Degree Outcomes Statement

The degree classification profile for Swansea University for the academic years 2017/18 to 2022-23 is illustrated in the table below:

Degree Outcomes

The data shows that the University’s profile of First Class Honours and Upper Second Class Honours combined has decreased in comparison to 2022/23 by 4.5%, however as the data above shows, there has been an increase in 2:1 classifications but a larger decrease in 1st classifications, therefore impacting the combined percentage.  Upper Second Class Honours increased by 1.5% and Lower Second Class Honours has increased by 0.9%.   

Whilst there has been a slight decrease in the First Class Honours and Upper Second Class Honours combined, the University has continued to maintain standards and enhance the quality of the University’s programmes, to ensure students have the best chance of graduating with First or Upper Second-class degrees and to enable them to secure graduate employment.   

For all programmes learning outcomes and assessment are clearly mapped against the QAA Quality Code, meet PSRB requirements, consider QAA Subject benchmark statements and align to the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications and Credit and Qualifications Framework Wales. This provides assurance that degree standards are maintained and that external experts, (PSRBs representatives, service users, students, employers, stakeholders) inform and quality assure our programmes. 

The University’s Assessment, Marking and Feedback Policy (updated 2024) provides principles of assessment and requirements and drives enhancement in assessment practice. The Policy includes requirements for marking and assessment design, and links to the University’s regulations for Assessment and Award. Assessment design and marking is also overseen by expert External Examiners, who review and approve assessment design to ensure consistency and validity and provide an annual report on assessment processes and attend the relevant Examination Boards. 

Recent amendments to the policy have addressed the following key areas:  

• Moderation sample size and clarification on minimum requirements 
• Clarification of marking of assessment and module marks ending in 9 
• Enhancements to promote race inclusion more effectively 
• Enhancements to assure standards in light of Generative AI 
• Clarification/Enhancement in terms of working with partners 

Implementation of the policy is supported by an extensive Code of Practice for Learning, Teaching and Assessment and by the Swansea Academy for Learning and Teaching and Swansea Academy for Inclusivity.   

In addition, all academic staff new to HE are required to complete the PG Cert Teaching in Higher Education, through which they are introduced to the QAA Quality Code, all aspects of programme and assessment design and quality assurance processes. Further workshops covering all aspects of assessment and marking are provided by the Swansea Academy for Learning and Teaching. 

Academic Integrity 

The University has undertaken a programme of enhancement activity under the umbrella of Ymlaen throughout 2022/23 and 2023/24. The work in 2022/23 identified Academic Integrity as an area for enhancement and designated working groups were established for the following 4 themes:   

• Staff Briefing  
• Policy & Regulations 
• Student Academic Integrity skills  
• Procedures, Consistency & Systems  

The Ymlaen programme supported student engagement with the work on Academic Integrity as well as consultation with staff across the institution.   

Throughout 2023/24, outputs from the above working groups were embedded across the institution with the following key outcomes:  

• The alignment of the Extenuating Circumstances policy across all three faculties, ensuring that the experience for students is consistent, including timeframes and processes for extenuating circumstances.   
• Review and amendment of academic misconduct regulations to reduce the number of cases (introducing bad academic practice) and reduced case processing and outcome time (allowing faculties to deal with minor cases) 
• Creation and launch of an Academic Integrity Staff Canvas Hub containing resources and guidance for staff  
• Review and update of the University Academic Integrity Lead Role to support this work across the institution for the foreseeable future.  

Academic governance is essential to protecting the value of qualifications that are awarded by the University. The University Education Committee is responsible for the oversight of Quality and Standards and provides an Annual report to the University’s Council (Governors), which provides assurance to them that quality and standards are being maintained. The Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) Quality Enhancement Review was conducted in November 2020, in compliance with the requirements of the Quality Assessment Framework for Wales.   

Alongside this review, the Governors are asked to confirm a number of statements on an annual basis as part of the HEFCW Quality Assessment Framework for Wales including, for providers with degree awarding powers, that the standards of awards for which they are responsible have been appropriately set and maintained.   

To assist the Governors in making that assurance, there is a reporting mechanism that feeds up through the institution via Faculty/School and Institutional level Quality Assurance Committees and Boards to the University Education Committee. There is also a Collaborative Partnership Board, which oversees all Partnership arrangements. Together, this governance structure ensures local bodies are empowered, but the University has clear oversight of quality and standards. Throughout academic year 2023/24, the second phase of a review of governance structures was undertaken with a new structure and process outlined for 2024/25.   

The University’s internal Quality Review process comprises Annual Module Review, Annual Programme Review and Quality Reviews which are designed to review in depth areas which require support, without reducing scrutiny in high performance areas. Together, these approaches ensure the University has clear oversight and regular dialogue around the quality and standards of its provision, which underpins degree outcomes.   
 
