Procedures and Guidelines for External Examiners of Taught Courses

University of Strathclyde

1 Procedures and Guidelines for External Examiners of Taught Courses

Approved by Senate: October 2005 Updated: November 2011, April 2014

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PROCEDURE AND GUIDELINES FOR EXTERNAL EXAMINERS OF TAUGHT COURSES

Version No. Description Author Approval Effective Date

1.1

Procedure and

Guidelines for

External Examiners

of Taught Courses

Education

Enhancement

Senate April 2014 September 2014

9/7/2014 Version 1.1

the place of useful learning

The University of Strathclyde is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, number SC015263




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Procedure and Guidelines for External Examiners of Taught Courses

Contents Page Guidelines and Role of External Examiner 2 Criteria for Appointments 4 Identification, Nomination and Appointment of External Examiners 5 Period of Appointment and Extensions 6 - Resignation - Early Termination Briefing Information 8 - Guidance Monitoring and the External Examiner’s Annual Report 10 Freedom of Information 11 Annex 1: External Examining Process Chart Annex 2: Standard Letters to External Examiners (UG and PG) Annex 3: University Awards Framework and Explanatory Notes Annex 4: Honours Classification and other Award Rankings Annex 5: University Marking Guide for Undergraduate Course to Level 4 Annex 6: Marking Guide for Integrated Masters Courses Annex 7: University Compensation Scheme [Link to SharePoint site: https://moss.strath.ac.uk/inst/exexam/Pages/Welcome.aspx] Any reference to ‘Heads of Department or Course Directors’ in this procedure should be taken to include equivalent roles such as Heads of School, Academic Directors etc. Similarly, references to Departments should be taken to include equivalent functions such as Schools.

https://moss.strath.ac.uk/inst/exexam/Pages/Welcome.aspx




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Guidelines for External Examiners of Taught Courses

1 General

External Examiners are a key element of Strathclyde’s quality assurance and enhancement process. The University aims to ensure that high quality teaching, learning and assessment are maintained and further developed through the involvement of the External Examiners in the assessment process.

The University’s External Examining system is in line with the UK Quality Code for Higher Education: Part B: Assuring & enhancing academic quality: Chapter B7: External examining issued in December 2011. The University’s courses also take account of relevant national subject benchmarking information and the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework.

All taught first degrees and postgraduate courses have one or more External Examiners. Appointments are approved by the Quality Assurance Committee (QAC) on behalf of Senate on the recommendation of the relevant Faculty Board of Study in accordance with Ordinance 3.4.3.

External Examiners can be appointed at course level or at subject level. In many cases,

examiners who are appointed at course level also act at subject level for an appropriate number of classes. This two-level system was a response to the widespread introduction of modular course provision; it deals with the difficulties that would otherwise present themselves where students may be taking classes from across more than one department or course. A summary of the External Examining process at Strathclyde is attached as Annex 1.

2 Role of the External Examiner

2.1 External Examiners provide the University with an objective point of reference, and report

annually on:

whether the academic standards set by the University are being maintained and whether the University’s students are achieving the required standard;

whether the assessment process measuring student achievement is rigorous, consistent

and fair to the students and has been fairly conducted within the University’s regulations, policies and guidelines;

the comparability of academic standards and student achievement with those in similar

institutions with which they are familiar;

whether the aims and objectives of the course(s) are appropriate in terms of academic and professional subject matter, with reference as applicable to the UK Quality Code for Higher Education Chapter B7: External Examining, subject benchmark statements, the qualifications framework and the requirements of professional and statutory bodies;

whether the assessments enable learners to demonstrate the achievement of the

intended Learning Outcomes and whether the curriculum remains current and supports students in the acquisition and development of key skills.

http://www.qaa.ac.uk/Publications/InformationAndGuidance/Pages/Quality-Code-Chp-B7-External-examining.aspx






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2.2 Through their activities, the External Examiners assist the University in: the comparison of academic standards across the awards and classes of the University

curriculum; the identification and dissemination of good practice.

2.3 External Examiners are expected to be involved with assessment processes for all years of a

course. Faculties and Departments will consider with their External Examiners how this involvement might best be achieved.

