Assessment Regulations for Students who Commenced in October 2002 or Before

1. Examinations and Assessment: General

1.1 Timing of Written Examinations

Unless otherwise agreed by the School Board there will be a formal written examination for each unit at the end of the semester in which it is given.

Double units will normally be examined at the end of Semester 2.

1.2 Practical and Coursework Assessments

It is open to Schools and Boards of Studies to examine the practical component of their units either by continuous assessment or by a set practical examination. The latter is held either at the end of the semester or within the time allocated in the timetable to the option concerned.

When the assessment of an option results from both a written examination and marks awarded for practical and/or coursework, the balance between these components is primarily a School matter. With the agreement of the School Board, units may be assessed solely by the marks from practical and/or coursework.

1.3 Length of Examinations

The written examination for a 15 credit point unit normally lasts for two hours. The written examination for a 30 credit point unit normally lasts for three hours.

1.4 Marking System
  1. There shall be common ranges and class boundaries for:
    1. the marks for individual answers;
    2. the marks for whole written papers;
    3. the marks for units where practical or coursework forms part or whole of the assessment.
  2. The class ranges are to be as follows:

    First Class 70% or above
    Upper Second Class 60% - 69%
    Lower Second Class 50% - 59%
    Third Class 40% - 49%
    Pass 35% - 39%
    Fail 0 - 34%

  3. Examiners are encouraged to award high marks (of 80% and above) to really good answers.
  4. For final year students, examining Schools should communicate full information about the marking of individual papers to parent Schools and to Boards of Studies, including marks for individual answers, marks for any practical component and whether or not marks have been scaled (and, if so, how this was done).
1.5 Aggregation of Marks for Assessment
  1. The marks for each unit are returned separately and may not be combined to secure a pass or fail.
  2. All marks returned for individual units will be out of 100.
  3. The maximum mark for a total of 120 credit points is 800, the contribution of the mark for each unit being weighted by x/15, where x is the credit point value.
  4. When units equivalent to more than 120 credit points are taken during the year, the marks for the best 120 points are used in the assessment. The lowest mark to be counted is identified and an appropriate fraction deducted from the total to give the best aggregate based on 120 credit points. Thus a student could take units equivalent to a total of 126 points - six of 15 points and three of 12 points. If the lowest mark was in a 12-point unit, the mark for 6-points would be discounted (the mark counted would be derived by weighting the percentage mark by 6/15). The only exception is in the third (or fourth) year when marks for compulsory units must always be included.
1.6 The Mean of the Marks

The mean of the marks for each unit taken should normally lie in the following range:

first year: should normally lie in the range 55 ± 25/Ön
second year: should normally lie in the range 58 ± 25/Ön
third year: should normally lie in the range 61 ± 25/Ön
fourth year: should normally lie in the range 65 ± 25/Ön

Boards of Examiners are required to consider all units in which the average mark falls outside the normal range, and any special factors associated with the cohort of students. Marks should not be scaled simply to bring an average mark to a perceived acceptable value within the normal range; examiners should review the averages for individual questions, and re-mark if there are anomalies. Only if no special factors can be found should scaling be undertaken. Scaling can be applied to the overall results, to the marks for a particular question or section of a paper, or to the coursework components. The decision whether or not to undertake scaling is at the discretion of the examiners. The average mark for each examination should be available on request from the appropriate examinations officer.

1.7 Disclosure of Results and Assessment Procedures

The University adopted the following procedure during the 1999/2000 session:
  1. Students will be given, as a matter of course, the marks they obtain in each individual unit of study after they have been agreed by the examiners. These marks will be made available according to the agreed procedures. In certain cases, especially for Semester 1 exams, such marks at the time of release may be provisional only and subject to change by a subsequent Board of Examiners. It will be made clear when marks are provisional.
  2. All marks relating to exam papers will be released within 6 weeks of the exam paper being sat. All marks for continuously assessed work will be made available by the School concerned to students within 5 weeks of the submission deadline, although they will usually be provisional and subject to change by a Board of Examiners.
  3. Students seeking more detailed information, such as marks for individual components within exam papers, should approach the School concerned. Any such information requested, which is held by the School relating to the student's marks, will be released to the student.
1.8 Failure to Satisfy Coursework Requirements

Students must be made aware of any requirements relating to attendance at laboratory classes and field courses, and to the submission of assessed work. Failure without good reason to comply with such requirements may result in no marks being awarded for that part of the course. The Board of Examiners may subsequently require the work in question to be undertaken satisfactorily.

