Supplementary rules to Regulations concerning studies at the University of Bergen (study regulations) - Faculty of Science and Technology

Supplementary rules for §1-3

Changes to the supplementary rules must be adopted by the faculty board. The dean can adopt minor changes to these supplementary rules. Such minor changes can only be made after consultation with the departments. The dean must report such changes to the faculty board.

Supplementary rules for §2-3 (2) i)

In addition, the course description must include:

• Priority rules for admission to a course cf. Supplementary rules for §6-5(4).
• Limitations on access to teaching for students who have previously participated in the course.

Supplementary rules for §2-3 (3)

At the faculty, the number of credits for 100 and 200 level courses are normally 10 credits. The number of credits for courses at 300 level are normally 5,10 and 15.

Supplementary rules for §3-1 (4)

Changes to study programs and content in courses must be handled by the program committee to ensure coherence between the content of the course and the study program, and the overall learning outcome of the program before the faculty’s approval.
 

Supplementary rules for §3-1 (6)

All changes to study plans must be reported to the faculty within the specified deadline. The departments are responsible for notifying all other relevant departments of changes in advance.

The department shall notify the students of changes in the course offerings and other significant changes in the study plan for the relevant study program after they have been approved.
Supplementary rules for §3-1 (7)

The department may itself decideeditorial changes to courses and study programs in accordance with the faculty’s guidelines.

Supplementary rules for § 4-1 (1)
The faculty may reject an application for admission to a master’s program if the scope of the student’s supervision resources on the study program are exhausted

Supplementary rules for §4-2(2)
The faculty offers various short-term study rights that can be applied for. In cases where there is a requirement for mathematics and natural sciences subjects, this should be stated in the guidelines.

1. Different rules for allocation after bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, and Ph.D. are as follows:
   1. Post-study right after completion of a bachelor’s degree must be applied for within the deadline for the following semester after obtaining the degree and is granted until the following spring semester. The study right cannot be extended.
   2. Post-study right after completion of a master’s degree and Ph.D. must be applied for one semester at a time and can be extended by applying for a new admission for post-study right.
2. Study right for employees is granted to employees at UiB and partner organizations. There is a documentation requirement for mathematics and natural sciences subjects and required confirmation from the nearest leader. The study right is granted for one semester at a time.
3. Teacher study right is granted to permanent teachers in schools. There is a documentation requirement for mathematics and natural sciences subjects and required confirmation from the nearest leader. The study right is granted for one semester at a time.
4. Temporary study right can be granted to students from other faculties. There is a documentation requirement for mathematics and natural sciences subjects. The study right is granted for one semester at a time.
5. Candidates in Ph.D. programs at Norwegian institutions can take courses as external students. External internships at the bachelor’s and master’s levels are granted only in special cases in agreement with the external university or college. Such an agreement can be made at both institutional and personal levels.
6. Study right for pupils in upper secondary school may be granted upon application. There are separate documentation requirements depending on the subject. The study right is granted for one semester at a time.

Supplementary rules for §4-3 (1)

Students are required to familiarize themselves with the rules regarding aids allowed during exams and the use of sources and citations. Violations of these rules may lead to suspicion of cheating or attempted cheating.

Supplementary rules for §4-3(2) b) 
The faculty has admission to courses with limited capacity and its own deadline for course registration. The application deadline for courses is Wednesday of week 2 in the spring semester and Wednesday of week 33 in the fall semester. See also the supplementary rules for §6-5(4).

Supplementary rules for 5-1 (2)

Bachelor’s Programs and the First Three Years of Five-Year Integrated Master’s Programs

Part-Time Study
Part-time study can be granted upon a justified and documented application to the department. Part-time study can be granted based on the conditions in the Study Regulations §5-2 on leave of absence. Written documentation is required. The department decides whether the application can be granted.

Two-Year Master’s Programs and the Last Two Years of Five-Year Integrated Master’s Programs

Leave of absence
Students have the right to a leave of absence according to Study Regulations §5-2, with the associated documentation requirements.

a) For leave of absence after entering into a supervision agreement, the supervision agreement must be amended accordingly. Applications for leave of absence after submitting a supervision agreement must always be signed by the supervisor.
b) For leave of absence longer than one year for 60-credit master’s project and longer than six months for 30-credit master’s project, the program board, in consultation with the supervisor, may consider whether a new project should be given.
c) During a leave of absence, no supervision will be provided for the master’s thesis.

