DUBLIN BUSINESS SCHOOL
ASSESSMENT REGULATIONS
FOR
HETAC PROGRAMMES
September 2006
Dublin Business School
Assessment Regulations
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Introduction and Definitions
2. Continuous Assessment
3. Examinations
4. Examination Procedures
5. Deferrals, Rechecks and Reviews
6. Academic Impropriety
7. General Marks and Standards
8. Marks and Standards for ACCS Students
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1.
Assessment Regulations
INTRODUCTION and DEFINITIONS
For the purposes of this document Dublin Business School shall be referred to as DBS or the School and
the Higher Education and Training Awards Council shall be referred to as HETAC.
These regulations relate to academic programmes in both the Business School and School of Arts within
DBS that lead to HETAC awards.
These regulations shall be effective for the academic year 2006-2007 and subsequent academic years unless
and until they are superseded by new or amended regulations approved by the DBS Academic Board.
The term assessment in these regulations shall be construed to include both continuous assessment and
examinations. These regulations will therefore govern written and oral examinations, coursework assignments,
project-work, theses, dissertations, viva voce, and such other forms of assessment of student performance as may
have been approved or prescribed in relation to any programme or course of study.
Students undertaking HETAC award programmes should also refer to the latest HETAC Marks and
Standards document, a copy of which is available in the College Library.
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2.
2.1
Assessment Regulations
CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT
Scope
Continuous assessment shall be taken to refer to coursework assignments given to students during the
course of academic terms, semesters or years that form part of the approved assessment regime for the
relevant subject or module. A coursework assignment may take the form of an essay, a report, a casestudy analysis, a literature review, a practical project, an in-class test or any other form deemed
appropriate by the Internal Examiner.
2.2
Responsibility
Responsibility for the setting and marking of coursework assignments, that form part of the approved
continuous assessment for a subject, shall be the responsibility of the Internal Examiner for that
subject/module.
2.3
Requirements for Coursework Assignments
All coursework assignments shall be communicated to students in the form of a written assignment brief.
The assignment brief shall clearly state:
 The name of the subject/module in question
 The percentage assessment weighting allocated to the assignment
 The latest acceptable submission date and time for the assignment
 The location to which it is to be submitted
 The specific academic requirements of the assignment
2.4
Submission of Coursework Assignments
It is the responsibility of each student to ensure that all assignment materials submitted are clearly
legible and labelled appropriately. Failure to adhere to this requirement will result in the assessment
being awarded a mark of zero.
All assignments must be submitted to the designated location on or before the latest date and time
specified. A ‘receipt’ will be issued, which must be retained by the student(s) as evidence of the date
and time of submission.
It is the responsibility of each student to be able to prove, by production of the receipt, that an
assignment was in fact submitted at a particular date and time.
It is also the responsibility of each student to keep a copy of all assignment work submitted until the
relevant mark is confirmed on their transcript of results. Students may be required to provide a copy of
any assignment submitted in the event of the original being mislaid or destroyed.
2.5
Extension of Submission Date
A student may apply for an extension of the time allocated for the completion of an assignment where
there are personal circumstances, such as protracted illness, that impact on the student’s ability to
complete the assignment by the date originally specified.
Applications for extensions must be made in writing to the Internal Examiner on a form provided for
this purpose. The application must be made before the original submission date for the assignment and
must be accompanied by written evidence of the circumstances giving rise to the application.
The grant of an extension shall be at the absolute discretion of the Internal Examiner. Where an
extension is granted, a new submission date will be specified. The assignment must then be submitted
not later than the extended date, accompanied by the assignment extension form signed by the Internal
Examiner.
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2.6
Assessment Regulations
Late Submissions
Assignments submitted after the latest date and time specified, including any extension, will be deemed
to be ‘late’ and will be penalised as follows:
 Where the assignment is submitted not more than five working days after the latest specified
date, the mark awarded to the assignment will be reduced by 25%
 Where the assignment is submitted more than five working days after the latest specified date,
it will be awarded a mark of zero.
 Where the assessment is undertaken in a group, the penalty will apply to all group members.
2.7
Group Assignments
Where two or more students present a joint assignment, then each student within the group is required
to retain a copy of the entire assignment. Unless otherwise specified, the assignment will be awarded a
single mark or grade, applicable equally to every member of the group.
2.8
Academic Impropriety in Continuous Assessment
Section 6 of these regulations defines the meaning of academic impropriety and sets out the procedures
followed where academic impropriety is suspected. In the case of continuous assessment, academic
impropriety usually involves plagiarism or unauthorised collusion. These are serious academic offences
that can result in significant penalties, including possible expulsion from the course/programme in
question.
2.9
Academic Impropriety in Group Assignments
Where a student suspects that any form of academic impropriety has arisen in the context of a group
assignment, the student should report this, in writing, immediately (or at the latest within 5 working
days of the proposed submission date of the assessment) to the relevant Internal Examiner or
programme leader. The issue will then be referred to the Registrar’s Office, and the matter will be dealt
with in accordance with Section 6 of these regulations.
Once a group assessment has been submitted no complaints regarding impropriety within the group will
be entertained.
2.10
Oral Examination
Students may be examined orally on the content of any coursework assignment. The outcome of such
oral examination may be taken into account in marking/grading the work.
2.11
Results of Continuous Assessment
On completion of marking by the Internal Examiner, provisional continuous assessment results will be
posted on relevant notice boards in the School. This will normally occur prior to the commencement of
the examination period for the relevant course/programme. Any such results remain provisional until
they are formally ratified by an Examination Board.
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3.
EXAMINATIONS
3.1
Definition
Assessment Regulations
The regulations in this section shall apply to any open-book or closed-book assessment conducted under
supervision at a designated place and time. This includes, in particular, end of term, seminar or academic year
examinations, but these regulations shall also cover other examinations conducted under supervision in the
course of a term, semester or academic year.
3.2
Responsibility
The Registrar shall have overall responsibility for the conduct of examinations and shall, in particular, ensure:

The proper conduct of examinations, including invigilation (see Section 4).

