Laws and regulations

These regulations apply to all applicants for all education provided by BI Norwegian Business School. The regulations further apply to all students who have been admitted to, and participate in, studies, programmes and individual courses, including courses commissioned by specific companies and non-credit courses, to the extent this is relevant.

The regulations furthermore apply to students on student exchange programmes. Separate regulations apply to PhD students. For any matters not regulated in the PhD regulations, the BI Norwegian Business School’s regulations relating to Admissions, Studies and Examinations will apply.

(1)       All applicants/students have a duty to familiarise themselves with the current regulations relating to admissions, studies and examinations in force at BI Norwegian Business School, and the specific regulations that apply to the course/programme for which the applicant has applied or which the student is attending.

(2)       Students have a duty to acquaint themselves with the relevant programme descriptions, course descriptions, examination plans, examination routines, the rules pertaining to cheating and the requisite preconditions for taking an examination. The above-mentioned rules, plans and routines are presented on BI Norwegian Business School’s student web portal.

(3)       Students are expected to be familiar with and comply with those sections of the guidelines that are presented on the BI student web portal that are relevant to the student concerned.

(4)       A student’s ignorance of the sources mentioned above cannot be invoked as extenuating circumstances.

(5)       The student has a duty to inform BI Norwegian Business School in writing of any change of name(s). Name changes must be documented. In the event of a new address or telephone number the student must personally change it through the BI Norwegian Business School’s student web portal. Failure to update current address and telephone number information means that the student bears the risk of not receiving information issued by BI Norwegian Business School, or not receiving it on time.

(6)       The student must have their own laptop or Mac with an updated operating system for use in tuition and examinations. All students at BI Norwegian Business School have access to, and must use the BI Norwegian Business School’s student web portal with their own electronic mailbox and their own BI e-mail address which, among other things, are used to provide important information to students from BI Norwegian Business School. The student has a duty to check his/her e-mail and mailbox on a regular basis and at least once a week. Students who choose to forward their e-mails to a different address than the BI e-mail address must themselves make sure that e-mails can be received by this other e-mail address, and they bear the risk themselves for possibly not receiving information from BI Norwegian Business School.

(1)       Rules relating to the applicant’s and student’s behaviour and conduct etc., including sanctions and form of procedure, are laid down in the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges (universitets- og høyskoleloven), Chapters 3 and 4. Reference is made in particular to sections 4-6 to 4-8 on professional secrecy, annulment of an examinations or tests, exclusion  as a result of serious misconduct or cheating, etc., along with section 4-11 relating to judicial review.

(2)       A student who has attempted to cheat, or has cheated, or aided and abetted another student in cheating, may be excluded from BI Norwegian Business School and be deprived of the right to sit an examination for a period of up to one year. The Act relating to Universities and University Colleges sections 4-8 and 4-11 apply with regard to formal conditions and processes. Reference is also made to BI’s regulations section 5-15 in pertaining to cheating.

(3)       BI Norwegian Business School shall facilitate an inspiring education setting to promote learning and development for each student. Students are to be met with respect and care, and will treat each other and the staff in the same manner. The school community shall be characterized by diversity, generosity and respect. Abuse of authority will not be tolerated.

(1)       BI Norwegian Business School reserves the right to implement changes in the rules of the institution, including the right to make changes to the curriculum, time and place of tuition, teaching staff, tuition fees, etc., and to derogate from the miscellaneous publications issued by the various units in BI Norwegian Business School. BI Norwegian Business School reserves the right to cancel programmes, courses and studies for which there are not sufficient students registered at the beginning of the course to ensure a satisfactory completion of the programme/course/study.

(2)       Any changes in the tuition fees must be approved by the Board of BI Norwegian Business School.

(3)       Pursuant to the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges section 8-2 the Board of BI Norwegian Business School has delegated to the Senate of BI Norwegian Business School the authority to adopt amendments to Chapters 1, 2, 3 and 4 of these regulations. Amendments to Chapter 5 may only be adopted by the Board itself, however, the Board may authorize the relevant tuition committee to provide supplementary rules in the course description with respect to items that are unique for the individual courses.

(4)       All changes to the programme description must be approved by the Senate of BI Norwegian Business School or by an executive body that has been authorized by the Senate to do so.

(5)       All changes shall be made known to the students in an appropriate manner and as soon as possible.

Appeals concerning individual decisions shall, pursuant to Chapter IV of the Public Administration Act of 10 February 1967 (forvaltningsloven), be lodged with the authority that made the decision. If the decision is upheld, the appeal will be forwarded to the Appeals Committee of BI Norwegian Business School. For decisions that involve confiscation of forged documents and suspension as a result of the same, the  annulment of grades and/or exclusion from BI Norwegian Business School, the appellate authority is the special national appeals body for Universities and University Colleges in Norway. The appeal rights must be exhausted before a lawsuit can be brought.

BI Norwegian Business School make reservations for any misprints in the information about the courses, course descriptions, examination plans, and other documentation that apply to each course.

Applicant 
Person applying for admission to studies, programmes or individual courses at BI Norwegian Business School.

Student
Person with a written, binding and not completed contract of study with BI Norwegian Business School. This includes participants in single courses, courses run for specific companies, and non-credit courses.

Contract of study
An individual contract between the student and BI Norwegian Business School stating which programme of study the student has been admitted to, and which rights and obligations this entails. These regulations are considered part of the student’s contract of study.

Tuition fees
Fees payable by the student for his/her education. The tuition fees will be invoiced per semester.

Education
Collective term for studies, programmes, individual courses or non-credit courses.

Subject
Collective term for programmes, individual courses and non-credit courses.

Study
Educational programme giving 60 credits or more.

Programme
Educational programme giving between 15 and 59 credits.

Individual courses
Courses of up to 29 credits. May constitute part of a study in certain cases.

Non-credit courses
Courses for which no credits are given.

Individual education
Education in which the individual student applies for admission to or participation in an education or a non-credit course, and receives a contract of study or other confirmation of such admission/participation.

Company customised courses
Education for which a company enters into an agreement with BI Norwegian Business School to undertake tuition for a group of students, for which the company pays the contractual sum directly to BI Norwegian Business School. The scope of the tuition/education is stipulated in each contract.

(1)       Admission to studies, programmes and individual courses and entry into enrollment contracts is effected when, following an application, BI Norwegian Business School offers the applicant a place, which is in turn accepted by the student.

(2)       Applicants who accept an offer for a place on a specific study/programme, must sign and return the contract. When the acceptance is received, the applicant is registered as a student by BI Norwegian Business School pursuant to the terms and conditions stated in the contract. Students may still withdraw from the programme of study prior to start-up, in accordance with the contract of study. Notifications of withdrawals must always be submitted in writing to the appropriate student administration, within the deadline specified in the contract, cf. section 3-5, and shall be confirmed in writing by BI Norwegian Business School. The student is responsible for documenting that the notice of withdrawal is given within the deadline.

