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 OUAs 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

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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



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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.




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* 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 Years 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
Queens 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.

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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.


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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.

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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.


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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)


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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.

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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.


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POSTGRADUATE PROGRAM INFORMATION
Eligibility and Application Process for Sociology, Ancient History, Education and
Applied Linguistics
Applicants for postgraduate study must hold a Bachelors 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 Universitys 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



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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.


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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 Macquaries 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 Universitys 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 others 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 elses 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 Universitys Student Misconduct and
Discipline Rules.


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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 authors 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 authors diagrams and illustrations because they may make
important concepts clearer than in the text.
Be sceptical. Do not take the authors 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 Librarys 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.

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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, dont 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 students 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.

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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

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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 tutors
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.

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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 ones 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.

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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

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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

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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