Part E – Interruption of Studies  

1 General 

  

1.1 A student may apply to the University to interrupt their studies for a specific period of time, via the online system, providing their reason(s) for requesting an interruption and providing evidence as appropriate.  

  

1.2 Tuition fees for students interrupting or withdrawing from their programme will be charged a proportion or all of their tuition fees. Detailed information on fee liability for all programmes can be found at Part A of the University General Regulations.   

  

1.3 A student will normally be expected to return to their programme in the following academic year at the point in the teaching or assessment calendar equivalent to when study was previously interrupted. Where students interrupt at the semester break this may be relatively straightforward but where an interruption has been at another point this will require monitoring by the Programme Team. Academic judgement may be used when deciding upon the relevant point of return. 

  

1.4 A student returning after an interruption of studies will enrol on modules not previously assessed, or where reassessment has been agreed by the Board of Examiners. Any assessments already completed will be carried forward. 

  

1.5 The University cannot guarantee that changes to a programme will not be made during a student’s period of interruption. Where changes have occurred the Board of Examiners, in consultation with relevant departments such as Student Registry Services and Student Services, will make appropriate arrangements to enable the student to complete the programme. 

  

1.6 During a period of interruption of studies the student and the University remain bound by the University’s Regulations, Policies and Procedures.  

  

1.7 Where a student has formally interrupted their studies, the period of interruption of study will not normally be included for the purposes of calculating their maximum period of registration. The normal maximum for a period of interruption of studies is 2 years, but this may be subject to more restrictive requirements of professional bodies and as agreed at validation. 

  

1.8 Designated officers with responsibility for safeguarding as under the Student Conduct and Disciplinary Regulations, and School Fitness to Practise Panels, have the power to suspend a student from their studies for a specified time or until the occurrence of a specified event. Such suspension has the effect of a mandatory interruption of studies. 

  

1.9 For the majority of programmes, students may not interrupt studies for their current academic year after week 32. All variations to this rule are set out in subsequent sections of these regulations. Students unable to complete assessments due to unforeseen circumstances during the subsequent examination and resit examination periods should submit a claim to the University Mitigating Circumstances Panel. 

  

1.10 Students wishing to complete their current year but interrupt studies for their following academic year may do so at the end of the examination periods – from week 51 for the majority of programmes.  

  

2 Online Programmes Delivered in Partnership with Higher Ed Partners 

  

2.1           A student may apply to the University to interrupt their studies on or before the 14th calendar day of the relevant module. They will not be liable for any tuition fees for the relevant module.  

  

2.2 A student may apply to interrupt their studies between the 15th calendar day of any module and before the final 7 calendar days. 

  

2.3 A student may not interrupt their studies within the final 7 calendar days of any module. Students unable to complete assessments due to unforeseen circumstances should request an extension in the first instance, and subsequently consider submitting a claim to the University Mitigating Circumstances Panel. 

  

2.4 For 8-week modules, students interrupting from the 15th calendar day onwards, will be required to complete such a module again in full. Completed assessments may be carried forward at the discretion of the module leader. 

  

2.5 Students interrupting project/dissertation modules from the 15th calendar day onwards, will resume their studies at the same stage of the module that they interrupted, and fees will be carried forward. 

  

3 Short Courses  

  

3.1           Students enrolled on short courses are not permitted to interrupt their studies. 

  

4 Shared Parental Leave  

  

4.A Undergraduate and Postgraduate Taught Students 

  

4.A.1 Students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes who wish to take Shared Parental Leave are required to follow the University’s Interruption of Studies process.  

  

4.B Postgraduate Research Students  

  

4.B.1 Postgraduate Research Students are entitled to up to 12 months Shared Parental Leave which includes a mandatory period of 2 weeks. Any Shared Parental Leave is in addition to the maximum 2 years of interruptions available to postgraduate research students. 

  

4.B.2 It is the responsibility of the student to notify their Director of Studies of the pregnancy and where the student is a member of staff, they must also notify the Department of People, Performance and Culture. 

  

4.B.3 Students must also notify Student Registry Services by requesting Shared Parental Leave through the current interruption process. In the request they must provide details of the date on which they intend to start parental-related absence and the date on which they intend to return. This should be done at least 15 weeks before the due date. 

  

4.B.4 The agreed date that the student intends to return may change during the course of the absence and students must notify their Director of Studies and Student Registry Services as soon as possible of any change in their expected return date.