International Fashion Academy

Postgraduate Department

Student Handbook 2019-2020

Postgraduate Department

Paris Terms

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STUDENT HANDBOOK | 2019-2020

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Postgraduate Department

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. MAIN INFORMATION .................................................................................................................................................................................... 5

1.1 Paris Team......................................................................................................................................................................................... 5
1.2 Academic Calendar ........................................................................................................................................................................ 5
1.3 Sustainability and Fashion Ethics at IFA Paris .................................................................................................................. 6
2. ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS AND PROCEDURES ................................................................................................................. 6
2.1 School Operations .......................................................................................................................................................................... 6
2.2 Student Email ................................................................................................................................................................................... 7
2.3 Wi-Fi Access...................................................................................................................................................................................... 7
2.4 Learning Management System (LMS) ................................................................................................................................... 7
2.5 Campus Resources & Material .................................................................................................................................................. 7
2.6 Book Borrowing & E-Library .................................................................................................................................................... 8
2.7 Class Representatives & Feedback meetings ..................................................................................................................... 8
2.8 Students Requests.......................................................................................................................................................................... 8
2.9 Change of Personal Details......................................................................................................................................................... 8
2.10 Student ID Card ............................................................................................................................................................................... 9
2.11 Visa Renewal .................................................................................................................................................................................... 9
3. ACADEMIC REGULATIONS AND PROCEDURES ................................................................................................................................. 9
3.1 ECTS Credits ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 9
3.2 Grading Structure........................................................................................................................................................................... 9
3.3 Module Grading System ........................................................................................................................................................... 10
3.4 Grading Scale ................................................................................................................................................................................. 11
3.5 Marking Criteria........................................................................................................................................................................... 12
3.6 Types of Evaluations & Comments ...................................................................................................................................... 12
3.7 Graduation Requirements ....................................................................................................................................................... 12
3.8 Distinction ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 12
3.9 Disciplinary Concerns And Lack Of Work ........................................................................................................................ 12
3.10 Academic Documents on the LMS ........................................................................................................................................ 13
3.11 Assignment Submissions & Extensions ............................................................................................................................. 13
3.12 Capstone Project .......................................................................................................................................................................... 13
3.13 Exemption for Modules ............................................................................................................................................................ 14
3.14 Grade Appeal Policy ................................................................................................................................................................... 14
3.15 Industry Presentations & Visits ............................................................................................................................................ 14
3.16 Evaluation Results ...................................................................................................................................................................... 14
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3.17 Conference and issuance of credentials ............................................................................................................................ 14

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4. GENERAL RULES & REGULATIONS AT SCHOOL ............................................................................................................................ 15

4.1 Conduct and behavior ............................................................................................................................................................... 15
4.2 Attendance & Absences ............................................................................................................................................................ 15
4.3 Lecturer Absence......................................................................................................................................................................... 16
4.4 Cheating, Plagiarism and Collusion ..................................................................................................................................... 16
4.5 Environment ................................................................................................................................................................................. 16
4.6 Consumption of Food ................................................................................................................................................................ 16
4.7 Postponement of Studies ......................................................................................................................................................... 17
4.8 Mobile Phones .............................................................................................................................................................................. 17
4.9 Students’ Work ............................................................................................................................................................................. 17
4.10 Examination Rules and Regulations ................................................................................................................................... 17
4.11 Internet Policy .............................................................................................................................................................................. 17
4.12 Committees & Boards ................................................................................................................................................................ 18
5. Appendix: Grading and Learning Competencies ............................................................................................................................ 19
5.1 Subject Benchmark Statements ............................................................................................................................................ 19
5.2 Level Descriptors ........................................................................................................................................................................ 19
5.3 What are Learning Competencies? ...................................................................................................................................... 19
5.4 Learning Competencies Marking Criteria ........................................................................................................................ 19
5.5 Level Descriptors Matrix.......................................................................................................................................................... 20

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Welcome from Olivia Chai & Patrick Kouzmine Karavaieff

Founders of IFA Paris

Dear Students,

The management, instructors, and staff of IFA Paris would like to welcome you to our school in Paris.

Our primary objective is to give you the knowledge and skills necessary to launch a high-profile career in fashion and
luxury, to open your own studio or company.

With your active cooperation, we hope to instill in you the knowledge that will enable you to become a capable and
dynamic fashion and luxury professional. To help you in your studies, fashion documents, manuals, and magazines are at
your disposal, as their use will help you succeed and grow into a true fashion professional, but the most important aspect
of your education will be the personal work you perform under the tutelage of our instructors.

