College of Social Sciences

This web page focuses on the degree-level requirements, but each subject will stipulate course-level pre-requisites for their level 2 courses. You can find these in the course catalogue.  

Please read this page in conjunction with the overview and Progress Committee sections. You may also find it helpful to refer to the Credits and Grades section. 

Progression requirements 

• Students with 120 credits at grade D3 or above are progressed automatically to year 2 in June.
• Students with 120 credits and at least 80 credits at grade D3 or above are progressed automatically to year 2 in June but are strongly encouraged to complete reassessment for courses with grades below D3.
• Students with 100 credits and at least 80 credits at grade D3 or above or 120 credits and at least 60 credits at grade D3 or above are progressed to year 2 on condition that they complete reassessment for courses where credits have still to be achieved or grades are below D3.
• Students with fewer than 100 credits and/or fewer than 60 credits at grade D3 or above are referred to the Progress Committee.
• MV grades are treated as qualifying grades pending reassessment.
• Students must achieve the pre-requisite level 1 credits and grades to be able to study at least 80 level 2 credits in at least two subjects.

Administration of progress following reassessment 

• Students with at least 100 credits and at least 80 credits at grade D3 or above or 120 credits and at least 60 credits at grade D3 or above will be progressed on the basis that they will take 20 extra credits in year 2. 
• Students permitted to progress with MV grades at the second diet will be enrolled as ‘assessment-only’ in the relevant courses in the next academic year for the purposes of completing outstanding assessment. This may impact course choice.
• Students who have not achieved the pre-requisite grades for level 2 courses will not be allowed to enrol on these. These are normally D3, but Psychology students typically have a higher threshold. If these courses are part of your degree plan, you will have to change your degree plan. Students with MV grades may be exempted from this requirement at the discretion of the Subject/School.
• Students who cannot progress are referred to the Progress Committee. They may also apply for a repeat year if they have experienced extenuating circumstances.

Previous repeat year/irregular curriculum 

• If you are repeating the year with 120 credits, you are expected to achieve progression requirements on the basis of the repeat year. Exceptionally, we may allow progression on the basis of credits achieved in the original year of study but will not count credits for any course twice. 
• If you are repeating a year with fewer than 120 credits, we will take credits achieved in the original year of study into consideration but, again, we will not count credits for any course twice. 

Plan changes 

At the end of year 1, you may opt to change your degree plan because you are no longer able – or no longer wish – to study a degree plan subject. Please consult the Degree plan changes section for information. 

Level 2 study in Central and East European Studies and Economic and Social History 

Central and East European Studies and Economic and Social History do not require level 1 courses as pre-requisites for level 2 study. If you have met progression requirements but do not wish to continue with two of your level 1 subjects, and would like to avoid a repeat year, one of these subjects may be a good option.  

• For Central and East European Studies, you must have achieved 20 credits at grade D3 or above in a level 1 course in: Economic and Social History, History, Politics, Social and Public Policy, Russian or Sociology.
• For Economic and Social History, you must have achieved 20 credits at grade D3 or above in a level 1 course in: Economics or History.

You can find more information in the course catalogue. 

Honours progression requirements 

It is important to familiarise yourself with Honours progression requirements at the end of year 1, especially if you have not achieved 120 credits at grade D3 or above. This ensures you know what is expected of you next year and you can plan accordingly.  

Please read this section in conjunction with the overview and Progress Committee sections. You may also find it helpful to refer to the Credits and Grades section. 

Progression requirements 

To progress from year 2 into Honours, you must achieve the following credits and grades with reference to qualifying courses: 

a) 240 credits at levels 1 and 2 with a grade point average (GPA) of at least 9. If you were admitted directly to year 2 of the degree, we will treat your entry qualifications as equivalent to 120 credits of level 1 courses at grade D3 or above and calculate your GPA with reference to year 2 courses. 

b) achieve at least 160 credits from the list of recognised courses for the degree.¹ These courses are listed in para. 5.1 of the MA (Social Sciences) regulations.  

c) achieve grade D3 or above in at least 200 credits. 

d) for the subject(s)² that you wish to study at Honours, achieve a GPA of 12.0 or above (equivalent to C3) with individual level 2 course grades at D3 or above at the first attempt.

