LEEDS BECKETT UNIVERSITY BOARD OF EXAMINERS: STAFF DEVELOPMENT SESSIONS Faculty / Quality Assurance Services

AIMS OF THE SESSION Provide a brief overview of EC and BOE process Provide details of the current regulations and how they should be applied Provide the opportunity to rehearse the BOE process

PART A General Overview : Examination Committees Board of Examiners

Examination Committees and Board of Examiners Examination Committee (Module Outcomes) The Board can delegate some of its powers to an Examination Committee. A Committee will consider outcomes at module level, confirm credit and may determine progression at level 4. Board of Examiners (Progression and Awards) Each scheme or course has only one Board of Examiners, which is responsible for all levels. No other body has the power to confer an award or to amend a decision of the Board (except an Appeal Panel).

Assessment Cycle Assessment design and approval (by external examiners) Coursework and examinations (including requests for extensions) Marking and internal and external moderation Faculty Mitigation Panels and University Unfair Practice Procedures Examination Committees Board of Examiners (including pre-Board) Publication of results (within 5 working days) Appeals Re-assessment Reconvened Board of Examiners Appeals

Key Points to Remember: Examination Committees Determine standard of module outcomes Consider the amendment of cohort marks as appropriate Record credit (where no BOE - progression or award) Note cases of Cheating, Plagiarism or Other Unfair Practice Progression from L4 to L5 All external examiners expected to attend

Key Points to Remember: Boards of Examiners Only body with power to determine Progression and Awards Receive Faculty Mitigation Panel recommendations Receive and implement UPB decisions as appropriate Confirming entitlement to Contained Awards Publish Results Online (within 5 Working Days) One or all external examiner(s) must attend

Board of Examiners - Roles There are various roles at a Board of Examiners: Chair: Conduct the meeting; advise on regulations; sign the marks sheet and results list; checking minutes; chair’s actions Scheme / Course Leader: Ensuring moderation has occurred; timely marks to BOE; advising students post-outcomes Module Leader: Ensuring modules have been moderated; raising of any issues affecting cohort performance; advising students post-outcomes

Board of Examiners – Roles (cont.) External Examiner: Assuring standards / consistency of outcomes; signing marks sheet; provide annual report Secretary: Organising the meeting; preparing marks sheets; minuting outcomes; entering outcomes and releasing results

PART B Progression and Award Requirements

Requirements: Progression L4 to L5 To proceed from Level 4 to Level 5, students must have: Pursued a programme of study of 120C at L4 (including any accreditation of prior learning) Submitted in all components Achieved a minimum of 40% or more in modules equivalent to 100C at level 4 or above Achieved an average of 30% or more in each module studied Achieved an overall average of 40% or more across the level May be re-assessed in all modules

Requirements: Progression L5 to L6 To proceed from Level 5 to Level 6, students must have: Pursued a programme of study of 120C at L5 (including any accreditation of prior learning) Submitted in all components Achieved a minimum of 40% or more in modules equivalent to 100C at level 5 or above Achieved an average of 30% or more in each module studied Achieved an overall average of 40% or more across the level May be re-assessed in all modules

Final Level Requirements (UG) (Eligibility for an Award) RequirementCurrent Regulations Credits studied per level (inc. Final Level Submission in…All Components Passed Credits Min. 40% or more)100 Overall Level Average - Across all modules40% Min. Min. Fail Mark30 Re-assessment allowanceRe-assessment in all modules Re-assessment undertaken at...At component level CompensationNo compensation

Re-Assessment Required where the student has… Not submitted in ALL components of a module - AND / OR - Less than 40% OVERALL module score (after 1 st sit) How it works… Re-assessed in components ‘NS’ or less than 40% ONLY Re-assessed COMPONENTS capped at 40% (not module) Overall module score marked with ‘R’ (e.g. ‘45R’)

Repeating a Level Decided after Re-assessment Permitted once only ‘Fail Withdraw’ – Non-Submissions (confirming entitlement to any contained awards)

Repeating (Cont.) Repeat PART Level (Progression) Repeat FULL Level (Progression) Repeating at the Final Level Passed 50% or more of Credit for Level Passed less than 50% of Credit for Level Repeat whatever Failed Keep Marks for Passed Modules All previous marks are ‘wiped out’ Keep Marks for Passed Modules

