Download - External Examiner Workshop
External Examiner Workshop
The Assessment Process
Colin Davis Academic Registry
20 November 2013
Scope
•This presentation covers the assessment process for Middlesex qualifications
•This will include programmes delivered at Middlesex campuses, and also those delivered under joint and franchise collaborations in the UK and overseas
•Also included are validated programmes which have adopted Middlesex arrangements for assessment
Topics
•Campuses and Schools•Assessment Boards & Programme Progression Committees•Timing of Boards•Structure of degrees•Module Grades and Administrative grades•Re-assessment and deferred assessment•Compensation•Extenuating Circumstances and Deferrals•Plagiarism•Classification of degrees
Session 1: 1st tier boards, role of external examiner,
20-point scale
•Separate regulations for UG and PG students
•Sections A,B,C,E differ
•Section D relates to external examiners’ responsibilities
Campuses and Schools
•Campuses
–Hendon, Dubai, Mauritius, Malta–Other (collaborative programmes)
•Schools–S&T, BS, H&E–A&D, M&P, LAW, IWBL
•Student–has one base campus–studies a programme owned by one school
School Structure
A School has several Departments, each with a Head of Department (HoD)
A Department has several groups, or clusters of Programmes, each with a Director of Programmes (DoP)
Each Programme has a Programme Leader (PL)
Subjects and Programmes
Each module in the university belongs to one Subject
e.g. module code PSY3000-belongs to the PSYchology Subject-is at level 6 (Honours)
Each Programme is made up of modules drawn from one or more Subjects
Two-tier system of Assessment Boards (D)
Subject Boards (1st tier) [confirm module grades]
Programme Progression Committee (2nd tier) [decide students’ progression]
OR
School Assessment Board (2nd tier) [award final qualifications]
Timing of Undergraduate Boards (E1)
•September starters–June: main Boards–July: H&E, S&T resit Boards–September: Other resit Boards
•January Yr 1 starters–July: main Boards–September: resit Boards–Year 2 UG commences in September–Jan start also for UG yr 2 & 3
•Summer School–September: main Boards–June: resit boards
Timing of Postgraduate Boards (E1)
TAUGHT MODULES•September starters
–June: main Boards–September: resit Boards
•January starters –July: main Boards–September: resit Boards
DISSERTATION
•September starters–Nov/ Dec: main Boards
•January starters–February: main Boards
Credit points and the 20 point Grading Scale (E5)
Used for all modules within Middlesex programmes, including joint and franchise arrangements.
Also used on those validated programmes which have adopted Middlesex credit point and grading structures.
Structure of Full-Time Honours Degree (A)
Module 3Module 3
Module 1Module 1Module 2Module 2
Module 4Module 4
YEAR 1
YEAR 2
YEAR 3
Module = 30 creditsYear = 120 creditsHons degree = 360 credits (120+ level 6+ 210+ level 5+ 360 level 4+)
Module 5Module 5
Module 6Module 6
Module 7Module 7
Module 8Module 8
Module 9Module 9
Module 11Module 11
Module 12Module 12
Module 10Module 10
Structure of Full-Time Masters Degree (A)
Module 3Module 3
Module 1Module 1Module 2Module 2
Module 4Module 4
YEAR 1
Module = 30 creditsDissertation = 60 creditsMasters = 180 credit points(inc 150+ at level 7; 30- at level 6)12 months (normally)
See table in section A for credit point requirements for a variety of qualifications
Dissertation Module Dissertation Module
Module Grades (E5)
Grade Honours Degree Masters Degree
1-4 first distinction
5-8 upper second merit
9-12 lower second pass
13-16 third
17 marginal fail: compensation allowed
18 fail: compensation allowed
19 fail
20 fail: incomplete
Administrative Grades (E5)
X did not attend
20 attended – failed to participate in all assessment
I incomplete with good reason
U academic misconduct under investigation
P academic misconduct proven
Y UNGRADED PASS
S aegrotat
C COMPENSATED FAILURE
H not assessed
Re-assessment / deferred assessment (E7)
Failure of a module (grades 17,18,19,20) results in a re-assessment opportunity in the exam, coursework or both
Deferral of exam/coursework is also possible
Example codes:RE, RC, RA, DE, DC, DADERC etc
Capping of grades at re-assessment
Level 3/4 No capping
Level 5/6/7 Capping at component level only
Compensation (E10)
Modules at grade 17 or 18 may be compensated
Subject to satisfactory overall performance
By second tier Board 30 points at level 4 (60 if learning outcomes met)
30 points at level 5+ (60 if extenuating circumstances).
