Part-time
Higher Diploma in Statistics and Computing for Business
商 業 統 計 及 電 子 計 算 高 級 文 憑
(Programme Code : 63017)

1. General Information

Programme title	: Higher Diploma in Statistics and Computing for Business
Programme code	: 63017
Host	: Department of Applied Mathematics
Final award	: Higher Diploma
Normal duration	: 3 years (maximum duration: 6 years)
Mode of study	: Part-time
Programme structure	: Credit-based
Number of credits for award	: 48 credits

2 Aim and Philosophy

Statistics is used in almost every discipline such as pure science, social and health sciences, engineering and business. In response to the ever-increasing volume of analytical financial and business activities, the proposed programme aims to provide students with a sound education and training in the applications of statistical principles and techniques and computing technology to business and industry. The programme also provides a sound foundation for graduates to pursue further studies and to acquire relevant professional membership.

Specifically, after completing the programme, students will:

(a) possess a sound knowledge of computing technology and statistical principles and techniques, including data analysis and operations research;

(b) be able to understand and analyze relevant problems in commerce and industry;

(c) possess the necessary skill to solve problems related to analytical financial and business activities with the knowledge and techniques mentioned in (a).

3 Entrance Requirements and Enrolment

3.1 Entrance requirements

3.1.1 A Higher Certificate in science, engineering, computing/information technology or business, OR

A Diploma in science, engineering, computing/information technology or business from the Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education – formerly the Hong Kong Technical Institute and the Hong Kong Technical College, OR

The equivalent.

3.1.2 Holders of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University Higher Certificate in Mathematical Studies may be granted credit transfer up to seven 3-credit subjects.

3.2 Enrolment and credit transfer

3.2.1 The programme is credit-based and students are required to complete subject registration before the commencement of each semester.

3.2.2 A student is permitted to enrol in a subject if he fulfilled the prerequisites for that subject.

In exceptional cases, a student not fulfilling the prerequisites of a subject may enrol in that subject on the recommendation of the subject lecturers concerned and on the approval of the Programme Committee.

3.2.3 A student, unless otherwise approved by the Programme Committee, must enrol in not less than 2 subjects in any one semester.

3.2.4 Subject to 3.2.2 above, a student may enrol in subjects at different levels.

3.2.5 A student may be given credit transfer for a subject on the basis of acceptable qualifications or achievements.

3.2.6 No students may be given credit transfer for more than seven 3-credit subjects of the Programme.

3.2.7 Credit transferred subjects without assigning grades will not be considered in the calculation of the Grade Point Average (GPA).

4 Assessment

4.1 The Common Grading Scheme

4.1.1 The University's General Assessment Regulations govern the conditions for a student's assessment and progression and for the recommendation of an award. The Programme Regulations below are more detailed regulations applied to this particular Programme and should be read in conjunction with and interpreted in the light of those general regulations.

4.1.2 A student's performance in a subject is assessed either by continuous assessment or by an examination, or by a combination of both. Their relative contribution to the assessment of a subject grade is set out in the Syllabus. Students will be informed of the form of the continuous assessments in each subject at the start of each semester.

4.1.3 Each subject will be awarded a grade based on the following interpretation:

Grade	Description	Grade Point
A+	Excellent	4.5
A		4
B+	Good	3.5
B		3
C+	Satisfactory	2.5
C		2
D+	Marginal	1.5
D		1
F	Failure	0

4.1.4 For subjects offered by the Department of Applied Mathematics, a student obtains an overall grade D or above in a subject if he obtains a grade D or above in each of the assessment components of that subject. A grade F will be awarded if a student obtains a grade below D in any of the assessment components.

4.2 Progression/Academic Probation/Deregistration

At the end of each semester, the Board of Examiners will study the record of each student and decide whether he shall be:

(i) eligible for progression towards an award; or

(ii) eligible for an award; or

(iii) required to be deregistered from the programme.

4.2.1 When a student has a Grade Point Average (GPA) (see Section 4.5.3 below) lower than 2.0, he will be put on academic probation in the following semester. Once when a student is able to pull his GPA up to 2.0 or above at the end of the probation semester, the status of "academic probation" will be lifted. The status of "academic probation" will be reflected in the examination result notification but not in transcript of studies.

