Academic Regulations for Taught Programmes 2014/2015. Chapter 3: Assessment: Coursework and Examinations

Transcription

1 Academic Regulations for Taught Programmes 2014/2015 Chapter 3: Assessment: Coursework and Examinations Approved by the Academic Board: 9 July 2014 i

2

3 TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 3: ASSESSMENT: COURSEWORK AND EXAMINATIONS 2 PURPOSE 2 PRINCIPLES 2 PURPOSE OF ASSESSMENT 2 COMPLIANCE WITH REGULATIONS FOR THE CONDUCT OF ASSESSMENT 2 ASSESSMENT IN RELATION TO CREDIT AND AWARDS 3 MODULE ASSESSMENTS 3 STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES FOR ASSESSMENT 4 ATTEMPTS AT ASSESSMENT 4 EVIDENCE OF EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES 5 LANGUAGE OF ASSESSMENT 5 COURSEWORK 5 NOTIFICATION OF SUBMISSION DATES 5 SUBMISSION OF COURSEWORK 6 LATE SUBMISSION OF COURSEWORK 6 LEVEL 7 DISSERTATIONS 6 MARKS FOR COURSEWORK SUBMITTED LATE 7 DETECTION OF PLAGIARISM IN COURSEWORK 7 EXAMINATIONS INABILITY TO ATTEND AN EXAMINATION AT THE UNIVERSITY 7 REQUESTS FOR RELEASE OF INFORMATION ON ASSESSMENTS 7 i

4 CHAPTER 3: ASSESSMENT: COURSEWORK AND EXAMINATIONS PURPOSE 3.0 All University awards have a varied diet of assessment, which is prescribed within a course specification and tested through validation. Assessment will be cross-referenced against the intended learning outcomes for an award and will test a range of skills over and above specific academic knowledge. PRINCIPLES This chapter sets out the general requirements for assessment, as well as stipulating student responsibilities with respect to the submission of assessment to defined deadlines, any penalties exacted for failure to adhere to deadlines. Processes for registering that extenuating circumstances exist(ed) which prevent(ed) a student from meeting a specific deadline, or attending a specific element of assessment (for example, an examination or presentation) are detailed in Chapter 5. You should be reminded that the University expects that all work submitted for assessment and leading to an award is the sole work of the individual submitting the work (except where it is a defined group presentation) and that there are defined processes, and penalties, related to poor academic practice, plagiarism, collusion and cheating in examinations (for which the penalties may be as severe as exclusion from the University and failure of the entire degree). These are set out in Student Code of Practice 4. Rules for the conduct of examinations are set out in Student Code of Practice 2 (SCP2). PURPOSE OF ASSESSMENT 3.1 The purpose of assessment is to measure students learning, skills, and understanding. It also contributes to students learning because students reflect on their learning and, through feedback, are helped to recognise and enhance their achievements. 3.2 Assessment enables students to demonstrate that they have fulfilled the objectives of the course on which they are enrolled and achieved the standard for the award for which they are a candidate. Regulations on the conduct of assessment, the determination of marks, progression and awards support this purpose of assessment. COMPLIANCE WITH REGULATIONS FOR THE CONDUCT OF ASSESSMENT 3.3 It is the responsibility of the student to read and abide by published rules and regulations concerning assessment. 2

5 Academic Regulations for Taught Programmes 2014/15 ASSESSMENT IN RELATION TO CREDIT AND AWARDS 3.4 The basis of the assessment for London South Bank University awards is via assessment of students within and/or at the end of each module which contributes to that award. The assessment method, criteria for assessment and the marking scheme are based on validated learning outcomes of the module and reflect the credit level and tariff of the module (see Chapter 2). 3.5 The compatibility of module outcomes with the objectives of the course is verified through the process of validation. 3.6 Credit is given on the basis of assessment of the modules. Students are awarded credit for all modules passed at Levels S, 4, 5, 6 or 7. No student may be required or permitted to retake a module for which he or she has received credit, unless: FAIRNESS AND CONSISTENCY (a) the maximum period of enrolment has expired (see regulation ); or (b) an Academic Integrity Coordinator or Academic Integrity Panel has required that modules be reassessed as part of the penalty for cheating or plagiarism set out in Student Code of Practice 4; or (c) where a student has a claim for extenuating circumstances supported but has nonetheless passed the module. In such a case the Award and Progression Examination Board may offer the student a deferral in that module; if the student achieves a higher mark in the deferral that mark will be recorded. 3.7 The School or Department responsible for each module must establish transparent procedures to ensure that no individual student or group of students is disadvantaged by the nature of the assessment task or the marking system used. 3.8 At Levels 5, 6 and 7, both the setting and the marking of assessments must be moderated by external examiners. Where Level S or Level 4 modules contribute directly to an award (e.g. HND/C and Foundation Degree programmes) these must also be subject to external moderation. The Department must also implement a system of internal verification of assessments, at all academic levels. 3.9 Programme or module regulations may specify minimum attendance requirements. Students may be required to meet these requirements if assessed work is to be attempted and/or marked. MODULE ASSESSMENTS 3.10 A student s achievement in each module must be assessed so that s/he is awarded an overall mark for each module. If an assessment covers more than one module, the assessment must be structured so that a separate overall mark can be awarded for each module Assessment will normally take place during the semester in which the module is offered. The Department responsible for each module must ensure that students are informed of the requirements and criteria for assessment, and of the weight carried by each component of assessment, at or near the start of each module If the assessment of a module consists of more than one component (e.g. formal examination and coursework), the overall module mark is calculated as a weighted average of the marks for all of the components, based on the weightings approved by a panel authorised for this purpose (see Handbook on Quality Management and Enhancement) or modified by a School Academic Standards Committee. If no weighting is stipulated, each element will carry equal weighting. 3

