Academic Appeals and Special Consideration

If you are unhappy with a grade, you should first speak to the person who marked your work. Appeals against academic judgements or grading decisions can be made either to the Unit of Study Co-ordinator, or to the Chair of Department. Appeals may be made informally or in writing. An appeal against a grading decision or a request that work be remarked must be made within six months of the release of results for the unit of study, except in exceptional circumstances.

The full text of the Academic Board policy on Student Appeals Against Academic Decisions is available for download.

The School of Philosophical and Historical Inquiry assesses student requests for special consideration in accordance with the principles set out in Part 5 of the Academic Board policy on Assessment and Examination of Coursework. Students intending to submit an application for special consideration should make themselves familiar with the full details of this policy.

Generally, serious illness or misadventure will be taken into account when considering a student's academic performance in a course or units of study. There is, however, a clear distinction between longstanding illness or difficulties which prevent students from attending classes or completing required work or which seriously interfere with their capacity to study for long periods and short-term illness or misadventure that may prevent an otherwise well-prepared student from sitting for an examination or completing a particular assessment.

Students who, because of serious illness or misadventure, are prevented from attending classes for prolonged periods should seek an interview with the Head of School. Even if they do not exceed the specified permitted period of absence, they may need to consider whether their best academic interests are served by discontinuing with permission from the course until they are able to resume their studies effectively.

It should be noted that only well-attested serious illness or misadventure during a semester or occurring at the time of an examination will warrant special consideration for academic performance. Occasional brief or trivial illness would not normally be regarded as sufficient to explain an absence or a poor performance and students are discouraged from submitting certificates for absences totalling less than one week, although frequently recurrent short absences would need documentation.

To apply for special consideration students need to:

1. Obtain a special consideration form from the Faculty of Arts office, Faculty of Arts website or the Student Centre.
2. Complete the special consideration form:
   For consideration due to serious illness - have a registered medical practitioner or counsellor complete the Professional Practitioners Certificate.
   For consideration due to misadventure attach appropriate documentation (e.g. police report).
3. Make the appropriate number of copies - one copy per assessment for which special consideration is sought.
4. Lodge the original of this form with the Faculty office.
5. Lodge a stamped copy of the form with each School office.

Applications must be received no less than one week from the end of the period for which consideration is sought (i.e. within one week of the date of the assessment). Students must retain their stamped receipt. Students will be notified of the academic judgement concerning their special consideration application by the relevant unit coordinator.