Tertiary preparation courses are not granted credit.

o Credit cannot be used twice: if it has already been recognised for another

course or qualification, it cannot be used again for the BA.

o A completed or incomplete graduate or postgraduate certificate will not be

recognised for credit.

o Specified credit (that is, specific unit exemptions) is not granted in the BA;

credit, if granted, may be used to replace elective units only.

Credit Limits

o Credit is granted at Level 1 and Level 2 only.

o A maximum of 6 units may be credited.

o A maximum of 2 units of generalised, or unspecified credit (at level 1) may be

granted for a completed Postgraduate Diploma.

o A maximum of 6 units of generalised, or unspecified credit may be granted for

partially completed undergraduate degrees. (3 x Level 1; 3 x Level 2)

o A maximum of 4 units of generalised, or unspecified credit may be granted for

completed undergraduate university degrees at either Bachelor, Masters or

Doctorate level. (2 x Level 1; 2 x Level 2)

11

Studies at an

Australian

university

Notes Level 1

Unit Credits

Level 2

Unit Credits

Level 3

Unit Credits

Completed

degree

Bachelor, Masters or

Doctorate 2 2 0

Incomplete

Bachelor degree 3 3 0

Completed

diploma

Undergraduate or

postgraduate 2 0 0

Incomplete or

completed

certificate

Graduate or

postgraduate 0 0 0

You will need to submit an application for credit form to the OUA Program Manager at

Macquarie University. There is no charge for applications for students in a Commonwealth-

Supported Place. However, for other students there is a non-refundable application fee of

$120 payable to Macquarie University. Payment can be made by Bank Cheque, Money

Order or Credit Card. Forms can be downloaded from:

http://www.mq.edu.au/courses/open_universities_australia/download_forms

Transferring from OUA to a HECS on-campus or distance education place at

Macquarie University

After having successfully completed four Macquarie University OUA units, Australian

citizens and permanent residents can apply via the NSW Universities Admission Centre

(UAC) for an award place in an on-campus Bachelor of Arts degree.

It is not possible to transfer from OUA study to other on-campus degrees at Macquarie

University such as Commerce or Psychology.

Alternatively, an OUA student can apply to do a [HECS based] Bachelor of Science by

Distance or a Bachelor of Arts by Distance at Macquarie University. Any completed OUA

units can be then credited to these degrees. Applications are made directly to Macquarie

University. For details, go to http://www.mq.edu.au/distance

If you transfer to an on-campus or distance degree, you may be granted credit for your

previous OUA (particularly Macquarie University units) and non-OUA study. Details of how

to apply for on-campus academic credit are at:

http://www.studentadmin.mq.edu.au/undergrad/credit.html

Please note that, subject to eligibility criteria, HECS places for Macquarie University online

units are now available to students who have registered for the BA through OUA.

12

International students wishing to transfer to an on-campus place must apply to the

International Office at Macquarie University. See http://www.international.mq.edu.au for

contact details.

13

POSTGRADUATE PROGRAM INFORMATION

Eligibility and Application Process for Sociology, Ancient History, Education and

Applied Linguistics

Applicants for postgraduate study must hold a Bachelor‟s degree from a recognised tertiary

institution. Postgraduate courses are restricted. Students are required to apply and be

approved by Macquarie University before they can enrol in units through OUA.

International students need IELTS of 6.5.

Students will need to submit an Application for Postgraduate Studies form by mail, a

month before the start of the Session. Please include originals or certified copies and

evidence of your previous degrees and academic transcripts.

The application form is at:

http://www.mq.edu.au/courses/open_universities_australia/download_forms/

Eligibility and Application Process for PICT and ISS

Postgraduate courses are restricted. Students are required to apply and be approved by

Macquarie University before they can enrol in units through OUA.

The Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism and International Security Studies courses

have two entrance pathways:

1. Academic

Applicants require an undergraduate degree from a recognised university

OR

2. Business and work experience

Applicants who do not have an academic qualification but have at least 5 years

relevant work experience (experience in a defence, intelligence or law enforcement

role requiring research and report writing skills) may gain entry to the course by first

completing the Postgraduate Certificate, then progressing to the Postgraduate

Diploma and articulating up to the Masters course.

International students need IELTS of 6.5.

Students will need to submit an Application for Postgraduate Studies form by mail, a month

before the start of the Session. Please include originals or certified copies and evidence of

your previous degrees and academic transcripts.

