Program Assessment and Learning Experience Manual

University of Arizona (UAZ) and upGrad Master of Science in Data Science Program

Contents
Assessment Policy 2

Assessment Structure 3

Grading Policy 4

Assessment and Grading Timelines 5

Guidelines for Re-Evaluation 5

Course Retake Policy 6

Probation and Disqualification Policy 6

Plagiarism Policy 7

Code of Conduct 8

Student Support Guidelines 8

Time to Degree and Leave of Absence (LOA) 9

Telegram Policy 10

Escalation Matrix 11
 1. Assessment Policy

1.1. A variety of assessment formats are planned in order to mirror the workplace today and global
university standards. The list provided below describes the different assessment formats used in the
program:

1.1.1. Assignments will assess the learners based on their ability to produce quality deliverables on large
analytics projects.
1.1.2. In-module graded questions, individual assignments, and exams will assess the participants based
on conceptual clarity.
1.1.3. As per the Academic Committee’s exam guidelines, exam question papers and answer keys will not
be disclosed to maintain the academic integrity of exams.

1.2. The Academic Committee regularly deliberates on the academic structure and grading elements of the
program, and it holds the right to change any component of the same. Any change to the grading elements or
the academic structure of the program will be communicated to the learners in advance.

1.3. It is recommended that the participants focus on learning rather than solely on assessment scores. This
being a master’s degree program, participants are expected to do research on their own during the learning
process and attempt assessments, which have multiple approaches to solving them.
 2. Assessment Structure

2.1. Assessment Components and Respective Weights

2.1.1. The program comprises three assessment components as mentioned below.

Type of Assessment Subset

Quizzes Graded MCQs and coding questions (may include timed assessments)

Assignments Individual assignments

Exams Nine online proctored exams, each 90 minutes long

2.1.2. This program has a total of nine courses and two capstones. The distribution and weightage of the three
assessment components in each course/capstone are summarized in the table given below.

Weight Distribution of Graded Components

Course Assignment MCQ Exam Credits
INFO 526: Data Analysis and Visualization 40 10 50 3
INFO 523: Data Mining and Discovery 40 10 50 3
INFO 521: Introduction to Machine Learning 40 10 50 3
INFO 570: Database Development and Management 40 10 50 3
Capstone 1 100 0 0 1
INFO 531: Data Warehousing and Analytics in the Cloud 40 10 50 3
INFO 557: Neural Networks 40 10 50 3
INFO 555: Applied Natural Language Processing 40 10 50 3
LIS 673: Managing the Digital Information Environment 40 10 50 3
INFO 520: Ethical Issues in Information 40 10 50 3
Capstone 2 100 0 0 2
*upGrad reserves the right to modify, amend, or change the structure of module delivery with due consensus of
UAZ.

2.1.3. Let's take an example to understand this. Suppose you have scored the following marks in INFO 526. Each
component is mentioned with its respective weightage in parentheses:

1. Assignment (40%): 150/300

2. MCQ (10%): 150/600
3. Exam (50%): 300/500

Your final overall score for INFO 526 will be calculated as follows:

{[0.40 * (150/300)] + [0.10 * (150/600)] + [0.5 * (300/500)]} * 100

= 52.5%

The final overall scores of all the learners for each course are calculated in the manner stated above.

3. Grading Policy
3.1. Grade Point Average (GPA) Computation for a Course

All the courses in the Master of Science in Data Science curriculum are graded as mentioned below.

Marks given for each assessment, scaled by the weight assigned to an assessment, add up to the overall score
for a course. The grade point average (GPA) is awarded on a four-point scale.

There are six letter grades: A, B, C, D, E, and I. The relation between grades and points (on a four-point scale) is
shown in the table provided below.

Grade Grade Points In GPA Description

A 4 Yes Excellent
B 3 Yes Good
C 2 Yes Satisfactory
D 1 Yes Poor
E 0 Yes Failure
I NA No Incomplete - In case some components are pending for the course

*Grade I will be allocated only when a learner’s leave is approved by the Academic Committee. In case of
non-approval, the component will be marked as zero, and the grades will be allocated accordingly.
3.2. Grading Criteria

For each course, grades will be allocated according to the overall scores received. The overall score buckets given below
will be used to allocate grades.

Grade Overall Score Range Description

A 90 and above Superior work

B 80 and above but below 90 Very good

C 70 and above but below 80 Marginally satisfactory

D 60 and above but below 70 Failed to meet requirements

E Below 60 Failed to meet requirements

*The Academic Committee reserves the right to change or modify these grading buckets after internal deliberation.

