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School of Social Sciences
SOCW7855
Rights-Based Project Design and Evaluation
Semester 2, 2014
Table of Contents
STAFF CONTACT DETAILS ...................................................................................................................... 3
ABOUT THIS COURSE ............................................................................................................................ 3
Credit Points ............................................................................................................................................................. 3
Summary of the Course ............................................................................................................................................ 3
Aims of the Course.................................................................................................................................................... 3
Important Information.............................................................................................................................................. 3
Learning Outcomes ................................................................................................................................................... 4
COURSE DESIGN AND LEARNING ACTIVITIES.......................................................................................... 4
TEACHING STRATEGIES ......................................................................................................................... 4
COURSE SCHEDULE ............................................................................................................................... 4
READING AND RESOURCES ................................................................................................................... 5
ADDITIONAL READINGS ........................................................................................................................ 8
ASSESSMENT AND FEEDBACK ............................................................................................................... 9
Marking Criteria ...................................................................................................................................................... 10
Submission of written assignments ........................................................................................................................ 10
Collection of Written Assignments.......................................................................................................................... 11
Assessment Feedback ............................................................................................................................................. 11
COURSE EVALUATION AND DEVELOPMENT ......................................................................................... 11
PART B: POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ................................................................................................... 12
STUDENT CONDUCT............................................................................................................................ 12
COMMUNICATION.............................................................................................................................. 12
AVOIDING PLAGIARISM ...................................................................................................................... 12
ATTENDANCE ..................................................................................................................................... 13
EXTENSIONS AND LATE SUBMISSION OF WORK................................................................................... 13
SPECIAL CONSIDERATION ................................................................................................................... 14
STUDENT EQUITY AND DISABILITIES UNIT (SEADU) .............................................................................. 14
REVIEW OF RESULTS ........................................................................................................................... 15
STUDENT SUPPORT AND GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES ............................................................................. 15
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Staff Contact Details
Course Convenor
Phone
Office location
Email address
Contact hours
Kristy Ward
02 9385 1961
Morven Brown, G64
[email protected]
By appointment
About this course
Credit Points
6 units of credit.
Summary of the Course
This course explores the conceptual underpinnings and the practical applications of the human rightsbased approach to project design and evaluation. This course includes a theoretical and practical
component. It provides a thorough analysis of the core concepts of the human rights-based approach to
the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development projects in local and international
contexts. It provides students with the necessary practical skills to put into practice the theoretical
concepts of a human rights approach to development projects. Students will learn a range of methods and
techniques on how to design, implement, monitor and evaluate development projects. Students will also
be engaged in the multifaceted challenges that the application of a human rights-based approach entails
at different levels and different stages of the project management cycle.
Aims of the Course
This course aims to:
•
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Provide students with foundational concepts of the human rights-based approach to project design
and evaluation;
Provide students with an understanding of how the international human rights machinery relates to
the practice of development in different project design and evaluation scenarios;
Engage students in critical thinking about the most challenging issues that lie at the interface between
the international human rights arena and the design and evaluation of projects;
Provide students with the opportunity to apply theory to practise by taking part in student-led
presentations that deal with the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of social
development projects.
Important Information
There is a compulsory SOCW7855 workshop on Saturday 20 September from 9am to 1pm. Teaching
venue details for this workshop will be advised in class. This workshop is equivalent to attendance for two
seminars. In lieu of the workshop no classes will be held on 19 August and 26 August 2014. All students
enrolled in SOCW7855 are required to attend.
A Human Rights Saturday* seminar will also be held on Saturday 16 August 9am-12.30pm in CLB1.
*Continuing students who attended this Human Rights Seminar previously are exempt.
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Learning Outcomes
At the end of this course you should be able to:
• Demonstrate knowledge of the theoretical underpinnings of the rights-based approach to project
design and evaluation in the development arena and know how to apply it in the design and
evaluation of different projects;
• Recognise and apply a range of methods and techniques for project design and evaluation;
• Assess the strengths and weaknesses of tools, skills and information with which to design, implement,
monitor and evaluate rights-based development projects;
• Display an advanced understanding of the significance and challenges in decision-making processes
involved during the entire project cycle, including situation analysis and needs assessment; problem
identification; defining aims, objectives, outputs and activities; implementation, monitoring,
evaluation and impact assessment.
