Part II Examining Conventions
Note: These conventions apply to students who commenced a programme of study prior to the introduction of the Credit Framework in September 2002.
- SCOPE AND INTERPRETATION - Convention 1
- REGULATIONS - Convention 2
- BOARDS OF EXAMINERS - Conventions 3-8
- EXTERNAL EXAMINERS - Convention 9
- SETTING OF PAPERS - Convention 10
- DUTIES OF CHAIRS OF BOARDS OF EXAMINERS - Convention 11
- ANONYMITY - Conventions 12-14
- MARKING - Conventions 15-19
- UNFINISHED SCRIPTS - Convention 20
- FAILURE TO SIT AN EXAMINATION - Convention 21
- LATE SUBMISSION/FAILURE TO SUBMIT – DISSERTATIONS/EXTENDED ESSAYS, PROJECTS AND COURSEWORK - Convention 22
- PLAGIARISM AND DUPLICATION OF MATERIAL - Convention 27
- PROGRESSION - Convention 29
- SUBSIDIARY SUBJECTS - Convention 30
- PART-TIME DEGREES – FAILURE IN PART II EXAMINATION OTHER THAN IN THE FINAL YEAR - Convention 30
- VIVA VOCE EXAMINATIONS - Convention 31
- CLASSIFICATION FOR SINGLE AND JOINT HONOURS DEGREES - Conventions 32-34
- AWARDS OF DIPLOMAS - Convention 35
- CONCESSIONS AND AEGROTATS - Conventions 36, 37
- PUBLICATION OF RESULTS - Convention 38
- SPECIAL CONVENTIONS - Convention 39
- APPEALS - Convention 40
Appendix A THE COMMON COURSE STRUCTURE
Appendix
B REGULATIONS FOR UNDERGRADUATE CERTIFICATES, DIPLOMAS AND DEGREES
Appendix C RESIT MARKS
Appendix D APPEALS AGAINST RECOMMENDATIONS OF BOARDS
OF EXAMINERS
Appendix E ACADEMIC DISCIPLINE PROCEDURES
Appendix
F ANNEX J from the Code of Practice for Quality Assurance: Meetings of Boards
of Examiners
Appendix
G ANNEX K from the Code of Practice for Quality Assurance: External Examiners
for Taught Programmes of Study
EXAMINATION CONVENTIONS
SCOPE AND INTERPRETATION
1.
- These Conventions are applicable to all matters relating to the work of Part II Boards of Examiners in the academic year 2003/2004, except as otherwise indicated. Conventions applicable to students assessed under the credit framework are available at: http://www.kent.ac.uk/uelt/quality/credit/
- Wherever in these Conventions the word `coursework’ appears, it shall be read as referring to individual term time essays and laboratory work or their equivalent, as distinct from dissertations, extended essays and projects unless otherwise stated.
- Wherever in these Conventions the word `examination’ appears, it shall be taken to refer to any examined or assessed component of a degree programme unless otherwise stated.
- Wherever in these Conventions the words `second year’ appear, they shall be taken to refer to any year of Part II study other than the final year.
- Wherever in these Conventions the words `module’ and `unit’ appear, they shall have meaning as described in Appendix A to these Conventions.
REGULATIONS
2. These Conventions are governed by the requirements of the Regulations for Undergraduate Certificates, Diplomas and Degrees (Appendix B).
See also Annex J of the University Code of Practice for Quality Assurance which is reproduced as Appendix G to these conventions.
3. Each Department will have a Board or Boards of Examiners which will
- review the marking of and confirm the marks to be awarded for all Part II modules for which the Department holds responsibility.
- make recommendations for the award of Diplomas and Degrees to students who have successfully completed programmes of study for which the Department holds responsibility.
- make recommendations with regard to progression, resit examinations and termination of registration of students taking Part II programmes of study for which the Department holds responsibility.
4.1 Each such Board of Examiners shall include one or more External Examiners whose appointment has been approved by the Vice-Chancellor acting on behalf of Senate and Council.
4.2 Other members of the Board of Examiners shall be appointed by the appropriate Faculty Board on the recommendation of the Department. These members shall include an internal marker for each module for which the Board of Examiners holds responsibility. One of these members shall be appointed by the Faculty Board as Chair of the Board of Examiners.
5.1 Faculty Boards may establish procedures to facilitate appropriate input from Departments or subject areas which are not represented on a Board of Examiners.
5.2 Decisions concerning Part II students taking joint degrees should normally be made by the appropriate Board of Examiners within the Department of which the student is a member. This Board of Examiners should liaise with other Departments as appropriate. However, Faculties may appoint special freestanding Boards of Examiners for joint degrees where they consider that there are special circumstances which make this appropriate.
6. All members of a Board of Examiners are required to attend meetings of the Board except that External Examiners are only required to attend meetings at which decisions are to be made about recommendations for the award of diplomas and/or degrees. Thus, for example, External Examiners should be invited, but are not required, to attend meetings which will only consider the work of Part II students who are not in their final year of study. External Examiners should nevertheless be involved in consideration of all students and in decisions concerning progression from one year of Part II to the next. Other members may only be absent for good reason and with the approval of the Dean of the Faculty.
7. All discussion at meetings of Boards of Examiners shall be confidential and shall not be disclosed to students except where such disclosure is authorised by the Secretary & Registrar.
