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Coursework submissions

• Manage Inspera roles
• SharePoint online
• SpLD and mark sheets
• Coursework submissions policy

Summative assessments which are submissions will take place in Inspera, which is also used to deliver Digital exams at Oxford.

Book an Inspera support session: click for details 

Guidance can be found below  

• Introduction to Inspera fundamentals video provides a quick overview of Inspera and the Self-Help tool.
• Inspera demonstration videos are in the drop-down menu below. These cover key processes.
• Online Coursework Submissions Administrator guide (V1.9)  provides help and support for the processes and policies of coursework submissions in Inspera. It should be used in conjunction with the Self-Help tool inside Inspera
• Creating a manual test in Inspera
• Creating a candidate list for Inspera
• Updating the deadlines calendar for coursework submission
• Submission of coursework assessment  page  for students, with information provides essential guidance for students including a Quick Reference Guide (QRG) and practice videos. It is recommended that this link be added to any guidance regarding coursework submissions to Inspera.
• Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD) Status report guidance

Inspera demonstration videos

Inspera: navigation and self-help .

Watch the video in a new window 

Authoring in Inspera

 Watch the video in a new window  

Administering a test in Inspera 

 Watch the video in a new window

Manual test creation and management 

Group submissions .

Watch the video in a new window

Management of committees 

The student experience .

Watch the video in a new window  

Information for students and practice tests

Students online submissions page has a QRG and short videos to demonstrate the process of uploading and submitting. 

A practice test template has been created in Inspera for administrators to set up and share with students. It will allow students to familiarise themselves with the process of submitting coursework and the ‘look and feel’ of the platform prior to submission. The template will replicate the details in a real test with one exception, that the similarity report functionality is removed.

The practice test is located in the ‘Deliver’ area of Inspera and instructions on how to enable it can be found in the Inspera self-help guide. Once activated, students will be able to see the test in their 'My Tests' area in Inspera and will be able to see a record of their submitted test using the ‘Archive’ tab, as they would in a real test situation, once they have submitted.  

See who does what in Inspera

The Manage Inspera Roles tab gives details about the various roles in Inspera and how to grant access to them.

There are two ways to access Inspera:

• The student view (oxford.inspera.com)
• The administrative view (oxford.inspera.com/ admin )

Any user with an Oxford Single Sign On (SSO) can log on to the student-facing platform. Access to the administrative view of Inspera is restricted.

To log in to oxford.inspera.com/admin, you must have been assigned  at least one Inspera role  in relation to an assessment.

What is an Inspera role?

Inspera roles control what each user can do in Inspera, in relation to a specific assessment.

The  four Inspera roles  we currently use at Oxford are: author, planner, invigilator and grader.  

Who can assign an Inspera role?

Department administrators are responsible for assigning Inspera roles to themselves and to members of the Exam Board(s) they support. 

This should be done via the 'Manage Inspera Roles' task in eVision. When a role is added or removed within this task, it will take about 10 minutes for this change to take effect in Inspera. 

The task supports adding and removing roles in bulk, and provides the University with an audit trail of who has access to which assessments. 

Where can I find the Manage Inspera Roles task?

This task can be found under the 'Examinations' tab in eVision.

If you can't see this task and think you should be able to, please contact your Information Custodian. If you need to manage access for written examinations, ask for DEPT_INSP. If you need to manage access for submissions, ask for DEPT_INSP_SB. To manage access for both examinations and submissions, ask for both DEPT_INSP and DEPT_INSP_SB. 

You will only be able to manage roles in relation to the Exam Board(s) you support.

If an Exam Board you support is missing from the 'Exam Board' drop-down in the task, please contact  [email protected]  for this information to be updated.

Descriptions of each Inspera role

For a definition of the terms used above (e.g. 'question sets' and 'tests') and the different tabs in Inspera, please see the  Overview of Inspera webpage . 

Video and user guide for the 'Manage Inspera Roles' eVision task

The video below walks you through the steps of how to use the 'Manage Inspera Roles' task in eVision.

Alternatively, a PDF guide to using the 'Manage Inspera Roles' task can be found  here . 

Common query - I have assigned myself a role for an assessment, but I cannot see that assessment in Inspera?

Has the date of the examination, or deadline for the submission, been defined in evision.

If the assessment is not visible it may be because the assessment review has not been completed by the Academic Records Office. Please contact [email protected] for further guidance.

If it has not...

The eVision-Inspera integration will automatically create a test in Inspera for each assessment, but only after the date/deadline for that assessment has been recorded in eVision. 

Before this happens, you can still assign yourself a role for that assessment via the 'Manage Inspera Roles' task. The task will hold this information until a corresponding test is available in Inspera. It will then apply the given roles, and the test will then be visible to you in the relevant tab(s) in Inspera. 

If it has...

The process of adding or removing access usually takes about ten minutes to appear in Inspera, It can take longer if the eVision-Inspera integration is performing a large amount of actions at that time. Please log out of Inspera and check back later. Email  [email protected]  if the role hasn't appeared after two hours.

Further support

If your question isn't answered by the content on this page, please contact  [email protected] . 

If you need support with the 'Manage Inspera Roles' task, you can book a support session via the  Inspera Support Bookings page  (a service run by the Exams and Assessments team). When selecting a service, please click the 'Show more services' button to reveal the "Manage Inspera Roles task in eVision" option. 

SharePoint Online Examining Sites have been created for each Exam Board  and provide areas for departments in which marking, exam board activities and paper setting can be completed in a secure environment. 

