Degree Outcomes statement 2024

Find out why we publish a degree outcomes statement.

Universities in England and Wales publish a degree outcomes statement to show how we protect the value of our degrees and to demonstrate how our academic standards are monitored and reviewed.

We published our first degree outcomes statement in 2020 which was updated in 2024 and provides an overview of the following:

• the University’s degree classification profile.
• how student outcomes are reviewed annually ensuring that academic standards are appropriately set and maintained with reference to external expectations.
• details of assessment practices, governance arrangements, and future actions to protect the academic standards of awards and to enhance learning and assessment to ensure that students can achieve their potential.

Degree classification profiles

Our degree outcomes profile includes degree classification data for undergraduate students achieving classified degrees at Level 6 (Bachelor) and Level 7 (Integrated Master) as defined by the Framework of Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ).

The increase in the proportion of 1st class honours degrees in 2019/20 and 2020/21 is attributed to the use of a safety net policy (circa 3 percentage points in 2020/21). The safety net policy was approved in 2019/20 to ensure that students were not disadvantaged by the disruption resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic. Universities UK has attributed the increase in the proportion of 1st class degrees to the use of no detriment (safety net) policies.

The data indicates that

• there is variability between schools in the proportion of students achieving 1st class degrees.
• the variations are typical for nationally-defined subject categories in the higher education sector data.
• the degree outcomes profile following the removal of the safety net has broadly reverted to the pre-pandemic.

Sector comparison

The increase in the proportion of 1st class degrees at Cardiff was more modest than for the UK sector which provides an assurance that our safety net policy adopted did not result in inflated outcomes. In addition, the data suggests that our degree outcomes profile has reverted to the pre-pandemic more quickly than the UK sector.

Student characteristic profile

We review our 1st class degrees and good degrees (1st class and 2:1) differentiated by selected demographic groups to identify whether there are awarding gaps and to understand the underlying reasons for the degree outcomes profile.

Ethnicity

We report on the Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic awarding gap annually to review the percentage point difference between outcomes for UK white students and UK Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic students for those achieving good degrees (1st and 2:1).

When undertaking this analysis, it is more relevant and appropriate to present granular ethnicity data for degree outcomes, rather than aggregating the ethnicity data into one category of Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic.

There are notable differences in the proportion of UK students being awarded 1^st class degrees and good honours degrees depending on ethnicity. The proportion of UK white students being awarded 1^st class degrees is consistently higher than UK students from other ethnic groups, and usually higher for good honours degrees. The gap for Asian students being awarded a good honours degree has narrowed, however, the gap for Black students has generally persisted over the past 5 years.

Gender

At Cardiff, the proportion of female students being awarded 1st class degrees and good honours degrees is consistently higher than male students.

Disability

There is little difference in the proportion of students being awarded 1^st class or good honours degrees whether or not there is a declared disability.

Age

The proportion of mature students (≥21 on entry) being awarded 1st class degrees is notably and consistently higher than the proportion of younger students.

Assessment and marking practices

Our Academic Regulations and associated policies and procedures confirm our assessment and marking practices.

A Quality Enhancement Review (QER) undertaken by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) in March 2020 confirmed that the University’s academic quality system meets the following requirements:

• the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG) Part 1 for internal quality assurance
• the relevant baseline regulatory requirements of the Quality Assessment Framework for Wales
• The Framework for Higher Education Qualification (FHEQ)
• The Credit and Qualifications Framework for Wales (CQFW)
• The expectations and the core and common practices of the UK Quality Code for Higher Education.

Our programme approval and re-validation processes ensure that expectations of graduates in disciplines are aligned with the QAA subject benchmark statements and, where relevant, Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Body (PSRB) requirements.

External examiners are appointed and are full members of Examining Boards. They submit annual reports and are asked to comment on the academic standard of awards and, where appropriate, submit recommendations. Our External examiners continue to affirm that the academic standards of the University’s awards meet the requirements of the relevant national qualifications' framework, and that degree outcomes are valid and reliable.

