Transcript University of Brighton Regulations workshop for partner

University of Brighton
Regulations workshop for
partner colleges
Tanya Izzard, Partnership Manager
[email protected]
01273 643901
Aims and audience
• to introduce college staff to key examination and assessment
regulations as set out in the General Examination &
Assessment Regulations (GEAR)
• to introduce college staff to the procedures supporting the
assessment and examination process as set out in the General
Examination & Assessment Procedures Handbook (GEAPH)
• to ensure college staff are aware of the decisions that can be
made by examination boards
• to ensure college staff are aware of their responsibilities
during the examination and assessment process
• for all staff at colleges involved with the examination and
assessment process
Terminology
• modules or units
– the terms are interchangeable, this presentation refers to
modules
• modules can be:
– mandatory: must be taken and passed to achieve award
– compulsory: must be taken but need not be passed to
achieve award
– optional: need not be taken or passed to achieve award
• intercalation/intermission
– when a student is given permission to suspend study for
an agreed period
Terminology
• AEB and CEB
– Area Examination Board (considers module results)
– Course Examination Board (considers student achievement
profiles)
– often joint for college programmes
• referral: student must complete additional work to pass module,
mark capped at 40
• deferral: student with accepted mitigating circumstances must
complete additional work to pass module, full range of marks can
be awarded
• compensation: credit that is awarded to enable student to progress
to next level or achieve award when not all modules have been
passed. Failed modules remain on transcript as fails.
• repeat: module must be repeated in full at next opportunity. Mark
capped at 40.
Fundamental regulations
• each programme must have a definition of stages of
study and progression/award points
• Common Academic Framework defines
– programme length
– required credit values
– maximum period of registration
• maximum credit per year
– full-time students take 120 credits
– 140 credits is possible in exceptional circumstances
Fundamental regulations
• maximum number of attempts at module assessment is
FOUR:
– first attempt 1
– first attempt referral 2
– repeat attempt 3
– repeat attempt referral 4
• students can move from attempt 1 to attempt 3 if their
attempt 1 fails and cannot be retrieved by referral
• referral and repeat attempts are not a right but in the gift
of the examination board
Coursework submission
•
•
•
•
submission deadlines must be published
students who submit work late receive a mark of zero
ARGEAR 2 form must be used for submission of late work
submission deadlines and late work rules need consistent
implementation
• Student Handbook and course handbook set out these
regulations
Extensions to deadlines
• ARGEAR 1 form must be used to grant extensions
• Students must provide documentary evidence
• Good practice to identify one person per programme to
grant extensions
• acceptable reasons for extensions include
– major illness
– significant personal problems
– failure of University or College systems or facilities
• extensions are not given for
– minor illness
– computer/printer failure unless the fault of the University or the
College
– demands of paid work
– transport problems
Mitigating circumstances
• students must submit a mitigating circumstances form
(ARGEAR 3) to the chair of the examination board
• staff cannot claim mitigation on students’ behalf, unless
there is group mitigation (eg disturbance in exam room)
• students must provide supporting evidence from an
independent third party
• claim forms and evidence must be stored securely
• students may claim mitigating circumstances even after an
extension has been allowed, if they consider their
performance was affected despite the extension
Academic misconduct
• academic misconduct includes plagiarism, collusion,
falsification of data, duplication of previously submitted
work, cheating in exams, impersonation and ghosting
• for full details please see
– http://staffcentral.brighton.ac.uk/plagiarism
• CLT has plagiarism awareness pack for use with students
• Centre for Learning & Teaching:
– http://staffcentral.brighton.ac.uk/clt/resources/plagiari
sm.htm
• Turnitin available via studentcentral to check student work
for plagiarism
Investigating academic misconduct
• member of staff who suspects academic misconduct
reports to Course Leader/designated member of staff
• member of staff investigates suspicion, judging whether
there is sufficient evidence to report to Head of School
• Head of School assesses major/minor case
• minor case: interview with Head of School
• major case: Investigating Panel including Course Leader
• member of staff will give evidence to panel
• report of outcomes to CEB recommending penalty
Examination board paperwork
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
agenda
constitution and membership
minutes of last meeting
details of chair’s actions completed since last meeting
mitigating circumstances claims (confidential to chair)
information about academic misconduct cases
information on student achievement (CAMS output)
Examination board representation and
attendance
• Faculty Academic Boards approve constitution and membership for
each examination board
• chairs are members of UoB staff (usually Head of School or equivalent
• External examiner always attends
• appropriate College representation might include:
– module leaders, who should be prepared to discuss module results and referral
requirements
– course leaders, who should be prepared to discuss student progression and awards
– college HE managers
• attendance is compulsory for those named on the constitution and
membership for each board
Decisions available to examination
boards
•
•
•
•
•
•
maximum attempts at module assessment
referral – make good by reassessment, capped at 40
deferral – only with accepted mitigating circumstances
compensation
progress with conditions
do not progress
– repeat failed modules in part-time mode, capped at 40
– fail and withdraw
– maximum period of registration reached
Module result decisions
• AEB or joint AEB/CEB will consider module results for each
student
• outcomes of academic misconduct investigation may be
considered
• possible module results include
– pass
– fail and recommend referral
– fail
• note the threshold rule – if a component of assessment has a
mark below 30, the module is failed even if the overall
module mark is over 40
Progression decisions
•
The CEB or joint AEB/CEB will consider each student’s profile of results,
and may make the following progression decisions:
– progress without conditions: student has passed all required modules
– progress with compensation: a maximum of 20 credits can be
compensated for full-time students each year. No compensation for
mandatory modules
– progress with conditions. Students may trail up to 20 credits into the
next year of study.
– endorse recommended referrals, and defer progression decision to
next meeting of board
– accept mitigating circumstances, agree deferral work to be completed
and defer progression decision to next meeting of board
– require student to slow progress and repeat failed modules in parttime mode
– require student to withdraw
Mitigating circumstances decisions
• pre-board meetings of small group including CEB chair may review
claims and make recommendations on acceptance to CEB
• pre-board meetings are not required but are good practice and help
to preserve confidentiality
• mitigating circumstances can be accepted or rejected by the CEB
• If accepted, the board may
– endorse deferral results on any failed modules, decision on
progression deferred to next meeting of board
– consider compensation if sufficient credit has been achieved
– note acceptance if all modules have been passed
– take into account when considering students at classification
borderlines
Classification of awards
• Foundation degrees:
– Pass
– Merit
– Distinction
weighted average of 40 or above
weighted average of 60 or above
weighted average of 70 or above
• Honours degrees:
–
–
–
–
3rd
2.2
2.1
1st
weighted average of 40 or above
weighted average of 50 or above
weighted average of 60 or above
weighted average of 70 or above
• borderlines: students with an average within 2% of the next
classification band can be considered for that classification by
the examination board
Appeals
• students must indicate intention to appeal to the Secretary of
Academic Board and contact chair of examination board
within 15 working dates of notification of results
• students then have 30 days to lodge a formal appeal
• students cannot appeal against academic judgement
• valid reasons for appeals include:
– mitigating circumstances not considered or student was
unable to submit them for valid reasons
– procedures were not followed by the examination board
– regulations were breached
• see GEAR Section H for full details of process