Whilst your time at University can often be the best years of your life, there are bound to be times when you need someone to turn to for support, guidance or advice. Please see the information below and feel free to contact the Advice Centre to book an appointment to discuss your situation further.
Extenuating Circumstances
Extenuating circumstances are defined by the University as "circumstances beyond the student's control which cause the student to perform less well in his or her coursework or examinations than he or she might otherwise have been expected to do (on the basis of other work). In general, extenuating circumstances will be of a medical or personal nature affecting the student for any significant period of time and/or during the examination period".
It is not possible to list every circumstance that Board of Examiners will/will not consider but the following examples will not be considered an Extenuating Circumstance; General pressure of work - you are expected to plan your work schedule; A short-term problem or illnes which occurred during the year and which is not deemed to have had an overall effect on your performance; Personal disruptions or events which could have been anticipated (e.g. holidays, weddings, changing address or employment, religious holidays or festivals which are usually known in advance); excessive demands on time or pressure of one's employment which could have been anticipated; financial constraints commonly experienced by students; missing an exam because you misread your timetable or oversplept; having more than one exam on the same day or consecutive days.
The University Guidelines for Undergraduates and the form can be downloaded from here: Extenuating circumstances form
If you are a Postgraduate student then you can find the guidelines and forms here
It is really important to ensure you submit relevant evidence with your extenuating circumstances form where possible, such as medical reports, death certificate etc.
It is also important to check the deadline for submitting your extenuating circumstances. If you miss the deadline your extenuating circumstances will not be accepted.
Deadlines for Extenuating Circumstances:
Undergraduate Colchester Campus Students - 4pm Monday 13 June 2011 forms should be submitted to the Registry (6.116)
Postgraduate Colchester Campus Students - Forms must be rturned to the Graduate Secretary in your Department/Centre by no later than one week before the meeting of the Board of Examiners, or by any deadline published by the department or centre. Forms submitted after that date cannot be guaranteed to be submitted to the Board.
Submitting Extenuating Circumstances does not mean that you will be award extra marks or that you will automatically be a awarded a higher class of degree; however by submitting your form the Board of Examiners will try to determine to what extent your circumstances have affected your academic performance and can determine what action, if any, can be taken. Possible options could include: amending the assessment of a module by changing the weighting of particular units that contribute to the overall course assessment; discounting particular modules or pieces of work from the assessment of the year or programme of study; allowing a reassessment attempt to be treated as a first sit, often for uncapped marks where capping applies; instating a formative mark for a late piece of work. These options are not guaranteed and are not exhaustive.
If you would like to discuss your extenuating circumstances, or would like help understanding and completing the form, please come into the Advice Centre
Withdrawal, Intermitting or Changing your Programme of Study
During your time at University you may decide you wish to change your course, take a break from your studies or in some cases even leave your studies completely. In these instances it is advisable to discuss your situation with someone before making any final decisions.
You can find the relevant forms on the University webpages , you will need to login to view the forms available.
It is advisable to speak to your department and the registry before completing the forms. The forms will also need to be approved by the University so just submitting the form doesn't guarantee you will be granted the change to your studies.
We can help discuss the process for any of the above with you, please contact the Advice Centre to book an appointment with one of our advisers.
Complaints
If you are unhappy with an aspect of University policy; the provision of a service or the way a student has been treated by a member of staff. then you can submit a formal complaint. The University provides guidance on the complaints procedures which you are advised to read before submitting your complaint. It is advisable to try and deal with any matter of complaint informally where possible, before submitting a formal complaint. Please use the following links to find the procedures and complaints form.
If you would like to discuss your complaint or any part of the procedures please feel free to contact the Advice Centre to meet with one of our advisers.
We can help discuss the process for any of the above with you, please visit the Advice Centre to book an appointment with one of our advisers.
If you wish to complain about another student's behaviour there is a separate procedure to use. You can report students directly to the Proctor using the Standard Complainant Form on the University's Harassment and Bullying webpages
Appeal
If you would like to appeal against exam board outcomes, then the Uniiversity has procedures in place. There are also guidelines for Progress Committees. All information regarding appeals procedures, guidelines and forms for all students (Undergraduate, Taught Masters and Research) can be found on the University Appeals webpages.
Please be aware there are very clear guidelines on what constitutes an acceptable ground of appeal, and clear information on what is not legitimate grounds. It is important that you read this information carefully before submitting your appeal form. Students are encouraged to discuss their appeal prior to submitting, so if you have any questions please feel free to contact the Advice Centre to book an appointment with one of our advisers.
Fitness to Practice
All University students are required to comply with the regulations of the University regarding conduct. Students enrolled on courses where a practical professional placement is required have additional responsibilities placed upon them regarding not only their conduct but also their professional suitability as outlined in relevant regulatory and/or professional body codes of practice. Failure to meet these responsibilities can lead to the Breach of Professional Conduct, Fitness to Practice and Termination of Training Procedure being invoked. Students are notified at the point of enrolment if their course of study is subject to the terms of this procedure. Further information on the procedures can be found here.
If during your studies you are informed of a potential fitness to practice issue you are encouraged to visit the Advice Centre. We can help you prepare for your meeting and we can attend meetings with you if you wish. Please contact the Advice Centre to book an appointment with one of our advisers.