To understand the many disciplines of which the fashion world is composed, it is crucial that you strive to achieve as
much as possible in all your courses. Mastering each discipline can grant you access to the full range of possibilities in
fashion.

To ensure that you are prepared to fully engage in the world of international fashion, it is critical not to neglect language
studies. To receive employment from a major fashion house, basic mastery of English is a prerequisite, and, don’t forget,
to live in France a good understanding of the French language is helpful.

Our goal at IFA Paris is to open the doors to the fashion and luxury world for our students. But the most important
factors in your success are your effort and determination to work hard. With your commitment and the quality education
that we offer, opportunity is born.

Best Wishes,

Patrick Kouzmine Karavaeiff Jean-Baptiste Andreani Jean-Marc Chauve

& Olivia Chaï Paris Managing Director Paris Creative Director
Founders of IFA Paris
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1. MAIN INFORMATION
This Student Handbook contains all the necessary information regarding the semesters taking place at IFA Paris under
the Paris term(s). Please read the contents carefully. If there is anything that you do not understand, please arrange to
meet with the Student Services team.

There may be modifications and additions to the handbook during the term(s). If you are given any additional
information, please make sure you keep it with the original Student Handbook.

All files mentioned in this document can be found in the cloud space that is shared with students.

1.1 PARIS TEAM

Title: Managing Director Title: Fashion & Image Director
Name: Jean-Baptiste Andreani Name: Jean-Marc Chauve
Email: jbandreani@ifaparis.com Email: jean-marc.chauve@ifa-edu.fr

Title: Academic Director Title: PG Program Officer

Name: Albane Forestier Name: Sarah Malard
Email: aforestier@ifaparis.com Email: smalard@ifaparis.com

Title: Student Service Officer Title: Industry & Alumni Relations

Name: Katia Mullaiorova Name: Ivan Kouzmine
Email: emullaiarova@ifaparis.com Email: ikouzmine@ifaparis.com

Title: Accountant
Name: Max Maubernard
Email : max.maubernard@ifa-edu.fr

1.2 ACADEMIC CALENDAR

MBA Fashion Business / MBA Luxury Brand Management / MBA Global Fashion Media
Term(s) Duration School Location Dates
60 acad. weeks (including 12 weeks IFA Paris Paris Sept. 23th 2019 – February 21st
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for Capstone) 2021

Master of Arts Contemporary Fashion Design Paris/ Florence

Term(s) Duration School Location Dates
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60 acad. weeks (including 1 term for IFA Paris Paris/Florençe Sept. 16th 2019 – 21st February
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Collection Project) 2021 (term 3 in Florence)

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1.3 SUSTAINABILITY AND FASHION ETHICS AT IFA PARIS

IFA Paris aims to become a leading force in tomorrow’s responsible fashion industry by replacing at the core of its
educative mission the notions of sustainability and ethics, and to radically transform the way we envision fashion design
and promotion.

Our values reflect our vision of a more equal and long-lasting world, where people don’t get discriminated, aim to make a
positive impact and can express their individual creative force to become “disrupters” of the fashion industry, by
researching a new effective way of doing fashion and contributing to the creation of a more sustainable business model.

Our values
- Humanity: We create a meaningful difference within our organization and our communities
- Flexibility: we support dialogue and debate among educators and students, and facilitate learning experiences
that offer original ideas and solutions.
- Respect of self-expression: we encourage creative ingenuity
- Diversity: We recognize, welcome and value uniqueness

Our commitment
We aim to incorporate into our academic activities and organizational practices learning experiences that challenge
intellectual and cultural paradigms and integrate the values of global social responsibility.
We will engage with practices that support the development of our students and partners’ capabilities, with the aim of
encouraging them to be future generators of sustainable values for business and society at large.
We will contribute to learning experiences and research that advances our understanding about the impact of the
fashion industry on our environment and communities and promotes responsible leadership.

Our action for 2019-2020

We are launching a Corporate Social Responsibility Board (CSR) with student associates and members of staff. Its role will
be to define IFA Paris’ CSR agenda in collaboration with the school’s management and to implement changes with
innovative suggestions and actions.

2. ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS AND PROCEDURES

2.1 SCHOOL OPERATIONS

Unless otherwise notified, school hours are:
Monday to Thursday: 8.30 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Friday: 8.30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Students are allowed to stay in the following classrooms when not in use for lessons: 14- 3- 10 to study after class from 6
p.m. to 8 p.m. The use of computer lab (room 5) is restricted to class hours. Students who need to use the computer lab
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from 6 pm to 8 pm will be required to use the mice and keyboards left at their disposal in the lab. They will need to tidy
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In that case, they must clean after themselves, put their things away and switch off the lights. Students must fill the
logbook, available in the classrooms mentioned above, with their names and class. Any students materials found in the
classrooms after 8 p.m. can be thrown away.
Students will fill the school rules and policies at the beginning of the year, by signing this document, students agree that
any personal belongings still in the school premises after July 15th 2020 will be discarded and not returned. Students must
insure that they collect all their belongings before that date.

Student Office hours (located on the ground floor):

Monday to Friday: 9.00 am – 12.30 pm/1.30-3.30 pm

Postgraduate Department hours (located on the first floor):

Monday to Friday: 9.00am – 1 pm

To guarantee access to our services, please note that you can also book an appointment during these hours.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT WILL NOT BE OPEN OUTSIDE THESE HOURS, WITH NO EXCEPTIONS.

The only main entrance of the school is located at 18-24 Quai de la Marne, 75019 Paris. It is forbidden to open any of the
emergency doors, except for emergencies.
Except for school visits that are scheduled in advance with the Student office, only enrolled students are allowed on the
school premises during term. Visitors that have booked a tour of the school should register at the Student Office before
the start of the visit.

2.2 STUDENT EMAIL

Students will be assigned an email address by the PGD at the beginning of the course during the LMS training session.
This email address will be used by the school for all official communication and should be checked on a regular basis.

2.3 WI-FI ACCESS

Students have Wi-Fi access in the classrooms and in the Library. The Wi-Fi connection is done through a captive portal
and students have to sign in in order to access internet.

2.4 LEARNING MANAGEMENT S YSTEM (LMS)

The school uses an LMS to oversee courses management. This LMS will allow students and lecturers to have a central
access point for school and course information, course schedule, course documents, examination submissions, grades
reports, attendance reports, and lecturers’ comments. Training on how to use the LMS will be provided to students.

2.5 CAMPUS RESOURCES & MATERIAL

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Students have access to computers & photocopying facilities along with a selection of fashion design books & magazines
onsite. The copy machine is located in the corridor. Students can buy photocopy card from the accountant’s office during
this office opening hours (2 -6pm).
Students cannot store their personal files on the school computers. Any personal data must be saved on personal USB
keys. The computers are to be used for educational purposes only. It is strictly forbidden to access prohibited websites
from both students and school computers.

Bachelor Fashion Design & MA Contemporary Fashion Design students have at their disposal a mannequin during the
duration of their studies. Mannequins should exclusively be used on campus and removals will be regarded as theft.
Please note that BFD students will be asked for a security deposit worth 500 € for the borrowing of the mannequin, that
will be returned upon the student’s graduation or departure from IFA Paris.

2.6 BOOK BORROWING & E-LIBRARY

There is a collection of fashion business & luxury related books available for borrowing in the Academic Department. If
books are lost or significantly deteriorate as a result of borrowing, this will be considered a debt, to be reimbursed or
replaced before the student can graduate.
- In order to share resources, students should borrow books for 3 days only and fill up a Book Borrowing Form.
- Books are under the full responsibility of students. If any deterioration arises during the lending time, students
are required to mention it when they return the books and an amount will be deduced from the deposit
- Students have access to the e-library: https://www.dawsonera.com. Training will be provided at the beginning
of the academic year.

2.7 CLASS REPRESENTATIVES & FEEDBACK MEETINGS

Two Class Representatives will be chosen by students in order to gather feedback and represent them during Course
Committee meetings. Dates of the Course Committee meetings will be communicated to students in due time.
Personal feedback is also welcome outside of these meetings should it be delivered at an appropriate time and in an
organized way (face to face or through email).

2.8 STUDENTS REQUESTS

Students can make official requests to the Academic Department using the Student Request Form.

