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Rules and regulations

By signing the registration form the applicant accepts the following rules and regulations.

The rules and regulations are also available as easy to print PDF file for off-line reading. If you need Adobe Reader, click here.

  1. General
  2. Registration Policy
  3. Academic Policy
  4. Fees and Withdrawal Policy
  5. Appeals and complaints policy
  6. Data protection policy
  7. Miscellaneous

Section I - General

Article 1. Definitions

In these rules and regulations the following definitions apply:

Applicant: the person who wishes to enrol in the GSTL Postgraduate Diploma course or a component thereof.

Board of Supervisors: the Board of Supervisors of the Postgraduate Diploma course, which supervises the diplomas and certificates offered and sets the academic rules and regulations.

Rector: the Rector of GSTL is responsible for the overall academic quality of all programmes offered by the Graduate School of Teaching and Learning. The rector is chair of the Board of Supervisors.

Examination Committee: the Examination Committee for the Postgraduate Diploma course, chaired by the Postgraduate Diploma Course Director, which is ultimately responsible for the assessment of the student’s performance in courses and for conferring the diploma or the certificate on the student.

Grade: the assessment of (part of) a course/essay. Grades are assigned on a 1-10 scale, with the grade of 10 being the top grade. 1 is the lowest possible grade and 5.5 is a pass-grade. Non-fulfilment of requirements can also result in no grade for a course.

GSTL: the Graduate School of Teaching and Learning of the University of Amsterdam.

Postgraduate Diploma Course Director: the director of the GSTL Postgraduate Diploma course, who is responsible for the intellectual substance of the Postgraduate Diploma programme, its academic quality and the quality of the tutors involved in the programme. The Director is chair of the examination committee.

Programme manager: the programme manager of the GSTL Postgraduate Diploma Course, who is responsible for all daily activities related to the organisation and co-ordination of the Postgraduate Diploma Course. The programme manager will be the secretary of the examination committee.

Registrar: the registrar of the Postgraduate Diploma of the GSTL, who is responsible for the maintenance of academic records and matters concerning tuition, examinations, diplomas, certificates, and transcripts. The Registrar handles all correspondence regarding fees and enrolment.

Student: the person enroled in the GSTL Postgraduate Diploma Course or a component thereof.

Study co-ordinator: the study co-ordinator of the Postgraduate Diploma Course, who deals with applications for admission to the diploma course or a component thereof and supports the student in setting up his/her study programme.

Tutor: the tutor, who supports the student during a particular component and assesses the student’s performance. All tutors involved in the PGD course are academic staff members of the GSTL. They are either teacher educators, involved in the programme of the GSTL or researchers of education, involved in the research programme of the GSTL.

Section II  - Registration Policy

Article 2. Warranty of Information

The applicant warrants that all the information submitted to GSTL by electronic application is correct and complete to the best of the applicant's knowledge.

Article 3. Consequences of incomplete and/or incorrect information

GSTL is not responsible for all possible consequences of incomplete and/or incorrect information provided by the applicant.

Article 4. Correspondence

All correspondence regarding tuition fee payment and enrolment must be addressed to the Registrar of the Postgraduate Diploma (pgd@ilo.uva.nl, fax +31 20 525 1290, addressed to GSTL, Registrar PGD)

Article 5. Submission of Documents

The applicant agrees to submit in a timely manner, any and all additional supporting documents as may be requested by GSTL.

Article 6. Blackboard user name and password

Almost all materials of the course will be delivered through the electronic learning environment Blackboard. Once the payment of the fee has been received by the Registrar of the Postgraduate Diploma Course, the Study Co-ordinator will send the student a Blackboard user name and a default password, which permits you to access the courses that you have been enroled in. It is the student's responsibility to keep his/her password secure and confidential. In particular the student must:

  • Change the default password into a personal password at the first visit to the Blackboard-server of the University of Amsterdam
  • Never tell anyone else his/her password, even Postgraduate Diploma staff
  • Never write his/her password down in such a way that it can be easily identified
  • Inform the Programme Manager if he/she believes that someone else knows his/her password.

