A resit, reassessment or second attempt gives a student another opportunity to meet a module or component requirement. Many universities distinguish between the raw mark earned in that attempt and the capped mark recorded for the award calculation.
The exact rule varies by institution, course, level and reason for reassessment. This guide explains the common calculation problem, not a universal cap.
What is a capped mark?
A cap limits the mark that can be used officially after a reassessment. For example, an undergraduate student might score 64% in a resit but receive a recorded module mark capped at 40%. The 64% demonstrates that the reassessment was passed; the 40% may be the value used in the degree calculation.
Raw score versus recorded score
Original module mark: 32%
Resit score: 64%
Published reassessment cap: 40%
Mark entered in the degree estimate: 40%, if the regulations state that the module is capped at the pass mark.
Component cap or module cap?
A university may cap only the reassessed component or cap the entire module. The distinction matters.
Suppose coursework worth 40% was passed at 62%, while an exam worth 60% was failed and resat. If only the exam component is capped at 40%, the module result could be:
(62 × 0.40) + (40 × 0.60) = 48.8%
If the regulations cap the whole module at 40%, the recorded module result may instead be 40%. Check the precise wording.
First attempt, second attempt and deferred assessment
A deferred first attempt is often treated differently from a resit. When an assessment is deferred because of an approved circumstance, the later sitting may remain an uncapped first attempt. A standard reassessment after failure may be capped.
Do not assume that every assessment taken in the summer is a capped resit. The student record or formal decision should state the attempt status.
Compensated passes
Compensation can allow credit to be awarded for a failed module when other conditions are met. The original numerical mark may remain in the classification calculation, or the regulations may treat the credit differently. Compensation does not necessarily replace the mark with the pass threshold.
Because compensation rules can depend on credit volume, module status and the wider profile, use the official recorded mark and confirm whether the module contributes to classification.
Condoned credit and excluded modules
Some programmes use terms such as condonement, trailing credit or exclusion. These may affect progression without changing the raw mark, or they may remove a module from a particular calculation. A generic calculator cannot infer that treatment from the percentage alone.
If your transcript shows several values, ask which one is used for classification rather than choosing the highest.
How a capped module affects a year average
Imagine a 120-credit year with five 20-credit modules and one 20-credit resit-capped module. The marks are 68, 65, 64, 62, 60 and 40.
Because the modules have equal credits, the year average is:
(68 + 65 + 64 + 62 + 60 + 40) ÷ 6 = 59.83%
If the raw resit score of 64% were entered instead of the capped 40%, the estimate would become 63.83%, four percentage points higher. That difference could change the apparent classification band.
How to enter a resit in MyDegreeCalc
- Find the final recorded mark that contributes to the award.
- Enter that value as the module mark or rebuild the module from official component marks.
- Use the correct module credits.
- Add a note in your own backup file if you need to remember that the result was capped.
- Do not enter both the original and replacement attempts as separate modules unless regulations count both.
What if the final mark is not confirmed?
Build separate scenarios rather than treating one guess as official. A cautious scenario could use the pass-mark cap, while another could model an uncapped first-attempt deferral if that status is still being decided. Label the scenarios clearly outside the calculator.
Resits and classification rules
Even after the correct mark is entered, a programme may impose additional conditions for honours, progression, professional accreditation or an integrated master’s award. The overall numerical average may not capture every requirement.
Look for sections covering reassessment, maximum attempts, credit limits, core modules, award eligibility and classification.
Common mistakes
- Entering the raw resit score instead of the capped recorded mark.
- Assuming a deferred first attempt is automatically capped.
- Capping the entire module when only one component is capped, or the reverse.
- Replacing a compensated mark with 40% without checking.
- Counting both attempts in the credit total.
- Ignoring a rule that excludes certain reassessed credits from a higher award.
Key takeaway
Use the mark the university includes in the award calculation, not necessarily the highest score visible. Check whether the cap applies to a component or the whole module and whether the attempt is a resit or an uncapped deferral.
Use the official recorded mark
Enter capped or adjusted results exactly as they will be used in the award calculation.
Open the degree calculator