ACADEMIC POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
1. INTRODUCTION
Queens University is committed to provide student centred learning environment aiming at producing competitive professionals who will be well-equipped with an integrated knowledge but also be scholars in their respective field of study and be future leaders of society. Academic policies and procedures are designed to regulate academic functions in the University with a view to provide conducive environment for teaching and learning. Policies and procedures are ‘generic’ implying that they should be applicable to all faculties and departments within the QU. The policies are to be translated and procedures and to be tailored to the needs of the students and conform to the curricula and may therefore be varied from time to time as deemed necessary by the faculty/department authority.
At the early stage of its establishment, policies and procedures are being developed incrementally and amended as and when required to meet the needs of growing number of students. Given the diverse academic and social background of students, the EUB should remain flexible in designing, revising and implementing academic policies and procedures to provide adequate learning opportunities to students. The University authority reserves the right to revise and amend rules and regulations as and when necessary.
Students are responsible to know the academic policies and procedures of the University and also to comply with the same. Application of policies and procedures will not be relaxed for students who claim that they are unfamiliar to rules and regulations.
2. MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION
The medium of instruction is English. The QU promotes a culture of intensive use of English as a language for teaching and learning while encouraging students to remain proficient in Bengali language and respect for mother tongue. Students are required to study compulsory English language courses aiming to improve their speaking, reading and writing skills and understand professional languages. Some students are required to take English remedial courses depending on their English Language competency level.
3. ACADEMIC CALENDAR
Academic year comprises three semesters. Each semester continues for 14 weeks plus study break and exam time.
• Fall Semester begins in the middle of September
• Spring Semester begins in the middle of January
• Summer Semester begins in the third week of May
4. ADMISSION
Application for admission
Interested applicants for admission are required to submit application in a prescribed form to be obtained from the Admission Office of the University and other locations as may be advised from time to time. Applicants may also download the application form from QU website (www.queensuniversity.org) or get it from admission office or by mail writing to the Registrar. Mailing address is:
Registrar
QU Permanent Campus
The completed Admission Form may be mailed to the above address or to be submitted to the Admission Office with the following documents:
• Attested copies of all Mark Sheets and Certificates
• Attested copies of two recent passport size photographs.
A student may require submitting a reference report from his/her head of institution (last attended) or employer, if necessary.
Admission advising
Experienced admission counselors in QU Admission Offices provide individual advising to prospective students and guardians on admission related matters. Prospective students and guardians are encouraged to visit nearest admission office to make well informed decision. Admission Offices open daily including weekend for extended hours. Main Admission Offices are located at the following addresses:
QU Admission Office
QU Permanent Campus
Admission date
The QU accepts application for admission all year round. Eligible students for admission are encouraged to complete admission formalities well before the commencement of their respective first semester. However, some students with financial difficulties and/or personal problems approach Admission Office to accept their application and grant admission after commencement of the semester study. Ideally, a new student should be admitted before the commencement of his/her semester study. However, considering QU a new University, deadline for new intake for a semester may be extended to the end of third week of corresponding semester.
Admission requirement
Pre-qualification is one of the important determinants for admission in the QU. Prior-learning /assumed knowledge is an additional criterion for admission in professional degree programs. Admission requirements for each program are provided in respective program syllabus in details.
Admission test
In addition to pre-qualification, the QU conducts either formal or informal test to assess applicants’ competency in literacy and numeracy and also general aptitude. The University Administration in collaboration with the respective department will conduct oral or written test according to administrative convenience.
Eligibility for Undergraduate Admission
A candidate having at least 12 years schooling from relevant discipline can apply for undergraduate admission, subject to the condition that she/he satisfies any of the following:
• Minimum GPA of 2.5 at HSC/Alim/A-Level.
• Minimum of combined GPA of 5.00 at both SSC and HSC /‘O’ and ‘A’ Level in case an applicant who has less than 2.5 GPA in any level.
Note: A. Student with post-school qualifications (e.g. Diploma, Advanced Diploma) may
be considered for admission with advanced standing or credit.
Eligibility for Graduate Admission
Master of Business Administration (MBA-Regular)
Admission to the MBA program is selective. To apply for admission, students must fulfill the requirements outlined below:
• Successful completion of at least a Bachelor degree from a reputed university.
• Qualifying in a EUB admission tests.
• Work experience after graduation in an executive position is preferred but not essential (For regular MBA only).
Executive Masters of Business Administration (EMBA)
Admission to the EMBA program is selective. To apply for admission, students must fulfill the requirements outlined below:
• Successful completion of at least a Bachelor degree from a reputed university.
• Must have at least two years work experience in an executive position after graduation (For Executive MBA).
