Assessments & Grading

The purpose of assessment is to enable students to demonstrate that they have fulfilled the objective of a programme of study and achieved the standard required for its associated award. All programmes of study are subject to course regulations that relate assessment requirements to the programme objectives; it is on the basis of these requirements that the examiners judge students. Assessment must reflect overall student performance. While marks and grades make a contribution they have no inherent absolute value and the final assessment must look beyond their mere computation. Where elements of assessment occur throughout a programme of study, students are advised of the quality of their work but should also be advised that marks remain provisional until ratified by the Examination Board. Consequently, the academic judgment of an Examination Board cannot be formally questioned or overturned. An appeal against the recommendation for an award can only be made on the grounds that information relevant to a particular assessment was not available to the Examination Board when it reach its decision or on evidence of procedural irregularity.