LANCASTER
UNIVERSITY
18 August 2007
Postgraduate
Studies Office
Dear Postgraduate Secretaries,
Please find enclosed the information pack relating to the award of degrees for postgraduate taught schemes of
study.
Awards Timetable for 2007:
Friday 31 August
Debtor lists sent to departments by the Finance Office.
Friday 28 September
Ceremonies Office mail-shot to potential graduands *
Friday 2 November
Deadline for examiners’ recommendations to be sent to the Postgraduate Studies
Office.
Wednesday 12 December
Postgraduate degree ceremonies
* The ceremonies mail-shot is sent to all students who may complete in time to graduate in December.
Inevitably, some students do not complete, which may lead to confusion.
Addresses: it is vitally important that addresses are kept up to date for potential graduands, as this
ensures that ceremony mail-outs and degree certificates reach their intended recipients. Addresses must
be correct as of the 21st September in order for the ceremonies mail-shot to reach the correct recipients.
Please update all addresses on LUSI (if applicable, please ensure that both home and term-time addresses are
updated). The temporary correspondence address facility should be used if students are to remain on campus for
a time after completing their degree.
Transcripts: Degree certificates and transcripts will be posted out to students immediately upon confirmation of
award by Senate. It would be helpful, therefore, if departments that are not yet recording marks on LUSU could
send transcripts through along with the award recommendations or as soon as possible thereafter.
Debtors: Departments will be notified by Finance in early September of those students who remain in debt. If you
need debtor lists at an earlier date, please contact the Finance Office (x92050).
Forms: the extension and intercalation forms are available as Word documents. Please email either Jane Quirk
(j.quirk@lancaster.ac.uk) or myself (j.heard@lancaster.ac.uk) stating which form(s) you require. Please note,
however, that forms must be submitted to the Postgraduate Studies Office in hard copy only, as original
signatures are required.
Procedures:
Assessed work All assessed work should either, be returned to the student, or retained by the department in
which the student is registered, for a period of three years after the mark has been confirmed.
Examination Board Minutes - course directors are required to submit a copy of the exam board minutes along
with the exam board recommendations. The Director of the Graduate School will not confirm degree awards
without these minutes.
Examination Board membership should be listed in full in the minutes, so that attendances and absences are
recorded in the minutes for each meeting of a board.
If you have any questions about these procedures or if there is any way I can help, please do not hesitate to
contact me on extension 92034. I would also welcome any suggestions you may have regarding the awards
process.
With best wishes for a smooth examination period,
James Heard
Senior Records Assistant
EXAMINATION RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
POSTGRADUATE TAUGHT SCHEMES OF STUDY
Autumn 2007
Please find enclosed documentation for the final examination boards of postgraduate taught schemes scheduled
for completion this academic year.
Examiners' recommendations must be returned by Friday, 2nd November at the latest.
We cannot guarantee that we will be able to accommodate students at the December ceremony if documentation
is received later than 2nd November.
In this pack, you will find the following items:
Examiners' recommendation form
Please make as many photocopies of this form as you need and fill in the name of the scheme of study and the
degree to be awarded at the top of each form used. Separate forms need to be completed for each scheme of
study.
When returning the examiners’ recommendation form please ensure that all students with a 2007 completion date
are accounted for, either on the form, or in the accompanying paperwork. An extension/intercalation request
should be attached for each student who will not complete the course within the prescribed time.
Students should be listed on the recommendation form in alphabetical order by surname. It is not necessary to
separate full-time and part-time students. If a student is to re-sit an examination or re-submit a paper, the
appropriate dates should be written in the column space.
Completed recommendation forms should be signed by all examiners, including the external examiner. Course
directors are also required to submit a copy of the exam board minutes along with the recommendations. The
Director of the Graduate School will not confirm degree awards without a copy of the relevant minutes.
Marks grid (and example)
You must attach, for each scheme, a summary of marks showing the performance of each candidate who
appears on the recommendation form. The final mark given for each piece of assessed work must be shown on
the marks grid. A sample marks grid is included for your guidance, though you are free to present students'
marks in whatever format is most appropriate to the individual scheme of study. Please ensure that the full name
of the appropriate scheme appears on each grid.
List of students’ home addresses
This lists the home addresses of students as currently recorded on LUSI. If there any changes the new addresses
should be entered on LUSI.
Transcript sheets (and example)
Departments that are not yet recording marks on LUSU should forward transcripts to the Postgraduate Studies
Office at the earliest opportunity following the exam board, as they will be posted out along with degree
certificates upon approval of the degree awards. Transcripts should display the full name of the student (as
shown on LUSI), student ID number, the final mark and the marks for each course unit. The date of issue should
also be shown, as per the sample. Transcripts should also display the date that they are printed. Departments
are asked to provide 2 copies of each transcript, one copy on headed paper and the other on unheaded. If
preferred the unheaded copy may be sent electronically to James Heard (j.heard@lancaster.ac.uk).
You might also like to note the following:
List of candidates
Student lists for all postgraduate schemes can be accessed using the class list reports within LUSI student
records. If there are discrepancies of any kind, or if students are missing from the list, please inform James Heard
on x92034. Letters and certificates from the University will display students’ names in the form they appear on the
class list, unless we are asked to amend a name prior to the approval of an award.
Handbook for external examiners
The handbook for external examiners can be found on the Teaching Quality Support Office website:
http://luvle.lancs.ac.uk/celt/tqso.nsf
Please remember that you must not disclose in writing, results for students in debt to the University until
the debt has been paid. All notices issued to students should state that the recommendations are made
subject to approval by the Committee of Senate.