Academic Requirements and Assessment

Academic Integrity and Referencing

Students must demonstrate a reverence for the intellectual property of others. Whenever the work of others is utilized or relied upon, it is essential to provide proper acknowledgment and attribution, adhering to the established academic norms and practices.

A suitable referencing convention should be employed to reference all work. The Institution advises using the widely adopted APA citation style. Accessible guidance on referencing conventions can be found on the Academics section of the student portal.

Students bear complete responsibility for familiarizing themselves with the referencing requirements and using the appropriate convention for their course. Any form of academic misconduct, such as plagiarism, collusion, or other unethical practices, is strictly prohibited. Violation of these principles may result in disciplinary measures, including course and program failure. The Institution employs technology to identify and address suspected cases of academic misconduct, regardless of the severity. It is important to note that academic misconduct encompasses more than just plagiarism. For further details, please refer to the Student Disciplinary Policy.

Our policy for student use of generative AI is defined in the course syllabus, allowing faculty to determine the appropriate use of such technology in the development and completion of assignments for each course. 

Coursework Submissions

Students are required to submit their work for assessment through the designated learning platform and bear full responsibility for the online submission process. Specific instructions regarding the submission arrangements will be provided in the course syllabus. Failure to comply with these instructions will result in the work not being evaluated and may receive a mark of zero.

Unless stated otherwise in the course syllabus, submission deadlines are typically set at 23:55 EST. It is crucial to complete the submission before the specified deadline. Late submissions, those received on or after the deadline, will be marked as such and subject to penalties. To avoid any last-minute issues or complications, students are strongly advised to begin the uploading process at least one hour prior to the deadline.

In general, technical failures such as computer malfunctions, browser issues, or internet connectivity problems are not considered valid reasons for deadline extensions or late submissions, unless the Institution’s IT systems are reasonably determined to be at fault. Refer to the Extenuating Circumstances Policy in this catalog for further information.

Students must ensure that the correct file is submitted and that it remains uncorrupted and readable. It is highly recommended to download a separate copy of the uploaded files before the deadline to conduct a final review. No changes or additions to the submission will be permitted once the deadline has passed. Files submitted in error or that are corrupted/unreadable will receive a mark of zero.

Late Submission Policy

Timely submission of assignments is expected from students, in accordance with the designated deadline. Exceptions to this rule can only be granted through the formal Extenuating Circumstances Policy, as detailed in the Academic Catalog.

Students who submit their work late, without obtaining formal approval, will incur penalties outlined as follows:

• 1 day past the assignment due date: A deduction of 10% will be applied to the grade achieved on the late assignment.
• 2 days past the assignment due date: A deduction of 15% will be applied to the grade achieved on the late assignment.
• 3 days past the assignment due date: A deduction of 20% will be applied to the grade achieved on the late assignment.
• 4 days past the assignment due date: A deduction of 25% will be applied to the grade achieved on the late assignment.
• 5 days past the assignment due date: A mark of “zero” will be recorded.

Completion of assignments is essential for successfully fulfilling the learning outcomes of the course. 

Requirements to Pass

The faculty will undertake the responsibility for assessing and grading your assignments, following the grading scale detailed in the section below.

Once the requirements have been met, the course will be marked as passed, and there will be no chance to attain a higher grade. If the minimal passing standard is not reached, a Fail grade for the course will be assigned.

The academic assessment by the faculty is conclusive and cannot be disputed. If there are any indications of an administrative or calculation error in the final grade, such matters should be addressed through the Academic Appeal process.

Grading

Faculty assign grades based on explicit criteria outlined in the course syllabus. Meeting minimum performance standards is mandatory for both course completion and continued enrollment in the Program. It is essential for all students to understand and adhere to the academic expectations set forth.

The Institution employs a letter grade system to compute GPA, which holds significance in maintaining good academic standing and ultimately earning a degree.