Alternative assessment strategies for UK postgraduate students

Assessment policies in UK postgraduate education predominantly rely on summative coursework evaluations, often without compensation mechanisms available at undergraduate levels. Consequently, students failing both their initial and resit assessments are awarded only a Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) instead of a master’s degree, even if their overall performance demonstrates substantial academic engagement. This approach poses challenges for students who struggle with single high-stakes assessments and does not align with contemporary formative assessment principles that emphasize learning improvement through structured feedback. This study critically examines alternative assessment strategies such as bonus questions, rapid resubmission, portfolio-based assessment, and competency-based grading to explore their applicability to UK postgraduate programmes. Drawing on international best practices, particularly US resubmission-based models, this paper proposes a novel Compensatory Resubmission Model (CRM), integrating formative assessment principles with structured reassessment mechanisms to enhance student success while maintaining academic integrity. Through a comprehensive literature review and critical discussion, the paper situates the proposed model within the broader discourse on assessment fairness, student retention, and equity in postgraduate education. The findings contribute to ongoing policy debates regarding assessment reform in UK higher education institutions.