Undergraduate marking schemes

10.1 Examinations and other forms of assessment will be marked numerically out of 100 in accordance with the generic marking criteria (and discipline specific criteria where issued).

Examiners should use the full range of marks, according to the following scheme, which is used for the classification of degrees where applicable:

70-100 First class

60-69 Second class (upper division) 50-59 Second class (lower division)

40-49 Third class (Honours pass)

33-39 Fail (may be condoned for modules within specific programmes)

0-32 Fail

10.2 Confirmed marks of 69, 59, 49, 39 and 32 will be taken to indicate the agreement of the Examiners that a script or other form of assessment is not deserving of the class above. In cases of disagreement, Examiners should refer to the External Examiner(s).

10.3 The MB BS and BDS are Honours degrees awarded without classification. However, students who satisfy the examiners with distinction in specific parts of the BDS programme may be awarded a BDS with honours.

10.4 When a student is granted credit under the provisions of Regulations 6 to 9 of Part 2 of the General academic regulations the examiners will assess the student’s classification entirely upon her/his performance in the module examinations in which s/he is examined in the College.

10.5 Bachelor degrees and Integrated Masters degrees: consideration for Honours

10.5.1 Except for marks awarded for modules designated as introductory or professional practice (Regulations 5.2 and 5.3 above), all marks will be used in the calculation for the award of honours.

10.5.2 Weighting scheme:

For the purpose of considering students for the award of honours, module marks will be weighted as follows:

For BA, BEng, BMus, BSc, BSc(Eng) and LLB degrees:

• The marks of the best 90 credits at level 6 (and/or level 7 where taken) will be given a weighting of 5.

• The mark for any remaining level 6 credits (and/or level 7 where taken) and any level 5 credits will be given a weighting of 3.

• The mark for all level 4 credits will be given a weighting of 1.

For integrated Masters degrees (MEng, MPharm, MSci):

• The marks of the best 120 credits at level 7 will be given a weighting of 5.

• The marks for any remaining level 7 credits and all level 6 credits will be given a weighting of 5.

• The marks of all level 5 credits will be given a weighting of 3 .

• The marks for all level 4 credits will be given a weighting of 1.

‘C score’

10.5.3 An indicator ‘C’ will be calculated to the following formula:

C = the sum of the weighted marks [mark x relevant credit volume x weight]

the sum of credit volume x weighting

10.5.4 The C indicator is intended to be used as a guide for assessing the class of Honours of all candidates, and Programme Boards of Examiners and School Boards of Examiners are empowered to exercise discretion in determining results and in the consideration of a candidate’s award and are not bound solely by the numerical values of the Scheme. A Programme Board of Examiners, with the agreement of its appointed External Examiners, may propose a change to the class of any candidate for justifiable reason, including evidence

that the performance of a final year candidate has been adversely affect by illness or other good cause found to be valid on production of acceptable evidence. Such proposals must be made in writing to the Chair of the relevant School Board of Examiners which will reach a final decision in the matter.

10.5.5 Illness or other extenuating factors may only be taken into account once in the assessment of the candidate’s performance in a module either at the time when the module is

(re)assessed in accordance with Regulation 4 of the General regulations for examinations, or when the final result is considered, but not on both occasions.

10.6 Field of study

10.6.1 The Programme Board of Examiners shall determine the field of study in accordance with Regulations 10.6.2 and 10.6.3 below. The field of study shall be descriptive of the modules included in a degree programme and passed by the candidates.

10.6.2 A student registered on a BSc intercalated degree programme may, after a year of full-time study, be eligible to be considered for the award of a BSc with the following field of study:

a) where at least 75 credits have been gained in an appropriate subject: the appropriate subject with Basic Medical Sciences, Basic Dental Sciences, or Basic Veterinary Sciences⁴;

b) where less than 75 credits have been gained but at least 60 credits have been gained in an appropriate subject: either Basic Medical Sciences, Basic Dental Sciences, or Basic Veterinary Sciences with the appropriate subject or if 60 credits have been gained in each of two of these subjects Basic Medical Sciences, Basic Dental Sciences, or Basic Veterinary Sciences with one appropriate subject and the other of these subjects.

