Questions and Answers

How is the academic year structured?

The academic year at the University is semester-based. The year is organised into three semesters: autumn (Semester 1), spring (Semester 2) and summer (Semester 3) although LLB courses and programmes are only taught during the first two semesters. Semesters 1 and 2 each comprise 12-weeks of teaching and a three-week examination period; the spring semester also includes an additional one-week revision period.

What is the difference between the LLB Law Single Honours course and the LLB Law (Honours) modular programmes?

The LLB Law Single Honours degree comprises of a single distinct subject, namely law. In contrast, the LLB Law modular programme offers a major/minor combination whereby two-thirds of the subject strand comprises of a ‘major’ subject (law) and the remaining one-third is made up of a ‘minor’ subject, such as criminology, economics or politics. A Course Director is responsible for the day-to-day running of the LLB Law Single Honours degree; a Subject Director is responsible for the day-to-day running of the LLB Law modular programmes.

The University has adopted a modular structure for the delivery of its LLB courses and programmes. Modules are assigned a particular level (4, 5 and 6) which is an expression of relative demand, complexity and depth of learning. A module is a component of a course with its own approved aims, learning outcomes and assessment methods. Each module is taught and assessed within a semester and is allocated credit points appropriate to the module’s content and learning outcomes. Credit points are a notional expression of student effort hours inclusive of class contact, private study and assessment; notionally, 10 hours of student effort equate to one credit point. The majority of modules you will undertake on your LLB course/programme will constitute 20 credit points although there are some exceptions including Public Law 2 (LAW112) and Law, State and Society (LAW133), both of which represent 10 credit points respectively on the LLB Law course.

Modules are either compulsory or optional within the course/programme structure. On the LLB programmes, all of the law modules undertaken at levels 4 and 5 are compulsory; the majority of these law modules are also so-called ‘core’ modules necessary for the purpose of securing Qualifying Law Degree (QLD) status. However, you will enjoy a greater degree of freedom to undertake elective or optional modules once you commence your studies at level 6.

Your performance in modules is measured in percentage marks and the University confers its qualifications on students who complete modules amounting to the specified number of credits at the appropriate levels for the award. For successful completion of the LLB award, you are required to complete 120 credit points at each of the three levels of study, namely levels 4, 5 and 6. For the LLB Law (Hons) course, all 360 credit points will comprise of law modules; for the LLB Law (Hons) modular programmes, 240 credit points will comprise of a major subject (law) and the remaining 120 credit points will comprise of a minor subject (e.g. criminology, economics, politics, etc). This major/minor combination will be distributed equally across each individual level, i.e. 80 credit points (major) and 40 credit points (minor) per level.

One hundred and twenty credit points represent the normal workload for a full-time programme of study in the standard academic year. Normally, 60 credit points are undertaken in each semester. In part-time LLB courses, a maximum of 90 credit points may be studied in the academic year with no more than 45 credit points undertaken per individual semester.

The forms of assessment associated with each module are set out in your Module Handbook. Coursework and/or formal examinations may be used; the relative weighting between coursework and examinations and the overall contribution of the module to the final award is also described in your Module Handbook. Coursework may involve the production of essays, reports, seminar papers, a dissertation, oral presentation, or participation in a class test. There are set dates for the submission of coursework. Work will not be accepted after this date unless documented evidence of extenuating circumstances has been submitted (as explained below) and approved. Examinations are normally of two or three hours duration. The School of Law has a system to ensure that examination scripts are marked without knowledge of the students’ identities. Examination scripts are not returned to you but you may discuss your performance with your Adviser of Studies. You should note that marks received in assessments are subject to a process of moderation, which ensures their validity and reliability. Consequently, no result is finalised until confirmed by the Board of Examiners (explained further, below).

What is the pass mark on the LLB courses/programmes?

The pass mark is 40%. The University defines a pass in a module as the achievement of the overall pass mark for the module with a minimum mark of not less than 5% below this threshold in each assessment element (coursework and examination). Further information on this definition, including final award bands, are set out in your Course Handbook.

When are the examination periods?

The University has four examination periods in the academic year although only three of these are employed by the School of Law in respect of undergraduate LLB courses, namely (i) Semester One (January), Semester Two (May) and Supplementary (August). Once finalised, examination timetables are made available at www.ulster.ac.uk/academicservices/student/

I have been advised that certain law modules are ‘core’ modules; what exactly does this mean?