(3)       Even if a student has signed the enrollment contract, there is a 14-day cancellation right as stated in the Act relating to the Duty of Disclosure and the Right of Cancellation of 20 June 2014 no. 27 (angrerettloven). Using the cancellation right before the start of the studies results in no payment obligation to BI Norwegian Business School. Any payment already received will be refunded. If the student rightfully uses the cancellation right after the studies have commenced, the student has to pay a proportional study fee depending on how much of the programme the student has been a part of. It is the students’ responsibility to document that the cancellation right has been used, and that it occurred within the deadline. A written notification should be given when using the cancellation right.

(4)       Permission to switch study, programme or campus may, in some circumstances, be granted. The student must apply in writing to such a change. If approved, a new contract will be issued, but there is no new 14-day cancellation right. Consideration for changing study, programme or campus is dependent on available capacity and is restricted due to academic considerations.

(5)       Information about BI Norwegian Business School’s practice and processing regarding privacy protection and the individual rights are available through BIs Privacy policy, the student contract of study and the webportal for students.

(6)       Students who have been offered a place on a programme of study but who are not able to start studies in the semester for which the place has been offered due to compulsory military or civilian national service, maternity/adoption leave, or prolonged illness, may apply for postponement of the admission for one year. The application must be received by BI Norwegian Business School as soon as possible after such cause has arisen and no later than within the first day of study.

(7)       The decision to reject or refuse an application for admission may be appealed to the unit making the decision. If the appeal is not fully upheld in the decision-making unit, the decision-making unit shall submit the case to the Appeals Committee of BI Norwegian Business School. The deadline for lodging an appeal is three weeks counting from the date the decision reached the applicant.

(8)       At the request of BI Norwegian Business School students have to present the original documents that form the basis for admission to a course or programme of study or for issuing diplomas by BI Norwegian Business School. Students who do not produce the required original documents for control may have their admission to a course or specific programme of study cancelled. Diplomas from BI Norwegian Business School may be retained until the required original documents have been presented and checked.

(9)       Submission of forged documents is regulated in the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges section 3-7. Anybody applying for admission to BI Norwegian Business School by using forged diplomas or other false documents may be reported to the police and also have the documents confiscated and not be granted admission, or not be credited for education of up to one year. BI Norwegian Business School will report all cases of suspected forged documents to the police. The decision to confiscate application papers and suspension will be made by the Appeals Committee of the BI Norwegian Business School. The decision may be appealed pursuant to The Act relating to Universities and University Colleges section 3-7 (8). The suspension period may also affect other universities or university colleges for which the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges applies.

(10)     When there are objective grounds to do so, BI Norwegian Business School may refuse applicants who otherwise meet the academic qualifications required for admission. Examples of objective grounds would be: 

a) The applicant has been, or might have been, expelled or excluded from BI Norwegian Business School or other educational institutions.

b) The applicant has a previous history of defaulting on payments due to BI Norwegian Business School or other educational institutions. In such cases, admission might be made conditional upon all outstanding debts being settled, and tuition fees being paid in advance.

(11)     Either party is entitled to annul the enrollment contract in the event of significant failure to fulfill obligations entailed in the contract. The student, under these circumstances, may be withdrawn from the course of study and admission may be terminated

(12)     For applicants to the PhD degree; please see additional conditions in the separate PhD regulations in force at BI Norwegian Business School. 

(13)     The provisions in this paragraph, numbers (1), (2), (4) and (8) do not apply to admission to company customised courses.

(1)       Every student is obliged to pay the tuition fees for the nominal length of study for the relevant study/study programme. Tuition fees are payable at the start of each semester. The standard length of study for the individual study/study programmes is given in Chapter 4 of these regulations. The student must pay the tuition fees for the nominal length of study even if he/she completes the study/study programmes in less/longer time. The deadline for withdrawing from a study mid-way is laid down in section 3-5 of these regulations. The fees for the Student Welfare Organization must be paid together with the tuition fees at those educational institutions or for those student groups where membership in the Student Welfare Organization is mandatory.

(2)       All students attending a programme, single course or non-credit course are required to pay a tuition fee for the nominal length of study as described in the contract of study. The deadline(s) for withdrawing from the programmes and individual studies are stated in the registration form unless other information has been provided, otherwise section 3-5 applies.

(3)       (Omitted).

(4)       Once the completion deadline has expired, any student who might wish to improve their grades or complete the study/programme must re-apply for admission to the required single course or full study/programme. For completing a study after expiry of the completion deadline, cf. section 3-6, a separate fee is payable, plus an examination fee pursuant to applicable rates.

(5)       The provision of this section does not apply for admission to company customised courses.

(6)       Failure to pay the requisite tuition fees will entail forfeiture of admission, and legal collection of debt.

The admission requirements in this section have been stipulated pursuant to the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges sections 3-4 to 3-7, Regulations relating to Admission to Higher Education of 6 January 2017 no. 13 (forskrift om opptak til høgre utdanning) and the Regulations relating to Master’s degrees Requirements of 12 January 2005 no. 1392 (forskrift om krav til mastergrad) sections 3, 4 and 5, as well as entrance requirements for the individual study/programme as laid down in sections 2-5, 2-6 and 2-7 herein.

(1)       The basic entrance requirements for higher education is the Higher Education Entrance Qualification which has been obtained either by completing the (Norwegian) Upper Secondary School, or as described in the Regulations relating to Admission to Higher Education Chapter 2. Applicants lacking Higher Education Entrance Qualification may be admitted on the basis of prior learning and work experience, cf. Regulations relating to Admission to Higher Education. See detailed provisions for admission on the basis of prior learning and work experience on www.bi.no.

(2)       International applicants who have received their education outside the Nordic countries must document that their education is equal to the Norwegian three-year upper secondary education which qualifies the students for higher education entrance. Students whose mother tongue is not Norwegian need to document their Norwegian language skills as in Regulations relating to Admission to Higher Education Chapter 2, with the exception of students applying for admission to a foreign-language study/programme.

(3)       With regard to admission to Master’s degree programmes, BI Norwegian Business School is subject to the rules for admission to these educational programmes as laid own in the Regulations related to Master’s Degrees Requirements in addition to the provisions of this section, subsections (1) and (2) and section 2-6 Specific admission requirements for studies/programmes for master students in these regulations.

(4)       For admission to single courses with specific admission requirements, the applicant will be assessed in accordance with the applicable admission requirements, and the applicant will be informed of the outcome of the assessment in writing. 

(5)       As regards admission to courses that have been tailored to specific companies, the general and study-specific admission requirements for the study which the relevant course is part of, will apply.

(1)       Qualified applicants are admitted. On some programmes of study the applicants have to achieve a minimum number of points in addition to the qualification requirements to be admitted. The admission requirements have been adopted in pursuance of Regulations relating to Admission to Higher Education Chapter 7.

(2)       Applicants to the Bachelor of Data Science for Business and the five-year Master of Science in Business programme (Siviløkonomstudiet), which is a combined BSc and MSc programme, must have documented qualifications equal to Mathematics R1 or Mathematics S1 + S2 from the Norwegian Upper Secondary School (formerly called 2MX, 2MY or 3MZ), in addition to the requirements laid down in section 2-4.

(3)       (Omitted)

(4)       Applicants for English-language bachelor programmes must, in addition to the provisions in Section 2-4, have documented qualifications equal to minimum grade 4.0 in English from Norwegian upper secondary school (140 hours).

