Forms of Assessment

Formative assessment is an interim review of your work undertaken at key points during your learning. It provides an indicative measure of your progress, allows you to consider your work in relation to that of your peers, allows you to agree with staff any adjustments you need to make in order to satisfy module requirements, and is designed to help you improve your performance. This is a feedback mechanism and does not contribute to the final mark.

Summative assessment is carried out at the end of your module and provides an evaluation of your progress, generates a final mark, and determines whether or not you have met the learning outcomes to pass the module.

Learning Outcomes

During your studies at the College, you will:

• • learn more about yourself and the influences on you

  • investigate opportunities in learning and work

  • make and adjust plans to manage change and transition

  • be provided with subject related advice and guidance.

Feedback

Feedback is a fundamental part of the learning experience and at PCA and we use a number of different approaches to providing continuous, supportive and evaluative feedback against student performance. Formative feedback might take the form of a verbal appraisal through tutorial, or peer-led discussion, and often forms part of critique or seminar discussion on work in progress. Scheduled Formative Tutorial points offer a chance for reflective review on individual progress towards achieving Learning Outcomes.

Summative feedback provides critically reflective comment at the end of a module, based on the work submitted and its achievement of the Learning Outcomes. This takes the form of written assessment feedback, and indicates areas of strength and areas for improvement. It also provides a clear articulation of individual performance against each Learning Outcome in the module. In addition, students are offered a feedback tutorial with their tutor, with the exception of the final major project unit in Level 6 , where only written feedback is published.

Submissions

Work submitted for a summative assessment component cannot be amended after submission, or re-submitted.

Extensions to deadlines for submission of coursework may not be granted by members of academic staff. A student who misses a deadline or believes that they will miss a deadline should submit extenuating circumstances in accordance with the page on Academic Regulations.

Referrals

Referrals are covered in the page on Academic Regulations.

Late submission

Coursework which is submitted after the deadline will be assessed but the results will not be entered onto the official record until any claim for extenuating circumstances has been considered. Feedback may be given on the quality of the work submitted and an indicative grade awarded. If the circumstances are deemed valid, the actual result achieved will be entered onto the record and submitted to the Progression and Award Board. Where coursework is submitted late and there are no accepted extenuating circumstances it will be penalised in line with the following tariff:

Submission within 6 working days: a 10% reduction deducted from the overall marked score for each working day late, down to the 40% pass mark(for BA(Hons) and 50% pass Mark (MA) and no further deduction.

• • for example a mark of 60% handed in 2 days late will be deducted 2 x (60 x 10%) = (60 - 12) = 48% awarded

  • for example a mark of 60% handed in 4 days late will be deducted 4 x (60 x 10%) = (60 - 24 ) = = 36% with minimum 40% awarded

If you fail to submit work for assessment this will be assessed as 0 by the Progression and Award Board.

What if I fail?

If you fail a module, the following may apply in the first instance in line with our Academic Regulations:

• • Resit – a second attempt of an assessment component within a module, following failure at first attempt subject to all the following conditions:

    • • • You may resit the failed assessment components of a module only once. Where there are extenuating circumstances, the Board of Examiners has discretion to decide whether a further assessment opportunity shall be permitted.

        • If you do not complete the resit by the date specified you shall not progress the programme, except in cases where the process for allowing extenuating circumstances has been followed.

        • If you successfully complete any required resits within a module you shall be awarded the credit for the module and the result for the individual assessment component capped at the minimum pass mark for the module (ie 40%).

Please read this page in conjunction with the page on Academic Regulations.