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Glossary of Terms
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Term
Definition
Academic
regulations
The University regulations which govern the admission of students, their assessment,
progression and achievement of final Awards and where appropriate, classification.
Academic
standards
These relate to the anticipated outcomes of modules, programmes and subjects and to
the actual outcomes of student attainment and achievement measured through the
assessment process.
Accreditation
The recognition of an organisation as suitable to assume the responsibilities with respect
to the award of University credits or qualifications. It can also refer to the recognition for
credit by the University of an individual qualification from another awarding body.
Accreditation
of Prior
Achievement
/ Learning
The recognition of learning which has occurred prior to a student joining the University
and the sets of activities and procedures adopted to assess that learning for the purpose
of admission with advanced standing.
Prior achievement may be certified by a
recognised awarding body or derived from experience (Accreditation of Prior Experiential
Learning).
Also see Guidelines for Accreditation of Prior Learning.
Advanced
standing
The admission of students to programmes of study leading to awards of the University
with recognition of former learning successfully completed at an appropriate level or
relevant prior learning which has occurred outside a formal course of study. Advance
standing reduces the volume of study required under University regulations to achieve
the award for which a student is registered.
Annual
Monitoring
This is an annual check on the academic health of the provision of pathways and the
appropriateness of modules, subjects and awards in a school by a responsible team of
staff from the relevant school and University Quality Committee members. The process
provides the University with information about the academic health of schools, analysis of
student achievement and student feedback.
Approval
The process by which the University satisfies itself that a proposal has been carefully
planed and designed; that there are appropriate resources to support it; that it is
consistent with internal regulations and that it meets all relevant benchmarks and
conditions set by external agencies.
Approval
period
The period of time that a pathway is validated for, usually six years. Also referred to as
the validation period.
Assessment
Board
The generic term for an Examination Board at the University of Wolverhampton. There
are two main types: Subject Assessment Board and Award Assessment Boards.
Award
The qualification achieved by students when they have obtained the required credits at
defined levels.
Award
Assessment
Board
The Examination Board that has responsibility for determining the progression of
students and when students have met the requirements for the award, the level and
where appropriate, the title, of the award to be received. Extenuating and mitigating
circumstances are sometimes considered. The board also determines what action is
appropriate when students fail to meet progression or award requirements.
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Term
Definition
Award
leaders
Members of staff who are responsible for curriculum design, teaching, learning and
assessment.
They undertake annual monitoring and lead the periodic review of
provision.
Bare pass
A student who successfully resits a failed assessment at undergraduate level will be
awarded a bare pass (grade D5) for this second attempt.
Benchmark
Statements
Subject benchmark statements describe the nature of study and the academic standards
expected of graduates in specific subject areas and in respect of particular qualifications.
Provided by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA).
Blended
Learning
The combination of multiple approaches to learning. For example combining self-paced,
face-to-face and e-learning.
Chair
The chair of a committee manages its overall business and in conjunction with the
Quality Assurance Officer conducts the agenda, approves the minutes and ensures
actions are followed up promptly.
Chair’s action
When the Chair of a meeting agrees to close an action outside of the meeting on behalf
of the committee members.
Collaborative
links /
partnerships
Links with other colleges or institutions (in the UK and abroad) which involve working
together to provide many forms of further and higher education.
Also see Collaborative Links Handbook
Combined
subjects
Awards whose regulations recognise more than one subject of study in the title of the
award.
Term used for joint courses in the University’s pre-2002 undergraduate
regulations.
Compensated
pass
Where a marginal failure in an undergraduate module is compensated, students will gain
credit for the module but the E grade awarded will not change. The recipient of a
compensated pass will not have the right to resit assessment in that module.
Compensation
The process by which an Assessment Board may decide that a strong performance by a
student in one part of the curriculum may be used as a basis for the award of credits in
respect of a failed performance elsewhere.