4.2.2 A students will have 'progressing' status unless he falls within the following categories, either of which may be regarded as grounds for deregistration from the programme:

(i) the student has exceeded the maximum period of registration for that programme as specified in the definitive programme document; or

(ii) the student's GPA is lower than 2.0 for two consecutive semesters and his Semester GPA in the second semester is lower than 2.0; or

(iii) the student's GPA is lower than 2.0 for three consecutive semesters.

4.2.3 The progression of students to the following academic year will not be affected by the GPA obtained in Summer Term.

4.2.4 Notwithstanding Sections 4.2.2(ii) and 4.2.2(iii) above, a student may be deregistered from the programme enrolled before the time specified in Sections 4.2.2(ii) or 4.2.2(iii) above if his academic performance is poor to the extent that the Board of Examiners deems that his chance of attaining a GPA of 2.0 at the end of the programme is slim or impossible.

4.2.5 In the event that there are good reasons, the Board of Examiners has the discretion to allow the students who fall into categories as stated in Sections 4.2.2(ii) or 4.2.2(iii) above to stay on the programme, and these cases should be reported to Faculty Board for information.

4.3 Retaking of subjects

4.3.1 Normally, students may retake only those subjects for which they have failed, i.e. obtained an F grade.

4.3.2 Students are not allowed to retake subjects for which they have passed with grade C or above. Retaking of a subject which has been passed at grade D or D+ will require the approval of the host department of the programme on which the student enrols.

4.3.3 The number of retakes of a failed subject is not restricted. Only the grade obtained in the final attempt of retaking will be included in the calculation of the Grade Point Average (GPA). (The grades obtained in previous attempts will only be reflected in transcript of studies.)

4.3.4 Section 4.3.3 above applies to the retake of the same subject only, and in cases where a student takes another subject to replace a failed subject, the fail grade will be retained and taken into account in the calculation of the GPA, despite the passing of the other subject.

4.4 Exceptional Circumstances

4.4.1 Absence from an assessment component

If a student is unable to complete all the assessment components of a subject due to illness or other circumstances beyond his control, and considered by the Subject Assessment Review Panel as legitimate, the Panel will determine whether the student will have to complete the assessment and, if so, by what means. This assessment shall take place before the commencement of the following academic year (except that for Summer Term, which may take place within 3 weeks from the finalisation of Summer Term results). The student will not receive a grade for the subject prior to his completion of the assessment component.

4.4.2 Aegrotat award

4.4.2.1 If a student is unable to complete the requirements of the programme in question for the award due to very serious illness, or other very special circumstances which are beyond his control, and considered by the Board of Examiners as legitimate, the Faculty/School Board will determine whether the student will be granted an aegrotat award. Aegrotat award will be granted under very exceptional circumstances.

4.4.2.2 A student who has been offered an aegrotat award shall have the right to opt either to accept such an award, or request to be assessed on another occasion to be stipulated by the Board of Examiners; the student’s exercise of this option shall be irrevocable.

4.4.2.3 The acceptance of an aegrotat award by a student shall disqualify him from any subsequent assessment for the same award.

4.4.2.4 An aegrotat award shall normally not be classified, and the award parchment shall not state that it is an aegrotat award. However, the Board of Examiners may determine whether the award should be classified provided that they have adequate information on the students’ academic performance.

4.4.3 Other particular circumstances

A student's particular circumstances may influence the procedures for assessment but not the standard of performance expected in assessment.

4.5 Grading

4.5.1 Assessment grades shall be awarded on a criterion-referenced basis. A student’s overall performance in a subject shall be graded as follows:

Subject grade	Short description	Elaboration on subject grading description
A+	Excellent	The student’s work is outstanding. It exceeds the subject learning outcomes in all regards.
A		The student’s work is excellent. It exceeds the subject learning outcomes in nearly all regards.
B+	Good	The student’s work is very good. It exceeds the subject learning outcomes in the majority of regards.
B		The student’s work is good. It exceeds the subject learning outcomes in some regards.
C+	Satisfactory	The student’s work is wholly satisfactory. It fully meets all the subject learning outcomes.
C		The student’s work is satisfactory. It largely meets all the subject learning outcomes.
D+	Marginal	The student’s work is barely adequate. It fails marginally to meet all the subject learning outcomes.
D		The student’s work is weak. It fails to meet the subject learning outcomes in some regards.
F	Failure	The student’s work is inadequate. It fails to meet most of the subject learning outcomes.

