Student Life and Learning

Can I take time out from my course?

Yes it is possible to take a period of Leave of Absence from your course. This would usually be for either a semester or a year. You need to have a reason for taking this break though! This can be either for medical reasons, maternity, personal problems, financial difficulties, work placement or to change course.

How do I sort out Leave of Absence?

In the first instance talk to your Personal Tutor or a member of staff in your School about the implications of taking this time out and if you would need to repeat a period of study. Then make an appointment to see a member of staff from the Student Life and Learning Team. You will need to discuss your request with them, fill out a form and also provide some supporting evidence for your request to take leave.  It would save time if you take the supporting evidence to the appointment. You will then get a letter or email confirming that you are on Leave of Absence.

What are the implications of taking Leave of Absence?

Your funding body will be notified and your funding will be suspended while you are on leave. However, you do not pay any tuition fees while you are on leave and you can also be reimbursed for any up front accommodation fees you have paid once you have vacated your room and returned your key. You do have to leave university accommodation within 7 days of your LOA being finalised. You can still access your Keele email though so you should continue to check that while you are on leave.

I’m coming back from Leave of Absence. What do I need to do?

While you are on Leave of Absence continue to check your Keele email for important information. Keep in touch with your Schools for information about module choices and module information. Also don’t forget to apply for accommodation by the February deadline if you want to be on campus on your return from LOA.

If you went on Leave of Absence on medical grounds you will need to send a medical note from your Dr to Dr O Byrne, the University Medical Officer at the Health Centre before you can restart your course. He will check if you are now fit to resume your course. We will write to remind you about this process a few months before your planned return to Keele. He will check if you are now fit to resume your course.

If you went on Leave of Absence for other reasons you will be contacted by email by the Student Records Office who will tell you what you need to do to reregister.

I’m thinking of leaving Keele. Who should I talk to?

You can talk to your Personal Tutor. If you are in Halls you might also want to talk to a member of Residential Support Team. You should also talk to a member of staff from the Student Life and Learning Team. They will be able to discuss different options with you, for example support for any difficulties you are having, taking some time out or even changing course.

I’m sure I want to leave so what do I do?

If you have already talked to your Personal Tutor, come and see a member of staff from the Student Life and Learning team. You will just need to complete a withdrawal form and we will then tell everyone else who needs to know. You will need to leave your room within 7 days of completing your withdrawal form. You must also return your keys to Student Accommodation Services if you live on campus. You must make sure that you do complete a withdrawal form as until this has been processed by the university you will remain liable to pay fees to Keele!

Can I change course?

It is possible to change course at certain times of year if you meet the entry requirements, there are spaces on the course or you have done enough credits in that subject. The information on electives pages outlines how many credits you need for the different types of degrees available at Keele. All course changes are subject to approval by the new subjects so the best place to start would be by talking to your Personal Tutor and then the Course Directors in the subject you would like to change into. However, some professional courses such as Social Work, Pharmacy, Nursing and Midwifery, Medicine and Physiotherapy require students to apply directly onto these courses.

When can I change course?

You can change course in the first three weeks of Semester 1 and 2 in Years 1 and 2. It may also be possible to change at the end of Year 1 or Year 2 if you have done enough credits in the subject you wish to change to. Some course changes do require you to repeat a year of study so that you can take core modules and pass enough credits for that course combination. If you do wish to change course at the end of the Year please make your request as soon as possible to allow time for it to be processed. We would recommend that you do this no later than Friday 28 June 2012.

How do I change course?

The first thing to do is discuss your request with your Personal Tutor and also talk to the Course Director of the subject you wish to change to. If they can accept you and you have enough credits you can submit your course change request through Evision. Go to the Course / Module Details page then click on the Request Course Change Tab. Make sure you check that you have enough credits, then complete and submit the form. Your request will then be considered by Course Directors and the Student Life and Learning Team. You will get an email once a decision has been made. You will also be able to check the progress of your request through Evision.

If you have any general queries about changing course you can email coursechanges@keele.ac.uk but use Evision to make the Course Change Request.

Can I do a Major/Minor course?

