Special Consideration, Supplementary, Deferred and Special Examinations Requirements

Policy and Procedures

1. In these Requirements the following terms have the meanings set against them respectively:

‘Examination’ — an examination held during the mid-year or end-of-year examination period or on completion of other subjects approved by the Head of School.

‘Supplementary examination’ — an examination given, during a period determined by the Academic Board, to a student who has failed to receive a passing grade in the subject in question following the completion of all assessment. The only results to be awarded after sitting a supplementary examination are ‘SP’, ‘SPC’, ‘SP-‘, ‘SN’, ‘SX’, ‘SU’ and ‘SS’.

‘Deferred examination’ — an examination given, during a period determined by the Academic Board, to a student who, for reasons acceptable to the appropriate Faculty Pro-Vice-Chancellor, has not sat the examination in the subject in question held during the mid-year or end-of-year examination period or other examinations held on the completion of subjects approved by the Head of School.

‘Special examination’ — a supplementary or deferred examination given to a student at a time other than during the period determined for supplementary or deferred examinations by the Academic Board in a particular year.

‘Special Consideration’ — a student’s application requesting an Examiner take into account that his/her preparation for an examination has been, or is being, adversely affected by circumstances beyond their control (eg. medical, trauma, etc.)

2. A Faculty (where applicable to faculty rules) may, with sufficient cause, on the recommendation of the relevant Head of School, allow a student who has failed in a subject to be re-examined in that subject by means of a supplementary examination or by other means approved by the Faculty Pro-Vice-Chancellor.

3. Students who, for medical reasons or for other reasons which appear valid to the appropriate Faculty Pro-Vice-Chancellor were unable, or consider that they will be unable, to sit for the examination in a subject, shall apply to the Director, Student and Academic Services on the prescribed form if they seek deferred examinations. Such applications should be lodged with the Director, Student and Academic Services no later than five days after the date of the examination and the Director, Student and Academic Services shall refer them to the appropriate lecturer for recommendation, the appropriate Head of School for approval and then to the appropriate Faculty Pro-Vice-Chancellor for executive decision, as required under the ‘Finalisation and Publication of Subject Results’ policy. Applications made on medical grounds must be accompanied by a medical certificate. Applications made on psychological grounds must be accompanied by a counsellor certificate. Medical and counsellor certificates must provide sufficient information on which to make a determination regarding the application. Applications made for reasons other than medical or psychological must be supported by relevant documentation, including a Statutory Declaration stating the facts on which the application relies. All documents provided must be the original document or a certified copy of the original.

4. Students who, before the date prescribed for the examination in a subject, consider that their preparation for the examination has been or is being adversely affected by medical or other factors, shall apply to the Director, Student and Academic Services on the prescribed form if they seek either (a) to be excused from sitting for the examination and to be given a deferred examination, or (b) to be given consideration in the marking of their examination scripts and/or if applicable to faculty rules a supplementary examination may be awarded should they fail to receive a passing grade in the subject in question following the completion of all assessment. Applications for deferring an examination should be lodged with the Director, Student and Academic Services no later than five days after the scheduled date of the examination and special consideration should be lodged on or before the scheduled date of the examination. The Director, Student and Academic Services shall refer them to the appropriate lecturer for recommendation, the appropriate Head of School for approval and to the appropriate Faculty Pro-Vice-Chancellor for executive decision, as required under the ‘Finalisation and Publication of Subject Results’ policy. Applications made on medical grounds must be accompanied by a medical certificate. Applications made on psychological grounds must be accompanied by a counsellor certificate. Medical and counsellor certificates must provide sufficient information on which to make a determination regarding the application. Applications made for reasons other than medical or psychological must be supported by relevant documentation, including a Statutory Declaration stating the facts on which the application relies. All documents provided must be the original document or a certified copy of the original.

5. The Director, Student and Academic Services may, in consultation with the appropriate Faculty Pro-Vice-Chancellor, accept a late application under either Requirement 3 or Requirement 4, providing such an application is received in time for it to be considered or reported to the School Assessment Committee following each study period in which the School offers one or more subjects.

6. A Faculty Pro-Vice-Chancellor may, because of exceptional circumstances or special hardship in the case of a particular student, permit that student to sit for a special examination.

7. Students who have sat for an examination in a subject may be re-examined if, for medical reasons or for other reasons which appear valid to the appropriate Faculty Pro-Vice-Chancellor, their results in that subject are:

significantly below those of their other subjects; and
significantly below that which in the light of other evidence they may have reasonably been expected to achieve in the subject concerned.

Approval Details

Policy sponsor:	Director, Student and Academic Services
Approval authority:	Academic Board
Version no.:	06-1
Date for next review:	23/03/2011

Modification History

Version no.	Approval date	Implementation date	Details
06-1	23/03/2006	02/04/2006