UNIVERSITY OF OSLO, FACULTY OF LAW
EXAMINATION RULES
HUMR4130 Introduction to the History, Philosophy and Politics of Human Rights
The remainder of this document is a guide to the rules that govern your examination. There are two parts:
1. A summary of the rules of the University of Oslo that apply to this examination (pp. 1-3)
2. Advice on taking a six-hour examination (p. 3-4).
PART 1: EXAMINATION RULES
The final examination in each course has rules which are established by the University of Oslo. The following
rules are strictly enforced without exception at the final examination:
1. To be excused from taking the exam at the scheduled date and time, prior to the examination a student
must attain a doctor’s certificate specifically confirming the existence of a valid ground for absence on the
examination day. The certificate should be presented to the Academic Affairs Officer prior to the
examination. Students are granted an excused absence in this manner will be eligible to take a make-up
exam seven to ten weeks after the scheduled examination. This does not apply to anyone who is present at
the examination once the exam paper is handed out.
2. Students who will present themselves as candidates for the examination must arrive at least 90 minutes
before the time the examination is scheduled to begin.
3. Candidates must present a valid identification document. All students should bring with them a valid
student identity card and a valid semester card.
AUXILIARY MATERIAL ALLLOWED IN THIS COURSE:
You are not allowed to bring any material in this course (books, documents, personal notes, etc).
The only books you can bring, is your dictionary. You must not write anything in your
dictionary!
Dictionaries:
- You may bring with you an English vocabulary dictionary (no encyclopedic dictionaries and no legal
dictionaries). Home-made dictionaries or print outs and electronic dictionaries (of any type) are not
allowed;
- You may bring with you a translation dictionary to/from English-Norwegian, English-German, or
English-French (application can be made for other languages prior to the examination to the Academic
Affairs Officer. Home-made dictionaries or print outs and electronic dictionaries (of any type) are not
allowed.
4. Upon arriving at the examination room at least ninety (90) minutes prior to the time the examination is
scheduled to begin, candidates must present their auxiliary materials so that the books can be inspected
for notes. After presenting their materials, candidates must leave the examination room. If unpermitted
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EXAMINATION RULES
notations are found in a text, a candidate will be given the opportunity to remove it, if practicable.
Otherwise, texts with unpermitted notations and unpermitted texts will be temporarily confiscated from the
candidate throughout the period of the examination.
5. Candidates are not permitted to bring any other books or materials, other than the permitted auxiliary
materials that pass book control, into the examination room. This means that books or notes not permitted
to be used on the exam may not be brought into the examination room.
6. Candidates are allowed six (6) hours to complete the examination.
7. A candidate may withdraw from an examination for any reason by handing in an entirely blank answer
paper. However, a withdrawing candidate must remain in the examination room for one hour after the
commencement of the examination and may not take the exam paper or any notes from the examination
room. Any markings whatsoever on the paper handed in at the examination will cause it to be graded and
the grade so indicated on the transcript, rather than a withdrawal. If a candidate withdraws, s/he may retake
the exam at the next regularly-scheduled time that it will be offered. S/he will not be allowed to take the
make-up exam offered to those having received a medical waiver from the examination.
8. Triple-carbon writing paper will be handed out in the examination room and is the only permitted paper on
which to write answers to the examination. Ordinary paper will be available for writing notes during the
exam. Answers are to be written in ink or with a ball-point pen unless a candidate has been previously
granted permission to use a pencil, on the basis of a medical certificate (apply to the Academic Affairs
Officer). Candidates must remember to apply sufficient force when writing to allow all three carbons to be
legible and to avoid writing on stacks of paper that would result in the carbons becoming unreadable.
Candidates should also write their candidate number and insert page numbers on each page which they
submit (in case a page is inadvertently separated).
9. A candidate must not write his/her name on any of the exam pages. Once the examination has begun,
candidates will receive an examination number with which to identify themselves on the exam and with
which to eventually access the exam grade on the Internet.
10. During the examination, all conversation or other communication between candidates and between
candidates and persons outside, including by telephone, is forbidden. This also applies during “breaks.”
Mobile telephones must be turned off during the entire examination. It is not permitted to bring the mobile
telephone to your seat.
11. During the entire examination, candidates may not leave their seats without permission from the
invigilator, who will accompany the candidate. “Breaks” should normally not exceed ten minutes.
12. In the event that the examination room must be temporarily evacuated, candidates must leave the room in
groups together with an invigilator, provided this can be done without causing a dangerous situation. There
must be no conversation between candidates during the evacuation.
13. Complaints concerning conditions in the examination room should, as far as possible, be addressed
immediately to the chief invigilator and must be addressed to the Faculty of Law (Academic Affairs
Officer) no later than one week after the examination.
14. At the end of the examination, candidates must stop writing immediately when it is announced that the
exam has ended.
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EXAMINATION RULES
15. It is the responsibility of candidates to separate each of the three carbons after the examination has ended,
organize the pages neatly in order, and present two of the three copies to the invigilator. When presenting
the copies, the candidate must once again present identification. The third copy belongs to the student and
should be kept in a safe place in case the student wishes to appeal the eventual grade.
16. Exams are graded by the course instructor and one additional grader who is external to the University of
Oslo. The grades awarded will be forwarded to the Academic Affairs Officer within three weeks of the
examination. The grades will thereafter be available on the internet (StudentWeb).
17. Any student (no matter what their grade on an examination) is allowed to retake the examination at the
next available time that it is offered.The “next available time” does not include the make-up examination
for those who receive a prior medical waiver from the ordinary examination. The grade received at that
time will replace the previous grade; thus, a student who fails this examination has an opportunity to
improve the grade at a later time. When a later grade is substituted for a previous one, only the later grade
is included on the student’s transcript (as if the first grade had not existed). Students are only permitted to
attempt any single examination a total of three (3) times.
18. Cheating or attempted cheating on an examination will result in disciplinary measures which could include
official censure or expulsion from the University of Oslo for up to one year (where applicable, this would
also result in a loss of a scholarship).
PART 2: ADVICE ON TAKING A SIX-HOUR EXAMINATION (LAW SUBJECTS)
The following guidelines may be helpful in preparation of and when taking an examination at the Faculty of Law
of the University of Oslo:

