Student Evaluations Evaluations & Regulations

Feedback Mechanisms

Each DIS course elects a student representative during the first week of the semester, charged with taking the pulse of the class throughout the term and communicating with the DIS administration.

DIS maintains a strong, ongoing feedback system by which our faculty and courses are assessed and improved by peers and by our partners.  All students complete end-of-semester evaluations of each class, study tour, and instructor, so that DIS may constantly evaluate our academic quality, focus on learning outcomes, and ability to set appropriate expectations pre-departure.

In addition to our student feedback, we are invested in using US faculty and advisors to help us assess and develop our academic offerings through semesterly workshops (IEW), and other visits throughout the year.  Feedback from our partners is essential to the ongoing success of DIS both in and out of the classroom.

Academic Regulations

During the time a student is enrolled in DIS, the below regulations are imposed.

1. Course Enrollment

Students are enrolled in courses based on primary and alternative choices indicated on the Course Registration Form, which is submitted to DIS prior to the start of the program. All changes in course enrollment must be arranged through the DIS Registrar and not through individual instructors, and are not valid unless a Course Change Form is submitted by the student and approved by the Registrar.

2. Adding and Dropping Courses

DIS will accept course additions during the first ten days of the semester under the following conditions: (a) the class the student wants to enroll in is not full, (b) the student has an academic reason for wanting to make the change, (c) the student’s final course load does not exceed 17 semester hours of credit. Students may drop courses until the middle of the semester, as long as they continue to meet the requirements of their own university for full-time study. DIS requires a minimum of 12 semester hours of credit. (Note that several home universities demand a higher course load). Different rules pertain to the summer programs.

3. Grades

The grades used by DIS are the following:

Plus (+) and minus (–) are used for exams and home assignments as well as for final grades. For purposes of calculating grade points and averages, the ‘+’ is equal to plus .3 and the ‘–’ is equal to minus .3.

4. Pass/Fail Option

Students are only allowed to take one course per semester on a Pass/Fail basis. Students who wish to take a course on a Pass/Fail basis must provide the DIS Registrar with a written authorization from their home university as well as the partner university prior to the middle of the semester. In order to receive a Pass (P) in a course, a C- or better is required.

5. Grade Appeal

The DIS grade appeal procedure is available to students both during and after their stay in Denmark, with a six-month statute of limitation after the final course grade has been issued. The student is required to file, in written form, his/her complaint with the DIS Director of Teaching & Learning.

6. Attendance and Participation Policy

Attendance at all scheduled classes is required, and each student is individually responsible for all material covered or assigned in class. Likewise, attendance at field study sessions and study tours is required.

Participation in the full orientation program in Copenhagen is also mandatory for all students. Full attendance is a formal requirement for continued enrollment in the DIS program. Non-adherence to this requirement may, after warning, result in dismissal from individual courses or from the program. It is to be specifically noted that individual travel cannot take place during the semester on days scheduled for class instruction, field study sessions or study tours. Such travel must be limited to the mid-semester travel period, or the time before or after the semester.

Participation is included in the computation of final grades.

Participation extends to all class sessions, field study sessions and course-related study tours, as well as participation in class discussions, group work and general contribution to the progress of the class.

7. Academic Honesty

DIS expects students to abide by the highest standards of intellectual honesty in all academic work. DIS assumes that all students do their own work and credit all work or ideas taken from others.

It is the responsibility of each student to make sure that he/she is aware of what constitutes academic honesty in every assignment, quiz, test, examination, paper, report, lab report or other academic work submitted for evaluation at DIS. Students should familiarize themselves with DIS’ Exam Regulations and the document ‘Writing Papers at DIS’ available upon arrival in Copenhagen.

Examples of academic dishonesty/plagiarism:

1. Consultation of unauthorized materials during an examination.
2. Copying from another student’s exam or paper.
3. Submitting material or similar material for more than one course without the prior permission of the instructors. (Specifics concerning the option of submitting one paper in two courses are available from the Registrar)
4. Submitting material or similar material previously submitted by oneself or by another student at one’s home university.
5. Presenting in writing as one’s own the words, works or the opinions of someone else.

Academic dishonesty will result in a final course grade of ‘F’ and can result in dismissal. The student’s home university will be notified. DIS reserves the right to request that written student assignments be turned in in electronic form with a view of submitting them to plagiarism detection software.

8. Completion of Required Course Work and Examinations

All work for a course must be submitted for a student to be eligible for a passing grade. Students are responsible for handing in all course work on time. Assignments handed in after a deadline will be awarded the grade of F or downgraded according to the instructor’s own schedule. No course work will be accepted after the last day of the final exams. Students are responsible for seeing that they are on time for midterm and final examinations, as failure to take an exam at the indicated time and place will result in the grade of F. No exceptions can be made to the exam schedule except in case of documented illness or family emergency, both reported before the exam.

9. Final Exam Results

DIS instructors must turn in the original copy of those student exams which constitute the major evaluation basis for course grades. If students have questions concerning their final grades after having returned to their home countries, they should write to the DIS Director of Teaching & Learning as soon as possible.

10. Final Grade Reports

After the end of the semester, when all grades are turned in by the instructors, DIS issues a Final Grade Report which is the transcript of the students’ participation in the program courses listing course titles, number of credits and final grade for the course. This Final Grade Report is prepared in three copies:

1. The original is sent immediately to the partner university from where it will be forwarded to the home institution where applicable.
2. A Student Copy will be sent to the student at his/her permanent mailing address.
3. A Records Copy is kept on file at DIS so that we can send certified copies to other universities upon receiving the student’s written request.   Students are entitled to 10 free copies of the DIS Final Grade Report. See Transcript Request.

Final grades will be withheld if a student owes money to DIS or other institutions, has not returned library books, or has caused damages to housing or the DIS facilities.

11. Dismissal

Students who fail to abide by DIS’ academic policies and regulations will be asked to meet with the DIS Director of Teaching & Learning. If warranted, students will receive an official letter of warning. If further infractions occur, the student may be asked to leave the DIS program, his or her home university will be notified and no refund or academic credit will be forthcoming.

Academic year students must have good academic standing (min. 2.0) for their first semester in order to continue at DIS for their second semester.