Frequently Asked Questions for Undergraduate Students

Transcription

1 Frequently Asked Questions for Undergraduate Students Please note these Frequently Asked Questions are not definitive. For more detailed information please refer to the Undergraduate Regulations available on the University's student web. What is a pathway? A pathway is a course of study, which you will undertake for your degree or diploma. It will consist of a number of modules and rules will stipulate which modules you must take, may take and the options you have to include additional modules within your course. A specialist pathway will lead to a specialist degree or diploma in which the most of your study will be in one subject. A joint pathway is one you will combine with another joint pathway and as such you will study two subjects for your degree / diploma. The University publishes pathway guides each year and these can be found on the University web page for students. What are specialist degrees and interdisciplinary (or joint) degrees? If you are studying a specialist honours degree most of the modules you will study will be in one pathway. Your degree certificate will name that subject, e.g. BA (Hons) Business Management. You may, however, be studying two pathways. This is a joint degree and your certificate will name these pathway subjects, e.g. BA (Hons) History and American Studies. What is a module? The pathways you take at the University will be taught in units of study called modules. e.g. CP2013 Knowledge Based Systems. What are core, core-option and elective modules? A core module is one that you must study. A core-option module is a module you may opt to study from a list of modules. You will need to study a set number of these modules to meet the rules of your pathway. An elective module is one you may choose to study from your pathway or another pathway (subject). What are credits? Each module you study will have a credit value. At undergraduate level modules are usually 15 credits. You must pass a module to gain its credit value. Most Universities in the UK expect full-time students to study 120 credits each year. What is a level? Each module is designed for a specific level of study. The higher the level the more academically difficult the module, e.g. Level nought modules are foundation level modules and are normally studied prior to beginning a degree programme but in some cases a small number may be studied as part of a degree. What are diets of study (sometimes known as programmes of study)? The diet of study you undertake will be made up of modules in three (possibly four) levels: nought, one, two and three. To get an honours degree you will need to study a diet which ensures you gain the right number of credits, by passing modules at the correct level in your chosen pathway or pathways. How many modules will I study each year? If you are a full-time student you will normally study eight 15 credit modules each year (24 modules over three years for an honours degree). But remember that some modules may have credit values of 30 or 45. If you are studying modules with credit values of more than 15 you will study fewer than eight modules each year. If you are a part-time student it will normally take you longer than three years to gain the number of credits required for a degree. You may study between one and six 15 credit modules each year and no more than 90 credits each year. Page 1 of 6

2 What is a registration period? This is the maximum number of years you may study your degree or diploma, e.g. A full time student may be expected to successfully complete diets of study for a standard honours degree within three years. The registration period for such a standard degree is five years, i.e. three years plus two more years. If you have not gained the requisite number of credits for your degree or diploma with the registration period you will not be permitted to study further towards your degree or diploma. You will, however, be conferred with the highest award for which you qualify when your registration period expires. What is module assessment? To pass a module and gain credits you will need to pass the assessment tasks stipulated for the module. The knowledge and skills you will acquire in each module are expressed as learning outcomes. These describe what you will be able to do when you successfully complete the module. The assessment task(s) are designed to test your knowledge of the subject matter taught and the skills you acquire by studying the module. A module s assessment may be made up of one or more assignments and assignments may take a variety of formats, e.g. an essay, a presentation, a seminar paper, a group exercise, a practical or an examination. The assessment you must complete for each module is described in the module guide you receive at the beginning of the semester. There is also a summary in the relevant Pathway guide. What are assessment criteria? When you receive an assessment task your module tutor / leader will normally give you information about what is expected in your assignment if you are to receive a very good, good, average, bare pass or fail grade. This information may be in your module or pathway guide. This guidance is designed to help you understand what is needed and to help you achieve the best possible grades. The work you submit will be graded using these criteria. What is the difference between formative and summative assessment? Formative assessment is a task your module tutor will set to help you gauge how well you understand a topic. The mark you get will not contribute to the overall grade you get for the module. Summative assessment is a task which you must undertake and the grade you achieve will contribute to the overall grade you get for the module. What are assessment components and assessment elements? Assignments may be described as components or as elements. Every assessment component must be passed for you to pass the module. An individual element may not need to be passed, but you must check your module guide because there may be minimum standards you must reach in an assessment element. An example of a component is an examination. Each question in the exam is an element. You may not need to pass every question you attempt in an exam but, overall you must achieve a satisfactory standard to pass the examination and assessment component. What must I do to pass a module? Successfully complete all assessment tasks by the due date. You cannot expect to pass a module if you only complete some of the assessment tasks. How will I know when my examinations are? Examination timetables are posted in Student Registries. It is your responsibility to check notice boards regularly before examinations in case there are any changes. What can I take to my examinations? If it is a closed book examination you may take writing implements, a watch and a small quantity of drink and sweets. If it is an open book examination your module leader will tell you what is permitted in the examination room. If your first language is not English you will not be permitted to use a dictionary in the examination room unless it is an examination in which all students are permitted to use a dictionary. You must take your ID badge to all examinations. Page 2 of 6

