QMU Assessment Regulations for an Honours Degree

ASSESSMENT REGULATIONS FOR AN HONOURS DEGREE

For full information on assessment regulations, see the QMU website.

A summary of key regulations is set out below.

Requirements for passing

The pass mark for a module is 40%.
Where there is more than one component of assessment, students must achieve at least 30% in each component and an overall aggregate mark of 40%.
To be eligible for the award of the degree, students must pass all modules.
The final degree classification is calculated by calculating the average of all modules in Level 3 (20%) and all modules in Level 4 (80%):

40-49% - Third Class
50-59% - Lower Second Class (2:2)
60-69% - Upper Second Class (2:1)
70% + - First Class

Reassessment

The Board of Examiners may at its discretion allow an undergraduate student to be re-assessed in up to 80 credits of taught modules in any one academic year. A student who fails more than 80 credits at the first attempt will normally be required to withdraw.
All reassessment results shall be based only upon performance in re-assessments; no marks may be carried forward from a student’s first attempt at the assessments. This means that if a student is asked to resit one component only, they must achieve at least 40% to pass.
A student who has been absent from an assessment due extenuating circumstances, or who has performed badly because of those circumstances, may be allowed to retake the assessment as if it was a first attempt. (Extenuating circumstances means illness or other personal circumstances beyond the student’s control that could not have been planned for in advance and have an impact on performance.)
A student will be permitted a maximum of three attempts at any module. i.e. attempt one plus two reassessment attempts. Attempt three may be undertaken in the following academic year subject to progression regulations. Where a student is reassessed in an undergraduate module at a second or third attempt, the maximum mark that can be achieved for the module is 40%.

Exceeding the word limit and late submission

A piece of written work which exceeds the specified word limit by 10% or more will receive a maximum mark of 40%.
Any student who submits work to be assessed after the assessment submission date, without the prior agreement of the Programme Leader and the Module Co-ordinator, or without good or agreed cause, will have marks deducted according to the following criteria:

- if submitted, in a first diet, after the due date but within one calendar week (i.e. up to 6 days after submission date) a maximum mark of 40% can be achieved for undergraduate programmes
- if submitted, in a first diet, after one calendar week (i.e. 7 days or more) a mark of 0% will be awarded
- if coursework is submitted after the due date for a second or third attempt at assessment a mark of 0% will be awarded.

Progressing to the next level

For most programmes, the regulations are as follows:

If you have passed all modules you may progress to the next level.
In Level 1 and 2, if you have passed all modules except one; and your mark in that module is between 37 and 39%; the Board may condone the module. The module is treated as if it has been passed and the student may progress to the next level.
Note that you cannot condone a module if you failed a component that is marked purely as pass or fail. Nor can you condone a module if you scored less than 30% for any individual component.
No modules may be condoned at Level 3 and 4.
You may progress to Level 2 and Level 3 if you have passed at least 80 credits of modules. You must retake assessments in the modules that you have not yet passed. This is known as ‘trailing’ modules. You may trail no more than 40 credits of modules.
Unless there are specific programme regulations or special circumstances, you may progress to Level 4 if you have passed at least 100 credits and trail up to 20 credits.
Students who fail more than 60 credits at the second attempt will be withdrawn from the programme.

Appeals Procedure

You have the right to appeal against a decision of the Board of Examiners if you believe that either of the following circumstances apply:

Additional information is available that was not, and could not, reasonably have been made available to the Board at the time it made its original decision; and which had it been available could have led the Board to making a different decision. (An example of this would be medical evidence that was not available at the time of the Board because the student was too sick at that time to submit the evidence.)
There was a material irregularity in the procedures of the Board of Examiners or in the conduct of the assessment. (In other words, if University procedures were not followed properly or equitably.)

You may NOT appeal because you disagree with the mark you have received. All assessment at QMU goes through a rigorous moderation process to ensure that the marks awarded are in line with the marking criteria and the academic standards expected for the level of award.

To submit an appeal you must do so in writing to the University Secretary within 21 days of receiving the decision of the Board of Examiners. The Students’ Union can provide advice and support with the appeal process. See the Appeals Procedure for full details.