Academic guide

Courses are usually assessed through a combination of coursework (assignments and tests) and a final written examination (2-3 hours long). Most courses are taught over one semester and there are exams at the end of the course. Study Abroad and Exchange students are assessed and graded in the same way as other students.

Final exams take place during the last 3 weeks of each semester. Exams may be scheduled at any point during this period. You will be able to view your exam timetable online approximately 6 weeks after the semester begins.

Grade results are usually available on Student Services Online 10 days after the final exam.

For more information see:

• Final results
• Standard grading scale

Note: Exam results are not the same as an official transcript.

The University of Auckland is proud to be the first New Zealand university to offer digital copies of academic transcripts, via My eQuals. My eQuals is an online credentials service that will enable academic records to be certified digitally and securely stored online.

• The Auckland Abroad team will request the official academic transcript for all Exchange and Study Abroad students once all grade results are posted at the end of the semester.
• Once the Auckland Abroad team requests a copy of your official transcript, you will receive a link from your University of Auckland email, enabling you to view, download or share your official record online via My eQuals.
  

IMPORTANT: You will need to share access to your My eQuals records with your home university or program provider via a secured link that will then allow them to download and save the certified digital transcript as needed for their records. In order for you to transfer credits to your home university, you must provide a password protected link to the appropriate contact at your home university.

Official transcripts can not be issued if you have any outstanding fees or charges on your account. All your fees and charges (for example: tuition fees, insurance fees, accommodation charges) are displayed in one place on Student Services Online.

To check your account, visit My enrolment finances.

Ordering additional transcripts

See How to request your official transcript.

COPEX: Certificate of Proficiency (Exchange). This is the code for the the Exchange programme and indicates that Exchange students are not completing a full degree at the University. Upon completion of the Exchange programme students receive an official University of Auckland academic transcript.

COPOS: Certificate of Proficiency (Overseas). This is the code for the the Study Abroad programme and indicates that Study Abroad students are not completing a full degree at the University. Upon completion of the Study Abroad programme students may request an official University of Auckland academic transcript.

Course: A specific topic of study within a subject. Your programme will be made up of 3 or 4 courses. Each course can consist of lectures and tutorials, lab workshops, assignments, tests and an examination. Each course has its own alphanumeric code - eg, MGMT 101, ACCTG 312, etc. The numbers represent the different study levels.

• 100s - Stage I or 1st level undergraduate courses (eg, ACCTG101, ENGGEN115)
• 200s - Stage II or 2nd level undergraduate courses
• 300s - Stage III or 3rd level undergraduate courses
• 400s - 4th level undergraduate courses (these are courses taken in four-year programmes like BE(Hons), LLB, BOptom, BTech)
• Generally, courses starting with the number 600 or higher are postgraduate-level courses

Course outline: A comprehensive description of a course and its objectives, including the number of contact hours per week, how the course is assessed, and the teaching texts that are used. Note, a course outline is not the same as a transcript.

Exchange student: A student from one of our official exchange partners who comes to Auckland as a non-degree student for one or two semesters. Exchange students continue to pay tuition fees to their home university and do not pay tuition fees to The University of Auckland.

Faculty: The University of Auckland is organised into eight ‘faculties’ - Arts, Business, Creative Arts and Industries, Education and Social Work, Engineering, Law, Medical and Health Sciences, and Science.

Points: Units by which Auckland courses are weighted (valued). Courses are weighted at 10, 15, 20 or 30 points, with most at 15 points. To see the points value of a course, please visit the Course Catalogue.

Prerequisite: A course you must pass before you are able to move on to a higher-level course.

Programme: The usual definition for a ‘programme’ is a prescribed set of courses which, on successful completion, leads to the award of a University of Auckland certificate, diploma or degree (eg, Bachelor of Arts, or Master of Engineering). Because there is no certificate awarded for the Study Abroad or Exchange programme, it is referred to as a “non-award programme”.

Stage: level of a course. For example, Stage One is a first-year course; Stage Two is a second-year course.

Study Abroad student: an international student that attends the University for one or two semesters only and is not on the Student Exchange programme. Study Abroad students pay tuition fees to The University of Auckland.

Transcript: a university's official record of the courses you have taken and the grades you have earned for them. A transcript is not the same as a course outline.

Tutorial: a small learning group that you may be required to attend as part of a course in addition to lectures. Tutorials help to clarify any questions that may have arisen from the lecture. Generally, attending tutorials is compulsory.

University of Auckland Calendar: a legal document outlining the statutory framework under which the University operates. Study Abroad and Exchange coordinators and overseas representatives are provided with one copy. It includes University regulations and brief descriptions of courses offered. It is known as a ‘catalogue’ at some universities.