Unit Assessment Boards 

Unit Assessment Boards (UAB) meet at least once during the academic year. However within Computing & Maths - Off Campus some UABs can meet up to 4 times a year (after each run of units). Academic staff and external examiners attend the UAB. The Board will review results and recommend one of several actions as defined in the Academic Regulations. In simple terms the action will either be a student pass or another action because of a student failure to achieve the Learning Outcomes.

As well as considering individual student performance the UAB will also review the overall success of the units in delivering its objectives. In addition, it would consider any circumstances that affected the unit delivery or its assessment as well as any student feedback.

Not passed the Unit.. what happens now?

If, at your first attempt at a unit, you do not get an overall mark of 40%, then you will not have passed the unit. In educational language you will not have met the learning objectives of that unit.

The Unit Assessment Board that looks at your results will then make one of a number of decisions concerning your case. If this is the first time that you have taken the unit the most likely decision is that you will be given a referral.

If the UAB is considering you after you have taken a referral and should you have not passed that referral, the Board will fail you on that unit. Then the Board of Examiners will give you the opportunity to do a Repeat Assessment, that is to retake the entire unit.

Got a Referral?

A referral occurs when you have failed to meet the learning outcomes of a unit that you have studied. The Unit Assessment Board will specify a piece of work or pieces of work that you must undertake in order to pass the unit, that is to meet the learning outcomes.

The most common cases are where the coursework and examination for a unit, are assessing different learning outcomes and you have, for example, not passed the coursework. In this case, you will be asked to do another coursework. Similarly, if you have not passed the examination you will be asked to take another examination.

Should you have failed both the coursework and the examination components of a Unit, you could be referred in both of these, that is, have to take a new examination and do another coursework.

Sometimes, a completely new piece of work will be set, which is set specifically for referral students and assesses all of the learning outcomes of the unit.

You will be sent details of exactly what you are required to do for your referral and also, most importantly, the time by which it must be achieved. If you do not successfully pass the referral assessment in the timescale laid down, then you will have failed your referral and will then have to undertake a Repeat Assessment.

If you have been given a referral in a Unit, to pass that Unit you must get a minimum of 40% in the referral assessment that is set for you. If you are given more than one referral assessment you will have to get 40% in both assessments to pass.  Once you have done that, the Unit Assessment Board will give you credit for that Unit. However, the mark that you gained for that Unit, (and the mark that will be used to contribute towards your final degree) will only be 40%, no matter how you well you did in the assessment.

Repeat Assessment

If you have still not passed a Unit after a Referral, the Board will make the decision of Repeat Assessment for that Unit. This means that you will have to undertake the Unit again and complete all assessments. If you pass the Unit, the overall mark will be capped at 40%.

The Unit Assessment Board then can confirm that you have passed the Unit (capped at 40%) or, if you have not achieved the learning outcomes, you will be entitled to another Referral in the Unit.

Board of Examiners

A Board of Examiners (BoE) meets to decide on progression, and make recommendations of awards to be given for individual students. Academic staff and external examiners attend the BoE.

The Board will review the overall results and recommend one of several actions, as defined in the Academic Regulations. In simple terms the actions will either be to allow a student to progress or continue with their study, or make an award if the course has been successfully completed. 

If students have completed their studies but have not achieved sufficient credits to be considered for an award, the Board can decide to allow the student to undertake Referred Units, Repeat Units or exclude students from the course.
 
As well as considering individual student performance the BoE will also review the overall success of the course in delivering its objectives.

Criteria for an Award

For details of award criteria refer to the University Regulations (section 16, Recommendation for Awards).