3 If I am ill or unable to complete my assessments what should I do? You should read the leaflets available in the Students' Union and Student Registries to decide what action you should take. Remember that only exceptionally will an extension to a submission deadline or extenuating circumstances be granted. You should make every effort to plan your work so that if you are ill for one or two days you are still able to meet deadlines. How will my work be marked? All the work you submit for assessment will be graded. It will also be subject to an internal and external moderation process. The University uses a grade point scale. The grade you are awarded will give you an indication of how well you have done in an assessment. What does each Grade mean? Grade Description Honours Equivalent A16, A15, A14 Outstanding Performance First B13, B12, B11 Above average very good Second class upper division (2:1) C10, C9, C8 Average good Second class lower division (2:2) D7, D6, D5 Satisfactory performance Third E4 Compensatable Fail at levels one and two Uncompensatable fail at level three F3, F2, F1 Fail - which requires you to submit assessment for failed components F0 Fail which requires you to retake all assessment again. Late submission without an extension 0 GA Grade awaited 0 NS Not submitted 0 AM Academic Misconduct How do I know whether I have passed an assessment task? If you obtain an A, B, C or D grade you have passed the assessment task. An E4 grade will indicate that you marginally failed the task. An F grade will tell you that you failed the task. How will I know if I have passed a module? At the end of each semester you will receive your module results. The overall grade you are awarded for each module will be computed according to the weighting of each component task. Your module guide will tell you the percentage of the total assessment each assignment is worth. Results you receive at the end of semester one will normally be provisional. Remember a provision grade may be adjusted up or down. The record of study, by which you receive your results, will also give a result for each module grade. P means you have passed the module. D means you have not passed the module and you may need to resubmit assessment to pass the module. F means that you have failed the module and you will have to retake it again on the next occasion it is taught. Page 3 of 6

4 GRADE - KEY Mark (Mrk) Grade (Grd) Attainment A Outstanding Performance B Above average very good 8 10 C Average - good 5 7 D Satisfactory Performance 4 #E Compensated Pass 4 E Compensatable Fail (Resit may be required) 1 3 F Fail (Resit permitted) 0 F Fail (Retake required) 4-0 M Valid Extenuating Circumstances. May submit assessment not submitted or failed as if for the first time. 0 NS Not Submitted (Retake required) 0 GA Grade Awaited 0 AM Academic Misconduct RESULT (Rslt) - KEY P Pass. D Defer. Until you have submitted assessment again the decision upon whether you have passed or failed the module is deferred. F Fail. You must retake the module to retrieve failure, if this is permitted. ATTEMPT (Att) - KEY 1 First attempt 2 Second attempt RESULT FOR EACH COMPONENT (RTS) KEY P Pass* F Fail* M Valid Mitigating Evidence* * The order in which these occur indicates your achievement in each component of assessment, e.g. PPF means passes in components 1 and 2 but failure in component 3. What do I do if I fail a module? If you receive a Compensatable Fail Module overall grade E4 at level one or level two you are advised to wait until you receive your results for the year before deciding whether to resit a module for which you get an E grade. If you obtain 90 credits at the level at which you are studying you will be compensated for this marginal failure in modules worth 30 credits. If you have fewer than 90 credits you will have to resit some of the modules you have marginally failed with E grades. If you are studying at level 3 you will have to resit all of the modules you have marginally failed with an E grade. If you receive a Defer, Uncompensatable Fail - Module overall grade F3 - F1 you will have to resit the module. To resit means that you submit assessment for the failed component(s) without having to study the whole module again. For example, if you fail the examination with an overall grade F3 you resit the exam at the designated resit period. The 'RTS code' on your record of study will indicate which item of assessment must be resubmitted. If you get a Fail, and no resit allowed Module overall grade 0 F or NS you have to retake the module. This means you must re-register for the module and submit all current assessment if you wish to gain the credits for the module. A retaken module must be included in your future diet of study. There is no limit on the grade you can be awarded for a retaken module. Page 4 of 6