2.9 CHANGE OF PERSONAL DETAILS

Students are required to inform the school of any changes in personal details including both local and home mailing
address (for international students), telephone numbers, email addresses, passport number or name (with official proof
if required). Students must complete the Change of Personal Details Form in person at the Student Office or submit a
signed letter to the school. The school will not be able to transmit information pertinent to student’s progress if
information is not updated.
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Students are also requested to provide the school administration with an emergency contact that can be reached at all
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2.10 STUDENT ID CARD

Students will receive their ID card within the first 8 weeks of the course. In the meantime, students can use a copy of
their certificate of enrolment as proof of student status. Any replacement of ID card due to loss or damage will be
charged 10 euros.

2.11 VISA RENEWAL

The Student Office will inform students on the process to apply for the renewal of their visa. A checklist with all
documents to prepare will be given to students.
- Students need to go to the required entity personally to submit their documents and follow the application
process.
- The school cannot be held responsible for any changes of visa application process made by French authorities.

3. ACADEMIC REGULATIONS AND PROCEDURES

3.1 ECTS CREDITS

The school follows the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS).

“ECTS is a learner-centered system for credit accumulation and transfer based on the transparency of learning outcomes
and learning processes. It aims to facilitate planning, delivery, evaluation, recognition and validation of qualifications and
units of learning as well as student mobility. ECTS is widely used in formal higher education and can be applied to other
lifelong learning activities.”
Source: “ECTS User’s Guide”, European Commission, 2009

In short:
- ECTS credits are based on the workload students need in order to achieve expected learning outcomes.
- Workload indicates the time needed by students to achieve the expected learning outcomes. (such as lectures,
seminars, projects, practical work, self-study and examinations)
- 120 ECTS credits are attached to the workload of an academic year or course and the associated learning outcomes.
- In most cases, student workload ranges from 2,300 to 2,800 hours for an academic year.

3.2 GRADING STRUCTURE

The grading structure for the course is as follow:

MFB, MLBM, MGFM

Item Weight ECTS
Class Time + Self Study 70% 80
Capstone Project 30% 40
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Course Workload 100% 120

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MFB, MLBM, MGFM – Internship Track (optional)

Item Weight ECTS
Class Time + Self Study 70% 80
Capstone Project 25% 30
Internship 5% 10
Course Workload 100% 120

MA CFD
Item Weight ECTS
Class Time + Self Study 70% 80
Capstone Project (Collection) 30% 40
Course Workload 100% 120

MA CFD – Internship Track (optional)

Item Weight ECTS
Class Time + Self Study 70% 80
Capstone Project (Collection) 25% 30
Internship 5% 10
Course Workload 100% 120

3.3 MODULE GRADING SYSTEM

Students’ performance is assessed in all modules independently using several types of evaluations and against the
Learning Outcomes expected for the module. Students must pass all the modules to be eligible for graduation. For each
module, the Academic Department and the lecturer will decide on the appropriate method of evaluation used in
assessing students.
For each formally assessed module, students receive:
 The module grade. Students are graded with letters. The module grade is composed of several weighted evaluations
as mentioned in the module syllabus.
For example:
Grading Item Weighting
Participation (Individual) 20%
Assignment (Individual) 50%
Project (Group) 30%
Total 100%
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 ECTS credits (amount linked to overall workload on completion of the cluster of modules)
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 Indicators of Learning Competencies

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3.4 GRADING SCALE

The school uses the below grading scale to evaluate students:

The A - F category grade is equivalent to a percentage grade. These categories are clearly described in the Learning
Outcomes Matrix and level descriptors found in the appendix at the end of this Handbook.
Students will receive a mark that will be automatically transformed in the corresponding grade letter by the LMS.
Work that receives a mark of 49 and below is considered Failed. In this case, a makeup assignment will be issued for
compliance within a strict timeframe, and in most circumstances, for a capped pass mark at 50%.
Students who fail a remake exam (less than D-) are then offered to do a fee-paying retake examination as a third chance
to validate their module. The retake exams fees are as follows:

Module Hours Fee in Euro

Up to 18 hours 530,00
From 19 to 24 hours 720,00
Above 24 hours 960,00

The retake examination fee must be paid before the examination is scheduled to take place.
For lifestyle seminars, the validation of the module is based on participation and attendance and the module is graded as
a Pass or Fail. Students who have more than 40% of unjustified absences over the course of the seminar will fail and will
be asked to complete a remake. Students who have more than 60% of unjustified over the course of the seminar will fail
and be asked to do a fee-paying retake examination, as a minimum level of participation is essential to the successful
completion of the seminar.
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All marks and grades are provisional until confirmed or moderated by the Examination Board.
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3.5 MARKING CRITERIA

Students work will be formatively assessed through the IFA marking criteria evaluated against a Learning Outcomes
matrix, suitable for Postgraduate (level 5) study expectations which has been developed to help lecturers give you clear,
standardized and helpful feedback on your work. The units of each module are designed to enable you to demonstrate
the associated learning competencies by completing the assessments.