The maximum security in all matters pertaining to examinations.

That all examination entries are notified to the relevant accrediting bodies by the required date(s).

That examination question papers and appropriate marking schemes are prepared by Internal
Examiners, sent in good time for approval by External Examiners, and printed in good time for each
examination.

That appropriate accommodation arrangements are made for each candidate for his/her
examinations.

That examination scripts are examined by Internal and External Examiners and that results for each
candidate are made available for meetings of Boards of Examiners.

That accurate records in regard to all assessment are maintained and made available to External
Examiners.

That proper arrangements are made for holding meetings of Boards of Examiners.

Timely transmission of the recommendations of meetings of Boards of Examiners to the relevant
accrediting bodies.

That candidates are provided with all information relevant to them with regard to the conduct and
regulation of examinations.
3.3
Role of Internal Examiners
Members of DBS staff allocated responsibility for assessing students shall be deemed to be Internal
Examiners. The role of Internal Examiners shall be as follows:





3.4
To prepare assessments in line with the approved module proforma.
To submit examination papers and marking schemes to the Registrar for forwarding to the External
Examiner(s).
To take account of suggestions, criticisms, deletions, additions or amendments proposed by the
External Examiner(s).
Prior to the meeting of the Board of Examiners, to receive feedback from the External Examiner(s)
and to agree the grades/marks proposed to be awarded to each candidate.
To attend meetings of the Board of Examiners.
External Examiners
External examiners are appointed to provide independent quality assurance in the assessment process. In
particular, External Examiners should ensure that standards appropriate to the various award levels are
applied and that comparability of standards between DBS and other institutions is achieved and
maintained as far as is feasible.
3.5
Course External Examiners
External examiners may be appointed as Course External Examiners, with responsibility for an entire
course/programme, or a range of courses/programmes. In these cases the External Examiner(s)
concerned should deal with all the subjects in the course(s) and should approach the task with a view to
ensuring that each candidate’s performance in the course as a whole is properly assessed, without undue
emphasis on individual subject performance, subject to the requirements of the regulations.
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3.6
Assessment Regulations
Subject External Examiners
External Examiners may be appointed as Subject External Examiners, with responsibility in relation to specific
subjects. Subject External Examiners are required to ensure that each candidate’s overall performance in the
course/programme as a whole is properly assessed, without undue emphasis on performance in an individual
subject for which they have been appointed, subject to the requirements of the regulations.
3.7
Specific Duties of External Examiners
It shall be the duty of the External Examiners to see the drafts of all examination question papers and
marking schemes before the question papers are sent for printing. External Examiners shall have the
right to make such suggestions, criticisms, deletions, additions and amendments as they deem
appropriate.
External Examiners will review a representative sample of examination material presented by candidates
(approximately 5% where feasible), including borderline cases. The sample, which will be randomly
selected, will be examined by the External Examiner to form a judgment as to the appropriateness of the
marking at all levels of classification. External Examiners shall have the right to make such amendments
to assessment marks as they deem appropriate.
3.8
Oral/Performance based Examinations
Where oral/performance based examinations constitute a substantial part of the assessment procedure and are
conducted in the absence of an External Examiner(s), detailed information regarding the proceedings of any such
examination or assessment conducted entirely by Internal Examiners should be recorded, on audio-tape where
possible, and all evidence retained in the Institution for scrutiny by the External Examiner.
Alternatively, where special circumstances so require, the Internal and External Examiner together may examine
a representative sample of the candidates concerned.
3.9
Meetings of Board of Examiners
After each examination the Internal and External Examiners shall meet together as a Board of Examiners under
the chairmanship of the Registrar or of a member of DBS staff nominated for that purpose by the Registrar.
Under no circumstances should the Chairman of the Board of Examiners also be an examiner for the relevant
award or examination stage.
Only those Internal Examiners who have participated in the examination for a given award (or examination stage
leading to an award), together with the Programme Leader and the relevant External Examiners, shall participate
in the meeting of the Board of Examiners at which recommendations in relation to that award or examination
stage are decided.
A Board of Examiners may act notwithstanding the absence of one or more members, provided that the Chair of
the Board is satisfied that the meeting has been duly convened and that the members present at the meeting
constitute an appropriate attendance for the proper discharge of the Board’s responsibilities.
All decisions by a Board of Examiners shall be made by majority decision of the Board members properly
present. The opinions of External Examiners should be particularly influential if a matter is in dispute.
The Chair shall appoint a Secretary for meetings of the Board of Examiners. The Secretary shall record all
decisions of the Board.
The proceedings and deliberations of Boards of Examiners are strictly confidential; under no circumstances
should any person attending a meeting of a Board of Examiners disclose to any other person a decision of the
Board or any document, information or opinion considered, conveyed, or expressed at the meeting. The Chair of
the Board of Examiners must communicate appropriately HETAC with regard to any matter requiring such
communication, arising out of the proceedings of the Board of Examiners.
The dates of meetings of Boards of Examiners shall be agreed annually between the DBS Registrar and HETAC.
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3.10
Assessment Regulations
Broadsheets of Results HETAC Programmes
At the meeting of the Board of Examiners, a Broadsheet of Results shall be endorsed which shall record the total
marks or grades awarded to each candidate in each assessed subject and which shall indicate, in relation to each
candidate’s overall result, whether the candidate has passed, or has passed with Merit, or has passed with
Distinction, or has passed with Honours (indicating the grade of Honours), or has failed. Any other overall
result should be recorded in accordance with the following tables:
Result Code
EXE
ABS
FAIL
DEF
DISQ
WITH
WHLD
3.11
Result
Exemption(s) Granted
Absent from Examination
Fail
Deferral of Results(s)
No Result- Disqualification
Withdrew from Course
Students Results Withheld
Effect on Number of Exam Attempts
Counted as an Attempt
Counted as an Attempt
Counted as an Attempt
Not Counted as an Attempt
Disqualified from Programme
Counted as an Attempt
Not Counted as an Attempt
Borderline Cases
Meetings of Boards of Examiners should allow for full and frank discussions of all borderline cases before a
final decision is made. Decisions made regarding borderline cases should be formally minuted.
The Broadsheet(s) of results shall be signed by the Chair and Secretary of the meeting, and by all of the
Examiners (External and Internal) present at the meeting. It shall be forwarded to HETAC by the Registrar as
soon as possible after the meeting.
3.12
Recommendation of Results
It is emphasised that regulations will be interpreted in such a manner as to require the candidate to have
demonstrated beyond reasonable doubt an entitlement, on the basis of examination performance, to the result
being recommended.
3.13
Deferral of Examination Results
A Board of Examiners may, in the case of illness or bereavement, recommend that a final decision on a
candidate’s result be deferred to enable the candidate to complete specific outstanding requirements of
the subject or course/programme.
3.14
Repeat Examinations
On receipt of their results, unsuccessful candidates will be notified of the repeat assessment procedure.
3.15
Notification of Results
For most courses/programmes, provisional results will be posted on official notice boards following the
meeting of the Examinations Board. Formal transcripts of results will then be issued to the postal
address of each student.
DBS reserves the right to withhold disclosure or communication of a student’s examination results in
the following circumstances:

pending the settlement of a dispute/investigation;

pending the return of items borrowed from the Library; and/or,

pending the settlement of any sums due to DBS in respect of fees or Library fines.
Under no circumstance will results be confirmed by telephone, fax or e-mail.
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4.
EXAMINATION PROCEDURES
4.1
Eligibility for Examination
Assessment Regulations
Only candidates who have satisfactorily attended or otherwise pursued or followed their course of study
and who have met all course requirements, including satisfactory completion of prescribed coursework
within prescribed deadlines, shall be admitted to examinations.
4.2
Examination Timetable
It shall be the responsibility of the Registrar to set the dates, times and venues for all examinations.
Examination timetables shall be posted on the main notice boards in the School and also on the
Institution’s web site. Such details are subject to change, at the absolute discretion of the Registrar, up
to 21 calendar days before the commencement of the examination session.
It is the responsibility of each candidate to inform him/herself of the dates, times and locations for all
relevant examinations. Any candidate registered for an examination who fails to attend at the
appropriate date , time and venue shall be allocated a zero mark for that examination, save in the case of
personal mitigating circumstances as described in section 4.5 below.
4.3
Admission to the Examination Room
Candidates must be present in the designated examination room at least 15 minutes before the scheduled
time of commencement of the examination. No additional time will be allocated to those arriving late
for an examination.
Any candidate who attends for examination more than 30 minutes late may not be admitted to the
Examination Room, and, if admitted, must complete a late-comer's form, which will be handed in to the
Registrar’s Office by the invigilator after the examination.
Candidates may not bring bags, books, notes, overcoats, mobile phones or any form of answer book into
the Examination Room. All materials brought into the Examination Room are subject to inspection by
the invigilators.
Candidates are required, without exception, to present their Student Identity Cards at all examinations.
4.4
Conduct during Examinations
 Candidates are required to sign an attendance register and, where relevant, to fill out external
examination forms fully before the examination begins.
 Candidates must follow the invigilators’ instructions at all times.
 Strict silence must be observed in the Examination Room at all times.
 Examination question papers will be distributed face down on the examination desks and only when
told to do so by an invigilator may candidates turn them face up.
 If a candidate finishes the examination in less than the time allowed, he/she may hand in his/her
paper and leave the Examination Room quietly so as not to disturb other candidates. However,
candidates may not leave within the first 30 minutes of the commencement of an examination, nor
within 30 minutes of its conclusion.
 Any candidate wishing to leave the Examination Room temporarily may do so only with the
permission of, and if accompanied by, an invigilator. A candidate must have an appropriate reason
for leaving the Examination Room. Any unaccompanied departure from the Examination Room
during the course of the examination puts the candidate at risk of disqualification.
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4.5
Assessment Regulations

At the end of the examination, each candidate must remain in his/her place until the invigilator has
collected his/her script(s). It is the candidate's responsibility to ensure that his/her script(s) is
handed to the invigilator and that his/her student identity number is clearly written on the front page
of each script.

A candidate must not remove any examination script booklet, or any part thereof, from the
Examination Room.