The application form is at:

http://www.mq.edu.au/courses/open_universities_australia/download_forms/

Articulating to a higher course in PICT and ISS

Students enrolled in the Postgraduate Certificate must submit a fresh application at

completion if they wish to articulate to the Postgraduate Diploma.

14

Similarly, students enrolled in the Postgraduate Diploma need to submit a fresh application

at completion to articulate to the Masters course.

The application form is at:

http://www.mq.edu.au/courses/open_universities_australia/download_forms/

Ancient History

Postgraduate Certificate in Ancient History (3 units)

Sociology

Postgraduate Diploma in Policy and Applied Social Research (6 units)

Postgraduate Certificate in Policy and Applied Social Research (4 units)

Applied Linguistics

Post Graduate Diploma of Applied Linguistics with a specialisation in TESOL (6 units)

Master of Applied Linguistics with a specialisation in TESOL (8 units)

Education

Postgraduate Certificate of Education Studies (ICT in Education) (3 units)

Postgraduate Certificate of Educational Leadership (School Education) (3 units)

Policing Intelligence and Counter Terrorism/International Security Studies

Master of International Security Studies / Master of Policing, Intelligence and Counter

Terrorism (12 units)

Master of Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism (8 units)

Postgraduate Diploma in Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism (6 units)

Postgraduate Certificate in Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism (3 units)

Master of International Security Studies (8 units)

Postgraduate Diploma in International Security Studies (6 units)

Postgraduate Certificate in International Security Studies (3 units)

Academic Credit

Please note that if you have completed requirements for one of the lesser Macquarie

University courses (e.g. Postgraduate Certificate), you also receive credit towards a higher

Macquarie University award (e.g. Postgraduate Diploma). However credit can only be used

once.

If you wish to apply for academic credit for postgraduate studies at Macquarie University or

another university, please complete the Postgraduate Request for Credit form and attach

relevant documents. Details of the University‟s policy and a downloadable form are at:

http://www.postgrad.mq.edu.au/cps.html

15

Please send the completed form, with certified copies or original transcripts, and an official

description of all subjects completed to:

OUA Program Manager

Centre for Open Education

Macquarie University

NSW 2109

16

COMPLETION AND GRADUATION

To finalise the Bachelor of Arts through OUA degree, you submit the following to COE once

you have completed the 24 Units required by your BA degree structure (Stream or Major):

A Notice of Expected Completion - BA form. This form is downloadable at:

http://www.mq.edu.au/courses/open_universities_australia/download_forms

A transcript of completed units from OUA

(Note: This assumes you have previously registered in the degree – see page 11)

Please note that COE cannot process your completion until your results for your final units

are released seven weeks after the end of the study period.

To graduate with a Macquarie postgraduate qualification, you must submit a Notice of

Expected Completion – Postgraduate form, which is downloadable at:

http://www.mq.edu.au/courses/open_universities_australia/download_forms

Undergraduate students who submit the relevant form with a complete transcript in SP4 or

SP1 may be able to graduate at the following September ceremony. Students who submit

the form in SP2 or SP3 may be able to graduate at the following April ceremony.

Postgraduate students (P/G Diploma and Masters degrees only) who submit the relevant

form with a complete transcript in Session 3 or Session 1 may be able to graduate at the

following September ceremony. Students who submit the form in Session 2 may be able to

graduate at the following April ceremony.

The completion/graduation process can take several weeks and includes the following

steps:

COE will send you acknowledgement of your completion of the OUA units by mail;

Your completion documents are sent to the Academic Programs Section of the

University for checking and then forwarded to the Academic Senate for a formal

decision to award you the qualification;

The Graduations Unit does the final processing and arranges your graduation.

Before the graduation date, you will receive a letter from the University about graduation

arrangements. You will be asked to nominate if you wish to attend the graduation ceremony.

This is held at the main campus in Sydney. If you choose to graduate „in absentia‟, you can

apply to have your testamur and transcript posted to you after the ceremony. Please ensure

all contact information is up to date.

Postgraduate Certificates are conferred „in absentia‟ at the next graduation session.

Please note: In accordance with the rules of Macquarie University, students may only

graduate with a Macquarie University Bachelor of Arts degree once.

17

STUDYING ONLINE

Teaching materials

Teaching and learning occurs online so a good Internet connection, preferably broadband,

is required.

Your unit(s) of study will be accessible on a Learning Management System (known as

iLearn).

You reach your iLearn unit through the Macquarie University website:

http://students.mq.edu.au. Then click on “Online Units”.

We will post an initial welcome package to the postal address OUA has for you. Please

ensure this address is the correct and current one.