Course design and learning activities
The design and delivery of the course content and the adoption of teaching strategies are based on a
student-focused approach to teaching and learning. Seminars are conceived of as an interactive learning
experience in which students are encouraged to be actively engaged in the whole learning process.
Teaching Strategies
The learning outcomes of this course will be addressed through a balanced combination of different
teaching activities. Students will participate in a weekly 2 hour seminar in which the following teaching
activities will contribute to advance students’ key academic skills as well as their growth as professionals.
Teaching activities include the delivery of lectures; class discussions; group work; research-based learning;
and students-led presentations.
Lectures: The delivery of lectures aims to provide students with an in-depth analysis of the course content
and broaden the issues included in the readings. Lecture notes and power point presentations will be
uploaded in Moodle so that students will be able to access them on a regular basis through the semester.
Group discussion and group work: Students will be divided into small groups to discuss key questions
related to the topic of the day. Group discussions and group work will be fundamental for the preparation
of students-led presentations. Students are encouraged to raise any issue and ask any question related to
the course material. Group discussions contribute to create a relaxed and enjoyable learning environment
as to make students’ learning experience stimulating and inspirational.
Course Schedule
Students will attend a 2 hour seminar (one hour lecture and one hour tutorial) on Tuesday from 4pm to
6pm or 6pm to 8pm (depending on enrolment). Seminars are held in Morven Brown G5 (4-6pm class) and
Morven Brown G4 (6-8pm). Please note that there is a compulsory Saturday workshop for all students on
Saturday 20 September.
Week
Date
Lecture/Seminar Topic
Week 1
28 July
Course Introduction and Overview
Week 2
5 August
Project Design in Theory and Practice
Week 3
12 August
Principles of Rights-Based Project Design
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Week 4
19 August
No classes (Saturday workshop on 20 September in lieu)
Week 5
26 August
No classes (Saturday workshop on 20 September in lieu)
Week 6
2 September
Problem Identification and Stakeholder Analysis
Week 7
9 September
Project Design Approaches: the Logframe and Beyond
Week 8
16 September
Gender and Social Inclusion in Development Planning
Compulsory
Workshop
Saturday,
9am – 1pm: Monitoring, Evaluation and Impact Assessment
Week 9
23 September
20 September
Reading Week - No Classes
30 September – Mid Semester Break – No classes
Week 10
7 October
Risk Management and Sustainability
Week 11
14 October
Preparing and Evaluating Budgets
Week 12
21 October
Group Presentations
Week 13
28 October
Group Presentations
Reading and Resources
You will require the following core text to complete this course:
Gosling, L. & Edwards, M. 2003. Toolkits: A Practical Guide to Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Impact
Assessment, Save the Children UK: London.
The textbook contains compulsory readings for the course and is available from the University Bookshop.
There are also several copies in the UNSW Library.
Week 1: Course Introduction and Overview
Readings
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Uvin, P., 2004. Human Rights and Development, Bloomfield, CT, Kumarian Press, pp.122-166.
Uvin, P., 2004. Human Rights and Development, Bloomfield, CT, Kumarian Press, pp.47-120.
Cassese, A., 1999. ‘Are Human Rights Truly Universal?’ in Obrad Savi (ed), The politics of human rights,
Verso, London; New York, pp.149-165.
Smith, R. K. M., 2007. Textbook on International Human Rights, Oxford; New York: Oxford University
Press, 3rd ed, pp.35-48; 138-162.
Steiner, J.H. & Alston, P. & Goodman, R., 2008. International human rights in context: law, politics,
morals: text and materials, New York: Oxford University Press, 3rd ed, pp. 517-539, 735-843.
Week 2: Project Design in Theory and Practice
Readings
•
•
Gosling, L. & Edwards, M., 2003. Toolkits: A Practical Guide to Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and
Impact Assessment, Save the Children UK: London. Chapters: 1, 2, 3. Tool 12: Stakeholder analysis, pp.
302-307.
Mosse, D., 2005. ‘Framing a Participatory Development Project’ in Mosse, D, Cultivating Development:
And Ethnography of Aid Policy and Practice, Pluto Press, London, pp.21-46.