3.3. Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) Computation for the Program

3.3.1. The program has a total of 30 credits, which are distributed as shown in the following table.

Course Title Course Name Credits

Course 1 INFO 526: Data Analysis and Visualization 3
Course 2 INFO 523: Data Mining and Discovery 3
Course 3 INFO 521: Introduction to Machine Learning 3
Course 4 INFO 570: Database Development and Management 3
Capstone 1 Capstone 1
Course 5 INFO 531: Data Warehousing and Analytics in the Cloud 3
Course 6 INFO 557: Neural Networks 3
Course 7 INFO 555: Applied Natural Language Processing 3
Course 8 LIS 673: Managing the Digital Information Environment 3
Course 9 INFO 520: Ethical Issues in Information 3
Capstone 2 Capstone 2

3.3.2. The GPA scores for each course weighted by the respective proportion of credit add up to the
CGPA for the entire program.
For instance, if the grade points awarded to a participant are, respectively, G1, G2, etc., in courses with
corresponding credits of C1, C2, etc., then the CGPA = (C1 * G1 + C2 * G2 + …)/(C1 + C2 + …), wherein C1,
C2... refer to all the credits taken up until the time of computation of the CGPA.
 3.3.3. In case the student retakes a course, both attempts/grades will be shown in the transcript and will be
included in the calculation of the CGPA.

For the sake of simplicity, let’s assume that there are only three courses, and their corresponding credits are
C1, C2, and C3. If a student receives grade D (1 point) in course 3, of C3 credits, and then repeats the course
and attains grade A (4 points) in the second attempt, the CGPA calculation will be done as follows:

CGPA = (G1 * C1 + G2 * C2 + 1 * C3 + 4 * C3)/ (C1 + C2 + C3 + C3) [Both grades of course 3 are counted.]

*Course retakes are subject to approval from the Academic Committee. Students who have attained grade A
or B in a course will not be permitted to retake the course.

3.4 Pass/Fail Criteria

Students cannot present a grade of D or E for graduation at the end of their program. To receive the master’s
degree, i.e., to graduate, the learner must secure a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of at least 3.0.

Additionally, each course may have its own criteria, as will be communicated to the student, based on which
a student shall be evaluated on satisfactory academic progress (“Satisfactory Progress”).

*The Academic Committee reserves the right to provide suitable alternatives to learners as deemed fit at any
point in their program journey.

4. Assessment and Grading Timelines

There is a deadline for submissions pertaining to each module of a course (the module deadline is provided on
the upGrad learning platform). All quizzes and assignments submitted after the stated deadline, but within one
week of the deadline, will attract a penalty of 5% of the total marks of the assessment (including quizzes,
assignments, etc.). Exams begin after the end date of the course (exam dates will be duly communicated), and
any submissions made after the course ends will attract a 100% late submissions penalty. The submissions
would, however, be checked to provide feedback.

5. Guidelines for Re-Evaluation

5.1. A re-evaluation request, if any, should be submitted within three days of declaration of the results. For
example, if results are declared on 13/06/2022, then requests for re-evaluation made until 16/06/2022
(end of day) will be considered.
5.2. A learner will be able to request for a re-evaluation on the learning platform itself. Further, a
re-evaluation request can be made only for an assignment component. Graded MCQs will be
automatically graded according to the response.
5.3. In such cases, the learner should clearly specify the portion (question number) of the assignment that is
required to be re-evaluated, along with remarks on the claimed discrepancy. Requests that do not have
all this information, or are generic/vague in nature, will be flagged as invalid and will not be considered.
Note: If a claim for discrepancy of marks is invalid, then the concerned learner will be awarded a
penalty of 15% points (of the total points).
5.4. Re-evaluation requests claiming discrepancy of marks when compared with another learner’s graded
assignment are highly discouraged and will not be considered. Note: If any such requests are made,
then the concerned learner can be awarded a penalty of 15% points (of the total points), depending
on the decision made by the Academic Committee.
 5.5. Re-evaluation requests for assignments that have been uploaded after the hard deadline will not be
considered and are highly discouraged.
5.6. All re-evaluation requests will receive a response any time up to three weeks after the re-
evaluation deadline.

6. Course Retake Policy

Degree students can retake a course once, subject to approval from the Academic Committee. However,
students who have attained grade A or B in a course will not be permitted to retake the course under this
policy. A maximum number of 9 credits can be retaken in total by a degree student /probationary student.
Refer to section 7 for further clarity on the degree and probationary students.

