Specialised Undergraduate Course Regulations

This document is definitive!

1. Introduction

  1. This section contains the Regulations for students registered on the specialised undergraduate degree courses in the Bath Spa University.
  2. On enrolment the student accepts the regulations then in force. If any changes are made to the Regulations that might affect a student during their studies, they will be informed in writing of the amendments either through a re-issue of the Student Handbook or through a separate letter or memo.
  3. The assessment of students registered on the specialised undergraduate degree courses in the Bath School of Art and Design is in accordance with the current Academic Regulations of Bath Spa University.
  4. These regulations apply to all forms of assessment included within the student programmes. The design of assessment strategies is the responsibility of individual Course Leaders and relates directly to the learning outcomes of units or modules. Student handbooks include explanations of all elements of subject assessment.
  5. Assessment regulations must take into account the University’s commitment to Equal Opportunities. If a student is unable through disability to be assessed by the methods specified in the assessment regulations, the candidate shall be assessed by arrangements agreed by the Academic Board.

2. Admission

  1. The admission of students is made in accordance with the University’s Academic Regulations; the power to admit students resides with the Registrar.
  2. In selecting students the primary emphasis is placed on evidence of creative ability and the appropriateness of the candidate for the chosen course. Candidates may be required to provide a portfolio or attend for audition and/or interview.
  3. In considering candidates who do not possess the normal minimum academic qualifications for entry, selection panels make a judgement on the likelihood of such candidates completing the course successfully.

3. Patterns of Study

  1. The structure of the specialised courses in University results in a small number of significant differences between the regulations for these awards and those for the majority of courses in the University’s modular scheme. All the courses are organised into modules, these contain assessment items, which combine to represent 120 credits in each of the designated levels/years.  In particular:
    1. The assessment of the three stages/levels is as follows:
      1. For BA (Hons) degrees:
        • Year 1 / Level 4 - Pass/Fail
        • Year 2 / Level 5 - Pass/Fail (With the total mark contributing 20% towards the final degree classification)
        • Year 3 / Level 6- Pass/Fail (With the total mark contributing 80% towards the final degree classification)
      2. For Foundation Degrees:
        • Year 1 - Pass/Fail
        • Year 2 - Fail/Pass/Merit/Distinction
    2. The modules in each of the three levels/years consist of:
      1. Studio practice and professional studies
      2. Contextual studies
  2. The specialised courses are structured sequentially, thus requiring the accumulation of set skills. For this reason all modules of the courses must be passed. It is not normally possible to progress to the next year/level without the accumulation of 120 credits. (See Section 5)

4. Assessment

  1. Introduction to Assessment: The form of the coursework items is published in the Student Handbook. Where more than one item of assessed work is required, the weighting is identified.
    1. At Level 4, all work is first marked, and moderated. All firsts and fails are second marked.
    2. At Level 5, all work is first marked and moderated. All firsts and fails are second marked.
    3. At Level 6, all work is first marked, second marked and moderated.
    4. This is applicable unless the nature of the work makes this impossible.
    5. The pass grade for all units/modules is 40%.
    6. Grades: On completion of each unit/module marking tutors provide Course leaders with the grades and comments awarded to each student on their course. Student Services inform students who fail any unit/module about the failure and its possible consequences. Students have access to all grades and comments on their own work awarded throughout the course. The grades awarded in the second and third years are subject to (a) moderation by external examiners, and (b) decisions of examination boards; students should therefore be aware that the grades they have access to are provisional until all these processes have been completed.
  2. Criteria for Assessment: The following assessment criteria have been adopted for all assessment items. They will be amplified and/or refined by more specific criteria, which will be set out in the documentation for each specialised course.
  3. Course Grading Scheme:
    1. Course Grading: Equivalent Honours Classification: Equivalent Percentage Marks:
      A 1st 70-100%
      B 2.1 60-69%
      C 2.2 50-59%
      D 3 40-49%
      F   1-39%
      F No work submitted 0%
      0.5 and above will normally be rounded up. 0.4 and below will normally be rounded down.
  4. Submission or Exhibition of Work for Assessment: For each module a student takes they will be informed of deadlines by which the coursework associated with it must be submitted. In some modules all the assessment occurs at the end, in others assessment takes place as studies progress. Please note that students must keep records or a back-up copy of all assessed work submitted unless the nature of the work makes this completely impossible. Any piece of assessed work may be kept or recorded for scrutiny by the External Examiner. Written work must always be submitted to designated staff at a designated location, as directed, not to individual tutors.
    1. Progression:
      1. Year 1/Level 4: In order to complete Year/Level 1 successfully and to satisfy the requirements for progression to Year/Level 2, a student must normally have passed, or been awarded credit for, work equivalent to 120 credits.
      2. Year 2/Level 5: In order to complete Year/Level 2 successfully and to satisfy the requirements for progression to Year/Level 3, or the award of either the Foundation Degree or the Diploma in Higher Education, a student must have passed, or been awarded credit for, work equivalent to 240 credits.
      3. Where pre-requisites allow, modules may be trailed, up to a maximum of 60 credits before a student may be requested to attend part time.
      4. Students may be ‘referred with attendance’ or ‘referred without attendance’.

