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University staff common room

This board is for university-based professionals. Find discussions about A Levels and universities on our Further education forum.

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Original poster

Is this a joke or not?

15 replies

bigtissue · 18/12/2017 16:20

Are there any circumstance in which a postgraduate degree might be awarded by a university to a student who did not actually achieve the required amount of credits? Without wanting to be specific this appears to have happened to a colleague. They have queried it with their university but so far the university have not made a response although they are expected to in due course.

My colleague was self-funded engaged and contributed well during the part time course when they were able, but personal issues and a perceived unfair mark prompted them to withdraw just before the last module. Now they seem to have received notification of a pass, which has left puzzled faces all round.

I have not heard of this, but does anyone know different?

OP posts:

Brightstar147 · 18/12/2017 16:27

May be because of the unfair Mark

Original poster

bigtissue · 18/12/2017 16:40

The mark wasn't challenged directly with the exam board because my colleague felt (rightly in my opinion) that confidentiality was not going to be maintained in the specific circumstances, and the internal examiner left shortly afterwards. Can it have been reviewed again? It was a videoed presentation.

I would have expected notice of a moderated grade being passed to the student months ago if it was the mark that swung it.

Privately I'm wondering if the letter was an administrative error, but I don't want to upset my colleague by saying so now in case they really have gained their degree. We are perplexed.

OP posts:

RatSoup · 19/12/2017 06:04

Do they have an online student portal? It would be worth checking there.

JellyMouldJnr · 19/12/2017 06:30

If she only missed one module she might in fact have got the required amount of credits for a pass - often the total required for an overall pass is less than the total credits set, so that you could fail a module and still pass, just with a lower grade.

Original poster

bigtissue · 19/12/2017 11:18

Jelly I think this is what has happened, thanks for your suggestion.

She is a he, BTW!

OP posts:

RestingGrinchFace · 19/12/2017 11:22

Sometimes you can get credits from modules you have taken that seem outside of your study area. I know a few people who unwittingly ended up with double degrees because they took electives from different departments (music/arts for example).

ghislaine · 19/12/2017 11:36

Could it also be that your colleague was awarded a compensation pass in that subject (depending on the circs of withdrawal)?

bibliomania · 20/12/2017 11:07

I agree with Jelly. It's common on courses I'm familiar with for taught PG students to take 180 credits but only need 150 credits plus a reasonable attempt in the remaining 30 credits plus an overall average pass mark.

molifly · 20/12/2017 11:08

Are you sure they've not just 'passed' with an exit award rather than the official post grad qualification?

bibliomania · 20/12/2017 11:08

Ah, I see he has a non-submission for the last module. Still, might be okay under the programme regs. Or did he get a different exit award (eg. PG diploma rather than Masters?)

Original poster

bigtissue · 20/12/2017 11:51

bibliomania A post grad exit award was our first thought, and what he was expecting, but he has been awarded a Masters despite being short of 180 credits. He queried it with Student Services and they have confirmed it is the full Masters.

OP posts:

Tippexy · 20/12/2017 15:27

Sounds like a compensatory pass.

But TBH I am astonished he doesn't know how it works. I devoured all my handbooks so that I knew exactly what the regulations were and what I needed to get to pass my degrees. He will have the information he needs but it sounds like he hasn't bothered to look it up?

Original poster

bigtissue · 20/12/2017 16:21

In his defence, Tippexy, he was expecting to have been sent PG certificates for the modules he had completed as indicated in the award handbook.

OP posts:

Sofabitch · 23/12/2017 18:45

Could he have been awarded an ordinary degree and not an honours?

We could get compensation in one unit as long as we got 30%

Or we could actually fail 3 whole units (60 credits) in the final year and get an ordinary degree.

Original poster

bigtissue · 23/12/2017 19:23

I researched university exam board assessment policy today, and it would appear that universities give themselves quite a bit of leeway when it comes to cases like my colleague's. I hadn't been aware of how they deal with this kind of situation up until now and it's interesting that there is quite a bit of relevant information in the public domain.

The Masters in question did not mention honours as far as I'm aware, and my colleague was just awarded a pass rather than merit or distinction.

After looking at other university websites I think the university must have taken his circumstances and overall performance into account during their deliberations. I think he deserves the award myself, he is an asset to his profession IMO.

OP posts:

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