3.6 TYPES OF EVALUATIONS & COMMENTS

Evaluations are divided into assignments / examinations / projects / workshops / participation. They are both formative
and summative. Some modules will have projects or presentations instead of examinations.
In each module, lecturers will give the following evaluations:
 1 participation grade
 2 grades composed of assignments, examinations, projects, in-class presentations, workshops....
 Comments and learning competencies-based assessments

The total of all weighted evaluations in each module is equal to 100%.

Comments and learning competencies-based assessments will be given by lecturers on LMS for evaluations that have a
significant impact in the module grade. Students can ask lecturers for personal oral feedback.

3.7 GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

In order to graduate, students must meet the following requirements:
 A grade of D- or above in each module of the course (Composed of weighted evaluations) and in the Capstone
Project, except seminars.
 A grade of D- or above as final course grade (This grade is the average of grades of all modules).
 120 ECTS credits
Kindly note that students achieving a grade below D- in the modules or in the capstone project will not qualify for
graduation.
Students who haven’t paid the totality of their tuition fees by the end of the MBA/MA will not be eligible for graduation.

3.8 DISTINCTION
Distinction will be awarded to students recognized for their overall excellence in academic performance during the
course.
Distinction is based on the following criteria:
 At least A- as final grade average
 Excellent participation, attendance and attitude during the course.
Distinctions are confirmed during the Examination Board. Students will receive a signed letter from the school’s
President that will be sent along with their transcript.
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3.9 DISCIPLINARY CONCERNS AND LACK OF WORK

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The Examination Board has the authority to issue Warmings when disciplinary concerns are raised and/or there is a lack
of work and academic involvement. Appraisals will be based on the lecturers’ and the administrative team’s feedback,
academic performance and grades, attendance records and on attitude in class and on the school’s premises.
Formal warnings will appear on the school transcripts. Students with two or more formal warmings will have their
situation reviewed by a Disciplinary Committee. Sanctions can include the definitive expulsion of school with ineligibility
for graduation.

3.10 ACADEMIC DOCUMENTS ON THE LMS

Students will be able to access each module on the LMS:

 The Module Syllabus gathering all information related to the module (objectives, Learning Competencies, Activities,
deadline and weight of evaluations)
 The Module Content with the different hand-outs, additional materials and readings linked to each unit of the
module. These documents will be uploaded on the LMS several days after the class.
 Other academic support documents and information

The full functionalities of LMS will be introduced to students during a training session scheduled by the PGD.

3.11 ASSIGNMENT SUBMISSIONS & EXTENSIONS

All assignments must be submitted on time. Submission will be done via upload in the Dropbox of the LMS unless stated
otherwise by the PGD (except for workshops etc...).
Late submissions will not have access to the LMS upload system and will be penalized according to the following
progressive table:
Delay in coursework submission Penalty in terms of Points
Up to 24 hours -10 Points
From 24 hours up to 48 days -20 Points
Up to 5 days -30 Points
Over 5 days Fail (grade: zero)

Students with valid reason for late submission can fill up an Absence & Extenuation Application Form (A&E Form).
Approval is left to the discretion of Mitigation Committee after careful assessment of the situation.
If the A&E Form is approved, a makeup assignment will organized with the same rules as point 3.4.
Students with a valid reason for non-submission can fill up an Absence & Extenuation Application Form (A&E Form).
Approval is left to the discretion of Mitigation Committee after careful assessment of the situation.

3.12 CAPSTONE PROJECT

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The Capstone Project is an individual project about a subject chosen by students and validated by the academic
management. This project can be done across two to three cities. The work usually takes the form of a written thesis or
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dissertation, or a collection (for the MA CFD course) but may also be a business-orientated report, a major journalistic
piece, or mixed media with commentary. The Capstone Project requires organization skills and is developed through
negotiation with tutorial support to help you develop appropriate focus and monitor progress. It will be assessed as a
main component of study, evidence of progress, time and team management skills and achievement of learning
outcomes.
The Capstone Project / Collection Production weights 40 ECTS and 30% of the final course grade.

