Assessment Regulations - Glasgow Caledonian University

UNIVERSITY ASSESSMENT REGULATIONS 

OCTOBER 2012

Contents 1 

Overview of Main Amendments 3 

SECTION ONE: UNIVERSITY ASSESSMENT REGULATIONS 4 

Introduction 5 

Philosophy of Assessment and Academic Judgement 5 

Progression through Programmes and Completion of Taught Postgraduate 

Programmes 6 

Compensation 6 

Failure at first diet 8 

Maximum Number of Attempts at a Module 8 

Failure at the re-assessment diet 8 

Accumulated Credit and Repetition of Modules 9 

Assessments Leading to a Named Award and Distinction 9 

Honours Awards 11 

Postgraduate Awards 13 

Nullification of the Results of Assessment of a Single Module at H and M level 13 

Conferment of University Awards 14 

Additional Assessments 14 

Valid Reasons for Poor Performance at any Level and Aegrotat Awards 14 

Withdrawal 15 

Students notified by the Finance Office as Debtors 16 

Replacement Modules – School Based Generic Awards 16 

SECTION TWO: APPENDICES TO THE REGULATIONS 17 

1. Assessment Boards (including Confirmation of Module Marks and External 18 

Assessor Endorsement of Assessment Board Outcomes Pro Formae) 

2. External Assessors 24 

3. Marking, the Reporting of Marks (including Normalisation of Module Marks), 

Minuting of Assessment Boards and Notification of Results to Students 30 

4. Examples of Automatic Compensation, Distinction and Profiling 34 

5. Conditions of Entry to Assessments and Assessment Scheme 37 

6. Consideration of Special Factors 40 

7. University Regulations regarding Plagiarism and Cheating 49 

SECTION THREE: ASSESSMENT AND GRADUATION PROCESSES 57 

1. Scheme of Invigilation 58 

2. Regulations for the Conduct of Examinations 63 

3. Special Examination Arrangements for Disabled Students 66 

4. Special Examination Arrangements for International Students 68 

5. Resit Examinations at Other Institutions 69 

6. Notes of Guidance to Academic Staff on the Information to be 71 

Provided to Students to Assist Their Preparation for Unseen 

Assessments (Including Assessments Containing an Unseen Component) 

7. Guidance Note on Assessment Loading 74 

8. Procedures for the Security, Approval and Retention of Examination 

Papers 76 

9. Procedure for the Submission of Examination Papers and the 77 

Page Number 

Approved by Senate 11 October 2002 - Amended September 2003, October 2004, November 2005, October 2006, October 2007, October 2008, October 2009, 

October 2010, October 2011. This version amended October 2012 PW-Governance and Academic Quality http://www.gcal.ac.uk/student/exams/ 

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Collection of Worked Examination Scripts 

10. Policy on the Retention of Students' Work 78 

11. Academic Appeals 79 

12. Graduation and Awards Regulations 87 

13. Procedures for Project and Dissertation Supervision 90 

14. Procedure for Anonymous Marking 93 

15. Student Attendance Monitoring Policy 94 

16. Policy on Student Performance Feedback 95 



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OVERVIEW OF THE MAIN AMENDMENTS 

Changes to role, department and other titles occur throughout the document to take account of University 

restructuring changes. 

University Assessment Regulations 

Replacement Modules – School Based Generic Awards 

Clarification on generic degree eligibility for students on tier 4 visas (page 16). 

Appendices 

Appendix 1 - Assessment Boards 

The addition of subject leads to the pool of people who can chair Assessment Boards (page 18). 

Incorporation of external assessor comments pro forma as an exemplar (page 23). 

Appendix 6 – Consideration of Special Factors 

Incorporation of the Consideration of Special Factors form and guidance (pages 43-48). 

Assessment and Graduation Processes 

Section4 - Special Examination Arrangements for International Students 

The inclusion of a statement regarding resits of formal examinations by incoming Erasmus exchange/study 

abroad students (pages 69-70). 

Section 11 – Academic Appeals 

An amendment to state that students must submit their appeal form within 2 calendar weeks of publication of 

the decision against which the appeal is being made (pages 79, 82 and 84). 



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UNIVERSITY ASSESSMENT REGULATIONS 



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INTRODUCTION 

1. All Programme and Assessment Boards must follow the general Assessment Regulations of Glasgow 

Caledonian University (GCU). Programme Boards must state in their programme 

specification/programme documentation, either: 

i. that there are no deviations from the University‟s standard assessment regulations 

or 

ii. that there are deviations from the University's standard assessment regulations; these are found in 

sections…….. 

All deviations from the standard Assessment Regulations must receive formal approval by the 

University 1 . The date and reference of each approved deviation from the general assessment 

regulations shall be included in the programme documentation. 

Students must ensure that they are aware of and understand all regulations that are specific to 

their programme. 

PHILOSOPHY OF ASSESSMENT AND ACADEMIC JUDGEMENT 

2. The purpose of assessment is to enable students to demonstrate that they have fulfilled the objectives of 

the programmes of study and have achieved the standard required for the award they seek. The Senate 

requires all programmes of study to be subject to programme regulations which relate the assessment 

requirements of the programme to its objectives 2 . It is within these programme assessment regulations 

that assessors make their judgement on student performance. 

3. However, assessment is a matter of judgement, not simply of computation. Marks, grades and 

percentages are symbols used by assessors to communicate their judgements of different aspects of a 

student‟s work and provide information on which the final decision on a student‟s fulfillment of 

programme objectives may be based. They are not and should never be considered as absolute values or 

exact measurements. 

4. Within the constraints imposed by the Senate requirements of paragraph 2 above, assessors have wide 

academic discretion in reaching decisions on the awards to be recommended for individual students. 

The assessors are responsible for interpreting sensibly the assessment regulations for a programme if any 

difficulties arise. Regulations cannot be expected to legislate for every eventuality. Experience, 

knowledge of the student and his/her overall performance together with awareness of best practice in 

higher education should all combine to allow the assessors to reach an academic judgement. 

5. Academic judgements, which are properly and fully minuted, may override strict regulatory 

interpretation and it should be noted that academic judgements cannot in themselves be questioned or 

overturned. However academic judgement should be applied, in all cases, in the best interests of the 

student and cannot be used as a justification to downgrade any credit, mark or degree classification 

achieved by all normal regulatory calculations. 

6. Assessment Boards may obtain guidance on the interpretation of the regulations from the Assessments 

Manager and Governance and Academic Quality. 

1 Any proposed deviations are first submitted to Governance and Quality for consideration and advice. Thereafter they may be 

submitted to the University Exceptions Committee for consideration. 

2 This requirement will be described explicitly in the Programme Specification. 



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PROGRESSION THROUGH PROGRAMME AND COMPLETION OF TAUGHT POSTGRADUATE 

PROGRAMMES 

7. Candidates who satisfy the Assessors in all modules shall proceed, within the terms outlined in the 

University Qualifications Framework, to the next stage of the programme. Candidates will be 

credited with the approved credit points accumulated from those modules. 

i. To progress from: 

Level 1 to Level 2 a student must have been awarded 80 credits in total at SHE1. 

Level 2 to Level 3 a student must have been awarded 200 credits in total of which at least 80 

are at SHE2. 

Level 3 to Level H a student must have been awarded 320 credits in total of which at least 90 

are at SHE3 or exceptionally awarded 360 credits in total, of which at least 60 are at SHE3. 

Subject to meeting professional body requirements (where applicable) and achieving at least 90 

credits at SHE levels 1 and 2 respectively, and 60 at SHE3 for an unclassified degree or 90 credits at 

SHE levels 1,2,3 and H respectively for an honours degree, students may take the remaining required 

credit at any level, including level M modules for honours level students. 3 

ii. Where a student has failed to satisfactorily complete module requirements at M level and has 30 or 

more credits outstanding at the PgD exit point, the Assessment Board may exercise its discretion to 

require the student to complete any or all outstanding credit prior to undertaking the Masters 

Dissertation (or equivalent module). The Board may advise students who are not making satisfactory 

academic progress not to continue with the final component of the programme. 

iii. At any level, credit at a higher level may substitute for the minimum credit required at that level to 

progress. 

8. In order to satisfy the assessors in any module, candidates must normally obtain the pass mark. For 

undergraduate programmes the pass mark is normally 40%. For postgraduate programmes, the module 

pass mark shall be as specified in the module handbook. For modules assessed by coursework and 

examination, the overall pass mark for the module will be subject to the attainment of a mark of no more 

than 5% below the overall aggregate pass mark in each of the coursework and examination components 

of the module assessment. In cases where certain elements of coursework are deemed essential, 

normally due to Statutory/Professional body requirements, the module descriptor shall specify these 

elements and the minimum mark required for each element. Where the coursework or examination is 

compiled from two or more separate elements, the 5% rule applies to the aggregated mark of that 

component. The Module Leader must ensure that all students are informed of any such specific 

requirements via the module handbook. All such cases must be approved by the Exceptions Committee. 4 

9. When a specific programme requires a total amount of assessed student learning which is greater than 

the norm at any level of study, for example to satisfy the requirements of a professional body, an 

appropriate amount of additional credit points will be awarded. 

10. Individual Programme Regulations shall specify any particular requirements attached to the choice of 

modules at subsequent levels. 

COMPENSATION (Examples of compensation are shown in Appendix 4) 

11. In considering compensation, Assessment Boards should be aware that under the terms of the 

Qualifications Framework, any reference to level refers to the level of the award. This is because an 

3 Section 4.10 of the University‟s Qualifications Framework. 

4 See also Appendix 3 and appendix 5.12 



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award may be achieved by accumulating credit from modules at different levels e.g. a University 

Certificate may be awarded through the achievement of 90 level 1 credits and 30 credits at a higher level. 

12. i. Having due regard to the standard of the award, the programme objectives, and the programme 

assessment regulations, the Assessment Board may allow the overall performance of a student to 

compensate for failure in up to 20 credit points of module(s) at that level. 5 

ii. When making the decision regarding compensation the Assessment Board will be expected to take 

into account such factors as the overall profile of the student, the weighting and level of the module 

and its contribution to other levels of the programme. 

iii. Compensation normally may only be awarded following delivery and assessment of all of the 

modules which contribute to the eligibility for an award at any given level and can only be applied 

where no more than 20 credit points of module(s) have been failed at any given level. 6 

iv. For postgraduate programmes, automatic compensation will be applicable when students have 

reached the point of potential eligibility for a PgD exit award (i.e. prior to the dissertation phase) 

13. i. Assessment Boards will automatically apply compensation when a student obtains an overall mark of 

between 1% and 5% less than the pass mark for the module and has achieved an overall aggregate 

mark across all modules at that level of at least 5% greater than the pass mark for the module being 

compensated. 

ii In modules where there is more than one component contributing to the overall mark, this is subject 

to the attainment of a minimum mark of at most 10% less than the normal pass mark for the module 

in each of the aggregated components which make up the overall mark for the module assessment. 

iii. In modules where there is only one assessment component (e.g. Coursework only) and where 

minimum pass mark(s) for individual assessment elements have been defined and approved by the 

Exceptions Committee (e.g. coursework 1, coursework 2 etc.) this is again subject to the attainment of 

a minimum mark of at most 10% less than the normal pass mark for the module in the elements (or, 

where appropriate, the aggregated elements). 

iv. Where special factors apply, Assessment Boards must act in accordance with Appendix 6 

(Consideration of Special Factors). 

14. Assessment Boards may apply the following adjustment to assessments where the other conditions 

for compensation specified in paragraph 13 have been met: 

i. Where marks do not fall within the parameters of automatic compensation, the Assessment Board 

can apply discretionary compensation, but only where this involves raising any mark by no more 

than 1 percentage point. However in modules where there is more than one component 

contributing to the mark, marks which are less than the normal pass mark for the module by 11% 

for an individual component may be raised by 1% to allow discretionary compensation. 

ii In single component modules with specifically defined minimum pass marks, marks which are 

less than the module pass mark by 11% for an individual element (e.g. coursework 1), or where 

appropriate, aggregated elements, may be raised by 1% to allow discretionary compensation. 

15. To assist the decision making with regard to compensation, the actual marks attained by the student will 

be used in all calculations for compensation. The purpose of this regulation is to emphasise the need to 

use the most recently attained resit mark for the module which is to be compensated, together with the 

actual marks attained for all other modules passed at the same level, to determine eligibility for 

automatic compensation. 

5 Modules which are worth more than 20 credit points are not, therefore, compensatable. 

6 For example, where a student has passed 100 credit points of the 120 required at level 1. 



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16. Where special factors apply the Assessment Board shall act in accordance with Appendix 6 

(Consideration of Special Factors). 

17. The decision as to whether a student who has been compensated can proceed to the next level of a 

module in the same subject area should be determined by the programme regulations. Where 

appropriate, the Programme Board may offer the Assessment Board advice in this respect. 

18. Programme specific regulations, approved at approval or review, may specify that compensation may 

not be exercised in respect of specified modules, for example a core module(s) which underpin a final 

Honours module, or where Professional and Statutory Bodies insist on a pass in a named module(s). 

19. Compensation will not normally be allowed in respect of a final level undergraduate or postgraduate 

project or dissertation. 

FAILURE AT FIRST DIET 

20. Candidates who fail to satisfy the Assessment Board at a first diet, including those who did not sit the 

written papers and/or complete other required work assessed continuously, will normally be required to 

re-enter the relevant modules at the next available assessment diet. The Assessment Board may, 

however, require a candidate to undertake a further formal programme of study, which may include 

repeating an individual module or an entire level of the programme. 

MAXIMUM NUMBER OF ATTEMPTS AT A MODULE 7 

21. At the discretion of the Assessment Board a candidate will be permitted the following maximum 

number of attempts at a module: 

Levels SHE1, SHE2 & SHE3 - up to four attempts 

Level SHEH/Level M - up to two attempts 

22. Where a candidate fails to satisfy the Assessment Board in any assessable element of a module, the 

Assessors may amend the form of assessment to be re-entered, provided adequate notice is given to the 

candidate of the amended form of assessment to be set. 

23. Where a candidate was unable to enter an assessment for good cause the Assessment Board may act in 

accordance with Appendix 6 (Consideration of Special Factors). 

FAILURE AT THE RE-ASSESSMENT DIET 

24. i Candidates who fail assessment in one module only (the equivalent of 20 credit points) 8 at the reassessment 

diet will normally be allowed to carry that module to the next level with the condition that 

attendance will be required at defined elements of the module(s) delivery, as defined by the 

Assessment Board. 

ii Candidates who fail assessment in up to 40 credit points may, at the discretion of the Assessment 

Board, be permitted to carry the credits to the next level, with the condition that attendance will be 

required at elements of the module(s) delivery, as determined by the Assessment Board. Such 

discretion will only be permitted in cases where the student concerned may undertake the equivalent 

of one 20 credit module of carried credits in Trimester A and 20 credit points in Trimester B and 

where the Board believes that the student would be able to succeed in the carried module(s) and 

that in carrying the module(s) the student could reasonably be expected to successfully complete 

the work of the next level. 

7 Except where a different maximum number of attempts is detailed in a programme‟s specific regulations. 

8 20 credit points may be equivalent to one full module or two half modules. 



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iii Students who are permitted to carry module(s) will be required to pursue such a programme of study 

in that module as the Assessment Board considers necessary and will be required to re-enter the 

assessment in that module on the next normal occasion, or when agreed by the Board. It will be the 

responsibility of the Programme Board to advise on appropriate levels of support to be provided to 

students carrying modules and the responsibility of the Executive Dean of School to ensure this 

support is provided. 

iv Candidates who fail assessment in more than 20 credit points, and who are not permitted to proceed 

under the terms of paragraph 24ii will normally be required either to repeat the outstanding modules 

with attendance or to withdraw from the programme and be given guidance, advice and support as to 

their future options. The counselling will normally be carried out by the student‟s academic advisor 

or, where this is not possible, another appropriate member of academic staff. 

25. The provisions of any other section of these Assessment Regulations notwithstanding, an undergraduate 

student who has failed to satisfy the Assessors after the second diet, may exceptionally be permitted to 

re-enter the assessments without further attendance at the University. 

26. The Assessment Board may allow a student to drop failed module(s) and take replacement module(s) 

at the appropriate level, provided the replacement module(s) ensure the delivery of the learning 

outcomes of the programme. The combined number of attempts that the student will be allowed for the 

original and the replacement modules shall not exceed that which would have been allowed for the 

original module. 

27. In postgraduate programmes, students who fail at the second diet will normally be asked to withdraw 

from the programme and be given guidance, advice and support as to their future options. Such 

counselling will normally be carried out by the student‟s academic advisor or, where this is not possible, 

another appropriate member of academic staff. 

ACCUMULATED CREDIT AND REPETITION OF MODULES 

28. A student cannot re-enter a module that has already been passed in order to improve his/her marks for 

that module. Where a student has gained credits points for a module these may not be taken away 

from the student (except in cases of cheating and plagiarism). Consequently, a student who has been 

required to repeat a level will only be required to re-enter those modules for which they have failed to 

record a pass mark. The Assessment Board shall have the discretion to determine the components of 

each module which should be re-assessed. 

29. Where it is deemed in their best interests, a registered student may attend classes in order to improve 

their knowledge of a module that has already been passed. Such attendance will not involve any 

assessment or extra payment over and above that which has already been paid. 

30. In certain circumstances, for example where a student has taken a significant amount of time out 

from their programme and there have been significant changes to the content of a module or 

programme, an Assessment Board may require a student (or a student may request) to re-take a 

module and/or its assessment prior to progression to a higher level. 

ASSESSMENTS LEADING TO A NAMED AWARD AND DISTINCTION 

31. The Programme Regulations for each award will specify assessment elements in which a candidate must 

normally satisfy the Assessors in order to be recommended for that award. 

32. When the Assessment Board is satisfied that a candidate has shown special merit in assessment at the 

first diet, it may recommend that the award be granted 'with Distinction'. The Assessment Board shall 



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normally recommend that an award be granted 'with Distinction' to a candidate who has passed all 

elements and achieved an overall average of 70% or more and no mark below 55% in any module 

included in the calculation for distinction. Additionally, in the case of postgraduate awards which 

have a project/dissertation component, a minimum mark of 70% will be required in the 

project/dissertation module for the award “with Distinction” 9 . 

Distinction can only be awarded where a candidate has passed all modules, included in the 

calculation for distinction, at the first attempt. In addition, candidates must achieve passes at 

first attempt in all modules at the level where distinction is being considered. 

Where in the judgement of an Assessment Board the mark of an individual module has the potential 

to unjustly skew the overall outcome in terms of the award of distinction, the provisions set out in 

Appendix 3 in relation to the normalisation of marks should be applied. This will most commonly 

occur in professional and clinical modules governed by PSB requirements. 

33. For the purposes for calculating an award with distinction, all calculations shall be based on a 

candidate's performance in their first attempt at all modules. 

i. Distinction in the Certificate of Higher Education 

A student can be awarded a Certificate of Higher Education with 120 credit points of which a 

minimum of 90 must be at SHE1. The award “with Distinction” will be granted on the basis of 

all 120-credit points. 

ii. 

Distinction in the Diploma of Higher Education 

A student can be awarded a Diploma of Higher Education with 240 credit points of which a 

minimum of 90 must be at SHE2. The award “with Distinction” will be granted on the basis of 

the 90 SHE2-credit points and the best 30 credit points of the remainder. 

In the case of a student who has passed five twenty credit SHE2 modules, distinction will be 

granted on the basis of the 100 SHE2-credit points and the best 20 credit points of the remainder. 

iii. 

Distinction in the Bachelors Degree 

A student can be awarded a Bachelors degree with 360 credit points of which a minimum of 60 

must be at SHE3. The award “with Distinction” will be granted on the basis of the best 90 

SHE3-credit points and the remaining best 30 credit points at SHE2 or above. 

A student cannot be awarded the Bachelors degree with distinction unless they have passed at 

least 90 credit points at level SHE3. 

iv. 

Distinction in the Graduate Certificate 

A student can be awarded a Graduate Certificate with 60 credits at a minimum of SHE3. The 

award “with Distinction” will be granted on the basis of all 60-credit points. 

v. Distinction in the Graduate Diploma 

A student can be awarded a Graduate Diploma with 120 credits at a minimum of SHE3. The 

award “with Distinction” will be granted on the basis of all 120-credit points 

vi. 

Distinction in the Postgraduate Certificate 

A student can be awarded a Postgraduate Certificate with 60 credits of which 40 are at a 

minimum of SHEM. The award “with distinction” will be granted on the basis of all 60-credit 

points. 

9 Examples of distinction are shown in appendix 4. 



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vii. 

viii. 

ix. 

Distinction in the Postgraduate Diploma 

A student can be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma with 120 credits of which 90 are at a 

minimum of SHEM. The award “with distinction” will be granted on the basis of all 120-credit 

points. 

Distinction in the Masters Degree 

A student can be awarded a Masters Degree with 180 credits of which 150 are at a minimum of 

SHEM. The award “with distinction” will be granted on the basis of all 180-credit points. 

Distinction in a Masters Degree (following an integrated programme from undergraduate to 

masters level study) 

A student can be awarded such a degree with 600 credits of which a minimum of 120-credit 

points must be at SHEM. The award with distinction will be on the basis of the 120-SHEM 

credit points. 

x. Distinction in CPD awards 

The award with distinction will be granted on the basis of the 20 credits points awarded. 

HONOURS AWARDS 

The following Honours classification scheme should be applied to all programmes except where 

another scheme has been approved at Programme approval/review or by the Exceptions Committee. 

34. A student can be awarded a Bachelors degree with Honours with 480 credit points of which a minimum 

of 90 are at SHEH. The award "with Honours" will be granted on the basis of the best 180 SHEH and 

SHE3 credits, of which a minimum of 90 must be at SHEH. A Dissertation/Project must be included. 10 

35. For direct entrants to level 4 only, the award "with Honours" will be granted on the basis of the best 90 

SHEH level credits plus the next best 30 level credits at SHE3 or above. 

36. At any level, credit at a higher level may substitute for the minimum credit required at that level. 11 

37. A 40% pass mark for the module will be used in the calculation for Honours Classification where the 

module has been passed at a second or subsequent attempt. Where a mark for a module achieved at a 

second or subsequent attempt must be used in the calculation for Honours classification, a classification 

no higher than a lower second class will be awarded, subject to the discretion of the Assessment Board 

(see also appendix 4). 

38. The Programme Regulations will specify the criteria to be achieved for a candidate to qualify for any 

particular Honours classification using the following overall average marks as a guide in the first 

instance: 

First Class Honours > = 70% 

Second Class (upper division) Honours 60-69% 

Second Class (lower division) Honours 50-59% 

Third Class Honours 40-49% 

Where in the judgement of an Assessment Board the mark of an individual module has the potential 

to unjustly skew the overall outcome in terms of Honours Classification, the provisions set out in 

Appendix 3 in relation to the normalisation of marks should be applied. This will most commonly 

occur in professional and clinical modules governed by PSB requirements. 

10 School-based generic degrees may award a degree with Honours without the inclusion of a dissertation/project. 

11 Refer to the Glasgow Caledonian University Qualifications Framework (page 4) 



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39. Classification of Honours will be recommended on the basis of the overall average mark. In no 

circumstance can the classification produced by the overall average mark be downgraded. 

40. Profiling 12 

The overall average mark will always take precedence in determining an Honours 

classification. However where the overall average is within 3% of attaining the 50%, 60% and 

70% boundaries (i.e. 47-49%, 57-59%, 67-69%), the Assessment Board must also take into 

account how a candidate’s 180 credit points profiles at Honours (or Honours profile at level 4, 

where appropriate) to establish if they are eligible for a raised classification. 

