English Literature

Honours Handbook

2022-23

If you require this document or any of the internal University of Edinburgh online resources mentioned in this
document in an alternative format, please contact the English Literature Teaching Office.

17 August 2022
English Literature Honours Handbook Page 2

Contents:

Welcome and Key Contacts 3

Honours Degree Programmes 5

Honours Core Period and Option Courses 10

Honours Core Period and Option Course Statement

of Assessment 13

Feedback 22

Degree Awards and Classifications 25

Plagiarism 26

Assessment Information for Visiting Students 27

LitPals 28

Support from your University Careers Service 29

APPENDIX 1: Honours Core Period and Option

Course Allocations 30

Links to important information on your studies 32

English Literature Honours Handbook Page 3

WELCOME!
Welcome to Honours study in English Literature. This handbook, and the Honours pages for
Current Students on our website (see: https://www.ed.ac.uk/literatures-languages-
cultures/english-literature/undergraduate/current/honours ), provide the information you’ll
need to navigate your way successfully through the later years of your studies with us, so do
take the time to familiarise yourself with what’s here. We will be updating this information
where appropriate, and we will let you know promptly about any amendments that may be
important for your studies.

Honours students in this department have been very successful at coming to terms with the
challenges of third and fourth years, and we are confident that you will too. We are pleased
that this year, after the challenges presented by the pandemic over the last few years, we
are returning to in-person teaching in full for all courses.

You will need to prepare for your courses fully and in good time. You’ll also be expected to
participate fully in the collaborative work you’ll be undertaking in your Autonomous
Learning Groups, as well as contributing to discussions -- whether in class, or online. There
will be a lot of independent reading for you to do as well so we ask that you tackle the
coursework required of you with due attention. In short, making a success of your time with
us means that you are going to have to play your part.

Our aim is to help you become confident, capable independent learners, and to aid you in
developing and honing your critical and intellectual skills. For our part, we will make sure
that the teaching we offer is energetic and imaginative and we will deal with any questions
or problems that may arise as promptly and as fully as possible.
As you go on, you’ll find more and greater opportunities to set the agenda for yourself,
culminating in the Dissertation work you may well be undertaking with us in your fourth
year. By the time you leave Edinburgh, we hope you’ll be an acute critic and an alert thinker
undaunted by the practical, professional, or academic challenges still in front of you.

Professor Penny Fielding, , Head of English and Scottish Literature (semester 1)

Dr Suzanne Trill, Head of English and Scottish Literature (semester 2)

KEY CONTACTS

Fourth Year administrators: Shelia Strathdee S.Strathdee@ed.ac.uk and June Cahongo

June.Cahongo@ed.ac.uk
Third Year administrator: Hope Hamilton Hope.Hamilton@ed.ac.uk

Director of Undergraduate Study: Professor David Farrier David.Farrier@ed.ac.uk

Chair of the Board of Examiners: Dr Allyson Stack Allyson.Stack@ed.ac.uk

English Literature Honours Handbook Page 4

Please direct all technical questions to do with use of LEARN, Group Tools, Blackboard
Collaborate and other digital issues to the Information Services helpline
(IS.Helpline@ed.ac.uk).
English Literature Honours Handbook Page 5

HONOURS DEGREE PROGRAMMES

 SINGLE HONOURS ENGLISH LITERATURE
 SINGLE HONOURS SCOTTISH LITERATURE
 COMBINED HONOURS ENGLISH AND SCOTTISH LITERATURE

Course Credits
3rd Year Semester 1
Core Period Course (Medieval to Renaissance) 20
Option course 20
Critical Practice: Poetry 10
Critical Practice: Criticism 10
3rd Year Semester 2
Core Period Course (Renaissance to Romanticism) 20
Option course 20
Critical Practice: Prose 10
Critical Practice : Performance 10
3rd YEAR TOTAL 120
4th Year Semester 1
Core Period Course (Romanticism to Modernism) 20
Option course 20
4th Year Semester 2
Core Period Course (Modernism to Contemporary) 20
Option course 20
4th Year Semesters 1 and 2
The English Literature Dissertation 40
HONOURS TOTAL 240

Note:
All units are examined in the year in which they are taken.

Note for Single Honours Scottish Literature students:

In selecting courses in 3rd and 4th Years, Single Hons Scottish Literature students must include at
least 6 courses (core or option) with Scottish content. Courses with a Scottish content are indicated
with an asterisk (*). One of these choices must, however, be the Dissertation in 4 th Year, which
counts as being equivalent to 2 of these 6 courses and must therefore be on a Scottish topic

Note for Combined Honours English and Scottish Literature students:

English Literature Honours Handbook Page 6

In selecting courses in 3rd and 4th Years, Combined Hons English and Scottish Literature students
must include at least 4 courses with Scottish content. Courses with a Scottish content are indicated
with an asterisk (*). Students are encouraged to undertake Dissertation work in Scottish Literature,
in which case the Dissertation will count as two of the required courses with Scottish content.

OTHER COMBINED HONOURS DEGREE PROGRAMMES

 COMBINED HONOURS ENGLISH LITERATURE AND ANOTHER SUBJECT
(EXCLUDING MODERN EUROPEAN LANGUAGES or HISTORY or
CLASSICS)
 COMBINED HONOURS SCOTTISH LITERATURE AND ANOTHER SUBJECT
(EXCLUDING MODERN EUROPEAN LANGUAGES or HISTORY or
CLASSICS)

Course Credits
rd
3 Year
One Literature Option course in Semester 1 20
One Literature Option course in Semester 2 20
Course(s) in other subject 40
EITHER
All 4 Critical Practice courses (10-credits each)

OR
2 Critical Practice courses (10-credits each)
40
plus
course in other subject (20-credits)

OR
Course(s) in other subject (amounting to 40 credits)
3rd YEAR TOTAL 120
4th Year
One Literature Option course in Semester 1 20
One Literature Option course in Semester 2 20
Course(s) in other subject 40
English Literature or other subject Dissertation 40
HONOURS TOTAL 240

Note:
All units are examined in the year in which they are taken.
English Literature Honours Handbook Page 7

Note for Students whose degree includes Scottish Literature:

In selecting courses in 3rd and 4th Years, Combined Hons Scottish Literature [and another
subject] students must select a total of 4 Literature option courses with Scottish content.
Courses with a Scottish content are indicated with an asterisk (*). If students undertake
Dissertation work in Scottish Literature, the Dissertation will count as two of the required
courses with Scottish content.

