General Principles
1.
Institutions will inform students which modules are assessed and the method and manner of reassessment for redeeming a failure through handbooks and module literature.
2.
All written examinations will, so far as national practice allows it, be marked in the anonymous state. In Swansea University (SU), this means that students in such examinations shall be identified only by their student number until such time as both first and second marking and any moderation process have been completed. In Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA), it will happen after the jury has been held.
3.
Institutions shall so far as possible, and in accordance with national practice, mark other forms of assessment in the anonymous state. It is, however, recognised that feedback from certain elements of assessment form an integral part of the learning experience and that, for practical reasons, it might not be possible to follow the policy in relation to anonymity at all times. Methods of assessment, which involve observation, interaction and oral elements shall not be subject to anonymity.
4.
Each institution will be responsible for the academic standards of any award made in its name and hence, decisions relating to the award of marks, grades and degrees shall be taken by the appropriate Examination Board within that institution.
5.
A student’s progress will be assessed at the end of each Year by SU and at the end of each semester for UGA. The Host Institution will be responsible for agreeing and confirming module results, awarding supplementary assessments to students who have not passed modules and confirming the results of any such supplementary assessments. Module results confirmed through the assessment procedures of the Host Institution may not be subsequently altered.
6.
Supplementary assessment shall be set by the Host Institution at the earliest possible date.
7.
The Partners will establish a Joint Board of Studies/Examination Board which will review the results of students over the course of each year, including supplementary assessment results. The Joint Examination Board will make recommendations on those students who have passed and can progress to the next year of study, those who have not passed and those who have qualified for the award. This Board shall act in an advisory capacity and make recommendations to Institutional Examination Boards, unless authority is delegated to act on behalf of the Partner Institutions.
8.
Marks for modules will be determined according to the marking criteria agreed by the partners. Marks will be recorded in accordance with a grade conversion table that will be agreed and approved by both UGA and SU annually and made available to students through the module or programme handbook.
9.
Confirmed module results will be disclosed to students by the Host Institution. A full profile of results will be made available to students on an annual basis by the Host Institution via electronic means.
10.
In SU, to ensure consistency of marking within UGA and SU a sample selection of examinations and course work will be double/ second marked. This work may be undertaken by a member of staff from either Institution or the External Examiner provided this individual is eligible to do so, in accordance with the regulations of the Partner Institutions.
11.
The Joint Board of Studies will employ an External Examiner (i.e. a member of staff external to UGA and SU) to review the programme and make recommendations to the Joint Board of Studies and the Partner Institutions, on any instances of best practice and or alterations necessary to ensure the overall quality of the degree. In Grenoble, each track is supervised by the “Comité de pilotage”, which gather Professors and people belonging to industry plays this role.
General Assessment Regulations:
12.
The Pass mark for modules will be set at 50% at Swansea or 10 out of 20 at Grenoble. Credits will be awarded to students who pass a module. Local rules regarding compensation of modules will apply.
13.
Students who accumulate 120 ECTS credits in total, including successful defence of a Master’s thesis/dissertation, may qualify for the award of the degree.
14.
Requests from students for the consideration of extenuating circumstances affecting assessment will be considered and processed by the Host institution in accordance with that institution’s policy. The Joint Examination Board will monitor such decisions and make recommendations as appropriate in order to ensure consistency.
15.
Students who have been unsuccessful in any modules may be permitted one additional attempt to redeem their failure in each such module, provided that this can be achieved within the time limit for the degree (i.e. a maximum period of candidature of 48 months from the initial enrolment date).
16.
In permitting a student the opportunity to redeem a failure, the Host Institution has the discretion to allow a student to:
- At SU be re-examined in the module as a whole through one assessment or be re-examined in those parts of the module which he/she has failed where more than one piece of work contributes towards the final module mark;
- At UGA, students will be re-examined in accordance with the studies regulations of the track.
17.
Students who fail to achieve a pass mark in a failed module(s) at the second attempt will be withdrawn from the program. Such Students will have no further opportunity to complete their program of study, and shall only be eligible to be considered for an exit qualification, where relevant (see regulation 21 below).
18.
Students who do not attempt to redeem the failed module(s) will normally be awarded a mark of 0% in such modules at SU, and will keep the mark obtained in the first session at UGA. Such students will not be given a further opportunity to redeem the failure.
19.
A Student who is to be re-examined in set projects or other forms of course assessment will not be permitted to re-submit modified versions of their original work, but will be required to submit for assessment new work on different topics from those which originally failed to satisfy the examiners.