(5)       (Omitted) 

(6)       Applicants to the final Bachelor of Management degree programmes must, in addition to the provisions of section 2-4, have documented qualifications of at least 90 credits from an accredited university or university college. Furthermore, the student must be at least 25 years of age, and have a minimum of 4 years’ documented work experience.

(7)       Most Bachelor studies are open for direct admission into the second or third year, provided that the student has covered the required subjects/disciplines, and has committed to taking any additional courses required, cf. sections 2-3 and 4-8 of the regulations. The required subjects/combination of subjects will be stipulated for each student. When the number of places available is restricted, the applicants with the most credits will be admitted. Within the framework of the acts and regulations that apply to Universities and University Colleges, BI Norwegian Business School will decide whether the applicant meets the minimum requirement for credits required for the subjects/disciplines in the different studies/programmes.

(1)       a) For admission to the two-year full-time Master programme the requirements stipulated for the individual Master degree applies, in addition to the admission requirements in section 2-4. The admission requirements were adopted by the Board and are available at www.bi.no.

b) Admission requirement for students on a five-year contract (advancement directly from BSc to MSc programme for students taking the Bachelor in Business): Students must have shown satisfactory progress in the Bachelor studies. Satisfactory progress is defined as having completed 180 credits for the Bachelor degree.

(2)       For admissions to Master of Management programmes, the following provisions come in addition to the requirements laid down in section 2-4:

a) The requirement is a bachelor’s degree, corresponding to 180 credits from an accredited university, university college or similar educational institution. The applicant must be at least 25 years of age, and there is an additional requirement for at least four years of work experience. For applicants who have already completed a master’s degree, three years of work experience are required

b) Applicants may also be admitted on the basis of prior experiential learning which to some degree compensates for the lack of a formal bachelor’s degree. The assessment criteria for prior experiential learning are described on www.bi.no.

c) For some Master of Management programmes the  applicants must meet certain additional requirements. The requirements in force for the specific Master of Management programmes are published on www.bi.no.

d) (Omitted)

e) (Omitted)

(3)       For admission to the Master of Business Administration studies, the following rules apply in addition to the provisions in section 2-4:

a) A completed bachelor’s degree or equivalent from an accredited educational institution is required. Qualifications obtained from educational institutions abroad will be assessed according to the general rules that apply for admission to Norwegian Universities and University Colleges. In addition, successful applicants must document substantial relevant work experience.

b) In special cases, applicants who are slightly short of meeting the formal requirements laid down in section 2-6 (3) a, may be considered for admission based on exceptional work experience. Assessments of this kind are strictly individual and will only be undertaken for applicants who possess extensive management experience gained over a significant period of time. For example, directorships in a major company or academic publications may count in the favour of the applicant. The applicant will be evaluated by the MBA Admissions Committee.

c) Applicants to the programme may in certain cases be required to complete and pass a written admission test.

d) Applicants must enclose two letters of recommendation, one of which should be from his/her current employer, if possible.

e) All qualified applicants take part in an admission interview as a part of the admission process.

Reference is made to the separate regulations relating to the PhD degree at BI Norwegian Business School.

Applications for academic recognition on the basis of education and prior learning will be assessed according to the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges sections 3-5 to 3-5 g.

Admission to a course/specific programme of study (study rights)
The rights associated with being admitted to a study, programme of study, or single course, and being granted student status. Ordinary right of study is granted for the same period as the nominal length of study. In addition, the right to a prolonged period of study is granted. Admission entitles the student to participate in all organised tuition, academic supervision (person-to-person and in groups), exercises and assignments etc. in the study/programmes to which the student has been admitted. In the event of a prolonged period of study, restrictions will apply with regard to the right to participate in tuition/educational activities. Admission is granted based on the School’s offer of a place and the student’s accepting this.

Programme description
A plan for the standard implementation of the course in order for it to achieve specific learning outcomes, including the programme structure, academic contents and the approved competence required.

Education plan
An individual plan for the completion of a course/programme of study which is drawn up between BI Norwegian Business School and the individual student, for the student to achieve his/her learning outcomes within the nominal length of study. The plan contains clauses covering BI Norwegian Business School responsibilities and commitments towards the student, and the student’s responsibilities and commitments towards the school and his/her fellow students.

Credits
A way of measuring the student workload in a course/programme/study, where 60 credits equal one year of full-time study. Each course/programme is allocated a specific number of credits to correspond with the defined work load.

Nominal length of study
The time nominated for a course/programme of study, within which the student is expected to complete the course in question.

Progress of study
Measured by the number of credits a student has taken compared with the nominal number of credits for the given stage of the study period. The normal progress of study constitutes 60 credits per year. The progress of study is calculated on the basis of the number of credits you have obtained for the course to which you have been admitted.

Prolonged period of study
A period of study granted a student beyond the nominal length of study, to allow the student to complete his/her course/programme of study, if he/she is falling behind compared with the nominal length of study.

Campus
The BI Norwegian Business School location which the student has entered into a study contract with. If the student wishes to change campus, he or she will need to apply for this.

Leave of absence
A break from the study, whether voluntarily or as a matter of necessity.

Force majeure
An unexpected and uncontrollable event which means that the student is rendered incapable of fulfilling his/her commitments as a student.

(1)       A person who has accepted the offer of a place has gained admission (the right to study) as per the nominal length of study for the relevant study, study programme or single course to which the student has been admitted for the nominal period of study, cf. Chapter 4. For single courses the admission is effective from the time the student receives the confirmation of a place. The admission can usually be kept for a prolonged period of study, cf. section 3-6.

(2)       The student must pay the tuition fees due for each semester within the deadline in order to keep his/her right to study.

(3)       Students may lose their right to study on a temporary or permanent basis for the education to which they have been admitted in cases where the student:

a) Has exceeded the stipulated limit for the nominal length of study including the prolonged period of study.

b) Does not meet the financial obligations in the contract with BI Norwegian Business  School.

c) Does not comply with the progress requirements, cf. section 3-4.

d) Has been excluded for a breach of the regulations, cheating, etc., cf. section 1-3.

e) Has exhausted the number of attempts permitted for taking an examination, cf. section 5-7.

f) Do not present originals of requested documents that create the basis for study admission or for issuing a diploma for control, cf. section 2-2 (8).

(4)       The admission to a study/programme expires when the student:

a) Has obtained the degree, and a prolonged period of study has not been granted.

b) Is admitted to another study/programme or place of study (location) at BI Norwegian Business School, unless it has been decided that the previous admission must also retain its validity.

c) Reports that he or she wishes to withdraw from the study/programme in accordance with the deadlines specified in the contract of study.

Established pursuant to the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges section 3-3.

(1)       A programme description shall be prepared for all studies and programmes which are offered and given credits for at the BI Norwegian Business School.

(2)       The Senate determines the programme description for new studies at BI Norwegian Business School.

(3)       Programme descriptions are adopted on an annual basis by the respective Deans at BI Norwegian Business School. The respective Dean determines any changes in the course descriptions for each programme description.

(4)       The course description shall describe the assessments that will be used in the course, and which will be included on the diploma, or form part of the diploma/transcript of grades.

