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Summary of University of York award rules

The following is a high-level summary of the University of York progression, award and degree-classification rules. This is intended only as a supplement to the University of York Degree Outcomes Statement, and is not a complete or definitive list of regulations, which can be found in the University of York Guide to Assessment, Standards, Marking and Feedback.

This summary only applies to classified 360-credit awards at FHEQ Level 6 (Bachelors) and excludes all other programmes (such as Integrated Masters). 

Progression and award

To qualify for award at Level 6, 360 credits must be achieved overall, with a minimum of 100 credits at Level 6. Most programmes are designed to have 120 credits at each of levels 4, 5 and 6.

Student progress through stages 1-3 (Levels 4-6), and progression from one stage to the next requires 120 credits to be awarded, either through passing all modules or through application of compensation.

Module marks are rounded to the nearest integer, and this mark is used for stage-average calculation. The pass mark for all modules at Levels 4-6 is 40.

Compensation

If a student fails one or more modules in the stage, they may still be awarded the credit and progress to the following stage, or be awarded the degree, as long as (a) the rounded stage average is at least 40, (b) no more than 40 credits are failed, and (c) all the failed credits fall in the compensable fail range for that stage.

For stages 1 and 2 the compensable-fail range is 30-39 and for stage 3 (ie finalists on Bachelors programmes) it is 10-39. Students who cannot meet these compensation criteria will require reassessment to be awarded the failed credits and hence be eligible for progression or award.

Reassessment

A student will be offered a reassessment opportunity, for all failed modules, if they do not currently meet the progression or award criteria, although the following restrictions apply. For stages 1 and 2, reassessments will only be offered as long as the number of failed credits is no more than 90 and the number of credits below the compensable fail range (ie < 30) is no more than 50. For stage 3, reassessment is offered only if the student has failed no more than 40 credits. 

Calculation of stage average

A stage average is calculated for each 120 credit stage of the programme and is the number used in the degree-classification algorithm. The stage average is a credit-weighted average of the module marks for the stage. All modules are included in the calculation of stage average, with the exception of any pass/fail modules. Some programmes allow for a small number of such modules to be taken (eg Languages for All modules).

The stage average is determined using first-attempt marks only. Hence, reassessment would not normally improve the final degree classification (the purpose of reassessment is to enable the student to be awarded the affected credits).

The exception is where, following successful reassessment, the rounded stage average (based on first attempt marks) is < 40. In this case, the stage average is capped at 39.5.  

Award mark and degree classification

The degree classification is determined algorithmically and based on the award mark, which is a weighted average of the non-rounded stage marks from stages 2 and 3, with a weighting of 2:3, respectively. 

Borderline classifications

If the award mark, determined by the above step, is two marks below a degree-classification boundary, then two further weightings, either 1:1 or 1:2, will be applied for stages 2 and 3, respectively. If either of these yields the higher classification, that higher classification will be awarded. There are no other borderline mechanisms or interventions.