Student Handbook 2026/27

14.1. Exit Award and Condoned Failure

Exit Awards

An exit award is an award at a lower level than that for which a student initially registered. An exit award may be recommended where a student meets the requirements for the lower level award and where the student has either withdrawn or been deregistered. Where a student has been deregistered, the nature of the deregistration will be considered when determining whether or not to recommend an exit award.

1. Students who fail to achieve their intended award may qualify for an exit award where sufficient credits have been passed and a classification mark has been achieved.
2. For a Postgraduate Certificate (PgCert), students must pass 60 credits with a classification mark of 50% or higher (up to 15 credits may be condoned, with a mark of 40-49).
3. For a Postgraduate Diploma (PgDip), students must pass 120 credits with a classification mark of 50% or higher (up to 30 credits may be condoned, with a mark of 40-49).
4. The exit award will be automatically applied where the student does not pass at the final attempt if they pass the required number of credits.

For more information on Queen Mary’s Academic Regulations, please visit this webpage: http://www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/policy/.

Condoned failure

Failure may be condoned in up to 30 credits of modules of an LLM, MA, MRes, or MSc master's award where all of the following conditions are met:

i.        the module mark for each failed module is 40.0 or higher; and

ii.        the credit-weighted average mark across all modules, including the failed module(s), is 50.0 or higher; and

iii.        a failed module is not designated as ‘core’ (must be passed outright) in the programme regulations.

Failure may be condoned in up to 30 credits of modules of a PgDip award where all of the following conditions are met:

i.        the module mark for each failed module is 40.0 or higher; and

ii.        the credit-weighted average mark across all modules, including the failed module(s), is 50.0 or higher; and

iii.        a failed module is not designated as ʻcoreʼ (must be passed outright) in the programme regulations.

Failure may be condoned in up to 15 credits of modules of a PgCert award where all of the following conditions are met:

i.        the module mark for each failed module is 40.0 or higher; and

ii.        the credit-weighted average mark across all modules, including the failed module(s), is 50.0 or higher; and

iii.        a failed module is not designated as ʻcoreʼ (must be passed outright) in the programme regulations.