Post Graduate Masters Programmes:
MBA, SHRM, IB, GM and MALM
Module Handbook
1. CANCELLED SESSIONS
In the event of any class being cancelled (for example due to staff illness) students will be
notified via a range of media to ensure students are well informed, i.e.:
(i) an email will be sent to the module group
(ii) information will be available on Moodle
(iii) a text will be sent to the module group
(iv) a notice will be displayed on the classroom and Business School Admin Office door
2. OFFICE HOURS
Normal ‘office’ hours are 8.45am-5.00pm (Monday-Thursday) and 8.45am-4.30pm (Friday).
Please note you may receive responses outside of these times but these replies are not the
standard practice.
Please note that the University and its offices will be closed on the dates listed below. Staff may
also take annual leave around the closure dates and therefore responses may be delayed.
University Closure Dates
Friday 21 December 2012
Monday 24 December 2012
Tuesday 25 December 2012
Wednesday 26 December 2012
Thursday 27 December 2012
Friday 28 December 2012
Monday 31 December 2012
Tuesday 1 January 2013
Wednesday 2 January 2013
Friday 29 March 2013
Monday 1 April 2013
Monday 6 May 2013
Monday 27 May 2013
Monday 26 August 2013
Closure Day
Closure Day
Bank Holiday
Bank Holiday
Closure day
Closure Day
Closure Day
Bank Holiday
University re-opens
Good Friday
Easter Monday
Bank Holiday
Bank Holiday
Bank Holiday
3. EXTERNAL EXAMINERS
In common with other UK institutions, York St John University appoints external examiners for all of its
higher education programmes. External examiners are impartial, independent individuals from beyond
the University who help to assure the standards of our awards and the robustness and fairness of our
assessment processes.
The external examiners for the MA Suite are:
Dr Carl Evans, Snr Lecturer in B&M and MBA Programme Director, University of Worcester.
Dr Glynis Jones, University of Huddersfield.
Ms Leigh Morland, Snr Lecturer - Leadership & Management, University of Huddersfield.
Dr Nick Hawkins.
Further information about the University’s external examining
http://www.yorksj.ac.uk/about/partnerships/external-examiners.aspx
Module Handbook
systems
is
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To Note:
‘It is inappropriate for students to make direct contact with external examiners, in particular
regarding their individual performance in assessments, and that other appropriate
mechanisms are available, such as an appeal or a complaint. Students can engage
formally with the quality management process through which institutions consider and
respond to external examiners. Institutions advise their external examiners that it is
appropriate to refer any direct contact received from students to the institution.’
4. GROUP WORKING
Students are expected to manage any difficulties or conflicts arising within the group as part of
the learning and management process, under the guidance of the tutor.
5. SUBMISSION OF WORK
N.B. Electronic submission must be in the format specified in the assignment brief.
Students are required to add the following declaration on page 2 of their assignment:
“I ………… [name] declare that I am the sole author of this assignment and the work is a result of
my own investigations, except where otherwise stated. All references have been duly cited”
It is useful to ask someone to proof read and spell check your work to point out grammatical
errors and highlight possible areas where more clarity is needed.
Any material you incorporate in your work, such as references from books, academic journals,
periodicals, newspapers, Internet sites etc needs to be clearly acknowledged and properly
referenced using the Harvard system. Consult your programme handbook, the library webpage
or seek advice from your personal academic tutor. Always keep a copy of your work.
6. LATE SUBMISSION OF WORK
The University has strict policy on the late submission of assessed work. It is important for a
number of reasons:
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Equity and fairness between module participants.
Adherence to academic guidelines.
Time and availability of module tutor.
York St John University policy on late submission of assessed work can be viewed here:
http://www.yorksj.ac.uk/administration/registry/local/ascs/qahandbook/ass/ASS22%20Late%20S
ubmission%20of%20Work.doc
University policy on length of work
The University policy on the length of work can be viewed here:
http://www.yorksj.ac.uk/documents/university-policies/registry/idoc.ashx?docid=542bf399-d30c4360-89cc-91eb31e77bea&version=-1
Disability and Assessment
If you have a disability or specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia and require alternative
assessment arrangements e.g. extra time for exams, for this module, please contact your tutor or
module leader and the Disability Advice Team within 3 weeks of starting the module. Please note
this is necessary even if you have already been in contact with the Disability Advice Team.