8. Before each meeting of a Board of Examiners, the Chair shall convene a meeting of a small number of members of the Board of Examiners to agree recommendations to be made to the Board regarding students about whom medical or other concessionary evidence has been received, and to consider other matters as it deems appropriate. Such other matters might include deciding which candidates should have a viva-voce examination, which candidates should be drawn to the attention of the External Examiner, recommendations to be made regarding borderline candidates, reviewing the range of marks awarded for each module and identification of other issues requiring discussion by the Board of Examiners.
9.1 No University qualification shall be awarded without participation in the examining process by at least one External Examiner who should be a full member of the relevant Board of Examiners. External Examiners are responsible to the Senate which authorises the award of qualifications.
9.2 Each External Examiner, on appointment, should be sent a written statement about the place of the relevant examination in the University’s system of education in that subject, and on the organisation and phasing of relevant curriculum, together with information about the role and functions of External Examiners.
9.3 In considering recommendations from Departments for the appointment of External Examiners, Senate and Council shall take the following into account.
- only persons of seniority and experience who are able to command authority should be appointed;
- in order to have sufficient time for the proper performance of their functions, individuals should not normally be expected to hold more than two external examinerships;
- an External Examiner should not be appointed from a department in an institution where a member of the inviting Department is serving as an examiner; exceptions may, however, occasionally be unavoidable in the case of subjects taught in only a very small number of institutions;
- former members of staff should not be invited to become External Examiners before a lapse of at least three years or sufficient time for students taught by that member of staff to have passed through the system, whichever is the longer.
9.4 The number of External Examiners shall be sufficient to cover the full range of studies. More than one External Examiner may be needed where there is a large number of students or where the programme covers a wide range.
9.5 The period of service for an External Examiner shall normally be four years, with the possibility of an extension for a further one year in special circumstances.
9.6 External Examiners from outside the higher education system, for example from industry or the professions, are appropriate in certain circumstances.
9.7 External Examiners should see the syllabuses of modules on which the examinations are set.
9.8 An External Examiner, as a full member of the relevant Board of Examiners, has the right to be present at all the examiners’ meetings at which significant decisions are to be taken in regard to the specialisms with which he/she has been concerned (including where appropriate the setting of papers), and is required to be present at all final examiners’ meetings in the subject(s) in which he/she has been involved.
9.9 Departments and External Examiners should use the opportunity afforded by the visits of External Examiners to discuss the structure and content of the programme, and the assessment procedures. Any comments or suggestions made by the External Examiners should be discussed by the Department and an explicit decision made about whether or not to introduce changes.
9.10 External Examiners should make written annual reports. They should be free to make any comments they wish, including observations on teaching, programme structure and programme content. A copy of the report made by an External Examiner at the conclusion of the period of office will be copied to an incoming External Examiner.
9.11 External Examiners should be encouraged to comment on the assessment process and the schemes for marking and classification. In some subjects participation in the devising of such schemes is essential. External Examiners may often be able to give valuable advice to Internal Examiners, especially the inexperienced, either directly or through the Head of Department/Centre.
9.12 Further information relating to external examiners may be found in Annex K of the University Code of Practice for Quality Assurance which is reproduced as Appendix G to these conventions.
10. The structure and rubrics of examination papers shall be subject to the formal approval of the appropriate Faculty Board.
DUTIES OF CHAIRS OF BOARDS OF EXAMINERS
11.1 The Chair of the Board of Examiners or his/her nominee shall be responsible for ensuring that proofs of examination question papers are checked for level, spread, accuracy, clarity and appropriateness, that where questions are divided into parts the marks allocated to each part are shown on the paper, and that all draft examination papers are sent to the appropriate External Examiner for comment and approval. He/she shall also ensure that the External Examiner receives the relevant module syllabus.
11.2 The Chair of the Board of Examiners shall be responsible for liaising with the External Examiner about all the arrangements relating to the examination and for co-ordinating arrangements for the examination with the Registry and all other staff concerned.
11.3 The Chair of the Board of Examiners shall be responsible for publishing appropriate information concerning examination rubrics, the conventions on the submission of coursework, dissertations, extended essays and projects and the weightings applied to modules.
11.4 The Chair of the Board of Examiners shall be responsible for ensuring that all marking of examination scripts by Internal Examiners is satisfactorily carried out.
11.5 The Chair of the Board of Examiners shall be responsible for informing candidates selected for a viva voce examination of the time and place of the viva, and its purpose (see Convention 31.5).
11.6 The Chair of the Board of Examiners shall be responsible for ensuring that all second year examination scripts, extended essays and dissertations are deposited with the appropriate Departmental Office for storing and for confirming the number of scripts, extended essays and dissertations so deposited for each module. Second year examination scripts, extended essays and dissertations will be available if required for re-reading by the Examiners in the light of the final year performance of candidates.
11.7 The Chair of the Board of Examiners shall be responsible for ensuring that the reasons for awarding a student a higher class of degree than indicated by his/her marks should be recorded on or appended to the official record of decisions made by the Board of Examiners.
12. All examination scripts for Part II Examinations shall be anonymous for the purpose of marking.Candidates will be assigned random examination numbers in advance of the examinations and answer scripts will be identified by candidate number only.
13. Candidates names and examination numbers shall be known to Boards of Examiners when considering medical and other concessionary evidence, and when considering the overall performance of candidates.
14. Candidates’ names but not their examination numbers shall be known to the Examiners at oral examinations for Modern Languages degrees except that the External Examiner may be informed of both a candidate’s name and examination number.
15. A numerical marking system shall be used for all examinations and coursework that count towards the final mark for each module.