 COMBINED HONOURS ENGLISH LITERATURE AND HISTORY

 COMBINED HONOURS SCOTTISH LITERATURE AND HISTORY
 COMBINED HONOURS SCOTTISH LITERATURE AND SCOTTISH HISTORY
OR
 COMBINED HONOURS ENGLISH LITERATURE AND CLASSICS
 COMBINED HONOURS SCOTTISH LITERATURE AND CLASSICS

The rules regarding the weighting between the two sides of the degree and the number of
Critical Practice courses which English Literature and History students OR English Literature
and Classics students can take are slightly more definite than for some of the other
combined honours programmes.

So, the pattern over the two Honours years is:

Course Credits
3rd Year
One Literature Option course in Semester 1 20
One Literature Option course in Semester 2 20
History / Classics courses 40
EITHER
All 4 Critical Practice courses (10 credits each)
[This is recommended if you wish to do your Dissertation in Fourth Year on
English or Scottish Literature]
OR
40
Any 2 Critical Practice courses (10 credits each)
PLUS another course in History / Classics (amounting to 20
credits)
OR
Further courses in History / Classics (amounting to 40 credits)
3rd YEAR TOTAL 120
4th Year
English Literature Honours Handbook Page 8

One Literature Option course in Semester 1 20

One Literature Option course in Semester 2 20
History / Classics course(s) 40
English Literature Dissertation
40
OR History / Classics Dissertation
HONOURS TOTAL 240

Note:
All units are examined in the year in which they are taken.

Note for Students whose degree includes Scottish Literature:

In selecting courses in 3rd and 4th Years, Combined Hons Scottish Literature [and another
subject] students must select a total of 4 Literature option courses with Scottish content.
Courses with a Scottish content are indicated with an asterisk (*). If students undertake
Dissertation work in Scottish Literature, the Dissertation will count as two of the required
courses with Scottish content.

 COMBINED HONOURS ENGLISH LITERATURE AND A MODERN

EUROPEAN LANGUAGE
 COMBINED HONOURS SCOTTISH LITERATURE AND A MODERN
EUROPEAN LANGUAGE

Third Year

During their third year, joint honours students with a MEL will be required to work on an
independent English Literature Long Essay; there will be separate guidance available as to
how it will be supervised and supported. This assessment is designed to be completed
regardless of whether students undertake their year abroad in whole or in part in 2021-22,
or whether they remain in Edinburgh for the academic year. The Long Essay will be
submitted and assessed when students return to the fourth year of their degree in
September. This Long Essay will count for 40 credits of third year work, the remaining 80
credits being assigned to the language; the mark will appear on the final degree transcript.

Fourth Year

During fourth year, students will take courses amounting to 60 credits in English Literature
and 60 credits in their language subject.

The English or Scottish Literature courses will consist of:

English Literature Honours Handbook Page 9

FOURTH YEAR Credits

Semester 1
Literature Option course 20
EITHER Critical Practice: Poetry OR Critical Practice: Criticism 10
Semester 2
Literature Option course 20
EITHER Critical Practice: Prose OR Critical Practice: Performance 10
Total 60

Notes for Students whose degree includes Scottish Literature:

During their 3rd Year, Combined Hons Scottish Literature and a Modern European Language
students should write their Long Essay on an appropriate topic.

In selecting courses to take on their return for their 4th Year, Combined Hons Scottish
Literature and a Modern European Language students must select Literature option courses
with Scottish content, a list of which will be made available when courses are being selected
towards the end of Semester 2 of their 3rd Year. Courses with a Scottish content will be
indicated with an asterisk (*).
English Literature Honours Handbook Page 10

HONOURS CORE PERIOD AND OPTION COURSES

CORE PERIOD COURSES

A core period course in each semester of your third and fourth year is compulsory for Single
Honours students. In exceptional circumstances, Combined Honours students may also be
allowed to take a Core Period course if there are particularly strong reasons for doing so.

Core Period courses are grouped by literary historical period, to ensure that you get to study
a range of literature from the medieval era to the present day. The period groupings work
as follows:

Semester 1, 3rd year: Medieval to Renaissance

Semester 2, 3rd year: Renaissance to Romanticism

Semester 1, 4th year: Romanticism to Modernism

Semester 2, 4th year: Modernism to Contemporary

Within each period, the courses on offer will focus on genres or kinds of literature, particular
topics or issues, or specific literary and cultural practices. Not all of them will ask you to
engage in primarily historicist accounts of the literature studied.

OPTION COURSES

As well as Core Period Courses, Single Honours students will take an Option Course each
semester. Combined Honours students will be required to choose a course for each
semester of their Honours years from the list of available Option Courses.

Option courses offer you the chance to study groups of texts from the varying perspectives
of genre, period, theme or topic, theoretical approach or methodology.

Links to handbooks with course descriptions of all Core Period and Option courses running
each year (including seminar schedule and required reading) and also a list of days, times
and locations of classes are available on our website at https://www.ed.ac.uk/literatures-
languages-cultures/english-literature/undergraduate/current/honours
For fuller details, consult LEARN for the individual courses.

AUTONOMOUS LEARNING GROUPS

All Option and Core Period courses will involve membership of an autonomous learning
group as well as attending the weekly class meeting which will be held either in-person or
online. These groups will be central to your learning. Students will be divided into small
groups of four or five which will meet weekly, again either in-person or online but in
accordance with current policy on social distancing. The aim of these meetings will be to
English Literature Honours Handbook Page 11

discuss questions or a topic set by the tutor, to discuss allocated reading, write up reports to
specific questions, and respond to the comments and reports of other ALGs. The results of
these meetings will form the agenda for the weekly class meeting as students report back to
the broader group, respond to each other’s comments and ask further questions.

Autonomous Learning Groups are absolutely integral, therefore, to the structure of Honours
teaching in this department. You might regard your ALG as a great opportunity to discuss
with other students those parts of a text which you did not really understand and to set the
agenda for discussion. In this way, you are not alone in a class, and this should contribute
directly to your confidence in speaking.

LEARN

Your Honours courses use LEARN, the University’s supported virtual learning environment,
in order to give you the essential and background information you will need to participate in
seminars and undertake written assignments. Each course has a LEARN section, which
appears as a clickable link when you log on to MyEd. You will find Course Information here,
ALG questions, a Resource List for further reading, Discussion Boards and further resources;
you will be required to submit an electronic copy of your coursework via this interface.
Learn is also integrated with Blackboard Collaborate, the principal medium for online
meetings and you will be automatically enrolled in this as well.

