The University approved a new Assessment and Feedback policy in 2021. It is a key University objective to ensure that the assessment and feedback that you receive is clear, consistent, inclusive, fair, constructive and timely.
Key policy aspects
- The underlying principle of our policy is that assessment and feedback are fundamental to learning. Assessment provides opportunities for you to demonstrate that you have achieved the required learning outcomes. Assessment is therefore designed to meet your learning needs.
- All courses will incorporate authentic assessment approaches. Such assessment requires you to demonstrate the ability to apply knowledge and skills in a ‘real world’ situation. The assessment will therefore be relevant to your own aspirations.
- You will be advised of assessment requirements for your course in full at the start of each semester or period of study. You will be provided with sufficient information to enable you to plan workloads in relation to assessment requirements. As far as possible, ‘bunching’ of assessment deadlines will be avoided.
- You will develop your academic skills and acquire an understanding of plagiarism and academic misconduct;
- You will have formative assessment, which does not contribute directly to your final mark for the module. Formative assessment and feedback is key to helping you take greater responsibility for your own learning;
- You will have summative assessment which does contribute to your final mark. This will have specific guidelines/instructions and assessment criteria that are made available to you at the start of the module;
- You will usually submit your assessments online via Blackboard;
- In most cases your summative assessments will be marked anonymously so please do not include your name;
- You will usually receive your mark and feedback via Blackboard within 15 working days of the assessment due date;
- After examinations, the module leader will decide whether to provide you with group or individual feedback.
We recognise that learning, teaching and assessment comes in a variety of forms and as such, a number of exceptions to the policy are expected – therefore you will be advised how the policy will be applied to your course.
Download our policy
To read our policy in full, download the assessment and feedback policy below:
How to raise a complaint
If you are concerned that the policy isn’t being followed, then you should raise this with an appropriate member of staff (this may be your module or course leader) in the first instance.
If you are unsure who you need to contact, then you should seek guidance from the Students’ Union. Additional advice is available in the Student Complaints Procedure.