University of Southampton Calendar 2010/11


University Calendar 2011/12 Section IV : General Regulations Regulations and Definitions Applying to Progression for all Credit-Bearing Programmes

1.	Introduction
	1.1	The following regulations apply to all programmes at levels 6 and 7 (see Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme), except in so far as exemption for particular programmes has been allowed under paragraph 1.3. in the Progression, Determination and Classification of Results: Standalone Masters Programmes or the Progression, Determination and Classification of Results: Undergraduate and Integrated Masters Programmes

2.	Definitions
	2.1	Average Mark: The mark obtained by taking the mean average (rounded to integer, except as required by paragraph 5.2 in the Progression, Determination and Classification of Results: Standalone Masters Programmes or paragraph 5.3 in the Progression, Determination and Classification of Results: Undergraduate and Integrated Masters Programmes) of all individual module marks, weighted according to their credit point weightings, contributing to the assessment of a Part of a programme.
	2.2	Capped Mark: The capped mark will be the module pass mark. The capped mark will be recorded for any referral and which will be used to calculate the average mark carried forward to determine the final degree classification. However, in determining progression, the mark achieved at referral (the uncapped mark) will be inserted into the marks profile (where higher than the previous mark) and paragraphs 3.1 to 3.3 of the Progression, Determination and Classification of Results: Undergraduate and Integrated Masters Programmes or paragraphs 3.1 and 3.2 of the Progression, Determination and Classification of Results: Standalone Masters Programmes (according to programme of study) applied again.
	2.3	Compensation: The award of credit for a failed module on the basis that performance elsewhere ensures that the learning outcomes of the programme as a whole have been met. Compensation can only be applied when a student has completed all required elements of assessment of the failed module.
	2.4	Compulsory module: a module which must be taken by all students on a particular programme.
	2.5	Core module: A module which must be taken and passed by all students on a particular programme.
	2.6	Module: A specified element of learning material with its own learning outcomes and assessment procedures. (The terms 'Unit' and, in the context of the Student Records System, 'Course' are synonymous with 'Module'.)
	2.7	Part: A collection of modules, normally corresponding to one academic year of study for a full-time student, which is assessed as a group to determine progression. (The term 'Part' is preferred to 'Year' which can be imprecise in the context of part-time students or students who repeat or suspend registration, and also preferred to 'Level' since not all material will necessarily be at the same academic level: see paragraph 2.1 in the Progression, Determination and Classification of Results: Undergraduate and Integrated Masters Programmes.
	2.8	Mark Scheme: Modules will be marked using the integral marking scale of 0 to 100.
	2.9	Pass Mark: The minimum mark that must be achieved in order to pass. It may be applied either to a module or to an average mark. For Undergraduate and Integrated Masters programmes the pass mark will be 40 or the mark as determined by programme regulations or by appropriate standard setting processes. For Standalone Masters programmes the pass mark will be 50 or the mark as determined by programme regulations or by appropriate standard setting processes. A candidate failing to achieve the Pass Mark in a module has failed that module.
	2.10	Qualifying Mark: The minimum mark that must be achieved in a module in order for compensation to be allowed (subject to paragraph 3.3 for the Progression, Determination and Classification of Results: Undergraduate and Integrated Masters Programmes or paragraph 3.2 for the Progression, Determination and Classification of Results: Standalone Masters Programmes) against that module. This will be 25 or such higher mark as is required by programme regulations.
	2.11	Referral: The re-taking of all or part of the assessment or an alternative assessment of a failed module in order to achieve the required pass mark. Referral assessments for Undergraduate and Integrated Masters programmes are usually taken in the August/September at the end of the academic year in which the module was failed, but may be taken at other times by agreement with the Faculty concerned Referral assessments for Standalone Masters programmes will be taken at times specified in the academic regulations for the programme.
	2.12	Repeat: The re-taking of assessments during the academic year following an unsuccessful Referral. The Repeat may be internal or external as the candidate, following academic counselling from the Faculty, shall choose. Should a module which is to be repeated not be available in the following year, the Examiners' Board shall specify what alternative re-assessment shall be taken. A Repeat may only be taken on one occasion for each Part of a student's programme.
	2.13	Internal Repeat: is when a candidate is required to pay full tuition fees and is entitled to attend all taught sessions, to submit coursework and to take examinations.
	2.14	External Repeat: is when a candidate pays reduced fees and has an enrolment status of 'suspended with services' which allows access to the Library and to IT services only. Candidates taking an external repeat are not required to pay tuition fees and hence are not entitled to access taught sessions or academic or pastoral support services. A student repeating externally may be required to pay examination fees. A student sponsored by the University to enter the UK under the points-based visa scheme will have no right to remain in the UK as they are not a full-time student when they are repeating externally. On successful completion of an external repeat, a visa sponsored student would need to re-apply for entry into the UK.