41. Classification of an Honours award in terms of the profile of an individual's performance can be 

determined with each module being marked in accordance with the following scheme: 

First class 70-100% 

Second class (upper division) 60-69% 

Second class (lower division) 50-59% 

Third class 40-49% 

Failure below 40% 

Honours Classification profiling based on best 180 credit points at levels SHEH and SHE3 

Assuming the assessment of an Honours candidate is based on the equivalent of nine modules, to attain a 

particular class of degree (first, upper second (2i), lower second (2ii), third) a candidate should normally: 

i. have reached that standard or higher in 120 of the 180 credit points 

ii. have a performance in no more than 30 credit points which is more than one division below that 

standard 

iii. have attained a pass mark in all modules. 

Honours Classification profiling for programmes considering performance in Level 4 modules 

only 

Assuming the assessment of an Honours candidate is based on the best 90 SHEH credits and the next 

best 30 credits at SHE3 or above, to attain a particular class of degree (first, upper second (2i), lower 

second (2ii), third) a candidate should normally: 

i 

ii 

have reached that standard or higher in a minimum of four modules 

have a performance in no more than 20 credit points which is more than one division below that 

standard 

iii have attained a pass mark in all modules. Students who have been compensated cannot obtain a 

first class honours degree on the basis of profile. 

42. In addition to the average marks and profile it may be necessary, in the case of a student whose 

performance is close to a particular band, to view that student's performance in any or all of the 

following before reaching a final decision: 

i. each element of the final assessments 

ii. the student‟s complete undergraduate performance 

iii. an oral assessment 

43. On the above basis an individual student may be recommended for inclusion in a higher band but may 

not be downgraded to a lower band than has been recommended on the basis of their overall assessment 

results. 

12 Examples of profiling are shown in Appendix 4 



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44. Where appropriate, oral assessments for Honours candidates shall be arranged under the aegis of the 

Assessment Board. In such circumstances it is recommended that an informal meeting of the relevant 

Module Leaders prepare a list of borderline and other students to be assessed orally by the External 

Assessors, who must be consulted before the final list is agreed. Oral assessments must be arranged in 

sufficient time to allow the External Assessors to provide a considered assessment at the formal meeting 

of the Assessment Board. 

45. Oral assessments of Honours students may be beneficial to External Assessors in assisting them to 

confirm: 

i. the overall standard of the students is comparable to that of other institutions 

ii. the classification awarded to individual students 

46. An Assessment Board and the External Assessors must be satisfied that the overall performance of the 

student justifies the category of award given. 

47. A candidate allowed to re-enter an Honours assessment may, where appropriate, be offered an 

unclassified degree; the candidate may choose not to accept the unclassified degree but, if the degree 

is accepted, the candidate will not thereafter be eligible to re-enter the assessment for the Honours 

degree as part of a continuous programme. 

POSTGRADUATE AWARDS 

48. Postgraduate Assessment Boards will meet after the Trimester B examinations to review student 

performance to that point. 

49. Oral assessments 13 for postgraduate awards may be arranged with the approval of the Assessment 

Board. In such circumstances it is recommended that an informal meeting of the relevant internal 

assessors prepare a list of borderline and other students to be assessed orally by the External 

Assessors, who must be consulted before the final list is agreed. Oral assessments must be arranged 

in sufficient time to allow the External Assessors to provide a considered assessment at the formal 

meeting of the Assessment Board. 

Oral assessments for postgraduate awards may be beneficial to External Assessors in assisting them to 

confirm: 

i. the overall standard of the students is comparable to that of other institutions 

ii. the award of distinction to individual students 

NULLIFICATION OF THE RESULTS OF ASSESSMENT OF A SINGLE MODULE AT H AND M 

LEVEL 

50. In exceptional circumstances at Honours Degree and Masters level, with the exception of modules 

specified as in paragraph 18 above in relation to Professional and Statutory Body requirements, where 

in the view of the Assessment Board, (fully supported by the External Assessors), circumstances 

prevail whereby the overall performance of a majority of candidates in one module is clearly and 

obviously out of line with the overall performance of the students throughout the Programme, the 

Assessment Board, at its discretion, may nullify the results of that module for the purposes of 

calculating the final outcome of the students‟ assessments. In such circumstances, a final pass will be 

recorded on the student record and the students will be credited with the credit points to be accrued 

13 On the basis of an oral assessment an individual student may be recommended for an award or an award with distinction. 

The oral may not be used to downgrade the performance which the student has attained in other elements of assessment except 

in cases of suspected academic irregularity (see appendix 7). 


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October 2010, October 2011. This version amended October 2012 PW-Governance and Academic Quality http://www.gcal.ac.uk/student/exams/

from that module for final award purposes. Such actions MUST be fully minuted, with a clear 

rationale for the action included within the minute. The Chair of the Assessment Board and the 

External Assessors will also be required to sign an assent form which clearly indicates that they fully 

concur with this action. The minute and the assent form will be drawn to the attention of the next 

meeting of the Learning and Teaching Subcommittee which will require to satisfy itself as to the 

circumstances underlying this action, to take such follow up action as is deemed appropriate and 

report the matter to Senate accordingly through the Academic Policy Committee. For the purposes of 

the determination of distinction (or honours classification based on level 4 modules only), the 

average mark of the remaining modules should be substituted for the mark of the nulled module in all 

calculations. In the case of an Honours classification based on the best 180 credits at SHEH and 

SHE3, the average mark will determined by the best remaining 160 credits (assuming the nulled 

module to be worth 20 credits). 

CONFERMENT OF UNIVERSITY AWARDS 

51. University awards will only be conferred on students who are exiting the University with an appropriate 

number of credit points or who have successfully completed their programme of study. Once an award 

has been conferred and the student graduated, the student may not re-enter that programme for any 

further award as a part of a continuous programme of study. A student may, however, re-enter the 

University using their Exit Award as an entry qualification for a programme of study leading to a higher 

award. Such re-entry will be deemed to be as entry to a separate and distinct programme of study and 

cannot be considered as the continuation of a previous programme of study. For academic purposes, 

such re-entry can be construed as building upon a previous programme of study. The issuing of 

University awards shall be subject to such procedures as the Senate may approve from time to time and 

to the payment of such fees as the University Court may from time to time determine. 

ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENTS 

52. In special circumstances or where a candidate is unable to satisfy the relevant Assessment Board in 

course work, laboratory work, formal exams or other work assessed during a module, the Assessment 

Board may require a student to present him/herself for oral, practical or other additional assessments at 

any stage of the programme. In situations where a formal examination has been declared invalid, for 

whatever reason, an Assessment Board may require a candidate or candidates to present themselves for 

an alternative assessment. The results of such assessments may be used by Assessment Boards to 

supplement assessed course work and other formal assessments. 

VALID REASONS FOR POOR PERFORMANCE AT ANY LEVEL AND AEGROTAT AWARDS 

53. If it is established to the satisfaction of the Assessment Board that a student's absence, failure to submit 

work or poor performance in all or part of the assessment was due to illness/personal difficulties or other 

cause found valid on presentation of acceptable evidence, the Assessment Board shall act in accordance 

with the provisions set out in paragraphs 56, 57, 58 and Appendix 6 (Consideration of Special Factors). 

Where the assessment forms part of the final stage assessment for an award, the Assessment Board will 

allow a student to take the whole or part of the assessment, whichever is appropriate, as a first attempt. 

This assessment shall be within two years of the original assessment. If an assessment affected by 

illness/personal difficulties was itself a second attempt, the student will be allowed to resit as a second 

attempt and so on. 

However, where the Assessment Board is satisfied that there is sufficient evidence of the student's 

achievement or this evidence is subsequently obtained, a student may be recommended for the award for 

which they are a candidate with or without honours classification or distinction, as appropriate. In order 

to reach a decision, the Assessment Board may assess the candidate by whatever means it considers 

appropriate. It is important that the academic judgement for any decision is clearly recorded in the 



14

minutes of the Assessment Board and this regulation would only be expected to be used by 

Assessment Boards in exceptional circumstances. 

In situations where the Assessment Board decision takes cognisance of Special Factors and a pass is 

awarded in a particular module, no mark should be recorded but a symbol i.e. "P" representing a pass 

from the Assessment Board based on the Special Factors, will be recorded in the student's record and 

transcript. Once again it is important that the academic judgement for any decision is clearly 

recorded in the minutes of the Assessment Board. 

54. Where a student has had first and/or second diet attempts discounted by an Assessment Board due to 

special factors at its resit board meeting, the Assessment Board should consider one of the following 

procedures in order of sequence (i.e. iv should only be used after options i), ii) and iii) have been 

thoroughly considered): 

i) a pass after considering the evidence (see also Appendix 6, paragraphs 6.6 and 6.7) 

ii) the use of compensation (paragraphs 11-19); 

iii) the use of carrying (paragraph 24); 

iv) the use of a special diet of examination in the session in which the first and/or second diet 

attempts were discounted (see Appendix 6). This option should only be considered where 

progression or award is dependent upon performance in one module or two half modules only, 

i.e. 20 credit points. 

55. Where there is insufficient evidence to determine the recommendation for an award under paragraph 53 

but the Assessment Board is nevertheless satisfied that the student would have qualified for the award 

for which they were a candidate had it not been for illness/personal difficulties or other cause, the 

aegrotat award may be recommended, e.g.: 

- Aegrotat Certificate of Higher Education 

- Aegrotat Diploma of Higher Education 

- Aegrotat Degree 

- Aegrotat Honours Degree 

- Aegrotat Postgraduate Certificate 

- Aegrotat Postgraduate Diploma 

- Aegrotat Masters Degree 

Such an award should be recommended only exceptionally and normally in circumstances where 

reassessment within an acceptable timescale would not be possible for the candidate concerned. 

56. Before a recommendation of the Assessment Board is confirmed under paragraph 53 or 55, the student 

must have signified that he/she is willing to accept the award (53) or the aegrotat award (55). 

WITHDRAWAL 

57. A postgraduate student who has failed to satisfy the Assessors after second diet results have been 

determined will normally be required to withdraw from the programme. 

58. An Assessment Board may require an undergraduate student to withdraw from the programme provided 

that: 

i) either the candidate has, on a previous occasion, failed to progress normally 

ii) and/or the Board is fully satisfied, both on the basis of assessment evidence and of tutors' reports, 

that the student concerned would be unable to benefit from the programme 

*(Note: Assessment Board minutes must show whether (i) or (ii) or both have been applied - see 

also Appendix 3) 



15

59. An Assessment Board may, exceptionally, require a candidate to withdraw from a programme after a 

first diet. The reasons for this must be clearly minuted. 

60. In all instances where a candidate has been withdrawn from a programme, the student must be offered 

guidance, advice and support as to their future options. Such guidance, advice and support will normally 

be provided by the student‟s Academic Advisor or, where this is not possible, by another appropriate 

member of academic staff who is an officer of the programme concerned. 

STUDENTS NOTIFED BY THE FINANCE OFFICE AS DEBTORS 

61. In cases where a School has received notification that a student owes outstanding debt to the 

University, marks and results will be withheld from the student concerned until the debt has been 

paid. All staff who have access to the results of assessment boards are asked to note that while marks 

are being withheld, no information of any kind pertaining to the decisions of the Board shall be 

provided to students either formally or informally. 14 

REPLACEMENT MODULES – SCHOOL BASED GENERIC AWARDS 

62. Students, with the exception of international students currently registered at GCU on a Tier 4 visa 

(see 63 below), who require up to 40 credits for the completion of an exit award may transfer from 

their programme of study to the appropriate school-based generic award. 

It shall be a matter for the Assessment Board to decide at which point during any given student‟s 

ongoing attempts at completing a module that the student should be advised or required to transfer to 

a school-based generic award. 

Notwithstanding the provisions elsewhere in these assessment regulations, students who transfer to 

school-based generic awards and undertake replacement modules shall have up to four attempts 

permitted in that module at the discretion of the Assessment Board. Students who fail to complete a 

replacement module within the permitted number of attempts will not be permitted to undertake any 

further modules as a replacement for the module not completed and will be required to progress or 

exit, as appropriate, with such credit and awards as have been achieved. 

The normal regulations governing compensation shall be applied within school-based generic awards 

Students undertaking school-based generic awards shall be subject to the same regulations governing 

distinction and honours classification as all other students, excepting that replacement modules 

passed as a first attempt shall not be subject to capping and may count towards distinction and 

honours classification. In the case of honours classification, the classification scheme to be applied 

shall be that applied within the programme from which the student transferred. 

63. International students currently registered at GCU on a Tier 4 visa who have failed on their named 

programme of study, with a maximum of 40 credits outstanding, and who wish to exit with an 

undergraduate or postgraduate award of the University, should be appropriately advised of their options. 

These are: 

a. Returning to their home country to apply for a non-Tier 4 visa (student visitor visa) that will allow 

them entry to the UK for a short period of time to undertake up to a maximum of 40 credits for the 

award of an appropriate school-based generic degree; 

b. The possibility that they may be able to access a module/s that can be undertaken via a distance 

learning mode from their home country. 

14 Refer to the Credit Control and Debt Management Policy (http://www.caledonian.ac.uk/fno/students/EasyPay.html/) 



16

APPENDICES TO THE REGULATIONS 



17

ASSESSMENT BOARDS 

APPENDIX 1 

1.1 Assessment Boards are responsible to the University Senate. 

1.2 For each named award within the Institution there will normally exist one Assessment Board. 

However, suites of closely related named awards may come within the jurisdiction of the same 


1.3 Module assessment is the responsibility of Schools. 

1.4 Modules will have one member of the teaching staff of the University appointed as a Module 

Leader. 

1.5 The Module Leader is responsible to the Executive Dean of School for the following: 

(a) 

The compilation of instruments of assessment, marking schedules and to stipulate, where 

appropriate, when candidates are permitted to use specified books, instruments including 

electronic calculators (specifying the type), notes or other materials or aids. All arrangements 

must be clearly documented and available for internal and external quality audits. 

Any arrangements made must provide for the following: 

i. That all assessment papers have the standard University front cover 

ii. That all assessment papers are moderated internally. 

iii. That each assessment paper for final stage 15 assessments and any other paper requested by the 

External Assessors be submitted to the appropriate External Assessor for moderation in 

consultation with the internal assessor(s) concerned. 

iv. that any disagreement between assessors arising out of moderation be reported to the 

Assessment Board for resolution. 

v. For each examination paper the Module Leader or appropriate specialist is present in the 

examination room at the commencement of the examination and remains present for a 

further 10 minutes to answer any legitimate questions from candidates. For those 

examinations in which the use of electronic calculators has been permitted, the Module 

Leader or the appropriate specialist may, at their discretion, undertake a random check of 

candidates‟ electronic calculators. 

b) To determine the candidates' marks for modules and to ensure these marks are passed to the 

appropriate Assessment Board via the University Management Information System, a calendar 

of Assessment Board meetings will be published annually by 31 st October. The Module Leader 

must ensure that the marks (as specified below) are published at least three working days prior to 

the date of the Assessment Board. 

The Module Leader will ensure that: 

i. there is uniformity of marking across assessments by academic staff contributing to the 

module. 

ii. all borderline cases have been carefully considered and the mark given is, as near as possible, 

a true reflection of the student‟s performance. 

iii. all recommendations are accurate and reflect the marks and the number of attempts. 

15 For the purposes of this document final stage assessments are those taken to obtain an exit award at level SHE3 and above. 



18

iv. a record is kept of the extent to which the External Assessor has been involved and where 

the External Assessor has: 

confirmed the appropriateness of the assessment; 

confirmed the overall standard of the cohort by sampling appropriate scripts; 

scrutinised the assessments of borderline candidates; 

moderated all assessed work. 

c) Module Leaders will make provisional marks (which may be subject to change by the 

Assessment Board) available to students after the Trimester A assessment period. 

1.6 The Composition of each Assessment Board 16 shall be as follows: 

Chair 

Programme Organiser 

The External Assessors 

Module Leaders 

Executive Dean of any School (or their nominee) that contributes modules to the programme 

Clerk 

Secretary 17 

Within each School, a pool of Assessment Board Chairs will be created from the Senior Staff of the 

School. Normally the pool within each School would consist of the Associate Deans Learning, 

Teaching and Quality, Heads of Department and Subject Leads. Subject Leads will only Chair 

Boards that are not in their own subject area. 

The Chair of Senate (or nominee from the University Executive) has the right to attend all Assessment 

Boards. 

In the case of the Schools which host the programme, the Chair and the Module Leaders from that 

School shall determine annually which Module Leaders shall be members of the Board. For other 

Schools, the Executive Dean and the Module Leader will determine who shall be members. 

Schools contributing modules to a programme must be represented at Assessment Boards. 

The Programme Board will confirm the membership of its associated Assessment Board at its first 

meeting of the academic year (such confirmation should be minuted). The confirmed membership 

will constitute those able to exercise a vote at the Assessment Board. Nominated substitutes of 

members will be able to exercise a vote. Assessment Boards must have at least 70% of the 

confirmed members present at the Board. 

1.7 Candidates' academic advisors, if not members of the Assessment Board, may, if appropriate, be 

invited to attend any meetings of the Board at which assessment results are to be considered. They 

may not, however, exercise a vote in their capacity as academic advisor. 

1.8 A student counsellor or the Students Association Welfare Advisor may, if appropriate, be invited to 

attend any meetings of the Assessment Board at which assessment results of students whom they 

have counselled are to be considered. They may advise the Assessment Board but may not exercise 

a vote. 

16 In the case of collaborative programmes, the composition of Assessment Boards will be defined during the approval process. 

17 The Secretary will be either from the Student Administration Services, Governance and Quality or be a Head of School 

Administration or an Assistant Head of School Administration who is independent of the assessment process. All secretaries 

must have had appropriate training. 


19 


1.9 The responsibilities and duties of Assessment Boards are as follows: 

(a) 

(b) 

(c) 

(d) 

(e) 

(f) 

To ensure that the Glasgow Caledonian University Assessment Regulations are applied, 

including any programme specific regulations. 

To take into consideration any special factors properly notified to the Board by a School Special 

Factors Board (See Appendix 6 - The Consideration of Special Factors) 

To determine candidates' assessment results and to decide, when appropriate, if candidates have 

satisfied the conditions for progression to the next level of the programme as set out in the 

regulations 

To determine if candidates have fulfilled the conditions for the attainment of awards (including 

the award of distinction and the classification of Honours awards) and to make appropriate 

recommendations for the granting of awards, such recommendations being subject to the 

approval of External Assessors 

To make recommendations as appropriate on the withdrawal of students. 

To consider applications for the award of aegrotat degrees 

1.10 The proceedings of Assessment Boards are strictly confidential. Boards' discussions of individual 

candidates must not be divulged to candidates. Additionally, marks may not be divulged to persons 

other than the candidate without the express authority of the Board. The marks will be made available 

to each candidate as soon as practicable after the Assessment Board has met. The Assessment Board is 

required to provide candidates with an indication of the standard they have achieved. Assessors must 

not inform candidates of the decisions of Boards prior to their formal publication. 

1.11 Formal minutes of all meetings of Assessment Boards will be recorded and made available to the 

appropriate Programme Board and for the purposes of internal and external audit. A general guide to 

the format of Assessment Board minutes is outlined on page 21. 

1.12 The Assessment Board‟s decision regarding a student‟s overall performance may in certain 

circumstances result in a consequential amendment to the mark supplied by the Module Leader. In 

such circumstances it is the responsibility of the Chair of the Assessment Board to ensure that any 

amendments are properly recorded, that the Management Information System is updated, that the 

Module Leader is informed and the decision is properly minuted. 

Frequency of meeting of Assessment Boards 

1.13 For undergraduate programmes the Assessment Board meets after Trimester B and after the resit diet. 

1.14 For postgraduate programmes with a PgD exit award point, the Assessment Board meets after the 

Trimester B diet and at the conclusion of the programme. 

1.15 Assessment Boards for all programmes should meet after Trimester A (i.e. in January) to identify 

failing students and take appropriate action. 

1.16 Meetings of Assessment Boards may be arranged at other times as required. 

1.17 In order to take into account the 7 calendar day timescale outlined “the Consideration of Special 

Factors”, Assessment Boards must not meet less than 8 calendar days from the date of the last day of 

the examination diet. 

1.18 Assessment Boards should ensure that a pre meeting is held before all Assessment Board meetings. 



20

Recording of Minutes of Assessment Board Meetings and Notification of Results to Students 

1.19 The Clerk to the Assessment Board shall be responsible for ensuring the accurate recording of the 

minutes of the meeting of the Board. 

Assessment Board meetings 

1.20 As a general guide the minutes should include: 

i) A record of the title of the Assessment Board plus the date, time and location of the meeting 

ii) A record of those present and their role 

iii) A record of apologies 

iv) Confirmation that, students have taken modules that lead to the qualifications under the 

jurisdiction of the Assessment Board 

v) Confirmation from the External Assessors that the standard of any awards to be made is 

comparable with that of similar awards elsewhere 

vi) A record of any comments from Module Leaders 

vii) A record of agreed final decisions for each candidate 

viii) A record, where appropriate, of the principles or criteria upon which individual decisions were 

made 

ix) A record, where relevant, of any special factors reported to the Assessment Board 

x) A record of the general comments of the Assessment Board on overall performance 

xi) A record of any areas of concern or dispute arising from the general decision making processes 

xii) Comments from External Assessors 

xiii) Any other competent business 

xiv) The proposed date and time of the next meeting 

Items viii, ix and x are confidential and their circulation should be restricted to the Chair, the Clerk, 

External Assessors, and any other person agreed by the Assessment Board. 

1.21 A nominated member of the Department‟s administrative staff shall be required to clerk the 

meetings of the Assessment Boards within the jurisdiction of a Department. The Programme 

Leader will be required to advise on the interpretation of Assessment Regulations and previous 

practice. The Clerk is required to record decisions with regard to student achievement. A 

nominated member of the staff of Student Administration Services/Governance and Academic 

Quality shall normally be present at the meetings of levels 3, H and postgraduate Assessment 

Boards where award decisions are being made. The member of staff from Student Administration 

Services/Governance and Academic Quality will liaise with Department staff on the collation, 

dissemination and presentation of marks as appropriate. 

1.22 The aim must always be for student results lists to be published on Sharepoint within two working 

days of the meeting of the Assessment Board. Results may also be published on local Departmental 

notice boards. Full results shall normally be posted out to each student within seven working days 

of the meeting of the Assessment Board. The marks for each individual student will be made 

available to each candidate as soon as practicable after the Assessment Board has met. 

1.23 Schools will notify all students of their results by post. In all cases Student Administration Services 

staff will be responsible for issuing award parchments to students. 

1.24 The minutes of meetings of Assessment Boards shall normally be sent to the Programme Board in 

October of each year. The Programme Board will consider these minutes and any issues arising at a 



21

meeting during Trimester A. Issues arising from the minutes of Assessment Boards will also be 

passed to other School Boards or Committees as appropriate. 

1.25 Following consideration by the Programme Board, comments by the Assessment Board shall be 

considered by the School Board in December of each year. 

1.26 The School Board shall, where appropriate, draw to the attention of the Learning and Teaching 

Subcommittee any matters arising from consideration of the minutes of meetings of Assessment 

Boards which require the attention of the Learning and Teaching Subcommittee. 

Data Protection 

1.27 Current Data Protection legislation stipulates that any comments made on examination scripts or 

(comments made about a student) in the minutes of Assessment Boards may be accessed by the 

student. 



22

EXTERNAL ASSESSOR ENDORSEMENT OF ASSESSMENT BOARD OUTCOMES* 

SESSION: DIET: FIRST / SECOND (please delete as appropriate) 

I endorse the decisions made at the meeting of the Assessment Board for the following awards: 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

DATE OF MEETING: 

Name: 

Signature: 

Name: 

Signature: 

Name: 

Signature: 

Name: 

Signature: 

Signature of Chair of Assessment Board: 

-------------------------------------------------------------------- 

* Only external assessors associated with programmes are required to endorse the outcomes of the assessment(s) they have 

been appointed to scrutinise. 

