1. External Examiner Briefing Day 2017/18

2. Presenters: Dr Claire Orwin
Associate Professor Student Experience, Faculty of Arts, Design and Humanities
Nicola Brooks
Associate Dean Academic, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
Sally Lloyd
Senior Officer, Taught Programmes, DAQ
Suzanne Nelson
Senior Quality Officer (Management Information), DAQ
Louise Newell
Quality Officer (External Examiners/Awarding Bodies), DAQ

3. What are we covering? The DMU context
The Academic Regulations, taught programmes
The role of the external examiner
Using academic management information (MI)
External examiner reports

4. The De Montfort University Context
Roles within the University
Devolved University
Role of the Centre
PVC Dean and Deputy Dean
Associate Dean Academic/Associate Professor Student Experience
Associate Professor Quality
Head of School/Department
Programme, subject and module leaders
Programme Administrator/Faculty Office Manager

5. Academic Regulations Generic regulations
Programme Specific Regulations
Programme specific regulations are more stringent
Held in a separate programme-specific regulations register

6. Credit Framework and Levels
Nationally recognised credit tariff: 1 credit = 10 notional student learning hours
Modules based around 15 and 30 credits, and larger modules. UG dissertation modules normally 30 credits, PGT dissertation modules normally 60 credits
Levels conform to FHEQ: level 4 = primarily diagnostic/formative. Levels 5 & 6 = count towards degree classification. Level 7 = postgraduate

7. Programme Specification
Programme specification to define curricula
Two levels defining programme and module
Programme specifications place subject in national context, including subject benchmarks, and define student outcomes
Module specifications use learning outcomes methodology and link this to assessment

8. Awards and Credits Levels 4 5 6 7 Total Master’s degree 180
Postgraduate diploma
120
Postgraduate certificate 60
Integrated master’s
480
Honours degree
360
Non-honours (ordinary degree)
300
FD/HND/DipHE
240
HNC/CertHE
UCPD -

9. Maximum Periods of Registration
Award
Full-time
Part-time
Master’s degree
3 years
6 years
Postgraduate diploma
2 years
4 years
Postgraduate certificate
1 year
Integrated master’s
7 years
9 years
Honours degree
8 years
Non-honours (ordinary degree)
5 years
FD/HND/DipHE
HNC/CertHE
UCPD

10. Assessment and progression: UG
Module pass mark = 40%
Progression rules the same across levels and award types
Progression from level to level if student passes 90 credits worth of modules. Pass mark is 40%. Failures below 30% must be retrieved.
Failures between 30-39% can be compensated
Part-time: can progress from one year to next if pass at least 30 credits in current year

11. Compensation - UG
Awarded to student on basis of overall performance (passing 90 credits at the level of study)
30 credits worth available per level
Whole modules only can be compensated
Not available for ‘must pass’ modules
Some programme-specific regulations prevent compensation

12. Assessment and progression: PGT
Module pass mark = 50%
Dissertation: student must pass at least 60 taught credits to progress to the dissertation
All modules must be passed in order to gain award

13. Reassessment
Undergraduate: 60 credits of assessment is available per level, in any permutation/combination of module sizes
Postgraduate: One reassessment is available in each module, plus an additional 30 credits to be used as required
Module marks are capped at the pass mark on reassessment

14. Classification of award
Classification band
Postgrad awards
Integrated Master’s Honours degree
FD/HND/HNC etc.
70% and above
Distinction
First class honours
60-69%
Merit
Upper second (2:1)
50-59%
Pass
Lower second (2:2)
40-49%
Fail
Third class honours
Below 40%

15. Degree Classification: UG
System based upon the best 105 level 5 credits and the best 105 level 6 credits (discounting 15 credits per level)
Level 6 is triple-weighted. This is to recognise exit velocity
For programmes which use the 30 credit level 5 placement module: best 120 of the 150 level 5 credits and best 105 level 6 credits, with level 6 triple-weighted

16. Degree Classification UG - Rules Based “Consideration” Band
Band provides a consistent approach to student classification
Rules apply if the aggregate percentage is not more than 2% below a classification band
Higher classification will be awarded to a student who:
- either achieves across the last 120 credits of level 6 modules an aggregate percentage in the higher classification band
- or achieves in at least 60 of the last 120 level 6 credits marked in higher classification band

17. Degree Classification: PGT
Master’s: a student won’t get a classification higher than the mark for the dissertation module
Master’s: dissertation at distinction or merit level and either at least 120 credits are at distinction/merit level or the overall average mark is at distinction/merit level
PgDip: either at least 90 credits at distinction/merit level or the overall average mark is at distinction/merit level
PgCert: either at least 45 credits at distinction/merit level or the overall average mark is at distinction/merit level

18. The Role of the External Examiner
To ensure that standards are maintained from a subject point of view
To ensure fairness and equity from a student point of view
To act as a critical friend with:
- Curriculum developments
- Standards

19. Examiners Role with Assessment
Assessment aims and objectives are appropriate
Purposes and philosophy of assessment are articulated and understood
Assessment load is appropriate
Assessment is properly and impartially conducted

20. At the Start of Each Session
For undergraduate honours degree provision, agree the basis for auditing Level 4 (not essential)
Agree the basis for sampling assessments
Engage in consultation about draft assessments
Agree the basis of visits to the University