An extensive guidance document with links to key sections can be found by clicking on the link below.  

SHAREPOINT ONLINE EXAMINING SITES PAGE  

Videos are also available covering all the topics needed to get up and running with your site.

For any technical support with these please contact [email protected] .

Candidates with SpLD

Departments must ensure that markers are aware, during marking, of candidates with SpLD  where the  Inclusive Marking Guidelines  need to be followed. This information is available via the SpLD Status report in eVision and should be downloaded when giving the assessments to the markers. If preferred, a department can construct and use their own mark sheet but please ensure the candidate SpLD information from eVision is included.

It is no longer a requirement for candidates to provide the department with an SpLD form, nor is it permissible for a candidate to be asked to provide any further information.

If any candidate informs you that they have an SpLD and they do not appear on the mark sheet, please do refer them to their College in the first instance for this to be chased with the correct team.

Inspera Turnitin Guide : This will help administrators to see how and when Turnitin integrates with Inspera

The functionality to generate a similarity report is enabled as a default setting on all tests which either integrate from eVision to Inspera or on any tests created manually.

The University’s partner in this is Turnitin and a user guide can be found at the above link.  If you choose to disable this functionality you will need to do so before the Test is activated by going into the settings at the bottom of the screen on the set-up page.  Click Options, then security settings and untick the box.  This cannot be undone. Should you decide at a later date that you would like to add this functionality, then the submissions will need to be downloaded and run through Turnitin manually. The above user guide also gives instructions for this.

An Introduction to Turnitin:

Turnitin compares text submitted by a student with content held in its database. This includes:

• internet sources (active and archived)
• periodicals, journals, and publications
• work previously submitted to Turnitin*

*work can be submitted to Turnitin and not saved to the repository

This comparison generates a Turnitin Similarity Report, which:

• Highlights text that matches another source
• Allows the user to compare the student’s submission and the source side-by-side
• Generates a similarity percentage.  

This is calculated by dividing the number of matching words by the total number of words in the document. The user can also apply filters to exclude (for example) quotes, a bibliography or small matches from the similarity report. Hidden text and suspicious characters are also flagged, as these can be used to evade similarity checkers.

Turnitin will generate a similarity report where a submission in Inspera contains at least 20 words of readable text, and is submitted to:

• An essay question type
• An upload assignment question type*

*This includes Excel, Word, PowerPoint and .txt files, as well as Adobe PDFs with readable text.

Taught Degrees Panel approved that all summative assessments which are coursework submissions need to be made via a University approved online assessment platform. In most cases the submissions platform will be Inspera, apart from the Department for Continuing Education who use Moodle and the Saïd Business School who use iSAMS).

The Submissions and Research Degrees team manages submission processes for both taught and  research degree  students and the administration of the University’s  Higher Doctorates .  

Candidates can submit their work in one of the following ways:

• Digital copy via Inspera
• Digital copy via department online system (e.g. Moodle for Continuing Education and iSAMS for Saïd Business School) 

As per the above decision of the Taught Degrees Panel, submissions can no longer be submitted in hard copy unless explicit permission has been granted (see Changing Regulations for hard copy submissions below). The Submissions Desk in Examination Schools is closed and cannot accept any hard copy submissions.

Assessment deadlines

• Assessment submission deadlines are published in the Examination Regulations and Course Handbooks.
• You can access the central deadlines calendar in   eVision .
• The calendar will provide you with data on the deadlines and methods of submission for each assessment item.
• Ensure that deadlines are entered as soon as possible into  eVision  each year, once course Assessment Reviews have been completed.
• Our  Quick Reference Guide  has full details on this quick and easy process.

Online submissions

I n most cases the submissions platform will be Inspera except for those departments who are using an alternative University approved online submissions system.

Information on Inspera can be found at the  Online Coursework Submissions from Michaelmas 2021  page.

Use of Inspera for online submission is subject to the following conditions: 

• Notify candidates at the start of the course, and in the course handbook, that submissions will be made via Inspera.
• Remember that only the file submitted via Inspera constitutes a valid submission; no additional hard-copies may be submitted, for any purpose. Changes to course regulations must be clear that no additional hard copies may be submitted.
• Electronic submissions must be received by the deadline.
• Examinations and Assessments (E&A) team (or department for certain courses) will report late submissions to the Chair of Examiners, the candidate, and the candidate’s college office.
• Before setting a deadline for a submission in eVision, departments must consult the E&A team to ensure all relevant operational matters have been addressed.
• Ensure that necessary changes to course regulations have been made and approved.
• All system problems affecting any batch of submissions must be reported immediately to the Proctors.

Remember that use of Turnitin, whether for all submissions or for a sample thereof, is subject to all academic and administration staff involved having attended the training course run by IT Services.

In-person submissions

Where it is clear conversion to a digital submission would be unsuitable for the work for a specific assessment unit, that department may request that submissions be made instead directly to the department and this is subject to an application being made according to the processes outlined in the section below, ‘ Changing regulations for hard copy submissions ’

• Students should submit before the deadline, to their department.
• Students will need to be provided with information regarding the requirements for their submission (e.g. number of copies, presentation requirements, etc.).
• All submissions require a completed  Declaration of Authenticity .
• If a student has a Specific Learning Difference (SpLD), e.g. dyslexia, they should attach an IMG from with their Candidate ID to the front of each copy of the work they are submitting.