NB – Once signed, this sheet should be attached to a copy of the Assessment Board minutes and retained by the relevant 

School. 



23

APPENDIX 2 

EXTERNAL ASSESSORS 

2.1 Each Assessment Board will normally have two External Assessors, to ensure that the standard of all 

awards is comparable to the standard of similar awards conferred by other Universities and Institutions 

within the United Kingdom. 

2.2 Each School is responsible for nominating External Assessor(s) to be associated with programmes for 

which they are administratively responsible. It is recognised that there may be exceptional cases in 

which the Assessment Board may wish to appoint more than two assessors. It is also recognised that 

more than two External Assessors may be required for suites of programmes. 

2.3 External Assessors should normally be appointed for five academic sessions, starting at the 

beginning of the session before the first output and finishing with the re-sit diet of the last session 

for which they have responsibility (normally October-September). During the final academic 

session of the period of tenure, Schools should identify new External Assessors as there is no 

opportunity to extend the period of tenure for an External Assessor. 

2.4 All modules at all levels will have an associated External Assessor. Each module will have one 

External Assessor, with the exception of projects/dissertations 18 . The minimum expectation is that 

externals would routinely be involved with modules at level 3 and above. However, Module Leaders 

and/or Assessment Boards at all levels may consult External Assessors. 

2.5 The External Assessors appointed to a programme will be allocated to modules within the programme 

which correspond to their own expertise. 

2.6 Schools which contribute modules to a programme (i.e. not the host School) will assign an External 

Assessor to these modules. This External Assessor will also normally be responsible for a programme 

in the subject area of the School, taking into consideration the overall workload of the assessor. 

2.7 In addition to appointing External Assessors to programmes, Schools may assign External Assessors to 

modules only. 19 

2.8 External Assessors associated with undergraduate programmes are expected to attend the meeting of 

Assessment Boards after Trimester B and, where necessary, after resit assessments. When External 

Assessors do not attend resit Assessment Boards they must be consulted (and in the case of final 

awards confirm in writing) before any formal decisions are notified to students. External Assessors on 

postgraduate programmes must attend all meetings where awards are being considered. 

2.9 Duties of an External Assessor associated with programmes. 

(a) to ensure that the standard of any award which is recommended by the Assessment Board is 

comparable to the standard of similar awards conferred by Universities in the UK. 

(b) to be satisfied that the work and decisions of the Assessment Board are consistent with the 

policies and regulations of the University and best practice in Higher Education 

(c) to ensure that students have been assessed fairly and within the regulations approved by the 

University for the programme 

(d) to comment on the appropriateness and consistency of assessment practices and procedures 

across the modules which comprise the award 

18 

Where there is more than one External Assessor for a programme, each assessor will have responsibility for a number of 

projects/dissertations. Normally each assessor will consider a separate sample. 

19 In this case the requirements relating to attendance at Assessment Boards do not apply. 


24 


(e) to inform the University on any matter which, in the External Assessor‟s view, militates against 

the maintenance of proper academic standards 

(f) to inform the Director of Governance and Academic Quality if they decide to resign over a 

matter of principle in order that this may be brought to the attention of Senate as a matter of 

urgency 

(g) to produce an annual report for consideration by the School Board and the Learning and 

Teaching Subcommittee, on the standards attained by students on the programme and any other 

matters which may seem appropriate to report. 

2.10 An External Assessor appointed to a programme or suite of programmes has the right to take any 

action which is necessary for the fulfillment of their duties. These rights include the following: 

(a) to attend any meeting the Assessment Board to which they have been appointed 

(b) to see any assessment material relating to the programme; particularly, but not exclusively, any 

final stage assessment paper, scripts, course work or project reports relating to the assessments 

with which they are specifically associated, and, where appropriate, industrial training reports 

(c) to require, and be involved in, the oral assessment of any student 

(d) to meet with students of any level at any point during the academic session. 

2.11 Duties of an External Assessor associated with modules. 

(a) to moderate the work of the internal assessor in respect of the assessments with which the External 

Assessor is associated 

(b) to ensure that students are assessed according to the regulations approved for the modules within 

that subject area 

(c) to be satisfied that the work and marks awarded are consistent with the policies and regulations of 

the University and best practice in Higher Education 

(d) to inform the University on any matter which, in their view, militates against the maintenance of 

proper academic standards 

(e) to inform the Director of Governance and Academic Quality if they decide to resign over a matter 

of principle in order that this may be brought to the attention of Senate as a matter of urgency 

(f) to produce an annual report for consideration by the relevant School Board of the standards 

attained by students in that subject area and on any other matter which may seem appropriate to 

report 

2.12 An External Assessor associated with modules has the right to take any action which is necessary for the 

fulfillment of their duties. These rights include the following: 

(a) to see any assessment material relating to the modules; 

(b) to amend draft assessment papers, or set additional assessment questions, in consultation with the 

appropriate Module Leader(s) 

(c) to receive written/oral feedback from the Module Leader(s) on any comments pertaining to draft 

assessment papers 

(d) to receive marking criteria for all draft assessment papers or other major instruments of assessment. It 

is recognised that the possible range of assessment methods may necessitate specific marking criteria 

and that the External Assessor and Module Leader(s) should adopt an approach which is appropriate 

for the assessment method e.g. suggested solutions, marking schemes, outline answers, etc. 

(e) to amend a mark given by a Module Leader in connection with an assessment in the module with 

which the External Assessor is specifically associated (i.e with duties as set out in 2.11) 

(f) to require, and be involved in, the oral assessment of any student 

(g) to meet with students of any level at any point during the academic session. 



25

In any matter on which the External Assessor(s) have declared a matter of principle, the decision of 

the External Assessor(s) shall either be accepted as final by the Assessment Board or, in 

exceptional cases, be referred to the Learning and Teaching Subcommittee. 

Where there is a disagreement within a group of External Assessors on any matter which is 

declared to be a matter of principle and which cannot be resolved within the group, the dispute 

must be referred to the Senate. Senate may choose to devolve the responsibility for dealing with 

such disputes to the Learning and Teaching Subcommittee. 

In the exceptional circumstance of an External Assessor deciding to resign over a matter of 

principle, this decision and the necessary background information must be reported by the Chair of 

the relevant Assessment Board to the Director of Governance and Academic Quality as a matter 

of urgency. The Director of Governance and Academic Quality will then immediately arrange a 

meeting of the Chairs of Senate, the Learning and Teaching Subcommittee, the Academic Policy 

Committee and the relevant School Board to discuss any issues arising from the resignation. 

Procedure for the Appointment of External Assessors 

2.13 In October of each year, Heads of School Administration will present to School Boards an up-to-date 

list of all External Assessors who are members of Assessment Boards within the School, together with 

their period of tenure. At the same time, a list of new programmes scheduled to begin in the following 

academic year together with the proposed number of External Assessors required will be presented to 

the School Board. 

2.14 Following presentation of the above list to the School Board, Heads of School Administration will 

notify the Chairs of all Assessment Boards and the Executive Dean of School of those External 

Assessors who are scheduled for retirement and of the need to nominate replacements for retiring 

assessors. Heads of School Administration will also notify the Chairs of Programme Development 

Boards so that External Assessors may be nominated (if appropriate) for programmes scheduled to 

start in the following academic year. It should be noted that External Assessors for new programmes 

nominated prior to the programme approval or re-approval event will not normally be eligible to be 

members of the Programme Approval or re-Approval Panel. 

2.15 In December of each year, those individuals who have been notified of the need to appoint External 

Assessors will identify suitable nominees and seek to ascertain, informally, whether the individual 

would be prepared to be nominated as an External Assessor. 

2.16 All nominees must meet with the conditions laid down by the University in the "Criteria for the 

Approval of External Assessors for Modules and Taught Programmes" (see paragraph 2.30). 

2.17 When a suitable nominee has been identified, they will be requested to complete the institutional 

nomination form. 20 In the case of new appointees who have no previous experience of external 

assessing for programmes at that level, the proposed nominee is required to submit a full CV. 

2.18 Associate Deans (Learning, Teaching and Quality) will ensure that appropriate advice and guidance is 

provided during the nomination process. At any stage in the process advice can be obtained from 

Governance and Quality. 

2.19 External Assessor nomination forms, copies of the nominees' CVs, if appropriate, and any other 

relevant information will be forwarded to the School Board for consideration in Trimester A. 

2.20 Where the School Board feels that an External Assessor's nomination is inappropriate, it will set out its 

reasons in the Board minutes and will recommend that the nomination be reconsidered. 

20 EXT1: Application for Approval of an External Assessor for a Module and/or Taught Programme 



26

2.21 The minutes of School Board meetings confirming approval of External Assessor nominations, 

together with the EXT forms, will be forwarded by the School to Governance and Quality. The EXT 

forms will be considered and approved by a sub group of the Learning and Teaching Subcommittee, 

chaired by the Director of Governance and Academic Quality. 

2.22 The approved EXT forms will be held in the office of Governance and Quality. The Learning and 

Teaching Subcommittee will receive notification of all appointments as a For Information item on the 

committee‟s agenda. The Heads of School Administration will be responsible for ensuring that each 

nomination form is checked carefully for accuracy prior to forms being forwarded to the Governance 

and Quality. 

2.23 All parties involved in this procedure will seek to ensure that the procedure is completed at least six 

months prior to an External Assessor's first involvement in assessments. Governance and Quality will 

ensure that an institutional record of External Assessor appointments is maintained in a database. 

2.24 Governance and Quality will issue a formal letter of appointment to the External Assessor showing the 

period of appointment and the annual fee associated with the post. The current version of the 

University Assessment Regulations will also be forwarded with the formal letter of appointment. A 

copy of the formal letter of appointment should also be forwarded to the appropriate Executive Dean of 

School, who has budgetary responsibility for External Assessors' fees. 

2.25 New External Assessors will be provided with an External Assessor‟s handbook which includes 

information relating to the External Assessor role. In addition, the relevant School must ensure that 

External Assessors are made aware of the extent of their own responsibilities in relation to the 

modules/programmes for which they will act as assessors. The relevant School will also ensure that all 

External Assessors are provided with copies of the appropriate programme and module documentation. 

Schools will be responsible for providing copies of up-to-date programme documentation, including 

programme specific assessment regulations, to Governance and Quality. 

Termination of an External Assessor’s Contract 

2.26 An External Assessor‟s contract can be terminated prematurely in the event of consistent failure to 

fulfil the duties of the role. 

2.27 The process of terminating an External Assessor‟s contract can only be initiated by one of the 

following: 

Chair of Programme Board 

Chair of an Assessment Board 

Executive Dean of School 

Chair of the Academic Policy Committee 

Chair of Learning and Teaching Subcommittee 

Chair of School Board 

Director of Governance and Academic Quality 

2.28 The final decision to terminate the contract of an External Assessor will be made by Learning and 

Teaching Subcommittee, following a recommendation from the relevant School Board. 

2.29 When the Learning and Teaching Subcommittee approves the termination of an External Assessor‟s 

contract, the Secretary to Learning and Teaching Subcommittee will notify the relevant Head of School 

Administration and the Director of Student Experience who will then notify the External Assessor of 

the decision. 



27

2.30 Criteria for the Approval of External Assessors for Modules and Taught Programmes 

The approval of External Assessor appointments is one of the processes by which the University 

assures the academic quality assurance of both subject areas and programmes. For this reason, the 

University is committed to a policy of rigorous scrutiny of External Assessor nominations. 

External Assessors should: i) have expertise in the relevant subject area/discipline 

ii) be experienced in assessing 

iii) be impartial in judgement 

iv) be able to give the time needed for the role 

Where more than one External Assessor is associated with an individual module or programme, it is 

important that there be an appropriate balance and diversity in the team of assessors. 

The following outlines the criteria for consideration of proposed External Assessors; the notes printed 

beneath each criterion provide a checklist of issues that should be considered by Boards in selecting 

and nominating assessors and by School Boards during their scrutiny of nominees. 

The following guidelines for the appointment of External Assessors will apply: 

a. An External Assessor's academic/professional qualifications should be appropriate to the 

module/programme to be assessed 

Both the level and the subject of the assessor's qualifications should generally match what is to be 

assessed in the module/programme 

b. An External Assessor should have appropriate standing, expertise and experience to 

maintain comparability of standards 

Standing, expertise and experience may be indicated by: 

• the present (or last, if retired) post and place of work 

• the range and scope of experience across higher education/professions 

• current and recent active involvement in research/scholarly/professional activities in the field of 

study concerned 

c. An External Assessor should have enough recent external assessing or comparable related 

experience to indicate competence in assessing students in the module/programme at that 

level 

If the proposed assessor has no previous External Assessor experience at the appropriate level, the 

application should be supported by one or more of the following: 

• extensive internal assessing experience at the appropriate level 

• external assessing experience at a different level 

• other relevant and recent experience likely to support the External Assessor role 

Proposed assessors without experience as externals should, where possible, join an 

experienced team of externals or, where there is only one external, work initially alongside an 

experienced current external, perhaps on a related module within that subject area. 

d. External Assessors should be drawn from a wide variety of institutional/professional contexts 

and traditions in order that the subject areas/programmes benefit from wide-ranging external 

scrutiny 

There should not be: 



28

• more than one External Assessor from the same institution in a team of External Assessors 

• reciprocal External Assessors between comparable subjects and/or programmes in two 

institutions 

• replacement of an External Assessor by an individual from the same institution 

• an External Assessor from an institution which has been the source of assessors for the same 

subject area or programme in the recent past (normally five years) 

e. External Assessors should not be over-extended by their external assessing duties 

The assessor should not currently hold more than the equivalent of two substantial undergraduate 

External Assessors‟ appointments 

If the assessor appears to exceed the above limit, supporting arguments must be provided, e.g. that 

the phasing of assessments alleviates the workload during an academic session, 

f. There should be an appropriate balance and expertise in a team of External Assessors 

appointed to Assessment Boards 

• The external assessing experience in the team as a whole must be sufficient and wide ranging 

• The proposed assessor should complement the external assessing team in terms of expertise 

and assessing experience 

• There should be an appropriate balance between the academic and professional 

qualifications/experience of the team 

• The range of academic perspectives necessary to the programme should be represented in the 

external assessing team 

• The phasing of appointments to the team should be structured to ensure continuity 

g. External Assessors should be impartial in judgement and should not have previous close 

involvement with the institution which might compromise objectivity 

Over the last five years the proposed assessors should not personally have been: 

• a member of staff, a governor, a student or a near relative of a member of staff in relation to 

the module/subject area/programme 

• involved as an External Assessor for the module/subject area/programme when it was 

approved by another validating body 

The proposed assessor should not personally be: 

• associated with the sponsorship of students 

• required to assess colleagues who are recruited as students to the module/subject 

area/programme 

• in a position to influence significantly the future employment of students on the programme 

• likely to be involved with student placements or training in the assessor's organisation 

h. Chief External Assessors 

If the team of External Assessors is large there may be a need for a chief External Assessor. Where 

the Programme Board has identified a chief External Assessor he or she should have sufficient 

external assessing experience to take an overview of the subject area/programme and ensure that a 

consistent standard is maintained. 

The appointment of a chief External Assessor from within a team of approved External Assessors is 

a matter for the Programme Board. The approval of the appointment of an External Assessor who 

is to act in this capacity will be subject to the normal criteria as set out above and the person will 

also be expected to have subject responsibilities within the team. 



29

APPENDIX 3 

MARKING, REPORTING OF MARKS AND NORMALISATION OF MODULE MARKS 

Module Pass Marks and Component Minimums 

The diagrams below are examples of different module structures. 

Overall Aggregate 

Mark 

(threshold/minimum 

= pass mark) 

Exam Aggregate 


= 5% below the 

pass mark) 

Coursework 

Aggregate 


= 5% below the 

pass mark) 

Exam element 


= 0) 

Exam element 


= 0) 

Coursework 

element 


= 0) 

Coursework 

element 


= 0) 

Figure 1: Modules with Exam and Coursework Components 

Overall Aggregate Mark 

(threshold/minimum = 

pass mark) 

Coursework 1 

(Threshold/minimum = 0) 

Coursework 2 


Coursework 3 


Figure 2: Coursework Only Modules 



30

Overall Aggregate 

(Threshold/Minimum = 

pass mark) 

Exam Aggregate 

Threshold/minimum = 5% 

below pass mark 

Coursework Aggregate 



Exam 



Coursework 1 



Coursework 2 



Figure 3: Modules with Exam and Coursework Components and with approved exception 21 

Overall Aggregate Mark 

(coursework only) 

(threshold/minimum = 

pass mark) 

Coursework 1 

(Threshold/minimum = 5% 

below pass mark) 

Coursework 2 



Coursework 3 



Figure 4: Modules with Coursework only and with approved exception 

Normalisation of Marks 

3.1 The normalisation of marks should be implemented in situations where a module marking scheme 

differs from that normally applied to modules on the same programme. Such instances most 

commonly occur where Professional or Statutory body requirements must be met in professional 

and clinical modules. 

Normalisation should not be used where M Level programmes are made up of modules which can 

have pass marks of either 40% or 50 %. 

21 The diagram is an example of a module which has an approved exception to the regulation regarding minimum pass marks being applied 

to elements or sub-components of module assessment. It should be noted that exceptions are normally allowed only in cases where there are 

clear professional and statutory body requirements. 


31 


3.2 Programme Boards should identify modules where there is a potential, in the judgement of the 

Board, for the module mark to skew the overall outcome in terms of Honours Classification and 

Distinction; for example, where a Professional or Statutory body requires a pass mark of 80%, as 

is the case in a number of professional and clinical modules. Where such modules are identified 

Programmes should ensure that an appropriate formula is applied to normalise the mark against 

the standard academic pass mark for modules within the Programme (i.e. 40% at undergraduate 

level and as appropriate for post graduate programmes). 

The following formula will normally be found to be appropriate: 

(Score – old pass mark) x (100 –new pass mark) ÷ (100 – old pass mark) + new pass mark = new 

(normalised) mark 

e.g. a student scores 90 in a module with an 80% pass mark. Normal module pass mark = 40% 

(90-80) x (100-40) ÷ (100-80) + 40 = 70% 

In addition, where a pass mark is set at 100% by a Professional or Statutory body, Programme 

Boards should give serious consideration to recording the result as pass/fail. 

Marking and Moderation of Marks 

3.3 Normally, all final level Projects and Dissertations should be independently, blind double marked. 

Scripts relating to assessments at levels 3, 4 and M, will be moderated. Borderline assessments will 

be moderated at all levels. All individuals involved with marking or moderating scripts will initial 

the assessment script. In the case of final stage assessments the External Assessor(s) will be 

involved. External Assessors(s) may also scrutinise sufficient other assessment scripts in any 

subject area for which they are responsible to satisfy themselves of the general standard of 

assessment by Module Leaders. Module Leaders will negotiate with External Assessors to ensure 

that they are given sufficient time to scrutinise all scripts for the assessments for which they have 

responsibility. The provisions of this paragraph shall apply to all assessment diets. 

3.4 Where a student has answered more than the required number of questions in any coursework or 

examination paper, the Module Leader must ensure that all the student‟s responses are marked. The 

Module Leader will then determine the mark for the paper by selecting the best marks for the 

required number of questions (e.g. if a paper requires five questions to be answered and the student 

has attempted seven then the best five marks are used to calculate the overall mark for the paper). In 

cases where the examination paper or coursework has more than one section, the same procedure as 

described above will apply to each section. 

3.5 3.5.1 If, in any module at levels 3, H and M, there is a range of assessments which includes 

course work, laboratory work or any form of continuous assessment, at least two members 

of the teaching team will normally have been involved in moderating such work and shall 

report a mark to the assessment Board on a percentage basis. The rounding of marks in 

University Management Information System is based on: mark >= xx.5 round up; mark < 

xx.5 round down. This general rule should apply where raw marks are entered into 

University Management Information System. 

3.5.2 In the event of cumulative average marks being recorded as a fraction, e.g. 59.2, such 

marks will be rounded up to the next whole number, e.g. in the Honours classification 

overall aggregate calculation. 



32

Recording of Marks 

3.6 Assessment Boards will have access to records which indicate whether the candidates: 

3.6.1 have previously entered a module or final stage assessment and with what result(s) 

(including compensation) 

3.6.2 have repeated any level of the programme 

3.7 The mark to be recorded at second and subsequent diets shall be the actual mark achieved by the 

student. The actual mark obtained at resit should be used in calculations to determine the 

candidate's eligibility to benefit from Compensation (see paragraphs 11 to 19 of the University 

Assessment Regulations). In all other calculations, normally for the purpose of Honours 

Classification at levels 3 and 4, the mark obtained at any resit should be regarded as 40% 

3.8 Where the provision of paragraphs 3.1 and 3.3 above in relation to blind marking, double marking 

and moderation are not followed in their entirety, the Assessment Board must be provided with a 

full explanation for any deviation in process and that explanation fully minuted in the record of the 

Board‟s meeting. 



33

EXAMPLES OF AUTOMATIC COMPENSATION, DISTINCTION AND PROFILING 

4.1 Examples of the Application of Compensation 

APPENDIX 4 

Module Pass Mark 40% 

All diets 

Overall average greater than or equal to 45% 

Module Mark 35%-39% (No component of 

the module mark less than 30%) 


Module Mark 34% (No component of the 

module mark less than 29%) 


All diets 








All diets 







Automatic Compensation 

Discretionary Compensation 

Overall mark is raised by 1% 







4.2 Example of the Application of Distinction in the Bachelor’s Degree 

(marks used in the calculation are shown in bold) 

Student A: 69, 74, 65, 67, 50, 68 (at Level SHE3) 

50, 71, 65, 78, 64, 62 (at Level SHE2) 

Distinction criteria is not met solely on level SHE3 marks, where the average is 66%. 

However, taking into consideration the best 90 SHE3 credit points and the remaining best 30 

credit points at SHE2 or above, an average of 71% is achieved. Therefore distinction is 

awarded. 

Note: Distinction can only be awarded where a candidate has passed all modules, included in the 

calculation for distinction, at the first attempt. In addition, candidates must achieve passes at first 

attempt in all modules at the level where distinction is being considered. 



34

4.3 Examples of Profiling for Honours Classification 

(marks used in the calculation are shown in bold) 

Scheme 1 

The following examples are for programmes using the Honours Classification scheme calculated on the 

basis of the best 180 SHEH and SHE3 level credits, of which a minimum of 90 must be at SHEH and 

where the Dissertation/Project must be included (Scheme 1). (In these examples the dissertation/project 

is a 40 credit SHEH module which means that one of the marks is counted twice). 

Profiling can only be used where a student’s overall average mark is within 3% of attaining the 50, 

60 and 70 boundary. 

Student A 

SHEH: 70(x2), 57, 58, 71, 68 (100 credit points used) 

SHE3: 72, 52, 71, 62, 70, 65 (80 credit points used) 

Overall Average: 69% = 2.1 

Profile: 120 credit points @ 1, no more than 30 credits more than one class below 

Profile = 1 st class 

First class honours awarded 

Student B 

Student C 




Profile: 120 credit points @ 2.1, no more than 30 credits more than one class below 

Profile = 2.1 

2.1 awarded 




Profile: 120 credit points @ 1, mark is within 3% of boundary but more than 30 credit 

points are more than one class below 

Profile = 2.1 

2.1 awarded 

Scheme 2 

The following examples are for programmes exempted from the normal Honours Classification scheme 

and/or for direct entrants to Level 4 and are based on using the best 90 SHEH credit points plus the next 

best 30 credit points at SHE3 or above, in the calculation of Honours Classification (Scheme 2). 

