The re-taking of all or part of the assessment or an alternative assessment of a failed module in order to achieve the pass mark. Referral examinations are usually taken in the August/September following the academic year in which the module was failed, but may be taken at other times by agreement with the School concerned.
The retaking of assessments as an external student during the following academic year. The number and type of assessments to be re-taken are defined in each programme specification. A candidate's registration is suspended until the resit has been successfully completed. University regulations only allow one resit during the whole duration of a student's programme.
If there are special circumstances, a Board of Examiners may allow a candidate to repeat as an alternative to resitting. In the absence of special circumstances, an internal resit may be permitted if this is considered to be in that candidate's best interests. In either of these cases, normal fees are payable.
Taking an academic year for the second time. This is normally only permitted when there are special circumstances which precluded the candidate from successfully completing it at the first attempt. Any assessments from the first attempt are set aside and (in contrast to an internal resit) any resit right is not affected. Normal fees are payable.
The minimum mark required in order to pass a module. This will be 40% or such higher mark as is required by the programme specification.
2. Part I of all Programmes and Part II of BA/BEng/BSc Programmes |
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| 2.1 |
A candidate achieving the module pass mark or more in every module may progress to the next Part of the programme.
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| 2.2 |
A candidate failing to achieve the module pass mark in non-core modules may progress to the next Part of the programme so long as the aggregate achieved and the total number of credit points in failed modules are within the limits specified in the following table:
Rounded Aggregate Mark |
Maximum Credit Points in failed non-Core Modules |
<43% |
0 |
43% - 44% |
10 |
45% - 46% |
15 |
47% - 49% |
20 |
≥50% |
30 |
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| 2.3 |
A candidate achieving 40% or more on aggregate, but failing core modules or failing more modules in total than allowed under 2.2 and 2.3 above, may take referrals in:
- all failed core modules, and
- such other failed modules as the candidate shall, after counselling by the school, choose.
The module pass mark at referral shall be the same as at first attempt. A referral candidate may progress if:
- all core modules are passed, and
- substituting the referral marks (where greater than the first attempt marks) into the original marks grid allows progression under 2.1 to 2.2 above.
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| 2.4 |
A candidate failing at first attempt and not satisfying criteria 2.1 to 2.3 above, or failing at referral, and who has not previously been allowed a resit, may take a resit examination. The modules to be taken at resit shall be as determined by the Board of Examiners within the range allowed by the programme specification. The marks for the resit modules will be substituted into the examination grid in place of the first attempt marks, where higher. The same rules 2.1 to 2.2 will then be applied. No referral or further resit will be available.
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| 3. Part II of Integrated Masters Programme |
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| 3.1 |
A candidate must satisfy the requirements to progress on a Bachelors programme as defined in section 2 above, and in addition:
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| 3.2 |
A candidate must achieve the aggregate mark specified in the programme specification (at present 55% for all programmes in the Faculty).
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| 3.3 |
A candidate satisfying 3.1 above, but failing to achieve the required aggregate, may take referral examinations in such modules as the candidate shall, after counselling by the school, choose. The marks for the referred modules will be substituted into the examination grid in place of the first attempt marks, where higher. If the required aggregate is achieved, the candidate may progress.
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| 3.4 |
A candidate failing to satisfy 3.1 above (perhaps after referral) or to achieve the required aggregate at referral under 3.3, and who has not previously been allowed a resit, may take a resit examination. The modules to be taken at resit shall be as determined by the Board of Examiners within the range allowed by the programme specification. The marks for the resit modules will be substituted into the examination grid in place of the first attempt marks, where higher. The same rules 3.1 to 3.2 will then be applied. No referral or further resit will be available.
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| 3.5 |
A candidate satisfying 3.1 above may request a transfer to the equivalent Bachelors programme at any time prior to the start of the following academic year or during the resit or repeat year, if relevant.
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4. Part III of BA/BEng/BSc Programmes, Part IV of Integrated Masters Programmes, and the fourth year of Double Honours Programmes
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| 4.1 |
A candidate may progress to the next Part or year of the Programme, or graduate as is appropriate, provided:
- an aggregate mark of at least 40% is achieved;
- all core modules are passed; and
- failed non-core modules total not more than 30 credit points.
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| 4.2 |
A candidate achieving at least 40% on aggregate but not satisfying the above criteria may take referrals in:
- all failed core modules; and
- such other failed modules as the candidate shall, after counselling by the School, choose.