16.1 Each module shall be marked out of 100.
Note: The final mark for a module may be a composite mark apportioned between the various elements in a manner approved by the Faculty Board and may consist of a single mark or a combination of marks from the following elements: a written examination, an oral examination, an extended essay, a dissertation, a project and a coursework mark.
16.2 For the purpose of classification under Convention 32.3 modules may have different weightings as approved by Faculty Board.
16.3 Where an Internal Examiner considers a script to be illegible the case must be referred to the second marker or moderator, who will act as arbiter. If the second marker or moderator agrees that a script is illegible, the script may:
- be awarded a mark of zero; or
- be transcribed at the candidate’s expense and under conditions laid down by the Faculty. The transcript will be used alongside the script in marking.
17.1 For each module and for each student, at least 80 per cent of the work required for assessment must be marked either by two Internal Examiners or by one Internal Examiner subject to moderation by a second Internal Examiner in accordance with the requirements of 17.2 below. Marking arrangements shall be made explicit by the Department or by the Faculty..
17.2 Where work subject to moderation is marked by only one Internal Examiner, moderation by a second Internal Examiner shall be in accordance with the following:
- The moderator will review the marking of the work of ten per cent of the candidates, or of at least six candidates if there are less than sixty candidates in total or of all the candidates if there are fewer than six candidates in total. The scripts seen by the moderator should form a representative sample and should include those awarded the highest and the lowest marks. It is open to first markers to seek advice from the moderator on the marking of work by particular candidates.
- Departments may determine that 'borderline' pieces of work should be included in the samples of work to be seen by moderators where the term 'borderline' is meaningful in relation to a particular piece of work
- The moderator will vouch for the accuracy and consistency of marking. Where he or she cannot, the matter will be referred to the Chair of the Board of Examiners concerned. The Chair will arrange for all the work to be double-marked, normally by the moderator, but, where the Chair deems there to be good reason, by a third party. Where differences of opinion between the first and second-marker cannot in this circumstance be resolved, recourse should be made to the External Examiner.
- The basis for the moderator's assessment of the accuracy and consistency of marking will be the departmental/subject criteria for assessment alongside the detail of the learning objectives of the assessment modes contained in the module descriptor.
- Further to ensure the accuracy and consistency of marking:
- Moderation should normally be undertaken by experienced examiners.
- Departments should determine whether students should be required to resubmit two copies of written coursework assignments.
- Samples of work, including coursework, for all modules should be made available to the External Examiner in the subject as part of the regular examining procedure.
- Chairs of Board of Examiners should, as part of the responsibilities outlined in Convention 11.4, ensure that statistical information on module marks is reviewed by the Board of Examiners to verify consistency of marking both between modules in any given year and between years. The Chair of the Board of Examiners will report to the Head of Department any instances of inconsistent marking.
17.3 An External Examiner should only change a mark awarded to an individual candidate where he/she has been invited by a Board of Examiners to consider a mark for an individual candidate, or where there is disagreement between two internal markers about the mark to be awarded, or where he/she has seen all the scripts for the module in question. An External Examiner may, however, ask that the marks for all candidates for a module be systematically adjusted where, having seen either all scripts or a sample of scripts, he/she considers this to be appropriate.
17. In the case of a disagreement on the mark to be awarded for a particular module between two independent Internal Examiners, the dispute shall be referred to the appropriate External Examiner, as designated by the Chair of the Board of Examiners, for resolution (see Convention 11.4 above).
18.1 The External Examiner has the right to see all scripts for written examinations, extended essays and dissertations and should see at least a selection of such scripts. In those cases where it is agreed that the Chair of the Board of Examiners should make a selection of scripts to be seen by an External Examiner, the principles for such selection should be agreed in advance (see Convention 11.2 above).
18.2 Where a selection is made, External Examiners should normally see all scripts of borderline cases, those assessed internally as of first class honours standard or failures, and a reasonable sample of scripts from the top, the middle and the bottom of the range.
19. The following percentage marks shall be used in relation to the marking of individual modules:
| First Class Honours | 70 and above |
| Upper Second Class Honours | 60 – 69 |
| Lower Second Class Honours | 50 - 59 |
| Third Class Honours | 40 – 49 |
| Pass (Ordinary) | 35 – 39 |
| Fail | below 35 |
20.1 Where the required number of questions on a paper has not been answered, the questions answered should be marked and the examiner should indicate how many questions have been answered. A mark of zero should be recorded for any missing answer and the overall mark for the paper determined in the normal way. The attention of the External Examiner and the Board of Examiners should be drawn to such cases by the annotation of a `u’ (unfinished) against the mark given.
20.2 Where a question has been started but not completed, the examiner should use discretion in judging whether the answer deserves to be marked. If the examiner does not award a mark, the paper must be dealt with under Convention 20.1; if a mark is awarded for the question, the mark should take account of the fact that the answer has not been completed and the overall mark for the paper should be determined in the normal way. Such a paper should not be distinguished by the annotation `u’.
FAILURE TO SIT AN EXAMINATION
21.1 In the case of failure to sit an examination or submit an extended time examination paper or an extended essay which has the status of a full paper by the deadline notified, without due cause, the candidate shall be regarded as having missed the examination, and an examination mark of zero will be awarded.
21.2 In the case of a candidate who fails to sit only one Second Year examination paper, if the Board of Examiners considers the candidate to have missed the examination `with due cause’, it may allow the candidate, where appropriate, to sit that paper alongside the examinations the following year (or final year in the case of a four-year degree).
21.3 In the case of a candidate who fails to sit only one final year examination paper, if the Board of Examiners considers the candidate to have missed the examination `with due cause’ it may classify a candidate on the basis of the examinations completed.