This welcome package is sent a few weeks before the start of the Study Period or Session

and will contain:

A letter with your Macquarie University student identification number

A CD containing this handbook and, for some units, audio lectures.

Instructions for setting you password and accessing your unit website.

Information about registering for the Macquarie University Disability Support if

applicable.

A plagiarism information sheet.

Please check the contents of your package against the above list as soon as you receive it.

If anything is missing, contact the Undergraduate OUA Support Officer (Tel: 02 9850 6830)

or the Postgraduate OUA Support Officer (02 9850 9272) without delay.

Some CDs may have introductory information on the CD that is relevant for Distance

Education students, but is not relevant for Open Universities Australia students. Please

disregard this information.

To check if your unit has a compulsory textbook, go to Unibooks at

http://www.unibooks.com.au. Unibooks stock all texts for OUA study.

Accessing the Online Learning Facility

You will be allocated a student ID number/username when your enrolment is processed.

You then use this username to set your own password via the First-Time Login process in

order to access your unit/s and other resources. These resources include access to the

Learning Management System (iLearn), student e-mail, library databases and e-Reserve.

Username: Your Macquarie Student ID Number (an 8-digit number) found in the

Confirmation of Enrolment letter, included with your Macquarie study package.

18

First Time Login

First time login is a procedure for new students to setup their student password for the first

time.

You can only make four attempts to setup your initial password and once you have a

password you will not be able to follow this procedure again. The Student IT Help Desk

handles all issues with passwords. The URL for the first time log-in is:

https://students.mq.edu.au/first-time-login

If you have problems with your password, please call the IT Help Desk on + 61 2 9850 4357

or 1800 674 357.

Changing your password

You can change your password for your online units, e-Reserve and student email all in one

place at https://oneid.mq.edu.au.

If you have any problems, please contact the IT Help Desk on 1800 67 4357.

By the first day of a study period, OUA students can access their online unit/s directly login

at: https://ilearn.mq.edu.au

Once you have logged in, it is important that you take the time to go through the orientation

materials prepared for you in the “Online Learning Support” section. Simply click on the link

and you will be taken to demonstrations on how to use your online unit and other important

information for successful learning online.

Macquarie Student Portal and student email

The Student Portal has been designed to bring all student resources into one location for

easy access to all university resources. The portal contains links to Student Email,

Calendar, On Line Learning Facility, Library catalogue and reserve systems, e-Student, unit

home pages, and many other student and university resources. The url for the student

portal is: http://students.mq.edu.au

All Macquarie students are issued with an official University email account. It is University

policy that this email account is used for official University communication. All students are

required to access their University account frequently. Alternatively, email can be forwarded

to another account but each student is responsible for the information sent to a non-

Macquarie account and for managing mailbox size (and checking spam/junk folder) to

ensure that account remains active.

You can access the Student email from http://students.mq.edu.au

19

To sign on to your email account, click on ‟Student Email‟. Login using your student email

address as username and your password set up during the first-time login process (see

above).

The student email format is first.last@students.mq.edu.au

e.g. joe.blogs@students.mq.edu.au (subsequent joe blogs will be

joe.blogs1@students.mq.edu.au, joe.blogs2@students.mq.edu.au, etc)

IT Policies

All students should ensure they fully understand their responsibilities to help ensure the

integrity, availability and confidentiality of Macquarie‟s information assets by reading the

Information Security Policy. Compliance with the Information Security Policy and supporting

standards and procedures is mandatory for students and staff. A student guide to the

Security Policy has also been developed to assist you in understanding your

responsibilities.

Information Technology Conditions of Use rules:

Users of the University‟s IT facilities must ensure they use computing resources ethically,

observe academic and professional integrity, respect intellectual property and the ownership

of data and software, and respect the rights of other users to privacy, freedom from

intimidation, harassment and annoyance.

Students must read the full policy documents and student guide at:

http://informatics.mq.edu.au/policies.jsp

Student Resource Websites:

Macquarie University http://www.mq.edu.au

eStudent https://student1.mq.edu.au

Student Portal http://students.mq.edu.au/

Online Learning Management System https://ilearn.mq.edu.au

e-Reserve http://www.library.mq.edu.au/borrowing/ereserve.php

Student Portal can be accessed from the Macquarie University homepage also. Student

email can be accessed via the Student Portal from the Macquarie University homepage.

