Frequently asked questions about....academic problems

 

 

We're sorry to hear that but the most important thing to remember is that this does not mean the end of your university career. For first and second years you will automatically have one re-sit opportunity and then a further resit opportunity only if you fully engage with the first re-sit i.e attend the re-sit exam or re-submit the failed assignment. Final year students also get re-sit opportunities but if you fail the first re-sit you will be unable to qualify for a honours degree. These re-sits will be capped at 40%. At the Advice Centre we can help you to understand your re-sit rights and any funding implications? For further advice on this issue, contact The Advice Centre and our booklets - Academic Problems and Academic Appeals which can be downloaded from the website.

 

Boards of Examiners usually meet in June each year after all examinations and assignments are submitted and they will decide who must re-sit. If you have to re-sit, they will normally expect you to take it as soon as possible and the re-sit period is normally during the summer holidays in August. The board will allow you to re-sit up to 60 credits in the re-sit period. If you fail your re-sits the Board will decide if you have to attend that unit again the following year or repeat the unit without attendance. If you are confused or unhappy about their decision please come and see us. 

 

You should be able to re-sit one module over the summer re-sit period. If you do not pass it at that stage it is likely to mean you have to delay your course by a year whilst you re-do it.

 

This is because the university expects you to pass all units of the year before prpgressing onto the next. However, in future years the university is looking to change this and make degrees more flexible.

 

The exact procedure to follow depends on whether the Board of Examiners has already met to consider your results or not. If they have not met, you can submit an Exceptional Factors Form to inform the Exceptional Factors Panel of the difficulties you have had. You will need to include a detailed statement stating WHY and HOW your performance has been affected , and provide evidence. If the panle accepts that your performance was affected by Exceptional Factors then they will inform the Board of Examiners and you may be reassessed as if for the first time which means your re-sit marks may not be capped at 40%. More information can be found in our Academic Problems booklet.

If the boards have met you will need to submit an academic appeal. See below.

 

We can still help. However, you will have to go through the appeals process. You will still have to do a statement and get evidence, such as a GP letter. Importantly you will need to state why you did not submit Exceptional Factors. You only have 14 days to appeal from the date of the decision. For further reading see our Appeals booklet. Come in to the Advice Centre and we can guide you through the process.
 

 

There is a lot of support available to you depending on what exactly you're struggling with. If you are having problems with areas you are being taught, you should discuss them with the unit leader. The unit leaders should be approachable and willing to answer further questions. If you're struggling with academic skills like note taking, essay planning or referencing, contact your Faculty Student Support Officer. If you are struggling due to dyslexia or another disability, the Learning Support Service should be able to help you. If you are feeling stressed by all the work, the Counselling Service can help with one-on-one sessions and group workshops on stress busting and relaxation techniques. Finally if you are unsure of where to go, come and see us at The Advice Centre and we will help you out.

 

Plagiarism has a few possible meanings and attracts different levels of penalties depending on the severity of the case. MMU will consider whether it is your first offence, what year you are in and how much is plagiarised. You should contact us for an appointment and bring along all relevant paperwork, including the actual assignment in question and any evidence of plagiarism that your department ha sent you. If you do not have any paperwork, go to your Student  Information Point and request a copy. We may also be able to attend and represent you at the meeting if we are given enough notice. For further reading on this subject please see www.mmu.ac.uk/academic/casqe/regulations/assessment/docs/appendix_5_plagiarism.pdf and our Academic Problems booklet.
 

 

This is a fairly common problem and so can be a straightforward process. You could try speaking to your head of department, as it might be that the course will improve. Alternatively you can speak to your Faculty Student Support Officer, Careers and then Admissions to clarify how you apply for a new course. However you should contact us to discuss the possible financial implications of a course change, espcially if you have studied more than one year at University. We can be contacted at The Advice Centre. You may also want to try reading our Academic Problems booklet.

 

University is not for everyone.  However, before you just leave us, have you considered the fact that you may be on the wrong course? You could see about transferring to a different course (see above). If this is not the case and you really want to leave, then come along to The Advice Centre and speak to us. There are many issues that you may need to consider such as, future funding implications, accommodation, benefits. You may even be entitled to a fee refund if you have paid your own fees. See our Academic Problems Booklet and www.mmu.ac.uk/sas/studentservices/docs/Withdrawal%20leaflet%202161.pdf