10.6.3 For all other programmes, except where a single subject is appropriate, the subjects named in the field shall be determined as follows:

a) where appropriate, comprehensive titles will be used, for example, Biological Sciences, Combined Sciences, etc;

b) where two subjects studied have approximately equal importance ‘and’ will be used;

each subject will be expected to have modules with a minimum value of 120 credits;

c) where a subject has been taken with an essentially supporting subject ‘with’ will be used; the supporting subject will be expected to have a modules with a minimum value of 90 credits; the main subject in this case will have modules with a minimum value of 180 credits;

d) where it is inappropriate to describe a programme in terms of one or two subjects or by a comprehensive title as in (a) above, the degree will be awarded without reference to a field.

10.7 Aegrotat provisions (H level degrees only)

10.7.1 Where a final year undergraduate student has completed the full period of study and is absent through illness or other cause judged sufficient by the relevant Programme Board of Examiners from examinations during the final year, the candidate may be eligible for consideration under the Aegrotat provisions.

10.7.2 Aegrotat provisions do not apply to the following degrees which have a mandatory professional practice component: MB BS, BDS, MPharm, BSc Physiotherapy, BSc in Nursing Studies, BSc in Community Nursing, BSc in Midwifery, BSc in Nutrition and Dietetics, and the BSc in Environmental Health.

10.7.3 If a candidate has satisfied the requirements for the award of a degree or a related exit award as laid down in the programme specification, the Programme Board of Examiners shall recommend the award of the degree with an Honours classification or, as appropriate, the exit award (see Regulation 9.2 above), and shall not consider the candidate for the award of an Aegrotat degree. The relevant School Board of Examiners shall not approve a recommendation for the award of a class of degree higher than the overall level which the candidate has achieved in the work actually presented.

10.7.4 An application for the award of an aegrotat degree must be submitted by the candidate, or the candidate’s representative, to the relevant Programme Board of Examiners, accompanied by a medical certificate or other statement of the grounds on which it is made, as soon as possible and in any case within six weeks from the last date of the module examination(s) to which the application refers.

10.7.5 Where an application has been submitted and the Programme Board of Examiners is unable to recommend the award of a degree with Honours or an exit award under 10.7.3 above, the Board shall consider whether there is sufficient evidence to suggest that had the candidate completed the examination in the normal way, the candidate would clearly have reached a standard (and completed the necessary modules) which would have qualified the candidate for the award of the degree. The Programme Board of Examiners shall refer all applications to the College Secretary, or her/his nominee, for advice on eligibility.

10.7.6 A School Board of Examiners will ratify a recommendation for the award of an Aegrotat degree where eligibility has been demonstrated by the Programme Board of Examiners.

10.7.7 A candidate who under Regulation 10.7.6 above has been awarded an Aegrotat degree will not be eligible thereafter to re-enter for the examination for a classified degree.

10.7.8 Aegrotat degrees will be awarded without distinction or class.

10.8 Graduate diploma and graduate certificate: classification requirements

10.8.1 Candidates who have completed the requirements for the award, and who have achieved a sufficient standard in the examinations above that for a Pass may, on the recommendation of the relevant School Board of Examiners, be awarded either:

a) Pass with distinction; or b) Pass with merit.

10.8.2 The award of pass with distinction or pass with merit will be based on the weighted average of marks such that a candidate achieving a weighted average of 70 or above will be eligible for consideration for the award of pass with distinction and candidate achieving a weighted average between 60 and 69 (inclusive) will be eligible for consideration for the award of pass with merit.

10.8.3 Under exceptional circumstances, a Programme Board of Examiners, with the agreement of its appointed External/Intercollegiate Examiners, may propose a change to the class of a candidate who has not met the requirements for the award of a merit or a distinction (as set out in 10.8.2 above) within a 2 per cent margin of the overall weighted average mark across all elements. Any proposal must be made in writing to the Chair of the relevant School Board of Examiners which will reach a final decision in the matter.