As we begin to approach Reading Week, and you will now be working towards completing assessments, we would like to remind you of some key regulations that you may have missed or forgotten from your induction. 

Firstly, it is your responsibility to familiarise yourself with all assessment regulations, policies and procedures. These are all located in the Quality Assurance Handbook (QAH) at:
https://students.dbs.ie/registrar-office/qah

A summary poster with links is available on the College website here.

Some of the key regulations are: 

• Limited assessment opportunities - you have a restricted number of opportunities to achieve a pass standard in a module.
  • If you do not use the opportunity provided it still counts as an attempt.
  • The number of attempts you get is normally 4 (the original and 3 repeats) but some modules differ so check with your programme documents, programme coordinator or lecturer.
  • Dissertation modules typically only allow 2 assessment opportunities.
  • Students who exhaust their opportunities to complete a module successfully will be withdrawn from their programme.
• PMCs are Personal Mitigating Circumstances. If at any stage in your studies you have personal or medical circumstances that affect your ability to complete an assessment or sit an exam you must follow the PMC procedure.
  • If you do not do this or if you do not do it in the right time period then your circumstances cannot be taken into account.
  • Please note, PMCs are not automatically approved and independent evidence is required.
  • We can only support you through difficult times when you communicate with us. Be assured that any information is treated sensitively and confidentially.
• No repeat for Honours. All QQI programmes include the regulation that prevents a student receiving an award with honours, or other classification, if they have failed and subsequently passed an award bearing module. Please check with your Course Director or lecturers if you're not sure which modules are award bearing.
• Late submission penalty. If you do not submit on time and do not have an agreed extension, penalties will be applied that will reduce your mark. Your work will not be graded if it is submitted more than 2 weeks after the submission deadline unless you have an agreed extension.
• DBS promotes academic integrity and is proactive in encouraging correct academic writing and research skills.
  • Students are advised that DBS takes any case of suspected Academic Impropriety very seriously.
  • This can include cases of cheating, plagiarism, collusion, and ghost-writing (which Ireland is making illegal), which are addressed through DBS Academic Impropriety procedures.
  • Students found to have committed Academic Impropriety will be subject to penalties ranging from failing the assessment and being required to repeat (note this may incur the ‘No repeat for Honours’ regulation), to being withdrawn from the college.
• Appeals can only be investigated upon the release of final results each academic cycle, when they are posted to the Results Summary page on Moodle.
  • Students have seven working days to submit an Appeal, if they believe there has been irregularity in the assessment and/ or grading processes conducted in the award of their grade.
  • Please refer to the Appeals Policy in the Quality Assurance Handbook to understand the process and what can be considered as grounds to lodge an appeal.
  • Appeals without grounds, or those submitted without evidence, cannot be investigated and refunds will not be available.
• Urkund Report percentages are a guideline, and not definitive indicators of plagiarism occurring in a text. Quotes and references will often be highlighted, but where properly referenced, these are acceptable percentages. However, having a low percentage does NOT mean the submission is free from plagiarism – all academic work should be properly composed and referenced. Please refer to the library or their guides on interpreting Urkund reports for more information.

Remember we are here to help you where we can. These regulations are in place to help us treat all students fairly and to maintain the academic standards at DBS equivalent to those at other higher education institutions so your qualification from DBS is respected and valued. 

If you need support with your assessments, speak to your lecturer or visit the DBS library service, where there are a range of tools and support services to assist you. These include workshops and one to one classes dealing with academic writing, referencing, using Urkund text-matching software, time management and assignment planning, along with many other supports: https://library.dbs.ie/ andhttps://students.dbs.ie/dbs-sesu

If you have any additional needs based on a disability, a long term health issue, or a specific learning need such as dyslexia, please contact the Learner Support Coordinator, who is based in the library. In order to be registered in time for the relevant accommodations to be made for your exams, students register their requirements with the Learner Support Officer at least two weeks before the exam period is due to commence, but registrations should be completed as soon as possible such that arrangements will be made where possible.

From time to time students can become overwhelmed or panicked by the workload demands from their studies. If that happens to you please talk to us. Your lecturer or programme coordinator is available to you. You can also contact our Student Services team on the fourth floor of Castle House who can put you in contact with the best support for you. 

Finally, on behalf of all the staff of DBS, we would like to wish you well with your studies. 

Kind regards,

DBS Team