Topic outline
Important Information
Forms
Extenuating Circumstances
Extenuating Circumstances Guide 2020/21.
What are Extenuating Circumstances?
Extenuating circumstances are usually personal or health problems. Health problems include your emotional wellbeing and mental health, as well as your physical health. Extenuating circumstances do not include computer problems, misreading your exam timetable, employment commitments, planned holidays or events, or local transport delays.
You should always submit work as soon as possible. If you request an extension through an EC claim you should submit the work as soon as possible and not wait for an outcome of your EC claim. If you receive an extension on a piece of work but you are unable submit on QMplus, you should email a copy of your work to your module organiser as evidence of submission.
There is a comprehensive guide to ECs here
Fit to sit policy
Queen Mary operates a fit to sit policy, which covers all assessments including coursework and exams. If you sit an exam or submit a piece of coursework you are deemed to be fit to do so. In such instances a request for extenuating circumstances will not normally be considered. If you do not feel you are well enough to attend an invigilated exam then you should not attend and should submit a claim for extenuating circumstances instead. You will need to attend a medical consultation within three days of the date of your exam that you missed. Similarly, if you get sick during an exam and have to leave you will need to attend a medical consultation within three days.
NEW – Making a claim is now online
You will need to select the component of the course (e.g. 20% Coursework) that you wish to EC and then in the ‘additional info’ row on the right hand side you need to specify what HW/Quiz/Test you are applying for (Page 7 of the EC guide). It is your responsibility to complete the form correctly and there is a detailed guide attached.
Your form must be accompanied by relevant supporting evidence (for example medical certification, death certificate, police report and crime number, or other written evidence from a person in authority) Please note that although accompanying documentation can be submitted after the form claims without any evidence cannot be considered. It is in your best interest to provide evidence and supporting documentation that is as comprehensive as possible.
NEW – You can now self-certify for EC claims
As an alternative to providing evidence relating to a claim, each student is entitled to submit up to three self-certified claims per academic year (NB – each individual claim can relate to multiple assessments/modules), which involves providing details of the extenuating circumstances without the provision of additional evidence..
This means completing and submitting the Queen Mary self-certification form in place of independent evidence. Please note that self-certification does not mean automatic approval of a claim – we will consider it in the normal way and will need to be satisfied of the validity of the claim, and satisfied that it justifies the outcome.
Guidance on evidence and self-certification
Making Claims and EC deadlines
It is your own responsibility to submit any claims for extenuating circumstances, not that of your tutor/advisor/SSO. Please ensure that if you have what you believe is a valid case, you complete the submission process in accordance with the school guidelines and deadlines (below).
- Semester one assessments/coursework – Monday 14th December 2020
- Semester one examinations – Friday 22nd January 2021
- Semester two assessments/coursework – Monday 19th April 2021
- Semester two examinations – Friday 4th June 2021
It is not possible to make a retrospective claim for extenuating circumstances, specifically once you know your results. Therefore, claims submitted after the deadline will not be considered by the examination board. Please refer to the full guidance notes on extenuating circumstances from the Advice and Counselling service or online at https://www.welfare.qmul.ac.uk/guides-and-forms/student-advice-guides
Missing mid-terms or end of term tests
If a student misses a mid-term or end of term test and believes they have extenuating circumstances they should submit a claim form with evidence. If this is accepted the test will be rescheduled for a future date, please note that every effort will be made to reschedule tests (this could be in the following semester for end of term tests) and discounting will only happen as a last resort.
How does discounting work?
You can only discount 20% of a module through an EC, for example, if you miss a 30% mid-term then this cannot be discounted through an EC. If you missed a piece of work over 20% it would have to either be rescheduled in semester (where possible), completed at a later date (the next academic year) or remain unmarked.
If you have a component of coursework discounted this means that the coursework element mark comes solely from the other pieces of work that are submitted. The value of these remaining components is boosted to make up for the missing end-of-term mark, but the coursework total remains at the predetermined level.
For example, if you EC every piece of coursework assessment (20%) for a module this will not mean that the exam is now 100% instead of 80%. Discounting is there to help you if you have encountered difficulties during a specific time, it is not designed so that the entire portion of coursework should be discounted.
Please speak with the Student Support Officer for further guidance or support.
MySMP; MyQMUL & QM Physics App
Programmes and Module Information
The School of Physics and Astronomy runs the following Undergraduate Programmes
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BSc Physics
- BSc Astrophysics
- BSc Theoretical Physics
- BSc Physics with Particle Physics
- BSc Physics with Astrophysics
MSci Programmes
- MSci Physics
- MSci Astrophysics
- MSci Theoretical Physics
- MSci Physics with Particle Physics
- MSci Physics with Astrophysics
The below outlines the programme structures for each of the above programmes.
All undergraduate students at Queen Mary take 120 credits a year. A BSc degree consists of 360 credits and an MSci degree consists of 480 credits. Most modules are worth 15 credits which means that students normally take 8 modules a year. In your third year students study for a project worth 30 credits and MSci students will study for a 45 credit project.
Students are required to take all modules marked as ‘compulsory’. Where modules are indicated as suggested students may choose where or not to take the module. Where there is space in the curriculum students make take up to 15 credits from another School at Queen Mary. Students who chose this option are responsible for finding their own modules and complying with all registration requirements.
To find details of other modules at Queen Mary please use the module directory. Please note that not all Schools accept inter-School registrations.
Index of BSc and MSci Modules (in the School of Physics and Astronomy)
Intercollegiate MSci handbook (including module list) - Currently unavailable
Queen Mary Module information (all Schools)
The School can offer limited financial support for second, third and fourth year students taking languages modules with with Queen Mary Language Centre. The School will only fund the 2 hours a week courses and not the 4 hours a week courses. Students will only be considered for support if they have an average of 60% or above in their most recent year of study and if they have the support of their advisor. Students who are given fee support for these courses and who either drop out of the course or fail to pass the course will be required to pay back the full fees to the School of Physics and Astronomy.
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BSc Physics
Programme Organisers
Project Supervisor Selection
Information For 4th Year MSci & MSc Students
Careers
Who Does What
Office Hours
Revision
National Student Survey
Project Juno and the School
SSLC
ENGAGEMENT AND ATTENDANCE
Exercise Classes Questionnaire
BSc Degree Calculator
SPA Alternative Assessment Feedback
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