Marks Awarded
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0% = Learning Assignments (done for feedback purposes only)
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100% = Final Examination (individually only)
(One 3-hour open book paper set by the Institute of Certified Management Accountants)
[Here a student must obtain a 50% pass grade to pass the unit, and it will be the only means of assessment. Students obtaining less that 50% in the final exam would Fail the subject.]
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How Assessment Tasks and Events are Designed
Assessment tasks and events are designed:
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In consultation with Industry Reference Groups and Subject Task Forces, comprising experts in the particular subject field.
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With input from adult learning and assessment professionals.
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To reflect the integration and application of skills and knowledge required for the competencies or learning outcomes being assessed.
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Types of assessment Tasks
Assignments test your ability to apply concepts in a practical way and generally require a considerable amount of research. The length and nature of each assignment varies according to the module or subject learning outcomes. Guidance on completing assignments is provided in the study notes.
On completion of the assignment, the marker or assessor will provide individual or group feedback (where applicable) with the return of the assignment to the student.
Examinations test your knowledge of the study material, generally under open- book conditions. You should refer to your individual subject/module information in your subject room for specific examination conditions.
An examination timetable is based on two examination periods per year (usually) in May and November. It is expected that students will complete a course schedule at a particular location at least one month before exams. It is your responsibility, as a student, to ensure that you are available for all examinations. It is not possible to sit for an examination at any time or date other than that scheduled by the Institute.
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Policies
Result Policy
Assessment results for all subjects will be recorded as Grades.
In determining a student’s overall result, all marks allocated for assignments, examinations and participation, as applicable, are combined to give a final grade.
As part of the ICMA’s quality assurance process results may be moderated prior to release.
Results are graded as follows:
85% – 100% = High Distinction
75% – 84% = Distinction
65% – 74% = Credit
50% – 64% = Pass
0% – 49% = Fail
Students learning in classroom mode must attend at least 80% of seminars.
Please refer to the subject outline on the website or to the subject notes for the weighting of each assessment task.
Assessment results for open entry competency-based modules will be ‘Competent’ or ‘Not Yet Competent’.
Candidates must be deemed competent in all assessment events to achieve overall competence in a module.
Result Codes
The following result codes will be used by the ICMA to record and report student results where a Competent/Not yet competent result or a grade is not achieved :
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Notification of results
Results are notified by the Chairman of the ICMA Education Committee individually to students by post, either directly, or via their Recognized Provider Institutions (RPI).
For privacy and confidentiality reasons the Institute cannot release your results over the phone or by email. No results can be given to third parties without your written authority.
Reassessment
No re-assessment opportunity will be provided to any student, all unsuccessful students will therefore be required to re-enroll into the subject.
Re-submission
In cases where you have submitted an Open-Entry assignment which is insufficient to demonstrate competence or the required level of skills and knowledge, the assessor may ask you to resubmit the assignment with additional evidence or information. If the additional evidence or information submitted is sufficient, the assessor may then deem you to be competent. You may only resubmit your assignment once for a module. The Chairman-Education Committee will provide guidance on the re-submission process and the fee.
Re-sit
If you are unsuccessful in an Open-Entry examination you will be given the opportunity to re-sit the examination. There will be a re-sit fee per subject. You can only re-sit an examination once. If you are unsuccessful at the re-sit and wish to be assessed again you will need to re-enroll in the subject/module.
Re-marking
If you are dissatisfied with the mark you receive for any assessment in the CAT and RCA subjects, you may apply to have it re-marked if you consider you have just cause. This is not applicable for GMA, CMA and MBA students.
To apply for re-marking, you must write to the Chairman-Education Committee within two weeks of receiving your results. Justifications for your request must be provided. The Chairman-Education Committee will advise you of their decision. An administration fee equivalent to the current exam fee per subject will apply if re-marking does not change your result.
Assessment Complaints and Appeals Process
The Institute has processes in place to deal with complaints about the assessment process and formal appeals against assessment decisions.
Complaints
If you have a complaint about the assessment process you should put it in writing, outlining your reasons for the complaint, and lodge it with the Chairman-Education Committee. The complaint will be investigated and you will be advised of the outcome. If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of your complaint and you feel it has had an effect on a related assessment decision, you may lodge a formal appeal against the assessment decision with the President of ICMA, whose decision will be final.
Student Support
Special consideration
You may apply for special consideration if, through events such as illness, bereavement or personal trauma, you are prevented from completing an assessment or sitting an examination, or you feel your performance has been affected by the event.
Applications for special consideration must be made in writing to the Institute’s Secretariat or to the office of the Recognized Provider Institution (RPI), accompanied by a medical certificate or other documentary evidence. If your application is successful, you may be offered the opportunity to sit another exam or have your mark adjusted. Where an adjustment is made to the final grade, the new grade will not be higher than a pass. You must advise the Institute of your circumstances before the due date for any assignment or examination date. Work pressures and other personal or business commitments will not be accepted as valid reasons for special consideration.
Reasonable adjustment
Reasonable adjustments may be made for candidates with a specific learning need which, if not met, might put them at an unfair disadvantage.
Reasonable adjustments are made to ensure that candidates are not presented with artificial barriers, such as those resulting from a physical disability, to their learning and their ability to demonstrate achievement in the program of study.