Part-time study
Part-time study with a minimum of 50% study progression can be granted upon a justified and documented application to the program board. Part-time study can be granted based on work outside of studies or conditions in the Study Regulations §5-2 on leave of absence. Written documentation is required. The program board decides whether the application can be granted.

Part-time study for the entire master’s program can only be granted if a 60-credit master’s project is chosen. For a 30-credit master’s project, part-time study can normally only be granted for before starting the master’s thesis.

Postponed start of studies
For two-year master’s programs, a postponed start of studies is normally only granted based on a call to military service, childbirth, adoption, or other compelling reasons.

Pause
According to UiB Study Regulations §5-3 (3), students in two-year master’s programs cannot be granted a pause. Unless otherwise regulated in the study plan for the specific study program, it is not possible to apply for a pause during the last four semesters of integrated master’s programs.

Supplementary rules for 5-3 (3)

Unless otherwise regulated in the study plan for the relevant study program, it is not possible to apply for a break from the study program

a) the last four semesters of integrated master’s programs

Supplementary rules for §5-6 (1)

Teaching activities that involve practical training (praksis), field courses, expeditions, labotatory courses etc. are usually not practically possible to carry out in the same semester and, as a general rule, cannot be repeated in the same semester.

Supplementary rules for §6-1 (7)

The examination or submission date for other forms of examination than written school examinations is determined by the departments.

1. Examination or submission dates are announced no later than one month before the examination date or submission deadline.
2. In the case of oral examinations, the individual date and time are announced no later than 14 days before the examination.

Supplementary rules for §6-2

The course coordinator (emneansvarlig) must be employed as a professor, associate professor, or university lecturer (including adjunct positions). The course coordinator has overall responsibility for the development and implementation of the course and must ensure good academic and pedagogical quality, in accordance with UiB’s quality system for education. Teaching and assessment in the course can be carried out by other instructors in collaboration with the course coordinator.

Supplementary rules for §6-4

Study programs can teach some of the courses in English, e.g. because the learning outcome description of a program shows that students should learn English academic language or because the courses will be taught to international students. Exception in a course requires academic justification and must be in line with the university’s language policy guidelines.

Supplementary rules for §6-5 (4)

Ranking rules for admission to courses with limited capacity shall be stated in the course description. If nothing else is specified, admission is ranked by current principles.

Supplementary rules for §6-5 (5)

The faculty may indicate in the course description that students who:

• have valid and approved mandatory activities should not be able to take them again.
• have a passed result in a course do not have the right to participate in teaching in the course, receive guidance, or shall have a reduced guidance offer.

Supplementary rules for §6-7 (2)

Bachelor’s project:

The format and scope of supervision for the bachelor’s project shall be defined in the study plan and course description.

Master’s project:

Full-time students are entitled to 40 hours of supervision during a 2-year master’s program or the master’s component of a 5-year integrated master’s program. The format and scope of supervision for the master project should be defined in a separate supervision agreement.

Students admitted to either the 2-year or 5-year master’s programs, must enter into a supervision agreement with the department. This agreement outlines details such as the composition of the supervisory committee, the content covered in the theoretical curriculum, the planned study progression, and the submission deadline. Additionally, the agreement includes a progress plan and a description of the project.

In cases where a student is admitted to the 2-year master’s program or the master’s component of the 5-year program and has already completed relevant courses as part of their master’s degree requirements, the study duration may be shortened. Conversely, if a student is granted periods of part-time enrollment or leave of absence during their master’s studies, the study duration will be extended. The faculty provides specific guidelines for extensions and abbreviations (in Norwegian).

Master’s Thesis

The master’s thesis must be submitted within a time-limit. The time limit corresponds to the workload of the master’s thesis (number of credits). Master’s theses of 30 and 60 credits correspond to a workload of 20 and 40 weeks, respectively.

Extension

After submitting the supervision agreement/master’s agreement, an extension can be applied for on certain grounds.

a) Absence as defined in the Study Regulations at the University of Bergen § 5-2 Leave of absence and § 5-5 Valid Absence, with the associated requirement for documentation, entitles the student to an extension.

b) Absence must be of a duration of at least 14 days before the time is extended (scattered single days are normally not summed).