ATTENDANCE

Students should attend all classes as specified in their course programme, and undertake all
preparation and reading required for them. If you are unable to attend, advance notice of
absence should be given to the course tutor, the course administrator (for third years, Hope
Hamilton; fourth years, Sheila Strathdee, June Cahongo) and your Personal Tutor. If you
are affected by ill health and will be unable to attend for more than one week, do please
inform your Personal Tutor as a matter of urgency.
English Literature Honours Handbook Page 12

SPECIAL NOTE ON ATTENDANCE FOR STUDENTS ON A TIER 4 VISA

As a Tier 4 student, the University of Edinburgh is the sponsor of your UK visa. The
University has a number of legal responsibilities, including monitoring your attendance on
your programme and reporting to the Home Office where:
 you suspend your studies, transfer or withdraw from a course, or complete your studies
significantly early;

 you fail to register/enrol at the start of your course or at the two additional registration sessions
each year and there is no explanation;

 you are repeatedly absent or are absent for an extended period and are excluded from the
programme due to non-attendance. This includes missing Tier 4 census points without due
reason. The University must maintain a record of your attendance and the Home Office can ask
to see this or request information about it at any time;

As a student with a Tier 4 visa sponsored by the University of Edinburgh, the terms of your
visa require you to, (amongst others):
 Ensure you have a correct and valid visa for studying at the University of Edinburgh, which, if a
Tier 4 visa, requires that it is a visa sponsored by the University of Edinburgh;

 Attend all of your University classes, lectures, tutorials, etc where required. This includes
participating in the requirements of your course including submitting assignments, attending
meetings with tutors and attending examinations. If you cannot attend due to illness, for
example, you must inform your School. This includes attending Tier 4 Census sessions when
required throughout the academic session.

 Make sure that your contact details, including your address and contact numbers are up to date
in your student record.

 Make satisfactory progress on your chosen programme of studies.

 Observe the general conditions of a Tier 4 General student visa in the UK, including studying on
the programme for which your visa was issued, not overstaying the validity of your visa and
complying with the work restrictions of the visa.
Please note that any email relating to your Tier 4 sponsorship, including census dates and
times will be sent to your University email address - you should therefore check this
regularly.

Further details on the terms and conditions of your Tier 4 visa can be found in the
“Downloads” section at www.ed.ac.uk/immigration
Information or advice about your Tier 4 immigration status can be obtained by contacting
the International Student Advisory Service, located at the International Office, 33 Buccleuch
Place, Edinburgh EH8 9JS
Email: immigration@ed.ac.uk
English Literature Honours Handbook Page 13

HONOURS CORE PERIOD AND OPTION COURSE

STATEMENT OF ASSESSMENT
BASIS FOR ASSESSMENT

Core Period course (20 credits):

 coursework - 40% of final mark
 final assessment - 60% of final mark

Option course (20 credits):

 coursework - 40% of final mark
 final assessment - 60% of final mark

COURSEWORK

Coursework for Core Period and Option courses will take a variety of forms. The most
common form of assessment will be an essay: coursework essay titles are distributed to the
class by the end of week 3, and essays are due in on the Monday of week 9 of Semester 1
and week 10 of Semester 2.

Some courses also use alternative forms of coursework in accordance with their specific
needs and aims and in accordance with the adoption of online teaching. These assessments
include learning/reading journals, portfolios, close readings, podcasts, presentations. These
alternative assessments have all been scrutinised and approved by the department’s exams
team and their specific requirements will be explained by the relevant course organiser. In
some cases, the deadlines for submission of these assessments will vary as well; if this is the
case, it will again be made clear by the relevant course organisers.

Please pay very careful attention to the specific requirements of each assignment.
Failure to do so will often result in points being deducted. Specifically:

Where a rubric is provided, ten marks will be deducted for rubric violations.

A word limit will be set for every assessment. For a coursework essay, the limit will
usually be 2,500 words, but different assessments may vary in length and format
according to their needs. For a final essay, the limit will usually be 3,000 words. In
both cases, the word limit will include quotations and footnotes, but not the list of
Works Cited. (Tutors are aware that TurnItIn word counts include the Works Cited
page, so do not worry if the TurnItIn word count differs ever so slightly.)

Short Measure: An essay will not receive a passing mark if it is less than half the
required length.

Excessive length: Essays will not be read beyond the word limit. The mark and
feedback will reflect the quality of discussion up to that point and no further.
English Literature Honours Handbook Page 14

Word limits are challenging, since they force compression and clarity. The discipline
of editing to this length encourages concision and precision, and results in better
writing. The challenge is well worthwhile since it teaches a skill valuable long after
the degree is over. Please note there is no 10% leeway applied to word limits.

Full details on the presentation and layout of essays are included in the English Literature
Writing Guide, which can be downloaded from the website. See link from:
https://www.ed.ac.uk/literatures-languages-cultures/english-literature/undergraduate/
current/handbooks

DEADLINES FOR COURSEWORK SUBMISSION

In Semester 1 Week 8 is set aside as ‘Coursework Completion Week’. In Semester 2,

‘Coursework Completion Week’ is Week 9.

SEMESTER 1

The final deadline for coursework submission for both Core Period and Option courses in
Semester 1 is

before 2 p.m. on Monday 14th November 2022 (Week 9)

However, in the interests of good time-management, Single Honours students are strongly
advised to submit the essay for one of their courses before 2 p.m. on Thursday of Week 8.

SEMESTER 2

The final deadline for coursework submission for both Core Period and Option courses in
Semester 2 is

before 2 p.m. on the Monday 20th March 2023 (Week 10)

However, in the interests of good time-management, Single Honours students are strongly
advised to submit the essay for one of their courses before 2 p.m. on Thursday of Week 9.

HOW TO SUBMIT COURSEWORK

All assessed work should be completed using MS Word and a clearly readable type face like
the standard Times New Roman font size 12.

 Your work should be double-spaced.

 The coursework, including title page with name of course and topic, the main body
of the coursework and the list of Works Cited, must be saved as a single document,
with a page break inserted between each element.
 Pages should be numbered.
English Literature Honours Handbook Page 15

 A word count, including the main body of the coursework, all notes and quotations
but excluding your Works Cited list, should be added to the title page.
 Please ensure that the file contains only the coursework you are submitting, and that
it is clearly identified during upload according to the format given below. A filename
such as <YourExamNumber>-<AbbreviatedCourseName>-Essay.doc would be
appropriate.

Coursework should be submitted electronically by the deadline. For this purpose, a

Turnitin drop-box will set up on LEARN for the course, to which you should upload your
essay. See below for further instructions.

Please note: once submitted, your coursework will be scanned by software which generates
an ‘originality report’, to help you and your tutors ensure that you have referenced your
sources correctly.