(1)      
a) An individual education plan shall be drawn up between BI Norwegian Business School and students admitted for studies giving 60 credits or more, in accordance to the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges section 4-2. An individual education plan must contain provisions concerning the school’s responsibilities and obligations to the student, and the student’s responsibilities and obligations to the school and fellow students.

b) The individual education plan shall be drawn up in a way that will allow the student to complete his/her planned course of study within the nominal time as either a full-time or a part-time student. The individual education plan will usually equal the nominated progress of study for the relevant programme description.

c) The individual education plan can be altered upon agreement between the student and BI Norwegian Business School.

d) For students in the bachelor programmes it will be possible to apply for admission to a different Bachelor programme after the first year. The individual education plan must be adjusted to comply with the programme description for the new Bachelor programme and the student must be prepared to take additional courses if so required.

(2)      
a) Any specific progress requirements will be written into each student’s contract of study.

b) Students who do not comply with the required progress of study according to their contract will not be permitted to continue into their next study year. The student will be offered one year’s break (progression leave) in their ordinary  individual education plan in order to catch up with the missing examinations. The student will not be charged tuition fees for this period. If the progression requirement is not complied with after the break in the ordinary education plan, the student will be dismissed from BI Norwegian Business School.

c) For PhD students, separate regulations apply.

d) It is not possible, as a general rule, to accelerate the nominated progression outlined in the students’ individual education plan. In special cases a student may apply to complete the study in a shorter time period than specified. The student must be able to document sufficient knowledge and skills in all his/her courses within the programme description that corresponds to the student’s current level. It is the responsibility of the Associate Dean to decide whether the student will be permitted to accelerate the stipulated study progression.

(1)       Should a student wish to withdraw from a study or programme midway, such withdrawal must take place within the deadlines stipulated in the contract. Deadlines for withdrawals/deregistration in other subjects are stated in the contract, unless other information is provided. Withdrawals must be made in writing to your place of study within the deadlines specified in the contract, and shall be confirmed in writing by BI Norwegian Business School. The student will then be registered as having left, and be free of any payment commitments, unless otherwise specified in the contract. It is the student’s responsibility to document that withdrawal took place within the given deadline.

(2)       Should unforeseen, serious circumstances make completion of the curriculum impossible (force majeure), or constitute an unreasonable burden for the student, the student can apply to withdraw from the study, programme or single course during the study year, and thus be  exempted from further payment obligations. The application for withdrawal must be verified through a doctor’s certificate or other relevant documentation. Based on the documentation, BI Norwegian Business School will decide whether the withdrawal is justified.

(3)       Students who have withdrawn from a study/programme or been excluded by BI Norwegian Business School, must apply for admission again if they want a place at a later time. BI Norwegian Business School will then make an assessment, based on the current regulations and programme descriptions, as to whether examinations passed previously can be included in a degree/award.

(4)
a) There is an opportunity to apply for one years’ leave of absence (intermission of study) in the course of the nominal length of study. The application for leave of absence must be submitted in writing to the study unit the student belongs to. The application must be submitted by 15 August for absence planned to begin in the autumn semester and 15 January for absence planned to begin in the spring semester. Leave of absence may only be granted for one whole year. The opportunity to apply for leave of absence does not apply for students in continuing and further education (part-time) with a duration of two semesters or shorter.

b) The MBA students are exempted from the application deadline in subsection a.
MBA students may be granted leave of absence for up to one year and must then complete the study together with the next year’s students.

c) Leave of absence due to child care/parental responsibilities, obligatory military service or force majeure are exempted from the rules relating to deadlines and starting point of absences. Such leave of absence must be verified in the form of a doctor’s certificate or other relevant documentation. The student will not be charged a student fee for the time of absence.

d) Students taking the five-year study of BSc and MSc in Business (Siviløkonom), may be granted up to two years’ leave of absence from the studies between the Bachelor and the Master levels in the programme, in addition to other leaves as listed in section (4) a and c above. Students who take a longer pause between the Bachelor and Master levels will forfeit their admission, pursuant to section 3-2, and also their right to automatic admission to the Master level, and will have to apply for admission to do their Master’s on the conditions stated in sections 2-4 and 2-6 (1) of these regulations.

e) For PhD students, please see the separate PhD regulations in force at BI Norwegian Business School.

(5)       Students applying for parental leave will keep their status as students of BI Norwegian Business School, and are entitled to resume their studies at the same level as before the leave of absence.

(1)       The following deadlines for completion apply to the different studies:

a) For students admitted to the bachelor studies, the Executive Master of Management study and the two-year Master of Accounting and Auditing (in Norwegian), the deadline for completion is two years beyond the nominal length of study, or as stipulated in the contract. For students with a one-year contract in Accounting and Auditing, the deadline for completion is however one year beyond the nominal length of study, or as stipulated in the contract.

b) For students taking other two-year master’s degrees and the five-year study BSc and MSc in  Business, the deadline for completion is one year in excess of the nominal length of study, as stated in the contract. An additional years’ extension may be granted for submission of the master’s thesis. The final deadline is 1 September, two years after the study should normally have been completed.

c) For students taking the Master of Business Administration the deadline is two years in excess of the nominal length of study, as stipulated in the contract.

d) For PhD students, reference is made to the separate regulations relating to PhDs at BI Norwegian Business School.

e) For students admitted to single courses the completion deadline is one year beyond the nominal length of study.

(2)       During their extended completion time, students are permitted to re-sit examinations in order to complete their study/programme but are not entitled to take any additional courses.

(3)       After the deadline for completion of a programme of study, graduates who want to complete the programme must apply for readmission to required individual courses or the whole programme. Based on applicable regulations and programme descriptions BI Norwegian Business School will then assess whether examinations previously taken may form part of the degree/title. If readmission for completion of the programme is granted, a semester-based fee must be paid in addition to the re-sit fee in pursuance of section 2-3 (4). Readmission fee does not apply to students who are admitted to individual courses.

After the completion deadline graduates who have completed a study programme and only want to improve grades must purchase separate courses. In such cases BI Norwegian Business School will issue a certificate for the course/courses.

(4)       The time restrictions do not apply to cases of postponed start of studies or interruptions to the study for reasons such as compulsory temporary leave of absence or exclusion, interruptions due to parental leave, compulsory military service or documented long-term illness (force majeure).

Degrees
An education of a specific scope and composition, awarding the graduate a specific degree. The title will be documented in a diploma.

Diploma Supplement
A diploma supplement in English, providing information on the education system in Norwegian Universities and University Colleges, and the individual student’s education and qualifications.

Independent work
Independent written work of a specified scope which is included as part of the Master degree examination, and which will demonstrate independent understanding, reflection and maturity. Often called a Master’s thesis.

Established pursuant to the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges section 3-2, the Regulations related to Degrees and Vocational training, Protected Titles and Nominal Length of Study at Universities and University Colleges 16 December 2005 no. 1574 and Regulations relating to Master’s Degree Requirements 1 December 2005 no. 1392. BI Norwegian Business School has been authorized to confer the following degrees/awards with the stated nominal length of study:

a) Associate Degree, nominal length of study 2 years

b) Bachelor, nominal length of study 3 years

c) Master, nominal length of study 2 years/1,5 years for experience-based master’s degrees.

d) Master of Business Administration (MBA), nominal length of study 1-1 ½ years

e) Philosophiae doctor (PhD), nominal length of study 3 years.

