University of Southampton Calendar 2007/8


University Calendar 2007/08 Section IV : General Regulations Progression, Determination and Classification of Results

Introduction

1.1

The following regulations apply to all undergraduate programmes, except in so far as exemption for particular programmes has been allowed under 1.3 below.

1.2

Where there are special circumstances, as defined in section 7 of this document, a Board of Examiners may set aside aspects of these regulations and seek alternative evidence, or offer alternative methods or times for re-assessment, to show that required learning outcomes have been achieved. Detailed guidance is given in the Quality Handbook.

1.3

With the approval of the Chair of University Academic Quality and Standards Committee, Schools may with good cause operate variations on the following progression scheme. The following Schools have been granted such approval:

School of Law
School of Mathematics
Winchester School of Art

Where Schools operate approved variations on the scheme, students will be provided with specific information by the School.

Definitions

2.1

Average Mark: The mark obtained by taking the mean average (rounded to integer, except as required by 6.3 below) of all individual module marks, weighted according to their credit point weightings, contributing to the assessment of a Part of a programme.

2.2

Compensation: The award of credit for a failed module on the basis that strong performance elsewhere ensures that the learning outcomes of the programme as a whole have been met.

2.3

Compulsory module: a module which must be taken by all students on a particular programme.

2.4

Core module: A module which must be taken and passed by all students on a particular programme.

2.5

Module: A specified element of learning material with its own learning outcomes and, usually, teaching and assessment procedures. (The terms Unit and, in the context of the Student Records System, Course are synonymous with Module).

2.6

Part: A number of modules, normally corresponding to one academic year of study for a full-time student, which are assessed as a group to determine progression. (The term 'Part' is preferred to 'Year' which can be imprecise in the context of part-time students or students who repeat or suspend registration, and also preferred to 'Level' since not all material will necessarily be at the same academic level: see 3.1 below.)

2.7

Pass Mark: The minimum percentage mark that must be achieved in order to pass. It may be applied either to a module or to an average mark. In either case, the pass mark will be 40% or such higher mark as is required by programme regulations. A candidate failing to achieve the Pass Mark in a module has failed that module.

2.8

Qualifying Mark: The minimum percentage mark that must be achieved in a module in order for compensation to be allowed (subject to 4.3 below) against that module. This will be 25% or such higher mark as is required by programme regulations.

2.9

Referral: The re-taking of all or part of the assessment or an alternative assessment of a failed module in order to achieve the required pass mark. Referral assessments are usually taken in the August/September at the end of the academic year in which the module was failed, but may be taken at other times by agreement with the School concerned.

2.10

Repeat: The re-taking of assessments during the academic year following an unsuccessful Referral. The Repeat may be internal or external as the candidate, following academic counselling from the School, shall choose. Should a module which is to be repeated not be available in the following year, the Examiners' Board shall specify what alternative re-assessment shall be taken. A Repeat may only be taken on one occasion for each Part of a student's programme.

Programme Structure

3.1

A programme of study is divided into one or more Parts. A Part will predominantly be at one academic level with successive Parts at successively higher levels. However, some study may be at other levels as permitted by the Credit Accumulation and Transfer (CATS) Regulations.

3.2

The assessment for each Part will consist of assessments for a number of modules. The total credit rating for the modules will be as specified in the CATS regulations.

3.3

If programme regulations allow a candidate to take assessments in more modules than the minimum required, progression decisions will be based on that combination of modules which gives the best mark profile and which is consistent with programme regulations (for example, in relation to core and compulsory modules).

3.4

Each Part must be successfully completed before the next Part is commenced. The criteria for successful completion are specified in section 4 below.

3.5

For classified awards, the classification will be determined by the average mark and the profile of module marks in the final Part and other Parts, as specified in section 6 below.

Criteria for Progression

4.1

In order to progress to the next Part of a programme or to an award, as appropriate, all modules must be passed at the specified module pass mark except as allowed in regulation 4.3 below.

4.2

Some Parts of some programmes may in addition require an average mark greater than 40%. This is particularly the case for programmes subject to professional accreditation. Details will be given in individual programme regulations.

4.3

Compensation: A candidate achieving the required overall average and passing all core modules, but failing to achieve the required pass mark in non-core modules totalling not more than 30 credit points (15 ECTS), may be permitted to progress provided no module mark is less than the Qualifying Mark.

4.4

Referral:

4.4.1

A candidate failing to progress under regulations 4.1 to 4.3 may take Referral assessments in (a) all failed core modules and modules in which the mark achieved is less than the Qualifying Mark, and (b) such other failed modules as the candidate, following academic counselling from the School, shall choose. Referral assessments are normally undertaken in the next following August/September.

4.4.2

The marks achieved at referral are inserted into the previous marks profile (where higher than the previous marks) and regulations 4.1 to 4.3 applied again to determine progression. However, the referral marks will be capped at the module pass mark to calculate the average mark carried forward to determine a final degree classification.

4.4.3

A candidate is not permitted to refer a module which has already been passed in order to improve the mark, except in situations where the referral is necessary to achieve an average pass mark which is above 40% as in regulation 4.2 above. In this case the candidate may, following academic counselling from the School, take referrals in any modules in which the mark achieved was less than the required average mark. If the referral is successful, the required average mark shall be carried forward. If the candidate subsequently elects to transfer to a programme not requiring the higher average, the referral shall be set aside and the original average mark used.

4.5

Repeat: A candidate failing to progress after referral may repeat the appropriate Part of the programme internally or externally, as chosen by the candidate, following academic counselling from the School. Normally the Repeat will include all modules. However, the candidate may choose to repeat only the failed modules. In this case, marks for modules not repeated will be carried forward (uncapped) from the best of previous attempts.

