University of Plymouth Partner
Instuon Student Handbook
2023-24
MLA College
If you require any part of this Student Handbook in larger print, or an alternave format, please contact:
Student Experience Team
Tel: +44 (0) 20 3997 7555
E-mail: student.experience@mla.ac.uk
Please note:
All the informaon in this handbook is correct at the me of prinng.
MLA College is proud of its teaching and research, and it undertakes all reasonable steps to provide
educaonal services in the manner set out in this Handbook and in any documents referred to within
it. It does not, however, guarantee the provision of such services. Should industrial acon or
circumstances beyond the control of the Instuon interfere with its ability to provide educaonal
services, the University and MLA College undertakes all reasonable steps to minimise the resultant
disrupon to those services; as outlined in the MLA College Student Protecon Plan.
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Contents
Support for Disabled Students ................................................................................................................ 6
Welcome and Introducon ..................................................................................................................... 7
Sta/Student communicaon ................................................................................................................. 8
Useful Contacts ................................................................................................................................... 8
Registraon, Term Dates including Exam weeks ................................................................................. 9
Inducon ............................................................................................................................................. 9
Programme Management Team ......................................................................................................... 9
Distance e-Learning modules ............................................................................................................ 10
Student Voice .................................................................................................................................... 10
MLA Student Forum .......................................................................................................................... 10
Tutorial Support and Guidance ......................................................................................................... 10
Student Representaves and the Feedback loop ............................................................................. 10
Student Percepon Quesonnaire (SPQ) and Naonal Student Survey (NSS) ................................. 11
Your Total Learning Package (TLP) ..................................................................................................... 12
Your Library - Learning Resources ..................................................................................................... 12
Students as Partners – University of Plymouth ................................................................................. 12
The Plymouth Online Study Guide .................................................................................................... 13
University Email accounts ................................................................................................................. 14
Forwarding your Plymouth Emails to your preferred account .......................................................... 14
Mobile with Plymouth ...................................................................................................................... 14
University Compung Helpdesk ........................................................................................................ 15
How to Change your Password ......................................................................................................... 15
Programme Overview ........................................................................................................................... 15
Programme Structure........................................................................................................................ 15
Assessment ....................................................................................................................................... 15
Formave Assessment ...................................................................................................................... 15
Summave Assessment .................................................................................................................... 16
Marks and Results ............................................................................................................................. 16
Support ................................................................................................................................................. 16
Other Services provided by the University of Plymouth ................................................................... 16
Programme Assessment Schedule, Assessment Flowchart and Hand In Process ................................ 18
Extenuang Circumstances ................................................................................................................... 19
Academic Oences ................................................................................................................................ 19
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Academic Dishonesty ........................................................................................................................ 20
Plagiarism .......................................................................................................................................... 20
Contract Cheang ............................................................................................................................. 21
How to reference using the Harvard Referencing System .................................................................... 21
Submission of Assessed Work ............................................................................................................... 22
Return of Assessment and Feedback ................................................................................................ 22
Late Work .......................................................................................................................................... 23
Turnin .............................................................................................................................................. 23
Progression to Further Study and How Your Marks are Calculated .................................................. 23
Award Requirements ........................................................................................................................ 23
External Examiner Arrangements ......................................................................................................... 25
Complaint Procedure for University of Plymouth Students .................................................................. 25
Student Support .................................................................................................................................... 26
Studying with MLA College ............................................................................................................... 26
Self Help Inspiring E-Resources (SHINE) ............................................................................................ 26
Togetherall ........................................................................................................................................ 26
Financial Informaon and Guidance on Funding .................................................................................. 27
MLA College Policies ............................................................................................................................. 27
MLA College and Prevent Duty? ....................................................................................................... 27
Interrupons Policy ........................................................................................................................... 28
Interrupon ow for students interrupng during an undergraduate module ................................ 30
Interrupon owchart for students interrupng during a postgraduate module ............................ 31
Referral/Repeat ow for students compleng an undergraduate module ...................................... 32
Referral/Repeat owchart for students compleng a postgraduate module ................................... 34
Compulsory Withdrawal for Non-Engagement - Policy and Timeline ............................................... 36
Financial Implicaons for Interrupons, Referrals, and Repeats .......................................................... 39
Referral and Repeat Fee Flow diagram ............................................................................................. 39
Taking your Learning Seriously .............................................................................................................. 41
Key Features of University Level Study ............................................................................................. 41
Aendance .................................................................................................................................... 41
Your Approach to Studying ........................................................................................................... 41
Key strategies to become a Successful Student ............................................................................ 42
Suggested Reading for New Students ........................................................................................... 42
Reading for your study .................................................................................................................. 42
Harvard Referencing Guide ................................................................................................................... 42
How not to Plagiarise: Direct Quotaons ......................................................................................... 43
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List of Sources (Bibliography) ............................................................................................................ 44
Private Study ......................................................................................................................................... 47
Personal Development Planning ........................................................................................................... 47
Factors Aecng Your Learning ............................................................................................................. 48
Eecve Learning .............................................................................................................................. 48
Time Management ............................................................................................................................ 49
Coping with Stress ............................................................................................................................. 49
Learning Skills .................................................................................................................................... 49
Plymouth Compass ............................................................................................................................... 50
What Next? ........................................................................................................................................... 50
Employment and Progression Opportunies .................................................................................... 50
MyCareer .......................................................................................................................................... 51
Graduaon and Results Guidance ..................................................................................................... 51
Alumni ............................................................................................................................................... 52
Frequently Asked Quesons: ................................................................................................................ 52
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Support for Disabled Students
An individual is considered disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if they have a physical or mental
impairment that has a substanal and long-term eect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day
acvies. Please note that this oen includes medical condions e.g., epilepsy, diabetes, chronic
fague, mental health condions, ausc spectrum disorders, and specic learning dicules.
Please ensure you have told us about any disability, even if you do not think it will aect you while
you are studying with us. Please contact the MLA College Student Experience Team directly or e-
mail: student.experience@mla.ac.uk or telephone +44 (0) 20 3997 7555. Alternavely, you can
contact the University’s Disability Services on 01752 587 676 or by email at
studen[email protected].uk. MLA College will be able to discuss reasonable adjustments,
modied assessment provision for exams and other support with you.
How Disabled Students’ Allowances can support study
Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs) are grants to help pay the addional essenal costs you may
have as a direct result of your disability. DSAs may fund, for example, study skills,
mentoring support and other study related costs such as soware and items of specialist, ergonomic
and computer equipment. You do not have to pay these grants back, and they are not means
tested.
Further informaon regarding DSAs, including how to apply, can be found at the GOV.UK website
at www.gov.uk/disabled-students-allowances-dsas.
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Welcome and Introducon
Welcome to MLA College. We are delighted that you have chosen to study with us. We will do all we
can to ensure sure you get the maximum benet from your me here – and that you will be well
prepared for the next stage in your academic or professional career path.
You will already know that MLA College is internaonally recognised for its excellent reputaon, and
you will also benet from the consistently high standards and expectaons MLA College brings to all
aspects of its teaching and learning.
You will nd that all our sta are dedicated to ensuring you have the best experience possible. As well
as being professional, intellectually challenging and up to date in their knowledge of the subject
maer, we ensure that those teaching you do so in a research-informed, creave, responsive and
engaging way. Your tutors are supported by highly experienced professional colleagues who are here
to give you advice and guidance on all aspects of your studies.
As a student at MLA College and the University of Plymouth your feedback is important to us, and we
have in place a number of surveys conducted by MLA College during your period of registraon.
Please do take the me to complete these surveys which will inform our plans to ensure all students
connue to receive the best possible experience during their me with us.
We want you to enjoy the best study experience possible and we are here to help create the best
opportunies for what you want to do next.
Welcome again to the MLA College.
Professor John Chudley, Rector
MLA College
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This Student Handbook contains important informaon including:
• The MLA College policies and procedures
• Programme Information and assessment
• Academic Regulations including Extenuating Circumstances
• Student Support
• Guidance on student finance and funding
• Learning Resources
• Study Skills Support including key resources on Referencing and Plagiarism
Note: The informaon in this handbook should be read in conjuncon with the current edion of:
• Your Programme Quality Handbook available at: MLA Programme Quality Handbook
• Your Module Guides which are available in your Programme Quality Handbook and your
TLP
• University of Plymouth’s Student Handbook available at:
https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/your-university/governance/student-handbook
Sta/Student communicaon
Useful Contacts
Main MLA College Switchboard: +44 (0) 20 3997 7555
If you have quesons that are not answered in this handbook or within the Frequently Asked
Quesons on the TLP, please email student.admin@mla.ac.uk including your name and detail of your
query.
