College of Social Sciences

Repeat Year Policy

MA (Social Sciences) Repeat Year Policy

Students, who are unable to complete their current year of study or progress to the next year of study and believe that difficult personal circumstances or health-related reasons have significantly and negatively impacted their academic performance, can apply to repeat the year by completing the application form at the bottom of this web page.

Students repeating a year normally repeat the year in full, taking 120 credits. This includes repeating any compulsory courses and choosing whether or not to repeat optional courses. Credits and grades from the original year of study are normally discarded.

Students who wish to repeat a year with a reduced study load or on an assessment-only basis will have the opportunity to make this request to the Progress Committee and should wait until they are contacted in relation to this.

Students who have previously repeated a year will be required to meet with a Senior Adviser as part of the review and approval process.

Application process

Your application should contain:

• details of your circumstances and relevant supporting evidence
• information about how you are addressing your circumstances to ensure a repeat year will be successful
• evidence of fitness to continue with your studies (if you have been unwell)

For examples of the types of evidence that are appropriate regarding your circumstances, please refer to the University’s good cause FAQs.

If you have submitted successful good cause claims and have MV grades, you are not required to provide any detailed information or evidence in relation to the relevant courses, but you must provide information and evidence about how your circumstances are being addressed.

If your circumstances have been health-related, the evidence that confirms fitness to continue with your studies must be in the form of a letter from a medical professional. This letter must be dated no earlier than one month before the date of your application.

If you did not engage with the good cause process for any incomplete assessment or affected performance, resulting in CW/CR grades or grades below D3 (pre-Honours only), you should explain the reasons for this.

Advice and support

If you would like advice about applying for a repeat year, including the potential for taking time away from study before repeating the year, please contact your Adviser of Studies (details on MyGlasgow) or a Student Support Officer, who may recommend a meeting with a Senior Adviser. The SRC Advice Centre also provides helpful guidance and information about progression and repeat years.

If you have questions about the application process, please contact the Curriculum Guidance and Support Team at socsci-ma@glasgow.ac.uk.

There are likely to be significant financial and practical implications of repeating a year of study. Eligible students are recommended to contact their funding body for advice. International students should also seek advice in relation to their study visa.

Maximum duration of studies 

Students must complete the MA (Social Sciences) degree within five years and the degree with Honours within six years from the date of the academic session when the student first registered on the degree programme. The maximum duration includes subsequent non-registered years, repeat years and studies at other institutions in lieu of year 1 at the University of Glasgow.

Deadlines

Prompt application is encouraged. The deadlines are as follows:

Outcomes

The MA (Social Sciences) Progress Committee will review all applications and outcomes will be communicated within one week of the meeting date. Students will not be able to register and enrol until they receive Progress Committee approval for a repeat year.

Students have a right of appeal against decisions made by the Progress Committee.