Coursework and Feedback
We use coursework assessments to help you demonstrate your learning, measure your progress, and receive feedback that supports your academic development.
This guidance applies to the 2026/27 academic year. Guidance for previous academic years.
Why we assess and give feedback
Coursework can take many forms, including essays, reports, presentations, designs, portfolios and prototypes, and varies across different subject areas.
There are two main types of assessment:
- Formative assessment helps you develop your knowledge and skills by providing opportunities to practice and receive feedback.
- Summative assessment formally measures your achievement and contributes to your module and programme results and is benchmarked against University regulations and standards.
Your School will provide details of the assessment requirements for each module.
Feedback
Feedback is an important part of learning. It helps you to:
- Understand what you have done well.
- Identify areas for improvement.
- Develop your knowledge, skills and academic practice for future assessments.
You will receive feedback on both your work and the way you have approached the assessment, helping you build on your strengths and improve your future work.
How to submit your coursework
1. Check assessment requirements and deadlines
Review the assessment information provided in Learn and make sure you understand:
- The submission deadline
- The required submission format
- Whether submission is electronic or physical
- Any specific instructions provided by your School or Module Leader.
Use the coursework submission timeline in Learn to proactively manage your time and organise your workload.
Plan your work carefully and aim to submit well before the deadline. Leaving sufficient time helps reduce the risk of technical difficulties or other unexpected issues affecting your submission.
2. Complete your work
When preparing your coursework, ensure you are following University academic standards and guidance, including:
Proof-reading Using Generative AI Academic Misconduct
If you are struggling with the work, seek support as early as possible
- For academic concerns, contact your Module Leader.
- For personal, practical or administrative issues, contact your School Admin team.
- If you are struggling to complete work due to elite sport or religious observance reasons you may be eligible for assessment flexibility.
- If a disability, health condition or wellbeing concern is affecting your studies, you may be eligible for reasonable adjustments or other support from Student Wellbeing and Inclusivity (SWAI).
3. Before you submit
A. Filename and version control
Many assessment are marked anonymously, so do not include your name in the filename or within the assessment, unless you are specifically asked to.
Use this filename format unless alternative instructions are provided in the assessment instructions: StudentID-ModuleCode-CourseworkNumber.
Example: F123456-26ACA123-CW1
Adopt simple version control when you name your file, for example:
F123456-26ACA123-CW1 V1
F123456-26ACA123-CW1 V2
This will help ensure you submit the latest and correct version of your file. It will also prevent you overwriting previous files you have submitted with the same name.
B. Back up your work
You are responsible for maintaining secure copies of your coursework and you are strongly encouraged to save your work regularly using – download the free student version of Microsoft 365 to access this.
Loss of work due to foreseeable technical issues, including lost or corrupted files, accidental deletion or failure to back up work will not normally be accepted as grounds for an extension or mitigating circumstances claim.
4. Submit your work
Submit your work either electronically via Learn, or in a physical format, according to the instructions in the module’s assessment information in Learn.
Always check that:
- You upload the correct file(s)
- The file opens correctly, is complete and not corrupted
- You receive the submission confirmation provided by Learn.
If there is an issue with a submitted file and the deadline has passed, DO NOT PRESS THE SUBMIT BUTTON AGAIN as your re-submitted work will appear late and you may incur a 10% penalty for late submission.
Contact your School Admin Team immediately and explain what has happened and they will advise you.
5. Receive your feedback
When feedback is released, take time to review it carefully and identify areas actions that can help improve future work.
What if there's a problem?
I submitted the wrong file
If you realise you have submitted the wrong file, contact your School Admin Team immediately.
Your School will advise whether resubmission is possible and explain the next steps.
If you submitted incorrect work due to circumstances outside your control and you were unable to resubmit the correct file(s) by the original deadline or pre-agreed extension deadline, you should submit a mitigating circumstances claim.
I will likely miss the original deadline
Do not wait until after the deadline has passed.
If circumstances outside of your control are affecting your ability to submit coursework to a comparable quality within the original deadline, consider whether you should:
- Request a coursework extension, or
- Submit a mitigating circumstances claim.
Contact your School Admin Team as soon as possible if you are unsure which process is most suitable for your requirements.
Short-term impact - request an extension
You may request an extension if circumstances outside of your control have an acute, short-term and temporary impact on your ability to complete work to a comparable quality within the original deadline, and a short extension would reasonably address the impact.
Examples may include:
- A short period of illness,
- Exacerbation of a disability (including mental health, neurodiversity and long-term health condition) which temporarily affects your studies,
- An unexpected personal or family emergency, or
- A temporary disruption that significantly affects your ability to study.
Guidance on the Coursework Extension process
Longer-term impact – submit mitigating circumstances
If significant exceptional circumstances beyond your control have affected your assessment and the impact cannot reasonably be resolved through an extension, you may submit a mitigating circumstances claim.
I missed my deadline and did not request an extension ORI have missed my extension deadline
Do not delay - contact your School Administration Team urgently to explain why you have missed the deadline and they will advise you further.