‘F’ is a subject failure grade, whilst all others (‘D’ to ‘A+’) are subject passing grades. No credit will be earned if a subject is failed.

4.5.2 A numeral grade point is assigned to each subject grade, as follows:

Grade	Grade Point
A+	4.5
A	4
B+	3.5
B	3
C+	2.5
C	2
D+	1.5
D	1
F	0

4.5.3 At the end of each semester/term, a Grade Point Average (GPA) will be computed based on the grade point of the subject overall grade as follows:

	Σ Subject Grade Point x Subject Credit Value
GPA =	n
	Σ Subject Credit Value
	n

where n = number of all subjects (inclusive of failed subjects) taken by the student up to and including the latest semester/term, but for subjects which have been retaken, only the grade obtained in the final attempt will be included in the GPA calculation

In addition, the following subjects will be excluded from the GPA calculation:

(i) Exempted subjects

(ii) Ungraded subjects

(iii) Incomplete subjects

(iv) Subjects for which credit transfer has been approved without any grade assigned

(v) Subjects from which a student has been allowed to withdraw (i.e. those with the grade ‘W’)

Subject which has been given an “S” subject code, i.e. absent from examination, will be included in the GPA calculation and will be counted as “zero” grade point. GPA is thus the unweighted cumulative average calculated for a student, for all relevant subjects taken from the start of the programme to a particular point of time. GPA is an indicator of overall performance and is capped at 4.0.

4.5.4 The grades and codes for the subject and final assessments are included in Appendices I and II.

4.5.5 In the event that grade is awarded to subject components, a grade point with the decimal value may be generated for the overall result of the subject. This grade point with decimal value will be converted to grade for deriving the subject overall grades. The corresponding grade point for the subject overall grade, instead of the actual grade points obtained by students, will be used for GPA calculation. This methodology for deriving subject overall grades only serves as an aid to subject assessors. As assessment should be a matter of judgement, not merely a result of computation, the subject lecturer will have the discretion to assign a grade which is considered to reflect more appropriately the overall performance of the student in a subject to override the grade derived by the computer.

4.6 Eligibility for Award

4.6.1 A student is eligible for the award of a Higher Diploma in Statistics and Computing for Business if he satisfies all the conditions below:

(i) Accumulation of the requisite 48 credits of the Programme; and

(ii) Satisfying the residential requirement for at least 1/3 of the credits to be completed for the award he is currently enrolled, unless the professional bodies stipulate otherwise; and

(iii) Passing all the 11 ‘compulsory’ subjects, and passing 5 ‘elective’ subjects including at least one ‘Statistics/mathematics’ subject, one ‘Computing/ Statistical Computing’ subject and one ‘Business and Management’ subject of the Programme; and

(iv) Having a GPA of 2.0 or above at the end of the programme, and

(v) Satisfying other requirements as stipulated in the definitive programme document e.g. Work-integrated experience, co-curricular activities, GSLPA and other language requirements.

4.6.2 A student is required to graduate as soon as he satisfies all the conditions for award (see Section 4.6.1 above). Subject to the maximum study load of 21 credits per semester, a student may take more credits than he needs to graduate up to a maximum of 9 credits on top of the prescribed credit requirements for his award in or before the semester within which he becomes eligible for award.

4.7 Guidelines for award classification

4.7.1 In award classification, there will be no level weightings. The Board of Examiners for the programme will determine the class of Higher Diploma to be awarded according to the following guidelines:

Class	Guidelines
Distinction	The student’s performance/attainment is outstanding, and identifies him as exceptionally able in the field covered by the programme in question.
Credit	The student has reached a standard of performance/attainment which is more than satisfactory but less than outstanding.
Pass	The student has reached a standard of performance/attainment ranging from just adequate to satisfactory.

4.7.2 Any subjects passed after the graduation requirement has been met or subjects taken on top of the prescribed credit requirements for award shall not be taken into account in the grade point calculation for award classification (see Sections 4.5.3 and 4.6.2 above). However, if a student attempts more elective subjects (or optional subjects) than the requirement for graduation in or before the semester within which he becomes eligible for award, the elective subjects (or optional subjects) with higher contribution (with the exception of the additional subjects taken out of interest and not for satisfying the award requirements) shall be counted in the grade point calculation for award classification (i.e. the subjects attempted with lower contribution will be excluded from the grade point calculation for award classification), irrespective of when the excessive elective subjects (or optional subjects) are enrolled.