LLM Law and Legal Practice Degree Assessment Regulations (240 credit)

The following regulations shall apply to candidates commencing their studies from 2022-23 onwards.

1. General Principles

1.1

Presentation of Marks

The Faculty/School Assessment Boards shall be presented with all marks of assessment for modules taken so far.

1.2

Presentation of Marks for Award

The full set of results for each candidate considered at the University Progression and Awards Board, shall be presented to the examiners. The result profile of the relevant candidates will normally include:

The results of the Taught modules.
The results of the piece(s) of directed independent learning.

1.3

Progression Decisions

Candidates will be permitted to proceed from year one to year two. Candidates with failed taught modules from the initial attempt may be granted TWO further attempts to redeem failures by sitting supplementary assessments at the next available opportunity (as indicated in the programme handbook).

1.4

Anonymous Marking

Please refer to the University's Assessment, Marking and Feedback Policy.

1.5

Disclosure of Identity

Please refer to the University's Assessment, Marking and Feedback Policy.

1.6

Disclosure of Results

A distinction should be drawn between provisional marks and confirmed marks.

Please refer to the University’s Assessment, Marking and Feedback Policy.

1.7

Appeals Against Decisions

Candidates may request that the decision of the Board be reviewed in accordance with the University’s Academic Appeals and/or Accuracy of Published Marks Procedure, which are published in this Academic Regulations.

2. General Assessment Rules: LLM Law and Legal Practice

The pass mark for modules will be set at 50%. Credit will only be awarded to candidates who pass a module.

Candidates who accumulate 240 credits in total may qualify for the award of a degree. The overall degree classification shall be calculated based on the sum of the credit weighting of each module pursued.

Award decisions for candidates shall normally be taken at the end of the programme and will be confirmed by the University Progression and Awards Board.

All modules on the programme are ‘core’ and must be passed with a mark of at least 50% to be considered towards an award. No compensation will be permitted.

Candidates who have been unsuccessful in any taught module may be permitted two further attempts within the programme to redeem their failure (i.e. three attempts at each taught module in total), provided that this can be achieved within the time limit for the Programme. Candidates will not be permitted any further attempts (in addition to the three attempts at each taught module in total) without agreed extenuating circumstances.

Candidates, who satisfy the examiners at an attempt to redeem a failure, shall only be eligible for a mark-up to the capped threshold of 50% in each such module, irrespective of their actual level of performance. The University Progression and Awards Board shall refer to the capped/the best mark in determining the average for award.

Candidates who are part-way through their programme, who fail to redeem a failed taught module at the next available opportunity, and/or fail to submit their directed independent learning by the submission deadline will not be eligible for a Master’s award but shall be permitted to continue to be considered for an exit award.

Candidates to who fail to pass a taught module at the third attempt will be deemed ‘out of opportunities’, will not be eligible for an LLM Master’s award and required to withdraw from the University. Such candidates shall have no further opportunity to complete their programme of study and shall only be eligible to be considered for an exit qualification. Candidates who are required to withdraw from the University will be given no further attempts to redeem their modules and will not be eligible to transfer credits to another programme of study at Swansea University, and their studies will be terminated. Normally, such candidates shall not be re-admitted to that same programme of study, or to a cognate programme, without the approval of the Recruitment and Admissions Committee.

In exceptional circumstances, and in accordance with the University’s Policy on Extenuating Circumstances Affecting Assessment, candidates who fail to redeem their module(s) at the next available opportunity because of extenuating circumstances or who fail the module at the first opportunity during the re-sit period (i.e. as a deferral) may submit evidence of such circumstances to their Faculty/School for consideration. At the discretion of the University Progression and Awards Board, such candidates may be permitted one further opportunity to re-sit. The reassessment(s) shall normally take place at the next assessment(s) point for the modules concerned in the next academic year.

G10

A candidate who is to be re-examined in set projects or other forms of course assessment shall not be permitted to re-submit modified versions of their original work, but shall be required to submit for assessment new work on different topics from those which originally failed to satisfy the examiners.

G11

Candidates shall not be allowed to elect to repeat any module which has been passed.

G12

A candidate who is absent for the whole or part of a written assessment (or who fails to submit set projects or coursework by the required date(s)) will be deemed to have failed the modules(s) in question. In the case of part one candidates who are unable to undertake assessments due to extenuating circumstances, an extenuating circumstances application must be submitted to the Home Faculty/School by the prescribed deadline published by the Faculty/School. The Faculty/School will consider the application for approval with reference to the University Policy on Extenuating Circumstances. Candidates granted deferrals will be required to undertake assessments at the next scheduled assessment point for the module(s) concerned.”

