Scheme of Award for SSEES Taught Masters Programmes
2014-15 Academic Year
MA Comparative Business Economics; MA Comparative Economics and Policy.
In order to be considered for an award from UCL, students must satisfy the Board of Examiners that they have met the academic requirements set out in the UCL Academic Regulations for Taught Programmes:
Postgraduate Students (Masters and MRes Programmes) , together with any other requirements associated with the programme as set out in the programme literature. Academic Regulations are available at: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/ras/acd_regs and in the event of a discrepancy, remain the official point of reference.
The MA programmes comprise 180 UCL credits which include 120 credits of taught courses and a 60 credit dissertation. Compulsory courses and programme requirements for each programme are set out on Page 3 of this Scheme, and optional courses will be published annually in the MA Course Options Booklet.
Reference - 2.10.6 – Academic Regulations for Taught Programmes: Postgraduate Students: (Masters and
MRes Programmes
Calculation of the Overall Average Mark
Individual courses are weighted according to their credited value and the overall average mark represents the mean average of 180 UCL credits. Overall average marks will be rounded to obtain an integer mark as follows:
0.4 or below will be rounded down to the nearest integer
0.5 or above will be rounded up to the nearest integer
Completion of Assessment
For the award of a Masters degree, students must have completed 180 UCL credits or the equivalent 1800 learning hours. Individual course (credits) are “complete” when a student has been declared complete on all assessment components for that course, according to the criteria listed in 2.10.2 of the UCL Academic
Regulations for Taught Programmes: Postgraduate Students (Masters and MRes Programmes) .
Where 180 UCL credits have been completed, classifications will be awarded as follows:
The award of PASS will be made when all of the following criteria are met:
the overall average mark, based on 180 credits, is 50% or greater;
the mark for the dissertation is 50% or greater;
a mark of 50% or greater has been obtained in all courses.
The SSEES Board of Examiners may decide to condone ONE failed course worth 30 credits or TWO failed courses of 15 credits in order to allow a student to obtain a PASS classification when: o a mark of 40-49% has been achieved in the failed course(s); and o the failed course(s) is not compulsory**.
The award of MERIT will be made when all of the following criteria are met:
the overall average mark, based on 180 credits, is 60% or greater;
the mark for the dissertation is 60% or greater;
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a mark of 50% or greater has been obtained in all courses at the first attempt.
No failure marks can be condoned.
The award of DISTINCTION will be made when all of the following criteria are met:
the overall average mark, based on 180 credits, is 70% or greater;
the mark for the dissertation is 70% or greater;
a mark of 50% or greater has been obtained in all courses at the first attempt.
No failure marks can be condoned.
Borderline Criteria for Classification
Reference Appendix 47 Regulations for Board of Examiners for Taught Programmes
If the overall average mark, based on 180 credits, is 59%, an award of merit will be made where all of the following criteria are met:
the mark for the dissertation is 65% or greater;
a mark of 50% or greater has been obtained in all courses at the first attempt;
the marks for at least half of the taught credits are 60% or greater.
No failure marks can be condoned.
If the overall average mark, based on 180 credits, is 69%, an award of distinction will be made where all of the following criteria are met:
the mark for the dissertation is 70% or greater;
a mark of 50% or greater has been obtained in all courses at the first attempt;
the marks for at least half of the taught credits are 70% or greater.
No failure marks can be condoned.
Reference - 2.10.3 Academic Regulations for Taught Programmes: Postgraduate Students: (Masters and
MRes Programmes
Failure in any course, which is not condoned, will require a successful re-sit at the next available opportunity before the MA degree can be awarded.
Only ONE re-sit attempt is permitted for each course. In some cases an alternative course may be used in substitution. If a substitute course is taken, this is still regarded as a second attempt.
Marks for all re-sit attempts and substitutions will be recorded. The highest mark obtained from the first attempt and the re-sit attempt or substitution will be used in the calculation of the overall mark.
Students who re-sit a failed course, or take an alternative course in substitution for the re-sit, will not be eligible for the award of Merit or Distinction.
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Where a student fails to meet the requirements for a Masters award, the Board of Examiners may award an exit award.
The award of Postgraduate Diploma may be awarded to a student who has failed to complete the dissertation, but has passed 120 taught credits [see regulation 1.10.5 for full criteria].
The award of Postgraduate Certificate may be awarded to a student who has failed to complete the full programme, but has passed 60 taught credits [see regulation 2.10.4 for full criteria].
All MA Programmes in the School require students to take a Dissertation and the Dissertation Preparation course (SEESGS40), neither of which can be condoned.
MA Comparative Business Economics
Compulsory courses: Quantitative Methods (15 Credits)
Advanced Quantitative Methods (15 Credits)
Political Economy of International Business (30 Credits)
And at least TWO policy courses:
Corporate Governance (15 Credits)
Corporate Finance (15 Credits)
Property Rights (15 Credits)
Financial Development (15 credits)
The following courses must be passed (and cannot be condoned) in order to be awarded MA
Comparative Business Economics: Advanced Quantitative Methods (15 Credits), Political Economy of
International Business (30 Credits)
An award of MA Comparative Social Studies may be awarded if either of the following courses have been condoned: Advanced Quantitative Methods (15 Credits), Political Economy of International
Business (30 Credits)
MA Comparative Economics and Policy
Compulsory courses: Quantitative Methods (15 Credits)
Advanced Quantitative Methods (15 Credits)
International Macroeconomic Policy (30 Credits)
And at least ONE policy course:
Economics of Health and Population (15 Credits)
Trade and FDI Policy with reference to Eastern Europe
(15 Credits)
Public Choice-Private Interest (15 Credits)
Development Economics and Policy (15 Credits)
The following courses must be passed (and cannot be condoned) in order to be awarded MA
Comparative Economic Policy: Advanced Quantitative Methods (15 Credits), International
Macroeconomic Policy (30 Credits)
An award of MA Comparative Social Studies may be awarded if either of the following courses have been condoned: Advanced Quantitative Methods (15 Credits), International Macroeconomic Policy (30
Credits)
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