Grade Tables, Honours, Distinction and Merit Guidelines - OPBD Procedure

Section

Academic

To be read in conjunction with

Parts 4, 6.16, 6.17 and 7.5 of Te Kawa Maiorooro | Educational Regulatory Framework (TKM).

The relevant Te Pūkenga Academic Policies, current Otago Polytechnic policies (as per Te Pūkenga Transitioning (Grandparenting) of Former Subsidiaries Policy) and the relevant Otago Polytechnic Business Division Procedures.

Approval Date

1 June 2023

Approved By

Te Kāhui Manukura or equivalent

Next Review

1 July 2025

Responsibility

Executive Director or equivalent

Compliance

Ministry of Education Course Completion indicators refer also to Appendix 1 http://services.education.govt.nz/assets/STEO-files/SDR/2019-manuals/Single-Data-Return- Manual-2019-ver-1.1.pdf (refer also to Appendix 1).

Purpose

To provide operational procedures for setting and maintaining grade tables for all local programmes of study and short courses at the Otago Polytechnic Business Division of Te Pūkenga (OPBD).

Procedure

The OPBD Academic Committee will approve all changes and exceptions to OPBD Programme of Study grade tables (OPBD grade tables).
Any changes to an existing OPBD grade table will apply for the following year.

2.1 A change to an OPBD grade table cannot be made part way through any year or partway through the delivery of a programme of study in any year.

3. OPBD grade tables will conform to the approved grade tables attached in Appendix 1.

4. Merit and distinction - refer to TKM Award of Merit, Distinction, or Honours. Section 7.5.

5. Degree programmes that do not offer merit and distinction must have sound justification approved by OPBD Academic Committee.

6. Exempted programmes are:

Bachelor of Midwifery
Bachelor of Nursing (will be replaced by Te Pūkenga unified programme in 2024 and Te Pūkenga grade table will apply)
Graduate Diploma in Tertiary Education.

References

Appendix 1. Ākonga / Learner Course Completion Indicator and Grade Tables OPBD Programmes of Study (below)

Otago Polytechnic Business Division Policies/Procedures

Assessment, and Moderation - OPBD Procedure

Academic Integrity - OPBD Procedure

Learner Results, Transcripts, and Award Certificates for Qualifications - OPBD Procedure

Results Process for Consultancy - OPBD Procedure

Withdrawal, Transfer, Cancellation and Refund - OPBD Procedure

Te Pūkenga Policies

Te Pūkenga Kaupapa-here / Assessment Policy

Te Pūkenga Kaupapa-here – Moderation Policy

Appendix 1. Ākonga/Learner Course Completion Indicator and Grade Tables OPBD Programmes of Study

Ākonga/Learner Course Completion Indicator and Grade Tables OPBD Programmes of Study

Information extracted from http://services.education.govt.nz/assets/STEO-files/SDR/2019-manuals/Single-Data- Return-Manual-2019-ver-1.1.pdf (page119-120)

This field is used to record the completion status of a course. A learner is deemed to have successfully completed the course when they have met the requirements set out in the approved course or outline.

The field is used by the Ministry for tertiary sector reporting and policy purposes. The Tertiary Education Strategy highlights an increasing focus on outcomes. Along with qualification completion, this field provides the basis for monitoring and analysis of achievement in tertiary. This field allows important distinctions to be made in terms of success at the course level, compared with success at the qualification level. This field is used by the TEC for the purposes of investment, funding, monitoring and publication of performance information.

