Academic Registry External Examining at Northumbria Ann Macfadyen and Alan Gregg Academic Development Officers Quality & Student Learning Academic Registry

To provide: – A brief instruction to Northumbria University –An introduction to being an external examiner at Northumbria –A brief overview of Assessment Regulations for Northumbria Awards (ARNA) –An overview of Programme Development at Northumbria. AIMS for today

Academic Registry About Northumbria

Northumbria University

Academic Registry External examiners are appointed to provide each institution with impartial and independent advice, as well as informative comment on the institution's standards and on student achievement in relation to those standards QAA, UK Quality Code, Chapter B7: External Examining External Examining: The Role

Academic Registry …… to provide informative comment and recommendations upon whether or not: an institution is maintaining the threshold academic standards set for its awards in accordance with the frameworks for higher education qualifications and applicable subject benchmark statements the assessment process measures student achievement rigorously and fairly against the intended outcomes…. and is conducted in line with the institution’s policies and regulations the academic standards and the achievements of students are comparable with those in other UK higher education institutions of which external examiners have experience. QAA Quality Code for Higher Education Chapter B7: External Examining The Role

Academic Registry Web Pages: External Examiner Guidance Assessment Policies Assessment Regulations for Northumbria Awards (ARNA), 2015/16 External Examiners Annual Report Guidance Report Templates Key Resources

Academic Registry Module marks are considered and confirmed at the Module Examination Board (MEB) Student profiles are considered at the Progression and Awards Board (PAB) External examiners normally appointed to MEB, PAB or combined MEB/PAB Statistical reports integral to MEB & PAB Exam Board Structures

Academic Registry Externals examiners are: expected to comment on assessment process and academic standards not required to comment on learning resources, although such comments will be welcomed and considered regarded as ‘critical friends’ Wider Aspects

Academic Registry Levels of involvement Levels contributing to the award all modules on PG programmes level 5/6 of honours programmes level 5 of Foundation Degrees exceptionally at level 3/4 if contributing to award or required by professional body Comment on provision delivered in Partnerships MEB discussion, decision- making for technical extenuating circumstances (TECs) and academic misconduct cases PAB external overview of operation, handling of personal extenuating circumstances (PECs)

Assessment approval esandservices/registry/aqintranet/asses smentlearnachieve/moderationforms/

Academic Registry Samples of assessed work Internally Moderated Square root of student cohort, minimum 6 Dissertations UG following mark-concealed second marking of all dissertations, standard sample plus confirmation of process sent to external examiner PG possibly larger sample by agreement at MEB All work (including exam scripts) is returned to students Moderation Standards

Academic Registry Module tutors should take responsibility for providing moderators and external examiners with: Assessment brief / copy of examination paper Marking scheme / solutions / grade descriptors / assessment criteria A list of students and marks for the whole cohort which should be added as an appendix to this template, including markers names and appropriate breakdown of marks between questions / sections / components answered A sample of scripts Module reporting

Academic Registry Module tutors should take responsibility for providing moderators and external examiners with: Assessment brief / copy of examination paper; Marking scheme / solutions / grade descriptors / assessment criteria; A list of students and marks for the whole cohort which should be added as an appendix to this template, including markers names and appropriate breakdown of marks between questions / sections / components answered; A sample of scripts Module reporting form

Academic Registry The external examiner may wish to recommend, either formally at the MEB or informally in advance of it, that module marks are changed e.g. by scaling a set of marks, for the whole cohort, either up or down recommend the correction of marks that have been determined incorrectly, where both internal and external markers are in agreement but may not recommend adjustments to individual marks Adjusting Marks?

Academic Registry Standard template Electronic format Students & staff should not be named Normally required by 31st July Written response by Northumbria must be provided Shared with student representatives Reports, and responses to them, form part of the University’s formal review process Your Report

Academic Registry Your appointment letter should indicate: Faculty Contacts

Academic Registry We hope you enjoy your time as an External Examiner at Northumbria Ann Macfadyen Academic Development Officer Quality & Student Learning Academic Registry +44(0) Thank You

Academic Registry External Examining at Northumbria Assessment Regulations for Northumbria Awards (ARNA) A Brief Introduction

Academic Registry Available at: Assessment Regulations for Northumbria Awards (ARNA)

Academic Registry Awards are made up of a particular number of credits at specified level/s Honours degrees normally comprise 360 credits: 120 at levels 4, 5 and 6 Masters degrees comprise 180 credits at least 150 at level 7 All modules must be passed to progress to next level or stage Where modules failed, referral or compensation may be possible Any variations to ARNA will be approved by the University and made clear by Faculty AWARDS

Academic Registry Each module contributes an approved number of credits All assessment components in a module must be completed Module pass mark normally 40% for UG (level 6 and below) 50% for PG (level 7) where clearly specified, component pass may be required modules/components can be pass/fail All module marks (and level average) rounded to nearest integer % Modules

