博士學位課程規則.pdf

UM Academic Calendar ACADEMIC REGULATIONS AND RULES General Rules Governing PhD and Other Doctoral Degree Programmes (Approved by the Rector on 22 May 2023) A. 1. ADMISSION Admission is governed by the University Admission Rules (GRS.09-4/201602/050). Applicants must satisfy the University admission requirements, and any additional requirements imposed by the academic unit they intend to enter. 2. Students should not enrol/register in any other universities upon registration at UM. 3. A student of the University is required to observe the General Rules, and those rules and procedures which govern admission requirements, examinations, fees and charges. B. 1. GENERAL The University offers full-time programmes of study leading to the degrees of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and other doctoral degree including Doctor of Business Administration, Doctor of Education, Doctor of Public Administration or such other degrees approved by the University authority. 2. PhD programmes are research-based programmes. Other doctoral degree programmes are professional programmes requiring students with substantial experience at a senior management or business level. 3. Students will be awarded a PhD or other doctoral degree provided that they have: a. completed the coursework as stated in the curriculum of the degree; b. passed the prescribed assessments stated in Section O; c. fulfilled other coursework requirements set by the academic unit; d. written a thesis and passed the oral defence; e. paid the prescribed fees; f. fulfilled the requirements of the regulations and rules of the University. 4. Each individual academic unit may issue special rules applying to specific PhD and other doctoral degree programmes, within the general framework of the present General Rules. However, any standard for qualification requirements, performance of candidates and/or else, as provided for in the present General Rules, may not be set to a lower or less strict level by the special rules issued for any programme by the relevant academic unit. 5. Students must register in a programme of study on the specified dates in any one academic year, with compulsory attendance at classes. 6. The maximum period of studies will be 150% of the normative period of the programme. For working students, it will be two times the normative period of studies. Less than 1 academic year will be counted towards 1 academic year. Students who cannot complete the programme within the periods above will be required to discontinue their studies. C. ACADEMIC YEAR An academic year covers the period from August to July. Each year consists of two semesters. Each semester consists of approximately seventeen weeks of scheduled classes, including examinations. 77 D. 1. REGISTRATION New students will be considered registered students upon completion and submission of all registration materials to the Graduate School with tuition fees settled, while returning students will be considered registered students upon settlement of tuition fees. 2. A student must register in the name which appears in his/her personal identification documents. 3. Student Cards a. All students will be issued with student cards (UM Campus Card). b. The student card is a student’s personal identification document. It is not transferable. c. In case of loss or damage of a student card, a student should apply for a replacement by submitting an application form to the Graduate School. A card replacement fee will be charged to the student. d. Students may refer to the “Rules Governing the Use of UM Campus Card” for further details. 4. Late Registration a. Students may apply for late registration if they cannot complete the process within the scheduled period. Application form for late registration should be submitted to the Graduate School at least three working days before the scheduled registration period. b. Late registration fees will be charged to students who do not apply for late registration three working days before the scheduled registration period. Students who have applied for late registration but failed to complete the process within the approved period will also be charged a late registration fee. c. Late registration can be considered once only. d. Apart from medical reason, registration can only be delayed for at most five calendar days after commencement of classes. If late registration is anticipated for medical reasons, a medical certificate should be attached to the student’s application for late registration. Applications for registration later than the above period will not be accepted except for medical reasons and other extraordinary circumstances. In such case, late registration application requires the approval from the Dean/Director of the academic unit concerned. e. In any case, students must also make sure that they will still be able to enrol in either course work or thesis in the semester that they register. Otherwise, they will not be considered as an active student and will have to defer their studies. f. The admission offer for students who fail to complete the required registration procedures by the designated deadline will be invalidated. g. Students will not be entitled to register if the non-refundable deposit has not been settled. 5. Students with insufficient academic background may be considered and will be given provisional status. Students admitted under provisional status have to complete the additional courses required when they were admitted. Students passing their provisional status should be endorsed by the Dean/Director of the academic unit concerned and approved by the Dean of Graduate School, before becoming eligible for the qualifying examination for PhD students or thesis proposal assessment for students in other doctoral degree programmes. E. CREDIT AND COURSE LOAD A credit unit is equal to one lecture hour per week for one semester. One session (2 to 3 hours) per week of laboratory or practice work for one semester can also be counted as one credit unit. 78 UM Academic Calendar F. COURSE RETAKE Students may apply for retaking a course. The student should obtain the consent of the Dean/Director of the academic unit concerned by securing required signatures. All applications must be approved and the courses to be retaken must be enrolled before the deadline of the add/drop period. The fees for retaking any courses are calculated based on the number of credits of the retake course. For non-credit bearing course, the retake fees shall be one credit. If a student retakes a course, only the course grade for the latest attempt will appear on the student’s transcript. G. 1. COURSEWORK AND COURSE ENROLMENT All students should complete the required coursework. All courses should be completed before the oral defence. A student who does not pass a compulsory course in a second attempt may be required to discontinue his or her studies. 