7. SICKNESS ABSENCE
You are required to attend all taught sessions of modules on the programme for which you are
registered. Your attendance will be monitored and non-attendance is likely to affect your
academic performance and the way that your case is dealt with should you fail in a module. If
you are ill or there is any other reason which prevents you from attending, you must telephone
the Business School Admin Office. You may also e-mail the person who is teaching the module
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or the programme administrator to explain your absence. This should be done as soon as
possible.
There is also a dedicated phone extension number in the Business School Administration
Office for you to ring if you are absent.  The number is 876915.
For illness/absence up to one week you can self-certificate. The forms are available through the
Business School Admin Office.
There are certain situations where self-certification is not appropriate - these are clearly indicated
on the form but would include such instances as missing a presentation or examination. Please
check carefully and use the system wisely.
If the illness or injury is prolonged and will affect your ability to meet the assessment
deadlines you will need to fill in a mitigating circumstances form including supporting
evidence, such as a doctor’s note. THIS MUST BE HANDED IN OR SENT TO THE
BUSINESS SCHOOL ADMIN OFFICE before the assessment deadline who will send copies to
the relevant parties. Failure to lodge your medical certificate with Registry could lead to
difficulties if the illness/injury affects completion of the module assessment procedures.
8. EXTENSIONS AND MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCES
Students requiring an extension to the submission date must contact the Module Director, in
advance of the submission deadline, for an extension form. A longer extension will be considered
if the student seeks mitigating circumstances, and completes the appropriate mitigating
circumstances form. All requests for mitigation must be directed to the Head of Programme.
Criteria for an extension may include:
 Medical reasons.
 Personal and family matters.
 Other reasons, to be negotiated at the discretion of the HOP.
Where students submit work late and there has been no agreed extension and/or mitigating
circumstances, a mark not exceeding 50 will be awarded. A mark of zero will be awarded if such
work is received after the Registrar's Deadline.
9. REFERENCING AND PLAGIARISM
Plagiarism is the offence of publishing another writer’s findings, opinions or words as if they were
one’s own and original. Failure to acknowledge and correctly attribute another writer’s work is
tantamount to plagiarism and the plagiarist will be severely penalised. Severe cases may lead to
failure in the degree.
Guidelines on referencing and avoiding plagiarism can be found here:
http://w3.yorksj.ac.uk/information-learning-services/library/help-and-information/referencing-andplagiarism.aspx
In-text Citation:
http://w3.yorksj.ac.uk/information-learning-services/library/help-and-information/referencing-andplagiarism/in-text-citation.aspx
Writing bibliographies:
http://w3.yorksj.ac.uk/information-learning-services/library/help-and-information/referencing-andplagiarism/a-sample-bibliography.aspx
A tutorial to help in understanding and avoiding plagiarism can be found here:
How to avoid plagiarism
http://library.acadiau.ca/tutorials/plagiarism/
The regulations on cheating and plagiarism can be viewed here:
http://w3.yorksj.ac.uk/student-admin/students/policies/cheating-and-plagiarism.aspx
Guidance on using Turnitin can be found here:
For security of assessment and to assist in the development of participants’ academic writing
skills, Turnitin (plagiarism detection software) is available to be used from the beginning of the
programme.
http://w3.yorksj.ac.uk/technology-enhanced-learning/technology-enhanced-learning/turnitin.aspx
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10. GUIDELINES ON FEEDBACK
OPTIONAL:
During tutorial sessions students may bring an agreed portion of their work for tutor
comment.
The tutorial process is the mechanism for receiving feedback on drafts and you are
encouraged to take full advantage of this. Tutors have a strong preference to giving faceto-face feedback, as this results in a much deeper two way discussion.