LLM (1 year)
Student must have LL.B (Hons) degree or LL.M (Prel) degree .
Credit transfer
It is the policy of the QU to grant credit and exemption on the basis of prior-learning whether formal studies, or professional work or life experience. Students of other recognized universities or any higher learning institutions, may apply for credit transfer at QU.
Applications for credit and exemption must be made on the appropriate form and be accompanied by sufficient and appropriate documentary evidence supporting the application. At a minimum this should include details of the programme, weighting of the course(s) as a portion of the total programme, course descriptions, methods of assessment and a verified academic transcript. Applications must be lodged with Head of the Department. The Registrar Office will advise the applicant in writing of the result of the application and ensure that the decisions are recorded in the Student Records Information System.
The maximum credit may be allowed to transfer up to 50% of the total credits required for graduation of a particular program of study at QU. Students who wish to apply for credit transfer must do so at least 1 (one) week before the commencement of a semester.
Overseas student admission
The QU is mindful of increasing global student mobility and makes every effort to harness the growing opportunities to attract international students. Foreign students must obtain valid visa to study at QU while foreign nationals living in Bangladesh are eligible to study at QU.
Provisional Admission
Provisional admission provides opportunity for applicants who are unable to produce transcript at the time of admission. Provisional students are required to submit transcript and/or any other required credential on or before the end of the semester of initial enrolment failing which their admission will be null and void.
Fraudulent Information
The QU reserves the right to dismiss students who provide fraudulent information for admission.
5. REGISTRATION
Semester Registration
All students admitted into a program in the QU require registering for course enrolment before commencement of teaching and learning in each semester. Students are not allowed to attend classes without registration unless otherwise special permission is given by the appropriate authority. Credit for any course attended by a student without registration will not be counted towards the fulfillment of degree requirement.
Date and time of Registration is available in the academic calendar and also announced by the department before registration. Students are required to collect, complete and submit Registration Form (available from the Department and Registrar’s Office) to the course advisor and/or any other staff authorize by the respective Chairman of the Department for course enrolment and obtain clearance from the Accounts Office by paying appropriate fees.
All students are encouraged to complete registration within due date. Students failing to register within scheduled date may apply to the Chairman of the Department explaining reasons for not being able to register in time. Students will be allowed for late registration subject to the conditions that:
• Chairman of the respective Department approves application for late registration.
• Students register within deadline of later registration.
• Pay appropriate fees including a late fee to be determined by the University authority from time to time.
Academic advising
The EUB provides academic advising in respect of guiding students in defining educational goals and career opportunities, explaining curricula, alleviating academic and personal difficulties, academic progress and selection of course for enrolment etc. Each of the new students is assigned an academic advisor for academic advising during the academic year.
Students are required to meet the academic advisor before registration for selection of appropriate courses. In addition, students meet academic advisor according to the schedule of meetings for consultation. Students with special needs and/or deficiencies are given special attention. Students are encouraged to seek assistance as needed from the advisor and student support services provided by the University.
6. ORIENTATION
QU conducts orientation program for all new students. Orientation program helps students to familiarize with University policies, rules and regulations, opportunities, facilities and student support services. Orientation program provides opportunity for new students to meet with the University Officers and Senior Executives. Respective Department conducts orientation program for their students on first day of the commencement of their study in the University or at least within first week of the commencement of their initial semester.
7. COURSE VARIATION AND WITHDRAWAL
Only in exceptional circumstances, requests for change of courses (course variation) and withdrawal will be considered for each Semester. Changes to course registration must be made within three weeks of the commencement of lecture in each semester. Late requests for course variations will not be approved and may result in ‘F’ grade to be appeared in the transcript. Application must be submitted to the Chairman of the Department through the course teacher concerned for course variation.
Application for course withdrawal should be submitted to the Registrar within two weeks of commencement of a semester through the Course Teacher and Chairman of the Department. If the University is unable to offer the course which was scheduled to be offered, students will receive refund of 100% tuition fees of paid amount.
8. PROGRAM WITHDRAWAL AND SEMESTER DROP
Only in exceptional circumstances, requests for semester withdrawal/drop from the program will be considered for each Semester. Student must submit application within two weeks of the commencement of the semester. Application should be submitted to the Chairman of the respective Department and approved by the Registrar. Application after two weeks of commencement will not be considered.
A student will be allowed to withdraw after two weeks of commencement of a semester in case of : (a) serious illness, and (b) death of an immediate family member (husband, wife, child, father, mother, brother, sister only).
9. CLASS ATTENDANCE
QU attaches special attention to students’ regular attendance of classes. Class teachers pay special attention to the absentee and inform them about the consequences of absence from class. Student counselors contact guardians to inform them about the absence of students.
