Postgraduate Examination Board Briefing 2015-2016 Prof Chris LANGLEY Chair – RSC Dominic STONE Secretary – RSC 25th April 2016 Slide 1

Programme for the session Slide 2 Programme for the session PROGRAMME FOR THE SESSION Introduction. Changes from 2014/15 Clarifications from the year Questions Postgraduate Examination Board Briefing 2015-2016

Training for Boards of Examiners Slide 3 Training for Boards of Examiners INTRODUCTION Advice to Boards of Examiners. The Senate has agreed that annual updating/training should be offered to all Chairs, Deputy Chairs and Secretaries of Examination Boards. This is to ensure that the decision-making of Boards of Examiners is consistent and in accordance with current Regulations and best practice. Postgraduate Examination Board Briefing 2015-2016

Update on ROBED Project Slide 4 Update on ROBED Project UPDATE ON ROBED PROJECT Changes following the ROBED consultation. Areas of the General Regulations affected: Classification borderlines. Condonement. Exceptional circumstances. ROBED Implementation Group (RIG). Two RIG Working Groups established. Postgraduate Examination Board Briefing 2015-2016

Classification borderlines - undergraduate Slide 5 Classification borderlines - undergraduate UPDATE ON ROBED PROJECT Changes for all postgraduate taught programmes. Postgraduate Taught Programmes: Introduction of Borderline (0.5% - Regulation 11.3). Classification for Master’s programmes now based on 180-credit average, with minimum thresholds in taught and dissertation stages. Changes to General Regulations: 2014-2015 General Regulations updated. Further clarification updates to 2015-2016 General Regulations. Addition of Regulation 10.3.1: An unsuccessful thesis for a professional doctorate programme will be recommended for assessment to the relevant Board of Examiners as equivalent to the Master’s dissertation (in cases where there is a linked Master’s only). Postgraduate Examination Board Briefing 2015-2016

2015-2016 General Regulations (PGT) Slide 6 2015-2016 General Regulations (PGT) UPDATE ON ROBED PROJECT Removal of (old) Regulation 11.3 – unnecessary duplication. 11.4 Master’s may be awarded ‘with Distinction’ or ‘with merit’:   To achieve the award of distinction students must achieve an average mark of at least 70% over 180 credits. A minimum average mark of 67.5% is required for both the taught and dissertation stages of the programme. To achieve the award of merit students must achieve an average mark of at least 60% over the 180 credits. A minimum average mark of 57.5% is required for both the taught and dissertation stages of the programme. Postgraduate Examination Board Briefing 2015-2016

UPDATE ON ROBED PROJECT Slide 7 Condonement UPDATE ON ROBED PROJECT Changes for all postgraduate taught programmes. Minimum thresholds (Regulation 7.3): Increasing the minimum thresholds for condonement to 45% (level 7). Total condonement across a programme remains the same: One third of the taught credit. Transitional arrangements not necessary. Postgraduate Examination Board Briefing 2015-2016

Exceptional circumstances Slide 8 Exceptional circumstances UPDATE ON ROBED PROJECT Exceptional Circumstances claims which are judged to meet University Regulations will be addressed by taking appropriate action specific to the individual module(s)/assessment(s) concerned whenever possible … (Regulation 9.5). “Unspent” ECs (see Regulation 9.6): Exceptional Circumstances which meet University Regulations will not be addressed using condonement. If a candidate has ‘unspent’ Exceptional Circumstances and there is evidence of reasonable performance elsewhere in their profile the Board of Examiners may decide to increase the borderline band for degree classification for the candidate, taking into account the learning outcomes of the programme. If a candidate has ‘unspent’ Exceptional Circumstances the Board of Examiners may decide that a failed assessment should be attempted as if for the first time, or, accept a module mark which is based on completed components based on a mapping of the module learning outcomes against the assessments. Postgraduate Examination Board Briefing 2015-2016

