Resits and Further First Attempts
If you fail to satisfy the examiners at the end of the academic year, you will normally be asked to take further tests. These tests are normally in September. They can be as final attempts (Resits) or further first attempts (FFAs). FFAs can be offered to students by the Board of Examiners when there is evidence to explain the first failure and on the basis of a recommendation by the Mitigating Circumstances Panel. The mark recorded for a Resit is capped at 40%.
There are no further tests for failed modules assessed predominantly by coursework.
PX152 Physics Laboratory and PX151 Astrophysics Laboratory I are "designated modules", which means they must be passed at the first attempt. A failure in a designated module means that you will probably be required to withdraw.
Note that resits will not normally be offered in any modules, where the contribution to your overall mark for the year has been discarded because of overcatting.
September Exams
The University runs examinations for most modules in physics and mathematics. The marks for lecture modules with assessed coursework components (PX153, PX262, PX275, PX284, PX286, PX3A2 and PX3A3), considered by the Examination Boards after resits or FFAs, will be the marks obtained in the examination alone (i.e. they will not be combined with the assessed coursework marks).
If you are required to take such tests, you will be advised via Tabula and should receive information in an email from Student Records.
Students, who started in the first year in 2021 (and thereafter), have the right to remedy failure on all failed modules assessed predominantly by examination, and will be offered optional resits in such modules.
Summer Resits
Resits without residence may be offered to you:
- If you fail a FFA in September;
- If you fail the second year in such a way that resitting the second year physics modules, for which there are September resit examinations, would not provide enough evidence to allow you to proceed to the third year;
- If you fail the final year of your course. In this case the Examination Board, considering your marks obtained in the resit examinations, can only consider awarding a Pass degree.
Normally the University will contact you during term 2 to ask if you are planning on taking the tests.
If you fail to meet the criteria for progression from the third year to the fourth year of the MPhys or MMathPhys course, you will normally be treated as a final year student on the corresponding BSc.