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  • Common questions for postgraduate students
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Common questions for postgraduate students

If you're on a postgraduate course, get answers to frequently asked questions relating to our examination and assessment regulations.

1. How do I pass my degree?

Your degree has been designed to provide a coherent learning experience, enabling you to meet the course learning outcomes and achieve an award of the University. Your course is made up of a number of individual modules, each worth a set number of credits. Postgraduate students must register on modules worth 180 credits. To be awarded a degree, you must achieve 180 credits, as well as a stage mean of 50%. (Please refer to ‘Award regulations’). The exam board may award up to 30 credits per stage via compensation or condoned credit. (Further information is provided below).

2. How do I pass a module?

Modules are usually assessed by more than one assessment, designed to test the module learning outcomes. These marks are combined to produce a conflated mark. To pass the module you need to achieve a conflated mark at or above the pass threshold (50% on postgraduate courses at level 7). Some courses have additional Professional and Statutory Body (PSB) requirements for passing the module. If you pass the module you will be awarded the credit for that module. (Refer to ‘module grades’).

3. How is my classification calculated?

For postgraduate students who achieve the credit required your degree classification is based on the grand mean that you achieve and the proportion of credit in the higher class. (Please refer to ‘Award regulations’).

4. Is there a borderline zone?

For postgraduate students, the exam board has the discretion to reclassify borderline candidates where:

(a) a borderline grand mean has been achieved (within 1% of the higher classification) AND 50% of the credit is in the higher class or

(b) a grand mean in the higher class has been achieved but 50% of the credit is not in the higher class. (Please refer to ‘Award regulations’).

Resits/sits and repeat year opportunities

5. What happens if I fail a module?

You need to achieve the requirements set out in 1 above to achieve your award. If you fail a module, your exam board will consider your performance and may give a resit or a sit opportunity depending on your circumstances. In some circumstances you may be given credit via compensation/condoned credit (please see below for details). You will usually be given a resit/sit of the component that you have failed – resit/sit details will be published on your Module Results page and Timetable in Sussex Direct. The resit assessment will be capped at the pass mark and then conflated with any other marks.

See more information on the Student Hub about resitting an assessment.

6. What is the difference between a ’resit’ and a ’sit’?

If you fail a module at the first attempt you will be given a resit to enable you to pass the module and gain the credits. Resit marks are capped at the pass threshold (50% for postgraduate modules at level 7) for the purpose of calculating your final classification, but the marks transcript you receive after graduation will show the uncapped mark (please refer to ‘Assessment regulations’). In cases where there are accepted exceptional circumstances and you are offered a sit, the mark will not be capped. The mark you achieve for a resit or a sit will stand for progression and/or award, even if it is lower than the original mark you achieved.

7. What are the implications of having my resit assessment mark capped?

Each module mark contributes towards your stage mean (the overall mark for the year). If your mark is capped it will affect your stage mean to a greater or lesser extent depending upon the weighting of the resit assessment and the credit volume of the module. For example, a capped mark weighted at 30% of a 15 credit module will have less impact on the stage mean than a capped mark worth 70% of a 30 credit module. The marks transcript you receive after graduating will display the uncapped mark you achieve.

8. How many times can I attempt to pass a module?

The cycle of assessment consists of a first attempt and a resit attempt at each stage of your studies. The exam board also has discretion to offer a second resit for one or more failed modules for a capped mark, provided 60 credits have been achieved in the stage. (Refer to ‘Assessment regulations’). If you fail the stage you may be given an opportunity to repeat the stage. (Refer to ’Retrieving credit in the following academic year’). It is not possible to repeat a stage which you have passed or which the exam board has enabled you to pass through the award of compensated or condoned credit.

9. When will I be given a resit/sit opportunity?

Resits are scheduled in the resit assessment period for the module (after the semester 2 assessment period for semester 1 modules and during the summer vacation for semester 2 and year-long modules - see our term dates for resit assessment periods). Any second resit opportunities will be scheduled in the relevant resits assessment period of the next stage. If you wish to take a second resit opportunity sooner, you may request this using the form ‘Application form for A3 resit to be scheduled in A1 or A2’. Please note this form cannot be used for first resits. Exceptionally, a first resit of the postgraduate dissertation/project will be offered in the semester 1 assessment period.

10. What is a repeat stage/term and when will it be offered?

A repeat assessment cycle consists of one further cycle of first attempt (where marks are uncapped) and a resit attempt (where marks are capped). This is at the discretion of the exam board, subject to the proviso that your course of study is running in the next academic session. (See ’Retrieving credit in the following academic year‘).

For postgraduate students, a repeat stage will be considered at the exam board in July, when performance on the first attempt at the taught modules taken in semesters 1 and 2 is considered. The July exam board may offer a choice of resits/sits or a repeat year to start in the next academic year. If you choose to take the resits and do not pass them, you cannot repeat the year. This is because the resit results will not be known until after the next academic year has started.

All students on a repeat stage will be given a Repeat Year Learning Agreement.