2.4 The precise duties and responsibilities of External Examiners are a matter of agreement between

the individual Course Director or Head of Department/ School and the External Examiner(s) for each course. They may be asked to undertake any or all of the following tasks:

Review programme specifications; Scrutinise course materials and assessment procedures;

Consider and comment on, as appropriate, proposals for the content of assessments to

ensure that they are appropriate to the learning outcomes of the class to be assessed, that clear assessment criteria are provided and that assessments are of an appropriate standard;

Moderate the achievement of students against the standards set by the University and/or

professional and statutory bodies for all classes;

Notify the University of any suspected cases of cheating, collusion or plagiarism in students’ work and assist in the investigation of suspected cases as necessary;

Work as a member of a team of External Examiners and undertake the mentoring of new

External Examiners as necessary;

Attend Boards of Examiners to which they have been appointed to ensure that the University undertakes progression and recommendation of awards in accord with its agreed regulations and procedures;

Ensure that the standard of any award which is recommended by the Board of Examiners

of which they are a member is comparable to the standard of similar awards in other UK institutions of which they have experience and is in line with the national context;

Ensure that all students are treated in an equitable manner and in accordance with the

University’s regulations and procedures;

Certify by signing the final lists of marks and awards agreed by the Board of Examiners that the student assessment processes have been carried out in accordance with the course assessment procedures and the conventions of the University;

Be involved in oral examinations as necessary;

Offer suggestions and advice on the academic development of a class, course or subject

area;




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Provide informative comment and recommendations on observed areas of good practice and innovation in relation to learning, teaching and assessment and opportunities to enhance the quality of the learning opportunities provided to students.

All External Examiners will be required to submit a written annual report using the online submission form which is available on the SharePoint site.

2.5 The External Examiners for each Taught course should normally be ex-officio members of the Board of Examiners for that course.

2.6 The views and comments of External Examiners should be made known to the Boards of

Examiners. Where an External Examiner is not able to attend a meeting of a Board of Examiners, the Head of Department/ School or Course Director should seek the views and comments from the External Examiner in advance and in writing.

3. Criteria for the Appointment of External Examiners 3.1 External Examiner nominations should normally meet the following criteria:

1. The nominee should be either a senior member of the academic staff in the appropriate discipline of another higher

education institution, defined by either rank of post held or in terms of standing, experience or scholarship; or

a recognised authority in the appropriate discipline, employed outside higher

education whose experience of appropriate academic standards can be demonstrated; or

a recognised and experienced practitioner within industry or a professional or statutory

body who has appropriate experience of an academic environment to enable them to fulfil the role adequately.

2. The nominee should have knowledge and understanding of UK sector agreed reference

points for the maintenance of academic standards and assurance and enhancement of quality and normally have recent external examining experience in the subject area concerned. Where this is not the case, the recommendation should normally be supported by evidence of extensive internal examining experience at the appropriate level otherwise the proposed appointment should be made as part of an experienced team of External Examiners.

3. An External Examiner shall not

be a member of the University staff, nor have been employed by the University, nor

have been a student of the University during the three year period immediately prior to appointment;

be a member of staff at an institution with which the University has a collaborative

partnership in the award in question, nor have been employed or engaged in any capacity in that institution during the three year period immediately prior to appointment;




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normally have any contact with the University or students of the University that might compromise their impartiality; where, because there are few experts in a particular subject area, such links are unavoidable, the potential conflict of interest must be declared to the Faculty, and QAC by the Head of Department/ School at the time of nomination;

normally hold more than two other External Examiner appointments concurrently;

be appointed under reciprocal arrangements between courses/departments/faculties in the University and another institution – that is, External Examiners cannot be appointed from a subject area in an institution where a member of staff of the University of Strathclyde is currently an External Examiner;

normally be appointed to a class/course/subject area which already has an External Examiner from the same institution and department unless an exceptional case can be made.

4. Identification, Nomination and Appointment of External Examiners 4.1 QAC produces guidance on the number of External Examiners required. This is likely to vary

between courses according to the number of students, the level and nature of the course, the complexity of assessed material being examined and other factors such as the inclusion of placements and other special activities.

4.2 The Course Director or the Head of Department/ School concerned is responsible for the

identification of appropriate External Examiners in accordance with a recognised UK-wide set of criteria as outlined in the person specification recommended in the UKQCHE Chapter B7 and must ensure that:

potential External Examiners are provided with information about the class/course/subject for

which they will have responsibility; the proposal meets the criteria for appointment as specified by the University and the Faculty

and that all the required supporting documentation is provided with the nomination form. The Higher Education Academy (HEA) provides information and support on external examining

including the Joint Information Systems Committee discussion list (JISCmail) for people involved in supporting external examining within higher education institutions. In addition, HEA provides discipline specific support through a number of subject centres some of which provide targeted support for examining in their area and others have established a register of external examiners where vacant posts can be advertised and to which staff can add their details as an available examiner.