2. Except under special circumstances as approved by the Dean/Director of the academic unit concerned, students are advised to follow the study plan specified by the programme in which they have enrolled. It should be noted that no substitutions are allowed under any circumstances for compulsory courses. 3. The courses offered by any academic unit are normally open to students enrolled in that unit and to students enrolled in other academic units either as electives permitted by, or as requirements set by, those academic units. 4. A student shall not be allowed to take courses with conflicting time schedules. 5. Students will not be entitled for enrolment or course add/drop if there is any outstanding tuition fee. 6. On-line Enrolment During the enrolment period, students of specified programmes of studies will enrol course on-line. Students who are not able to enrol on-line during the specified period may complete the process manually. 7. Course Add/Drop a. Students may make changes to their enrolment records during the course add/drop period. Requests for adding or dropping courses other than the add/drop period due to late registration should be approved by the Dean/Director of the academic unit concerned. b. Adding a new course depends on the availability of section quota. c. A student who drops a course without going through the prescribed procedure will be given a failing grade, “F” or “NP” for that course. 8. Withdrawal from Individual Courses Students may withdraw from an individual course after the course add/drop period on condition that he/she still has at least one course (including doctoral thesis) enrolled after the course is withdrawn. When students wish to withdraw from a course after the add/drop period, they should complete and submit an application form to the Graduate School at least 5 working days before the final examination. A “W” grade will be given to the withdrawn course and the tuition fee for the withdrawn course will not be refunded. Any application submitted after the aforementioned deadline will not be considered. 9. Students should always look carefully at their enrolment records. If they are not sure if their enrolment records are correct, they may seek advice from the academic unit concerned. Students are responsible for following up any updates, errors or omissions. 79 10. Study Plan A study plan is a guide to what students have to accomplish in order to complete their programme of studies. Students are advised to consult their study plans during selection of courses for enrolment. They should keep their study plans and any subsequent adjustments for future reference during course enrolment and for graduation purposes. 11. Course Designations a. Courses specified in the postgraduate programmes are designated as Compulsory Major course, Required Elective or Free Elective. b. Compulsory Major courses must be taken in the semester indicated. A student who fails a Compulsory Major course is required to retake that course. c. Required Electives are courses chosen by the student but within a group of courses designed for this purpose by the programme. Required Electives may be taken at other times. A student who fails a Required Elective will be required to either retake the same course or take another course within the same group. d. Free Electives are selected by the student in areas inside or outside the major as designated in the curriculum, subject to the academic unit’s approval. A student who fails a Free Elective will not be required to retake the course. Such students may take another course to fulfill graduation requirements. Within individual programmes, some courses may not be considered Free Electives. H. 1. COURSE EXEMPTION Students who have completed equivalent or convertible courses in any tertiary education institutions may apply for course exemption to the academic unit concerned on or before the last day of course add/drop period. In the case of course exemption, credits will be granted to replace the original UM course. Exempted courses will be assigned a grade “X” and will be shown in the transcript of academic record, but will not be counted towards the GPA. Applications should be submitted to the respective academic unit and be accompanied by supporting documents, e.g. course outlines, official course descriptions, lecture hours, study plans, course grades etc., showing that the students have passed equivalent courses elsewhere. 2. Students may apply for course exemption for any courses. 3. Course exemptions are considered valid only after they are endorsed by the head of department or programme coordinator of the course offering units and approved by the Dean/Director of the academic unit concerned. 4. The upper limit on the number of credits that can be transferred to a programme is onethird of the total credits required. I. 1. COURSE WAIVER Students who have not completed equivalent courses in other tertiary education institutions but have attained the knowledge and skills of specific UM courses may apply for a course waiver to the academic unit concerned before the last day of course add/drop period. In the case of course waiver, no credits will be granted, and students will be required to take a related course approved by the head of department or programme coordinator to fulfill the credit requirement. Waived courses will be assigned a grade “CW” and will be shown in the transcript of academic record, but will not be counted towards the GPA. Applications must be submitted to the respective academic unit and be accompanied by an explanation for the waiver request and supporting documents (if any). Proof of the acquired 80 UM Academic Calendar competence is required. 