Regulation D5: Module condonement and compensation
For Undergraduate students commencing or repeating Level 4 study in full FROM September 2022 and all Postgraduate Taught students
This regulation sets out the fundamental rules around module condonement for taught undergraduate and module compensation for taught postgraduate programmes. Where there are programme specific deviations or exemptions for particular programmes of study, these will be set out in the relevant programme specification.
This regulation should be read in conjunction with Regulation D2, which explains the rules around progression and degree classification.
1. Module condonement on taught undergraduate programmes
1.1 Condonement means you are awarded credits despite failure in a module, subject to the conditions below. The module mark is retained on your transcript.
1.2 Condonement can only be applied to a module under the following conditions:
- The mark you have been awarded for the module must be between 35 and 39 (or between 45 and 49 for modules at Level 7)
- You must have taken the maximum allowed number of attempts to pass the module (with the exception of final year modules where condonement will be applied by the relevant Award Board after just one attempt).
- The module result must not be a qualified fail, signified by a grade of ‘Q’, which is where one or more assessment components within the module have not been completed to a specified standard.
1.3 The rules for awarding condonement on undergraduate programmes are detailed below.
1.3.1 All Bachelor’s Degree Programmes apart from those where this is specifed in their programme specification (available here: Undergraduate):
Condonement can be applied to a maximum of 60 credits of modules, subject to the following rules:
- A maximum of 30 credits across Level 4 and Level 5, provided that no other modules have been failed at those levels of study
- A maximum of 30 credits of Level 6, provided that no other modules have been failed at that level of study
1.3.2 Integrated Master’s Degree Programmes in:
- Faculty of Natural Sciences
- Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Condonement can be applied to a maximum of 80 credits of modules, subject to the following rules:
- A maximum of 45 credits across Level 4, Level 5 and Level 6 modules (with no more than 30 credits at any one of those levels of study), provided that no other modules have been failed at those levels of study
- A maximum of 35 credits at Level 7, provided that no other modules have been failed at that level of study
2. Module condonement on taught postgraduate programmes
Condonement is not awarded on taught postgraduate programmes.
3. Module compensation on taught undergraduate programmes
Compensation is not awarded on taught undergraduate programmes.
4. Module compensation on taught postgraduate programmes
4.1 Compensation means you are awarded credits despite failure in a module, where the failure is balanced by good performance in a related module or modules. The module mark is retained on your transcript.
4.2 All Postgraduate Master’s Degree and Postgraduate Diploma Programmes allow compensation as set out below, unless the programme specification states that compensation is not allowed.
4.3 Compensation can only be applied to a module under the following conditions:
- Compensation is applied to modules which, after all assessment attempts have been taken, have a mark between 45 and 49 inclusive.
- It is applied on up to a maximum of 30 credits of taught modules in total, provided you have attained a mark of at least 55 in one or more modules at least equivalent to the credit value of the failed module/s being compensated.
- The module result must not be a qualified fail, signified by a grade of "Q", which is where one or more assessment components within the module have not been completed to a specified standard.
- Dissertation modules or equivalent final project modules cannot be compensated.