Exemption from entry requirements for courses within a programme

If a student at LTH wishes to start their degree project before they fulfil the entry requirements, they can apply for an exemption from entry requirements. A decision on exemption can only be made by the chair of the Education Board (LG GU) at LTH, and the decision can be appealed.

Most applications for exemptions from entry requirements relate to the degree project. When it concerns exemptions from entry requirements for other programme courses, the administrator will contact the Course Coordinator for an opinion regarding the student’s prior knowledge.

Sometimes students contact department staff when they want to start their degree project even though they do not meet the prerequisites. If you are asked by students to write a certificate or statement for them to use when applying for exemption from entry requirements for degree projects, it is important that you do not to say anything about the general requirements (which apply to be admitted to the degree project course).

Entry requirements in order to begin writing a degree project are reviewed in two stages. The first checks the general requirements, and only when the student has passed this check (or been granted an exemption from entry requirements) will subject-specific knowledge be assessed by the prospective examiner. Thus, it is not until this stage that you are to make a statement on the student’s conditions for starting the degree project.

The learning outcomes in the degree project courses in the Engineering programmes (5-years / civilingenjörsprogrammen) are designed so that they cannot be attained unless all the compulsory courses within year 1-3 of the programme has been completed, for example

• demonstrate the ability to integrate the knowledge acquired in key qualifying courses within the programme of study in a critical and systematic manner.
• demonstrate the ability to assess his/her own degree project and those of other students with due regard to relevant scientific, social and ethical aspects.

In order to attain the learning outcomes, the student is to be able to determine the knowledge that is relevant and why. They are to be able to assimilate and understand technical literature, and evaluate its relevance. For a student who lacks one of the basic courses, it is hard to assess how or why this knowledge is needed in the degree project. In addition, the student is also to be able to assess and critically review other students’ degree projects. This requires a common knowledge base, which the mandatory courses in year 1-3 provide.

When we assess applications for an exemption from entry requirements, it is not uncommon that students enclose a certificate from the prospective examiner, which states that the mandatory course that is lacking is not relevant for conducting the project in question. This certificate is inappropriate and does not help the student to be granted an exemption. In the worst case, the certificate could be interpreted as a favourable public authority decision, and because you are not authorised to make this type of decision in your role as examiner, there is a risk that you have committed official misconduct. If a statement from the prospective examiner is deemed necessary, an administrator will get in contact.

As a prospective examiner/supervisor, you should rather be alert to how far the student has progressed before they are encouraged to spend too much time on the planning of a degree project. In connection with an application for an exemption from entry requirements, it is not uncommon for the decision-maker to be presented with one or more of the following circumstances:

• An agreement or contract (e.g. with an external party) has been signed.
• An agreement with another student to conduct a degree project jointly.
• Expensive travel arrangements to another country have been booked.
• There is a time window within which the project, for some unalterable reason, must be conducted.
• The degree project has effectively started (with the support of the department, i.e. what is known as a “shadow degree project”. Fortunately, this does not occur very often nowadays).

The last point is problematic in that it must be interpreted as a favourable public authority decision, and we therefore cannot reject an application for exemption. The other points do not constitute grounds for an exemption, but it is easy to understand that a rejection may have considerable personal consequences for an individual student if the planning has progressed a long way. It is therefore very unfortunate if the student has felt that teaching staff have sanctioned them to go ahead.

In those cases where students have appealed against a rejection decision regarding entry requirements for a degree project course, we have noted that a certificate from an examiner concerning the student’s subject knowledge does not affect the decision of the Higher Education Appeals Board.

It is unusual for an application for exemption from entry requirements to be granted, but we must offer the option to comply with Chapter 7, Section 3 of the Higher Education Ordinance. If you have any questions concerning the processing of these matters, please contact annica.thomsson@lth.lu.se.