Academic and Assessment FAQs for students

When will I be awarded my degree?

The date when you are awarded your degree will depend on when you complete all your work. After you complete all your work it will be marked, moderated and presented to an Assessment Board. The University has revised its schedule of Assessment Boards because of the implementation of the Emergency Regulations. We have scheduled an Assessment Board at a suitable point after each of the submission deadlines that programmes have set up for students, so that those students who have completed all their work will not have to wait too long to be awarded their degrees.

How soon from the second and third submission dates will third year students receive their degree classifications?

The date when you are awarded your degree will depend on when you complete all your work.  After you complete all your work it will be marked, moderated and presented to an Assessment Board.  The University has a schedule of Assessment Boards but is currently revising this schedule for this year because of the implementation of the Emergency Regulations. We expect to schedule an Assessment Board at a suitable point after each of the submission deadlines that programmes are setting up for students, so that those students who have completed all their work will not have to wait too long to be awarded their degrees. When we have finalised the schedule we will provide it to students.

The Boards will be scheduled as soon as reasoanbly possible after the deadlines, but we need to schedule time for marking, internal and external moderation and grade processing between the deadline and the Board date.

Will the University be noting the pandemic on my degree transcripts?

Some institutions are currently considering whether they will need to reference the pandemic on their students’ final degree documentation, most particularly on a student’s degree transcript and/or Higher Education Achievement Record (HEAR).  It has been noted that institutions that have made substantial adjustments to their Regulations (for example condoning large volumes of credit and/or making guarantees about students’ final degree classifications) may feel the need to justify student outcomes in this way.

Having considered the approach the University of Northampton has taken to its Emergency Regulations, we are confident that no such statement will be required on our students’ degree transcripts.  We are confident that the adjustments we have made to the regulations governing student outcomes continue to uphold institutional standards and the integrity of student awards, including by:

• Ensuring all Programme Learning Outcomes continue to be met.
• Ensuring all credit continues to be completed successfully  prior to conferment of award.
• Ensuring student work continues to be graded according to the academic worth of that work, albeit within the context of the disruption caused by the pandemic.
• Ensuring continued moderation of graded work.

Will the calculations that lead to my degree classification outcome be adjusted to reflect the disruption the pandemic has caused to my studies this year?

Degree Classification Adjustments

Senate has approved new degree classification algorithms for the 2019/20 graduating cohorts studying some degree types. These will be run alongside the standard degree classification algorithms, with students given the best of all the outcomes produced.  For some degree types it has not proven possible to adjust the standard degree classification algorithms; for those students, the standard degree classification algorithms will continue to be used.

The principles upon which Senate approved these new degree classification algorithms were:

1. Students are still required to achieve the full volume of credits required for the award to be made (i.e. 360 credits for Bachelors; 180 credits for Masters etc).
2. The Emergency Classification algorithms will be run in addition to the standard algorithms, with the student given the best outcome from all algorithms run.
3. For some awards no adjustments are possible due to the volume of University of Northampton credits contained in that award (e.g. some top-up awards).
4. These algorithms will be used for 2019/20 graduates only. Any adjustments required to the degree classification algorithms for students graduating in future years will be considered in due course.

The details of the changes have been approved.  We will shortly publish a webpage containing information to support students’ understanding of the changes and what they mean.

Please remember that you still need to pass all your modules in order to be eligible for your award.

The rest of the Emergency Academic and Student Regulations still remain in place.

When will the Assessment Boards be?

Assessment Boards are scheduled throughout the summer period, to align with the different types of provision and the different submission points.  There are two types of Boards – Module Boards, that sign off grades for individual modules; and Award and Status Boards, that sign off student outcomes in terms of graduation, progression, repeats etc.  If you would like to know the dates of the boards that relate to your programme please speak to  your module and programme leaders.

My dissertation is due.  I am not ready to submit because of the virus. What are my options?

Dissertations also have 3 submission points.