JISCmail is the UK’s National Academic Mailing List Service and provides a number of mailing

lists to benefit learning, teaching and research communities. The External Examiners list provides a forum for seeking appropriate staff to fill vacant external examiner positions, as well as more general discussion regarding the examining process.

4.3 For quality assurance purposes, the Head of Department or School/Course Director will ask the

prospective External Examiner to provide a short (not more than 1 page) statement of their relevant experience in the subject area and of external examining. This statement should include the following:




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qualifications; area of academic expertise; institutional position

and should be returned to the Education Enhancement Team with the nomination form and included with the paper to the Faculty Board of Study. The Education Enhancement Team will provide information about contractual arrangements including payment of fees and expenses and detail of general responsibilities/duties in order to enable External Examiners to assess their willingness to act and their ability to perform their duties effectively.

4.4 The Course Director or Head of Department/ School forwards nominations for the appointment of

External Examiners to the Education Enhancement Team using the form available from the External Examining SharePoint site for presentation to the Faculty Board of Study and QAC.

4.5 The Faculty Board of Study makes recommendations on External Examiners to QAC and should

time these so that formal letters of appointment (see Annex 2) and briefing material can be sent out by the Education Enhancement Team and the Department respectively before the start of the session.

4.6 The Course Director or Head of Department/ School is responsible for ensuring that there is

appropriate External Examiner cover for all awards offered. 4.7 QAC, on the recommendation of the appropriate Board of Study, approves the appointment of

External Examiners for all taught degrees offered by the University. Appointment is conditional on verification of eligibility to work in the UK in accordance with UKBA requirements.

4.8 The letter of appointment issued by the Education Enhancement Team will make clear to the

External Examiner that remuneration is conditional upon completion of all duties including the timely submission to the University of the annual report.

4.9 Following appointment, all External Examiners will be provided with briefing material as specified

in Section 8. Details of the University of Strathclyde Awards Framework, Honours Classification and other Award rankings, and the marking schemes for undergraduate classes and Integrated Masters classes can be found in Annexes 3 to 6. Information relating to the class/course/subject to which the External Examiner has been appointed will be provided directly by the Department/ School.

4.10 The Education Enhancement Team is responsible for maintaining a central register of all External

Examiner appointments. 4.11 Where an External Examiner is appointed with no previous experience of the role and/or is

appointed from outside higher education, the Faculty is responsible for ensuring that the External Examiner is supported into their role as appropriate. The University will provide induction information via the External Examining SharePoint site.

4.12 Heads of Department and/or Course Directors must ensure that External Examiners have timely

access to all information they require or request.




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5 Period of Appointment and Extensions to the Period of Office and/or Remit 5.1 External Examiners are appointed for two years in the first instance with, subject to the approval

of QAC, the possibility of a further two-year extension. Only in exceptional circumstances will an examiner’s period of appointment be extended beyond this four year period (one year only).

5.2 With the agreement of the External Examiner and subject to the approval of QAC, an External

Examiner’s appointment may be extended to cover additional classes/courses/subjects to the end of their existing term of office.

5.3 The Head of Department or Course Director is responsible for the submission of nominations for

extensions to the period of office and/or remit to the Education Enhancement Team for presentation to the Faculty Board of Study and subsequent approval by the QAC.

5.4 An External Examiner cannot normally be reappointed within three years of a previous

appointment. The maximum number of reappointments normally permitted is one. 5.5 The period of appointment will normally begin on 1 October and end on 30 September.

Exceptionally periods of appointment may begin on a different date, for example where for good reason it is necessary to replace an External Examiner part way through the session (e.g. in the case of illness or unexpected absence).

5.6 A start date of 1 October enables the new appointees to familiarise themselves with the

University and the class/course/subject to which they have been appointed and to comment on draft assessment papers prior to assessments being undertaken and moderation of scripts being carried out.

5.7 In the interests of transparency and to support the involvement of students in quality management processes, details including the name, position and institution of respective External Examiners will be made available within course material provided to students. However, it will be made clear to students that it is inappropriate for them to make direct contact with External Examiners, particularly regarding their individual performance in assessment, as other avenues are open to them.

6 Resignation of Office 6.1 Where an External Examiner resigns from office prior to the expiry of the appointed term, the

Education Enhancement Team is responsible for obtaining written confirmation of the resignation, and for progressing nomination of a replacement External Examiner.