Accessing CD resources

Windows Users:

Insert the CD-Rom into your computer and it should run automatically (this may take a few

seconds). If for any reason it does not start, you can access the contents of the CD-Rom

manually by opening your CD-Rom from My Computer on your desktop, then right clicking

on the drive that contains your disk, then choosing “Explore”.

Macintosh Users:

Insert the CD-Rom into your computer and it should run automatically (this may take a few

20

seconds). If for any reason it does not start, you can access the contents of the CD-Rom

manually by going to your desktop and clicking on the CD-Rom icon.

Note: References in Audio lectures to required texts, books of readings, or source books are

for students attending campus lectures. All the textbooks, readings or article extracts

required for OUA units are listed in the Unit Guide or within the weekly content in the iLearn

unit.

Online tutorials and Netiquette

Your unit has an online discussion forum and your lecturer will inform you of any special

participation guidelines. However, you should be aware of the general guidelines for online

communication called „netiquette‟.

http://www.mq.edu.au/pubstatic/courses/open_universities_australia/welcome_to_online_le

arning/using_your_online_unit/netiquette_for_discussions/

Netiquette:

Ensure your comments are relevant to the topic under discussion

Be polite and avoid the use of bad language;

Respect other‟s point of view;

Be aware of cultural differences; and

Be careful with humour and sarcasm.

Hints for new users:

Make a regular commitment to log on and check the discussion forum, so you can

remain in touch with the group.

Only use capitals for specific purposes, eg: headings, otherwise it can seem like

SHOUTING.

As a general rule, try to keep your messages reasonably short.

When contributing to discussions try to move the conversation forward rather than

making statements that could stop the conversation.

The rules of copyright and plagiarism apply to electronic discussion groups just as they do

elsewhere. If you use someone else‟s ideas, cite them appropriately.

If your online behaviour is deemed inappropriate by the tutor, convenor or web coordinator

you will be subject to the following action:

1. In the first instance, the offending comment/material will be deleted from the

discussion forum and you will receive an email warning from the course convenor.

2. A repeated offence may result in exclusion from the discussion forum for the

remainder of the course, with the forfeit of any/all marks that discussion participation

entailed, and a note on your record.

3. Serious offences may result in action under the University‟s Student Misconduct and

Discipline Rules.

21

Study routines

Try to do some study nearly every day and get into the habit of using odd half-hour blocks

as well as longer spells. You can do a lot of background reading, or preliminary scanning,

on a train journey or in a lunch-break. It is important to tackle your toughest work at times

when you are at your best, whether this is first thing in the morning, later in the day, or even

the middle of the night.

Do not expect every piece of text to yield up its full meaning the first time you read it, as you

may have to go through it several times. But several rapid readings will probably give you

greater understanding, and take less time, than a single, painstaking perusal trying to

assimilate all the points made.

While you are reading:

Look for the author‟s framework of ideas, or the plan upon which the material was

constructed.

Select the main idea in each paragraph, which is usually contained in the first or last

sentence.

Look for important details that support the main ideas.

Do not ignore the author‟s diagrams and illustrations because they may make

important concepts clearer than in the text.

Be sceptical. Do not take the author‟s word on trust. Look for justification of each

statement.

Do not be afraid to skip paragraphs and whole sections if you can see that they are

not relevant to your purpose.

Library

As an OUA student undertaking a Macquarie University unit of study, you can access set

reading materials and resources for your unit through the Library‟s e-Reserve. For help with

finding library materials, developing search strategies, database searching and research on

the Internet, check out the following websites:

Information Skills page on the Macquarie University library website at:

http://infoskills.mq.edu.au

The Online Librarian on the Macquarie University library website:

http://www.lib.mq.edu.au and click Ask A Librarian.

Should you wish to read more broadly, you can make contact with a library in your region

and arrange borrowing rights. Most university libraries have an agreement for example to

allow students of other universities to borrow from them for a small annual fee.

OUA students who live in Sydney can join the Macquarie library. OUA students studying a

Macquarie unit or course can also access library services for that study period/session. For

information, please contact the Library: http://www.libanswers.mq.edu.au

Note: Postgraduate students only are eligible for Distance Education services.

22

Learning Skills

OUA students undertaking Macquarie undergraduate units of study can access academic

support through UniWISE. This online unit is designed for students who are new to

university study. It will provide valuable information on academic writing, referencing

techniques, researching and avoiding plagiarism.

For postgraduate students, the online writing resource „ALPS‟ provides guidance and

models of postgraduate academic writing, as well as various tasks for self-assessment.

To access either UniWISE or ALPS, go to

http://www.students.mq.edu.au/support/learning_skills/.

