Engineering and Design additional assessment regulations
Threshold marking
Our accrediting bodies: the IMechE, IED and IET require us to implement threshold marking for some modules in addition to the requirement for an overall module pass mark.
For all 15 credit modules at levels 4-6: a threshold mark of 35% must be achieved on all module assessment modes weighted 30% or more. For all 15 credit modules at level 7: a threshold mark of 45% must be achieved on all module assessment modes weighted 30% or more. The threshold mark requirement will be applied to the conflated coursework mark which may include multiple assignments.
In practice, this rule applies to all taught modules which are assessed by a combination of exam and coursework, but where one of these components is weighted less than 30%, the threshold requirement only applies to the larger component.
Some examples:
H1033 Engineering Maths 1A, assessed by 80% exam and 20% coursework: a minimum mark of 35% is required on the exam only.
H1041 Professional & Managerial Skills, assessed by 50% exam and 50% coursework: a minimum mark of 35% is required on both components
H7008 Design for Industry, assessed by 100% coursework: the threshold requirement does not apply as a minimum mark of 40% is needed to pass the module.
863H1 Marketing Analysis & Financial Strategic Planning, assessed by 50% exam and 50% coursework: a minimum mark of 45% is required on both components as this is a level 7 module.
You can find out how each of your modules is assessed, including the main component weightings, by clicking on the module details in Sussex Direct
A resit will be required of any component where the threshold has not been met, or where the overall pass mark cannot be achieved. For modules with an exam weighted 75% or more, the resit mode will be 100% exam.
See the Examination & Assessment Handbook (Appendix C).
Threshold regulations do not apply to the following MSc courses:
Robotics & Autonomous Systems
Engineering with Business Management
Engineering Council additional regulations on the award of compensated credit
The following requirements will apply to all students registering on year one of an accredited degree programme from September 2022, and all subsequent registrations. There is no requirement or expectation that assessment regulations will be changed for students who enrolled on an accredited degree programme before this date when the regulations permitted up to 30 compensated credits per stage.
A maximum of 30 credits in a Bachelors (BEng or BSc) or integrated Masters (MEng) degree programme can be compensated, and a maximum of 15 credits in a Masters (MSc) degree.
Compensation will be applied in accordance with standard University regulations where the standard criteria have been met including the achievement of a conflated module mark of 35%/45% or above and the threshold mark requirement as set out above.
Award of a non-accredited degree - outcome of being awarded condoned credit
Candidates will not normally be offered a further attempt once a second re-sit or trailed resit is failed. The only option then available to the exam board is to award condoned credit for a non-recoverable fail. Condoned credit is not permitted by the IMechE, IED, or the IET. (Compensated credit is permitted - see above).
How this affects undergraduate awards: Where BEng finalists are awarded a University of Sussex Honours degree as a result of being given condoned credits, the exit award will be named BSc (Hons) Engineering. This award will not be accredited by the PSBs.
Where BSc Product Design finalists are awarded a University of Sussex Honours degree as a result of being given condoned credits, the exit award will be named BSc (Hons) Product Design (non-accredited).
Where MEng finalists are awarded a Sussex Honours degree as a result of being given condoned credits, the exit award will be named MSci (Hons) Engineering. This award will not be accredited by the PSBs. In the case of MEng finalists, if they meet the requirements of a BEng award without requiring condoned credit, they will be given the option of taking this accredited award instead of the unaccredited MSci.
Any student affected by this regulation will be notified after the classification/MEng progression exam board, or after the equivalent resit exam board in September.
How this affects postgraduate awards: The award of an MSc which includes up to 30 condoned credits will be a non-accredited degree.
Any student affected by this regulation will be notified after the relevant exam board in March, July, or October.
Condoned credit is permitted on the following MSc courses:
Robotics & Autonomous Systems
Engineering with Business Management