4.6

The progression criteria for a Repeating candidate are the same as for the first attempt including the right of referral. The mark to be carried forward to determine a final degree classification shall be calculated in the same way as for the first attempt including capping of referral marks. Any Part may be repeated only once. The programme of a candidate failing at referral following a Repeat shall be terminated.

Awards

5.1

A candidate successfully completing Part I of a programme according to the criteria in Section 4 above, but for any reason not proceeding to complete Part II, may be awarded the Certificate of Higher Education.

5.2

A candidate successfully completing Part II of a programme according to the criteria in Section 4 above, but for any reason not proceeding to complete Part III, may be awarded the Diploma of Higher Education.

5.3

If permitted by programme regulations, a candidate on an Integrated Masters programme successfully completing Part III of the programme according the criteria in Section 4 above, but for any reason not proceeding to complete Part IV, may be awarded a Bachelors Degree.

5.4

If permitted by programme regulations, an Ordinary Degree may be available to a candidate who has not met the requirements to progress or graduate on an Honours Degree programme.

Classified Awards

6.1

Mark Scheme

The degree classification shall be based on the 100-point mark scheme for the final degree average, ie:

70% and over	First Class (I)
60% - 69%	Second Class, Upper Division (IIi)
50% - 59%	Second Class, Lower Division (IIii)
40% - 49%	Third Class (III)
Less than 40%	Fail

These boundaries refer to the final average mark rounded to the nearest integer. In programmes subject to professional accreditation, the programme specification may define a required aggregate pass mark greater than 40%.

6.2

Weighting of Parts

Part I work shall be excluded from the final degree classification. A weighting of 0:1:2 shall be used for the three Parts of an Honours degree programme, and a weighting of O:1:2:2 for the four Parts of an integrated Masters programme. This is in addition to weighting by credit points (for example, where Parts III and IV do not contain the same number of credit points).

6.3

Classification Algorithm

The class awarded shall be that within which the average falls or the next higher class if the unrounded average is within 2% of the higher class and at least 50% of the credit points, weighted by Part, is derived from unit marks in the higher class or above.

6.4

Variations within Schools

With the approval of the Chair of University Academic Quality and Standards Committee, Schools may with good cause operate variations on the above classification scheme. The following Schools have been granted such approval:

School of Law

Winchester School of Art

Where Schools operate approved variations on this scheme, students will be provided with specific information by the School.

Special Considerations

7.1

A student's performance may be worthy of special consideration if their performance in a relevant assessment has been adversely affected by exceptional circumstances outside their control and there is evidence to support such a claim. Exceptional circumstances may relate to situations personal to the student, such as illness or family difficulties, or to external factors such as the illness of a lecturer at a crucial time in a unit, or disruption or cancellation of any part of the examination process. Such external factors may affect an individual student and/or groups and/or cohorts of students.

7.2

Special considerations shall only apply to circumstances which can be clearly related to performance in particular elements of assessment.

7.3

A student who believes that his/her performance in a relevant assessment is worthy of special consideration should ensure, as far as possible, that the evidence relating to these circumstances is given to the appropriate person within the School in advance of the next meeting of the Board of Examiners. Schools must ensure that deadlines for the submission of special considerations claims are publicised to students. Where exceptional circumstances affect a group or cohort of students and relate to a situation already known to, and evidenced by, the School concerned (eg: disruption to an examination or illness of a member of staff), and the School confirms that it is referring the matter for special consideration, the notification of the exceptional circumstances need not be brought forward by individual students and may be considered by the Board of Examiners or by a Special Considerations Board (see paragraph 7.4 below).

7.4

Boards of Examiners shall establish a small Special Considerations Board to consider the evidence presented by individual students and make recommendations to the Board of Examiners. The establishment of a smaller board to handle such cases avoids the necessity for students' individual circumstances being discussed in the wider Board of Examiners. Where the Chair of the Board of Examiners deems it appropriate because of the nature of the case, exceptional circumstances affecting groups or cohorts of students (see paragraph 7.1) may also be referred to the Special Considerations Board.

7.5

The consideration of exceptional circumstances shall remain distinct from the marking process and actual marks shall be determined solely on the basis of work submitted. Marks shall not be adjusted in the light of special circumstances. However, the Special Considerations Board may recommend the setting aside of marks which it considers to be inconsistent with a student's overall performance (see paragraph 7.6).

7.6

Should a Special Considerations Board (or Board of Examiners under paragraph 7.3) accept that exceptional circumstances have affected academic performance, the Board shall normally recommend the award of a classification or a progress decision consistent with the performance which, on the evidence available to it, the Board reasonably judges the student would have achieved if performance had not been affected by these circumstances. If the evidence is insufficient to make such a judgement, the Special Considerations Board may recommend setting aside the results of particular assessments and allowing the student to take such assessments again as if for the first time.

7.7

The authority of the Special Considerations Board to make allowance for exceptional circumstances may be restricted in some programmes subject to Professional, Statutory or Regulatory requirements or because of the special requirements of particular programmes. In such cases, this will be made clear to students in programme documentation.

7.8

Boards of Examiners shall consider recommendations from Special Considerations Boards before making a determination of the student's result and any progress decision arising from the result.

7.9

A Board of Examiners may note exceptional circumstances to be carried forward for further consideration in a later year of a programme. Apart from this, no exceptional circumstances applying to previous years of a programme shall normally be taken into consideration.

7.10

In all cases the Board of Examiners must be assured that overall programme learning outcomes have been met before a recommendation for an award can be made. Where, in respect of a final examination, a student affected by exceptional circumstances is unable to satisfy the examiners in accordance with the relevant Regulations, and where it would be inappropriate to consider permitting this student to retake assessments as for the first time, that student may be considered for the award of an aegrotat degree in accordance with the terms of Ordinance 7.4.4.

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