The University’s examination
and assessment regulations
Hilary Gilbert
Academic Standards and Partnership
h.gilbert@brighton.ac.uk
Regulations
• General Examination and Assessment Regulations
(GEAR)
Assessment, progression, award regulations
(sections B,C,D)
examination boards (section E)
• course–specific regulations
PSRB requirements
course handbooks
Common Academic Framework
• aligns with FHEQ and HE credit framework
• modules
multiples of 10 credits
mandatory, compulsory, optional
• f/t ug programme 120 credits per academic year
• f/t pg programme 180 credits per year
• stages of study to allow progression
• maximum registration period
Assessment
• numerical marking 0-100%
• pass mark for module
 ug 40% (threshold for each assessment component 30%)
 pg 50% (threshold for each assessment component 40%)
• undergraduate - common marking/grading scale
• postgraduate - 60-69% merit, 70%+ distinction
Extensions to deadlines
mitigating circumstances
• non-submission, late submission, non-attendance at exam
= 0%
• student can apply for an extension to deadline
• students can submit a request for mitigating circumstances
to be taken into account by exam board for:
 absence from an assessment
 failure to submit assessed work
 failure to submit assessed work by deadline (late)
 unrepresentative performance
Examination Boards
• two-tier system
 Area Examination Board (AEB)
 Course Examination Board (CEB)
• boards can be combined
Area Examination Boards
• confirm marks and consider results of individual modules
• possible module results
 pass
 refer
 fail
• determine the nature of any referral
• moderate marks for whole group, if necessary
• mitigating circumstances - not considered for individual
students
Referral (discretion)
• student must complete additional work to pass
module
• permitted at all levels
• no minimum mark
• module capped at 40%/50%
• course-specific regulations indicate where not
permitted
• maximum 50% of total credit studied in a stage
Course Examination Board
• consider results of individual students
• may not change AEB marks
• may use discretion but only where regulations allow
• mitigating circumstances
 pre-board meeting of small group, including the chair, reviews claims
and make recommendations on acceptance to CEB
 deferral opportunity for any failed module
 note acceptance where module passed
• academic misconduct
 considers recommendation of penalty from
investigating panel
Course Examination Boarddecisions
• Progression
 progress - unconditional, conditional
 endorse recommended referrals, progression decision deferred
to next meeting of board
 accept mitigating circumstances, permit deferral(s), progression
decision deferred to next meeting of board
 do not progress - require student to slow progress and repeat
failed modules in part-time mode
• Fail and exclude from course on academic grounds
• Receive an award (borderlines)
Unconditional progression
• passed all modules in the stage
• compensation awarded (discretion)
 credit awarded to enable student to progress to next
stage or achieve award when not all modules passed
 any level
 maximum 20 credits per 120 credit stage
 no change to mark for failed module
 not for mandatory modules
 no minimum mark/stage average
Repeat (discretion)
• module repeated in full
• permitted at all levels
• module capped at 40%/50%
• up to 20 credits for every 120 credits can be
trailed into next stage (conditional progression)
Reassessment
• referral - tied to original take of module (mark
capped)
• repeat – take module again normally with attendance
(if in the following stage - trailing) (mark capped)
• deferral – reassessment as if for first time due to
upheld mitigating circumstances (mark not capped)
• number of assessment attempts to pass a module = 3
• repeat a module once
Awards
Award
Algorithm
Borderline
Bachelors degree with L5:L6
honours
Ratio 25:75
Classification
Yes
2%
Criteria in GEAR
Foundation degree
L5 marks only
Merit - credit –weighted mean mark 60.0069.99
Distinction - credit-weighted mean mark
70.00+
Yes
2%
Criteria in GEAR
Postgraduate
(PGCert, PGDip,
Masters)
Merit – credit-weighted mean mark over all
modules of at least 60.00 and at least 60 in
the dissertation
Distinction - credit-weighted mean mark
over all modules of at least 70.00 and at
least 70 in the dissertation
No
Administration
• External examiners’ homepage on:
 http://staffcentral.brighton.ac.uk/quality
 GEAR, external examiners’ handbook (contact
details), fees and expenses form
• school (or Faculty)
 exam board arrangements, students’ work,
assessment details, course handbooks,
assessment policy
 send your completed fees and expenses forms
How to keep in touch
Registry
 annual report by email to:
 externalexaminers@brighton.ac.uk
 Polly Kearsey (Academic Standards
Administrator)
 01273 642619