These procedures are available to candidates who are enrolled within the University, whether studying or domiciled overseas (including those on a collaborative programme with a partner institution), involved with placements or work-based learning, and candidates who have interrupted their studies on a temporary basis. These procedures also apply to former candidates of Swansea University who have withdrawn from their programme or have completed their programme as long as the appeal is submitted within 3 months of notification of the Progression and Awards Board decision being appealed.
These appeals procedures are relevant for candidates wishing to appeal against a decision taken by a Progression and Awards Board in the following instances:
- Candidates who are prevented from continuing with their studies part-way through a level of study or part of a programme.
- Candidates who fail to qualify to proceed to the next stage of their programme at the end of a level, end of a part or end of a year.
- Where the implications of the progression decision taken by the Examination Board may have a significant impact on the student's overall results (e.g. capping of marks).
- Candidates who have completed their programme but who wish to appeal against the result or candidates who are dissatisfied with the award of an exit qualification of the University.
2.1 Grounds for Appeal
2.2
The experience and knowledge of a student, the student’s performance and whether they have reached the required academic standard, and an awareness of best practice in higher education are combined to allow an examiner to make an academic judgement on the ability of a student. Academic judgement is the decision made by academic staff on the quality of academic work or the criteria being applied to mark work (rather than the administrative marking process). Academic appeals which question this academic judgement shall not be considered.
2.3
Appeals against decisions taken by Faculty/School Special Circumstances Committees (or appropriate Committee), Collaborative Partnership Committee or the Student Cases Board (or nominee) in relation to extenuating circumstances shall not normally be considered.
2.4
The University shall only consider academic appeals which are based on one or more of the following grounds:
2.4.1
The Progression and Awards Board failed to take into account all work submissible and properly submitted for assessment.
2.4.2
There was evidence of a computational or administrative error in arriving at the end of level/part decision.
2.4.3
Evidence of prejudice or of bias or of inadequate assessment, not of an academic nature, on the part of one or more of the examiners.
2.4.4
Defects or irregularities in the conduct of the assessment or in written instructions or in advice relating thereto which are of such a nature as to cause reasonable doubt as to whether the examiners would have reached the same decision had they not occurred. Candidates must provide a compelling reason for not bringing to the attention of their Faculty/School the defects or irregularities when they occurred.
2.4.5
The examiners were aware of, but did not fully consider, defects or irregularities in the conduct of the assessment or in written instructions or in advice relating thereto, when such defects or irregularities or advice might, in the candidate’s opinion, have had an adverse effect on their performance.
2.4.6
Extenuating circumstances (as defined within the Policy on Extenuating Circumstances Affecting Assessment) which the Examiners were not aware of and which had an adverse effect on the candidate's academic performance. Candidates must provide an explanation, supported by evidence to show that:
(i) The candidate had extenuating circumstances at the time of their affected assessment(s); and
(ii) The extenuating circumstances had an adverse effect on the candidate’s academic performance in the affected assessment; and
(iii) The candidate:
(a) had been unable to determine whether or not they were fit to undertake the assessment; and/or
(b) had a good reason for not notifying the Faculty/School/Collaborative Partner Institution of their circumstances at the relevant time (see Sections 2.5 and 2.6).
2.5
In accordance with the University’s regulations, candidates shall be expected to submit to their Faculty/School/Collaborative Partner Institution an application with evidence of any personal circumstances which might have had an adverse effect on their studies, in accordance with the Policy on Extenuating Circumstances Affecting Assessment. In the case of examinations, such applications must be submitted in accordance with the policy and by the deadlines prescribed. Normally, any academic appeal based on “new extenuating circumstances”, which has not been submitted to the Faculty/School in accordance with the mentioned policy and by the prescribed deadline, will not be considered.
Candidates studying on the following programmes shall be expected to submit extenuating circumstances applications to their Faculty/School in accordance with the procedures and time-limits outlined in their Faculty/School Handbook - which take precedence over the University's Policy on Extenuating Circumstances Affecting Assessment for these programmes:
- MBBCh Medicine;
- Legal Practice Course;
- LLM Flexible Taught Masters.
In the case of research students, candidates are expected to make their supervisor(s) aware of circumstances which might affect their studies as and when they occur in order that appropriate consideration and/or action can be taken. Where the candidate attends a (research) viva examination, they are expected to make the Examining Board aware of any extenuating circumstances which could have an effect on their examination. Academic appeals based on extenuating circumstances which could have been brought to the attention of the Examining Board prior to oral examination shall not be considered.
2.6
It shall be presumed that the candidate would have been unable to determine whether or not they were fit to undertake the assessment and/or had a good reason for not notifying the Faculty/School/Collaborative Partner Institution of their circumstances at the relevant time where a candidate provides appropriate written evidence that:
(a) They had experienced any of the following extenuating circumstances:
- Severe depression.
- Severe mental health issues.
- Psychiatric admission.
- Death of a close relation (defined as a parent/step-parent/primary carer of the candidate, sibling/step-sibling, partner/spouse, son or daughter/step-son/step-daughter/foster child.)
- Serious sexual assault;
- Pregnancy loss.
- Diagnosis of a terminal illness of themselves and/or a close relation (defined as a parent/step-parent/primary carer of the candidate, sibling/step-sibling, partner/spouse, son or daughter/step-son/step-daughter/foster child).
- Life threatening illness/injury of themselves or a close relation which required hospitalisation (defined as a parent/step-parent/primary carer of the candidate, sibling/step-sibling, partner/spouse, son or daughter/step-son/step-daughter/foster child).
- Recent disclosure to Police relating to historic sexual abuse.
- Recent disclosure to Police relating to domestic abuse/coercive control; and
(b) That the above circumstance/s had occurred no earlier than three calendar months before the submission deadline-examination date of the affected assessment.
The above does not preclude a candidate from submitting an appeal based upon any type of extenuating circumstance and circumstances which occurred earlier than three calendar months before the submission deadline/examination date of the affected assessment provided that the criteria within Section 2.4.6 are met.
2.7
Candidates who have been granted supplementary assessments shall not normally be permitted to submit an appeal against that decision.