Components
An assessment task specified in a module guide which must be passed for the successful
completion of the module. Assessment components may have more than one individual
element of assessment. Also see Item.
Computer
Aided
Assessment
A form of assessment delivered with the help of a computer.
assessment being carried out and / or marked using a computer.
Core modules
Modules which must be taken and which contribute directly to the pathway outcomes.
Core option
modules
Modules within a defined group, from which a stated minimum number have to be taken
in order to satisfy the pathway outcomes.
Co-requisite
modules
A module which can be studied simultaneously with another module.
modules are no longer used.
Credit
framework
Defines the number of credits that should be gained in order to achieve an award and
how many credits each module should be worth.
Set out within the academic
regulations.
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This can involve the
Co-requisite
Term
Definition
Credits
A measure of the volume and level of learning which would be achieved by successful
completion of the defined assessment for any programme or unit of study.
Defer
The result of a failed undergraduate module between the grades E4 and F1 where the
student is allowed to resit the module.
Distance
learning
Programmes of study not requiring attendance at the University.
designed learning materials.
Also see Policy for Distance Learning.
Double
marking
Where a second or third member of staff reads and grades coursework and/or
examinations already graded by a member of staff.
Also see Moderation and Double Marking Guidelines.
e:Vision
The University’s student portal which allows students to perform a variety of essential
tasks, such as tracking application progress, applying for accommodation, enrolling and
checking module grades and information.
Elective
modules
Free choice modules where the student may select any module from the University’s
portfolio, providing pre-requisite and timetabling rules are satisfied. These may be more
modules of the principal/joint subject(s), modules from different/contrasting/cognate
subjects, skills-based modules or a module from the University Elective Programme.
Elements
Assessed pieces of work which contribute to components and therefore to overall module
grades. Also see Set.
Enhancement
A deliberate process of change that leads to improvement.
Ex-officio
Members of staff who are members of a committee because it is stated within their
remit. They can attend and contribute to committee meetings but do not count towards
the quoracy of a meeting.
External
Adviser
Qualified academic or practitioner with relevant experience from an outside institution
that is invited to participate in review and validation activities in order to provide
independent external advice about subject specific content.
External
Examiner
Member of staff from outside institutions who act as an independent and impartial
adviser. They play a key role in helping the University ensure that academic standards
are comparable with those of other institutions and are consistent over the years and
that assessment treats students fairly.
Also see External Examiner Handbook and related documents.
Fail
The result of an undergraduate module that a student hasn’t passed and is awarded
between grades E4 and ONS. A resit is not permitted.
Formative
assessment
An assessment task that will allow the module leader to gauge how well a student
understands a topic. The mark received for this task will not contribute to the overall
grade of the module.
Foundation
Degree
A vocational qualification that provides skills required by employers as well as skills
specific to a relevant sector of industry.
Generic
courses
Courses that have a broad base and involve the study of modules from a number of
disciplines within a broad subject area.
Grade Point
Scale
The system of combined letters and numbers which is used to indicate the grade received
for each undergraduate module.
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Based on specially
Term
Definition
Graduate
Certificates /
Diplomas
Professional courses based largely on undergraduate material, usually taken by those
students who are already graduates in another discipline.
Also see Regulations for Graduate Certificates and Graduate Diplomas.
Held
The result of an undergraduate module awarded a grade 0GA (grade awaited) or 0AM
(academic misconduct) where the outcome of an investigation or marking is awaited
before the grade and result can be confirmed.
Higher
National
Certificate /
Diploma
An alternative qualification to a degree which has a strong vocational element.
typically takes two years to complete.
Intermediate
award
An award available on the achievement of a defined volume and level of credit which is
less than that needed for the highest undergraduate or postgraduate award within the
University portfolio – can be a Certificate of Higher Education; Diploma of Higher
Education; Ordinary Degree; Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate.
Intermediate
pathway
A lower level pathway that a student may follow as they are working towards a higher
award. The student may claim an intermediate award when they have completed this
pathway.