2. Students may apply for course waiver for any courses. 3. Course waivers are considered valid only after they are endorsed by the head of department or programme coordinator and approved by the Dean/Director of the academic unit concerned. 4. All exceptional cases are subject to the endorsement from the Dean/Director of the academic unit concerned and the approval from the Vice Rector (Academic Affairs) via the Graduate School. J. 1. ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS According to item 2 of article 27 of the Higher Education Law (Law no. 10/2017), all the course instructors are required to take class attendance. 2. A student who cannot attend classes can apply for leave of absence to the course instructor. Permission for the leave of absence cannot be more than 50% of its scheduled teaching periods in the aggregate. 3. A student who is absent without applying for leave of absence from a course for more than 20% of its scheduled teaching periods in the aggregate will not be allowed to take the final examination and will receive a failing grade for that course. K. 1. GRADING SYSTEM The below grading system is applicable to all academic units except the Faculty of Law: Letter Grades Grade Points Percentage 93-100 A 4.0 A3.7 88-92 B+ 3.3 83-87 B 3.0 78-82 B2.7 73-77 C+ 2.3 68-72 C 2.0 63-67 C1.7 58-62 D+ 1.3 53-57 D 1.0 50-52 F 0 Below 50 Letter grades are official grades. Grades other than F are passing grades. 2. For the Faculty of Law, 20-point scales are official grades. Scales at 10 or above are passing grades. 3. Other Grades Grades CW Definition Course Waiver DX Deferred Result I Incomplete Remark Assigned to a course that has been waived. A temporary grade assigned to the students who ask for a supplementary examination with justifiable reasons. Used when work is necessarily delayed 81 Grades Definition NP Fail P Pass T Audit W Withdrawal X Course Exempted Remark through no fault of the student, such as a medical problem. Given to a course where the results are not counted towards the GPA. Assigned when an auditing student has completed, to the satisfaction of the instructor, the conditions established at registration as an auditing student. Assigned when a student has withdrawn from a course. The result will not be counted towards the GPA. Assigned in the case of a course exemption. L. PERIOD OF STUDY The normative study period of all PhD programmes is 4 years while the normative study period of other doctoral degree programmes is 3 years. M. RESIDENCE REQUIREMENT Except students admitted in the joint programmes and students in other doctoral degree programmes, the normal residence period of a student is 3 years while the minimum residence period is 12 months. The residence requirement is part of the graduation requirement. Exceptional case is subject to the endorsement from the Dean/Director of the academic unit concerned and the approval from the Vice Rector (Academic Affairs) via the Graduate School. N. 1. RESEARCH SUPERVISION The Faculty/Institute Graduate Studies Committee will administer the appointments of supervisor(s), temporary supervisor, mentor and Advisory Committee of a student in PhD or other doctoral degree programmes. a. The supervisor has the primary responsibility for directing and advising a student throughout his/her study period, especially during the preparation of the thesis. i. Supervisor(s) of a PhD student should be appointed at the admission of a student. ii. Mentor of a student in other doctoral degree programmes should be appointed before the student can identify the supervisor. Once the supervisor is appointed, the mentor is not required. iii. Supervisor or mentor must evaluate the progress report of the student required by the Rules on the Progress Report of the Postgraduates of the University of Macau. b. The temporary supervisor has the primary responsibility for directing and advising a student during his/her supervision period. i. The temporary supervisor of a PhD student should be appointed at the admission of a student if the student cannot identify the supervisor or the supervisor can no longer serve. The admission of PhD students with temporary supervisor should be considered as exceptional cases only. The temporary supervisor of a student in other doctoral degree programmes should be appointed if the supervisor can no longer serve. ii. The temporary supervisor must evaluate the progress report of the student as required by the Rules on the Progress Report of the Postgraduates of the University of Macau. iii. The temporary supervisor can only supervise the student for at most one year. If 82 UM Academic Calendar the student cannot identify the supervisor within one year after his/her initial registration, he/she will be discontinued from the programme. c. The Advisory Committee of PhD or other doctoral degree programmes is intended to provide additional academic advice to the student during the coursework period, for the qualifying examination, and for the preparation of the thesis proposal. i. Each newly admitted student will be assigned an Advisory Committee to provide guidance after his/her initial registration. ii. Student should take additional course(s) advised by the supervisor. iii. The Committee will also provide advice about the qualifying examination and the thesis proposal, the acceptability of the proposed thesis topic, the appropriateness of the proposed methodology, and the adequacy of the literature search. Upon approval of the student’s thesis proposal, the Committee will advise the candidate about the preparation of the thesis and assist the supervisor, in monitoring the candidate’s progress. iv. The membership of the Advisory Committee should include the thesis supervisor(s) plus at least one member. The member(s), appointed by the Faculty/Institute Graduate Studies Committee, should represent academic disciplines relevant to the thesis topic. When appropriate, the member(s) may be selected from more than one faculty/institute. In addition, the member(s) may be appointed from outside UM if necessary. 