Examining Boards

General provisions

Wageningen University has four Examining Boards. Each of the boards is responsible for the examination arrangements for one of the four groups of study programmes:

• Life Sciences (Biology, Plants & Animals) (Examining Board L)
• Social Sciences (Society & Economics) (Examining Board M)
• Environment and Landscape (Examining Board O&L)
• Technology and Nutrition (Examining Board T&V).

The Examining Board evaluates the sets of study components, approves exemptions and determines the results of the final evaluations of the study programmes. The Examining Board  is also responsible for assuring the quality of interim examinations and final evaluations.

The secretary is the contact person for all Examining Boards (see names). The Examining Boards are established by law (Higher Education and Research Act) and have independent decision-making authority. The decisions of the Examining Board are subject to appeal.

Tasks and competencies of the Examining Boards

The Examining Boards of Wageningen University are responsible for making decisions about:

• final evaluations for bachelor's and master's degree programmes (determining the results of final evaluations)
• approval requests for sets of study components (approval procedure for sets of study components)
• requests to include non-WU courses as approved study components (procedure)
• converting marks earned abroad (procedure)
• approval requests for minors (procedure)
• requests for exemption from courses or course components (procedure)
• requests for permission to take flexible bachelor's or master' s programmes (procedure)
• requests to transfer from old programmes to new ones and to transfer between regular programmes (procedure)
• extending the validity of course results (procedure)
• approval requests for a 2nd BSc programme/diploma (procedure)
• approval requests for a 2nd MSc programme/diploma/specialisation (procedure)
• cases of fraud (procedure)

Some of these responsibilities are delegated, for example to study advisers and admission boards; this information is shown in the details of each topic.

The sphere of activity of the Examining Boards also includes:

• preparing changes in the Education and Examination Regulations (EER)
• appointing and advising Examiners
• providing guidelines and indications to the Examiners about evaluating interim examinations and determining the results
• assuring the quality of interim examinations

The general rights and obligations regarding education, interim examinations and final evaluations are set down in the Student Charter and in the Education and Examination Regulations (EER).

Composition of the four Examining Boards

	Examining Board L	Examining Board M	Examining Board O&L	Examining Board T&V
Chair	Prof. dr. ir. W. Takken	Prof.dr. M. Mulder	Dr.ir. R.J.A. van Lammeren	Prof. dr. ir. C.P.G.M. de Groot
Secretary	Dr. ir. K. Swart   tel (4)84362	Dr. ir. P.B.M. Berentsen tel (4)83485 en ir. C.A.M. Boon tel (4)83853	Dr. D. van der Hoek tel (4)84695	Dr. ir. M.C.R. Franssen tel (4)82976
Members	Prof. dr. ir. W.H. Hendriks	Prof. dr. E.C. van Ierland	Prof. dr. B.J.M. Arts	Prof. dr. S.C. de Vries
	Prof. dr. O. van Kooten	Prof. Dr. M.A. Koelen	Dr. I. Duchhart	Prof. dr. F.A.M. Leermakers
	Dr. ir. I.M.A. Heitkönig		Drs ir. K.B.M. Peters	Prof. dr. ir. E.J.M. Feskens
			Dr. ir. J.J.M. de Klein	Prof. dr. E. van der Linden
			Dr. L.J.M. Kroon	Prof. dr. ir. P.W.G. Groot Koerkamp
				Prof. dr. H. van Amerongen
				Prof. dr. ir. M.A.J.S. van Boekel
				Prof. dr. A.H.J. Bisseling

Which study programmes fall under which Examining Board?

Examinations Appeal Board
R. Hana, Master of Laws (secr.)
Costerweg 50 (BC)
6701 BH  Wageningen
0317 48 5857

Determining final evaluation results
At Wageningen University there are 10 opportunities per year to request approval of final evaluations (see Graduation Schedule). Lists of marks are provided by the Student Service Centre, and the Examining Board checks these lists and determines the results. The Examining Board also determines whether candidates qualify for a degree “with distinction”.