7 Early Termination of Appointment 7.1 The appointment of an External Examiner may be terminated by the University before the

completion of the period of office. Early termination may occur in the following circumstances:

Serious illness, or other circumstances, that give cause for the University to decide that the External Examiner is unable to fulfil the duties of the post;

Changes in the award structure which render the appointment no longer applicable;

Non-fulfilment of External Examiner duties, including non receipt of the annual report or

incomplete annual report;

Unprofessional conduct by the External Examiner;




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Irretrievable breakdown of the relationship with the Course Team such as to disadvantage

students on the class/course/subject; A conflict of interest arises which cannot be resolved satisfactorily

7.2 If an External Examiner fails to carry out agreed duties, the Head of Department may recommend

to the Senate that the appointment be terminated, giving details of the grounds for any such recommendation. A decision of QAC to discontinue the appointment of an External Examiner shall be final. The decision will be reported to the appropriate Faculty Board of Study

8 Information Provided to External Examiners 8.1 Briefing Information (to be provided on appointment) 8.1.1 General administration information to be issued by the Education Enhancement Team:

A formal letter of appointment with a link to the External Examining SharePoint site which provides links to the following:

The University’s Performance Measurement Framework

The University’s Academic Policies and Procedures

Campus Location Map

University Contact Details

Relevant Fees Notice (UG/PG, details level of fees payable)

Claim for Expenses/Fees for Examiners Form

Sharepoint User Guide

Calendar of Dates

Faculty and Professional Services Websites

External Links (QAA, SQA, Scottish Government, UKBA, Universities UK)

The University’s Regulatory Framework 8.1.2 Information to be sent out by the Course Director or Head of Department (or nominee)

Policies/Procedures/Regulations

Boards of Examiners Operating Procedures

Course Regulations

Programme Specifications

Class Descriptors

Student Handbook

General Administration

Departmental Contact Information

Instructions for the method of delivery and return of draft examination papers and assessment scripts

Specific dates and times for assessment approval/submission/marking/Boards of Examiners etc

Latest Annual Report from the previous External Examiner and Departmental response

All External Examiners should be given clear and timely guidance from departments regarding their expectations for External Examiners for meeting with staff and students in accordance with accepted practice within respective Faculties. Where there is an expectation that External Examiners meet with staff and students, appropriate opportunities will be facilitated by departments and the purpose of the meetings articulated in advance.




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8.2. Guidance on Information to be Sent with Draft Examination Papers or with Scripts for

Moderation

Information to be sent out by the Course Director or Head of Department or Nominee (As appropriate to the nature of the assessment)

Relevant marking schemes or model answers

Information or guidance provided to students

policy on second marking

agreed sample size

First and second marker comments (where double marked)

Full mark schedules. Note: Where it is not possible to send full mark sheets at the time of moderation (for example in the case of large classes where scripts for moderation often having to be dispatched before all of the marking has been completed), full mark sheets should be submitted as soon as possible after the sample has been sent and before the External Examiner writes his or her annual report. This information is important to give the External Examiner a feel for student performance in classes and how representative the sample submitted for moderation is of the student body as a whole.

9 External Examiner’s Annual Report 9.1 Monitoring and follow-up are an integral part of the quality assurance and enhancement process

at Strathclyde. External Examiner reports are a key element of this process. 9.2 External Examiners are asked to complete a report for each of the classes/courses/subjects for

which they act as External Examiner using the on-line report form available from SharePoint. This requires External Examiners to make structured, evaluative comments on the quality of academic standards on each course which will be scrutinised at a number of different levels within the University which seeks to assure itself that any appropriate follow-up action is taken.

9.3 The completed report form should be submitted no later than 31 October. The expenses claim

form should be sent to the Education Enhancement Team who will acknowledge receipt. Payment of External Examiners’ fees will only be processed once both completed documents have been received.

9.4 Upon receipt of the External Examiner’s report, an automatic notification is sent to the relevant

Vice-Dean and Course/Departmental contact for action as necessary. Reports are also made available to any partner institution.

9.5 The Head of Department/Course Director is required to respond to the comments made by the

External Examiner in their report no later than mid December each year. The relevant Vice-Dean and the External Examiner will receive an automatic notification that the Departmental response to the report is available to view. Where any issue or recommendation arising from the report requires a period of further discussion and consultation, the External Examiner can expect to be kept informed of developments by the Course Director or Head of Department (or nominee).

9.6 The Vice-Dean (Academic) reports any serious issues raised within these reports to the Senior

Officer with responsibility for Learning and Teaching and alerts the appropriate Head of Department/Course Director to his/her concerns.




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9.7 Annual summaries of External Examiner reports will be considered by the relevant Faculty Academic Committee.

9.8 The main issues raised in the reports are also discussed by the QAC. This process allows for common issues of concern across the University to be highlighted, and also supports the dissemination of good practice identified in reports.

