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Durham Marking Boycott as a Second Year

i'm a second year mlac student at durham about to go on my year abroad ... but i don't have all of my grades yet due to the boycott.

the only one i have is for 1 out of 2 core modules in which i only just passed the in person written exam (the first time in person language exams have taken place since before covid - i already think it's so unfair we've been thrown into sitting these for the first time when our grades count this year).

it's so strange as i got a 63 in the same first year exam last year (online), but the second they're in person i dropped 20 marks and ended up with a 43, which is not what should happen in the second year of degree level language learning!! my oral exam pulled my overall module grade up, but because that's only worth 25% of the module, i've ended up with a 47% module overall grade - i got a very high 2:1 in my first year and i have no idea where this near failure has come from; i've been averaging mid 60s in my formatives for this module.

anyway, i am now terrified about the other 5 modules i need back, particularly my other core in person exam for my other language. i may not receive my results until september / october, by which time i will be leaving for my first year abroad placement ... what if i've failed ??

also want to stress the impact of strikes and this marking boycott on my second year. along with having many classes and lectures cancelled throughout, i had absolutely no feedback on any summatives submitted from epiphany term so i have no idea where i'm working at.

so essentially, what would happen if i did actually fail my other core module exam? if it was pulled up to an overall module pass by my oral exam, would i still have to resit the language exam? would i have to come back from my placement job abroad to resit? there has been absolutely no proper guidance or help from anyone and quite frankly it's a terrifying time!!

Reply 1

mnot

Universities Forum Helper

If you fail - you would have to resit.
If you fail a module element but not the whole module then it will depend on the module requirements as to if you are awarded the credits or not.

If you are all set to go & results impacting your year abroad don’t get released until the immediate week or two before you leave this would be unfair (and unreasonable to cancel your studies abroad - that said at some point you will need to resit, typically resits are in the summer, if it is due to a boycott i am unsure).

I would organize a meeting with your tutor or course director and raise these questions directly with them.