Assessment, Progression and Awarding: Taught Programmes Handbook

* Coronavirus (COVID-19) information relating to the 2019/20 academic year only *

Please note: the Dean for Taught Students/Dean of Graduate Research has approved temporary revisions to this policy [including but not limited to sections 2.11, 2.13, 2.7, 2.8, 7.5.1, 7.8,  chapter 10, and 11.5 ] to ensure that appropriate alternative arrangements required during this period 2019/20 have been made. Information on the temporary arrangements in place may be consulted here: Exceptional Years Handbook: Chapter 1. The temporary arrangements will be in place for the duration of the 2019/20 academic year, please ensure you have consulted the latest information available online before taking any action or providing any advice in connection with this policy.

* Coronavirus (COVID-19) information relating to the 2020/21 academic year only *

Please note: the Dean for Taught Students/Dean of Graduate Research has approved temporary revisions to this policy [chapter 9] to ensure that appropriate alternative arrangements required during this period 2020/21 have been made. Information on the temporary arrangements in place may be consulted here: Exceptional Years Handbook: Chapter 6. The temporary arrangements will be in place for the duration of the 2020/21 academic year, please ensure you have consulted the latest information available online before taking any action or providing any advice in connection with this policy.

If you are looking for the 2021/22 Handbook, please contact the Faculty Office. ‌

If you have any queries with regard to interpreting any aspect of the TQA Manual regarding Taught Programmes please contact educationpolicy@exeter.ac.uk. For queries related to the PGR Handbook, please contact dcqualitydevelopment@exeter.ac.uk.

If you are unfamiliar with the purpose of this manual please ensure that you have read the introductory guidance to the TQA Manual.

1 - Introduction

2 - Setting and Submission of Assessments

2.1 Principles for Setting Assessment
2.2 Timing
2.3 Information to be Made Available to Students
2.4 Methods of Assessment
2.5 Setting Re-assessments
2.6 Setting Examination Papers and Rubrics
2.7 Role of External Examiners
2.8 Instructions for Setting Assessments
2.9 Accessibility
2.10 Principles of Submission
2.11 Late Submission of Coursework and Online Examinations
2.12 Non-submission and Non-attendance
2.13 Module Completion Timeframe and Deferral

3 - Examinations

3.1 Failure to Attend an Examination
3.2 Late Arrival
3.3 Use of Calculators
3.4 Use of Dictionaries
3.5 Other Material
3.6 Invigilation
3.7 Safe Handling of Examination Papers and Examination Scripts
3.8 Sharing of Examination Papers or Questions During Non-Invigilated Examinations
3.9 Contacting Academics during an Examination
3.10 Religious Holidays
3.11 Emergency Procedures
3.12 Dealing with Suspected Examination Offences

4 - Assessing students with disabilities

4.1 Overview
4.2 General Arrangements for University Examinations
4.3 Specific Arrangements
4.4 Alternative Examination Locations
4.5 Use of a Scribe
4.6 Use of Information Technology
4.7 Assessment Format
4.8 Hearing Impaired Students
4.9 Visually Impaired Students
4.10 Monitoring of Specific Assessment Arrangements
4.11 Group Work Assignments

5 - Marking

5.1 Principles for Marking Assessments
5.2 Pass Mark for Individual Modules
5.3 Anonymity
5.4 Viva Voce
5.5 Moderation and Sampling
5.6 Generic Mark Scheme
5.7 Marking Criteria
5.8 Scaling of Marks
5.9 Marking the Work of Students with ILPs or Diagnosed with Specific Learning Difficulties (where competence of language is not being assessed)
5.10 Marking Criteria for Group Work Assignments

6 - Feedback

6.1 Principles
6.2 Draft Assessments
6.3 Timely Feedback Policy 
6.4 Data Protection
6.5 Disclosure of Marks
6.6 Access to Examination Scripts and the Provision of Feedback
6.7 Examination Scripts - Data Protection and Retention
6.8 Enquiries by Third Parties
6.9 Academic Appeals
6.10 Transcripts

7 - Assessment, progression and awarding committees (APAC)

7.1 Introduction
7.2 Definitions
7.3 Programme/Department APAC - Terms of Reference
7.4 Programme/Department APAC - Membership
7.5 Programme/Department  APAC - External Examiner Attendance
7.6 Programme/Department APAC - Quorum
7.7 Programme/Department APAC - Meeting
7.8 Exceptional Years
7.9 Programme/Department APAC - Exception Reporting
7.10 Faculty APAC - Terms of Reference
7.11 Faculty APAC - Membership
7.12 Faculty APAC - Quorum
7.13 Faculty APAC - Meeting
7.14 University APAC - Terms of Reference
7.15 University APAC - Membership
7.16 University APAC - Quorum
7.17 University APAC - Meeting
7.18 Examination Committee for Flexible Combined Honours (FCH)