Penalties for absence from class vary from reduction of marks to bar from sitting final examination based on the extend of absence.
10. REPEAT AND IMPROVEMENT OF COURSES
A student must have to register by paying fees if he/she wishes to repeat or improve a course. For ‘F’ grade course must be repeated for consecutive semester(s). For improvement a course may be repeated one time subject to the authorization by the Chairman of the Department.
11. READMISSION
Students who do not register for maximum of three consecutive semesters without permission shall have to apply for readmission. Application for readmission is to be submitted to the Registrar through the Chairman of the Department. Fees to be paid for readmission will be determined by the authority from time to time.
Students excluded for academic grounds shall have to provide documentary evidence of taking necessary steps for improving their academic conditions and apply for readmission. Application for readmission on academic dismissal is to be submitted to the Registrar through the Chairman of the Department along with and payment of appropriate fees.
Students who are dismissed from the University for reason(s) other than academic ground will not be considered for readmission.
12. ACADEMIC PROGRESSION AND PROBATION
Students’ semester progression mainly depends on their academic results. First and later year students maintain a minimum GPA 1.75 and 2.00 respectively for progression. Students obtain less than prescribed minimum GPA are on probation. Students on probation are provided additional academic support. If a student fails to improve GPA during three consecutive semesters, his/her studentship may be discontinued.
Students are required to successfully complete lower level courses in order to qualify to take higher level courses. Students may be allowed to do otherwise under special circumstances with permission from the respective Head of the Department.
13. TIME OF DEGREE COMPLETION
Students must complete undergraduate degree programs within 1.5 times the normal time to complete the degree under full-time study excluding the periods during which student is excluded on disciplinary or academic grounds. Students may be exempted from this rule under special circumstance as deemed reasonable by the appropriate authority.
14. CODE OF CONDUCT
QU strives to maintain a healthy academic atmosphere on its campus. The students are expected to do their part in achieving this goal by attending classes regularly, making appropriate use of all campus resources in a way as to enhance their academic achievements, maintaining discipline, keeping the campus clean and being good neighbors and models of good citizenship.
• All students should conduct themselves in appropriate and decent manner befitting to the standards of excellence of QU.
• All students should wear clean and decent dresses. No male student should come to QU premises wearing sandals.
• Smoking by students inside the QU premises is strictly prohibited.
• All students should conduct all official transactions and communication in English or Bengali.
• All students should move quietly and decently so that conducting of classes or other official functions of QU are not hampered. As such students must not create any distracting sound, scream or talk loudly inside the QU premises.
• Any indiscriminate writing on the walls of QU, chairs, tables or other furniture by a student is strictly prohibited.
• Students should treat all teachers, officials and staff of QU with dignity and respect; Any indecent behavior by a student to any teacher, official or staff of QU will be dealt seriously and may lead to disciplinary action by QU authority.
• No student should cause any damage to QU property.
• A student should be present in a class before the class begins.
• Mobile phones should be switched off during class hours.
• No student should do anything which will damage the reputation and honor of QU.
• No student should engage himself/herself in any activity subversive to the interests of QU, its smooth functioning and goals and objectives. Such activity will be dealt seriously and lead to disciplinary action by the QU Authority.
• No student should tease/insult other students.
• No student should fight with other students anywhere in QU campus premises.
Examination Procedures and Discipline
Pending formulation and approval of appropriate Statute, conduct of examination and related disciplinary action in the QU shall be guided by the following interim procedures and disciplinary rules.
1. Examination procedures
I. No student will be allowed to enter into examination room before called in by the investigator/supervisor.
II. An invigilator/supervisor must be present for all written examinations. Where appropriate, students will be allowed designated reading time prior to commencement of examination.
III. Students will be allowed a designated reading time prior to the published starting time for the examination.
IV. No writing in the examination booklets is permitted during the reading time. However, during this period students may sign attendance sheet, and fill in details required on the front cover of examination booklets.
V. Every student shall sign attendance sheet where provided. Students will display their student identification card and admit card.
VI. No student shall commence writing answers until authorized by the invigilator/supervisor. All students shall cease writing when instructed by the invigilator. At the conclusion of the examination all students shall remain seated until all examination booklets have been collected.
VII. No student will be permitted to enter the examination room more than 30 minutes after the published starting time.
VIII. No student shall leave the examination room before 30 minutes have elapsed from the published starting time or during the last 30 minutes of any examination.
IX. After the published starting time a student may leave the examination room temporarily only with the consent of the invigilator, and shall be adequately supervised during this period.
