Participation in Academic Communities – a core value
An important aspect of the programmes at The Game School is learning to actively take part in an academic learning environment. Through active physical attendance, students develop skills in collaboration, communication, and academic discourse over time. This helps build a learning environment that is safe, supportive and inspiring. Students who are active in class experience academic discussions and can actively participate in their own and others’ learning processes. In developing technological and artistic solutions, students work in interdisciplinary teams, like professional practice. Lack of attendance will negatively affect group work, fellow students, and the final outcomes.
Current Rules for Attendance
All first-year bachelor courses at The Game School have compulsory attendance.[SS2] If a student’s absence exceeds the permitted limit that is stated in the course description under “Compulsory activities”, they will lose the right to take the exam in that course. In this case, the student must wait until the next time the course is offered to take it again and fulfil the attendance requirement.
Registration of Attendance
The course coordinator is responsible for tracking attendance throughout the course, while the individual lecturers are responsible for recording attendance in their lectures. Students must be informed at the beginning of the semester which teaching sessions are counted towards the compulsory attendance. This information can be found in the teaching plan on Canvas.
Recording attendance may be done through roll call, attendance lists, or digital registration. Students are not permitted to register attendance on behalf of others. Signing in for others is considered cheating and may result in suspension.
Attendance is normally recorded once per teaching session, regardless of duration. The lecturer decides when attendance is recorded (start, during, or end of session). Attendance is calculated based on sessions. If a student arrives late and attendance has already been recorded, they must contact the lecturer to ensure correct registration.
Students are expected to take responsibility for punctual attendance. Late arrival or early departure may disrupt both teaching staff and fellow students. If a student must arrive late or leave early, they must notify the lecturer in writing.
Sensitive documentation (e.g., medical certificates) should not be sent to lecturers or course coordinators. Documentation is only required if absence becomes extensive (see below), in which case study program leader must be contacted.
Students are responsible for monitoring their own attendance.Student who are not allowed to take the exam because of excessive absence, will be notified by the study administration that they have been deregistered from the exam. This notification is given about two weeks before the exam, based on attendance records submitted by the course coordinator.
Handling Excessive Absence
We recognise that serious and unforeseen circumstances may occur. If a student finds themselves in a situation where they have excessive absence due to exceptional circumstances (such as serious illness, death in the immediate family, extraordinary caregiving responsibilities, or other serious reasons), they must contact the study program leader as soon as possible. The study program leader will make an overall academic assessment, in consultation with the course coordinator on whether it is academically justifiable to allow the student to take the exam.
Documentation must only be submitted following agreement with the study program leader and must be sent securely through filesender (https://sikt.no/tjenester/filesender) to the study program leader.
Some students may have disabilities, special needs or illness which requires more permanent adaptations. Students can apply for special adaptations here: https://www.inn.no/english/for-students/manage-your-studies/special-needs-in-everyday-study-situation/ . Any accommodation cannot reduce the academic requirements of the programme (cf. Universities and Colleges Act §10-5 on individual accommodation).