Note: This Convention should be operated in the following manner in relation to the `pre-ponderance’ method of classification (see Convention 32.4): the number of marks in a given class or above required for the award of a particular class should be reduced correspondingly.
21.4 The Board of Examiners shall have discretion to determine what constitutes `with due cause’ or `without due cause’ in the circumstances described in Conventions 21.1, 21.2, 21.3 and 30.1.
LATE SUBMISSION/FAILURE TO SUBMIT: DISSERTATIONS/EXTENDED ESSAYS, PROJECTS AND COURSEWORK
22.1 Candidates shall be required to submit dissertations, extended essays, projects and coursework by the deadline which shall have been notified to them.
Note: The Regulations state that if a student provides evidence of illness or other misfortune which prevented the submission of written work by the due date, the Board of the Faculty may extend the period of time for submission of the work by so long as it thinks fit.
22.2 In the case of late or non-submission of extended essays and dissertations without reasonable cause, candidates will forfeit that proportion of the total marks for the module represented by the extended essay or dissertation. Where an extended essay or dissertation is incomplete, it will be marked in accordance with Convention 20.
22.3 Faculty Board shall set a final deadline for all work to be submitted. No piece of coursework or project which counts towards the final mark for a module shall be marked which is submitted later than this final deadline.
22.4 Faculty Boards shall be given authority to set earlier deadlines for the submission of individual pieces of coursework and projects.
22.5 In the case of failure to submit required work in accordance with Conventions 22.3 or 22.4, a mark of zero will be recorded for that work. Where the work is later submitted, and a concessionary plea is made, the Chair of the Board of Examiners shall decide whether a prima facie case exists and, if he/she so decides, the work shall be marked in the normal manner. The Board of Examiners shall decide, in accordance with its usual concessionary procedures, what use to make of such a mark.
22.6 In the case of failure to submit a required piece of coursework or a project due to illness or other reasonable cause, a mark of zero should be recorded for the missing piece of work and the final mark calculated in the normal manner, as approved by Faculty Board. Concessionary evidence shall be submitted to the Board of Examiners under the provisions of Conventions 36.1 or 36.2.
PLAGIARISM AND DUPLICATION OF MATERIAL
27.1 A student must not reproduce in any work submitted for assessment (for example, examination answers, essays, project reports, dissertations or theses) any material derived from work authored by another without clearly acknowledging the source.
27.2 A student must not reproduce in any work submitted for assessment any substantial amount of material used by that student in other work for assessment, either at this University or elsewhere, without acknowledging that such work has been so submitted.
27.3 Where it has been determined in the manner prescribed below that a breach of Convention 27.1 or 27.2 above has taken place, a penalty up to and including a mark of zero may be awarded to the piece of work concerned.
27.4 Conventions may be published which define more precisely for purposes of particular disciplines, programmes or types of assessment-work, the offences prescribed in 27.1 and 27.2 above, provided such conventions have been approved by the appropriate Faculty Board, and a copy lodged with the Secretary to the Learning and Teaching Board.
27.5 Where, in the view of the marker, a student has committed a breach of 27.1 or 27.2 above in a piece of work which is marked only by that marker and contributes only to the `classwork’ component in the student’s overall final assessment in the module, the marker shall:
- notify the student of why he/she is alleging that a breach has occurred and the proposed penalty up to and including the award of a mark of zero for the piece of work;
- invite the student to respond orally or in writing within a reasonable and stated time to the allegation and to the proposed penalty;
- in the light of any representations made by the student, reach a final decision on whether a breach had occurred and, if it had, on the penalty to be imposed;
- where a student has made representations, notify the student of the final decisions made under 27.5(c); and, where it has been determined that a breach had occurred,
- notify the Head of the student’s `home’ Department of the final decisions made under 27.5(c).
27.6 Where in the view of either an internal or external examiner, a student has committed a breach of 27.1 or 27.2 above in a piece of work which is subject to the provisions of relevant Examination Ordinances, Regulations and Conventions:
- That examiner shall notify his/her co-examiners (internal and external) and the Chair of the Board of Examiners (`The Chair’) why he/she is alleging that a breach has occurred and of what penalty up to and including a mark of zero for the examination paper or dissertation as a whole he/she believes ought to be imposed;
- Where, having consulted with the co-examiners, the Chair confirms the allegation he/she shall:
- notify the student of the allegation, of the grounds for the allegation, and of the proposed penalty;
- invite the student to respond to the allegation and/or the proposed penalty either orally or in writing within a reasonable and stated time;
- in the light of any representations made by the student, reach a final determination on whether a breach had occurred, and if it had, on the penalty to be imposed;
- notify the student of the final decisions made under 27.6(b)(iii) and, where it has been decided that a breach had occurred;
- notify the Head of Department of the final decisions made under 27.6(b)(iii).
27.7 The Head of Department shall be responsible for ensuring that a confidential record is kept of all cases notified under 27.5(e) and 27.6(b)(v). This is solely for the purpose of helping to identify those who may have been guilty of offences under the General Discipline Regulations; is to be used for no other purpose; and must be destroyed as soon as the students to whom such records relate are no longer registered for programmes of teaching or research at the University.
27.8 Where the alleged plagiarism or duplication of material is considered to be such that a penalty greater than the award of a mark of zero might be appropriate, for example where a candidate is known to have plagiarised or duplicated material on a previous occasion, it should be dealt with as an alleged breach of Regulation V.3 of the General Regulations for Students. (pdf file)
28.1 A candidate will be deemed to have satisfied the Board of Examiners and be permitted to proceed to the next year of the programme of study unless:
- where the `average’ method of classification is being used: the candidate has obtained an average percentage mark over all Part II units taken to date of below 35;
- where the `preponderance’ method of classification is being used: the candidate has a percentage mark of below 35 in four or more units over all the units to taken to date in Part II.