Late submissions

The Submissions team will send a notification of late submission of written work to the Exam Board. If you have been given devolved responsibility to send these notifications, then the Submissions team will not be involved in this process.

If submitted work is received after the designated deadline, the Chair of the Exam Board, the student and relevant college officer will receive an email notification of the late submission.

Students should consult their college office or senior tutor as a matter of urgency if they suspect they will be late in handing in work.

Information for students is given on the  submissions  webpage.

Further information for staff is available in the  Examinations and assessments framework (EAF) .

Changing regulations for hard copy submissions

Where it is clear that conversion to a digital submission would be unsuitable for the work for a specific assessment unit, a request must be made under one of the following two types for provision for all students taking that unit (e.g. oversized architectural drawings or art portfolios); or the compressed file size exceeds, or is likely to exceed, 1GB, provision for hard copy can be made. Where hard copy is required for a specific unit, the process given under  Type I  requests should be followed. 

Where hard copy is required for an individual student, the process under  Type II  requests should be followed. All applications should be made to the Submissions and Research Degree Manager ( [email protected] ). The deadlines for requests for this year are given below. The deadlines for subsequent academic years will be communicated in due course.

Type I requests

Type I requests relate to all submissions for a specific assessment unit. Departments are asked to identify any submission for an assessment unit(s) that is not appropriate for digital submission.  Hard-copy submission will only be approved where there are insurmountable practical barriers to online submission; preference for a hard-copy by markers is not a valid reason for retaining hard-copy submission.

The department will need to submit their request to retain hard copy submissions for the relevant assessment unit to Submissions and Research Degrees Manager ( [email protected] ) by Friday of 10th week Trinity Term – Friday June 30th 2023.

Such requests will need to include:

• The programme name.
• The full assessment unit title and code.
• The submission deadline.
• The reason that hard copy submission is required.
• Confirmation that the department understands that they will be responsible for the reporting of any missing or late submissions.
• The name of the key contact who will be responsible for reporting missing and late submissions (if permission is granted for the retention of a hard copy submission, guidance on the reporting process will be provided by the Submissions and Research Degree Manager).
• A copy of the current Examination Regulations for the programme with changes to provide for hard copy submission to the department shown using standard change notation (underlining for additional text, strike through for deleted text).

Type II requests

Type II requests relate to a submission for an individual student for a specific assessment unit. If a department identifies any students whose work for a particular assessment is not suitable for digital submission, a request will need to be made by the department on behalf of each affected student, to the Submissions and Research Degree Manager ( [email protected] ) for permission for the affected students to submit in hard copy.

Type II requests will need to be made well in advance of the submission deadline. Such requests will need to include:

• The student’s name, number and college (if applicable)
• The programme name
• The full assessment unit title and code
• The submission deadline
• The name of the key contact who will be responsible for reporting missing and late submissions (guidance on the reporting process if permission is granted for the retention of a hard copy submission will be provided).

Hard-copy submission will only be approved where there are insurmountable practical barriers to online submission. If permission is granted, confirmation will be sent to the department by the Submissions and Research Degree Manager along with guidance on the reporting process.

Where approval has been granted to retain submission in hard-copy, the place of submission will be the department. The reporting of late and missing submissions will be the responsibility of the department concerned and guidance on the reporting process will be provided by the Submissions and Research Degree Manager.

Failure to provide adequate advice or students not following the guidelines on the preparation of their submission documents will not be accepted as a valid reason for reverting to hard copy submission. Such difficulties should instead be managed through improved communications, guidance and training.

Log in to Inspera

Student Registry Examination Schools 75 – 81 High Street Oxford OX1 4BG

Coursework Submissions team: [email protected]

Popular links

Exam Regulations

• University regulations and policies
• Undergraduate handbooks
• Graduate handbooks

Coursework submission

• All coursework should be submitted online via Blackboard , unless you’re told otherwise
• Do not include your name on your work , as it is marked anonymously – unless an exception is agreed
• Do not wait to the last minute to submit your work , as the rate that a file uploads will depend on connection speeds, file size, and other factors
• Use Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox to upload your work to Turnitin and Blackboard Assignment – students have reported problems uploading their work via Safari and Microsoft Edge
• For text-based documents, upload MS Word or PDF files only – do not use files generated from Apple Pages

How to submit an assignment on Blackboard

The University has two systems that you may be directed to use to submit coursework online depending on the nature of the files that you are asked to submit. Each differs in the precise steps that you will need to take to submit your work. The two systems are Turnitin and Blackboard Assignment. Links to guides for each of these two submission systems can be found on the Blackboard Help and Support blog .

The deadline for all coursework is 1pm (UK GMT) on the date set by your module leader. If you're unsure of the deadline, please check the module's Blackboard site or ask your module leader.

When you submit an assessment, you're agreeing to the following declaration:

"By submitting this assessment, you are confirming that you have read and understood University Policy and Procedures on Academic Misconduct, and that you have and produced this assessment in accordance with the requirements of the assessment brief."

• Academic Misconduct Regulations
• Guidance on acceptable use of Generative AI

Referencing your work

For help on referencing, have a look at our Referencing your work page and our  Avoiding plagiarism tutorial .

How to reduce file sizes for uploads

To make documents easier to upload, it's a good idea to reduce the size of files before you submit them. The guides below offer some useful tips on reducing the size of different types of files:

Make sure that you don't leave it to the last minute to submit your work online. Remember that while upload times can be very fast, they can depend on the size and type of file and/or your internet connection, so can take between 2 and 10 minutes to upload.