When you submit your coursework essay you MUST:

 Identify your essay on the title page, which should mention the name of the course and
the essay topic you have chosen, only by your Exam Number (to be found on your
student card) NOT by your Name.
 Include your Exam Number (but NOT your Name) in the ‘Submission title’ field, which you
are asked to complete as you upload your essay to Turnitin. The preferred format is
<YourExamNumber>-EssayTitle e.g. B012345-HamletEssay (It is fine to abbreviate a
long essay title.)
 Please make sure that your name does NOT appear anywhere on the coursework essay
itself, so that the electronic copy can be marked anonymously.

Please make sure you download your Digital Receipt which is your proof of date and time of
submission.

Coursework assessment and feedback

Feedback and marks will normally be provided within 15 working days of submission. It is
important to note that the initial marks provided on LEARN in Grademark are provisional
and are subject to moderation and final confirmation at the Exam Board.

EXTENSIONS ON COURSEWORK

It is a requirement that all students submit coursework on time and in accordance with the
published deadlines. Tutors are under no obligation to mark or to provide feedback on
written work that is submitted after the deadline without explanation. It's important to
manage your time, therefore, and to ensure that all written work is submitted on schedule.
English Literature Honours Handbook Page 16

If you are seriously unwell or suffering serious personal difficulties and unable to finish your
coursework essay by the deadline, you must apply for an extension in advance of the
deadline. You should complete an extension request form on this link:

https://www.ed.ac.uk/student-administration/extensions-special-circumstances

If you are unable to submit work within the extended deadline, it is vital you contact your
Personal Tutor or Student Support Officers immediately with a view to completing a Special
Circumstance form.

Computer problems are in no circumstances an acceptable reason for delayed or

incomplete submission.
English Literature Honours Handbook Page 17

FINAL ASSESSMENT – FINAL ESSAYS

THIRD YEAR

Semester 1 Option course final essay questions will be released at 9am on Friday 25
November 2022, and the final essay will be due by 2pm on Friday 9 December 2022.

Semester 1 Core Period course final essay questions will be released at 9am on Friday 25
November 2022, and the final essay will be due by 2pm on Wednesday 14 December 2022.

Semester 2 Option course final essay questions will be released at 9am on Friday 31 March
2022, and the final essay will be due by 2pm on Friday 14 April 2023.

Semester 2 Core Period course final essay questions will be released at 9am on Friday 31
March 2022, and the final essay will be due by 2pm on Wednesday 19 April 2023.

FOURTH YEAR

Semester 1 Option course final essay questions will be released at 9am on Friday 25
November 2022, and the final essay will be due by 2pm on Friday 9 December 2022.

Semester 1 Core Period course final essay questions will be released at 9am on Friday 25
November 2022, and the final essay will be due by 2pm on Wednesday 14 December 2022.

Semester 2 Option course final essay questions will be released at 9am on Friday 31 March
2023, and the final essay will be due by 2pm on Friday 14 April 2023.

Semester 2 Core Period course final essay questions will be released at 9am on Friday 31
March 2023, and the final essay will be due by 2pm on Wednesday 19 April 2023.

ALL HONOURS STUDENTS

A final essay of 3,000 words is designed to allow you to demonstrate your knowledge of
particular texts and issues from your course as well as of the broad range of texts and topics
covered. As you will be writing this essay with access to your notes, books and online
resources, it is expected that it will be properly presented and referenced in line with the
requirements set out in the English Literature Writing Guide (available on link from:
https://www.ed.ac.uk/literatures-languages-cultures/english-literature/undergraduate/
current/handbooks ).

The expectation is that a final essay is at most a five-day task, and is not expected to take up
all the time you may have available in the allotted period.
English Literature Honours Handbook Page 18

Final essay questions are released inside the Course Content folder of a course’s LEARN
section. It is your responsibility to ensure that you can access LEARN on the days when
questions are released.

A rubric and full instructions will accompany the questions. Please read these carefully, as
rubric violations may be subject to a penalty of ten marks. Also note that a final essay may
not receive a pass mark if it is less than half the required length.

Students are strongly urged not to leave final completion of their essays until the last
minute.

One electronic copy should be submitted to Turnitin via LEARN for the course by the
deadline set. This will work in the same way as with the coursework essays except that the
final essay should be anonymous.

When you submit your final essay you MUST:

 Identify your final essay on the title page, which should mention the name of the course
and the essay topic you have chosen, only by your Exam Number (to be found on your
student card) NOT by your Name.
 Include your Exam Number (but NOT your Name) in the ‘Submission title’ field, which you
are asked to complete as you upload your essay to Turnitin. The preferred format is
<YourExamNumber>-EssayTitle e.g. B012345-HamletEssay (It is fine to abbreviate a
long essay title.)
 Please make sure that your name does NOT appear anywhere on the final essay itself, so
that the electronic copy can be marked anonymously.

For further information on the font, spacing, word count and format in which to submit your
essay please refer to the advice on how to submit coursework essays earlier in this
handbook.

EXTENSIONS ON FINAL ESSAYS

As with coursework essays, it is a requirement that all students submit coursework on time
and in accordance with the published deadlines. Tutors are under no obligation to mark or
to provide feedback on written work that is submitted after the deadline without
explanation. It's important to manage your time, therefore, and to ensure that all written
work is submitted on schedule.

If you are seriously unwell or suffering serious personal difficulties and unable to finish your
final essay by the deadline, you must apply for an extension in advance of the deadline. You
should complete an extension request form on this link:

https://www.ed.ac.uk/student-administration/extensions-special-circumstances
English Literature Honours Handbook Page 19

If you are unable to submit work within the extended deadline, it is vital you contact your
Personal Tutor or the Student Support Officers immediately with a view to completing a
Special Circumstances form.

Computer problems are in no circumstances an acceptable reason for delayed or

incomplete submission.

Please note that the latest date submissions for this course will be accepted is 14 days
after the original deadline. The only exception to this is for students who have secured
extra time in line with their learning adjustment – any extra time permitted will be in
addition to the 14-day maximum. If you are unable to submit by your agreed deadline, we
would encourage you to consider applying for Special Circumstances. Students whose
Special Circumstances are accepted will then need to wait for the Exam Board decision to
find out about reassessment requirements.

Rubric Violations and Penalties for Lateness

Failure to follow the instructions for each assessment constitutes an infringement of the
rubric. Ten marks may be deducted for rubric violations.

If your essay falls substantially short of the word length required, it is unlikely to be of the
required standard, which will be reflected in the mark. Essays of less than half the required
length are unlikely to receive a pass mark. Excessively long essays will not be marked
beyond the word limit. This limit does NOT include the list of Works Cited.

It is University policy to penalise late work.

