Extenuating circumstances (EC) requests are submitted by students in order to:
- Miss an assessment
- Drop an elective/tailored core course, or
- Sit an exam remotely.
They are formally considered in accordance with the School's EC Policy. The policy requires students to submit evidence to demonstrate that their circumstances meet the necessary criteria to be approved.
In order to safeguard the fairness of the assessment process and to avoid creating an unfair advantage, there is a requirement for EC requests to be made in advance of, or on the same day as, the assessment deadline/exam date.
The School also has a ‘fit-to-sit’ approach to assessment, meaning that students who take/submit an assessment are automatically confirming they are fit and able to complete that assessment.
If a student advises you that they are not able to submit an assignment, sit an exam or that they want to drop your course because of possible ECs, refer them to the Programme Office who will advise the student re the EC process. Please do not decide yourself whether to approve a request so that the due process can be followed and to ensure that all students are being treated consistently.
Students are also advised not to approach faculty to make individual/special arrangements or to seek support for their requests. They are advised at the start of their programme, and reminded at varying points throughout, what the correct process is.
All EC requests are considered by the School Panel, who make decisions in accordance with the School’s EC Policy.
A student who will miss an assignment deadline due to an EC can potentially be offered an extension to the deadline by the School Panel, but only if a late submission is permitted for the assignment in question.
A student who will miss a core exam will usually be permitted to take the exam uncapped at the retrieval sitting by the School Panel. However a student missing an elective exam will be dropped from that elective as there is no retrieval sitting for elective courses.
In extremely rare circumstances and only with approval by the School, a student may, subject to conditions, be permitted to take an elective exam with another elective stream, or to sit an alternative exam paper.
