4.19.3 Students starting a Master's Degree or Postgraduate Award FROM September 2024

1. In order to pass a Taught Master’s Degree a student must obtain:

(i) a weighted average of at least 50% overall

(ii) marks of 50% or above in at least 160 credits of the total 180 taken in a Taught Master’s scheme.

2. In order to gain a Master’s Degree with Merit, a student must obtain:

(i) a weighted average of at least 60% overall

(ii) marks of 50% or above in at least 160 credits of the modules taken in a Taught Master’s scheme.

3. In order to gain a Master’s Degree with Distinction, a student must obtain:

(i) a weighted average of at least 70% overall;

(ii) marks of 50% or above in at least 160 credits of the modules taken in a Taught Master’s scheme.

4. To qualify for the award of a Postgraduate Diploma a student must have:

(i) completed a minimum of 120 credits

(ii) marks of 50% or above in at least 100 credits’ worth of modules

(iii) a weighted average of at least 50% overall over 120 credits.

Where more than 120 credits have been completed, the highest 120 credits of marks will be used to calculate the average both to determine whether the diploma has been passed and the class of award.

A student who has attained an overall mark of 70% or above shall be eligible for the mark of Distinction.

A student who has attained an overall mark of 60-69% shall be eligible for the mark of Merit.

5. To qualify for the award of a Postgraduate Certificate a student must have passed a minimum of 60 credits. Where a student has completed more than 60 credits, the highest 60 credits of marks will be used to calculate the average to determine the class of award.

A student who has attained an overall mark of 70% or above shall be eligible for the mark of Distinction.

A student who has attained an overall mark of 60-69% shall be eligible for the mark of Merit.

6. Placement marks do NOT count in the degree classification and credits awarded for completion of an industrial placement are not included in the award of PGCert or PGDip.

Retrieval of Failure

7. Students resitting failed modules may do so on two occasions for a maximum mark of 50% (other than where special circumstances have been accepted). Non-submitted work, including the dissertation, will be deemed to have failed and may also be resat twice for the capped module mark of 50%. Students may not resit to try to improve the classification of the award, however, once they have qualified.

8. Full-time Master’s students will normally register for a 12 month period. They will have a maximum time limit of 3 years from their start date to complete the degree. They may resit a maximum of 60 credits of failed taught modules in the summer resit period in their first year, but can decide to postpone resits of taught modules. These must, however, be taken the following year, either in the semester and/or summer resit period. This provides flexibility for students to manage their resits and dissertation during the first year.

9. Full-time Master’s students who have not passed, or not submitted, the dissertation within the 12 month registration period may submit or resubmit it at any point up to the end of the second year. They would then have a final resit opportunity in the third year.

10. Approved special circumstances will permit resits to be for the full marks, and students may take periods of temporary withdrawal, but are still expected to complete within a maximum of 3 years. In exceptional circumstances, a further 12 month period may be approved by the Pro Vice-Chancellor.

11. Full-time Master’s students on schemes with a longer duration, such as 18 months or a two year Master’s degree, will have a maximum of 2 years after the end of the registration period to complete their degree. They may resit a maximum of 60 credits of failed taught modules in the summer resit period of their first or second year, depending on when they initially register, but may postpone these resits. These must, however, be completed by the end of the third year. This provides flexibility to manage resits and recognises that students may be unable to take resits while on industrial placements or attending a partner university. In exceptional circumstances, a further 12 month period may be approved by the Pro Vice-Chancellor.

12. Where a course starts at a time other than the start of an academic session, and cannot for practical reasons be completed within 12 months of full-time or the equivalent of part-time study, the department shall specify the course length. Periods allowed for retrieval of failure shall follow the principles of the regulations for 12 month courses, i.e. two years after the completion of the registration period.

13. Students on Diploma and Certificate courses will have an additional 12 months beyond their course length to complete any required resits.

14. Part-time and Distance Learning Master’s candidates have longer course lengths and flexibility to resit modules during those periods. They should have completed any resits of taught modules before entering the final year of their maximum time limit.