In sickness and in need: the how and why of special consideration for students

This article reviews the practice of special consideration for students who have been unable to complete examinations or assignments due to temporary incapacity such as illness or bereavement. A literature review revealed no meaningful academic discussion on the place of such special consideration in higher education. A broad overview of the international situation is presented and the courses of action used in various institutions are identified. While it is a widely accepted practice that some form of special consideration is offered to students, there is no generally argued justification for it. The key argument offered in this article is that special consideration can be offered while still being fair and while maintaining academic rigour. The broad social values that can be used to justify special academic consideration are presented, as are the general conditions which must exist for special consideration to be justified and verified. The paper closes with a brief review of potential further research in this area.