Academic Policy & Governance

For the academic year 2020-21 any online exams that are time limited will have double time, that is 100% extra time over the normal exam duration (i.e., for a two hour exam students will have a four hour window in which to complete and submit the exam).

This approach offers continuing support to students in the context of the pandemic where many students face significant challenges, for example, in relation to poor connectivity, access to quiet study space and additional caring responsibilities. This arrangement also accommodates students with disabilities who would normally receive extra time during exams. In addition, for April/May 2021, June 2021 and August 2021 diets, such students will be provided with one additional hour in which to submit their timed exam papers.

Double time applies to all timed exams except for on a small number of programmes where professional/accreditation requirements mean that different arrangements will be in place. In advance of exams, students should receive clear information where any such different arrangements apply.

There are various different categories of online exam but these are all arranged in such a way that students should have plenty of time to complete them. Rules are now in place regarding the treatment of exams that are submitted late and they can be seen here. This policy accommodates different exam configurations; for some exams it is possible for students to make more than one submission whereas on others students can only submit once. It is essential that students are made aware of which configuration applies to each of their exams - further guidance will be provided on communicating this information to students.

As previously advised, the requirement for independent documentary evidence to support Good Cause claims has been relaxed. This will continue to be applied flexibly, and if it is clear that it would be difficult for the student to have obtained evidence, the claim should be accepted without.

Students in junior honours, senior honours, and years 3, 4 or 5 of an integrated masters degree whose learning has been severely disrupted may request the deferral of their full April/May 2021 exam diet to the August 2021 diet. In that case, the exams taken at the August 2021 diet will be treated as a first diet.

Students are being encouraged to sit the exams as scheduled in April/May 2021 as in the vast majority of cases this is likely to be in their best interests. Delaying exams until August will delay the award for completing students

However, some students have experienced very challenging circumstances over recent months (e.g. supporting school-aged children at home) and, for them, electing to defer the full exam diet until August will allow invaluable additional time to consolidate their learning. Students are encouraged to discuss this option with their Advisor of Studies in the first instance.

To request a deferral, students should submit a Good Cause claim through MyCampus explaining how their study has been disrupted. The deadline for submission of such a request is five working days before their first scheduled exam. Given the seriousness of the consequences of deferring the diet, it is not anticipated that many students will request this. Schools willl respond to such requests as quickly as possible.

If a student defers the spring diet and is then unable to take the August 2021 diet of exams (e.g. through illness) the next opportunity to take the exams will be in spring 2022. This would mean that completion of the degree would be delayed by a year. This may also have financial consequences that the student should discuss with their funding body.

FAQs on deferral of April/May 2021 exam diet

Examples are now available showing calculations of grade point averages for awards being made in 2020-21 that include assessment taken during the No Detriment period in 2019-20.

There is also further information on the amount of assessment that may be set aside with Good Cause on an honours/integrated masters degree programme.

A video has been produced for students which gives an overview of these points.

As previously advised, a grade D3 in the dissertation is not a requirement for the award of an honours degree for students completing in 2020-21. However, it is still a requirement that a dissertation should be submitted.

Where a dissertation is found to contain plagiarised material, a penalty imposed under the Code of Student Conduct (e.g. award of ‘Credit Refused’) may result in the honours degree not being awarded.

In the previous set of Assessment Support Measures it was noted that amended requirements for the award of the degree with Merit and Distinction would apply to PGT students on a one-year programme commencing in September 2020. These amended requirements will also apply to students who commenced in November 2020 or January 2021 and who complete within one year.

The amended criteria for the award of Merit and Distinction can be found here.

• Entry to honours: The generic undergraduate regulations give Schools discretion to permit entry where the standard requirements have not been met. This should be exercised reasonably taking account of the assessment opportunities that have been available to students across the pre-honours years.

Where a progress regulation requires a volume of credits at a threshold grade to have been achieved, a CA grade can be used to count towards this volume. (Different arrangements may be required on accredited programmes.)

For many areas competition for places in honours is not problematic. For some, entry requirements may still need to be applied with reference to capacity. 

Whatever approach is adopted, all Schools must make a careful record of criteria so that decisions can be explained and defended. It is recommended that the College Dean of Learning & Teaching should take an overview of proposed criteria across the College.

• Other progress decisions: Again, progress criteria may need some adjustment reflecting the actual assessment opportunities that have been available to students in the relevant period. (E.g. where requirements incorporate assessments that were due to have been completed in the No Detriment period in 2019-20.)

• Progress to PGT dissertation/project: Under the generic PGT degree regulations, students may be permitted to start work on their dissertation/project where some assessment associated with the taught courses is incomplete or not yet at the standard required to formally progress. Schools/RIs are asked to apply this as flexibly as possible, taking account of what is judged to be in the best interests of the student.