In order to practice law as either a solicitor or barrister you will firstly need to graduate with a Qualifying Law Degree (QLD). A QLD is a qualification that is recognised by the various professional bodies such as the Institute for Professional Legal Studies (IPLS) or the College of Law. In order to graduate with a QLD, you will need to demonstrate that you have studied and passed the so-called ‘core law’ subjects. These include, criminal law, property / land law, public law, European law, contract law, law of tort, law of evidence and equity and trusts. It is essential that you study and achieve at least a pass grade in these respective subjects in order to secure QLD status.

What is the role of my Adviser of Studies and how often should I meet with him/her?

Your Adviser of Studies is an academic member of staff who will act as your adviser for the three years of your LLB course/programme (five years if you are a part-time student). S/he will offer you guidance in matters relating to choice of modules, assessment and progress. You are advised to meet with your Studies Adviser at least once per semester but you are also encouraged to arrange a meeting with him/her if you encounter difficulties or if you need advice or assistance in matters relating to study or examination skills. If you are experiencing difficulties of a personal or academic nature, it is important to bring such issues to the attention of your Adviser as s/he will be able to provide information about the range of support available, such as Student Support, Chaplaincy, etc. All full-time, LLB students are provided with the contact details of their respective Studies Adviser at induction. All part-time students share the same Studies Adviser, namely, Grainne McKeever.

Who exactly should I contact if I have a particular problem or query?

Questions relating to a specific module, (e.g. methods and timing of assessments, reading lists, etc) should be addressed to the relevant Module Coordinator. However, you should note that each module will have a Handbook setting out key information pertaining to that module; this document will be available for consultation via WebCT. Therefore, please ensure that you consult (and read) the module documentation before you contact the Module Coordinator. In the vast majority of cases, you will locate the information you require in the relevant module documentation without the need to contact an academic member of staff.

If you have a general question or concern about your studies then you should make an appointment to meet with your Adviser of Studies. If your Adviser is unable to address your concerns or if you cannot locate the information you require in the Course Handbook, the School of Law homepage or this advice page, then you should direct your queries to your Course or Subject Director.

What is plagiarism?

Plagiarism is the act of taking or copying someone else’s work, including another student’s, and presenting it as if it were your own. Typically, plagiarists use ideas, texts, theories, data or other material without acknowledgement so that the person considering this work is given the impression that what they have before them is the student’s own original work when it is not. Plagiarism also occurs where a student’s own previously published work is re-presented without being properly referenced. Plagiarism is a form of cheating and is dishonest. When submitting coursework, you will be required to sign a declaration of ownership indicating that your work does not contain plagiarised material(s). At the discretion of the Module Coordinator, your coursework may be submitted to an electronic detection system in order to help ascertain if any plagiarised material is present. If plagiarism is found to have occurred, you will be penalised in accordance with the Framework of Penalties for Plagiarism Offences; a record of the offence will also be placed on your file and disclosed should an external body request a reference, e.g. professional bodies such as the Institute for Professional Legal Studies (IPLS) and/or academic bodies or potential employers.

Your Course Handbook sets out key information on how to avoid plagiarism; it also provides information on how to reference sources correctly. The University’s policy on plagiarism is available at www.ulster.ac.uk/academicservices/student/plagiarism.pdf. If, having read this documentation, you are still unsure as to what exactly constitutes plagiarism, make an appointment to discuss the matter with your Adviser of Studies.

You will need to present evidence of illness or other extenuating circumstances which may have affected your performance not later than five days after the date of the written examination. For other forms of assessment, it must be presented by the date on which the work was due to be submitted. Evidence of ill health must be authenticated by a medical certificate as self-certification will not be accepted. Statements should be submitted using a structured form called an ‘EC1’. You should note that the rules stipulating the submission of EC1 forms are strictly enforced and EC1 forms submitted after the specified time periods will not be considered. The EC1 form and accompanying guidelines, including details of the information you need to provide, are available online at www.ulster.ac.uk/academicservices/student/

In the case of Semester 1 assessments, Course committees are empowered to make first-sit decisions for those students who were affected by extenuating circumstances; this is to ensure that such students are afforded an opportunity to undertake the outstanding assessments during the second semester. Therefore, if you missed a Semester 1 assessment due to documented extenuating circumstances, subsequently accepted by the Course/Subject Committee, then you will be afforded the opportunity to undertake the outstanding assessment(s) during the Semester 2 examination period. This is the automatic or ‘default’ position. However, you may defer the outstanding Semester 1 assessments until the Autumn resit period. To do so, you will need to complete and return a deferment form which you will receive with your Semester 1, Communication of Results sheet. This form is automatically forwarded to all students who submitted documented evidence of extenuating circumstances in respect of Semester 1 assessments; relevant students should receive this documentation in late January/early February.