For information about referencing, go to http://www.mq.edu.au/learningskills

Technical support

For problems with accessing the Learning Management System or Macquarie University

websites, students should contact the IT Help Desk at Macquarie University.

The IT Help Desk provides:

24 hour e-mail service with a 1 hour turnaround available for online form-based help

requests: help@mq.edu.au

Telephone support is available on: (02) 9850 4357 (in Sydney), or 1800 674357

(outside Sydney).

If you leave a telephone message, don‟t forget to include your STD code (e.g. 03 for

Melbourne), along with your name and telephone number.

Please note: Should you have difficulty opening the pop-up boxes in the unit, you may need

to disable your anti-virus software prior to accessing the unit. Please update your browser

settings to allow pop up boxes.

Students with specific access needs

Students with disabilities/health conditions requiring assistance are recommended to

contact the Disability Support Unit (DSU) at Macquarie University, well in advance of the

study period in which they wish to enrol to assist with service planning. The DSU

recommends at least one study period in advance. Students can also seek advice from the

OUA Program Manager.

Service provision is dependent on assessment of a student‟s needs, provision of supporting

documentation and the availability of resources. This will be discussed during your initial

appointment with a Case Manager from the Disability Support Unit. Students need to submit

a „Disability Service Registration‟ form.

23

This form is available from:

http://students.mq.edu.au/campus_life/campus_wellbeing_support_services/disability_servi

ce/how_to_register/

Once this form has been submitted, a DSU staff member will contact you.

The documentation required would depend on the nature of the disability or health condition

for which assistance is requested.

All documentation must be dated within the last 12 months, be legible, signed and on

letterhead. Students seeking assistance on the basis of a learning disability must provide a

report from an educational psychologist based on an assessment conducted within the last

three years.

Documentation is to be provided by:

A suitably qualified medical practitioner

An allied health professional e.g. social worker, physiotherapist

An educational professional e.g. educational psychologist

Documentation must:

Confirm the existence of a disability/health condition

Outline the impact on academic performance and contain recommendations for

support

Meet the criteria of the University. The Disability Support Unit reserves the right not

to accept documentation and to require additional documentation where necessary.

Contact the Disability Support Unit

Phone:+61 2 9850 7497 or :+61 2 9850 6494

Email: campuswellbeing@mq.edu.au

Web: www.campuslife.mq.edu.au/disability

24

ASSESSMENT

OUA Assignments should be submitted no later than the due date and time. Please note

that where a due time is specified, it refers to Australian Eastern Standard Time (EST) or

Australian Eastern Daylight Sayings Time (EDST) in the appropriate months.

Eastern Standard Time (EST) First Sunday in April, to the

First Sunday in October

Eastern Daylight Savings Time First Sunday in October, to the

First Sunday in April

Assignment items submitted after the due date and time may be subject to an academic

penalty or may not be accepted at all, unless an extension of time has been previously

approved.

Please ensure that you retain an electronic back-up copy of each assignment. While care is

taken, the University accepts no responsibility for lost assignments. Problems with the

retrieval of work produced on a computer and failure to submit your assignment correctly

will not be accepted as an excuse for the late submission of an assignment.

In addition, overseas students should make it known to their tutor that they reside

overseas and ask them to record any feedback electronically. If the marked

assignment is lost or delayed in the mail, you will still be able to receive the tutor‟s

comments and feedback.

Submission of Assignments

Please refer to the instructions in your unit about submitting your assignment. Some units

use „Turnitin‟, some use the iLearn upload function and others use the COE online

submission form.

Assignments will generally be returned within three weeks of the due date of submission.

Assignment marks are final and are not open to negotiation.

Do not send assignments directly to the Academic Coordinator, unless specifically

requested to do so.

Assignment Receipt Disclaimer (COE Online Submission Form)

The university system will generate an automated reply when the Centre receives your

assignment. If there is any problem with your assignment, a staff member will send you an

email describing the problem.

Important: Please check your student email account two working days after submitting your

assignment. After sending you an email stating a problem exists with your assignment, we

will expect you to submit a corrected version. A second reminder will be sent, but following

that, COE staff will take no further action if there is no response to our second email to you.

25

Staff will assume you are no longer submitting the assignment and nothing will be sent to

the marker.

Your assignment will be date-stamped according to the date of receipt of the email from

which we can successfully process it.

Please note: If you do not receive an automated reply, the university has not received your

assignment. Please call +61 2 9850 7470 for advice.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism involves using the work of another person and presenting it as one‟s own.

