Assessment of Knowledge-Student Evaluation
The course classes, content and evaluation are set at the beginning of each semester by the group of instructors that have been appointed for each course, with the responsibility of the course coordinator, who is a faculty member. Class and laboratory attendance is mandatory. Diversions to this rule are allowed only for serious, justified reasons, and in such a case, no more than two (2) absences per course. Students are evaluated only by the program’s appointed instructors. Evaluation is performed with written or oral examinations, homework, lab reports or combinations of the above. It is possible under special circumstances or force majeure events, to conduct a course examination with distance education means, as long as the of the fairness of the procedure is secured.
The grading scale for the evaluation of the performance of postgraduate students for the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki is set from zero (0) to ten (10), as follows:
– Excellent (8.5 to 10)
– Very Good (6.5 to 8.5 not included)
– Good (6 to 6.5 not included).
The passing grade is six (6) and upwards. Half-points are allowed
The final grade of the Program is calculated based on the weighted average of each Program course and the dissertation. The weighting is made based on the credit units (ECTS) of each course and the dissertation and is calculated, with an accuracy of second decimal place as follows:
Final Grade = (course 1 grade x course ECTS + course 2 grade x course 2 ECTS+ …. + dissertation grade x dissertation ECTS)/Total number of ECTS.
The courses, elective or core, are taught if selected by at least two (2) students. Faculty members are not allowed to be assigned more than two courses per semester by themselves.
A postgraduate student is considered that he/she has attended a course (and therefore may participate in the exams) if he/she has attended at least eighty five percent (85%) of the theory lectures of the course and eighty five percent (85%) of the laboratory exercises, in any course that has a lab section. Otherwise the student has to attend the whole course from the beginning at the next academic year.
If absences are over eighty five percent (85%), then deletion from the registrar is set as an issue. This issue is settled by the C.C. that suggests it’s decision to the Departmental Assembly.
Under emergency cases, or due to force majeure, it is possible that exams will be held through electronic means, as long as fairness is guaranteed. In case of health problems, the instructor may facilitate the student with any means the instructor considers appropriate (oral examination, distance examination).
If a postgraduate student fails in the examination of up to two courses, s/he may be re-examined in those courses. The time of re-examination is set for the end of the second semester, after an application filed by the student. The student will be examined by a three member committee appointed by the Steering Committee. If s/he fails again, s/he is considered not to have successfully completed the program and may be re-examined again from a three member committee, formed by Department’s members with the same or related discipline to the course that s/he failed and appointed by the Department’s Assembly, after his/her application. From this committee, whoever was assigned the course, is exempted. If s/he fails again, s/he is dismissed from the Program. Any student who fails shall receive a certificate that includes the courses in which s/he has succeeded.
Replacement of the supervisor may be held under special circumstances and only with the approval of the C.C., with a 2/3 majority of its members.
Regulation for the Preparation of the Master’s Diploma Thesis
According to the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Senate decision 78656/23.06.2023 “Approval of Regulation of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Graduate Studies (Government’s Gazette 4084/Β-23.06.2023):
For the preparation of the Master’s Diploma Thesis (M.D.Th.), the Programme Committee, following the student’s application — submitted on specified dates and including the proposed thesis title, proposed supervisor, and a summary of the proposed topic — appoints the supervisor and establishes a Three-Member Examination Committee for the approval of the thesis, one member of which is the supervisor.
The right to supervise master’s theses is granted to teaching staff categories as defined in Article 83 of Law 4957/2022, namely:
- Members of the Teaching and Research Staff (D.E.P.), Special Educational Personnel (E.E.P.), Laboratory Teaching Staff (E.DI.P.), and Special Technical Laboratory Staff (E.T.E.P.) of the Department or of other Departments of the same or another Higher Education Institution (H.E.I.) or Higher Military Educational Institution (A.S.E.I.), with additional employment beyond their statutory duties, provided the I.P.P.S. charges tuition fees;
- Emeritus Professors or retired faculty members of the same or other H.E.I.;
- Collaborating Professors;
- Contract Lecturers;
- Visiting Professors or Visiting Researchers;
- Researchers and Special Scientific Personnel of research and technological institutions as defined in Article 13A of Law 4310/2014 (Government Gazette A’ 258), or other research centres and institutes in Greece or abroad.
The members of the Three-Member Examination Committee must have the same or a related scientific specialization as that of the field of study of the Graduate Studies Program.
The preparation of the M.D.Th. is governed by the Code of Academic Ethics of A.U.Th.
Every creator or co-creator of an intellectual work has the right to be acknowledged as such and to enjoy both the moral and economic rights deriving from the work.
By exception, when the intellectual creation constitutes the final output of a funded research project commissioned by an external entity, the creator’s economic rights may be limited in accordance with the contract terms of the research project, while the moral rights remain with the creator(s), subject only to the necessary contractual limitations required for the use or commercial exploitation of the work.
The presentation of the M.D.Th. requires a positive recommendation by the Three-Member Examination Committee. If the defence is held publicly, a specific date and venue are determined by the Committee.
Following the defence, a report is drawn up, stating the individual grade assigned by each member, the average grade, and any remarks or comments. After approval by the Committee, the thesis is uploaded on the Programme’s website. If the thesis is not approved, the postgraduate student may resubmit it after incorporating the Committee’s remarks and improvements within a time frame determined by the Committee. If the revised version is again rejected, the student loses the right to obtain the Master’s Diploma.
In exceptional cases, if an objective impediment or serious reason exists, the replacement of the supervisor or a member of the Committee, as well as a change of the thesis topic, may be approved by decision of the Programme Committee, and approval my the assembly of the Department.
The defence of the Master’s Diploma Thesis takes place before the Three-Member Examination Committee, on a date and at a venue determined by that Committee. Upon approval, the thesis is uploaded on the official website of the corresponding School.
The Master’s Thesis is written with specific specifications (they are posted on the website) in Greek or English. The postgraduate student is obliged to implement, with the consent of the Supervising Professor, the corrections proposed by the Three-Member Examining Committee. The specifications concern the way of writing the Master’s Thesis, its area, the font, its general formatting and everything else related to its structure.
The final grade of the Program is calculated based on the weighted average of each Program course and the dissertation. The weighting is made based on the credit units (ECTS) of each course and the dissertation and is calculated, with an accuracy of second decimal place as follows:
Final Grade = (course 1 grade x course ECTS + course 2 grade x course 2 ECTS+ …. + dissertation grade x dissertation ECTS)/Total number of ECTS.
Article 28. Plagiarism
When submitting any postgraduate assignment, postgraduate students are required to indicate whether they have used the work and opinions of others. Copying is considered serious academic misconduct. Plagiarism is defined as copying someone else’s work, as well as using someone else’s work – published or unpublished – without proper reference to it. Citing any documentary material, even from the candidate’s own studies, without proper reference, may constitute grounds for a decision by the SIC of the JPSP to expel the candidate.
In the aforementioned cases – and after reasoned proposal of the supervising professor – the Program may decide to expel the candidate. Any misconduct or violation of academic ethics is referred to the Coordinating Committee (SC), which is to examine, and provide a proposal in order to address the problem. Offences of copying or plagiarism and, in general, any violation of the provisions on intellectual property by a postgraduate student during writing assignments or preparing a postgraduate thesis are also considered offences.