It is quality, not quantity that is graded on an examination.

When you receive the exam paper, do not start writing immediately. You have six hours! First read the
instructions very carefully so you are certain to understand what is expected of you.

If the exam or a part of the exam gives you an opportunity to choose a question to answer from a number
of alternatives, first read all the questions from which you may choose. Take some time to select the
question to which you can write the best answer. Think about how you would answer each question,
making notes or a brief outline of the major points in your potential answer. Then make your selection.

Before beginning to address a question, understand what it is asking. Are there different sub-questions?
Is it a story in which you must identify the specific questions yourself?

Before beginning to write your answer, plan what you are going to write. Not only will your answer be
easier to read for a grader, but it will also be more convincing of the point you are trying to make
because it will progress through the answer in a logical manner.

When writing your answer, concentrate on the question(s) that are being asked.

When writing your answer, divide it into distinct sections. You may use separate titles for each section.
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EXAMINATION RULES

Try to avoid plainly repeating what is stated in the reading list or what was said in class. A superior
answer is one that can analytically apply the course material to analyze a question, develop problems,
and present materials, opinions, and reasons.

As much as possible (but usually not a requirement), make any presentation of the law source-based: (1)
identify explicitly the relevant phrase or expression from a statute or treaty; and (2) identify the relevant
part of a case which decides the question or supports your contention.

You should write clearly and legibly in essay format, using well-worded English. Neither your use of
language nor aesthetic presentation will be graded, but both are the foundation for communicating your
answer to the person who will grade it.
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