Nottingham Trent University

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Phebe Oliver
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1 Nottingham Trent University Guide for Undergraduate Students How can I use my grades to track my progress towards my final degree result? OR So far I ve received several Mid 2.1s, a couple of High 2.2s and a Low 1 st ; but I really want a first and I just don t know how to get there 2013

2 General introduction From the academic year NTU has used grade-based assessment (GBA) for assessing all undergraduate students' work. A key benefit of GBA is that the grades you receive and the associated descriptors will help you to track your development on each module as well as monitor overall progress on the journey to your award. This document will help you understand how the grades you receive contribute successively to your final degree result. It also suggests some strategies for tracking your progress and actions you can take to help you obtain the highest class of degree you are capable of achieving. Additional information about GBA, including the NTU Undergraduate Grading Scheme is available in the Online Handbook: Grade-based assessment At NTU any piece of assessed work (e.g. an essay, a critique, a piece of design work) that you submit will receive one of 17 possible grades. The grades awarded (e.g. High 2.1) relate directly to the final degree classes (i.e. 2.1). Normally for each piece of assessed work you should expect to receive a grade, a grading matrix and individual feedback. The grade you receive is based on comparing the qualities of your work with written descriptors (or grading standards) for a number of assessment criteria. The grading matrix (or grid) shows the relation between the criteria being assessed and the standards required for work to receive a specific grade. It also makes clear how the assessment relates to the module learning outcomes. All of the above information can help you to study towards the degree class you are aiming for as explained in this guide. Page 2 of 6

Understanding grades and your degree class Although there are some differences the majority of undergraduate degrees at NTU are 3 years in length.

3 Understanding grades and your degree class Although there are some differences the majority of undergraduate degrees at NTU are 3 years in length. In this section we describe how the grades that you are awarded on modules contribute to your final degree classification. Modules and year weightings As shown below in each year you will study a number of modules. Each module has a number of credits associated with it. While the number of modules may vary between years and degree courses, you must complete 360 credits of study to be awarded an undergraduate degree. The first point to remember is that not all modules and all years contribute equally to your final degree class. Modules with a larger number of credits have a larger impact on your final degree class, and for most courses so does your final year of study. The first year of study is formative and while you must pass the year overall the grades you receive do not contribute to your final degree class. Module Grades in 2 nd Year The table below shows module grades for a typical second year course at NTU. As you can see the year comprises four modules with two modules at 20 credits and two modules at 40 credits. The overall result for the year is a Low 2.1. Page 3 of 6

For each module you will complete one or more pieces of assessed work (e.g. an essay, report, presentation) and these are the module assessment elements.

4 For each module you will complete one or more pieces of assessed work (e.g. an essay, report, presentation) and these are the module assessment elements. As noted above each piece of assessed work receives a grade and associated with each of the 17 grades is a numerical equivalent (Appendix 1). In the table below you will see the grades and the numerical equivalents for the 6 assessment elements that are required for the 4 modules. So for Module 1 there is a single assessment element that has been awarded a Low 2.1. In this case the module grade will be the same, i.e. Low 2.1, and the module result will be the numerical equivalent of 62. Module 2 has two assessment elements, graded at Low 2.2 and Mid 2.1. To obtain the module grade the associated numerical equivalents (52 for Low 2.2 and 65 for Mid 2.1) are averaged using the weights (60% for element 1 and 40% for element 2). This number (57%) becomes the overall result for the module. The module grade is then determined from the published mark ranges for the grades (Appendix 1). If your second year of study at NTU occurred before grade-based assessment was introduced, then you would use the percentage mark in your calculations in place of the numerical equivalents. The overall result for the year is calculated by averaging the module results but with the added complication of weighting each module result by the number of credits. The weights for each module mark are obtained by dividing the module credit value by 120. The overall grade for the year is again obtained from the published mark ranges for the grades. Your Degree Class The table below shows how your final degree class is calculated, using the example of a 3-year degree course in which the final year contributes 70% and the second year 30%. Following the same approach for the year result, the degree result is calculated as a weighted average of the Year 3 and Year 2 overall results. Page 4 of 6

In this case the Year 3 High 2.1 (67.8) and the Year 2 Low 2.1 (62.3) combine to produce an overall result of 66.2. This equates to an Upper Second Class Degree (Appendix 1).

5 In this case the Year 3 High 2.1 (67.8) and the Year 2 Low 2.1 (62.3) combine to produce an overall result of This equates to an Upper Second Class Degree (Appendix 1). Tracking Your Progress One of the benefits of grade-based assessment is that it should help you to track your progress and help you to see what degree result you are moving towards. As you receive your grades there are a number of questions you can ask yourself and actions that you can take to help you determine if you are on track in getting the degree class you are aiming for. In particular consider asking: Where are you now? What s your average grade now? Is it where you want to be, or are you aiming for the next band up? To work out where and how to improve, you ll need to Read the descriptors for the grade you ve got and also for the grade you want to achieve Look at the feedback for clues about how to improve You may want to speak to your tutor about ways to improve Take part in study skills workshops or book a 1-1 appointment to develop your academic skills Page 5 of 6

6 Appendix 1 Relation of grades, mark ranges and numerical equivalents to degree classes First Class Grade Mark range Numerical Upper second Lower second equivalent Exceptional st High 1 st Mid 1 st Low 1 st High Mid Low High Mid Low Third High 3 rd Mid 3 rd Low 3 rd Fail Marginal fail Mid fail Low fail Zero Zero 0 0 Page 6 of 6 Centre for Academic Development and Quality Nottingham Trent University Dryden Centre 202 Dryden Street Nottingham NG1 4FZ

Nottingham Trent University. Grading Scheme for Postgraduate Taught Courses

Nottingham Trent University. Grading Scheme for Postgraduate Taught Courses Nottingham Trent University Grading Scheme for Postgraduate Taught Courses 2013 The NTU Grading Scheme This document defines the NTU generic level and grading descriptors for application to assessment