If you have any questions about uploading your work or reducing the file size, just speak to your module leader .

Submitting a hard copy

You cannot choose to submit hard copies of your coursework. Hard copies of coursework are only acceptable when you have been instructed to submit them in this way. This is in exceptional cases and following an agreement between the Course Leader and the Registry.  On these rare occasions, all hard copies of coursework should be submitted to the Student Centre .

Hard copies of coursework must have attached a completed coursework coversheet (CA1 Form):

Please ensure you securely staple your coursework. Coursework which is unidentifiable by staff cannot be logged on the system and will remain uncollected by academic staff.

If you intend to send your coursework by post it must be addressed to the Student Centre and arrive on or prior to the deadline. We recommend that you send coursework by recorded delivery or through a reputable courier. Coursework will be date-stamped with the date it is received at the Student Centre, not the date it was posted. 

Please note:  Post may sometimes arrive a day late at the University, even for Special Delivery.  It is important you post your work well in advance of the deadline or keep a receipt as proof that your work was supposed to be delivered on a certain date in case problems arise with late receipt of mail. 

How to submit studio-based coursework directly to your tutor during a class or other formally allotted time

Any coursework that is required to be submitted during class (eg studio-based work, portfolios, or artefacts) should be handed directly to the tutor. On submission, you'll be required to sign-in on a module class list in the presence of the tutor. The tutor will then provide a copy of the sign-in sheet to the Registry Office to be logged.

No coursework should be left in classrooms, studios or academic staff offices without being signed-in, in the presence of the tutor – any work that's left without being signed-in is done at the student’s own risk as there will be no record of the time submitted or proof of submission.

Late submission penalties

Coursework submitted late but within 24 hours of the original deadline, will have 10 marks deducted from the original mark, to a minimum of the pass mark (40% at undergraduate level, 50% at postgraduate level). For example, a piece of assessment awarded a mark of 70% would be reduced to 60% as a penalty for late submission.

Coursework submitted more than 24 hours late after the original deadline will be given a mark of zero.

If a coursework deadline extension has been granted as a reasonable adjustment approved by Disability Learning Support, and/or a successful Mitigating Circumstances claim, the late submission penalties will be applied to the extended deadline.

Mitigating circumstances

If you are unable to submit your coursework or attend an assessment due to unforeseen, unpreventable, serious circumstances, you may be eligible to claim for mitigating circumstances.

The University operates a ‘fit to sit’ policy, which means if you submit a piece of coursework or sit an exam, and/or in class test, you've deemed yourself fit to do so. You cannot submit a claim for mitigating circumstances in this case.

Claims should be submitted as close to the deadline for the item of work as possible.

More information can be found on the Mitigating circumstances page .

More information

Read our Assessment and feedback policy .

Related pages

Check our guidance on how to reference your work correctly.

Mitigating circumstances claims

Find information on when you can submit a mitigating circumstances claim and how to do so.

Registry offices

Our Campus Registry offices deal with all administrative matters related to your studies.

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Submission of coursework assessments

• Coursework submissions
• Submitting to Inspera
• Extensions and late submissions
• Making changes to your work after submission
• Taught Degree courses
• Technical support

Submitting assessments in 2023/24

All summative coursework assessments for taught degrees will be submitted online via a University-approved anonymous online system. Either:

• Moodle (for Continuing Education courses)
• SAMS (for Saïd Business School courses)

 The Submissions Desk in the Examination Schools is no longer open to receive any submissions.

Candidate number

Your candidate number is available in  Student Self Service  on the Examination and Assessments page - this differs from your university card and student number. 

If you have written your name on your work, your anonymity could be affected in the marking process. It is your responsibility to ensure that you only use your candidate number.

For information regarding research degree submissions, please consult the  Research examinations webpage .

Your course administrator will be able to provide you with the link to your coursework submissions site.

Submission deadlines

• Deadlines are published in the  Examination Regulations , course handbook, and/or the  Gazette . 
• If you are unsure of the deadline contact your course administrator.
• Examination Regulations take precedence, should any discrepancy occur in information from different sources.

Formatting your work

• Exam Regulations  and/or course handbooks provide formatting details for your coursework.
• Formatting guidelines vary between courses - check with your course administrator for further advice.

Getting started with submissions in Inspera

Using Inspera to submit your coursework is quick and easy. A  Quick Reference Guide  has been created to give you all the information you need. You can also  watch this introductory video .  Log into Inspera  to get started. 

STUDENT QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE     LOG INTO INSPERA   

When you have uploaded your assessment and then reviewed this to ensure you are ready and confident that it is complete and suitable for submission you must then press the ‘ Submit now ’ button. 

Important Note - uploading your response alone is NOT SUFFICIENT to submit your work. To submit your work after you have uploaded it, please go to the final page of the test and click the 'Submit now' button. Until this is done, your work will not be submitted and may be marked as ‘late’ or ‘missing’. 

You will then see an on-screen message confirming the date and time of submission.  If you fail to do this your work will not be submitted for marking and you could incur late penalties. This is the only confirmation you will receive – Inspera does not send an email confirmation.  The Test will move to your archive section where the confirmation message will still be visible.

Practice submissions in Inspera   

You might wish to practice submitting your coursework in Inspera ahead of your formal submission, to ensure you are comfortable with using the platform.

Many departments are setting up practice test where students will be able to submit practice coursework, in the same format as a real submission. Please check with your course administrator for more details.

