Policies & Procedures
Section A: Educational Programs
Admission The admissions standard at Imperium University it similar to what is found at a traditional university. Students may apply for admission, register for classes and pay tuition fees without attending a campus lecture. Students will need to adhere to the minimum requirement per course or be subject to taking bridging courses to ensure their academic level is sufficient and they will be able to cope with the workload as per course prescriptions. Registration Students who wish to register for Imperium University distance courses should consult the student advisor (studentaffairs@imperium-uni.com) for any queries and complete the self-registration process, either by completing the fill-in pdf or online application. Registration will only be complete once: - Registration fee is received - Identity has been confirmed Any alterations to courses or subjects per semester will be discussed and approved by the assigned student counsellor. Advising Throughout a student’s career at Imperium University, they will be appointed a student counsellor to aid in management of their course requirements as well as personal time management. Student counsellors are there to provide aid in learning methods, time management, course anxiety and administration as well as guidance relating to their course choices. Students can also contact their student counsellors if they are having technical difficulties. Financial Aid Imperium University believes in giving everyone a helping hand and therefore offers courses at affordable rates with a variety of payment options. For any other Financial aid students should contact the finance department. (finance@imperium-uni.com) Grades Your final grade will be entered approximately 2-3 weeks after your final examination. Students may appeal their final grade by contacting Student Affairs. Before a formal appeal you might consider: - Discussing your grade with the course lecturer - Ask to view your final examination. This can also be arranged by contacting Student Affairs. Honesty Policy Academic misconduct is taken seriously as it diminishes the quality of academic scholarships, defrauds our society and institution, faculty and other students. Academic misconduct includes the following: - Asking for or giving another student information during an assessment. - Copying answers from another student or external source during an assessment. - Using materials prohibited by the course instructor during an assessment. - Impersonating another student. - Changing answers on a previously graded assessment. - Stealing assessment material - Plagiarism which is copying material, either exactly or in essence, and not providing the necessary reference. - Copying or allowing another student to copy or rewrite assessment materials. - Stealing, buying, selling or otherwise providing research papers. When any academic misconduct has occurred, the lecturer of the course has the responsibility to contact the dean and follow the appropriate steps. Students found guilty of plagiarism will be expelled from any tertiary institution for a minimum of 5 years. Student Disability Services Students with disabilities should state them in their application forms. They will then be assigned the appropriate student counsellor. Student counsellors will aid in assistance for achieving equal access to all distance programs and experiences. Student Grievance Procedure Imperium University attempts to resolve all grievances internally at the level where they occur and in a timeous manner. Students are required to keep communication open between them and their student counsellor and raise any grievances as soon as possible to avoid the necessity for appeals. Any student that would like to make a formal complaint should follow the following steps: - Discuss the problem with the faculty member involved. - If informal efforts do not resolve the issue, contact your student advisor. If you student advisor is the problem, please contact student affairs. (studentaffairs@imperium-uni.com) - If the complainant at this point wishes to file a formal complaint, he/she can contact the Dean. (dean@imperium-uni.com) A response will be sent within 10 working days. - No adverse action will be taken against a student for filing a complaint. Technical Assistance Imperium University provides technological support to all students and faculty members. Request for technical assistance from students should be made directly to their student counsellor. The student counsellor will contact the necessary personnel to deal with the issue and provide timely feedback to the student. Lecturers can contact the lecture liaison (lectureliaison@imperium-uni.com). Withdrawal Process In order for an Imperium University student to withdraw from a course, they need to contact their student counselor. All withdrawals need to be accompanied by a motivation. There is no refund once the student has completed the first assignment term in a semester. If students wish to withdraw from a course, they will receive a “NC” for the course.
Section B: Support Service
Course Availability A complete list of all courses can be found on the website under Courses. Students can also download the prospectus from the Home Page. For any assistance regarding course availability or subject choice students should contact Student Affairs (studentaffairs@imperium-uni.com). Once registration is received, students will be contacted regarding their choices and acceptance and course approval will take place. The student will be notified by email as to whether the course has been approved or denied. Internet Access All students need to have access to their own Internet in order to successfully access details on their profile. Students will need to access learning material, videos, assessments and more. All communication with students will be online or via email. Imperium University is not responsible for technical problems that students may experience with their own Internet Service provider or computer. Students will be able to use all resources on Imperium University Portal via tablet or phone as well as by computer. Registration Upon registration for any new course or semester, students will receive an email from the Dean containing log in details. Students will be able to view their profile, update any changes and access current courses. The use of usernames and password by anyone other than the registered student may be cause for dismissal. Pre-requisites for class All students must adhere to the pre-requisite requirements as set out per syllabus. This will be discussed with their individual student counsellors.
Section C: Online Courses
Faculty Load No lecturer is allowed to teach more than 3 courses per semester. This is to ensure sufficient attention is given to all students. Courses with more than 20 students will be assigned teaching assistants to help with keeping up with student communications. Course Guidelines All courses will provide relevant textbooks and syllabus guidelines. Lecturers are to supply: - A 25 / 30 week work program depending on the length of the course - Video lessons of 40min going through each section of the work for 20 min and discussing how questions in exam should be tackled and answered for another 20 min. - A quiz at the end of each section to test student knowledge - Assignments that reflect the standard of Imperium University - Exam papers set to the standard requirements Lecturers may also be asked to serve as external moderators. All formats of academic material can be found on the G-Drive shared with lecturers. Credentials In all academic areas a Master’s degree will be the minimum requirement. Lecturers are advised to enroll for a teaching course in online education. Support will be available throughout course development. Evaluation of classes In order to promote the quality of our courses, all courses will be evaluated per semester using online evaluation forms from students as well as course moderators.
Section D: Faculty
Course Quality Imperium online courses are comparable to traditional campus-based courses. These courses have an approved syllabus outlining the learning outcomes per course, prescribed textbooks, video lectures expanding on the most important points, quizzes per section to test understanding as well as formal evaluation made up of assignments and formal exam papers. Course Review All courses are reviewed on a yearly basis to ensure we uphold an international standard. All lecturers new to a course have to submit all material in for moderation and approval. Criteria of evaluation will also include student satisfaction, achieving learning outcomes in a timely manner as well as student participation in conversation forums. Exam information Students will have a minimum of 3 assignments and 2 exams in a one year (12 months) period. The number of assignments may increase but will never be lower than 3. Students will need to have an invigilator present for all assignments and examinations. For more information please refer to invigilator policies and procedures. Interaction with Students Communication between lecturers, students and support staff is crucial for success. Lecturers are available for student feedback using email and skype. Students will also have access to their student counsellor with a scheduled check-in every month. Students have access to all learning material 24hours a day. Location As Imperium University is a distance based education facility, there is not limitation on location of students. Students need to ensure they update their location details with their student counsellor on a regular basis in order for Imperium University to release exam material on the correct date and time. Ownership of Material All learning material will remain the property of Imperium University and will be copyrighted.
