Changing course and proceeding to the next year carrying failed credits
If you have been offered the opportunity to change course and proceed to the next year carrying your failed credits, this is because:
- you failed credits in core module(s) which you cannot carry on your current course but which are not core on the alternative course you have been offered; or
- you are in either on an Integrated Masters course or in Year One of a 4-year course which includes a Year Abroad and you have not achieved a Year Mark of at least 50; or
- you are in your Year Two of a 4-year course and cannot proceed to your Year Abroad or Placement Year next year
Choosing this outcome means you can proceed to your next year of study on the alternative course you have been offered in October 2025 without further reassessment because the module(s) you have failed are not core on this alternative course, meaning these credits can be carried..
Carrying failed credits is referred to as condonement in the Rules of Assessment. It’s important that you understand the implications of having failed 15 or 30 credits towards your overall degree. You can only fail a maximum of 30 credits' worth of non-core modules across your whole degree.
If you decide to change to the alternative course carrying your failed credits you will not be eligible to return to your previous course of study at any point in the future, as you would not meet the requirements.
If you select this option, you will automatically be transferred onto the new course listed on your results page prior to the start of the 2025-26 Academic Year, you do not need to submit a change of course form for this to change to take place. It may be possible for you to be considered to change to other courses within your department where you meet the course specific requirements to do so. If this is something you would like to consider, please contact your department directly.
Advice and support
If you have been given the choice to carry fails into the next year of study on a different course or to undertake reassessment to remain on your current course and you’re not sure which to choose, then you should speak to the departments who run these courses as soon as possible to discuss your options.
It’s important to remember that marks from all years of study, including your current year, will appear on your Higher Education Achievement Report, as will any failed credits.
Please read the relevant information on carrying failed credits below:
Carrying 15 failed credits from Year One
- If you fail more than 15 non-core credits in the rest of your degree, following all available assessment attempts, you will not be able to progress on your course and will no longer be eligible for an Honours Degree; however, the Board of Examiners would consider whether you are eligible for an Exit Award.
- As you have not achieved 120 credits in Year One you will not be eligible for a Certificate of Higher Education should you decide to withdraw from your studies without successfully completing further credits in Year Two.
- Marks in Year One do not count towards your final degree mark and classification; however, marks from all years of study, including your Year One, will appear on your Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR) as will any failed credits.
Carrying 30 failed credits from Year One
- If you fail any more credits in the rest of your degree, following all available assessment attempts, you will not be able to progress on your course and will no longer be eligible for an Honours Degree; however, the Board of Examiners would consider whether you are eligible for an Exit Award.
- As you have not achieved 120 credits in Year One you will not be eligible for a Certificate of Higher Education should you decide to withdraw from your studies without successfully completing further credits in Year Two.
- Marks in Year One do not count towards your final degree mark and classification; however, marks from all years of study, including your Year One, will appear on your Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR) as will any failed credits.
Carrying 15 failed credits from Year Two with 120 passed credits in Year One
- If you fail more than 15 credits in the rest of your degree, following all available assessment attempts, you will not be able to progress on your course and will no longer be eligible for an Honours Degree; however, the Board of Examiners would consider whether you are eligible for an Exit Award.
- The degree classification rules are based on your degree mark and the number of credits you have achieved within a given class. Having a mark below a pass mark could lower your overall degree mark. For further information, see the full Rules of Assessment.
Carrying 15 failed credits from Year Two with 105 passed credits in Year One
- If you fail any more credits in the rest of your degree, following all available assessment attempts, you will not be able to progress on your course and will no longer be eligible for an Honours Degree; however, the Board of Examiners would consider whether you are eligible for an Exit Award.
- The degree classification rules are based on your degree mark and the number of credits you have achieved within a given class. Having a mark below a pass mark could lower your overall degree mark. For further information, see the full Rules of Assessment.
Carrying 30 failed credits from Year Two
- If you fail anymore credits in the rest of your degree, following all available assessment attempts, you will not be able to progress on your course and will no longer be eligible for an Honours Degree; however, the Board of Examiners would consider whether you are eligible for an Exit Award.
- The degree classification rules are based on your degree mark and the number of credits you have achieved within a given class. Having a mark below a pass mark could lower your overall degree mark. For further information, see the full Rules of Assessment.
