Failed a core module in second year LLB

I'm a second year law student and I've failed a core module. So far, I've passed all my other modules in my first year. It's my first fail and I'm so stressed out about this. I have asked the uni on further guidance but they haven't replied yet.
I genuinely didn't think I'd done that bad, but I got 32/100. Pass mark is 40. There was around 19/20 research links, it met the word count, and it followed a logical structure.
I'm just hoping someone on here would be able to help me out with a few questions.
Side note: The marks were unmoderated, I'm not sure how much of a difference that would make though.
1) Would they make me resit the entire year?
2) Is there a chance that after the moderation process, my marks would increase to atleast 40?
3) Would this affect my chances of getting a 2:1 or a 1st at the end of my degree?

I would appreciate the responses/help with this.

Thank you.

Reply 1

Durham Rep Ghala

Official Rep

Original post

by Anonymous #1

Hi there

Just to be clear, you failed a module in first year, right? Many unis don't count the first year towards the final degree classification so I would first look at what marking policy is followed at your uni. And if you've just failed one module, they will most probably make you resit the exam for only that module along with your second-year module exams.

I highly doubt that the marks would increase from 32 to 40. Firstly, I think they probably would've consulted more than one person on all marks before releasing them. Secondly, it's worth checking whether moderation can lead to reduced marks too.

If your first year doesn't count towards the final degree classification, then it wouldn't affect your chances of getting a 2:1 or 1st. Even if it does, you can still make up for it in your 2nd and 3rd years. This calculator is an easy way to find out what marks you'll need to get a classification of your choice: https://gradehub.io/register

Hope that helps :smile:

-Himieka

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 2

Anonymous #2

Original post

by Durham Rep Ghala

Hi there
Just to be clear, you failed a module in first year, right? Many unis don't count the first year towards the final degree classification so I would first look at what marking policy is followed at your uni. And if you've just failed one module, they will most probably make you resit the exam for only that module along with your second-year module exams.
I highly doubt that the marks would increase from 32 to 40. Firstly, I think they probably would've consulted more than one person on all marks before releasing them. Secondly, it's worth checking whether moderation can lead to reduced marks too.
If your first year doesn't count towards the final degree classification, then it wouldn't affect your chances of getting a 2:1 or 1st. Even if it does, you can still make up for it in your 2nd and 3rd years. This calculator is an easy way to find out what marks you'll need to get a classification of your choice: https://gradehub.io/register
Hope that helps :smile:

-Himieka

Hey I am at queen mary uni in london, and i failed my
land law module in the first year, where i failed both my first sit and resit and got 35/100, but since i had 90/120 credits, they let me through to the 2nd year, now i have not been contacted by uni for a second resit or got any appropriate answers at the law desk in my uni. What should i do? i am only concerned because i fear the title of my degree at the end of the three years will be different and it will not be a Qualifying Law degree but a Non qualifying one, which means i can’t become a professional solicitor without PGDL? please advise, i am quite stressed.

Reply 3

University of Salford Student Rep

Official Rep

Original post

by Anonymous

I'm a second year law student and I've failed a core module. So far, I've passed all my other modules in my first year. It's my first fail and I'm so stressed out about this. I have asked the uni on further guidance but they haven't replied yet.
I genuinely didn't think I'd done that bad, but I got 32/100. Pass mark is 40. There was around 19/20 research links, it met the word count, and it followed a logical structure.
I'm just hoping someone on here would be able to help me out with a few questions.
Side note: The marks were unmoderated, I'm not sure how much of a difference that would make though.
1) Would they make me resit the entire year?
2) Is there a chance that after the moderation process, my marks would increase to atleast 40?
3) Would this affect my chances of getting a 2:1 or a 1st at the end of my degree?
I would appreciate the responses/help with this.
Thank you.

Hey,

It’s very normal to panic over a first fail, especially in law, but this is usually not the kind of situation that leads to repeating an entire year. If all of your other modules are passed, universities almost always just give you a reassessment attempt on the failed module, either in the summer period or alongside your next year’s modules. Being just below 40 doesn’t indicate you completely misunderstood the task; it just means the work didn’t meet specific criteria strongly enough for a pass on this attempt.

Moderation could in theory raise a 32, but an 8-point increase is quite a jump. Moderation tends to adjust marks slightly unless there was a clear marking issue across a cohort. So, it’s safer to assume you will be asked to resit, and only be pleasantly surprised if it gets lifted to a pass.

A capped resit (usually capped at 40) does not automatically destroy your chances of a 2:1 or even a 1st. Most universities weight final-year marks most heavily, and a single capped second-year module is fully compatible with graduating with a strong classification if your other modules are strong. Many students end up with one or two resits somewhere in their degree.

While waiting for the uni to reply, the best things you can do are:

•

Request detailed feedback when results are released

•

Gather evidence of your approach (outline/notes etc.) in case you need to query the mark

•

Speak to your personal tutor or academic skills service about how to structure your resit strategy

This is a dent, not a disaster. Failing one core module in second year is something universities are used to dealing with.

Good luck 😊
Arslan – University of Salford Student Representative