6 A component may be further divided into sub-components, each with its own weighting in the calculation of the mark for the component. Some components (typically assessment to demonstrate competency) may be pass/fail only, in which case the module mark will be calculated from the weighted average of the marks for components which are quantitatively assessed A threshold mark should normally be specified which a student must achieve in each component of assessment in order to pass the module. The minimum threshold mark for a component is normally 30% at Levels S, 4, 5 and 6 or 40% at Level 7, but may be set higher. No minimum mark may be specified for any sub-component of assessment To be awarded a pass in a module a student must: a) achieve an overall weighted average mark for the module of at least 40% at Levels S, 4, 5 or 6 and 50% at Level 7; and b) achieve the minimum threshold mark in each component of assessment for which a threshold is specified; and c) achieve a pass standard in specified pass/fail assessments where such assessments are used A student registered on an HNC or HND programme may be awarded a module pass with Merit or with Distinction. In order to be awarded a pass with Merit s/he must normally have achieved a weighted module mark of at least 55%. In order to be awarded a pass with Distinction s/he must normally have achieved a weighted module mark of at least 70% The actions which the Award and Progression Examination Board may take if a student has failed a module are detailed in Chapter All module marks must be computed as a numerical percentage rounded off to the nearest whole number. Marks with a decimal part below.5 will be rounded down to the nearest whole number, and marks with a decimal part of.5 and above will be rounded up to the nearest whole number Students will normally be informed of their module marks following the completion of the module, in accordance with procedures published by Registry. These module marks are provisional until ratified by the Subject Area Examination Board. STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES FOR ASSESSMENT 3.19 The School which offers a module must ensure that the dates of examinations and for the submission of coursework are recorded in the University s student record system. It is the responsibility of students to: (a) make themselves aware of these dates; and (b) attend examinations and submit work for assessment on the dates required. ATTEMPTS AT ASSESSMENT 3.20 A student will be deemed to have made a first attempt at each component or sub-component of assessment at the due date, whether or not the attempt has been made A student who fails to submit a component or sub-component of assessment as required will be awarded a mark of 0% for that component or sub-component of assessment Where a referral opportunity is available or a deferral is granted, the student will be expected to attempt the assessment at the next available opportunity; this will usually be in August/September. If the student does not attend the examination or submit the coursework at that time s/he will be 4

7 Academic Regulations for Taught Programmes 2014/15 deemed to have made an attempt at the assessment. Subject to Regulation 5.8, the Award and Progression Examination Board will require the student to repeat the module Where a student is required to repeat a module s/he will be permitted a first attempt at assessment of the repeated module and a referred attempt. No further attempts at assessment of the module will be permitted except as set out in Regulation 5.8. EVIDENCE OF EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES 3.24 It is the responsibility of students to provide evidence of any extenuating circumstances affecting assessment, in accordance with the published procedures for extenuating circumstances and by the published date. Appeals based on extenuating circumstances not notified in advance will normally be rejected unless an Appeals Panel recognises valid reasons for failure to disclose those circumstances (see Chapter 5). LANGUAGE OF ASSESSMENT 3.25 All work for assessment must be submitted in English, unless the examination paper or coursework specifies another language. COURSEWORK 3.26 External examiners will receive for comment new coursework briefs for modules for which coursework comprises half or more of the assessment weighting, and other coursework briefs for information (see also regulation 3.7). NOTIFICATION OF SUBMISSION DATES 3.27 The School which offers the modules must ensure that the deadline dates for the submission of coursework are recorded on the University s student record system before the module begins The School Administrative Office shall keep a list for reference of all the dates for the submission of all modules on courses taught by the School The Module Coordinator shall inform the students registered on the module and the School Administrative Office at the earliest opportunity of any change in the deadline date for the submission of coursework. 5