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•
Eyben, R., 2010. ‘Hiding Relations: The Irony of ‘Effective Aid’’, European Journal of Development
Research, Vol. 22, pp.382–397.
Week 3: Principles of Rights-Based Design
Readings
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Ife, J., 2010. Human Rights from Below: Achieving Rights through Community Development, Cambidge
University Press, Port Melbourne: Chapter 6: Seven Arenas of Human Rights from Below pp.157-199
Cornwall, A. & Nyamu‐Musembi, C., 2004. ‘Putting the ‘rights‐based approach’ to development into
perspective’, Third World Quarterly, Vol. 25, No.8, pp. 1415-1437
Campbell, D., Wunungmurra, P. & Nyomba, H., 2005. ‘Starting where the people are: Lessons on
community development from a remote Aboriginal Australian setting’, Community Development Journal,
Vol.42, No. 2, pp. 151-166.
Week 4
There are no classes this week
Week 5
There are no classes this week
Week 6: Problem Identification and Stakeholder Analysis
Readings
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Gosling, L. & Edwards, M., 2003. Toolkits: A Practical Guide to Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and
Impact Assessment, Save the Children UK: London. Chapters: 4, 5, 6; Tool 1: Participatory learning and
action, pp. 193-216; Tool 2: Surveys, pp.217-221; Tool 6: Setting Objectives, pp.243-252.
White, S., 2011. ‘Depoliticizing development: the uses and abuses of participation’ in Cornwall, A. (ed),
The Participation Reader, Zed Books, New York pp.57-69.
Mosse, D., 2005. ‘The Goddess and the PRA: Local Knowledge and Planning’ in Cultivating Development:
And Ethnography of Aid Policy and Practice, Pluto Press, London, pp.75-102.
Cornish, F. & Campbell, C., 2009. ‘The Social Conditions for Successful Peer Education: A Comparison of
Two HIV Prevention Programs Run by Sex Workers in India and South Africa, American Journal of
Community Psychology, Vol. 44, pp.123-135.
Li, T.M., 1999. ‘Compromising Power: Development, Culture, and Rule in Indonesia’, Cultural
Anthropology, Vol.14, No. 3, pp.295-322.
Week 7: Project Design Approaches - the Logframe and Beyond
Readings
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Gosling, L. & Edwards, M., 2003. Toolkits: A Practical Guide to Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and
Impact Assessment, Save the Children UK: London. Tool 3: Logical Framework Analysis, pp.222-234.
Hummelbrunner, R., ‘Beyond Logframe: Critique, Variations and Alternatives’, in Fujita, N., (ed) 2010.
Beyond the Logframe: Using Systems Concepts in Evaluation, Foundation for Advanced Studies on
International Development, Japan.
Gasper, D., 2000. Evaluating the `Logical Framework Approach' Towards Learning-Oriented
Development Evaluation, Public Administration And Development, Vol. 20, pp.17-28.
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Week 8: Gender and Social Inclusion in Development Planning
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•
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Cornwall, A., 2003. Whose Voices? Whose Choices? Reflections on Gender and Participatory
Development’, World Development, Vol. 31, No. 8, pp.1325-1342.
Kabeer, N., 2010. ‘Women’s Empowerment, Development Interventions and the Management of
Information Flows’, IDS Bulletin, Vol.41, No. 6, pp.105-113.
Chant, S. & Gutman, M.C., 2002. ‘Men-streaming’ gender? Questions for gender and development
Groce, N., Kett, M., Lang, R. & Trani, J.F., 2011. ‘Disability and Poverty: the need for a more nuanced
understanding of implications for development policy and practice ’Third World Quarterly, Vol. 32, No. 8,
pp. 1493-1513.
Saturday 20 September Workshop (9am – 1pm): Monitoring, Evaluation and Impact Assessment
Readings
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Gosling, L. & Edwards, M., 2003. Toolkits: A Practical Guide to Assessment, Monitoring, Review and
Evaluation. Chapters: 7, 5; Tool 4: pp.235-241.
Gosling, L. & Edwards, M., 2003. Toolkits: A Practical Guide to Assessment, Monitoring, Review and
Evaluation. Chapters: 8, 9; Tool 11: pp.294-301.