You must submit your work in advance of the deadline. Penalties are exacted for late
submission using the following scale:

after 2 pm on Wednesday but before 2 pm on Thursday -5

after 2 pm on Thursday but before 2 pm on Friday - 10
after 2 pm on Friday, but before 2 pm on Saturday - 15
after 2 pm on Saturday, but before 2 pm on Sunday - 20
after 2 pm on Sunday, but before 2 pm on Monday - 25
after 2 pm on Monday but before 2 pm on Tuesday - 30
after 2 pm on Tuesday, but before 2 pm on Wednesday - 35
after 2 pm the Wednesday a week after submission date zero
English Literature Honours Handbook Page 20

End of year exams

The end of year exam period for 3rd and 4th Year second semester courses will be Monday 1
May to Friday 26 May 2023). There will be no sit-down, timed exam papers; courses will be
examined by final essays or portfolios of coursework.

RESITS

In accordance with the Taught Assessment Regulations, Honours students are entitled to
one assessment attempt for courses at SCQF level 9 to 12 (non-attendance or non-
submission is considered an assessment attempt). This means no resits are permitted
unless Special Circumstances are upheld.

MODERATION

In accordance with QAA expectations, as specified in Chapter B6 of the UK Quality Code for
Higher Education, the primary purpose of moderation is to ensure that assessment criteria
are being applied fairly and consistently and that there is a shared understanding of the
academic standards that students are expected to achieve. Moderation also provides an
opportunity to assure the quality of feedback provided to students on their assessed work,
in terms of its sufficiency, clarity, helpfulness and timeliness, and to comment on aspects
related to the design and implementation of the assessment that may feed into future
enhancements of the assessment.

At Honours level, all forms of assessment are moderated in one or more ways.

1. All fourth-year dissertations are double-marked; if the two markers cannot reach
agreement, the dissertation goes to a third marker who can assign a final mark
within the boundaries set by the first two markers.

Core Period and Option final essays, and Critical Practice assessments are sample
second marked.

The course organisers of team-taught Core Period courses have responsibility for the
oversight of exam marking for the entire course to ensure consistency of marking
and feedback.

Moderators/second markers review every piece of feedback produced by the first

marker and the overall mark distribution for their batch to ensure that assessments
have been marked in line with the marking scale, that the range of available marks is
used appropriately, that the feedback properly explains the grade awarded, and that
all problematic scripts (including fail marks, rubric infringements, etc.) have been
carefully considered.

2. Critical Practice Course Organisers have overall responsibility for moderation of CP

courses, the Dissertation Organiser has overall responsibility for moderation of the
Dissertation, while third and fourth-year Exam Clerks have overall responsibility for
English Literature Honours Handbook Page 21

moderation of Core Period and Option courses. This means moderators/second

markers can refer individual problematic scripts or script runs to the relevant Course
Organiser/Exam Clerk. These higher-level moderators also have oversight of overall
mark distributions for all forms of assessment in the courses they are responsible for
(this includes coursework essays and class participation for Core Period/Option
courses).

Moderators at all levels have the power either to confirm or to adjust marks and
feedback in consultation with the original markers before final confirmation at the
Exam Board.

NB Only moderators can determine the existence of grounds for mark adjustment,
and all decisions confirmed by the Exam Board are final.

3. Exam Boards and External Examiners oversee the entire marking and moderation
process.

PROGRESSION

For information on requirements for progression into the final year of your degree please
refer to the Degree Programme Table for your specific degree: see, for example, links to
degrees within the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures at:
http://www.drps.ed.ac.uk/

If you are unable to meet all of the requirements for progression in your degree
programme, you should contact the Student Support Office.
English Literature Honours Handbook Page 22

FEEDBACK
The marks you receive for your work should always be understood in the light of the
feedback that you will receive at the same time, and both marks and feedback should be
read in the light of the Grade Descriptors published in the English Literature Writing Guide
(https://www.ed.ac.uk/literatures-languages-cultures/english-literature/undergraduate/
current/handbooks).

THE IMPORTANCE OF FEEDBACK

Learning is a process of communication between students and teachers, and feedback is

essential to that process. It helps you identify your strengths and weaknesses, zero in on
problem areas, and devise strategies to improve your performance. It helps you recognise
variability and trends in your own performance, and where you stand in regard to your
peers. Feedback is not an end in itself, but a tool for advancing the more important goal of
learning.

WHAT FORMS DOES IT TAKE?

It is important to recognise the variable forms that feedback takes. There is more to it than
just comments on individual pieces of work.

 When we think of feedback, we usually think first of written comments on specific

essays, dissertations and sometimes on exams. Such feedback aims to give you
some explanation of the mark you received, pointing out the main strengths and
weaknesses, and suggesting what would have improved the performance. As
already suggested, such feedback tells you something about that particular
performance, but also about your general academic abilities.

 It is important to remember that marks are themselves a form of feedback, providing

a ranking of your performance in relation to others doing the same piece of
assessment, and in relation to general standards of assessment performance. Grade
descriptors are intended to give a guide to how assessment performance is judged.
They provide a basic context for reading and understanding the meaning of a mark.

 Some courses provide opportunities to submit non-assessed work, often as a

preparation for work that will be assessed later. Feedback on non-assessed work
can be just as vital as feedback on assessed work, so you should make the most of
these opportunities.

 Particularly at honours level, supervision of dissertations and research projects

involves considerable feedback along the way to producing the piece of work that
will be assessed. In cases like this, there is feedback both before and after the
assessment.
English Literature Honours Handbook Page 23

 One of the reasons you are encouraged to participate actively in discussions in

seminars and workshops is that this is one of the most fruitful opportunities for
feedback, for trying out ideas, exploring your understanding of material, and raising
questions. It is for this reason that our courses sometimes attach a mark to tutorial
or seminar performance; on the other hand, when tutorial performance is not
assessed, this provides an ideal environment to gain feedback without the pressure
of formal assessment. Make the most of it.

HOW CAN STUDENTS GET THE MOST OUT OF FEEDBACK?

First off, as suggested above, you should appreciate the various forms that feedback takes.
Beyond that, here are some suggestions:

 Learn more about study and assessment skills. There is a lot of helpful literature
and guidance available. Two places to start are:
(1) The Library. Books on ‘study skills’ are generally found under the Library of
Congress call numbers LB2395. You can always ask a librarian for guidance.
(2) The Institute for Academic Development – Study development for
undergraduates:
https://www.ed.ac.uk/institute-academic-development/undergraduate.

 Try to consider the various forms of feedback you receive not as isolated events, but
as part of an overall pattern of performance, identifying general areas of strength
and weakness. This should become clearer the more you are assessed and the more
feedback you receive as you progress through your programme. If you detect a
consistent area where you need to improve, seek advice from tutors and course
conveners about what to do.

 In the first instance, when trying to understand a mark and any associated
comments, read these in the context of School marking descriptors. Marking
descriptors are necessarily general, but may help put the feedback you’ve received
in a wider context.