Please note that the MLA College oce is staed between normal oce hours:
Monday to Friday 09:00 - 17:00 (UK Time)
Saturday and Sunday – Closed
The following contacts are available to assist you with a wide variety of queries you may have about
all aspects of your student journey.
Department
Contact info
Admissions
student.recruitm[email protected]k
For queries relang to an applicaon or enquiry about a programme
Enrolment & Assessment
student.admin@mla.ac.uk
For all queries related to enrolments, assessments, progression and
awards and liaison between MLA and the University of Plymouth
(please use this contact for issues with UoP DLE log-ins).
Finance
student.nan[email protected]
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All enquiries associated with student fees, nance opons,
payments, scholarships and bursaries, and student loans.
Student Experience
student.experienc[email protected]
All issues relang to student support and wellbeing, Extenuang
Circumstances, late or non-submission of coursework, Student
feedback and the Student Voice, and pastoral support
General Enquiries
Technical Support
technic[email protected]
For technical issues relang to the TLP and MLA website log-in.
(please do not use this contact if you are having issues logging in to
the UoP DLE – please instead contact student.admin@mla.ac.uk)
Registraon, Term Dates including Exam weeks
MLA College programmes and modules run on a exible basis throughout the academic year. Please
note that University of Plymouth term dates and exam weeks do not apply to our metable.
Terms usually start in September, January, and May, and you can start your rst module on any term,
and progress to your next module on a exible basis throughout the course of your studies.
Inducon
Inducon onto the learning materials of your programme and/or module will be delivered via your
TLP.
If you are a brand new student you will also be contacted by the Programme Services team at the
beginning of your rst term with a Welcome Pack containing important informaon on how to log in
to various systems and access resources, as well as details of your tutor.
As a University of Plymouth student, you can also access the Student Study File which contains key
resources from inducon and throughout your study including all University Rules and Regulaons.
It is essenal that you look through this and download any key documents as needed such as the
Plymouth Library Guide.
Programme Management Team
Please see “Contact Us” in the TLP, and the Team secon on our website.
MLA academic and professional services sta will communicate with you in the following ways:
• Email
• Telephone/video call
• Student Forum (only available to enrolled students)
• MLA College website
• University of Plymouth Student Portal (see secon below)
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Distance e-Learning modules
MLA College’s provision is provided through distance e-Learning modules and coursework
submission dates are dependent on the length of the programme/module you are studying. . You
must always refer to your TLP (Total Learning Package) for explicit informaon on module deadlines.
Student Voice
Your opinions and needs, oen referred to as the ‘Student Voice’, are an important aspect of being
an HE student. The Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) for Higher Educaon in the UK emphasises that
Student engagement is about involving and empowering students in the process of shaping their
learning experience’. Thus, the Student Voice is a priority, and we acvely encourage you to get
involved at a range of levels in their learning and in quality assurance, enhancement, and
management of your course.
MLA College recognises that the majority of our students are engaged in distance learning, and we
seek to secure your feedback via our surveys, the student forum, and acve engagement with the
sta and senior management of MLA College. A summary of student feedback is provided twice a
year and includes our response to issues raised by you. You are also encouraged to parcipate in the
University of Plymouth Student Percepon Quesonnaire.
The University of Plymouth values the Student Voice and is acvely promong the work supported
through the student community. More informaon can be found here.
MLA Student Forum
Please note that the MLA College Student Forum is hosted on the MLA College website and not the
UoP website. The Programme Services team will email you with instrucons on how to access this at
the beginning of your rst term.
Tutorial Support and Guidance
Your respecve Tutor will provide general support and guidance to you. Programme Managers and
tutors will be responsible for providing module related academic support on an individual basis as
required.
As an MLA student you will benet from ongoing research through various means, including specic
expert knowledge of tutors, availability of resources, opportunies for project work and
opportunies for technical consultaon with subject experts.
Student Representaves and the Feedback loop
Each programme should have student representaon at the Academic Quality and Standards
Commiee. Student representaves are a vital conduit, linking sta and students so that issues of
quality of provision aecng students can be promptly and appropriately addressed. In addion,
representaves provide feedback to the programme’s sta on innovaons and can assist the
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programme team in developing the curriculum to meet student needs. Students are also represented
on University of Plymouth Joint Board of Studies (JBS), which scrunises all University of Plymouth
programmes delivered at MLA College.
Student representaves will feedback from the meengs to all students on the programme
demonstrang the impact of the student voice and report on changes made to the programme
based on student feedback. Training will be given to all student representaves before commencing
the role.
University of Plymouth Students’ Union (UPSU) is led by students and
supported by a team of sta, they are a separate organisaon from the
University, and they are there to make sure that you have a successful, fullling
and rewarding me, both whilst at University and in the future. They will work
to ensure that you can learn and grow in an environment where you are supported and cared for.
Find out more about your students’ union here.
One of their essenal services is the UPSU Advice Centre who oer free, independent, condenal,
and non-judgmental advice. The Advice team are independent from the University. They are
members of Advice UK and other advice organisaons, they deliver the most current, relevant and
accurate informaon available on a wide range of topics including; student funding, tness to
pracce, advice on academic issues, academic complaints and appeals, housing, consumer rights and
much more.
They can be contacted via phone, email or by compleng their online enquiry form:
hps://www.upsu.com/advice/enquiry/
You can also call UPSU on 01752 588373 or email [email protected]k
They represent your views in University decisions about your academic and extra-curricular
experience and campaign on your behalf about the issues that maer to you. Four students are
elected each year to be Sabbacal Ocers, they are there to represent the needs of all students,
including those studying at Partner Instuons. They are supported by a number of Part-me
Representaves who are also current students.
If you would like to get in touch with your elected Representaves and discuss how they can support
you in making the changes you want to see on the campus, please do not hesitate to get in touch at
studen[email protected]outh.ac.uk
Student Percepon Quesonnaire (SPQ) and Naonal Student Survey (NSS)
MLA College will invite you to complete an annual student percepon quesonnaire (SPQ), which
specically focuses on your experiences as a Higher Educaon student.
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If you are an undergraduate student you will also be asked to parcipate in the Naonal Student
Survey (NSS) at the end of your programme. Both of these surveys provide valuable informaon to
enable us to improve your programme and learning experience, and that of future students. You will
receive feedback from tutors on changes that have been made due to your feedback, so it is
important to engage with these surveys to make your voice heard.
Your Total Learning Package (TLP)
The Total earning Package (TLP) has been developed by MLA College to provide an inclusive, easy to
navigate environment, which includes all the teaching and learning materials necessary for studying.
The TLP includes:
• Module guides - Teaching, Learning and Assessment
• Teaching and learning materials
• Links to academic resources
• Links to Study Skills
• Guide to referencing
• Guide to student support
• FAQs
Your Library - Learning Resources
MLA College provides access to all the resources that you need to successfully complete your studies.
You will be introduced to these resources during your inducon.
MLA College students also have access to the University of Plymouth’s library resources. You will also
be inducted in how to borrow books if you are local and visit the library in person, access online
materials, use online systems, and obtain the necessary resources to assist you with your studies.
If you have idened materials or resources that would be useful to other students or if you feel that
the resources you can reasonably expect are not available (e.g., online, library, physical materials
etc.) you should report this to an appropriate member of academic or support sta. If you judge the
response inadequate, please contact your Programme Manager and/or student representave so
that the issue can be addressed at the next Academic Quality and Standards Commiee Meeng.
Students as Partners – University of Plymouth
Founded in 1862 as a School of Navigaon, The University of Plymouth is ranked among the top 150
modern universies in the world, and the top ten in the UK (2020 Times Higher Educaon Young
University Rankings). A three-me winner of the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher Educaon –
most recently in 2019 in respect of its work around marine lier and microplascs – the University
has won numerous accolades for its teaching and its research. It has one of the highest numbers of
Naonal Teaching Fellows of any UK university and saw two-thirds of its research ranked as world-
leading or internaonally excellent in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework. An acknowledged
expert in sustainability, the University has embedded Educaon for Sustainable Development in the
majority of its curriculum and boasts a dedicated research instute that brings together academics
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and industry to tackle global challenges. With its new campus masterplan, the University is reshaping
its estate, invesng millions into facilies such as a cung-edge engineering and design facility, a
new centre for its allied health professions, a brain research and imaging centre, and a sustainability
hub’.
MLA College is part of Academic Partnerships within the University of Plymouth, which houses
around 7000 students studying across the region and overseas. Academic Partnerships supports MLA
in the development and review of the programmes validated by the University to ensure the highest
quality of teaching and learning is oered. The majority of provision delivered is at HE Level 4, 5, 6,
and 7 comprising DipHE, Bachelor’s Degree, PGCert, PGDip, and MSc.