Please refer to the  Regulations for the Conduct of University Examinations , and the  Problems completing your assessment  pages for more information on extensions and late submissions.

Incorrect location

It is your responsibility to submit the correct piece of work to the correct location. 

If you realise you have submitted work to the incorrect location, it is your responsibility to forward the submission to the correct location. If this is after the deadline, it may result in a late penalty. 

If you have submitted your work to the department before the deadline because you have experienced a technical issue with Inspera, the department may accept the work for marking.

Making changes to your work after submission  (Inspera and Moodle)

Candidates who wish to withdraw and resubmit may do so. The revised version must be emailed to the course administrator within 30 minutes of the deadline. There is no requirement to secure permission from the Proctors to do so. After this 30-minute period has passed, no withdrawal and resubmissions will be possible.

Making changes to your work after submission   (Canvas)

Please contact your Course Administrator for advice and guidance

Making changes to your work after submission   (SAMS)

Coursework submissions for Taught Degrees refers to:  all submissions  for undergraduate students (excluding those at the Department for Continuing Education )  studying towards one of the following:

• Master of Fine Art
• MSc by Coursework

You should read and adhere to the  Examination Regulations  and those that specifically apply to your course ahead of submitting your coursework.

Multi-factor authentication  For any IT support with multi-factor authentication, please talk to your  local IT support  in the first instance. If you are unable to resolve your issue, contact the IT Service Desk on 01865 (6)12345. If the issue affects your ability to submit by your deadline, then please also inform your  college office  and  departmental administrator . They will be able to assist you with the next steps and possibly to make an application to excuse the lateness. Please make sure that the file you intend to submit is not amended after your deadline, as you will need to prove that you were ready to submit but were impeded by technical difficulty only.

Before submitting your assessment,  please update your browser to the latest version to ensure that you benefit from the most recent updates.

In particular, if you are using  Chrome  or  Edge , please check you are using: •   Chrome: version 90.0.4430.212 (or later) • Edge: version 90.0.818.62 (or later)

Help and support

Please contact your course administrator if you have any questions.

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How Online Classes Work: 10 Frequently Asked Questions

Some online courses require students to attend and participate at set times through videoconferencing.

How Online Classes Work: FAQ

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Online classes are typically a mix of video recordings or live lectures supplemented with readings and assessments that students can complete on their own time. But nothing is typical about education in 2020 as the coronavirus has forced a sudden migration to online learning with little time to prepare for it.

As the pandemic accelerated, colleges shifted into emergency mode, shutting down campuses in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19 – the disease caused by the novel coronavirus – and moving academic life online. Education experts anticipate more online classes this fall. For students – whether incoming freshmen, seasoned seniors or returning adult learners – here is an overview of what to know about and expect from online classes:

• How is an online classroom typically structured?
• Do students need to attend classes at specific times?
• Do online classes have in-person components?
• How do students interact in an online course?
• What is the typical workload for an online course?
• How many weeks do online classes run?
• What are typical assignments in online classes?
• How do students take proctored exams in online classes?
• What should students know before enrolling in an online course?
• Are there ways to accelerate online degree completion?

How Is an Online Classroom Typically Structured?

The structure of an online classroom varies, experts say. But generally, online students regularly log in to a learning management system, or LMS, a virtual portal where they can view the syllabus and grades; contact professors, classmates and support services; access course materials; and monitor their progress on lessons.

Experts say prospective students should check whether a school's LMS is accessible on mobile devices so they can complete coursework anytime, anywhere. They will also likely need a strong internet connection and any required software , such as a word processor.

One important distinction that experts note is that the forced shift to remote instruction that colleges saw this spring due to the coronavirus is not typical of online education . What students are experiencing in an online format as a result of the pandemic is "emergency remote teaching" says Lynette O'Keefe, director of research and innovation at the Online Learning Consortium.

"Emergency remote teaching forces faculty that have planned their semester in either a face-to-face or blended environment to be carried out fully online, and it forces students that were not necessarily expecting to complete their courses online to do so," O'Keefe says.

She expects courses in the fall to be designed for online offerings rather than hastily forced into the format.

Do Students Need to Attend Classes at Specific Times?

Online classes typically have an asynchronous, or self-paced, portion. Students complete coursework on their own time but still need to meet weekly deadlines, a format that offers flexibility for students .

Some online courses may also have a synchronous component, where students view live lectures online and sometimes participate in discussions through videoconferencing platforms such as Zoom. The latter model is the move many professors have made during the pandemic, experts say.

"It's effectively taking a physical classroom model and doing your best to deliver that over tools like Zoom," says Luyen Chou, chief learning officer at 2U, an online program management company.

Do Online Classes Have In-Person Components?

Some online classes may require students to attend a residency on the school's campus before or during the program. The lengths and details of these requirements vary.

Students may complete team-building activities, network and attend informational sessions. Especially in health fields like nursing , certain online programs may require working in a clinical setting.

How Do Students Interact in an Online Course?

If a course has a synchronous component or requires students to travel to campus, that's a good way to get to know classmates, experts say. Students may otherwise communicate through discussion forums, social media and – particularly for group work – videoconferencing, as well as phone and email.

Online learners interact with professors in similar ways, though they may need to be more proactive than on-campus students to develop a strong relationship . That may involve introducing themselves to their instructor before classes start and attending office hours if offered, Marian Stoltz-Loike, vice president for online education at Touro College in New York, wrote in a 2017 U.S. News blog post.