Internal
Moderation
Carried out through processes within the University, internal moderation is a means of
assuring students, Assessment Boards and other interested parties that the standards
expected of and achieved by students are appropriate, reliable and consistent.
Also see Internal Moderation Guidelines.
Item
The term used within the Student Record System (SITS) for components.
JACS codes
The system used by UK institutions to identify the subject matter of pathways and
modules. They are also the basis of the UCAS course coding system and used for
funding purposes.
Joint courses
Courses that involve the study of two subjects in combination, typically studied over
three years full-time or five to six years part-time. In the University’s pre- 2002
undergraduate regulations these awards were referred to as combined subject awards.
Key Proposer
Member of staff who is responsible for co-ordinating the development work for reviews
and revalidations and validations, They lead the proposal team and are the key contact
point between the University Quality Panel and the school.
Also see Guidelines for Key Proposers.
Learning
outcome
The knowledge and skills that a student is expected to acquire by undertaking a module.
Marginal
failure
Obtaining an E4 grade in an undergraduate award at level 0, level 1 or level 2.
Mode of
delivery
The way in which a pathway is taught, for example, full-time, part-time or by distance
learning.
Mode of study
The mode of attendance of a student following an approved pathway. Currently modes
may be full-time, part-time, a mixture of both or by distance learning.
Moderation
A means of assuring students, Assessment Boards and other interested parties that the
standards expected of and achieved by students are appropriate, reliable and consistent.
Also see Moderation and Double Marking Guidelines.
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It
Term
Definition
Modifications
It is sometimes necessary to make changes to pathways after they have been running
for a period of time. Depending on the extent of the proposed changes, modifications
will either be dealt with by a School Quality Enhancement Committee (SQEC) or a
University Quality Panel.
Module codes
A unique code allocated to each module to enable the module to be identified on the
Student Record System (SITS) and in other documentation. The code is usually made up
of two letters, followed by four numbers, the first number indicating which level the
module is at.
Module
leaders
Members of staff who design, teach and assess modules that contribute to pathways and
awards. They contribute to annual monitoring and lead the periodic review.
Modules
Each pathway is made up of units of study called modules which are separately assessed
units of learning which are credit rated at a specific level. Modules may be specified as
core, core options or electives.
Negotiated
courses
These courses have a rationale which allows students to study modules from a wide
variety of subjects.
Open Book
Examination
An assessment whereby students are permitted to use certain texts / notes to assist
them in answering the questions set.
Also see Guidelines for open book examinations.
Partner
institution
An institution (in the UK or abroad) that the University has a link with which involves the
two institutions working together to provide many forms of higher education.
Also see Collaborative Links.
Pathway
An identifiable grouping of modules within a subject area which make up a recognised
programme of study.
Pathway
leaders
Members of staff who are responsible for curriculum design, teaching, learning and
assessment.
They undertake annual monitoring and lead the periodic review of
provision.
Pathway
outcomes
The knowledge and skills that a student is expected to acquire by undertaking a
pathway.
Periodic
review
An opportunity to reflect on the evidence and experience of delivering provision during
the period of validation.
Placement
Learning
Arrangements made for learning that is a planned and intended part of an academic
programme, which typically takes place outside the institution with the support and cooperation of a placement provider.
Also see Placement Learning Guidelines
Portfolio
A collection of modules or pathways make up a portfolio.
Pre-requisite
module
A module that must be taken and passed before a student may proceed to study a
subsequent module.
Professional,
Statutory and
Regulatory
Body
An external body that may be involved in delivering or regulating University provision.
Progression
When a student has passed sufficient credits in order to move from one year of study to
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Term
Definition
Proposing
Team
the next.
A team of staff, led by a key proposer, who are involved in validations, reviews and
revalidations.
Quality
This refers to all aspects of the learning support provided by the University to enable a
student to meet the intended outcomes of the pathway and award for which they are
registered.
