• Section 1 - Background and Purpose
• Section 2 - Scope
• Section 3 - Policy Statement
• Section 4 - Procedure
• Explanation of ‘Hurdle’
• Impact of Failing a Hurdle
• Eligibility for Additional Assessment
• Hurdles for Subjects that are Graded Pass/Fail
• Instances Where Additional Assessment Cannot Be Provided
• Timing of Additional Assessment
• Notice of additional assessment
• Centrally conducted examinations
• Outcome of assessment
• Section 5 - Definitions

Section 1 - Background and Purpose

(1) A student who has obtained a mark of 50 per cent or greater for a subject but has failed a compulsory (hurdle) requirement for that subject will be granted additional assessment unless it is impractical to do so.

(2) Any hurdle requirements for a subject must be specified in the Course Information Management System (CIMS) and in the Subject Learning Guide.

Section 2 - Scope

(3) These procedures apply to:

1. all campuses
2. all modes of study
3. all courses
4. all coursework students

Section 3 - Policy Statement

(4) Refer to the Assessment Policy.

Section 4 - Procedure

Explanation of ‘Hurdle’

(5) Hurdle requirements are conditions that apply for a student to be eligible to receive a passing grade in a subject. Examples of hurdles include the requirement to complete a specific assessment task or meaningfully attempt all assessment items in a subject or achievement of a minimum mark in a specified piece of assessment.

(6) Attendance is not to be used as a hurdle requirement, other than where it is clearly and explicitly mandated by professional accreditation bodies (as in the case of clinical or teaching placements) or to meet external requirements such as mandatory occupational health and safety training or to complete an internship.

Impact of Failing a Hurdle

(7) A student who fails a hurdle for a subject is deemed to have failed the subject, regardless of the aggregate of marks that the student has achieved for the subject.

Eligibility for Additional Assessment

(8) A student who has obtained a mark of 50 per cent or greater for a subject but has failed a compulsory (hurdle) requirement for that subject will be granted additional assessment unless it is impractical to do so. An eligible student awarded additional supplementary assessment on the basis of failure to meet a hurdle requirement should be given a mark and the appropriate administrative grade:

1. SAHE, if the additional assessment is to take the form of a centrally conducted examination;
2. SAHA, if the additional assessment is to take the form on a non-centrally managed examination of other assessment.

(9) SAHE or SAHA is granted by a subject examiner before an Examiners' meeting.

Hurdles for Subjects that are Graded Pass/Fail

(10) If the grading schema for a subject is such that no mark is awarded (e.g. the subject is assessed as an ungraded pass or fail), it is not appropriate to award an SAHE or SAHA. A grade of W should be awarded instead, pending completion of any additional assessment.

Instances Where Additional Assessment Cannot Be Provided

(11) It may not be possible or appropriate to award an SAHE or SAHA in some circumstances, e.g. where a student has failed a clinical placement. However, where it can be arranged, a student should be given other opportunity to complete the hurdle requirement.

(12) Where an eligible student fails to meet a hurdle requirement and it is impractical to give supplementary assessment, the student should be given an ungraded fail (F).

Timing of Additional Assessment

(13) In normal circumstances, additional assessment should be held at the end of a Progression Period or the Teaching Period in which the subject is undertaken. In the case of a Progression Period, the assessment must be finalised (assessments conducted and results recorded in the Student System) no more than five working days following the week in which central special examinations conclude. 

Notice of additional assessment

(14) Eligible students shall be given a minimum of one week’s notice of the additional assessment opportunity.

Centrally conducted examinations

(15) Where the additional assessment is to take the form of a centrally administered examination, the following procedures apply:

(16) All details of the additional assessment, including the examination paper, must be submitted to the Student Services and Administration according to the Examinations Unit schedule.

(17) Failure to produce all the required materials by the due date will result in non-acceptance of the subject for central examination. Consequently the examination will need to be conducted in-house by the School concerned (as already occurs for a number of examinations).

Outcome of assessment

(18) If the additional assessment is passed, then the maximum mark possible will be the total of the marks achieved for all assessment tasks for the subject, noting that hurdle requirements are not graded and do not contribute to the final grade.

(19) If the additional assessment is failed, then the final grade for the subject will be an ungraded fail (F – no mark).

(20) If the additional assessment is not completed, then the final grade for the subject will be an ungraded fail (F – no mark).

Section 5 - Definitions

(21) For the purpose of this Procedure:

1. Hurdle Requirement: A condition that applies for a student to be eligible to receive a passing grade in a subject. Hurdle requirements are not graded and do not contribute to the final grade.
2. Progression Period: The period of study at the end of which a student’s academic progress is formally assessed.
   1. There will be two (2) Progression Periods within an Academic Year. They will each be six (6) months in duration and run from the 1 January – 30 June and 1 July – 31 December respectively.
   2. A progression period may include more than one teaching period (see below) 
   3. Each subject enrolment will be assigned to a specific Progression Period according to the last day of the Teaching Period in which the Subject is offered. All Teaching Periods that finish from the 1 January – 30 June will be in Progression Period 1 and those from the 1 July – 31 December will be in Progression Period 2. This will be independent of location and the academic year the Teaching Period commenced.
3. Teaching Period: The period between the commencement and completion of teaching in a specific subject.