If this deadline is your first sit for your dissertation, and you are not ready to submit, then please submit to the next opportunity. The dates will be available on NILE – if they aren’t then please contact your dissertation tutor for information. You do not need to let your tutor know if you do not plan to submit at this first opportunity.  If you do not submit to this first opportunity then you will be entitled to a true grade for your work when you submit at the next opportunity.  There will also be a third opportunity to submit, and those dates should also be available for you on NILE.

If this deadline is your resit opportunity for your dissertation, and you are not ready to submit, then please submit to the final (third) opportunity.  The date for this will be available on NILE – if it isnt, please contact your dissertation tutor for information.  You do not need to let your tutor know if you do not plan to submit at this resit opportunity.

When do I have to submit my dissertation?

Your dissertation tutor should have provided you with the possible dates to submit your dissertation. Please remember that a dissertation is just like any other assessment and so the principle of having three submission opportunities applies to dissertations too.

What additional support will be provided to students submitting dissertations?

Dissertations also have 3 submission points.

If this deadline is your first sit for your dissertation, and you are not ready to submit, then please submit to the next opportunity. The dates will be available on NILE – if they aren’t then please contact your dissertation tutor for information. You do not need to let your tutor know if you do not plan to submit at this first opportunity.  If you do not submit to this first opportunity then you will be entitled to a true grade for your work when you submit at the next opportunity.  There will also be a third opportunity to submit, and those dates should also be available for you on NILE.

If this deadline is your resit opportunity for your dissertation, and you are not ready to submit, then please submit to the final (third) opportunity.  The date for this will be available on NILE – if it isn’t, please contact your dissertation tutor for information.  You do not need to let your tutor know if you do not plan to submit at this resit opportunity.

Please check your NILE site for information on how your dissertation tutor will support you with your dissertation, and contact your dissertation tutor to clarify anything that isn’t clear.  All Library and Learning Services support services are also available remotely and can be accessed from here: https://libguides.northampton.ac.uk/serviceupdate

Can I get an extension for my dissertation?

No – the Extensions Policy has been temporarily suspended. Instead you have three submission opportunities. There is a useful flowchart setting out how these opportunities will work.

View Emergency Regulations

Why aren’t you making the same regulatory changes as other universities?

Every University has different assessment regulations and different approaches to passing modules, calculating outcomes for levels, and calculating final degree outcomes.  This means that every university will need to make changes the reflect on their standard approaches. Some of the changes that other universities are making might actually make it harder for you to pass your studies here.  We have thought very carefully and have implemented changes that we think are very supportive of students here and will ensure you have the best chance of completing your modules this year.

You have said that you might use already achieved grades to calculate my overall module grades. Does that mean I can choose whether I submit my next set of assignments?

The Regulation that allows the University to calculate overall module grades from assessment grades is limited and only relevant in certain circumstances. These circumstances are listed in the Emergency Regulations. There is no Module or Programme Leader discretion on whether this will be applied. It is also possible that the application will differ by student because different students may have completed different volumes of credit. The Emergency Regulations have been implemented to support students to complete their modules this academic year and the best way to ensure you do complete your studies is to try to complete your assessments. This is why we have put in place 3 submission opportunities for each assessment for you.

There’s a lot of information here. What does this mean for me?

We have put in place additional assessment points, so you can choose at which point you want to submit your work. If you submitted but your assignment fails, then you have the opportunity to resubmit the work for a capped grade.

The key message is that for any assignment with a first submission date after 20/3/20, you can submit up to twice (maximum) across a choice of three different submission points (also called ‘sits’). Once you have passed, you are not able to submit again.   There is a useful flow chart that illustrates the full range of possible scenarios.

All this is quite confusing. What should I do now?

We appreciate that there is a lot of information to take in. First of all, please review the changes to module assessment submission opportunities. Module submission changes should now be available on NILE, or you will have been contacted by your module tutor to explain why they need more time to provide this.  If you haven’t heard anything, please contact your module tutor.

Will allowances be made for the fact that some exams have been moved forwards and therefore students have had less time to prepare for them?

Assessments were only brought forward if the module tutor felt that they could be moved without detriment to the students involved.  Please talk to your module tutor for more information on how this was determined and to gain reassurance that your work will be graded taking all the circumstances into account.