What Is the Typical Workload for an Online Course?

Just like in traditional classes, the workload varies – but don't expect your course to be easier just because it's online. Many online learners say they spend 15 to 20 hours a week on coursework. That workload, of course, may vary between full-time and part-time students. A lighter course load likely means less study.

At Arizona State University 's online arm – ASU Online – students typically spend six hours a week on coursework for each credit they enroll in, Joe Chapman, director of student services at the school, wrote in a 2015 U.S. News blog post .

How Many Weeks Do Online Classes Run?

While some online degree programs follow the traditional semester-based schedule, others divide the year into smaller terms , and graduation credit requirements may vary. ASU Online courses, for instance, are structured as seven-and-a-half week sessions rather than 14-week semesters.

Sometimes students can choose the number of courses they take at one time, while in other programs they must stick to a set curriculum road map as part of a cohort , experts say. Prospective students should determine whether the academic calendar is structured in a way that will enable them to balance work, school and family. They should also know that academic calendars vary by school.

While some schools have decided to tweak the format for fall 2020, most are sticking to the traditional academic calendar to avoid throwing even more changes at students amid the coronavirus pandemic, Chou says. "I think the majority of the folks that we have talked to have elected, at least for this fall, to preserve their semester structures, just in the interest of not changing everything at the same time."

What Are Typical Assignments in Online Classes?

Online course assignments depend largely on the discipline. But in general, students should expect assignments similar to those in on-ground programs, such as research papers and proctored exams in addition to online-specific assignments such as responding to professor-posed questions in a discussion board .

An online course may also require group projects where students communicate virtually, as well as remote presentations. These can be challenging for online learners, who often live across various time zones, Stoltz-Loike noted in a 2018 blog post .

How Do Students Take Proctored Exams in Online Classes?

Not all online classes have proctored exams . But if they do, online students may need to visit a local testing site with an on-site proctor. They may also take virtually monitored exams online, where a proctor watches via webcam or where computer software detects cheating by checking test-takers' screens.

With more classes likely online in fall 2020, experts expect an uptick in online exam proctoring.

What Should Students Know Before Enrolling in an Online Course?

Prospective students looking for how to start online college should visit the admissions page for the school. They should also understand the requirements for the degree program of interest to them, considering that there may be a higher threshold for certain majors compared with general admissions, experts recommend.

While the registration process for online and on-campus classes is often similar, prospective online students should review the course type and requirements before enrolling, experts say. They should also understand the requirements for dropping classes.

Are There Ways to Accelerate Online Degree Completion?

In some cases, it's possible to earn a degree faster.

For instance, in competency-based online learning , students move quickly through the material they already know and may spend more time on unfamiliar topics. In some programs, students may also earn credits for past work or military experience. Some universities even offer a subscription-based model, which allows students to sign up for various self-paced classes over several months.

Trying to fund your online education? Get tips and more in the U.S. News Paying for Online Education center.

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FASER - coursework submission and feedback

FASER (Feedback Assessment Submission Electronic Repository) is the University's online coursework submission, assessment and feedback service.

What you can do in FASER

• Check coursework deadlines
• Upload work
• See feedback
• FASER Help Centre
• For enquiries contact your Student Services Hub
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Introduction

UWE Bristol defines “coursework” as a piece of work that you would normally complete outside of the classroom. The following are all types of coursework (so the information on this page applies to them):

• dissertations
• pieces of group work
• laboratory reports
• oral presentations
• research reports
• final projects
• portfolios.

Microsoft Office (Office 365) is available free for students. You are allowed to download and install the software on up to five devices. You need to login to your university email account to access the Microsoft Office download.

Assessment content limit

An assessment content limit gives you a clear indication of the maximum number of words you can use in an assessed piece of written work. You can find information on the maximum word count limit for all your assessments in the module handbook. View the Assessment Content Limits Policy.

Coursework deadlines

The deadline for the submission of all assessed work is normally 14:00, on a date specified at the start of each module.

You are expected to plan your workload to avoid being impacted upon by a minor illness or other cause. However, there is normally a  late submission window  of 48 hours following the original hand-in deadline during which you can submit your assignment without penalty if you experience a problem meaning that you cannot meet the deadline.

An assignment cannot be submitted after the late submission window has ended. Failure to submit the assignment within the late submission window will result in a non-submission being recorded.

In some circumstances a late submission window will not be available for an assignment, please see  assessment support options  for further details.

If you are unable to meet the original hand-in deadline you do not need to provide a reason or evidence indicating why you need to use the late submission window. 

See marks and feedback for further information.

If you're unable to meet a deadline or have a problem with an assessment

UWE Bristol provides a range of support processes to help students who are encountering situations which impact on their ability to submit work or to attend assessments.

How to submit

Online submission.

When submitting your coursework online, this will normally be through either the Blackboard or Pebble Pad, these are virtual learning environment platforms that have been designed and created for digital accessibility. View the  guidance for using Blackboard .

To submit coursework via Blackboard:

• Log in, click the three lines icon in the top left hand corner of the screen and select the Coursework tab. You can submit your coursework by clicking on the link.
• you may submit to the coursework as many times as you wish, but only the last submission you make will be assessed.
• If your last submission is after the deadline but within the 48-hour  late submission window , this submission will be the one marked and not any earlier versions.
• The date and time of your submission is taken from the Blackboard server and is recorded when your submission is complete, not when you click submit. With this in mind, make sure you leave plenty of time to allow your work to upload.

