The University uses a conceptual equivalents scale for the assessment of student work. The use of the conceptual equivalents scale is mandatory unless answers are either right or wrong, for example multiple choice or numerical assessments. Exemptions from the use of the scale, for example due to the requirements of professional, statutory or regulatory bodies, require approval by Education Committee (Quality and Standards).

• Undergraduate Conceptual Equivalents Scale (PDF)
• Postgraduate Conceptual Equivalents Scale (PDF)

Assessed components of work should be marked to an integer on a scale of 0-100. A component is any piece of work which receives a mark.

For qualitative components of assessment, this will be either:

1. one of the discrete marks on the undergraduate conceptual equivalents scale or
2. an integer between 0 and 100 corresponding to the grade descriptors of the postgraduate conceptual equivalents scale.

For quantitative components of assessment, this will be an integer between 0 and 100 corresponding to the grade descriptors of either the undergraduate or the postgraduate conceptual equivalents scale.

Download Worked Examples of Assessment Profiles (PDF) to understand how this is applied in practice.

Continuous assessment/coursework submitted after the deadline will be penalised.  This is calculated at the rate of 5% of the total marks awarded for that component for each partial/full calendar day late up to a maximum of five calendar days, after which a mark of zero should be awarded, i.e., up to one calendar day is - 5%; up to two calendar days is - 10%; up to three calendar days is - 15%, etc. This excludes University closure days.

The late penalty will apply to the assessed component only and not to the overall module mark.

For example:

Exemptions will be granted only if the student has submitted an exceptional circumstances application, or where flexibility with deadlines has been agreed under an Individual Student Support Agreement (ISSA). Extensions to deadlines will be proportionate to the impact of the student's circumstances.

Calculation of Marks

1. Module marks are calculated from the weighted average of the assessed components, rounded to an integer. The integer is the module mark that is released to the student and that is used in calculating the programme mark.
2. The programme mark is calculated from the weighted average of the module marks*, truncated** to one decimal place.

*The weighting applied to a module depends on the stage in which the module is taken. For example, the relevant Stage 2 weighting would be applied to a Level 3 module taken in Stage 2. Likewise, a Level 2 module taken in Stage 3 would be weighted as a Stage 3 module.

** To truncate a number is to discard digits past a certain point in the number. To truncate a number to 1 decimal place, all the digits after the first decimal place are discarded so 68.6895 becomes 68.6.

Determining Degree Classification or Award

For students enrolled on a Master’s Degree who have not met the requirements to progress and are, therefore, required to withdraw, the modules wherein the student performed the best academically should be used to calculate the programme mark. If a student has achieved credit in excess of the credit required to exit with a Postgraduate Certificate (60 credits) or a Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits), the calculation to arrive at the programme mark should use only the highest 60 or 120 credits achieved.

At the degree classifying Programme Board meeting, the Board of Examiners may exercise discretion by discounting the lowest-scoring module mark (or up to two half-modules) for classification purposes, where there is clear evidence that the module mark (un-weighted) does not reflect the student’s normal level of performance. Double modules may not be discounted.

Eligibility

For a module to be discounted, four criteria must be met:

1. The student must have been enrolled on the programme prior to 2020-21.
2. The student must have achieved a pass in the module concerned at the first attempt. Compulsory and core modules may be considered for discounting provided they have been passed and the criteria below have been met. Resits recorded as ‘PH’ cannot be discounted.
3. The un-weighted mark must, in the judgement of the Board of Examiners, be out of line with the rest of the student’s mark profile and be unrepresentative of the student’s performance and ability. Each Board of Examiners is responsible for formulating its own policy as to what constitutes ‘out of line’ and ‘unrepresentative’.
4. There must be evidence to support the examiners’ view that the mark does not reflect the student’s performance and ability. Relevant evidence may include the student’s attendance record, tutorial performance and assignment marks for both the module in question and for other modules taken at the same time.

All four of these criteria must be met before a module can be discounted. A Board must not, for example, discount a failed module, or discount the lowest module mark without supporting evidence that it is unrepresentative.  However, medical evidence is not required if a Board of Examiners wants to discount a module under the degree classification procedures.

It is not necessary for Boards to consider in detail every student for discounting. In some cases it will be evident from the spreadsheet of marks that there is no module that could be discounted that would make any difference to the student’s degree classification. In such cases, there is no need to go through the procedure of looking for evidence and considering the appropriateness of discounting a module.