Students should note that the Board of Examiners and Progress Board are not permitted to increase the marks obtained by candidates on account of extenuating circumstances. If the Board accepts the documented evidence of extenuating circumstances, then the student will be permitted to complete, take as for the first time or repeat the assessment at a later stage. However, original or initial marks will not be raised. You should also note that although you may have previously discussed your difficulties with School of Law staff, this does not in itself constitute the submission of extenuating circumstances. You are still required to submit an EC1 form within the time period specified. Likewise, once the Board of Examiners has met, it is too late to submit an EC1 form; information about how to appeal against the decision of the Board of Examiners is set out, below.

What constitutes ‘extenuating circumstances’?

Extenuating circumstances refer to something unforeseeable or unavoidable. They are normally circumstances beyond your control which either prevent you from taking an examination(s) or submitting coursework, or which affect academic performance in coursework or examination(s). Such circumstances will usually be health related or of a personal nature and typically include, but are not restricted to, illness in the run-up to an examination or coursework deadline (or during an examination), bereavement in the run-up to an examination or coursework deadline or other traumatic event, (e.g. being assaulted). Needless to say, it is not possible to list every circumstance that the Board of Examiners would reject, but unless there are extraordinary circumstances, general pressure of academic work is not taken to be circumstances beyond your control as you are expected to plan your work schedule. Likewise, employment commitment limiting time available for study, pressure of other academic work, wedding preparations, sporting commitments, missing public transport, moving house or failure of IT systems, or inability to gain access to IT systems when you have not taken adequate precautionary measures, will not normally be accepted as evidence of extenuating circumstances. Further advice is available online at www.ulster.ac.uk/academicservices/student/

Prior to the start of the academic year, I booked a holiday for July/August time. I have just discovered that I am now required to undertake a resit assessment that clashes with the timing of my vacation. Can I undertake the assessment at another time?

The University position in such cases is very clear; all students are advised at the start of each academic year not to book holidays during the resit period. Failing to complete an assessment due to a prearranged holiday or vacation will not be accepted as evidence of extenuating circumstances. If you find yourself in this position then you should note that formal examination timetables will not be amended to accommodate you; consequently, non-performance of your assessment will return a fail grade. This may, in turn, engender serious consequences in terms of your ability to proceed onto the next level of academic study.

I submitted an EC1 form with supporting medical evidence indicating I would be unable to undertake a forthcoming examination. After submitting my EC1 form, I subsequently changed my mind and completed the examination. Afterwards, I felt my examination performance was adversely affected by my poor health. Will my EC1 permit me to undertake the assessment again as a first sitting?

No. If you submit an EC1 (and supporting documentation) then you are making a declaration to the effect that you are unable to undertake the assessment(s) in question. Should you subsequently change your mind and attempt the assessment in question, then this will be viewed as prima facie evidence that you were willing and able to undertake the assessment. Attempting the assessment will have the effect of rendering your original EC1 void; your EC1 will be disregarded and the mark achieved in your assessment will stand – even if it subsequently turns out to be a fail grade.

I attempted an examination but was ill in the run up to and during the assessment. I submitted an EC1 with supporting medical evidence, both of which were subsequently accepted by the Board of Examiners. Consequently, I have now been advised that I will be able to undertake the examination again as a first sit in August. However, this now interferes with my prearranged summer plans. Can I have my original examination mark reinstated?

No. You submitted an EC1 form indicating that you were unable to complete an assessment due to extenuating circumstances. Once the EC1 was approved by the Board of Examiners your original submission will have been disregarded. No grade will be communicated to you and you have to undertake the assessment ab initio, (i.e. from the beginning).

What about difficulties of a personal or medical nature that are likely to have a negative and long-time impact on my studies?

An EC1 form is usually used in unforeseeable and unpreventable short-term cases of extenuating circumstances. If you are experiencing difficulties of a more long-term nature, then it may be possible to suspend your course for a specified period of time (usually a year) by taking a leave of absence (LOA). A LOA needs to be approved by your faculty and you should make arrangements to see your Studies Adviser or Course/Subject Director should you intend to pursue such a course of action. It is important that you notify the University as soon as you intend to take a LOA as you may be liable for fees up to the point you go on leave.

