Open University postgraduate grading

[mrsevangelina]

I am wondering if someone may be able to help me with this.

I am doing the Open MA at the Open University. In my first module, worth 120 credits, I have an Overall Examinable Score (OES) of 70, and an Overall Continuous Assessment Score (OCAS) of 61. The assessment was made up of four TMAs and an EMA - I have thus far assumed the 70 was for my EMA.

My overall module result is listed as ‘Pass with Merit’, with no Overall Score (OS) listed.

How can my overall module result be 'pass with merit' if the boundary for 'pass with merit' is 70? 61 and 70 merged would surely be less than 70?

Or is the OES already merged with the OCAS?

I am now doing a module worth 60 credits to make up my MA. Will my 'pass with merit' be taken forward to be merged with my score for this module?

Apologies, I’m very confused. I was awarded this a year and a half ago and only just realised I don’t understand!

Anyone?

I don’t know about the OU specifically but Masters grading is usually 60-69 for a merit and 70+ for a distinction.

Thanks for your reply. OU grading is 85+ for a distinction, 70+ pass with merit.

You need to talk to your tutor, for OU specific info.

Hi @mrsevangelina, I graduated with a BSc Open last year and much to my surprise I got a first when I "claimed" the degree on the website! (I don't need the degree as a qualification so I wasn't particularly concerned about "claiming"). In my case I only had over 85 in one module, hence my surprise, but then I did have a look at the degree classification rules and yes, first class degree was correct.
The rules were quite complicated (much more than at the university I teach at), with some courses weighed more than others and some courses or credits being dropped from the final calculation - my sense is that they really want those "borderline" or "very high upper second class" degrees to become firsts.
This is the documentation for HOnours classifications but surely there's another one for Masters? help.open.ac.uk/documents/policies/working-out-your-class-of-honours/files/50/honours-class-working-out.pdf

I did an MA at the OU. In my first year, I was shy of 85% - from memory I think my EMA was over 85 but my TMAs brought the average below that. They awarded me a distinction for that module. My tutor explained at the Examinations Board they discussed the borderline cases and decided I was worthy of it! So maybe that's what's happened with you. The result was indeed carried forward to the overall MA.

"The award of Merit will normally require a minimum of 30 module credits at Merit grade for a Postgraduate Certificate, 60 module credits at Merit grade for a Postgraduate Diploma and 90 module credits at Merit grade for a Master’s Degree."

^ Does this apply to you?

Hi all - thank you so much for these replies. Very helpful. I am at work so will investigate later!

Thanks again.