UCL SCHOOL OF PHARMACY
BRUNSWICK SQUARE
School Appeal Procedure
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Introduction
Grounds for appeal
Appeal submission process and deadline
Review of appeal
Outcomes
Further appeal
1.
INTRODUCTION
1.1
In line with the UCL Student Complaints Procedure, this School-level procedure provides a
framework for the informal consideration of student appeals prior to formal representation via
the UCL Student Complaints Procedure.
1.2
This procedure applies to students on taught and research programmes offered by the UCL
School of Pharmacy. An appeal can be made against one or both of the following:
a)
b)
Progression/registration decision (i.e. fail withdraw, upgrade from MPhil to PhD)
Examination outcome (i.e. fail resit, viva voce outcome)
1.3
Students who believe that their marks have been incorrectly compiled should not use this
Appeal Procedure but must follow the Clerical Check of Marks Procedure available on the
School website here.
1.4
Students cannot appeal against academic judgement. This means that they cannot request
for an assessment to be re-marked if they disagree with the mark awarded. All assessed work
is marked and audited in line with the UCL Comprehensive Moderation of Marking Policy
(Appendix 39 of the Academic Regulations). The standard of marking is moderated by
External Examiners, who are senior academics from other UK universities.
1.5
If students have any questions about this procedure they should contact the School’s Student
and Academic Support Office (SASO) for further advice.
2.
GROUNDS FOR APPEAL
2.1
An appeal can be made on one or more of the following grounds:
a)
b)
Extenuating Circumstances which the student was unable to bring to the attention of
the examiners at the time of the assessment. Students must provide a valid and overriding reason why these circumstances were not disclosed at the time in accordance
with the School’s Extenuating Circumstances policy.
Procedural irregularity or administrative error in the conduct of an assessment or
the process by which a progression decision was reached.
Prejudice or bias by one or more of the examiners.
Alleged deficiency in the supervision received or in the delivery/administration of
a programme (students must explain why they did not bring this to the attention of the
School at the time the alleged insufficiency occurred).
c)
d)
3.
APPEAL SUBMISSION PROCESS AND DEADLINE
3.1
Students must submit their appeal to the Head of Student and Academic Support on the
School Appeal Form available on the School website here. Appeals which are not submitted
on this form will be rejected. The Form must be submitted within 7 working days of receiving
written notification of progression decisions and/or assessment results. The Head of Student
and Academic Support (or his nominee) will acknowledge receipt of the appeal within 5
working days. Students must retain a photocopy of the appeal form and documents they
have submitted for their own records.
3.2
The appeal must set out the grounds for appeal and give sufficient details in order for a
decision to be reached. Students submitting an appeal on the basis of extenuating
circumstances must provide documentary evidence in accordance with the School’s
Extenuating Circumstances Policy available on the School website here.
3.3
The appeal will be submitted to the Director of the School who will act as the Investigating
Officer to review and make a decision. If the Director has been directly involved in the
assessment of the student or there is deemed to be a conflict of interest, then another senior
member of staff will be appointed to review the appeal. This will normally be one of the
following:


Associate Director (Education)
A Head of an Academic Research Department
4.
REVIEW OF APPEAL
4.1
The initial appeal will involve a review of the paperwork submitted and it may be possible to
make a decision based in the paperwork alone. If the Investigating Officer finds that there are
insufficient grounds for the appeal it will be rejected and the original assessment/progression
decision will stand.
4.2
Where a decision cannot be reached on the paperwork alone, the Investigating Office may
interview academic staff and the student involved in the appeal. Any meeting with the student
will be minuted by a member of administrative staff who will not be part of the decision-making
process. These minutes will be made available to the student.
5.
OUTCOMES
5.1
The decisions available to the Investigating Officer are detailed below. In each case, an
explanation of the reasons for the decision will be provided:
a)
b)
c)
Reject the appeal
Accept the appeal
Partially accept the appeal
5.2
Certain outcomes are not possible on appeal. For example, it is not possible to progress to the
next year of a programme without having completed the previous year. Likewise, appeals
based on extenuating circumstances will not result in a change of marks or degree class.
6.
FURTHER APPEAL
6.1
If you are unhappy with the outcome of the appeal or believe that it has not been dealt with
appropriately then you can make a formal appeal representation to UCL via the UCL Student
Complaints Procedure. This should be submitted within 28 days of the date of the notification
of the decision in respect of which an appeal is being made and before the beginning of the
next formal academic session.
Document Version
Version
1.
2.
3.
Author
John Peck, Head of Student
and Academic Support, UCL
School of Pharmacy
John Peck, Head of Student
and Academic Support, UCL
School of Pharmacy
Kirsty Martin, Student and
Academic Support Manager,
UCL School of Pharmacy
Changes
New Appeal Policy devised in accordance with
UCL’s Student Grievance Procedure.
Date
30 July 2013
Updated the policy to specify that the
Investigating Officer will normally be the
Director of the School.
Updated School of Pharmacy website links and
in accordance with UCL’s Student Complaints
Procedure.
01 Oct 2013
08 Jun 2015