Overview
These regulations take effect from 2015/16 for students entering Qualifying year or Part I from September 2015. Students entering Qualifying year or Part I before September 2015 are subject to the former regulations.
For more information about the former regulations, please consult the following:
Undergraduate study regulations
1. Introduction
It may be possible for students who fail to meet requirements for an Honours degree to be awarded either an Ordinary degree or Pass degree if they meet the requirements for these qualifications.
2. Honours students failing at the end of Part II
Includes: University of Nottingham Malaysia (UNM)
Where a student is unable to receive a classified Honours degree at the end of Part II, that student should be considered for a Pass in that degree (which will be awarded without Honours) either before or after reassessment (see Regulation 22 of the Undergraduate Regulations).
Students who successfully complete an Honours degree after reassessment may receive a Pass degree without an Honours classification. For a Pass degree to be awarded a candidate must have a weighted final average of at least 40%, which can include reassessment marks from Parts I/II/III.
A student who is unable to qualify for a Pass may be transferred to an Ordinary degree programme (where a suitable one exists) and awarded an Ordinary degree if that student satisfies the requirement for an award as set out in the programme specification for that Ordinary degree.
* University of Nottingham Malaysia (UNM) 
Note however that owing to the requirements of the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) this option is not available at University of Nottingham Malaysia (UNM) from the 2014/15 academic session.
A student failing to satisfy the requirements of an Ordinary degree after one reassessment opportunity, should be considered for a lower award as outlined in the University of Nottingham Qualifications Framework (UNQF). Note however that owing to the requirements of the MQA this option is not available at UNM.
More information
For more information about Degree classifications or the University's Qualifications Framework, please consult the following:
Degree classification
University of Nottingham Qualifications Framework
3. Structure of Ordinary Degree Programmes
The required structure of Ordinary degree programmes is set out in the University's Qualifications Framework (UNQF). There is no Qualifying Stage to these programmes, as entry is only possible via transfer from an Honours degree programme at the end of Part II. In summary, the structure of Ordinary degree programmes is 100 credits at both Parts I and II (with at least 60 credits at level 3).
More information on the University Qualifications Framework can be found here:
University of Nottingham Qualifications Framework
4. Programme Specifications for Ordinary Degrees
A separate programme specification is required for each Ordinary degree programme which a School chooses to award. Material may be copied from a cognate Honours degree programme specification, but a separate document needs to exist for the Ordinary degree programme. Where a programme specification does not exist for an Ordinary degree currently being offered, this should be rectified as soon as possible and certainly no later than the date of the School's next periodic School Review.
Schools are asked to note the following when drawing up programme specifications for Ordinary degrees:
- There is no requirement or encouragement for Schools to offer Ordinary degree programmes
- Where there is a pattern of students failing non-compensatable components of Honours degree programmes, but performing generally at Honours level, it is more appropriate to establish an alternative (perhaps non-accredited) Honours programme (see Regulation 28 of the Undergraduate regulations). For more information, please consult the following:
Undergraduate study regulations
- It may be more efficient to create a single Ordinary degree programme for an entire subject or School to which students from a variety of Honours programmes can be transferred, but the student must be able to meet all the learning outcomes of any Ordinary degree programme to which they are transferred and the degree title should be a reasonable reflection of the subject.
5. Transfers from Honours to Ordinary
Includes: students whose programmes began before September 2004
Transfer to an Ordinary degree from Honours is not permitted as the Ordinary degree is only available, where offered, as an exit award for students failing at the end of Part II.
Students whose programmes began before September 2004 will be dealt with under the former First Degree Regulations and may receive an Ordinary degree under the provisions of those Regulations.
For more information, please consult the following:
Regulations for first degrees before September 2005