Students and sta at the University of Plymouth have jointly developed an agreement that sets out
key principles that underpin this partnership - “Students as Partners” - which can be found here.
Applying for your University of Plymouth Student Card
As a University of Plymouth student, you are entled to a student ID card. This is key for
idencaon purposes if you are trying to access any student concessions, but also allows you swipe
access into the University Charles Seale-Hayne library on the main Plymouth campus (if you are
based locally and are able to do so).
To apply for a UoP ID card you must be enrolled with The University of Plymouth. Once you are
enrolled you can complete the following steps:
1. Go to hps://eservices.plymouth.ac.uk/app/
2. Click on Register and use your personal email address given on your enrolment form
3. Once registered, you will be sent an email conrming successful registraon to your UoP
email address, which must be accessed in order to acvate your E-applicant account
4. Complete the online form (your card will be sent to MLA College and we will ensure this
reaches you by post)
If you have any queries about a card which you have ordered but has not arrived, please contact
student.admin@mla.ac.uk.
The Plymouth Online Study Guide
As a University of Plymouth student, you are able to access the University’s e-resources through the
UoP Digital Learning Environment (DLE).
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Here you can access to over 2 million e-resources and e-journals in a variety of dierent subjects to
support your studies. You can visit the University of Plymouth Library page via the Digital Learning
Environment (DLE) and select ‘Partner Instuon – ‘Your Library Subject Guide’ . From here, select
‘partner instuons’ and you will nd informaon which is essenal to familiarise yourself with UoP
services and e- resources. This video guide also demonstrates how to access Primo (the online
library). In addion, you can access the University Student Study Guide which is available at
www.studywithplymouth.ac.uk and signposts you to a wealth of resources including UPSU
(University of Plymouth Students’ Union), Study Skills Guides and using the DLE (alternavely press
Ctrl & Click on the relevant picture below to nd the informaon you are looking for).
University Email accounts
You must ensure that you regularly access your University email account, and where possible, avoid
using non-University email accounts to contact sta. Messages from external addresses can oen get
ltered as SPAM or JUNK if you use them.
Forwarding your Plymouth Emails to your preferred account
Any communicaons with the University of Plymouth will come via your Plymouth email account so
it is essenal that you forward your University emails to your preferred email address. Please forward
your emails on as soon as your programme starts to prevent missing key communicaons from
tutors; especially around the topics of module choice, and dissertaon choice as you enter these
levels of study. Instrucons on how to complete this is available through
www.studywithplymouth.ac.uk under the Library and Digital Learning Environment Tab.
Mobile with Plymouth
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The free ocial University of Plymouth app is the must have resource for students or prospecve
students. It is full of helpful University informaon that is easily accessible wherever you are.
Available at: hps://www.plymouth.ac.uk/about-us/teaching-and-learning/digital-educaon/app
University Compung Helpdesk
If you have any problems when you are creang your computer account or logging into the UoP DLE,
or if you cannot access the informaon you need, please contact student.admin@mla.ac.uk. If
necessary, we can access the University password changer tool to reset your details.
How to Change your Password
To change your password at any me, click here.
Programme Overview
MLA College’s programmes operate largely within the University of Plymouth’s standard academic
regulaons for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes (available electronically on the UoP
website). Non-standard regulaons somemes apply to specic programmes and you are advised to
read the Programme Quality Handbook for your programme, along with other MLA policy
documents on our website to ensure that you are aware of all regulaons, processes and policies
that apply to you. Currently all of MLA College’s programmes are managed by University of Plymouth
Academic Partnerships. Also see the University student handbook.
Programme Structure
Please see the relevant Programme Quality Handbook.
Assessment
Please read the assessment document in your TLP carefully as it provides the informaon you need
to complete the coursework for each module. We advise you to get in touch with your tutor as soon
as possible if anything is unclear.
Formave Assessment
Formave assessment is a collecon of quesons and tasks to test your knowledge of the learning
materials in your TLP. These quesons can be found throughout the TLP alongside the video lectures,
aer the lectures or included in the transcripts. Formave quesons allow you to work through
problems at your own pace to sasfy yourself that you have fully understood the teaching and
learning which has been covered in the lecture. We have provided all the answers to the formave
quesons, so that you can compare your answers with the ones provided and re-visit the lectures if
necessary. You may also wish to discuss these in tutorials, or online with your fellow students in the
discussion forum.
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Your performance in these formave tasks is not marked by your course tutor and does not count
towards the overall module mark. We highly recommend that you complete all the formave
quesons, as the module has been designed very carefully to use these quesons to build your
knowledge and understanding. Compleng the formave quesons will help you in wring your
marked coursework –this is described in the secon below.
Summave Assessment
Summave coursework is submied by xed deadlines, is marked, and is given feedback by your
tutor. The marks that you achieve for your coursework count towards your overall module mark, and
eventually, to your grade for the whole programme. The assessment quesons contained in the TLP
will focus on the learning outcomes of the module and the assessment document contains
everything you need to prepare your coursework. Please also ensure that you review the learning
outcomes in the Module Record located on the TLP.
In all cases, assessments are designed to assess your achievement of the parcular learning
outcomes for the module. You will also be given assessment criteria which is used to judge the extent
of your achievement.
Marks and Results
Please note that ALL assessment marks and results are provisional unl conrmed by the University
of Plymouth Subject Assessment Panel and veried by the Award Assessment Board. Please
reference the Benchmarking Skills Map within the Programme Handbook for further details on how
the teaching, learning and assessments are achieved within each module.
Support
Your course tutor is available for assistance and advice as required, although you are expected to
work autonomously throughout, conducng your own research to produce answers of an acceptable
standard.
The TLP contains several documents in the ‘Study Help’ secon to support you with your learning
and to help you complete your coursework. Please read through all of these documents carefully
prior to aempng the assessment. Your course tutor will be in touch at appropriate mes
throughout the module and will provide feedback on any dra work completed (see further advice
on this below). In general, it is your responsibility to contact the tutor if you have any concerns,
academically or otherwise.
Other Services provided by the University of Plymouth
Our dedicated Student Experience Team are available to assist you with any issues you may be facing
during your studies. In addion, the University of Plymouth provides a wide range of central facilies
such as Counselling, Disability Access Services, Careers Service, Chaplaincy, Healthcare Services,
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Extenuang Circumstances
If you wish to claim Extenuang Circumstances you should obtain a claim form from the Student
Experience Team or access the form in the TLP. You should complete and submit this to the Student
Experience Team accompanied by any relevant supporng evidence. If the claim is approved this
may allow addional me to complete your coursework or allow non-submission with the scope to
complete a referral assessment without academic penalty.
Extenuang Circumstances are circumstances which:
• aect your ability to aend or complete an assessment or a number of assessments
• are exceponal
• are outside your control
• can be corroborated by independent evidence
• occurred during or shortly before the assessment in queson
Assessed coursework / major project / dissertaon or equivalent
Extenuang Circumstances claims should be submied as soon as possible, and normally no later
than 10 working days aer the deadline for the submission of the work.
Formal Examinaons
Extenuang Circumstances claims with respect to formal examinaons should be submied no later
than the Monday aer the end of the formal examinaon week.
What reasons are considered valid EC’s?
You can nd guidance and examples of circumstances which may, and may not, normally be
considered valid in the University of Plymouth Extenuang Circumstances Policy and Procedures.
Academic Oences
Issues of plagiarism and any form of academic dishonesty are treated very seriously, and could result
in you failing a module or in some cases being withdrawn from your programme.
The University provides detailed informaon on plagiarism which can be found here:
hps://www.plymouth.ac.uk/student-life/your-studies/essenal-informaon/regulaons/plagiarism
You can also refer to the University of Plymouth Library LibGuide which provides informaon on
referencing: hp://plymouth.libguides.com/referencing.
Detailed informaon is also included in the TLP.
Further support on regulaons including academic appeals is available from University of Plymouth
at:
hps://www.plymouth.ac.uk/student-life/your-studies/essenal-informaon/regulaons
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Academic Dishonesty
Types of Academic Dishonesty
• Plagiarism
• Purchasing an essay online
• Not meeng obligaons of group work
• Copying another student’s essay
• Copying and pasng large secons of an essay from the internet
Types of Academic Dishonesty: Exams
• Taking a paper out of an exam when you are not permied
• Bringing a translator or diconary, or programmable calculator to an exam
• Bringing crib sheets or notes
• Geng someone else to take an exam for you
• Using your mobile in an exam
• Copying the work of another student during an exam
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is an oence under the University regulaons on examinaon and assessment oences. It
is normally dened as the representaon of another person’s work as your own, without
acknowledging the source.
