31. Student Progression and Completion - in Non-Modular Programmes (MB,ChB, BDS, BVSc (including Accelerated Graduate Entry))

31.1      It is the responsibility of the relevant Faculty Board of Examiners to determine whether a student has satisfactorily completed a unit or element and in doing so has satisfied the requirements for progression from year-to-year and for completion of the programme.

31.2      The teaching and learning in an entire year of study of the programmes is intentionally cohesive and complementary. On this basis students are required to demonstrate, and are subsequently judged upon, the ability to manage a workload at a standard appropriate to the time available. A component part of the teaching will not therefore be assessed in isolation (i.e. outside of the year of study in which it is taught). For this reason, students on the professional programmes will not normally be permitted to undertake the ‘supplementary year’.

31.3      Where a standard set pass mark is used for a summative assessment, candidates’ marks will be adjusted for consideration by Faculty Board of Examiners and for subsequent publication so that the overall pass mark equates to 50 on a percentage scale.

31.4      Where exceptional circumstances may have affected the performance of a student in a summative assessment, section 12 on exceptional circumstanceswill apply.  Exceptional circumstances are only classified if a student requires consideration at the Board of Examiners.

Progression of Students

31.5      Students must achieve a minimum standard by attaining the assigned pass mark for all units and any additional assessment (normally 50 on a percentage scale) and meet any additional criteria, if applicable, to progress to the next year of study.

31.6     Any additional criteria for progression must be explicitly described in the relevant programme Standing Orders/Student Progression Requirements and unit / programme specification, as appropriate, and communicated to the students in advance of the commencement of their study.

31.7      Detailed progression information is held by programme and year in the Standing Orders/Student Progression Requirements for the programme. Standing Orders/Student Progression Requirements are approved annually by the Faculty Education Director and should normally be approved by June of the preceding academic year. Standing Orders/Student Progression Requirements may be presented to students via the Management of Marks document

31.8      A student who does not achieve the criteria associated with the programme or a constituent unit(s), as specified in the programme’s Standing Orders/Student Progression Requirements or regulations, will normally be permitted a second attempt of assessment to meet these criteria to progress to the next year of study.

31.9         Except for those competency-based assessments which may permit additional attempts, a student who fails to achieve the pass mark for any assessment, or to achieve the specified criteria, at the second attempt of assessment will be required to withdraw from the programme with an exit award, if appropriate, unless there are validated exceptional circumstances.

If a Faculty Board of Examiners permits a student to repeat the whole year of the programme in response to validated exceptional circumstances, it may also apply supplementary conditions for progression

31.10      A second attempt of assessment need not be in the same form as the original assessment, as long as it: tests the same learning outcomes, does not compromise any competence standards, and applies to the entire cohort of students who are undertaking the assessment.

31.11      Within any unit where a constituent assessment(s) is passed as a second attempt of assessment, the recorded mark for the unit will be capped at the minimum pass mark. Where a student repeats the entire year as a second attempt, the recorded marks for all the units are capped at the minimum pass mark, even if the student had passed a unit at the first attempt.