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Academic Misconduct

Understanding how to use the work of other scholars, including peers, to develop your own insights into a subject is an important professional skill. The University expects you to follow professional academic conventions. It is never acceptable to use the words of others or their creative output (whether published or unpublished, including material from the internet) without explicit acknowledgement. To do so would not be seen as a mark of respect but as academic misconduct. Additionally, it is not acceptable for you to submit work which you have either put out to tender or bought, either ‘off the shelf’ or specifically written, and submit it as your own work, this is known as contract cheating.

The University takes cases of academic misconduct extremely seriously and seeks to ensure that they are dealt with efficiently and appropriately. The University’s approach to academic misconduct is to develop learning and understanding, without prejudice, depending on the severity of the offence. View our Academic Misconduct - Frequently Asked Questions. 


Academic Integrity


Academic Integrity is fundamental in maintaining the ‘learning community’ within the University, in which students and staff are expected to maintain high standard of academic conduct and professionalism, based on courtesy, honesty and mutual respect. The guidance below details the importance of Academic Integrity, how you can uphold it and how to avoid committing Academic Misconduct.

Academic Integrity Statement for Students

Further advice and guidance on academic integrity and academic misconduct are available from your module tutors, the Students’ Union and the Student Development and Study Skills Service.


Regulations and Procedure 2022 - 2023

Procedural Flowcharts

Previous years' regulations are available on request from the Student Casework Unit. Please email: [email protected]

Regulations and Procedure 2021 - 2022


Procedural Flowcharts

Previous years' regulations are available on request from the Student Casework Unit. Please email: [email protected]

Forms and Guidance

Further Documentation

  • Allegation of Academic Misconduct Form English | Welsh
  • Continuation Sheet for Allegation of Academic Misconduct Form English | Welsh
  • Please see Annex 1 of the Academic Misconduct Regulations and Procedure 2021-22 for the Tariff of Penalties for Taught Courses
  • Tariff of Penalties for Research Degrees English | Welsh

If an academic member of staff wishes to raise an allegation of suspected academic misconduct, please send an Allegation of Academic Misconduct Form with the required information and evidence to the central Student Casework Unit Academic Misconduct team:

Request for Review

  • Request for Review of an Academic Misconduct Decision Form English | Cymraeg
  • Guidance Notes for Request for Review of an Academic Misconduct Decision Form English | Cymraeg
  • Third Party Evidence Consent Form English | Cymraeg

Students should send their Request for Review of an Academic Decision Form to [email protected]

Amendments to Regulations 2022 - 2023

The following are key changes to the student casework regulations for the 2022/23 academic year.  

  •   Amendments to wording for the purpose of clarification (A1 1.2, 1.3, 1.4 / A2 2.2, 2.5, 2.9, 2.11, 2.12, 2.14, 2.15 / A3 3.1 / A4 4.2, 4.6, 4.11, 1.4 / A5 5.4 /  A8 8.1, 8.2 / B2 2.1-2.7 / B3 3.1 / B4 4.1 / B4 4.3, 4.4 / B5 5.1, 5.4 / B6 6.4, 6.8, 6.9, 6.11 / B8 8.1)

  • Inclusion of reference to the Regulations for Taught Courses (Appendix 1)

  • Amendment of the membership of the Review Board from ‘three’ to ‘four’ members appointed by Academic Board, to ensure parity across other procedures (B6 6.10)

  • The clarification of a student’s ability to have a legally qualified support person/representative at meetings and hearings (B1 1.6-1.8)

  • Addition of further information in relation to advice and support for students (B1 1.1-1.3)

  • Inclusion of ‘postgraduate’ in reference to research students throughout the document

  • Addition of ‘employed students’ when reference to apprentices are made to clarify that both categories of students will follow the same processes in relation to informing their employers (A1 1.2 / A2 2.7, 2.15 / B4 4.4 / B5 5.4 / B6 6.11)

  • Inclusion of a section articulating that allegations against a member of staff of assisting a student to commit an academic offence or selling work to other students or third parties will be considered through the Disciplinary Procedure for Staff (A4 4.5)

  • Poor academic practice to be dealt with locally, consequently all references of this in relation to the formal process to be removed (A2 2.3, 2.4)

  • Clarification that reporting students will not be informed of whether an allegation is raised or not and will not be told of any potential outcome under the procedure (A2 2.3)

UNICAF Students

Please note that there is a derogation to the Academic Misconduct Procedure 2021-2022 for all UNICAF students studying USW degrees. Please see here for further details. 

UNICAF tutors please use this version of the UNICAF Academic Misconduct Allegation Form. 

The General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR)

The General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) have now replaced the Data Protection Act. An explanation of how the University will use your data can be found here and in the Communication Plan above. Please note that in accordance with GDPR Regulations any third party supporting evidence will only be accepted if it is accompanied by a completed Third Party Consent Form. 

Examples

Examples of academic misconduct are:

  • Plagiarism – when students take someone else’s work and pass them off as their own.
  • Cheating – when students act dishonestly or unfairly before, during or after an examination or test in order to gain an advantage, or assist another student to do so.
  • Contract cheating – when students put out to tender or buy an essay or assignment
  • Falsification – when students falsify information or theories and make use of them within an assignment.
  • Recycling – when students submit a piece of work which has already been used in one context and is then used again in another.
  • Collusion – when students work together on an individual assignment and submit the work as their own. 

Please find further information on examples of academic misconduct here English | Welsh