Profiling can only be used where a student’s overall average mark falls within 3% of attaining the 

50, 60 and 70 boundary. 

Student A: 72, 72, 75, 75, 70, 44: overall average 68% = 2i 

profile: 5 @ 1; only one mark more than one class below; no fails; average mark is 

within 3% of boundary 

profile = 1st 

1st class honours awarded 

Student B: 

62, 64, 61, 63, 52, 40: overall average 57% = 2ii 



35

profile: 4 @ 2i; one mark one class below; only one mark more than one class below; 

average mark is within 3% of boundary 

profile = 2i 

2i awarded 

Student C: 

75, 70, 68, 56, 56, 47: overall average 62% = 2i 

profile: 5 @ 2ii or better; one mark one class below: profile = 2ii 

2i awarded 

(Please see also paragraph 41 of the Assessment Regulations) 

It is clear that performance in one module is "pulling" students A and B down and therefore the use of a 

profiling system will ensure that these students do obtain an Honours degree appropriate to their ability. 

In the case of student C, whose performance covers a wide range of marks, the average provides a better 

reflection of his/her ability. 

Scheme 3 

A number of programmes have been exempted from Scheme 1 and apply a customised calculation to 

determine Honours classification (Scheme 3). 



36

APPENDIX 5 

CONDITIONS OF ENTRY TO ASSESSMENTS AND ASSESSMENT SCHEME 

5.1 Assessments are open only to students of the University who have complied in all respects with the 

conditions for admission and registration to the programme and/or all relevant modules thereof. This 

includes the payment of relevant fees and compliance with such other requirements as may be 

prescribed from time to time 22 . No person whose registration has lapsed, or who has failed to register 

for the appropriate programme and associated modules, is eligible as a candidate for any assessment. 

Assessment Boards will withhold the marks of an assessment of any person who appears ineligible 

pending an investigation and may ultimately disregard the attempt. 

5.2 Formal examinations will be conducted according to the regulations given in The Assessment and 

Graduation Processes, Section 2: Regulations for the Conduct of Examinations. 

5.3 All registered students shall be entitled to enter the first diet of assessments on completion of the 

normal programme of study without a special entry procedure and without payment of an additional 

fee. Absence from any assessment without good cause and supporting evidence shall be deemed to be 

an attempt. 

5.4 There will be a first and a second diet for modules at all levels. 23 

5.5 Modules will be assessed during the trimester in which they have been delivered 24 . Resit assessments 

for modules delivered in Trimesters A and B will be held prior to the start of the next academic year. 

5.6 Entry to an assessment on a second or subsequent occasion, whether or not at a second diet of 

assessments, shall be subject to such procedures as the Senate may approve from time to time and to 

such additional fees as the University Court may from time to time determine. 

5.7 Programme and module handbooks shall specify for each level of the programme/module: 

(a) the titles of all modules to be assessed 

(b) where applicable, the percentage marks awarded to each discrete element of the assessment for 

each module, for example written papers, coursework, etc (see also section 5.12) 

(c) the conditions necessary to satisfy the Assessors in any one module 

(d) the approved criteria for progression whereby candidates will satisfy the Assessors at each level 

of the programme 

(e) the number and level of the credit points earned for each module when the assessment criteria are 

satisfied. 

5.8 Where appropriate, Assessment Boards may modify the form of assessment for individual students. 

5.9 The Programme Board must be satisfied that, for each module, the coursework/laboratory schedule 

is made available to students at the beginning of each trimester and that students are informed of the 

submission dates for that module. Under normal circumstances, it is expected that the Module 

Leader will perform this duty, using the guidance contained within Notes of Guidance to Academic 

Staff on the Information to be Provided to Students to Assist their Preparation for Unseen 

Examinations, 25 as a template. In addition, Programme Boards must ensure that students are 

22 The GCU Credit Control and Debt Management Policy lists sanctions which may be applied to students with overdue debt, 

including prevention from sitting examinations (see page http://www.gcu.ac.uk/financeoffice/policiesguidelines/ and link Credit 

Control and Debt Management Policy). 

23 See also University Assessment Regulations paragraph 21 Maximum Number of Attempts at a Module 

24 With the exception of “long thin” modules, which are assessed at the end of Trimester B. 

25 Contained within The Assessment and Graduation Processes (Section 6, page 71). 



37

informed of the regulations, which specify the penalties that may result from failure to meet the 

submission dates for coursework, at the beginning of the session. It is the responsibility of the 

Module Leader to ensure that adequate arrangements are in place for the recording of the receipt of 

courseworks from students. 

5.10 In each of the following eventualities, it is normally the Module Leader who has the responsibility 

for determining the new submission date. It is the responsibility of all Module Leaders who grant 

dispensation to inform the Programme Board. 

(a) 

Penalties for late submission of coursework 

Failure by a student to meet the submission deadlines for any piece of coursework (including 

dissertations/projects) will be dealt with by the following general regulations 5.11 (a) i – iii. 

However, where a student must attend a specialised teaching session, reference should be 

made to 5.11 (a) iv. 

i) Failure by a student to meet any given submission deadline without good cause will normally 

result in a mark of zero for the piece of work concerned. Where a student fails to submit a 

piece of coursework which the module descriptor has stipulated as essential then the student 

will be deemed to have failed the module (see also 5.12). 

ii) Where a student has good cause for a late submission and intimates this in advance of the 

submission deadline, a later submission date should normally be negotiated. Where 

appropriate, documentary evidence should be sought to support the claim. In the 

circumstances outlined in this paragraph, maximum marks will be available. (It would be 

expected that this regulation would apply in cases such as the following: serious domestic or 

personal problems or attendance at the doctor, dentist, hospital, court of law or funeral). 

iii) Where a student has good cause for late submission that they are unable, or for valid reasons, 

unwilling to divulge in advance, it is normally expected that notification of the good cause 

should be given no later than 10 working days after the submission deadline. A later 

submission date should normally be negotiated. Where appropriate, documentary evidence 

should be sought to support the claim. In the circumstances outlined in this paragraph, 

maximum marks will be available. (It would be expected that this regulation would apply in 

cases such as the following: illness of the candidate or unforeseen personal or domestic 

problems.) 

iv) Where assessment requires attendance at a specialised teaching session either at the 

University (e.g. a laboratory, seminar, clinic, test etc) or elsewhere (e.g. an industrial or 

clinical placement, field exercise, laboratory visit etc) and where a student has good cause 

for non-attendance, the following procedures should be adopted: Regulations ii and iii 

above should be used whenever it is possible to provide the student with an alternative 

(e.g. provide data from another investigation, arrange attendance on another occasion) and 

thus negotiate a revised submission date. Where it is impossible to make alternative 

arrangements, the student should normally be allowed their average mark for a similar 

exercise(s) to be used in calculating the final mark for that module. Clearly in clinicallybased/workshop-based/laboratory-based 

modules there is a limit to the number of classes 

that can be missed and the student still deemed to have reached a satisfactory standard. 

Where such criteria need to be satisfied, these criteria should be included in the module 

assessment regulations and approved by the University at approval or review. It is possible 

that in some circumstances, failure to submit coursework will require to be dealt with 

under the conditions outlined in Appendix 6 - Consideration of Special Factors. 

v) Where there are sound academic and professional reasons, Programme Boards may seek 

approval from the School Board for a minimum attendance requirement in respect of 

specific modules or for all, or parts of, a particular programme. The relevant Programme 

Boards must liaise to ensure that module, programme and student handbooks clearly 



38

identify where this regulation is to be applied and the penalty for failure to meet the 

minimum attendance requirement. 26 . 

vi) Where a student has failed to meet the minimum attendance requirement (as detailed in 

module descriptors, programme regulations and student handbooks) then the Assessment 

Board may decide that the student be required to re-enter the module with attendance or, 

on the basis of the individual's overall performance, that an alternative form of action may 

be more appropriate within the framework of the assessment regulations. 

(b) 

In situations where the means of assessment for a module is one piece of coursework, failure 

to submit that piece of coursework should be considered in the same way as failure to attend 

an examination. Where appropriate, the conditions outlined in Appendix 6 may apply. 

5.11 In cases where attendance at specific classes is essential, normally to satisfy Statutory or Professional 

Body requirements, the module handbook shall specify these classes. The Module Leader must ensure 

that all students are informed via the module handbook. 

5.12 Students should not attempt to use the same substantive piece of work to meet the assessment 

requirements of another item of coursework, dissertation or project. In a situation where an 

Assessment Board believes there is evidence that a student has attempted to use the same 

substantive piece of work for more than one item of coursework, the matter will be dealt with under 

the terms of University Regulations Regarding Plagiarism and Cheating (Appendix 7). Both 

module tutors and students must be aware of this regulation and it is the responsibility of module 

tutors to ensure that assessment topics do not overlap significantly. 

At level three and above the following statement should be incorporated into any piece of 

coursework submitted by a student: 

“this piece of coursework is my own original work and has not been submitted elsewhere in 

fulfilment of the requirement of this or any other award.” 

26 See also Assessment and Graduation Processes Section 15 – Student Attendance Monitoring Policy 



39

APPENDIX 6 

CONSIDERATION OF SPECIAL FACTORS 

6.1 A Special Factors Board will operate in each School for the consideration, on behalf of individual 

Assessment Boards, of the validity of special factors submitted by students in mitigation of their 

performance in assessments which contribute to their progression and for final award. 

The membership of each Special Factors Board shall be as follows: 

1. Chair An appropriate senior member of School staff nominated by the Executive Dean 

2. Membership Appropriate senior members of School academic staff (which may include Heads of 

Learning, Teaching and Quality, Programme Organiser, Head of Department or 

equivalent), approved by the Executive Dean 27 

6.2 Each student wishing the University to take into account special factors must complete the 

"CONSIDERATION OF SPECIAL FACTORS FORM" (CSFF). 

Students must provide supporting evidence with the CSFF and it must clearly relate to the specific 

dates during which the special factors were applicable. If the special factor relates to a medical 

problem, a medical certificate (or letter from a medical practitioner) must be attached - a selfcertificate 

form is not acceptable evidence. If the special factor is not medical the student must 

obtain a third party statement or other appropriate written corroboration, e.g. a letter from an 

employer or service provider and/or anyone employed in the University (e.g. Academic Adviser, 

Student Counsellor, Year Tutor, Programme Organiser, or Students‟ Association Welfare Officer) 

and submit it as supporting evidence with their CSFF. 

The form must be submitted within 7 calendar days of the last date of the examination diet in each 

trimester, as set out in the standard Trimester Calendar. This applies to all assessments which take 

place within each trimester. Where the submission date for an assessment is outwith a normal 

exam diet (e.g. an MSc dissertation), the CSFF must be submitted no later than 5 working days 

after the submission/assessment date. Forms received after the deadlines will be rejected and late 

submissions will only be accepted in exceptional circumstances. The form (CSFF) and “Help Notes 

for Students” on its completion will be available from Departmental and School Offices and Student 

Administration Services. 

Schools will ensure that there is process by which the Module Leader(s) can confirm that the period of 

the special factors cited concur with the assessment dates. 

6.3 Schools will ensure that Consideration of Special Factors forms (CSFF) are collated and submitted 

timeously to the School Special Factors Board. The information on the form will be made available to 

all members of the Special Factors Board. The information contained within the CSFFs must be 

treated as strictly confidential and not discussed or divulged outwith the Board. 

6.4 Following its deliberations on each individual “Consideration of Special Factors Form” (CSFF), the 

School Special Factors Board will, normally, make one of the following recommendations to the 

appropriate Assessment Board. 

6.4.1 That the notification contained within the CSFF be accepted and the Assessment Board proceed 

immediately to take a decision on the basis of the directions set out in Paragraph 6.6 to 6.8 

below. 

27 It is important to note that Special Factors Boards are not intended to be representational but rather an objective Board of 

appropriate members of senior School academic staff who can provide a consistency of decision making. 



40

6.4.2 That the notification contained within the CSFF be not accepted and the submission be 

discounted in the Assessment Boards deliberations. 

6.4.3 That, very exceptionally, the Special Factors Board may wish to consult with the Assessment 

Board Chair where an informed decision cannot be reached by the Special Factors Board. 

Note: Special Factors Boards will not normally uphold special factors where corroborative 

evidence is not provided. 

6.5 The Special Factors Board shall maintain a record of decisions and their rationale and provide this 

information to the Assessment Board with respect to each Special Factors Form considered. In the 

case of a student with multiple Special Factors Forms submitted, the outcome of these deliberations 

may be consolidated into a single recommendation, as appropriate. 

Please note: It is not the role of the School Special Factors Board to make academic judgements 

on behalf of the Assessment Board. It is the role of the School Special Factors 

Board to make recommendations to Assessment Boards on whether or not the 

mitigation contained within a CSFF should or should not be accepted. This is 

designed to ensure consistency of decision making and to save considerable time at 

Assessment Board meetings. The recommendations of the Schools Special Factors 

Boards must be treated extremely seriously by the Assessment Boards and may only 

be overturned in exceptional circumstances which shall be fully minuted. 

In addition to recording a recommendation for each student, the recommendation and rationale behind 

it must also be recorded on the CSFF which should be kept with the student‟s record. (Note: The 

CSFF must be kept until at least six months after the date of completion of the programme by the 

student, or six months after their withdrawal) 

6.6 The Chair of the Assessment Board will report the recommendations of the Special Factors Board to 

the Assessment Board. Where the special factors have been accepted by the Special Factors Board, the 

Assessment Board will make a judgement about the most appropriate decision, taking into account the 

need to maintain academic standards and to act in the best interests of the student concerned. 

The Chair of the Assessment Board shall ensure the following: 

i) CSFFs submitted directly to the Assessment Board (i.e. not via a Special Factors Board) are 

not considered. 

ii) That there is no discussion of special factors relating to any student where these factors have 

not been notified to the Board, via a Special Factors Board, by means of a CSFF. 

iii) Where a student has cited special factors for a particular module assessment, these factors 

will not be considered in relation to any other module assessments undertaken by the 

student on the basis of supplementary information notified to the Assessment Board by oral 

(or other) statement(s). 

Where a candidate has given, to the satisfaction of the Special Factors Board, due notice of special 

factors (in accordance with paragraph 6.2 above) and has been absent from or has failed an assessment, 

the Assessment Board will consider: 

• the work which the candidate has submitted at the assessment(s), if any, for the module concerned 

• records of the candidate's performance during the entire programme 

• academic evaluation provided by the candidate's tutors 



41

• the results of any other form of assessment (e.g., oral) which may be set for the candidate 

concerned 

6.7 Where a candidate has given, to the satisfaction of the Special Factors Board, due notice of special 

factors (in accordance with paragraph 6.2 above) and has been absent from or has failed an assessment, 

the Assessment Board may, for example, decide: 

i) that the student has passed and is eligible for progression or award with the original marks and the 

special factors are not considered to have impinged on the student‟s performance. However, the 

submission of a CSFF will be recorded in the student‟s assessment record for potential future 

reference. 

ii) that, on the level of overall performance in a particular year and performance in previous years, the 

student would have passed had he/she not been affected by circumstances outwith his/her control 

(see paragraph 54 of the University Assessment Regulations). In situations where the Assessment 

Board decision is to take cognisance of special factors and award a pass in a particular module, no 

mark should be recorded but a symbol i.e. 'P' representing a Pass from the Assessment Board 

based on the special factors will be recorded in the student's record and transcript. 

iii) that, in the light of the special factors, the attempt at a particular diet be declared void and that the 

student take the next diet as a first, second, third*, or fourth* attempt as appropriate. 28 

iv) that, on the basis of overall performance in a particular year and, if appropriate, in previous years, 

that the student would not have passed, notwithstanding the fact that he/she had been affected by 

circumstances outwith his/her control 

6.8 A student who has had first and/or second diet attempts discounted by the Assessment Board due to 

special factors may be offered a special diet of assessment in the session in which the first and/or 

second diet attempts were discounted. For all programmes the Assessment Board is responsible for 

making this decision and the preparation, supervision and marking of the relevant assessment in 

conjunction with relevant Module Leaders 

Assessment Boards may modify the form of assessment in accordance with the University Assessment 

Regulations (see paragraphs 53 to 56). 

6.9 On the basis of the information available to it, the Assessment Board may, if appropriate, permit the 

candidate to proceed, or recommend the granting of a University award, an award with Distinction, a 

degree, a degree with Distinction, a degree with Honours, etc. 

28 Third and fourth attempts are normally only available at the discretion of an Assessment Board for undergraduate programmes. 



42

GLASGOW CALEDONIAN UNIVERSITY - Consideration of Special Factors Form 2012-13 

Students are required to consult the Special Factors “Help Sheet for Students” before completing the 

form. 

Submission of the form 

Forms must be submitted by the appropriate assessment deadline in each Trimester. The deadlines for 

session 2012-13 are as follows: 

Trimester A assessment deadline – no later than 11 January 2013 

Trimester B assessment deadline - no later than 10 May 2013 

Trimester C/Resit assessment deadline – no later than 23 August 2013 

Where assessments are scheduled in September (e.g. Postgraduate dissertations, placements) 

you are required to submit your CSFF no later than 5 working days after the submission date, 

stating the date of your submission. 

Forms submitted after the stated deadlines will only be accepted in exceptional circumstances (e.g. 

hospitalisation). You must state (in the space below) why you were unable to submit your form by the 

appropriate deadline. You should be aware that the University will have the right to decide if a form 

submitted late can be accepted. 

Personal Details 

Name: ......................................................... Student ID: ..........................................………………… 

Address for correspondence ........................................................................................………………. 

.....................................................................................................................................………………….. 

.....................................................................................................................................………………….. 

Telephone No: ............................................. Email address: …………………………………………….. 

Date of Submission of CSFF:.................. (This date must be entered) 

Category of Attendance (Please tick the appropriate boxes) 

Full-Time Part-Time Undergraduate Postgraduate 

Associate Attached Distance Learning Other (please specify): 

Programme/Module Details (This Section must be completed) 

Programme of Study .............................................................................. 

Programme Code (This is indicated on your Student ID card) ....................................... 

School: GSBS SEBE SHLS GCU LEAD GRADUATE SCHOOL 

(please tick appropriate box) 



43

Modules affected by special factors (please give Module Code and Title) 

Module Code Module Title Date(s) of Assessment/Submission 

1 ................... ........................................................ ............................................ 

2 ................... ........................................................ ............................................ 

3 ................... .....................................................… ............................................ 

4 ................... ........................................................ ............................................ 

5 ................... ....................................................... ............................................ 

6 ................... ........................................................ ............................................ 

Nature of Special Factors 

Nature of special factors Medical Other (please tick box) 

Duration of impact of special factors from / / to / / 

Supporting Evidence (This section must be completed) 

You must provide supporting evidence and it must clearly relate to the specific dates during which the 

special factors were applicable. If you are awaiting supporting evidence documentation, do not delay 

submission of the form. If you submit the CSFF without supporting evidence, the supporting evidence 

documentation must be submitted no later than 5 working days after the Trimester CSFF deadline and 

you must supply your personal details with the documentation. (This section must be completed – 

Please tick the appropriate box) 

 

 

 

I have provided additional separate documentation as supporting evidence consisting of 

_______________________________________________________ (please specify, e.g. medical certificate, third 

party statement etc) 

OR 

I am awaiting additional supporting evidence documentation. 

OR 

I am not submitting additional supporting evidence documentation. 

Personal Impact Statement 

This section must be completed. You are required to include details of how the circumstances 

have affected your studies. 

Please provide as much information as you feel the Board needs to know and which you feel 

comfortable disclosing. Please continue on a separate sheet if necessary. 



44

Outcomes Requested (This section must be completed) 

You should indicate what outcomes you are requesting from the Assessment Board (Please refer to 

CSFF 

“Help Sheet” and appendix 6 of the University Assessment Regulations). 

If you wish the attempt at a module you have failed to be declared void due to special factors, please 

tick this box. 

Please specify any other requested outcome 

Declaration 

The information given in this form must be accurate and must have, or must be believed to have, had a 

direct and adverse effect on your academic performance. You MUST sign and date this declaration: 

The information I have given on this form is, to the best of my knowledge, true and has had a direct 

adverse effect on the assessment(s) named. 

Signed: ............................................................................... 

Date: ………………………... 

If you provide information or certificates which are subsequently found to be falsified or 

misleading in any way, you may be liable to action being taken against you under the Student 

Discipline Regulations. 

Where the submission date for an assessment is after the Trimester deadline: 

In the event that your assessment submission date for the module(s) affected is scheduled after the final 

Trimester deadline for submission of a CSFF, you MUST submit your CSFF no later than 5 working days 

after the submission date. 

State assessment submission date: ........................................ 

FOR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATIVE PURPOSES ONLY 

Action By: Signature Date 

Received by Clerk to Special Factors 

Board 

Date of Special Factors Board Meeting: ................................................ 

Decision of Board: Accepted Rejected 

Rationale for Board decision: 



45

CSFF - Help Sheet for Students 

What is a Consideration of Special Factors (CSF) Form? 

A CSF is the form provided when you need to tell the University about any circumstances that 

you feel have affected your academic performance and/or caused your absence from an 

assessment, i.e. coursework or exam. The University will only accept for consideration special 

factors notified by this means, e.g. it cannot accept notification by e-mail, discussion with 

members of staff, letter etc. 

Please do not use a CSFF to request an extension or to provide an explanation for the 

late submission of an assessment. If you wish to request an extension or explain the late 

submission of an assessment you are required to contact your module leader. 

When do I need to submit it by? 

There are deadlines for the submission of CSFFs in each trimester. The deadlines for session 

2012-13 are: 

 

 

 

 

If the affected assessment takes place in Trimester A, you are required to submit 

your CSFF no later than 11 January 2013 

If the affected assessment takes place in Trimester B, you are required to submit 

your CSFF no later than 10 May 2013 

If the affected assessment takes place in Trimester C/in the resit diet, you are 

required to submit your CSFF no later than 23 August 2013 

Where assessments are scheduled in September (e.g. Postgraduate dissertations, 

placements) you are required to submit your CSFF no later than 5 working days 

after the submission/assessment date, stating the date of your 

submission/assessment. 

Where your circumstances are ongoing, e.g. from trimester A to trimester B, you are required 

submit a CSFF and supporting evidence in each trimester affected. 

What sort of information should I include? 

You must complete the Personal Impact Statement section of the form. Use this part of the 

form to explain how the factors, medical or otherwise affected you personally in relation to your 

ability to complete your studies. 

Use this part of the form to outline as much information as you feel the board needs to know 

and which you feel comfortable disclosing. You could include details of the situation that has 

affected you and how this may have impacted on you emotionally. You must include details of 

how the circumstances have affected your studies. 

What will happen to my form? 

There are two stages to the process. A School Special Factors Board will normally make a 

decision whether or not to accept your CSFF. If the CSFF is accepted then the Assessment 



46

Board for your programme can take the circumstances into consideration when making their 

decision regarding your progression or award (this will usually happen in June or August). 

What evidence do I need to attach to my form? 

If the special factor relates to a medical issue, a medical certificate (or letter from a medical 

practitioner) is required - a self-certificate form is not acceptable evidence. 

If you have been affected by the illness of a close family member or a family bereavement, you 

need to use the Personal Impact Statement to explain how this impacted on you personally 

in relation to your ability to complete your studies. In this case, you will need to provide 

evidence relating directly to you in support of your Personal Impact Statement e.g. a medical 

certificate or letter from a medical practitioner. 

If the special factor is not due to a medical issue you are required to provide a third party 

statement or other appropriate written corroboration, e.g. a letter from your employer or service 

provider and/or anyone employed in the University (e.g. Academic Adviser, Year Tutor, 

Programme Leader, or Students‟ Association Welfare Officer). 