 If you have questions about a mark and associated comments on coursework, you
are always entitled to seek clarification from the marker. For Core Period and
Option essays, you should approach the course organiser. For other pieces of
Honours work, you should approach the Undergraduate Director in the first instance.

ENGLISH LITERATURE POLICIES ON ASSESSMENT FEEDBACK

Assessment in English Literature Honours operates according to the following principles:

 Feedback on coursework is provided in written form online. You may also ask your
tutor or course organiser for additional comment and advice, where appropriate.
English Literature Honours Handbook Page 24

 There is a ‘fifteen working day’ turn-around time expected for mid-semester

coursework assessment. If this turn-around time is not being met, you should bring
this to the attention of the Undergraduate Director.

Please note: this turn-around time does not apply with terminal assessments for
Honours courses. We will endeavour to return feedback as quickly as possible, and
certainly before the next round of assessment, but due to the need for double
marking, moderating and/or external scrutiny, this is unlikely to occur within fifteen
working days.
English Literature Honours Handbook Page 25

DEGREE AWARDS AND CLASSIFICATION

Degree classification is calculated from marks obtained for the 240 credits achieved in
Years 3 and 4. One unit of assessment is allocated to every 20 credits. The Degree
Programme Table for your degree (see http://www.drps.ed.ac.uk/21-22/ for degrees within
the School of LLC) sets out the twelve units of assessment on which the classification of your
degree will be based. Papers that acquire a weighting of 40 credits for the purposes of
degree classification, such as Year 4 dissertations, will be listed twice.

In awarding degrees, the department strictly adheres to the College’s Taught Assessment
Regulations. Degrees are classified on the basis of the Extended Common Marking Scheme:

https://www.ed.ac.uk/timetabling-examinations/exams/regulations/common-marking-
scheme

If the overall degree mark results in a borderline grade, we proceed as follows:

‘Borderline marks are defined as marks from two percentage points below the class or grade
boundary up to the boundary itself, e.g. 58.00% to 59.99% for an undergraduate 2.1
classification or 38.00% to 39.99% for a pass.’

In these cases, we are required to assess the ‘profile’ of the student’s marks. If the
candidate has achieved 50% or more of their course marks in the higher category then they
are eligible for the higher award.

Students should also be aware that all of our marking and examining is overseen by four
External Examiners who are entirely independent of the University: they sample our
marking and assessment throughout the year and during the Exam Boards.

APPEALS / COMPLAINTS

In line with University policy, students are permitted to appeal for a decision made by a
Board of Examiners to be reconsidered. Details of how to undertake this process are
available here:

https://www.ed.ac.uk/students/academic-life/curriculum/academic-appeals

The process for complaining about an aspect of your teaching or assessment is set out here:

https://www.ed.ac.uk/university-secretary-group/complaint-handling-procedure
English Literature Honours Handbook Page 26

PLAGIARISM AND ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT

Plagiarism is the use of material taken from another writer's work without proper
acknowledgement, presenting it as if it were your own. While it is perfectly proper in
academic study to make use of another person's ideas, to do so under the pretence that
they are your own is deceitful. Plagiarism, whether in coursework or examinations, is
always taken extremely seriously within the university as it is a form of cheating. Work
found to be plagiarised may be penalised, assessed at zero, or not accepted, and in serious
cases may lead to disciplinary action being initiated.

Work undertaken for our courses is designed to help you develop your knowledge and
understanding, and your own powers of analysis and argument. Essays, exams and final
essays assess these skills. Plagiarism therefore undermines the whole purpose of the
academic study of literature. For all work for the department’s courses, it is important to be
aware of, and to acknowledge the sources of arguments and words. This applies to material
drawn from critical books and lectures, but also from the work of other students (including
tutorial or seminar discussions) and from the internet and other electronic sources. Tutors
will check web-based material, as well as other sources, where they have reason to suspect
that the writing a student submits does not represent their own ideas, words and
arguments.

While deliberate plagiarism involves an intention to deceive and is easy to avoid, it is

possible to fall unawares into practices which could be mistaken for plagiarism if you are not
familiar with the proper means of using and acknowledging material from other writers.
Inadequate referencing and inappropriate use of others' material could inadvertently lay
you open to charges of plagiarism. You should also be aware that the resubmission of
previously submitted work is classed as misconduct, just like plagiarism, and will be treated
as such. You can refer to work that you’ve previously submitted in a new submission, but
you need to cite clearly this pre-existing material in your new submission.

Since different subjects involve different uses of material, and may have different
conventions about how it should be acknowledged, it is important that in each of their
subjects students consult departmental guidelines about the purpose and presentation of
written work in that discipline.

Aside from plagiarism, you must also avoid all other forms of academic misconduct. These
include collusion, the unauthorised and unattributed collaboration of students in a piece of
assessed work; falsification, the attempt to present fictitious or distorted data, evidence,
references, citations, or experimental results, and/or to knowingly make use of such
material; cheating, the attempt to obtain or to give assistance in an examination or an
assessment without due acknowledgement. This includes submitting work which is not
one's own; deceit, the use of dishonesty to gain an advantage; and personation, the
assumption of the identity of another person with intent to deceive or gain unfair
advantage.
English Literature Honours Handbook Page 27

ASSESSMENT INFORMATION FOR VISITING STUDENTS ON

HONOURS CORE AND/OR OPTION COURSES
FULL YEAR VISITING STUDENTS and SEMESTER 1 ONLY VISITING STUDENTS

Visiting Students here either for the whole year or for a single semester take their Core
Period and/or Option courses under the same arrangements as home students, as outlined
above

BASIS OF ASSESSMENT for Core Period or Option course (20 credits):

 coursework - 40% of final mark
 final essay - 60% of final mark

Please ensure that you do not make irrevocable arrangements to return home until you
are completely sure you know when you will be required to submit your final essays.

One electronic copy of each final essay should be submitted via Turnitin on Learn in the
same manner as for coursework essays, except that the final essay should be anonymous.

When you submit your assignment you MUST:

 Include only your Exam Number (NOT your Name) in the ‘Submission title’ field, which
you are asked to complete as you upload your essay to Turnitin. The preferred format is
<YourExamNumber>-EssayTitle e.g. B012345-HamletEssay (It is fine to abbreviate a long
essay title.)
 Please make sure that your name does NOT appear anywhere on the final essay itself, so
that the electronic copy can be marked anonymously.

