Supporting Information: School of Psychology
This is version 1.0 of the Supporting Information for the School of Psychology, which applies from the 2026/27 academic year onwards. This supporting information is owned by the School of Psychology. Please contact [email protected] for any matters related to this supporting information.
Contents
- Purpose and Scope
- Supplementary Information - Academic Regulations for Taught Programmes
- Supplementary Information - Assessment Policy and Procedures
- Other Supplementary Information
- Students awarded according to the Rules for Award
1. Purpose and Scope
The purpose of this supporting information is to set out principles and procedures which relate to assessment in the School of Psychology.
The supporting information underpins and should be read alongside the Academic Regulations for Taught Programmes and the Assessment Policy and Procedures.
2. Supplementary Information – Academic Regulations for Taught Programmes
This section contains information supplementary and complementary to the Academic Regulations for Taught Programmes.
The School of Psychology has no information that is supplementary and complementary to the Academic Regulations for Taught Programmes.
3. Supplementary Information – Assessment Policy and Procedures
This section contains information supplementary to the Assessment Policy and Procedures (AP&P) where Schools are required to develop and define their approach.
3.1 Setting and Approval of Assessment Methods (AP&P section 4)
All exams are internally reviewed by a committee comprising Programme Managers, the Assessment Lead, the School Academic Lead for Inclusive Pedagogies (SALIP), and available Module Leaders. Review panels comprise a minimum of six reviewers for undergraduate exam papers, including the Programme Manager, Assessment Lead, SALIP, and at least two Module Leaders, and two reviewers for postgraduate exam papers, comprising the two Programme Leaders.
This review takes place before papers are submitted to the external examiners for approval. This process applies to exams at Level 2 (L2), Level 3 (L3), and Masters level. Exams at Level 1 (L1) are reviewed internally at this stage but are not sent to external examiners. Module teams may be contacted by the internal committee and asked to make modifications to their exam drafts during this stage.
Summative coursework is reviewed by the module’s check‑marker. The module leader implements any required changes, after which the coursework assessment is sent to the external examiner for review. Any further amendments requested by the external examiner are addressed before the coursework assessment is released to students. Exam paper drafts, coursework, and assessment briefs for all levels above Level 1 are submitted to external examiners for approval.
Once external examiners’ comments have been received and addressed (for all levels above L1), the module leader and the check marker must sign off the final version of the assessment to confirm its accuracy.
Project/dissertation topics are agreed between the supervisor and student.
3.2 Registration for Assessments (AP&P section 5)
In the School of Psychology, all reassessments are available at the next opportunity, i.e. in August.
There is no limit on the number of credits a student may resit in the School of Psychology. However, if a student is required to resit a substantial number of credits, it is advisable that they meet with their academic personal tutor to discuss strategies for managing the workload effectively.
3.3 Submission of Coursework (AP&P section 6)
In the School of Psychology submission deadlines are set in accordance with the AP&P Section 6.3.2.
3.4 Late Submission of Coursework (AP&P section 6.4)
All assessments offered by the School of Psychology may be submitted late. Any late submissions will incur penalties in line with provision described in Assessment Policy & Procedures section 6.4.
3.5 Resubmission of Own Work (AP&P section 6.5)
In some instances, the reassessment of a module permits the re-work of the original submission. This is only applicable in the following circumstances:
- BSc Psychology students who have a start date IN OR AFTER the academic year 2025-2026 will typically be permitted to re-work group-based assessment components, such as group pitches, group presentations and video presentations.
- Dissertations at level 3 (UG), level 5 (MSc or MPsyc), or coursework in for PSYC5902M Systematic Review.
- Where student’s written work received length penalties that resulted in a fail, providing learning outcomes have been met, a capped second attempt will not require students to submit another assignment.
3.6 Use of Systems to Identify Academic Integrity (AP&P section 7.2)
The School of Psychology offers training on academic integrity during year 1 by referring students to the University Academic Integrity Tutorial and Test. Students are reminded by their academic personal tutors about academic integrity throughout year 1, and throughout the programme in the assessment briefs and e-mail communications sent by the SEE team with exam information.
First year undergraduate and taught postgraduate students have a session which focuses on plagiarism and referencing during which Turnitin is introduced and its capabilities are demonstrated. In subsequent years students are reminded about plagiarism in the year group meetings at the start of the academic year.
3.7 Referencing (AP&P section 7.4)
For modules in the School of Psychology students should write their references using the American Psychological Association (APA) 7th edition referencing style.
3.8 Assessment Marking and Marks (AP&P section 8.1.3)
Students registered with a disability that affects their written work (e.g., dyslexia) will be provided with a cover sheet statement to include with their submitted assessments by the School’s SEE Team. This cover sheet does not reveal the student’s disability to the marker but instead makes them aware of the need to apply feedback consideration.
3.9 Moderation: Check Marking and Double Marking (AP&P section 8.2)
The check marker is required to sample 10% of or 10 scripts, whichever is greater, covering all the main class bands to form a judgment on how far the two markers agree.
