15. Penalties for Unacceptable Academic Practice by postgraduate research degree students

15.1 The University shall apply one of the following penalties for Unacceptable Academic Practice in a research thesis or other work submitted for examination for a research degree:

i) Failure of the thesis, with an opportunity to resubmit;

ii) Failure of the thesis, with no opportunity to resubmit.

15.2 For research training modules Chairs of Examination Boards, and Faculty and University panels, shall apply one of the following penalties, taking into account extent and severity of Unacceptable Academic Practice and previous record of Unacceptable Academic Practice.

i) For a first offence, except for serious allegations which would normally require a university panel, a mark of zero for the assessment and a requirement to resit the assessment for a capped module mark.

ii) For a second offence, or a serious allegation that requires a university panel, a mark of zero for the module with a requirement to resit the module. For a third offence, permanent exclusion from the university.

iii) For a third offence, permanent exclusion from the university.

In the case of the first two penalties, this shall be reported to the relevant Faculty and Graduate School Monitoring Committees and taken into account in determining whether the student has demonstrated sufficient progress to be allowed to continue to the next year of study.