Section III - Academic Policy

Article 7. Postgraduate Diploma Curriculum

  1. The curriculum is published on the website of the Postgraduate Diploma Course and consists of three main elements:
    • a series of five modules aimed at providing the necessary pedagogical knowledge and skills
    • a design project task aimed at developing web based language materials for a specific learning situation
    • an essay containing a critical discussion of the relevant literature is described on the website of the Postgraduate Diploma
  2. The availability of design project tasks may vary from year to year.
  3. The language of instruction is English.
  4. The practical technical instructions in the modules are for Windows and Internet Explorer (version 5.0 and higher) users only. No instructions are provided for Mac users.

Article 8. Students' Workload

  1. d) The workload is expressed in European Credit Transfer System credits (ECTS; 1 ECTS = 28 study hours). The workload of each module is 2 ECTS, the workload of each design task is 4 ECTS, the workload of the essay is 4 ECTS. The total workload of the Postgraduate Diploma Course is 18 ECTS (504 study hours).
  2. e) The workload includes time for reading relevant information and literature, carrying out assignments and tasks, exploring resources and submitting the assessed design task and essay. The workload may vary depending on the individual student's pedagogical knowledge and skills.

Article 9. Admission

  1. Both graduate students and graduate professionals (e.g. language teachers, language tutors, language material developers, and teacher trainers in initial and in service training) may enrol in the Postgraduate Diploma.
  2. The study co-ordinator conducts the intake procedure, decides on the admission of a student and provides the student with a study-advice.
  3. Non-native English speakers applying to the International School are required to demonstrate sufficient proficiency in English. The following evidence will be accepted:
    • TOEFL (minimum score: 230 new, 570 old notation)
    • IELTS (minimum score: 6.5)
    • Cambridge Examination scores (minimum scores: CAE B, CPE C). The test scores must be sent directly by the testing organisation to the to the study co-ordinator of the Postgraduate Diploma.
  4. For every part of the programme specific ICT skills are required. The entry requirements for the modules, the design task and the essay are specified on the website.
  5. The study co-ordinator will inform the student that he/she has been accepted by e-mail within 14 days after the date of the submission of the enrolment form.
  6. Application deadlines apply for admission. These deadlines are stated on the website of the Postgraduate Diploma Course. All documents required must have been received by the study co-ordinator of the Postgraduate Diploma Course before the relevant deadline.

Article 10. Examination Committee

  1. The examination committee is responsible for the assessment of the student’s performance in courses and is composed of at least 3 GSTL academic staff members.
  2. The Director appoints the members and the chair of the examination committee. All GSTL academic staff members can be members of the examination committee. The programme manager of the programme will act as secretary of the committee.
  3. All correspondence with the examination committee should be made through the Registrar.

Article 11. Tutoring

  1. The tutor will give feedback on the products submitted by the student and support him/her during a course.
  2. The tutor may ask the student to rewrite or change some products in order to meet the requirements of a specific task or the final requirements of a course.

Article 12. Study plan

Postgraduate Diploma students must prepare a study plan with the assistance of the study co-ordinator.

Article 13. Assessment

  1. The assessment criteria for the modules are specified in every module.
  2. Grades are assigned on a 1-10 scale, 10 being the highest grade possible and 5.5 being the pass-grade.
  3. The final grade will be represented by the mean of the final grades for each of the five modules, of the project task and the essay.
  4. In order for the student to be awarded the Diploma, the pass-grade of 5.5 must have been obtained for each of the seven components of the programme (i.e. 5 modules, 1 design project task, 1 essay).
  5. Setting deadlines for the handing in of papers/products is at the discretion of the tutor, but handing in of the final version has to take place within the period of enrolment of the student. Students can submit a written request to the Registrar to be exempt from this rule.
  6. Papers/products can be rewritten/changed in order to receive a pass-grade for the paper/product. It is at the discretion of the tutor to set deadlines for the rewritten paper/changed product, but handing in of the final version has to take place within the period of enrolment of the student. Students can submit a written request to the Registrar for exemption from this rule.

