LEARNING AND TEACHING COMMITTEE

Subject: Proposed Amendments to Regulation XXI Postgraduate Awards

Origin: Academic Registrar

Two amendments are proposed to Regulation XXI Postgraduate Awards:

1. In 2005, a major review of the University’s general academic regulations took place. One of the outcomes of this review was the creation of Regulation XXI Postgraduate Awards and the repealing of its predecessors General Regulations for Modular Postgraduate Awards (GRMPA) and Assessment Regulations for Modular Postgraduate Awards (ARMPA). Under the provisions of GRMPA/ARMPA, when a student took a second attempt at a module, having failed at the first attempt, the Module Mark obtained for the second attempt overrode the first attempt Module Mark. No proposal was put forward for any change in this policy when Regulation XXI was being developed. Unfortunately, it has become clear that, due to an drafting error, this provision did not make it explicitly through to the final version of Regulation XXI. It is now proposed that Paragraph 41 of Regulation XXI be amended to correct this omission.

2. The provisions of paragraph 32 of Regulation XXI currently allow postgraduate students to take reassessment in any module in which they have not achieved credit. This permits students who have already qualified for their Master’s degree, but who have marks between 40 and 50%, to take further resits. A student in IPTME who is in debt has used this provision to remain registered. The HoD is concerned that this serves no academic purpose. The policy for postgraduates is currently inconsistent with that for undergraduates who are only permitted to take reassessment when they have not qualified to progress or for the award for which they are registered. Learning and Teaching Committee is invited to consider the amendment of the relevant paragraph of the Regulation to prevent students who have qualified for the highest award for which they are eligible from registering for reassessment in any modules in which credit has not been obtained.

Author – Jennifer Nutkins

Date – 2 November 2006