Assessment
Assessment is an integral part of teaching and learning, forming part of the cycle of performance, evaluation, and reflection that underpins your artistic development. It is also the mechanism which allows for a judgement as to whether you have completed the requirements of the programme, and, in the case of modules which carry a grade, to what standard. Assessment involves gathering, measuring and judging information about your progress.
Each module in the programme states learning outcomes, describing the knowledge, skills and understanding that must be demonstrated in order to pass the module. Each learning outcome is accompanied by assessment criteria, that indicate the factors which examiners will look for in order to determine whether a learning outcome has been met. The quality of the work is judged against an assessment matrix (or 'rubric'), which, in conjunction with the professional experience of the examiners, is used to determine whether the work is a pass or a fail and, in the case of assessments that carry a grade, to calibrate the level of the achievement according to the common assessment scale.
The module descriptor states the types of assessment that will be used. In cases where there is more than one graded assessment a weighting is assigned to each in order to calculate an overall module grade. All learning outcomes must be met in order to pass a module, and all summative assessments must be passed in order to pass a module.
Although the overall award carries no classification, grades for the Principal Project module will appear on your transcript, offering evidence to other educational institutions and potential employers of the level of your achievement.
Assessment modes
| Module | Mode of Assessment | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Principal Project | Negotiated: one or two performances (or other creative outputs) | Graded |
| Supporting Project | Viva | Pass/Fail |
Feedback on assessment
Feedback is central to learning: its nature and purpose is related to the two main types of assessment, formative and summative:
- Formative assessment is concerned with your development during the course of learning: it informs you about your progress.
- Summative assessment usually takes place at the end of a programme of work and, in the Artist Diploma, often takes the form of a performance, portfolio, or other culmination of learning. It sums up your achievement, providing a clear statement of success or failure in meeting the learning outcomes of the module.
Feedback is inherent to both types of assessment. It may take many forms:
- Verbal, on an instantaneous basis, such as the informal feedback you receive in your one-to-one lessons or in a tutorial with your Head of Department.
- Written, as a comment on a performance, portfolio submission, or other summative outcome: you can expect detailed written feedback on all major summative assessments.
- Mutually Constructed, where feedback is written collaboratively by the tutor and student.
- Grades are also a form of feedback
Assessment scale
Assessment is recorded using the Conservatoire's Common Assessment Scale. The outcome of a module may either be noted as Pass/Fail, or graded alphanumerically:
| Common Assessment Scale | Descriptor |
|---|---|
| A1 | Excellent |
| A2 | Excellent |
| A3 | Excellent |
| A4 | Excellent |
| A5 | Excellent |
| B1 | Very Good |
| B2 | Very Good |
| B3 | Very Good |
| C1 | Good |
| C2 | Good |
| C3 | Good |
| D1 | Satisfactory |
| D2 | Satisfactory |
| D3 | Adequate |
| PASS | |
| FAIL | |
| E1 | Inadequate/Fail |
| E2 | Inadequate/Fail |
| F | Serious fail |
| NS | Non-submission/Non-appearance |
Assessment regulations
Please read this section in conjunction with the Conservatoire Regulations, Codes of Procedures and General Rules.
You are required to attend all lessons, classes, rehearsals and performances as specified in this handbook or negotiated and recorded on your online student record. Unauthorised absence is not permitted.
Normally you may progress on the programme of study provided that:
- You have attended classes in accordance with the requirements of programme regulations and have completed all of the work of the programme of study;
- You have met the appropriate assessment requirements to the satisfaction of the appropriate Progress Committee or Board of Examiners.
To obtain a pass in a module you must normally complete all prescribed assessments to the satisfaction of the Board of Examiners. Where a module has a final assessment, you shall be permitted to take that assessment only if there is evidence that you have attended classes in accordance with the requirements of the module and have completed the work of the module.
If you disagree with the outcome of an assessment, you should in the first instance discuss this with the Head of Programme. If you are still not satisfied then you should follow the Code of Procedure for Appeals that can be found in the Regulations, Codes of Procedures and General Rules.
Plagiarism and academic misconduct
Academic misconduct includes cheating, collusion, and plagiarism. Essentially, all work submitted for assessment should be yours except in cases where group work is a specific requirement of an assignment.
Plagiarism and other forms of academic misconduct are serious disciplinary matters that will incur a £125 financial penalty. Further strictures may include:
- having to resit an assessment
- having to resit the module
- having to retake a year of study
- having to leave the Conservatoire
Further information, including the mechanism for appeal, may be found in the Conservatoire's Regulations, Codes of Procedure and General Rules.
Recital conventions – programme notes and announcements
It is usual practice in many music recitals to provide printed programme notes for the audience. Such practices differ between musical forms and communities – in jazz, for instance, formal programme notes are rare. Where programme notes are indeed expected, these should at a minimum give the name of all the performers, the composers, and full and accurate titles for all the works. You may also wish to include brief contextual notes on each piece. In Traditional Music recitals, such contextual notes are expected.
For vocal classical recitals, it is usual to provide the text of all of the works to be sung, with accompanying English translations where needed. However this is not usual practice for Scots or Scottish Gaelic Song recitals.
In all recitals it is also good practice to plan to address the audience briefly at some point. In Jazz and Traditional Music, always plan to introduce your music and accompanists at some point during the recital. It is not enough to state the title, composer, and musicians' names alone; practice stagecraft and carefully consider how to engage your personality with the audience.
If you are not sure about how to present yourself during an assessed performance, you should seek guidance from your Department.
Graduation costs
There is no fee to graduate and attend the Graduation Ceremony. However, there is a fee to hire a gown which is compulsory. A fee of approximately £50 is payable to an external gown supplier and you will be advised of how to do this as part of the graduation registration process.
Non-submission
Resits due to non-submission or non-attendance will be subject to a fee of £125 per component per resit within a module. Resits due to cheating or plagiarism shall also be subject to a fee of £125 per component per resit within a module.
Repetition of repertoire
Repertoire cannot normally be repeated across assessments unless there is a clear rationale negotiated and agreed with the Head of Department.