A Programme Board of Examiners may wish to consider discounting a module from a different subject area where applicable. The Chair or Secretary of the Board of Examiners should be delegated to contact the other subject area in advance of the Board’s meeting to establish whether there is any evidence to support discounting the module.

Decisions must be based on clear evidence, and Boards of Examiners must ensure that all students are treated fairly.

Calculating Degree Classification

Where a module is discounted, the programme mark should be based on the weighted average mark of the remaining modules. For example, if a Level 3 module was discounted, the calculation for Stage 3 would be: (((Module Mark 1 + Module Mark 2 + Module Mark 3 + Module Mark 4 + Module Mark 5) / 5) *0.6). 

If a module is discounted under the degree classification procedures, the Predominance Rule may be applied if the candidate’s resulting mark is at or above the relevant threshold. Please see below section on the Predominance Rule for further details.

Recording Discounted Modules

The actual mark for the discounted module should be recorded on Qsis in the normal way using the ‘DTD’ Exam Board Note to identify that it has been discounted for degree classification purposes. The actual mark will appear on the student’s transcript and will be identified on the transcript as ‘discounted’ (‘DTD’).

The Secretary to the Board of Examiners must ensure that the reasons for any decisions relating to the discounting of modules are recorded in the minutes. This includes any cases where, after considering the evidence, the Board has decided not to discount a module.

The Predominance Rule must be applied by all Boards of Examiners except where the Director of Education and Student Services has granted exemption from its use. Exemption will be granted only where it is required by validating/accrediting bodies.

Eligibility

The programme mark (i.e. the mark arrived at once all the weighted individual module marks are brought together) is truncated to one decimal place.  This decimal place is discarded for the purpose of determining eligibility for predominance.

For students who were enrolled prior to 2020-21, they are eligible to be considered under the predominance rule where their programme mark is within 3% of the higher classification.  Therefore, the thresholds for eligibility to be considered for a higher class of degree under the predominance rule for students who were enrolled prior to 2020-21 are as follows:

            67+      for consideration for First Class

            57+      for consideration for Second Class, First Division

            47+      for consideration for Second Class, Second Division

            37+      for consideration for Third Class

For students who first enrolled in 2020-21 and thereafter, they are eligible to be considered under the predominance rule where their programme mark is within 1% of the higher classification.  Therefore, the thresholds for eligibility to be considered for a higher class of degree under the predominance rule for students who first enrolled in 2020-21 and thereafter are as follows:

            69+      for consideration for First Class

            59+      for consideration for Second Class, First Division

            49+      for consideration for Second Class, Second Division

            39+      for consideration for Third Class

For a higher classification to be awarded under predominance, the following must apply:

1. The programme mark, truncated to an integer, must be at or above one of the thresholds set out above; and
2. At least half the contributing weighted module marks must be in the higher classification.

Predominance Formula

Predominance calculations should be made using the formula outlined in regulation 7.2.5 of the Study Regulations for Undergraduate Programmes:

Let n1, n2, n3, n4 be the number of modules at Stages 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively in which the mark is above the relevant borderline.*

Let p1, p2, p3, p4 be the percentage weights at Stages 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively (for example, if Stage 3 is weighted at 60%, then p3 = 60).

The higher classification is awarded if:

Bachelor’s degrees: n1 x p1 + n2 x p2 + n3 x p3 ≥ 300

Integrated Master’s degrees: n1 x p1 + n2 x p2 + n3 x p3 + n4 x p4 ≥ 300

*This calculation is based on 20 CATS modules.  Where a module is worth 10 CATS, this should be counted as 0.5 in the calculation.  Where a module is worth 40 CATS, this should be counted twice in the calculation.

Discounted Modules in Predominance

If a module has been discounted under the degree classification procedures, the Predominance Rule may be applied if the candidate’s resulting mark is at or above the relevant threshold, as outlined above. In such a case, the actual mark for a module that has been discounted is not included in the predominance calculation. Instead, the average of the remaining marks for the stage in which the discounted module was taken is calculated. The discounted mark is then replaced for predominance purposes with this average mark. For example, if the discounted mark is 51 and the average of the five remaining modules in the stage is 67, the predominance calculation will use the mark of 67 in place of the actual mark of 51. Predominance will therefore still be based on 18 modules (for a three-year degree programme).