3.13 EXEMPTION FOR MODULES

IFA accepts Credit Transfers under certain conditions:
- Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) applications must be done before the beginning of the school year.
- Any module put forward for RPL must be at an equivalent level of our MBA’s.
- Applicants must send their complete application file: Portfolio, transcripts and RPL concerned modules Syllabi.
The Postgraduate Department will study the application but reserves itself the right to deny it if need be.
- Applicants must take an assessment test.
- Native English speakers or students who have studied in international schools are exempted from the IELTS test
upon presentation of documents testifying the language used for teaching was English.

3.14 GRADE APPEAL POLICY

Under specific circumstances, students may apply for grade appeal. Before deciding to appeal for a grade change, the
student should request an appointment for an explanation of the basis of the grade from the lecturer. Grade appeal is
done by filling up an EC Application Form and submitting it to the Academic Department within 30 days after the grade
was issued on the LMS.

3.15 INDUSTRY PRESENTATIONS & VISITS

During the course, the school organizes several industry presentations, conferences and visits called Master Classes.
These activities are part of the course, account in the academic workload and therefore students must attend them.
Attendance will be recorded and will count in the students’ overall participation evaluation.

3.16 EVALUATION RESULTS

Students will be able to view their grades, comments and competencies-based assessments in the LMS as soon as
lecturers input them. At the end of term, the Examination Board will review all grades and will release the official module
grades that will be visible by students in the LMS.

3.17 CONFERENCE AND ISSUANCE OF CREDENTIALS

The validation of graduation is decided by the final Examination Board of the academic year who will look carefully at
each student’s results and academic performance.
For students eligible to graduate, the certificate will be conferred and will be mailed along with the official transcript (and
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Distinction letter if applicable) to students’ specified address approximately 8 weeks after the examination board. In the
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meantime, the PGD can issue a certificate of completion to students should they require one. Diplomas and transcripts
are not issued to students with outstanding debts to the school.
The school will keep record of the students’ results as academic record and for accreditation purposes.

4. GENERAL RULES & REGULATIONS AT SCHOOL

4.1 CONDUCT AND BEHAVIOR

It is important that students maintain socially acceptable behaviour at all times. Abusive, rude, subversive or
inconsiderate behaviour and actions within and outside of school premises, during or after course hours that will distract,
annoy or cause harm to others will not be tolerated and will be subject to sanctions decided by the school. Students shall
observe the laws and relevant regulations enacted by the French government.

4.2 ATTENDANCE & ABSENCES

IFA Paris’s attendance policy was developed to encourage students’ success in all aspects of their course. The school
promotes high levels of attendance; full participation is essential to the successful completion of coursework and
enhances the quality of the educational experience for all, particularly in modules where group work is integral. Students
are therefore expected to attend classes regularly and promptly.

Attendance is compulsory for all classes. Lecturers record attendance on LMS for each class and information is directly
accessible to the PGD.
Students cannot have more than 20% of unjustified absences within the duration of a specific module.
Students failing abide to this rule will receive sanctions under the form of points deducted from the final average mark of
each module, as follows:

Absence Rate Penalty in terms of Points

21-25% -10 Points
26-30% -20 Points
31-35% -30 Points

RULES:
- Students will be marked late if they arrive after the beginning of class.
- Student will be considered absent after 15 minutes of the beginning of the class hour. It will be up to the lecturer’s
in charge to accept or not the student in class after 15 minutes.
- Repetitive late arrival and early departure can be counted as absences by lecturers.
- Students who have a valid reason for being absent (e.g. illness with the production of a medical certificate issued by
a medical professional based in France, serious family issues, etc.) or missing an academic deadline must visit the
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PGD to complete an EC Application Form and provide valid supporting materials to explain the absence. Application
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- In the case of an emergency, application should be done maximum 2 weeks after the event.

The Disciplinary Committee will examine specific cases and will provide a written decision.
PLEASE NOTE:
- Personal / organizational matters are not considered as valid reason for absence and will not be counted as such
(e.g. flat or flight related matters, project or paid work, internship etc.)
- Students with unjustified absence on an assignment or examination day will receive a zero mark.
- Final acceptance of the absence is left to the decision of the PGD and absolutely not to the discretion of the lecturer.

4.3 LECTURER ABSENCE

The class will be rescheduled at an appropriate time if the lecturer is absent. As much as possible the PGD will give early
notice to students in written form.

4.4 CHEATING , PLAGIARISM AND COLLUSION

Cheating, plagiarism and collusion will result in a zero mark (Fail) for students.

