1. Academic Regulations Dr Sandra Mienczakowski Head of Academic Processes Student Services - Development

2. Context The Quality Manual

3. Regulations Undergraduate Taught Course regulations:
Postgraduate Taught Course regulations:

4. Regulations Undergraduate Taught Course regulations:
Changes from 15/16 affecting students entering Qualifying or Part I. Students entering Part II or Part III will be considered under old and new and given better of two academic outcomes
Postgraduate Taught Course regulations:
Changes from 16/17 for students entering from September Students who entered before September 2016 will be considered under old and new and given better of two academic outcomes

5. Assessment Regulations
Includes: External Examiners
Assessment Policies
Extenuating Circumstances
Marking and Classification
Academic Misconduct

6. Moderation Key part of the process in assuring standards
External examiners should be involved – School’s will vary and will provide information on their process and expectations
The University does not use normalisation – ie we do not manipulate marks to fit an expected mark distribution

7. School Examination Boards
Confirm relevant assessment marks
Recommend student progression
Recommend degree awards
Recommend reassessments as appropriate
Recommend outcomes relating to students with extenuating circumstances

8. Normally within the regulatory framework which aims to ensure academic rigour, consistency and simplicity
Where special circumstances exist that fall outside any current regulation, recommendations can be made notwithstanding the regulations – in this case these must be approved by the Quality and Standards Committee
Regulations are regularly updated in the light of experience and requirements

9. Standardised Regulations
The majority of our regulations are standardised unless there is a PSRB or other approved exemption permitted– eg whether or not to allow a second reassessment, the weighting of degree classifications, borderline criteria
Within a School, decision-making should be consistent and supportable if challenged
Overarching consideration should be whether the outcome is reasonable for the individual student

10. Academic Misconduct Policy at:
Two levels: School
Central
Management depends on initial School consideration and whether or not it is a first offence
Range of penalties

11. Programme Structures
Essentially standard structures but may vary - defined in programme specifications
These should include information on compulsory modules, non-compensatable modules and other required elements
Where a PSRB requires it, regulations may be amended in many ways eg non-standard progression

12. Some Basics UG pass mark – 40% PGT pass mark – 50%
Progression/Award – based on weighted average for the stage/programme – 40% for UG, 50% for PG – different requirements may apply where an external body requires it or for Foundation Year progression
Some modules may be defined in the programme specification as being non-compensatable
Elements of assessment within modules may be non-compensatable

13. Compensation Regulations - Undergraduate
Undergraduate Regulation 10:
A student who fails one or more modules will still complete that stage (subject to Regulation 11 below), and so be awarded the total credit for that stage provided that they have: 
(a) passed modules worth at least 80* credits and have a weighted average for the stage of at least 40% with no module marks of less than 30%
or 
(b) passed modules worth at least 100* credits and have a weighted average for the stage of at least 50%
(c) passed modules worth at least 90* credits, have marks of 30% or more in modules worth at least 110* credits, and have a weighted average for the stage of at least 45%.

14. *Ordinary degrees:
Additional rules in the regulations cover how compensation applies to ordinary degrees and how weighted averages are calculated for ordinary degrees [Ordinary degrees can only be awarded at exit, students are not able to transfer to an Ordinary degree]
Regulation 11 states:
Regulation 10 does not apply to the final stage of any degree programme nor to any module which is listed in the relevant programme specification as not compensatable. A student who fails a non-compensatable module will not complete that stage without successfully undertaking re-assessment in that module.

15. Compensation Regulations - Postgraduate
Postgraduate Regulation 11:
A student who fails one or more modules for the taught stage of the course will still complete that stage and so be awarded the total credit for that stage provided that:
- they have passed modules worth at least two-thirds of credits, and
- they have a weighted average for the taught stage of at least 50% with no module marks of less than 40%
Notwithstanding the above, module marks below 40% for up to 20 credits will be compensated if the student has passed modules worth at least 80 credits and has a weighted average of at least 50%

