Orientation Policy

Orientation ensures the successful transition into courses of study and is defined as the provision of key information to students ahead of the beginning of their studies, in both written form for immediate and ongoing reference forums where students meet with staff to receive key information, ask questions, clarify uncertainties and discuss concerns.

Orientation information for both new and ongoing students will take place at the beginning of every teaching period, ahead of the first classes.

All students will receive relevant information enabling them to effectively navigate the College website. The College’s website will include clear directions to the SCD website.

For the purposes compliance and parity with other Members Institutions of the SCD, the College will need to submit orientation information in written form or specific website links to the SCD Office of the Dean ahead of each teaching period.

Orientation will comprise information about:

1. The ethos in which the study of theology is undertaken;
2. academic matters including courses, units and teaching arrangements;
3. Student Support Officer and other student support staff;
4. facilities, including the library;
5. Moodle, the College’s learning management system;
6. student services and support.

Academic Matters

More specifically, academic information to be provided in the orientation process will include the relevant information about:

• the relationship between the SCD and the teaching body;
• course and course units, including the Course Unit Booklet;
• major, sub-majors and specialisations;
• requirements for attendance, progress and completion;
• graduation;
• online learning and the Learning Management System (LMS), including the necessity of keeping LMS login details for the exclusive use of the student and penalties for sharing these with any other person;
• students-at-risk recognition and strategies;
• the availability of academic mentoring
• assessment;
• academic integrity, including advice about what constitutes plagiarism, cheating, and contract cheating and warning of the severe penalties attached;
• communication of results;
• access to the handbooks of both the College and the SCD;
• academic appeals;
• the faculty;
• student feedback processes.

Student Services

Information about student services available will include information about:

• learning support, including:
  • support for gaining study and writing skills (writing workshops, Studiosity [including the fact that Studiosity is the only College approved external study and writing skills support service]);
  • library and IT support, including normal hours of availability;
  • after-hours support for physical and electronic access to the library, IT support, and Studiosity;
  • improvement in the use of academic and general English (especially but not only for students who have required satisfactory IELTS for admission);

• general support for all students including:
  • safety precautions;
  • dealing with and reporting critical incidents and other emergencies;
  • support staff with contact details, including for the student grievance process;
  • health and wellbeing provisions and referrals;
  • counselling and chaplaincy;
  • availability for financial support;
  • student amenities;
  • extra-curricular activities available;
  • graduate pathways;
  • personal support, including availability of individual pastoral care.