5. Reassessment

  1. In the case of unsatisfactory performance in a module, a student may be referred pending a further opportunity to retake part or all of the assessment. Referred performances are considered as reassessments - second attempts following initial failure. However, where an Assessment Board accepts that there are mitigating circumstances to explain why a student has failed to pass a unit/module, the result may be deferred, pending a further opportunity to undertake the assessment. Deferred performances are considered as first attempts (i.e. late assessment rather than reassessment). See the section on Mitigating Circumstances.
  2. Students do not have an automatic right to reassessment. Where the Assessment Board believes it appropriate, no opportunity for reassessment need be given. Failure without right of resit commonly occurs in cases of failure through non-submission, or where there is evidence of significant non-attendance.
  3. Where the nature of the assessment cannot readily be duplicated at the time of referral, an equivalent form of assessment may be substituted.
  4. Only one attempt to redeem a failed assessment is permitted, and one attempt to redeem a failed module.
  5. Where a module has more than one assessment item contributing to its overall assessment, compensation between assessment items will only be permitted if the mark for each assessment item is >=35% and an overall pass mark of >=40% is achieved for the module. Where a module has a single assessment item, compensation for a mark of <40% will not be possible.
    1. In the event that any assessment item for a module is awarded a mark of <35%, the student will be referred, pending a further opportunity to retake that item of the assessment.
    2. Where a student is referred in one or more assessment items, the original mark(s) will be replaced by the mark(s) for the reassessed work and the module result recalculated. Students will be permitted to compensate between assessment items provided that the marks for each assessment items >35% and an overall pass mark of >=40% is achieved for the module.
  6. A failed module which is passed on referral is awarded a mark of 40% D.
  7. A module or assessment item, which has been passed, cannot be retaken in order to gain further credit or achieve a higher mark. Students may not study extra units or repeat units/modules already passed to improve their Honours classification.
  8. At the discretion of the University Assessment Board, a student who has failed one or more modules may be required to retake failed modules (by attendance and the completion of all assignments afresh).
  9. A candidate for reassessment may not demand reassessment in units or assessment items which are no longer current within the programme. However, the Assessment Board may exercise its discretion in providing special arrangements where it is not practicable for students to be reassessed in the same units/items or by the same methods as at the first attempt. Such arrangements shall be subject to the principle that an award is made only when a candidate has fulfilled the objectives of the programme and achieved the required standard.
  10. A candidate who has failed to satisfy the examiners in the first attempt at an assessment for an award, but has, in the examiners’ judgement, satisfied the requirements for a lower award, may, at the examiners’ discretion, be offered the choice of accepting the lower award or reassessment for the higher award. If the student fails at reassessment, he/she may claim the lower award previously offered.
  11. Where a student’s failure is deemed to be serious, the Assessment Board is required to advise on a future course of action for that student. Recommendations may include leave from the registered programme of study, to re-take the failed modules, or to transfer to some other course of study. In the event of a very weak performance a student may be excluded from the course on academic grounds.

Approved by AQSC in June 2010.