Note that “Completion” for the MoE is not the same as “Passed” but is about remaining until the end of the course. This report requires that any grade/result we use must have one of the following codes assigned to it:

MoE Code	Meaning	Otago Polytechnic Business Division explication
0	Still to complete course – valid extension or grade not yet available (NZQF Level 1-8)	By the extraction date, where the completion date for the course has passed but an extension or resubmission has been granted or final grade is not yet available. A completion (code 2, 3 or 4) will be returned in a later SDR.
1	Still to complete course – course end date not yet reached (NZQF Level 1-8)	By the extraction date, where the course completion date has not yet been reached and final results are not expected by the end of the year (e.g., where an occurrence has start and end dates in different years). Learner completion will be captured in a later SDR return and does not mean that the learner will be counted as incomplete.
2	Completed course successfully	By the extraction date, the learner has met requirements for successful completion as set out in the approved course descriptor or outline.
3	Completed course unsuccessfully	By the extraction date, where the learner has completed the requirements for course completion but unsuccessfully as set out in the approved course descriptor or outline (e.g., grade denotes a FAIL not caused by the learner having left the course).
4	Did not complete course	By the extraction date, where the learner has not attempted or met all requirements for successful course completion. This includes learners who have formally withdrawn after the last date for withdrawal, or where the grade indicates that the learner had left prior to the end of the course (informal withdrawal).
5	Practicum to complete – on job training (NZQF Levels 1-8)	By the extraction date, where theory training is complete, but learner still has to complete a practical module. A completion result will be available after the external practical module has been completed. (Otago Polytechnic Limited has not identified any courses which match this code.)
6	Yet to complete – NZQF Levels 9 & 10	Where the learner is enrolled in the thesis component of a Masters or Doctorate programme (Levels 9 and 10) which spans more than one year and no formal submission is required by the extraction date. The learner is formally enrolled, but no formal submission of work is required.
7	Extension granted or under moderation – NZQF Levels 9 & 10	Where the learner is enrolled in the thesis component of a Masters or Doctorate programme (Levels 9 and 10) which spans more than one year. The course end date has passed and either an extension has been granted or results are under consideration or enrolment has been deferred. The learner is not formally enrolled and either an extension (needs to be three weeks or less) has been granted, results are under moderation or the enrolment has been deferred.
8	Completed Successfully Thesis written in Te Reo Maori	By the extraction date, the learner has met the requirements for the successful completion of a thesis written in Te Reo Māori

GRADE TABLES - Approved by Academic Board [14 May 2019, A025/19]

C:GNQF - GENERIC NQF GRADE TABLE

Grade	Definition	MoE Code
Distinction	Successfully completed all assessments and met criteria for pass with distinction	2
Merit	Successfully completed all assessments and met criteria for pass with merit	2
Passed	Met all course requirements	2
Not Passed	There at end of course, attempted none, some, or all assessments, and not met course requirements	3
AEG	Awarded pass following consideration of impaired performance/aegrotat application	2
APEL	Awarded pass following assessment of evidence of prior experience and current skills	n/a
CC	Credit granted on basis of learning outcomes met via passes in other course(s)	n/a
CT	Pass - Unit standard already held	n/a
ADV	Advanced standing awarded for approved credits	n/a
NFY	Course not yet finished, runs into more than one calendar year	1
DNC	Did not complete course, i.e., formal withdrawal after 80% or informal withdrawal at any time.	4
DNC-CV	Did not complete course due to COVID pandemic disruption	4
WD	Formal withdrawal form processed	4
ATT	Met course attendance requirements - Record of Attendance may be issued	2
NRE	No result expected – valid extension	0

