University of Kent

For each module you do there is a module convenor who is responsible for the entire module. Other staff may also be involved, giving lectures and/or running seminars. These people are your first points of contact for matters to do with an individual module, and can be very helpful if there is something you do not understand or if you are having difficulty. However, if it is not possible to resolve something with the module team, or if you have a problem affecting several modules you should consult your programme director.

Senior Tutor: Stephen Burke

The Senior Tutor is responsible for overseeing the Personal Academic Support System and is the Department's disciplinary officer, whose responsibilities include the initiation of disciplinary action when satisfied that a student has not offered a reasonable explanation of failure to fulfil academic obligations.

Your programme director will usually be able to help with most problems, or be able to direct you to people who can, but they may sometimes refer you to the Senior Tutor. This will normally be for things that need her approval, such as if you wish to take time out (known as intermitting) or your tutor feels it would be helpful for you to intermit, or if you wish to withdraw. The Senior Tutor is also involved in monitoring your attendance and academic progress (see below - Progress and Attendance Monitoring).

We expect you to take responsibility for your own learning, and therefore hope that you will take the initiative in contacting your programme director tutor or module convenor if you are having difficulties of any kind. However, we also support you by trying to identify when you need help. We do this by monitoring your attendance and performance. Our experience shows that problems are often indicated by non-attendance at seminars, and so we keep attendance records and monitor them. Clearly, there may be times when you cannot attend seminars because of illness or other unavoidable reasons, and provided we know about it, module convenors can advise you about what you have missed and guide you about how to catch up. So do make sure that we know if you are ill. If it is only for up to five days, say for something like a cold, then it is sufficient to let your programme director know (email is enough) and s/he will make sure that your module convenors are informed. If it is any longer than that, then we need a letter from the Medical Centre, please, or a Medical Certificate if you do not use the Medical Centre. The Medical Centre will deal with the letter for you, but you will need to deal with a Medical Certificate yourself. Send or take it to the Programmes Administrator. If you can, please telephone or email your programme director or arrange for someone to deliver a message for you, to let us know that you will be away for more than five days. If you need to be absent for some other reason, if at all possible, get your programme director's permission in advance. If this is not possible, then tell him or her about it as soon as possible. If you are absent from seminars more than twice in any module, and we do not know the reason, then we will email you to tell you to see your programme director to explain the reason. Then he or she will discuss it with you, and if you are experiencing difficulties will see what help can be provided. Do, please, note that absence without good reason is not acceptable, and may lead to disciplinary action.

With regard to performance, we monitor two things, submission of coursework on time, and the standard of work. If you cannot submit on time, then you need to ask your module convenor (not your seminar leader) for permission to submit late. If you do not submit on time, and do not have permission, we will contact you to tell you to see your programme director. Again, the reason for this is to find out if you are experiencing difficulties. If your performance is not up to the required standard you will be asked to see your module convenor, to discuss how you can improve. If it is appropriate, he or she may direct you to the academic support services provided by the University. Whilst we will make every effort to help you if you need it, we do expect you to be responsible for your own actions. If unsatisfactory attendance or performance continues after it has been brought to your attention, it may lead to disciplinary action.