Unsatisfactory Academic Progress
As a student enrolled in a single or double degree course managed by the Faculty of Arts your academic progress will be assessed twice each year. This process is undertaken to ensure that all our students remain 'on track' to complete their studies within an appropriate time-frame as well as to provide you with timely assistance if your progress is being held back due to ill-health or difficult personal circumstances.
In order to identify students who are not successfully progressing with their course of study we monitor your academic performance at the end of both first and second semesters. Over a one-year period, your academic performance is considered unsatisfactory when:
- in the period commencing December of the previous year and including at least two semesters of candidature, you have failed more than 50% of your enrolled units; or
- having commenced your course in semester 2 of the previous year, you have completed at least two semesters of study by the end of semester 1 of the following year, and you have failed more than 50% of your enrolled units; or
- you have failed the same compulsory unit twice; or
- you have failed to comply with any terms or conditions imposed by the faculty board under section 5 of the statute or by an academic progress committee of the faculty.
Depending on which semester you commenced your course, your academic performance may be deemed to be unsatisfactory at the end of either semester one (mid-year) or semester two (end of year).
Mid Year Intervention: End of Year: |
Process Information: |
Mid-Year Intervention - Early Warning Letters
At the end of Semester 1 each year early warning letters are sent to all students who have failed 50% or more of their units in a standard teaching semester.
The purpose of these letters is to:
- notify you of the academic progress rules of the faculty;
- warn you that you may be at risk of breaching the faculty's academic progress rules at the end of the year;
- inform you about the free support services available to you from the faculty and the university;
- encourage you to seek help to improve your academic performance immediately.
Mid-Year Intervention - How to Get Help
If you receive an Early Warning Letter it is essential that you act on it. You must make an appointment with an Arts student progress officer to discuss the reasons why you have failed units and to decide on the steps you will take to improve your performance next semester.
Further help is also available and we strongly recommend that you make time to:
- Discuss any study difficulties you are experiencing with your course leader, unit coordinator, lecturer or tutor. These staff members can assist you in identifying your problem areas and explore the options available to you in your course.
- Contact the Arts Academic Language and Learning Unit where you can receive assistance with study methods, language skills and work presentation.
- Seek assistance from the University Counselling Service if you think personal or other issues, eg motivation, adjustment to university, or self-confidence, may be affecting your level of achievement.
- Access the Health Wellbeing and Development website for assistance with personal or other issues and to find out what to expect, and how best to prepare yourself, if you are asked attend an Unsatisfactory Academic Progress hearing.
End of Year - Unsatisfactory Academic Progress
If, after the publication of results at the end of the year, you have not met the faculty's progress rules, you will be asked to respond to a Notice of Referral (sent to you by the Arts Academic Progress Committee). It is crucial that you complete and return this Notice because it is your chance to explain why you should not be excluded (discontinued) from your course. If you are sent a Notice of Referral make sure that you reply by the due date indicated and, if required, make yourself available to attend a hearing of the Faculty's Academic Progress Committee.
Decisions the Committee may make:
- permit you to continue your studies with a caution (provided you have met the administrative requirements for re-enrolment for the following year)
- permit you to continue your studies on a condition (provided you have met the administrative requirements for re-enrolment for the following year)
- exclude you from undertaking any course of study in the faculty
Please refer to the Monash University Secretariat - Unsatisfactory Academic Progress website for the following information:
IMPORTANT - Postal Address
Failure to receive university notices is not accepted as the basis for an appeal against exclusion. If you expect to be unable to access your usual postal address during December, January or February, you must provide the University with a postal address at which you can be contacted during this period. It is a requirement of your enrolment that Monash University has your current postal address at all times.
If you need to update your postal address you can do so via WES.
Rules and Regulations on Academic Progress
Students who have been excluded by their faculty can appeal the faculty's decision however the grounds on which an appeal can be lodged are limited. Information is available via the following links:
- Exclusion for Unsatisfactory Progress - Statute 6.2
- Exclusion for Unsatisfactory Progress - Regulations
International Students
If you are an International student on a student visa please be advised that condition 8202 of your visa requires that you maintain satisfactory academic progress. Failure to maintain satisfactory academic progress may place you in breach of this visa condition.
Further information is available via the student visa section on the CRICOS and visa information for international students page.