Whatever the nature of the supporting evidence, you must ensure it contains the 

necessary details to clearly relate it to the specific dates during which the special factors 

were applicable. If you do not do so it is likely that your CSFF will not be accepted. 

What are the possible outcomes? 

There are a number of possible outcomes allowed within the University Regulations. If your 

special factors are accepted a failed attempt may be declared void and considered as a 1 st (or 

2 nd , 3 rd or 4 th ) attempt, as appropriate. If you are requesting this outcome, indicate this by 

ticking the box on the CSFF. If you are requesting any other outcome, indicate this clearly on 

the CSFF. 

Will my special factors be treated as confidential? 

You may be assured that all discussions relating to your special factors will be treated in the 

strictest confidence. 

Who can help me fill it in? 

If you feel you need assistance when filling out the form an academic advisor, tutor, or Students‟ 

Association Welfare Officer may be able to help. 

What do I need to do before submitting the CSFF? 

You are encouraged to take a photocopy of your CSFF for your records. 

Enclose the form and supporting evidence in an envelope marked “confidential”. 



47

To whom do I send the completed form? 

You can submit your CSFF and supporting evidence in the following ways. In all cases, you will 

receive an e-mail confirming receipt of your CSF form: 

For programmes within the following Schools: 

Glasgow School for Business and Society (GSBS): 

 

 

By drop off in the School „Special Factors‟ collection boxes in the Hamish Wood 

Building. The boxes are available on the first floor (outside the lifts) and fifth 

floor (outside the lifts) of the building. 

By post to the Programmes Office, Glasgow School for Business and Society, Glasgow 

Caledonian University, Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow G4 0BA. 

School of Engineering and Built Environment (SEBE): 

 

 

By drop off in the „Special Factors‟ postbox outside the Programmes Office M209 

By post to the CSFF Administrator, School Office, M217, School of Engineering and Built 

Environment, Glasgow Caledonian University, Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow G4 0BA 

 

School of Health and Life Sciences (HLS): 

 

 

By drop off in the „Special Factors‟ collection box (outside A506, 5 th Floor, 

Govan Mbeki Building) 

By post to CSFF Submission, School of Health and Life Sciences, Glasgow 

Caledonian University, Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow G4 0BA 

Arrangements for programmes within the GCU LEAD (Learning Enhancement and 

Academic Development) Centre 

 

By post to the Programme Administrator, Room H113G, Level 1, William Harley Building. 

Graduate School 

 

Submission Box outside Graduate School Office, Milton Street MS009 

You may also submit your form to The Base on the Ground Floor of the Saltire Centre. 

For further guidance on Special Factors, please refer to Appendix 6 of the University 

Assessment Regulations on the Exams Home Page at: 

http://www.gcu.ac.uk/student/exams/ 



48

UNIVERSITY REGULATIONS REGARDING PLAGIARISM AND CHEATING 

Please refer to Section 7.5 for definitions of plagiarism and cheating. 

7.1 Plagiarism: Regulations and Procedures 29 

7.1.1 Where plagiarism is suspected, the Module Leader concerned shall report the matter in 

writing to the Head of Department within which the module is located. The report shall 

contain full details of the circumstances surrounding the alleged irregularity, including all 

appropriate documentary evidence. Any further consideration of the student‟s work for the 

module where plagiarism is suspected and for all other modules undertaken in the Trimester 

shall be held in abeyance until the procedures below have been completed, which should 

normally be within 30 days. The student will receive notification of any penalty in 

accordance with the process outlined in 7.1.4 (iv). 

7.1.2 In the first instance the Head of Department shall consult with Governance and Quality to 

ascertain if the student has previously committed plagiarism. Thereafter the Head of 

Department shall: 

assess the extent of the suspected plagiarism and will deal with suspected cases that are 

first offences and not considered to be major. 

refer all suspected repeat offences and suspected cases of major offences to a Plagiarism 

Assessor 30 , via Governance and Quality, for investigation under the provisions of 

Section 7.1.5 below. 

all cases of confirmed third offences will be referred to the Senate Disciplinary 

Committee. 

In minor cases, where the matter is dealt with at Departmental level, the process will be 

managed by the School. In all other cases the process will be managed by Governance and 

Quality. 

7.1.3 In determining what constitutes a major offence, the Head of Department will take into 

account the student's level of study and length of exposure to the procedures, practices and 

regulations of the University. In addition, the Head of Department may consult informally 

with an independent Plagiarism Assessor, assigned by Governance and Quality, if he/she 

requires advice as whether or not the case is a major offence. The Head of Department 

should also discuss the case informally with the School‟s Associate Dean of Learning 

Teaching and Quality to ensure that the Associate Dean‟s University wide experience as a 

Plagiarism Assessor is utilised to confirm that the proposed actions are in line with normal 

University practice. 

7.1.4 First Offences 

i. With respect to first offences which are not considered to be major, the student will be 

informed in writing by the Head of Department of the alleged offence and of the 

requirement to attend for interview, as soon as is practicable. Where the Head of 

Department has a potential conflict of interest, he/she should pass the case to another 

Head of Department within the School. 

ii. The student shall have the right to be accompanied, assisted or represented at the interview 

by one of the following: 

a parent or guardian; 

APPENDIX 7 

29 Regulations and procedures addressing all other forms of cheating and academic irregularity begin at paragraph 7.2. 

30 The Plagiarism Assessors will be the Associate Deans of Learning, Teaching and Quality or other appropriate member of 

academic staff. In any investigation, the Plagiarism Assessor (and their School) will not have any involvement with the 

student at programme or module level. Governance and Academic Quality will assign an appropriate Plagiarism Assessor. 

49

a fellow student or other friend; 

an Officer of the Students' Association; 

a member of University staff. 

At the beginning of the interview, the Head of Department will ascertain who is to be the 

spokesperson for the student (the student or a representative). The Head of Department 

shall have the right, however, to question the student directly where necessary. The Head 

of Department will also retain a record of the meeting. 

iii. At the interview, the student will be shown his or her work and given a clear explanation 

of the alleged irregularity. The student will be given the opportunity to justify the work. 

iv. If the Head of Department is satisfied beyond all reasonable doubt that an offence has 

occurred he or she will: 

Decide on the penalty to be imposed. This will either be resubmission of the work or 

reduction in the mark for the assignment up to and including a mark of zero; 

Notify the Chair of the Assessment Board of the penalty in writing; 

Notify Governance and Quality of the penalty in writing. Governance and Quality will 

add the case to the central register of students who have plagiarised; 

Notify the student in writing of the penalty imposed and their right of appeal (see 7.4); 

Ensure that the student is given written instruction about plagiarism and the necessity 

of properly acknowledging and referencing sources prior to any resubmission. 

v. If the Head of Department is not satisfied that an offence has occurred but considers that 

the student has engaged in poor academic practice then the student will receive a warning 

and written instructions about plagiarism. Governance and Quality will be notified that 

an investigation has taken place and that no further action will be taken. 

vi. If it is judged that there is no case for the student to answer, the student will be informed 

in writing by the Head of Department and the piece of work in question will be marked in 

accordance with normal arrangements, without penalty. Governance and Quality will be 

notified that an investigation has taken place and that no further action will be taken. 

7.1.5 Major Offences/Second Offences 

i. Where an allegation of a major or repeat offence has occurred, the case will be referred 

by the Head of Department via Governance and Quality to a Plagiarism Assessor. The 

Head of Department is responsible for ensuring that the case passed to Governance and 

Quality is accompanied by all relevant documentation including a signed Plagiarism 

Major Offence Pro-forma. On receipt of the case, Governance and Quality will 

immediately advise the student in writing that a major or repeat plagiarism offence is 

suspected to have occurred and that an investigation by an independent Plagiarism 

Assessor is in progress. The student will be informed of their right to appear before the 

Plagiarism Assessor accompanied by a representative (as described in paragraph 7.1.4 

above) and that full details of the alleged irregularity will be made available to the student 

at the interview. 

ii. The Plagiarism Assessor shall arrange to interview the student and, as appropriate, come 

to a decision on the basis of the student's statement and the supporting evidence. 

iii. Failure by the student to appear before the Plagiarism Assessor or to submit a statement 

shall not prevent the investigation proceeding. 

50

iv. If the Plagiarism Assessor decides the student has committed an offence, the following 

outcomes are possible: 

the rescindment of the assessment result or the complete examination diet (in this case 

this means all coursework and formal examinations) at issue. In either case the 

rescinded result will count as an attempt(s) at the module assessment; 

the matter is referred directly to the Senate Disciplinary Committee (this would be 

automatic in the case of a confirmed third offence); 

the student is given written instruction about plagiarism and the necessity of properly 

acknowledging and referencing sources. It is the responsibility of the Head of 

Department to ensure that this happens as soon as possible after the investigation 

has concluded and prior to any resubmission; 

v. The Plagiarism Assessor will notify Governance and Quality of his/her decision. 

vi. Governance and Quality will: 

Notify the relevant Head of Department in writing: 

Notify the Chair of the relevant Assessment Board in writing; it should be noted that 

the Assessment Board may amend the penalty in exceptional circumstances which 

must be properly minuted at the Assessment Board. 31 The chair of the Assessment 

Board must also provide Governance and Quality with a copy of the minute. An 

example of such a situation would be where Consideration of Special Factors has been 

upheld and the Board feels that the Special Factors were a sufficient mitigation for the 

plagiarism. 

Notify any other relevant programme staff in writing; 

Add the case to the central register of students who have plagiarised; 

Notify the student in writing of the penalty imposed and his/her right of appeal. 

Advise the student, if appropriate, to consult with their programme organiser to 

receive guidance/advice as to the academic implications of the penalty imposed. 

vii. If the Plagiarism Assessor is not satisfied that an offence has occurred but considers that 

the student has engaged in poor academic practice, the student will receive a warning 

and written instruction about plagiarism from the Plagiarism Assessor. The Plagiarism 

Assessor will also notify Governance and Quality, who will notify the Head of 

Department and the Chair of the relevant Assessment Board in writing of the outcome 

of the investigation. The provisions of bullet point 2 in vi above also apply in this case. 

viii. If the Plagiarism Assessor judges that there is no case for the student to answer, he/she 

will notify Governance and Quality that an investigation has taken place and that no 

further action is to be taken. The student will be informed in writing by Governance 

and Quality and the piece of work in question will be marked in accordance with normal 

arrangements and without penalty. 

7.2 Cheating in Formal Assessments: Regulations and Procedures 

Examinations 

7.2.1 Where an academic irregularity is suspected in an examination, the senior invigilator shall 

act in accordance with the procedures set out in the Scheme of Invigilation 32 and shall report 

31 Where programmes have programme specific regulations relating to Professional and Statutory Body fitness for practice 

requirements, the penalty may be amended to meet the requirements of these regulations. These regulations should be clearly 

described in the programme specific regulations in the programme documentation. 

32 See Assessment and Graduation Processes section 1. 

51

the alleged irregularity to Governance and Quality utilising the senior invigilator's report 

form. On receipt of notification of an alleged academic irregularity, Governance and Quality 

shall proceed in accordance with the Code of Student Discipline 33 and shall instigate the 

procedures required under the regulations in order that the alleged academic irregularity may 

be investigated and considered by the Senate Disciplinary Committee as appropriate. 

Other Formal Assessments 

7.2.2 Where an academic irregularity is suspected in any other formal assessment, the matter will 

be referred to the Executive Dean of School (or equivalent) to determine whether or not the 

offence constitutes a major or minor offence under the terms of the Code of Student 

Discipline. Cases of plagiarism will be dealt with under the procedures for plagiarism 

detailed in 7.1 above. 

All Formal Assessments 

7.2.3 Governance and Quality will inform the Chair of the appropriate Assessment Board in 

writing that an investigation into an alleged examination irregularity is underway. 

7.2.4 The Assessment Board will not consider the case of any student who is the subject of an 

enquiry into an alleged irregularity in an examination. However, all course work and 

examination scripts that are available shall be marked in the normal manner. 

7.2.5 In the event of the allegation not being sustained by the Senate Disciplinary Committee, the 

relevant Assessment Board will be required to consider the student's performance in the 

normal manner. However, the Chair of the Assessment Board may, after due consultation 

with relevant internal and External Assessors, take Chair's action to avoid the need for a 

formal meeting of the Assessment Board. 

7.2.6 Should the allegation be sustained, the matter will be considered by the Senate Disciplinary 

Committee. The Clerk to the Senate Disciplinary Committee shall inform the relevant Chair 

of the Assessment Board of the outcome of the investigation. 

7.2.7 Penalties 

The Senate Disciplinary Committee has the power to impose penalties. These include: 34 

• an admonition 

• a reprimand 

• disqualification from appropriate 

examinations/assessments 

• suspension for a specified period 

• expulsion 

7.3 Late Discovery 

Where an alleged academic irregularity comes to light after an Assessment Board has met to 

consider a student's assessment the procedure shall be the same as described above. 

The Assessment Board shall be reconvened as soon as practicable following receipt by the Chair of 

the Board of the result of the investigation and the recommended penalty. 

33 http//www.gcu.ac.uk/student/about/regulations/documents/CodeofStudentDiscipline.doc 

34 Code of Student Discipline, section 4 

52

If the outcome of the reconvened Assessment Board affects the student's final result, the Chair of 

the Assessment Board shall inform Governance and Quality in writing of the reasons for the varied 

result. Governance and Quality will inform the student of the altered final result with the reasons. 

7.4 Appeals 35 

Plagiarism 

A student may appeal against the decision following an investigation as follows: 

i. where the decision was taken by a Head of Department, the student may appeal to a Plagiarism 

Assessor, appointed by Governance and Quality. 

ii. where the decision was taken by a Plagiarism Assessor, the student may appeal to the Senate 

Disciplinary Committee. The decision of the Senate Disciplinary Committee, in the case of 

such an appeal, will be final. 

Cheating or other academic irregularity 

A student may appeal against the decision following an investigation as follows: 

i. where the decision was taken by an Executive Dean of School (or equivalent), the student may 

appeal to the Senate Disciplinary Committee. 

ii. where the decision was taken by the Senate Disciplinary Committee, the student may appeal to 

the Appeal Committee of the University Court. 

Appeals will only be considered where new information is presented which was not previously 

made available during the investigation and valid supporting evidence must be provided. 

7.5 Definitions 

7.5.1 Plagiarism 

Plagiarism is the deliberate and substantial unacknowledged incorporation in a student's 

work of material derived from the work (published or unpublished) of another. Examples of 

plagiarism include: 

i) The extensive use of another person's material without reference or acknowledgement 

ii) The summarising of another person's work by changing some words or altering the 

order of presentation 

iii) The substantial and unauthorised use of the ideas of another person without 

acknowledgement of the source 

iv) Copying the work of another student with or without that student's knowledge or 

agreement 

v) Deliberate use of commissioned material and presented as the student's own 

vi) Collusion 

vii) Self-plagiarism (the re-use of own previously written work or data presented for 

assessment on a previous occasion) 

7.5.2 Cheating 

Examples of cheating include: 

35 Code of Student Discipline, sections 5 and 6 

53

i) Communicating during an examination with any person other than a properly authorised 

invigilator or another authorised member of staff 

ii) Introducing any written or printed materials into the examination room unless expressly 

permitted by the Assessment Board or programme regulations 

iii) Introducing any electronically stored information into the examination room unless 

expressly permitted by the Assessment Board or programme regulations 

iv) Gaining access to any unauthorised material relating to an examination during or before 

the examination 

v) Obtaining a copy of an 'unseen' written examination paper in advance of the date and 

time for its authorised release 

vi) Falsifying data 

vii) Personating 

Revised regulations approved by APC, 11 October 2006 

(Amended October 2007, October 2008 and September 2010, October 2011) 

54

Flow diagram Flow diagram of proposed of procedures procedures 

in respect of plagiarism 

in respect of plagiarism 

Minor offence 

Plagiarism detected by 

Module Leader 

Head of Department contacts 

Governance and Quality to 

ascertain if it is a first offence and 

makes an initial judgement on the 

severity (in consultation with 

plagiarism assessor if necessary). 

Repeated minor offence 

or major offence 

Governance and 

Quality adds the 

case to the central 

register 

Head of Department 

decides on the penalty 

Student Notified 

Plagiarism Assessor 

decides on penalty or 

passes matter to SDC 

Student and 

relevant staff 

notified 

Assessment 

Board -notes the 

decision 




register 

Assessment 

Board -notes the 

decision 




register 

Senate Disciplinary 

Committee 

Student and 

relevant staff 

notified 

55

PLAGIARISM MAJOR OFFENCE PROFORMA 

This form is to be used for the reporting of suspected Major Offences of Plagiarism to Governance and Quality. On 

completion by Head of Department, please return to Plagiarism Offences, Governance and Quality, Room H213, William 

Harley Building. 

Student Name: 

School: 

Head of Dept: 

AB Chair: 

Student ID Number: 

Course & Level: 

Programme Leader: 

Module Leader(s): 

Yes 

Has the central register for plagiarism been checked for a previous offence: 

No 

Is this a first offence? (Please check with Governance and Quality): 

Yes 

No 

In the case of a second/repeat offence please detail what guidance was previously given to the student: 

Please list the module(s) and Trimester in which plagiarism has occurred: 

Please provide details of the offence providing as much information as possible including details of evidence being presented 

for investigation. 

In my capacity as Head of Department I consider this to constitute a Major Offence of Plagiarism in terms of the University 

Regulations regarding Cheating and Plagiarism. 

Signature: 

Date: 

LEC/Plagiarism/Oct2011 

56

ASSESSMENT AND GRADUATION PROCESSES 

57

1. Scheme of Invigilation 

1.1 Appointment of Invigilators 

1.1.1 Allocation of all invigilators will be done by the Examinations Office, from a pool of 

externally recruited staff. Duties will only be allocated to Invigilators who have attended an 

appropriate training session. 

1.1.2 A senior invigilator shall be appointed for each examination room. 

1.1.3 Invigilators shall normally be allocated on the ratio of 1:30 candidates. Two invigilators must 

be present in the examinations room at all times. 

1.2 Roles and Responsibilities 

Senior Invigilator 

The Senior Invigilator will: 

1.2.1 Collect the examination papers, script books, Examination Attendance Records, Display Lists 

and Certificate of Invigilation Reports, together with any other requisite ancillary materials 

(as specified by the Assessors) from the Examinations Office at least thirty minutes before the 

start of the examination. Examinations Office staff will already have laid out materials and 

put up Display Lists in the main examination rooms. 

1.2.2 Check that the examination room is properly arranged and that the requisite 

stationery/ancillary materials have been provided, and report any discrepancies to the 

Assessments Manager. 

1.2.3 Ensure the examination papers and requisite ancillary materials are placed on candidates‟ 

desks prior to the candidates entering the room. All other preparations for the examination, 

including putting up the display list(s) outside the examination room, must be completed 

before candidates are permitted to enter the examination room. 

1.2.4 Open the doors of the examination room at least 15 minutes before the start of the 

examination and permit candidates to enter. Instruct candidates, as they enter the room, that 

they must deposit all coats, bags, multimedia equipment, books, etc, at the front or back of the 

examination room and that they may not read the examination paper or commence written 

work, other than completion of the front-piece of the examination script, until they are 

permitted to start the examination. 

1.2.5 Manage situations where candidates whose names are not listed on the Examination 

Attendance Record present themselves in the examination room. Ensure any names of 

additional candidates are added to Examination Attendance Record. Ensure also that their 

details are added to the correct Record and their script(s) are reconciled within the appropriate 

set of scripts. 

1.2.6 Make the required announcements to the candidates prior to the start of the examination 

session and with 15 minutes remaining and at the end of the examination. 

1.2.7 Instruct candidates to place their student ID cards on the top, right-hand corner of their 

desks, where they can be checked by the invigilators without candidates being disturbed. 

58

1.2.8 Read the items one to ten below to all candidates approximately five minutes before the 

examination session begins, stating the start time of the examination: 

1.2.8.1. Announce appropriate Emergency Evacuation procedures. 

1.2.8.2 Inform candidates it is expected that they check that they are sitting in the correct 

seat and have been issued with the correct examination paper. 

1.2.8.3 Inform candidates that no extra time for examinations will be given in the 

examination venue. If the candidate should receive extra time to complete the 

examination, they must go immediately to the Examinations Office in M122A. 

1.2.8.4. Inform candidates that electronic media devices and mobile phones must be 

switched off and stored away from desks. Unauthorised aids are not allowed into 

the examination room and any such items must, on request, be surrendered to the 

Senior Invigilator who will hand them over to the University. 

1.2.8.5. Inform candidates that they must not pass any information from one to another, 

work in collusion with any other person, copy from another candidate or engage 

in any similar activity. 

1.2.8.6. State that candidates who feel ill during the examination must make every 

reasonable effort to inform an invigilator of their condition. Candidates may 

notify the University of any circumstances they consider may have affected their 

performance in the examination by using the Consideration of Special Factors 

process, details of which may be obtained from the GCU student website. 

1.2.8.7 Inform candidates that they may leave the examination after one-third of the 

scheduled duration has elapsed but may not normally leave during the final fifteen 

minutes. 

1.2.8.8 Inform candidates that they may take the question paper out of the room once they 

have completed the examination but may not remove the question paper before 

one-third of the scheduled duration has elapsed. If the Module Leader has 

stipulated for a particular examination paper that the candidates must return all 

copies of the paper, candidates are not allowed to take the examination paper out 

of this room at any time. 

1.2.8.9 Inform candidates it is their responsibility to make sure that script material is 

securely fastened together using the treasury tags provided and collected by an 

invigilator. At the end of the examination, candidates must remain seated until 

your script is collected. 

1.2.8.10 Inform candidates that they must place their student ID cards on the top, righthand 

corner of their desk, where they can be checked by the invigilators. 

1.2.8.11 At the appointed time, the invigilator will announce to candidates they may begin 

their examinations 

1.2.8.12 Inform candidates when there are fifteen minutes remaining and that they must 

remain seated until an invigilator gives them permission to leave the examination 

room. 

59

1.2.8.13 Inform candidates at the end of the examination session that they must stop 

writing and make sure their script material is fastened securely, and to remain 

seated until the script has been collected by an invigilator. 

1.2.8 Admit candidates who arrive late only until the point where one third of the scheduled 

duration for the examination has elapsed. Candidates will not be allowed to leave the 

examination venue with a copy of the examination paper during the first third of the 

scheduled examination duration. 

1.2.9 Arrange a check of the candidate‟s identity and student ID card, which should have been 

placed on the top, right-hand corner of desks. Cards can be checked against the name on the 

Examination Attendance Record without candidates being disturbed. The invigilator must 

mark “AB” for absence or indicate the candidate is present by entering a . Ensure the 

Attendance Record is updated where candidates are admitted to the room after the attendance 

is taken. (See also 1.2.8 above) 

1.2.10 Ensure invigilators are positioned appropriately within the examination room in order to 

monitor the candidates and respond to requests for additional materials, i.e. supplementary 

paper, treasury tags and requests to leave the examination room temporarily. Should a 

question arise regarding the content of the examination paper, arrange for the Module Leader 

to return to the examination venue to respond. 

1.2.11 Ensure that if ever any abnormality or anomalous situation is encountered at an examination 

that it is immediately reported to the Assessments Manager. 

1.2.12 Record any instances of doubt of a candidate‟s eligibility to sit an examination on the 

Certificate of Invigilation Report in order that appropriate action may be taken. However, the 

candidate should not be prevented from sitting the examination. 

1.2.13 Arrange for assistant invigilation staff to leave the examination room on a rota basis for an 

appropriate refreshment break, provided that there are always at least two invigilators on duty. 