2. The appointments of the supervisor(s), mentor and Advisory Committee of a student in PhD or other doctoral degree programmes are officially approved by the Faculty/Institute Graduate Studies Committee. 3. Changes of the supervisor(s), mentor and/or the membership of the Advisory Committee of a student in PhD or other doctoral degree programmes can be made upon the approval from the Faculty/Institute Graduate Studies Committee. O. 1. ASSESSMENTS Each PhD student must pass three assessments during his/her study. The three assessments include a qualifying examination, a thesis proposal assessment and a final thesis oral defence examination. 2. Each student in other doctoral degree programmes must pass a thesis proposal assessment and a final thesis oral defence examination during his/her study. 3. The qualifying examination and thesis proposal assessment are administrated by the Faculty/Institute Graduate Studies Committee. P. 1. QUALIFYING EXAMINATION The qualifying examination will assess the ability and background of the student for the enrolled PhD programme. 2. Each faculty/institute will define the form and operation procedures of the qualifying examination according to its own needs. 3. A PhD student must pass the qualifying examination within 2 years after his/her initial registration. Academic units should inform the Graduate School on the following day a student passes the qualifying examination. Unless special approval of an extension of this period from Vice Rector (Academic Affairs) is granted, a student failing to pass the qualifying examination will be discontinued from the enrolled PhD programme. An application related to extension beyond the stipulated period to pass the qualifying examination is subject to 83 the consideration of Faculty/Institute Graduate Studies Committee, the endorsement from the Dean/Director of the academic unit concerned and the approval from the Vice Rector (Academic Affairs). 4. A PhD student who fails the qualifying examination on the first attempt may take the examination again. If the student fails the examination a second time, his/her study will be discontinued from the relevant PhD programme. Q. 1. THESIS PROPOSAL ASSESSMENT The thesis proposal assessment will examine the quality of the planned research, ensuring that it meets UM standards. 2. The thesis proposal assessment may be carried out simultaneously with the qualifying examination or afterwards. 3. The thesis proposal assessment will include submission of a written proposal from the student and its presentation to an assessment panel. The assessment panel will include a chairperson appointed by the Faculty/Institute Graduate Studies Committee (this chairperson should not be a member of the Advisory Committee), along with the Advisory Committee members. A student who fails the thesis proposal assessment the first time may take the assessment again. If the student fails the assessment a second time, his/her study will be discontinued from the enrolled programme. 4. A PhD student who passes the thesis proposal assessment will be considered as a PhD candidate at the University of Macau. 5. The Faculty/Institute Graduate Studies Committee will administer the thesis proposal assessment. For PhD student, academic unit will submit the passed and fully revised thesis proposal together with the names of the student, supervisor(s) and the assessment panel to the Graduate School for official approval of PhD candidacy. For student in other doctoral degree programmes, academic unit should inform the Graduate School once a student passes the thesis proposal assessment. 6. A PhD student must achieve PhD candidacy within 3 years after his/her initial registration at the University of Macau by passing the qualifying examination and thesis proposal assessment. A student in other doctoral degree programmes must pass the thesis proposal assessment within 2.5 years after his/her initial registration at the University of Macau. The maximum period for achieving the PhD candidacy or passing the thesis proposal assessment will not be extended in general. A student who cannot achieve PhD candidacy or pass the thesis proposal assessment as governed by the above term will be discontinued from the enrolled programme. 7. A student who would like to extend his/her study period to achieve PhD candidacy or pass the thesis proposal assessment should submit the application form with the justified reason(s) endorsed by the supervisor before the end of the study period to the academic unit concerned. The application is subject to the consideration of Faculty/Institute Graduate Studies Committee, the endorsement from the Dean/Director of the academic unit concerned and the approval from the Vice Rector (Academic Affairs). R. 1. THESIS FORMAT, SUBMISSION AND PUBLICATION Candidates are advised to study thoroughly and follow strictly the Guidelines Governing the Format of Theses of PhD and Other Doctoral Degree Programmes when writing their thesis. Candidates may refer to the Graduate School’s homepage (https://grs.um.edu.mo/) for details of the said Guidelines. 84 UM Academic Calendar 2. Before a candidate submits a thesis for examination, he/she shall pass one copy of the thesis to the supervisor(s) for assessment. If the supervisor(s) confirm(s) that the thesis is ready for submission, a “thesis submission” form should be completed as endorsement. 3. A candidate shall submit five copies of his/her thesis, together with the “thesis submission” form, to the academic unit concerned. The thesis shall conform in layout, binding and presentation as required by the academic unit concerned. 4. The examination committee shall declare in writing to accept/reject the thesis. 