Referring to knowledge

Referring to abilities, skills

Referring to attitudes, values and norms

The methodology is based on two main types of activity: lectures and directed learning activities.

 

First, students attend two types of lecture:
a) Lectures with a practical component, during which the lecturer presents the concepts of each topic and the theoretical tools to analyse them, providing examples of their application (3 hours per week).
b) Problem-solving classes or directed learning activities, which are used to work through numerical exercises and/or to discuss texts and specific problems related to the content covered in class. Students are expected to prepare the texts and problems in advance. They are scheduled for a total of 10 hours per semester (1 hour per week).

Second, students are required to carry out directed learning activities (outside class hours), which should include reading through the recommended bibliography and completing exercises and assignments set in class. Students should also conduct independent study, including revision of lecture notes, reading complementary texts and materials and preparing for continuous assessment tests and the final examination.
The study load is divided between the two types of activity, with approximately 100 hours devoted to the first and 50 hours to the second.

Continuous assessment

Continuous assessment is the default assessment procedure for all students, except for those who, for any reason, opt not to sit the continuous assessment tests (CATs) and only take the final examination. Continuous assessment consists of two mid-term activities covering the content of the subject. The first mid-term activity covers blocks 1 and 2 of the syllabus and the second, blocks 3 and 4.

 

Each mid-term activity consists of a continuous assessment test (i.e. CATs 1 and 2) of 20 multiple-choice questions which account for 40% of the grade (four possible answers, incorrect answers being penalized with a 25% deduction) and a number of problems which account for 60%. The weighting of the different sections of each CAT is the same as that for the final examination. The dates of each CAT are posted on the Virtual Campus.

Students who obtain a mark of 4 or higher (out of 10) on a mid-term activity need not be assessed again on its content in the final exam (i.e. blocks 1 and 2 in the first mid-term activity; blocks 3 and 4 in the second).

If the mark awarded for both activities (i.e. CATs 1 and 2) is 5 out of 10 or higher, students obtain a pass grade for the subject and do not have to sit the final examination. The final grade is the weighted average of both CATs (each representing 50%).

 

Repeat assessment

The repeat assessment examination has the same structure as that of the single assessment exam and is the same for all students.

Continuous assessment results cannot be carried forward for repeat assessment.

Examination-based assessment

All students are entitled to single assessment, which consists of a final examination covering the whole syllabus.

Students who wish to be entered for single assessment should not complete the mid-term activities.

The final examination consists of the following types of questions, which are weighted as follows:

— Multiple-choice test of 20–30 questions (correct answers: +1 point; answers left blank: 0 points; and incorrect answers: 0.25 points). This is worth 40% of the final grade.
— Practical content and problem-solving questions. This is worth 60% of the final grade.

Students who have passed one of the two mid-term activities do not need to answer the questions corresponding to the blocks included in this activity.

Repeat assessment

The repeat assessment examination has the same structure as that of the single assessment exam and is the same for all students.

Continuous assessment results cannot be carried forward for repeat assessment.