Breaks should not exceed 20 minutes in duration. Normally, a break will only be given where 

the examination duration is two hours or more. 

1.2.14 Complete a reconciliation of the worked scripts at the end of the examination session. 

Assisted by all invigilators, ensure the scripts for each paper being examined are arranged into 

numerical by seat number order. Carry out a check to confirm, by using the students‟ ID card 

numbers, that an examination script has been collected from each candidate marked present 

on the Examination Attendance Record(s). 

1.2.15 Ensure a thorough search of the examination room is undertaken if there is a discrepancy in 

the reconciliation and it appears a script is missing. Notify the Examinations Office 

immediately. 

1.2.16 Complete and sign the Certificate of Invigilation Report pro forma when the reconciliation 

exercise has been completed. Return the signed Certificate of Invigilation Report, the scripts, 

the Examination Attendance Record(s) and the Examination Envelopes to the Examinations 

Office. Any cases arising under 1.2.4 and 1.2.5 must be fully documented in the Invigilation 

Report. Further, any errors found in an examination paper should be fully detailed in the 

report. 

60

1.2.17 The Senior Invigilator will ensure that all ancillary examination materials are returned to the 

Examinations Office, except in the case of examinations held in the main examination venues 

when ancillary materials should be deposited on one of the tables provided. 

All Invigilators 

1.2.18 Invigilators must not answer enquiries by candidates as to the meaning of examination 

questions. The Module Leader or a member of academic staff with specialist knowledge of 

each paper being examined will be present in the examination room 10 minutes prior to the 

start of each examination and will leave 10 minutes after the examination has started. In 

situations where the same examination is being held in 2 or more separate venues at the 

same time, it is the responsibility of the Module Leader or “specialist” to make 

appropriate arrangements with a colleague to provide suitable cover. The Module 

Leader will be responsible to the senior invigilator for ensuring that candidates have been 

issued with the correct materials and will answer any questions arising from the content of the 

paper. They may also conduct a random check of candidates‟ electronic calculators prior to 

the commencement of the examination. 

1.2.19 Whenever an abnormality or anomalous situation is encountered in the absence of the 

Senior Invigilator, it must be immediately reported to the Assessments Manager (or 

their assistant) in order that immediate and appropriate action may be taken, in 

consultation, where necessary, with the appropriate academic staff. 

1.2.20 During the examination, no other work should be undertaken by invigilators who must devote 

their whole attention to supervision. While an examination is in progress only essential 

conversation should be carried out and this as quietly as possible to prevent disturbance to 

candidates. 

1.2.21 If an invigilator suspects that an examinee is giving or receiving information during an 

examination or is in any way infringing the Regulations for the Conduct of Examinations, 

they will note the name of the candidate and the number of their desk and report the 

circumstances to the senior invigilator. The candidate should be permitted to continue the 

examination in the normal way but shall be informed that the circumstances will be reported 

to the Examinations Office. Any unauthorised materials removed from the candidate must be 

handed into the Examinations Office as soon as possible. 

1.2.22 Invigilators will watch the candidates for signs of stress or illness and report any such 

occurrence to the senior invigilator. 

1.2.23 In the event of a medical emergency arising during an examination, one of the invigilators on 

duty should immediately summon first-aid assistance. 

1.2.24 Invigilators will ensure that any candidate who has to leave the examination room 

temporarily is escorted throughout the absence by an invigilator. 

1.2.25 Assistant invigilators are reminded that the senior invigilator is responsible for all aspects of 

the conduct of examinations while they are in progress. Invigilators should not leave the 

examination room during the examination except with the agreement of the senior invigilator. 

1.2.26 All assistant invigilators must assist with the reconciliation of attendance and scripts 

process and remain present in the examination room until the reconciliation process has 

been successfully completed. If required, they must assist the Senior Invigilator in 

returning the scripts and materials to the Examinations Office. 

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Emergency Procedures 

1.3.1 In the event that the University fire alarm sounds or other similar emergency arises during 

an examination session, the room must be evacuated as quickly as possible, in accordance 

with standard University procedures. Candidates should be instructed to leave all 

examination materials, including scripts, on their desks and to report to the invigilators at 

the assembly point after evacuation of the building. The procedure to be adopted thereafter 

will be determined by the nature/extent of the emergency. 

1.3.2 All Senior Invigilators should report to the Assessments Manager as soon as possible after 

vacating the building. The Assessments Manager, in consultation with the Senior 

Invigilators, will decide whether an examination can continue or not. 

1.3.3 If the examination can continue, invigilators should return to the examination room as soon 

as possible after the "all clear" has been given. Candidates will be re-admitted to the 

examination and allowed to resume the examination using the original scripts. An 

appropriate time allowance should be given to candidates to compensate for the 

interruption. The attendance at the reconvened examination must be taken. The Senior 

Invigilator should note in his/her report the time at which the examination was interrupted 

and re-started and the time at which the examination was concluded. 

62

2. Regulations for the Conduct of Examinations 

2.1 These Regulations apply to all examinations conducted under the aegis of the Senate of Glasgow 

Caledonian University. 

2.2 Examinations for which the University is responsible are open only to registered students of the 

University who have completed the required programme of study and who have complied with the 

Regulations for that programme. No person whose registration has lapsed or who has failed to 

register for the appropriate programme and associated modules is eligible as a candidate for any 

assessment. The appropriate Assessment Board will withhold the marks of an assessment of any 

person who appears ineligible, pending an investigation, and may ultimately disregard the 

attempt (see also section 1.2.12 Scheme of Invigilation). 

2.3 i) It is a condition of admission to any examination that the candidate agrees to observe these 

Regulations and any further written or oral instructions issued to him/her by any authorised body or 

person including Assessment Boards and Invigilators. 

ii) Failure to observe these Regulations or any such instructions will constitute an academic offence 

which may lead to proceedings being instituted under the University's Code of Student Discipline. 

iii) Subject to the provisions of Regulation 2.3 (iv) below, if an invigilator suspects a candidate of 

infringing any part of these Regulations, and especially any part of Regulation 2.4 below, he/she 

will permit the candidate to continue the examination in the normal way but shall, as soon as 

practicable, cause the circumstances to be reported to the Examinations Office. 

iv) Any candidate whose conduct is, in the view of an invigilator, disturbing to other candidates and 

who persists in this conduct after a warning, shall be required to leave the examination centre. 

His/her answer book will be sent to the Examinations Office by the invigilator who will give full 

details of the circumstances. 

v) Smoking is prohibited at all University examinations. Candidates will not be permitted to leave the 

examination centre temporarily for the purposes of smoking. 

vi) Candidates are not permitted to introduce into the examination centre any foodstuffs and/or 

beverages the consumption of which, in the opinion of the Senior Invigilator, would disturb other 

candidates. 

2.4. i) Candidates at any examination are only permitted to use books, instruments including electronic 

calculators, notes or other materials or aids that have been specifically permitted by the appropriate 

Assessment Board or other authorised body for the examination in question. The use of 

dictionaries by students whose first language is not English is covered in section 2.4 (ii). The use of 

electronic personal organisers is not permitted in any University examination and mobile phones 

and electronic media devices must be switched off and stored away from students‟ desks. Any such 

devices found to be in use during the course of an examination will be confiscated immediately 

and may be retained by the University at its absolute discretion for the purpose of 

investigation. No other books, instruments including electronic calculators and those which may 

hold electronically stored information, notes, loose papers (written or blank) or other materials or 

aids whatsoever may be introduced into an examination room or handled or consulted during an 

examination. Any unauthorised items in the possession of a candidate on entry to the examination 

room shall be deposited immediately with the invigilator. Coats, bags and similar items shall be 

deposited outside the examination centre or as directed by the invigilator. 

ii) Students, whose first language is not English, are allowed to use a standard English/Foreign 

Language dictionary. 

iii) Any unauthorised items introduced by a candidate into an examination room must, upon request, be 

surrendered to the invigilator who will hand them over to the University which may make copies 

thereof and the original items, together with any copies, may be retained by the University at its 

absolute discretion. 

63

iv) Candidates must not read the examination paper or commence written work, other than the 

completion of the front piece of the examination script, until the Senior Invigilator declares, at the 

appropriate time, that candidates may start the examination. 

v) Candidates shall not, unless expressly so authorised, pass any information from one to another, nor 

shall any candidate work in collusion with any other person or copy from another candidate or 

engage in any similar activity. 

vi) Where the Regulations for any qualification provide for part or all of an examination to consist of 

'take-away' papers, essays or any other work done in a candidate's own time, course work or any 

form of continuous assessment, the work submitted by the candidate must be his/her own and any 

quotation from the published or unpublished work of any other person must be duly acknowledged. 

2.5 Save where the relevant Assessment Board has determined otherwise, any materials submitted by a 

candidate for examination, including written replies to examination papers, essays, dissertations or 

reports, whensoever written or prepared, will not be returned to candidates and the copyright therein is 

possessed by the University. Entry to an examination will be deemed to constitute an agreement by the 

candidate with the University to assign such copyright to the University. 

2.6 Where candidates require consideration with regard to disabilities or special examination needs (see 

Section 3), the relevant Programme Organiser will liaise with the Student Administration Services and 

with appropriate staff from the Department of Student Services to ensure that appropriate provision is 

made. 

2.7 Any candidate who falls ill during an examination must make every reasonable effort to inform an 

invigilator of their condition and complete a Consideration of Special Factors form if they feel that the 

illness has adversely affected their performance (See Appendix 6 - Consideration of Special Factors). 

2.8 All examinations shall take place at the time and place published but the appropriate Director(or 

nominee) may, in exceptional circumstances, make arrangements for examinations to be held other 

than as published. In such instances, the Examinations Office will ensure that candidates are notified. 

It is the responsibility of candidates to ascertain the examination dates and locations from the 

appropriate, designated University notice boards. 

2.9 Candidates should present themselves outside the examination centre at least 15 minutes before the 

commencement of the examination but shall not enter the room until instructed to do so by the 

invigilators. 

2.10 Candidates must bring their student ID cards and make them available for inspection in the 

examination venue to allow their identity to be verified. Where necessary a face recognition check 

may be made to verify a candidate‟s identity. 

2.11 i) Candidates admitted to the examination centre after the starting time shall not be granted any 

additional time after the end of the examination period stipulated on the question paper in which to 

complete the examination. 

ii) Candidates should not leave the examination centre during the first one-third of its scheduled 

duration except for personal reasons. No candidate shall normally be permitted to leave the 

examination centre during the 15 minutes prior to the end of the examination. 

2.12 A candidate who requires to be absent temporarily from the examination centre shall be accompanied 

by an authorised person. 

2.13 Each candidate should note his/her desk number on all internal answer sheets/books. 

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2.14 Complete silence shall be observed whilst the examination papers are being distributed and 

throughout the examination. If a candidate wishes to attract the attention of an Invigilator, he/she 

should do so by raising a hand. 

2.15 No leaves shall be torn out of examination books. It is the responsibility of the candidate to see that 

any script material is securely fastened together (using the treasury tags provided by the Exams 

Office and handed to an invigilator. 

2.16 Each candidate shall cease writing at the end of the examination when instructed to do so by the 

invigilators and shall remain seated at the end of the examination until his/her script has been 

collected. 

2.17 Where a candidate requires special arrangements to be made for an examination, the provisions 

outlined in Section 3 Special Examination Arrangements for Disabled Students shall apply. 

2.18 Candidates whose first language is not English may request additional time for examinations (see 

Section 4 Special Examination Arrangements for International Students). 

2.19 In exceptional circumstances, arrangements may be made for a candidate to take resit diet 

examinations at another institution (see Section 5 Resit Examinations at other Institutions). 

65

3. Special Examination Arrangements for Disabled Students 

3.1 Obtain Approval for Appropriate Assessment Arrangements 

3.1.1 Applicants or students who have notified the University, at application stage, of an impairment or 

condition which may impact on aspects of teaching or assessment practices will be invited by the 

Disability Service to attend a meeting at which their needs will be assessed. This „Needs 

Assessment‟ will include consideration of need for adjustments to examination and class test 

arrangements. 

3.1.2 Students who subsequently disclose an impairment or condition, during the course of their studies, 

or who subsequently acquire an impairment or condition, or who may reasonably be considered to 

be disabled (although they may have not previously disclosed or recognized this) should be 

referred to the Disability Service for a confidential discussion, and Needs Assessment (if 

appropriate). 

3.1.3 The Disability Service is an accredited Assessment Centre, and Needs Assessments are conducted 

in compliance with guidance issued by the Scottish Government in the „Toolkit of Quality 

Indicators‟ . Recommendations for adjustments to academic examinations will only be made 

where there is evidence of likely substantial disadvantage (related to the impact of disability) 

without such an adjustment . In all such cases, the Disability Service will require, and retain, 

appropriate documentary evidence of the specific nature of impairment or condition. This may 

include: 

• For students with a specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia, an Educational 

Psychologist‟s report; 

• A statement from an appropriately qualified medical professional, such as a GP, Consultant, 

Occupational Therapist, Audiologist, Psychologist or Psychiatrist. 

3.2 Formal Diet Examinations 

The Examinations Office, based within the Student Administration Services, puts in place 

arrangements that are consistent with the adjustments recommended for individual disabled 

students by the Disability Service. This may include the allocation of additional time, separate 

venues, venues restricted to students with additional exam arrangements, use of computer, 

scribes/readers, or any other reasonable adjustment agreed with the Academic School. 

3.3 Notification of exams arrangements 

The Disability Service will notify the Programme Administrator, in writing (email or memo) of 

students‟ exam needs. Programme administrators are responsible for ensuring that these details are 

communicated to the Examinations Office prior to every exam diet for the duration of the 

student‟s course. A deadline for notifying the Exams Office will be published by the 

Examinations Office prior to each exam diet. If details are not forwarded by the Programme 

Administrator by the deadline it is the responsibility of the academic school to ensure 

arrangements are put in place. 

Cases where failure to meet the deadline was caused by late assessment of the student‟s needs by 

the Disability Service (due to either late disclosure or late diagnosis/acquisition of disability) will 

be considered by the academic school and Examinations Office (with recourse to advice from the 

Disability Service, as appropriate) on an individual basis. In such cases, a reasonable adjustment 

will be sought for the immediate exam diet, within the resources and timeframe available. 

66

3.4 Class assessments (Academic Units) 

In ensuring consistency for class assessments, students will be entitled to the same or comparable 

support arrangements which are in place for examinations in the formal diets of December, May 

and August (resits). 

67

4. Special Examination Arrangements for International Students 

4.1 Policy 

The University has adopted the following policy for International Students whose first 

language is not English, undertaking formal examinations at GCU: 

4.1.1 Students studying in the UK or a collaborative institution for their first year, 

irrespective of level, should be allocated 45 minutes additional time in a 3-hour 

exam (pro rata for examinations of alternative duration). 

4.1.2 No additional time should be allowed for any International Students 

beyond their first year of study in the UK or a collaborative institution on 

the basis of English language. 

4.1.3 This policy applies to formal examinations and class tests. 

4.2 Procedures 

4.2.1 Students who come into this category are required to make contact with their 

Programme Organiser if they require special exam arrangements. Students 

must make contact with the Programme Organiser no later than the end of 

week 2 in each Trimester. There is no guarantee that special examination 

arrangements will be provided if the appropriate deadlines are not met. 

4.2.2 The Programme Organiser/nominee forwards the appropriate pro forma 

with details of individual students to the Examinations Office no later than 

the end of week 4 in each Trimester. 

4.2.3 The Examinations Office will notify the Programme Leader/nominee of 

the examination arrangements for individual students. 

4.2.4 The Programme Organiser/nominee will inform the student of the 

appropriate details. 

4.2.5 For class tests, Schools will ensure that appropriate arrangements are in 

place. 

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5. Resit Examinations at Other Institutions 

Guidelines Governing Applications by Students for Permission to Take August Diet 

Examinations at Other Institutions 

5.1 Policy 

It is University policy that all students must attend the University for their examinations in 

December and April/May and also the resit diet in August. 

For all students who are required by programme or other GCU regulations to be located elsewhere 

during an assessment period and are unable to attend examinations (e.g. work placement, GCU 

Sports Bursaries), the host School, in consultation with the Programme Leader and Examinations 

Office will be expected to make suitable arrangements for students. No fee will be charged for such 

students. 

Where students are unable to attempt examinations due to special factors such as illness, then the 

arrangements described within “Consideration of Special Factors” will apply. 

5.2 August Resit Diet at Other Institutions 

5.2.1 For any student who is unable to attend the University for the August resit diet, the 

University will provide, only in the circumstances specified in 5.2.2, a service which will 

allow such students to apply for prior permission to take their resit examinations at other 

institutions. The exercise of this right is contingent upon the student following the 

procedure set out in paragraph 5.3. 

5.2.2 The entitlement to make use of this service will be limited to students who are unable to be 

in Glasgow due to: 

residence for personal reasons over 500 miles from Glasgow 36 ; and/or 

medical reasons, certified by a duly qualified General or other Medical Practitioner, 

which would not preclude an attempt at an examination but would preclude travel to 

Glasgow for such an attempt. 

5.2.3 For the avoidance of doubt, for the purposes of these guidelines, “personal reasons” do not 

include holidays and non-placement summer employment. 

5.2.4 Incoming Erasmus exchange/study abroad students 

Each School will operate and administer their own policy for incoming Erasmus 

exchange/study abroad students. This will include an Incoming ERASMUS handbook, for 

ALL incoming students to the School, outlining key staff, both pastoral and administrative 

support, in addition to the International Office staff pages. Definitive dates of academic 

calendar including resit assessment period, and guidelines thereon with regard to 

communication of results and result dates, at first and second diet, with the student and the 

partner institution. 

Incoming Erasmus exchange/study abroad students and failure at first diet 

36 Outwith a geographical area having a radius of 500 miles from the entrance to the Britannia Building, Glasgow Caledonian 

University, City Campus, Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow, G4 0BA 

69

Each School will operate and administer their own policy for incoming Erasmus 

exchange/study abroad students who fail formal examinations at the first diet. Students will 

be informed of the policy and arrangements for resubmissions at the beginning of their 

period of study at GCU, i.e. when students are first introduced to a module by the module 

leader. 

Schools may require students to take the formal resit examination or, for example, ask 

students to: 

 

 

 

Take an alternative piece of work (such as a coursework) instead of a formal 

examination. 

Where an alternate form of assessment is not permitted, for example, by a 

Professional or Statutory body: 

Take the same resit examination as GCU students at their home institution (at the 

same time as GCU students and administered by colleagues at the home institution 

and by School administrators at GCU) 

 

5.3 Procedure to be followed by Applicants 

5.3.1 Students may apply for this service by completing a request form provided by the 

Examinations Office. The completed form must be submitted to the Student 

Administration Services no later than 6 weeks prior to the start of the August diet and no 

exception will be made for submission outwith this timescale. 

5.3.2 The Student Administration Services will review your application form in order to confirm 

your eligibility for the service with regard to the criterion that for personal reasons you 

reside over 500 miles from Glasgow. The decision of the appropriate Director (or 

nominee) in this respect is final. 

5.3.3 All applications must be authorised by the appropriate School responsible for the student‟s 

programme. This will include confirmation that the personal reasons indicated on your 

application form which require you to reside over 500 miles from Glasgow are valid. 

5.3.4 It is the student‟s responsibility to locate an Institute of Higher Education or British 

Council Office where the examination can be taken. No other type of establishment will 

be considered appropriate. 

5.3.5 The University will apply a fee of £75 for each examination taken at a host institution 

under this procedure. The fee is payable at the time of application. 

5.3.6 Students will also be liable for any administrative fee charged by the host institution. 

The University retains the right to withdraw from the arrangement at any stage if it cannot 

be satisfied, at its sole discretion, on the security of the examination or for any other reason 

associated with the administration of the examinations(s). In such cases, the application 

fee for the examination will be returned to the student. In cases where the student 

withdraws from the arrangement, application fees will not be refunded. 

70

6. Notes of Guidance to Academic Staff on Information to be provided to Students 

to Assist Their Preparation for Unseen Assessments (including assessments 

containing an unseen component) 

Preamble 

Assessments at Glasgow Caledonian University may take a variety of formats and instruments of 

assessment may include seen elements which have been approved through normal channels as part of the 

institution‟s ongoing procedures for module approval. 

The following notes of guidance are designed to relate specifically to instruments of assessment 

which are wholly unseen or to those unseen elements of assessment within formal coursework or 

examinations. The need for such guidance has been identified through the student Academic Appeals 

process and also in student reports within Annual Programme Board Reports. It is anticipated that by 

adhering to the following practices, the risk of inappropriate information on the content of unseen 

assessments being provided unintentionally and/or informally to students should be minimised if not 

entirely removed. 

Paramount within the guidance is that, for all modules at GCU, everything which a student needs to know 

about an assessment should be provided in a written format. Thereafter, no further information should be 

divulged verbally by lecturers except where this is a re-iteration of what is provided in the written format. 

It is important that information given to all students taking a particular unseen assessment is standardised. 

No individual student, or group of students, should be given any information which may provide, or 

appear to provide, an advantage over any other student(s). 

The following guidelines constitute the bounds of acceptable information which should be provided to all 

students undertaking modules at Glasgow Caledonian University which contain an unseen assessment or 

to those elements of assessment containing an unseen component: 

Clear details on the format and structure of any formal coursework or examination paper forming part 

of the overall assessment for a module must be made available to students either within module 

handbooks or in notes of guidance distributed to all students on that module - such guidance should 

clearly indicate the weighting attached to different elements of the paper and, for formal examinations, 

how many questions will be derived from each distinct area of the syllabus - Under no circumstances 

should the specific topics of individual questions in a formal unseen examination be divulged to 

students 

A general guide to the marking criteria which will be used by all lecturers when marking coursework 

or examinations for a particular module should be provided within module handbooks or in notes of 

guidance. Two exemplars of marking criteria are given on pages 72 and 73; however, it is 

recognised that different discipline areas may have adaptations of these models to suit their own 

modules. However, these must be consistent with the levels outlined in the exemplars. The 

marking criteria should provide clear guidance to students on what is expected. This will help to 

ensure transparency and consistency within an effective Quality Assurance framework. 

All students should be made aware of the different types of responses which may be required to 

individual questions, e.g. short response, case study, essay etc, and also the different styles of 

responses which may be required, e.g. give an account of, discuss, relate, compare and contrast, 

describe, write an essay entitled etc. Students should be provided with guidance on the features of 

answers which will gain certain marks. 

For existing modules, students should be directed towards examples of previous examination or 

coursework papers as a guide as to what may reasonably be expected in terms of assessment 

For new modules being delivered for the first time, students should be given exemplars of the types of 

examination questions which may be set along with clear guidance on the structure and format of any 

coursework or formal examination papers along the lines indicated above 

71

Exemplar A 

Examples of the marking criteria which may be used for marking assessments within a specific module 

Mark 

Comment 

75-100% Excellent - Outstanding in every/almost every respect, and revealing wide reading, lucid 

writing, extensive knowledge and thorough understanding 

70-74% Excellent - Outstanding but at a less elevated level than the above 

65-69% Very Good - wide knowledge and good understanding of material covered in the module 

but without the insight associated with excellence. Clear accurate presentation 

60-64% Very Good - as above but may contain minor errors and omissions 

55-59% Good - Good knowledge and understanding of the topic but likely to be limited to lecture 

material and the answer may be marred by poor presentation, inaccuracy or omission 

50-54% Good - as above but with more defects 

45-49% Satisfactory - Factually correct for the most part but with pronounced shortcomings in 

content, relevance or accuracy 

40-44% Just Satisfactory - A weak answer but containing just enough relevant facts and evidence 

of understanding to justify a pass 

35-39% Marginal Fail - major weaknesses, inaccuracies, irrelevancies and omissions but 

containing a few relevant facts; could be considered for compensation 

30-34% Fail - but containing some relevant facts and some evidence of understanding 

< 30% Clear Fail - little or no relevant material, generally little or no evidence of understanding 

For honours programmes: 

Marks between 70-100% equate to the performance expected of a 1 st class honours candidate; 

Marks between 60-69% equate to the performance expected of a 2i class honours candidate; 

Marks between 50-59% equate to the performance expected of a 2ii class honours candidate; 

Marks between 40-49% equate to the performance expected of a 3 rd class honours candidate. 