Academic governance

The Council is the governing body of the University and is responsible for the efficient management and conduct of all aspects of the affairs of the University. The Senate is the chief academic authority and is responsible, on behalf of the Council, for determining educational policy and regulations. The Academic Standards and Quality Committee (ASQC), a sub-committee of Senate, has primary responsibility, explicitly delegated to it by Senate, for oversight of the standards of the University’s awards.

The Council receives an Annual Quality Report, from Senate and the ASQC, on the operation of the University’s academic quality system. The report, amongst other things, provides Council with the profile of degree outcomes, feedback from external examiners relating to academic standards of awards, and confirming how the University has continued to set and maintain academic standards. The Annual Quality Report provides the evidential basis upon which Council is assured of the academic standards of awards.

One of the main processes of the academic quality system, and which informs the annual quality report, is the process of Review and Enhancement. It is undertaken by academic schools, reporting to ASQC via the Colleges, to ensure that expectations and requirements relating to academic standards and the quality of the student experience are satisfied and that there are plans for enhancement. A key element of this process is the review of degree outcomes, including the reports from Examining Boards and external examiners, to ensure that academic standards are maintained.

Degree classification algorithms

Our degree classification algorithm and degree classification boundaries are detailed in our academic regulations. The algorithm and boundaries have remained unchanged during the past five years and have been used since academic year 2013/14. On review, we can our degree algorithm is in alignment with the UK higher education sector’s principles for effective algorithm design.

Teaching practices and learning resources

We have continued to invest to enhance the students’ leaning experiences by implementing its education and students’ sub-strategy including:

• implementation of a more intuitive DLE through a phased roll-out of Blackboard Ultra Courses. The new DLE provides an improved user experience for both staff and students with students having a more consistent, streamlined, and mobile friendly platform.
• development of an education development toolkit to enhance the resources available staff when developing new degree programmes and to support the design of pedagogically driven programmes, which have a clear student-centred journey, and that are fully integrated with inclusiveness, employability, and sustainability.
• embedding Employability, Skills and Graduate Attributes into the institutional expectations for all degree programmes.
• the delivery of new Education Fellowship and Academic CPD programmes.

Since 2021, 407 Fellowships have been awarded through the accredited Programmes and as a result of the scaling-up of this provision, the annual numbers of Fellowships (Associate, Fellow and Senior Fellow) awarded to University staff exceeded the Russell Group and sector averages.

Creating an inclusive learning community

A University-wide Inclusive Education Framework has been established which supports changes in the design and delivery of programmes in a holistic way that recognises the multiple factors underlying awarding gaps and the importance of intersectionality.

The project has developed guidance and resources which are published in the education development toolkit, runs inclusive education workshops, and embeds inclusivity into policy/framework reviews and the Education Fellowship programme.

The project is running Inclusive Education workshops and undertaking bespoke work in schools via the Education Development Service.

The University is mapping its actions against the recommendations in the UUK #ClosingtheGap reports (2019 and 2022) to establish a clear understanding of progress to date and update an action plan for its work on reducing the awarding gap.

Marking and academic feedback

A review of the Marking and Moderation Policy and the Academic Feedback Policy has been concluded with new policies to be implemented from 2024/25.

The changes to the policies respond to feedback received from academic staff, external examiners, and students, and enhance oversight of academic standards and improve academic feedback received by students which should better support them to achieve their potential.

The University has adopted and made available to its academic staff the Advance HE training to external examiners. The training supports academic staff to have an enhanced understanding of the expected oversight of academic standards.

Academic integrity

We have enhanced the advice provided to students about the importance of academic integrity. The University has developed and is making available to students an Academic Integrity Resource linked to three modules for students to complete.

We have developed and published guidance to staff and students on Generative AI which covers areas such as potential concerns for assessment, benefits for teaching and learning, and using AI in assessment design. The guidance will be regularly updated.