Boards of Examiners
Dates of exam boards should be set at the start of the academic year, in consultation with the Collaborative Academic Lead and School Manager. Normally two Boards of Examiners will be scheduled, the first to make decisions on progress and reassessment after students' first attempt; and the second to consider the outcomes of reassessment. However, this may vary depending on the delivery pattern of the programme.
In order to process awards in time for graduation, progression boards are usually held at least four weeks prior to the graduation ceremony.
The Memorandum of Agreement will specify arrangements for exam boards. A senior academic member of QMU staff will convene the board and a QMU Administrator will act as secretary. Normally, the external examiner will be present and all members of the programme team. At least three quarters of the staff involved in marking must be present.
Confirmed marks should be sent to the Academic Administration a minimum of five working days prior to the board. When sending marks, please ensure the following:
- The csv sheet, provided by the Collaborations Administrative Officer, is completed in full – with due care taken to ensure that the correct component mark is entered as appropriate (i.e. to ensure for example component 1 & 2 essay & report marks are not accidentally submitted the wrong way around).
- The marks are entered as the percentage the student received for each component of assessment (unless simply marked as pass or fail). Where an assessment is marked as only pass or fail, this will be indicated on the module descriptor.
- Information about any students who have not submitted – were these non-submissions or withdrawals or has the student deferred?
- Information about any extenuating circumstances.
The Collaborations Administrative Officer will enter the marks and produce mark sheets for the exam board; student profiles will also be prepared for any award or progression decisions as appropriate.
Marks are not confirmed until they have been through an exam board. Therefore, if students are given feedback prior to the board, it should be made clear that that any grades indicated on their work are provisional. Student marks are private and confidential information, so any lists published on notice boards or electronically should only identify students by their matriculation number, not name.
If a student has failed they must normally wait for confirmation of the mark at the exam board before they can be reassessed. Exceptionally, the Convener of the exam board may grant permission for early retrieval in response to particular student circumstances. The Convener of the exam board is normally the Head of Division.
It is normally the responsibility of the partner institution to contact students who have not yet passed (whether through failure or deferral due to extenuating circumstances). Such students must be informed in writing of what they have to do to retrieve and the new submission date (or date of exam). Students must be given adequate time to prepare for reassessments: the usual reassessment period is 6 weeks, but should certainly be no less than four weeks.
It is important to have all relevant information at the exam board and to be sure about the accuracy of marks. The information presented at the exam board becomes the student’s official record. If anything comes to light after the board the official record can only be changed by convener’s action, i.e. the Convener of the board must communicate this decision in writing to the Secretary.
Sometimes decisions about student progress need to be made urgently and there isn't time for an exam board. In such cases, the Convener of the Board should be contacted and asked to approve the decision on behalf of the Board. No decisions on student progress can be made without the Convener's approval.