72

Exemplar B 

Examples of the marking criteria which may be used for marking assessments within a specific module 

Mark 

Comment 

81-100% Work of exceptional quality that shows an excellent command of the subject in question 

and originality in thought and extent of knowledge acquired 

70-80% Work that shows an excellent, though not necessarily faultless, command of the subject in 

question, together with elements of originality in thought and in the extent of knowledge 

acquired 

60-69% Work that shows an above average command of the subject in question, possessing 

qualities of thoroughness, conscientiousness, and insight 

50-59% Work that reveals that the student has acquired a basic command of the material covered 

in the course 

40-49% Work that shows some understanding of the material covered in the course, but of a poor 

quality and with elements of misunderstanding and lack of thoroughness 

35-39% Work that fails to come up to the standard expected of University students admitted to an 

Honours degree, but where there are sufficient signs that understanding prevails over 

misunderstanding and could be considered for compensation 

30-34% Fail - but containing some relevant facts and some evidence of understanding 

0-29% Fail - Work that contains very few, if any, relevant facts and shows little or no 

understanding of the material covered 

For honours programmes: 

Marks between 70-100% equate to the performance expected of a 1 st class honours candidate; 

Marks between 60-69% equate to the performance expected of a 2i class honours candidate; 

Marks between 50-59% equate to the performance expected of a 2ii class honours candidate; 

Marks between 40-49% equate to the performance expected of a 3 rd class honours candidate. 

73

7. Guidance Note on Assessment Loading 

Examinations 

Type of Proportion of total Suggested upper limit on 

Module module assessment examination time 

10 100% 1.5 hours at L1 and L2 

10 70% 1.5 hours 

10 50% and under 1 hour 

2 hours at L3, LH and LM 

20 100% 2 hours at L1 and L2 

20 70% 2 hours 

20 50% and under 2 hours 

3 hours at L3, LH and LM 

Coursework 

Type of Proportion of total Suggested upper limit 

Module module assessment 

10 100% 1500 words or equivalent at L1 and L2 

2000 words or equivalent at L3, LH and LM 



10 50% and under 1000 words or equivalent at L1 and L2 






20 50% and under 1500 words or equivalent at L1 and L2 


74

Project/Dissertation 

Type of Suggested upper limit 

Module 

20 up to 5000 words or equivalent at LH 

up to 7000 words or equivalent at LM 


up to 14000 words or equivalent at LM 


up to 20,000 words or equivalent at LM 

Notes 

1. It is acknowledged that the above guidance on coursework assignments will not apply in some 

situations e.g. laboratory reports 

2. Assessments should be proportionate to the size of the unit of study. A 6,000 word coursework 

essay for a ten credit unit is clearly too much, since a student studying in six such units would be 

expected to write 36,000 words that Trimester. 

3. As far as possible, individual units of study of 10 credits should be tested by one method of 

assessment only. Whilst it is recognised that it is the learning outcome which dictates the 

assessment, staff designing modules should be aware of the potential overload issue when setting 

the outcomes and when determining the balance between the different components which 

contribute to the total assessment for the module. There may also be the requirements of a 

professional body to take into consideration, for example, the need to assess both practical/clinical 

and academic elements within even a 10 credit module. 

4. In formulating assessments, colleagues should pay attention to the forms of assessment which 

students are being asked to undertake on other units of study offered as part of that course. A 

balance of assessment is desirable. 

75

8. Procedures for the Security, Approval and Retention of Examination Papers 

The following sets out the University‟s requirements for the security, approval and retention of unseen 

examination papers, their associated marking schemes and model answers. It will be the responsibility of 

each individual School to ensure that appropriate processes and procedures are in place to meet these 

requirements. 

1. Each Module Leader is responsible for the production of all assessment instruments required to complete 

the module. 

2. The appropriate draft examination papers for both first and resit diets, together with associated marking 

schemes or model answers and a record of the process used for internal moderation, will be forwarded by 

the responsible School to the designated External Assessor for each assessment. 

3. Each External Assessor is required to certify that they have received, read and moderated the 

examination papers sent to them. 

4. Where an External Assessor requires changes to be made to a draft examination paper, the changes 

should be annotated on the paper and each annotation initialled on the draft. The draft should be returned 

to the appropriate member of academic staff together with a note from the External Assessor stating that, 

subject to the completion of the annotated amendments, the paper is approved. 

5. Where an External Assessor feels unable to approve a draft examination paper, the paper should be 

certified as received and read, with clear and specific reasons provided as to why approval has been 

withheld. 

6. The record and certification of each External Assessor‟s moderation will be maintained on file within the 

School for two years following completion of the academic year in which the examination was delivered. 

7. Approved examination papers must be certified and delivered by the Module Leader in accordance with 

local School procedures no later than the deadline notified by the School Office. 

8. Once approved and delivered in accordance with School procedures, under no circumstances must a copy 

of an examination paper be maintained either electronically or in hard copy by any member of staff, other 

than those authorised by the Executive Dean to do so, prior to the examination taking place. 

9. The copying of all examination papers must be undertaken by Print and Design Services unless otherwise 

agreed by one of the following: Director of Student Experience, Head of Academic Governance, Head of 

Student Administration Services, Assessment and Graduation Manager. 

10. The School will be responsible for ensuring the secure delivery of the requisite number of each approved 

examination paper in a sealed envelope to the Examinations Office no later than the deadline previously 

notified by the University Examinations Office. The Examinations Office shall provide a receipt of 

delivery and shall secure the papers until their release to the Senior Invigilator on the day of the 

examination. 

11. The School will ensure that an electronic copy of each examination paper submitted by the School is 

entered into the central University Past Examination Paper database no later than 2 months following the 

completion of each assessment diet. Where, for whatever reason, it is not possible to convert all or part 

of an examination paper into an electronic document, then a paper copy shall be held in the School Office 

and a copy provided to the Examinations Office. All examination papers will be held on the database for 

a period of six years for internal reference purposes. 

Approved by Senate 13 December 2002 + Amended by APPC on 21 May 2003 

76

9. Procedure for the Submission of Examination Papers and the Collection of 

Worked Examination Scripts 

1 Standard University Front Cover for Examination Papers 

The University Assessment Regulations stipulate that all assessment papers must have the 

standard University front cover. A sample form of this document is issued to Module Leaders 

(and programme administrators) with examination dates. 

2 Submission of Examination Papers 

Module Leaders or their nominees are required to submit the appropriate number of examination 

papers to the Examinations Office (Room M122A) a minimum of three working weeks prior to 

the beginning of the week in which the examination is scheduled to take place. 

An examination envelope cover sheet must be completed for each venue in which the 

examination is running. A copy of the cover sheet is issued to Module Leaders (and programme 

administrators) with Exam dates. Examination envelopes with blank front covers can be obtained 

from the Examinations Office. 

3 Attendance at examination venue by Module Leader or appropriate specialist 

Appendix 1 paragraph 1.5 (v) of the University Assessment Regulations stipulate that the Module 

Leader is responsible to the Executive Dean of School for ensuring that for each examination paper, 

the Module Leader or other appropriate specialist is present in the examination room at the 

beginning of the examination and remains present for a further 10 minutes to answer any legitimate 

questions from candidates. 

4 Secure submission of additional materials/answer sheets to be submitted by Examination 

Candidates 

Any materials and/or answer sheets (e.g. for multiple choice examinations) that candidates have 

to submit with the examination script booklet must have a hole punched in them (at the top-left 

hand corner) to allow students to attach them to the examination script booklet with treasury 

tags. 

5 Collection of Worked Examination Scripts 

Please note that staff will be required to produce staff identity cards upon collection of 

completed examination scripts for marking. Members of staff are also required to sign out the 

examination scripts and by doing so are agreeing to ensure that they are kept secure and 

confidential at all times. 

In order to ensure the effective and secure administration of an examination diet there are 

restricted times during the examination period that Module Leaders or their nominees can 

collect examination papers from the Examinations Office and these are as follows: 

MORNING: 0930hrs – 1130hrs AFTERNOON: 1400hrs – 1600hrs 

10.00 – 12.00 (December only) 

If you wish to collect worked examination scripts from an afternoon session on the same 

day as the examination, please contact the Examinations Office staff (x3336) who will 

advise you of the procedure. 

77

10. Policy on the Retention of Students' Work 

10.1 Student work should be retained for a minimum of one calendar year from the date of the relevant 


10.2 This applies to both coursework and examination scripts. 

10.3 For the purposes of a student's third year marks being taken into consideration for the honours 

classification, the assessed work for all modules at Level 3 and above, taken when the student is on 

Level 3 and/or Level 4 must be retained for one year from the date of the relevant Assessment 

Board (i.e. the Board at which the honours classification is determined). This will include all 

honours degrees unless specific exemption has been given. 

10.4 In cases where professional or statutory bodies have a requirement for elements of student's work to 

be retained for a longer period, these requirements will take precedence. 

10.5 Regulation 2.5 of the Assessment and Graduation Processes indicates that "Save where the relevant 

Assessment Board has determined otherwise, any materials submitted by a candidate for 

examination, including written replies to examination papers, essays, dissertations or reports, 

whensover written or prepared, will not be returned to candidates ….". In cases where Assessment 

Boards have agreed that material may be returned to candidates, arrangements must be made by the 

academic unit for the retention of that material, for example, by keeping a copy or, in cases where 

the piece of work is not in a written format, retaining similar evidence of the production of that 

piece of work 

10.6 At the end of this period, it is important that any the material to be disposed of is disposed of in 

accordance with the University's procedures for the disposal of confidential waste. 

Approved by Senate : 26 April 2002 

78

11. Academic Appeals 37 

11.1 A student who wishes to exercise their right to appeal must do so by completing an Academic Appeal 

form which must be submitted to Governance and Quality within two calendar weeks of publication 

of the decision against which the appeal is being made. Appeals will not normally be considered if 

they are submitted outwith the two calendar weeks‟ period unless the student can provide good 

reasons why the delay has occurred. No appeal will be considered if it is received later than six 

months from the date of the original decision. The appeal form should include full details of the 

grounds on which the appeal is based and be accompanied by any supporting medical certificates or 

other documentation and, if appropriate, by the written explanation referred to in 11.2 below. 

11.2 If an appeal is based on information which was not available to an Assessment Board before it took 

the decision in question, the student concerned must (at the time of submitting an appeal) provide a 

written explanation as to why they did not comply with University regulations relating to 

Consideration of Special Factors (CSFF). 

11.3 On receipt of an appeal form, Governance and Quality will notify the appropriate Assessment Board 

Chair who shall prepare a written statement providing, in detail, the proposed outcome of the appeal, 

including any proposed change to the original Assessment Board decision. This statement will 

normally be lodged with Governance and Quality within five working days of notification. 

11.4 All appeal forms shall be given preliminary consideration by Governance and Quality, who shall be 

empowered to act on behalf of the Academic Appeals Committee in dismissing appeals that are not 

able to be considered under the University‟s regulations for academic appeals or do not have grounds 

for appeal or do not have sufficient evidence to support an appeal. In all such cases Governance and 

Quality shall inform the student accordingly and there shall be no further right of appeal. The student 

may, within seven days of notification of the decision, request a meeting with Governance and 

Quality to clarify the reasons for the rejection of the appeal at this stage. 

11.5 Disagreement with the academic judgement of an Assessment Board, (e.g. with regard to assessment 

marks, progression decisions or final level of award) cannot, in itself, constitute grounds for an 

appeal. Also, an appeal cannot be considered that is based on information which has already been 

given full and proper consideration by an Assessment Board or that is based on information which, 

for no good reason, was not made available to the Assessment Board at the time it took the decision 

in question. 

11.6 In cases where Governance and Quality is satisfied that there appear to be sufficient grounds for 

appeal on the basis that performance was affected by personal circumstances, they shall be 

empowered to act on behalf of the Academic Appeals Committee in requiring an Assessment Board 

to reconsider its decision. In such cases, Governance and Quality will inform the Chair of the 

Assessment Board accordingly, in writing, and the Assessment Board shall reconsider its decision. 

The Chair of the Assessment Board must refer evidence of special factors to the Chair of the School 

Special Factors Board (or nominee) for a decision on whether the special factor be/not be accepted 

and this decision will be reported to Governance and Quality 38 . 

11.7 Where Governance and Quality is satisfied that there appears to be sufficient grounds for appeal on 

the basis of procedural or other irregularity, they will investigate the case and seek a satisfactory 

resolution in consultation with the relevant academic staff 39 . Where a satisfactory resolution is 

achieved, Governance and Quality shall inform the student accordingly and there will be no further 

37 Appeals will not normally be considered if submitted on the basis of previously unreported special factors which have 

occurred as a result of sanctions taken against a student under the Credit Control and Debt Management Policy. 

38 Where an appeal is upheld and the original decision of an Assessment Board is changed, an Assessment Board Chair’s 

Action must be taken immediately. 

39 Where an appeal is upheld and the original decision of an Assessment Board is changed, an Assessment Board Chair‟s 

Action must be taken immediately. 

79

ight of appeal. Where a resolution is not possible, the appropriate Director (or nominee) will consult 

with the Chair of the Academic Appeals Committee and, where necessary, convene a meeting of the 

Academic Appeals Committee within twenty-eight days of receipt of the student's appeal and shall 

provide the student with seven days' notice of the date, time and place of the meeting. 

11.8 Where a meeting of the Academic Appeals Committee is deemed to be necessary, appellants shall 

have the right to appear personally before the Academic Appeals Committee and to be accompanied 

by a person of their choice. 

11.9 The Academic Appeals Committee may, if it so wishes, consult with the Chair or some other 

appointed representative of an Assessment Board against whose decision an appeal is being 

considered and it may call for any information it requires, including details of student attendance and 

academic performance, in order to make an informed decision. 

11.10 Should the Academic Appeals Committee decide that a case for reconsideration has not been proven, 

the appeal shall be dismissed. Governance and Quality shall inform the appellant in writing of the 

reasons for the dismissal and there shall be no further right of appeal. 

11.11 In those cases where the Academic Appeals Committee requires an Assessment Board to reconsider 

its decision, the appropriate Director (or nominee) will inform the Assessment Board Chair in writing 

accordingly and the Assessment Board shall reconvene forthwith to reconsider its decision. 

11.12 In all cases referred to an Assessment Board for reconsideration, the External Assessor(s) shall be 

informed of the appeal by the Chair of the Assessment Board and be given full information on the 

background to the appeal. 

11.13 If the Assessment Board rejects an appeal made on procedural or other irregularity and if, in the 

opinion of the Academic Appeals Committee, due and proper account has still not been taken of the 

relevant factors, then the Academic Appeals Committee can recommend to Senate that the decision 

be annulled. The Academic Appeals Committee may recommend to Senate that the decision be 

annulled if it is not possible to reconvene the Assessment Board to hear the appeal. 

11.14 The appellant and other students affected, if appropriate, shall be informed in writing by Governance 

and Quality after the ruling of a decision of annulment and shall be informed of the follow-up action 

being taken by Senate. 

11.15 If the External Assessor(s) cannot attend the meeting of the Assessment Board at which the matter is 

to be discussed, the views of the External Assessor(s) shall be sought prior to the meeting, preferably 

in writing. 

11.16 All factors relevant to the appeal and the Assessment Board's decision shall be minuted. 

11.17 Assessment Boards must respect the confidentiality of medical and counselling information received; 

disclosure beyond the Chair of the Assessment Board and the External Assessor(s) should only be 

made if the appellant has given his/her permission and has agreed the nature and extent of the 

disclosure. 

11.18 The Assessment Board Chair shall, as soon as possible after the meeting of the Assessment Board, 

inform Governance and Quality in writing of the Board's decision. 

11.19 If the Assessment Board rejects an appeal made on grounds of performance affected by personal 

circumstances, the matter will be considered closed and there shall be no further right of appeal. 

11.20 The Academic Appeals Committee may decide that the case in support of an appeal is not sufficiently 

strong or that the material submitted has already been properly considered by the Assessment Board 

concerned. In either of such circumstances the appeal shall be rejected and there is no further right of 

80

appeal. In the following circumstances the Academic Appeals Committee may require an 

Assessment Board to reconsider its decision: 

11.20.1 If the Academic Appeals Committee is satisfied by evidence from a student or any other 

person that there has been a material administrative error, or that the assessments were not 

conducted in accordance with the current regulations for the programme, or that some other 

material irregularity has occurred. 

11.21 The Academic Appeals Committee may, if it considers that the Assessment Board has not taken due 

and proper account of the relevant factors as specified in 11.20.1 above, remit the matter for 

consideration by Senate and may advise Senate to annul the decision of the Assessment Board. 

11.22 In cases of procedural or other irregularity or where it is not possible to reconvene an Assessment 

Board, the Academic Appeals Committee may recommend to Senate that the decision of the 

Assessment Board be annulled without making a prior request for reconsideration. If an error or 

irregularity is found to have affected more than one candidate, Senate may be advised to annul the 

whole assessment or any part thereof. 

Academic Appeals Committee Terms of Reference 

11.23 The Academic Appeals Committee is directly responsible to Senate and has the following terms of 

reference: 

To consider appeals from registered students against University Assessment Boards' decisions 

which result in their studies being terminated or their normal progression being delayed or 

which relate to the classification of their awards 

Composition of the Academic Appeals Committee 

11.24 The Academic Appeals Committee consists of a Chair who shall be nominated by the Chair of 

Senate, four members of full-time academic staff and a full-time officer of the Students' Association. 

Appellants have the right to object to the involvement of a representative of the Students' Association 

and, in such circumstances, the representative of the Students' Association would not attend or take 

any other part in the proceedings. 

11.25 The four members of full-time academic staff are drawn from a pool of full-time academic staff 

appointed by the School Boards for a period of three years. No member may be involved in 

considering an appeal against a decision of an Assessment Board of which he or she is a member. 

11.26 The Chair and two other members will constitute a quorum and meetings will be clerked by a 

representative of Governance and Quality. 

81

Appeal form received & 

acknowledged by the 

Governance & Quality. Appeals 

must be received within 2 

calendar weeks of publication of 

decision being appealed. 

ACADEMIC APPEALS 

Appeal is within scope of 

the academic appeals 

regulations and contains 

valid grounds for appeal. 

NO 

Appeal is dismissed and student 

informed by the Governance & 

Quality. There is no further 

right of appeal. 

YES 

Governance & Quality gives preliminary 

consideration to appeal and notifies 

appropriate Assessment Board Chair who 

prepares a written statement to be 

lodged with Governance & Quality, 

normally within five working days. 

Appeal upheld 

following initial 

consideration 

YES 

Where prima facie grounds for appeal 

exist and appropriate resolution has 

been reached via consultation with 

Assessment Board Chair. Governance & 

Quality informs the student in writing 

that the appeal is upheld. There is no 

further right of appeal. 

NO 

Prima facie grounds for appeal exist but 

further consideration is required. 

Appeal is based on 

personal/medical 

grounds 

Appeal is based on 

procedural or other 

irregularities 

Governance & Quality consults 

Chair of Academic Appeals 

Committee and convenes a 

meeting of the Academic Appeals 

Committee with in 28 days of 

receipt of appeal. 

Appeal is 

upheld 

Appeal is referred to 

Assessment Board for 

consideration 

Academic Appeals Committee 

requires Assessment Board to 

reconsider its original decision. 

YES 

NO 

Assessment Board considers 

appeal and notifies the 

Governance & Quality of 

decision. 

Assessment Board considers appeal 

& outcome reported to the 

Governance & Quality who reports 

the outcome to Academic Appeals 

Committee. 

Appeal is dismissed. 

Governance & Quality 

informs student. There 

is no further right of 

appeal. 

Governance and Quality notifies 

student of the decision on the 

appeal. There is no further 

right of appeal. 

Academic Appeals Committee 

considers that the Assessment 

Board has still not taken due and 

proper account of the relevant 

factors. 

YES 

NO 

Decision of the Assessment 

Board is confirmed and 

student informed by the 

Governance and Quality. 

There is no further right of 

appeal. 

Appeal is referred to Senate by 

the Academic Appeals Committee 

with the recommendation that 

the decision of the Assessment 

Board be annulled. 

Senate decides on annulment 

as appropriate and the 

Governance & Quality informs 

student of final decision and 

any follow up action, if 

appropriate. There is no 

further right of appeal. 

82

Glasgow Caledonian University 

Academic Appeal Form - Help Sheet for Students 

What is an Appeal? 

An Appeal is a formal procedure by which a registered student can appeal against a University Assessment Board 

decision which result in their studies being terminated or their normal progression being delayed or which relate 

to the classification of their awards. In order to submit your appeal you must complete the University‟s 

Academic Appeal Form. 

On what grounds can I appeal against an Assessment Board’s decision? 

There are two grounds on which you can appeal: 

1. Personal, medical or other factors affecting your academic performance which you were unable or, for 

valid reasons, unwilling to notify the University of by submitting a Consideration of Special Factors Form 

(CSFF) in accordance with the University‟s CSFF procedure. For an appeal on this basis you must 

provide: 

1.1 A written explanation, supported by appropriate documentary evidence, as to why you did not submit 

a CSFF. 

1.2 You must provide supporting evidence for your special factors and it must clearly relate to the 

specific dates during which the special factors were applicable. If the special factor relates to a 

medical issue, a medical certificate (or letter from a medical practitioner) must be attached - a selfcertificate 

form is not acceptable evidence. 

If the special factor is not due to a medical issue you are required to provide a third party statement or other 

appropriate written corroboration. 

2. Material administrative error, Regulatory irregularity, other material irregularity. Examples: that 

the assessments were not conducted in accordance with current regulations for the programme. For an 

appeal on this basis you must provide: 

2.1 Documentary evidence in support of your appeal. 

3. An appeal will be rejected and therefore not re-considered by the Assessment Board or referred to 

the Academic Appeals Committee in the following circumstances: 

3.1 Governance and Quality is not satisfied there are valid reasons why a CSFF was not submitted in 

accordance with the University‟s CSFF procedure. 

3.2 The case in support of the appeal is not sufficiently strong. 

3.3 The material was previously submitted on a CSFF and has already been properly considered by the 

Assessment Board concerned. 

3.4 The appeal is against a requirement to re-sit an assessment at the normal re-sit diet. 

3.5 The appeal is based solely on a request for another opportunity to be given. 

3.6 The appeal is based solely on disagreement with the academic judgement of the Assessment Board. 

83

3.7 The appeal is based solely on the student not understanding or not being aware of the published 

assessment regulations and procedures for a module or programme. 

How long do I have to submit the Appeal? 

You have ten working days (two calendar weeks) from the publication date of the Assessment Board‟s 

decision. Appeals will not normally be considered if received outwith this period, unless you can provide valid 

reasons for the delay. No Appeal received after six months from the date of the Board‟s decision will be 

considered. 

How do I appeal? 

The Appeal must be made on the University‟s Academic Appeal Form available from: 

The Base on the Ground Floor of the Saltire Centre 

The Exams Guide website at http://www.gcu.ac.uk/student/exams/index.html 

Who considers my Appeal? 

All Appeals are given preliminary consideration by Governance and Quality. 

1. Personal or medical grounds 

If Governance and Quality considers you have grounds for appeal, they will pass your appeal to your 

programme‟s Assessment Board who will consider the appeal. 

