4.21.3 Appendix 2 Covid-19 Window of Opportunity: Master's Degrees (2019/20)
All Special Circumstances for postgraduate taught Master’s finalists who fall within the 2% borderline in June, September and December 2020
1. Preponderance
It is recommended that the preponderance rule that is applied in the UG conventions to the 1% window, and which is being extended to the 2% window this year, is also applied to the taught Master’s conventions to recognise the circumstances facing all of our students in this exceptional year as a result of Covid-19, and/or as a result of other special circumstances affecting individual students during semesters two and three of the 2019-20 academic year, therefore:
Students whose average falls within 2% of any borderline SHALL be raised to the higher classification provided that at least 50% of credits over the Master's degree as a whole, excluding Sandwich Year, and also excluding any modules with Q indicators, are in the upper classification or above.
This has the benefit of dealing with many WOO cases fairly, consistently and efficiently.
2. Special Circumstances Panel
Master’s students whose average falls within 2% of any borderline who have not been raised on preponderance MAY be raised, on the recommendation of the University Special Circumstances Panel, to the higher classification if their performance in semester two and/or three of 2020 has been affected.
Departments will be provided with a form to complete for all students falling within the 2% window in June, September or December 2020 but who do not meet the preponderance criteria. Departments must give clear information on the reasons they support or do not support the award of the higher classification of degree, having considered whether or not it is likely that the student would have achieved the higher classification of degree had Covid-19 not affected semester two and/or three of 2019-20.
Departments should include the following factors [3] in their deliberations before arriving at a recommendation to the Panel:
(a) Whether or not the student has been negatively impacted by the replacement of traditional examinations and/or certain other forms of assessment (e.g. practical exercises) with alternative assessments, or whether similar impact has arisen because marks have been derived from component assessments in certain modules, or whether the student would likely have achieved higher marks in modules with Q indicators than their overall average.
(b) Whether Covid-19 restrictions would have impacted upon achievement in the dissertation/major project module, whether through changes to the methodology, scope or even the topic of the project or through limitations on the research and writing. Students will be provided with a form on which to record the impact on their dissertation/major project. This will be verified by their department.
(c) The student’s overall profile of marks and whether there has been a dip in performance in modules after semester one; if there is a dip, would the student have achieved the higher classification had they performed at their previous level or indeed shown exit velocity, and would that likely have been the case without the impact of Covid-19?
The University Special Circumstances panel will discuss all cases falling into this category to ensure consistency and fairness across the Faculties. The panel will consider the above, alongside the recommendation from the department during their deliberations.
If the Special Circumstances Panel considers that not enough information has been provided by the department, the Panel must seek further information from the department ahead of the Senate Examination Board.
As agreed at Senate, students will be given the opportunity to accept or decline an indicative classification of degree as soon as results are available. Students also retain the right of appeal.
3. Non-Covid-19 special circumstances arising in semester two and/or three of 2019-20 or in previous semesters
We have confirmed that students do not need to complete special circumstances forms in semester two or three, either for non-submission or because they believe special circumstances have adversely impacted their performance.
Where departments have received special circumstances forms earlier in semester two (or even during/after the lockdown) these should be recorded at examination boards but will not have a bearing on module and window of opportunity decisions in semesters two and three. Special circumstances evidence noted by departmental exam boards from previous semesters should be considered in the normal manner, but semester two and three 2019-20 will be considered on the basis of the marks alone, to ensure consistent treatment of all students, whether affected by Covid-19 or other circumstances.
[3] https://www.qaa.ac.uk/docs/qaa/guidance/no-detriment-policies-an-overview.pdf