Regulations for postgraduate research students: Glossary
Glossary
These definitions should be read in conjunction with the Regulations for Awards (Research Degrees).
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Academic Judgement | This is a judgment about the standard of your work in relation to learning outcomes or academic misconduct that can only be made by someone who has relevant academic expertise. |
| Academic Year | This is the phrase we use when talking about the year in which you will study. |
| Appeal | If you do not agree with a decision the University has made about your conduct, results or withdrawal you can ask us to review it. |
| Approved | This is an outcome you will be given if we accept a claim for Extenuating Circumstances. |
| Balance of Probabilities | This is the burden of proof we apply when making decisions in disciplinary cases. This means that based on the evidence presented, the circumstances are more likely to have occurred than not. |
| Complaint | An expression of dissatisfaction by a student about the university’s action or lack of action, or about the standard of service provided by or on behalf of the university. |
| Completion of Procedures Letter | This is the letter that is issued in response to an appeal or complaint, once we have completed all our internal procedures. You take this letter to the OIA and ask them to carry out an independent review of our final decision. |
| Concern | An issue, query or request for clarification that is raised by a student. |
| Course Assessment Board (CAB) | A panel of academics who reach decisions on your performance, your progression to the next stage of your course or your final award. |
| Credit | This is the value of a module you successfully complete. |
| Dean | The senior academic in charge of a school and its departments. |
| Dean of the Graduate School | The senior academic in charge of overseeing graduate education across the University. |
| Deferral | (Taught elements of professional doctorates only) You are permitted to retake an assessment task that was affected by extenuating circumstances as if for the first time. This means the module will not normally be capped at the minimum pass mark unless you have previously been referred. A deferral is only given when you have failed the module. |
| Deputy Vice Chancellor | The senior member of university staff who holds this job title, or their nominee. |
| Director of Registry | The senior member of university staff who holds this job title, or their nominee. |
| Discrimination | In determining whether discrimination has occurred, the University will have regard to the Equality Act 2010, any definitions formally adopted by the UK Government and its duties under the Freedom of Speech legislation. |
| Engagement | Engagement refers to the level of extent to which you are taking ownership of your learning and participating actively in your learning journey. We expect you to engage with all aspects of your course which includes both online and in-person activities. Engagement correlates positively with higher levels of academic attainment and increased satisfaction with your course. |
| Exclusion | You are permanently removed from the university and not allowed to return to undertake any further study with us. |
| Extension | You apply for this where you cannot meet your deadline and need a short period of extra time to complete the work. |
| Gross disciplinary breach | A very serious form of misconduct which breaches our policies and disciplinary procedures and results in a fundamental breakdown in trust and confidence between the university and the student. |
| Harassment | Behaviour that includes unwanted behaviour or conduct which makes a person feel offended, intimidated or humiliated if it occurs because of, or connected to, protected characteristics. |
| Independent evidence | Evidence from a third party, normally a healthcare professional but not a friend or family member that confirms the impact your circumstances have had on you in relation to any relevant procedure. |
| Investigator | An appropriate member of staff who investigates allegations and/or issues raised under any of our procedures. |
| Major disciplinary breach | A form of misconduct which breaches our policies and disciplinary procedures and results in considerable impact or harm. |
| Material irregularity | A substantial mistake in our procedure that is likely to have changed the outcome of the matter. |
| Minor disciplinary breach | A form of misconduct which breaches our policies and disciplinary procedures and results in limited impact or harm. |
| Mitigation | The independent evidence of the circumstances you would like us to consider for a lesser penalty. |
| No Contact Agreement |
This may be used during a student disciplinary investigation and may be temporary or permanent. It is a signed voluntary agreement that you will not make any direct or indirect contact of any kind with another named student, or request that others make contact on your behalf. A No Contact Agreement will remain in place while you and the other student are members of the University of Huddersfield community or until Registry determines that the agreement is no longer required, and this is communicated to both parties in writing. If you breach this agreement, an investigation under the Student Disciplinary regulations may take place. The agreement may also help to prevent any further breaches of the community code of conduct. |