G13

Candidates, who achieve an overall average mark of not less than 60% and not more than 69.99% for the whole programme, shall be eligible for the award of an LLM Master’s degree with merit.

G14

Candidates, who achieve an overall average mark of not less than 70% for the whole programme, shall be eligible for the award of an LLM Master’s degree with distinction.

G15

Candidates who do not complete the programme and/or withdraw from the University may, depending on the number of credits accumulated, be entitled to an exit qualification.

G16

Candidates exiting with a Postgraduate Certificate/Diploma shall be eligible for the appropriate award “with Merit” where they have passed the requisite number of taught credits and have attained an overall average mark of not less than 60% and not more than 69.99% for the award in question.

G17

Candidates exiting with a Postgraduate Certificate/Diploma shall be eligible for the appropriate award “with Distinction” where they have pursued the requisite number of taught credits and have attained an overall mark of 70% for the award in question.

G18

Candidates who fail to submit their directed independent learning by the deadline will not be eligible for an LLM Master’s award but shall be permitted to continue to be considered for an exit award. No resubmission opportunity will be permitted.

G19

Candidates who submit their piece/pieces of directed independent learning by the deadline and who fail to obtain a pass mark may be permitted one attempt to resubmit in accordance with the appropriate time-limit. Resubmission will be capped at 50%

Mode of Study

FULL TIME

Normally* up to 5 months (after the official University publication of results).

* The Faculty/School may impose shorter resubmission periods. This should be made clear to candidates in the Faculty/School handbook.

G20

Candidates who are unable to meet their submission deadline may apply for an extension to their submission deadline in accordance with the University’s regulations.

G21

The University reserves the right to charge a re-examination fee in respect of the re-submission.

3. Specific Rules to be Applied at The Year 1 Semester One and Two Board

The pass-mark shall be 50%.

Candidates who pass all specified module components/modules shall be allowed to continue with their studies.

Candidates who fail to pass all specified modules may proceed to the next semester (Year 2) but will be expected to take the opportunity to redeem failure(s) at the next prescribed assessment period, this will usually be in the summer preceding the next semester.

Candidates who fail a taught module(s) at the initial attempt may be awarded TWO further re-sit opportunities during the next prescribed assessment periods. Candidates who chose not to re-sit shall be awarded a mark of 0% and forfeit the right to any remaining attempts.

The marks of candidates who have redeemed any failed component(s) shall be capped at 50%.

Candidates submitting their directed independent learning shall be governed by the assessment regulations S7-S10 under the section below “Rules for awarding credit at the end of the programme”.

4. Specific Rules to Be Applied For Candidates at Year 2 Board (May)

The pass-mark shall be 50%.

Candidates who pass all taught modules and their Directed Independent Learning, shall be considered for eligibility of award against their full academic profile according to the ‘rules for awarding credit at the end of the programme’.

The marks of candidates who have redeemed any failed component(s) shall be capped at 50%.

Candidates who chose not to re-sit shall be awarded a mark of 0% and forfeit their right to any remaining attempts.

Candidates who fail a module(s) at the initial attempt (year two) may be awarded TWO further re-sit opportunities during the prescribed assessment periods.

Candidates who pass all taught modules in year two, their Independent Directed Learning, and are successful in redeeming outstanding failure(s) from year one shall be considered for eligibility of award against their full academic profile according to the ‘rules for awarding credit at the end of the programme’.

Candidates who were unsuccessful in redeeming outstanding failure(s) from year one shall be eligible for their third and final attempt during the next prescribed Assessment period (May/June).

5. Specific Rules to be Applied for Candidates at Year 2 Board (July)

The pass-mark shall be 50%.

The marks of candidates who have redeemed any failed component(s) shall be capped at 50%.

Candidates who chose not to re-sit shall be awarded a mark of 0% and forfeit their right to any remaining attempts.

Candidates who pass their Independent Directed Learning and are successful in redeeming outstanding failure(s) in all taught modules shall be considered for eligibility of award against their full academic profile according to the ‘rules for awarding credit at the end of the programme’.

Candidates who were unsuccessful in redeeming outstanding failure(s) in taught modules from Year 2 shall be eligible for their third and final attempt during the next prescribed Assessment period (August).

Candidates who were unsuccessful in redeeming outstanding failure(s) in taught modules from Year 1 have no further attempts and will be considered for eligibility of an exit award against their full academic profile once any remaining attempts from Year 2 taught modules and/or their Independent Directed Learning have been exhausted.