- where both the average method of classification and the preponderance method of classification are being used: the candidate has an average percentage mark of below 35 or has a percentage mark of below 35 in each of six or more units over all the units taken to date in Part II.
28.2 In the case of a candidate who fails to satisfy the Board of Examiners in accordance with Convention 28.1, and makes no representation in accordance with Convention 36 or Convention 37.1, the Board of Examiners may at its discretion:
- allow the candidate to resit failed modules
Note: Candidates may, if they choose, repeat such modules. The Dean of the Faculty may permit such students to repeat the whole of the year of study in question.
or
- allow the candidate to transfer to the next year of an alternative degree programme, where such programme exists, and provided that the candidate’s performance is sufficient for the purpose;
Note: Where such a transfer is permitted, all marks, including those below 35, should be taken into account in determining the final degree classification and should appear on transcripts issued to the student.
or
- allow the candidate to proceed to the next year of the degree programme and resit the failed modules alongside the modules in the following year
or
- allow the candidate to proceed to the next year of the degree programme and carry forward the available marks for inclusion in the final degree classification.
Note: This course of action is not open in the case of candidates to be classified under Convention 32.2 who have failed modules amounting to six or more units.
or
- recommend that the candidate be required to withdraw.
28.3 Where a candidate resits modules the marks obtained for such modules shall be used as prescribed in Appendix D.
SUBSIDIARY SUBJECTS
29.1 For candidates registered for a degree programme which includes a subsidiary subject, two of the four units in the subsidiary subject shall be taken in the second year as a pre-requisite for entry into the next year of the degree programme.
29.2 A candidate who fails to satisfy the Board of Examiners in the examination for the second year pre-requisite modules shall not be allowed to proceed to the final year of that degree programme and shall be required to transfer to an appropriate single or joint honours degree programme.
Note: The Board of Examiners may stipulate that a candidate pass the pre-requisite modules at honours standard on the understanding that the degree title for a candidate so allowed to proceed will not be altered in the event of a fail or a pass mark being awarded for the modules in the final year.
29.3 In the case of failure in second year pre-requisite modules where the Board of Examiners is satisfied that absence from examination was due to illness or other urgent and reasonable cause or that the candidate had suffered illness or grave and exceptional misfortune, a candidate may be allowed to proceed under Convention 37.1(a)(ii) or Convention 37.1(b)(ii).
Note: Medical or other evidence considered must refer to the modules which are the pre-requisite modules for entry into the next year of the degree programme.
PART-TIME DEGREES
Failure in Part II Examinations Other than in the Final Year
30.1 In the case of a candidate failing one or two units at the end of a year other than the final year of the degree programme the candidate will be allowed to proceed and will not be required to resit that/those units. In the case of a candidate who fails to sit only one paper, if a Board of Examiners considers the candidate to have missed the examination ‘with due cause’, it may allow the candidate to sit that paper alongside the examinations in the following year.
30.2 In the case of a candidate failing more than two units in total at the end of a year other than the final year of the degree programme, the Board of Examiners may at its discretion;
- allow the candidate to proceed to the next year of the degree programme and resit failed units in the following year;
or
- allow the candidate to proceed to the next year of the degree programme and carry forward the available marks for inclusion in the final degree classification;
or
- recommend that the candidate be required to withdraw
In considering whether to allow a candidate to proceed under Convention 30.2, the Board of Examiners should take account of medical and other evidence of impaired performance or absence from examination(s).
30.3 Where a candidate resits modules, the marks obtained for such modules shall be used as prescribed in Appendix C.
VIVA VOCE EXAMINATIONS
31.1 All candidates shall be required to make themselves available for viva voce examinations following their final year examinations.
31.2 A Faculty Board may require that all second year candidates registered for degrees in that Faculty shall make themselves available for viva voce examinations following their second year examinations. Such viva voce examinations shall be held only in exceptional circumstances.
31.3 Where a viva voce examination is held for a proportion, but only a proportion, of the candidates, the criteria for the selection of candidates, the purpose of the viva and the scope of the panel of viva voce examiners’ decision shall be agreed with the External Examiner.
31.4 A viva voce examination shall normally be conducted by one or more External Examiners who may be assisted by one or more Internal Examiners. Where more than one academic discipline is involved, the Board of Examiners for each discipline concerned shall be consulted concerning the composition of the panel of viva voce examiners and shall have the right to nominate an Internal Examiner to be present.
31.5 A candidate selected for a viva voce examination shall be informed in advance of the discipline to be examined and, at the discretion of the Board of Examiners, may be informed of the particular modules involved.
31.6 A viva voce examination held following the final year examinations shall be used only to confirm or raise the degree class to be recommended, either by raising the mark for an individual module, or by raising the overall degree classification.
CLASSIFICATION FOR SINGLE AND JOINT HONOURS DEGREES
32.1 Each Faculty Board may decide or may authorise Departments in the Faculty to decide whether degrees will be awarded on the basis of
either (i) the ‘average’ method,
or (ii) the ‘preponderance’ method
or (iii) both methods.
If a Faculty Board fails to agree on the classification method to be used then both methods should be used. Where a Department is authorised to decide which method is to be used for classification of degrees specified as within its area of responsibility, the Department shall have authority to do so on a programme by programme basis.