5. If a thesis is rejected by the examination committee, the candidate shall re-submit the thesis following the above mentioned thesis submission procedures within the period as decided by the examination committee. The re-submission deadline shall not exceed the maximum period of study. A candidate shall only re-submit the thesis once only. 6. A candidate must submit properly bound copies of the final version of the thesis approved by the examination committee upon successful completion of the oral defence examination. The exact number of copies of thesis and the submission deadline will be specified by the academic unit concerned. 7. To ensure a uniform appearance of the theses of the PhD and other doctoral degree programmes, the bound Library copy must be first sent to the academic unit concerned for checking before it will be finally housed in the Library. 8. A candidate must also submit a soft copy of the said thesis to the academic unit concerned for onward transmission to the University Library, in ways and format as determined by the University Library. 9. All theses will be published with the ProQuest UMI Dissertation Publishing. Exceptions would be allowed for special cases with sound justification and proper approval. The University Library will process the thesis publication procedures with the UMI. S. 1. FORMATION OF ORAL DEFENCE EXAMINATION COMMITTEE After the candidate has submitted the thesis to the academic unit concerned, the Academic Council of the academic unit shall decide whether to submit a proposal for the examination committee to the Rector for approval. 2. The candidate shall normally be informed of the official composition of the examination committee after the official appointment. 3. The examination committee shall be chaired by the Rector, or his/her delegated Vice Rector, Full Professors, Distinguished Professors or Chair Professors who have been the supervisor of at least three PhD students who have successfully graduated. 4. The examination committee shall be composed of the supervisor and at least three examiners, one of whom must be from non-Macau academic institution. 5. The examination committee shall be composed of at least three members who have completed a graduate degree at doctoral level in the relevant discipline. 6. The oral defence examination should take place in accordance with the Procedures for Formation of the Oral Defence Examination Committees of PhD and Other Doctoral Degree Programmes. 7. Within 60 days after the announcement of the composition of the examination committee, 85 the examination committee shall declare in writing to accept the thesis or recommend its revision to the candidate with supporting reasons. 8. In the case of thesis revision, the candidate shall revise the thesis or declare to maintain it unchanged as presented within 120 days. The period cannot be extended. 9. If the candidate does not submit the revised thesis nor declare waiving the revision within the said period, he/she shall be considered to have given up the oral defence examination. The examination committee is dismissed. T. 1. ORAL DEFENCE EXAMINATION The oral defence examination shall be held normally within 60 days after: a. The day on which the thesis is officially accepted by the examination committee for oral defence examination. b. The day on which the thesis revision or the declaration waiving the revisions is submitted. 2. The academic unit concerned shall give the candidate at least one week’s notice of the date of oral defence examination. 3. The oral defence examination is an open examination. The candidate shall present the thesis and defend it in front of an examination committee. 4. Prior to the oral defence examination, the examination committee shall decide the speaking order and method of its members. 5. After the thesis presentation and the question and answer session, the examination committee shall discuss and evaluate the candidate's performance. By open ballot voting, the committee shall decide to go into the final resolution deliberation session. 6. Final Resolution Deliberation Session: a. A resolution must be decided by majority vote and open ballot voting with supporting statements. No committee voting member can abstain from voting. b. The final resolution of the oral defence examination shall be delivered as pass (P), conditional pass (CP) or fail (NP). i. Pass with no revision: The candidate has to submit the final copy to academic unit within one week. ii. Pass with minor revisions: Revised version to be assessed by supervisor(s) only / all Examination Committee Members. The candidate should complete the thesis revision as requested by the Examination Committee and submit the revised thesis with the “Confirmation of Thesis Revision” form to the academic unit within 3 months from the date of the oral defence examination. The above stated period can be extended with dean’s recommendation and Vice Rector (Academic Affairs)’s approval. iii. Conditional pass, subject to major revisions: The candidate has to take the oral defence examination again within a year. iv. Fail: The candidate has to be discontinued from the PhD or other doctoral degree programme. 7. The academic unit concerned shall submit the graduation proposal to the Graduate School for graduation check within one month after the final thesis is submitted to the academic unit. 8. The oral defence examination and the resolution-deliberation discussions must be put on record. A proposal for the award of degrees shall be submitted to the Senate for approval. 