Maximum 30 points for Masters
Module mark sheet (subject board)LAW1001 (grades)
Regno 50% exam 50% cwk overall grade
nnn0435 11 7 9
nnn4523 18 18 18 RA
nnn4743 5 I DE
nnn6816 18 9 18 RE
nnn9284 15 20 20 RC
nnn1325 16 7 11
nnn1575 U 9 U
Module mark sheet (subject board)LAW1001 (marks)
Regno 50% exam 50% cwk av. mark overall grade
nnn0435 63% 53% 58% 9
nnn4523 32% 34% 33% 18 RA
nnn4743 68% I DE
nnn6816 30% 58% 18 RE
nnn9284 43% 20 RC
nnn1325 40% 64% 52% 11
nnn1575 U 58% U
Submission of extenuating circumstances (D9)
Submitted by the student electronically to the assessment manager (via UniHelp). S/he will decide whether to grant deferral of assessment
Considered by PPCs in making progression decisions & School Assessment Boards in making awards
Deferral of modules (E8)
Granted centrally by assessment managers, for exams, coursework or both, on a module by module basis, based on specific extenuating circumstances submitted
A general statement of extenuating circumstances, not linked to deferrals, may be made for consideration at Boards
For confidential issues, the “sealed envelope” system, for the attention of the chair only, is in place
Progressing Student :Subject Assessment Board & PPC
At the end of each year His/her module grades are decided by (one or more) Subject Assessment Boards, thenHis/her overall progression decided by (one) Programme Progression Committee
Assessment grades and a progression decision are published for each student
Finalist Student
At the end of the final year of the programme
His/her module grades are decided by (one or more) Subject Assessment Boards, thenThe final award is made by the School Assessment Board
The conferred qualification is published
Academic Misconduct (section F)
Reported to Chair of the Subject Assessment Board (U grade)
Referred to Academic Registrar at MU for investigation
If disputed by student, investigation panel ensues
Registrar recommends penalty to Assessment Board
P grade & penalties
Applies to all programmes include all collaborative programmes
Delegated responsibility to some collaborative partners
Classification of Honours Degrees (E4.4)
2 profiles based onlevel 5 and above (240points)level 6 and above (120 points)
To achieve a clear class in a profile, a student must achieve :
50% of credits in that class+, No more than 25% low grades
for 1st and 2-1
A borderline profile has:50% of credits in that class+, More than 25% low grades
There are rules to decide class (E4.4.2 & E 4.4.3)
No discretion (E 4.4.2)
Both profiles give same clear class
Clear class at level 6, and not more than 1 class above profile at levels 5&6
Clear class at levels 5&6, and profile at level 6 is on an adjacent lower borderline
Exercising Discretion 1 (E 4.4.3)
There is only 1 profile and it is borderline
There are two profiles and both are borderline
The two profiles do not fall into any combination specified under E 4.4.2
Exercising Discretion 2 (E 4.4.3)
Bear in mindLevel 6 / final stage work
Grade for dissertation / core module(s) at level 6
Extenuating circumstances
The need to be consistent
Hons Class (50% in class)
module grade lev 5 & 6 Lev 6
ABC2000 3 xxxxxx
ABC2005 1 xxxxxx
ABC2010 2 xxxxxx
XYZ2666 4 1st xxxxxx
ABC3000 9
ABC3500 11 L2
XYZ 3000 13
XYZ3100 16
Classification of Masters degrees (E4.6)
1 profile based on level 7+
Minimum 60 graded credit points
Distinction60 pt dissertation grade 4+50% remaining credit grade 4+
Merit60 pt dissertation grade 8+50% remaining credit grade 8+
Masters 50% method
module credit grade outcome
ABC4992 60 3
ABC4000 30 4 Distinction
ABC4500 30 4
ABC4510 30 8
ABC4800 30 16
Considering extenuating circumstances (D8)
Subject BoardsExtenuating circumstances do not alter grades
Finalist boardsConsidered when discretion may be applied (as defined in E 4.4.2)
But note D6, General Discretion
Example finalist profiles
Honours degree finalistsee example sheet
Masters finalistsee example sheet