Roche, C. & Kelly, L., 2012. ‘The Evaluation of Politics and the Politics of Evaluation’, Background Paper
11, Developmental Leadership Program.
Parkinson, S., 2009. ‘Power and perceptions in participatory monitoring and evaluation, Evaluation and
Program Planning, Vol. 32, pp229-237
Batliwala, S., 2006. ‘Measuring Social Change’, Alliance. Vol. 11, No. 1, pp.12-14.
Bornstein, L., 2006. ‘Systems of Accountability, Webs of Deceit? Monitoring and Evaluation in South
African NGOs’, Development, Vol. 49, No.2, pp.52-61.
Gready, P., 2009. ‘Reasons to Be Cautious about Evidence and Evaluation: Rights-based Approaches
to Development and the Emerging Culture of Evaluation’, Journal of Human Rights Practice, Vol. 1,
No, 3, pp.380-401.
Additional readings
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Guijt, I., 2000. ‘Methodological Issues in Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation’, in: M Estrella, J
Blauert, D Campilan, J Gaventa, J Gonsalves, I Guijt, D Johnson and R Ricafort (Eds), Learning from
change: Issues and experiences in participatory monitoring and evaluation, Intermediate Technology
Publications, London, pp.201-216.
Espinosa, R.D., 2000. ‘Monitoring and evaluating local development through community
participation: The experience of the Association of Indigenous Cabildos of Northern
Cuaca’, In: M Estrella, J Blauert, D Campilan, J Gaventa, J Gonsalves, I Guijt, D Johnson and R Ricafort
(Eds), Learning from Change: Issues and experiences in participatory monitoring and evaluation,
Intermediate Technology Publications, London, pp.95-108.
Mayoux, L. & Chambers, R., 2005. Reversing the Paradigm: Quantification, Participatory Methods and
Pro-Poor Impact Assessment, Journal of International Development, Vol. 17, pp.271-298.
Week 9: Reading Week
There are no classes this week.
Week 10: Risk Management and Sustainability
Readings and resources will be posted on Moodle prior to the seminar.
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Week 11: Preparing and Evaluating Budgets
Readings and resources will be distributed in class, and posted on Moodle prior to the seminar.
Week 12: Group Presentations
Groups will present and discuss their project design documents in week 12 or 13.
Week 13: Group Presentations
Groups will present and discuss their project design documents in week 12 or 13.
Additional Readings
Students are required to read the additional readings suggested in the Week-by-week Topic Guide. Selected
readings will form the basis of seminar discussions each week and students are expected to have completed
the readings in advance of each seminar.
• Uvin, P., 2004. Human Rights and Development, Bloomfield, CT, Kumarian Press.
• Ife, J., 2008. Human Rights and Social Work: Towards Rights-Based Practice, Cambridge University Press:
Cambridge.
• Mosse, D., 2005. Cultivating Development: And Ethnography of Aid Policy and Practice, Pluto Press,
London.
• United Nations Development Program (UNDP). (1998) ‘Integrating human rights with sustainable
development: A UNDP policy document.’ Washington: Communications Development Inc. 1-18.
http://mirror.undp.org/magnet/e--‐list/hr.htm
• United Nations General Assembly (1948) Universal Declaration of Human Rights [English version
produced by UN Dept Public Information for Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Online:
www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/index.shtml
• United Nations General Assembly (1959) Declaration of the Rights of the Child Online:
www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/25.htm P.24-25
• United Nations General Assembly (1966) International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
[adopted 16 Dec 1966, entry into force 23 March 1976] Online:
www.c-fam.org/docLib/20080625_ICCPR.pdf
• United Nations General Assembly (1966) International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
[adopted 16 Dec 1966, entry into force 3 Jan 1976] Online:
http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/cescr.htm
• United Nations General Assembly (1979) Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
against Women [adopted 18 Dec 1979, entry into force 3 Sept 1981] Online:
http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/cedaw.htm
• United Nations General Assembly (1989) Convention on the Rights of the Child [adopted 20 Nov
1989, entry into force 2 Sept 1990] Online: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/crc.htm
• Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (2002) International Human Rights Instruments
Online: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/InternationalLaw.aspx
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Assessment and Feedback
Students’ performance in this course will be assessed through the following assignments:
a) Assignment 1 – Critical Readings on Project Design
PART A
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Words: 600
Weight: 15%
Due Date: 9am, Monday 11 August (online via Moodle, no hard copy submission required)
Students are required to post two 300 word commentaries on two readings (one commentary per
reading) from the course outline (Weeks 1 – 3) which are not from the prescribed text. Commentaries
should be an analytical reflection on each piece of literature and their relevance to the topic of that
particular week.
PART B
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Words: 400
Weight: 10%
Due Date: 4pm, Friday 12 September (online via Moodle, no hard copy submission required)
Students are required to research and locate a project design document, online or through library resources,
and post to Moodle. Students are also required to post a 400 word critique of the strengths and weakness of
the design document based on what you have learned in the course to date.
Please note that all project design documents must include a citation reference. Internal documents of
organisations which are not publicly available are not permitted.
This is a milestone assessment and students are expected to critically analyse their selected project design
document based on the Week 1 – 7 of course content only.
b) Assignment 2 - Project Design Proposal (group mark)
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Words: 2,000 (not including the project budget which is a maximum of 1 page, 11 point font)
Group Presentation: 20 minutes
Weight: 30%
Due date: Presentation Week 12 or 13 (in class); written submission 4pm the day following the
group presentation.
Working in small groups, students are required to design a development project framed within the human
rights-based approach. The project should be designed according to the methodologies and techniques
discussed in seminars throughout the semester.
Groups will present their work in a 20 minute presentation in week 12 or 13.
This assessment gives students the opportunity to put into practice the theory and techniques of human
rights-based project design, and demonstrate their understanding of project design from various
approaches and stakeholder perspectives. Students will be assessed both on the written component (a
Project Design Proposal of not more than 2000 words) and the in-class presentation.
Students must select one of the development topics below for their project, or as otherwise approved.
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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Primary health care in rural Vietnam
Basic education in Papua New Guinea
Garment factory worker rights in Bangladesh
Women’s farming cooperatives in West Africa
Water and sanitation in urban informal settlements in Africa or Asia
Disaster risk reduction in the Pacific.
Students may also request permission to focus on an alternative project with a specific thematic and
geographical focus. Requests must be submitted by 19 August.
Using a human rights-based approach, students are required to addresses the following core components
in their project design:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Background
Human rights context
Situational analysis and problem identification
Stakeholder analysis
Design approach and rationale
Objectives, Outputs, Activities
Monitoring and Evaluation Plan (including indicators and strategy)
Gender and sustainability
Budget
c) Assignment 3 - Evaluation Critique (individual mark)
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Words: 2500
Weight: 45%
Due date: 4pm, Friday 31 October 2014
Students are required to analyse and critique two project evaluations (which the Course Convenor will
select and post to Moodle by Week 4) and discuss the strengths and weakness of the evaluation
methodology adopted for each program. Students should critically analyse:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Human rights approaches adopted in the evaluation;
Suitability of evaluation type and methods selected;
Effectiveness of participatory approaches;
Engagement of relevant stakeholders and the process;
Strength of evaluation recommendations;
Students’ own recommendations for improving the evaluation methodology, process and
implementation of findings;
7. Any other relevant issues.
Marking Criteria
Marking criteria for each assignment can be accessed via Moodle.
All assessments should be referenced, in accordance with the School of Social Sciences Referencing Guide
available at https://socialsciences.arts.unsw.edu.au/students/resources/policies-guidelines/.
Submission of written assignments
Hard copy assignments are to be submitted to the appropriate assignment box located on the First Floor
of the Morven Brown Building unless this course specifies electronic submission ONLY. There will be a
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separate box for late submissions. Only late submissions will be stamped by the School Office with the
receipt date.
You are also required to submit an electronic copy of the assignment to the course convenor OR through
TurnItIn on Moodle.
BOTH HARD COPY AND ELECTRONIC COPY OF YOUR ASSIGNMENT MUST BE SUBMITTED BY 4PM ON THE
DUE DATE TO AVOID A LATE PENALTY.