It can take the following forms:
• Direct copying from texts without acknowledging your source - e.g. direct quotaons should
have a full reference and be in inverted commas.
• Paraphrasing (rewording) or summarising other people’s work without acknowledging your
source – you must give the reference from which your summary/paraphrase is taken.
• Both of the above points also apply to material taken from the internet – if you use material
from the internet you must reference the website from which you obtained the material.
It is the failure to acknowledge others’ work/ideas as the source which constutes plagiarism. You
can be guilty of plagiarism even if you did not intend to imply that the work was your own.
Wring in your own words
Academic wring involves summarising, synthesising, analysing, or evaluang other theories and
arguments. Wring in your own words shows you understand, reect on, and digest source material,
then discuss or re-phrase this using your own vocabulary with an argument that is structured to the
specic task you have been set. (Source: Open University)
Advantages of good paraphrasing
• It claries your understanding of the material
• It improves your ability to remember details
• You will be able to use the material in new contexts
• Your argument will be more succinct
• Your argument will be appropriate to the queson or assignment
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Contract Cheang
Issues of plagiarism, collusion and any other form of academic dishonesty are treated very seriously.
They could result in you failing a module or even having to leave your programme. Some oences,
such as contract cheang, where you deliberately pay someone else to write work for you, will be
punished more severely than plagiarism, where you copy a paragraph from a published source
without properly referencing the source. Support on referencing including online tutorials is available
here.
How to reference using the Harvard Referencing System
All academic work must be referenced using the Harvard Referencing System.
MLA College provides a comprehensive guide on the Harvard Referencing System in your TLP, and
you can contact your tutor if anything is unclear. You can also review the UoP guidance below.
The University of Plymouth Library has produced an online support referencing guide which is
available here: hp://plymouth.libguides.com/referencing.
Another recommended referencing resource is Cite
Them Right Online; this is an online resource which
provides you with specic guidance about how to
reference lots of dierent types of materials. From books to TV shows, journals and podcasts it is
expanded regularly to include new types of source material. Although based on the Harvard
Referencing System it is useful for all students no maer which referencing system is preferred by
their instuon. There is a detailed guide at the end of this handbook.
Before you start wring
Before you start wring your coursework:
• listen to, read, or watch the relevant lectures
• know the learning outcomes for the module (as stated in the module record)
• understand the marking scheme (presented at the foot of this document)
Technical maers and formang
Please ensure that you include the coursework cover sheet with your coursework submission. A copy
of this is included in the module guide to assessment.
Present your answers logically in your coursework document and write clearly and succinctly. Do not
forget to spell check your work and proofread it carefully before submission.
Please also watch the videos that have been produced specically to help you understand plagiarism,
and importantly, how to use Turnin to submit your coursework (these can be found in your module
guide to assessment.)
Word count
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Word counts are deliberately challenging, and you are expected to remain within (+/-) 10% of the
stated limit. It demands succinct, clear, and eecve wring. Review every sentence crically and
make sure every word is needed.
The following components are not included in your word count:
• coursework cover sheet
• list of contents or index
• lists of abbreviaons or acronyms
• index of gures, tables, and diagrams
• tables, gures, and diagrams embedded in the text
• bibliography or list of references
• appendices
Submission of Assessed Work
Each coursework must be submied as a SINGLE word-processed document containing all your
answers. Submission of your wrien coursework will be via Turnin. Please read the following steps
for how to access and set up your Turnin account:
1. You will receive an emailed invite to your UoP email account to the module or class area
from Turnin. For new or rst-me users, you may have to create an account but do not
worry - full instrucons will be provided on the emailed invitaon
2. The invite from Turnin contains a link to the assessment submission secon for your
module. You will need to upload your document following the instrucons contained in this
guide
3. For non-wrien assessments (e.g. video presentaons or praccal exercises) please carefully
read the submission instrucons included within each queson in your assessment.
4. Should you have any diculty in accessing Turnin, please speak to your tutor without delay.
Return of Assessment and Feedback
You have the opportunity to submit a single dra of your assessment, or each queson, prior to the
formal submission deadline, allowing your tutor to give some formave feedback and advice on
whether your answers are on-track. You should submit your dra answers via Turnin; look out for
the instrucons that will follow from your tutor.
A further advantage of this is that you will be able to check your answers for similaries with other
sources (e.g. those from the internet) and correct for this, as necessary. The main reason for this is
that your work should be your own and not a collaborave eort between you and your tutor.
You will receive detailed nal feedback of your marked coursework 4 weeks from the submission
date. Within the Turnin class, you will see a module ‘post-date’. This is the date that your
provisional module marks and feedback will be released. No other correspondence concerning your
provisional grade will be issued; however, through Turnin you do have the facility to print your
marked coursework, including all tutor comments and feedback, for your own records.
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Academic Maers - Procedures for dealing with late submissions and extenuang circumstances
For more detailed programme guidance please see your Programme Quality Handbook available on
the MLA website. Your programme operates under University of Plymouth Academic Regulaons; to
view these regulaons, please click here.
Late Work
Work submied aer the deadline may sll be marked as normal if your tutor has authorised a 48
hour grace period to allow a late submission. If the work is not submied up by this me a mark of
0.00 will be recorded unless you have a reason that your work was late i.e. illness etc. If you have
extenuang circumstances you can complete an Extenuang Circumstances Form which you can nd
in your TLP.
Turnin
Turnin (hp://www.turninuk.com/) is an internet-based 'originality
checking tool' which allows documents to be compared with content on
the internet, in journals and in an archive of previously submied
works. It can help to detect unintenonal or deliberate plagiarism.
It is a formave tool that makes it easy for students to review their citaons and referencing as an aid
to learning good academic pracce. Turnin produces an ‘originality report’ which may be necessary
to be aached to your coursework and your tutors will advise you on how to access and use Turnin
where required for your studies. To learn more about Turnin go to:
hps://help.turnin.com/Home.htm
Progression to Further Study and How Your Marks are Calculated
Progression routes are correct at the me of publicaon, but they may be subsequently amended.
More informaon on individual programme progression is available in your Programme Quality
Handbook
Award Requirements
The complete and denive set of regulaons concerned with both passing an individual module and
progressing can be found in the University of Plymouth Academic Regulaons.
DipHE Hydrography for Professionals
On successfully achieving (passing) all 120 credits in Stage 1, you will be allowed to progress to Stage
2. If you decide to withdraw from the programme aer successfully compleng Stage 1, then you will
be eligible for the award of a Cercate of Higher Educaon (CertHE).
On successfully achieving (passing) all 120 credits in Stage 1 and all 120 credits in Stage 2, you will be
eligible for the award of a Diploma of Higher Educaon in Hydrography for Professionals
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PGDip Advanced Hydrography for Professionals
On successfully achieving (passing) all 120 credits of the PGDip programme, you will be eligible for
the award of a PGDip Advanced Hydrography for Professionals.
If you decide to withdraw from the programme aer successfully compleng 60 level 7 credits, then
you will be eligible for the award of a Postgraduate Cercate (PGCert). Please refer to the academic
regulaons for further informaon or discuss any concerns with your personal tutor.
MSc Advanced Hydrography for Professionals
On successfully achieving (passing) the 60 credits of the MSc top-up module you will be eligible for
the award of MSc Advanced Hydrography for Professionals.
BSc Sustainable Marime Operaons
On successfully achieving (passing) all 80 credits of the BSc top-up programme you will be eligible for
the award of a BSc Sustainable Marime Operaons.
BSc (Hons) Sustainable Marime Operaons
On successfully achieving (passing) all 40 credits of the BSc (Hons) top-up programme you will be
eligible for the award of a BSc (Hons) Sustainable Marime Operaons.
PGCert Sustainable Marime Operaons
On successfully achieving (passing) all 60 credits of the PGCert programme you will be eligible for the
award of PGCert Sustainable Marime Operaons.
PGDip Sustainable Marime Operaons
On successfully achieving (passing) all 120 credits of the PGDip programme you will be eligible for
the award of PGDip Sustainable Marime Operaons.
MSc Sustainable Marime Operaons
On successfully achieving (passing) all 180 credits of the MSc programme you will be eligible for the
award of MSc Sustainable Marime Operaons.
If you decide to withdraw from the programme aer successfully compleng 60 level 7 credits, then
you will be eligible for the award of a Postgraduate Cercate (PGCert). If you decide to withdraw
from the programme aer successfully compleng 120 level 7 credits, then you will be eligible for
the award of a Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip). Please refer to the academic regulaons for further
informaon or discuss any concerns with your personal tutor.
