[TheRandomer]

Hi,
Does anyone know where I can find out what happens if you fail a module in the 4th year of your MPhys? Will they fail your whole degree on just one module, and bring you down to the BSc?

[Quagers]

I believe, that if you still get more than 40% average you can still graduate but you lose your honors.

See here:
http://www.dur.ac.uk/resources/facul...ide/App_ii.pdf

and

http://www.dur.ac.uk/resources/unive...coreregsug.pdf

[Quagers]

I lie, looks like that the rule for 3 year courses, fail in 4th year and you get a Bsc with/without Honers depending on several criteria.

[astro67]

(Original post by TheRandomer)
Hi,
Does anyone know where I can find out what happens if you fail a module in the 4th year of your MPhys? Will they fail your whole degree on just one module, and bring you down to the BSc?

From the University Calendar volume II (see http://www.dur.ac.uk/resources/unive...coreregsug.pdf):

Students who successfully complete the Level 3 examination shall study and be assessed for not less than one further year, in a programme consisting of six single modules or their equivalent (to a total of 120 credits) at each Level, according to the regulations for the relevant programme.
76. At Level 4 students shall study and be assessed in a programme consisting of six single modules or their equivalent, (to a total of 120 credits), according to the regulations for the relevant programme.
77. A student must achieve a pass of at least 40% in each module taken at Level 4 (to a total of 120 credits) to be awarded a degree with Honours.
78. Notwithstanding this requirement, up to 20 credits may be gained by compensation in respect of modules taken at Level 4 only, provided that:
(a) a mark of not less that 30% has been obtained in the module to be compensated; (b) the overall average for all the modules taken at Level 4, including the module to be
compensated, is at least 40%. (c) the achievement of the learning outcomes of the programme is not compromised
by failure in the module concerned. The regulations for each programme indicate which module(s) may not be passed by compensation because failure in those modules would compromise the achievement of the learning outcomes of the programme.

So if you fail one single module in level 4, you can still get the honours MPhys if you don't get less than 30% in the failed module and your average for the year (including the failed module) is above 40%. I don't want to sound gloomy but this may not always be good news. The numerical value of the mark in the failed module will be included in the degree classification calculation so it is possible that you would have been better off failing the fourth year completely and collecting, say, a 2:1 BPhys, than scraping through to a 2:2 MPhys. Good luck.

[OMGWTFBBQ]

(Original post by astro67)
QFA

Just to clarify, does the BPhys ignore all level 4 modules?

[TheRandomer]

Ok thanks, I'm on a good grade at the moment so I wouldn't end up with a 2:2 I don't think. And there's no such thing as a BPhys hehe

[astro67]

(Original post by TheRandomer)
Ok thanks, I'm on a good grade at the moment so I wouldn't end up with a 2:2 I don't think. And there's no such thing as a BPhys hehe

Actually, now that Team Projects are or will be available to MPhys students, you may be right. The BPhys certainly was awarded in cases where people passed the first three years of the MPhys but withdrew or failed the final year so it was always fairly rare - this was needed to distinguish it from the BSc since the third year of the two paths is different. It may be that this is no longer the case if the third year can now be the same for the two programme paths.

[astro67]

(Original post by OMGWTFBBQ)
Just to clarify, does the BPhys ignore all level 4 modules?

Yes - if you fail to qualify for an MPhys but do qualify for the Bachelor's degree (it used to be the BPhys for people who had been registered for the MPhys who didn't get one but that may have changed - see other post), the class of that degree would be based solely on the performance in the first three years so none of the fourth year modules would be counted for anything.