Generic Criteria for Assessment for NQF Level 7 (Masters Programmes)

Marks 0-39 40-49 50-59 60-69 70-85 86-100

Assessment (Fail) (Condonable Fail) (Pass) (Merit) (Distinction) (Distinction)
categories

Knowledge & ~ demonstrates little ~ demonstrates knowledge ~ demonstrates a sound ~ produces work with a well-defined ~produces work of exceptional ~ This work meets and often
understanding of knowledge or of the field and awareness knowledge and understanding focus standard, reflecting outstanding exceeds the standard for
understanding of the of current evidence and of material within a specialised ~ demonstrates a systematic knowledge and understanding of distinction, as described in
subject
field issues, but with some field of study knowledge, understanding and critical material the 70-85 band, across all
~ demonstrates notable weaknesses ~ demonstrates an awareness of current problems and/or ~ displays exceptional mastery of a sub-categories of criteria:
significant weaknesses ~ lacks knowledge and understanding of current new insights, much of which is at, or complex and specialised area of knowledge and
in the knowledge base, understanding of some key theoretical and methodological informed by, the forefront of the knowledge and skills, with an understanding of subject;
and/or simply areas approaches and how these academic discipline, field of study or exceptional critical awareness of cognitive skills; research
reproduces knowledge affect the way the knowledge area of professional practice current problems and/or new insights skills; use of research-
without evidence of base is interpreted at the forefront of the field informed literature; and skills
understanding for life and professional
employment.
~ very little or no ~ some appropriate ~ provides evidence of relevant ~ is able to evaluate methodologies ~ shows outstanding ability to
Cognitive/ critical ability analysis, but some and sound analysis within the critically and, where appropriate, to evaluate methodologies critically and, ~ This work is of publishable
intellectual ~ poor, inconsistent significant inconsistencies specialised area, with some propose new hypotheses where appropriate, to propose new quality, with only very minor
analysis which affect the soundness ability to evaluate critically ~ is able to deal with complex issues hypotheses amendments, and would be
skills
of argument and/or ~ is able to analyse complex both systematically and creatively, ~ is able to deal with a range of likely to receive that
conclusions issues and make appropriate making sound judgements in the complex issues both systematically judgement if submitted to a
~ demonstrates very judgements absence of complete data and creatively, making excellent peer-reviewed journal.
limited critical ability judgements in the absence of
complete data ~ Work is of such a quality
~ demonstrates little or ~ demonstrates some skill ~ demonstrates understanding ~ displays a comprehensive ~ employs advanced skills to conduct that the student is clearly
Research no skill in selected in selected techniques of and skills in selected understanding of and skills in research and, where appropriate, highly capable of doctoral
skills techniques applicable applicable to own research techniques applicable to own techniques applicable to own research advanced technical or professional research in the discipline and,
to own research or or advanced scholarship, research or advanced or advanced scholarship activity, accepting accountability for in principle, should be
advanced scholarship but with significant areas scholarship ~ shows originality in the application related decision making prioritised for a postgraduate
~ lacks any of weakness ~ shows some originality in the of knowledge, together with a good ~ displays an exceptional grasp of research grant.
understanding of how ~ lacks sufficient application of knowledge, and understanding of how established techniques applicable to own research
established techniques understanding of how some understanding of how techniques of research and enquiry are or advanced scholarship
of research and established techniques of established techniques of used to create and interpret knowledge ~ shows originality in application of
enquiry are used to research and enquiry are research and enquiry are used in the discipline knowledge, and excellent
create and interpret used to create and interpret to create and interpret understanding of how established
knowledge knowledge knowledge in the discipline techniques of enquiry create and
interpret knowledge in the discipline

~ failure to evidence ~ can evidence and ~ can evaluate critically ~ is able to evaluate critically a range ~ is able to evaluate critically, with
or discuss/apply discuss/apply examples of examples of literature relating of literature relating to current exceptional insight, a range of
appropriate examples literature relating to current to current research and research and advanced scholarship in literature relating to current research
Use of of literature relating to research but lacks critical advanced scholarship in the the discipline and advanced scholarship in the
research-informed current research and engagement field ~ makes consistently good use of discipline
literature advanced scholarship ~ references to appropriate ~ makes consistently sound use appropriate academic conventions and ~ makes consistently excellent use of
in the field literature/ evidence and use of appropriate academic academic honesty appropriate academic conventions and
~ references to of academic conventions conventions and academic ~ able to communicate very academic honesty
 literature/ evidence are insufficient and/or honesty effectively arguments, evidence and ~ able to communicate at a very high ~ This work meets and often
and use of academic inconsistent ~ able to communicate conclusions to specialist and non- level arguments, evidence and exceeds the standard for
conventions are ~ argument is attempted, argument, evidence and specialist audiences conclusions to specialist and non- distinction, as described in
flawed, and/or but lacks in clarity and/or conclusions clearly to specialist specialist audiences the 70-85 band, across all
inconsistent logic and non-specialist audiences sub-categories of criteria:
~ argument absent, or knowledge and
lacking any clarity understanding of subject;
and/or logic cognitive skills; research
skills; use of research-
~ significant ~ demonstrates generally ~ shows a consistently good ~ shows a high level of employability ~ shows a very high level of informed literature; and skills
Skills weaknesses evident in effective employability level of employability skills, skills, including team working, project employability skills, including team for life and professional
for life and key areas such as skills, including including team working, management, IT/computer literacy, working/leadership, project employment.
professional communication , communication and project management, creativity and flexibility management, IT/computer literacy,
employment problem-solving and problem-solving, but with IT/computer literacy, creativity ~ demonstrates very effective creativity and flexibility ~ This work is of publishable
project management some problematic areas of and flexibility communication in a range of complex ~ demonstrates very high level quality, with only very minor
~ inability to adapt weakness ~ demonstrates capabilities to and specialised contexts communication skills in a range of amendments, and would be
~inability to work ~ limited ability to adapt support effective ~ demonstrates self-direction and complex contexts, and ability to write likely to receive that
flexibly, independently ~ ability to work flexibly, communication in a range of some originality in tackling and at publishable standard judgement if submitted to a
and/or as part of a independently and/or as complex and specialised solving demanding problems ~ demonstrates autonomy and notable peer-reviewed journal.
team part of a team, but with contexts ~ can act autonomously in planning originality in tackling and solving
areas of weakness ~ shows consistent ability in and implementing tasks at a demanding problems ~ Work is of such a quality
tackling and solving demanding professional or equivalent level ~ shows a high level of consistency that the student is clearly
problems ~ demonstrates the skills and attitudes and autonomy in planning and highly capable of doctoral
~ can plan and direct own needed to advance own knowledge implementing tasks at a professional research in the discipline and,
learning and understanding, and to develop or equivalent level in principle, should be
~ demonstrates ability to new skills ~ demonstrates the skills and attitudes prioritised for a postgraduate
advance own knowledge and ~ demonstrates the independent needed to advance own knowledge research grant.
understanding, and to develop learning ability required for and understanding, and to develop
new skills continuing professional development new skills to a high level
~ demonstrates the independent ~ demonstrates the independent
learning ability required for learning ability required for
continuing professional continuing professional development
development

Marks for level 7 0-39 40-49 50-59 60-69 70-85 86-100

(Fail) (Condonable fail) (Pass) (Merit) (Distinction) (Distinction)