8 SUBMISSION OF COURSEWORK 3.30 Students must submit coursework by the published deadline either physically to the School Administrative Office or electronically if this mechanism is specified. Where the coursework is prepared electronically but submitted as a hard copy, students may also be required to submit an electronic copy; failure to do so may result in the submission being regarded as incomplete. In the case of physical submissions the date of submission will be that shown on the physical coursework receipt. In the case of an electronic submission the date of submission will be that recorded by the system A Module Guide or coursework specification may specify that coursework may or should be submitted electronically. Where this is specified, the Module Guide should also inform students of the format(s) that they are expected to use. It is the student s responsibility to ensure that they have back-up copies of any work submitted electronically. Failure of a computer, disk or printer will not be accepted by the Examination Board as a reason for non-submission or incomplete submission of an assessment Where a Module Guide or coursework specification does not require that the work is submitted electronically but a student does prepare the submission electronically, the programme team may require a hard copy to be provided. In this situation a student is under the same obligation to maintain a back-up copy as in regulation 3.31 and the Subject Area Examination Board may disallow any mark if a hard copy is not supplied The University encourages the development of electronic modes of examination delivery. Where a module team wishes to deliver an examination electronically, they must obtain the written permission of the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic) or his/her nominee, and inform the students, electronically or in writing, of details of the examination mechanism in good time The physical or electronic receipt is the only acceptable proof of submission. LATE SUBMISSION OF COURSEWORK 3.35 A student who is unable to submit a written coursework assignment by the specified deadline may submit late, following the procedures laid out in Student Code of Practice 5. LEVEL 7 DISSERTATIONS 3.36 The last date for submission of Masters degree dissertations should be agreed by the Course Board and published in the Course Guide. For full-time Masters students this date will be at or shortly after the end of the semester following the completion of the taught part of the programme; for full-time programmes which start in September, the submission date will normally be 31 st October. For parttime Masters students the submission date will normally be at the end of the second semester following the completion of the taught part of the programme; in such cases the summer period may or may not be treated as a semester. Where the summer period is not considered to be part of the academic year, the submission date will normally be a calendar year after the completion of the taught part of the programme A student who is unable to submit a Masters degree dissertation by the specified deadline should follow the procedure set out in Student Code of Practice If a student fails to submit by the due date: (a) the Award and Progression Examination Board will approve the award of a PgDip, provided that the student has met the requirements for this award; 6

9 Academic Regulations for Taught Programmes 2014/15 (b) the student may be allowed to re-enrol (with payment of the full dissertation fee) and complete the dissertation provided that it can be completed within any maximum period of registration (see regulation ) 3.39 If a failure to submit by the specified date is due to extenuating circumstances, the student may be deferred in the dissertation module and be required to submit by a date agreed by the Award and Progression Examination Board (see regulation 5.38). MARKS FOR COURSEWORK SUBMITTED LATE 3.40 Coursework submitted late should be marked by an appropriate member of staff. However, the mark will be capped at 40% for an undergraduate module and 50% for a postgraduate module, when the work is submitted up to two weeks after the deadline unless there is a successful claim for extenuating circumstances, in which case the mark will not be capped. When the work is submitted more than two weeks after the deadline the mark will be capped at zero. When the mark is submitted more than two weeks late with valid extenuating circumstances, the Award and Progression Examination Board has discretion to remove the cap where assessment and feedback processes make this reasonable. If the cap is not removed, the work will be deferred by the Award and Progression Examination Board. The mark entered for referred coursework submitted at any time after the deadline will be capped at zero unless the student makes a claim for extenuating circumstances which is supported by the Extenuating Circumstances Panel. DETECTION OF PLAGIARISM IN COURSEWORK 3.41 The University actively investigates plagiarism in students assessed work through electronic detection software. If this reveals the possibility of plagiarism the procedures for investigating allegations of academic misconduct (detailed in Student Codes of Practice 4) will be invoked. INABILITY TO ATTEND AN EXAMINATION AT THE UNIVERSITY 3.42 Except in the context of an approved collaborative programme, students will not be permitted to take examinations overseas, or at any locations other than the University. Where the same examination paper is used in more than one location, the examinations must be held simultaneously A student unable to attend an examination on grounds of evidenced extenuating circumstances must submit an extenuating circumstances claim form by the published deadline Exceptionally, if an Extenuating Circumstances Panel has supported evidence of extenuating circumstances as a result of which a student is able to undertake academic work but unable to attend the examination at London South Bank, the Examination Board may allow the student to complete an alternative form of assessment of the same learning outcomes, for no more than one module. REQUESTS FOR RELEASE OF INFORMATION ON ASSESSMENTS 3.45 Under the Data Protection Act 1998, students may request all information processed on their examinations via a Subject Access Request except for: (a) the original assessment (examination script, coursework or other) that they have submitted; (b) approved marking schemes; (c) details of any communications between examiners, either internal or external The University shall: (a) make coursework available to students; 7

10 (b) retain examination scripts for 24 months after the completion of the student s course, and give the student a photocopy on request Students may request relevant extracts from the minutes of Examination Boards and Extenuating Circumstances Panels. The extracts released must not disclose personal data about any other student. The University may refuse to release extracts from minutes if it is impossible to do so without disclosing personal data on another student. 8