16. Extenuating Circumstances
3 categories:
Long-term circumstances – dealt with by appropriate adjustment
Circumstances affecting assessments
Circumstances affecting study
Generally considered prior to the main examination board and outcomes confirmed by exam board – not expected that individual cases will be discussed with the External Examiners and vivas are not allowed in making decision

17. Outcomes from accepted ECs claims
Allow a ‘first sit’ of an assessment
Allow repeat registration
Take into account at final exam board
Grant an extension to a coursework submission date
Where the student has completed at least 50% of the required assessment for the module, the marks obtained may be scaled to create a module mark so long as the learning outcomes have been appropriately assessed
Manage through the attendance policy

18. Marks Marks are not altered as the result of an individual EC
Where there has been disruption in the assessment process (eg a problem with an examination paper), appropriate adjustments may be made to the outcomes for the affected cohort, including potentially to marks, by following the University’s marks adjustment process.

19. EC Review
A student who is dissatisfied with an EC outcome should discuss with their School in the first instance and can then ask for a review
Managed centrally through the Appeals process
At end of internal procedures student is issued with Completion of Procedures Letter and may complain to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator

20. Reassessments (1)
Students other than in the final year of a UG programme who fail at the first attempt have the right to one reassessment – in some circumstances they may be allowed a second reassessment
Final year UGs who fail a non-compensatable module but otherwise satisfy requirements for the award of a degree have the right to a reassessment in the failed module in order to gain the credits
In other circumstances final year UG students who fail are only allowed to resit for a Pass degree or an Ordinary degree

21. Reassessments (2)
Normally taken during summer but School may allow or require a student to take them during the following session
A student may request reassessments to be taken in attendance
Failure in some modules may require a student to be reassessed in attendance
Reassessment marks do not contribute to most UG award calculations but do contribute to PGT calculations of weighted average but not for the purposes of award of Merit or Distinction

22. Degree Classification
Based on an arithmetic mean model – ie final weighted average calculated using stage averages
For Undergraduate degrees, with the exception of Pass degrees and Ordinary degrees, only first sit marks contribute to the final weighted average

23. Undergraduate Pass degrees, Ordinary degrees, UG Diplomas and UG Certificates are awarded as Pass, Merit or Distinction with borderlines at 58/59 and 68/69
For Postgraduate degrees reassessment marks contribute to the final weighted average in order to qualify for the award but may not be used for the award of Merit or Distinction

24. Classifications
Final weighted averages are used to decide on classification:
Honours degree: I Borderline 68/69
60-69 IIi Borderline 58/59
50-59 IIii Borderline 48/49
40-49 III No Borderline
PGT awards: 70+ Distinction Borderline 68/69
60-69 Merit Borderline 58/59
50-59 Pass No Borderline

25. Exam Board Discretion – Borderlines
For undergraduate degrees Regulation 26
(a) application of metrics;
[half or more of the final year credits at the higher level or half or more of the final and penultimate year credits at the higher level]
(b) student ECs

26. Exam Board Discretion – Borderlines
For postgraduate degrees Regulation 22
Half or more of the total credits at the higher level
Borderline criteria must be metrics, not a viva or other subjective measure eg a further review of scripts

27. Hierarchy of Awards
Where a student does not qualify for the award on which they were registered they should be awarded the highest level of award available to them based on their achievement (sometimes subject to availability of that award)
Undergraduate Hierarchy: Integrated Masters
Bachelor’s Honours
Pass Degree
Ordinary Degree [exit only]
Undergraduate Diploma
Undergraduate Certificate
Postgraduate Hierarchy: Masters
Postgraduate Diploma
Postgraduate Certificate

28. Appeals/Complaints/Review
Range of actions available to students who are unhappy with their outcomes
Mainly managed centrally
Review process, through Chair of Academic Appeals and Offences Committee (a member of Teaching and Learning Board), may overturn a School decision where the outcome is deemed to be unreasonable even if all procedures have been followed
At end of internal procedures student is issued with Completion of Procedures Letter and may complain to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator

29. Contact Information
Dr Sandra Mienczakowski
Head of Academic Processes
Student Services - Development
E Floor, Portland Building
University of Nottingham
University Park
Nottingham NG7 2RD
Tel: