External Examiner Workshop

The Assessment Process Michael Wing Academic Registry June 14, 2016

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 – Science and Technology (S&T) – Business School - includes Work Based Learning (BS - IWBL) – Health and Education (H&E) – Art and Design (A&D) – Media and Performing Arts (MPA) – Law Student – has one base campus, and – 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 (PSY3000) -is at level 6 (PSY3000) - FHEQ Level 4 - module numbers beginning with 1 - FHEQ Level 5 - module numbers beginning with 2 etc Each Programme is made up of modules drawn from one or more Subjects

Two-tier system of Assessment Boards (D) Subject Boards (1 st tier) [confirm module grades] Programme Progression Committee (2 nd tier) [decide students’ progression] OR School Assessment Board (2 nd 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 starts 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 3 Module 1 Module 2 Module 4 YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 Module = 30 credits Year = 120 credits Hons degree = 360 credits (120+ level level level 4+) Module 7 Module 5 Module 6 Module 8 Module 11 Module 9 Module 10 Module 12

Structure of Full-Time Masters Degree (A) YEAR 1 Module = 30 credits Dissertation = 60 credits Masters = 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 Module 3 Module 1 Module 2 Module 4

Module Grades (E5) GradeHonours DegreeMasters Degree 1-4firstdistinction 5-8upper secondmerit 9-12lower secondpass 13-16third 17marginal fail: compensation allowed 18fail: compensation allowed 19fail 20fail: incomplete

Administrative Grades (E5) Xdid not attend 20attended – failed to participate in all assessment Iincomplete with good reason Uacademic misconduct under investigation Pacademic misconduct proven YUngraded pass Saegrotat CCompensated failure Hnot 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, DA DERC 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) Regno50% exam50% cwkoverall grade nnn nnn RA nnn47435I DE nnn RE nnn RC nnn nnn1575U9U

Module mark sheet (subject board) LAW1001 (marks) Regno50% exam50% cwkav. markoverall grade nnn043563%53%58%9 nnn452332%34%33%18 RA nnn474368%I DE nnn681630%58%18 RE nnn928443%20 RC nnn132540%64%52%11 nnn1575U58%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

Considering extenuating circumstances (D8) Subject Boards Extenuating circumstances do not alter grades Finalist boards Considered when discretion may be applied (as defined in E 4.4.2) But note D6, General Discretion

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, then His/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, then The 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 on level 5 and above (240 points) 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 mind Level 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) modulegrade ABC20003 ABC20051 ABC20102 XYZ26664 ABC30009 ABC XYZ XYZ310016

Classification of Masters degrees (E4.6) 1 profile based on level 7+ Minimum 60 graded credit points Distinction 60 pt dissertation grade 4+ 50% remaining credit grade 4+ Merit 60 pt dissertation grade 8+ 50% remaining credit grade 8+

Masters 50% method modulecreditgrade ABC ABC ABC ABC ABC

Example finalist profiles Finalists see example sheet