Any written or printed materials other than DBS examination script booklets shall be considered to
be unauthorised materials (save material previously approved by the invigilators). It is each
student’s responsibility to ensure that additional materials, other than those noted above, are
authorised by the invigilator in the Examination Room prior to the commencement of the
examination.

It is the responsibility of each candidate to ensure that all examination materials submitted are
clearly legible and labelled appropriately. Failure to adhere to this requirement will result in the
examination being awarded a mark of zero.
Breaches of Examination Regulations
Any of the following actions or behaviours on the part of candidates shall constitute a breach of
examination regulations and shall render the candidate liable to a charge of academic impropriety.
 Failure to comply promptly with the instructions of an invigilator.
 Speaking to, or having any communication on any pretext whatsoever, with any other candidate
during the course of an examination.
 Being found in possession of unauthorised materials in the Examination Room, or during any
accompanied temporary absence therefrom. Any such unauthorised materials shall be removed and
retained by the invigilator.
When a candidate is found to be in breach of the examination regulations, he/she will be allowed to
finish the examination but the invigilator will be required to complete a report on the incident, which
will be submitted to the Registrar’s Office. The student concerned must also report in person to the
Registrar’s Office immediately following the examination.
4.6
Absence from Examination
Absence from an examination will result in a mark of zero being recorded unless there are personal
mitigating circumstances that are brought to notice not later than seven days after the date of the
examination. Personal mitigating circumstances may include
a) medically certified illness on the date of the examination
b) the death, during the examination period, of a member of the candidate's immediate family or a
close personal relation.
Applications for academic concessions, such as deferral of an examination, will be considered only on
receipt of written application to the Registrar on a form provided for the purpose, accompanied by
written evidence such as a medical certificate within seven days of the assessment taking place.
Missed written examinations must be taken at the next available sitting following the ratification of
results. Students should be aware that unauthorised absence from an examination counts as one of the
attempts to which each individual is entitled, and is deemed to be a “fail” result.
4.7
Special Facilities
Any student who considers that his or her examination performance may be affected adversely by
particular requirements must advise the School on entry, and must also confirm with the Registrar’s
Office not later then two weeks prior to the commencement of examinations, in writing together with
any supporting documentation, so that any special facilities that may be appropriate can be arranged.
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Assessment Regulations
5.
DEFERRALS, RECHECKS AND REVIEWS
5.1
Deferral of Results
The Examination Board may, in exceptional circumstances such as illness or bereavement, recommend
that a final decision on a candidate's result be deferred to enable the candidate to complete specific
requirements of the course that remain outstanding. Any deferral of a decision in relation to a
candidate's result shall be for a limited period, not exceeding one academic year, and at the discretion of
the Examination Board.
5.2
Re-Check of Assessment Results
A re-check of an assessment result means the administrative operation of checking the recording and the
addition of marks for the assessment. A request for a re-check must be received by the Registrar’s
Office not later than five working days after the date of the posting of results on College notice boards,
together with the appropriate fee.
Requests for re-checks will be considered only if submitted in writing by the person concerned to the
Registrar’s Office, together with a fee of €50 per subject/module. If the assessment result is amended as
a result of the recheck, the fee will be returned.
Students should note that a recheck may result in confirmation, upgrading or downgrading of the initial
result.
5.3
Review of Assessment (and appeals)
Review means the detailed re-consideration by the Internal Examiner, where feasible, of all or part of
the assessment material, together with re-consideration by the Examination Board of a full set of results.
A request for a review must be received by the Registrar’s Office not later than five working days after
the date of the notification of the relevant assessment result. Requests for reviews will be considered
only if submitted in writing by the student to the Registrar’s Office.
Before a review procedure can be initiated, a detailed submission must be received by recorded post
together with supporting documentation (if appropriate) and a fee of €130 per module. The submission
must identify the element or elements of the assessment for which the review is being sought. It must
also specify the grounds on which the review is requested, and it must contain all information that the
candidate wishes to have taken into account in the review.
Candidates should note that the only permissible grounds for review or appeal are as follows:
a) if there is evidence of substantive irregularity in the College’s procedures and/or in the manner in
which those procedures were executed
b) if there is evidence of substantive irregularity in the Assignment brief or Examination Paper
c) if there are circumstances that the Examination Board was not aware of when its decision was taken.
It is emphasised that disagreement with the judgement of the examiner(s) does not constitute
grounds for review.
It is the responsibility of students to make known, in writing, to the Registrar’s Office, as soon as
possible after the assessment or at the latest within five working days of the assessment having taken
place, any medical, personal or other circumstances which, to a significant extent, may have affected
adversely their performance at examination/assessment and, when required, to provide evidence thereof.
Students should note that a review may result in confirmation, upgrading or downgrading of the initial
result/decision.
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5.4
Assessment Regulations
Procedures for Carrying out a Review
The Registrar will consider all documented evidence and will decide if the student has adequate