1) During your studies you will receive feedback on your progress in a variety of ways. These
may include:
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Marks for assessed work
Verbal comments during or after an activity e.g. performance, seminar, studio work
Written comments on front sheet of assessed work
Written comments on formative work. Formative work is that which does not
contribute to your overall module mark but is used to give you practice and on which
the tutor comments
E-mail response to requests for advice
Electronic feedback as part of Web discussion group
Verbal comments in a one to one tutorial discussion with your module tutor or
academic tutor
Peer group assessment in which fellow students provide feedback
OPTIONAL
2) You may not encounter all these forms of feedback and/or you may feel the most important is
the mark you receive. This is understandable: most students strive to achieve the highest
grade they can. However, studying business at University involves you learning a range of
skills and knowledge. Some of this knowledge and many of these skills will be assessed by
the marks you receive; other skills and knowledge are less visible and may not become
apparent to you until you have left University.
3) Tutors will always try to provide advice and feedback on your overall progress but they cannot
offer foolproof formulae for achieving higher grades. You should try to get into the habit,
therefore, of reading and listening to all the feedback that is given to you rather than simply
registering the grade achieved. Tutors spend a lot of time writing comments on feedback
sheets for example but these are often not read by students. Reading and where possible,
discussing these comments with tutors will help you make progress.
4) Similarly, get used to the Business School’s marking matrix and ask tutors to indicate to you
which categories your work falls into and why. If you familiarise yourself with the matrix
(supplied in every module handbook) you will begin to understand why not everyone can
achieve an A and why a C is not a failure.
5) We do everything we can to return assessed work and/or the mark for this as soon as we can.
If you are told there will be a session when work will be returned and/or feedback given you
should make every effort to attend. It is your responsibility to collect your mark/work/ feedback
comments.
6) Sometimes, because of examination boards and the needs of external examiners work may
not be returned to you as quickly as you would like. This is unavoidable but module tutors will
nearly always be able to give you a provisional mark with or without written or verbal
feedback.
7) Often advice on how to complete an assignment or general feedback will be given in seminars
and workshops. These are an important aspect of the learning process and should not be
missed except under exceptional circumstances.
The University policy on marking and feedback can be viewed here:
http://www.yorksj.ac.uk/documents/university-policies/registry/idoc.ashx?docid=4cfeff1e-3e6744c1-a4aa-4925ceff6738&version=-1
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11. PARTICIPATION and PROGRESS
An attendance register will be taken at all classes, since attendance is monitored by both
University and local education/student grant authorities. If you are unable to attend a class,
please inform the Business School Office (Tel No: 876915), preferably in advance. Repeated
absence should be explained in writing and supported by a Mitigating Circumstances Form
plus doctor’s note or other support. If your attendance causes concern, your tutor may call a
review of your progress (see below). It is your responsibility to catch up on work missed as a
result of absence. This includes information on assessment and week to week
group/individual activities. International students with tier 4 visas are required to attend
all classes. Absences will be reported , in the first instance, to York St John International
Office. Further absences will be reported to the UK Border Agency.
Students are asked to arrive at classes promptly. Please note that mobile phones and pagers
should be turned off during classes.
Monitoring your progress: Participation Requirements
Tutors will monitor your progress throughout the module and if it causes concern they will ask to
see you to discuss issues. If necessary, they will instigate more formal progress review
procedures called: 1. Case Consultation and 2. Standards Review. Details of general
Participation Requirements and Student Review processes are provided in the Course
Participation Regulations. Issues such as attendance, punctuality, participation in class,
preparation of work for classes and submission of work to deadline are all important
responsibilities and if tutors are concerned about these, or any other aspects of your progress, it
is their role to follow up these concerns
Cancelled classes will be rescheduled. Please note that rescheduled classes might have to
be offered on a different time/day.
12. PROGRAMME PANELS
Programme Panels provide an opportunity to monitor and assure the quality of the programme’s
curriculum and its individual student programmes.
The NUS is involved in inducting and training student representatives.
The student representatives are your voice on the panel and any issues you wish to have raised,
e.g. on particular modules, timetable, resources etc. can be addressed to this system and allows
you to feedback on how you feel the programme is working. The panel consists of:
o
o
o
Business School teaching staff
Student representatives from all years, both single honours and Joint Honours
Programme Administrator
All student feedback is seriously considered by Programme Teams, the Deputy Dean and the
Business School Quality & Enhancement Committee and any appropriate changes to
modules/programme/student experience actioned.
13. LIBRARY & INFORMATION SERVICES
Masters Level
Library and Information Services
Visit the Library’s website at http://library.yorksj.ac.uk to search the library catalogue, access a
wide range of electronic resources and find out about using our materials.
Your Academic Support Librarian to contact for help is Jane Munks (j.munks@yorksj.ac.uk)
Information for new students is available from our new YorKey guide at
http://library.yorksj.ac.uk/newstudents/
Please check out this site for help on the basic information you should need to start using the
library.
For information about journals, databases, websites, reading lists for this programme go to the
library website > Your subject > Business School > English Language and Linguistics
http://library.yorksj.ac.uk/englang
The library’s guide to the Harvard system of referencing is available at
http://library.yorksj.ac.uk/referencing
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Library and Information Services
Visit our new Library website at http://library.yorksj.ac.uk to search the library catalogue, access
a wide range of electronic resources and find out about using our materials. We’ve also
introduced a new library catalogue this year called Worldcat at http://yorksj.worldcat.org/ which
should be easier to search and gives access to a wider range of resources such as journal
articles.
Your Academic Support Librarian to contact for help is Jane Munks (j.munks@yorksj.ac.uk)
For information about journals, databases, websites, reading lists for this programme go to the
library website > Your subject > Business School > English Language and Linguistics
http://library.yorksj.ac.uk/englang
The library’s guide to the Harvard system of referencing is available at
http://library.yorksj.ac.uk/referencing
If you need a book or journal article for your research which we don’t have at York St John you
can request it via the interlibrary loans system.
For more information go to http://library.yorksj.ac.uk/inter-library-loans
This Handbook should be read in conjunction with the Module Summary
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14. THE ROLE OF THE YORK ST JOHN BUSINESS SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION OFFICE
(Student Guidelines)
This is the main office for initial enquiries relating to the following programme areas:
Business Management, Information Technology, English Language & Linguistics (ELL),
Languages Programme including British Sign Language (BSL), MA Applied Linguistics:
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (MATESOL), MA Leading Innovation &
Change (MALIC), MA Leadership & Management (MALM), MBA, MA Global Marketing, MBA
Finance, MA Strategic HR Management and MA International Business.
This is where you will be able to obtain Assignment Cover Sheets, Self-certification Forms, Change of
Module Forms, Change of Programme Forms, Accident Report Forms, Module Handouts, Mitigating
Circumstances Forms, Extension Forms plus various miscellaneous leaflets.
You may also leave messages for academic and support administrative staff who are based in the
York St John Business School.
PROCEDURE FOR NOTIFYING STAFF OF ABSENTISM FROM LECTURES/SEMINARS
Please ring telephone number 01904 87(6915) and leave the following details on the answerphone
(PLEASE SPEAK CLEARLY and SPELL OUT ANY DIFFICULT WORDS):
1.
YOUR NAME & CONTACT NUMBER plus DATE & TIME
2.
MODULE NAME & CODE plus TUTOR NAME
3.
REASON FOR ABSENCE
BUSINESS SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION OFFICE LOCATION:
De Grey Court Room DG002.
STAFF IN THE BUSINESS SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION OFFICE
Penny Howarth (Mon - Wed) &
Clare Dixon (Thurs-Fri)
Fran Pluta
Sue Smith (Mon - Thurs) &
Clare Dixon (Fri)
TELEPHONE NUMBERS:
Business School
Admin Office Reception
 01904 87(6915)
Modern Languages Programme &
British Sign Language
English Language & Linguistics
(including MAELL),
MA Applied Linguistics: TESOL
 01904 87(6507)
David McKenna &
Betsy Whitwam-Kirkup
Business Management & I.T.
Elaine Curtis
MBA, MA Global Marketing,
MA International Business, MA
Leadership & Management
(MALM),MBA Finance, MA
Strategic HRM
Leanne Lyons & Natalie Sharp
MA Leading Innovation & Change
(MALIC)
Dave Kelsey
Programme Administration
Co-ordinator
 01904 87(6639)
 01904 87(6464)
 01904 87(6949)
 01904 87(6912)
 01904 87(6786)
 01904 87(6766)
Fax No: 01904 87(6759)
BUSINESS SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION OFFICE OPENING HOURS:
The Business School Admin Office is open from 8.45am-5.00pm Monday to Thursday and 8.45am4.30pm on a Friday.
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OPTIONAL
15. YSJ BUSINESS SCHOOL POLICY ON HANDING IN and RETURNING STUDENT WORK
ASSIGNMENT SUBMISSION:
PAPER-BASED ASSIGNMENTS:
All paper-based assignments must be submitted electronically to module drop boxes within
the VLE [Moodle] unless an exemption has been agreed through the Deputy Dean on behalf
of the Business School Quality Enhancement Committee. The following process should be
followed:
1
Students will receive instruction through Module Handbooks to submit ONE
ELECTRONIC COPY of their work to the appropriate VLE Module drop box by 12
noon on the due date. An electronic receipt for the work will be provided to the
student through the VLE.
2
Additionally, for those modules where electronic marking is not being undertaken
[and whilst staff prepare for the move towards electronic marking] students should be
asked to submit ONE PAPER COPY of their work, with the appropriate front sheet, to
the appropriate Module drop box on the due date and by no later than 4pm, either by
themselves or another. This box will be prepared by the Programme Administrator
and located in De Grey Court Foyer. Students will not receive a receipt for this work
and the drop boxes will not be staffed.
EXEMPTIONS:
For those assignments which have been agreed exempt from electronic submission [i.e.
Language Portfolios, Posters] these should be submitted as previously through the Business
School Administration Office. All tutors are encouraged to set deadlines of 12 noon for
assignments. To ease the handing-in process, tutors will encourage their students to
complete an assignment cover sheet before going into the Office.
It is critical that the Business School Administration Office know in advance assessment
submission dates if staff are to plan ahead and avoid congestion. Module Leaders/Tutors
will liaise with Programme Administrators regarding assessment submission dates at the
beginning of each semester.
Once assessment submission dates have been received, the Business School
Administration Office will create an assignment record sheet which will contain information
relating to module details and a list of students registered on the module. On the day of the
hand-in students will be required to sign against their name on the assignment record sheet
as evidence and a means of tracking student work.
Please note it is academic staff responsibility to collect assignments from the Business
School Administration Office as soon as possible after submission and no later than one
week after the submission deadline. Tutors will be required to sign the assignment record
sheet to confirm they have collected the student work. N.B. Past experience has proved that
it is not safe to use postal systems for student work [if assignments go missing the Business
School is responsible] therefore tutors will be required to collect work in person.
RETURN OF WORK/FEEDBACK:
Clear, constructive and enabling feedback will be provided to students normally within 15
working days of submission [this does not have to include the mark]. Retention of sample
assessments will be kept in either an electronic or hard copy format module box for external
scrutiny and audit; those students whose work forms the module sample will receive their
feedback sheet within the deadline and should be given the opportunity of a feedback tutorial
when the External Examiner has returned their sample.
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Module Leaders/Tutors must ensure they send the feedback sheet (which details Second
Marker/Moderator’s comments) to the Business School Administration Office to file on the
students’ personal file. This is important as it helps tutors write references for students.
For end of semester assignments (end of academic year), Module Leaders are also
encouraged to return work and feedback to their students prior to students leaving.
Students must be told by the Module Leader that the work and feedback will be held after
the Assessment Panels for 4 weeks into the following Semester. After this period, the work
will be destroyed. Assessment Panels usually take place at the end of February (for
Semester 1), end of June (for Semester 2) and early September for late result modules and
resits.
N.B. The Business School Administration Office will endeavour to return student work
submitted to the office and students should collect it as soon as possible. Students should
note that during busy times in the Business School Administration Office 3 days notice may
be required for work requested to be available for collection.
Module Handbook
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