1.

These Regulations apply to all persons having registered for a programme of study leading to a degree of Master of Arts, Master of Laws, Master of Research or Master of Science at the School and to those having registered for any part of such a programme. These regulations are made subject to the General Academic Regulations

2.

The normal minimum entrance qualification for registration for a Masters degree is

2.1

a Second Class Honours degree of a UK university or of the CNAA, or a qualification of an equivalent standard obtained after a programme of study extending over not less than three years in a university (or an educational institution of university rank), in a subject appropriate to that of the programme to be followed, or a qualification of an equivalent standard appropriate to the programme to be followed; or

2.2

a professional or other qualification obtained by written examination and approved by the School.

3.

An applicant for admission possessing a professional or other qualification obtained by written examination may be required by the School to pursue the programme for the period of at least one year longer than the minimum period prescribed in the individual programme regulations and/or the School may prescribe a qualifying examination for such a candidate.

4.

An applicant for admission will also be required to meet any additional entrance requirements specified in the relevant programme regulations.

5.

The School may prescribe English language and/or other tests as conditions of admission.

6.

Application for admission to a programme and registration for that programme shall be undertaken in accordance with procedures specified by the School.

7.

The School may exceptionally exempt a student from part of a programme on the basis of previous study at another institution and may exempt such a student additionally from part of the examinations prescribed for the degree.

8.

When considering an application under Regulation 7 the School shall consider inter alia

8.1

the standard and content of courses and examinations taken elsewhere, certified by the appropriate officer or officers of the relevant institution, and their relevance to the intended programme at the School;

8.2

the compatibility of the study previously undertaken with the proposed programme, to allow a smooth transition into that programme.

9.

Programmes and the examinations associated with them shall be so organised as to fall into one or both of the following categories:

9.1

a period of full-time study, the length of which shall be prescribed in the individual programme regulations but which shall normally be not less than one calendar year, the examinations being completed by the end of that period;

9.2

a period of part-time study of between two and four years, during which candidates will be examined in accordance with the individual programme regulations.

10.

The minimum length of the period of study is prescribed in the individual programme regulations, but at the start of the programme or at a later stage the School may require individual students to pursue the programme for a period longer than the minimum period prescribed in the regulations. The School shall determine, subject to the provisions of the individual programme regulations, the method by which the student is examined.

11. 

Where a student is pursuing a programme extending over not less than one calendar year he/she may be allowed, at the discretion of the School and provided that the individual programme regulations so permit, to spend a maximum period of six months or, in the case of students pursuing a part-time programme, an equivalent period, on project work under appropriate supervision at an organisation or institution approved by the School as having a function relevant and suitable to the field of study. A student pursuing a programme extending over a minimum of one academic year will not be permitted to undertake the project work outside the School unless permitted by the individual programme regulations.

12.

A full-time student will normally register for courses up to the value of four courses in each year, and a part-time student for courses to a value of three courses or fewer. Courses must be chosen to comply with the programme regulations concerned.

13.

The School may permit a student to transfer from one programme to another within the School. Such permission will be given only on the recommendation of the respective director for the student's current degree programme and for the programme into which he/she wishes to transfer. 

14.

In exceptional circumstances, the School may permit a student to vary his or her programme by substituting for courses to the maximum value of one full unit, listed in the programme regulations, other graduate courses of equivalent value. Such permission will be given only on the recommendation of the programme director. 

15.

A candidate for the degree will be deemed to have entered the examinations for the courses for which he/she is registered.

16.

Notwithstanding an examination entry under Regulation 15, no candidate shall be eligible to sit the examination in a course unless having satisfactorily attended that course in that year of study and having completed the work required in that course.

17.

A candidate wishing to defer sitting one or more examinations must first obtain the support of his or her academic adviser. Where the adviser is not willing to support the request the candidate may appeal to the programme director or Head of Department as appropriate. The candidate must then seek the approval of the Chair of the appropriate board of examiners. If the Chair supports the request, the Chair shall put the case to the School for approval. Permission must be sought no later than Friday of the first week of the Summer term except in the case of unforeseen and exceptional circumstances.

18.

Candidates who are absent without formal permission from an examination entered will have that examination counted as the first attempt.

19.

Candidates are bound by the regulations in force at the time of their entry to the examination including the individual programme regulations.

20.

A candidate will be examined in each course, unless having deferred or withdrawn under these Regulations. A candidate will not be re-examined in any course which he or she has already passed.

21.

No fee is payable for the first attempt at an examination.

22. 

The School will establish a board of examiners for each programme. Each board shall include examiners who are not members of the staff of the School, who shall have regard to the totality of each degree programme and who shall be involved and particularly influential in the decisions relating to the award of every degree and shall annually report to the Director, being asked specifically to comment and give judgment on the validity and integrity of the assessment process and the standard of student attainment.

23.

Examination procedures shall ensure that assessment is and can be demonstrated to be fair and impartial.

24.

Each board of examiners shall ensure inter alia that award schemes shall have regard to the totality of the programme and to the requirements for progression within it, and to the requirement for each student to achieve a satisfactory overall standard.