32.2 Both Methods of Classification
Where the class of degree is awarded on the basis of both the ‘average’ and ‘preponderance’ methods of classification, in the event of a discrepancy in the classification derived for a particular candidate the higher of the two classes will be awarded except that a candidate who fails modules amounting to six or more units shall be deemed to have failed the examination as a whole.
32.3 ‘Average’ Method of Classification
A candidate will be placed in a class based on the average mark over all Part II modules according to the following table:
First Class Honours 70 and above Upper Second Class Honours 60 – 69 Lower Second Class Honours 50 - 59 Third Class Honours 40 – 49 Pass (Ordinary) 35 – 39 Fail below 35
32.4 ‘Preponderance’ Method of Classification
Where a module counts as two (or more) units, the mark for the module will be used as two (or more) marks in applying the preponderance method of classification. Thus a mark of 55 on a two unit module will contribute two lower second class honours marks.
A candidate will be placed in a class on the attainment of:
- at least the following number of marks in that class or above AND
- at least the following average marks over the examination as a whole:
For degrees with 16 Part II units
Class No of Marks in or above class
Average Mark on all Part II units
First Class Honours 8 65 Upper Second Class Honours 9 57 Lower Second Class Honours 10 48 Third Class Honours 12 39 Pass 13 35 For degrees with 18 Part II units First Class Honours 9 65 Upper Second Class Honours 10 57 Lower Second Class Honours 11 48 Third Class Honours 13 39 Pass 15 35 For degrees with 20 Part II units First Class Honours 10 65 Upper Second Class Honours 11 57 Lower Second Class Honours 13 48 Third Class Honours 15 39 Pass 17 35 For degrees with 24 Part II units First Class Honours 12 65 Upper Second Class Honours 13 57 Lower Second Class Honours 15 48 Third Class Honours 18 39 Pass 21 35
Notwithstanding the above a candidate who fails modules amounting to four or more units will be recorded as a ‘fail’ under the preponderance method.
32.5 Boards of Examiners may recommend the award of a higher class of degree than indicated by these conventions provided that the candidate would have qualified for a higher class of degree if he/she had obtained two more marks for each module and provided that the Board of Examiners is satisfied that there is substantial evidence that the marks obtained do not fully reflect the candidate’s overall achievement. Such evidence should normally take one or more of the forms stated below. The marks obtained should not be changed except where there is evidence which indicates that a particular mark does not reflect the candidate’s achievement on the module in question.
- Documented evidence of significant medical or personal problems or of unexpected hardship.
Note: Such evidence should not be taken into account if it has already been used as a basis for adjusting marks on individual modules..
- Evidence obtained from a viva voce examination.
- The views of an external examiner on the quality of work of the candidate
- Significant improvement in final year performance.
Note: This factor should not be taken into account where final year marks are weighted more heavily than marks obtained in earlier years.
- Performance in one module substantially below that on other modules.
Note: Such evidence should only be used in relation to the ‘average’ method of classification.
- Evidence of achievement commensurate with the higher class of degree. Such evidence might include a significant number of answers to individual questions which are of appropriate quality or, in appropriate subjects, evidence of problem solving ability.
32.6 The Board of Examiners shall have discretion to make recommendations notwithstanding the Conventions in exceptional cases provided that such recommendations do not lower the degree class arising on the application of the Conventions.
32.7 Boards of Examiners may, subject to the agreement of the relevant Faculty Board, require all their candidates to obtain either an honours pass mark or a pass mark in the project work in order to be eligible for the award of an honours degree.
33.1 The views of an External Examiner shall be particularly influential in the case of disagreement on the final classification to be derived from the array of marks of a particular candidate at the Examiners’ Meeting.
33.2 In considering a ‘run’ of papers for the award of a degree, an External Examiner is entitled to look at scripts from other Departments, but a mark confirmed by another Board of Examiners cannot be changed (i.e. whereas the External Examiner responsible for a particular paper has responsibility for the confirmation of that mark, the External Examiner for a degree subject has the responsibility for confirming the class of degree).
33.3 Where a candidate resits modules the marks obtained for such modules shall be used as prescribed in Appendix C.
34. The signature of all the External Examiners present shall be appended to the final list of degree results as evidence that they approve the classifications.
35.1 Each Faculty Board may decide or may authorise Departments in the Faculty to decide whether diplomas will be awarded on the basis of
either (i) the ‘average’ method
or (ii) the ‘preponderance’ method
or (iii) both methods
If a Faculty Board fails to agree on the method to be used, then both methods should be used. Where a Department is authorised to decide which method is to be used, the Department shall have authority to do so on a programme by programme basis.
35.2 ‘Average’ Method
- A candidate will be awarded a Diploma if an average mark of at least 40 is obtained.
- A candidate will be awarded a Diploma with ‘Merit’ if an average mark of at least 60 is obtained.
- A candidate will be awarded a Diploma with ‘Distinction’ if an average mark of at least 70 is obtained.
35.3 ‘Preponderance’ Method
- A candidate will be awarded a Diploma if marks of 40 or more in at least six of the eight units are obtained.
- A candidate will be awarded a Diploma with ‘Merit’ if marks of 60 or more in at least four units and not less than 50 in the remaining four units are obtained.
- A candidate will be awarded a Diploma with `Distinction’ if marks of 70 or more in at least four units and not less than 60 in the remaining four units are obtained.