| OiA | The Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education. This is higher education ombudsman and it reviews unresolved student complaints about universities. |
| Precautionary measures | We take a risk-based approach to investigating allegations. We take the safety and protection of our students, staff and the general public very seriously. If we consider that you are at risk or pose a risk to others, we may take precautionary measures based upon a risk assessment, which could for example restrict your access to campus or your University activities such as attending placements. If we decide to impose precautionary measures, we will explain why. Where precautionary measures have been taken, the course team should ensure that you receive any handouts or notices pertinent to the course. |
| Pro Vice Chancellor | A senior member of university staff who holds this job title, or their nominee. |
| Procedural irregularity | A substantial mistake in our procedure that is likely to have changed the outcome of the matter. |
| Progression monitoring | This is a formal assessment of your progress. For Doctoral candidates only. |
| Referral | When you have not met the pass criteria for a module and have to undertake reassessment. The module will be capped at the minimum pass mark. For Professional Doctorate candidates only. |
| Registry | The university’s central service which manages the regulations and procedures that support the student journey. |
| Report | Anyone, including members of the public, can make a report to the University expressing dissatisfaction with student’s behaviour. This will normally be investigated using the Student Disciplinary Procedure. |
| Reporting party | A person who reports an incident, behaviour, or a concern to the University via the Student Disciplinary Procedure. |
| Research misconduct | Cheating which includes copying (reproducing or imitating), collusion (agreement to deceive, using the words or ideas of colleagues or other students and not acknowledging the source, allowing another student to see or use an assessment), preventing or attempting to prevent another student from being able to be assessed properly, contract cheating, plagiarism, self-plagiarism and other breaches of assessment or other examination regulations or procedures. |
| Reponding party | A person who receives a report about their behaviour or an incident they were involved in via the Student Disciplinary Procedure. |
| School | The University is split into 7 schools, where related subject areas are managed and taught. |
| School Director of Graduation (or Deputy) | The senior academic in charge of overseeing graduate education in your School. |
| School Manager | The senior professional services manager in one of the university’s seven schools, or their nominee. |
| School support services | A range of pastoral and academic support services available within each school. |
| Sexual misconduct | Relates to all unwanted conduct of a sexual nature. For an indicative list of what may constitute sexual misconduct, please refer to the University’s Code of Conduct. |
| Student Conciliator | A member of university staff who has been trained to try and help students to resolve their problem with the university. The conciliator is impartial and will work with you to try to provide a reasonable solution to the problem, if this is possible. |
| Supervision | This is regular interaction with academic staff who are supporting and guiding you through your research degree. |
| Supporter | A person who supports the student during a university procedure. For example, an adviser from the Students’ Union Advice Centre. They might attend meetings with you or help to complete paperwork. |
| The University | The University of Huddersfield. |
| Unauthorised partnership | When you have worked too closely with another person when submitting work for an assessment that has led to you trying to achieve an unfair advantage. |
| University Community Service | This is a form of restorative justice. If you are found to have breached our regulations on how we expect you to behave we may require you to compensate the university community. |
| Upheld | This is an outcome you will be given if we agree to overturn a decision we have made. |
| Us | The University of Huddersfield and its staff members. |
| Vice Chancellor | The senior member of university staff who holds this job title, or their nominee. |
| Viva or Viva voce examination | Is the final examination whereby you will give the verbal defence of your thesis |
| We | The University of Huddersfield and its staff members. |
| Withdrawal | You are removed from your course and will have to formally re-apply if you wish to return to further study with us. |
| Witness | A person who has seen an event take place and is willing to provide evidence during one of the university’s procedures. They might do this on behalf of the university or you. |
| Working day | It excludes public holidays and University closure days. Any day between Monday and Friday when the university is open. |
| You | The student who subject to these regulations and procedures. |