Article 14. Results

  1. Students will be notified in writing of the final grade for a course within 28 days after the  date of the submission of the last paper/product of the course.
  2. Students receive a transcript of their academic results upon request.
  3. Transcripts will list all courses with the respective grade and credits. Courses with fail-grades will be listed as fails if not re-taken and completed; courses for which the student has handed in a final registration but which are without grades will be listed as incomplete.

Article 15. Academic Violation

  1. In case of suspected academic violation the tutor will inform the student immediately of his/her suspicion and will report in writing to the examination committee through the Registrar.
  2. The student will be given the opportunity (by the examination committee) to react in writing to the suspicions.
  3. All relevant documents will be made available to the examination committee.
  4. The examination committee may take appropriate actions against the student ranging from reprimand to suspension or dismissal from the programme.
  5. The following actions are defined as academic violations:
    1. Cheating: Fraud, deceit, or dishonesty in an academic assignment, or using or attempting to use materials, or assisting others in using materials which are prohibited or inappropriate in the context of the assignment in question;
    2. Plagiarism: To appropriate the writings, graphic representations or ideas of another person and represent them as one's own (that is, without proper attribution). Plagiarism is a form of intellectual property violation;
    3. Furnishing false information in the context of an academic assignment;
    4. Creating an improper academic disadvantage to another student or an improper academic advantage to oneself.

Section IV - Fees and Withdrawal Policy

Article 16. Fees

  1. The tuition fee of the Postgraduate Diploma Course is € 1490.
  2. The tuition fee for a Component Certificate varies: the tuition fee for a module is € 195, the cost of the design project task or the essay is € 390.

Article 17. Reduced Fees

Holders of a self-access account and holders of the certificate of the summer course “Effective Use of the Internet in Language Teaching” (organised by the Amsterdam-Maastricht Summer University and the University of Amsterdam, see http://www.amsu.edu) get a 20% reduction on the Postgraduate Diploma and Certificate fees.

Article 18. Withdrawal, Refunding

  1. Students wishing to withdraw from the programme have to notify the Registrar in writing. 50% of the course fee will be refunded if written notification has been received at least 14 days before the start of the course.
  2. Students who withdraw from the programme without submitting the required prior notification in writing to the Registrar are considered as having dropped out of the programme. Under these circumstances, no refund of tuition fee already paid will be provided. These students must re-apply for admission if they wish to continue their studies.

Section V - Appeals and complaints policy

Article 19. Making complaints and lodging appeals

In making complaints and lodging appeals the following procedure applies:

  1. if the student wishes to make a complaint about (or lodge an appeal against) the actions of the tutor, the teaching materials, the behaviour of representatives of GSTL or any other matter concerned with the delivery of the Postgraduate Diploma Course or component thereof for which GSTL carries responsibility, he/she can do so by putting the complaint or appeal in writing and sending it to the programme manager or the study co-ordinator of the Postgraduate Diploma or Certificate.
  2. The study co-ordinator should be contacted in the case of problems and complaints related to the substance of the student’s studies and assessment (essay included). For other problems and complaints the student should contact the programme manager.
  3. In response to the student’s complaint, the programme manager or the study co-ordinator may either take a decision on the matter at hand or arrange to investigate the matter.
  4. If the complaint concerns other members of the Postgraduate Diploma or Certificate staff, the respective officer may wish to hear the views of these others before taking a decision.
  5. If the complaint is about a grade (the wish to appeal against a grade) and the matter cannot be solved by mediation of the study co-ordinator, the student may appeal to the Examination Committee of the Postgraduate Diploma.
  6. It is required that the student acts in accordance with the instructions given by the programme manager or the study co-ordinator in response to the complaint. Failing to comply with the instructions may lead to termination of the procedure. If the student disagrees with the instructions given or the requirements formulated he or she may appeal to the Dean.
  7. If a student is not satisfied with a decision or action taken in response to a complaint he or she should inform the officer dealing with the complaint and put in writing the reason why the response or action is considered inappropriate.
  8. A student may appeal to the Dean if he/she does not agree with the way the programme manager or the study co-ordinator has responded to a complaint or request. The appeal should be filed in writing and document the attempts made by the student to solve the problem or complaint and the responses to this by the staff of the Postgraduate Diploma.
  9. There shall be no right of appeal against any decision concerning the manner in which the appeal or complaint is dealt with by the Rector.