86 UM Academic Calendar The minutes of the oral defence examination shall record the voting results and comments on the oral defence. U. APPEAL AGAINST RESULTS No appeal against the final academic decision of an examination committee is permitted. V. TUITION FEE All students shall pay the tuition fees according to the tuition fee scheme of the admitted/resuming academic year and settle their tuition fees before the deadline set by the University. W. GRADUATION Graduation and Issue of Graduation Certificates Upon successful completion of studies, thesis writing and oral defence and with the approval from the Senate, academic awards are conferred on students at a congregation. Students eligible for academic awards for that particular year will be notified in writing of the details regarding the congregation, the collection of academic dress, and the award certificate. The graduation certificate will be issued once only, as there will be no second printing. Students are therefore strongly advised to ensure the safe-keeping of this important document. The University reserves the right to withhold conferment of an award on a student who has outstanding fees owed to the University, or who has otherwise failed to discharge all obligations towards the University. X. 1. DISCONTINUATION OF STUDIES A student shall be required to discontinue studies under the following circumstances: a. A student who has failed a compulsory course more than once. b. A student who has failed a second qualifying examination. c. A student who has failed a second thesis proposal assessment. d. A student (under the temporary supervisor’s supervision) who cannot identify the supervisor within 1 year. e. A PhD student who cannot pass the qualifying examination within 2 years or achieve PhD candidacy within 3 years. f. For other doctoral degree programmes, a student who cannot pass the thesis proposal assessment within 2.5 years. g. A student who cannot complete his/her study within the maximum period of studies. h. A student who has failed the oral defence examination. i. A student who is graded “Unsatisfactory” twice in the progress report. 2. Students whose studies have been discontinued due to unsatisfactory academic performance or who have exceeded their maximum study period cannot register as a student of the University within the subsequent year (two semesters). Discontinued students returning after one year (two semesters) For students who have been discontinued from their studies due to unsatisfactory academic performance, they should apply for re-admission and such application must be approved by the Vice Rector (Academic Affairs) with the recommendation from the Dean/Director of the academic unit concerned. For students who have been discontinued from their studies by exceeding the maximum study duration, they should apply for regular admission as new students following all the 87 procedures and rules for new students. Y. 1. TRANSFER OF PROGRAMME Students cannot change programme/major. However, any special request is approved by the Dean/Director of the academic unit concerned of the programme/major transferred to. 2. A student who cannot manage to accomplish the PhD or other doctoral degree programmes can transfer to Master’s degree programme. The application must be recommended by the principal supervisor, endorsed by the Faculty/Institute Graduate Studies Committee and approved by the Graduate School. The Master’s degree will be awarded provided that he/she has successfully completed all the graduation requirements of the relevant Master’s degree programme. Z. 1. DEFERMENT OF STUDY Application for deferment of study from a withdrawn or inactive student will not be considered. For definitions of withdrawn and inactive students, please refer to item AA and AC respectively. 2. Students who wish to postpone their studies should apply for deferment of study by submitting an application form to the Graduate School and securing the required signatures from the Dean/Director of the academic unit concerned before leaving the University. The University does not guarantee such students that the degree programme/courses will remain constant after they return to the University. 3. Withdrawal grades will be recorded for each course at the time the student receives permission to defer. The grades are either “W”, meaning that the student defers the study before the examination period, or “F”, meaning that the student does not take the examinations but defers during or after the examination period. However, if a student defers the study after completing all the courses and examinations of a semester, all academic credits/grades are given for the courses taken in that semester. 4. Students can apply for deferment of study for not more than 2 semesters at one time. If students wish to prolong their deferment period, they should submit another application before class commencement of the next semester after they have reached the previously approved deferment period. The total approved period of deferment of study cannot accumulate to more than 6 semesters. Any exceptional cases are subject to the endorsement from the Dean/Director of the academic unit concerned and the approval from the Vice Rector (Academic Affairs) via the Graduate School. 5. New students can apply for deferment of study for not more than one academic year. Application for such deferment should be made before class commencement. New students must fulfill all the conditions stated in their offer letters and submit the required amount of non-refundable deposit before they become eligible to apply for deferment of study. Such applications will only be permitted for medical reasons and exceptional cases with sound justification. For medical reasons, students are required to submit medical certificates issued by hospitals at the time of application. For exceptional cases with sound justification, students are required to specify the reason and submit written certification at the time of application. 6. Students who have deferred their studies and wish to return to the University should apply for resumption of study. Resumption is not granted automatically (See the item AD Resumption/Re-admission of Study for details). Besides, new students are not permitted to transfer to another research area when they apply for resumption of study. 88 UM Academic Calendar 7. If students neither resume nor defer the studies before class commencement of the next semester after they have reached the previously approved deferment period, they will be considered having withdrawn from the University, and they have to apply for re-admission of study later if they wish to return to the University (See the item AD - Resumption/Readmission of Study for details). AA. WITHDRAWAL FROM THE UNIVERSITY 1. Students who wish to terminate their studies at the University prior to graduation should apply for withdrawal of study by submitting an application form to the Graduate School. 