Cheating: Students caught cheating, attempting to cheat, or helping someone else to cheat in an examination, or
assignment will be assigned a zero mark for that evaluation.

Plagiarism is a serious academic offence. It involves presenting another person’s work, idea or creation as one’s own and
is considered to be cheating. If and when you refer to the work of another person, it must be acknowledged. There is
further guidance on plagiarism in student support documentation, you must read and acquaint yourself with the details
of this; ignorance will not be accepted as a defense and any transgression will be dealt with expediently by Disciplinary
Committee and Exam Board. The school now uses the Turnitin Tool, which immediately compares the piece of work to all
documents online. It provides a percentage of similarity to highlight any plagiarism. The school tolerates a maximum of
20% plagiarism; if the originality report generated by the system goes over 20 %, students will receive an eliminatory
mark.

Collusion is when two or more pieces of work are similar in presentation, content and structure. All parties involved in
colluding will be dealt with equally.

4.5 ENVIRONMENT
As a fashion school IFA Paris is very concerned with the environment and cleanliness. It is the duty of everyone in the
school to help maintain the cleanliness of the school premises. Students are kindly requested to cooperate in maintaining
a clean and conducive environment by treating rooms, furniture, and materials in the school with care.

4.6 CONSUMPTION OF FOOD

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Students are not permitted to bring food into any part of the school premises, including classrooms, study rooms, and
the Resource Center. Students are responsible for helping to keep classrooms and public areas clean and neat. However,
students are allowed to eat in the Cafeteria but need to clean up after themselves.

4.7 POSTPONEMENT OF STUDIES

Postponement of studies is usually not permitted. Students who have to postpone their studies for very specific reasons
can contact with the PGD who will carefully evaluate the situation before taking the decision and communicate all details
to students. Postponed students do not have priority over future students: They can resume their studies only provided
there is space in the preferred term.
Postponement will not be allowed after the 4th academic week of each term.

4.8 MOBILE PHONES

The use of mobile phones is prohibited during class and in school activities time. Mobile phones must be switched off
and put in a bag or a pocket.

4.9 STUDENTS’ WORK

Students’ work done for the purpose of the course can freely be used by the school. The school reserves the right to use
student work and pictures for school brochures, website, DVDs, internal and public events, advertisements, and in any
other form of communication.

4.10 EXAMINATION RULES AND REGULATIONS

- During examinations, any item that may help the student on the exam (cell phones, laptop computers, calculators,
notes, books, etc.) cannot be used during the exam unless the lecturer expressly permits it.
- During the exam, students may only leave the classroom with permission from the lecturer.
- Upon completion of the exam, students may return the exam to the lecturer and exit the room. Once the student
has given the lecturer his or her exam and left the room, he or she may not re-enter.
- Any student caught cheating, attempting to cheat, or helping someone else to cheat on a final examination, test, or
assignment will receive a score of zero.
- Certain exams will be monitored by PGD instead of lecturers.
- Some modules will have projects or presentations instead of examinations.

4.11 INTERNET POLICY

Students:
- May use only the computers, computer accounts, and computer files for which you have authorization.
- May not use another individual’s account, or attempt to capture or guess other users’ passwords.
- Are individually responsible for appropriate use of all resources assigned to you and are accountable to the school
for all use of such resources.
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- Should make a reasonable effort to protect their passwords and to secure resources against unauthorized use or
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- Must not attempt to access restricted portions of the network, an operating system, security software or other
administrative applications without appropriate authorization by the system owner or administrator.
- Must comply with the policies and guidelines for any specific set of resources to which they have been granted
access.
- Must not execute programs, software, processes, or automated transaction-based commands that are intended to
disrupt other computer or network users, or damage or degrade performance, software or hardware components
of a system.
- On the school network and/or computing systems, must not use tools that are normally used to assess security or
to attack computer systems or networks (e.g., password ‘crackers,’ vulnerability scanners, network sniffers, etc.).
- Observe the copyright law as it applies to music, videos, games, images, texts and other media in both personal use
and in production of electronic information.
- Must not use the school computing services and facilities for political purposes and personal economic gain.
- Are expected to respect the privacy and personal rights of others users of the schools’ network and computing
resources.
- Must be professional and respectful when using computing systems to communicate with others.

IFA Paris may choose to set limits on students’ use of resources through usage quotas, time limits, and other mechanisms
to ensure that these resources can be equally used by all students.