(1)
a) Bachelor studies consist of three years’ full-time studies, whereof each year comprises 60 credits, and a full bachelor consists of 180 credits. To comply with external curriculum regulations or qualify for joint double degrees with international universities/university colleges, certain studies may consist of more than 180 credits.

b) Some of the bachelor studies may also be taken as part-time studies, and may also be achieved by compiling examinations taken as individual university college courses. Students who are aiming for a degree, but choose to achieve this by taking individual courses at university colleges, must be particularly aware that studies must be completed in accordance with the programme descriptions in force at the time.

(2)
a) Students who start their bachelor in the autumn of 2009 or later will, after the first year, have completed Foundation Programme in Business Administration. For students who started before this time, there is supplementary information available on the BI student web portal.

b) Students who start their Bachelor in Business Administration after the autumn of 2009 will, after year two of the study, be entitled to call themselves Associate in Business Administration BI. Likewise, students of the Bachelor in Marketing Management will be entitled to call themselves Associate in Marketing BI. For students who started before this time, there is more detailed information available on the BI student web portal.

c) Students who have completed the whole bachelor programme will be entitled to call themselves Bachelor of their chosen, completed study.

(1)       For students attending the Bachelor of Real Estate, reference is made to the Act relating to Estate Agency of 29 June 2007 no. 73 and the Regulations relating to Estate Agency of 23 November 2007 no. 1318. The students enrolled on the Bachelor of Real Estate are required to familiarize themselves with the regulations referred to above.

a) Students who will be sitting the final, oral examination in the Bachelor of Real Estate must have passed all their written examinations for a total of 180 credits within the current study plan for the Bachelor of Real Estate.

b) Candidates who have been awarded a diploma from the Bachelor of Real Estate, are entitled to the title of "Estate Agent Associate" cf. the Act relating to Estate Agency section 4-5 (2). The title ”Estate Agent” may be used by those who hold an Estate Agency Certificate, cf. the Act relating to Estate Agency sections 4-2 and 4-5.

c) An Estate Agent’s Certificate is issued by the Financial Supervisory Authority of Norway pursuant to the Act relating to Estate Agency section 4-2. Among the qualifications required for obtaining such a license is a recognized real estate agency examination (three-year Bachelor of Real Estate).

(2)      (Omitted)

(3)     
a) For students taking the Bachelor of Management, the following scope of subjects are required to attain the Bachelor of Management Degree:

• 90 elective credits
• 30 credits in core subjects in specified economic-administrative topics, for further details see www.bi.no.
• 30 credits Bachelor programme or specialisation.
• 30 credits final programme Leadership in Action.

b) The Bachelor programme, specialisation and the final programme Leadership in Action must be taken at BI Norwegian Business School.

The scope requirements are established pursuant to the Regulations relating to Master’s Degree Requirements of 1 December 2005 no. 1392. The master’s degree can be attained at BI Norwegian Business School based on the following:

a) The master’s degree is attained based on the master’s degree examination with a scope of 120 credits (two years), including independent work of at least 30 and maximum 60 credits.

b) The master’s degree is attained based on a master’s degree examination of 300 credits (five years), including independent work scope of at least 30 and maximum 60 credits.

c) An experience-based master’s degree is attained on the basis of a master’s degree examination counting 90 or 120 credits, including independent work of at least 30 and a maximum of 60 credits.

d) The degree Master of Business Administration at BI Norwegian Business School is attained based on a master’s degree examination of 1 – 1 ½ years (full-time).

(1)       A discipline-based master is a two-year full-time study, consisting in total of a 90-credit course and a master’s thesis of 30 credits. In total the master’s degree accounts for 120 credits.

a) The master degree is awarded when the required combination of courses and master’s thesis have been completed and passed, with a scope of 120 credits in total. Students who have completed the full Master programme will be given the title Master of the study they have completed. See the BI student web portal for programme descriptions for each specialisation.

b) The degree can be awarded as an ”Honours” degree for students who have achieved excellence. See the BI student web portal for further information.

c) Students who are admitted to a master’s programme as part of a “double degree”-agreement with a partner institution will be granted a transfer of credits between the institutions in accordance with the agreement in force. See the BI student web portal for further information.

d) Students who have completed their Master of Science in Business may be entitled to use the title "Siviløkonom". The right to use this title will be awarded if the candidate can document the following:

• A completed Master of Science in Business.
• A completed bachelor’s degree which satisfies the requirements for subject areas and credits determined by Universities Norway (UHR), completed prior to admission to the Master of Science in Business. This includes the following subject areas:
  - Business economics
  - Administration and management
  - Social economics
  - Methodology (included mathematics and econometrics)
  - Ethics, CSR and sustainability

 (2)      The Executive Master of Management is a 90-credit study. The nominal length of study for the full Master of Management degree, is three years part-time.

a) The Executive Master of Management degree has been attained when the student has passed Master of Management courses and/or programmes of a total of 90 credits.

b) Students who have passed Master of Management courses and/or programmes of a total of 90 credits, meet the requirements for independent work at a higher level, cf. Regulations relating to the Master’s Degree Requirements.

c) (Omitted).

d) (Omitted).

(3)
a) Master of Business Administration is a study of 90 credits. The nominal length of study is eleven months, full-time.

b) (Omitted)

c) The Master of Business Administration degree is awarded once the requisite combination of courses, seminars and consultancy projects have been completed and passed, with the required scope of 90 credits in all.

d) Students who take their Master of Business Administration degree at Fudan University in China will be awarded the degree upon passing and completing the required course combination and master thesis where this is a requirement.

e) (Omitted)

The PhD degree nominally requires three years full-time study. The nominal length of study is four years, and includes one year of mandatory teaching duties and other obligations. See the separate PhD regulations at BI Norwegian Business School.

 

Established pursuant to the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges section 3-11 and to the Regulations relating to Recognition of Norwegian and foreign Higher Education and prior learning, sections 3, 4 and 5.

(1)       A diploma from BI Norwegian Business School is issued when all the examinations for a degree have been completed and passed. At the same time a Diploma Supplement is issued for all degrees passed at BI Norwegian Business School. If the education has been provided in collaboration with other educational institutions, this will be stated on the diploma.

(2)
a) Diplomas for degrees are issued when minimum of 60 credits of the total number of credits have been passed at BI Norwegian Business School.

b) Exceptions from this requirement are degrees that are awarded in cooperation with other Norwegian and international institutions.

(3)       For academic recognition of education that previously have provided part of the foundation for a degree or part of a degree, a student must have taken at least 60 new credits as an addition, before a new diploma may be issued or a new degree awarded.

(4)       If a student has been granted academic recognition pursuant to the rules in section 2-8, this will be stated on the diploma.

(5)       Degree studies will be documented in the form of a diploma.

(6)       Non-degree courses and programmes will be documented in the form of a course certificate.

(7)       Non-credit courses are documented in the form of a participant’s certificate.

(8)       Non-completed degree studies and programmes will be documented in the form of a transcript of grades.

