Guide to assessment

• We are aware of the impact Industrial Action may have had on your studies and are taking steps to ensure your ability to succeed and progress is not adversely affected. All our Departments and Schools will be identifying topics which were not covered due to the strike action and checking that these topics are not included in your assessments to ensure fair assessments based on topics which were covered. Arrangements will be different for each module. Departments and Schools are identifying subjects that have not been covered during the strike action to ensure fair assessment and that you are only assessed on subjects that have been covered.
• It should not be necessary to submit extenuating circumstances in relation to the impact of the industrial action on your academic performance. The Board of Examiners will be made aware of any significant strike impact on particular courses or modules so they are in a position to take it into account and ensure fair outcomes.
• If, however, you think that the industrial action has had a particular individual impact on you, perhaps in combination with other personal circumstances, you may wish to make an extenuating circumstance claim, including evidence of the impact you have experienced. The Board of Examiners will consider every application carefully and determine if and how it should be taken into account.

For online exams over 23 hours and 59 minutes: If due to circumstances outside of your control you are unable to submit your online exam by the deadline but are able to do so within 24 hours of the deadline, you should submit your work and complete a Late Submission claim via the Extenuating Circumstances form on MyEssex. If your claim is accepted, your work will be marked and the mark instated.

For online exams under 23 hours and 59 minutes: These assessments are not covered by our Late Submissions Policy, if you are unable to submit by the deadline this will count as a missed assessment, and you will receive a mark of 0. For information on what to do if you are unable to undertake your exam, please see the relevant section below.

If due to circumstances outside of your control, you will be unable to meet your dissertation submission deadline, it may be possible for you to obtain an extension. Please discuss this with your department in advance of the deadline.

An extension must be approved in advance of the deadline, if you miss your deadline, you will be unable to submit unless you have accepted Extenuating Circumstances and are offered this by the Board of Examiners.

If you are unable to take your exam, you should let us know as soon as possible by completing a Notified Absence from Exams form via MyEssex.

The Board of Examiners will consider your results and, where appropriate, offer further reassessment in any failed module(s). If you missed your exam due to circumstances outside of your control, you should also submit an Extenuating Circumstances claim so that the Board of Examiners can take this into account.

If you feel your academic performance is affected by your individual circumstances, our No Detriment approach will support you.

You should consider submitting an Extenuating Circumstances claim to enable the Board of Examiners to determine if and how your circumstances should be taken into account. Our information includes details of what you will need to consider before applying.

If your circumstances involve a minor illness which you would not routinely seeking medical treatment for, you should take a look at our Policy on Self-Certification.

For all other types of extenuating circumstances, we would normally expect you to provide evidence. If you are not able to submit evidence, you should note this on your claim alongside why you are unable to provide this. Please see our guidance on the types of evidence (.pdf) we would expect.

For more information and advice on extenuating circumstances, contact your Student Services Hub or SU Advice.

The Board of Examiners will meet from the end of September to consider your marks and decide whether you have met the requirements to either progress to your next year of study or to have successfully completed your course. For information on the requirements to pass your course, how awards are classified and how reassessment is offered, please see the relevant Rules of Assessment.

If you do not meet the requirements to progress to your next year of study or to pass your course after reassessment, the Board of Examiners can offer you further assessment opportunities. You will receive detailed information about any reassessment opportunities you have been offered by the Board of Examiners via your web results when your results are published.

If you need to undertake reassessment this will be offered in the following Academic Year, you will not be able to progress to your next year of study until you have successfully completed your reassessment and have met the requirements to progress.

If you have attempted reassessment in your failed modules, you can be considered for carrying or trailing the reassessment. This is only permitted where you have failed up to 30 non-core credits, which includes any previously carried failed credits. This means if you previously carried 30 credits, you would not be able to trail or carry any credits in future years, or if you previously carried 15 credits, you could only be considered for carrying or trailing a maximum of 15 non-core credits.

Carrying credits means progressing to your next year without undertaking any further reassessment in your failed credits. The fail will remain on your Higher Education Achievement Report and you will not be offered any further opportunities for reassessment in these failed modules in the future. You can only fail a maximum of 30 non-core credits across your whole honours degree to still be eligible for the award.

Trailing reassessment means progressing to your next year and having another reassessment attempt, I.e., resubmitting coursework or undertaken a resit examination, to recover the fail in the trailed module. 

If you need reassessment in up to 60 credits, the Board of Examiners will offer you a choice of when you wish to undertake this reassessment. This may be at the earliest opportunity offered by the department, or after the Final Exam Board has met.

Your module mark will be capped at the relevant pass mark (40 for Undergraduate students and 50 for Postgraduate students). All resits count as one of your attempts at assessment in a module, please note there is a maximum number of attempts at assessment you are allowed in a module (three for Undergraduate students and two for Postgraduate students). If you are offered reassessment due to Extenuating Circumstances, this will be for uncapped marks and will not count as one of your attempts at assessment.

You must meet minimum requirements to be eligible to be offered reassessment.  Except where there are accepted Extenuating Circumstances, the minimum requirements must be met for reassessment opportunities to be offered. You will be withdrawn and considered for an exit award, where:

• You are an Undergraduate student and achieve a year mark below 20;
• You have failed a module at the final attempt permitted (third for Undergraduate and second for Postgraduate students unless otherwise stated in the Variations);
• You have not engaged in any of your assessments or reassessments; 
• Offering you reassessment would result in you being unable to complete your studies within your maximum study period.
• You are a Postgraduate student who has not passed the specified number of credits at a first attempt to be eligible for either an award or an exit award.