By repeating a semester or stage there will be financial implications and that any marks from the previous attempt will not be used for award purposes.

11. Can I choose to repeat the stage instead of taking the resit(s) given?

If you are not offered a repeat year and are sure you would prefer to repeat the year instead of taking the resits/sits offered, you can request a repeat year via an appeal following the July exam board. See full information on the appeal process.

12. Will all my resit/s be scheduled in the summer vacation assessment period as well as my dissertation (postgraduate only)?

Resits/sits of Semester 1 and 2 modules will be given in the relevant resit assessment period (see our term dates). Where you have achieved less than 60 credits at the first attempt at the Summer exam board, the dissertation/project will be deferred to the Semester 1 assessment period. This is so that you take your resits/sits before you submit your dissertation.

Where you have achieved 60 credits or more at the first attempt at the Summer exam board, resits/sits for failed taught modules will be scheduled in the relevant resit assessment period along with your dissertation/project, unless this has been deferred by the exam board (should the relevant taught modules need to be completed prior to submission of the dissertation/project). (Refer to ’Postgraduate PAB’).

Exceptionally, postgraduate students who have achieved 60 or more credits of taught modules by the July exam board may apply to defer their dissertation from the resit assessment period to the Semester 1 assessment period, where they have reason to believe they will be unable to complete it by the standard deadline. (Complete the form ‘To defer a PGT Dissertation/Project’).

13. What should I do if I fail taught modules and think I will have too many assessments at the end of the academic year?

If you have a number of resits for taught modules, this may seem overwhelming, particularly if you are also worried about your dissertation. It may be helpful to know about the following options that could be offered by the Progression and Award Board (PAB):

• If you have not achieved 60 credits on taught modules when the PAB meets in the summer the dissertation/project will be deferred to the semester 1 assessment period of the following academic year.  (It may also be deferred if you have 60 credits but the PAB want you to do your resits first).
• If the dissertation/project is not deferred by the PAB in the summer - you may apply to defer it by completing form number 4 available on this page: http://www.sussex.ac.uk/adqe/standards/examsandassessment/assessmentforms. 
• The PAB in the summer may offer you a choice of resits or a repeat stage in the next academic year. You may appeal to ask for a repeat year if you are not offered one.
• The PAB in October may offer you second resits of taught modules without teaching or attendance next year (up to a maximum of 60 credits), if this is your first cycle of assessment. With that outcome in mind, it may be best to concentrate on a subset of your assessments in the resit assessment period. However, please seek advice from your School if you are considering this.

 

 It may be helpful to discuss these potential outcomes with your School. 

Alternatively, you may prefer to contact the Student Life Centre for non-academic advice.

You may submit a claim for exceptional circumstances or an appeal if you did not make an EC claim before the Progression and Award Board.

Please note that by repeating a semester or stage there will be financial implications and that any marks from the previous attempt will not be used for progression or award purposes.

14. Will I be able to take a repeat stage if I am an international student?

Refer to our visa information on the Student Hub.

You must always seek advice from an International Student Adviser if you are given a repeat year.

Compensation and condoned credit

15. How many credits can be compensated or condoned?

A combined maximum of 30 credits may be compensated or condoned.

16. What is compensated credit?

This allows for your overall performance to compensate for a marginal fail on a module. Up to 30 credits of modules can be compensated on your course if:

• the mark achieved on the module is a marginal fail, i.e. 45-49% for modules at Level 7 and
• you achieve an overall mean mark on the taught modules of 50% and
• you have not failed more than 30 credits (including marginal fails); and
• you are not on a course which excludes automatic compensation, to comply with Professional and/or Statutory Body requirements.

 

Compensation will be applied by the exam board in the summer. No resit is then required but you will normally be offered an optional resit.Compensation will not be applied for students who are not registered on an award at the University (e.g. visiting and exchange students).

(i) Should I take the resit if I have a mark in the compensation zone?

You should consider the following if you have a module mark in the compensation zone:

1. If you take the resit the mark you get will stand, so you need to be confident that you can improve your module mark. If your new module mark is lower and is not in the compensation zone, this will mean that the module will not be compensated.
2. Resit assessment marks are capped at the pass threshold (40% on modules at Level 6 and 50% for Level 7 modules). Sit marks are not capped.
3. The weighting (the percentage of the overall module mark made up from this resit/sit) will determine how much the mark for the module can be improved by taking a resit/sit. To check the percentage weighting of the sit offered, click on the resit assessment mode in the ‘Assessed By’ column of your module results table in Sussex Direct.
4. A maximum of 30 credits can be compensated, where the criteria are met.

 

Please contact your School if you would like to discuss your academic progress and any resits offered.

(ii) What if I want to resit a failed module that has been compensated by the summer exam board?

Where compensation has been applied you will be offered a single opportunity to take an optional resit/sit to achieve the pass threshold for your transcript. (You may need to achieve the pass threshold on all your modules for accreditation purposes.) You will need to ’accept’ the optional resit by the deadline published on your Sussex Direct ‘Module Results’ page.

