Guideline: Special consideration
Purpose
These guidelines inform the consideration of applications for special consideration by course conveners.
Guideline
- Requests for Special Consideration are dealt with on a case-by-case basis. Each application must be assessed on its own, individual merits. After the application for Special Consideration is processed by the University and College, the Course Convener implements the most appropriate adjustments. The following is a list of some of the possible options for Course Conveners:
- Mark adjustment to individual assessment item: a Course Convener may choose to adjust the mark for an individual piece of work. Taking into account the impact of the circumstances listed in the Special Consideration application, a mark may be adjusted to move a fail to a pass or to move the assessment item up a grade. The adjustment will normally be restricted to a few percent.
- Mark adjustment to course result: the adjustment for Special Consideration can be left until all the assessment items have been submitted. This approach allows a Course Convener to judge whether a particular assessment item is below the standard of the student’s other work. Adjustment to the course mark would normally be restricted to a few percent.
- Supplementary assessment: if the circumstances outlined in the Special Consideration application have resulted in a far lower mark than the student would be expected to receive based on other assessment that has been completed, the Course Convener may choose to offer the student a form of supplementary assessment.
- No adjustment: if the Course Convener judges that the circumstances outlined in the application for Special Consideration have not affected the student’s work, they may choose to not make any adjustments.
- If Course Conveners are uncertain about the most suitable adjustments they should contact the College Associate Dean.
