Sarah’s key manifesto promise last year was to lobby the University to introduce resits, particularly for final-year students who deserve to receive an overall degree classification after years of hard work. The University has now completed its review of examination allowances and responded to the OIA’s request for them to consider resits, so here are the changes that should be coming in from next academic year…
Reassessment Opportunities for Finalists!
The University is looking to introduce “reassessment” opportunities for finalists and postgraduate taught students who have to miss more than a quarter of their final year examination components due to “illness or grave cause”. The reassessment could take the form of a viva (oral examination), portfolio of essays, a traditional resit, or another form of assessment, according to the needs of the tripos and the student. You will need to apply for an allowance with evidence within 7 days of the missed exam (or the last exam in that period). The reassessment will usually happen over the summer or before the middle of Michaelmas, or with the next cohort in the Easter Exam period of the next year. Students who sit a reassessment will be able to graduate with an Overall Degree Classification (a 1st, 2:1, 2:2 etc.). Students who miss less than 25% will have that examination component disregarded and will graduate with the results of their other exams.
How is this Different to the Current Situation?
Currently, if you miss more than 25% of your final exams due to extenuating circumstances, you will be allowed to graduate “declared to have deserved honours” (DDH). This means that you don’t receive an overall grade, and instead receive a note explaining your exceptional circumstances. This can be difficult to explain to employers and feel frustrating after 3 or more years of hard work.
What about Non-finalists?
Exam allowances for non-finalists will be simplified under the new proposal. If your exams are affected by “illness or grave cause”, then you will be allowed to progress, and your overall degree classification will not use the results for the affected Tripos Part. This means you won’t have the stress of a resit to continue on the course, but might not receive a grade for that year.
This has been a long project for the SU, with previous AEP (UG) Caredig working on resits last year in the run up to the University’s response to the OIA, and Sarah following up on it this year as the EAMC review progressed. We are incredibly pleased that the University is stepping in the right direction and allowing finalists and taught postgraduates to finish their degrees with grades that truly reflect their brilliant abilities. With her main manifesto promise now achieved, we are happy to announce that Sarah has a new job opportunity, working in Educational Policy. Unfortunately this will mean that she will be leaving us a couple of weeks early, so we'd like to take this opportunity to thank her for all her hard work this year at the SU and wish her all the best for her new role and future career!