QUALITY ASSURANCE SERVICES
A QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE
FOR CHAIRS OF BOARDS OF EXAMINERS
Key information relating to progression, eligibility for award and degree classification
Chairs of Boards of Examiners
Introduction
This document is designed to be used as a quick reference guide for chairs of Boards of Examiners.
Section C of the Academic Principles and Regulations provides full details of progression and award
requirements and Board and Committee processes. Please ensure you have access to these when
chairing: www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/about/academic-regulations.htm.
The information in this summary relates to the standard regulatory position. As a chair you will need
to be aware of regulatory exemptions to courses considered by your Board. The relevant course
leader or your Faculty Quality Assurance & Governance Team can advise on approved exemptions to
standard regulations of assessment.
There are no changes to the standard regulatory position for academic year 2015/16. However, the
significant changes to award eligibility/outcome introduced for 2012/13 require careful consideration
in their application as follows:

The requirements for eligibility to receive an award:
The majority of students will be subject to the current requirements but a small number will
remain on the former requirements.

The methods for classification of honours degrees:
The majority of students will be subject to both current and former methods but a small
number will be subject to current requirements only.
The BOE needs to understand the application of these requirements to make appropriate decisions.
It is anticipated that the changes to progression regulations introduced in 2012/13 will now cover all
current students. Students would have been required to commence their current level prior to August
2012 to be considered under the former progression regulations. In the unlikely event of any such
students being identified at a pre-Board, please contact Quality Assurance Services for further advice.
Key Points for Chairs



Hold a Pre-board;
Familiarise yourself with any regulatory exemptions which apply to the courses being
considered;
Make sure the BOE is clear regarding the requirements for progression and award as they
apply to each student (See ‘Progression and Eligibility for an Award’ and ‘Classification of
Honours Degrees’ below for further details).
Classification of Honours Degrees
Any student who commenced their studies under the former regulatory arrangements will not be
disadvantaged by the current ‘Best 100 method’ for classifying honours degrees (i.e. they will receive
the best result arising from the former and current methods of classifying honours degrees). Where
a student started their studies after the introduction of the new regulations, they will only receive the
benefit of the new method.
Updated by QAS September 2015
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On this basis, students will be identified by their Admit Term (a student’s ‘Admit Term’ is set when
they first register with our university) as follows:


Those with an Admit term of 2011/12 or earlier will be classified using former and current
methods.
Those with an Admit Term of 2012/13 or later will be classified using the current method
only.
The ‘Admit Term’ of all students will be displayed on all Contribution to Honours reports.
This means…
Continuing Students (any student who registered with our university PRIOR TO August 2012 – with
an ‘Admit Term’ 201112 or earlier) will be classified by the following methods:



Best 100 method
Profile method
Weighted Average
New Students (any student who registered with our university AFTER August 2012 – with an ‘Admit
Term’ of 201213 or later) will be classified by the following method only:

Best 100 method
The way we tell which methods are applicable to students is by asking the following question:
Did that student register prior to August 2012 (i.e. Does the student have an
‘Admit Term’ of 2012/13 or later)?
If the answer to the question is ‘YES’ all three methods will apply
If the answer to the question is ‘NO’ only the ‘Best 100 method’ will apply
Please see Appendix 1 for further details about these methods.
Updated by QAS September 2015
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Table 1 - Level 4 and Level 5 Progression requirements
Requirement
Former Regulations
Current Regulations
(from Aug 2012)
Credits studied per level (inc. APL)
120
120
Submission in…
All Components
All Components
Passed Credits Min. - L4 (@ 40% or more)
90
100
Passed Credits Min. - L5 (@ 40% or more)
105
100
Overall Level Average - Across All Modules
40% min.
40% min.
Min. Fail Mark
20
30
Re-assessment allowance
50% of the level
Full level
Re-assessment undertaken at…
Component level / Synoptic
At component level
Compensation
30cp max. @ L4
15cp max. @ L5
No compensation
Updated by QAS September 2015
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Table 2 - Final Level Requirements for UG Courses (BAH / BSCH, FDA / FDSC, HND, Cert HE, Dip HE etc)
Requirement
Former
Current
Credits studied per level (inc. APL)
120 @ Final Level
120 @ Final Level
Submission in…
All Components
All Components
Passed Credits Min. (@ 40% or more)
105
100
Overall Level Average - Across all modules
40% Min.
40% Min.
Min. Fail Mark
20
30
Re-assessment allowance
50% of the level
Full level
Re-assessment undertaken at...
Component level / Synoptic
At component level
Compensation
No compensation
No compensation
Updated by QAS September 2015
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Table 3 - Final Level Requirements for PGT Courses (MA/MSc, PGDIP, PGCRT etc)
Requirement
Former
Current
Credits studied per level (inc. APL)
180 @ MA / MSC
120 @ PGDIP
60 @ PGCERT (No APL allowed)
180 @ MA / MSC
120 @ PGDIP
60 @ PGCERT (No APL allowed)
Submission in…
All Components
All Components
Passed Credits Min. (40% or more)
MA / MSC = 160
PGDIP = 100
PGCERT = 60
MA / MSC = 160
PGDIP = 100
PGCERT = 60
Overall Level Average Across All Modules
40% min.
40% min.
Min. Fail Mark
20
PGCERT – Must pass all modules
30
PGCERT – Must pass all modules
Re-assessment allowance
50% of the level:
90 credits @MA/MSc
60 credits @ PGDIP
30 credits @ PGCERT
Full level
Re-assessment undertaken at…
Component level / Synoptic
At component level
Compensation
No compensation
No compensation
Updated by QAS September 2015
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Appendix 1 - Classification Methods Explained
Best 100 Method (All students)
Average of the Best 105*/100** credits at Level 5 – Weighted at 25%
+
Average of the Best 105*/100** credits at Level 6 – Weighted at 75%
=
Final overall score
Due to the modular structures of their course (i.e. modules of 15 credits or modules of 20 credits or a
mix of the two), some students may be classified based on 105 credits rather than 100 credits.


*If the level contains all 15 credit modules (or multiples thereof) or a mix of 15s and 20s (or
multiples thereof) the average will be based on their best 105 credits at that level.
**If the level contains all 20 credit module (or multiples thereof) the average will be based on
their best 100 credit at that level.
Profile Method (Students with “admit term” of prior to 201213)


Level 5 (20 credit modules) will contribute 0.25 to the total for that classification
Level 6 (20 credit modules) will contribute 0.75 to the total for that classification
Students must score MORE THAN HALF of the total available to receive that classification
*Adjustments to these weightings are made for any students with a mixture of 15 and 20 credit point
modular structures within a level (mixed economy students) as follows:


Level 5: 15 credit modules will contribute 0.25 to the total for that classification/20 credit
modules will contribute 0.33 to the total for that classification
Level 6: 15 credit modules will contribute 0.75 to the total for that classification/20 credit
modules will contribute 1.0 to the total for that classification
Weighted Average (Students with “admit term” of prior to 201213)
Average of Level 5 credits – Weighted at 25%
+
Average of Level 6 credits – Weighted at 75%
=
Final Overall Score
Updated by QAS September 2015
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