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This document is designed to summarise the School’s policies with regard to students with special circumstances (e.g. disabilities, medical problems, foreign exchange students, personal problems), and to help students identify whom they can contact for advice and help.
If any student should have any concerns about studying within the School or how their circumstances might affect their current academic performance in any of our courses, they should feel free to contact the School of Medical Sciences Office (01224 437470 or 437469, Room 2.62.3, IMS Building, Foresterhill) in the first instance, from where they will be directed to the relevant person who can help.
The general rule in the School of Medical Sciences is that, if you need help, please ask us. If a member of staff does not know the answer, we can help you find out! Many problems can be addressed, minimised or solved if we know about it sooner, rather than later. Seeking help can often mean that you and your studies do not suffer due to undue stress or worry.
The School of Medical Sciences welcomes disabled students and is committed to improving access to its courses, facilities, buildings and social life. Applications from disabled students are considered on the same academic basis as all others. It is also our policy to take specific requirements into account when making arrangements for the assessment of a student’s performance.
We actively seek to involve disabled students in our policies for the provision of disabilities requirements in our teaching. We also encourage applications from those students with other special circumstances, and will do our best to provide any special requirements.
We try to be both flexible and supportive to all of our students. We do not see disabilities as a barrier to study within the School, and we welcome ALL students, including those with disabilities or special requirements.
Many anticipatory adjustments have been made to improve the accessibility of individual courses. This work is on-going and a range of individual adjustments can also be made. For further information about specific courses, please contact the Student Recruitment and Admissions Service on sras@abdn.ac.uk.
Disclosing a disability at the University of Aberdeen will not leave you disadvantaged in any way. It simply allows us to provide you with relevant and appropriate support for the successful completion of your studies. We only need to be aware of those aspects of your medical condition or disability which have an impact on your University life. If you have particular concerns related to disclosure, you are welcome to discuss these ‘off the record’ with the University’s Student Support Officer/Disability Adviser.
If you choose not to disclose a disability or medical condition, you are unlikely to receive maximum benefit from our support framework. However, if that is your choice, then we shall respect it. Please note that if you are entitled to alternative teaching or examination arrangements, it is particularly important that you let us know about these as early as possible so that they can be organised for you.
Depending on the nature of your disability/medical condition, a number of adjustments can be made, which are designed to ensure that all students have the opportunity to reach their full potential. These include:
(This list is not exhaustive, and we will try our best to find some way of helping a student if they have difficulties in participating in any part of their course.)
Although we will endeavour to make last-minute arrangements where necessary, you are reminded that it is your responsibility to provide appropriate, supportive documentation well in advance of your examinations and that you inform us, whenever possible, if your condition changes during the course of your studies.
You can also ask for your name to be included on the Library’s priority list. This will entitle you to priority access to library equipment as well as more flexible borrowing arrangements.
Students should also let us know if you become disabled in any way during the course of the term (e.g. breaking a leg in a sporting accident), since we may have to make special arrangements for you if this affects your studies.
University Student Support Officer/Disability Adviser
Dr Lucy M. Foley
Tel: (01224) 273935 Fax: (01224) 272023
Email: l.foley@abdn.ac.uk
School of Medical Sciences Disability Officer
Dr Derryck Shewan
Tel: (01224) 437381
Email: d.shewan@abdn.ac.uk
School of Medical Sciences Disability Administrator
Miss. Stephanie Sweeney
Tel: (01224) 437469
Email: s.sweeney@abdn.ac.uk
The University of Aberdeen provides many forms of support to students during their studies, and one of these is the Student Learning Service (SLS), which may provide support to you if you are having problems with your coursework. SLS can offer advice on study skills, writing essays and lab reports, as well as many other topics. You may wish to contact them for advice or help if you feel that this may improve your performance.
SLS Website
http://www.abdn.ac.uk/sls/
Student Learning Service
Centre for Learning & Teaching, King's College, University of Aberdeen, AB24 3FX
Tel: (01224) 273030
Email: sls@abdn.ac.uk
The University of Aberdeen confirms its commitment to equality of opportunity, whereby students and staff are treated fairly and with respect. The University welcomes diversity and seeks to provide an inclusive environment in which to learn.
