BA/BSC FINAL RULES OF ASSESSMENT FOR THE DEPARTMENTS OF: -

AMERICAN (UNITED STATES) STUDIES
ART HISTORY AND THEORY
ECONOMICS
ESSEX BUSINESS SCHOOL (AFM)
EUROPEAN STUDIES
GOVERNMENT
HEALTH AND HUMAN SCIENCES
HISTORY
HUMANITIES
LANGUAGE AND LINGUISTICS
LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES
LITERATURE, FILM AND THEATRE STUDIES
MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES *
PHILOSOPHY
SOCIOLOGY

(The Component-based Approach)

For students entering the third or final year in October 2008.  

1.	Progression from Year Two to Final Year

To progress to the Second Year, students must both satisfy the conditions below and conform to any specific requirements set out in the relevant programme specifications.

Second Year Boards of Examiners will consider and confirm the component marks for all candidates as specified in paragraphs 3(i) and 3(ii) below. Second Year Boards of Examiners must arrive at a positive decision as to the class of modules with a module aggregate mark of X9 (a mark in the range X9.0 to X9.9 – see paragraph 6, below).

Where a candidate has achieved a pass mark in each component, he or she will be permitted to proceed to the final year of a programme of study. Where a candidate has one or more fail components, a candidate must normally have achieved passes in components accounting for at least 60 credits in order to be considered for progress to the final year of a programme of study. In coming to a progress decision, the Board will choose from among the options listed in the following guidelines. Determination of the appropriate progress outcome will depend upon the number of credits in fail components. Where a Board requires a candidate to resit/repeat an examination or resubmit coursework over the long vacation, the maximum mark obtainable on both the re-submitted coursework or/and resit examinations, and the module aggregate will be 40 per cent, except in cases where the Board grants a first sit (or first submission for coursework) on the grounds of relevant extenuating circumstances.  Not all departments permit resits and/or the re-submission of coursework.

Guidelines on Progress outcomes.

Boards may choose from among the following options, as appropriate to the number of fail components:

(i)	To require the candidate to resit, at the next available opportunity, the examination(s) in the subject(s) in which he or she has failed to satisfy the examiners. Where the next opportunity to resit is the following academic year, the student will be required to resit without attendance in the interim period.  Not all departments permit resits and/or the re-submission of coursework.

(ii)	To require the candidate to repeat the year of study. The Board of Examiners may attach such conditions to its decision as seem likely to assist the future progression of the candidate.

(iii)	To require the candidate to repeat particular modules, on a part-time basis. The Board of Examiners may attach such conditions to its decision as seem likely to assist the future progression of the candidate.

(iv)	To set other conditions for students, such as the submission of outstanding or additional coursework or project work, including students with failures in a year abroad.

(v)	To proceed to the final year of a programme of study and to repeat modules (up to a maximum of 30 credits) alongside his or her final year modules. This shall be considered only in exceptional circumstances.

(vi) 	To condone a failure in one or more modules (subject to paragraph 2 below), or deem that a candidate has passed one or several specific papers and be permitted to proceed to the next year of the appropriate course or another course specified by the Board of Examiners. In such cases, the Board of Examiners may attach such conditions to its decision as seems likely to assist the future progression of the candidate.

(vii)	To offer a candidate a selection of alternatives from paragraphs 1(i), 1(ii), 1(iii), and 1(v), where this is felt to be in the interest of the candidate.

(viii)	To require the candidate to withdraw.

2.	Eligibility for Award

To be eligible for the award of a degree, students must both satisfy the rules of assessment set out in paragraph 3 and conform to any specific requirements set out in the relevant programme specification.

3.	Definitions used in Degree Classification

(i)	The Board of Examiners will receive a grid showing:

(a)	the separate coursework and examination marks (where they exist), expressed as percentage marks, for each module contributing to the programme of study;
(b)	the overall aggregate mark for each module, expressed as percentage marks;
(c)	the class assigned to each module aggregate mark in accordance with the following scale:

70 – 100	Class 1
60 – 69.9	Class 2:1
50 – 59.9	Class 2:2
40 – 49.9	Class 3
 0 – 39.9	Fail;

(d)	the weighting of each module aggregate mark in the degree course as a whole.

(ii)	In determining the degree classification, each module aggregate mark will be given a weighting that reflects the number of credit units assigned to the module, using one of the methods below:
	
Course Credits	Weighting	
	Method A	Method B	
15
30
	0.5
1.0
	1.0
2.0	

A component is defined as a module aggregate, together with the class assigned to it, and its weighting in the degree.

* The following courses within the department of Mathematical Sciences are covered by these Rules of Assessment: - 
Accounting and Mathematics, 
Economics and Mathematics, 
Finance and Mathematics, 
Management and Mathematics, 
Management with Mathematics,
Management, Mathematics and Economics 
Mathematics with Economics

All other courses within this department are covered under a different set of Rules of Assessment.