What are we doing with the Emergency Regulations for the 2020/21 academic year?

The Emergency Regulations will remain in place for the September 2020/21 intake.  However, work is ongoing to consider if some revisions will be required for this cohort to reflect the longer-term nature of the pandemic’s impact. Any adjustments to the Emergency Regulations for that cohort will be brought to Senate for approval.

I am currently on an Erasmus placement at an institution in Europe. Do the Emergency Regulations apply to me?

For any modules that you are studying at the host institution, the host institution’s regulations around marking, assessment deadlines and award of credit will apply, even if you are now studying those modules remotely.  You will need to contact the host institution and ask for confirmation about those regulations, and any changes that may have been made to respond to the pandemic.

Any modules studied at the University this academic year will be subject to the University’s Academic Regulations.  If these modules were fully complete prior to 20 March 2020 the standard Regulations and not the Emergency Regulations will apply.

How does the Exceptional Circumstances Policy work? Is this a replacement for the Mitigating Circumstances Policy?

The Exceptional Circumstances Policy is not a replacement for the Mitigating Circumstances Policy. It is a policy that is designed to support students who, despite the Emergency Regulations, will not be able to complete their assessed work by any of the three submission points.  This might be for various reasons, the main ones of which are listed in the Exceptional Circumstances Policy.  Once the form has been completed there will be a conversation with you to determine what are the most appropriate next steps. The initial deadlines for submssion under this policy is 31 May 2020.

What does the Independent Study Plan mentioned in the Exceptional Circumstances Policy involve and is this applicable to all courses?

The independent study plan is one of the options listed in the Exceptional Circumstances Policy. It may be applicable for any student who applies for Exceptional Circumstances but that will depend on the nature of a student’s individual circumstances.  An independent study plan might, for example, put a slightly longer retrieval plan in place for any outstanding assessments if this was the right approach to take for that student.

Can I still ask for an Extension on my work?

We have temporarily suspended the Extensions Policy and instead have put in place 3 submission opportunities for students. Please see the guidance on changes to the Mitigating Circumstances Policy for more details.

If I have been given an extension before these Emergency Regulations were introduced does this still count?

If the extension is for an assessment due on or before 17 April 2020 then yes, it does still count.  For any upcoming assessment deadlines the Extensions Policy has been temporarily suspended in place of the 3 submission opportunities.

Can I request an extension on the final (third) opportunity because there are no further opportunities after that point?

No. We have suspended the Extensions Policy temporarily.  The final submission deadline is the last opportunity you will have to submit the work this academic year.

What is happening to the graduation ceremony?

We have made the difficult decision to postpone our July graduation ceremonies. If you were due to attend those ceremonies you should have received an email on 8 April 2020.  More information can also be found on the Graduation pages.

Graduation

It is important to note that the graduation ceremony is the celebration of your award.  The presentation of your award happens at the Award Board that considers your full grade profile and approves your final outcome.  We are currently reviewing our Award Board schedule for this year to realign board dates with the revised submission dates that have been approved under the Emergency Regulations. We will provide a revised schedule shortly.

What impact will the three submission dates on Graduation (if a student submits on the third date for example?)

We have made the difficult decision to postpone our July graduation ceremonies. If you were due to attend those ceremonies you should have received an email on 8 April 2020.  More information can also be found here:

Graduation

It is important to note that the graduation ceremony is the celebration of your award.  The presentation of your award happens at the Award Board that considers your full grade profile and approves your final outcome.  We are currently reviewing our Award Board schedule for this year to realign board dates with the revised submission dates that have been approved under the Emergency Regulations. We will provide a revised schedule shortly.

You cannot be awarded your degree until all your work has been graded, moderated and considered by an Award Board. This does mean that if you submit to the third submission point then your final award will be awarded later than those who submit to the first submission point.  However, you need to consider all of the circumstances you are facing and determine when it is best for you to submit.  As mentioned above, we will be ensuring that we hold Award Boards after each submission deadline to consider all the students who have submitted.

Will there still be a physical graduation ceremony?

We have made the difficult decision to postpone our July graduation ceremonies. If you were due to attend those ceremonies you should have received an email on 8 April 2020.  More information can also be found on the Graduation webpages.