Please be advised that there is usually a queue to submit near the 4pm deadline. You are strongly
advised to aim to submit early, as submissions received at 4.01pm will be stamped as late and will incur a
late penalty. The Faculty late penalty is 3% of the total possible marks for the task for each day or part
day that the work is late. Lateness includes weekends and public holidays.
It is your responsibility to keep a copy of their work in case of loss of an assignment. You are also
responsible for checking that your submission is complete and accurate. A penalty will be applied to
assignments that are submitted to the wrong box.
All assignments (hard copy and electronic submission) must be submitted with a signed Assessment
Cover Sheet (required for all assignments). Please ensure that you read the Assessment Cover Sheet
carefully, particularly the section related to the originality of the submission.
Assessment Cover Sheets are available from outside the School Office, near the assignment submission
boxes, and are available to download from the School website:
https://socialsciences.arts.unsw.edu.au/students/resources/forms/.
If you do not complete your Assessment Cover Sheet accurately and in full, a penalty of 5% will be
applied to your grade.
Collection of Written Assignments
Assessments are normally returned in tutorials. For assessments with due dates from Week 10 onwards,
you may request for feedback on the assessment to be returned by attaching a self-addressed postagepaid envelope to your assignment. If the postage is insufficient to cover the delivery of the assignment, it
will not be posted.
Assessment Feedback
Feedback for all assessments is provided in text and commentary within submitted assignments. Feedback
will be provided electronically, no later than 2 weeks after submission.
Course evaluation and development
Student evaluative feedback is gathered periodically using, among other means, UNSW's Course and
Teaching Evaluation and Improvement (CATEI) process. Informal feedback and class-generated feedback
are also important. Student feedback is taken seriously, and continual improvements are made to the
course based in part on such feedback. Significant changes to the course will be communicated to
subsequent cohorts of students taking the course.
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PART B: POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Student conduct
All students must read and adhere to the UNSW Student Code Policy (2012):
http://www.gs.unsw.edu.au/policy/documents/studentcodepolicy.pdf.
There are five primary student responsibilities under this Code:
1. A condition of enrolment that students inform themselves of the University’s rules and policies
affecting them, and conduct themselves accordingly.
2. An obligation to act with integrity in academic work, to ensure that all academic work is
conducted ethically and safely.
3. An obligation to observe standards of equity and respect in dealing with every member of the
University community.
4. An obligation to use and care for University resources in a lawful and appropriate manner
5. An obligation to not diminish the University’s reputation in the carrying out of academic and other
associated University activities.
(UNSW Student Code Policy, Art. 2)
A related document is the UNSW Student Misconduct Procedure (2014):
https://www.gs.unsw.edu.au/policy/documents/studentmisconductprocedures.pdf.
Communication
As outlined in the UNSW Student Email Rules: ‘All students are expected to read their official UNSW email.
All students have a central email address of the form z1234567 where “1234567” is the student number.
It is a requirement that all students read email that is sent to this address, as it may contain vital
administrative or teaching material not provided any other way. If a student uses an email account other
than the centrally provided email account, the student must arrange to forward UNSW email to an
account that they do use.’
The full Student Email Rules can be found at:
https://my.unsw.edu.au/student/resources/StudentEmailRules.html.
Avoiding plagiarism
Plagiarism is a form of cheating which constitutes student academic misconduct. Plagiarism can result in
penalties to grades, suspension or exclusion from the University. This and other types of academic
misconduct must be avoided. These are outlined in the Student Code Policy and the Student Misconduct
Procedures.
It is your responsibility to educate yourself about the different types of plagiarism, which include copying,
inappropriate paraphrasing and/or citation, collusion, and self-plagiarism (resubmitting work in whole or
in part that has been submitted for assessment for another course). The UNSW Plagiarism Policy
Statement provides more detail: https://www.gs.unsw.edu.au/policy/documents/plagiarismpolicy.pdf.
There is a central UNSW resource on academic integrity and understanding and avoiding plagiarism:
https://student.unsw.edu.au/plagiarism.
The Elise Study Skills tutorial, which familiarizes students with academic writing, research and using
information responsibly, including through proper attribution, is mandatory for all commencing
undergraduate students and the quiz must be completed by the end of Week 5 of their first semester at
UNSW. All postgraduate coursework students are encouraged to take the tutorial:
http://subjectguides.library.unsw.edu.au/elise.