Established pursuant to the Act relating to Universities and University College sections 3-9, 3-10, 4-5, 4-7 to 4-11 and 5-1 to 5-3.

Candidate
A person who will be sitting an examination and who is entitled to do so pursuant to section 5-4 of the regulations.

Examination
An arrangement for formally testing the candidate’s knowledge and skills in those cases where a grade is awarded and stated on the diploma/course certificate, or which forms part of the calculation basis for a grade to be stated on the diploma/course certificate.

Part of an examination
One of more assessments in a course which leads to a separate grade which forms part of the calculation of the final grade in the course. The weighting for each examination part will be stated in the course description.

Examination element
An assessment element which forms part of the course/programme’s final assessment.

Form of assessment
The way in which an examination, part examination or element of an examination takes place.

Summative assessment
Final and verifying assessment of the candidate’s competencies. Final tests and grades in a subject may be given before the course or programme has been finalised. The result is given in the form of a grade.

Formative assessment
Supervisory assessments made throughout a course. These assessments will not affect the summative grade for the course.

Coursework requirements
All forms of tasks and assignments that must be completed in order to sit an examination, and where the result will not form part of the evaluation basis for the grade stated in the diploma.

Re-sit examination
An examination which the candidate may take having either taken the equivalent/same examination before, or not having withdrawn from an examination within the required deadline, cf. section 5-6 (1).

Final assignment and independent work of a higher degree
Terminology for the Bachelor thesis for the Bachelor degree and the Master thesis for the Master degree. In the regulations the final master thesis is called independent work of a higher degree.

Syllabus
In these regulations, syllabus means “Compulsory reading as stipulated in the course description.”

Assessment examiner
Examiner who partakes in the assessment of the candidate’s examination. Can be internal or external.

External programme supervisor
Supervisor assessing the assessment forms. Must be external.

(1)       BI Norwegian Business School will ensure that the candidates’ knowledge and skills are tested and assessed in an impartial and academically sound manner. The assessment will also safeguard the academic level of the relevant course or study programme.

(2)       The course description has been approved by the Dean of the study/programme. The Board has delegated to the respective Dean the authority to stipulate supplementary rules regarding the course examination described in the course description.

(3)       The current assessment forms, which may be combined, are as follows:
a) Submission, including written submission, multimedia production, blog production, peer review or structured test.
b) Activities, including oral examination, presentation discussion, presentation, games, simulations, experiment labs or class participation.

Further stipulations regarding assessment forms will be stated in the special rules that apply to the relevant courses, or studies for which such rules have been provided.

(4)       The forms of assessment, examination support materials permitted, and possibly also the group size for an examination will be stated in the course description.

(5)       A summative assessment may apply to for a full course or parts of a course. The assessment form for a particular subject may comprise one or several part examinations and may consist of one or more different forms of assessment. In order to pass the subject, one must pass all the part examinations. When an overall grade is given for several part examinations the weighting of these shall be stated in the course description. For subjects that have a continuous assessment, please see the individual course description. With regard to weighting of the separate parts of an examination, see section 5-11 (5).

(6)       Special rules apply for re-sit examinations, see section 5-7.

(7)       In addition to a summative assessment, the individual subject may include mandatory coursework. If so, this would be stated in the course description. The form of assessment for mandatory coursework is passed/not passed.

(8)       Candidates may be called in for an oral hearing as a verification/control of the written assignments without this being specified in the course description. Such controls are not part of the grading unless specified in the course description.

(9)       The right to postponed examination in connection with childbirth, is regulated by the higher education law section 4-5. For further provisions regarding the deadline for submission of the application and matters relating to the holding of examinations, see BI’s student portal.

All assessments are based on the applicable syllabus described in the current course description.

1)         Candidates have a right to sit an examination if the following conditions have been met:

a) The candidate has a contract of study which entitles him/her to sit the relevant examination

b) The candidate meets any particular academic or other requirements with regard to taking the individual examination in question, including mandatory coursework

c) The candidate has been registered for the examination within expiry of the deadline for this

d) The candidate has attempted the part examination in question fewer times than the maximum number stipulated in section 5-7 (1)

e)  The candidate has fulfilled the financial obligations according to the contract of study

(2)       A decision to deny a candidate the right to sit an examination can be appealed to the unit that has made the decision. The appeals deadline is three weeks from the point of time when the decision was announced to the applicant. If the appeal is not allowed in full by the decision-making authority, the decision-making authority will submit the case to the Appeals Committee at BI Norwegian Business School.

(1) The examination fee for the first examination attempt is as a general rule included in the tuition fees, cf. section 5-4 (1) e. Exceptions may occur, however, and if so, information about this will be provided in each case.

(2) There is a separate fee for re-sit examinations.

(1)       An examination attempt is deemed to have taken place even if the candidate does not present him/herself, as long as the candidate was registered for the relevant examination at the end of the de-registration deadline, and has not provided documentation for legitimate absence.

(2)       Documentation of legitimate absence must be dated on the working day immediately after the examination, at the latest. For further details concerning dates and deadlines for submission to BI Norwegian Business School, please see the BI student web portal.

(3)       As regards permission to re-sit examinations, please confer with the regulations in section 5-7.

(1)
a) The candidate will have three attempts to sit an examination in a course. Students for the Master of Business Administration will have three attempts to pass a course, but may not re-sit to improve the grade if the course is passed. For information relating to re-sit examinations, please see the relevant course description.

b) In particular circumstances, the candidate may apply for a fourth and final attempt at taking the examination. Any more attempts will not normally be permitted. Students for the Master of Business Administration may not apply for a fourth examination attempt. An application, stating the reasons, should be submitted to the study unit for decision. The application must be submitted within the examination registration deadline in the semester in question. A rejection of an application for a fourth attempt at taking an examination may be appealed to the unit making the decision. The deadline for lodging an appeal is three weeks from the time when the decision was announced to the applicant. If the appeal is not allowed in full by the decision-making authority, the decision-making authority shall transfer the case to the Appeals Committee at BI Norwegian Business School.

(2)
a) As regards the Bachelor programme, a re-sit examination will usually be held with the next ordinary course completion. When a course is discontinued without a replacement, there will usually be a further two examinations held in the original course.

b) As regards the Bachelor of Management, the two-year Master, Executive Master  of Management and PhD study, a re-sit examination will normally take place the next time the courses are held. When a course is discontinued, the re-sit examination will take place in the replacement course.

c) As regards the Master of Business Administration study, the candidate may re-sit examinations when the course is organised in connection with a new course implementation. When a course is discontinued, the re-sit examination will take place in the replacement course. In certain cases those responsible for the course, in consultation with the Associate Dean, may allow the candidate to submit extra coursework in order to complete a course he or she has started.

d) See separate regulations in force for PhDs.

(3)       In courses that have continuous assessment or class participation, the entire course must normally be repeated the next time the course is run.