Students who fail to achieve a satisfactory standard in practical and/or coursework may be required to undertake additional work and/or an examination to remedy the deficiency.

1.9 Return of Assessed Work

Schools and Boards of Studies may permit the return to students of any work submitted for examination purposes, other than examination scripts, provided that it is clear that the material is required to assist in further studies or employment, and provided that the students concerned accept responsibility for ensuring that, in case of need, it remains available to the University until the end of the session following the announcement of the final examination result for the programme concerned. A detailed record of performance shall in any case be retained by the School or Board of Studies concerned. (See also Calendar Section IV: Regulations for Examinations: para 8)

2. Examination Procedures: First and Second Years

2.1 First and Second Year Hurdles

In the first and second year assessment a total mark of 320 out of a maximum of 800 is required for a student to proceed to the subsequent year of study. The total mark of 320 relates to units equivalent to 120 credit points, and the pass mark is set at 40% for each unit. In addition, a minimum of 35% is required in core units as specified in the regulations for the degree programme.

2.2 Absence from Written Examination

Students who are absent from a written examination are considered as special cases at the end of session meeting of School representatives who make a recommendation to the Board of Examiners on the course of action to be taken (normally involving examinations in the Supplementary Examination period).

2.3 Referral Examinations: First and Second Years
  1. A student who is not qualified to proceed to the next year of the programme must retake any core unit in which he/she failed to gain a minimum mark of 35% and may also take any other unit again in which less than 40% was achieved in order to reach the necessary aggregate.
  2. Referral examinations are normally taken in the Supplementary Examination period. Students may elect to take their referral examinations at the examination times at the end of Semester 1 and 2 during the following academic year, but if they elect to take this option they will be registered as an external candidate and will not be in residence until they satisfy the requirements to proceed.
  3. When a student takes a referral examination, no more than the minimum aggregate pass mark (320 out of 800) is carried forward, unless the candidate achieved more than this when he/she originally sat the examination, in which case the aggregate mark originally recorded is credited.
  4. If the minimum aggregate pass mark has not been achieved in the year assessment (see 2.1) then, for the purposes of checking whether this has been achieved following referral examinations, the higher of the original and referral examination marks will be used.
  5. When a referral examination involves an option assessed wholly by practical or coursework, special arrangements are made. Details of the re-examination arrangements for the students concerned should be conveyed in writing to the School Office before the Board of Examiners meeting that confirms the results.
  6. When a referral examination involves an option assessed in part by practical or coursework, the original mark obtained for the practical or coursework will normally be used when determining the result of the re-examination.
  7. A Board of Examiners may exceptionally recommend that a second-year student who has failed to reach the minimum aggregate (but who is otherwise qualified to proceed) be referred in units equivalent to up to 60 credit points, to include all failed units but not including any unit in which the student has achieved more than 55%.
  8. A student who fails to satisfy the requirements to proceed following a first referral examination has the right to be referred in the failed units on one further occasion only. These referrals may be taken at the normal examination times or the subsequent supplementary examination period.
  9. Students failing to proceed following a second referral will have their programme of study terminated (see regulations relating to Appeals Procedures).
  10. Students failing the second-year examinations may be eligible for an Ordinary degree programme.
  11. Exit Awards:- A student who meets the progression hurdle for proceeding in years 1 or 2 but chooses not to proceed is eligible for the award of Certificate in Higher Education (year 1) or Diploma in Higher Education (year 2). A student who has not met the progression hurdle, but who has achieved at least 90 credit points and an aggregate mark of 320/800, will be eligible for the award of an unnamed Certificate in Higher Education (year 1) or Diploma in Higher Education (year 2).
2.4 Elective Referrals: First and Second Years

First and second-year students who have qualified to proceed may elect to retake certain papers in the Supplementary Examination period. While an elective referral in no way affects the end of session assessment, the revised result may be recorded in the student's transcript. This option is not available to third or fourth year students.

