FAQ about exam aids

The student will always have access to a basic IT application package at written sit-in exams. The Basic IT Application Package contains:

Basic IT Application Package:

• Microsoft Office365 (minus Excel)
• Document camera and paper
• 7-zip file manager
• Adobe Reader DC
• PDF24
• Texlive
• VLC player
• Windows Media Player

If the category ”open book” is chosen, the student is given access to the ”Advanced IT Application Package”. The package may also be chosen with the exam category “With limited aids”. The Advanced IT Application Package contains:

Advanced IT Application Package:

• Basic IT Application Package
• Microsoft Excel
• Windows Calculator
• Power BI
• SPSS
• JMP Pro (from September 2025 only usable at open book exams)
• R
• R studio
• SAS
• STATA
• Mathematica
• Python 3.6.5 / Anaconda 5.2.0
• Visual Studio Code
• Node.js
• Julia
• Gyldendals Røde ordbøger (translation dictionaries from Gyldendal): (dansk/engelsk – engelsk/dansk, dansk/fransk – fransk/dansk, Dansk/Italiensk – Italiensk/dansk, dansk/norsk – norsk/dansk, dansk/spansk – spansk/dansk, dansk/svensk – svensk/dansk, dansk/tysk – tysk/dansk)

Internet – is the student allowed access to the internet?

Yes, but the student only has access if the exam is the category ”open book: All written and electronic aids, including internet access”. Exam invigilation and log files on the PCs may contribute to disclose cheating in the form of communication with others during the exam.  Students who cheat are at risk of being spotted and may be suspended from the exam or expelled from the programme.

How will students be able to make handwritten graphs in the exam paper?

As of 5 March 2024, document cameras are implemented at the exam hall, which provides the students with an opportunity to write/draw parts or the entire assignment by hand and upload to the digital assignment.

What about exams written on paper?

Written sit-in exams with pen and paper will be abolished after 1 September 2017. All written sit-in exams will hereafter be written on one of CBS’ computers. Document cameras are implemented at the exam hall, which provides the students with an opportunity to write/draw parts or the entire assignment by hand and upload to the digital assignment.

Electronic books – what if the student has all curriculum literature as e-books?

The student is not allowed access to e-books, unless the exam form is ” Open book: all written and electronic aids including internet access”. The fact that students may encounter some limitations at exams if they choose to buy e-books instead of physical books must be communicated to students at the beginning of the semester, when they buy books. If you know that the teaching material only exists electronically, you should plan your exam accordingly, either by allowing “all witten and electronic exam aids” or by making it possible to answer the exam questions without having to look in the teaching material.

Mobile phones – is the student allowed to bring mobile phones to the exam?

No, mobile phones are not allowed. Mobile phones are primarily a communication tool, and communication with others during a written sit-in exam or preparation time before an oral exam is not allowed.

Headphones – is the student allowed to bring headphones to the exam?

No, headphones are not allowed. The exam room must be quiet, so audio on the computers is not allowed.

Translation dictionaries – may they be electronic?

If the student is allowed to bring translation dictionaries, is the student then allowed to bring the dictionary in electronic format if it is on a media without internet access?

No, the student is not allowed to bring any electronic aids besides possible calculators, unless the exam is in the category” open book: All written and electronic aids, including internet access”. You can, however,  allow the student to bring translation dictionaries, books, compendiums and notes in paper format (analogue). As an alternative, you can give the student access to upload to the S-drive and bring material on a USB key.

Is the students allowed to bring their own computer or tablet to the exam?

Yes, but only if the exam is the category ”open book: All written and electronic aids, including internet access”. However, the student is not allowed to use the equipment to communicate during a written sit-in exam or in the preparation time before an oral exam. Communication with others is cheating and the student runs the risk of being spotted and may be suspended from the exam or expelled from the programme.

Books – is it possible to choose which books the student is allowed to bring?

It is possible to limit this possibility by not permitting the student to bring books. It is also possible to grant the students permission to bring ”translation books/dictionaries” as the only limitation on books brought to the exam. You may NOT indicate the name on a book/several books that the student is allowed to bring. So it is a choice between allowing all ”books (including translation books/dictionaries), notes or compendiums in paper format” or none of these or only allowing  translation books/dictionaries. The exam invigilation is not able to control whether books brought to the exam are approved or not.

What if the student uses the calculator for communication?

Communication with others is cheating and the student runs the risk of being spotted and may be suspended from the exam or expelled from the programme.

USB key – What is allowed on USB keys?

Students may be allowed to bring USB sticks for uploading notes, books, and compendiums (in non-executable formats).
The key requirement is that the files must only contain data or content that can be accessed through an approved program—they cannot be standalone programs or tools.
This means students are welcome to have Excel documents on their USB sticks, but if access to the extended IT package including Excel is not granted, the files will not be able to open

USB stick – How can a “non-executableformat” be recognized?

Executable formats must not be brought on USB sticks for the exam. These formats can be identified by their file name.

Not allowed formats are any kind of self-created programmes or scripts that can be run independently, as well as applications and installable components. These are usually files ending on .exe, .vbs, .bat, etc. These are considered executable formats and thus not allowed.

Allowed formats are documents in standard file formats such as .docx, .xlsx, .pdf, .txt, etc. These are files that open in approved applications like Word, Excel, and PDF readers.

Translation dictionaries – is an English-English dictionary allowed?

No, it is not. A translation dictionary means a simple dictionary that translates from one language to another without detailed explanations. If the student is allowed to bring for instance the Oxford Dictionary, it is because they are allowed to bring “books (including translation dictionaries), compendiums and notes in paper format”

Are the above decisions on CBS exam aids in force indefinitely?

No, they are not. It is possible to imagine several scenarios where it will be necessary to re-visit the discussion about exam aids, e.g.: 

1. The need to change what students may access on the PC or bring to the exam, e.g. when new technologies are developed.
2. The emergence of new exam formats, which are so different from the current exam formats, that a new technical setup of the PC is required.

The third part of the project is to come up with a process for how exams are safeguarded at CBS in the cross field between academic environments and the administration.