We will be rescheduling our graduation ceremonies for a future date and you will be invited then.  More information will be available once we have been able to identify new dates.

With the move to open book exams in some cases –  will the marking on these be changed to make it harder than with usual closed book exams?

At the University of Northampton we mark against the Learning Outcomes associated with that item of assessment.  Where assessments have changed from exams to alternative assessments the learning outcomes have been mapped to the new assessment. The marking will continue to be undertaken in the same way as if the assessment had been a standard exam.

My overall module is showing as a fail grade but I haven’t submitted all of my work- what does this mean?

If your overall grade is showing as a fail grade but you have chosen to submit a piece of work for that module at a later opportunity then do not worry. A G grade indicates that you have not submitted yet. The University needs to enter a grade so that we can track what is happening with every student. In order to do this we need to record something at each of the submission points. Our record system automatically calculates an overall grade, which are unable to prevent, which is why the outcome may be showing as a fail grade, or a lower grade that you might expect. Once you have submitted the work and it has been marked the grade should then be updated. You will be able to see that you still have another opportunity to submit your work where you can see an * against the G grade. If you are unsure when the next submission opportunity is please speak to your Module Leader.

Can I still apply for Mitigating Circumstances?

We have temporarily suspended the Mitigating Circumstances Policy and instead have put in place 3 submission opportunities for students.  Please see the guidance on changes to the Mitigating Circumstances Policy for more details.

If I had Mitigating Circumstances agreed prior to the Emergency Regulations will this still stand?

Yes they do, but in effect this has been overridden by the Emergency Regulations.  You don’t have to submit to the assessment deadline where you have Mitigating Circumstances but will instead have the other assessment deadlines available to you. However, if you decide that you do want to submit to the first assessment deadline after all then you are still able to do so under the ‘Fit to Sit’ principle.

How can I make my module choices when I don’t know if I will finish and pass all my modules this year?

When Module Choice forms are distributed, please fill them on the basis that you will pass all your modules this year.  Then, if you do not pass them all and need to repeat, our staff will work with you to revise your module choices to include any modules that you are repeating.

How do the Emergency Regulations ensure a no detriment approach?

We have thought really carefully about how best to ensure a no detriment approach and have done the following:

• we have ensured that students who do not submit an assessment are not penalised.  If you do not submit you can submit to the next submission opportunity and your grade will not be capped at a D- (undergraduate) or C- (postgraduate)
• we have temporarily suspended the termination of studies regulation for any students who fail modules due to assessments taken after 20 March 2020. If modules are failed they will need to be repeated, but your studies will not be terminated.
• in some circumstances, we have put in place processes that will enable us to calculate module grades from assessment grades worth at least 50% of the module.
• we have adjusted all assessments we can to ensure they can be completed at a distance.
• where assessments were brought forward so that they could be completed before 20 March 2020, module tutors will mark having taken this situation into account.

In addition – our Standard Regulations already support students with their learning and assessments in the following ways:

• modules can be passed on aggregate (rather than every assessment having to be passed individually)
• the way we calculate your final award discounts the grades from your lowest scoring modules (the exact number of credits depends on the level of your award)

Senate has also approved new  new degree classification algorithms for the 2019/20 graduating cohorts studying some degree types. These will be run alongside the standard degree classification algorithms, with students given the best of all the outcomes produced.  For some degree types it has not proven possible to adjust the standard degree classification algorithms; for those students, the standard degree classification algorithms will continue to be used.  The principles upon which Senate approved these new degree classification algorithms were:

1. Students are still required to achieve the full volume of credits required for the award to be made (i.e. 360 credits for Bachelors; 180 credits for Masters etc).
2. The Emergency Classification algorithms will be run in addition to the standard algorithms, with the student given the best outcome from all algorithms run.
3. For some awards no adjustments are possible due to the volume of University of Northampton credits contained in that award (e.g. some top-up awards).
4. These algorithms will be used for 2019/20 graduates only.  Any adjustments required to the degree classification algorithms for students graduating in future years will be considered in due course.