It is the responsibility of the Board of Examiners to determine students’ results in assessment. The Board will meet once annually to consider student progress and award, most usually in May/June of each academic year. A supplementary (resit) board also meets in August/September to consider Summer semester results. Boards do not normally meet at the end of the Autumn semester (Semester 1) as progress from the Autumn to the Spring semester (Semester 2) is automatic. However, Course and Subject Committees do meet to review Semester 1 performance and to arrange interviews for those students whose results suggest extra advice and/or guidance is required. These committees are also empowered to determine ‘first sits’ to be taken in Semester 2 for students who had extenuating circumstances which affected their performance in Semester 1. They also confirm progress for students who have been successful in repeated assessments or make recommendations to the Faculty Board regarding discontinuation of repeating students who have failed assessments at the final attempt.

Any marks received during Semester 1 or 2 are provisional until they have been subject to external moderation and approval by the Board of Examiners. Therefore, no decision regarding resits, or the timing of potential resits, will be made until the Board has made its deliberations in May/June. Once the Board has reviewed your overall academic performance for the year, the severity of any penalties and the timing of supplementary examinations/re-submission of coursework will be related to the number of credit points failed and/or the year in which they were first taken. If you fail modules up to and including 60 credit points at the first attempt, then your resits will normally take place in August so as to allow progress to the next academic year, without loss of time, should you be successful in the August resits. Following August resits, students are also normally permitted to carry failure to a value of 20 credit points into the next academic year. Should you fail 70-80 credit points at the first attempt, then you will be asked to undertake the outstanding elements in the appropriate semester during the next academic year; in other words, you will be required to retake the academic year and progress to the next level of study will not be allowed until outstanding elements have been completed. Failure of more than 80 credit points in pre-final years of the LLB degree programme [40 credit points in final year] will result in your removal from the programme.

When and how will I find out the decision of the Board of Examiners?

The initial decision of the Board of Examiners will be communicated to you electronically; this decision will take the form of a progress code. Students who successfully completed the academic year, and as such, are free to proceed to the next academic level, will receive a P1 code. Those students with outstanding elements due for completion – either as first sits or resits – will receive a written Communication of Result sheet shortly after the electronic notification of results. This Communication of Result sheet will reiterate the student’s code and will also set out the elements and modules that still require completion. The meaning of the progress codes are explained on the reverse of the Communication of Result sheet and in your Course handbook.

You should note that you will not receive a Communication of Results sheet upon completion of your Semester 1 assessments. Only those students who failed to undertake or complete assessments due to documented extenuating circumstances will receive a Communication of Results sheet in January/February. As explained, above, such students will receive a Communication of Results sheet and a deferment form which will afford them the opportunity to decide the timing of their outstanding Semester 1 assessments.

I have just been advised that the Board of Examiners has coded me N1 [or N2, N3, N4 or N5]. This means I have to retake the year in part which in turn prevents progress onto the next level of study. Is it possible for me to undertake some of the outstanding assessments in August so that I can then proceed onto the next level of study without having to retake the year?

No. If the Board of Examiners has coded you either, N1, N2, N3, N4 or N5, then that means you have outstanding assessments to the value of 70-80 credit points. That in turn means you are not permitted to undertake outstanding assessments during the July/August resit period; instead, you must complete the outstanding assessments during the next academic year.

Is it possible to challenge a decision of the Board of Examiners?

You may request a review of a decision of the Board of Examiners on two grounds, (i) on the basis of evidence of extenuating circumstances which was not in the possession of the board at the time of its initial decision (e.g. new medical evidence) and (ii) on the basis of procedural or other irregularities in the conduct of the examinations. You should note that an appeal may not be made to challenge the academic judgment of the examiners or to raise complaints about the delivery or management of the course. Therefore, marks awarded cannot be appealed.

Appeals based on new information about extenuating circumstances are heard by faculty panels. If you base your appeal on the submission of evidence of extenuating circumstances, you will be required to provide a satisfactory explanation as to why such information was not submitted by the original deadlines. Appeals on the basis of procedural or other irregularities are considered by a panel comprising the Provost of the campus on which the student is registered and a Dean and Head of School from unassociated faculties. If the appeal is successful, the candidate may be permitted to complete, take or repeat the assessment at a later date.