4.	Determination of Degree Class

	In determining the class of a candidate’s degree, the Board of Examiners will consider the classes assigned to each component. In order to achieve a particular class of degree, the candidate must fulfil the conditions specified in the table below:

	Total number of components in programme
	8	10	11	16	22	
Class 1	Minimum number of Class 1 components required:
	4	5	5	7	10	
	Number of components below Class 2.2 permitted:
	0	0	0	0	0	
Class 2.1	Minimum number of components at Class 2.1 or above required:
	5	6	6	8	11	
	Maximum number of  Class 3 components permitted:
	3	3	3	6	8	
	Number of components below Class 3 permitted:
	0	0	0	0	0	
Class 2.2	Minimum number of components at Class 2.2 or above required:
	5	6	6	8	11	
	Number of Fail components permitted (subject to paragraph 2 above):*
	1	1	1	3	5	
Class 3	Maximum number of Fail components permitted (subject to paragraph 2 above):	2	2	2	5	6	

* No component mark below 20 per cent.

In using this table, no rounding-up of the decimal values for components will be applied.

5.	Use of Discretion

The Board may exercise discretion under paragraphs 5(i) and 5(ii) in order to ensure a fair result for each candidate.

(i)	Consideration of Compensating Strength

Where candidates do not fulfil the requirements for a particular class of degree, as specified in paragraph 4, they may be considered for that class of degree if there is compensating strength in their overall pattern of performance.

A candidate may be considered to show compensating strength when their overall pattern of marks (including the constituent marks of components) is noticeably better than the minimum normally required to obtain the relevant class of degree.

In considering compensating strength, the Board will normally place greater emphasis on final year performance. In particular, if at least two thirds of a candidate’s final year component marks are at first class level, the Board of Examiners is invited to consider the award of Class 1.

Discretion will not normally be exercised when the candidate’s performance in a high proportion of the core modules for a course justifies requiring the student to withdraw, change scheme, repeat the year, or resit examinations out of residence.

(ii)	Other situations where discretion may be exercised

Boards of Examiners may also consider whether to exercise discretion in the award of a class of degree in the following circumstances. 

a	Where a candidate has a component mark of X9 (a mark in the range X9.0 to X9.9) which, if raised to the next highest mark, would raise the candidate’s degree class as determined by paragraph 4. In such circumstances the candidate may be considered for the higher class of degree. The Board will normally exercise this discretion only if that X9 mark does not result from a prior process of rounding up. Even if a degree class is raised, the X9 mark will remain on the transcript.
b	Where a candidate’s performance on any final year project has been particularly strong, relative to their other marks. In these circumstances, the Board may wish to consider the student for the next higher class of degree. The Board will normally take account of the specific importance accorded to the project in the relevant Programme Specification.
c	Where a candidate’s performance in an outside option is one or more classes below the performance in his or her main subject(s) and where the candidate’s degree class, as determined under paragraph 4 might be considered to be lower than warranted by their performance in their main subject(s). In these circumstances, the Board may wish to consider the student for the next higher class of degree. The Board may exercise this discretion where there is a significant difference in the intellectual skills required by the various subjects studied.
d	Where a candidate has been assessed in modules undertaken as part of a study period abroad, normally those students studying in an institution where the instruction is not in English and not in their native tongue.  In these circumstances, the Board of Examiners may decide that one component below Class 3 so obtained (other than any practical module of tuition in the language of the host country for non-native speakers of the language and subject to paragraph 2 above) in addition to the number already permitted, will not prevent a candidate being awarded Class 2.1.
e	Where a candidate has fallen below the criteria in paragraph 4 because of a mark in a single component carrying a weight of 0.5 (Method A, paragraph 3.ii) or 1.0 (Method B, paragraph 3.ii) in the overall assessment of the programme. In these circumstances, the candidate may be considered for the higher class of degree. The Board will normally exercise this discretion only if the candidate’s overall performance is noticeably better than the minimum normally required to obtain the relevant class of degree.
 (iii)	No list of criteria can be exhaustive, and Boards of Examiners may consider whether it may be necessary to adopt an additional criterion in order to ensure a fair result for a particular candidate under consideration. In such cases, a Board may wish to recommend that the criterion applied become an addition to this list of criteria.
(iv)		Boards of Examiners may exercise discretion in consideration of extenuating circumstances in accordance with the University’s guidelines.

(v)	The Board of Examiners may invite candidates for a viva voce examination in accordance with the standard procedures (Examination Regulation 6.8 and approved School policies).

(vi)	Additional requirements may apply to individual degrees which are accredited by a professional statutory body. These will be published in the programme specification for the degree.

 (vii)	Students who are not eligible for a classification in accordance with the rules set out in paragraphs 4 and 5 (i-iv) above shall be deemed to have failed the degree.

6.	Procedures relating to X9 components

 	Second year and final year Boards of Examiners must arrive at a positive decision as to the class of modules with a module aggregate mark of X9, as these can have a material effect on the student's final degree class. Registering the X9 mark without any further consideration does not constitute a positive decision. The aim of this requirement is not to eliminate all X9 course marks, but to reduce their incidence, and to ensure that those which remain on a grid have been confirmed, and can be treated by Boards of Examiners in accordance with the Rules of Assessment.  When the Board of Examiners confirms an X9 mark this should be interpreted as a positive decision that the mark is assigned to the class specified in Paragraph 3.i.(c).  

7. 	Revision of second year marks by a final-year board of examiners

A Board of Examiners may not leave examination or coursework marks for review or alteration by another Board and, except in appeal cases, a Board of Examiners may not review or alter examination or coursework marks already confirmed by another Board. 

8. 	Aegrotat degrees

Boards of Examiners may, in exceptional circumstances, award an aegrotat degree in accordance with the University’s Regulations.

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