After submitting the supervision agreement, the submission deadline can also be extended upon application to the program board on the basis of c.-e. Applications for deferred submission must be clarified with the supervisor and submitted as soon as possible, and no later than 2 months before the submission deadline. An extension can be applied for a maximum of three times, but in total no more than 6 months.

c) Unexpected problems with the master’s project due to circumstances beyond the student’s control.

d) Academic reasons, such as involvement in academically relevant work, projects, stays abroad (outside organized exchange), or academically relevant studies outside the program. An extension of up to 3 months can be granted.

e) Work as a teaching assistant. The teaching must be of a total duration of at least 1 month (20 working days) before the time is extended. The extent of the extension is calculated based on the salary model for teaching assistance. An extension of up to 3 months can be granted due to teaching.

Written documentation or an explanation, and a plan for completion, are required when applying for an extension. All applications for deferred submission must be signed by both the student and the supervisor. Such an application presupposes that the student and the supervisor agree on the form of supervision until the new deadline. The program board can approve or reject the application. If necessary, the program board can call for a meeting between the student, the supervisor, and a representative from the program board.

Supplementary rules for §7-2 (1)

1. Early exams should, as a general rule, have the same examination form as the final exam in the semester of teaching. If the course has teaching and assessment methods that make it impossible to have the same assessment form in both semesters, this should be specified in the course description.

Supplementary rules for §7-2 (4)
A master’s thesis is concluded with an oral master’s degree examination. All the master’s curriculum courses must be completed and passed before the final master’s degree examination. The examination consists of a public presentation lasting at least 30 minutes, during which the student provides an overview of the thesis. A tentative grade for the thesis should be decided before the presentation. Following the presentation, there is an oral examination/discussion about the thesis with an external examiner, an internal examiner and supervisors. The presentation, along with the subsequent oral examination, may adjust the final grade for the thesis.

Supplementary rules for §7-2 (2-5)

1. In case of valid absence, portions of the examination/portfolio may be excluded, and the final grade will be calculated based on the remaining parts. The maximum portion that can be excluded is 30%.The absence is assessed individually, and the learning outcomes of the course must be achieved.
2. Grades from sub-examinations or points from parts of a portfolio assessment will typically be valid the following semester and may contribute to the final grade.
3. The final grade in a semester without teaching, is usually determined based on previous results from sub-examinations/portfolio and early exam in the semester without teaching/continuation exams.
4. The faculty may make exceptions to (1)-(3), and these must be specified in the course description.

Supplementary rules for §7-3 (3) 

1. To be eligible to take an exam, the examination fee must be paid.

Supplementary rules for §7-4 (1) c)

Permitted aids should be specified for each individual course in the course description.

Regarding calculators, the following rules apply:

1. Simple calculator: Non-programmable calculator without the capability for sending/receiving, connection to a power source, or generating noise.
2. All calculators: All types of calculators without sending/receiving capabilities, connection to a power source, or generating noise.

Unless otherwise stated in the course description, the use of non-encyclopedic dictionaries is allowed during written school exams. These dictionaries must be verifiable and either in English or a Scandinavian language.

Supplementary rules for §7-7

For compulsory courses taught in English in the bachelor’s degree, the faculty requires that exam questions should also be given in Norwegian, and that the answers can be written in Norwegian in addition to English. This must also be stated in the course description.

Supplementary rules for §7-8 (2)

When a course is discontinued, exams in the course should normally be held the following two semesters.

Supplementary rules for §8-1 (2)
If a master’s thesis receives a grade of F (fail) and the examiners unanimously determine that the grade cannot be adjusted upward through the oral master’s examination (presentation and examination), the candidate will not be allowed to proceed to the final presentation of the thesis.

A master’s thesis with a grade of F can, according to §8-1 of the University of Bergen’s Study Regulations, be resubmitted once. A master’s thesis with a pass grade (A-E) cannot be resubmitted. The deadline for resubmission is within 6 weeks for a 30-credit thesis and within 3 months for a 60-credit thesis.

If a master’s thesis is graded F and is not resubmitted in revised form within the deadline, or if the revised thesis is still graded F, the right to study will be revoked, and the student must reapply for admission to a master’s program. Upon re-admission, the student must complete a thesis that is academically different from the original thesis.

If a master’s thesis is not submitted by the deadline and there is no approved application for an extension, the right to study will be revoked. The student must then reapply for admission to a master’s program. Upon re-admission, the student must complete a thesis that is academically different from the thesis that was not submitted.

Supplementary rules for §8-1 (4) a

1. Upon application, an additional exam attempt may be granted if the following three criteria are met:
   1. The course has not been passed
   2. Three valid attempts have been used.
   3. The course is either mandatory for the degree or an elective requirement.
2. An approved application is valid for one semester at a time.
3. It is not possible to take an exam in a course more than four times.

