1. External Examiner Workshop

2. The Assessment Process Colin Davis Academic Registry 20 November 2013

3. Scope This presentation covers the assessment process for Middlesex qualifications This will include programmes delivered at Middlesex campuses, and also those delivered under joint and franchise collaborations in the UK and overseas Also included are validated programmes which have adopted Middlesex arrangements for assessment

4. Topics Campuses and Schools Assessment Boards & Programme Progression Committees Timing of Boards Structure of degrees Module Grades and Administrative grades Re-assessment and deferred assessment Compensation Extenuating Circumstances and Deferrals Plagiarism Classification of degrees

5. Session 1: 1st tier boards, role of external examiner, 20-point scale Separate regulations for UG and PG students Sections A,B,C,E differ Section D relates to external examiners’ responsibilities

6. Campuses and Schools Campuses – Hendon, Dubai, Mauritius, Malta – Other (collaborative programmes) Schools – S&T, BS, H&E – A&D, M&P, LAW, IWBL Student – has one base campus – studies a programme owned by one school

7. School Structure A School has several Departments, each with a Head of Department (HoD) A Department has several groups, or clusters of Programmes, each with a Director of Programmes (DoP) Each Programme has a Programme Leader (PL)

8. Subjects and Programmes Each module in the university belongs to one Subject e.g. module code PSY3000 -belongs to the PSYchology Subject -is at level 6 (Honours) Each Programme is made up of modules drawn from one or more Subjects

9. Two-tier system of Assessment Boards (D) Subject Boards (1 st tier) [confirm module grades] Programme Progression Committee (2 nd tier) [decide students’ progression] OR School Assessment Board (2 nd tier) [award final qualifications]

10. Timing of Undergraduate Boards (E1) September starters –June: main Boards –July: H&E, S&T resit Boards –September: Other resit Boards January Yr 1 starters –July: main Boards –September: resit Boards –Year 2 UG commences in September –Jan start also for UG yr 2 & 3 Summer School –September: main Boards –June: resit boards

11. Timing of Postgraduate Boards (E1) TAUGHT MODULES September starters –June: main Boards –September: resit Boards January starters –July: main Boards –September: resit Boards DISSERTATION September starters –Nov/ Dec: main Boards January starters –February: main Boards

12. Credit points and the 20 point Grading Scale (E5) Used for all modules within Middlesex programmes, including joint and franchise arrangements. Also used on those validated programmes which have adopted Middlesex credit point and grading structures.

13. Structure of Full-Time Honours Degree (A) Module 3 Module 1 Module 2 Module 4 YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 Module = 30 credits Year = 120 credits Hons degree = 360 credits (120+ level 6+ 210+ level 5+ 360 level 4+) Module 5 Module 6 Module 7 Module 8 Module 9 Module 11 Module 12 Module 10

14. Structure of Full-Time Masters Degree (A) Module 3 Module 1 Module 2 Module 4 YEAR 1 Module = 30 credits Dissertation = 60 credits Masters = 180 credit points (inc 150+ at level 7; 30- at level 6) 12 months (normally) See table in section A for credit point requirements for a variety of qualifications Dissertation Module

15. Module Grades (E5) GradeHonours DegreeMasters Degree 1-4firstdistinction 5-8upper secondmerit 9-12lower secondpass 13-16third 17marginal fail: compensation allowed 18fail: compensation allowed 19fail 20fail: incomplete

16. Administrative Grades (E5) Xdid not attend 20attended – failed to participate in all assessment Iincomplete with good reason Uacademic misconduct under investigation Pacademic misconduct proven YUNGRADED PASS Saegrotat CCOMPENSATED FAILURE Hnot assessed

17. Re-assessment / deferred assessment (E7) Failure of a module (grades 17,18,19,20) results in a re-assessment opportunity in the exam, coursework or both Deferral of exam/coursework is also possible Example codes: RE, RC, RA, DE, DC, DA DERC etc

