ASSESSMENT REGULATIONS

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ASSESSMENT REGULATIONS

• A GUIDE TO THE REVISED REGULATIONS MARCH 2005

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COMPENSATION

• THE UNIVERSITY PASS MARK IS 40 Some exceptions
  exist where Pass/Fail is used or 50 at
  postgraduate level. There are no longer separate
  regulations for EDEXCEL provision.
• Not automatic and must take into account overall
  profile. (Reg 5.20 states a stage average grade
  of 40 and NO grade below 30
• IMPORTANT at Stage 1 a mixed economy can be
  practiced i.e. compensation applied AND
  reassessment permitted. For other stages, failure
  in a maximum of 30 credits can be compensated.
  Failure in more than 30 credits means retrieval
  across ALL failed courses. See profiling (Reg
  5.27)
• A maximum of 30 credits can be compensated within
  each stage. For the purpose of stage
  average/award classification a compensated grade
  40

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COMPONENT RULES

• Some Schools may have a component rule
• In order to PASS a Course an Undergrad student
  must get 40 for the Course
• And not drop below 30 for any component.
• 29 in a component means the Course is failed
  whatever the overall Course mark

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COMPENSATION 2

• Grades of less than 30 cannot be compensated at
  Stages 1 and 2 EXCEPT where exemption from
  Academic Council has been granted e.g CMS
  Mathematics portfolio
• At final stage, one overall grade of less than
  30 can be condoned BUT not in addition to
  compensation. In cases of such condonement the
  initial grade will be used to calculate Honours.

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REASSESSMENT

• no longer a credit envelope for reassessment.
  Emphasis to be placed on the INDIVIDUALS
  scale/margin of failure to guide the timing and
  nature of reassessment.
• Candidates are allowed THREE attempts to pass a
  course though the sequence may differ.
• PABS need to clearly identify the timing of
  reassessment and the form it is to take is to
  take

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REASSESSMENT 2

• RESIT to retrieve failure at the earliest
  opportunity without involving re-registration
  (i.e. usually within the session of initial
  failure or summer retrieval). Resits may be
  carried across a session e.g. deferral in summer,
  fail subsequent attempt, resit following session,
  BUT PABs may prefer to PI, given the non-capping
  of grade.
• REPEAT to re-register on a course in a
  subsequent session in order to repeat all OR some
  of the elements of assessment
• PI (proceed intermediate standing) student
  allowed to progress to next stage but carrying
  failure. Maximum of 30 credits permitted.
• Unless specifically prohibited, students can
  substitute the PI course to prevent locking-in
  to failure. This does mean that a level 1
  carry-over could be replaced by a level 2
  course if it better suited the students study.

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REASSESSMENT 3

• It is anticipated that PABS will make more use of
  PI provision than hitherto practiced. PI can be
  applied after intitial failure or following
  unsuccessful resits.
• Grades awarded for successful resits will be
  capped at 40. A penalised grade of 35 no
  longer exists
• Reassessment involving repetition of a course
  (irrespective of quantity of assessment tasks)
  and re-registration either as a Fail Repeat
  student OR as a PI (proceed with a carry-over)
  will NOT result in the grade being capped.

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HONOURS CLASSIFICATION

• Based on the FULL SPREAD of grades attained at
  stage 2 and 3. The primacy of the discounting
  model no longer applies.
• Classification percentile bands and weighting
  between stages 2 and 3 remain the same as before.
• Classification determined by Overall Grade
  attained across stages 2 and 3

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HONOURS CLASSIFICATION 2

• FIRST step for PAB is to determine whether final
  stage has been passed.
• In cases of pass, PAB should NORMALLY award the
  classification that reflects the percentile band.
• However, there is discretion for PABs to award a
  lower classification, despite percentage, if
  there is a skewing of profile.
• If candidate is not a pass then either
  compensation (30 credits) OR Condonement in a
  single composite grade can be applied.

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BORDERLINE CANDIDATES

• Same definition as before i.e. 2 off the
  threshold 38 48 58 68 OVERALL grade
• NEW EXCEPTIONALLY PABs may give consideration
  to candidates whose overall grade falls outside
  of the 2 margins.
• In deliberating the merits of borderline and
  exceptional candidates PABs MAY consider the
  following factors

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BORDERLINE CANDIDATES 2

• Not ALL the following factors need to be met and
  there is no hierarchy in the order
• Exit velocity
• Award points Stage 3 (24) Stage 2 (8). To be
  awarded a higher classification candidates should
  obtain 16 award points in the higher band.
• Performance in specific courses

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OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES

• Honours classification for Direct Entry/APL
  candidates will be based on their Stage 3 Grade
  Point Average.
• Pass degree/Exit awards conferred to those
  students who exhaust reassessment opportunities
  (initial resit plus one further attempt).
• Awards with commendation allowed for non-degree
  awards provided 60 attained in final stage of
  that award (all 150 credits for HNC)

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DEFERRALS

• No change. Circumstances considered by
  Extenuation Panel. PAB will use discretion
  regarding nature and timing of assessment (as of
  the first time). Grades will not be capped.
• At final stage PAB MAY make an award (without
  further assessment) if there is sufficient
  evidence of aptitude.
• AEGROTAT awards are still permitted where PAB is
  satisfied that , but for illness or valid cause
  the standard would have been attained.
• In the above cases, students may decline the award

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POSTGRADUATE PROVISION

• Compensation limited to a maximum of 30 credits
  across the whole AWARD.
• Awards with Distinction are permitted where
  students attain an average of 70 across the
  programme. PABS may also make distinction awards,
  where there is evidence of exceptional
  performance.
• The conferment of a postgraduate award with Merit
  is permitted where an average of 60 across the
  programme is attained.

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EXTENSIONS

• There will be no extensions to be granted by
  anybody.
• Or sliding scales of penalty.
• All late work will be marked at 0.
• Work handed in up to 2 weeks after the deadline
  with an EC Form will be marked in the normal way
  with appropriate feedback and the student told
  the mark.

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EXTENSION 2

• Work handed in more than two weeks late will not
  be marked except in circumstances that would
  warrant a judgement of Serious or Extreme by
  an EC Panel
• Students whose EC claim is accepted will enter
  the re-sit process on a deferred basis.

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EXTENSION 3

• If the EC claim fails a mark of 0 is entered in
  the student record.
• If the student fails the Course then they will
  have to complete the appropriate re-sits in
  July/August.
• If the EC claim succeeds the full mark will be
  entered in to the student record.

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ACADEMIC OFFENCES

• Covers alleged plagiarism and examination
  offences
• Should be reported to Head of Department
• using form CP1
• HoD (or nominee) conducts an interview
• After interview form CP2 is completed
• CP2 form sent to University Student Records
• May apply an appropriate penalty

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ACADEMIC OFFENCES 2

• There is a limit to the penalties that can be
  imposed following Investigative Interview
• If the investigative interview is inconclusive or
  the offence is severe then an Assessment Offences
  Panel shall be convened.
• ALL Assessment Offences Panels will be convened
  by the School/University
• If partners are in doubt about the level of
  penalty to impose following interview or to refer
  to AOP
• then consult with University School

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ACADEMIC OFFENCES 3

• Formal record of AOP is made (CP3)
• CP3 sent to student records
• Any penalty imposed by interview or AOP is
  recorded in Banner against component as AO.
• Appeals against outcome of interview or AOP
  allowed within 20 days
• Academic Appeals Committee will only consider
• in cases where there is new evidence or
  procedural irregularity