35.4 ‘Average’ and ‘Preponderance’ Methods
- A candidate will be awarded a Diploma on attainment of
an average mark of at least 40
AND a mark of 40 or more in at least six units
- A candidate will be awarded a Diploma with ‘Merit’ on attainment of
an average mark of at least 60
OR marks of 60 or more in at least four units and not less than 50 in the remaining four units
- A candidate will be awarded a Diploma with ‘Distinction’ on attainment of
an average mark of at least 70
OR marks of 70 or more in at least four units and not less than 60 in the remaining four units
35.5 Boards of Examiners may recommend the award of a higher category of diploma than indicated by these conventions provided that the candidate would have qualified for a higher category of diploma if he/she had obtained two more marks for each module and if there is substantial evidence that the marks obtained do not fully reflect the candidate’s achievement. The marks obtained should not be changed except where there is evidence which indicates that a particular mark does not reflect the candidate’s achievement on the module in question. Such evidence should normally take one or more of the forms detailed in Convention 32.5.
35.6 Where a candidate resits modules the marks obtained for such modules shall be used as prescribed in Appendix C.
CONCESSIONS AND AEGROTATS
36.1 Boards of Examiners should only take account of alleged illness or other misfortune where a written statement has been received setting out the details of the illness or misfortune. In the case of illness, this must include or consist of professional certification.
36.2 Where a Board of Examiners considers medical or other evidence of misfortune in respect of a candidate whose tutor is a member of the Board of Examiners, the tutor shall not act as advocate for the student. The tutor may, however, confirm or otherwise the accuracy of the written evidence and provide the Board with any further factual information of which he is aware.
36.3 Concessionary evidence deemed to be of a confidential nature by the Chair of the Board of Examiners shall be dealt with in accordance with Convention 8.
- Where the Board of Examiners is satisfied that absence from second year examination(s) was due to illness or urgent and reasonable cause, the Board of Examiners may at its discretion.
- allow the candidate to sit the examinations in April/May of the following year as for the first time. The candidate so allowed shall be required to withdraw from the University during the intervening period.
-
or
- allow the candidate to proceed to the next year of the degree programme and carry forward the available marks for the second year for inclusion in the final degree classification. A candidate so allowed may choose to sit the examination as for the first time in May of the following year or, in the case of a student undertaking a placement year or a year abroad, in the following or final year.
-
This recommendation shall only be made if there is sufficient evidence that
the candidate would have passed the examination if he/she had not been absent.
Note: Medical or other evidence will be taken into account at the end of the final year examinations at which stage the candidate may be considered for the award of a classified degree or an Aegrotat (Convention 37.2(i) and (ii)).
- Where the Board of Examiners is satisfied that performance in the examination(s) was impaired by illness or grave and exceptional misfortune, the Board of Examiners may at its discretion:
- set aside the results of the examination and allow the candidate to sit the examination in April/May of the following year as for the first time. The candidate so allowed shall be required to withdraw from the University during the intervening period.
-
or
- allow the candidate to proceed to the next year of the degree programme and carry forward the available marks for the second year for inclusion in the final degree classification. A candidate so allowed may choose to sit the examination as for the first time in April/May of the following year or, in the case of a student undertaking a placement year or a year abroad, in the following or final year.
-
This recommendation shall only be made if there is sufficient evidence that
the candidate would have passed the examination if his/her performance had
not been seriously impaired by illness or grave and exceptional misfortune.
Note: Medical or other evidence will be taken into account at the end of the final year examinations at which stage the candidate may be considered for the award of a classified degree or an Aegrotat (Convention 37.2(i) and (ii)).
37.2 Where the Board of Examiners is satisfied that absence from final year examination(s) was due to illness or other urgent and reasonable cause, or that the candidate had suffered illness or grave and exceptional misfortune, the Board of Examiners at its discretion may recommend:
- That the candidate be awarded a Degree with Honours in an appropriate class, or a Degree without Honours, or that the candidate be awarded a Diploma in the appropriate category.
This recommendation shall only be made if the candidate has completed all or a substantial part of the examination and the Board of Examiners is satisfied, on the basis of all the evidence available to it, that the candidate would have reached this standard in the examination if he/she had not been absent from part of it, or his/her performance in it had not been seriously impaired by illness or grave and exceptional misfortune.
Note: For the purpose of this Convention, a substantial part of the examination shall normally be understood to be half of the units that the candidate is required to take in Part II.
or
- that the candidate be awarded a Degree (Aegrotat), or that the candidate be awarded a Diploma (Aegrotat).
This recommendation shall only be made if the candidate was absent from, or his/her performance was seriously impaired by illness or grave and exceptional misfortune in the whole or a substantial part of the examination and the Board of Examiners is satisfied that the candidate’s performance during his/her course was such that he/she would otherwise have passed the examination.
A candidate who is recommended for the award of a Degree (Aegrotat) or a Diploma (Aegrotat) may choose not have the Degree or Diploma conferred and present himself/herself for the examination again in the following year. If the candidate was eligible for a degree with Honours, or a Diploma with ‘Merit’ or ‘Distinction’ in the examination on the results of which he/she was recommended for an Aegrotat Degree or Diploma, he/she shall also be so eligible in the subsequent examination.
A candidate so allowed will be required to take only those examinations to which the concessionary evidence relates, but may choose to take all the papers for the year concerned. Boards of Examiners should consider whether the candidate should be required to submit such pieces of coursework or projects which the candidate failed to submit or were affected by impaired performance and make specific recommendations.