17. What is condoned credit?

The exam board has discretion to consider your overall performance and decide that a module/s that has been failed does not need to be retaken. No resit is then required but you will normally be offered an optional resit. Up to 30 credits of failed module(s) can be condoned when the award is made if:

• you achieve an overall mean mark for the stage of 50% and
• you achieve a fail mark of at least 1% on the module(s) to be condoned; and
• the course learning outcomes have been met.

(i) Should I take an optional resit where a module has been condoned?

You should consider the following:

1. The mark you get on the resit/sit will stand.
2. Resit assessment marks are capped at the pass threshold (40% on modules at Level 6 and 50% for Level 7 modules). Sit marks are not capped.
3. The weighting (the percentage of the overall module mark made up from this resit/sit) will determine how much the mark for the module can be improved by taking a resit/sit. To check the percentage weighting of the sit offered, click on the resit assessment mode in the ‘Assessed By’ column of your module results table in Sussex Direct.
4. You should bear in mind that achieving a slightly higher module mark will not significantly increase your grand mean and therefore will normally mean that you are unable to achieve a higher class. However, your transcript will show the higher mark if achieved..

(ii) What if I want to resit a condoned module/s?

Where condoned credit has been applied you will be offered a single opportunity to take an optional resit/sit to achieve the pass threshold for your transcript. (Please note that you may need to achieve the pass threshold on all your modules for accreditation purposes.) You will need to ’accept’ the optional resit by the deadline published on your Sussex Direct ‘Module Results’ page.

Graduation and pass lists

18. I have been given an award and a sit opportunity after the graduation ceremony. Does this mean I will not be able to graduate with my class?

You can still attend graduation with your class, be included on the pass list and receive your degree certificate.Classifications are not read out at graduation.  If after your sit you gain a higher classification, you will be asked to return your certificate and be sent a new one for the higher class. This also applies if you have been given condoned/compensated credit and you register to take the resit and achieve a higher class.

19. I have been given a resit/sit opportunity and not been given an award. When will I be able to attend graduation?

You will be able to attend the next graduation ceremony (Summer or Winter) provided that you have met the criteria for an award.

Assessment

20. What should I do if I have an essay deadline and an exam on the same day?

You should aim to complete the essay well before the day of the exam so that you have plenty of time to revise for your exam. Schools will usually provide essay titles/assessment tasks in good time before the submission deadline. This is so that you can carry out any research and preparation required, complete your work in good time and plan your workload effectively.You will also need to plan your workload carefully if you have more than one submission deadline or exam on a single day.

21. When are marks and feedback published?

See Student Hub information about:

getting results

getting marks and feedback.

22. What happens if I miss an assessment deadline?

Should you miss an assessment submission deadline (for whatever reason) you may submit by the published late submission deadline, where late submission is possible. This will incur a penalty, as follows:

• Work submitted up to 24 hours late shall incur a penalty deduction of 5 percentage points (not 5% of the actual mark).
• Work submitted after 24 hours and up to 7 days late shall incur a penalty deduction of 10 percentage points ( not 10% of the actual mark)
• No work shall be accepted after the 7 day penalty period has elapsed

These penalties are applied automatically without the need for you to provide any reason for the lateness. (See ‘Assessment Regulations’).

Late submission is available for most submissions. However, late submission will not be available on all modules (please see your Timetable in Sussex Direct). Late submission is not available for any student on Group Written Submissions or Take Away Papers. (For students with Reasonable Adjustments agreed via the Student Support Unit an extended deadline of an addition 4 or 8 hours will be given for Take Away Papers).

If you do not attend an unseen examination or in-person assessment or if you do not submit your work within the published late submission period, an absence/non-submission and a mark of zero will be recorded for the assessment.

23. What should I do if I’ve been asked to do jury service?

The normal expectation of Her Majesty’s Courts Service (HMCS) is that everyone summoned for jury service will serve at the time for which they are summoned. However, it is possible to seek a deferral where jury service is likely to interfere with your study or assessment. The Jury Central Summoning Bureau evaluates any requests for deferral and may agree a deferral, usually for no longer than 12 months.

If you are summoned for jury service, please contact your School Director of Student Experience immediately to discuss your application for deferral. Applications for deferral from students during term-time, and particularly during examination periods, will normally be agreed once. However, applications to be excused entirely from jury service will normally only be agreed in extreme circumstances. When you apply for a deferral you should give dates that you would be available within the next 12 months, for example, during a vacation period.

Find out more about jury service on GOV.UK

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More information

More guidance

• You can also go to:

  your Academic Advisor: for academic advice related to your studies.

  the Student Life Centre: for non-academic advice, welfare support and information regarding support available on campus and in the local area

  the Student Support Unit: SSU is a team of specialist advisors who support students with disabilities and mental health issues

See a Glossary of key words and their meanings used in the Examinations and Assessment Regulations 2019/20 [PDF 40.43KB]