MSc Advanced Meteorology for Professionals
On successfully achieving (passing) the 60 credits of the MSc top-up module you will be eligible for
the award of MSc Advanced Meteorology for Professionals.
MSc Advanced Oceanography for Professionals
On successfully achieving (passing) the 60 credits of the MSc top-up module you will be eligible for
the award of MSc Advanced Oceanography for Professionals.
MSc Advanced Navigaon for Professionals
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On successfully achieving (passing) the 60 credits of the MSc top-up module you will be eligible for
the award of MSc Advanced Navigaon for Professionals.
MSc Engineering for Marine Professionals
On successfully achieving (passing) the 60 credits of the MSc top-up module you will be eligible for
the award of MSc Engineering for Marine Professionals.
Master of Business Administraon
On successfully achieving (passing) the 60 credits of the MSc programme you will be eligible for the
award of Master of Business Administraon.
MSc Sustainability in Pracce
On successfully achieving (passing) the 60 credits of the MSc top-up module you will be eligible for
the award of MSc Sustainability in Pracce.
BSc (Hons) Global Sustainable Development
On successfully achieving (passing) all 120 credits of the BSc (Hons) top-up programme you will be
eligible for the award of a BSc (Hons) Global Sustainable Development.
MSc Global Sustainable Development
On successfully achieving (passing) all 180 credits of the MSc programme you will be eligible for the
award of MSc Sustainable Marime Operaons.
There may be wider progression opportunies available to you. You should discuss your
individual requirements with programme sta who will be able to oer further guidance.
External Examiner Arrangements
Each Programme has an External Examiner who comes from a Higher Educaon Instuon in the UK
(not from the University of Plymouth). The Subject External Examiner is primarily concerned with the
standards of assessment of the subject and therefore aends the subject assessment panel. They will
verify the process of assessment throughout your modules advise upon re-assessment (further
informaon can be found within your teaching learning and assessment handbook). Your nal result
is decided by an Examinaon Board which happens three mes a year (March, June and October).
You can nd your External Examiner reports online through the Digital Learning Environment or DLE
(hps://dle.plymouth.ac.uk/): click on “Tools/Resources” then “Your External Examiners”. For further
Programme external examiner details please see your teaching, learning and assessment handbook.
For further Programme external examiner details please see your Programme Quality Handbook.
Complaint Procedure for University of Plymouth Students
We aim to provide high quality services to students. Unfortunately, things occasionally go wrong.
Whatever your complaint, you can expect it to be dealt with promptly and fairly by MLA College and
in line with the University’s policies and procedures. You will not be disadvantaged or treated less
favourably by making a complaint. Please see the following link that will direct you to our Complaints
Policy, you need to ensure that you read the policy thoroughly and follow the guidance:
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Addional informaon can be found on the University of Plymouth’s complaints webpage
Student Support
Studying with MLA College
Your Personal Tutor(s) will provide general support and guidance to you throughout your studies and
will be responsible for providing module related academic support on an individual basis as required.
Tutors are designated as a rst point of reference for individual students on academic maers. They
may refer a student who has issues with maers of a domesc or personal nature to the MLA
Student Experience Team who will be able to assist.
Self Help Inspiring E-Resources (SHINE)
Self Help Inspiring E-Resources is an innovave new, stand alone, self-help website which was
developed by the University of Plymouth through the Student Counselling & Personal Development
Service and students. You can watch, read, listen and nd apps and useful links to the best online
resources and informaon about mental health and well-being: hps://
www.plymouth.ac.uk/student-life/services/learning-gateway/shine
Togetherall
If you are going through a tough me, you can now access free online support with Togetherall
(previously Big White Wall). Whether you are struggling to sleep, feeling low, stressed, or unable to
cope, Togetherall can help you get support, take control, and feel beer.
You will have access to a 24/7 online community and professional support from trained counsellors.
Togetherall provides a safe space online to get things o your chest, explore your feelings, get
creave and learn how to self-manage your mental health and wellbeing.
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Togetherall is totally anonymous, so no one will know you’ve chosen to use it unless you tell them.
To join, simply go to Togetherall and sign up under ‘organisaon’ with your University of Plymouth
email address.
Financial Informaon and Guidance on Funding
Informaon about our fees, bursaries and our terms and condion; can be found on our website. You
can also contact our student nance team on student.[email protected] with any queries you have
about tuion fees, funding opons, and scholarships and bursaries.
MLA College Policies
MLA College has in place a number of policies processes aimed at supporng our students. They can
be found on our website.
MLA College and Prevent Duty?
Idenfying key risks and wring an acon plan. We have developed a risk assessment and acon
plan which outlines how we will comply with the Prevent Duty in a proporonate manner. This is
monitored regularly by the MLA College Senior Management Team.
Training our sta. In addion to compleng training provided by the UK Home Oce, all MLA College
sta have been provided with, and reviewed, the MLA College Prevent Duty policy, which gives
guidance on idenfying and acng upon any concerning behaviours regarding extremism and
terrorism.
Engaging with our students through our Student Experience team, and via MLA College online
forums.
Sharing informaon, working closely with our colleagues across the region and naonally, we
contribute fully to the debate around Prevent.
Protecng freedom of speech and academic freedom which are the cornerstone of our mission as a
higher educaon provider. All of our acvies around Prevent have protecng these vital freedoms
at their heart.
The use of our IT networks: ensuring that we apply the appropriate security.
Adequate pastoral support: so we can oer our students advice and informaon as required.
Reporng our concerns, if any were to arise, to our colleagues in the police.
MLA College is commied to ensuring we meet our requirements as outlined in the Prevent Duty
and whilst doing so that we:
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• Protect academic freedom and freedom of speech as the cornerstones of higher educaon,
allowing our sta and students to disagree and to hear messages they may not necessarily
be comfortable with, as long as these are within the law.
• Ensure that equality and diversity remains at the heart of all our acvies, supporng
cohesion and ensuring posive relaons between MLA College students and sta.
• Acvely work to safeguard our sta and students against radicalisaon and other forms of
exploitaon.
Interrupons Policy
If you wish to interrupt your studies you should rst discuss this with your Personal Tutor or Student
Experience Team to make sure that this is the best course of acon for you.
Aer discussing this with a member of sta, if you sll wish to interrupt your studies you should be
aware that there is a maximum period of me in which you must complete your award, so you will
need to consider whether you have enough me to take a break and then return to study and
complete the programme later. The following regulaons apply to all MLA College Students studying
for an award validated by the University of Plymouth who are interrupng from their programme:
hps://www.plymouth.ac.uk/uploads/producon/document/path/23/23699/Academic_Regulaons
_22-23_v1.1.pdf (see secon 10 on page 10).
If you interrupt your studies you will also be interrupng from any modules on which you are
enrolled at that me.
If you interrupt your studies aer 50% (i.e. aer week 6 of a 13-week module) of teaching on the
module has been completed, this will count as an aempt at that module and subsequent aempts
may be subject to an academic penalty by the relevant Assessment Board. Where academic penalty
is imposed, this will result in module marks being capped at the pass mark when you return and
complete the module, unless you can demonstrate valid extenuang circumstances.
Aer interrupng you can connue to access University of Plymouth facilies such as the library and
compung account, although the University retains the right to withdraw this access if necessary.
MLA College (operang under the University of Plymouth regulaons) reserves the right, in certain
circumstances, to require a student to interrupt their studies for a period of me. Such circumstances
may include, inter alia, a decision under the Study and Wellbeing Review policy.
BSc Hons Project
If you are taking the 6 month honours project module and you interrupt before the end of month 3,
you can re-enrol on the module as if for the rst me. Aer month 3, you will be deemed to have
aempted the module and subsequent aempts may be subject to an academic penalty by the
relevant Assessment Board. Upon recommencement of studies, you will need to take a referral or
repeat of the module (i.e. complete the assignment required for the module) as the next aempt
unless a valid applicaon for Extenuang Circumstances has been approved.
MSc Top-Ups
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If you are taking the 12 month honours project module and you interrupt before the end of month 6,
you can re-enrol on the module as if for the rst me. If you interrupt aer month 6, you will be
deemed to have aempted the module and subsequent aempts may be subject to an academic
penalty by the relevant Assessment Board. Upon recommencement of studies, you will need to take
a referral or repeat of the module (i.e. complete the assignment required for the module) as the next
aempt unless a valid applicaon for Extenuang Circumstances has been approved.
In addion to the above, MLA College employs an instant interrupon policy, whereby if you do not
iniate any of the above processes or engage with their module or College sta concerning your
studies, this will be agged by your tutor to by the Student Experience Team at the end of week 2 for
13-week modules, or the end of week 4 for research project modules (Honours and MSc). If you do
not respond to the SSO within 5 working days, you may be compulsorily interrupted or withdrawn
from the programme.