(4)
a) As regards a master’s thesis, candidates who receive grades A-E (pass) are able to retake the thesis by writing a new thesis on a different subject. A thesis that was given a passing grade cannot be handed in again in a changed or processed form. Candidates who receive an F have two options:

i) Write a new master’s thesis
ii) Apply to permission to re-write the handed in thesis, and receive an E as the maximum grade

Students doing the Master of Accounting and Auditing have equivalent rights if they get a D or less on their thesis. A re-written thesis from the candidates in these courses will not be allowed a better grade than a C.

b) An application to re-do a master thesis should be submitted to the relevant student administration body, who will forward it to the Associate Dean of the study for a decision. Please also see information relating to the specific studies at the BI student web portal.

(5)       A re-sit fee will be invoiced according to the applicable rates.

(1)      Students with a disability and students with special needs are entitled to suitable individual adaptation of the learning environment, teaching, teaching materials and examinations, in order to ensure equal training and education opportunities, cf. the Universities and University Colleges Act § 4-3 fifth paragraph.

(2)      The right to facilitation does not apply if the adaptation result in a reduction of the academic requirements in the individual courses or place a disproportionate burden on BI, cf. the Universities and University Colleges Act § 4-3 fifth paragraph.

(3)      BI's student portal provides further information on the facilitation of examinations, including deadlines and requirements for documentation, as well as attendance time.

(4)      An application for an adapted examination is sent each semester, so that the application can be assessed in relation to the examinations to be taken during the specific semester. This also applies to candidates with chronic disorders. 

(5)      Candidates who have been granted facilitation of an examination are responsible for documenting such approval on the day of the examination.

(1)       The candidate must be present in the examination room in good time before the examination starts. Candidates, who turn up after the examination has started, or who have been told to report to a different examination room, may be refused entry.

(2)       The candidates must show valid ID unasked. Candidates who fail to produce an ID card may be turned away from the examination.

(3)      The candidates may not bring or have access to any unapproved support material or aids  
into the examination room during the examination. Nor may the candidates borrow support materials from each other during the examination. Every candidate is personally responsible for familiarising themselves with what the legal support materials/aids are for the particular examination and the guidelines for use of these. Please see supplementary provisions at BI student web portal. Mobile phones, wrist watches or other timepieces or other communication tools are not allowed. 

(4)       (Omitted)

(5)      Every candidate is responsible for familiarising themselves with information regarding examination. This also applies to information that is distributed together with the examination paper, on the front page of the examination paper, or in the examination system. The candidate is also responsible for checking that the distributed examination paper corresponds with the registration for examination. The candidate may only use the rough sheets, the fair-copy sheets and/or PC that have been handed out by the invigilators. For how to fill in the fair-copy sheets, please see the BI student web portal and the information provided in the examination room. Rough notepaper, if handed in, will not be accepted as an answer paper. 

(6)       Candidates who withdraw from the examination once the question paper has been published or handed out may not leave the premises before the electronic examination terms are confirmed or the attendance registry has been signed, and permission to leave has been obtained from the invigilators. Further details are available on the BI student web portal. The candidate will in such instances be given the grade Fail (F), cf. section 5-11 (4).

(7)       Should the candidate wish to leave the examination room temporarily, he/she must notify one of the invigilators. The candidate must remain seated until the invigilator has given the signal.

(8)       During examinations, the candidate must obey the instructions given by the invigilator, both inside and outside the examination room. The candidate must not communicate with anybody other than the invigilators, or leave the immediate surroundings of the examination room.

(9)       In special cases, a student may apply to sit an examination abroad. Further details with guidelines and documentation requirements are available on the BI student web portal.

(1)       Written assignments will be published at the BI student web portal, unless other information has been given.

(2)       Every candidate is responsible for familiarising themselves with information regarding examination. This also applies to information that is distributed together with the examination paper, on the front page of the examination paper, or in the examination system. The candidate is also responsible for checking that the distributed examination paper corresponds with the registration for examination.

(3)      The assignment shall be submitted through BI Norwegian Business School’s digital examination system.

(4)       (Omitted)

(5)      The assignment must be submitted before expiry of the published examination deadline. Assignments submitted after the deadline will be rejected.

(6)
a) As a rule, there will be no extension of the deadline for hand-ins. For final assignments in the Bachelor and Master programmes, applications may in extraordinary circumstances be made for an extension of the submission deadline, on grounds of personal force majeure. For further guidelines, see the BI student web portal.

b) Students on the two-year Master’s programme, who have been granted an extension on the hand-in date for their Master’s thesis, will have to pay an extension fee, see further information on the BI student web portal.

(7)       As regards PhD dissertations, please see the special PhD regulations for BI Norwegian Business School.

(1)       The Department will nominate the examiners, according to the current guidelines. An external examiner should be used for all courses with an examination at BI Norwegian Business School.

(2)       The departments should arrange for the external assessment to ensure an equal and unbiased grading of exam papers, to the benefit of all students.

(3)       The following demands are made to the extent of the grading at BI Norwegian Business School:

a)     An external assessment examiner should be used in at least 1/3 of all courses each year, ensuring that all courses have had external grading within three years. It is adequate that the external assessment examiner assesses an extraction of exam papers in these courses, if the external assessment is used as a basis for the assessment of the remaining exam papers. If an external programme supervisor is used in the course, this could replace the use of an external assessment examiner.

b)    For assessing an oral examination, or any other exam that is non-verifiable, atleast two examiners shall be present.

c)     In the event of a new grading pursuant to section 5-13 or section 5-14, at least two new assessment examiners will be used, at least one of which will be an external examiner. If the final grade is given based on both written and oral examinations, and the grade changes after an appeal on the written part of the examination, a new oral test will be held to determine the final grade.

d)    For assessment of the candidates’ final assignment and independent work of a higher degree, atleast two assessment examiners will be used, at least one of which will be an external examiner.

(4)       For studies (joint degrees) where one or more subjects are taught by cooperating academic institutions, the candidate’s work in these subjects will be assessed in accordance with the regulations in force at this institution.

(5)       The different parts of an examination question paper may be weighted. The weighting must be specified in the text of the assignment, and will be used in the grading.
(6)       In case of re-sit examinations the best grade will count.

(7)       Candidates who withdraw from the examination pursuant to section 5-9 (6), will be given a fail grade (F).

(8)       For grading deadlines for examination papers, see the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges section 3-9 (4). The grading deadlines are published on the BI student web portal. For the Master Thesis, an additional grading deadline of two months after the submission deadline is in use.

(9)       The examination results will be announced on the BI student web portal. The examination results are considered announced once they have been posted on the BI student web portal.

(10)     Candidates who have taken an examination should actively check that a grade has been awarded and registered. Any inquiry concerning missing grades must be made as soon as possible, preferably within one year after the examination was taken.

(11)     Examiner's guidelines need to be prepared for all the examinations. The examiner's guidelines shall be made available to the candidates after the grades are set.

(1)      A structured test can be held as a school- or home exam. A structured test can only be submitted once. 

(2)      A structured test may consist of: 
a) Types of questions where the answer key is defined in the examination system in advance and grading is therefore performed automatically, or 
b) types of questions that require assessment by an examiner. 
The examination may consist of a combination of these question types. 

(3)     
a) The grade justification for automatically corrected question types will be a review of the candidate's answers checked against the answer key. 
b) The grade justification for question types assessed by an examiner follows regular guidelines for justifications of grades, cf. § 5-13 (1). 