2. Withdrawal grades will be recorded for each course at the time the student receives permission to withdraw. The grades are either “W”, meaning that the student withdraws from the University before the examination period, or “F”, meaning that the student does not take the examinations but withdraws during or after the examination period. However, if a student withdraws from the University after completing all the courses and examinations of a semester, all academic credits/grades are given for the courses taken in that semester. 3. Students who withdraw from the University and later wish to return must apply for readmission of study. Re-admission of study is not granted automatically and is with lower priority than resumption of study during application consideration subject to quota availability (See the item AD - Resumption/Re-admission of Study for details). AB. CHECK-OUT 1. All withdrawn, suspended or discontinued students and those applying for deferment of study are required to complete and submit the check-out forms to the Graduate School before leaving the University. Students are required to clear all outstanding matters with the department concerned. 2. All graduates are not required to come in person to the University to complete the checkout procedures. However, students who have any outstanding records must clear their records with the department concerned. Otherwise, certificates of graduation and other official documents will not be issued. 3. A student may authorise another person to process the check-out procedures by filling in Graduate School’s official authorisation letter. I.D. copies of both parties must be submitted. 4. Students who withdraw voluntarily from the University sever their connection with the University. 5. If students leave the University in the course of study without going through the check-out procedures, no official document (such as testimonial, transcript or graduation certificate) will be issued. AC. INACTIVE STUDENTS 1. Students admitted or resuming in academic year 2013/2014 or before who do not settle their tuition fees (including continuation fee) ten calendar days after the commencement of classes in any semester will be considered inactive students. 2. Students admitted or resuming in academic year 2014/2015 onwards who do not enrol in any courses or do not settle their tuition fees ten calendar days after the payment deadline in any semester will be considered inactive students. 3. Students admitted in academic year 2016/2017 onwards who do not maintain at least 3 89 credits of enrolment per semester prior to the stage of extended thesis supervision will be considered inactive students. 4. Inactive students will be prohibited from attending classes, using any services or facilities of the University, and applying for any official documents. For students who become inactive from academic year 2015/2016 onwards, the maximum inactive duration is two semesters cumulatively. If inactive students wish to return to the University within the inactive duration, they must make up the check-out procedures and apply for re-admission of study. An administration fee will be charged for the late check-out procedures, and a re-admission fee based on the number of inactive semesters will be charged upon approval of readmission. Please refer to “Fees and Other Charges” for the relevant fees. Re-admission of study is not granted automatically and is with lower priority than resumption of study during application consideration subject to quota availability. Also, inactive students are with lower priority than withdrawn students for re-admission (See the item AD - Resumption/Readmission of Study for details). AD. RESUMPTION/RE-ADMISSION OF STUDY 1. Students who have deferred their studies and wish to return to the University should apply for resumption of study, while withdrawn, discontinued or inactive students should apply for re-admission of study. 2. Students returning to the University either through resumption or re-admission can continue their study with all the previous academic records. However, the procedures for resumption and re-admission are different from each other and re-admission is with lower priority than resumption of study during application consideration subject to quota availability. Also, discontinued and inactive students are with lower priority than withdrawn students for readmission. 3. It should be noted that the total duration for deferment of study, withdrawal of study, and inactive period should not exceed six semesters altogether, and the inactive period should not exceed two semesters independently. No resumption or re-admission of study will be considered if students cannot fulfill this duration requirement. Any exceptional cases are subject to the endorsement from the Dean/Director of the academic unit concerned and the approval from the Vice Rector (Academic Affairs) via the Graduate School. Students who cannot return to the University through resumption or re-admission have to apply for regular admission if they wish to study at the University afterwards and all the previous academic records will be expired. 4. Procedures for Resumption of Study When students apply for resumption of study, they should submit written applications to the Graduate School before class commencement of a certain semester for the approval from the Dean/Director of the academic unit concerned. Any applications submitted on/after the first day of classes will be directly rejected by the Graduate School. The applicants must meet all the admission requirements prevailing at the time of resumption and successful applications will be effective in the specific semester required by the students. In addition, all resuming students who have deferred their studies due to health issues are required to submit a Medical Examination Report to the Graduate School during the resumption process. This report is to prove that the student has recovered from the health issues and is capable of pursuing his/her studies at the University. If a student has already had a medical check-up within three months prior to resumption, he/she may submit a certified true copy of that medical report. 