Appendix A; APAC Summary

8 - Progression

8.1 Condonement Principles
8.2 Pre-undergraduate Programmes - Progression Principles
8.3 Pre-undergraduate Programmes - Condonement
8.4 Undergraduate Programmes - Progression Principles
8.5 Undergraduate Programmes - Condonement
8.6 Taught Postgraduate Programmes - Progression Principles
8.7 Taught Postgraduate Programmes - Condonement

9 - Classification of awards

9.1 Pre-undergraduate, Undergraduate and Taught Postgraduate Programmes Awarding Principles
9.2 Pre-undergraduate and Undergraduate Programme Stage Weighting
9.3 Rules for Classification of Non-Honours Direct Entry Undergraduate Awards
9.4 Rules for Classification of Bachelors and Integrated Masters Degrees
9.5 Rules for Classification of Foundation Certificates
9.6 Rules for Classification of Foundation Degrees
9.7 Rules for Classification of Graduate Awards
9.8 Taught Postgraduate Programme Stage Weighting
9.9 Rules for Classification of Taught Postgraduate Awards
9.10 Unclassified Undergraduate Awards
9.11 Unclassified Taught Postgraduate Awards
9.12 Aegrotat Pass and Aegrotat Awards for Taught Programmes of Study

10 - Mitigation: Deadline extensions and deferrals

10.1 Principles

10.2 Information for Students

10.3 The Mitigation Committee

10.4 Application for Mitigation

10.5 72-hour Evidence-Free Extensions (coursework assignments only  for either BART or ELE 2 submissions only)

10.6 Evidence-based Mitigation Process

10.7 Mitigation Applications Received For Group Work Assignments

10.8 Consideration of Applications

10.9 Appeals

10.10 Supporting Documentation

11 - Consequence of failure in assessment

11.1 Introduction
11.2 Referral
11.3 Consequences of Failure in Referred Assessments
11.4 Consequences of Failure in Deferred Assessments
11.5 Repeat Study

12 - Academic conduct and practice

12.1 Introduction
12.2 General Principles
12.3 Definitions and Offences
12.4 Categories of Academic Misconduct
12.5 Poor Academic Practice
12.6 Academic Misconduct
12.7 Severe Academic Misconduct
12.8 Responsibilities for Partner Institutions
12.9 Responsibilities of the University
12.10 Responsibilities of Faculties
12.11 Responsibilities of Students
12.12 Delegation of Responsibility
12.13 Procedures at Faculty Level for Dealing with Suspected Poor Academic Practice, Academic Misconduct and Severe Academic Misconduct
12.14 In cases where the Senior Academic Conduct Officer determines that the Poor Academic Practice should be seen at an Academic Honesty Workshop
12.15 In cases where the Senior Academic Conduct Officer determines that the Poor Academic Practice should be seen at a Department Level Meeting
12.16 In cases where the Senior Academic Conduct Officer determines that the Poor Academic Practice should be seen at a Faculty Level Meeting
12.17 Arrangements for Department and Faculty Level Meetings
12.18 Managing Academic Misconduct - Procedures at University Level for dealing with Suspected Poor Academic Practice, Academic Misconduct and/or Severe Academic Misconduct
12.19 Tariff of Penalties
12.20 Managing Academic Misconduct - Procedures for Examination Offences
12.21 Establishment of a Review Panel
12.22 Outcomes from a Review Panel for Examination Offences
12.22 Appeals

Appendix A - Structure within Faculties and Role Descriptors

Appendix B - Process for considering cases of Suspected Academic Misconduct within Formative Work

Appendix C - Policy in relation to Investigations and Hearings involving Group Work

13 - Review and publication of degree outcomes

13.1 Introduction
13.2 Annual Internal Review of Degree Outcomes
13.2 Annual External Publication of a Degree Outcomes Statement

Annex H - Template for reporting on the internal review of degree classifications
Annex I - Template for preparation of the annual external Degree Outcomes Statement
Annex J - Generalised timeline for annual internal review of degree outcomes and preparation of external Degree Outcomes Statement

Annex A - Examination Papers and Rubrics

Annex B - Examination major incident procedures

Annex C - Programme/Department Committee

Annex D - College Assessment, Progression and Awarding Committee

Annex E - University Assessment, Progression and Awarding Committee

Annex F - Mitigation

Annex G - Scaling Guidance

Annex H - Template for reporting on the internal review of degree classifications

Annex I - Template for preparation of the annual external Degree Outcomes Statement

Annex J - Generalised timeline for annual internal review of degree outcomes and preparation of external Degree Outcomes Statement