External Examiners for all Taught Courses
This page provides information on University policy, forms, and guidance on the appointment, payment, and expected responsibilities of External Examiners.
External Examiners for undergraduate and taught postgraduate degrees are appointed as members of the Board of Examiners and play an essential part in ensuring the academic standards of the examination process. They are engaged principally to ensure that:
- the standards set for an award are appropriate for the qualification;
- the standards of student performance are comparable with similar programmes or subjects in other UK institutions with which they are familiar;
- the processes for assessment, examination and the determination of awards were sound and fairly conducted.
External Examiners are not normally expected to carry out marking of assessed work; instead, they are involved in reviewing a sample of scripts and assessing whether internal marking has been appropriately and consistently applied.
| Title | Last Issued | Next review |
|---|---|---|
Guidance by the General Board on the arrangements for External Examiners Including information on role, appointment, and responsibilities | Sept 2025 | Annual general review |
Reports of External Examiners:
| Sept 2025 | Annual general review |
| Handbook for External Examiners (published by the Higher Education Academy, external link) | Feb 2019 | n/a |