Plagiarism represents the most serious form of academic misconduct, and can result in

serious consequences for a student who is accused of plagiarism. You must acknowledge

the people whose concepts, experiments or results have been extracted, developed or

summarised, even if their ideas have been put into your own words. Ensure that any work

referred to, or quoted, is consistently referenced, as in-text referencing and footnotes, with

appropriate bibliographic detail. See http://www.mq.edu.au/academic_honesty

Assignment Extensions

Should it become necessary to seek an extension of time for the submission of your

assignment, you should e-mail the OUA Program Manager at ouainfo@mq.edu.au.

This must be done prior to the due date. Such extensions, if granted, will be limited to one

week and supporting documentation must be attached (e.g. medical certificate).

Extensions are normally granted for medical reasons only and appropriate supporting

documentation must be submitted. Extensions cannot be granted for any final assessments

or assessments falling due in Week 13 of the study period or session.

Unless otherwise specified in the Assessment section of your unit, late submission of

written work will result in a deduction of 10% of the mark awarded for each week or part of a

week beyond the due date, or date to which an extension has been granted.

Work submitted after 3 weeks beyond the due date, or the date for which an extension has

been given, will not be accepted. If you are having problems completing an assignment,

please contact the tutor as soon as possible.

Examinations

Each Macquarie unit has its own assessment pattern, and examination requirements are set

out on the unit website.

Most Macquarie units do not require a supervised or invigilated exam. Instead, units may

require an online examination, or a „take home‟ examination, where you complete an

examination paper at home. These are usually due in Week 13.

26

It is important to note that some units will have their assessment tasks and examinations set

to appear on the unit web page during a specified period only. It is important to be vigilant in

checking your online unit to see what your lecturer expects you to do in any one week.

In 2013, there are 3 Macquarie units that require an invigilated exam. These are held in

“Week 14”:

HST801 Ancient Egyptian Religion

SCI140 Introduction to Brain, Behaviour and Evolution

GEOX251 Minerals, Energy and the Environment

Invigilated exam procedures for these units are available at: http://www.open.edu.au/exams

Exam venue selection is open in week 7 and the deadline to nominate a venue is week 9.

Students should check their unit exam requirements at the beginning of the study period.

Students who have an invigilated exam or who need to defer an invigilated exam should

contact the OUA Program Manager at Macquarie University.

It is not possible to undertake Open Universities Australia exams on the Macquarie

University campus.

Effective examination preparation

Study systematically from the time you begin each unit.

Begin revising at the end of the first week. Every time you attempt to recall what you

have learned you will be making future learning easier.

Space your revision so that you do a little each week.

Results

Macquarie University grades are defined as follows:

HD High Distinction 85-100

D Distinction 75-84

Cr Credit 65-74

P Pass 50-64

F Fail 0-49

FW Fail/Withdrawal

W Withdrawal (without academic penalty)

Should you need to repeat a unit of study, you will be required to pay the full tuition fee for

any subsequent registrations in that unit, and re-attempt the entire unit, including

assessment tasks and examinations that you may have previously passed.

Results from Macquarie units of study will be available on the Macquarie University website

27

from the publication date:

1. Go to the Macquarie home page: http://www.mq.edu.au

2. Click: Students

3. Click: eStudent

4. Login using your MQ student ID number and your date of birth (ddmmyyyy) as your

password (first-time only)

Note: From 2013, it is anticipated that you will use the same password for eStudent as you

do for your iLearn unit.

An academic statement of OUA units completed at all universities may be obtained from

OUA.

You can request a Macquarie University academic transcript at:

http://www.student.mq.edu.au/ses/academictranscript.html

Review of Marks, Grade Review and Appeals Against Grade Review Decisions

How-to instructions on Individual Assessment Grade Review, Unit Grade Review, Appeals

Against Grades and Special Circumstances are at:

http://www.mq.edu.au/oua/download_forms

28

Further information may be obtained from:

Macquarie University

Centre for Open Education

NSW 2109

Phone: +61 2 9850 7470

Fax: +61 2 9850 7480

Email:ouainfo@mq.edu.au

Open Universities Australia

GPO Box 5387

Melbourne Victoria 3001

Phone: 1300 363 652

Fax: +61 3 8628 2955

Web: http://www.open.edu.au

OUA Undergraduate Support Officer:

Phone: +61 2 9850 6830

OUA Postgraduate Support Officer:

Phone: +61 2 9850 9272

OUA Program Manager:

Phone: +61 2 9850 9274