Postgraduate Information Sheet PG 053
Disrupted attendance
As a UWE student, you’re expected to attend all your lectures and tutorials. However, there may be a
short period when, due to illness or other exceptional circumstances, you’re unable to attend.
Wherever possible, it’s important to keep up to date with your work, but if this becomes difficult you
should seek advice as soon as you can. Be aware that it’s your responsibility to contact the relevant
people, as suggested below.
If you’re unable to attend for a week

Borrow notes from friends attending your lectures/tutorials.

Look at Blackboard for lecture notes and any other information on your modules.

BLS students should collect course materials from the Resources Room (3C21A).

BLS students unable to attend one or more seminars should inform their tutor. This can be done via
email (addresses can be found at: http://law.uwe.ac.uk/staff-directory/). If you are unsure who to
contact, please ask a Faculty Student Adviser (For contact details see Student Services web site /
Advice in your Faculty http://www.uwe.ac.uk/advice/faculty/).
If you’re unable to attend for more than a week

Try the above, and contact any tutors where you’ve been unable to gather the information you
need. They may be able to provide notes, or suggest ways you could catch up.

You may find it helpful to discuss your situation with your tutor, where relevant, who has knowledge
of your award and may advise you about academic matters or contacting tutors. Details of
Programme Tutors are available from your Faculty website or Reception.

If you think you might not be able to submit an assignment or attend an exam/oral
assessment/presentation,find out about the Late Work and Extenuating Circumstances procedures
as a matter of urgency. A missed assessment is recorded as non submission and has significant
consequences (see Postgraduate Information Sheet PG 005: Resits). Most seriously, if you don’t
submit the final assessment of a module, you will fail that module. If the module is compulsory
for your award, you’ll be unable to continue on the award.

If the standard of your work has been adversely affected for a significant period of time, you may
wish to follow the Faculty’s Extenuating Circumstances procedure (see Postgraduate Information
Sheet below).

You could make an appointment with a Faculty Student Adviser to discuss your situation,
particularly with regard to non-academic issues, Late Work and Extenuating Circumstances. If
you’re unable to come to the university, you could make an appointment to talk by telephone. For
Cont/
PG053 LK /Last updated Aug 2011
This information sheet gives a brief summary only. For more details, please check other sources of information.
contact details see Student Services web site / Advice in your Faculty
http://www.uwe.ac.uk/advice/faculty/.
If you’re unable to attend for a month or more

Try the above and contact your module leaders or Programme Manager to explain your situation
and ask their advice.

You’re strongly advised to contact a Faculty Student Adviser to discuss your best course of action.
For contact details see Student Services web site / Advice in your Faculty
http://www.uwe.ac.uk/advice/faculty/.

Where your absence becomes prolonged, you may wish to consider temporary withdrawal from
your award (see Postgraduate Information Sheet below). A Faculty Student Adviser can discuss this
with you (contact details above).
You should also know

Most faculties expect you to attend your lectures and tutorials, and are organised with this in mind.

If you’re unable to attend due to illness, you could contact Student Advice and Welfare
(http://www.uwe.ac.uk/studentservices/aes/saws/) to discuss whether any financial support might be
available.

Most faculties do not offer distance learning or correspondence courses. To check the situation in
your faculty, contact Reception.
See also
Postgraduate Information Sheet UG 005: Resits
Postgraduate Information Sheet UG 011: Late Work
Postgraduate Information Sheet PG 012: Extenuating circumstances
Postgraduate Information Sheet PG 035: Withdrawing from an award temporarily