If your coursework is not received by the deadline, or within the  late submission window , you will see a non-submission (ns) on your record. 

What happens if I can’t submit my work due to a critical systems failure?

The following actions will only be considered in cases where there is a malfunction that means students can’t access critical systems (defined as Blackboard, MYUWE and UWE Bristol networks) for more than five minutes in the final two hours before submission.

If there is a temporary loss of access to online coursework submission caused by a critical systems failure, the University may decide to take the following action:

• all deadlines for work submitted online will be extended by an additional 24 hours
• all deadlines for assessments that are not submitted online will be extended by an additional 24 hours (due to the potential for losing access to Blackboard materials)
• all deadlines where students have already been given an extension under Reasonable Adjustments will be extended by an additional 24 hours
• if the extension falls on a Saturday or a public holiday then it will last until 14:00 on the next working day.

This response has been created to ensure that students are not negatively impacted, in the case of a critical systems failure.

Students will be advised of the extended deadlines via messages on Blackboard, MYUWE, the information screens and posters around the Coursework Hub. Make sure you also check the University’s and The Students’ Union social media accounts for updates in the event of a critical systems failure.

Please note that this process does not cover interruptions to:

• other UWE Bristol services
• residency networks
• equipment and services not supplied by UWE Bristol (for example students' domestic network access or personal computers).

Interruptions or system failures limited to student computer labs are not covered.

The responsibility to submit on time remains with students.

What to do if you notice a problem

• If you are unable to submit or have experienced an issue, please call the IT Service Desk on  +44 (0)117 32 83612  as soon as possible before the submission point closes.
• If you have noticed a mistake with your submission after the coursework submission point has closed (after the late submission window), please contact an  Information Point  to review potential options that might be available.

Submission of hard copies

It is anticipated that the majority of your assessments will be submitted online. However, where there is a professional body requirement for coursework to be submitted as a hard copy, this is usually done via submission boxes located at your campus:

• Frenchay Campus : the submission boxes are located at the Coursework Hub, Level 1 of A Block (underpass area)
• Bower Ashton Campus : students should go to the C block corridor (or will be given alternative instructions where appropriate)
• Glenside Campus : the submission boxes are located in A block behind the Information Point.

Some items of coursework (for example, posters or dissertations) are not submitted via a submission box, your lecturer will be able to tell you more about this and the arrangements for submitting your work, during your module.

In the event of adverse weather conditions and University closure, hard copy coursework should be submitted by 14:00 on the next day that the University is open. 

Balancing your assessment load

The benefits to submitting your assignment for the first deadline can be significant.

Module assessment deadlines are usually during or just after the run of the module and have been designed to take place at the ideal time for your learning.

You are encouraged to submit to the first deadline as it gives you the opportunity to: 

• apply knowledge when it is fresh
• spread your assessment across the year
• receive feedback on drafts and ideas
• act on feedback from staff and peers during the module
• receive module specific support from your module and programme leader while undertaking the assignment
• utilise an uncapped re-sit later in the year if you fail the first try.

There may be times when you are experiencing difficult personal circumstances or have multiple deadlines within a short time. We strongly recommend speaking to a Student Support Advisor  about your options and support available to you. 

Find out more about the risks and consequences of uncapped resits.

Resits and retake information

Submitting your coursework

You should receive specific instructions either online or in your module handbook on how you submit coursework at the start of each individual module.

Some modules may require you to submit your coursework online. If this is the case, you will receive detailed instructions at the start of your module.

Information about your coursework and submission methods is also given in MYUWE Learning. You can also view the guidance for using Blackboard .

Please note that you may not submit coursework by email.

Resit coursework

Module leaders are responsible for providing you with details of resit coursework on Blackboard.

If you have not received details of your coursework within 14 days of the publication of your results, you must contact your Student and Programme Support team  immediately.

Reasonable adjustment for a resit deadline

For a resit, a reasonable adjustment to the deadline will give an additional five days from the original deadline. This does not include assessments contributing to the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship, which are eligible for a three-day reasonable adjustment.

What are assessment offences?

Please see the assessment offences policy for more information on what constitutes an assessment offence, and the processes and penalties applied.

Assessment offences

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Online Coursework Submissions from Michaelmas term 2021

New processes for managing online submission of coursework  .

From Michaelmas Term 2021, summative assessments which are submissions will take place in Inspera, which is also used to deliver online exams at Oxford.

Book an Inspera support session: click for details 

Guidance and training for Inspera: start here. 

1. A Self-Help tool providing step-by-step, guided walkthroughs is available inside the Inspera platform once you have logged in. The tool will take you through the key tasks that you need to manage coursework submissions successfully. Similar help is also available inside eVision. Please see the  introduction to Inspera fundamentals video  for a quick overview of the Inspera platform and the Self-Help tool. More short videos covering key activities can be found in the Inspera demonstration videos drop-down menu below. 

2. The Online Coursework Submissions Administrator guide (V1.9)  provides help and support for processes and policies around the management of coursework submissions in Inspera. It should be used in conjunction with the Self-Help tool inside Inspera. 

3. Information and guidance for students can be found in the  Online Assessment page for students  with information about practice tests in the drop-down menu below . 

Guidance and information for SharePoint Online Examining sites: 

Please visit the SHAREPOINT ONLINE EXAMINING SITES PAGE  for information including Quick Reference Guides and videos. 