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Attendance
UNSW policy on Attendance and Absence can be found at:
https://my.unsw.edu.au/student/atoz/AttendanceAbsence.html
It states that ‘Students are expected to be regular and punctual in attendance at all classes in the courses
in which they are enrolled. All applications for exemption from attendance at classes of any kind must be
made in writing to the Course Authority.’
The School of Social Sciences expects that students will attend and participate actively in 100% of learning
and teaching activities (henceforth ‘classes’, to include lectures, tutorials, seminars, labs, online activities
and so on).
If you arrive more than 15 minutes late, you may be recorded as absent. If such a penalty is imposed, you
will be informed verbally at the end of class and advised in writing within 24 hours. Attempts to falsify
attendance records will be treated as student misconduct under the Student Misconduct Procedures
described above.
If you experience illness, misadventure or other occurrence that makes absence from a class unavoidable,
or you expect to be absent from a forthcoming class, you should seek permission from the course
convenor, and where applicable, should be accompanied by an original or certified copy of a medical
certificate or other form of appropriate evidence.
If you attend less than 80% of classes or have not submitted appropriate supporting documentation to the
course convenor to explain your absence, you may be awarded a final grade of UF (Unsatisfactory Fail).
Upon submission of appropriate evidence, course convenors have discretion and authority to determine
whether a student meets the required volume of learning and has completed the necessary assessments
for a given course in circumstances where attendance has been less than the normal university
requirement of 80% of classes.
A student may be excused from classes for up to one month (33% of learning and teaching activities) in
exceptional circumstances and on production of an original or certified copy of a medical certificate or
other form of appropriate evidence. In such cases, course convenors may assign additional and/or
alternative tasks to ensure that students have met the volume of learning associated with the course.
A student who has submitted the appropriate documentation but attends less than 66% of classes will be
asked by the course convenor to apply to discontinue the course without failure rather than be awarded a
final grade of UF.
Extensions and late submission of work
A course convenor can only approve an extension up to five days. A student requesting an extension of
greater than five days should complete an application for Special Consideration (see below).
Work submitted late (i.e., past the time and date specified in the course outline) will incur late penalties. The
late penalty is the loss of 3% of the total possible marks for the task for each day or part thereof the work is
late. Lateness will include weekends and public holidays.
Work submitted fourteen days after the due date may be marked and brief feedback provided but no mark
will be recorded or counted towards your overall grade. If the work would have received a pass mark but for
the lateness and the work is a compulsory course component, you will be deemed to have met that
requirement.
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Work submitted twenty-one days after the due date will not be accepted for marking or feedback and will
receive no mark or grade. If the assessment task is a compulsory component of the course you will
automatically fail the course.
Where an extension has been granted, either directly by the course convenor or through the Special
Consideration mechanism, the late penalties outlined above will apply from the revised due date.
Special consideration
Sickness, misadventure, or other circumstances beyond your control may prevent you from completing a
course requirement or attending or submitting assessable work for a course, or may significantly affect
performance in assessable work, e.g. formal end of session examination, class test, laboratory test, or
seminar presentation. Students can apply for consideration for the affected assessments.
Except in unusual circumstances a problem involving only three consecutive days or a total of five days
within the teaching period of a semester is not considered sufficient grounds for an application. The
circumstances have to be unexpected and beyond your control. Students are expected to give priority to
their University study commitments and any absence must clearly be for circumstances beyond your
control. Work commitments are not normally considered a justification.
Students cannot claim consideration for conditions or circumstances that are the consequences of their
actions or inactions.
Details of the university policy and procedures on Special Consideration, and information about how to
apply for Special Consideration, can be found at:
https://my.unsw.edu.au/student/atoz/SpecialConsideration.html
You should be aware that in the School of Social Sciences, it is the course convenor that makes a decision
on whether or not to grant Special Consideration through the online mechanism. If Special Consideration
is granted, this may take the form of a removal of part or all of a late penalty, or an adjustment to the raw
grade, or an alternative form of assessment, at the discretion of the course convenor.