Violation of these rules may result in disciplinary actions decided by the Disciplinary Committee.

4.12 COMMITTEES & BOARDS

- Course Committee: The purpose is to disseminate information about course development and events and
address the feedback and possible issues encountered by the class. People attending this meeting are the PGD
members and students’ class representatives. Lecturers may be invited to attend this meeting.
- Board of Studies: This is an internal meeting between PGD members where academic and operational aspects
are discussed. Lecturers may be invited to attend this meeting.
- Disciplinary Committee: This committee examines students’ cases when they break the rules of the school.
Decisions rank from disciplinary warning to definitive expulsion of school with ineligibility for graduation.
- Mitigation Committee: The purpose is to examine students’ cases when they fail to remit work on time or
when they are absent during examinations or important assessments. This Committee regulates referrals and
extenuations.
- Examination Board: The purpose is to validate students’ performance and moderate grades for parity and
take decisions relative to graduation or failure. The Board also examines and validates major academic decisions.
- Moderation Committee: The purpose is to make sure that all students are graded consistently according to
the quality standards set by IFA.
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All decisions of these Committees and Board are final and are communicated to students by written form.
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5. Appendix: Grading and Learning Competencies

5.1 SUBJECT BENCHMARK STATEMENTS

Subject benchmark statements set out expectations about standards of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in a
range of subject areas. They describe the attributes, skills and capabilities that a graduate with an honours degree in a
specific subject might be expected to have at a particular grade awarded. Each statement has been written by a group of
academics and other specialists (such as representatives from professional bodies, industry and commerce) from the
subject area.

5.2 LEVEL DESCRIPTORS

Level descriptors are more detailed generic statements describing the characteristics, competency and context of
learning expected at each A-F assessment level. These help guide the expectations of students and they are designed to
ensure consistency of standards across subject areas. They are set out in the Academic Regulations and Policies.

5.3 WHAT ARE LEARNING COMPETENCIES?

Learning competencies are the specific intentions of a course or module, written in specific terms. They describe what
a student should know, understand, or be able to do at the end of that course or module. Learning outcomes are
written bearing in mind the threshold level descriptors for that level or award. The attainment expected is clearly
achievable through the module objectives on the course. This alignment between grades, learning outcome, learning and
teaching method, assessment tasks and assessment criteria should make the whole process transparent to students and
to other interested parties, and helps to ensure that there is coherence in the modules and the assessments. Learning
competencies can:

- Help to guide students in their learning by explaining what is expected of them, in turn helping them to succeed
in their studies.
- Help staff to focus on exactly what they want students to achieve in terms of both knowledge and skills.
- Help staff to use the same criteria and parity in judgment, avoiding excessive high or low outcomes.
- Provide a useful guide to inform potential candidates and employers about the general knowledge and
understanding that a graduate will possess.

The units are designed to enable students to demonstrate the learning outcomes by completing the assessments.
Students’ work will be assessed through the IFA marking criteria, which have been developed to help lecturers give
students clear and helpful feedback on their work.

5.4 LEARNING COMPETENCIES MARKING CRITERIA

Please find below the 9 Learning Competencies with marking criteria expected in module units:
1. Research and Methodology
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Define a research issue (question or problem); adopt and explain suitable methodology; appreciate the contribution the
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2. Analysis and Interpretation

Examination and interpretation of resources
3. Creativity and Theoretical / Practical Skills
Skills to enable the execution of ideas appropriate to the medium
4. Problem Solving and Concept Development
Problem solving, risk taking and testing of ideas and materials in the realization of concepts
5. Subject Knowledge and Ability to Follow the Requirements of the Assignment
Understanding and application of subject knowledge and underlying principles
6. Written Presentation / Visual Content
Clarity and structure of the content with powerful visuals
7. Oral Presentation and Q&A
Clarity of message and language skills, sensitivity to the needs of the audience,
8. Personal and Professional Development
Attendance, management of learning through reflection, planning, self -direction, subject engagement and commitment
9. Collaborative and / or Independent Work
Demonstration of suitable behavior for working inclusively in a group and professional context.

5.5 LEVEL DESCRIPTORS MATRIX

You will find the Learning Competencies Matrix on the SkyDrive which gives you more detailed information corresponding
to the description for the mark or A-F assessment of your assignment and module.

By signing all pages, I agree and comply with all terms stated in this Student Handbook:

Student Name: ___________________ Date: ___________________

Signature: ___________________
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