3. Assessment of Final Degrees

The following notes apply to all degrees, whether for single, combined or double honours, undergraduate Masters, or Ordinary degrees.

3.1 Responsibility for Determining Degree Classification

The marks for each unit are to be submitted to the appropriate Board of Examiners, which is responsible for determining the degree classification to be recommended in accordance with the regulations below. There is a Board of Examiners (including at least one external examiner) for each Honours School. Each Board of Examiners appoints its own Chairman.

3.2 Determination of Degree Classifications
  1. The marks for each unit taken in the final year must be aggregated so that the maximum mark obtainable is 800. When units equivalent to more than 120 credit points have been examined, the performance in the best 120 credit points is used in the assessment.
  2. The aggregate mark for each year of study is combined to obtain the overall aggregate mark for degree assessment with the following weightings:

    Year 1 0
    Year 2 35%
    Year 3 65%
  3. The overall aggregate marks used to determine the degree classifications are considered in accordance with the following:

    70% or above First Class
    60% - 69% Upper Second Class
    50% - 59% Lower Second Class
    40% - 49% Third Class
    35% - 39% Pass
    0 - 34% Fail
  4. Boards of Examiners are asked to give particularly careful consideration to 'marginal' candidates. A marginal candidate is defined as one whose aggregate mark is within 2% of the next higher degree classification. For combined honours and interdisciplinary programmes the margin is increased to 3%.

    If a Board of Examiners wishes to recommend a higher classification to a candidate or candidates whose aggregate marks fall outside the marginal boundaries, the Board minutes should clearly record the reasons for this variation and the agreement of the External Examiner(s).
  5. A final year candidate should not be penalised for failing to take or complete an examination for adequate (e.g. medical) reasons.

    If a finalist is absent from examinations in units worth up to 30 credits, there are two options available:
    1. Wherever possible, the candidate should be given the option of completing the examination before the end of the examination period through the use of an oral examination. Such oral examinations should utilise internal examiners who are chosen according to the examinations missed. Any student examined in this way must be brought to the attention of the External Examiner(s) at the Board of Examiners. The External Examiner(s) may exercise discretion in considering whether or not such a student should be required to have a further oral examination with both the External Examiner(s) and an Internal Examiner present.
    2. If it is not possible to conduct an oral examination, the relevant Board of Examiners will be provided with a full profile of marks for the student (including all component examination and coursework marks) and a statement explaining why an oral examination was not possible.
  6. Candidates who have missed examinations worth more than 30 credits may be assessed during the Supplementary Examination period, or in January/June of the following session. However, special papers will not normally be set. Alternatively, the candidate may be considered for the award of an Aegrotat Degree under the conditions prescribed by Ordinance.

    If any candidate having completed the whole or a substantial part of his or her course is prevented by illness or other sufficient cause from completing sufficient part of an examination (leading directly to a degree, diploma or certificate) to satisfy the examiners in accordance with the relevant Regulations that candidate may be awarded an Aegrotat degree, diploma or certificate. Such award may be made upon the recommendation of the Board of Examiners concerned or other authorised body and upon such other conditions as the Senate may decide, provided that the candidate shall not be exempted from presenting a thesis or dissertation where such is prescribed, and further provided that the candidate shall not be given honours or placed in a class or division. Applications for the award of an Aegrotat degree, diploma or certificate must be made in writing by the candidate or by the Tutor or Supervisor concerned, and must normally be received in the relevant office not later than eight days after the end of the written examinations for the degree programme concerned. Any application based on ill-health must be accompanied by a report from a qualified medical practitioner.
  7. Each Board of Examiners shall attempt to reach its decisions by consensus, according due weight to the views of the external examiners.
  8. Candidates who do not achieve a sufficient aggregate for the award of a degree have an automatic right to resit the whole examination provided that this right has not previously been used. Such resits of final year examinations are permitted only at the normal examination times in the following year.
  9. In considering the examination results of successful resit candidates the Board of Examiners decides whether or not to recommend the award of Honours.