Academic Registry Different regulations for FT & PT programmes from 2013/14 Automatic referral opportunity on PT programmes FT programmes: If level average requirement met, no limit to number of referrals level 3/4 - 30% levels 5/6 - 40% level 7 (Integrated Master’s) - 50% PG programmes - 45% from level 7 modules only (level 6 modules excluded from average) no level average requirement for referral of dissertation Referral

Academic Registry For all programmes, module pass mark (40/50%) and credit awarded for successful referral (but at award stage change in mark does not improve classification) Referral

Academic Registry Not available at intermediate stages of PT programmes Otherwise non-discretionary On FT programmes, level average requirement must be met Module mark must be at least 30% Maximum 20 credits per 120 credit level All assessment components must be completed Credit awarded (and module pass mark) but, at award stage, any change in mark does not improve classification Compensation

Programme Framework for Northumbria Awards Alan J Gregg Academic Development Officer Quality & Student Learning

 To recognise the Programme as the main vehicle through which the student journey is undertaken and from which their achievements and satisfaction derive  (and through which compliance with the UK Code for Higher Education (QAA) will be demonstrated and confirmed at Institutional review)  To ensure all Northumbria programmes are designed to engage students in a learning process which will enable them to maximise their potential  Contribute to the outcomes of the Northumbria Corporate Strategy  To provide a common goal of the “ Northumbria Graduate Characteristics” as the outcome of all Northumbria Programmes.  To provide synergy between Northumbria’s research and teaching excellence through enjoining students as co-producers of knowledge through the integration of Research Rich Learning Why a new Framework

 Articulation and adoption of the “Northumbria Graduate Characteristics ” as the aim of all Northumbria Programmes  The formulation of programme learning outcomes for each level / stage (PGT) as the starting point and central focus of all programme design.  Consideration of the process of learning as an equally important element as the content of learning within all programmes  Establishment of teams, including students and other stakeholders, to undertake programme design  Design of modules to deliver programme requirements / learning outcomes rather than free standing learning activities.  Module learning outcomes linked to programme (Level) learning outcomes.  The development of students as Critical Scholars via Research Rich Learning as a process and an outcome of Northumbria learning at each level / stage of the programme The Framework

 A Northumbria graduate will be able to:  Be able to think independently, understand and justify their own opinions, and will recognise the need to challenge their thinking, and the thinking of others  Be able to apply their disciplinary knowledge to complex problems in their discipline and its professional or industrial practice in order to identify appropriate solutions which are sustainable and justifiable.  Value curiosity, collaboration and analysis as keystones in the creation of new knowledge and practice  Be able to communicate effectively to diverse audiences utilising a range of formats and media  Display the attitudes and skills to engage and work constructively and sensitively in multi-cultural environments and teams and have an awareness of ethical considerations  Combine all of the above to support their future employability and long term career prospects Northumbria Graduate Characteristics

 In addition, a Northumbria Masters graduate will be able to:  PG Cert / Diploma will be able to:  Critically reflect on their own work and that of others  Present and justify their work, in the context of wider theories and practice, to their peers  Display and critically apply expert knowledge within areas of their discipline and /or its practice  Master’s degree will further be able to:  Conceptualise, theorise and undertake research which addresses complex issues and which advances understanding within the discipline or practice  Contribute to the creation of new knowledge and /or applications to practice within their discipline through a critical understanding of the processes through which knowledge is created.  Formulate balanced judgements when considering incomplete or ambiguous data and can communicate these judgements clearly to both specialist and non-specialist audiences Northumbria Graduate Characteristics

Design Pillars

 A minimum of a 40 credit project / dissertation in all Honours Degrees  With the exception of completion pathways, as defined in PFNA  60 credit project / dissertation in all taught Masters Degrees  20 credit modules or multiples there of as the building blocks of all undergraduate programmes  Encourage the use of programme frameworks and pathways to offer flexibility whilst maintaining the integrity of the named award  As defined within Programme Framework for Northumbria Awards The Framework – Key Features

 Option modules must contribute directly and positively to the Programme learning outcomes, and there should be no more than:  No options at level 4  40 credits of option at level 5  80 credits of option at level 6  20 / 30 credit modules or multiples there of as the building blocks for taught post graduate awards.  Provision of opportunity all programmes at level 5 of all undergraduate degrees to enable study abroad / placements (Semester or Full Year)  Year Long modules can continue but clear semesterised step on step off point & process has to be approved with module design The framework – Key features

Revised Programme Documentation Designed to be Student Facing

 Programme Learning Outcomes: Students undertaking the programme are expected to achieve the following learning & educational outcomes at each stage of the programme prior to progression to the next stage.

  Academic Development Officer  Faculty Directors of Approval and Review  Academic Development Officers Further Information