First check in the prospectus or online to see if the course you want to specialise in is available as a Major option. This is not possible for all courses. Then check that you have the required number of credits to make this change. The information on the  electives pages provides some very clear information about the credits you require for Major / Minor courses. You should then discuss this Course Change Request with the Course Directors. If they agree to this change and you have enough credits you can then Request a Course Change through Evision. Go to the Course / Module details page then click on the Request Course Change Tab. Complete the form, check your credits then submit. Your request will then be considered and you will receive an email notification. You can also check the progress of your request through Evision.

If you have any general queries about changing course email coursechanges@keele.ac.uk.

But please use Evision to submit your Course Change Request.

Many students request to change to Major/ Minor courses at the end of the academic year. Please make your request as early as possible and no later than Friday 28 June.

I'm struggling with my assignments. Where can I get help?

You can ask your lecturers for subject specific advice and guidance and you can ask us for general support towards optimising your study skills. We support learning development via workshops, one-to-one’s, mini group tutorials and online study support materials. To find out more about our provision and services, see our getting in touch pages.

I find exams particularly difficult. What can I do?

Again you should talk to your lecturers for subject specific advice and get some feedback from them about any exams which you have done. You might also want to access support from the learning development team. You can see how we offer support via our getting in touch web pages.

I have a disability. Can I get support?

You should make an appointment to see an adviser in Disability and Dyslexia Support services to discuss this.

I was ill during my exam period. What should I do?

You need to complete an Extenuating Circumstances Form‌ and return this with supporting medical evidence to your Schools as soon as you can. You need to submit this before a decision has been made about your results by the Exam Boards.

I have had some problems this year which have affected my results. What can I do?

You need to complete an Extenuating Circumstances Form and return this with supporting evidence of your problems to your Schools as soon as you can. You need to submit this before a decision has been made about your results by the Exam Boards.

I've failed my exams. What can I do?

Don’t panic. There are resit opportunities for exams and you will be sent information about this. Your marks for resits will be capped at 40 % for undergraduates and 50% for postgraduates. If at the end of the year you have not passed enough modules to be allowed into the next year of study, you may be offered a repeat year of study. You will be emailed about this in the summer.

Can I appeal my results?

In certain cases you can submit an . However you can only appeal on the grounds of either extenuating circumstances not previously known to the Exam Board or Procedural Irregularity. In the case of extenuating circumstances you will have to explain why you did not disclose these circumstances at the time. You will also have to provide independent supporting evidence.

Can I repeat a year of study?

A repeat year of study may be recommended by the Exam Board if you have not passed enough modules to be allowed into the next year of study. You will be sent an email about this when you get your results if this is an option available to you. Some professional courses may not allow this option.

Sometimes if you wish to change course you may be required to repeat a year of study.

I am feeling stressed and anxious. Who can I talk to?

There are many different people you can talk to for advice and support. You could start by talking to your Personal Tutor. If you live on campus you could also talk to your Residential Tutor. You might also want to make an appointment to see one of the university’s Counsellors or you could talk to one of the university’s chaplains.

What is plagiarism and how can I avoid it?

Plagiarism is using other peoples work, research or words, and presenting it as your own. Plagiarism can be an intentional act. This is when the student knowingly passes off someone else’s work as their own. But it can also happen accidentally and sometimes it is either a lack of knowledge or a misunderstanding about academic conduct, expectations and referencing conventions. Please see this Student guide to plagiarism regulations for more information.

To avoid plagiarism you must adhere to a relevant referencing convention. All referencing should be accurate and consistent. To access advice about referencing, speak to one of your module leaders and find out what guidance is available within your programme. Alternatively, one of our learning developers can discuss referencing with you or you could tap into our electronic resources to access advice online. We also run workshops on this topic. Take a look at our Getting in touch pages to find out how you can access this help.

What is collusion?

Collusion is another form of academic dishonesty and is more commonly referred to as copying or cheating. Collusion is suspected when two or more students hand in work that looks very similar to each other. As with plagiarism, collusion is taken very seriously and penalties apply when it is detected. See this Student guide to plagiarism regulations for further details. We have further resources about collusion and plagiarism. Go to our Getting in Touch pages to find out how to access them.