3. Progression and Failure (continuing students)

Examination Conventions 2012-13

3.1 Progression from Level 0 (Foundation Year) to Level 1
To pass the Foundation Year examination, students must obtain a grade of 40 or more in each individual module. A student who does not pass at the first sitting may resit the failed module in August. A student who fails in August will not be permitted to proceed to Level 1 but may repeat only the module(s) failed in the following Session. A student who has failed in August may repeat the appropriate module(s) as an internal or external student.

3.2 Progression from Level 1 to Level 2

3.3 The Examiners have discretion to decide whether students who have been awarded at least 100 credits and less than 120 credits may be deemed to have passed at Level 1 and permitted to proceed to Level 2, but only in cases where a grade of at least 30 has been achieved in the failed module(s). Permission to proceed in these circumstances is not automatic, and in reaching their decision the Examiners will take into account:

• whether satisfactory progress has been made across Level 1 as a whole;
• whether the student's performance in those modules which have been passed provides compensation for the failed module(s);
• whether the student has made a demonstrable effort to succeed in the failed module(s), evidenced by adequate attendance and participation and completion of the relevant assessed work and examinations.

It should be noted that some Level 2 modules require passes in Level 1 core modules, and that, even if permission is granted to proceed to Level 2 with fewer than 120 credits, passes will normally be required in these core modules.

3.4 The above discretion may be exercised when results are approved by Faculties in June, or in August following the resit examinations. Where discretion is not exercised in June, and where the student fails again in August with a lower grade, the Examiners will take into account the original, higher, grade when deciding whether or not the student should be allowed to proceed to Level 2.

3.5 Level 1 students obtaining at least 100 credits and less than 120 credits and who have failed module(s) with grade(s) of less than 30 cannot be recommended for a pass overall nor be allowed to progress, with the exception of the following:-

The situation may arise where a student has obtained at least 100 credits but failed module(s) with grade(s) of less than 30 in a subject which they will not be required to carry on with at subsequent levels. In some of these cases the single/dual department may feel that the student's performance overall warrants recommendation to progress, in which case a request could be made to the department offering the module to consider returning an adjusted module grade of 30. Any agreed adjustment should normally include consideration as to whether the student has made a demonstrable effort to succeed in the failed module, evidenced by adequate attendance and participation and completion of the relevant assessed work and examinations, and confirmation that the department offering the module does not wish to hold the student back and prevent progression. The department offering the module may consider adjusting a grade in June after the end of the spring semester once a student's module grades for the whole year are known, or following resit in August. Any such adjusted grade should be returned in the normal way by the department offering the module, but the department should keep a record of any adjustment made. The student's home department should subsequently recommend a progression outcome taking into account any reported module grade adjustment if applicable.

Adjustment of module grades to 30 as described above should not be the norm, and the approach should only be taken in particular instances where a strong case can be made.

3.6 Discretion is not possible in the case of some professionally accredited programmes, and permission to proceed may also be denied where core modules have been failed.

3.7 The Faculty may permit a student who has failed part of the Level 1 examination to repeat the whole year as an internal student with attendance. In such cases, although all the original grades will be retained in University records, only the new grades will be taken into account at the end of the repeated year. It is important that students are made aware of the consequences of this arrangement, if permitted, since there is no guarantee that all grades will be improved during the repeated year.

3.8 Progression from Level 2 to Level 3

3.9 Bachelors degrees: The Examiners have discretion to decide whether students who have been awarded at least 100 credits and less than 120 credits may be deemed to have passed at Level 2 and permitted to proceed to Level 3. Permission to proceed in these circumstances is not automatic, and does not imply the waiver of prerequisite requirements, where modules to be taken at Level 3 require a pass in a related module at Level 2.

3.10 Integrated Masters degrees (e.g. MMath, MChem): The Examiners have discretion to decide whether students who have been awarded at least 100 credits and less than 120 credits at Level 2 may be permitted to proceed to Level 3, but only in cases where a weighted mean grade of at least 49.5 has been obtained for modules taken at Level 2. Permission to proceed in these circumstances is not automatic, and does not imply the waiver of prerequisite requirements, where modules to be taken at Level 3 require a pass in a related module at Level 2. Where discretion is not exercised, students must, depending on the requirements of the individual programme of study, remain on, or transfer back to, a Bachelors degree programme.

3.11 Discretion is not possible in the case of some professionally accredited programmes, and permission to proceed may also be denied where core modules have been failed.

3.12 Students who achieve fewer than 120 credits, but who are allowed to proceed to Level 3 may choose to resit some or all of the failed modules in order to improve their level of performance. Candidates who choose to do this must notify the relevant academic department/s of their intentions and register for the August resit examination/s by the published re-examination entry deadline in July. Students who do not resit their failed modules in August will not normally be permitted to do so at a later date, except where the agreement of the department and the relevant Faculty Officer has been obtained prior to the August examination. In these cases, it is important that Departments make students aware of the resulting increased workload during the following year. No more than a bare pass (i.e. 40) may be obtained in a Level 2 resit examination; where such students obtain a lower grade in the resit examination, the permission to proceed to Level 3 will stand, and the grade achieved on the first attempt will supercede that achieved in the resit.

3.13 Progression from Level 3 to Level 4 (integrated Masters degrees)
The Examiners have discretion to decide whether students who have been awarded at least 100 credits and less than 120 credits at Level 3 may be permitted to proceed to Level 4, but only in cases where a weighted mean grade of 49.5 has been obtained for modules taken at Level 3. Permission to proceed in these circumstances is not automatic, and does not imply the waiver of prerequisite requirements, where modules taken at Level 4 require a pass in a related module at Level 3. Students in respect of whom discretion is not exercised or who fail to meet the above requirement may be considered for the award of a Bachelors degree.

3.14 Repeat Examinations
A student who fails a module or modules during Level 1 or Level 2 may resit the examination(s) in August. Departments will determine the form of the resit examination (which may differ from the examination held at the end of the previous two semesters) and the parts of the examination to be retaken.

Level 2 resit results will be capped at 40 which is the maximum mark overall that can be awarded for a resit at this Level.

3.15 A student who fails again in August may repeat the module(s) failed in the following session, with or without attendance, subject to the approval of the Faculty, where necessary. Except where the failed module is core to the degree programme, an alternative module may replace the failed module provided that the student attends the new module and completes any required coursework. Where an alternative module is taken to substitute for a previously failed module the result will still be capped at 40 at Level 2 and beyond.

3.16 Where a student fails a repeated year, their case is normally referred by the relevant department to the Faculty Student Review Committee for consideration.

3.17 A student who fails a module or modules during their final year of study and who has not been recommended for the award of a degree may be reassessed on one occasion, subject to time limits, either in the following year or during August of the year of failure, as determined by the relevant department. See also point 4.7 below.

Level 3 and 4 resit results will be capped at 40 which is the maximum mark overall that can be awarded for a resit at these Levels.