External Examiner Workshop Subject / School Boards

The Assessment Process Ursula Reed Academic Registry 9th February 2017

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 Boards 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

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, Faculties & Schools Hendon, Dubai, Mauritius, Malta Other (collaborative programmes) Faculty / Schools Faculty of Arts and Creative Industries Faculty of Science and Technology Faculty of Professional and Social Sciences. The Faculty comprises the Business School, the School of Law, the School of Health and Education and the Institute for Work Based Learning. Student has one base campus, and studies a programme owned by one Faculty / School

School Structure A Faculty / 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 (1st tier) [confirm module grades] Programme Progression Board (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 starts in September Jan start also for UG yr 2 & 3

Timing of Postgraduate Boards (E1) TAUGHT MODULES September starters June: main Boards September: resit Boards January starters July: main Boards DISSERTATION Nov/ Dec: main Boards 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) YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 Module = 30 credits Year = 120 credits Hons degree = 360 credits (120+ level 6+ 210+ level 5+ 360 level 4+) Module 1 Module 2 Module 3 Module 4 Module 5 Module 6 Module 7 Module 8 Module 9 Module 10 Module 11 Module 12

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

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, 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

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 PPB’s 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 & PPB 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 Board 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 Deputy Academic Registrar at MU for investigation If disputed by student, investigation panel ensues Deputy Registrar recommends penalty to Assessment Board P grade & penalties Applies to all programmes including all collaborative programmes with 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: 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

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+

Example finalist profiles Finalists see example sheet