The University’s examination and assessment regulations

1. The University’s examination and assessment regulations Hilary Gilbert Academic Standards and Partnership h.gilbert@brighton.ac.uk

2. Regulations • General examination and assessment regulations (GEAR) • principal regulations (section C) • examination boards (section D) • course–specific regulations • PSRB requirements/exceptions

3. Qualifications framework • modular • multiples of 10 credits • mandatory (taken and passed) • compulsory (taken and can be compensated) • optional • credit based • maximum registration period

4. Marks and grades • pass mark = 40% (threshold = 30%) • undergraduate • common marking/grading scale • local marking/grading criteria • postgraduate • %, fail/pass/distinction • from 2009/10 new students • % scale, pass mark 50%

5. Extensions to deadlines and mitigating circumstances • late work, non-submission of work, non-attendance at exam = 0% • extension to deadline procedure • mitigating circumstances procedure

6. Examination Boards • two-tier: • Area Examination Board (AEB) • Course Examination Board (CEB) • single tier examination board

7. AEBs • confirm module marks • determine the module result: • pass, fail, refer • pg – distinction • mitigating circumstances are flagged but not considered

8. AEBs • determine the nature of any reassessment/attendance • marks + recommendations forwarded to CEB

9. Referral • permitted at all levels • discretion of exam board • no minimum mark • maximum 50% of total credit studied in a stage • module capped at 40%

10. Course Examination Board • student profile + AEB recommendations • determines whether student: • progresses to next stage • continues studying at same stage • excluded on academic grounds • receives an award (exit award)

11. Course Examination Board • considers cases where: • more than maximum number of referrals • mitigating circumstances • borderline cases • recommendations of investigating panel

12. Unconditional progression • passed modules in the stage • compensation awarded: • any level • discretion of exam board • maximum 20 credits per 120 credit stage • no change to mark/credit awarded • not for mandatory modules • no minimum/stage average

13. Conditional progression • repeat (trailing) • up to 20 credits for every 120 credits to be studied • permitted at all levels • discretion of exam board • module capped at 40% • attendance or by assessment only

14. Retrieving failure • referral • repeat (trailing) • compensation • deferral (mitigating circumstances) • number of attempts at module • first attempt at module, referral, repeat attempt at module, referral

15. Awards • Honours degree • L2:L3 in ratio 25:75 • borderline – within 2% • Integrated Masters degree • L3:LM in ratio 50:50 • classification as honours degrees • Foundation degree • L2 - merit (60-69%), distinction (70%+) • Postgraduate awards • currently - pass, distinction (70%+) • new - pass, merit (60%+), distinction (70+): overall weighted mean and ‘dissertation’ mark

16. Borderline • at least half of the credit contributing to classification, including at least half of credit at level of award, should be in higher category • mandatory modules e.g. project • discretion of board to consider: • proximity to classification • progressive improvement • mitigating circumstances

17. Administration • external examiners’ handbook • school (or Faculty) • exam board arrangements, students’ work, course handbooks, assessment policy • fees and expenses forms • registry • annual report, GEAR, external examiners’ handbook

18. How to contact the university • externalexaminers@brighton.ac.uk • external examiners’ homepage http://staffcentral.brighton.ac.uk/quality