grounds for review. The Registrar will reach one of the following conclusions:
(1)
(2)
(3)
that there are adequate grounds for review
that there are inadequate grounds for review
that further investigation is required before adjudicating on the request for a review.
Should conclusion 1 above be reached, the Registrar will request the internal or External Examiner to reexamine the students script, taking into account the circumstances surrounding the review. This may
result in the mark awarded to the assessment being revised. If the mark is revised, the Examinations
Board will be requested to re-consider the student’s results. Such a request shall be accompanied by all
relevant documentation in order that the Board may make an informed decision. The decision of the
Board shall be final.
Should conclusion 2 above be reached, the student will be notified accordingly and the matter will be
considered closed.
Should conclusion 3 above be reached, the Registrar shall arrange further investigation. The form of
such further investigation shall be appropriate to the individual case and may include oral hearings.
Should the oral hearing involve the appellant then he/she will have the right to be accompanied by one
person nominated by the appellant.
If a request for review is upheld the student will be given a full refund of the review fee.
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6.
ACADEMIC IMPROPRIETY
6.1
Definitions
Assessment Regulations
Academic impropriety includes cheating, plagiarism, forgery, collusion or any attempt, successful or
not, to gain unfair advantage in the examination or assessment process.
Cheating:
 Any form of communication with or copying from any other source during an
examination/assessment
 Introducing any form of written or other material into an examination (including that stored
electronically) other then that specified on an examination paper
 Use of mobile phone during an assessment or examination
 Forgery, alteration or misuse of College documents, records or identity cards
 Submission of false claims of prior qualification, research or experience in order to gain credit for
prior learning
Plagiarism:
The presentation of work, written or otherwise, of any other person, including another student, or
institution, as the candidates own. Plagiarism includes:
 Verbatim copying of another’s work without clear identification and acknowledgement
 Close paraphrasing of another’s work by simply changing a few words or altering the order of
presentation without clear identification and acknowledgement
 Unidentified /unacknowledged presentation of another’s concept as one’s own
Collusion:
The conscious collaboration, without official approval, between two or more students in the preparation
and production of work which is ultimately submitted by each in an identical or substantially similar
form and/or is represented by each to be the product of his or her individual efforts. Collusion also
occurs where there is unauthorised co-operation between a student and another person in the preparation
and production of work, which is presented as the student’s own.
6.2
Suspected Academic Impropriety
Any member of staff who suspects academic impropriety must report such suspicions immediately to
the Chief Invigilator/Examinations Officer. The Chief Invigilator/Examinations Officer will mark the
script clearly at that point, will allow the student to finish the examination and submit a full, written
report on the incident to the Registrar’s Office. At the end of the examination, the student concerned
must present himself/herself immediately to the Registrar’s Office. The relevant script will be corrected
as normal.
Any Internal Examiner who suspects academic impropriety must report such suspicions immediately to
the Registrar’s Office attaching any relevant evidence/documentation, supporting this suspicion. The
relevant work will be corrected as normal by the Internal Examiner.
6.3
Procedures in Cases of Suspected Academic Impropriety
The Registrar, or a Registrar’s nominee, will review the report and evidence provided and will decide if
there is a case to answer by the student. If it is decided that there is insufficient basis for a charge of
academic impropriety, no further action will be taken in the matter. If it is decided that there is a case to
answer, the Registrar will refer the matter to an Academic Impropriety Review Committee.
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6.4
Assessment Regulations
The Academic Impropriety Review Committee
The Academic Impropriety Review Committee will convene once per academic term and prior to the
meeting of the Examination Board or as required. The Committee will review all cases of suspected
academic impropriety referred to it by the Registrar. All proceedings of the Committee will be minuted
formally and its findings presented to the Examination Board at the next available opportunity.
The Academic Impropriety Review Committee shall consist of the following:
 Chair (nominee of the Registrar of DBS)
 Two full-time members of Academic Staff
 A student representative
The Registrar’s Office will inform the student concerned of the review hearing in writing, with at least
seven days clear notice prior to the meeting of the Committee. The student concerned will be invited to
attend, with his/her nominee, if desired, and/or to make a written submission to the Committee. The
student concerned may decline such an invitation.
6.5
Decisions of the Academic Impropriety Review Committee
The Committee will consider the evidence presented to it and will reach one of the following two
decisions:
(1)
(2)
That academic impropriety has occurred; or
That academic impropriety has not occurred.
Should decision (1), above, be made, the decision must be unanimous. Should decision (2), above, be
made, the matter will be considered closed.
Should the Committee decide that academic impropriety has occurred, it will decide on an appropriate
penalty to be imposed on the student(s) concerned. The penalty will be appropriate to the seriousness of
the case, and may include:
 Expulsion from the College
 Suspension from the College for a stated period, or until such time as any requirements laid down by
the Committee, such as, for example, payment of a fine, are fulfilled
 Exclusion from specific College facilities
 Disbarment from examinations for a specified period
 A fine not exceeding 50% of the annual fee for the course being followed
 Exclusion from the examination in question in part or in total and/or from the academic course being
followed by the student, or any part of it
 Withholding of award of degree, diploma, certificate, prize or other academic award
The Committee, through the Registrar’s Office, will advise the student concerned promptly of the
