13 - Spain - Student assessment

University tertiary education

Universities, as the institutions responsible for awarding degrees, are also obliged to verify their students' knowledge, intellectual training and performance, for which they follow some assessment standards. Such assessment is the responsibility of each university department and its staff.

The establishment of the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) in official degrees for Graduate and Postgraduate studies is one of the measures involved in the setting up of the European Higher Education Area. The European credit is the measurement of academic recognition which signifies the workload that a student must complete in order to meet the requirements for the programme. Credit is obtained after having passed all the subjects which comprise the syllabuses of the different studies. Theoretical and practical provision, together with other academic activities, are included in this measurement unit.

In order to obtain the relevant credits of a subject students must pass the tests or the relevant assessments. The level of the learning achieved by the students is denoted by numerical marks given on their academic records together with the distribution of these qualifications across the total number of students who enrolled in the degree in each academic year. The average mark on each student’s academic record is worked out by adding up the credits obtained by the student, multiplying each of them by the value of the relevant qualifications and dividing by the number of total credits obtained. The mark obtained by the student in each subject of the syllabus is expressed on a numerical scale from zero to ten, expressed to one decimal place only, to which its relevant qualitative mark may be added: 0-4.9: failed ( SS), 5.0-6.9: passed ( AP); 7.0-8.9: very good ( NT); 9.0-10: excellent ( SB). The distinction magna cum laude may be given to students who obtain a mark equal or higher than 9.0. No more than 5% of students enrolled in a subject in the relevant academic year can be given this distinction, unless the number of students registered is less than 20; if this is the case, just one magna cum laude can be given.

As regards the doctoral thesis for obtaining the Doctoral degree  the thesis is assessed in accordance with the following scale: failed, passed, very good and excellent. The examining board may award the distinction of " cum laude" provided the overall mark awarded is "excellent" and the student receives the favourable vote from at least four of the members of the examining board.

Non-university tertiary education

The information on non-university higher education can be found in the following subsections.

Advanced vocational training

Student assessment in advanced vocational training matches that of intermediate vocational training.

Enseñanzas de régimen especial

The information about student assessment in enseñanzas de régimen especial is available in the following subsections.

Artistic studies

Student assessment in Artistic studies is continuous and integrated, but discrete for each of the different subjects of the curriculum. It has to be carried out taking into account the established assessment objectives and criteria for this provision.

The assessment is carried out by the student’s teachers, who are coordinated by a form teacher. The evaluation process results in the final mark awarded for each subject.

There are two sessions for each subject of the curriculum in order to assess students in the same academic year. Students may have two exam sessions (regular and supplementary, but both with a final nature) for each subject every year.

Sports studies

The evaluation of the student’s learning within this provision is carried out through the módulos formativos, taking into account the aims and the assessment criteria set up in the curriculum for each módulo, as well as the students’ academic maturity regarding the established competences in the core curriculum.

The assessment of the módulos formativos of practical content, is initial, continuous and final, whereas the evaluation of the módulos of theoretical content is continuous and final. The following items are assessed:

• Each of the módulos formativos which make up the general component, the specific component and the complementary part of the curriculum in every level and grade.
• The practical training component in every level and grade.
• The end-of-studies project at advanced level.

The outcomes of the assessment are expressed in terms of marks given in accordance with the following criteria:

a) Each of the módulos formativos of the common, specific and complementary components, as well as the end-of-studies -project, are graded on a numerical scale from one to ten points, with no decimal places. Five or above are pass marks and lower marks represent a fail.
b) The practical training component is graded overall in terms of"pass/fail".

The final mark is the result of the grades obtained in the módulos in the common, specific and complementary components up to a total of 80%; and the remaining 20% comes from the end-of-studies project.

A pass is required in each módulo making up the common, specific, complementary components, also in the practical training component as well as in the end-of-studies project.

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