The examination forms to be used are specified in the Regulations governing studies and examinations at the University of Oslo, § 5.1.
1. Definitions
- Midterm examinations are held during the period of tuition, and examination results are included as part of the final grading of a given course. A midterm examination normally constitutes less than 50% of the final grade. Written examinations can last up to 4 hours.
- Final examinations are held after tuition ends, and normally constitute 50% or more of the final grade. Written examinations normally last up to 4 hours. Applications for prolonged duration of examination are concluded by the Dean.
- Two examinations can be held per day, one morning examination and a midday examination. Students must attend no later than 15 minutes before the examination starts at the designated examination venue; cf. Candidate instructions for written examinations at the University of Oslo. Students whose attendance is delayed by up to 30 minutes are still offered the opportunity to sit the exam. Lost examination time is not recoverable.
- Legitimate absence includes illness or other valid reasons which must be satisfactorily documented. Examples of legitimate absence are:
- Illness occurring after the deadline for cancellation of examination registrations. This must be documented by a medical certificate.
- Discontinued examination due to acute illness. This must be documented by a medical certificate bearing the same date as the examination day.
- Military refresher training
- In connection with childbirth
- Participation in sports sessions and competitions on a national level
- Cultural or political representation on a national level
- In the event of a funeral for close family members in directly ascending or descending blood line, siblings, spouse/legal partner and parents-in-law.
- Re-scheduled examinations are held for examinees with a legitimate absence from an ordinary examination if no ordinary examination will be held in the subsequent semester cf. Regulations governing studies and examinations at the University of Oslo § 5.5.
- New examinations can be held for students who fail or discontinue their midterm examination or final examination. The course descriptions determine which courses that offers this arrangement.
- Compulsory exercises are not included in the basis for grading, but must be approved before students are admitted to the final examination, if necessary also prior to the midterm examination if this is a provision set by the departments. Compulsory exercises that have been approved can be transferred to another semester by the department in charge.
2. Examination registration and requirements for attendance at the examination
2.1 Required prerequisite knowledge
Each course has a specific prerequisite knowledge requirement that must be met before examination registration can take place. However, students who have passed 120 ECTS credits or more can attend classes and register for an examination in all courses offered by the Faculty without fulfilling their prerequisite knowledge requirements. Exemptions to this rule are courses given at the School of Pharmacy and other exemptions determined by the Faculty. Course admission on this basis requires that anyone who fulfils the requested knowledge prerequisite is given first priority for a place in the course. A course can be included in a degree only when the prerequisite for the course is fulfilled.
2.2 Examination registration and cancellation of examination registrations
All students except those attending the five-year long Master of Pharmacy must use StudentWeb for examination registration and cancellation of examination registrations within given deadlines.
2.3 Information regarding examinations
Exact dates for written examinations shall be available on the course website when registration for courses and examinations starts. Registration starts approximately 1 December for the spring semester and approximately 1 June for the fall semester. Normally, examination dates cannot be changed once the semester has begun in January and August. If it is necessary to change the examination date after the beginning of the semester, this should only be done in consultation with the students admitted to the course and approval of the Department’s Head of Education.
Exact dates for oral examinations are determined by the Department after the beginning of the semester. If it is necessary to change the examination date after the beginning of the semester, this should only be done in consultation with the students admitted to the course and approval of the Department’s Head of Education.
For courses where the form of examination is not finalized until after the semester has started, there will be set a date for a written examination (if a written exam is one of the examination options) within the deadlines stated in the first paragraph of this section. If another examination option than a written examination be opted for, the Department may choose to conduct the examination on another date if this is more convenient. Any alternative examination date shall be published as soon as possible after final determination of the form of examination.
Individual information about the time and place for written examinations and individual special arrangements are normally published on StudentWeb no later than two days before the exam. The departments can provide information by other means for oral examinations and practical examinations.
2.4 Midterm examinations – attendance and annulments
Examinees who fail to attend a midterm examination will lose their admission to the course if they cannot document a legitimate reason of absence. The same applies when examinees fail to submit their exam papers after an unsupervised midterm examination. Examinees with a legitimate reason of absence must attend the re-scheduled midterm examination in order to retain their admission to the course. The time and date for a re-scheduled examination is conveyed by the department in charge of the course. The Faculty may grant exemptions for midterm examinations which include laboratory work, field trips, etc. which may be too costly or difficult to reschedule.
2.5 Prolonged illness during the semester
Students who can document a prolonged illness lasting more than four weeks of the semester may apply to register for a re-scheduled final examination. All demands for compulsory exercises and midterm examinations must have been met. The final examination may also include curriculum which has previously been tested at the midterm examination.
2.6 Attending examinations when studying abroad
Students who have been admitted to the MN Faculty study programs, and who are studying abroad through a bilateral exchange agreement, may be allowed to take midterm and / or final examinations at the university they are attending. It is essential that the partner university can guarantee an adequate organization of the examination, and that the examination does not incur costs for the University of Oslo. It is equally essential that the course is mandatory in a bachelor's or master's program, and that the course has not already been passed. Applications to attend examinations while abroad are submitted to the MN Faculty within 1 September / 1 February of the semester in which the examination takes place.