The module pass mark at referral shall be the same as at the first attempt. A referral candidate may progress, or graduate as appropriate, if:
- all core modules are passed; and
- not more than 30 credit points of failed modules remain.
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| 4.3 |
A candidate failing to satisfy 4.1 above (perhaps after referral), and who has not previously been allowed a resit, may take a resit examination. The modules to be retaken at resit shall be as determined by the Board of Examiners within the range allowed by the programme specification. The marks for the resit modules will be substituted into the examination grid in place of the first attempt marks, where higher. The same rule 4.1 will then be applied. No referral or further resit will be available.
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| 4.4 |
Referral and resit arrangements under 4.2 and 4.3 above will normally preclude finalists from graduating at the normal time.
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| 5. Part III of Integrated Masters Programmes |
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| 5.1 |
In programmes subject to professional accreditation, the programme specification may define a required aggregate pass mark greater than 40%. In such cases, a candidate must achieve the requirements necessary to progress on a Bachelors programme, as specified in Section 4 above, and in addition achieve the required aggregate mark.
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| 5.2 |
A candidate failing to progress under 5.1 shall have referral, resit or transfer opportunities similar to the procedures for Part II in clauses 3.3 to 3.5 above. |
| 5.3 |
In programmes not requiring an increased aggregate pass mark, the requirements shall be as for Bachelors programmes, section 4 above.
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| 6. Exit Awards |
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| 6.1 |
A candidate successfully completing Part I of a programme according to the criteria in Section 2 above, but for any reason not proceeding to complete Part II, may be awarded the Certificate of Higher Education.
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| 6.2 |
A candidate successfully completing Part II of a programme according to the criteria in Section 2 above, but for any reason not proceeding to complete Part III, may be awarded the Diploma of Higher Education.
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| 6.3 |
A candidate on an Integrated Masters (or Double Honours) programme successfully completing Part III of the programme according to the criteria in Sections 4 and 5 above, but for any reason not proceeding to complete Part IV (or fourth year), may be awarded a Bachelors Degree, according to the criteria detailed in the programme specification.
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| 7. Ordinary Degree |
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| 7.1 |
An Ordinary Degree may be available to a candidate who has not met the requirements to progress or graduate on an Honours Degree programme. The criteria are detailed in the relevant programme specifications.
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8. Award of the Degree
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| 8.1 |
An aggregate mark for the final degree shall be calculated as follows:
- Part II shall be weighted at half the number of credit points (i.e. normally 60)
- Part III and Part IV of Integrated Masters or fourth year of Double Honours programmes shall be weighted at the number of credit points (normally 120 or 150)
Some programmes will use a different weighting, defined in the programme specification, for students entering programmes in 2004-5 only.
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| 8.2 |
In calculating the year aggregate marks contributing to the degree aggregate mark for a candidate who has taken referral or resit examinations, the following procedures shall be applied:
- For a candidate taking referral examinations, the higher of the referral mark(s) (capped at 40%) and the original mark for the referred module(s), on a module by module basis, shall be used to calculate the year aggregate.
- For a candidate referring against a low aggregate mark in Part II or III of an Integrated Masters programme under regulations 3.3 to 3.5 or 5.2 above, the required aggregate pass mark (normally 55%) shall be used as the Part II or III aggregate. In the event of such a candidate subsequently electing to transfer to a Bachelors degree programme, the referral shall be set aside and the original Part II or III aggregate mark used.
- For a candidate taking resit examinations either internally or externally, the aggregate mark on which progression was allowed under sections 2 to 5 above shall be used as the year aggregate.
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| 8.3 |
The degree shall be awarded with an Honours Classification according to the degree aggregate mark, as follows:
Rounded Aggregate Mark |
Honours Classification |
≥ 70% |
First Class |
60% - 69% |
Second Class, Upper Division (2.1) |
50% - 59% |
Second Class, Lower Division (2.2) |
40% - 49% |
Third Class |
(Note that if all the criteria in sections 2 to 4 above have been satisfied, it is not possible for the degree aggregate mark to be below 40%)
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| 8.4 |
A candidate achieving a non-rounded degree aggregate mark which is 2% or less below one of the above boundaries may be awarded the higher classification, according to the following criteria:
- As detailed in the programme specification, if relevant.
- If not in the programme specification, then following the University standard criteria that at least 50% of the credit points, weighted as in clause 8.1 above, are associated with module marks greater than or equal to the higher boundary.
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| 8.5 |
An Ordinary Degree is not classified, and is awarded solely on the candidate having achieved the specified requirements in Part III.
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