Please note that all periods of interrupon count towards the maximum period of
registraon permied.
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Compulsory Withdrawal for Non-Engagement - Policy and Timeline
In line with the University of Plymouth Academic Regulaons, MLA College may withdraw a student
from their programme if it is deemed that they have made unsasfactory progress due to lack of
engagement or aendance.
MLA College will not normally require a student to withdraw from a programme of study unless:
1. the College can evidence it communicated with the student to monitor engagement; and
2. the student has not evidenced that they have addressed the issues raised in that
communication.
To give students reasonable opportunity to correspond with the College and resume their studies,
the Programme Services team will follow a 4-stage process which will outline the College’s policy for
non-engagement, provide evidence that the student has not engaged, and set out the meline for
potenal withdrawal should they fail to engage with the process.
Stage 1 should be iniated if a student has made unsasfactory progress due to lack of engagement
or aendance for 2 calendar years.
Where a student's email is no longer operaonal and aempts to correspond via email are
unsuccessful, the Programme Services team will aempt to inform the student of each stage of the
process via telephone.
If the student’s phone number is no longer operaonal, the Programme Services team will
communicate each stage of the process via leer posted to the address on the student's record.
If aempts to contact the student via email, telephone, and leer have been unsuccessful due to all
details no longer being correct, the College will withdraw a student who has not been in contact for a
period of 6 months aer Stage 1 has been iniated.
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Financial Implicaons for Interrupons, Referrals, and Repeats
Interrupons
Should you interrupt your studies, MLA College will charge a fee in certain situaons to cover the
addional administrave costs caused by the interrupon. Please refer to the secon relang to
Administraon Fees in our Terms and Condions document on the MLA College website for detailed
informaon on when administrave fees are applied and how much you would need to pay.
Referrals
MLA College does not charge any addional fees for referral aempts of modules.
Repeats:
If you are required to repeat a module you may be required to pay the full fee of the module. Please
see the diagram below for detail on when a fee might be imposed for a repeat of a module, and
when the fee might be waived in specic circumstances. If you have any quesons around fees for
repeang a module please contact student.nance@mla.ac.uk.
Referral and Repeat Fee Flow diagram
The ow diagram on the next page will give you an indicaon of whether an administrave fee might
be due at a specic stage of your study.
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Taking your Learning Seriously
Key Features of University Level Study
Outlined below are key features of University or Higher Educaon (HE) level educaon, including
what dierenates this from other forms of educaon e.g. at school, instuon or in the workplace.
Aendance
You are expected to take responsibility for your learning and engage with your programme. Non-
engagement consistently shows a much higher risk of lower grades or failure.
In some modules if you do not engage, you may risk losing marks, either directly or by missing an
assessed presentaon. Any absence or non-engagement also aects your peers as it may disrupt
planned group acvies and limit the range of discussions. You will be expected to be available
during term me while you are studying, and you must ensure that holidays are arranged outside of
term and assessment commitments.
If you are ill or otherwise unable to engage, you should contact your tutor and ensure that you are
up to speed with your coursework and discuss whether extenuang circumstances are a factor.
Your Approach to Studying
Probably the most signicant dierence between university level study and other levels of educaon
is the amount of personal responsibility you have. This has implicaons for how you approach your
studies.
Sta will use a variety of educaonal approaches, depending on the learning outcomes of the
module. These may include lectures, group work, discussion, student led acvies, simulaon;
technology supported acvity, praccal scenarios, and directed study. Your acve parcipaon will
enhance your learning. It is your responsibility to acquire the required knowledge and skills.
At this level of study, you will be treated as a responsible adult, capable of acng on your own
iniave.
You may be used to a learning or workplace environment with xed hours and roune acvies.
However, HE study requires you to develop new study, me-management, and priorisaon skills to
make eecve use of your study me and to meet programme deadlines. Your weekly metable
should usually consist of planned learning acvies (such as lectures in your TLP), and me for you to
undertake addional reading, assignment preparaon and private study. The contact me that you
have with tutors is only part of your metable. As an indicaon, the average amount of ‘total student
eort’ expected for a 20-credit module will be around 200 hours.
You must, therefore, use your me construcvely. Your most valuable learning will be done in your
own me and in your own way.
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Key strategies to become a Successful Student
You must take proacve responsibility for your own studies. We will give you as much help and
support as we can but ulmately your success (or failure) is down to you.
Plan your me carefully. Write a personal metable as soon as you can.
Aend all praccal sessions and tutorials and take notes.
Do not miss deadlines.
Read extensively around your subject. Just being familiar with the set textbooks is unlikely to be
enough to pass.
Seek help if you need it, as soon as possible. If you need specic help with your studies, speak to
your tutor or make an appointment to speak to them. Even if your problem has nothing to do with
your programme, it may have an eect on your ability to study. Let someone know - ignoring
problems will usually create more issues later on.
Suggested Reading for New Students
• Burns, T. and Sineld, S. (2016) Essenal Study Skills: The Complete Guide to Success at
University. Sage Study Skills Series
• Corell, S. (2015) Skills for Success: the Personal Development Planning and Employability
Handbook. Palgrave Macmillan.
• Greetham, B. (2018) How to Write Beer Essays. Palgrave Macmillan.
Reading for your study
You will not complete your programme successfully if you do not read regularly and in-depth. You
will be given reading lists for each module.
You are strongly recommended to follow current issues relevant to your programme in the quality
press, for example, The Times, Independent, Guardian and Telegraph. You should also make use of
subject-related journals held in the library.
Reading texts for Higher Educaon demands note-taking as well as reading skills, as with lectures,
keep careful notes from your reading.
Harvard Referencing Guide
When the Harvard system is used, acknowledgement of the work of others appears within the text; it
includes making direct quotes and paraphrasing. (NB Footnotes do not need to be used with this
system; however, your tutor may allow you to use them to expand or qualify points in the text). You
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need to note the author’s surname, followed by the year of publicaon and, for a direct quote, the
page number.
• Where you are cing from more than one work published by an author in one year you add
a lower case leer aer the year e.g. (Bloggs 1994a).
• Where there are two authors, give the surnames of both authors.
• Where there are three or more authors, give the surname of the rst followed by et al.
There are several ways in which these references can be made; there are some examples below. (The
full details of sources are given in the list of references at the end; see the next secon).
How not to Plagiarise: Direct Quotaons
Either:
• “Place in quotaon marks,” or single spaced with indented margins for large amounts of text
• Give author’s surname, year of publicaon and page number (write n.p. if there is no
number e.g., for internet sources)
• Only use quotaons when the exact words are important
• Give the full reference in a list at the end
How not to Plagiarise: Figures and Tables
You can use maps, tables, or diagrams from other people, but you MUST show the source
underneath and give the full reference in the list of references.
How not to Plagiarise: Paraphrasing
Take informaon from a source, put it in your own words (paraphrase) and then add the author (or
organisaon) and year in brackets. In addion, give the full reference in a list at the end.
Type of sources:
• Direct quotaons
• Stascs
• Facts which are not common knowledge
• The results of another’s research or study
• Other people’s theories and ideas
• Other people’s interpretaons of events
Quotaon
If you take a passage, a sentence, a phrase, or even a disncve word from a book, arcle, or other
source you must put the borrowed material in single quotaon marks (with double quotaon marks
for a quote within a quote). Quotaons and their introductory clauses need to be grammacally
complete. If something is le out of the original quote, then three dots should be used to show the
omission. If you add words, these should be in square brackets.
e.g. He lists twenty-four names of people who had ‘felt hitherto strange and unfamiliar desire to
have images formed by light spontaneously x themselves’ from as early as 1782 (Batchen 1990: 9).
e.g. Whilst Williams (1989) suggested that ‘schools in Devon are...’
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A longer quotaon (more than three lines) should be indented and single spaced in a separate
paragraph.
e.g. Terry Eagleton explicitly links Freud’s psychoanalyc theories with his polics, claiming that his
limitaons as a polical thinker were condioned by his own historical circumstances.
‘When Freud turns to directly polical themes, a notable coarsening of his intelligence sets in; like
many a bourgeois intellectual, his ideological obtuseness’s are at war with his nave wit. If Freud had
lived through a dierent, more hopeful polical history, much in his theorecal doctrine would have
been transformed’ (Eagleton 1990: 283)
Paraphrase
If you paraphrase or summarise informaon or ideas from a book, arcle, or other source you must
take great care to put the informaon into your own words, and you must, again, clearly indicate the
source from which the informaon came.
e.g. Biographies of Rosse tend to dierenate the successive stages of his career by associang
each of them with a parcular woman in his life (Preejohn 1997: 9).
e.g. E. H. Carr has observed that is a construct consequent upon the quesons asked by the historian
(Carr 1964).
e.g. In a further arcle (Johnson 1989a) it is argued that...
e.g. In this arcle (Nicholls et al. 1990) the view is taken that...
e.g. This nding has been conrmed by other researchers in the United States (Smart 1986; Billings
and Brown 1990).