The External Examiners and External Subject Specialists are critical to the design, approval and ongoing review of programmes, and are engaged in all design or review of programmes.  At institutional level, the Progression and Awards Board receives a Faculty/School level External Examiner report and provides an institutional report to the University Education Committee. Faculties/Schools are required to provide a response at local level, and the University responds to and oversees any action taken in response to External Examiner Reports at institutional level. 

Throughout 2023/24, the above quality processes have undertaken full scale reviews to ensure they remain fit for purpose, efficient and impactful.  This has resulted in a newly defined quality assurance framework to be implemented in 2024/25 to support a continuous enhancement approach.  

Swansea University’s classification regulations are published within its Academic Regulations. These regulations are kept under review.

The candidate’s class of degree will normally be determined by the weighted average mark for all modules, including marks of the tolerated failures, contributing to the honours assessment using the following classification boundaries: 

Band 3: Best marks achieved in 80 credits pursued at Level 6, given a weighting of 3 
Band 2: Level 6 marks from the remaining 40 credits pursued and the best marks achieved in 40 credits pursued at Level 5, given a weighting of 2 
Band 1: Marks achieved in remaining Level 5 credits pursued, with a weighting of 1 

A formula is then applied to calculate the degree classification average. 

Window of Opportunity: Students who are within 2% of the classification boundary can be considered for uplift to the next classification if they satisfy the following criteria.

Preponderance Principle: In order that the student be awarded the higher classification, a student must have achieved marks in the higher classification band in modules attracting a credit weighting equal to half or more of those contributing to the degree classification.

Exit Velocity: The University Progression and Awards Board shall consider the non-weighted average of the Final Year of Study. Where the student's Final Year average is in the higher classification band, the University Progression and Awards Board shall normally award the higher-class degree.

The University is undertaking an enhancement programme called Ymlaen (meaning ‘Moving Forward’).  It is focused on delivering a step change in organisational effectiveness over the next 3 years and embedding a culture of continuous improvement which will ensure into the future.  In 2022/23, the programme focused on the following 4 key areas:  

• Extenuating Circumstances 
• Academic Integrity  
• Academic Mentoring 
• Student Communication 

Throughout 2023/24, the programme focused on embedding the work of the 4 areas mentioned above and additional areas of student communications and gateway to student services and systems and processes to support both staff and students. The outcomes of the Ymlaen programme include:  

• A consistent Extenuating Circumstances process and structure across all faculties and The College.   
• A revised Personal Tutoring Framework was established and embedded across the institution along with the start of the institution-wide Curriculum Reform Project.   
• New and amended regulations and processes regarding Academic Integrity cases resulting in cases being decided on quicker and the Centre for Academic Success introduced a Student Academic Integrity Ambassador scheme to continue to support Academic Integrity across the institution.  
• A review of student communication processes to produce a new streamlined process development in conjunction with faculties to improve dissemination of student communication.    

Degree outcomes data is one of the key sets of data reviewed by programmes as part of ongoing Annual Module and Programme Review and more in-depth Quality Reviews. Effective practice is routinely identified through these quality processes, highlighted in the Faculty Quality Overview Reports outlined previously, as well as through SALT web pages. 

As mentioned above, the institution has initiated the Curriculum Reform Project with the aim of ensuring parity of provision across the institution, regardless of discipline, whilst maintaining high quality learning, teaching and assessment practices that are future proofed and effectively preparing our students for their chosen careers.  This work will continue in academic year 2024/25.  
 
Alongside regular monitoring, the University has been focusing on continuous enhancement of the student experience, with particular effort placed on enhancement in the following areas which directly impact on student performance: 

Learning, Teaching and Assessment 

The University supports and enables the ongoing enhancement of learning and teaching, with ongoing innovation and enhancement across all Faculties/Schools. Along with support from the Swansea Academy for Learning and Teaching, Faculty/School Education Leads meet regularly, and are focused on enhancing approaches within their areas. The University recognises and rewards learning and teaching through specific career pathways and engagement with the HE Fellowship process. 

This has resulted in a renewed action planning and reporting process to support enhancement, streamlined processes to enable flexibility and responsiveness in our learning and teaching, and targeted interventions to support specific areas across the institution.   

The targeted interventions undertaken in 2023/24 resulted in all identified subject areas improving in National Student Survey 2024 thematic scores, with all subjects seeing an improvement in Overall Satisfaction. Key outcomes of the interventions included:  

• An understanding that small changes can make big differences to the student experience particularly in relation to communication. 
• The importance of Student Representative engagement throughout the programme and building a sense of community with students. 
• The importance of staff buy-in and working as a team to improve the student experience and ensure parity of experience across the programme. 
• The importance of consistent approaches to assessment information and feedback processes across a programme or subject areas using tools such as marking rubrics.