Taught MA marking scheme and marking criteria

Marking scheme

The marking scheme as set out below will be used for all pieces of MA work in the Department of Music. All marks are out of 100. The pass mark for any assessed piece of work is 50. Candidates for the MA must normally score an overall average of 50 or above (including a pass mark in the final dissertation/portfolio/recital) to be awarded the degree.

1. The assessment consists of two parts: a) coursework and/or examination from the taught component, and b) dissertation/portfolio/recital.
2. Candidates must achieve an average of at least 50% from the taught component and 50% in the dissertation in order to be awarded the MA.
3. A Distinction is awarded to candidates who achieve an average of at least 65% for their taught component and at least 70% for their dissertation. Candidates who achieve less than 70% for their dissertation cannot be awarded a Distinction.
4. In the event of a failure of a single unit or multiple units, the Board of Examiners may exercise its discretion and award credit points, up to a maximum of 30, in the taught component. Candidates must obtain 50% overall in the taught component, however, in order to qualify for this compensation, which will normally only apply to a candidate’s first attempt at the assessment.
5. Where there are failures totalling more than 30 credits but fewer than 60 credits, the Board of Examiners may permit the candidate to undertake a supplementary assessment in all the failed units. Compensation will normally be applied only to a student’s first attempt at the assessment.
6. Only one supplementary assessment is allowed for a failed taught unit. When a unit is failed and the student retakes the assessment, the maximum mark to be recorded (and counted) is 50%.
7. For a Postgraduate Diploma, 120 credit points are required. These credit points must be obtained from the taught component only and not from the dissertation.
8. For a Postgraduate Certificate, 60 credit points are required. These credit points must be obtained from the taught component only and not from the dissertation.

Please note that all MA work will be marked anonymously wherever practicable. All work should be handed in with a cover sheet (available from the white cabinet outside the Department Office) and your name should appear nowhere on the work other than on the cover sheet.

Marking criteria

These marking criteria are a general guide to the kind of considerations that inform the decisions of examiners within the Faculty of Arts. Different disciplines may place additional specific requirements on students and rank the qualities of work accordingly.

80-100%

• Work is worthy of publication or dissemination as appropriate to the field.
• Evidence of originality and independent thinking, as appropriate to the task.
• Exceptional in-depth knowledge across specialised and applied areas of relevant literature, available information, and conceptual issues.
• The work is very well written and presents an excellent synthesis of appropriate available information, coherently structured.
• Where group work is involved there is evidence of an outstanding individual contribution.
• Outstanding evidence of acquisition of relevant skills and their application.
• Excellent presentation.

70-79%

• Commanding knowledge of relevant literature, available information, and conceptual issues appropriate to the field.
• Demonstrates the ability to make good judgements, as appropriate to the assessment task.
• The work is very well written and presents an excellent synthesis of appropriate available information, coherently structured.
• Where group work is involved there is evidence of an excellent individual contribution.
• Excellent evidence of acquisition of relevant skills and their application.
• Excellent presentation.

60-69%

• Good knowledge of relevant literature, available information, and conceptual issues appropriate to the field.
• The work is well written and presents a good synthesis of appropriate available information, coherently structured.
• Draws valid conclusions.
• Where group work is involved there is evidence of a productive individual contribution.
• Good evidence of acquisition of relevant skills.
• Very good presentation.

50-59%

• Adequate understanding of relevant literature, available information, and conceptual issues appropriate to the field
• Adequate synthesis of available information.
• Work is coherent and adequately structured.
• Where group work is involved there is evidence of a positive individual contribution.
• Evidence of acquisition of relevant skills.
• Good presentation.

40-49%

• Demonstrates clear but limited attempt to become acquainted with relevant source material and draw relevant conclusions, but draws conclusions that do not all follow logically from the work undertaken.
• Work is not fully coherent, poorly structured, and indicates that key concepts are generally not understood.
• Little evidence of acquisition of relevant skills.
• Where group work is involved there is inadequate individual contribution to the relevant task.
• Poor presentation.

<40%

• Makes little attempt to become acquainted with relevant source material.
• Does not draw conclusions or if does then they consist of unsupported assertions.
• Work is not coherent, very poorly structured, and indicates that key concepts are not understood.
• Little or no evidence of the acquisition of key skills.
• Where group work is involved there is very poor individual contribution to the relevant task.
• Very weak presentation.