Secondary Citaon
Somemes you need to cite the ideas of an author that were referred to in someone else’s wring,
though, where possible, you should try to read the original source. You must show that you used the
secondary source.
e.g. Learmouth (1978 cited in Short 1984) acknowledges that it is impossible to...
List of Sources (Bibliography)
Introducon
All wrien work should include a list of sources at the end detailing, in alphabecal order by author,
all the sources you used to research the topic. You may divide it into secons according to the format
of the resources from which you have obtained informaon e.g. Books and Journals; Films; Websites
etc.
When there are two authors, cite them both. For three or more authors cite the rst author
followed by et al.
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The following guide combines the convenons used in the Harvard System and the style
recommended by the Faculty of Arts.
Book
• Surname and inials of author (if editor/editors, put ed./eds in brackets aer the name)
• Year of publicaon (in brackets)
• Title of book (in italics)
• Edion (omit if rst edion)
• Place of Publicaon
• Publisher
• Page or chapter numbers if needed
e.g. LaBelle, B. and Roden, S. (eds) (1999) Site of Sound: of Architecture and the Ear, Los Angeles:
Errant Bodies Press
Arcle in edited book
• Surname and inials of author
• Year of publicaon (in brackets)
• Title of arcle (in quotaon marks)
• In, then surname and inials of editor/editors of book, followed by (ed.)/(eds)
• Title of book (in italics)
• Place of publicaon
• Publisher
• Page numbers.
e.g. Jameson, F. (1983) ‘Postmodernism and consumer society’ in Foster, H. (ed.), Postmodern
Culture, London: Pluto Press, 111-126.
Arcle in journal/newspaper
• Surname and inials of author
• Year of publicaon (in brackets)
• Title of arcle (in quotaon marks)
• Title of journal (in italics)
• Volume number (in bold)
• Part number (in brackets)
• Page number(s).
e.g. Hall, K. (2001) ‘An analysis of primary literary policy in England using Barthes’ noon of
“readerly” and “writerly” texts’. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 1(2, August), 153-165.
Video and Film
• Title (in italics)
• Year of release (in brackets)
• Medium
• Director
• Other relevant detail re writers, performers etc.
• Distributor
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• Other relevant detail re physical characteriscs e.g. size, length of lm
e.g. A Room with a View (1985) Film. Dir. James Ivory. Cinecom Intl. Films.
If you are cing the relevance of a parcular individual, begin with that person’s name and
contribuon.
e.g. Mifune, T. actor. Rashomon (1950) Dir. Akira Kurosawa. Daiei.
Television / Radio Programme
• Title of programme (in italics) or, when in series, tle of programme (in quotaon marks)
and tle of series (in italics)
• Broadcast date
• Other relevant detail re producer etc.
• Network
• Other relevant detail re physical characteriscs, length of programme etc.
e.g. ‘The First Human Clone’, Panorama (8 February 1999) Brish Broadcasng Corporaon,. Video,
45 minutes.
If you are cing the relevance of a parcular individual, begin with that person’s name and
contribuon.
e.g. Hitler, A. ‘1933: Master Race’, People’s Century (1995) Brish Broadcasng Corporaon. Video,
55 minutes.
World Wide Web Document
• Author or editor (if known)
• Title of document (in quotaon marks) followed by Online (in square brackets)
• Locaon of document (full web address)
• Access date (in square brackets)
e.g. Brown, M. ‘Impressionist painng’ [Online] hp://www.sk.edu/ [27th September 1999]
Arcle in Electronic Journal
• Author
• Year of publicaon
• Title of arcle (in quotaon marks)
• Title of journal (in italics)
• Type of medium (in square brackets)
• Volume, part of journal
• Locaon of document (full web address)
• Pages (if given) or other indicator of length
• Available: Supplier/ Database name/ Idener or number (if given)
• Access date (in square brackets)
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e.g. Anderson, B. (2002) ‘September 11 has turned out to be a good thing for America and the
world’. The Independent [Online], 9 September 2002. hp://www.infoweb.newsbank.com/ Approx.
4 printed pages. Available: NewsBank Newspapers UK [12 September, 2002].
Miscellaneous
For informaon about cing leers, computer soware, music recordings, performances, works of
art, interviews, maps etc. please refer to the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. Please
note that when using these examples, the elements of the entry are suitable for Harvard, but that
you need to put the date of publicaon in round brackets aer the rst element.
Use of Lan
You will encounter a variety of Lan abbreviaons in references, especially if the book or arcle is
more than twenty years old. A list of the four most common abbreviaons is given below. (It is not
necessary to use these when using the Harvard referencing system).
1. ibid. [short for ibidem] meaning “in the same book, chapter etc.” and used when a reference
is given to the same source as the immediately preceding reference. For clarity you should
add the page number.
e.g. 59. Herzog, D. Poisoning the Minds of the Lower Orders, Princeton: Princeton University Press,
1998, p. 83. 60. Ibid., p. 84
2. loc. cit. [short for locato citato] meaning “in the passage already quoted”
3. op. cit. [short for opere citato] meaning “in the work already quoted” Both loc. cit. and op.
cit. are used when the full reference has already been given in an earlier footnote, but not in
the immediately preceding one. For clarity, you should add the page number of the relevant
passage and also the date if the author has more than one source listed in your footnotes.
e.g. 67. Herzog, op. cit. p. 80 [or 67. Herzog, op. cit. (1998) p. 80]
passim [from passus meaning scaered] and used when a point is made in many places, here and
there or throughout a passage, a chapter or even a whole book.
e.g. a reference to ‘pp. 60-80’ might indicate a concentrated discussion of an idea, whereas ‘pp.60-80
passim’ shows that the idea makes numerous, but sporadic appearances
Private Study
Your private study me is likely to be taken up by dierent tasks for each module or by preparing for
tutorials or undertaking some reading of a programme text or library research. In addion, private
study me provides students with the opportunity to ensure they have understood the subject, for
reecng on any feedback on assessed work and building up a good set of notes for revision.
Personal Development Planning
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It is important to bear in mind from the outset of your study that you are working toward a degree
that will provide you with a foundaon for a potenal career and/or career development. It is
important to be aware of your own career direcon from the early stages of the programme.
Therefore, we place a great deal of importance in Personal Development Planning (PDP). This
describes the ‘means, by which students can monitor, build and reect upon their personal
development’.
Therefore, PDP is a structured and supported process undertaken by an individual to reect upon
their own learning, performance and / or achievement and to plan for their personal educaonal and
career development. You are ulmately in charge of your own career direcon, but we are more than
happy to help and advise you throughout your degree programme.
You can use PebblePad as a exible electronic resource to plot and
reect on your learning achievement. PebblePad allows you to plan
and develop strategies for learning and also to reect and evaluate
your accomplishments
It is hoped that the PDP process available on this programme will enable you to:
• Become more effective, independent and confident self-directed learners.
• Understand how you are learning and relate your learning to a wider context.
• Improve your general skills for study and career management.
• Arculate your personal goals and evaluate progress towards your achievement; and
• Encourage a positive attitude to learning throughout life.
Factors Aecng Your Learning
In addion to teaching, academic support and private study there are oen factors which inuence
your learning environment. If you are aware of these, you will be able to manage your studies more
eecvely.
Eecve Learning
Learning refers not simply to the sum total of facts and informaon you can recall at a given
moment. It also relates to how you use and apply informaon and how you nd, store, and retrieve
it. One of your aims as a student should be to become a more eecve learner.
The quality of your learning will depend on these starng points:
• Your atudes, aendance, aims and goals
• Your dedicaon
• Your aptude for the subject
• Your intelligence
• Your willingness and ability to learn
• Your use of resources - tutors, books, materials, the work experiences built into the
programme, etc - and me - your metabled lectures and tutorials as well as private study.
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To assess how well you are learning, you should frequently check your progress by keeping in touch
with your tutors and your fellow students and ensure you are up to date with deadlines.
Time Management
Good me management lies at the root of eecve learning. You will need to plan the use of your
me carefully. You will have the demands of your programme, learning in lectures and tutorials,
working on assessments, and compleng your private study to consider.
A personal metable can help you in assessing all your priories: paid work, social and family
commitments, as well as your studies.