C:CRA - GRADE TABLE: CRITERION REFERENCED ASSESSMENT

C:CRA9 - GRADE TABLE: CRITERION REFERENCED ASSESSMENT

Grade	Definition	MoE code
A+	Met all course requirements-mark in range [90-100]	2
A	Met all course requirements-mark in range [85-89]	2
A-	Met all course requirements-mark in range [80-84]	2
B+	Met all course requirements-mark in range [75-79]	2
B	Met all course requirements-mark in range [70-74]	2
B-	Met all course requirements-mark in range [65-69]	2
C+	Met all course requirements-mark in range [60-64]	2
C	Met all course requirements-mark in range [55-59]	2
C-	Met all course requirements-mark in range [50-54]	2
D	There at end. Did not meet course requirements. Mark in range [40-49]	3
E	There at end. Did not meet course requirements. Mark in range [0-39]	3
Pass	Awarded pass and no appropriate grade can be awarded	2
Fail	Failed course and no appropriate grade can be awarded.	3
AEG	Awarded pass following consideration of impaired performance / aegrotat application, where a grade is able to be determined.	2
APEL	Awarded pass following assessment of evidence of prior experience and current skills.	n/a
RPL	Course credit awarded by Recognition of Prior Learning.	n/a
CC	Credit granted on basis of learning outcomes met via passes in other course(s).	n/a
CT	Awarded pass – equivalent course already passed.	n/a
ADV	Advanced standing awarded for approved credits.	n/a
NFY	Course not yet finished, runs into more than one calendar year	1
DNC	Did not complete course i.e., formal withdrawal after 80% or informal withdrawal at any time.	4
DNC-CV	Did not complete course due to COVID pandemic disruption	4
WD	Formal withdrawal form processed.	4
NRE	No result expected – valid extension.	0
PP	Progress Pass (Level 9 courses only).	6

C:SC - GRADE TABLE: SHORT COURSES

Grade	Definition	MoE Code
Passed	Passed all course requirements.	2
Not Passed	There at end of course, attempted none, some. or all assessments, and not met course requirements.	3
ATT	Met course attendance requirements.	2
DNC	Did not complete course i.e., formal withdrawal after 80% or informal withdrawal at any time.	4
DNC-CV	Did not complete course due to COVID pandemic disruption.	4
WD	Formal withdrawal form processed.	4
NF	Non formal course – no result expected no assessment	n/a

Table 1: Assessments Using Ungraded Competency

In courses with ungraded competency-based assessment, results against an assessment (or unit standard) will be recorded as follows:

Assessment Result	Result	Description
Achieved	A	The learner has successfully passed the assessment.
Not achieved	N	The learner has attempted the assessment and not passed.
Credit transfer	CT	The learner has completed the same assessment or standard in another qual or at another provider. In the case of assessment standard, credit will not be reported to NZQA.
Not assessed	NA	The learner has not completed this assessment.

Table 2: Assessments Using Graded Competency

In courses with graded competency-based assessment, results against an assessment (or assessment standard) will be recorded as follows:

Assessment Result	Result	Description
Achieved	A	The learner has successfully passed the assessment.
Achieved with Merit	M	The learner has successfully demonstrated competency in the assessment with very good performance.
Achieved with Excellence	E	The learner has successfully demonstrated competency in the assessment with outstanding performance.
Not achieved	N	The learner has attempted the assessment and not passed.
Credit Transfer	CT	The learner has completed the same assessment or standard in another qual or at another provider. In the case of a standard, credit will not be reported to NZQA.
Not Assessed	NA	The learner has not completed this assessment.

Table 3: Courses Using Ungraded Competency

In courses with ungraded competency, the following course grades will apply:

Course Result	Grade
Passed	P
Not Passed	NP

Table 4: Courses Using Graded Competency

In courses with graded competency the following course grades will apply:

Course Result	Grade
Passed with Excellence	E
Passed with Merit	M
Passed	P
Not Passed	NP

Table 5: Other Grades

Other grades that may be awarded for particular circumstances in competency-based courses will be specified in the Programme Regulations:

Course credit awarded by Credit Transfer	CT
Course credit awarded by Cross Credit	CC
Course credit awarded by Recognition of Prior Learning	RPL
Withdrawn	W
Unfinished at time of reporting	U

Table 6: Courses Using Achievement-Based Assessment

In courses in which grades are allocated according to the level of achievement, the results will be awarded according to either C:CRA or the following grading systems:

Grade	Description
A	Passed with Distinction
B	Passed with Merit
C	Passed
D	Not Passed
E	Not Passed