3. Failing at midterm examination – new examination – appeal against the grading
3.1 Fail at midterm examination – new examination
Students who fail a midterm examination usually have the opportunity to take subsequent midterm examinations and the final examination. If passing midterm examinations are a prerequisite for taking subsequent examinations, information concerning this prerequisite is provided in the course description. The time and date for a re-scheduled examination is conveyed by the department in charge of the course.
3.2 Appeal against the grading of midterm examination
Students may appeal against the grading of the midterm examination only when the overall result for the course is announced, cf. Regulations governing studies and examinations at the University of Oslo § 6.4.
3.3 Transfer of midterm examinations
Midterm examination results cannot be transferred to subsequent semesters. This applies even if the examinee has not completed the course because of a legitimate absence. Exceptions to this rule apply for midterm examinations consisting of laboratory work or field work. By approval of the Department, these results may be transferred to subsequent semesters, limited to a maximum of four semesters after the work was completed.
4. Failing at final examination – new examination
A new examination is offered to students who have failed or discontinued the final examination of courses at 1000-level that are mandatory in one of the Faculty’s bachelor study programs. When other courses are concerned, the departments are free to decide if a new examination will be offered.
Once the Department has adopted the option of new examination of a course, the scheme of new examinations must be effective for at least two years after implementation. Discontinuation of the scheme must be notified in that specific course’s course description no later than at the beginning of the semester in which the scheme is discontinued.
The Master’s Degree of Pharmacy is subject to different rules set by the Dean.
5. Re-scheduled examination and new examination
Re-scheduled and new examinations for the end of semester final examination are held at the beginning of the following semester before tuition starts, approximately 10 January and 10 August. When the final examination is held earlier in the semester, re-scheduled and new examinations may be held later in the same semester. Exact specification of examination time and venue for individual students will appear in StudentWeb two days before each re-scheduled or new examination. The Master’s Degree of Pharmacy is subject to different rules set by the Dean.
The Faculty provides information regarding re-scheduled and new examination approximately 20 June in the spring semester and 20 December in the fall semester.
Re-scheduled or new examinations may be held in a different form than during the ordinary mid-term or final examination. If a different form of examination is applied, information concerning this shall be given no later than one week before each re-scheduled or new examination. Re-scheduled and new examinations replace the ordinary final examination. Any midterm examinations held before the final examination are included by their specified percentage as part of the final grade.
If the need occurs for a deferred submission of home examination or similar where the date of disclosure and submission of examination papers does not coincide, the department must be contacted as soon as possible, and no later than the day the examination papers should be submitted, to arrange for deferred submission. Deferred submission can only be granted on the basis of a valid medical certificate. Examination papers that are not delivered within the ordinary deadline are registered as non-submitted. A re-scheduled examination will not be offered in this case.
6. Number of examination attempts
The normal number of examination attempts at the University of Oslo is three for each course. Regular final examinations and new examinations count as two separate numbers of examination attempts. Applications for a fourth examination attempt are granted if the course is mandatory in a study program and if the other mandatory courses are already passed. Applications may also be granted if the course is mandatory in a selection of courses that are required to obtain a degree, and if it is the last remaining course needed to complete the selection of courses. Applications for a fourth examination attempt are not granted if the course has already been passed.
Applications for a fourth examination attempt in the five-year long Master’s Degree of Pharmacy are processed individually and assessed according to overall academic progress.
The Faculty processes applications for fourth examination attempts.
7. Examination procedure – The grade system and grading
7.1 Examination procedure
Before tuition begins, the department should determine which forms of examinations that are included as part of the final grading of a given course. If a course’s examination consists of multiple parts, each part shall state how much it constitutes of the final grade. The same applies for any other regulations concerning the grading of examinations. This information should be included in the course description before the beginning of every semester.
Changes in the form of examinations after tuition has begun can only be made in consultation with the students that are registered for the course’s examination.
7.2 Determination of grades
At least two members of academic staff shall be involved in the grading of examination performance.
7.3 External examiners
If a member of the academic staff ends its employment at the University of Oslo, he or she cannot be employed as an external examiner for the evaluation of master’s theses or appeals against grades until two years after their resignation. Heads of Department or Heads of Education can apply to the Faculty for exemptions to this rule. Exemptions may be granted if the former employee had no close cooperation with the master student’s supervisor or the student for which he or she will act as an external examiner.
8. Changes in curriculum
When courses are permanently discontinued, students will have the opportunity to take examinations under the old curriculum scheme two years after the new curriculum scheme applies. If the discontinued course is not included as a mandatory or recommended course in a study program, or if the choice of sitting examinations under the old curriculum scheme cannot be justified by other means, the department can nevertheless decline to offer final examinations more than a year after the new curriculum systems applies.
9. Modifications and exemptions
The Dean can make modifications and grant exemptions to these regulations. The Faculty Board shall be informed when significant modifications are made.