7. Probation and Disqualification Policy

In the program, learners are classified into different categories, depending on their eligibility for the degree.
The classification shall be as follows:

7.1. Degree students: Learners who are eligible for the degree by meeting the eligibility criteria of the
University of Arizona will remain degree students unless reclassified into any of the other student
categories. Degree students must maintain a 3.0 GPA and meet any additional criteria that may be set
for a course to continue as degree students.

7.2. Probationary students: The University of Arizona reviews cumulative GPAs twice a year: once in
mid-May and then again in mid-December. After the first CGPA review in which a degree student attains
a cumulative GPA of less than 3.0, or fails to make satisfactory progress as defined in the pass/fail
criteria section provided above, they will be reclassified from degree student to probationary student.
Probationary students will be allowed to register for courses until the next review. However,
probationary students are required to confer with their Major Advisor, discuss the steps to be taken to
remediate the problems that led to the probationary status, and devise a written plan of action.

7.3. Disqualified students: Students whose GPA is below 3.0, or fail to make satisfactory progress, for
two consecutive CGPA reviews, will be disqualified from the program and reclassified as disqualified
students. Disqualification would result in the student being blocked from registration.
Disqualified students would have the option of re-applying as non-degree students, pursuing courses,
raising their CGPA, and then re-applying to the program for admission. The re-admission would be
subject to the approval of the University of Arizona.

7.4. Non-degree students: Non-degree students are students who are enrolled in the program but are
currently not eligible for the degree. They can be bifurcated into two categories:

7.4.1. Students that start the program as non-degree students: These learners need to attain a
CGPA of 3.0 in their first six credits and meet any additional criteria that may be set for those
credits to become eligible for the degree and be reclassified as degree students. In case, if
these students get reclassified as degree students and later become disqualified students, they
would not be allowed to apply as a non-degree student for the second time.

7.4.2. Disqualified students that apply as non-degree students: Disqualified students would
have the option of re-applying as non-degree seeking students only once to pursue courses and
 raise their CGPA, and then re-apply to the program for admission. This is to clarify that if the
student gets disqualified, readmitted, and disqualified again, then they would lose their
opportunity to attain the degree. The re-admission would be subject to the approval of the
University of Arizona. Students will need to maintain a minimum of 3.0 CGPA to continue as
degree students in the program.
During the period that the student is a non-degree student, they need to complete a minimum
of six credits and can take up to 12 credits to improve their CGPA to at least 3.0 to meet the
program requirements and display satisfactory progress in the courses taken. The student will
then be evaluated for official readmission as a “degree student.”

The Academic Committee will have the final discretion in the re-classification of non-degree students as
degree students.

8. Plagiarism Policy
8.1. Any dishonest behavior, including but not limited to plagiarism, in any form with regard to any graded
component of the program on any platform and/or discussion forum may lead to withholding of enrolment
in the program and may also result in strict disciplinary action.
8.2. Learners are not allowed to request, share, or discuss solutions to any graded component of the program
on any platform and/or discussion forum. If any such act is done by the learner, they will be marked as
“zero” (0) in that graded component. For any subsequent violation, disciplinary action shall be taken at
the sole discretion of UAZ and upGrad, and all such posts having answers to the graded questions shall be
deleted by the Teaching Assistant (TA).
8.3. In case of any dispute, the learners have the right to appeal to the Academic Committee and would be
given a fair chance to prove their innocence in plagiarism cases. The subsequent decision of the Academic
Committee shall be final and binding.

9. Code of Conduct
9.1. Any learner’s misbehavior on an online or offline forum will not be tolerated and will entail
appropriate disciplinary action from the Academic Committee.
9.2. Strict adherence to behavioral policies must be maintained by all candidates/learners. Provoking
messages, threats, use of derogatory words and demeaning connotations on online or public forums
(WhatsApp, Telegram, discussion forum) against any upGrad buddy/peer / anyone representing the
University/upGrad may lead to withholding of the learner’s enrolment in the program and may also result
in strict disciplinary action.
9.3. Students are expected to restrict emails to the escalation IDs shared in this student manual or
communicated separately while raising any query, concern, or grievance. Please refrain from sending any
mass mailers while sending emails to the upGrad team. UAZ and upGrad reserve the right to take strict
action against any student indulging in mass mailers.
9.4. upGrad does not tolerate any form of bullying and/or harassment, including but not limited to sexual
harassment. If we are notified of any act of harassment committed by a learner towards co-learners or
upGrad’s representatives, such learner shall have to face strict consequences, which shall be taken at the
sole discretion of upGrad.
10. Student Support Guidelines
10.1. The upGrad buddy will help personalize the learner’s learning experience by periodically
engaging with them to ensure that they are on track with upcoming deadlines, offering guidance,
resolving non-academic queries, and lending a helping hand wherever required. However, if a learner
needs to approach us, please contact our Student Support Team, which is available seven days a
week from 09 AM to 09 PM IST. The learner can drop an email at studentsupport@upgrad.com and
expect to receive a response within 24 hours. For any urgent queries, please click on the “Call Back”
button on the learning platform, and our team will reach out to the learner within two working
hours.