decision in writing, within seven days.
The Committee, through the Registrar’s Office, will inform the relevant Examination Board of all cases
in which conclusion (1) has been reached, stating the penalty imposed.
6.6
Appeal of Penalties Imposed in the case of Academic Impropriety
The Examination Board is the ultimate authority for decisions relating to academic impropriety.
Students wishing to appeal a decision of the Academic Impropriety Committee to the Examination
Board must inform the Registrar’s Office in writing not later than seven days after notification of the
original decision of the Committee. A written submission must be received by recorded post together
with supporting documentation (if appropriate). Students should note that the only permissible grounds
for appeal are as follows:
a) if there is evidence of substantive irregularity in the College’s procedures and/or in the manner in
which those procedures were executed; and/or,
b) if there are circumstances that the Academic Impropriety Committee was not aware of when its
decision was taken.
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The submission must specify the grounds on which the appeal is requested, and it must contain all
information that the candidate wishes to have taken into account.
Appeals will be considered at the next available sitting of the Examination Board. An appeal will be
considered only if the Registrar is satisfied that there are prima facie grounds for appeal, as outlined
above.
The Examination Board, having considered the student’s submission, has the authority to revise earlier
decisions, including the matter of penalties. The decision of the Examination Board will be
communicated to the student via the Registrar’s Office.
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7.
GENERAL MARKS AND STANDARDS
7.1
Higher Education and Training Awards Council
Candidates undertaking a HETAC Programme should familiarise themselves with the HETAC
Examinations Marks and Standards information which is available in the Library.
7.2
Examination Subjects
An Approved Course Schedule for each HETAC approved course sets out the approved Examination
Subjects for the course.
An Examination Subject may consist of one or more Component Subjects. Where an Examination
Subject consists of more than one Component Subject, these are normally examined separately and
marks scored in the several Component Subjects are aggregated to determine the candidate’s overall
performance in that Subject.
Each candidate must present and pass in all Mandatory Examination Subjects. Where the course
structure consists of one or more Mandatory Subjects and several Elective Subjects, each candidate
must present and pass in all Mandatory and in a prescribed number of Elective Subjects as outlined in
the Approved Course Schedule.
7.3
Marks Allocation
The maximum mark for each Examination Subject, and the allocation of marks to each Component
Subject shall be as indicated in the Approved Course Schedule.
The minimum mark required for a pass in any Examination Subject shall be 40% of the maximum
marks available for that Examination Subject. In each Examination Subject that consists of component
subjects the marks awarded to each candidate shall be the total of the marks scored in the various
examination elements.
7.4
Pass by Compensation
At the discretion of the Examination Board, a pass by compensation may be allowed in any one subject,
provided that the candidate has secured not less than 35% in that subject and that he/she has attained
marks in excess of 40% in at least one other subject equivalent to double the deficiency in the subject
which is being compensated.
Where the examination sitting consists of five or more subjects, compensation may apply in the case of
two subjects. Where the examination sitting consists of fewer than five subjects, compensation may
apply in the case of only one.
The pass standard must be reached in the remaining subjects requiring to be passed. When a project is
awarded the same status as a subject there is no compensation to or from the project.
Compensation can apply only where all the subjects appropriate to a stage are presented at the same
sitting, i.e. candidates may not pass repeat examinations by compensation unless they have repeated all
subjects appropriate to the stage of assessment.
7.5
Requirements for Progression
Other than in exceptional circumstances, a candidate will not be admitted to a second or subsequent
examination stage without first having passed all relevant examination subjects at the previous
examination stage.
To merit a Certificate or Diploma at pass classification, a candidate must satisfy all the examination and
other requirements set for the course, and pass the final examination as a whole. Results of any external
examinations taken will not on any account substitute for the results of the award. This applies to all
courses and no exception will be made.
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7.6
Assessment Regulations
Procedures to be Followed in the Case of a Failed Continuous Assessment or Examination
In the case of a candidate who has omitted to perform a satisfactory proportion of continuous assessment
tests in any Examination Subject, or who has been awarded such low marks for continuous assessment
that a pass in the Examination Subject as a whole is unlikely, the School will advise the candidate of this
situation in good time to enable the candidate to take appropriate action before the final examination.
In the case of a candidate repeating an examination only, marks awarded on the basis of continuous
assessment, practical, project or laboratory examinations shall, normally, be carried forward from the
original examination to the repeat examination and shall be aggregated with the marks scored in the latter
to determine the total marks to be awarded in respect of the repeat examination. However, in the case of a
candidate repeating an examination following a repeat attendance, only the marks awarded as a result of
the repeat assessment and examination shall be considered.
In the case of a repeat candidate whose results are liable to be jeopardised by the carry-forward of poor
continuous assessment marks, the institution may devise, having due regard to the provisions of the
approved course schedule, alternative assessment arrangements in agreement with the External
Examiner(s) in lieu of the Continuous Assessment. Such repeat continuous assessments will be available
when the sitting results are public.
In the case of a candidate repeating continuous assessment only, marks awarded will be based on the
repeat continuous assessment with the original examination result.
