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 examiner, 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: for most strands in the programme, a range of options are offered in the principal study assessment specifications. 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 degree carries no classification, grades for the Principal Study 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 Study | Performance | Graded |
| Supporting Studies | Observation of Working Practice | Pass/Fail |
| Practice Research | Portfolio | Pass/Fail |
| Instrumental and Vocal Pedagogy | Essay, Observation of Working Practice | Graded |
| Negotiated Study | Negotiated (eg Performance, Portfolio, Dissertation) | Graded |
| HIPP Dissertation | Dissertation | Graded |
| Options | Variable | Variable |
Submissions of written work through moodle are marked anonymously: however, there is nothing to prevent you from putting your name on the work should you wish.
With certain exceptions, Principal Study live in-person A assessments are externally assessed with a public audience. B assessments are usually internally assessed and non-public but may exceptionally be made public by prior agreement with the Head of Department.
Under exceptional circumstances, bespoke alternative assessments may be replace those given in the Assessment Specifications. Alternative assessments must be clearly negotiated between the Head of Department, Head of Programme and the student, and should also be approved by the Director of Music. The replacement assessment must demonstrably meet the learning outcomes of the module and be commensurate in terms of the volume and level of challenge. The requirements of the assessment should be clearly noted on Student Outcomes, including agreement as appropriate around aspects such as the length, repertoire, scheduling, timing and/or format of the alternative submission/performance.
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. In the MMus/MA, particular emphasis is placed on written formative assessment within the Supporting Studies module.
- Summative assessment usually takes place at the end of a programme of work and, in the MMus/MA, 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 formative feedback you receive every week in the Principal Study lesson 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 you and the tutor: this is used in many departments as an element of Supporting Studies.
- Grades are also a form of feedback, including the formative process grades given for Supporting Studies and the summative grades offered in the Principal Study.
For practical reasons, summative written feedback on assessments may be returned to students either through Student Outcomes, through moodle or by email. Final ratified grades do not appear on Student Outcomes until after the relevant exam board.
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 Student Outcomes. 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.
Repetition of repertoire
Repertoire cannot normally be repeated across assessments unless there is a clear rationale negotiated and agreed with the Head of Department.
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.
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.
Penalties for over- and under-running recitals
In order to ensure that recital schedules run to time, and in fairness to all concerned, grading penalties are applied for recitals which over- or under-run their allotted time:
- Recitals that over-run by 10% will lose 1 increment on the Common Assessment Scale and be stopped in order to try and keep to the published schedule
- Recitals that under-run by 10-19% will lose 1 increment to a minimum of D3
- Recitals that under-run by 20% or more will fail with a grade of F.
The assessment specifications give length of the complete recital, including, where appropriate, entrances and exits, spoken introductions, and resetting of the stage between pieces.
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.