25.

Schemes of examination shall be prescribed in the individual programme regulations and unless indicated otherwise shall include the submission of a significant piece of individual work in the form of an essay, report or dissertation which may be based on a project or fieldwork.

26.

The examination for each written paper shall take place on one occasion each year.

27.

An essay/report/dissertation, where indicated in the scheme of examination, will be examined on one occasion only in each year and the date for submission will be specified in the programme regulations.

28. 

Where the regulations permit a candidate to offer work written outside the examination room, the work submitted must be certified to be his or her own and any quotation from the published or unpublished works of other persons must be acknowledged.

29.

If the essay, report or dissertation is adequate except that it requires minor amendment the examiners may require the candidate to resubmit a revised version within one month.

30.

In exceptional circumstances examiners shall have discretion to require a candidate to be examined orally in one or more components of his or her examination.

31.

The School may in exceptional circumstances permit a variation of the method(s) of assessment for a course, in respect of some or all candidates.

32.

The conduct of candidates in assessment is governed by the Regulations on Assessment Offences: Plagiarism and the Regulations on Assessment Offences: Offences Other Than Plagiarism.

33.

Where a course includes coursework as part of its assessment, all students must be given clear written instructions on what is required and the deadline for its submission.

34.

If a student believes that he or she has good cause not to meet the deadline (eg illness) he or she should first discuss the matter with the course teacher and seek a formal extension from the chair of the board of examiners.

35.

If a student misses the deadline for submission but believes he or she has had good cause which could not have been alerted in advance he or she should first discuss the matter with the course teacher and seek a formal extension.

36.

Extensions will normally only be granted where there is a good reason backed by supporting evidence (eg medical certificate). Any extension must be confirmed in writing to the student.

37.

If a student fails to submit by the set deadline (or extended deadline as appropriate) the following penalty will apply:
Five marks out of 100 will be deducted for coursework submitted within the 24-hours of the deadline and a further five marks will be deducted for each subsequent 24-hour period (working days only) until the coursework is submitted.

38.

If a candidate who has been examined in all elements of an examination or of part of an examination for which he/she has entered fails to satisfy the examiners, the examiners may determine that he/she may on re-examination be exempt from one or more of the following:

(i)

one or more of the written papers;

(ii)

essay/report/dissertation;

(iii)

assessment of coursework;

(iv)

practical examinations;

(v)

oral examination.

39.

A candidate who does not at his/her first attempt successfully complete the examination or part of the examination for which he/she has entered and who has not been given an overall pass at any level in his or her degree may, subject to the agreement of the School when such re-entry would involve further attendance at the School, re-sit that examination on one occasion only. Such re-examination will be at the next following examination except where a School has granted permission for a candidate to defer the examination until a subsequent year.

40. 

A candidate proposing to re-sit an examination when not registered for the course concerned shall enter for that examination by the means prescribed from time to time by the Academic Registrar.

41.

A candidate proposing to re-sit an examination shall be bound by all the current Regulations applicable to the first sitting of the examination. 

42.

Candidates being re-examined are required to sit the same examinations as they sat previously, unless they have satisfactorily completed courses for different examinations.

43.

A candidate who re-sits an examination when not registered at the School will be required to pay a fee determined by the School from time to time.

44.

A candidate who, owing to illness, the death of a near relative or other cause judged sufficient by the School on the recommendation of the board of examiners, is prevented from completing at the normal time the examination or part of the examination for which he/she has entered may with the permission of the School, enter the examination in those elements in which he/she was not able to be examined on the next occasion when the examination is held in order to complete the examination.

45.

A candidate who for medical or other reasons approved by the School does not sit an examination while in attendance at the School may be permitted to sit such an examination on one subsequent occasion without payment of a fee, whether or not in attendance at the School.

46.

Where a candidate has failed to complete the examination for one of the reasons specified in Regulation 44 the candidate shall submit the application with medical certification or other supporting evidence to the Student Services Centre within seven days of the last day of the written examinations or for the submission of the essay/report/dissertation.

47.

Degrees are awarded by the University or the School in accordance with relevant regulations.

48.

To be eligible for the award of a degree a candidate must have satisfied the examiners in the examinations prescribed for the programme on completion of each course. In special cases the School may allow later examination.

49.

The examiners shall have the discretion to award a mark of merit or distinction to a candidate.

50. 

A list of candidates who have successfully completed their degree will be published by the School.

51.

After the examiners have reached a decision, every candidate will be notified by the School of the result of his/her examination.

52.

A degree certificate will be despatched to each candidate who is awarded the degree. The certificate will state the title of the degree awarded.

53.

Appeals against decisions of boards of examiners must be made in writing to the Assessment Regulations Team under the Appeals Regulations.

Regulation

Powers exercisable by

2.2

Convener of Department

3, 5, 7, 10, 11, 32

The appropriate Programme Director

6, 43, 50, 51

Academic Registrar

13, 14, 17

Chair of the Graduate Studies Subcommittee

22

Academic Board on recommendation of Chair of the Graduate Studies Subcommittee

37, 44, 48

The appropriate board of examiners