You should note that the deadline for submission of appeals is strictly enforced; late appeals will only be accepted in exceptional cases. If you wish to appeal, you should complete and submit the appropriate form; [SA1 for the submission of new information, or SA2 for the submission of evidence of procedural or other irregularities]. SA1 and SA2 forms are available online at www.ulster.ac.uk/academicservices/student/examinations.html

I have been advised that I failed a particular module; do I have to repeat all of the assessments within that module?

No – you are only required to retake the individual elements that you failed. The grades that you received in the individual elements that you passed will be carried forward and added to your subsequent resit marks. You should note, however, that the maximum mark awarded in a resit assessment is 40%. You should contact the relevant Module Coordinator if you are uncertain about the individual elements you are required to resit or undertake in a particular module.

I have failed an assessment; how many repeat attempts am I entitled?

In pre-final years of the LLB degree courses/programmes, two repeat attempts are usually permitted. Failure at the third attempt will result in the student’s removal from the course. In the final year of the LLB degree courses/programmes, only one repeat attempt is permitted. Students who fail the assessment in a placement or intercalary year are not permitted to progress to the final year. You should also note that students who are required to withdraw as a consequence of failure are not permitted to reapply to the course, in full or part-time mode, in the next academic year.

I received a fail grade in one of my assessments. Can I have the assessment remarked?

It is Faculty and School policy that marks and grades are automatically subject to independent moderation which ensures both their validity and reliability. Therefore, all marks awarded are provisional until they have been subject to independent moderation and formal approval by the Board of Examiners and the School’s External Examiners.

I recently passed one of my law assessments but I am disappointed with my grade. Is it possible for me to undertake the assessment again in an attempt to attain a higher grade next time round?

No. If you fail an assessment and assuming you have not exhausted all of your resit attempts, then you will be afforded another attempt at the assessment. However, students are not allowed to retake passed assessments in an attempt to secure a higher grade. Similarly, students are not permitted to retake modules already passed.

I am a final year LLB student; can I change the optional (elective) modules I initially selected to study?

The University’s regulations allow you to add or drop optional modules provided that you notify the Registry Office on a Module Amendment Form signed by your Course/Subject Director within the first two weeks of the semester in which the module is taught. You can download a Module Amendment Form at www.ulster.ac.uk/academicservices/student/forms.html. You should note, however, that it is your responsibility to complete the form, obtain the signature of your Course/Subject Director and leave the form in the Registry Office by the deadline. Forms received after the deadline will not be processed.

I have decided that I no longer wish to purse my LLB studies? How do I leave the course / programme?

If, after careful consideration, you decide that you wish to leave the course/programme, then you will need to complete a Student Record Amendment Form; this is available online at www.ulster.ac.uk/academicservices/student/forms.html You will need to complete your personal details, Section A, sign the form and return, with your University Student Card, to the School Office (3A03) for the attention of your Course/Subject Director. Prior to submitting a Student Record Amendment Form, you should ensure that you have considered all of your options carefully; you should also ensure that you have discussed the matter fully with your Studies Adviser and/or Course/Subject Director. If you are confident with your decision then you should notify the Registry Office so that they can inform your Education and Library Board or LEA and the Student Loans Company promptly; otherwise, you may unintentionally fall into arrears with repayment of your loan. You should also note that you may be liable for fees up to the point you notify the University that you are withdrawing; therefore, inform the Registry Office of your intentions without delay. It is also advisable that you write formally to your Education and Library Board or LEA (if applicable) to let them know about your withdrawal.

I am thinking about changing to another course; what are the procedures?

If you are thinking about changing to another University of Ulster course then you will need to contact the relevant Course/Subject Director of your new proposed course/programme in order to ascertain whether or not places are likely to be available and whether or not you are likely to meet the academic requirements for a transfer (e.g. entry requirements, academic standing, etc). If an ‘internal transfer’ is deemed possible, then you will need to complete a Student Record Amendment Form (available at www.ulster.ac.uk/academicservices/student/forms.html) and forward to the School Office (3A03) for the attention of your existing Course/Subject Director. This form will be initially signed by your existing LLB Course or Subject Director; this will have the effect of ‘releasing’ you from your current LLB course/programme. The form will then be forwarded and completed by the Course/Subject Director of your new proposed course of study.

If you are thinking about changing to another course outside of the University of Ulster – of instance, a course offered at another University – then you will, most likely, have to make a fresh application via UCAS. Further details are provided on the UCAS home page at http://www.ucas.com/students/.