5. Procedures for Re-admission of Study 90 UM Academic Calendar When withdrawn and inactive students apply for re-admission of study, they should submit written requests to the Graduate School for the approval from the Dean/Director of the academic unit concerned. For inactive students, they must make up the check-out procedures before applying for re-admission; however, they are not required to obtain approval from the Dean/Director of the academic unit concerned for the check-out. Also, an administration fee will be charged for the late check-out procedures, and a re-admission fee based on the number of inactive semesters will be charged upon approval of readmission (Please refer to “Fees and Other Charges” for the relevant fees). When discontinued students apply for re-admission of study, they should submit written requests to the Graduate School for the approval from the Vice Rector (Academic Affairs) with the recommendation from the Dean/Director of the academic unit concerned. All readmission applications should be submitted to the Graduate School before class commencement of a certain semester and any applications submitted on/after the first day of classes will be directly rejected by the Graduate School. The applicants must meet all the admission requirements prevailing at the time of re-admission and successful applications will be effective in the following semester. 6. All resuming and re-admitted students should pay their tuition fees according to the tuition schemes of the resuming/re-admitted year and are required to check the study plan with the general office of the academic unit concerned. AE. CHANGE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION 1. Students should inform the Graduate School immediately of any change of personal particulars entered in the students’ registration records. 2. For changes of address (such as home address, postal address and email address) and contact numbers, requests may be sent through email. All current students can also directly change their addresses and contact numbers through the myUM (https://myum.um.edu.mo). 3. For changes of other personal particulars not mentioned above, students must submit an application form to the Graduate School in person with personal identification documents presented. Such application will not be accepted after graduation or withdrawal from the University. AF. 1. CERTIFICATION Academic Transcripts and Testimonials a. An academic transcript is a certification of a student’s record of academic performance at the University and it shows the student’s grades obtained in a programme up to the latest final examination taken. Students can apply for transcripts after the academic reports have been released. A testimonial is a certification of the student’s present registration status with regard to his/her studies at the University. b. Students can apply for academic transcript or testimonial by submitting an application from to the Graduate School. The charge per copy may be found in “Fees and Other Charges”. If students submit their applications by post in Macao, a cheque or cashier’s order for the amount due should be enclosed. For overseas applicants, payment must be paid by either cashier’s order or bank draft; an additional handling fee will be charged. Please refer to “Fees and Other Charges” for further details. c. To avoid delay, please remember that requests for transcripts by other parties must bear the student’s authorisation before the Graduate School can process the requests. During examination and assessment periods, the issuing of transcripts may be suspended or delayed. 91 d. The University reserves the right to withhold an academic transcript or a testimonial from a student who has outstanding fees owing to the University, or who has otherwise failed to discharge all obligations towards to the University. 2. Certified True Copy of Academic Documents Students may apply for certified true copies of academic documents issued by the University, such as graduation certificates and academic transcripts, by submitting an application form to the Graduate School. Please refer to “Fees and Other Charges” for the relevant charges. However, the Graduate School will provide a free service to students who apply for admission to the programmes offered by the University. AG. ACADEMIC HONESTY Students should uphold the principle of academic integrity and pursue their studies with passion and honesty. They should avoid committing any act of academic dishonesty, including but not limited to cheating, fabrication, collusion and plagiarism. Plagiarism is a serious academic offence and the University shall penalize the student who is proved to have incorporated others’ works as his/her own work according to the “Student Disciplinary Regulations of the University of Macau” (SAO.03/201406/100). Regarding the types and handling procedures of academic dishonesty, please refer to the “Rules on Handling Student Academic Dishonesty” (AAO-REG.04/201112/068). 92 UM Academic Calendar Annex FEES AND CHARGES For details about fees and charges, please refer to the “Fees and Charges” section of the UM Academic Calendar or the homepage of the Treasury Section of the Finance Office (https://fo.um.edu.mo/). IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS Notices such as important announcements, examination schedules or university activities will be posted on notice boards. There are also electronic bulletin boards, which display messages campus-wide and can be easily accessed through the campus computer network. In addition, the University sends important notices to students through SMS (short message service) or emails (university’s accounts only). Students should check the campus notice-boards, electronic bulletin boards and university’s email accounts to learn about University news and events. 93