FOI_25-055 Covid-19 policies
Date of response: 18 February 2025
We have now considered your request of 10 February 2025 for the following information:
Please provide information for each academic year in which the following may have applied in response to disruption caused by COVID-19, particularly 2019/20, 2020/21, and 2021/22 if applicable.
Question 1. Degree calculation
What, if any, alternative or additional calculations were applied to determine undergraduate students’ degree classifications?
For example:
• Exclusion of specific modules or semesters (e.g., Spring 2020 modules removed from classification).
• Reduction in the number of credits included in the final calculation.
• Changes to weighting models, such as increased emphasis on years not affected by COVID-19
Our response:
Covid-affected years with lower year aggregates than non-Covid counting years had a safety net applied. This involved the affected year aggregate being replaced by the higher mark. For undergraduate and integrated master’s students for whom 2019-20 and/or 2020-21 (Covid affected years) is a year of study which contributes towards their final award mark, a safety net adjustment to their award mark was applied as follows:
For students on bachelor degree programmes, the credit-weighted aggregate marks obtained in a Covid-affected year will be replaced by the aggregate mark obtained at stage 3 in 2021-22, if the latter is higher, their award mark will then be their 2021-22 stage 3 aggregate mark, 100% weighted. If their stage 2 aggregate mark is higher than that obtained at stage 3, there is no safety net adjustment and the normal classification weighting of 40:60, of as determined in the above table, will be used.
For students on integrated master’s courses, the highest stage aggregate mark from stages 2, 3 or 4 will replace any lower aggregate mark obtained in either or both of the Covid- affected years in calculating the final award mark. This is regardless of whether the higher mark was obtained in a Covid-affected year or in an unaffected year. Any stage aggregate mark obtained in a year that was not affected by Covid will not be substituted and will count towards their degree classification in the normal way.
Question 2. Borderline/uplift regulations
What, if any, modifications were made to borderline regulations for students close to a higher classification threshold?
For example:
• Wider margins of consideration (e.g., increasing the range within which students were eligible for uplift).
• Reduction in the number of credits required at a higher classification level to qualify for uplift.
• Increased discretionary powers for Exam Boards.
Our response:
Please see our response to question 1.
Question 3. Adjustments to condonement and progression policies
What, if any, adjustments were made to condonement/compensation and progression policies for undergraduate students?
For example:
• Increase in the number of credits that could be condoned.
• Condonement or compensation of modules at a lower grade than usual.
• Changes to progression rules, such as reduced credit requirements for moving to the next year of study or allowing students to graduate with missing/failed credits.
Our response:
Not applicable.
Question 4. Flexibility in assessment policies
What, if any, mitigations were available for students unable to submit or complete work on time, or who failed assessments/modules?
For example:
• Self-certification of mitigating circumstances (e.g., allowing students to defer assessments without formal evidence)
• Reduction or removal of penalties for late submission.
• Uncapped resit attempts or increased opportunities for reassessment.
Our response:
The University adjusted deadlines so that students could submit in a wider timeline and therefore were permitted to make later submissions.
Question 5. Retention of COVID-19 adjustments in university policy
Have any of the above measures been incorporated into permanent university policy or regulation, and if so, which?
Our response:
No. None of the above measures have been incorporated into permanent university policy or regulation.