6.17.1 A student (or group of students) may appeal against the decision of an examination committee if there is evidence to suggest that the assessment was not conducted in accordance with the regulations for the programme and one, or more, of the following circumstances applies:
- there was an administrative error or procedural irregularity in the assessment process, which significantly impacted the assessment decision
- the process of assessment was affected by bias
- the student’s performance in the assessment was affected by relevant exceptional circumstances, which, for valid reasons, were not made known to the examination committee.
The process for submitting an academic appeal is managed by the Student Investigation & Resolution Team.
Research degree students may appeal against any of the following decisions made by their supervision team or Subject Sub-Committee:
- not to register a student for a research degree
- not to transfer registration from MPhil to PhD
- to revert registration from PhD to MPhil
- to withdraw registration.
These appeals will be dealt with by the Faculty Postgraduate Research Tutor or PVC/Dean of Faculty. Where the matter remains unresolved, the student may appeal to the Research Degrees Committee requesting that they review the outcome of the first appeal. No appeal can be made against the decisions of the Research Degree Review Panel.
Research degree students may appeal against an examination decision on the following grounds:
- that there were circumstances affecting the candidate’s performance of which the examiners were not aware at the oral examination; and/or
- that there is evidence of procedural irregularity in the conduct of the examination (including administrative error) of such a nature as to cause doubt as to whether the result might have been different had there not been such an irregularity; and/or
- that there is evidence of unfair or improper assessment on the part of one or more of the examiners - a candidate may not otherwise challenge the academic judgement of the examiners.
Students are not permitted to appeal against academic judgement by the examiners; or on the grounds of poor supervision once they have submitted their thesis for examination. Requests for an appeal against an examination decision should be submitted to the Research Degrees Team.