The details of the changes have been approved.  We will shortly publish a webpage containing information to support students’ understanding of the changes and what they mean.

Please remember that you still need to pass all your modules in order to be eligible for your award

If there is a No Detriment Policy will this cover assessments before the University closed as some courses had face to face assessments brought forward due to COVID-19 which meant less preparation/ rehearsal time?

Assessments were only brought forward if the module tutor felt that they could be moved without detriment to the students involved.  Please talk to your module tutor for more information on how this was determined and to gain reassurance that your work will be graded taking all the circumstances into account.

My module is currently on hold because it has to be delivered face to face. What happens next?

Where modules are on hold because there is outstanding learning that can only be delivered face to face, the module tutor will have established a plan to help you to complete that learning and the associated assessments once face to face learning can recommence. This should be available on NILE – if it isn’t there yet please contact your module tutor.  We are also working to ensure that you can progress with your following year’s modules alongside working to complete these outstanding sessions.

I cannot complete my module because it has to be assessed in a face to face format.  What happens next?

Where modules are on hold because there are outstanding assessments that can only be delivered face to face, the module tutor will have established a plan to help you to complete those assessments once face to face learning can recommence. This should be available on NILE –  if it isn’t there yet please contact your module tutor.  We are also working to ensure that you can progress with your following year’s modules alongside working to complete these outstanding assessments.

The post-emergency retrieval plan for my module that is currently on hold doesn’t incorporate three submission points for my outstanding assessments.  Is this correct?

Yes this is correct.  The three submission points are for modules that can be completed before the end of this academic year.  This module is one that cannot be completed due to the requirement for face to face learning and/or assessment, and that is why a post-emergency retrieval plan is being put in place.  There is no requirement for the post-emergency retrieval plan to incorporate three submission points. Instead, it should set out the mechanisms to be used to ensure you can demonstrate your learning and potential for this module.

My modules are currently on hold because they require face to face teaching and /or assessment.  If I have to return to complete them before the start of the next academic year, can I stay in University halls of residence?

We are currently looking at options for students who may be required to  return early to complete modules that are currently on hold.  We will provide more information on this shortly.

I am a student studying at one of the University’s partner institutions. Do the Emergency Regulations apply to me?

The principles of the Emergency Regulations apply to all students – onsite, those studying via Distance Learning, and those studying at partners. In terms of the operationalisation of the Emergency Regulations, the majority of the Regulations will apply to partner students in exactly the same way as they will apply to onsite and distance learning students.

There are three Emergency Regulations that may be operationalised differently for partner students because of the way in which provision at the partner is delivered and organised

• the implementation of three submission points
• the suspension of Mitigating Circumstances and Extensions
• the progression subject to completion of students studying in subject areas that cannot be completed this academic year due to the nature of the subject matter

For these three Regulations, discussions are ongoing with individual partner institutions to finalise the details of how these will be operationalised. More information will be sent directly to partner students once that work is completed.

I am a student studying at one of the University’s partner institutions. Who should I contact for information and advice about the Emergency Regulations?

In the first instance you should contact the academic and support staff at your institution. They will be able to provide you with the latest information on the implementation of the Emergency Regulations for your institution and your programme.

You can also contact any of the teams you would usually contact within the University for information and advice. Please ensure that you make it clear you are a student studying with one of our partners so that they give you tailored advice on the Emergency Regulations.

I am a student studying at one of the University’s partner institutions. Will my exams be moved online?

As at the University, exams and other face to face assessments are being replaced with remote alternatives to reflect the fact that face to face teaching and learning is currently suspended. Please contact your module tutor or programme leader for information on the nature and details of those alternative assessments.  These alternative assessments have been mapped to the module learning outcomes to ensure that you will not suffer any academic detriment as a result of the assessment change.

Where you are due to complete a resit of an assessment that was originally face to face, this will also be moved to a remote alternative. Please ensure you have been given information about these assessments and contact your module tutor or programme leader if you require further information.

Find information about Placements and Work-based Learning for current Students on the Student Hub (student log-in required).

I am studying a programme with professional body oversight and registration.  Do the Emergency Regulations apply to me?

