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Personal Mitigating Circumstance

During your studies there may be times when you feel your performance has been adversely affected by personal circumstances such as ill health, bereavement or other events. If you feel that this is the case, there are a number of routes you can follow to get assistance.

Assistance from your Module Leader

The most informal way of attempting to get assistance is for students to contact their module leaders and inform them of the circumstances affecting their performance. In most cases it will be necessary to provide evidence of the circumstances.

These staff can consider granting the following:

Extensions to coursework deadlines

Waive an assessed coursework element provided it does not constitute more than 20% of the total module mark

Provide an alternative assessment

Where possible it is important that any request for such concessions is submitted in advance of the coursework deadline.

PERSONAL MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCES PROCEDURE

In some circumstances a student's situation is so severe that the adjustments available to the Module Leader are insufficient in assisting them. In such circumstances students can submit a PMC.

When?

All PMCs must be submitted within 5 working days of end of the module, final assessment deadline or exam date. PMCs submitted after this point follow a different procedure. Please read the section on Late PMCs for more details.

Who?

The PMC should be submitted to the Chair of School PMC Committee, via the School Office.

What?

Students wishing to have their personal circumstances taken in to consideration must complete a PMC form.

This can be downloaded from CWIS http://www.ljmu.ac.uk/StudentServices/StuServices_Docs/PMCformword.rtfor collected from the Students' Union Advice Centre. The form should be submitted along with a statement outlining the reasons for the PMC. Where possible documentary evidence should also be included.

On receipt of the PMC form, the Panel will consider whether they believe there is sufficient reason and evidence to indicate that the student's performance was affected. If they feel that this has happened they can recommend that the Module Assessment Board:

If no pass mark has been achieved, defer the assessment to the next appropriate opportunity

Refer the matter to the PAB if the mitigation has failed to fully address the impact of the circumstances

Please note that a pass mark cannot be deferred; if you pass the module the mark stands.

LATE PMC PROCEDURE

If you feel that circumstances have affected your performance but you did not submit a PMC within the initial deadline it may still be possible to get the assessment board to consider your mitigation.

When?

Late PMCs must be submitted within 4 months of the relevant MAB. Applicants must explain why they were unable to submit the PMC within the initial deadline. Where possible, evidence of the reason for lateness should be provided. In most circumstances it will be necessary to provide a counsellor's or GP's letter confirming that the student was unable to submit in a timely way.

Who?

Initially the PMC should be submitted to the Chair of School Late PMC Committee, via the School Office.

What?

Students wishing to submit a Late PMC must complete a PMC form.

This can be downloaded from CWIS http://www.ljmu.ac.uk/StudentServices/StuServices_Docs/PMCformword.rtfor collected from the Student Union Advice Centre. The form should be submitted along with a statement outlining the reasons for the PMC. Where possible documentary evidence should also be included.

For full details of the procedure and a copy of the relevant form click on one of the links below:

Guidance Notes Link http://www.ljmu.ac.uk/StudentServices/Exam/67599.htm

PMC & Late PMC Form Link http://www.ljmu.ac.uk/StudentServices/Exam/67600.htm

What happens to your Late PMC

School Stage

The School Late PMC Committee will first consider whether there is adequate reason for submitting a late PMC. If they do not feel that there is, the PMC will not be considered further and the student will be written to advising them of this.

If they are satisfied that there is reason for late disclosure they will then consider the grounds of the PMC. If they accept the PMC the matter will be referred back to the MAB. The MAB will be able to make recommendations as detailed above.

University Stage

If the School turns down the PMC, the student can request that the University Late PMC Panel consider it. A copy of the original PMC form, statement and evidence should be submitted along with the Schools response and a letter outlining why the student is dissatisfied with the decision.

A University Late PMC form must also be submitted.

This can be downloaded from http://www.ljmu.ac.uk/StudentServices/StuServices_Docs/LatePMCformword.rtfor picked up from the Advice Centre. This should be submitted to Secretary of University Late PMC Panel.

The Panel will first consider the reason for late disclosure then, if satisfied, they then return the original documents back to the School Late PMC committee for consideration of the mitigation in the normal way. If upheld the assessment board will be asked to reconsider their position. If not upheld the student will be informed.

The decision of the University Late PMC Panel is final.