Assessment

Assessment is the process of evaluating or assessing your learning. Sometimes it will involve consideration of work in progress, while at others it concentrates on work which you have completed and submitted as assessment requirements for each unit of study.

The University assesses you through the coursework that you produce as you complete each unit. Each unit will require that you present a portfolio of work which may include finished pieces of work, written work, your research, and a reflective journal which allows you to evaluate your learning and highlight your strengths and areas for further development.

There are two types of assessment that you will receive while on your course:

• Formative assessment is the process whereby your work and progress are assessed at regular intervals with accompanying feedback from staff in order to help to improve your performance. Staff will provide you with feedback on the progress of your work before you reach the assessment point at the end of the unit. This may take place one-to-one with a tutor (eg in a tutorial) or in group sessions.
• Summative assessment is the process whereby your work is evaluated and given a mark at the end of course unit. Summative assessment formally records your achievement of the unit’s learning outcomes.

At the start of each unit the tutors will explain what you will learn and how we will test your learning through assessment. This information will also be provided on the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). As the unit progresses, you will be given formal and informal opportunities to receive feedback on your progress. These opportunities may include:

• Group reviews or critiques (crits)
• Self-evaluation and peer evaluation
• Group and individual tutorials

At the end of the unit you will submit work for assessment and receive written feedback and a grade to help you understand what you’ve done well and what areas to work on for the next assignment. Generally, you will be assessed on course work which might include portfolios, essays, reports, and evaluations. Sometimes you may be assessed on group or individual presentations, and/or performances, depending on your course.

You will be assessed against the approved unit learning outcomes and assessment requirements, as outlined in the Unit Handbooks for your course. Unit handbooks guide you through the specific areas of work in which you will be engaged in order to produce the work required for assessment and successfully achieve the unit learning outcomes.