1. External Examiner Workshop Subject / School Boards

2. The Assessment Process
Ursula Reed
Academic Registry
9th February 2017

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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)

8. 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

9. 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]

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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.

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. Capping of grades at re-assessment
Level 3/4
No capping
Level 5/6/7
Capping at component level only

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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

25. 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

26. 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)

27. 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

28. 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

29. 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

30. 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+

31. Example finalist profiles
Finalists
see example sheet