The maximum number of sittings permitted at each level are as follows:
Level 1:
3 attempts
Final Level:
2 attempts
Students who have exhausted the maximum number of sittings may apply in writing to have further
attempts. Such applications should be sent to the Programme Leader within 1 month of receiving the
final transcript of results.
7.7
Repeat Assessments
A student who fails to achieve an overall pass at a particular stage or year of a course may, at the
discretion of the Examination Board, be exempted from further assessment in the subjects passed.
Exemptions (passes) are not granted in respect of any component part of a subject.
The granting of exemptions at any Examination Board shall not in itself confer any right on a student to
present for further attempts to complete the examination.
The School has the discretion to decide as to whether a candidate repeating an assessment may be
permitted to, or may be required to, repeat attendance on the course.
Additional exemptions may be granted to a candidate in respect of additional subjects passed by virtue
of further attempts at assessment. The candidate, however, must complete the examination stage by
passing all required subjects within the period of validity of the original exemptions.
In the case of a final examination for HETAC Programmes only, the candidate cannot, in these
circumstances, be considered for an award at Merit, Distinction or Honours level.
7.8
Waiver of Exemptions
A student may apply to waive exemption(s) already awarded by an Examination Board. The Registrar
will adjudicate on any such application. If a waiver of exemptions is granted, the waiver cancels the
original result(s), which cannot be restored for the purposes of further attempts at the examination.
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7.9
Assessment Regulations
Awards for Certificate, Higher Certificate and Ordinary Degree Programmes
For award purposes, Merits and Distinctions may be achieved on the results of the award level
examinations only. A candidate must satisfy all the examination and other requirements set for the
course, pass the final examination as a whole and obtain at the final examination an average mark in
accordance with the table set out below:
7.10
Distinction
at least 70%
Merit, Grade 1
60-69%
Merit, Grade 2
50-59%
Pass
40-49%
Awards for Honours Bachelor Degree and Higher Diploma
The award of a Bachelor Degree or Higher Diploma may be made at Pass or Honours classifications.
Honours classifications are:
First Class Honours
Second Class Honours Grade 1
Second Class Honours Grade 2
To be eligible for consideration for the award of an Honours Bachelor Degree or Higher Diploma at
Pass classification, a candidate must (a) satisfy all the examination and other requirements set for the
course and (b) pass the final examination as a whole.
To be eligible for consideration for the award of an Honours Bachelor Degree or Higher Diploma at
Honours classification, a candidate must (a) satisfy all the examination and other requirements set for
the course, (b) pass the final examination as a whole in accordance with the HETAC Marks and
Standards regulations and (c) obtain, at the final examination, an average mark as follows:
First Class Honours (H1):
Second Class Honours, Grade 1 (H2.1):
Second Class Honours, Grade 2 (H2.2):
at least 70%
60-69%
50-59%
An award with Honours may not be considered unless the candidate has passed the final examination
(a) at the first attempt, without exemption, and in one sitting, or (b) in the case of ACCS candidates, by
virtue of passing each required subject at the first attempt. In such cases, the subject marks to be
included in the average mark shall be those of the candidate's first attempt at the respective subjects.
Normally, an award with Honours may be recommended on the results of the final examination only;
any weighted contributions from previous years’ examinations shall be calculated in accordance with
HETAC regulations.
At non-final examination stages, candidate’s results may provisionally be declared with Honours, where
the standards set out above have been met in relation to the examinations appropriate to the stage; such
declaration is without prejudice to the final classification of a candidate's degree award, if any.
The maximum number of sittings permitted at each level are normally as follows:
Level 1&2:
Final Level:
Higher Diploma:
3 attempts
2 attempts
2 attempts
Students who have exhausted the maximum number of sittings may apply in writing to have further
attempts. Such applications should be sent to the Programme Leader within 1 month of receiving the
final transcript of results.
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7.11
Assessment Regulations
Awards for Master Degree
Masters Degrees by Mode A (research) are of honours standard and are awarded without classification.
A Master Degree by Mode B (coursework and dissertation) may be awarded at pass or honours
classifications (First Class Honours and Second Class Honours).
To be eligible for consideration for the award of a Master Degree (Mode B) at Pass classification, a
candidate must: (a) satisfy all the examination and other requirements set for the course; and, (b) pass
the final examination as a whole in accordance with the HETAC Marks and Standards regulations.
To be eligible for consideration for the award of a Master Degree (Mode B) at Honours classification, a
candidate must: (a) satisfy all the examination and other requirements set for the course; (b) pass the
final examination as a whole in accordance with the HETAC Marks and Standards regulations; and, (c)
obtain, at the final examination, an average mark (based on the allocation of marks as approved by the
HETAC in each case), as set out below.
First Class Honours:
at least 70%
Second Class Honours:
at least 60%
An award with Honours may not be considered unless the candidate has passed the final examination:
(a) in the case of full-time candidates, at the first attempt, and in one sitting, or (b) in the case of parttime candidates, by virtue of passing in each required examination subject at the first attempt. In such
cases the examination subject marks/grades to be included in the average result shall be those obtained
at the candidate’s first attempt at the respective examination subjects.
7.12
Copies of Assessment/Award Documentation
All students should keep secure any Transcript of Results or Award Certificate issued by the School or
its external examining bodies. A student must notify the Registrar’s Office as quickly as possible if he
or she has reason to believe examination documentation issued by the School or its external examining