9.9 External Examiners’ reports will be made available in full to students as appropriate, with the sole exception of any confidential report made directly and separately to the Principal, reflecting the general principles of engaging students in quality management processes. This will be facilitated via existing Student-Staff Liaison Committee mechanisms.

10 Freedom of Information 10.1 With effect from 1 January 2005, recorded information held by the University can be requested

under Section 1(1) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. The University will not publish individual External Examiners’ reports but will instead publish a summary of issues arising from reports (see paragraph 9.8).

JFK 27/3/14




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Details submitted to Education Enhancement for approval by QAC on

behalf of Senate

External Examiner undertakes the

duties assigned

External Examiner submits online Annual Report commenting on academic standards, assessment

and student performance etc.

Payment to be generated via

Supplementary Payment System

Summary Reports

drawn from Sharepoint

External Examiner nominated by Dept and

approved by relevant Dean /

V-D

Standing item for Faculty

Academic Committees

On submission of report, automatic notification to relevant V-D and

nominated Dept. contact is generated

Overview of issues/ actions

raised and responses to them

QAC considers summary reports

annually

Identification of areas of good practice

and opportunities for disseminating them

Assured that issues/actions are being

addressed by Faculties

Identification of any recurring themes and

institutional issues to be taken forward

Included in Faculty Annual Report:

Quality Assurance

and Enhancement

QAC gives assurance to Senate and to Court (which, as the Governing Body has

overall responsibility for quality assurance) that robust quality assurance procedures are in place for issues relating to External

Examiners

Quality Audit Trail

Education Enhancement responsible for maintaining SharePoint site and supporting documentation including

Guidelines and Procedures for Appointment/Payment, Standard Letters and Forms

Education Enhancement issues appointment letter with links to SharePoint site supporting paperwork

Dept/CD issues course/subject specific

information

Education Enhancement in consultation with

Faculty Offices / Departments Faculty Offices QAC Education Enhancement




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Annex 2a

STANDARD LETTER TO UG EXTERNAL EXAMINERS

Dear I am writing on behalf of the University to confirm your appointment as External Examiner for the above course(s) for sessions 2013-14 and 2014-15, subject to your compliance with the conditions outlined below*. Thank you for your willingness to act in this capacity. Your role as External Examiner is a key element of the University’s quality assurance and monitoring framework and your assistance is greatly valued.

The University’s External Examining system is generally aligned with the QAA Quality Code for HE Chapter B7 External Examining. The University’s courses also take account of relevant national subject benchmark information and qualifications frameworks and it is against this background that we invite you to make your evaluation of the course. The Head of Department or Course Director will contact you directly, if they have not already done so, to explain more about the examining process for this course and to provide you with course regulations and/or handbooks and/or any other relevant information. The Department will be your main channel of communication and you should feel free to contact them if you have queries or require additional information. Key information about the University (including how to find us along with campus maps) and our quality assurance procedures is available on our External Examiners’ SharePoint site.1 The University’s Policy and Procedures on Assessment and Feedback includes information about the roles/activities of both External Examiners and Boards of Examiners. It also includes information about data protection issues and other issues relating to student assessment that you may find helpful.

All External Examiners are asked to return their annual report using the online report form (available on the SharePoint site1) as soon as possible after the end of session meeting of the Board of Examiners and not later than 31 October each year. The University IT Department will send log-in details for the SharePoint site directly to your email address in due course. In accordance with the UK Quality Code for HE, you have a right to raise any matter of serious concern with our Principal, if necessary by means of a separate confidential written report. *The University is under obligation to comply with the UK Border Agency regulations regarding the eligibility to work in the UK. External Examiners that are paid a fee fall into this category. The University is therefore legally required to copy and retain documentation that provides proof of a person’s Right to Work in the UK before work is offered in order to satisfy any audits in which the UKBA may require us to participate. In order to provide the required evidence of Eligibility to Work in the UK, you are required to present their documentation to the relevant departmental administrator as soon as possible or ask your main employer to take a verified copy of your documentation and forward that to us or utilise the Post Office’s Document Verification Service. The University has implemented a new process for paying annual fees. An Undertaken Duty claim must now be completed for the vast majority of adhoc work carried out on behalf of the University by non-staff members for which, in the main, Eligibility to Work in the UK and HMRC regulations apply. The

http://www.qaa.ac.uk/Publications/InformationAndGuidance/Pages/quality-code-B7.aspx

http://www.qaa.ac.uk/Publications/InformationAndGuidance/Pages/quality-code-B7.aspx

http://www.strath.ac.uk/hr/right2work/


http://www.postoffice.co.uk/document-certification-service




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Undertaken Duty, Fee and Expense Claim forms are available from the Finance website (http://www.strath.ac.uk/finance/financialservices/payrollpensions/undertakenduties/). The University will meet reasonable expenses incurred and pay fees in accordance with the attached fee notice. Please note that claims for payment through the Undertaken Duty route will only be processed if verified evidence of the right to work in the UK is recorded. Further information on evidencing the Right to Work in the UK and Permitted Paid Engagements can be found on the HR website, http://www.strath.ac.uk/hr/right2work/. I would be most grateful if you would also complete and return the enclosed acceptance sheet. Yours sincerely

