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Common Awards (Theology, Ministry and Mission)
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Academic Complaints 

What is an academic complaint? 

If you are registered on a Common Awards programme, you can make a complaint about the academic provision you receive. Matters that you can complain about include (but are not restricted to): 

  • the arrangements for, or delivery of, teaching or assessment for your academic programme 
  • the adequacy of supervision for modules that are a formal and assessed part of the academic programme 
  • academic support 
  • assessed placements that are a formal part of the academic programme 
  • administrative or support services that relate to the academic programme 
  • information or publicity in relation to the academic programme 
  • the infrastructure for academic programmes, including learning resources and teaching spaces. 

This is not intended to be an exhaustive list. There may be other areas of provision or support which could have an impact on your experience of your academic programme and your progress in your studies. 

If you raise a complaint your institution can consult with Durham University about whether or not the matter should be considered an academic complaint. 

Academic complaints do not include complaints about the admissions process or academic appeals. These are covered by separate policies described below. 

What about non-academic complaints? 

Your institution will have its own process for non-academic complaints, including complaints involving allegations of misconduct by a student, relating to the behaviour of an individual, and involving allegations of sexual violence.

There are also separate processes that set out what happens if: 

  • you stop engaging in teaching and learning for a substantial period without communicating with your institution about your circumstances and the reasons for your absence (see the Academic Progress Notice procedure) 
  • you commit academic misconduct, such as plagiarism or a breach of your institution’s research ethics policy 
  • you commit non-academic misconduct (see your institution’s disciplinary policies). 

Principles of the academic complaints process 

The academic complaints process has 3 stages. 

Stage 1: 

Informal resolution within your institution
  • Students who have a complaint to make should raise it as soon as possible. You should raise a complaint no more than 28 days after the event that the complaint concerns unless there is a good reason for the delay.
  • Even if a formal complaint is received, your institution should try to resolve the complaint using informal mechanisms in the first instance, where appropriate. 
  • The informal resolution stage might include mediation.
  • At the conclusion of any informal resolution attempts, your institution should tell you about the formal complaints procedure and deadline for submitting a formal complaint.

Stage 2: 

Formal resolution within your institution 
  • The formal stage should only start when the informal procedures have been exhausted and the student(s) who have brought the complaint remain(s) dissatisfied.
  • Your institution will have its own formal complaints procedure. This will set out the process for receiving, recording, investigating and resolving complaints.
  • You should raise the complaint no more than 28 days after the event that the complaint concerns or following unsatisfactory outcome of an informal attempt at resolution.
  • Your institution should acknowledge receipt of the complaint within 7 days 
  • Your institution should use its best endeavours to ensure that you receive a written report that sets out the reasons for the decision within 42 Days of receipt of the completed Complaints Form

Stage 3: 

Review by Durham University
  • If you remain dissatisfied once your institution’s informal and formal procedures are exhausted, you have the right to request a review by the University, within 14 days of the receipt of the Stage 2 written report.
  • The University’s review is not a re-investigation of the complaint. It is a review of whether your institution followed the appropriate complaints policies and processes and whether they did so correctly. If procedural irregularities are identified, the complaint might be referred back to your institution for re-investigation.
  • During Stage 3, complainants will be advised that they may seek advice from the Durham Students’ Union (DSU).
  • At the completion of Stage 3, the complainant(s) will be advised that they can refer their complaint to the Office for the Independent Adjudicator (OIA). The OIA is an independent body set up to review student complaints about higher education providers in England and Wales.


It is expected that the formal procedure should be completed and a written report sent to the student that sets out the reasons for the decision within 42 days of receipt of the completed Complaints Form. Your institution should keep you up to date about the progress of any complaints process and must tell you if there is any reason why it will take longer than 42 days to complete the process. 

Your institution’s academic complaints policy should tell you which members of staff to contact at each stage of the process and where you can seek out advice and support during the complaints process.

Complaints must be investigated by someone independent of the source or focus of the complaint. This may be the Principal of your institution, a designated member of staff or a member of your institution’s governing body. 

Durham University will ask your institution to conduct an internal review following on from any complaints that reach Stages 2 or 3 to identify whether there are any areas of practice or provision that might be improved. 

 

Review Form

Further Information