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Unsatisfactory progress

Graduate students should refer to the heading `Unsatisfactory progress' in the chapter called `The graduate program'.

At the end of every academic year the faculty reviews the progress of each student who has failed to pass in one or more subjects and a determination is made as to whether that student should be awarded a supplementary or special examination, continue the course or be excluded from the faculty. A student who has failed the equivalent of three year-long law subjects or who fails a subject following a warning that a further failure might result in his or her being excluded from the faculty, may be referred to the Exclusion Committee. Adequate opportunity is afforded to each student, with the assistance of an approved undergraduate student if desired, to make submissions to the Exclusion Committee. In the event of exclusion, an appeal may be made to the Academic Board.

Students who have been excluded from further study for unsatisfactory academic progress must make application for re-admission through VTAC and compete with all other applicants for admission.

The applicant must show evidence of academic rehabilitation since being excluded. The notion of rehabilitation is restricted to academic rehabilitation following the period of exclusion. For the purposes of that assessment, character references and work experience will not be used as the basis for any decision concerning readmission. To have undertaken a course of study, following their exclusion, in tertiary subjects (other than subjects offered by Monash University, Faculty of Law) for the equivalent of one full year of study and to have achieved a credit average or better in those subjects, will normally be accepted as evidence of academic rehabilitation. Such study may include open learning units.

Criteria to be applied in reviewing academic progress and in considering students for exclusion

1 Except where otherwise resolved in a particular instance by the Board of Examiners a student will be referred to and may be excluded from the LLB course by the Exclusion Committee, where:

(a) the student has failed law subjects undertaken at Monash University, the total value of which is thirty-six or more credit points, and an academic progress committee is of the view that the student should be referred to the Exclusion Committee; or

(b) the student has previously been placed under written warning by the Exclusion Committee that a further failure might result in his exclusion, and the student has failed a further subject; and an academic progress committee is of the view that he or she should be referred to the Exclusion Committee for consideration for exclusion.

2 The Exclusion Committee may determine not to exclude a student who falls within paragraph 1 if it is satisfied that, on the evidence adduced by the student:

(a) the student's academic performance was adversely affected by illness or other serious cause; or

(b) the student possesses both the ability and motivation to complete the law course successfully within the prescribed time limits.

3 For the above purposes:

(a) a law subject does not include the subject `Moot court';

(b) a subject which is a compulsory subject for the degree of Bachelor of Laws shall be counted as a subject of twelve credit points;

(c) a graduate law subject undertaken towards a bachelors degree in law shall be counted as a subject of six credit points; and

(d) in determining the total of credit points of subjects a student has failed, subjects which are undertaken more than once shall be regarded as separate subjects.

Right of appeal

A student who is excluded from the LLB course by the Exclusion Committee has the right to appeal to the Academic Board within fourteen days of the date on which the notice of exclusion is sent to him or her by lodging a notice of appeal with the registrar in the form provided in the schedule to Statute 6.2 - Exclusion for unsatisfactory progress (to be found in Part 2 of the Monash University Calendar).

Copies of a booklet detailing exclusion procedures are available from the general office and from the student administration general office.

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Published by Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3168
Copyright © Monash University 1996 - All Rights Reserved - Caution
Authorised by the Academic Registrar December 1996