Julie Stevenson On behalf of Dr V O’Halloran Director, Student Experience & Enhancement Services 1 https://moss.strath.ac.uk/inst/exexam/default.aspx

Enc EE Fee form Acceptance Form SharePoint Guide Fee Notice

http://www.strath.ac.uk/finance/financialservices/payrollpensions/undertakenduties/


https://moss.strath.ac.uk/inst/exexam/default.aspx




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Annex 2b

STANDARD LETTER TO PG EXTERNAL EXAMINERS

Dear I am writing on behalf of the University to confirm your appointment as External Examiner for the above course(s) for sessions 2013-14 and 2014-15. Thank you for your willingness to act in this capacity. Your role as External Examiner is a key element of the University’s quality assurance and monitoring framework and your assistance is greatly valued.

The University’s External Examining system is generally aligned with the QAA Quality Code for HE Chapter B7 External Examining. The University’s courses also take account of relevant national subject benchmark information and qualifications frameworks and it is against this background that we invite you to make your evaluation of the course. The Head of Department or Course Director will contact you directly, if they have not already done so, to explain more about the examining process for this course and to provide you with course regulations and/or handbooks and/or any other relevant information. The Department will be your main channel of communication and you should feel free to contact them if you have queries or require additional information. Key information about the University (including how to find us along with campus maps) and our quality assurance procedures is available on our External Examiners’ SharePoint site.1 The University’s Policy and Procedures on Assessment and Feedback includes information about the roles/activities of both External Examiners and Boards of Examiners. It also includes information about data protection issues and other issues relating to student assessment that you may find helpful.

All External Examiners are asked to return their annual report using the online report form (available on the SharePoint site1) as soon as possible after the end of session meeting of the Board of Examiners and not later than 31 October each year. The University IT Department will send log-in details for the SharePoint site directly to your email address in due course. In accordance with the UK Quality Code for HE, you have a right to raise any matter of serious concern with our Principal, if necessary by means of a separate confidential written report. The University will meet reasonable expenses incurred and pay fees in accordance with the attached Fee Notice. Expenses Claim form is attached and also available on Sharepoint 1. I would be most grateful if you would also complete and return the enclosed acceptance sheet. Yours sincerely

Julie Stevenson On behalf of Dr V O’Halloran Director, Student Experience & Enhancement Services






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1 https://moss.strath.ac.uk/inst/exexam/default.aspx Attachments EE Fee form Acceptance Form SharePoint Guide Fee Notice





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Annex 3

UNIVERSITY OF STRATHCLYDE AWARDS FRAMEWORK

Award I Indicative Credit Requirement

Minimum Level Requirement

Certificate of Higher Education 120

100 credits at Level 1 or above

Diploma of Higher Education 240


Ordinary Degrees (BA, Bed, BEng, BSc)

360


Honours Degree 480

100 credits at Level 4 180 credits at Levels 3 + 4

Graduate Diploma 120 Graduate entry and 90 credits at Level 3 or above

Integrated Masters Degree MEng, MChem, MMath, MPharm, MPhys, MSci

600

120 credits at Level 5 220 credits at Levels 4 + 5

Postgraduate Certificate 60

50 credits at Level 5

Postgraduate Diploma 120


Masters Degree 180


Note: the above framework was approved by Senate for introduction with effect from September 2009-10.

Explanatory notes on levels and Credits

1. For a typical student, 1 credit equates to approximately 10 hours of total student effort. This is the

definition used for the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF). 2. At undergraduate levels 10 credits = 5 credits awarded through the European Credit Transfer

Scheme (ECTS credits). 3. At postgraduate levels comparison with ECTS breaks down because of different teaching styles

in Europe based on relatively high staff student contact hours. Learning Outcomes provide a better approach to comparing UK and European Postgraduate Study.

4. SCQF levels run from 1 to 12 with Higher Education starting at 7. Within Strathclyde, levels are

usually described as SHE1 to SHE4 for the four levels within an Honours degree programme, SHE5 for Masters level and SHE6 for Doctoral level. SHE1 is SCQF 7 and SHE6 is SCQF level 12.