SEMESTER 2 ONLY VISITING STUDENTS (THIRD YEAR ONLY)

Students who are here for Semester 2 only will take their Core Period and/or Option courses
under the same arrangements as home students.
English Literature Honours Handbook Page 28

LitPALS

LitPALS is the Department’s ‘peer-assisted learning scheme’, aimed at helping you adapt to
the demands of studying Honours, in particular, the Critical Practice courses. In small
informal groups, trained second-, third- and fourth-year literature students offer support to
third-year literature students in fortnightly sessions during Semester 1 and 2.

The sessions are tailored to aid with the challenges faced by Honours students by providing
advice on study skills, essay writing, exam preparation, and other academic issues, as well as
offering a relaxed and confidential setting in which you can ask your own questions about
your studies and university experience. It is also an excellent way to meet fellow students
and find out about the social life in and around the university.

LitPALS meet regularly during Semester 1 and 2 (you will receive more detailed information
on specific sessions by email).

If you'd like any more information at any time, please contact LitPALS (litpals@ed.ac.uk or
on the LitPALS Facebook page) or Dr Sourti Bhattacharya (Sourit.Bhattacharya@ed.ac.uk).
English Literature Honours Handbook Page 29

What Next after University? – Support from your University

Careers Service
Honours years are an excellent time to start researching your future after graduation, if you
haven’t already done so.

Whatever your ideas – work, further study, gap year, volunteering, gaining experience …
whatever stage you’re at – clued up or clueless, and anything in between … the Careers
Service can support you in your journey from university to your future after graduation. We
work with students and graduates from day 1, to 2 years after graduation.

We offer information, advice and guidance on:

- Career direction
- Gaining experience
- Job hunting
- CVs, applications and interviews
- Further study
- … and more

via our website, careers information centre, individual discussion with a careers adviser,
programme of talks and events, and more.
Browse our website www.ed.ac.uk/careers for further information on all of our services,
especially the information at: https://www.ed.ac.uk/careers/students/career-essentials-
quick-links/essentials. Or call in and see us on the 3rd floor of the Main Library Building.
There is a careers blog specifically for English lit students -
https://englitcareersblog.wordpress.com/ - which as regular postings to inform and inspire.

Also check out your dedicated English Literature careers pages

https://www.ed.ac.uk/literatures-languages-cultures/english-literature/undergraduate/
current/careers-advice to discover:
- What recent English Literature graduates have gone on to do
- Your options with an English Literature degree
- After English – a website dedicated to helping English Literature graduates plan for their
future after graduation

Finally – look out for notices and emails about Careers Service activity in English Literature
for the current session including regular bookable appointments for English Literature
students only, and sessions of particular interest to English lit students.

We look forward to working with you on your plans for your future after graduation.

APPENDIX 1
English Literature Honours Handbook Page 30

HONOURS CORE PERIOD AND OPTION COURSE

ALLOCATIONS
The allocation of places on our Core Period and Option Honours courses is somewhat
complex, and may perhaps be opaque to you. We hope that the following explanation
provides more transparency about this process and reassurance about its equity.

CONTEXT
The department of English Literature has the single largest number of undergraduate
students in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CAHSS). We annually need to find
places for 400 honours students, taking either two or four Core Period or Option courses
with us, out of a range of around 85 choices: this equates to 1200 course places, to be
divided as equally as possible for each year group. This is by far the most flexible range of
choice in the College.

The department is also committed to retaining small group teaching: you can be sure that
there will not be more than 15 students in our Honours seminars. As we are also required
to reserve 3 spaces in each seminar for Visiting Students (in 3rd year) and for Taught
Masters Students (in 4th year), this means that, in practice, there are 12 places for our
home students. However, from experience we are aware that some courses are more
popular than others and where possible we offer a popular course twice in a semester to
accommodate student demand.

In order to maintain these kinds of flexibility, the Department relies upon some reciprocal
flexibility on the part of its students: for this reason, we operate a system of preferences.

PROCESS
Each year the Head of English Literature and the Director of Undergraduate Studies have to
plan which courses will be available in which semester, in order to a) accommodate student
needs and b) balance staff workloads (taking into account the fact that some members of
staff will be working on research projects rather than teaching for some or all of the
semester).

Students will be asked to complete an online course choice form. We ask you to indicate
your preferences using a Preferred/Reserve choice system for each of the Core
Period/Option courses which are appropriate to your Degree Programme.

Arguably, a time-saving alternative would be for us to operate a first-come, first-served

policy, but this would actually disadvantage more students more often than our current
policy. Other systems might allow us to please some students all of the time, but only at the
cost of displeasing as many to the same extent. Our current approach allows us to please all
students some of the time, which we feel is a fairer outcome.
English Literature Honours Handbook Page 31

DISCLAIMER: Please note that information in this handbook may change

during the course of the academic year. If this happens, you will be notified
of the changes as promptly as possible.
English Literature Honours Handbook Page 32

School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures:

Links to important information
This section is designed to provide details of common policies which will be important
throughout your studies. Some apply across the university, while others are specific to the
School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC). Students are expected to familiarise
themselves with these policies. More information on the statements below can be found by
following the relevant links.

If you require this document, or any of the internal University of Edinburgh online
resources mentioned in this document, in an alternative format, please contact the
appropriate course administrator mentioned on page 3 of this Handbook.

POLICIES AND REGULATIONS

The Student Contract http://edin.ac/1hvcRas
Successful study at University stems from a partnership between students and staff, and the University
is committed to providing you with a learning environment and student services which enable you to
fulfil your potential.

Use of Student E-mails http://edin.ac/13z6Lte

We will communicate with you via your student e-mail account. It is essential that you check
this regularly.

Attendance and Engagement Requirements http://edin.ac/1sJ0Ofo

We monitor the engagement of students on our courses and programmes and this allows us
to identify and offer help to those who may be experiencing difficulties. Failure to adequately
engage can have a negative impact on your studies, and may ultimately lead to exclusion.
There are additional and particular requirements for sponsored Tier 4 students – see
http://edin.ac/2aPixLi for further information.

Obligations on Tier 4 Students http://edin.ac/2aPixLi

As a Tier 4 student visa holder, it is your responsibility to comply with the conditions of your
visa. Failure to follow these conditions will result in the University reporting you to the UKVI, a
consequence of which will be the cancellation of your visa and withdrawal from the University
of Edinburgh.

Taught Assessment Regulations http://edin.ac/1S73Hv7

Information on the principles of assessment used by the University of Edinburgh.
English Literature Honours Handbook Page 33

Marking Scheme http://edin.ac/2G1ftL9

An explanation of the marks and grades applied to coursework and exams.

http://edin.ac/2cBDopr
Plagiarism and Academic Misconduct http://edin.ac/2bl695P
Plagiarism is taken very seriously and incurs penalties. Follow the links provided to make sure
you know what plagiarism is and how to avoid it.