bodies may have been misdirected or lost in the post.
Where Transcripts of Results or Award Certificates are lost or mislaid through the fault of the student, a
fee will be charged for the issuing of duplicates.
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8.
MARKS AND STANDARDS PERTAINING TO ACCS STUDENTS
8.1
The Alphabetic Grading Scheme
Students registered under the HETAC ACCS scheme will be assessed using the Alphabetic Grading
Scheme. This scheme uses a 60 Credit Year/30 Credit Semester as its basis. This scheme may also apply
to students following courses on a full-time basis.
8.2
Assessing and Grading Individual Subjects
A grade representative of the quality of a student’s performance in a particular subject/module shall be
awarded at the end of each stage or semester for which a student is registered.
Table 1 lists the grades which can be awarded.
When assigning grades to subjects/modules Internal Examiners should use the definitions in Table 1,
except for Pass by compensation.
Table 1: Grades to be awarded to each subject/module
Grade
A
B+
B
BC+
C
D
F
*I
X
Percentage Band
80-100
70-79
60-69
55-59
50-54
40-49
35-39
Credits Awarded
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
Yes
W
NP
WH
8.3
Indicative Quality of Performance
Excellent
Very Good
Good
Above Average
Fair
Pass
Poor
Fail
Deferral of Result
Student exempted from the requirements of
the subject/module because of previous
equivalent learning
Withdrew
Absent/Not Present
Withhold
Assessment of Aggregate Performance
The aggregate performance of an individual student is represented by the student’s Grade Point Average
(GPA) in the examination for each stage or semester of the course followed.
In order to determine the GPA for a particular student, the following calculation is carried out.
(a)
(b)
(c)
A Grade Point Value is assigned to the alphabetic grade a student has gained for each subject, as
follows:
Alphabetic Grade
Grade Point Value
A
4.0
B+
3.5
B
3.0
B2.75
C+
2.5
C
2.0
D
1.5
F
0
The Grade Point Value is multiplied by the Credits to arrive at a Grade Credit Score of each
subject/module.
The Grade Credit Scores are then added together and divided by the credits for the stage or
semester to arrive at the GPA.
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(d)
8.4
Assessment Regulations
Credits gained as a result of being awarded an X in a subject/module are not included in the
calculation of GPA.
Award Classifications
An inherent feature of all modern examination systems allows for minimally acceptable performance in
individual subjects/modules to be less than that required for the course as a whole provided that the
weaker performance in those subjects/modules is compensated for by superior performance in the
remaining subjects/modules.
In the Alphabetic Grading Scheme while a “D” is the minimally acceptable performance in any individual
subject/module an average performance at “C” level (GPA of 2.0) over the entire course is required to
pass an examination as a whole. Therefore, in general, a “D” grade will need to be compensated for by
sufficient grades higher than “C” in individual subjects/modules.
To be eligible for consideration for an award at Pass classification, a candidate must:
(a)
Satisfy all the examination requirements, credits and other requirements for the course as
specified in the Approved Course Schedule
and
(b)
Pass the final examination as a whole, by attaining a GPA of 2.0, in accordance with Marks &
Standards.
To be eligible for consideration for an award at Merit, Distinction or Honours classification a
candidate must:
(a)
Satisfy all examination requirements, credits and other requirements for the course specified in
the Approved Course Schedule
and
(b)
Have attained a GPA in the award stage of the course in accordance with the requirements in
Table 2
and
(c)
Pass the final examination in the case of full-time candidates, at the first attempt and in one
sitting or in the case of part-time ACCS candidates, by virtue of passing in each required
Examination Subject/Module of the Award stage at the first attempt.
Table 2: GPA required for award classification
PROGRAMMES OTHER THAN
GPA
HONOURS DEGREE AND
REQUIRED
HIGHER DIPLOMAS
Pass
2.0
Pass with Merit
2.5
– Grade 2
Pass with Merit
3.00
– Grade 1
Pass with Distinction
3.25
8.5
HONOURS DEGREE AND
HIGHER DIPLOMA
CLASSIFICATION
Pass
2nd Class Honours – Grade 2
GPA
REQUIRED
2nd Class Honours – Grade 1
3.0
1st Class Honours
2nd Class Honours (Masters
Degree Mode B Only)
3.25
2.0
2.5
Borderline Cases
Notwithstanding the above provisions, an Examination Board may consider as a borderline case, any
candidate presenting for an award, whose GPA is within 0.10 of any of the above thresholds, provided the
candidate has achieved full credits in all the prescribed subjects/modules.
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Where a candidate’s GPA is below the minimum pass threshold or the number of credits gained are
insufficient for a particular award as a result of Grades D or F in particular subjects/modules then:
8.6
(a)
or
Only those subjects/modules where a grade D or F has been recorded can be repeated
(b)
If any of the subjects/modules referred to in (a) above are elective subjects then other
subjects/modules may be taken to enable a student to pass in the examination as a whole.
Courses Structured in Semesters
Where courses are structured in semesters, the GPA to be used when determining the classification of an
award shall be the cumulative average of the GPAs awarded for each of the two semesters, in the award
stage of the course.
Examples of Calculation of GPA
Calculation of GPA for an award stage
Subject
(A)
Credits
(B)
Grade
(C) Grade Point
Value
(D) Grade
Point Score
(AxC=D)
Subject 1
Subject 2
Subject 3
Subject 4
Subject 5
Subject 6
Subject 7
Total
10
5
10
5
10
5
15
60
D
C
C+
B
B
C
B
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.0
2.0
3.0
15
10
25
15
30
10
45
150
The candidate’s GPA is calculated as,
Total Grade Score
_______________
=
Total Credits
150
___
=
2.5 - PASS
60
Calculation of GPA for an award stage where the candidate has an exemption in one subject.
Subject
(A)
Credits
(B)
Grade
(C) Grade Point
Value
(D) Grade
Point Score
(AxC=D)
Subject 1
Subject 2
Subject 3
Subject 4
Subject 5
Subject 6
Subject 7
Total
10
5
10
5
10
5
15
60
D
X
C+
A
A
C
B+
2.0
2.5
4.0
3.0
2.0
3.5
20
25
20
40
10
52.5
167.5
The candidate’s GPA is calculated as:Total Grade Score
________________
Total Credits
=
167.5
___
60-5*
=
167.5
___
55
= 3.05 - 2nd Class Honours – Grade 2
At the award stage of a course structured in semesters, a candidate’s cumulative GPA for the
award stage is the average of GPA’s for each semester
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