Quality
assurance
The process by which the University provides a guarantee of the quality and standards of
all awards made in its name. There are different, connected stages of quality assurance:
curriculum design, validation and approval of new pathways, annual monitoring, external
examining and periodic review.
Quality
Assurance
Officer
Members of staff from the Quality and Academic Standards Division, Registry, who
provide high level administrative support for quality assurance at University level. In
particular they support the processes of academic planning and validation / periodic
review and service School Quality Enhancement Committees, University Quality Panels
and any other working groups which may be established on an ad hoc basis.
Quorum
The minimum number of committee members required to attend a meeting in order to
conduct the business of the committee.
Report
monitors
Members of staff responsible for reading and reviewing Annual Monitoring reports.
Report
writers
Members of staff responsible for producing Annual Monitoring reports.
Resit
The opportunity for the retrieval of the failed component(s) of an undergraduate module
following the award of an E grade.
The term applies to both coursework and
examination.
Retake
The opportunity, following failure of an undergraduate module with an F grade, to study
the whole module again to fulfil all the requirements of that module.
Retrievable
fail
An E grade at postgraduate level.
Revalidation
To validate changes to existing provision following a review. A successful revalidation
normally extends the period of validation for a further six years.
Review
A process normally undertaken every six years on undergraduate and postgraduate
pathways. For academic and learning support teams, it is an opportunity to reflect
critically on the experience and evidence of delivery. For the University, it is a check that
quality and academic standards are being maintained and improved or enhanced.
Also see Review guidelines and templates.
Route
A valid set of pathways, either one pathway in the case of a specialist award or two
pathways in the case of a joint award, for which students are registered and which lead
to an award.
Sandwich
courses
Courses which contain an extended period of supervised work experience in addition to
the academic study undertaken at the University or one of its partner colleges.
Set
The term used within the Student Record System (SITS) for elements.
Single subject
Term used in the University’s pre-2002 undergraduate regulations for specialist courses.
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Term
award
Specialist
courses
Definition
Courses that concentrate upon the study of a single subject, typically studied over three
years full-time or five to six years part-time. In the University’s pre-2002 undergraduate
regulations, these awards were referred to as single subject awards.
Subject
This term is used broadly to describe validated and coherent academic groupings of
modules in and between schools, which are the base for offering a range of awards.
Subject
Assessment
Board
The Assessment Board which has responsibility for confirming overall module grades for
all the modules owned by the Subject. They also determine the appropriate method of
retrieval to be undertaken by candidates who fail to pass a module. Extenuating and
mitigating circumstances are sometimes considered.
Subject
leaders
The member of staff designated by the responsible Dean of School to lead and manage
the staff and modules assigned to that subject.
Summative
assessment
An assessment task that a student must undertake. The grade achieved will contribute
to the overall grade of the module.
Technology
Supported
Learning
Learning that is undertaken with the assistance of electronic (i.e. online or computer
based) support materials.
Also see Technology Supported Learning Guidelines
University
Elective
Programme
Set up to provide students with an opportunity to study set blocks of modules grouped in
specific subject areas.
University
Quality Panel
The University Quality Panel (UQP) is managed by QASD and is a Panel that UQEC
delegates responsibility for RRV which is not undertaken by Schools.
University
Quality
Validation
Panel
Validation
The process whereby the University judges a programme of study to be appropriate to
lead to the award of an approved qualification of the University. The validation process
covers the whole of the teaching / learning experience including all assessment
arrangements.
Also see Validation guidelines and templates.
Validation
Panel (VP)
The role of VP is to verify academic standards of new, modified or established pathways
and to ensure the quality of learning opportunities afforded to students enrolled in these
pathways. The VP will have direct involvement in the validation, review and revalidation
of pathways.
Validation
period
The length of time that a pathway is validated for.
years.
Virtual
Learning
Environment
The generic term for the technology and software platform in use at the University of
Wolverhampton.
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A full validation period is for six