External Examiners’ Seminar 2011/12 Academic Regulations Lynn Jones Regulations, Assessment and Awards Manager Academic Registry

Awards Honours Degree 360 credits 120 credits at level credits at level credits at level 6 Cert HE Dip HE Ordinary Degree 300 credits 120 credits at level credits at level credits at level 6 Foundation Degree 240 credits 120 credits at level credits at level 5 Cert HE Dip HE

Awards HND 240 credits 120 credits at level credits at level 5 HNC 150 credits 120 credits at level 4 30 credits at level 5 HNC Taught Masters Part One :120 credits at level 7 Part Two : 60 credit dissertation at level 7 60 credits Post Grad Cert 120 credits Post Grad Dip

Awards PASS DEGREE At the discretion of the Assessment Board, an honours degree candidate who has studied 360 credits but has failed to reach the required standard for a classified honours degree, may be eligible for the award of an honours degree at Pass level. 320 credit points are required of which 120 must be at Level 4 or above, 120 must be at Level 5 or above and a minimum of a further 80 at Level 6.

Awards The University is now giving its own awards for taught programmes Will be an interim period where both Glyndŵr and University of Wales degrees will be awarded because students were given a choice Research degrees will continue to be awarded by the University of Wales MRes and Prof Doctorate awards have been designated as research degrees

Initial Degrees 40% Masters normally 40% but some 50% e.g. MSc Nursing Module Pass Mark

How many attempts? Bachelor Degrees, Foundation Degrees, Diplomas, Certificates Normally 3 attempts exceptions e.g. Social Work, Health Studies and Occupational Therapy only 2 attempts Where the assessment board considers that a student has not made acceptable academic progress, it may recommend to the Special Cases Panel that no further opportunities should be given and the student should be withdrawn from the programme. Taught Masters Two attempts

CONDONEMENT Bachelor Degrees, Foundation Degrees, Diplomas, Certificates and Taught Masters Normally allowed for 20 credits if mark of 35% to 39% achieved All elements of assessment for a module must have been attempted for failure in a module to be condoned Failure cannot be condoned when AP(E)L exceeding 60 credits has been granted Taught Masters students cannot progress to Part 2. Grad Certs/Dips/Post-Graduate Certificate No condonement

Bachelor and Foundation Degrees Require 120 credits to progress At the June Board If a student is deficient in modules amounting to 60 credits or less, they will be allowed to re-sit at the first available opportunity. All assessment/examinations must be retaken at the first available opportunity. If the student does not take all the re-assessment at the first available opportunity, she/he will forfeit that opportunity e.g. the number of attempts allowed will be reduced. Progression Change to Regulations for 2011/12

Progression Change to Regulations for 2011/12 TRAILING (at re-sit board) A student may commence study at the next level trailing 20 credits at the lower level provided that: 100 credits at that level have been passed All assessment elements on the failed module have been attempted All prerequisite modules have been passed. For Taught Masters degrees, the Research Methods module cannot be trailed.

Bachelor Degrees 30% level % level 6 or all of level 6 1 st 70%+ 2:160% - 69% 2:250% - 59% 340% - 49% Pass320 credits and 35%+ Classification

Classification continued Foundation Degrees Distinction Merit Pass 70% and higher 60% - 69% 40% - 59% Taught Masters Distinction Average of 70% and at least 65% in Part One and at least 70% in Part Two

Bachelor Degrees If student is within 1% of a grade boundary they can be considered for the higher classification All the following criteria must be met at least 50% of the credits at level 6 must be in higher classification All level 6 modules passed at first attempt Dissertation/Project (or placement) in higher classification Classification Borderlines

Foundation Degrees If student is within 1% of a grade boundary they can be considered for the higher classification All the following criteria must be met at least 50% of the credits at level 5 or above must be in higher classification All Level 5 modules must have been passed at first attempt

If Extenuating Circumstances are agreed at the first attempt the student will normally be allowed to sit the module again without capping of the mark Extenuating Circumstances Panel Requests are normally considered prior to Module Assessment Board Decisions of the Panel are notified to the Module Board for implementation

Situations which arise which are not covered by the regulations can be referred to SCP. Special Cases Panel In exceptional cases where an Assessment Board wants to take an action which is outside the regulations the matter can be referred to the Special Cases Panel.

In some circumstances incomplete information will be available at an assessment board. This may mean that a decision cannot be reached or that the wrong decision is made. We hope that this will happen only rarely, but on those occasions when it does happen Chair’s action is required in the interests of speed and efficiency. Chair’s action should only be taken following consultation with the external examiner(s) and we ask the Chair and the External Examiner to sign a form confirming that consultation has taken place. Once again this practice is observed in the interests of fairness and justice - no decision about a student should be taken by one individual alone, or without the involvement of someone who is external and impartial. Chair’s Actions are reported to the following Assessment Board. Chair’s Action

Academic Appeals – Review of Assessment Board Decisions However, External Examiner(s) may be involved where the outcome of the appeal is to refer the matter back to the Assessment Board External Examiner is not normally involved in the procedure Appeals Procedure

Referred to Programme Leader initially Academic Leader and Superintendent of Examinations decide if it is Major or Minor Misconduct Minor Misconduct Marks adjusted or formal reprimand Major Misconduct Committee of Enquiry Procedure currently under major review for implementation in 2012/13 Academic Misconduct Procedure

The complete Academic Regulations can be accessed from the external examiners’ section on the Glynfo site of the University’s web site. Link provided below: Further Information