The Emergency Regulations will apply to any part of your programme that is not subject to additional regulations mandated by the professional body.  But they do not override any additional regulations that are already in place because of that professional body.  For example – some programmes with professional body regulations require students to pass every item of assessment rather than to pass a module on aggregate.  The Emergency Regulations will not override that requirement.  However, when you complete written pieces of work you will be given three opportunities to submit.

Programmes with professional body oversight and regulation have been working hard with the relevant professional bodies to consider the impact of the pandemic on your studies.  In some cases the professional bodies have agreed to adjust their usual requirements – for example, many have agreed to move away from face to face exams and to allow alternative forms of assessment.  Your programme team will provide you with information on any professional body requirements that have been adjusted.

One of the biggest challenges for programmes that have professional body oversight and registration is the impact of the pandemic on placement modules.  Again, the programme teams and the Office of Placements and Work-Based Learning are working closely with the professional bodies to consider how to deal with this impact in a way that is fair to students as well as ensuring professional body requirements continue to be met.  Programme teams will let you know once they have definitive information on what this means for you.

Will I be able to progress to my next year of studies in September?

The Emergency Regulations have stated that we would like all students to be able to progress to the next year of their studies in September who were due to progress in September.  If any modules remain incomplete this will mean that students will progress and that the module tutors will put in place retrieval plans for the completion of that outstanding work.

If you have failed modules and need to repeat those modules we will be allowing students to study modules at different levels so that you can still study full time where it is possible for you to do so.

Can I record my online sessions?

It depends. Your module tutors will be recording all live sessions for you as long as it is appropriate to do so. Highly interactive sessions will not be recorded as these tend to be of less value when watched subsequently. In those situations, the associated activity and any required outcomes or model answers should all be available online for those students who cannot participate in the ‘live’ session to engage with.

However, some students may be permitted to record sessions themselves, where they have express permission from the University to do so. Further details can be found in the Policy on Electronic Recording of Lectures by Students.

What happens to my referencing now that I can no longer access physical library books or access books via Inter-Library Loans?

The University is aware of the difficulties that this may bring, particularly when some of your resources are only available in physical form. Where you cannot obtain the original/primary resources, please cite the secondary resource instead. We have updated our marking and moderation guidance for academic staff to reflect this advice.

What do I do if I can’t access the physical library book to include page numbers for direct quotes or to reference ideas?

Please do the best that you can and provide as much information as possible under the circumstances. We have updated our marking and moderation guidance for academic staff to reflect this advice.

I just want to stop studying for a while because I cannot carry on at the moment. What are my options?

Please read the Exceptional Circumstances Policy and see if it applies to you.  If you would like to discuss your options with someone please contact the Student Support and Advice Team.

Are we able to apply for Study breaks during this time due to the disruption of managing workload with other commitments such as childcare or returning to service?

Yes you are. At the moment this will be via the Exceptional Circumstances Policy. The initial deadline for submissions under this policy is 31 May 2020.

My course is covered by additional Supplementary Regulations. Do the Emergency Regulations override those Supplementary Regulations?

No they don’t. Supplementary Regulations continue to apply because they are mandated by professional bodies. If it has been agreed that there will be a temporary change to the Supplementary Regulations to mitigate the impact of Covid-19 then this will be communicated to you separately via NILE.

How do the three submission opportunities in the Emergency Regulations work?

There is a flowchart which sets out how the three submission opportunities work in more detail.

Can I submit three times to improve my grade?

No. Please see the flowchart for more information on how the three submission opportunities work.  Two key messages are that students can submit a maximum of twice and, once a pass grade has been achieved, students cannot submit again.

What are the two additional dates for submission? Will these be confirmed by the University? Does Senate decide these or are they decided on a course by course basis? When will we hear about them?

The deadlines are set on a module basis.  Each module leader has been asked to provide the dates to their students on the relevant NILE site.  If these dates are not yet available please contact your module tutor for this information.

If I cannot submit for an original deadline will I be automatically submitted for the 2 other possibilities or do I need to notify someone of this before?

You can choose which submission points to use. You don’t have to tell anyone or ask permission.  If you don’t submit to the first submission point then you will be able to submit to the next one. If you haven’t passed the assessment by the end of the second submission point you will be able to submit to the third point.

So, which of the submission dates should I submit to if I haven’t made a first submission yet? Why would I submit on the first date and not the second or third?

Because everyone’s individual circumstances differ, we cannot tell you when you should submit work.

The main purpose of the regulatory changes is to provide you with more choice about when to submit work.  This is in recognition of the significant disruption people are experiencing individually, socially, psychologically, and academically, and in risk to physical health. The increase to the number of submission opportunities gives you more choice and opportunity to spread the assessment load and try to balance your academic work along with the many other competing demands you may be experiencing (as far as is possible)

Will my assignment grades be capped automatically at the second and third assessment submission points?

No. It depends on whether you have submitted previously.  Please refer to the flowchart for more information.

If I submit an assignment at the second assessment submission point, will I still get full grade options?

Not necessarily. It depends on whether you have submitted previously.  Please refer to the flowchart for more information

If I submit an assignment at the second assessment submission point, will the third date be my ‘resit’ date and will the grade be capped?

If the assignment submitted to the 2nd assessment submission point is the first submission you have made, and you do not achieve a passing grade, you are entitled to submit the resit at the third assessment submission point for a capped grade.

I have already submitted an assignment and failed.  Can I make another submission under the Emergency Regulations?

If the failed assignment submission was the first sit, and the resit has not yet taken place, then yes – you will have 2 further opportunities and can submit to one of those

If both the first sit and resit had deadlines prior to 20 March 2020, that assessment does not fall under the Emergency Regulations and there will be no third submission opportunity.

If an assignment deadline has passed and I did not submit anything, can I submit something on the second date and still get full grade options?

If the first assessment opportunity for the assessment fell after 20 March – you can submit at the second opportunity for a true grade.

If the first assessment opportunity fell prior to 20 March – you can submit at the second opportunity for a capped grade.

If the date of an assignment resit has passed and I did not submit anything in the first or resit dates, can I still submit something on the third date?

The 2nd assessment opportunity is not a ‘resit’ date, as students could still be submitting their first sit at this point. Yes, if you have not submitted anything to the two previous submission dates, you can submit something to the 3rd sit date (although if you know that you are likely to be unable to make any of the prior sits due to COVID-19 related issues or serious extenuating circumstances, you may wish to consider submitting an Exceptional Circumstances Form or discuss taking a study break)

Will students who still have exams get the option of the three submission dates in a similar way to other assessments?

Yes – all assessment types are being given three submission points.

Will I receive additional academic support for later submission points?

The University has worked very hard to ensure the support it has given to students remains consistent and especially with regard to the way this support has been adapted to remote teaching and learning over these past weeks of lockdown. Modules will have provided students with the necessary input and support to be able to submit their work to the first submission point. However,  we fully acknowledge there may be a range of good reasons for students to decide to submit their work for the first time, to the second or third submission point.  We are sure you will agree it is important that students are not disadvantaged (or advantaged) by choosing any particular submission point in terms of the support received. For this reason if you choose to submit your work for the first time at the second or third opportunity, in order for parity and fairness you  will be entitled to the same support from your module tutors that would have been available to those who submitted at the first opportunity. There can be no additional support as clearly this would be inequitable.

If you are submitting resit work to the second or third opportunity you will receive the normal support for resit work.

My overall module is showing as a fail grade but I haven’t submitted all of my work- what does this mean?

If your overall grade is showing as a fail grade but you have chosen to submit a piece of work for that module at a later opportunity then do not worry. A G grade indicates that you have not submitted yet. The University needs to enter a grade so that we can track what is happening with every student. In order to do this we need to record something at each of the submission points. Our record system automatically calculates an overall grade, which are unable to prevent, which is why the outcome may be showing as a fail grade, or a lower grade that you might expect. Once you have submitted the work and it has been marked the grade should then be updated. You will be able to see that you still have another opportunity to submit your work where you can see an * against the G grade. If you are unsure when the next submission opportunity is please speak to your Module Leader.