Postgraduate taught

Programme handbooks for postgraduate taught programmes in the School.

• PGT programme administrators and directors list 2022
• Qualitative Research Methods Handbook

Criminology

• MA/PGDip Criminology
• MRes Criminology
• MRes (Social Statistics) Criminology

Data Science

• MSc Data Science

Healthcare Ethics and Law (HCEL)

• LLM/MA/MSc/PGDip/PGCert HCEL
• LLM/MA/PGDip/PGCert HCEL by Distance Learning

Economics

• MSc Economics
• MA Economics
• MSc Financial Economics

Law

• LLM General and Commercial Law Prgrammes
• LLM/MA Public International Law Programmes

Philosophy

• MA Philosophy handbook

Politics

• Politics MA handbook
• Politics Part Two Guide

Social Anthropology

• MA Anthropological Research handbook
• MA/Dip Social Anthropology handbook 
• MA Visual Anthropology handbook

Social Research Methods

• MSc SRMS handbook
• SRMS Part Two Guide

Sociology

• Postgraduate Taught Programmes (PGT) Sociology handbook

Visit our postgraduate welcome pages for information on induction and registration, including your induction week timetable.

We are committed to providing you with timely and appropriate feedback on your work.

The feedback you receive on your academic progress and achievement enables you to reflect on and improve your work and skills development. We adhere to the University's framework around assessment and feedback.

• Feedback will be provided within 15 working days of the final submission of assessed work (or exceptionally within 20 days).
• An opportunity for formative feedback exists on all course units.
• You can expect to receive clear instructions on the assessment process and grading criteria applied to your piece of work.
• Most written feedback is now provided in turnitin.

Don't forget all the other forms of feedback you receive, face-to-face, via email, peer feedback, blogs, in tutorials, lectures etc.

What are mitigating circumstances?

Mitigating circumstances are normally exceptional, short term, unforeseen and unpreventable events that may have a significantly disruptive effect on your ability to take assessments. These events are over and above the course of everyday life, and normally outside of your control. They may affect your ability to complete coursework or other assessments, and revise for and attend examinations.

Examples of possible mitigating circumstances if they occur immediately prior to or during an assessment period (This list is not exhaustive, and each application will be considered on its own merit):

• significant illness or injury;
• the death or critical/significant illness of a close family member/dependant;
• family crises or major financial problems leading to acute stress;
• absence for jury service or maternity, paternity or adoption leave.

Examples of circumstances which will NOT normally be regarded as grounds for mitigation:
(not exhaustive)

• Holidays and events which were planned or could reasonably have been expected
• Assessments which are scheduled closely together
• Misreading the timetable or misunderstanding the requirements for assessment
• Inadequate planning and time management
• Failure, loss or theft of a computer or printer that prevents submission of work on time: students should back up work regularly and not leave completion and printing so late that they cannot find another computer or printer
• Consequences of paid employment
• Exam stress or panic attacks not diagnosed as illness.

Extensions

Circumstances which will have a short-term impact on your ability to complete written assessments (for example, minor illness) should be covered by an application for an extension to the submission deadline.

You should however bear in mind that you will only be offered an additional 5 working days from the original deadline date to complete and submit the work.

If a longer-term Extension is requested, you will be required to complete a mitigating circumstance submission form.

If you need to apply for a short extension to a piece of coursework/written assessment, you now need to apply using this form:

• This form will only allow you to apply for extendable assessments. If the assessment is not listed, you will not be able to apply for an extension* however you may be able to apply for Mitigating Circumstances.
• This form will allow you to apply for five additional working days from your submission deadline.
• You will not be required to submit supporting evidence with this application however you are expected to provide specific details of how the circumstances are impacting your ability to meet the deadline. If the circumstances do not meet the criteria or there is not sufficient information provided the application will be rejected.
• The Student Support and Wellbeing Team will review the circumstances and if they meet the criteria for mitigation your application will be approved and a five-day extension to your deadline will be permitted.
• The Student Support and Wellbeing Team will email you to confirm your extension has been approved along with the new submission date.

*If you are requesting a short extension for assessments belonging to another school this will need to be made via the Mitigating Circumstances Submission Form, and in this situation, evidence will not be required.

All other Mitigating Circumstances

If you wish to apply for any other mitigation, you will need to apply using the Mitigating Circumstances Submission Form:

• This form has a list of all extendable and non-extendable assessments.
• If your circumstances mean that a short extension (generally 5 days) is not sufficient to submit the work then you would need to complete this form (supporting evidence will be required).
• You should complete this form if the assessment is not extendable, e.g. exams, presentations.
• Supporting evidence is required and should be uploaded to the Mitigating Circumstances Submission form.
• If supporting evidence is not available when completing the form you will be required to send it as an email attachment within 14 days to soss.mitcircs@manchester.ac.uk.
• Applications for mitigation for assessments belonging to other schools should also be made via the Mitigation Circumstances Submission form, and evidence will be required.
• If you are carrying a unit from another level and you need to apply for mitigation it can be done via the Mitigating Circumstances Submission Form.
• The Student Support and Wellbeing team will review the application and evidence to assess if it meets the criteria for mitigation. You will then be notified by the Student Support and Wellbeing of the outcome (accepted or rejected) and if accepted the Exam Board will confirm the specific outcome e.g. First Sit

Deadlines for submitting Mitigating Circumstances applications

Mitigating circumstances and extension applications would normally be submitted at the point you have been impacted by exceptional, short term, unforeseen and unpreventable events. Therefore, it is expected that you submit your application close to, or if necessary, immediately after an affected assessment deadline or examination unless there are exceptional circumstances that require you to submit much earlier for example planned medical treatment during an assessment period, notice of jury service etc.

Applications will be reviewed and if submitted significantly far in advance of the assessment deadline or examination the team may not consider your application until a later date and Wellbeing support provided in the interim.

In addition, if you cannot submit your application before, or immediately after an affected assessment then you should explain the reasons why you were unable to do so, and the team will decide if the circumstances warrant the consideration of a late application.

Please read our detailed guidance to find out more about the application process and what to expect.

If you have any questions, please email soss.mitcircs@manchester.ac.uk.

To keep us all safe we ask you to follow university guidance for current students available here https://www.manchester.ac.uk/coronavirus/support-current-students/