Additional supporting documents 

• eVision Candidate List Report for Inspera : eVision report to be used to create a CSV file to allow manual upload where the candidate information is not available in Inspera via the eVision integration.
• Manage Inspera roles in eVision : Allows administrators to assign and remove roles for Exam Board members 
• Inspera Turnitin Guide : This will help administrators to see how and when Turnitin integrates with Inspera
• Inspera Data Converter Guidance (v.1.1): Instructions on how to change data in Inspera into a user-friendly, University-approved format. To be used with the Data Converter (Excel sheet) . 
• Submission Item Details (Department Exam Board Administrator) : Instructions on amending the deadlines calendar once your Assessment Review is complete.

Candidates with SpLD

Departments must ensure that markers are aware, during marking, of candidates with SpLD where the Inclusive Marking Guidelines need to be followed. This information is available via the SpLD Status report in eVision. 

Guide to the SpLD Status Report

Where to find help 

The Inspera for Online Coursework Submissions Help Guide  provides useful pointers for where to get help depending on the task you need assistance with.   

You can also send an email to [email protected] . 

Inspera demonstration videos

Inspera: navigation and self-help , https://web.microsoftstream.com/embed/video/1a7dd9b7-2366-48e2-a98e-11ed28b1e3d8autoplay=false&showinfo=true" allowfullscreen style="border:none;.

Watch the video in a new window 

Authoring in Inspera

 Watch the video in a new window  

Administering a test in Inspera 

 Watch the video in a new window

Manual test creation and management 

Group submissions .

Watch the video in a new window

Management of committees 

The student experience .

Watch the video in a new window  

Information for students and practice tests

Students will not receive any formal training to use Inspera for coursework submissions. They will instead receive a Quick Reference Guide, which is available on the student online submissions page . 

A practice test template has been created in Inspera for administrators to set up and share with students. It will allow students to familiarise themselves with the process of submitting coursework and the ‘look and feel’ of the platform prior to submission. The template will replicate the details in a real test as closely as possible but will necessarily remove elements of functionality (e.g. similarity reports) that might distort results.

The practice test is located in the ‘Deliver’ area of Inspera and instructions on how to enable it will be found in the Inspera self help guide. Once activated, students will be able to see the test in their 'My Tests' area in Inspera and will be able to see a record of their submitted test using the ‘Archive’ tab as they would in a real test situation once they have submitted.  

See who does what in Inspera

Take a look at the roles involved in managing online coursework submissions in Inspera. 

SHAREPOINT ONLINE EXAMINING SITES 

LOG INTO INSPERA

[email protected]  

Student Registry Examination Schools 75 – 81 High Street Oxford OX1 4BG

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SUBMISSION OF COURSEWORK

All coursework must be uploaded and submitted to FASer, the University’s Online Coursework Submission system available at http://faser.essex.ac.uk/.   Please ensure that your assignment is watermarked, by selecting the ‘watermark’ tick box on FASer.

The deadline for online submissions is 10.00 on the date stipulated . 

We strongly recommend that you do this earlier to avoid any last minute issues.  You must ensure that you are familiar with this process well in advance of the deadline.  Guidance on how to upload your work is available on the FASer website through the submission system.

When submitting your coursework, please make sure:

1)      that your name, the module code and coursework title is clearly set out at the top of the first page;

2)      that you include the ‘Essay Cover Sheet’ at the front of the assignment or as an additional document.  Copies of the cover sheet can be found on Moodle or the School’s Website at: http://www.essex.ac.uk/philosophy/current_students/resources/default.aspx ;

3)      A word count is displayed at the end of your essay.

No extensions will be granted.  Students who fail to submit their coursework by the stipulated deadline will receive a mark of zero unless they are able to submit a valid claim for late submission.  Details of the University’s Late Submission Policy can be found at http://www2.essex.ac.uk/academic/students/ug/crswk_pol.htm .

Every year we have a number of students who are found guilty of plagiarism and the penalties can be severe.  For a second offence it usually means that the student concerned is asked to withdraw.  If you are uncertain about how to reference your work take a look at the following web site:  http://www.essex.ac.uk/plagiarism/     or speak to one of your lecturers.

ESSAY QUESTIONS

Deadline:         10.00 am, Thursday 10 March, 2016

Return date:    2.00 pm, Monday 18 April, 2016

Answer one of the following questions:

1. Does psychoanalysis provide a good answer to the problem of how human beings can behave irrationally?

2. How convincing do you find Freud’s claim that a dream is a disguised expression of unconscious thoughts and wishes?

3. Are Freud’s views on gender identity hopelessly outdated, or can psychoanalysis provide the basis for a critical theory of gender?

4. How far do you agree that transference is the crucial element in the process of psychoanalytic treatment?

5. Was Freud right to be suspicious of counter-transference, or are later analysts correct to argue that it is an important resource for the analyst?

6. Was Sartre right to argue that Freud’s concept of the unconscious is unhelpful for explaining the possibility of self-deception and ultimately incoherent?

7. How far would you agree that there is a lack of fit between Freud’s conviction that psychoanalysis is a ‘science’ and the actual methods of psychoanalysis?

Second (Optional) Essay

Deadline:         10.00 am, Thursday 5 May, 2016.    No late coursework will be accepted.

Return date:     2.00 pm,  Thursday 12 May, 2016

If you wish to write an optional essay and are eligible to do so, then choose a question (not the one you have already answered) from the list above. If you would like feedback on your coursework, then please do not hesitate to get in touch with your class teacher during their office hours (as shown on their office doors) or by appointment.

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