Students should inform the Institute of the nature of their learning need at the time of enrolment so that suitable adjustments may be made.
Learning difficulties
You may apply for learning support with basic literacy, numeracy, English or other identified areas of learning difficulty. Students should inform the Regional Office when they enroll so they can be referred to specialists in a particular area.
Student Grievances
Apart from complaints and appeals relating to assessment, students might have complaints or grievances concerning other aspects of the services provided by the Institute.
Issues which may give rise to grievances include:
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Members (client) service
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Dissatisfaction with course/module delivery or outcomes
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Dissatisfaction with contractor or employee conduct
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Dissatisfaction with the learning environment
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Individuals who believe they have been treated unfairly on the grounds of access and equity
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Occupational health and safety concerns related to delivery and/or assessment
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The Institute has procedures in place to deal with such complaints or grievances
If you have a complaint or grievance, first raise it with the Institute RPI staff member concerned. If the RPI staff member cannot resolve the matter to your satisfaction, take your complaint or grievance to the Chairman-Education Committee.
If the Chairman-Education Committee is unable to resolve the matter to your satisfaction, it will be referred to the President of the ICMA. Depending on the nature of the complaint or grievance, the President of the ICMA may take a variety of actions to resolve the issue.
The Institute will make every reasonable attempt to resolve all issues brought to its attention.
If, after exhausting all avenues available through the Institute, you are still dissatisfied with the outcome, you may take whatever action you feel appropriate, including referring the matter to appropriate State or Commonwealth departments or bodies, such as the Department of Fair Trading.
Student Misconduct Policy
Misconduct refers to non-academic or academic misconduct by a student of the Institute. Examples of misconduct include:
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Interfering with the orderly conduct of an examination, lecture, tutorial or other teaching class, or impairing or hindering the learning or assessment performance of others.
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Impairing or undermining the reputation of the Institute, its courses or assessments.
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Gaining or seeking to gain an unfair advantage in relation to any work. submitted for assessment or dishonestly helping others to gain an unfair advantage.
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Removing examination material from a secure examination area.
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Plagiarism
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Collusion
The Institute may impose penalties on students for proven acts of academic or non-academic misconduct. Examples of penalties that may be imposed are:
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A formal caution or reprimand
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Reduction in marks awarded
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Recording a ‘Disciplinary Fail’ against a subject
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Temporary or permanent exclusion from Institute programs
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Payment of a fine
Plagiarism
Plagiarism refers to any attempt by students to use the work, words or ideas of others without proper attribution, or any attempt to pass off the work, words or ideas of others as their own. Such acts are considered plagiarism whether they occur intentionally or carelessly.
In the context of assessment, plagiarism occurs if a student:
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Presents any phrase or extracts, verbatim, without using quotation marks and without any reference to the author.
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Paraphrases all or part of an author’s work and presents it without any, or with inadequate, reference to the author (this includes published Student Answer Guides).
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Copies or paraphrases all or part of another student’s work or otherwise presents another student’s work as their own.
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Presents all or part of an assessment item previously submitted by them for another subject, for assessment in the subject concerned or another subject.
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Presents all or part of the work of another student (past or present) as their own.
Proven acts of plagiarism will incur penalties under the Institute’s Student Misconduct Policy. Examples of penalties that may be imposed are:
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A formal caution or reprimand
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Reduction in marks awarded
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Recording a ‘Disciplinary Fail’ against a subject
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Temporary or permanent exclusion from Institute programs
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Payment of a fine
Collaboration
The Institute encourages students to study together and discuss their assessment preparation but emphasizes that students must ensure that the work they submit for their assessment is their own work and that it is written independently. Students are encouraged to discuss assignment questions but not answers.
Collaboration refers to the following allowable methods of cooperative work:
work produced with other students, for example as part of a group exercise or assignment, with acknowledgement of the source and methods used.
work which incorporates or is based on templates or examples provided by the ICMA, with acknowledgement of the source and methods used.
Collusion
Collusion is defined as an agreement or cooperation in order to cheat or deceive for a fraudulent purpose. In an educational context, collusion can apply to students (past, present and future) who intentionally cooperate in order to gain an unfair advantage in the gaining of an award, qualification, Statement of Attainment or academic credit towards these.
Collusion may also refer to the following, which are considered contrary to allowable assessment preparation approaches:
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Unauthorized and unacknowledged joint effort in an assessment
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Unauthorized and unacknowledged copying of material prepared by another person for use in an assessment
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Unauthorized and unacknowledged assistance from another person, not necessarily another student, in an assessment
Work produced in collusion with other students will be regarded as academic misconduct. Proven acts of unauthorized or non-allowable collusion will incur penalties under the Student Misconduct Policy.
Refund Policy
Fees will not be refunded if a student withdraws after the program has commenced, study notes have been dispatched or student access to Subject Rooms has been activated, except under the following circumstances; where the student’s application for enrolment is declined by the ICMA, where by reason or reasons beyond the student’s control, including acts of government authorities, civil strikes and riots, the student is prevented from studying a module or subject, where the ICMA cancels a module or subject in which the student has enrolled or where the commencement of the module or subject is postponed for more than four weeks.
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