Academic Appeals - Postgraduate Taught Students

The Academic Appeals Committee for Graduate Students will consider appeals arising out of examinations, and other academic circumstances, from registered graduate students where the graduate student's case:

(i) is not adequately covered by the ordinary regulations of the College,
(ii) is based on a claim that the regulations of the College were not properly applied in the applicant's case,
(iii) represents an ad misericordiam appeal.

An appeal other than an ad misericordiam cannot be made against the normal application of College academic regulations approved by the University Council. Appellants should first have pursued the course of action most appropriate to their case. The Academic Appeals Committee will consider appeals concerning events occurring more than 4 months previously only in the most exceptional circumstances.

More information on the Appeals Process for Graduate Students can be found in the College Calendar Part III.

Appeals Process for Graduate Students

Every School will have a defined appeals process, with one or more appeals committees to hear student cases relating to decisions made at a School level.

Appeals against the decision of the examiners of a research thesis will be made in the first instance to the Dean of Graduate Studies. Appeals against the decision of a School appeals committee will be made to the Dean of Graduate Studies.

Appeals by postgraduate students against the decision of the Dean of Graduate Studies will be made to the Academic Appeals Committee for Graduate Students (Taught) for taught graduate students.

The Academic Appeals Committee for Graduate Students (Taught or Research) will refer its recommendation to the University Council for approval. If the Academic Appeals Committee for Graduate Students (Taught or Research) upholds a graduate student’s appeal, then its recommendations must be fully implemented. Where the Academic Appeals Committee for Graduate Students (Taught or Research) cannot arrive at a decision, or where the graduate student is dissatisfied with the decision of the Committee, he/she may seek redress from the Visitor.

It should be noted that no appeals committee can overturn the examiners’ academic verdict on the work as presented and only changes of a procedural nature can be recommended.

An appeal other than an ad misericordiam appeal cannot be made against the normal application of College academic regulations approved by the University Council.