Article 20. Procedure for Appeal against assessment grades

  1. As soon as possible, but within four weeks at the latest the student can submit an official written appeal to the registrar. Enclosed in this appeal should be a copy of the graded work and an explanation/motivation as to why the student wants to appeal the grade.
  2. The registrar will forward the appeal letter to the tutor in question with the question to reconsider the grade.
  3. The tutor will reconsider the grade within 14 days of receipt of the appeal and notifies the registrar of his/her decision. The registrar will then notify the student.
  4. If the student does not agree with the decision taken by the tutor, the student can submit a letter of appeal to the Supervisory Board of the Postgraduate Certificate. Enclosed in this letter should be a copy of the graded work (if available), an explanation/motivation as to why the student wants to appeal the grade and copies of the correspondence regarding the grade. This letter should also be sent to the registrar and should be submitted as soon as possible, but 28 days after the notification of the decision of the tutor at the latest.
  5. If the tutor does not react to the registrar’s request within 14 days of receipt of the appeal, the registrar will notify the student of this. The student can then submit a letter of appeal to the examination committee. Enclosed in this letter should be a copy of the graded work (if available), an explanation/motivation as to why the student wants to appeal the grade and copies of the correspondence regarding the grade. This letter should also be sent to the registrar and should be submitted as soon as possible, but 28 days after the notification of the registrar to the student at the latest.
  6. The registrar will submit a copy of the registrar’s correspondence with the examination committee to the student and tutor in question.
  7. The examination committee will notify the registrar of the decision within 21 days. The registrar will then notify the student.
  8. There shall be no right of appeal against any decision concerning the manner in which the examination committee deals with the appeal against examinations.
  9. There shall be no right of appeal against the decision on whether the appeal is justified and the conclusions reached as a result

Section VI - Data Protection Policy

Article 21. Principles of information handling

  1. The GSTL is committed to the data protection principles of good information handling practice. All personal information is held in secure computer and manual files and transfers of data within the GSTL are made only to support our academic and other services to our students.
  2. The GSTL creates a record as soon as we receive an intake form from an applicant. Information that we then collect is added to that record. It holds general information, such as name, address and fee payments, and data to do with examinations, assessments and course results. The information is used to:
    • process applications;
    • provide services to applicants and students. This includes sending you information about current and future study opportunities with the GSTL;
    • produce statistical information for publication about the performance of the PGD course and to help us plan and improve our course and our services.
  3. Personal information about applicants and students will not be given to any third party for PR or other purposes.
  4. Students have the right under the Data Protection Act to be supplied with a copy of the personal data held by the University. Requests should be made in writing to the Registrar of the GSTL, University of Amsterdam, to the attention of the Director of the PGD course, ILO, Wibautstraat 2-4, 1091 GM Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Article 23.  Use of the Internet

  1. The GSTL makes use of a password protected digital learning environment that secures the transfer of information supplied by students and tutors to a protected area for study. Nevertheless, transfers of personal data over the Internet may take place potentially to any country in the world. Whenever you opt to use the Internet therefore, your consent to such transfers is implied by your action.
  2. If you make use of the Internet to conduct certain transactions, small pieces of information known as ‘cookies’ may be stored temporarily by your browser on your computer's hard drive. If the GSTL decides to use these, it will only be to identify registered users and to check whether a student has already logged in and avoid the need for repeated entry of passwords.

Section VII  - Miscellaneous

Article 24. Matters not expressly described

In all matters not expressly described in these regulations, the Rector can take ad hoc decisions or formulate additional rules. The Rector will inform the Board of Supervisors and the PGD Director of such decisions and their motivation immediately.

Article 25. Revision and amendment of these terms and conditions

The Supervisory Board of the Postgraduate Diploma Course lays down these rules and regulations on 1 January 2003. They will remain valid until revised.