STA Student Handbook (Taught Programmes) 2025/26

DEADLINES AND LATE SUBMISSION POLICY

Deadlines for handing in coursework will be put in writing on QMplus. They must be treated as absolute, and it is your responsibility to make sure you know what the deadline is for each piece of coursework, as you will be penalised if you miss it. You can submit work prior to the deadline, and you would be well-advised not to leave work to the last minute. Work submitted after the deadline (even by 5 minutes!) will be subject to late penalties as below:

Each assignment is given a submission deadline.  If you submit an assignment after the deadline, your work will be penalised according to the Queen Mary Late Work Policy.  

• minus 5 marks for the first 24 hours or any part thereof
• and a further 5 marks off for each 24 hour period (or any part thereof) after that,  up to 7 days
• If an assignment is submitted more than 7 days late, it will receive 0 marks and be recorded as 'Not Submitted' (NS).

If you have personal or medical issues that prevent you from being able to complete your work in time, you may ask for an extension to the deadline (see 9.1 EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES for correct proceedure.) 

TIME MANAGEMENT

To be sure of meeting deadlines, it is vital that you plan ahead, taking special note of possible deadlines bunching up in one week. Pay attention to your teaching sources that you might need for an assignment. For example, remember that a lot of students may be looking for the same library books at the same time for the same assignment.

Poor time management is NOT considered an extenuating circumstance, and it can seriously jeopardise your final mark.

There are some things that you can do to lessen the panic of running out of time for assignments.

• Use a year planner to highlight the actual dates of your deadlines in each semester. 
•  Mark down on the same planner all your personal commitments that may prevent you from working on your assignments, e.g. family birthdays, weekends away, commitments with children and busy periods at work if you have a job.
• Don't wait until the last minute to meet with your seminar leaders or module organisers about your assignment.
• Find out what works for you and those around you regarding your working patterns. The same pattern does not suit everyone. Some people find it useful to stick to a work-style 9-5 pattern. Others prefer to be (or have to be) much more flexible.
• Don't forget to schedule time for unforeseen events and for time off to relax. You will find some weeks will be more productive than others during the term.