5 What grade will I get when I resit a module? When you successfully resit a component you are limited to a maximum grade of D5 for the assessment you resit regardless of your actual performance in the resit. The overall module grade will then be computed, including the D5 component, according to the criteria and weighting set out in the module guide. When can I resit a module? You will normally resit a module in late August. However, there is a possibility that you may be able (or are required) to resit your module at other times. You should consult your module leader for advice. How many times may I resit a module? When you register for a module you may resit it once. If you fail that resit you will have to register for the module again and retake the module in order to submit further assessment. You may, however, retake a module more than once but you must gain the credits you need for your degree or diploma within the registration period allowed. If I have passed a module may I re-submit an assessment task (or the whole module) to improve my grade? No. Even if you have been given a compensated pass or been granted extenuating circumstances you may not take assessment again. How many modules must I pass in one year to progress to the next year of my degree or diploma? If you are a full time student you will normally need to pass most of your modules, modules worth a least 90 credits, to progress to the next year of a full time pathway(s). If you are a part time student you should also aim to pass most of the modules you study but because part time students study at different rates we cannot say how many credits you should gain. However, in order to continue study you must not have exhausted your registration period. What can I do if I do not pass sufficient modules / credits to progress? If you are a full time student you will probably be able to study part time to retrieve failure in modules until you have accumulated sufficient credits to allow you to resume study as a full time student. This will normally be 90 credits. Remember that provided you can create a viable diet of study you may be able to study part time in semester one and then transfer back to full time study in semester two. How many modules must I pass/how many credits must I gain to get an honours degree? If you are studying for a standard honours degree you will need to pass modules worth 360 credits in total. You will normally need to pass 120 credits at level one, 120 credits at level two and 120 credits at level three. If you are studying for an honours degree during which you study abroad or at a work placement as part of your degree you will normally need to accumulate more than 360 credits in total. How will my Honours Degree be classified? The best degree you can achieve is a first class honours degree. A very good degree is a second class, first division honours degree (known as a 2:1). The next best degree is a second class, second division honours degree (known as a 2:2) and finally there is a third class honours degree. Standard honours degree, comprising 360 credits, will be classified using the best grades you obtain in a total of 210 credits at levels two and three, of which at least 120 credits must be at level three. If you are studying a degree of more than 360 credits, or you are taking fewer than 360 credits with the University of Wolverhampton because you were given accreditation for prior learning, the classification of your degree will be calculated using slightly different rules. Page 5 of 6

6 What is accreditation for prior achievement? The University may be able to give you credit for relevant learning you undertook prior to beginning your degree or diploma pathway. This learning may have been acquired whilst studying on another course for which you have a certificate or may have been acquired whilst at work. If you think you may be entitled to credit you should ask the advice of the admission's tutor for your pathway. What will my certificate look like? On your certificate will be printed: the University Coat of Arms Your legal name The type of award you gained, e.g. BSc, BA, Diploma of Higher Education, Certificate of Higher Education The class of your honours degree, where appropriate The name of your degree, e.g. Business Management (a specialist degree), History and American Studies (joint degree). The date on which your award was conferred. The signatures of the Vice-chancellor and the. What can I get if I do not complete my Honours degree? If you have gained sufficient credits at specific levels you may claim an intermediate award. Intermediate awards are: Certificate of Higher Education; Diploma of Higher Education and Ordinary Degree. Page 6 of 6