Approval procedure for a set of study components
No less than six months before graduation, a student must present his/her set of study components (the study programme) to the Examining Board for review. The study programme must be submitted in SPA (Study Programme Approval tool) Sets of study components that have been compiled according to the descriptions in the Study Guide are reviewed by the study adviser (as delegated by the Examining Board). Sets of study components that deviate from the descriptions in the Study Guide must be submitted to the Examining Board following consultation with the study adviser.

Approval of courses taken outside WU
A student can include one or more courses taken outside WU in his/her set of study components, but must request permission in advance from the Examining Board. Such a request, including a description of the course at the corresponding university (website) and supported by a recommendation from the study adviser, must be submitted to the secretary of the Examining Board well before the corresponding course begins. Preferably, this request should be submitted simultaneously with the complete set of study components (or the draft version thereof).

Approval requests for minors
Minors in the bachelor's phase: the bachelor's minors that are described in the Study Guide no longer require approval. Self-compiled minors, including an explanation and a recommendation from the study adviser, should be submitted for approval to the secretary of the Examining Board. A minor request must be submitted in SPA.

Minors in the master's phase: such minors are by definition self-compiled and must total at least 18 credits; they must always be submitted for approval to the secretary of the Examining Board with a recommendation from the study adviser. 

Exemption from courses or course components
A student can request exemption from an interim examination if he/she previously acquired knowledge and competencies that essentially correspond with the learning outcomes of a course in his/her set of study components. Approval of such exemptions is delegated to the WU Examiner of this course. Exemptions for internships are evaluated by the Examining Board (or its secretary) following a recommendation from the study adviser.

Flexible bachelor's or flexible master's programmes
Students can submit a substantiated request for a final evaluation in a self-compiled flexible bachelor's or master's programme. Such a programme must be approved in advance by the Examining Board. For the applicable procedure, refer to the “Flexible Programming Committee Regulations”.

Transferring from old programmes to new ones
In cases of study delay, it can be desirable to transfer to a new programme (in the new Study Guide).  Previously passed courses can be transferred, and new courses can be added. This type of composite programme must always be compiled in consultation with the study adviser, and must submitted with his/her recommendation to the Examining Board for approval. Requests must be submitted in SPA. The same procedure applies if a student wants to transfer to a different – usually related – study programme.

Term of validity of passed courses
The theoretical term of validity of passed courses is six years. If the term of validity must be extended due to extenuating circumstances before the BSc or MSc final evaluation can be completed, students must submit a substantiated request to the secretary of the Examining Board, via the study adviser. The study adviser must support the request (positive recommendation), possibly in combination with a recommendation from the student dean.

Converting marks earned abroad
A different system of assessing course results (marks) is often used at universities abroad. Students who have passed one or more courses at a university abroad must send the transcript or digital scan (including official stamps and signatures) listing the courses and assessments according to the system used at that university to the SSC. The SSC will then convert the transcript to the system used at Wageningen. If needed, the SSC will consult the secretary of the Examining Board.

Approval requests for 2nd BSc programme, 2nd MSc programme or 2nd specialisation
In certain cases, students can complete 2nd BSc programme, a 2nd MSc programme or a 2nd specialisation within a MSc programme where there is a certain overlap between the parallel study programmes or specialisations. Approval for these second programmes or specialisations can be requested (upon recommendation of the study adviser) by submitting a substantiated request with the two sets of study components, where the overlapping and unique components are clearly shown (Article 21 EER BSc, Article 21 EER MSc)

Cases of fraud
Fraud (including plagiarism) is taken very seriously.
If an examiner ascertains fraud, he/she notifies the student in question and reports this to the secretary of the Examining Board. Depending on the severity of the fraud, the Examining Board imposes sanctions (Article 33 Education and Examination Regulations BSc and Article 34 Education and Examination Regulations MSc)