【OAA】Finals, Graduations, and Leaving School Procedures
Release Date 3 June 2021
It’s hard to believe that we’re in the third week of remote learning and working. We want to appreciate all of you who are so supportive and engaged in all necessary prevention actions: stay at home, take courses on distance learning platforms, and minimize the outdoor activities.
Meanwhile, we are working on a set of new changes to related policies and regulations on academic affairs.
What follows are the specific information about distance learning practices, final exam schedules, and graduation procedures, etc.
Quick Link: Distance Education, Final Exam, Final Grades Submission, Graduation Requirements, Leaving NKUST Procedures, Obtaining Diploma
NKUST has adopted distance education from May 17 to Jun 27.
1. Synchronous Virtual Classrooms: Virtual classes may be taken synchronous, synchronous with video recording, or asynchronous. NKUST strongly recommends instructors teaching synchronous on a distance learning platform since synchronous teaching will help students stay socially and participate in real-time discussions during class time.
REMINDER: To our faculty, please remember to keep relevant records of your online lecturing for assessment basis, upload selected course materials for students in advance, and explain course performance evaluation standards to students in detail.
2. No compensated courses during summer vacation: These virtual courses are formal instructions. No additional courses would be taught during the summer vacation to compensate for students who miss online classes during the semester.
3. Lab and practical courses conduct online: Instructors for laboratory-based courses and off-campus internships must develop an appropriate adjustment on course content that enables students to learn in a virtual environment.
EXCEPTION: If the cancellation of these on-site experiments would jeopardize graduation for a small group of students, instructors and students need to report to the Office of International Affairs (OIA) and the Office of Academic Affair (OAA).
Once the related department and offices agree that the course can be conducted at school, instructors and students must have to abide by COVID-19 control measures announced by CECC, arrange the equipment usage timing, and make sure the number of people on site should not exceed 4 people for each period.
Contact Information: Curriculum Section of OAA (Chinese): ex. 31125; email: nan@nkust.edu.tw. OIA (English): ex. 19032; email: qaoffice01@nkust.edu.tw.
1. The final exam will meet as scheduled but online during the final exam week (6/21-6/25).
2. Online exams or alternative assessments are accepted: It is at the instructor’s discretion to give an online exam or other alternative assessment methods or a change of the score ratio setting. If instructors choose alternative assessment strategies to test students’ knowledge of course materials:
(1) Syllabi or course outlines need to be updated: Instructors shall update syllabi or course outlines immediately including related course materials, pedagogical methods, or assessment methods.
(2) New assessment methods need to be announced on MOOCs: Instructors shall post new assessment methods on the “Announcements” section of the course on MOOCs to make sure students have a better understanding of the new method.
REMINDER: To our faculty, please pay special attention to the graduating classes, so as not to affect the students' graduation qualifications.
Contact Information: Teaching Services Section of OAA (Chinese): ex. 31152; email: sunny614@nkust.edu.tw. OIA (English): ex. 19032; email: qaoffice01@nkust.edu.tw.
1. Deadlines for submitting final grades will remain unchanged, starting from Jun 21 to Jul 4 to assist the graduating students to complete their leaving procedures on time.
EXCEPTION: Instructors who cannot submit final grades to date due to COVID-19 need to contact their departments.
Once the department and OAA agreed to extend the final grades submitting deadline, instructors may submit final grades late.
2. Instructors are recommended to explain to students how their performance will be evaluated in the final exam clearly and keep relevant records of these course performance evaluation standards.
REMINDER: To our faculty, please make sure students of your courses thoroughly understand these evaluation standards if there are any changes.
3. Students who cannot attend final exams due to COVID-19 need to discuss with their instructors for other alternative assessments, such as turning reports, retaking exams, or other remedies measures. Marks of retaking exams will be considered as your final exam marks.
Contact Information: Learning Counseling Section of OAA (Chinese): ex. 31164; email: hhli@nkust.edu.tw. OIA (English): ex. 19032; email: qaoffice01@nkust.edu.tw.
NKUST provides special measures that help students to complete a degree at ease during the COVID-19 pandemic.
1. Specific compulsory courses for graduation eligibility: Courses such as experiment, practice, internship, or physical exercises shall have an appropriate adjustment or alternative practice on the course content or the credit hour ratio setting.
REMINDER: To our students, each department, school, or program has different regulations to course adjustments and graduation requirements, so you are recommended to consult with your departments and OIA first.
2. Fail to complete graduation requirements due to COVID-19: Students who fail to complete their degree program requirements, coursework, and credits, or graduation requirements due to the pandemic must contact their departments and OIA.
In such a case, if approval is confirmed in a department-level meeting and discussion, alternative practices, such as lowering the standards to passing English proficiency and other certificate tests, will be provided to students.
Contact Information: Registration Section of OAA (Chinese): ex. 31115; email: milla@nkust.edu.tw. OIA (English): ex. 19032; email: qaoffice01@nkust.edu.tw.
Graduation is not automatic upon completion of the study. During the pandemic, diplomas of the bachelor, master, and doctorate degrees will be sent out through postal mail from school. No in-person collection is allowed.
1. Undergraduate students who are preparing to leave NKUST this semester:
(1) Students shall apply to graduate via Student Deregistration Service, which is accessible to graduation candidates since Jun 9.
REMINDER: It is your responsibility to ensure that you have met the graduation requirements of your degree program before this step. You can verify with your departments or login student portal [click 畢業預審報表(初步審查)] to find out if you have met the requirements or not.
(2) Students graduating this spring semester will receive their diplomas since Jul 19. Students participating in the coming summer sessions and completing graduation procedures will receive their diplomas since Sep 6.
2. Graduate Students who are eligible to graduate:
(1) Once hard copies of the master thesis or doctoral dissertation have been sent to the campus library, students shall apply to graduate via Student Deregistration Service, which is accessible to graduation candidates since Jun 9.
REMINDER#1: The hard copies of your master thesis or doctoral dissertation must arrive at the library of your campus before Sep 10, 2021.
REMINDER#2: It is your responsibility to ensure that you have met the graduation requirements of your degree program before this step. You can verify with your departments or login student portal [click 畢業預審報表(初步審查)] to find out if you have met the requirements or not.
(2) Once students completed graduation procedures, all diplomas will be sent by post after degree conferral.
(3) The deadline to finish the above procedures to leave school is Sep 11, 2021.
Contact Information: Registration Section of OAA (Chinese): ex. 31115; email: milla@nkust.edu.tw. OIA (English): ex. 19032; email: qaoffice01@nkust.edu.tw.
1. Due to COVID-19, NKUST is not able to offer the pick-up option for diploma distribution.
2. All diplomas will be sent by post after degree conferral. Please allow 2-4 weeks for diploma delivery. International mail may take more time.
3. If you are moving from the address you provided, please make sure to have all mails forwarded to your new address. All diplomas are sent by international registered mails. The shipping fee will be covered by NKUST.
EXCEPTION: If students having special reasons need to pick up diplomas in-person or by authorized agents, NKUST may observe the future pandemic situation and give students further notifications.
Contact Information: Registration Section of OAA (Chinese): ex. 31115; email: milla@nkust.edu.tw. OIA (English): ex. 19032; email: qaoffice01@nkust.edu.tw.
Wrote/Translated by Jess Lin Reviewed by Prof. Amy Tang
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