21. Outside of the Assessment Boards - Sampling
Sample assessments to enable judgments to be made as to the:
- overall suitability of assessment methods
- coherence of assessment strategy
- consistency of internal marking
Right to see all assessments, discretion to sample
Should see:
- Assessment(s) marked highest overall
- Selection of passed assessments from each classification band
- Problematic assessment
- A sample of fails for UG and all failed dissertations for PGT

22. Outside of the Assessment Boards
Meet students and discuss their work, may be invited to attend presentations, performances etc
Advise on individual cases e.g. where there has been internal disagreement about a mark
Confirm the distribution of marks for a module
Some modules run concurrently at a number of locations
External examiners should understand this when sampling in order that they can comment

23. Extenuating Circumstances
Central panel for exams
Faculty Panel for coursework
Outcome: Deferral accepted or refused
Reasons:
Consistence and objectivity
Focus on genuine cases

24. Engaging External Examiners
4 models of engagement
Each board will decide which model is most appropriate
Handout in information pack shows which model each board has chosen to use
Some boards are responsible for a wide and varied selection of programmes and may use more than 1 model

25. Assessment boards
DMU have a single tier assessment board covering programmes and modules
Accountable for academic integrity of assessment in programmes and one or more subjects
Responsible for conduct of assessment including determining module marks, progression and awards

26. At the Assessment Boards
Arrangements and processes for module assessments and moderation and for reassessments
Verification and ratification of results
Progression and award
Ensuring compliance with university and PSRB requirements including programme specific regulations
Verbal report from the external examiner indicating good practice
External examiners should be involved with reassessment and invited to the assessment boards .

28. Using Academic Management Information
Student performance and achievement data summarised at module and programme level
Data used internally within teaching teams' annual evaluations
Optional resource – not mandatory use (particularly useful if missed assessment board)
Users required to adhere to the principles of the Data Protection Act ie lawful and correct treatment of personal information
Extends to use of all DMU data.
Currently delivered via Tableau

29. Module achievement
Pass rates; mark banding distribution; average module mark; standard deviation
Compare performance: across sessions; particular populations (cohorts, campuses, programmes etc); before/after reassessment period

30. Programme performance
Indicative progression/retention; distribution of awards; intended award achieved indicators
Compare performance: across sessions; particular populations (cohorts, campuses); before/after reassessment period

31. How you might use this data
Inform judgement regarding academic standards and student performance (within written report)
Evaluate overall student performance: academic level; learning outcomes; assessment criteria.

32. External Examiner Reports
Within 1 month after the main assessment board
Optional supplementary reports and reports to the PVC or VC
Serious concerns relating to standards within the institution and all internal procedures have been exhausted – use the independent mechanism for addressing concerns about standards and quality in higher education managed by QAA.

33. Report Proforma
Summary
Main report

34. What happens to your report?
Submit report to within 1 month after main assessment board
Report will be circulated to the faculty/partners
PVC/Dean will send initial response within 28 days
Considered by the relevant programme management board
Full response will be sent within 2 weeks after the programme management board

35. Monitoring Monitoring of Faculty Issues:
Associate Professor Quality/Faculty Head of Quality track faculty themes, comment upon any regulatory or board operation issues in the Programme Appraisal and Enhancement (PAE) overview report
Monitoring of Institutional Issues:
Read by DAQ and institutional themes highlighted. Appropriate person will respond on behalf of University
Annual overview report submitted to Academic Quality Committee (AQC)

36. Administrative Arrangements
Faculty Administration
Managing student records
Programme and module management
Assessment and management boards
Operational liaison with external examiners
Faculty quality systems
DAQ Administration
Receive and read all annual and final external examiner reports
Keep track of institutional and Faculty themes
Prepare AQC Annual Report
Appointments and extensions of appointments

37. Payment of Fees and Expenses
Annual fee - Paid on receipt of annual report (to and claim form (to faculty contact)
Visit fee - Paid on receipt of claim form. Claim after each visit
Dissertation fee for PGT – need to keep track of how many dissertations have been reviewed
Expenses - Include all original receipts

38. Fees and Expenses - who and where to
Art, Design and Humanities - Natascha Ackerman
Clephan Building room 0.03,
Business and Law - Nicola Warrington
Hugh Aston room 4.86,
Health and Life Sciences - Sophia Welton
Edith Murphy room 3.39
Technology - Suffiyyah Mohammed
Gateway House room 4.11
Educational Partnerships - Samuel Johnson
Gateway House room 1.56,
Name of contact
De Montfort University
The Gateway
Leicester
LE1 9BH

39. Fees and Expenses - when
Completed claim forms need to be submitted by the end of the month
Forms received after this date will be paid the following month
Payslips can be accessed in the DMUhub using your single sign-on (Blackboard) username and password

40. Contacts Emma Sheffield, Head of Academic Quality esheffield@dmu.ac.uk
Sally Lloyd, Senior Officer, Taught Programmes
Suzanne Nelson, Senior Quality Officer (Management Information)
Louise Newell, Quality Officer (External Examiners/Awarding Bodies)

41. Useful Resources DMU website https://www.dmu.ac.uk
External Examining at DMU
Scheme and Regulations
Assessment and Feedback Policy
Department of Academic Quality website
DMUhub