Academic progress

At the end of each semester the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences assesses the academic performance of all students. Unsatisfactory Academic Progress is when a student has:

• completed at least two semesters of candidature and, in the period commencing in December of the previous year, passed less than 50% of the student's enrolment;
• failed the same compulsory unit twice
  

Mid Year

Early warning letters are sent to all students who have failed 50% or more of their enrolment in Semester 1 each year. The purpose of these letters is to:

• warn students that they may be at risk of breaching the faculty academic progress rules;
• inform students about the free support services available from the faculty and the University; and
• urge students to take immediate actions to improve their academic performance.

Student at Risk letters are also sent to students who fail one unit to encourage them to seek assistance.

End of Year

If your academic performance is deemed unsatisfactory after the release of Semester 2 results you will be asked by the faculty Academic Progress Committee to respond to a Notice of Referral as to why you should not be excluded from your course. This means that you will be asked to explain in writing why your results were unsatisfactory. If you are sent such a letter, you will be expected to reply and to make yourself available to attend a hearing of the faculty's Academic Progress Committee.

If some of your results are not finalised due to being granted deferred examination(s) or having results withheld, you must ensure that you complete any work for which you received a withheld grade, and sit any deferred examinations on the date required. If you do not pass one or more of these units you may have failed to meet the faculty academic progress requirements and therefore may be referred to the second round of academic progress hearings. In such case, you will be expected to respond to the Notice of Referral by the due date specified.

The faculty Academic Progress Committee will hear your case and make one of the following decisions:

• permit you to continue your studies with recommendations,
• permit you to continue your studies, with a condition placed on your enrolment, or
• exclude you from your course.
  

Getting help

If you receive a Warning letter or a Student at Risk letter you will be asked to see your Course Director and the Unit Coordinator/s of the failed unit/s. You may also want to see a Student Adviser for course planning assistance.

Further assistance can be sought from support services at the university and there are many online resources about failing a unit.