18. Capping of grades at re-assessment Level 3/4 No capping Level 5/6/7 Capping at component level only

19. Compensation (E10) Modules at grade 17 or 18 may be compensated Subject to satisfactory overall performance By second tier Board 30 points at level 4 (60 if learning outcomes met) 30 points at level 5+ (60 if extenuating circumstances). Maximum 30 points for Masters

20. Module mark sheet (subject board) LAW1001 (grades) Regno50% exam50% cwkoverall grade nnn04351179 nnn452318 18 RA nnn47435I DE nnn681618918 RE nnn9284152020 RC nnn132516711 nnn1575U9U

21. Module mark sheet (subject board) LAW1001 (marks) Regno50% exam50% cwkav. markoverall grade nnn043563%53%58%9 nnn452332%34%33%18 RA nnn474368%I DE nnn681630%58%18 RE nnn928443%20 RC nnn132540%64%52%11 nnn1575U58%U

22. Submission of extenuating circumstances (D9) Submitted by the student electronically to the assessment manager (via UniHelp). S/he will decide whether to grant deferral of assessment Considered by PPCs in making progression decisions & School Assessment Boards in making awards

23. Deferral of modules (E8) Granted centrally by assessment managers, for exams, coursework or both, on a module by module basis, based on specific extenuating circumstances submitted A general statement of extenuating circumstances, not linked to deferrals, may be made for consideration at Boards For confidential issues, the “sealed envelope” system, for the attention of the chair only, is in place

24. Progressing Student : Subject Assessment Board & PPC At the end of each year His/her module grades are decided by (one or more) Subject Assessment Boards, then His/her overall progression decided by (one) Programme Progression Committee Assessment grades and a progression decision are published for each student

25. Finalist Student At the end of the final year of the programme His/her module grades are decided by (one or more) Subject Assessment Boards, then The final award is made by the School Assessment Board The conferred qualification is published

26. Academic Misconduct (section F) Reported to Chair of the Subject Assessment Board (U grade) Referred to Academic Registrar at MU for investigation If disputed by student, investigation panel ensues Registrar recommends penalty to Assessment Board P grade & penalties Applies to all programmes include all collaborative programmes Delegated responsibility to some collaborative partners

27. Classification of Honours Degrees (E4.4) 2 profiles based on level 5 and above (240points) level 6 and above (120 points) To achieve a clear class in a profile, a student must achieve : 50% of credits in that class+, No more than 25% low grades for 1st and 2-1 A borderline profile has: 50% of credits in that class+, More than 25% low grades There are rules to decide class (E4.4.2 & E 4.4.3)

28. No discretion (E 4.4.2) Both profiles give same clear class Clear class at level 6, and not more than 1 class above profile at levels 5&6 Clear class at levels 5&6, and profile at level 6 is on an adjacent lower borderline

29. Exercising Discretion 1 (E 4.4.3) There is only 1 profile and it is borderline There are two profiles and both are borderline The two profiles do not fall into any combination specified under E 4.4.2

30. Exercising Discretion 2 (E 4.4.3) Bear in mind Level 6 / final stage work Grade for dissertation / core module(s) at level 6 Extenuating circumstances The need to be consistent

31. Hons Class (50% in class) modulegrade lev 5 & 6 Lev 6 ABC20003xxxxxx ABC20051xxxxxx ABC20102xxxxxx XYZ26664 1st xxxxxx ABC30009 ABC350011L2 XYZ 300013 XYZ310016

32. Classification of Masters degrees (E4.6) 1 profile based on level 7+ Minimum 60 graded credit points Distinction 60 pt dissertation grade 4+ 50% remaining credit grade 4+ Merit 60 pt dissertation grade 8+ 50% remaining credit grade 8+

33. Masters 50% method modulecreditgradeoutcome ABC4992603 ABC4000304Distinction ABC4500304 ABC4510308 ABC48003016

34. Considering extenuating circumstances (D8) Subject Boards Extenuating circumstances do not alter grades Finalist boards Considered when discretion may be applied (as defined in E 4.4.2) But note D6, General Discretion

35. Example finalist profiles Honours degree finalist see example sheet Masters finalist see example sheet