Grades

Lisa Jane S

2

Hey, my overall grade for my MSc is 69.87 will this grade be rounded up to 70? I’m being very hopeful that it will.

Reply 1

DataVenia

Volunteer Team, Clearing and Applications Advisor

21

Original post by Lisa Jane S

Hey, my overall grade for my MSc is 69.87 will this grade be rounded up to 70? I’m being very hopeful that it will.

Different unis have different rules. Even the math you've done you reach that 69.87 might not be exactly as your uni will do it. Which uni are you at?

Reply 2

Lisa Jane S

OP

2

Manchester, I calculated it using their guidelines. Thank you for responding.

Reply 3

DataVenia

Volunteer Team, Clearing and Applications Advisor

21

Original post by Lisa Jane S

Manchester, I calculated it using their guidelines. Thank you for responding.

If you take a look at Appendix A: Postgraduate Degree Classification Scheme in Postgraduate Taught Degree Regulations (Version 3.9, April 2023) it says, "Postgraduate degree classification for the award of merit and distinction are based on the weighted average mark across the programme calculated to one decimal place, where marks for individual course units are recorded as whole numbers (see section I)."

Are those the guidelines you followed - whole marks per unit, and a weighted average to one decimal place?

You will note that the document then explains what happens if you're in the "boundary zone" - i.e. 68.0 to 69.9 - which is seems like you are.

Reply 4

Lisa Jane S

OP

2

Yes I followed the weighted calculation. I am guessing that my final grade will be rounded up. Thank you for your help 😀

Reply 5

DataVenia

Volunteer Team, Clearing and Applications Advisor

21

Original post by Lisa Jane S

Yes I followed the weighted calculation. I am guessing that my final grade will be rounded up. Thank you for your help 😀

You haven't followed the rules detailed in that document. That's made clear by the fact that you've arrived at a result with two decimal places when they make it very clear (and I pointed it out twice above) then the weighted average result should be calculated to one decimal place.

Also, you can guess all you like about rounding, but that's not what the regulations say. The regulations make it clear that they do not round your weighted result. Instead, they have a special rule which applies near the boundary. If they rounded 69.8 or 69.9 up, then there would be no need to include these figures in the "boundary zone". Did you read the document I directed you towards? Have you applied the "boundary zone" rule? What was the result?

Reply 6

Lisa Jane S

OP

2

Original post by DataVenia

If you take a look at Appendix A: Postgraduate Degree Classification Scheme in Postgraduate Taught Degree Regulations (Version 3.9, April 2023) it says, "Postgraduate degree classification for the award of merit and distinction are based on the weighted average mark across the programme calculated to one decimal place, where marks for individual course units are recorded as whole numbers (see section I)."

Are those the guidelines you followed - whole marks per unit, and a weighted average to one decimal place?

You will note that the document then explains what happens if you're in the "boundary zone" - i.e. 68.0 to 69.9 - which is seems like you are.

Apologies, I am just extremely nervous.
So here is my grades from the MSc:
Module 1: grade 77, 30 credits.
Module 2: grade 75, 30 credits
Module 3: grade 73, 30 credits.
Module 4: grade 62, 30 credits.
Module 5: grade 66, 60 credits.

Reply 7

DataVenia

Volunteer Team, Clearing and Applications Advisor

21

Original post by Lisa Jane S

Apologies, I am just extremely nervous.
So here is my grades from the MSc:
Module 1: grade 77, 30 credits.
Module 2: grade 75, 30 credits
Module 3: grade 73, 30 credits.
Module 4: grade 62, 30 credits.
Module 5: grade 66, 60 credits.

Your nerves as understandable - you're on the verge of a distinction in your Master's. :smile:

So the weighted average is a simple ((77 x 30) + (75 x 30) + (73 x 30) + (62 x 30) + (66 x 60)) / (30 + 30 + 30 + 30 + 60) = 69.8 (to one decimal place).
This puts you in the boundary zone.

There is a simple rule if you're in the boundary zone, but then there are few exceptions and caveats. The simple rule is:

"After allowances have been made for mitigating circumstances, a student whose total mark at the first assessment is within the boundary zone specified above, must be awarded the higher degree classification as long as the following criterion is satisfied (see also notes on AP(E)L):
• 2/3 of the credits are equal to/ or higher than the final award."

In your case, 90 of your 180 credits are at or above 70, so that's below the 2/3 threshold required for an automatic uplift from the boundary zone to a distinction. :frown:

There is then a section which applies, "Where Schools have decided to implement paragraph J38". As I'm sure neither of us are in a position to establish whether your school has or has not, I suggest we ignore this. (Also, it makes it harder to get a distinction, not easier.) We're then left with Stage 2: Classification Review. This says:

"If a student is in the boundary zone, or higher*, and does not satisfy the additional criteria, Schools may apply a further stage of ‘Classification Review’, with decisions supported by an External Examiner. The process of ‘Classification Review’ should not change unit marks and can only influence the classification awarded."

We're then told that "Further guidance on Classification Review can be found in the Guide to the Taught Degree Regulations." Specifically, we can look at Appendix C - Classification Review. That doesn't say an awful lot, unfortunately. Essentially it just says that the Examination Board can decide to award a distinction in "those cases which are in the borderlines and/or do not meet the criteria for the higher class award." (By which they're referring to the "2/3 of the credits are equal to/ or higher than the final award", above.)

So, in short, a literal reading of the regulations says that you'd get a merit rather than a distinction. However, the Examination Board have the power to "tweak" it to a distinction if they want. I suggest you raise this with your Academic Advisor and seek advice from them.

Do let us know how you get on. Good luck! :crossedf:

Reply 8

Lisa Jane S

OP

2

Thank you for your reply. Sorry, I did read the doc you sent. However, I didn’t clarify properly on my earlier post. I am at Manchester met, not UOM. I have tried reading through their rules surrounding grading, but it really just doesn’t make much sense to me.

Reply 9

DataVenia

Volunteer Team, Clearing and Applications Advisor

21

Original post by Lisa Jane S

Thank you for your reply. Sorry, I did read the doc you sent. However, I didn’t clarify properly on my earlier post. I am at Manchester met, not UOM. I have tried reading through their rules surrounding grading, but it really just doesn’t make much sense to me.

Really? So when I asked "Which uni are you at?" you decided to give us the name of a different university than the one you're actually at, knowing that I'd already said that, "Different unis have different rules." :confused:

Reply 10

Lisa Jane S

OP

2

🤣 no not at all, it’s called Manchester metropolitan, I was just too quick fingered on the phone to add the met part. I have now sent them an email to ask them for some clarity. It is really disheartening to think that I can miss out on a distinction by <.2

Reply 11

ageshallnot

21

Original post by Lisa Jane S

🤣 no not at all, it’s called Manchester metropolitan, I was just too quick fingered on the phone to add the met part. I have now sent them an email to ask them for some clarity. It is really disheartening to think that I can miss out on a distinction by <.2