LEEDS BECKETT UNIVERSITY BOARD OF EXAMINERS: STAFF DEVELOPMENT SESSIONS FOR ACADEMIC STAFF Quality Assurance Services

AIMS OF THE SESSION Provide a brief overview of Exam Committee and BOE process Provide details of the 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) A Board is required for each course and 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).

Key Points to Remember: Examination Committees Determine standard of module outcomes Consider the amendment of cohort marks as appropriate Record credit Note cases of Cheating, Plagiarism or Other Unfair Practice Progression from L4 to L5 They cannot confirm awards at L4 All external examiners required to attend

Key Points to Remember: Boards of Examiners Only body with power to determine Progression and Awards Receive Faculty Mitigation Panel outcomes Receive RPL Approval Board decisions Implement UPB decisions as appropriate Confirming entitlement to Contained Awards Responsible for the publication of Results Online (within 5 Working Days) One or all external examiner(s) must attend

Board of Examiners - Roles Chair: conduct the meeting; advise on regulations; sign the marks sheet and results list; check minutes; chair’s actions Course Leader: oversight of moderation; timely marks to BOE; advising students post-outcomes Module Leader: module moderation; raising of any issues affecting cohort performance; advising students post-outcomes External Examiner: assuring standards; discussing performance; signing marks sheet Secretary: organising the meeting; preparing marks sheets; minuting; entering outcomes and releasing results

PART B Progression and Award Requirements

Progression from L4 & L5 To progress from Level 4 to 5 or Level 5 to 6, students must have: Pursued a programme of study of 120C at the level concerned (includes any recognition of prior learning) Submitted in all components recorded in Banner Achieved a minimum of 40% or more in modules equivalent to 100C at the level concerned Achieved an average of 30% or more in each module studied Achieved an overall average of 40% or more across the level Students may be re-assessed in all modules

RequirementRegulations 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 Award Final Level (UG)

Award PG Level RequirementRegulations Credits studied per level (inc. MA/MSC PGDIP PGCERT (No RPL 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

Re-Assessment (UG & PG) 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’) NB: if late submission penalties are to be applied to re-assessments, this should occur prior to adding the re-assessment cap

Re-Assessment – Examples ComponentAttempt 1Attempt 2 (capped at maximum of 40%) Module Mark A) Course work (50%) 80n/a45r B) Examination (50%) NS10 (capped at 40 but lower so mark remains) ComponentAttempt 1Attempt 2 (capped at maximum of 40%) Module Mark A) Course work (50%) NS80 (capped at 40)25r B) Examination (50%) NS10 (capped at 40 but mark is lower so remains)

Repeating a Level (UG & PG) Decided after all re-assessment opportunties are spent 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) – 2 Different Approaches 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

Group 1 Students /12 & Earlier: Best 100 Profile Weighted L5 & L6 average Group 2 Students /13 & Later: Best 100

‘Best 100’ Method Average of Best 100 credits – Level 5 (25%) + Average of Best 100 credits – Level 6 (75%) Meaning… Worst 20 credit module at L5 is not counted in level average (before 25%) Worst 20 credit module at L6 is not counted in level average (before 75%)

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.

“Mixed Economy” Students Some students have undertaken a mixture of 15 and 20 credit point modules at L5/ 6 following the rolling implementation of UG refocus EG: PT students continuing on L6 this year Temp WD FT students who returned this year Placement students undertaking SW Y4 this year Award eligibility requirements for these students are standard Classification may require application of “Best 105” model Profiling requires the use of different module weightings if there is mixed economy within a level Board Reports will handle these scenarios

Merit and Distinctions Option for all awards except honours degrees 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’

Recognition of Prior Learning Do not carry ‘marks’ – just credit RPL does not count towards any calculations RPL credit is automatically ‘dropped’ in ‘Best 100’ method

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

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?

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