civil-law england-and-wales
Can a Civil Court in England and Wales force a university to award a diploma to a student?
<p>I attend one of the world's best universities, where I recently completed a master's degree (MSc). I did very well in the modules, scoring mostly distinction grades. However, despite resitting an examination I sadly failed a core module overall by just 0.75 which is under a mark.</p>
<p>The exam was mathematical in nature, and wrote by a new professor who did not write the first exam I sat. The first question on the exam used an initialism I was unfamiliar with, for example using NSC (Nice Sizzled Chicken) instead of KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) leaving me unable to answer the question. The next problem was he used a mathematical symbol in an incorrect and different way to which I had been taught by the original professor, and the core reading book. I do understand that in Computer Science people are allowed to change the definition of mathematical symbols, provided they explain what they want them to mean, however I had no way of knowing this professor's definition because I was told to study the course material from when I took the class.</p>
<p>I am under the impression that their appeals process will simply reject my complaint about the exam for nonsense reasons, forcing me to take legal action in London. I will get their response within a few months. I am open minded about other routes of action too.</p>
<p>Is it possible for a Civil Court to force the university to award me the full MSc, as opposed to a less impressive PGDip which is what they are currently offering me? I have no interest in a financial settlement.</p>

<p>Theoretically, a court could order the awarding of a degree. However, the probability that this will actually happen is extremely low: in general, courts only order specific performance when money awards are no substitute. To get anything, you would have to prove that the university was in some way negligent, that they had some duty of care to you which they breached. You could read the judgment in <a href="https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/siddiqui-full-judgment-1.pdf" rel="noreferrer">Siddiqui v. Oxford</a>, where plaintiff lost and was only asking for money, to get a grasp of how courts deal with the question of educational negligence and failed exams / bad grades. It is possible that there is a cause of action based on breach of contract, given the seeming unilateral change in scope of examination. But you would need your attorney to study whether there was any contractual &quot;promise&quot; as to the scope of the exam.</p>