Examples, based on grades achieved for two 20-credit courses in semester 1 and 2, are provided below: 

• C1 and C2 (GPA = 13.5 (14+13/2)) – eligible to progress 

• B3 and D3 (GPA = 12.0 (15+9/2)) – eligible to progress 

• C3 and D1 (GPA = 11.5 (12+11/2)) – not eligible to progress (GPA below 12.0)   

• B1 and E1 (GPA = 12.5) – not eligible to progress (the second grade is below D3 at the first attempt) 

• C3 and CW – not eligible to progress due to the requirement to achieve the GPA at the first attempt. 

• B3 and MV – progress with permission until reassessment is complete and a GPA of 12.0 or above has been achieved for the relevant subject(s). 

Your School/Subject(s) will normally notify you if you are being offered a place in their Honours programme. This does not guarantee that you can progress to Honours because you must meet programme-level progression requirements as detailed above. 

Administration of progress 

• Students who have achieved the progression requirements detailed above, including Honours entry in at least one subject, are progressed automatically in June. We will write to you if you are unable to progress with your plan subject.

• Students who have achieved Honours entry requirements in at least one subject and have achieved 220 level 1 and 2 credits and/or only 180 credits at grade D3 or above (MV grades are treated as qualifying grades pending reassessment) are progressed on condition that you attempt reassessment to achieve missing credits and/or the required number of grades at D3 or above. 

• Students who have achieved Honours entry in at least one subject but have fewer than 220 level 1 and 2 credits and fewer than 180 credits at grade D3 or above (MV grades are treated as qualifying grades pending reassessment) are referred to the Progress Committee.

• Students who have not achieved Honours entry requirements in either of their level 2 subjects are referred to the Progress Committee to confirm transfer to the MA (Social Sciences) degree [Ordinary]

• Students who do not achieve the progression requirements, outlined above, following reassessment are referred to the Progress Committee.

• Students who cannot progress to Honours can apply for a repeat year if there are extenuating circumstances. You cannot apply for a repeat year to improve your grades and to progress to Honours in the absence of extenuating circumstances.  

• Information about potential re-entry to Honours is provided in the Progress from Year 3 to Junior Honours section. 

Repeat year/irregular curriculum 

• If you are repeating a year with 120 credits, you are expected to achieve progression requirements on the basis of the repeat year. Exceptionally, we may allow progression on the basis of grades achieved in the original year of study but will not count credits for any course twice.  

• If you are repeating a year with fewer than 120 credits, we will take credits achieved in the original year of study into consideration but, again, we will not count credits for any course twice.  

Degree plan changes 

You may wish to change your Honours plan at this stage. Please consult the degree plan changes section for information, including advice about choosing an Honours plan.  

Footnotes

[1] This is normally reduced to 80 credits, including 40 at level 2, for students transferring from another degree to the MA (Social Sciences). Similarly, the Chief Adviser of Studies will have pre-approved a curriculum with fewer than 160 Group A credits for MA (Social Sciences) students.

[2] Psychology students are normally required to achieve a higher threshold and should follow School guidance. Economics students must achieve at least grade D3 in ECON1012 and ECON1013 unless exempted via other enrolments, by the second attempt. Other Schools may also vary their Honours entry requirements and will provide information directly to students.

Please read this page in conjunction with the overview and Progress Committee sections. You may also find it helpful to refer to the credits and grades section. 

Progression requirements 

If you do not meet Honours progression requirements and do not apply for a repeat year, the Progress Committee will approve a transfer to the MA (Social Sciences) Degree [Ordinary]. You do not need to request a degree plan change. 