Note: For the purpose of this Convention a substantial part of the examination shall normally be understood to be half of the units that the candidate is required to take in Part II.
or
- that the results of the examination be set aside and that the candidate be allowed to present himself/herself for such further examination as the Board of Examiners may require; in the case of a degree candidate the examination to begin not later than twelve months after the result of the examination so set aside are announced. In the case of a Diploma candidate the examination to be concluded within 15 months after the results of the examination set aside are announced
or
- that the candidate be required to withdraw from the programme of study and from the University.
This recommendation shall only be made if the Board of Examiners is satisfied, on the basis of all the evidence available to it, either that the candidate would have failed the examination if it had been taken, or that failure in it was not sufficiently attributable to illness or grave and exceptional misfortune.
37.3 Where the award of an aegrotat Degree or Diploma or classified Degree or Diploma (Convention 37.2(i) and (ii)) is under consideration, absence through ill-health or impaired performance must be substantiated by a medical certificate covering the period of the candidate’s absence or incapacity. The candidate’s total academic record including coursework, performance in previous examinations in the University and assessments provided by supervisors, will be considered. The Board of Examiners must also be satisfied that the candidate had completed the required course of instruction leading to the examination.
38.1 Lists showing the names of candidates recommended by the appropriate Board of Examiners for the award of Degrees or Diplomas shall be published by each Faculty.
38.2 Candidates for the Part II Examinations shall be invididually informed of the marks they have obtained in each module before the end of the academic year in which the module was examined.
39 In the case of four-year degrees for which marks are received from other Universities and used for the purpose of degree classification, Faculty Boards shall have Special Conventions relating to the conversion of such marks into Part II equivalent marks.
Note: A list of four-year degrees for which such Special Conventions are required is available from each Faculty Administrative Officer.
40. There is no right of appeal against the academic or professional judgement of the duly appointed Examiners.
Appendix A: The Common Course Structure
The University has adopted a Common Course Structure with which all undergraduate programmes of study to which students have admitted in 2001/02 or before are required to conform and which requires that all full-time undergraduate students take modules amounting to eight units in each year of study. The requirements of the Common Course Structure, as at December 2000, are as set out below. The Common Course Structure is kept under review by the Learning and Teaching Board which may vary these requirements.
- Each programme of study comprises an approved set of modules, each of which
is separately assessed.
- Each module is at a specified level and contributes a specified number
of units (see 3 below) as determined by the responsible Faculty.
- The minimum requirements for programmes of study leading to the award of undergraduate qualifications are as follows:
Certificate: 8 units at any level
Diploma: 8 units at Part II level
Degree: 24 units of which at least 14 should be at Part II level
- The maximum number of Part I units which a student is permitted to take
as part of a Part II programme of study is normally two for a two-year Part
II programme of study, and three for a three-year Part II programme of study
(including programmes with a year abroad). Exceptions to this may be approved
by the Learning and Teaching Board where there is academic justification.
- The academic year is divided into two teaching periods, each of twelve
weeks, followed by a six week examination period. Teaching of each module
begins either at the start of the first teaching period or at the start of
the second teaching period unless otherwise approved by the Learning and Teaching
Board. Teaching of each module extends over one teaching period or over both
teaching periods except as otherwise approved by the Learning and Teaching
Board.
- Full-time undergraduate students are required to take modules amounting
to a total of eight units in each academic year and should normally take four
units or equivalent in each teaching period. Faculties are authorised to vary
this providing that all full-time students take at least three units or equivalent
in each teaching period.
- Full-time students are expected to devote approximately forty hours per
week to their academic work, to include contact time and private study.
- Where a student spends a year abroad as part of a programme of study, marks
corresponding to four units will normally be derived from this year of study
for purposes of degree classification. Exceptions may be approved by the Faculty
Board concerned where there is academic justification.
- Marks obtained on modules will remain valid for at least six years.
- Students taking a single honours degree programme are required to take
modules amounting to at least twelve units in Part II in the subject concerned.
- Students taking a joint honours degree programme in two subjects are required to take modules amounting to at least six units in Part II in each of the subjects concerned. Such programmes of study lead to the award of degrees such as BA in History and French.
Note: Degrees in two subjects in which the subjects are fully integrated will be treated as single honours programmes and distinguished by the use of & in place of and e.g. BA in Accounting & Finance.
- Students taking a major/minor degree programme
are required to take modules amounting to at least twelve units in the major
subject and modules amounting to at least four units in the minor subject
in Part II. Such programmes of study lead to the award of degrees such as
BA in History with French
- Students taking a degree programme in two major subjects and one minor subject are required to take modules amounting to at least six units in each of the major subjects and modules amounting to at least four units in the minor subject. Such programmes of study lead to the award of degrees such as BA in History and French with Computing.
JAG/JR/CCSAPP/02.12.96
amended 12/12/03
Appendix C: Resit Marks
The Board for Undergraduate Studies, at its meeting on 26th February 1997, agreed that, where a student resits a Part II module or modules, the marks obtained should be used as set out in the table below. An examination taken after repeating a module will be treated as a resit examination unless it has been agreed, in a particular case, that the result of the earlier examination should be set aside.
Initial Result |
Resit Result |
Marks to be used for |
Marks to be used for |
Fail |
Fail |
Best Mark |
Best Mark |
Fail |
Pass |
Best Mark |
Minimum Pass Mark |
Pass |
Fail |
Best Mark |
Original Mark |
Pass |
Pass |
Best Mark |
Original Mark |
Appendix D: Appeals Against Recommendations of Boards of Examiners
See Annex 9 of the Credit Framework for Taught Programmes
Appendix E: Academic Discipline - Procedures
See Annex 10 of the Credit Framework for Taught Programmes
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