(4)   
a) In the event of an appeal against a grade, the candidate's responses to automatically graded question types shall be re-checked against the answer key. 
b) In the event of an appeal against a grade for question types assessed by an examiner, a reassessment of the candidate's answer will be done. 

(5)      If the appeal against a grade concerns errors in the prepared answer key or in the examination question paper, the appeal is processed as an appeal against formal errors in connection with examinations, cf. Section 5-14.

(1)
a) The candidate is entitled to a justification of the grade awarded for his/her performance pursuant to the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges section 5-3. This statutory provision establishes the deadlines and rules for the form and content of the justification. The course coordinator shall decide whether the examiner shall provide the justification of the grading in writing or orally.

b) A demand for a justification must be submitted within one week from the time the grade was announced on the student web portal. For other forms of announcements, the demand for an explanation must be lodged within one week from the time the candidate saw the grade, and yet no more than three weeks after the announcement of the grade. For oral examinations, the demand for an explanation must be lodged as soon as the grade has been announced.

c) A justification is either given verbally or in writing by one of the examiners. For certain studies/programmes, it may be decided that oral justifications will be given at specific times, at which the examiner will be available to speak to the candidates.

d) The justification of the grading must contain an outline of the general principles on which the assessment is made, and of the assessment of the candidate’s performance.

(2)
a) A candidate may lodge a written appeal about the grade for his/her own performance within three weeks after the examination results have been announced – or if the candidate has requested a justification of the grade, – from when the justification was given. If the candidate has submitted an appeal because of formal errors during the examination, cf. section 5-14, the deadline for the appeal only begins to run, pursuant to this section, from the point of time when the final decision on the appeal concerning formal errors is available.

b) An appeal is submitted to the relevant study unit in writing. The right to an individual appeal for group assignments/papers is governed by Section 5-3 (4) of the Act. Any changes to grades following an appeal will only apply to the individual who submitted the appeal.

c) It is possible to lodge appeals concerning the written examination parts in process evaluations.

d) There is no right of appeal for grades awarded for oral examinations and class presentations.

e) The new grade may be changed in the appellant`s favour and disfavour, or the original grade can be upheld. If the grade after an appeal deviates from the original examination result by two or more grades, a further final evaluation must be made before the final grade is set.

f) The grade that is determined for a reassessment of an examination grade, may not be appealed and submitted for re-examination, but an appeal may be lodged in case of formal errors, cf. section 5-14.

(3)       With regard to structured tests, see section 5-12.

(1)       Students who have taken an examination or test may lodge an appeal about formal errors in connection with the question paper, the conduct of the examination or the grading, ref. the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges section 5-2.

(2)       An appeal about formal errors in connection with an examination must be submitted in writing no later than three weeks after the student is or should be aware of the circumstance(s) on which the appeal is based. If the student has requested an explanation for the determination of the grade, this three-week period does not begin until said explanation has been given. If the student has lodged an appeal about the determination of a grade in accordance with the provisions in section 5-13 (2), then the three-week period according to this paragraph does not begin until the time when the result of the appeal about the examination results was announced.

(3)
a) Appeals must be submitted to the central Exam Administration. If an error has been committed and it is reasonable to assume that this may have been significant for the student’s performance or the evaluation of it, the Exam Administration, in cooperation with the faculty member in charge of the course, shall make a decision on what measures are necessary for compensation of the error. Such measures may entail a re-grading, a new examination or test. Grades may only be changed following a new grading.

b) In Master of Business Administration and PhD programmes, the unit forwards the appeal to the faculty member in charge of the course, who makes a decision together with the Associate Dean.

(4)       Students may appeal no later than three weeks from the time when the decision was announced to the student. The appeal must be sent to the decision-making authority. If the appeal is not upheld, the decision-making unit sends the appeal to the Appeals Committee of BI Norwegian Business School.

(5)       Measures against formal errors in examinations can be implemented even if no-one has lodged an appeal about the error. Students who are affected by the error or the decision must be informed about the error, about which measures have been implemented and that they may appeal the decision to the Appeals Committee of BI Norwegian Business School within three weeks of having received the orientation.

(6)       If new grading or a new examination is held, the new determination of grades may be appealed in accordance with the provisions in section 5-13.

(7)       The board may stipulate general guidelines for processing appeals about formal errors, including guidelines for which measures should be implemented.

(8)       In programmes of study where one or more subjects are taught by cooperating academic institutions (joint degrees) , the student must lodge a appeal with this institution and follow the guidelines of this institution for processing formal errors in connection with examinations.

(1)       Rules about cheating on examinations, including sanctions and formal procedures, are regulated by sections 4-7, 4-8 and 4-11 of the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges. As regards collaboration in cheating, see section 1-3 (2) in these regulations.

(2)       For BI Norwegian Business School, the following provisions also apply:
a) Cheating is considered to be a breach of the regulations at BI Norwegian Business School Chapter 5, or breach of provisions pursuant to these regulations, as well as other dishonest actions or arrangements with the objective of giving the student an unfair advantage in the assessment. Actions which in other ways result in the student’s knowledge and skills not being tested and evaluated in an impartial and appropriate manner, are also regarded as cheating. And lastly, it is considered cheating when the student has gained knowledge of the contents of the examination, before the examination begins,  or has manipulated the examination paper after it has been submitted.

b) The rules related to cheating in these regulations also apply to the organized training programme for PhD candidates. In addition, there are special rules which apply, detailed in separate regulations for the PhD programme at BI Norwegian Business School.

(3)       Primary areas which are regarded as cheating are: Use of or having access to illegal support materials, illegal collaboration between individuals or groups, plagiarism, self-plagiarism and deficient or erroneous citation of sources so that the text appears to be the student’s own.

(4)       If a student, intentionally or through gross negligence, has cheated or attempted to cheat, the evaluation can be annulled and the student excluded from BI Norwegian Business School, and be deprived of the right to sit an examination for up to one year, ref. section 1-3 of this regulation. The exclusion may also affect the student in relation to other Universities and University Colleges under the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges.

(5)       For PhD candidates in the employ of BI Norwegian Business School, the school may decide on a termination or suspension in accordance with sections 15-13 and 15-14 of the Act relating to Working Environment, Working Hours and Employment Protection etc. of 17 June 2005, No. 62.

(6)       A decision regarding annulment or exclusion is made by the Appeals Committee at BI Norwegian Business School. The decision can be appealed in accordance with sections 4-7 (3) and section 5-1 (7) of the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges. The special board of appeals for Universities and University Colleges in Norway is the appeals body.

(7)       (Omitted.)

(8)       Annulment of the evaluation in accordance with section 4-7 of the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges, counts as one attempt at the examination, cf. Section 5-6.

For examinations, tests, grading of papers or other evaluation, the grades shall either be Pass/Fail or according to a five-level scale from A to E for Passing grades and F for Failure. The lowest Pass grade is E. The evaluation expressions used for the grade scale are as follows:

A Excellent 
B Very good
C Good
D Satisfactory
E Sufficient
F Failed

The regulations enter into force 1 August 2018. Regulations from 28 January 2010 nr. 1017 relating to admissions, studies and examinations shall be repealed from the same date.