The requirements may differ from one institution to another, but an example at http://registrar.berkeley.edu/Default.aspx?PageID=finals.htm... is: To omit a final exam of any format from an undergraduate course, a Petition for Final Exam Variances form available on the COCI website must be submitted to the COCI no later than the end of the 5th week of instruction (check Final Exam Exemption Request on the form). Note that Department Chairs may not approve omission of a final exam from an undergraduate course. ;[DOC] Howard University - Formato de archivo: Microsoft Word - Versión en HTML
Only students with an A grade average on the three course exams will be exempt from the final exam. NO make-up exams will be given without a documented ...
healthparc.com/Documents/Stats%20Syllabus%20Fall%202009.doc

...Under the new British system, and those influenced by it, such as the Canadian, Irish, Jordanian, Indian, Malaysian, Maltese, Nigerian, Sri Lankan, Singaporean, Hong Kong and Australian systems, undergraduate degrees are differentiated either as pass degrees (also known in some areas as ordinary degrees) or as Honours Degrees, the latter sometimes denoted by the appearance of "(Hons)" after the degree abbreviation. An honours degree generally requires a higher academic standard than a pass degree ..
in
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honours_degree#Honours_Degrees_...


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Note added at 2 days5 mins (2010-05-10 14:10:23 GMT)
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also in the same site:
Honours Degrees are of a superior academic standard. An Honours Degree is always awarded in one of four classes depending upon the marks gained in the final assessments and examinations. The top students are awarded a first class degree, the next best, an upper second class degree (usually referred to as a 2:1), the next a lower second class degree (usually referred to as a 2:2), and those with the lowest marks gain a third class degree. An Ordinary or unclassified degree (which does not give the graduate the right to add (Hons)) may be awarded if a student has completed the full honours degree course but has not obtained the total required passes sufficient to merit a third-class honours degree. Alternatively a student may be denied honours if he/she has had to retake course.