The University of Aberdeen adopts a zero tolerance approach to racist behaviour as outlined in the anti-racist policy in which the commitment to the equal treatment of all persons regardless of their race, ethnic or national origin or colour is affirmed. The policy sets out the University’s commitment to eliminate racial discrimination, promote equal opportunities and promote good race relations between persons of different racial groups. A copy of the University’s race equality policy can be accessed at www.abdn.ac.uk/registry/racepolicy and the procedures for dealing with complaints of racial discrimination can be accessed at www.abdn.ac.uk/registry/quality/appendix5x14.hti
The University has adopted a code of practice on sexual harassment. The policy against sexual harassment and the procedures for dealing with allegations of sexual harassment are displayed on noticeboards or available at the following locations:
These are just two examples of equalities issues, but there are many others. If yo have any concerns about equalities issues, please contact the School’s Equalities Officer.
School of Medical Sciences Equality Officer
Dr Derek Scott
Tel: (01224) 437566
Email: d.scott@abdn.ac.uk
Every year, the School of Medical Sciences welcomes a large number of overseas and exchange student who may study at the University of Aberdeen for only a term, or for their entire degree.
The University’s International Student Office can assist overseas with any particular problems they might have during their stay in Aberdeen, and are more than happy to help.
Certain exchange students such as those participating in the SOCRATES or ERASMUS schemes will be allocated an Adviser of Studies when they arrive (this may not be a member of staff in this School) who they can contact for advice, as well as the University’s SOCRATES Unit.
Institutional SOCRATES Coordinator
Dr Shona Potts
SOCRATES Unit
Registry
University Office
King's College
Aberdeen. AB24 3FX
Telephone: (01224) 273664
Fax: (01224) 273386
Email: socrates@abdn.ac.uk
English language enquiries should be addressed to the English Language Co-coordinator in the Language Centre.
International Student Adviser
Can be contacted via the Student Advice and Support Office, University Office:
Tel: (01224) 273935
Email: student.international@abdn.ac.uk
If you know that you are going to be absent from classes because of illness, you (or family/friends) should try and telephone the School Office (01224 437470 or 437469) or the members of academic staff involved to let them know. You will still have to complete a self-certificate or submit a medical certificate once you are able to do so.
If you have been off classes for less than 11 days, you should complete a self-certificate. This form can be downloaded from MyAberdeen course pages, the School main website, or obtained from the School Office at Foresterhill or the Teaching Laboratories located in the basement of the Zoology Building in Old Aberdeen.
For absences longer than 11 days duration you will need to obtain a medical certificate from your doctor.
You should hand in your medical certificate or doctor’s letter to either the School Office in the Institute of Medical Sciences, or the Senate Office located at the University Office in Old Aberdeen.
It is extremely important that you submit evidence to support your absence from classes so that you will not be penalised for any missed assessments. For examinations, a self-certificate is NOT satisfactory, and you will require a formal doctor’s certificate or letter to support you absence from these important assessments. If you fail to provide medical evidence for missing an examination, you lose one of your four chances to sit the exam.
There may be occasions where students are unable to attend classes for non-medical reasons. This is known as having “good cause” for absence. Examples of this type of situation might include:
If you feel that you have good cause for absence, you should contact your Adviser of Studies as soon as possible to discuss the situation with them. There are no absolute definitions of good cause, and situations are judged on a case-by-case basis.
If you have a problem that is affecting your studies, sometimes it can be easily remedied by contacting your Adviser of Studies or Course Coordinators. They may not be able to deal with the problems themselves, but they may know what to do, or where to go for help. The University’s Student Support Services are also extremely willing to help students if they can, and you may wish to contact them for advice.
If students have difficulties with any part of a course administered by the School of Medical Sciences that they cannot cope with alone, they should notify someone immediately. If the problem relates to the subject matter you may be best advised to contact the member of staff who is teaching that part of the course. Students with registered disabilities should contact either the IMS based School Office (Ms. L. McEwan) or the Old Aberdeen office associated with the teaching laboratories (Mrs S. Jones) to ensure that the appropriate facilities have been made available. Otherwise, you are strongly encouraged to contact any of the following as you see appropriate
Staff are based at Foresterhill (Polwarth Building, IMS & Health Sciences Building) and we strongly encourage the use of email or telephone the SMS office (01224 437470 or 437469). You may be wasting your time to travel to Foresterhill only to find staff unavailable.
