|
How do I apply for academic credit?
This must be completed and returned to Robyne directly. Once you receive confirmation of enrollment, email isvaustralia@isvonline.org to confirm you are enrolled in academic credit with RMIT.
How will I know if the credits are transferable to my home university?
All Academic Credit participants are responsible to determine whether their credits are transferable to their home university (e.g. get permission for the transfer of credits). This must be done BEFORE registering for credit. Participants should take a copy of the relevant program syllabus (Natural Resources Management [NRM] OR Community Development [CD]) to their academic advisor as early as possible to determine transferability.
Where do the credits transfer?
ISV works in conjunction with various international countries to optimize opportunities for all students. University students in Australia and New Zealand are eligible to earn academic credit from RMIT in Melbourne.
What are the course requirements?
All registered academic credit participants can access the course syllabus for their chosen program (NRM or CD) any time via the ISV website at http://www.isvonline.com/academiccredit.html. Course requirements are indicated in each syllabus. Participants must carefully read the syllabus before departing for their program. Participants must also bring a copy of the syllabus to their host country for reference.
Which syllabus should I use for my program?
There are two syllabi posted for NRM and CD projects. The NRM syllabus is appropriate for programs offered in New Zealand. Students must use the CD syllabus for programs in the Dominican Republic. Both focus areas are applicable in Costa Rica and Thailand. If you are travelling to one of these countries and are unsure which syllabus applies to your specific volunteer project, please contact isvaustralia@isvonline.org ASAP.
Whom do I contact if I have questions about the academic credit program?
Your answer depends on the nature of the question: If you have a question regarding Academic Credit only; such as enrollment, fees, deadline, transfers, transcript, and refunds, contact Ms. Lynda Wilson at lynda.wilson@rmit.edu.au telephone (03) 9925 2117.
If your question regards the volunteer project, course requirements, essay due dates, etc., contact ISV at isvaustralia@isvonline.org . Your question will be forwarded to the correct person. Your ISV Project Leader (Instructor) will contact each participant via email a few weeks prior to departure to introduce her/himself. We encourage participants to ask her/him questions about course requirements for the volunteer portion of the program. *We require participants to submit a group discussion outline to their Project Leader at least one week prior to departure.*
Will Academic Credit registration determine which volunteer project I can participate in?
While all ISV volunteer projects have an educational component, participants who receive credit for participation are allocated to projects that have the greatest educational merit- this could result in a participant not being allocated to their first/specific project preference.
How does my home university receive a transcript of my grade?
All participants who register for Academic Credit receive a transcript at the end of their course from RMIT University, not ISV. Participants need to take this to their home university upon completion.
Will I receive an alphabetical or numeric grade?
ISV participants receive both a numeric and alphabetical grade. The alphabetical grade is in the form of high distinction, distinction, credit, pass, fail.
How/Where/When, do I submit my essay?
Please send essay via email as an attachment in Microsoft Word (MS) format to isvaustralia@isvonline.org. DO NOT send your essay to the University. Regardless of return date back home, all essays are due no later than 42 days after completion of your volunteer project.
How will I know if my essay was received, once I have submitted it?
If participant does not get a confirmation email that the essay was received within one week of submitting it, notify ISV and resend the essay from the original email so that ISV has the correct date the essay was sent. Participants are responsible to make sure their essay was received by the due date and must ensure that they receive an email confirmation of receipt from ISV.
Who will grade my course work?
The Project Leader/Instructor is responsible for assessing the participant’s work for the duration of the volunteer project. This includes daily field journal, discussions and evaluation of participation, etc. Grading of all essays fall under the responsibility of the ISV Instructor of Record. Please note all course work is assessed by the same standards as employed in any upper division university course. Evidence of plagiarism will result in a zero grade for the essay and failure of the course.
What if I do not have Microsoft Word to write my essay?
Participants must make every effort to use a school or other computer with access to MS Word, as this is the most widely used program for electronic documents. If there are no other options, participants should paste the essay into the text of an email or save and submit it in TEXT format (.txt). This option should only be a last resort, as all formatting will be lost. Any essay that ISV cannot open will be returned to the participant, along with a request to re-submit it in a different format.
Is it important to have a Bibliography in my essay, since most of the information will be from my own experience?
It is essential to have citations and a Bibliography within the essay to support references. It is a requirement that participants use such references to conduct independent research in their primary literature for their essay. Consult the course syllabus for details on minimum reference requirements, as well as formatting guidelines. Essays submitted without references or a Bibliography will receive a poor grade.
What if my essay is late?
ISV is under no obligation to accept late essay submissions. However, if an essay is late, participants must contact ISV PRIOR to the due date with a detailed explanation. Late essays may be accepted on a case-by-case basis, but will be subject to late penalties. We encourage participants to back-up/save their essay as it is being written and keep a personal copy once it has been submitted. Loss of the essay due to carelessness is not a sufficient excuse for late submissions.
Who assigns my final grade?
Final grades are determined by the ISV Instructor of Record (not the Project Leader/Instructor). Grades are based upon the compilation of the individual program component assessment and are communicated to individual participants and their home university by RMIT. Please direct yourself to course syllabus for a breakdown of the final grade. ISV is not involved in sending or requesting transcripts. Final grades are not available from ISV directly.
|