Student Equity and Disabilities Unit (SEADU)
Students with a disability, and those with ongoing physical or mental health conditions, who require
consideration of their circumstances and support, are advised to register with the Student Equity and
Diversity Unit (SEADU). Registration is advisable but not obligatory. To receive support from SEADU,
students must be registered with SEADU. Contact details can be found on their website at
http://www.studentequity.unsw.edu.au/.
Upon registration, an Educational Liaison Co-ordinator (ELC) assesses the support services the student
requires. If necessary, a Letter of Support from the Educational Liaison Co-ordinator is written to the
student’s lecturers outlining the services that have been approved.
If you are currently registered with SEADU, Letters of Support are emailed out prior to the beginning of
Semester 1. You must then email your Letter of Support to their course convenor from your UNSW email
account by the end of Week 1.
The educational adjustments outlined in the letter apply for the whole year, including summer semester. If
at any time there are changes to a student’s disability during the semester, adjustments may be modified
and a new letter will be issued.
If you are registering for the first time, you will be given a letter at your first appointment. If a Letter of
Support is written after the commencement of the teaching period, you must forward the Letter to your
course convenors from your UNSW email account within one week of the date on the letter.
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In the first correspondence with a new course convenor, you should cc SEADU in to the email so SEADU
can track the process.
You will also be encouraged to meet with the course convenor in person by the end of Week 2 to discuss
their adjustments.
Review of results
If you have concerns about a mark you have achieved, you should raise this with the course convenor in the
first instance. This should normally be done within two working days of the return of the assessed work.
If you are not satisfied with the explanation provided, you should complete the UNSW Review of Results
(RoR) application form: https://my.unsw.edu.au/student/academiclife/assessment/ReviewofResults.pdf.
You must provide a written explanation of why you believe the work requires review. The written
explanation must include the stated criteria for the assessment task indicating the exact area(s) where the
assessment of your work differs from the mark you have received.
The course convenor has the option to not recommend review if they deem the grounds for review
insufficient. The course convenor will make their decision within three working days of receiving the
request.
If the course convenor approves the review, you should submit the Review of Results application form to
Student Central. A clean copy and a copy of the marked work with all feedback must be submitted with
the RoR application. An administration fee applies under certain circumstances.
If the course convenor does not recommend the review but you believe that the mark/grade does not
reflect your performance, you may forward the RoR application form to the Deputy Head of School
(Learning & Teaching), A/Prof. Laura Shepherd (email: [email protected]).
The Deputy Head of School (DHoS) will normally make a decision within three working days of receiving
the application.
If the DHoS approves the review, you should submit the application to Student Central. A clean copy and a
copy of the marked work with all feedback must be submitted with the RoR application. An administration
fee applies under certain circumstances.
If the DHoS does not approve the review, she will notify the Chair of the Faculty Assessment Review Group
(FARG). The FARG can either endorse or overturn the decision of the DHoS.
The FARG will make a decision within one week of receiving advice from the DHoS. If, after the FARG’s
decision, the student still believes they have a case they should submit their claim through the University
grievance procedures.
A RoR application must be lodged within 15 working days of receiving the result of the assessment task.
Student support and grievance procedures
The UNSW Learning Centre provides academic skills support to all students enrolled at UNSW:
http://www.lc.unsw.edu.au.
UNSW offers a number of support and development services for students:
https://student.unsw.edu.au/additional-support.
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There is a range of wellbeing, safety and equity initiatives you can access at UNSW:
https://student.unsw.edu.au/wellbeing.
UNSW Counselling and Psychological Services offer individual consultations and can usually accommodate
urgent needs: https://student.unsw.edu.au/individual-counselling.
If you have issues related to, or concerns about, academic decisions or any aspect of Learning & Teaching in
the School of Social Sciences, you are welcome to contact the Deputy Head of School (Learning & Teaching),
A/Prof. Laura Shepherd (email: [email protected]).
If you have a grievance related to a person or administrative process, you should contact the School
Grievance Officer, Dr Michael Wearing (email: [email protected]).
You can also contact the Student Conduct and Appeals Office (email: [email protected]) or
the student association Arc@UNSW (email: [email protected]).
For more information regarding progressing a complaint: https://student.unsw.edu.au/complaints.
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