This requires a minimum of 160 credits, of which at least 120 must be at grade D3 or above, with a GPA of at least 8.0. At least 40 of these credits must be at level 2 in a single subject to meet the pre-requisites for level 3 courses. 

Administration of progress 

• If you meet the progression requirements, you are progressed automatically in June.

• Depending on your credit and grade profile, we may recommend reassessment to ensure you are on track for a graduating curriculum.

• Otherwise, progress is deferred until you have completed reassessment.  

• Upon transfer to the MA (Social Sciences) Degree [Ordinary], your student record, including your degree plan, will be updated accordingly. It is not necessary to request a change to your plan.  

Important note: while a student may be able to transfer to the MA (Social Sciences) Degree [Ordinary] if they meet the minimum requirements outlined above, they may not be able to achieve a graduating curriculum in a single year of study. A Senior Adviser of Studies will provide curriculum guidance.  

Graduating curriculum and Honours re-entry 

The requirements for graduating curriculum are outlined in para. 14 of the Generic Undergraduate Regulations and para 6.1 of the MA (Social Sciences) regulations. It is important to familiarise yourself with these to ensure you know what is expected of you next year and you can plan accordingly.  

Students who achieve the required standard in a single academic session may progress from Year 3 of the MA (Social Sciences) Degree [Ordinary] to Junior Honours. 

Students who achieve a graduating curriculum which includes a GPA of at least 15.0 (B3 average) in their level 3 courses will be offered the opportunity to re-enter the Single Honours programme in their level 3 subject. This requires an additional year of study, with students progressing to Junior Honours. 

The requirements for graduating curriculum are outlined in para. 14 of the Generic Undergraduate Regulations and para 6.1 of the MA (Social Sciences) regulations. 

Please read this section in conjunction with the overview and Progress Committee sections. You may also find it helpful to refer to the credits and grades section. The process for awarding credits and grades at the Honours level is different from pre-Honours. 

Progression requirements 

• Students must have a GPA of at least 9.0 to progress to Senior Honours.  

• Students with MV grades must normally have completed at least 60% of assessment at the programme level to progress to Senior Honours. 

• Students with CW grades must have completed at least 50% of assessment at the programme level to progress to Senior Honours.  

Administration of progress: June 

• Students with MV grades normally complete reassessment during the summer. If this is not possible, the Advising Leadership Team - in conjunction with the Progress Committee - review their academic profile. 

• Students with a GPA below 9.0 will be considered for an exit qualification. Students will be given reassessment opportunities (at level 3, non-Honours standard) if there is scope to qualify for the MA (Social Sciences) Degree [Ordinary].  

• Students with multiple CW grades, who are eligible to progress, will be referred to a Senior Adviser of Studies to ensure that you know how to access relevant support. 

Administration of progress: September 

• Students with MV grades for more than one course will be referred to the Advising Leadership Team to recommend a course of action to the Progress Committee, identifying the best option for completing the Honours degree. 

Repeat year of study 

Students can apply for a repeat year if you have extenuating circumstances, which impacted your academic performance and you can provide an appropriate explanation for not following the good cause process when these circumstances prevented you from completing assessment. If you are seeking a repeat year on an assessment-only basis, please state this in your application. We strongly recommend early application.

The MA (Social Sciences) Progress Committee reviews and makes decisions about student progression during the degree. The Committee considers students if they have not achieved enough credits at the appropriate grades to progress to the next year of study.  

Information about the progression requirements and process for each year of study is provided in these web pages, including the circumstances when you would be considered by the Progress Committee. 

Supporting students with referrals to the Progress Committee 

Students are encouraged to seek advice before completing the referral form. You can approach any of the services below (not all at the same time): 

• Your Adviser of Studies – details on MyCampus 

• Student Support Officers – particularly helpful if you need assistance to identify support services to help you to continue with your studies. 