4. Special Arrangements for Combined and Double Honours Programmes, Interdisciplinary, Undergraduate Masters and Ordinary Degrees

4.1 Interdisciplinary and Combined Honours Programmes: Final Degree results

The procedure for determining the final degree result for students reading for interdisciplinary degrees, or combined honours degrees, is identical to that outlined above, with the following exceptions:
  1. To allow some compensation to candidates not taking a single honours degree, the boundaries of the aggregate mark scales may, at the discretion of the Board of Examiners, be reduced by not more than 3% in each case.
  2. Combined honours (X with Y programmes): The Board of Examiners for School X is responsible for the results of students taking named degrees of this type. At least one internal examiner from School Y, familiar with the work of the candidate(s), must be invited to the Board of Examiners of the candidates' School when the final degree classification is considered. A pass in the second subject in the final year is required to qualify for an X with Y degree. Examination Boards do not have the discretion to award a single honours degree to combined honours candidates unless they have met the requirements specified for the single honours degree.
4.2 Double Honours Degrees

For the purposes of section (iii), both third and fourth years should be regarded as 'final' years.
  1. At the end of the third year the Board of Examiners for the subject first named in the degree title will determine the classification in the usual way, as if the candidate were registered for a combined honours degree. The result is recorded but not published.
  2. The normal qualification to be allowed to continue into the fourth year is for the student to have qualified for the award of a degree after three years had he/she been registered for a three-year degree programme. Candidates failing to satisfy this requirement are subject to the same resit regulation as detailed above in Section 3.2 (vii).
  3. A candidate can be referred at the end of year 3, but only in core units. A satisfactory performance in such a unit will be required before allowing the candidate to proceed to year 4.
  4. Failure in either one or two of the designated subjects at the end of year 4 is redeemable only by a full resit as defined in Section 3.2 (vii).
  5. At the end of the fourth year the honours classification in each subject will be determined by the Board of Examiners for the appropriate School. The Boards will use the best marks for units equivalent to 120 credit points from units taken in each of the designated subjects over years 3 and 4 as the 'final year' marks; see Section 3.2 (i).
4.3 Undergraduate Masters Programmes
  1. To proceed from the second to the third year, a candidate must have achieved an overall mark of at least 55% in addition to the normal unit pass and core unit requirements. In order to increase their aggregate to 55%, candidates may elect to be referred in units in which they initially achieved less than 65%.
  2. The minimum qualification to be allowed to continue into the fourth year is for a candidate to have qualified for the award of a degree if he/she had been registered for the corresponding three year degree programme.
  3. When a Masters degree student takes a referral examination to qualify for the third year, the maximum overall year mark which can be carried forward for the determination of the degree class is the higher of the 40% or the overall year mark originally obtained.
  4. The aggregate mark for each year of study is combined to obtain the overall aggregate mark for degree assessment as described in Section 3.2 (iii) with the following weightings*:

    Year 1 0 Year 3 40%
    Year 2 20% Year 4 40%

    * = This represents a change from the 35/65/65 weightings used up to and including the 1999/2000 session.
4.4 Ordinary Degree Programme
  1. Second-year students who fail to pass the second-year hurdle (see Section 2.1) may be permitted to follow a restricted course for an Ordinary degree. The minimum standard for entry to an Ordinary degree programme is passes in units equivalent to 60 credit points and a minimum aggregate mark of 240/800 in the second-year examinations.
  2. Students following an Ordinary degree programme:
    1. are not permitted to take level 3 units equivalent to more than 60 credit points;
    2. are not permitted to take level 1 units equivalent to more than 30 credit points in their third year;
    3. may be required to repeat failed level 2 units equivalent to no more than 30 credit points.
  3. The School in which a student is registered is responsible, on the advice of the tutor, for approving the scheme of study to be taken by an Ordinary degree student. Normally, no subject is specified when an Ordinary degree is awarded, but a subject may be specified on the recommendation of the Board of Examiners concerned.. The award of a 'merit' class is no longer allowed.
  4. The minimum aggregate mark for the award of an Ordinary Degree is 35%, calculated as described in section 3.2.2. The second-year aggregate mark used is the higher of (a) the original mark or (b) the mark obtained following a referral examination, up to a maximum of 320/800 (140/350).