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Annex 4

HONOURS CLASSIFICATION AND OTHER AWARD RANKINGS

This table provides a statement on how awards are normally classified across the University. This should be read in conjunction with the Policy on Motivational Merit and Distinction and Guidance on Marking for Undergraduate Courses. The summary marks should be rounded to the nearest integer.

Honours Classification

%age weighted average

Masters Rankings Masters Integrated Masters

Other Rankings Certificate and Diploma of HE PG Certificates and Diplomas

First ≥90 Distinction Commendable

≥80

≥70

Upper Second ≥60 Merit UG or PG Award

Lower Second ≥50 Award

Third ≥40 UG Award

Due to Professional Accreditation requirements, Integrated Masters degrees for students in the Departments of Physics and Pure and Applied Chemistry will use the classifications First, Upper Second and Lower Second, and not Distinction and Merit. Students who do not meet the requirements for Honours or Integrated Masters may be eligible for a lower award. The summary marks above will be awarded in conjunction with specific requirements of local areas.

http://www.strath.ac.uk/media/ps/cs/gmap/academicaffairs/policies/motivational_merit_and_distinction.pdf

http://www.strath.ac.uk/media/ps/cs/gmap/academicaffairs/policies/marking_for_UG_courses.pdf

http://www.strath.ac.uk/media/ps/cs/gmap/academicaffairs/policies/marking_for_UG_courses.pdf




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Annex 5

MARKING GUIDE FOR UNDERGRADUATE COURSES

Consistency of marking is an important issue for students and staff. The following is minimal guidance

for staff to follow when setting their own marking criteria. The percentage descriptors however must

remain consistent across the University.

This guidance is the basis for the University’s marking structure for individual undergraduate

assignments and modules, for essays, coursework, projects and examinations as well as for overall

awards. Marks should be returned using the percentage scale below, taking account of the performance

descriptor at each band which is underlined. The bullet point lists are indicative of performance at each

level.

Exceptionally, where percentage marks cannot be provided (e.g. for professional competence

assessments of student teachers), marks may be returned on a satisfactory/ unsatisfactory basis subject

to approval by the Associate Deputy Principal (Education).

To meet the requirements of the University’s Assessment and Feedback Policy, staff shall

provide students with the supplementary assessment criteria used to consider their attainment

of an assessment’s intended learning outcomes.

% Descriptor

80 - 100 Outstanding demonstration of learning outcomes: - wide, appropriate knowledge and understanding (and where appropriate

effective project work) including insight and originality - evidence of reading and thought beyond programme/assignment

materials - appropriate use of references and exemplars - an outstanding standard of writing and communication and/or

presentation

70 - 79 Excellent demonstration of learning outcomes: - wide, appropriate knowledge and understanding (and where appropriate

effective project work) including insight or originality - evidence of reading and thought beyond programme/assignment

materials - appropriate use of references and exemplars - an excellent standard of writing and communication and/or presentation

60 - 69 Comprehensive demonstration of learning outcomes: - wide appropriate knowledge and understanding (and where appropriate

effective project work) with only occasional lapses in detail - evidence of reading and thought beyond programme/assignment

materials - a high standard of writing and communication

50 - 59 Satisfactory demonstration of learning outcomes: - sound knowledge and understanding of essential material (and where

appropriate essential project skills) - general accuracy with occasional mistakes and/or uncoordinated use of

information




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40 – 49

CLASSES AT LEVELS 1-4 Limited demonstration of learning outcomes:

- basic knowledge and understanding (and where appropriate basic project skills)

- omissions and/or weaknesses of presentation and/or logic and/or evidence

CLASSES AT LEVEL 5 Unsatisfactory demonstration of learning outcomes:

- basic knowledge and understanding (and where appropriate basic project skills)

- omissions and/or

weaknesses of presentation

and/or logic and/or evidence

- A mark in this range is not

a pass at Level 5.

30 - 39 Inadequate demonstration of learning outcomes: - some relevant information and limited understanding (and where

appropriate some project work completed under supervision) - omissions and/or weaknesses of presentation and/or logic and/or

evidence - lack of familiarity with the subject of assessment and/or assessment

vehicle

20 - 29 Weak demonstration of learning outcomes: - a few key words, phrases or key ideas - extensive omissions and/or weaknesses of presentation and/or logic

and/or evidence - serious errors - inadequate evidence of learning or inadequate project work

1 - 19 Minimal performance in learning outcomes - serious errors - extensive omissions and/or weaknesses of presentation and/or logic

and/or evidence - deficient evidence of learning or deficient evidence of project work

0 No relevant work submitted for assessment




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Annex 6

MARKING GUIDE FOR INTEGRATED MASTERS COURSES

Consistency of marking is an important issue for students and staff. The following minimal guidance is the basis of the University’s marking structure for individual postgraduate assignments and classes, for essays, coursework, projects and examinations as well as for overall awards. The Learning Outcomes referred to are those at HE Level 5. Staff will need to supplement or provide alternative detailed descriptors for particular circumstances and contexts. This must be done in way that clearly demonstrates equivalent guidance and an approach to marking that is consistent with this University Guide.