20.
Students shall not be allowed to repeat any module which has been passed in order to improve their performance.
21.
A student who is admitted to a programme but is subsequently unable or is not permitted to progress to completion may be eligible for an exit award of Swansea University or Université Grenoble Alpes, provided that the candidate has studied the modules or an agreed portion of the module(s) at the awarding institution, and been awarded the credits by the University in question. Such a student may be considered for the award of the following
Swansea University exit qualification:
| Credits gained at level M | Candidate may exit the programme with eligibility for: |
|---|
| not fewer than 30 ECTS Credits |
Postgraduate Certificate |
| not fewer than 60 ECTS Credits |
Postgraduate Diploma |
or the following
Université Grenoble Alpes qualification:
| Credits gained at level M | Candidate may exit the programme with eligibility for: |
|---|
| not fewer than 60 ECTS Credits |
Maitrise |
Specific Progression Rules – Year One Progression
22.
Students who accumulate at least 60 ECTS/120 SU credits, at 50% at Swansea or 10 at Grenoble or above for each module, automatically qualify to proceed to Year Two.
23.
Students who are attempting to redeem a failure and who fail at the second attempt, will be informed that they are required to withdraw from the programme and will be considered for an exit award where appropriate.
24.
In exceptional circumstances and in accordance with the Host Institution’s Policy on Extenuating Circumstances Affecting Assessment, students who fail to redeem their module(s) during the re-sit period because of extenuating circumstances or who fail the module at the first opportunity during the re-sit period (i.e. as a deferral) may submit evidence of such circumstances to the Swansea University Programme Director for consideration. At the discretion of the University Progression Boards, such candidates may be permitted one further opportunity to re-sit. The reassessment(s) shall normally take place at the next assessment(s) point for the modules concerned in the next academic year.
25.
All students who fail to complete Year One or Progress to Year Two have the right of appeal in accordance with the Institution’s Accuracy of Published Marks and/or Academic Appeals Procedure.
Examination of the Master’s Thesis/Dissertation
26.
Students who fail to submit their Master’s thesis/dissertation by the deadline will be required to withdraw from the program and may be eligible for an exit award (see regulation 21). No resubmission will be given.
Where there are one or more assessment components in respect of the directed independent learning module, students who have submitted at least one assessment component by the deadline and fail to obtain an overall module pass mark, will normally be permitted to resubmit all failed components in accordance with the appropriate time limit.
27.
Students will be permitted to resubmit their Master's thesis in accordance with the regulations of the host institution:
- At SU, students who submit their Master’s thesis/dissertation by the deadline and who fail to obtain a pass mark may be permitted to resubmit within three months of the official publication of results from Swansea University.
- At Université Grenoble Alpes, in accordance with the studies regulations, students will have two opportunities to submit their thesis.
In both institutions, the submission and resubmission dates will be clearly communicated to the student.
28.
Students who are unable to meet their submission deadline may apply for an extension to their submission deadline in accordance with the procedures of the host institution.
29.
Swansea University reserves the right to charge a re-examination fee in respect of the re-submission.
Academic Appeals
30.
Academic appeals shall be considered in accordance with the procedures agreed by the partner institutions. They shall be based on the principles that:
- An appeal should be considered by the Host Institution which agreed the decision against which the student is appealing;
- The student shall have right of access to the national ombudsman, if relevant;
- The student shall have access to support.
Details will be published in the programme handbook.
Explanatory Note to these Regulations
These regulations are drafted to reflect nuances in language, expression and spellings at partner Institutions and local practices within those institutions for example:
Clause 2
In UGA students are identified by number only until the internal exam board (jury) is held.
Clause 5
UGA hold exam boards at the end of each semester.
Clause 11
UGA as with other French institutions do not operate an External Examiner system, instead they have a committee of senior academic and industry consultants who oversee the quality of programmes.
Clause 12
The meaning of core modules and the application of compensation rules differ between Institutions. Swansea University examination boards must operate and apply the normal regulations of Swansea University appropriate to core modules and compensation i.e. local rules regarding compensation will apply irrespective of rules applying at a partner Institution.
Clause 16
Local rules apply.
Clause 18
At UGA – students keep their first mark if their mark on re-submission is lower.
Clause 27
AT UGA as with other French institutions candidates are told at the outset of the programme what the submission and re-submission dates are. If they miss the deadline for submission, they can submit for the re-submission deadline but they will be made aware that this is the second and last attempt to submit.