Applicable Classification Methods – (Honours Degrees) Group 1 Students (Admit term = 2011/12 or earlier) Group 2 Students (Admit term = 2012/13 or later) “Did the student start their current registration with our university prior to August 2012 (i.e. is their ‘Admit Term’ 2011/12 or earlier)?” YES = OLD and NEW methods / NO = NEW method only

Classification Methods (BAH / BSCH) Group 1 Students (2011/12 and earlier): ‘Best 100’ Profile Weighted L5 & L6 average Group 2 Students (2012/13 and later): ‘Best 100’ Only

‘Best 100’ Method Average of Best 100 / 105* credits – Level 5 (25%) + Average of Best 100 / 105* credits – Level 6 (75%) Meaning… Worst 15 / 20* credit module at L5 is not counted in level average (before 25%) Worst 15/ 20* credit module at L6 is not counted in level average (before 75%) *The figures will be amended for courses with a 15 or 20 credit structure.

Weighted Average and Profile – Group 1 Students Only (2011/12 or earlier) Weighted Average: Level 5 average – across ALL modules (25% weighting) plus Level 6 average – across ALL modules (75% weighting) or Profiling: The attribution of a weighting to modules in each classification band (0.25 for level 5 and 0.75 for level 6). A student must score MORE THAN half of the total within a classification band to receive it.

APL - APCL / APEL To be referred to as Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) from September 2014 Do not carry ‘marks’ – just credit APL does not count towards any calculations APL credit is automatically ‘dropped’ in ‘Best 100’ method

Requirements – Masters Awards To succeed on a Masters Award, students must have: Pursued a programme of study of 180C at L7 (including any accreditation of prior learning) Submitted in all components Achieved a minimum of 40% or more in modules equivalent to 160C at level 7 or above Achieved an average of 30% or more in each module studied Achieved an overall average of 40% or more across all modules studied at this level May be re-assessed in all modules

Requirements – PG Diploma To succeed on a PG Diploma, students must have: Pursued a programme of study of 120C at L7 (including any accreditation of prior learning) Submitted in all components Achieved a minimum of 40% or more in modules equivalent to 100C at level 7 or above Achieved an average of 30% or more in each module studied Achieved an overall average of 40% or more across all modules studied at this level May be re-assessed in all modules

Requirements – PG Cert To succeed on a PG Cert, students must have: Pursued a programme of study of 60C at L7 Submitted in all components Achieved a minimum of 40% in all modules Achieved an average of 40% or more across all modules studied at this level May be re-assessed in all modules

Final Level Requirements (PG) RequirementRegulations Credits studied per level (inc. MA / MSC PGDIP PGCERT (No APL allowed) Submission in…All Components Passed Credits Min. (40% or more)MA / MSC = 160 PGDIP = 100 PGCERT = 60 Overall Level Average Across All Modules40% min. Min. Fail Mark30 PGCERT – Must pass all modules Re-assessment allowanceRe-assessment in all modules Re-assessment undertaken at…At component level CompensationNo compensation

Merit and Distinctions Option for all awards except (BAH / BSCH) Must be written into the course documents Awarded based on achievement of: Merit - 60% Average (across all modules) Distinction – 70% Average (across all modules) -OR- ‘A defined profile of achievement’

PART C Board of Examiners Exercise

Work with a partner Review the profiles provided Act as a BOE meeting and make decisions Points to remember: Students have submitted in all components All re-assessment have been taken Look at all the details provided Confirm eligibility for an award first

Exercise – Answers and Discussion What should the decisions be for each student? Why was that decision made?

Key Points / Questions to Consider Hold a pre-board meeting: –Chair, Secretary and Course Leader(s) to attend Agenda: –Are there any students who started or re-started the level before August 2011? –Did the student’s current registration start before 2012/13? –Have all Chair’s Actions been addressed? –Review marks sheets –Discuss category A mitigation –Does the External Examiner need to be briefed on key matters

Any Questions? Further information: Guide to BOE and EC Quality Manual Faculty Quality Assurance & Governance Teams / Quality Assurance Services