X. Any student who wishes to leave the examination room, except temporarily, must hand to the invigilator all examination booklets. The invigilator must endorse the booklets as correctly identifying the student.
XI During the examination no student will give to or receive from any other person any form of assistance, academic or otherwise.
XII. Where a student is disrupting the examination, the student may be summarily dismissed from the examination room at the discretion of the invigilator.
XIII. Any student who breaches these examination procedures will be guilty of misconduct
2. Examination Offences
The following shall be considered Examination offences:
(a) Communication or attempt to communicate with any other candidate in the Examination Hall.
(b) Writing in the Examination Hall anything incriminating on the question paper or admit card, table desk, bench, etc.
(c) Possession of incriminating notes, books, map, chart, slip, chit or any other documents, in the Examination Hall.
(d) Creating or inciting to create any nuisance or disturbance in the Examination Hall.
(e) Copying or attempt to copy from incriminating documents or from another’s script, or from any writing on the person or wearing apparel while appearing at the Examination.
(f) Smuggling of script into and out of the Examination Hall.
(g) Changing the script or inserting unauthorised sheets in the script.
(h) Using abusive language or holding out threat to the invigilator or any other person engaged on examination duty inside or outside the Examination Hall.
(i) Assault or attempt to assault or use criminal force against the Chief Invigilator or Supervisor/Invigilator or any other person engaged on Examination duty inside or outside the Examination Hall.
(j) Approaching or influencing the Invigilator, Examiners, Tabulator or Scrutinizers to gain undue favour or advantage in connection with Examination.
(k) Such other acts on the part of an examinee as in the opinion of the Chief Supervisor/Chief Invigilator may constitute an offence.
3. Disciplinary Actions
The appropriate authority shall follow the following rules in taking disciplinary actions:
(a) Candidates found guilty of offence or offences falling under Section 2(a), (b) and (c), shall be penalised with the cancellation of the Examination at which they commit offence or offences. Candidates may be allowed to sit for supplementary examination of the same examination depending on the gravity of offence.
(b) Candidates found guilty of offence falling under Section 2 (d) shall, in addition to the cancellation, of the Examination at which the offence is committed, be debarred from appearing at the subsequent Examination.
(c) Candidates found guilty of offences falling under Section 2 (e), (f) and (g) shall, in addition to the cancellation of the Examination at which the offence is committed, be debarred from appearing at one or two subsequent Examinations depending on the gravity of the offence.
(d) Candidates found guilty of offence or offences falling under Section 2(h), shall, in addition to the cancellation of the Examinations at which the offence is committed, be debarred from appearing at two to four subsequent Examinations depending on the gravity of the offence.
(e) Candidates found guilty of offence falling under Section 2(i) shall, in addition to the cancellation of the Examination at which the offence is committed, be debarred from appearing at 3 to 6 subsequent Examinations depending on the gravity of the offence.
(f) Candidates found guilty of offence or offences falling under Section 2(j) shall be penalised with the cancellation of the Examination in respect of which such offence is committed.
4. Any other offence not covered by the above rules shall be dealt with by the authority on the recommendation of the Chief Invigilator.
5. Candidates committing offences except those falling under Section 2 (a), (b), (c) and (j) shall not be allowed to continue to appear in that paper, and their scripts shall not be sent for evaluation but shall be sent separately to the controller of Examinations. Permission to appear at the Examination in subsequent papers shall be at the discretion of the Supervisor/ Chief invigilator of the Examination Centre.
6. The Invigilator shall submit separate report for each case, regarding the nature of the offence and the circumstances in which it is alleged to have been committed, with all supporting documents underlining the copied portion in the script as well as in the incrimination documents in the case of actual copying.
7. The Supervisor/ Chief Invigilator of the Examination Centre shall forward the report of the Invigilator and connected documents with his express opinion along with the script. These reports and documents will be preserved by the Controller of Examinations for a period of at least six months from the date of the publication of the penalty list.
8. The following procedure shall be adopted in dealing with cases of candidates involved in Examination offences:
On receipt of reports from the Supervisor/ Chief invigilator of the Examination Centre, the Controller of Examinations shall place all relevant documents of the case to the Examination Discipline Committee for consideration. The proceedings of the Discipline Committee shall be forwarded to the Registrar for placing it before the Academic Council.
9. The disciplinary action against students involved in Examination offences shall be taken by the Examination Discipline Committee as constituted below:
Vice Chancellor Ex Officio Chairman
Dean/Head of relevant Faculty/Department
Chief Invigilator
Controller of Examination- Ex Officio Member Secretary
10. Any matter regarding examination procedures and disciplinary actions that does not cover by above procedures and rules shall be referred to the Vice Chancellor.