Coursework submission http://edin.ac/161lzRl

Formal assignments must normally be submitted electronically through the course Learn area.
Check your assessment instructions for details. All electronic submissions will be reviewed by
the plagiarism detection service Turnitin.

Extension requests for coursework submission https://edin.ac/2NaUJms

You can apply for an extension of up to 7 days by submitting a request before the assignment
is due. Please note that penalties for late submission will be applied unless an extension
request has been approved and this requirement applies to ALL students, including those who
have an adjustment schedule.

Penalties for late coursework submission http://edin.ac/1S73Hv7

Deductions for unauthorised late submission will be calculated as follows: 5 marks per
calendar day for up to 7 days; zero awarded thereafter (Taught Assessment Regulation 28).

Coursework feedback http://edin.ac/1S73Hv7

Feedback on in-course assessed work will be provided within 15 working days of submission,
or in time to be of use in subsequent assessments within the course, whichever is sooner, but
please note the following exceptions:
 This timescale does not apply to final in-course assessment, including exams.
 The University Christmas closure period is excluded from the 15 working day
calculation.
(Taught Assessment Regulation 16)

Accessing marked coursework and feedback http://edin.ac/2tmFxco

After a piece of coursework has been marked, you will be able to view it – along with the mark and all
related feedback – in Learn. You will find the assessment in the same location that you submitted it.

Exam Diet Dates http://edin.ac/1mtVGn9

You will find dates of forthcoming exam diets at the link here, as well as exam timetables once
available. Please note that exam diets are scheduled centrally and the School is unable to
influence this.
English Literature Honours Handbook Page 34

Past Exam Papers http://edin.ac/1ogJkgn

You can look at exam papers from previous years at the link here.

Use of dictionaries in examinations http://edin.ac/1oUMqMZ

Please note that this is not permitted, except in a few specific cases where all students on a
course are allowed to do so.

Degree Progression Requirements https://edin.ac/2ZlMhXS

You will find full details of progression requirements in the Degree Programme Table for your
degree. Please note that entry into Honours is normally by achievement of a mark of 50 or
higher at the first attempt in all the compulsory second-year courses of your registered
degree. There may be additional requirements for language students.

RESOURCES AND SUPPORT

Living and studying in Edinburgh http://edin.ac/1cFv39N
A valuable source of information on all aspects of student life.

Learn http://edin.ac/1hVD6jA
Learn is the University’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and is used for course
information, discussion forums, coursework submission and so on.

Support for Success in LLC http://edin.ac/1hVD6jA

This Learn site has been designed to provide you with the information, tools and resources
you need to get the best out of your degree. Here you will find content related to study skills,
academic and professional development, useful software, employability, and pastoral care and
support.
Students on a degree programme with LLC as the home subject area will be automatically
enrolled on this course, visible when you launch Learn.

Path http://edin.ac/1oUJqQN
Path is a neat tool to allow you to view your course selections and possible options throughout
your degree programme.

Your Timetable https://edin.ac/13z6Lte

You can gain secure, private access to your personalised timetable via MyEd, and your Office
365 Calendar. To request changes to tutorials, use the Timetabling request form:
http://edin.ac/2FqHL3R.
English Literature Honours Handbook Page 35

Library and computing facilities http://edin.ac/1JKRyZ5

Information on library services, computer facilities and basic computer training.

LLC Resource Centre http://edin.ac/1npNrbo

The Resource Centre at 50 George Square provides access to films and documentaries, video
and audio editing facilities, and more.

Edinburgh University Students' Association

http://edin.ac/19uBr2s
(EUSA)
Find out how to seek help from or get involved with your students’ association.

Careers Service http://edin.ac/15gDcSM

Useful links to information on part-time, vacation and graduate jobs, year abroad
opportunities and general careers advice.

Student Disability Service http://edin.ac/14iCSCf

All students with a long-term or chronic condition (physical or mental) should contact the
Student Disability Service as early as possible in order to take advantage of the help and advice
available.

Support and advice for students in LLC http://edin.ac/1BGckIz

General advice and FAQs for students studying in the School of Literatures, Languages and
Cultures.

Student Support and Personal Tutors http://edin.ac/1ogOIQv

Your Personal Tutor will be your first point of contact for all academic matters relating to your
degree programme and choice of courses. Your Personal Tutor will also provide academic
references. All students will have one meeting with their Personal Tutor each semester, and
group meetings may also be arranged.
The LLC Student Support team will be the first point of contact for all administrative matters
and pastoral care. The Student Support team deal with status letters, degree transfers,
concessions and authorised interruption of studies; they can also offer guidance and
information on all support services available to students at the University.

Special Circumstances https://edin.ac/2N8ab2O

If your academic performance is affected by circumstances such as illness, you will find advice
here.

Study advice and support http://edin.ac/1Lh2d16

Students are encouraged to take advantage of the study support offered by the Institute for
English Literature Honours Handbook Page 36

Academic Development.

Counselling Service https://edin.ac/2N33Wxb

The Counselling Service aim to support you to make the most of your student experience at
the University of Edinburgh. They offer a wide range of support including instant access self-
help resources, drop-in presentation workshops, short term counselling and consultation.

Emergency Contacts and Nightline https://edin.ac/2N7FkDM

If you need assistance as a matter of urgency either during normal working hours (Monday-
Friday, 9a.m. to 5p.m.) or in the evening or at the weekend and you are uncertain who to
contact, please consult the information available at the link above.

Peer support https://edin.ac/2N5thXs

Peer Support in the context of the University means a student with more experience sharing
their knowledge, skills, abilities and expertise with a new or less experienced student. Peer
Support may focus around advancing your academic work, providing opportunities to socialise
with other students within your School or offering additional support to ensure your wellbeing
while at University. Edinburgh University Students’ Association (EUSA) and the University have
been widely developing the Peer Support Project across the University since 2012.
Different forms of Peer Support are available throughout LLC; if you would like to become
involved in a peer support scheme, please speak to your Course Organiser or Personal Tutor or
contact EUSA for more information: peer.support@eusa.ed.ac.uk.

Student feedback and Staff-Student Liaison http://edin.ac/2pkJuir

Students have various opportunities to provide feedback, both informally (e.g. by speaking to
staff) and formally (e.g. through end-of-course questionnaires). Staff members at the
University of Edinburgh work closely with student representatives. Edinburgh University
Students’ Association (EUSA) coordinates student representation and provides training and
support for student representatives across the University. Student representatives (‘Reps’)
listen to you to identify areas for improvement, suggest solutions, and ensure that your views
inform strategic decisions within the University, building a stronger academic community and
improving your student life. Schools share students’ emails with their student representatives
as a matter of course; any student wishing to opt out from this should inform the Course
Secretary.