• the SRC Advice Centre (general enquiries) 

Process (June) 

Progress Committee referral form

We will contact relevant students in June and to ask you to complete the Progress Committee referral form by Friday, 11 July. You will select one of four options: 

1. Confirm intention to complete reassessment to achieve the credits/grades that would allow progression. We will then review your curriculum again following the publication of results at the end of August.  
2. Apply for a repeat year if you have had extenuating circumstances. If you select this option, please proceed to apply for a repeat year as soon as possible. 
3. Request a leave of absence from your studies (normally but not always to allow a student to resolve health-related or other personal issues that are negatively impacting their studies). You will be referred to a Senior of Adviser of Studies to discuss this in more detail.  
4. Request a meeting with a Senior Adviser of Studies if none of the options listed above seem to be appropriate and/or you are considering withdrawing from your studies. 

Outcomes 

In addition to outcomes related to the options listed above, the Committee will also approve the following outcomes:

• Transfers to the MA (Social Sciences) Degree [Ordinary] for year 2 students who cannot enter an Honours programme.
• Recommendation to initiate discontinuation of students who do not complete the Progress Committee referral form subject to a revised deadline for responses.

The Progress Committee meets on 16 July and 13 August, and again in September. You should receive your outcome approximately one week after the meeting takes place.

Process (September) 

Following the publication of reassessment results at the end of August, we will contact you if you have not met progression requirements and you have not applied for a repeat year.  

At this stage, you may still be offered an irregular curriculum, repeat year, a leave of absence, or required to transfer to the MA (Social Sciences) Degree [Ordinary]. You may also be discontinued from your studies if you have not met minimum progress requirements or have not engaged with the Progress Committee. Depending on your academic record, students who have not engaged may not be allowed to return to your studies at a later date. It is, therefore, important to engage with the Progress Committee. 

Students have a right of appeal against academic decisions if they have appropriate grounds and are seeking an outcome that is permitted by the relevant regulations.  

Degree plan change request form

Changing degree plan at the end of year 1 

At the end of year 1, or the beginning of year 2, you may opt to change your degree plan because you are no longer able – or no longer wish – to study your degree plan subject, or one of them if you are on a joint honours plan.  

We recommend that you discuss your decision with your Adviser of Studies, but it is not compulsory. If you would like to speak to your Adviser of Studies but they are not available, you can contact the Curriculum Guidance and Support Team to access another Adviser.  

Please request a change to a degree plan only when you are eligible to progress to level 2 in the relevant subject(s). 

Sometimes, changing your degree plan requires you to transfer to the College of Arts and Humanities (MA degree) or the College of Science and Engineering (BSc degree) because your preferred degree plan is not available as an MA (Social Sciences) degree. We will tell you if this is necessary when you submit your request.  

The window for requesting a change to your degree plan is 23 June-10 October 2025. You will normally receive a response within five working days.  

Changing degree plan at the end of year 2 

At the end of year 2, it will be necessary to change your degree plan if it does not already contain the subject(s) that you would like to study at Honours.  

If you are unsure about which subject(s) to study at the Honours level, we recommend that you discuss this with your Adviser of Studies and/or a member of staff in the subject(s) that you are considering taking to Honours. If your Adviser is not available, you can contact the Curriculum Guidance and Support Team to access another Adviser. You may also find it helpful to obtain some careers advice to help inform your decision.  

To request a degree plan change, please complete the Degree plan change request form. You must be eligible for progress to Honours. If you have MV grades, we will change your degree plan on a provisional basis until reassessment grades have been published. 

Sometimes, changing your degree plan requires you to transfer to the College of Arts and Humanities (MA degree) or the College of Science and Engineering (BSc degree). We will check your eligibility and tell you if this is necessary when you submit your request. 

We strongly recommend that you submit your request form as soon as possible and no later than 31 July, although late requests will be processed. This is important to ensure that you receive communications about Honours study from your School(s). You will normally receive a response within five working days.  