2. Procedural or other academic irregularities 

If Governance and Quality is satisfied there are grounds for Appeal, the Appeal may proceed to the 

Academic Appeals Committee only where a satisfactory resolution cannot be reached in consultation with 

the relevant academic staff. The Academic Appeals Committee will normally meet within 28 days of 

Governance and Quality receiving your Appeal. 

How long do I have to wait to hear the result of my appeal? 

Governance and Quality will notify you in writing as soon as possible once a decision has been made. 

What are the possible outcomes of my Appeal? 

• The Appeal may be upheld. An example outcome may be to treat an attempt as void or to allow to 

proceed with your studies. 

• The Appeal may not be upheld. In such decisions there is no further right of Appeal. 

Where do I send the completed Academic Appeal Form? 

You can submit your appeal form and supporting evidence in the following ways: 

• By hand, to Governance and Quality, room H213, William Harley Building. 

• By post to Academic Appeals, Governance and Quality, Glasgow Caledonian University, Cowcaddens 

Road, G4 0BA. 

84

ACADEMIC APPEAL FORM 

Before completing this form please take time to read the attached information on Academic Appeals 

PERSONAL DETAILS 

Name: 

Address for Correspondence: 

GROUNDS FOR APPEAL (Please tick as appropriate) 

Personal/Medical 

Procedural/Other Academic 

Student ID. No. 

E-mail address: 

Telephone Number: 

School: 

Programme: 

For personal/medical factors please state the duration of impact: 

From: 

To: 

If you have indicated that you are submitting your appeal based on Personal/Medical Factors, you MUST provide a 

detailed explanation as to why you did not submit a Consideration of Special Factors Form (CSFF) before the 

Assessment Board met, as required by the University’s CSFF procedures. You MUST also provide documentary 

evidence in support of your explanation (continue on additional sheet if required) 

Please detail the grounds on which you are appealing (continue on additional sheet if required) 

85

Please provide details of the written evidence you are submitting in support of your appeal (continue on additional 

sheet if required). Please note that failure to supply valid supporting evidence, as required by the Academic Appeals 

Regulations, is likely to result in the appeal being rejected. 

Please detail modules and/or assessments and the Trimester the appeal relates to 

Please indicate your preferred outcome of this appeal 

The information given in this form must be accurate and must have, or must be believed to have, had a direct and adverse effect 

on your academic performance. You MUST sign and date this declaration: 

The information I have given on this form is, to the best of my knowledge, true and has had a direct adverse effect on the assessment(s) 

named. 

I give my permission for the information contained within the appeal and supporting documentation to be considered by appropriate 

members of University Staff. 

If you provide information or certificates which are subsequently found to be falsified or misleading in any way, you may be 

liable to action being taken against you under the Code of Student Discipline. 

Signature: 

Date: 

Please submit completed appeal forms: 

• By hand, to Governance and Quality, room H213, William Harley Building 

• By post, to Academic Appeals, Governance and Quality, Glasgow Caledonian University, Cowcaddens Road, G4 0BA. 

LEC/Appeals/Oct2012 

86

12. Graduation and Awards Regulations 

12.1 Conditions of Entry to Graduation 

12.1.1 Graduation is open only to registered students of the University who have fulfilled the 

academic requirements of their programme and who have been recommended for the 

appropriate award by the relevant Assessment Board (thereafter referred to as Graduands). 

12.1.2 In order to receive their award parchment and become a graduate of the University, 

Graduands must register for Graduation and pay the appropriate fee as set by the University. 

A Graduand will not be deemed to be a Graduate of the University until they have registered 

and completed the process of graduation at a University Graduation and Awards Ceremony, 

either in person or in absentia, and their name and level of award included in the official 

Graduation listings (See also 12.4.3). 

12.1.3 Potential Graduands who are in full time attendance are required to register for Graduation 

within the specified registration period by utilising University Graduation Procedures as 

determined by the University and notified to potential Graduands on official notice boards 

throughout the University and on the University website and Student Handbooks. All other 

categories of final and penultimate year students will receive registration information from the 

Graduation and Awards Unit by post at the last home address recorded on the University‟s 

student record system. 

12.1.4 Potential Graduands will be registered for Graduation in the name that is recorded on the 

University Student Record at the time the award decision was made by the Assessment 

Board. The award parchment will bear the registered name of the Graduand, and cannot be 

changed at a later date. 

12.2 Appeals 

12.2.1 Once a Graduand has graduated from the University, they are deemed to have accepted the 

recommendation of the Assessment Board and to have become a Graduate of the University. 

Academic appeals from Graduates against award recommendations of Assessment Boards 

will not be considered by the University. 

12.2.2 Graduands who wish to appeal the award recommendation of an Assessment Board may do 

so by utilising the regulations of the Academic Appeals Committee. Graduands who lodge an 

academic appeal have the following options: 

i) attend the graduation ceremony as planned while the appeal is being considered; 

ii) defer graduation until the next set of ceremonies by which time the result of the 

appeal will be known; 

iii) graduate in absentia and await the outcome of their appeal. 

Graduands who wish to take up option (i) will be included in the graduation listings with the 

award they are appealing against. They will not be given their award parchment at the 

ceremony but will receive a presentation folder with a letter. Once the appeal has been heard 

and a decision made and the School has made a change (where applicable) to the student‟s 

award decision 40 , the Graduation and Awards Unit will post the award parchment, by 

recorded delivery, to the graduate‟s home address. The graduate will not be invited to attend 

another ceremony. If the appeal is upheld, the graduate‟s name and new level of award will 

be included in the next set of graduation ceremonies to record the higher award. 

40 Any change to a student‟s award decision must be recorded by an Assessment Board Chair‟s Action sheet and the change 

must be made by the School on the University Central Record System before a parchment can be sent to the graduate. 

87

Graduands who wish to take up option (ii) will be invited to attend the next set of ceremonies 

once the decision of their appeal has been reached. The award parchment will be presented to 

them at the ceremony. 

Graduands who wish to take up option (iii) will be included in the graduation listings and 

their award parchment will be posted, recorded delivery, once a decision has been made. 

Once the appeal has been heard and a decision made (whether it is upheld or unsuccessful), 

the Graduation and Awards Unit will post the award parchment, by recorded delivery, to the 

graduate‟s home address. The graduate will not be invited to attend another ceremony. If the 

appeal is upheld, the graduate‟s name and new level of award will be included in the next set 

of graduation ceremonies to record the higher award. 

Graduands who appeal against the decision of an Assessment Board which states that they are 

not eligible for an award, cannot attend a ceremony or be included in the Graduation Listings. 

12.3 Progression through Programme of Study 

12.3.1 Certificate/Diploma/Unclassified Degree awards will be conferred only on students who exit 

at that level of the programme. They will not normally be conferred on students who 

continue their studies immediately to the Diploma/Degree and Honours level respectively or 

who transfer to a different programme within the University using their existing credits. 

Where a student does not successfully complete the Diploma/Degree or Honours level and 

he/she is eligible for the Certificate/Diploma or Degree award, he/she will be issued with the 

appropriate award. 

A student who successfully completes the Honours Level will be conferred with the 

appropriate Honours award as determined by the Assessment Board. Such a student does not 

have the right to be conferred with an undergraduate Degree award based on a previous 

session(s) performance at Level III. 

12.3.2 University Postgraduate Certificate and named Post Graduate Certificate awards will be 

conferred only on students who exit at that stage of the programme. However, they will not 

normally be conferred on students who continue their studies immediately to the Postgraduate 

Diploma and Masters stage respectively. Where a student does not successfully complete the 

Postgraduate Diploma or Masters stage and he/she is eligible for and awarded the University 

Post Graduate Certificate/Post Graduate Certificate or Post Graduate Diploma award, he/she 

will be issued the University Postgraduate Certificate/Post Graduate Certificate or Post 

Graduate Diploma as appropriate. 

12.4 Attendance and In Absentia Graduation 

12.4.1 The Graduation and Awards Unit will post the appropriate parchment(s) to all Graduates who 

have registered to graduate in absentia, and have paid the appropriate fee, by recorded 

delivery to the address provided by the Graduate on his/her graduation registration form. 

12.4.2 A graduand who indicates on his/her graduation registration form that he/she intends to attend 

the graduation ceremony in person, but subsequently does not attend the graduation 

ceremony, will be deemed to have graduated in absentia. Such a graduate will not normally 

be eligible to attend another ceremony for the purpose of receiving the specific award(s) with 

which he/she has been deemed to have graduated in absentia. 

12.4.3 Any graduand who has not returned to their registered programme of studies and/or who has 

not accepted the University‟s invitation to register for graduation by beginning October of the 

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12.5 Exit Awards 

year following their recommendation for award, will be graduated in absentia at the 

November ceremonies. The graduation parchment will only be posted to the graduate‟s home 

address or be available for collection from the University once the graduation fee has been 

paid. 

12.5.1 All potential Graduands who leave the University before the end of their programme and have 

eligibility for an exit award, must contact the Graduation and Awards Unit and register to 

graduate either in person or in absentia. 

12.6 Graduation and Awards Unit 

12.6.1 The Graduation and Awards Unit establishes and maintains the official University Graduation 

and Awards listings. 

12.6.2 The Graduation and Awards Unit is the only office in the University which is authorised to 

issue certificates bearing the University official seal. 

12.6.3 No duplicate copies of award parchments will be issued by the Graduation and Awards Unit. 

However, Graduates may apply for the replacement of lost, stolen or damaged award 

parchments. Satisfactory evidence of loss, damage or theft must be provided and a 

declaration signed by the Graduate confirming the validity of the request. A fee will be levied 

for the issue of replacement award parchments, as determined by the University from time to 

time. 

12.7 Regulation of the Issue of University Awards and Appropriate Fees 

12.7.1 The issuing of all University awards shall be subject to these Regulations as amended and 

approved by Senate from time to time and to such additional fees as the University Court 

may, from time to time, determine. 

12.7.2 Prospective Graduands who have outstanding debt(s) to the University will normally be 

excluded from attendance at a Graduation Ceremony and from receipt of a Graduation 

Parchment. 

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13. Project and Dissertation Supervision 

If there are particular reasons for not following the procedures below, the reasons must be clearly 

documented in the minutes of the School Board and the deviation highlighted in the Module Handbook. 

13.1 Administration of Supervision 

13.1.1 The Module Leader for a dissertation/project module shall normally discharge the duties of 

Dissertation/Project Co-ordinator. Responsibility for the implementation of these guidelines shall 

(unless otherwise specified) rest with the School. 

13.1.2 The duties of the Dissertation/Project Co-coordinator will normally include overseeing the processes 

by which: 

research methods are taught (where these form part of the learning outcomes of the module) (see 

also 13.2 below); 

titles are approved (see also 13.3 below); 

supervisors are allocated; 

guidelines are issued to students and supervisors; 

students' progress is monitored; 

students' work is assessed; 

grievances are dealt with (see also 13.4 below). 

ethical approval is given for any research, including questionnaires and surveys, involving human 

participants 

enhanced disclosure is sought, if necessary 

proposals comply with health and safety legislation; 

13.2 Research Methods 

Programme Boards shall ensure that the programme of study of each student who is required to submit 

a dissertation/project is structured so as to ensure that they are adequately prepared in research methods 

appropriate to their discipline and programme. 

Programme Boards shall be required within their Approved Programme Documentation to identify 

where such preparation in research methods is received. 

13.3 Approval of Outline Proposals 

13.3.1 Schools shall have in place mechanisms which ensure the feasibility of a student's choice of title is 

established at the earliest possible date. The criteria used in the approval of a dissertation/project 

title include: 

is it related to the student's own range of interests? 

is it related to the aims and objectives of the student‟s programme? 

does it combine an academic approach with some practical work? 

is the problem reasonably open-ended? 

will it require an original contribution from the student? 

are the resources required readily available? 

13.3.2 In cases where students are required to produce an outline proposal for approval, such a proposal 

should be submitted by students to the Dissertation/Project Co-ordinator as early as possible. 

Schools may give consideration to the outline proposal being formally assessed so as to encourage 

students to produce an outline proposal of high quality. 

It is noted that in respect of certain dissertation/project modules, students choose a topic from a list 

of suitable topics provided by the Module Leader. In such cases the outline proposal would discuss 

how the student intended to approach the chosen topic. 

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13.4 Guidelines to Students and Staff 

Schools shall ensure that for dissertation/project modules, a Module (Dissertation) Handbook is issued 

to students. This Handbook should also be issued to supervisors. It is required that within the 

Handbook there are clear arrangements for a grievance procedure and it must be explicitly stated that 

where the student's grievance relates to the standard of supervision, no appeal against the mark 

awarded for the dissertation/project will be entertained unless the student has initiated the grievance 

procedure prior to submission of the dissertation/project. 

The Module (Dissertation) Handbook must contain a copy of this section of the Assessment and 

Graduation Procedures and also material relating to: 

a timetable for dissertation/project stages and submission 

the organisation and management of the dissertation/project 

the procedure for approval of outline proposal and title 

supervision arrangements (internal and external as appropriate) - including a statement of the 

respective responsibilities of supervisor and supervisee 

the presentation of the dissertation/project 

the assessment schedule/statement of assessment criteria 

arrangements for: student support 

mechanisms for feedback from students 

grievances 

ethical approval 

enhanced disclosure 

13.5 Monitoring of Student Progress 

13.5.1 It is required that supervisors keep a formal record of contact with students. Schools should develop 

and issue a suitable pro forma for this purpose. 

13.5.2 It is required that Dissertation/Project Co-ordinators ensure that supervisors provide them with 

regular progress reports. It is required that these should be in a standard format developed by the 

School for this purpose. 

13.6 Respective Roles of Supervisor and Student 

13.6.1 It is recommended that the supervisor should meet the student regularly. The ultimate responsibility 

lies with the student for making contact and maintaining contact with the supervisor. 

13.6.2 The supervisor and student should agree a set of control points for monitoring progress. 

13.6.3 Supervisors are expected to warn students where there is a possibility of the student failing the 

dissertation/project or of not realising their full potential in respect of the dissertation/project 

component. However supervisors must avoid raising a student's expectation of a particular 

classification and students should not be given any indication of the actual mark which the 

dissertation/project is likely to be awarded. 

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13.7 Assessment 

What is expected of students? 

student to be independent 

student to seek advice and comment on their work from others 

to have regular meetings with supervisor 

student to be honest when reporting on progress 

student to follow advice which has been specifically requested by the student 

student to be interested in the work 

student to take ultimate responsibility for the direction and content of the 

dissertation/project 

What is expected of supervisors? 

to read the student's work and be familiar with it 

to be available when necessary, and within reason 

to be friendly, open, supportive 

to give students serious attention during interviews 

to be constructively critical 

to have a good knowledge of the research area and to exchange ideas freely 

to be aware of future pitfalls in the research topic 

13.7.1 A marking schedule or statement of assessment criteria must be made available to both students and 

supervisors. It is required that this be included in the Module (Dissertation) Handbook. 

13.7.2 There should be independent second marking of all dissertations/projects. The second examiner 

should have no knowledge of the mark given by any other examiner. Where there is a failure to 

agree a mark, it shall be the responsibility of the Dissertation/Project Co-ordinator to organise the 

reassessment of the dissertation/project in order to reach a formal mark. 

13.7.3 All markers should be required to complete a pro-forma statement/report to justify the mark awarded. 

13.7.4 It is required that a representative sample of dissertations/projects should be scrutinised by the 

appropriate External Assessor. Agreement should be reached with the External Assessor in respect of 

the nature of the sample, which will be scrutinised. 

13.7.5 Students should incorporate into their dissertation/project the following statement: 

“this dissertation/project is my own original work and has not been submitted elsewhere in fulfilment 

of the requirements of this or any other award” 

Students are advised to retain all the data and materials relating to their dissertation/project 

(including lab books) until after they have graduated. 

Section 14 revised by Academic Secretariat August 2005 

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14. PROCEDURE FOR ANONYMOUS MARKING (FORMAL WRITTEN EXAMINATIONS) 

Specialist examination stationery will be produced for anonymous marking. 

Candidates will be required to enter their name and signature in the space provided for this 

purpose on examination answer books, which they will then conceal by folding over and 

gumming down the top right hand corner of the answer book 

Candidates will also be required to enter their student ID number in the space provided for this purpose 

on the examination answer books and also on any supplementary answer books or sheets they may use. 

They should not enter their names or signatures on supplementary answer books or sheets. 

Candidates will be responsible for entering the correct student ID number onto the examination answer 

book. 

In order to accommodate students who fail to bring their student ID card with them, student ID 

numbers will be available from the attendance lists provided to the senior invigilator (procedures for 

verifying the identity of students who do not bring their student ID cards are issued under separate 

cover). 

The names and signatures of candidates will remain concealed until the point at which the marks are to 

be entered onto the examination results publishing system. 

Once the internal marking process has been completed, a member of staff designated by the Head of 

the academic unit concerned will reveal the candidates‟ names and transfer each candidate‟s mark(s) to 

the examination mark sheets. Anonymity should be removed from scripts before they are issued to 

External Assessors. 

Examination mark sheets will include candidates‟ names and student ID numbers. 

The current practice whereby Assessment Boards are presented with the names and marks of 

candidates will continue. 

Assessors will be expected to observe the principles and practice of anonymous marking. 

Where any form of examination irregularity is suspected, the appropriate Director (or nominee) will 

have the authority to allow the removal of anonymity on the examination answer books of the relevant 

student(s). 

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15. STUDENT ATTENDANCE MONITORING POLICY 

Attendance Monitoring Policy Statement 

Glasgow Caledonian University requires, during term time [1] , all students, Undergraduate, Post Graduate 

Taught and Post Graduate Research, to undertake/attend all scheduled individual contact sessions, 

teaching sessions, seminars, tutorials, laboratory classes, work placements and requisite research activity, 

as appropriate, associated with the programme of study on which they are registered. The University will 

monitor students‟ attendance and will take appropriate action, including reporting to the requisite 

authorities (UKBA, SAAS, Student Loans Company, etc), those students whose attendance is 

unsatisfactory. 

[1] This information is detailed in the University Academic Calendar approved annually by Senate: term-time and holiday or vacation times are 

defined by the University’s academic calendar. Where programmes do not follow the usual September to June pattern, term-time means any period 

when a student is scheduled to be undertaking academic work. For example, when a student should be: 

attending classes and lectures etc; 

preparing for exams; 

undertaking coursework activities; 

preparing essays, dissertation or thesis. 

Section 15 revised by Academic Registrar September 2011 

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16. POLICY ON STUDENT PERFORMANCE FEEDBACK 

1. At programme level, details of the practice of student performance feedback must be provided in 

Student Programme Handbooks. 

2. All modules will have a published student feedback strategy. 

3. All Schools will adopt the Principles of Student Feedback practice (see below). 

4. Student feedback will be given on all forms of assessed work and on any other group or individual 

contributions to a module. 

5. All modules will provide generic assessment feedback using Blackboard or some other 

appropriate method. 

6. All modules will set up bulletin boards which include the facility for students to pose questions. 

7. All programmes will have a programme portal through which feedback can be provided on 

meetings of SSCGs and Programme Boards. 

Principles of Student Feedback 

For each of the 7 principles of good feedback practice, some practical examples are presented below. 

These examples do not represent a comprehensive list nor is any one example mandatory. However there 

is an expectation that many modules will use one or more of these or alternative techniques to satisfy the 

principles. 

A: Facilitating the Development of Self-Assessment 

Students can be asked to: 

i. request the kinds of feedback they would like when they hand in work; 

ii. identify the strengths and weaknesses in their own work in relation to criteria or standards before 

handing it in for teacher feedback; 

iii. reflect on their achievements and selecting work in order to compile a portfolio; 

iv. set achievement milestones for a task and reflecting back on progress and forward to the next 

stage of action; 

v. give feedback on each other‟s work (peer feedback) also helps support the development of selfassessment 

skills (for example, Gibbs, 1999). 

B: Encouraging Teacher and Peer Dialogue 

Good examples of feedback dialogue in class include: 

i. providing feedback using one-minute papers (Angelo and Cross, 1990); 

ii. reviewing feedback in tutorials where students are asked to read the feedback 

iii. comments they have been given and discuss these with peers – they might also be asked to 

suggest strategies to improve performance next time; 

iv. asking students to find one or two examples of feedback comments that they found useful and to 

explain how they helped. Other ways of using feedback dialogue in a planned way, for 

assignments, might involve: 

(a) having students give each other descriptive feedback on their work in relation to published 

criteria before submission; (b) group projects. 

C: Clarify Good Performance 

Strategies that have proved effective in clarifying criteria, standards and goals include: 

i. providing better definitions of requirements using carefully constructed criteria sheets and 

performance level definitions; 

ii. providing students with exemplar assignments with attached feedback; 

iii. increasing discussion and reflection about criteria and standards in class; 

iv. involving students in assessment exercises where they mark or comment on other students‟ work 

in relation to defined criteria and standards; 

v. workshops where students in collaboration with their teacher devise their own assessment criteria 

for a piece of work; 

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vi. 

combinations of the above five have proved particularly effective. 

D: Providing Opportunities to Close the Gap between Current and Desired Performance 

Strategies for teachers that can help students use external feedback to close the gap include: 

i. increasing the number of opportunities for resubmission; 

ii. modelling the strategies that might be used to close a performance gap in class (for example, 

model how to structure an essay when given a new question); 

iii. writing down some „action points‟ alongside the normal feedback they provide. This would 

identify for students what they should do next time to improve their performance; 

iv. asking students to identify their own action points in class based on the feedback they have just 

received thereby integrating the process into the teaching and learning situation and involving the 

students more actively in the generation and planned use of feedback. 

E: Delivers high quality information to students about their learning 

Strategies that increase the quality of feedback include: 

i. making sure that feedback is provided in relation to pre-defined criteria but paying particular 

attention to the number of criteria; 

ii. providing feedback soon after a submission; 

iii. providing corrective advice, not just information on strengths/ weaknesses; 

iv. limiting the amount of feedback so that it is used; 

v. prioritising areas for improvement; 

vi. providing online tests so that feedback can be accessed anytime, any place and as many times as 

students wish; 

vii. focusing on students with greatest difficulties. 

F: Encourages positive motivational beliefs and self-esteem 

The implication of these studies for teaching practice is that motivation and self-esteem are more likely to 

be enhanced when a course has many low-stakes tasks with feedback geared to providing information 

about progress and achievement rather than high stakes summative assessment tasks where information is 

only about success or failure or about how students compare with peers. Other strategies that would help 

encourage high levels of motivation to succeed include: 

i. providing marks on written work only after students have responded to feedback comments; 

ii. allocating time for students to re-write selected pieces of work – this would help change students‟ 

expectations about purpose; 

iii. automated testing with feedback; 

iv. drafts and resubmissions. 

G: Provides information to teachers that can be used to help shape the teaching 

Strategies are available to teachers to help generate and collate quality information about student learning 

and help them decide how to use it include: 

i. using one-minute papers where students carry out a small assessment task and hand this in 

anonymously at the end of a class, such as What was the main point of this lecture? or What 

question remains outstanding for you at the end of this teaching session? 

ii. having students request the feedback they would like when they make an assignment submission; 

iii. asking students to identify where they are having difficulties when they hand in assessed work; 

iv. asking students in groups to identify „a question worth asking‟, based on prior study, that they 

would like to explore for a short time at the beginning of the next tutorial; 

v. quick evaluation strategies at key points in teaching. 

Approved by Academic Policy and Planning Committee 25 May 2005; Approved by Senate 11 October 2002 - Amended September 2003, October 2004, 

November 2005 This version: amended October 2006: PW-Governance and Quality http://www.gcal.ac.uk/student/exams/ 

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Assessment Regulations - Glasgow Caledonian University

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