You will have to think realiscally about the number of hours that you need to study to be a
successful student. If you are studying full-me, we would expect that your lectures, other
metabled sessions, and private study taken together will only account for a proporon of the 200
hours of study required for each 20-credit module. However, the amount of study eort required
varies from student to student.
Coping with Stress
Stress can be a serious problem, parcularly in your rst year when you may be adjusng to a new
environment, arranging accommodaon, managing your nances, living away from home and
balancing your me between study and family / work commitments. There is, however, plenty of
help available and you are encouraged to make use of support services, such as the Student
Experience Team.
University of Plymouth has also developed a set of e-resources to help support students wellbeing.
Self Help Inspiring E-Resources (SHINE) are available here.
Learning Skills
Some students nd the transion to university level study, parcularly student-centred learning,
more dicult than they expected. This can be because they have not yet developed the required
learning skills. Although you will receive help throughout your programme to improve these skills,
there is specic support, advice and resources available through the Instuon’s Learning Skills
Service concerning issues such as:
• Presentaons
• Essay Wring
• Referencing
• Time Management
• Reading and Note-taking
University of Plymouth has a suite of excellent support resources which are available at:
hps://www.plymouth.ac.uk/student-life/services/learning-gateway/learning-development
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Plymouth Compass
While you are studying with MLA College and the University of Plymouth, you will gain more than
just your degree
The Plymouth Compass helps you to navigate your way through your whole university experience, in
both your taught curriculum and your extra-curricular acvies. What you learn at university
prepares you for more than a career, so the Compass idenes key aributes in four broad areas of
your life - academic, civic, professional, and personal.
During your me studying, you will have plenty of opportunies to pracce and develop these
aributes, helping you gain experiences, improve skills, and build networks for your life beyond
graduaon. The Compass also supports us, as a community, to coordinate our eorts to oer you as
broad an educaon as possible. It claries what the University values and what it ancipates will help
you, as a graduate, in a future that is hard to predict.
Find more informaon at: hps://www.plymouth.ac.uk/your-university/teaching-and-
learning/plymouth-university-compass
What Next?
Employment and Progression Opportunies
As a student studying Higher Educaon your programme has been designed to help you to succeed
in your career aspiraons and has been designed with the involvement of employers.
Many of your teaching sta will also be able to give you helpful career advice.
Further advice is available from the University of Plymouth Careers Service. As a graduate you will
have a wide choice of career opportunies throughout the private, public and voluntary sectors,
both in the United Kingdom and abroad. Visit our website for access to the wide range of resources
available to you, from career assessments and aptude tests to Digital resources such as CV 360 to
help you create an outstanding CV and Interview 360 to help you prepare for interviews. (Ctrl & Click
on pictures for more informaon)
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MyCareer
MyCareer is the University of Plymouth’s career management portal. This will be your central system
to see all that the Careers and Employability Service have to oer.
MyCareer will give you access to:
• Hundreds of vacancies, from part-me work to t around your studies, to summer
internships and graduate vacancies.
• A wide range of workshops and acvies to help you develop your employability skills. These
include mock interviews and a variety of skill sessions from job searching to enhancing your
CV.
• Access to events such as Career Fairs and Employer Insight Panels to help develop your
condence, expand your professional network and explore your career opons.
• You can access myCareer at any point through your computer or mobile device. Please see
the following link to access myCareer: hps://mycareer.plymouth.ac.uk/home.html
Graduaon and Results Guidance
University of Plymouth has developed a guide to your statement of results, transcripts and award
vericaon. The informaon has been gathered together to help answer any quesons you may have
regarding your results, how and when you can access them and links to further informaon on what
happens if you fail any part of your course. Click here to access the guide:
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MLA Students are eligible to aend the University of Plymouth’s graduaon ceremony and you will
also be advised of MLA College graduaon events.
Alumni
MLA College has established an Alumni community and you will be contacted on the compleon of
your programme with further details.
In addion, as your award is a University of Plymouth award, graduang from Plymouth means you
will become part of a thriving alumni community making a dierence across the world. Your lifelong
connecon with us will oer you many benets, including careers support for three years aer
graduaon and a host of alumni events around the world to help you to network and stay in touch
with your old university friends.
More informaon can be found at hps://www.plymouth.ac.uk/alumni-friends/alumni
Frequently Asked Quesons:
What if I want to withdraw from, or suspend, my course?
If you are considering withdrawing from the University or interrupng your studies for any reason,
please consult your programme leader and seek advice if you are experiencing dicules. Just
talking to someone may be enough to put you back on track. Students choose to interrupt study or
withdraw for a variety of reasons, and we may be able to help.
If you decide that you do not want to connue with your studies in this academic year, it is important
that you correctly withdraw or interrupt study as there are academic and nancial implicaons that
you need to consider. Please see the secon on MLA College Policies
You must inform the Student Experience Team that you wish to withdraw or interrupt your study.
Depending on the date you withdraw or suspend study, you may be deemed to have had an aempt
at the modules you are enrolled on.
If you have extenuang circumstances for withdrawing or interrupng study, you should complete an
extenuang circumstance claim form. A valid claim for extenuang circumstances could mean you do
not lose an aempt at some or all your modules. This is important as there is a maximum number of
aempts any student can have at a module and second and third aempt marks are capped. Please
refer to our extenuang circumstances policy for more informaon on making a claim.
Once your withdrawal/interrupon has been formally processed, MLA College will nofy the
University of Plymouth advising them of your last date of aendance as recorded on your
withdraw/interrupt study form.
What if I want to change my course?
You will rst need to get advice from your Tutor if you wish to change course.
Where do I submit my coursework?
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Please see the secon on Programme Assessment Schedule, Assessment Flowchart and Hand In
Process
How do I raise an issue?
Please see the secon above on Taking Your Learning Seriously.
How do I nd out who my personal tutor is?
Please see the secon on Inducon
Where can I nd informaon about:
• Counselling
Please contact the Student Experience Team
• Disability Assist
Please contact the Student Experience Team
• Help with writing essays and study support
There are a number of documents and guides as part of your TLP and you can also contact
your Tutor for advice.
What should I do if I cannot make a deadline/sit an exam?
Please see the secon regarding Extenuang Circumstances.
When is graduaon?
Date of graduaon is normally late Autumn An email will be sent closer to the me, giving exact date
and me along with advice on how to book ckets, gowns, etc.
I have just received my provisional marks, what happens now?
MLA holds three awarding boards each year (usually in March, June and October). Once the award
board has sat, you will receive an email approximately 2 weeks aerwards to advise that your marks
are now available via the UoP DLE and to advise you of your next steps. We do recommend that you
download your transcript, as it is only available for a limited amount of me, and you may incur a
charge if you require a copy later.
When will I receive my cercate?
Once your marks have been conrmed, your cercate will be sent out approximately 4 – 6 weeks
aerwards. MLA will send you an email prior to the receipt of the cercates to ask whether any of
the details we have on record have been changed. The University of Plymouth will send the
cercates to MLA and once you have conrmed your address, we will forward them on to you by
Royal Mail. We will also send you an email to advise you of the tracking number.
What should I do if I have received an invitaon to graduaon for a split award, but I am carrying
on my studies?
If you are on a programme which has split awards (e.g. MSc Sustainable Marime Operaons, where
PGCert, PGDip, and MSc are disnct awards), at the end of each stage you will receive a cercate.
As you complete each stage, the University of Plymouth, will give you an opportunity to aend
graduaon, as some students may decide not to complete the whole programme. This means that
you could get invited to more than one graduaon ceremony (dependent on the programme you are
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on). It is your choice on whether you would like to aend each graduaon ceremony or wait unl
you have completed your programme in full.
Where can I get a copy of my transcript / cercate?
Requests for copies of transcripts and cercates need to be made directly to the University of
Plymouth through their e-store. Please note that you may incur a fee.
hps://estore.plymouth.ac.uk/product-catalogue/exams-and-awards/transcripts
hps://estore.plymouth.ac.uk/product-catalogue/exams-and-awards
I wish to connue my studies, what do I need to do?
If you have successfully completed or have previously interrupted your last module, then you must
email us to conrm that you wish to connue and pay the module fee and any outstanding
administraon fees (if applicable). Upon receipt of the payment, we shall be able to complete your
enrolment.
If you are required to complete a referral for a module, then you need to email us to conrm that
you wish to connue. We will ask you to complete and sign a declaraon form. Upon receipt of the
signed declaraon form, we shall be able to complete your enrolment.
If you are repeang your module, then you need to email us to conrm that you wish to connue.
We will ask you to complete and sign a declaraon form. We will let you know if you have incurred a
fee, and upon receipt of the payment, we shall be able to complete your enrolment.
If you have a query that is not listed above, please contact student.admin@mla.ac.uk