Other Changes to General Regulations (1) Slide 9 Other Changes to General Regulations (1) OTHER CHANGES TO REGULATIONS Changes to Regulation 2.7 of the General Regulations for the Conduct of Boards of Examiners with regard to viva voce examinations. Regulation 2.7.4 Examinations, including general viva voce, will not normally be held outside of Aston University’s term-dates and other examination periods approved by the Senate unless there is a good reason to do so. Regulation 2.7.5 An exceptional viva voce examination may be required with the explicit approval of the relevant Associate Dean. Postgraduate Examination Board Briefing 2015-2016

Other Changes to General Regulations (2) Slide 10 Other Changes to General Regulations (2) OTHER CHANGES TO REGULATIONS Changes to Fitness to Study Regulations. Revision of Paragraph 7. Where possible the University will seek to obtain the student’s written consent to invoking these provisions. The University reserves the right to apply a precautionary exclusion, as described in Section B3 of the Regulations on Student Discipline, until such time as consent is given or the student can demonstrate that their behaviour will no longer cause the University concern. Revision of Paragraph 17: In cases where evidence may be required concerning prescribed medicines that are relevant to the case, the medical evidence provided must be from the prescribing doctor or consultant healthcare professional. Postgraduate Examination Board Briefing 2015-2016

Other Changes to General Regulations (3) Slide 11 Other Changes to General Regulations (3) OTHER CHANGES TO REGULATIONS Changes to Regulations on Student Discipline (1). Addition of the following offences to Regulation C1.2: Impersonating a student for the purposes of assessment attendance. Allowing someone to impersonate a student for the purposes of assessment attendance. New Regulation C1.5: In cases where it is suspected that a student has conspired to create or has commissioned or purchased from someone else a piece of written work as defined above, it should be noted that this type of offence will usually be handled by a University Disciplinary Board and the recommended penalty will normally be that of expulsion from the University. Postgraduate Examination Board Briefing 2015-2016

Other Changes to General Regulations (4) Slide 12 Other Changes to General Regulations (4) OTHER CHANGES TO REGULATIONS Changes to Regulations on Student Discipline (2). C2 - Role and Powers of the Academic Offences Officer New Regulation C2.4: The Academic Offences Officer has the right to request an exceptional viva voce examination in cases where it is suspected that a student has commissioned and/or purchased material for written assignments including project and dissertation work. The evidence from this exceptional viva voce may be used in any following disciplinary action. Postgraduate Examination Board Briefing 2015-2016

Slide 13 Condonement CLARIFICATIONS RSC received a query regarding which attempt mark to use when using condonement. The mark awarded must be from the final/most recent attempt and not an earlier attempt. A waiver of regulations can be requested for a retrospective change to a Board decision where appropriate. Undergraduate Examination Board Briefing 2015-2016

Waivers of Regulations Slide 14 Waivers of Regulations DEVELOPMENTS IN 2015-2016 Introduction of a new waiver of regulations application form http://www.aston.ac.uk/quality/a-z/general-regulations/rsc/waivers-of-regulations/ Review and monitoring – RSC reviews requests for Waivers of Regulations and suggests changes to the General Regulations if a particular Regulation is causing a problem. Undergraduate Examination Board Briefing 2015-2016

Examination Board Spreadsheets Slide 15 Examination Board Spreadsheets DEVELOPMENTS IN 2015-2016 New Examination Board Spreadsheets following ROBED. Aim – To provide Boards of Examiners the necessary information in order to be able to make decisions on progression and recommendations of awards. External Examiners – Some feedback to date from the External Examiners – main points centre around “missing” information which is actually found elsewhere. Review of implementation – RSC is interested in feedback on the new Examination Board Spreadsheets. Undergraduate Examination Board Briefing 2015-2016

Postgraduate Examination Board Briefing 2015-2016 Prof Chris LANGLEY Chair – RSC Dominic STONE Secretary – RSC 25th April 2016 Slide 16