What happens if you fail your module

Condonement

Condonement is the process that allows a student to pass a stage, or progress to award, despite failing to achieve the full credits in the stage.

Please refer to the programme specification to find out which modules can and cannot be condoned.

Credit is not awarded for condoned marks. They are retained in their original form for profiling and averaging purposes, and in any final classification of an award.  They are also recorded on the student transcript in their original form.

Students are NOT given the opportunity of reassessment in a condoned module.

Condonement for Undergraduate students

To allow condonement, the Assessment, Progression and Awarding Committee must satisfy itself that all of the following conditions apply:

a) The total credit failed in a stage does not exceed 30 credits.

b) The student has achieved a stage mean of 40% (or 50% for integrated Masters stage 4*).

c) None of the condoned credits are stipulated as non-condonable in the Programme Specification.

Condonement for undergraduate students is detailed in Section 8 of the University's Taught Programmes Handbook.

* 50% stage 4 mean is applicable for MSci student cohorts commencing in the 2013/14 academic year onwards.

Referral

Where the failure is of a module which is exempt from the condonement process, a student will normally be referred; that is, offered the opportunity to redo the assessment or take an examination (for a mark capped at the pass mark), without the requirement for repeat attendance.

Re-assessment procedures and consequences of failure in referred or deferred assessments are as set out in Section 11 of the University’s Taught Programmes Handbook.

If a module is normally assessed entirely by coursework, all referred assessments will normally be by assignment. If a module is normally assessed by examination or examination plus coursework, referred assessment will normally be by examination. Any examination set for referral should be of the same style and of the same scope, in terms of difficulty and syllabus coverage, even though part of the original module assessment may have included a test on material not covered in the formal examination.

Students will be notified of failure to progress and the requirement to submit assessments in the referred/deferred period through the iExeter portal after the Assessment, Progression and Awarding Committee. Students are normally required to attend referred or deferred exams on campus.