3.	Special Considerations for all Taught Programmes
	3.1	A student's performance may be worthy of special consideration if their performance in a relevant assessment has been adversely affected by exceptional circumstances outside their control and there is evidence to support such a claim. Exceptional circumstances may relate to situations personal to the student, such as illness or family difficulties, or to external factors such as the illness of a lecturer at a crucial time in a module, or disruption or cancellation of any part of the examination process. Such external factors may affect an individual student and/or groups and/or cohorts of students.
	3.2	Special considerations shall only apply to circumstances which can be clearly related to performance in particular elements of assessment.
	3.3	A student who believes that his/her performance in a relevant assessment is worthy of special consideration should ensure, as far as possible, that the evidence relating to these circumstances is given to the appropriate person within the Faculty in advance of the next meeting of the Board of Examiners using the Special Considerations Request form. Faculties must ensure that deadlines for the submission of special considerations claims are publicised to students. Where exceptional circumstances affect a group or cohort of students and relate to a situation already known to, and evidenced by, the Faculty concerned (eg: disruption to an examination or illness of a member of staff), and the Faculty confirms that it is referring the matter for special consideration, the notification of the exceptional circumstances need not be brought forward by individual students and may be considered by the Board of Examiners or by a Special Considerations Board (see paragraph 3.4 below).
	3.4	Boards of Examiners shall establish a small Special Considerations Board to consider the evidence presented by individual students and make recommendations to the Board of Examiners. The establishment of a smaller board to handle such cases avoids the necessity for students' individual circumstances to be discussed in the wider Board of Examiners. Where the Chair of the Board of Examiners deems it appropriate because of the nature of the case, exceptional circumstances affecting groups or cohorts of students (see paragraph 3.1) may also be referred to the Special Considerations Board.
	3.5	The consideration of exceptional circumstances shall remain distinct from the marking process and actual marks shall be determined solely on the basis of work submitted. Marks shall not be adjusted in the light of special circumstances. However, the Special Considerations Board may recommend the setting aside of marks which it considers to be inconsistent with a student's overall performance (see paragraph 3.6).
	3.6	Should a Special Considerations Board (or Board of Examiners under paragraph 3.3) accept that exceptional circumstances have affected academic performance, the Board shall normally recommend the award of a classification or a progress decision consistent with the performance which, on the evidence available to it, the Board reasonably judges the student would have achieved if performance had not been affected by these circumstances. If the evidence is insufficient to make such a judgement, the Special Considerations Board may recommend setting aside the results of particular assessments and allowing the student to take such assessments again as if for the first time.
	3.7	The authority of the Special Considerations Board to make allowance for exceptional circumstances may be restricted in some programmes subject to Professional, Statutory or Regulatory requirements or because of the special requirements of particular programmes. In such cases, this will be made clear to students in programme documentation.
	3.8	Boards of Examiners shall consider recommendations from Special Considerations Boards before making a determination of the student's result and any progress decision arising from the result.
	3.9	A Board of Examiners may note exceptional circumstances to be carried forward for further consideration in a later year of a programme. Apart from this, no exceptional circumstances applying to previous years of a programme shall normally be taken into consideration.
	3.10	In all cases the Board of Examiners must be assured that overall programme learning outcomes have been met before a recommendation for an award can be made. Where, in respect of a final examination, a student affected by exceptional circumstances is unable to satisfy the examiners in accordance with the relevant Regulations, and where it would be inappropriate to consider permitting this student to retake assessments as for the first time, that student may be considered for the award of an aegrotat degree in accordance with the terms of Ordinance 7.4.4.