%

Descriptor

70 -100

Truly Exceptional/Outstanding demonstration of learning outcomes:

60 - 69

Comprehensively Good demonstration of learning outcomes:

50 - 59 Pass

Satisfactory demonstration of learning outcomes:

40 - 49 Fail

Poor performance in learning outcomes:

01 - 39

Major Weaknesses in learning outcomes:

0

No relevant work submitted for assessment.




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Annex 7

COMPENSATION SCHEME AND PROGRESS In order to maintain academic standards and to ensure consistency of procedures and equitable treatment of students, the University operates a single defined compensation scheme for Undergraduate and Integrated Master degree programmes.

Compensation

I. Except where not permitted for reasons of professional accreditation, University-wide compensation shall apply to Years 1, 2 and 3 of full-time, part-time and distance-learning programmes provided the total number of credits for the modules under consideration amounts to a minimum of 120. General, Honours and Masters Boards of Examiners will deal with matters relating to years 4 and 5 through individual, Faculty-specific, mechanisms. In respect of part-time study, compensation shall only be applied at the point on the programme at which a student has completed modules that amount to a total of 120 credits.

II. To be eligible for compensation, a student is required to obtain a credit weighted average of

module marks of at least 45%. All modules taken by a student shall be included in the calculation of the credit weighted average and shall be eligible for compensation except where marks are returned as a P or F, in which case these modules shall be discounted from the calculation of the credit weighted average and shall not be eligible for compensation.

If a mark is returned as ‘A’ for absent this will count as zero and included in the average mark for

calculation of compensation.

III. A student who has achieved a credit weighted average of at least 45% but has failed one or more modules shall be awarded a Pass by Compensation in modules totalling up to 20 credits where the marks obtained are in the 30%-39% range.

In the event of a student who is eligible for compensation obtaining marks in the range 30-39% for modules totalling more than 20 credits, then normally the highest fail marks shall be Passed by Compensation. However, the final decision regarding which mark will be compensated shall be at the discretion of the relevant Board of Examiners.

IV. Where programme regulations or departmental/ School requirements specify that a Pass in a

particular module is required for progress, then a Pass by Compensation shall not be sufficient to fulfil this requirement. A student shall be permitted to take the re-sit examination for a module in which a Pass by Compensation had already been achieved in order to fulfil a specific programme requirement i.e. in situations where a student selects a principal subject that requires a Pass in particular modules.

In the event of a student taking a re-sit examination for a module already Passed by Compensation at the first diet, then both marks e.g. June = 30% (Pass by Compensation) and September = 78% shall be recorded on the student’s record, academic transcript and the respective June and September examination schedules.




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V. Compensation shall normally be applied at June meetings of Boards of Examiners only, that is, when the student’s first attempts at the examination of the curriculum is being considered. In cases where a student has not obtained all of the credits for the modules in the course curriculum they were taking at the June meetings of Boards of Examiners, then re-sits in all failed modules (i.e. those not passed or passed by compensation) should be attempted at the next available opportunity (normally the August diet of examinations).

VI. A student shall not be permitted to attempt the re-sit in any class for which credits have already

been awarded (unless a pass is required for progress or professional accreditation), simply for the purpose of attempting to increase their credit weighted average.

VII. Compensation shall only be applied to a student’s first attempt at a class unless the student is re-

attending the year and taking a full curriculum. A student taking examinations at a second or subsequent attempt as a result of being required to repeat a year, taking a partial curriculum, being registered in academic suspension or in registration with attendance, shall not be eligible for compensation in that session.

VIII. In the event of a professional body providing written confirmation that it would not accredit a

course operating a compensation scheme, then the course concerned may be exempted from the scheme.

Progress

At June meetings of General Boards of Examiners, the decisions ‘Pass’, ‘Resit’ or ‘Withdraw’ are available.

At September meetings of General Boards of Examiners, the decisions ‘Pass’ or ‘May Proceed’ are available for a student who has achieved sufficient credits to progress to the next year of study.

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Procedures and Guidelines for External Examiners of Taught Courses

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