Assessment
The course provides opportunities to test understanding and learning informally through the completion of practice or ‘formative’ assignments. Each module has one or more formative assessments for which feedback is received, but these do not count towards to the overall module grade.
Each module also has one, or two, ‘summative’ assessments. These are graded and count towards the overall module grade.
Each type of assessment, both formative and summative, are supported by Assignment Briefs which clearly identify the task and the assessment criteria that are to be met on completion of the assignment. A comprehensive assessment criteria grid which has been developed by the team, based on the University’s generic descriptors, is included in the feedback process for both formative and summative assessments. Assessment methods include a range of coursework assessments such as essays, reports, portfolios, presentations and a final year practice-based research project.
Students will be assessed using a variety of methods including essays, workshops and presentations.
Formative feedback is provided through responses to academic and practice-based learning activities, including reflective journal entries. Interactive face-to-face and online learning and teaching approaches, including student evaluation of learning, provide further opportunity for timely formative activity. It is designed to encourage students to reflect and develop their responses and writing prior to summative assessment.
The form of summative assessment (for each module) is determined by its appropriateness in allowing the student to demonstrate they have understood and can meet the learning outcomes with potential for achievement across the full range of grades.