Occasionally, students make a late decision to change their degree plan. You can request this up to the end of week 2 in semester 1 using the form.  

Later changes to a degree plan  

It may be possible, on an exceptional basis, to change your degree plan after you have begun your Honours degree, providing that you have met the relevant Honours entry requirements.  

The decision will take into consideration scheduling of compulsory courses and capacity. If you would like to enquire about this, please contact the Curriculum Guidance and Support Team.  

The implications of the award of credits and grades vary for pre-Honours and Honours courses with reference to eligibility for reassessment and progression. 

Pre-Honours 

• Grades A1-H mean that you have achieved credit for the course.  

• Grades A1-D3 mean that you have achieved credit for the course and passed it. You are not eligible for reassessment, even if you would like to improve your grade. 

• Grades E1-H mean that you have achieved credit for the course, but you have not passed it.  

- In year 1, you should take reassessment if you have a grade in this range. 

- In year 2, you may not need to take reassessment if you have otherwise achieved the Honours progression requirements. 

- In year 3, you may not need to take reassessment if you have otherwise achieved a graduating curriculum. 

• Grade MV (approved absence) means that you have not yet achieved credit for the course because you have submitted a successful good cause claim for one or more assessments.  You must complete reassessment during the summer to achieve these credits. 

• Grade CW (credit withheld) means that you have not yet achieved credit because you did not complete all of your assessment and you did not submit a good cause claim, or your good cause claim was not accepted. You must always take reassessment to achieve these credits. 

• Grade CR (credit refused) means that you have not achieved credit and have no more opportunities to do so.  

Reassessment grades are published on your HEAR but are capped at D3 for the purposes of calculating your pre-Honours GPA. 

Honours 

• Grades A1-H mean that you have achieved credit for the course. You are not eligible for reassessment, and you cannot take extra credits to improve any of your grades. The grades contribute towards your Honours GPA and do not prevent progress to Senior Honours or the award of an Honours degree if your Honours GPA is high enough. 

• Grade MV (approved absence) means that you have not yet achieved credit for the course because you have submitted a successful good cause claim for one or more assessments.  

- Junior Honours students normally complete reassessment during the summer – as the first attempt – to achieve credit.  

- Senior Honours do not normally attempt reassessment. The regulations allow for a portion of incomplete assessment with good cause to be set aside. The dissertation is excluded from this provision.  

• Grade CW (credit withheld) means that you have not achieved credit because you did not complete all of your assessment and you did not submit a good cause claim, or your good cause claim was not accepted.  

- You are not eligible for reassessment, and you cannot take extra credits to replace CW grades. 

- CW grades will be updated once it is established that you have completed at least 75% of Honours assessment, normally in semester 2 of Senior Honours. 

• Grade CR (credit refused) means that you have not achieved credit for at least 25% of your Honours assessment and is awarded for courses where you have completed less than 75% of assessment. You are not eligible for reassessment and will not qualify for an Honours degree.  

Reassessment

Please consult Registry web pages for information about resit exams. Schools will provide information about coursework reassessment arrangements. 

While you have a right of appeal against a Progress Committee or School decision concerning your progression, you must ensure that you have permitted grounds for appeal and that your desired outcome is permitted by the regulations.  

You will find relevant information on the University’s academic appeals process web pages. We strongly recommend that students considering an appeal contact the SRC Advice Centre as a first step. The SRC Advice Centre can help you to establish if you have appropriate grounds and whether your desired outcome is attainable.  

If registration and enrolment begin before you have received the outcome of your appeal, you may request enrolment on the courses that you would take if you appeal is upheld. This requires careful consideration because you will not be permitted to remain on these courses if your appeal is dismissed. It may then be too late to enrol in the correct courses, and this can lead to a repeat year. We recommend that you speak to your Adviser of Studies or the SRC Advice Centre before electing to enrol on the courses that you can take only if you successfully appeal.