PLYMOUTH UNIVERSITY
ACADEMIC REGULATIONS SUB-COMMITTEE
GUIDANCE FOR STUDENTS:
A. RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCE
B. MILITARY DUTIES
A.
Religious Observance
1. This guidance covers aspects of religious observance that occur at times
known in advance. Unforeseeable events, such as the death of a close
relative when there are specific forms of mourning are handled under the
arrangements for considering extenuating circumstances.
2. Plymouth University staff endeavour to avoid timetabling assessments or
other compulsory activities on major religious festivals but this is not always
possible.
3. If you have strict religious requirements that may affect your attendance at
examinations you must notify the Faculty Registrar in writing within the first
four weeks of the academic year. Examination periods are published in
advance on the important dates for students webpage. (Please note that the
major Christian festivals occur during vacations and examinations are
scheduled to avoid these dates.)
4. If religious observance could affect your attendance at teaching, learning &
assessment activities during an academic year (in term time, Monday to
Friday, usually between 9am – 6pm). You should discuss this with your
Personal Tutor, Programme Leader or Faculty Registrar in the first four weeks
of the academic year and/or the first week of each term. The School will give
the matter sympathetic consideration and try to make reasonable
adjustments. You should understand however that adjustment may not always
be possible.
5. If religious observance affects your attendance at a lecture, seminar or other
class you can access the session resources on the module website and
obtain any further notes from a student colleague. In addition if you miss a
session it is advised that you organise a peer to peer discussion on the
subject.
6. If religious observance affects your attendance at an assessment organised
by your School (e.g. presentations, in-class or practical tests) please inform
your Personal Tutor, the Module Leader and Faculty Registrar immediately in
writing. The School will try and make reasonable adjustments. Your School
also needs to be notified immediately in writing of any conflicting dates when
the assessment dates are published.
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7. Deadlines for handing in coursework are published in advance and will not be
extended to allow for religious observance. You must manage your time and
workload accordingly.
8. If no reasonable alternative can be found, the University reserves the right to
hold examinations on any day and time during the examination period. If that
means you miss an examination, you will be required to take the examination
when it is next held. This may involve an interruption of a programme or an
extension to your period of study.
B.
Military Duties
1. University Officer Training Corps:
Officers or officer cadets serving with a University Officer Training Corps (UOTC)
cannot be called up into full time active military duty.
Military training events must be organised around your timetable. Extensions are not
available for training events.
2. UK students: Territorial Army, Royal Navy, Royal Marines or Air Force
Reserves
If you are called up for full time Army, Navy, Royal Marines or Air Force military
service you should immediately talk to your Personal Tutor, Programme Leader or
Faculty Registrar. They can advise you on applying for an extension to course work,
a delay or a suspension of studies.
Military training events must be organised around your timetable. Extensions are not
available for training events.
3. International students:
If you are called up for military service you should immediately talk to your Personal
Tutor, Programme Leader, Faculty Registrar and the International Office. Where
appropriate the University can suspend your studies for a temporary period.
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