Supplementary rules for §8-4 (1) 

1. For courses where written final exams on campus, or oral exams are part of the assessment basis, a regular exam is typically held each semester.
2. In semesters without teaching in a course, exams are conducted early in the semester.
3. Irregular courses arrange exams only in the following semester after they have been taught.
4. Early exams in semesters without teaching are usually standard and are open to all students with valid mandatory activities.

Supplementary rules for §9-5 (1)

The deadline for grading in courses with late exams is June 30th in the spring semester and January 10th in the fall semester, even if this is less than fifteen working days after the exam.

Supplementary rules for §9-8 (1)

The provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (§6) regarding impartiality apply to grading. For master’s theses, the examiner should not:

• Be closely related to the master’s candidate, supervisor, or co-examiner.
• Have had significant academic collaboration with the master’s candidate, supervisor, or co-examiner in the last three years.
• Be aware of other factors that could compromise impartiality in assessment.

Supplementary rules for §10-3 (1) b

The bachelor program’s study plan specifies which courses or course components constitute the independent work of at least 10 credits..

Supplementary rules for §10-3

In the bachelor’s degree, courses at the 100- and 200-levels may be included. Normally, up to 10 credits at the 300-level (master’s level) from UiB can be part of the bachelor’s degree. Up to 20 credits at the 300-level may be included upon application. Certain external courses at the master’s level may be included in the bachelor’s degree based on individual applications.

To obtain a bachelor’s degree, there is a requirement for at least one course in mathematics and one course in programming, typically totaling 10 credits each. This is in addition to the general requirements for a bachelor’s degree. The specific requirements will be determined in the study plan.

Supplementary rules for § 10-4 (1)

Courses at the 100-level can normally not be included in the master’s degree. However, up to 10 credits at the 100-level may be included upon application.

Credit for dissemination: Up to 5 credits can be awarded for dissemination activities during the master’s program.

Activities eligible for credit include:

• Courses in knowledge dissemination
• Participation in international conferences with presentations of results from one’s own master’s thesis. 2 credits are granted for presenting at an international conference. Only one such presentation will be credited with study points.
• Popular science contributions within one’s own field. Up to 2 credits per contribution, with a maximum of 2 credits.  

The number of credits is calculated according to the ECTS standard.

Supplementary rules for § 10-4 (3)

The master’s thesis typically consists of 60 credits. The study plan should specify whether a study program offers master’s theses worth 30 credits.

2 to 3 students may collaborate on writing a master’s thesis.

1. Collaboration agreements apply only when choosing a 60-credit master’s thesis. For students in the teacher education program, collaboration agreements may be made for 30-credit master’s theses.
2. In collaborative master’s theses, the workload for each student should correspond to that of an individually written thesis. Greater workload in collaborative work may involve more extensive materials or in-depth analysis.
3. Collaboration details should be included in the project outline which must be approved by the program committee and specified in the master’s agreement.
4. Despite collaboration, individual evaluation is necessary to assign individual grades. A statement from the main supervisor should clearly describe how the collaboration was conducted, and the individual contributions must be identified. The same examination committee must examine all the theses that are written in collaboration.
5. The master’s thesis is assessed as a collective work, and both students should be able to account for all parts of the thesis. Students can have a joint presentation of the thesis where both contribute equally. Oral examinations are conducted individually.
6. When submitting the master’s thesis, students should include a brief statement from the supervisor. This statement must contain information about each student’s independent effort, which parts of the research work and thesis are individual, and which parts are collaborative. Information about this being collaborative work should also be stated in the master’s thesis itself.
7. In collaborative work, supervisors have a responsibility to inform about the guidelines. Supervisors should contribute to ensuring that each student gains the best possible academic learning outcome from the collaborative work.
8. Applications for deferred submission or appeals on grades shall be handled individually.

Supplementary rules for § 10-4 (4)

To obtain an integrated master’s degree, there is a requirement for at least one course in mathematics and one course in programming, typically totaling 10 credits each. This is in addition to the general requirements for a master’s degree. The specific requirements will be determined in the study plan.

No supplementary rules.

Supplementary rules for § 12-1

A digital diploma is normally issued only once. Improvement of a grade in a course after the degree has been awarded does not provide grounds for a new diploma.

No supplementary rules.