In the few university units I did, one unit had no exam periods and it was all hand-ins. All work was individual, however, I did have one task where I had to peer mark the assignments that others handed in and that contributed to my overall mark/grade. Another unit had class tests only; a mid-semester, an end-of-semester and one during the official university exam period.
You may or may not have some tasks that don't contribute to your overall grade, but they must be completed since they are a hurdle requirement and you will fail the unit otherwise. This could be participation quizzes and whatnot. However, this does vary across universities.
You should aim for a HD where possible though (no pressure), because,,,, academic validation
Not sure how much my response contributes, but I'd say
@jimmysmith560 summed it perfectly!