4.13 The Window of Opportunity (Honours Degree Conventions)

1. The following rules apply to the operation of the Window of Opportunity:

Preponderance

2. Students whose cascade average falls within 1%* of any borderline SHALL be raised to the higher class provided they meet one of the following criteria:

EITHER at least 50% of credits over Part Two as a whole, excluding Sandwich Year or Year Abroad, in the upper class or above;

OR at least 80 credits out of the final 120 Part Two credits in the upper class or above.

* cascade averages shown to one decimal point for the information of examination boards will be rounded up (0.5 and above) or down (<0.5) to the nearest whole number.

Special Circumstances

Applicable to students who started BEFORE September 2024 (i.e. operation of the 2% Window of opportunity)

3. Students whose cascade average falls within 2% of any borderline MAY be raised, on the recommendation of the Examining Board, to the higher class if their performance in Part Two has been affected by illness or other compassionate grounds (for example, personal or family circumstances) which have not already been taken into account when individual module marks were confirmed.

4. For the purposes of this rule, cascade averages shown to one decimal point for the information of examination boards will be rounded up (0.5 and above) or down (<0.5) to the nearest whole number.

5. The Window of Opportunity should be used only if special or academic circumstances come to light which have not already been taken into account when individual module marks are confirmed.

6. A note should be made of every decision, both in favour of and against each borderline student so that it can be defended in future, if necessary.

7. Where departmental boards are aware of special circumstances but do not take them into account in setting marks and allowing resits, the individual cases concerned should be discussed and minuted in the Department Examination Board in the semester in which the problem arises. Students within 2% of the higher category should not be raised to the higher category on the basis of special circumstances unless the problem was discussed and minuted at the time it arose OR was not known to previous exam boards.