10.2. Although the upGrad buddy along with a gamut of teams will be available to handhold a learner to
excel in the program, the learner’s commitment to the program is of utmost importance, and we
suggest that the learner imbibe the program schedule in their day-to-day life. For any help/mentoring
required in planning time better, please connect with the Student Support Team.

10.3. In case the learners’ buddy is unable to provide them with a resolution to the issue within a TAT
of 24 hours and learners do not receive an ETA on the same, the learner can make use of the
escalation matrix mentioned in the student manual to expedite the response.

10.4. Around the time of program completion, the learners’ buddy will connect them with the Career
Coach to take the journey ahead in the career phase. Learners can always remain connected with
upGrad in the alumni phase through customercare@upgrad.com. We will be happy to guide and assist.
11. Time to Degree and Leave of Absence (LOA)
11.1. Learners are expected and required to complete their coursework and graduate within six years of the
date of their cohort’s commencement.

11.2. Learners may apply for a leave of absence from a program for up to one academic year by communicating
the same to their upGrad buddy. The decision of the Academic Committee on these matters would be final and
binding.

11.3. A learner can request for leave of absence only once during the entire program and can defer to one of
the next scheduled cohorts of the same program within one year of the start of the program.

11.4. Types of leaves:

11.4.1. Academic leaves: Academic LOAs (i.e., leaves to take course work at another university for
research, field work, internships, professional development, etc.) are handled on a case-by-case basis
by the Academic Committee.

11.4.2. Medical leaves: Learners may be granted a medical leave of absence by the Academic
Committee on a case-by-case basis.

11.4.3. Personal leaves: Learners are granted a leave of absence for only one year throughout the
course of their degree program. LOAs are granted on a case-by-case basis for compelling reasons,
including birth or adoption of a child, personal or family reasons, medical reasons, military duty, or
financial hardship.

11.5. Time to degree is not extended while on leave of absence.

12. Telegram policy
In order to provide easier access to course-related updates, in addition to emails and calls, a Telegram channel
will be created by the upGrad buddy to keep the learner notified about upcoming deadlines and course-related
updates. We will be creating an Official Telegram Channel where only the upGrad buddy will be allowed to post
notifications.

To manage this effort effectively and efficiently, all members must be aware of the following guidelines:

12.1. The channel will be used only by the upGrad buddy for sharing important notifications related to
the program, course content, live sessions, events, etc.
12.2. Should the learner have any concerns with upGrad, University partners, or peers, they will be
required to direct such communication to upGrad only via email, or reach out to the concerned upGrad
buddy over a call.
12.3. upGrad will not collect any personal information via this channel and shall not be responsible for
any misuse of personal information by other members of the channel. However, we will provide all
reasonable assistance to take action against any other student who has misused such information.
12.4. Telegram should not be considered a medium of official query resolution. For any such queries,
please reach out to the Student Support Team via email or using the chat function available on the
learning platform. The upGrad buddy is not liable to answer any/all queries on Telegram.
12.5. In addition to this channel, Small Group Coaching (SGC) groups will also be created on Telegram to
share session invites and agenda.
12.6. Learners are requested to keep notifications turned on on their Telegram app to receive
uninterrupted updates during the program.

We expect the learner to make the most of this platform and keep themselves updated about the course and
the platform.
13. Escalation Matrix for Grievance Redressal
upGrad believes in adopting a transparent approach with all its learners, and in order to match our learners’
expectations in terms of grievance redressal, we have created an Escalation Matrix. Based on the kind of
queries that we receive from our learners, we have defined the levels of the Escalation Matrix. We request
learners to refer to the Escalation Matrix provided below if they need to escalate an issue.

Type of Query Point of Contact

Non-academic queries (for example, live sessions, Learners’ upGrad buddy

referral refund, fee receipt-related queries)

Non-academic queries on weekends Learners can reach out via the chat/call
option in the “Help” section of the platform

Academic queries Discussion forum

Content-related issues/queries Click on the “Report an Error” button on

(if learners find any issues with or have queries the bottom-left corner of the session
regarding the content on a session page) page

Not satisfied with the resolution provided by your

Write to: msdsuoaescalations@upgrad.com
upGrad Buddy