Candidates who were unsuccessful in their Independent Directed Learning (first attempt) shall be eligible for one further attempt and this shall be capped at 50%.

In exceptional circumstances, and in accordance with the University’s Policy on Extenuating Circumstances Affecting Assessment, candidates who fail to redeem their module(s) during the re-sit period because of extenuating circumstances or who fail the module at the first opportunity during the re-sit period (i.e. as a deferral) may submit evidence of such circumstances to their Faculty/School for consideration. At the discretion of the University Progression and Awards Board, such candidates may be permitted one further opportunity to re-sit. The reassessment(s) shall normally take place at the next assessment(s) point for the modules concerned in the next academic year.

6. Specific Rules to be Applied for Candidates at Year 2 Board (November)

The pass-mark shall be 50%.

The marks of candidates who have redeemed any failed component(s) shall be capped at 50%.

Candidates who chose not to re-sit shall be awarded a mark of 0% and forfeit their right to any remaining attempts.

Candidates who were unsuccessful in redeeming outstanding failure(s) in taught modules, and/or their Independent Directed Learning and have no further attempts will be considered for eligibility of an exit award against their full academic profile.

In exceptional circumstances, and in accordance with the University’s Policy on Extenuating Circumstances Affecting Assessment, candidates who fail to redeem their module(s) during the re-sit period because of extenuating circumstances or who fail the module at the first opportunity during the re-sit period (i.e. as a deferral) may submit evidence of such circumstances to their Faculty/School for consideration. At the discretion of the University Progression and Awards Board, such candidates may be permitted one further opportunity to re-sit. The reassessment(s) shall normally take place at the next assessment(s) point for the modules concerned in the next academic year.

7. Specific Rules for Awarding Credit at the end of the Programme

The Pass mark shall be 50%.

Candidates who accumulate 240 credits may qualify for the award of a degree. The overall degree classification shall be calculated based on the sum of the credit weighting of each module pursued.

Candidates who achieve an overall average mark of not less than 60-69.99% for the whole programme shall be eligible for the award of an LLM Master’s degree with merit.

Candidates who achieve an overall average mark of 70% or more for the whole programme shall be eligible for the award of an LLM Master’s degree with distinction.

Candidates who do not meet the requirements of S2 will fail to qualify for the award. At the discretion of the Examination Board, the candidate will normally be required to sit supplementary examinations or assessments in all failed first/second attempts at a taught module for a capped mark of 50%. Candidates who chose not to re-sit a failed module will be awarded a mark of 0%.

Candidates who fail to submit their directed independent learning or approved equivalent by the deadline will not be eligible for a Master’s award but shall be permitted to continue to be considered for an exit award. No resubmission opportunity will be permitted.

Candidates who fail the directed independent learning or approved equivalent and who are permitted to resubmit will be subject to the following periods of time in which to resubmit. Resubmission will be capped at 50%.

Mode of Study	Resubmission
FULL TIME	Normally* up to 5 months (after the official publication of results)

* The Faculty /School may impose shorter resubmission periods. This should be made clear to candidates in the Faculty/School handbook.

It is recognised that some candidates may fail both the directed independent learning and the taught modules at the first attempt. Such candidates will be offered one resubmission opportunity for the directed independent learning (in accordance with the regulations above) and two opportunities to re-sit failed taught/ modules.

Candidates who fail taught modules at the third attempt will be required to withdraw from the University. Such candidates may be considered for an appropriate exit award.

Postgraduate Certificate	Passed 60 credits, a minimum of 40 credits to have been pursued at Swansea.
Postgraduate Certificate with Merit	Passed 60 credits, a minimum of 40 credits to have been pursued at Swansea. Attained an overall average mark of not less than 60% and not more than 69.99%.
Postgraduate Certificate with Distinction	Passed 60 credits, a minimum of 40 credits to have been pursued at Swansea. Attained an overall average mark of 70% or higher.

Postgraduate Diploma

Pursued 120 credits, a minimum of 80 credits to have been passed at Swansea.

Postgraduate Diploma with Merit

Pursued 120 credits, a minimum of 80 credits to have been passed at Swansea.
Attained an overall average mark of not less than 60% and not more than 69.99%.

Postgraduate Diploma with Distinction

Pursued 120 credits, a minimum of 80 credits to have been passed at Swansea.
Attained an overall average mark of 70% or higher.

*Programmes may adopt stricter compensation regulations due to Professional Body/Sponsorship Body requirements.

S10

All candidates who are required to withdraw from the University have the right of appeal in accordance with the University’s Accuracy of Published Marks and/or Academic Appeals Procedure.