Master of Science by Coursework in Educational Assessment (Part-time)

Differences from 2018/19 to 2023/24

1. The Course shall be under the supervision of the Academic Committee of the Department of Education. 

2. Candidates must follow for six terms a course of instruction specializing in Educational Assessment. This course is available on a part-time basis only.

23. The examination shall consist of three core papers, one option paper, and a dissertation. Candidates will be informed of the available options by Friday of 0th week of Michaelmas Term in the year they start their course.

34. Papers are normally assessed by one or more coursework assignments totalingtotalling no more than 4,500 words (inclusive of footnotes but excluding bibliography and appendices). The details of the assessment requirements for each paper will be provided in the Course Handbook. All such assignments must be uploaded to the Assignments section of the Department of Education’s Higher Degrees WebLearn site by the times and dates specified in the course handbook at the start of the course. Each submission must be accompanied by a declaration indicating that it is the candidate’s own work.  

45. Candidates are required to submit a dissertation of 15,000 20,000 words (inclusive of footnotes/endnotes but excluding appendices and references or bibliography), the title to be selected in consultation with the supervisor, on a topic relevant to the course. The subject and title selected by the candidate must be approved by the course director at a time to be announced at the beginning of the academic year in which the examination is taken.

5. The dissertation must be uploadedsubmitted to the Assignments section of the Department for Education’s Higher Degrees WebLearn site notno later than noon on the secondthird FridayThursday in AugustSeptember in the final year of the course. Copies should be anonymous except for the candidate number, and accompanied by a declaration indicating that it is the candidate’s own work. Candidates are also required to submit a hardbound copy of the dissertation to the Department of Education no later than the week after submission the electronic copy. The hard bound copy of each candidate who passes the examination shall be retained by the Department for deposit in the departmental library.

6. If a candidate receives a failing mark for any of the summative assessments or dissertation, they may resubmit the assessment on one further occasion normally when the assessmentthis is next examined, or at an earlier date as agreed with the followingCourse yearDirector. If a candidate fails the dissertation, they may resubmit the dissertation one further time on the next occasion when this is examined. Candidates who fail any of the core papers or the option paper at the first attempt cannot normally be awarded more than 50 at resubmission. Second attempts at dissertations will not be capped unless provided for under General Regulations. 

7. Candidates may also be required to attend an oral examination. The oral examination will normally be on the candidate’s dissertation.

8. The examiners may award a distinction for excellenceany in the whole examinationassessment. 

Schedule 

Core: 

  1.  Assessment issues and practices
  2.  Assessment design and evaluation
  3.  Psychometrics and assessment analysis

Options: 

  1.  Classroom-based assessment
  2.  Advanced statistical methods