When there is more than one marker, the check marking will include marks from all markers. In addition to the above, the School conducts a pre-marking moderation process with all members of the marking team. This involves markers discussing with the module leader relevant assessment information (including assessment brief, sample answers, resources, expected feedback) in advance of the students’ work being submitted. This enables the markers to understand the criteria and align their marking and feedback. At the point of marking, markers in the team are also asked to submit the first two items they have marked immediately to help the check marker to ensure consistency at an early stage in the process.
The check marker should not attempt to change individual marks but is required to write a brief report on the first marking. The two markers then discuss the report and, if necessary, they may systematically adjust the marks. The check marker's report is submitted, together with a sample of scripts, to the External Examiner following internal consideration of the marks.
If no agreement can be reached over discrepancies, then the Director of Student Education will make a final decision.
All final-year projects and master’s programme projects are double marked on separate copies, with marking conducted concurrently prior to both markers meeting to discuss a final grade to be awarded. If the two markers cannot reach agreement on a final mark, the project is referred to a third marker for an independent assessment, which is used to inform the final decision about the mark.
3.10 Marks Return (AP&P section 8.3)
Project marks for Undergraduate (UG) and Taught Postgraduate (TPG) students are released to students on the Results Day following the relevant Assessment Board (typically July for UG projects, and September or November for TPG projects).
The results of examinations taken during the university’s examination periods are released after the assessment board meeting in either January, June, September or November. Taught Postgraduate resit results are considered at the School Assessment Board in September. A resit of the MSc Project module would be considered at the next June Assessment Board.
3.11 Penalties for Not Meeting Assessment Requirements (AP&P section 8.4)
3.11.1 Penalties for Exceeding Length Limit for Written Coursework Assessments
All assessed coursework is subject to strict word limits, specified along with the individual assignment details in the assessment brief. Work that exceeds the word limit will be penalised by 5 marks for the first 10% over. Each further 10% beyond this will incur an additional 5‑mark penalty.
3.11.2 Penalties for exceeding presentation time for verbal coursework assessments
Verbal presentations should not exceed the stipulated time limit. Anything up to 10% over the limit will be penalised by 5 marks. Each additional 10% over this limit will be penalised by 5 marks.
3.11.3 Penalty Implementation When Exceeding the Page Length/Word count/Presentation time Results in Fail
If a student fails an assessment due to exceeding the permitted word count or presentation time (e.g., the original mark would have been 45 but was reduced to 35), they will be awarded a second attempt pass for the module, capped at 40. For postgraduate modules, any second attempt required on this basis will be capped at 50.
3.12 Feedback to Students (AP&P section 9)
Students will receive feedback on coursework 15 working days after the submission deadline. Module assessment briefs provide students with detail about how and where feedback is given.
Students will have access to their marked digital exam scripts on Minerva after the marks are released on the University of Leeds official results day.
Students will have access to their marked project dissertations (UG, MSc and MPsyc levels) on Minerva after the marks are released on the University of Leeds official results day.
3.13 Timings of Assessment Committees (AP&P section 11.4)
The School of Psychology operates Assessment Committees according to the University’s standard timelines.
3.14 Publication of Module Marks and Classifications (AP&P section 12)
Provisional coursework marks are released to students 15 working days after submission, except for final-year projects. Provisional module marks are published to students on Student Services after the Semester 1 Assessment Board. Exam marks are released to students on Minerva on the Results Day after the relevant Assessment Board.
4. Other Supplementary Information
The School of Psychology has no further supplementary information.
5. Students awarded according to the Rules for Award
The Academic Regulations for Taught Programmes superseded the Rules for Award following the 2023/24 academic year. Awards for students who commenced their current programme at Leeds before the 2022/23 academic year or commenced their final year of study before 2024/25 academic year will be determined using the degree classification algorithm from the Rules for Award (iteration A), which includes provision for academic discretion.
Academic discretion, as described in the Rules for Award, applies to students being awarded under these circumstances:
Any student with a Classification Average falling within the discretionary band should be selected for consideration. The discretionary band is 0.05 below a classification threshold for Bachelor’s Degrees with Classified Honours and 0.10 below a classification threshold for Foundation Degrees, Undergraduate Diplomas, Graduate Diplomas and Certificates, and Taught Postgraduate Awards
In the School of Psychology, the following criteria for academic discretion apply:
Undergraduate:
BSc:
- The majority of final year credits at the higher level (i.e. more than 60 credits).
- The mark for a level 2 non-psychology discovery module is anomalous.
MPsyc:
- The majority of Level 3 and Level 5 credits at the higher level (i.e. more than 120 credits).
- The mark for a level 2 non-psychology discovery module is anomalous.
Intercalated Programme:
- The majority of credits at the higher level (i.e. more than 60 credits).
Taught Postgraduate:
The majority of credits at the higher level (i.e. more than 90 credits)