Degree Progression and Classification Requirements*
*Special provisions apply for the 2019-20 academic year due to COVID19, see information at bottom of this page*
Progression and award of degrees are in
accordance with QM academic regulations. This summary information is for
guidance only and applies if you started your undergraduate studies in
September 2015 or later. If you started your studies before this time, or
you require further guidance, please contact spir-assessments@qmul.ac.uk and consult
the relevant regulations applicable to the year you started your undergraduate
studies.
Requirements
to progress from year 1 to year 2
Take 120 credits and pass modules to the
value of at least 90 credits. Maintain an average of 40.0 or
higher. Fail (after resit) no more than 30 credits.
Requirements
to progress from year 2 to year 3
Take
120 credits and pass modules to the value of at least 195 credits.
Maintain an average of 40.0 or higher. Fail (after resit) no more than 30
credits.
Requirements
to progress from year 3 to year 4 (only applicable for students who spend year
3 studying abroad)
Take the equivalent of 120 QM credits and
pass a minimum of 105 with an average of 40.0 or higher. Please note, if
you fail your year abroad you will be change to the three year programme on
your return to Queen Mary. The results from the year abroad do not
contribute to the final degree classification.
Award Requirements - 3 year degree programmes
Take 360 credits, equivalent to 120 per
year, pass modules to a minimum value of 315 credits including 90 at
level 6 or
higher. * This means that if you take POL318, Dissertation, worth 45
credits, you must pass this module. Achieve a College Mark of 40.0 or
higher. *If a student fails up to 30 credits at level 6 and still meets
the requirements for award, they will graduate and not be offered the
opportunity of resit/s as per QMUL academic regulations.
Award Requirements - 4 year degree programmes
Take 480 credits, equivalent to 120 per
year, pass modules to a minimum value of 420 credits including 90 at level 6 or
higher. * This means that if you take POL318, Dissertation, worth 45
credits, you must pass this module. Achieve a College Mark of 40.0 or
higher. *If a student fails up to 30
credits at level 6 and still meets the requirements for award, they will
graduate and not be offered the opportunity of resit/s as per QMUL
academic regulations.
Calculation of Classification Mark
This is calculated by taking the weighted
average from each year as follows:
Year 1 - 10%*
Year 2 - 30%
Year 3 - 60%
*For students with advanced entry to year 2, year 1 does not count.
Calculation of Yearly weighted average
Each year you take 120 credits, these are in 'blocks' of 15 credits, so 8 x 15 credits = 120 credit for the year. You take the mark for each module then multiple it by the credit value, which is 1 if is 15 credits, 2 if it 30 credits, 3 if it is 45 credits (such as POL199, POL299 and the POL318 dissertation). To work out the yearly average you take each module x the credit weighting then divide by 8. (Note, special provisions are in place for final year students who have approved extenuating circumstances, contact spir-assessments@qmul.ac.uk for further details). During the 2019-20 academic year, the lowest 30 credits were discounted, so you take each module x the credit weighting and then divide by 6.
An example of calculating the Classification Mark
Year 1 average 60 = 60/100*10 = 6
Year 2 average 63 = 63/100*30 = 18.9
Year 3 average 70 = 70/100*60 = 42
6 + 18.9 + 42 = Classification Mark of 67 and student graduates with Second Class Honours, Upper Division.
Classification
of honours is made according to the following Mark scale
70.0 - 100. 0 - First Class Honours
60.0 - 69.9 - Second Class Honours, Upper
Divison (2.1)
50.0 - 59.9 - Second Class Honours, Lower
Division (2.2)
40.0 - 49.9 - Third Class Honours
0.0 - 39.9 - Fail (no award)
Please note,
the Classification Mark is used for classification purposes but the mark does
not appear on QMUL transcripts, only the degree classification appears.
In certain circumstances if you fail to
progress or meet award requirements you may eligible for the award of a
Certificate or Diploma in Higher Education.
Examination boards use a borderline policy when making
recommendations for final degree classifications. The following criteria
are used:
Students with Classification Marks within one
per cent of a borderline (except at the pass/fail border) shall be
determined to fall within the ‘zone of consideration’;
Students with Classification Marks within 1.5
per cent of a borderline and with significant extenuating circumstances
in the final year not taken into account elsewhere may be determined to
fall within the zone of consideration. However, if this approach is
taken then the extenuating circumstances may not also be used as a
reason to raise the classification itself;
All students falling within a zone of
consideration shall be considered as possible cases for application of
the borderline policy;
Students falling within the zone of
consideration and with at least half of their final year credits with
marks at the level of the upper classification (or higher), shall be
raised to the higher classification. The dissertation/project does not
have to be among the credits at the higher level;
Students falling within the one per cent
zone of consideration and not meeting the requirements of point 4, but
with significant extenuating circumstances in the final year not taken
into account elsewhere shall be raised to the higher classification
provided the SEB is confident that – without the effect of the
extenuating circumstances – the student would have achieved the higher
classification.
The following page links to the award regulations for QMUL degree
These provisions impact on results from the 2019-20 academic year only. The requirements to graduate except for the cohort completing their degree in 2019-20 are unchanged.
