Permission to proceed carrying failures
Undergraduate Examination Convention L43 & 44
Integrated Masters Examination Conventions L43 & 44
Undergraduate Progress Regulation B4(c)
Supplementary notes:
- It should be noted that carrying of failed modules (20 credits maximum), at any stage before the final stage, applies only to non-core modules. In normal circumstances a students will have a third and final attempt at these modules at the next occasion of assessment (Convention M49)
- If a student proceeds to Stage 2 carrying fails in one or more Stage 1 modules and does not pass one or more such modules after the final attempt (i.e. does not pass the modules outright and does not pass by compensation), the board of examiners has three options:
- The board decides that the student fails Stage 1 and therefore cannot proceed to Stage 3 under any circumstances. The student leaves the University (with a Higher Education Certificate if they are eligible). The decision is recorded as academic failure.
- The board may decide to pass the individual modules by discretion if it feels this is merited. The reasons for using discretion must be recorded. From this point the student will be considered like any other Stage 2 student.
- The board may decide to pass Stage 1 by discretion without passing every module. In this instance the decision recorded for failed modules is Fail and the progression decision in respect of Stage 1 is Stage passed by discretion, notwithstanding failures in specific modules. The reasons for using discretion must be recorded. From this point the student will be considered largely like any other Stage 2 student. Note however that they have not passed 120 credits at Stage 1 and this will need to be taken into account if the student is subsequently considered for the award of a Higher Education Certificate, a Higher Education Diploma or a Pass Degree (Conventions S62, 65 and 67).
- In a three Stage programme, the discussion in (b) above will not normally apply beyond Stage 1. If a student on a three year degree proceeds to Stage 3 carrying fails in one or more Stage 2 modules, and does not pass one or more such modules after the final attempt (i.e. does not pass the modules outright and does not pass by compensation), then the board of examiners has the option to pass one or more modules by discretion, if it has grounds for so doing (the reason for using discretion must be recorded). Modules that remain fails should be recorded as Fail and the best mark for each should be used in calculating the Stage 2 average. It is not necessary to pass Stage 2 as such: the focus switches to determining the degree classification (Conventions Section N), where the number of credits failed beyond Stage 1 is the important factor.
- In a four Stage Integrated Master’s programme, the discussion in (b) applies to some extent. If the board decides that the student does not pass Stage 2, then the student cannot proceed to Stage 4, but should be considered for a Bachelor’s award. If the board decides that the student should pass Stage 2 by discretion, notwithstanding failures in specific modules, then those failures would be carried to Stage 4 and would count towards the 20 credits of fail beyond Stage 1 referred to in Convention N51(b). Note however that the student can carry no more than 20 credits in total from Stages 2 and 3.
- Note that Convention H33 has been clarified: if a student is deemed to have passed the Stage, notwithstanding failure in specific modules, then any subsequent calculation must use the best actual mark for each.
- A student who cannot proceed to the next Stage at the normal occasion, either through failing a Core module and/or through failing more than 20 credits (usually this is after two attempts) may repeat failed modules out of residence or (with DPD's permission) repeat in residence. A student who is entitled to proceed carrying fails may (with DPD's permission) elect to take a year out, and attempt to redeem the fails before returning. It is possible that such a student may have exhausted all three attempts before proceeding to the next Stage.
- In either case in (f) above, a student at Stage 2 who has passed all core modules but who has failed up to 20 credits of non-core modules after three attempts may only proceed to Stage 3 if the Board of Examiners exercises its discretion to pass the individual modules by discretion or to pass the stage by discretion as outlined in (b) above. If the students proceeds on the basis that the Stage has been passed by discretion notwithstanding failures in specific modules, the failed modules would count towards the 20 credits of fail beyond stage 1 referred to in Convention N51 (b). The normal expectation is that boards will use this discretion, particularly if a student would have been entitled to proceed carrying fails, but elected to take a year out; if the board chooses not to exercise discretion, then it should minute a specific reason for not doing so.
- The same principles apply to a four Stage programme. In either case in (e) above, a student may only proceed to Stage 3 and Stage 4 of such a programme if the Board of Examiners has exercised its discretion to pass the module or the Stage as outlined in (f) above.
