PIs 2007/08: Module completion rates - definitions (table T6)

Coverage

Higher education (HE) students are those students on programmes of study for which the level of instruction is above that of level 3 of the National Qualifications Framework, i.e. courses leading to the Advanced Level of the General Certificate of Education (GCE A levels), the Advanced Level of the Vocational Certificate of Education (VCE A levels) or the Advanced Higher Grade and Higher Grade of the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) Advanced Highers/Highers).

The data used in constructing the indicators have been taken from the HESA database. The data specification of the record uses the term 'instance' to describe a student's engagement with the institution, which, because a student can have more than one instance of engagement, will exceed the number of students. Postdoctoral students are not included in the HESA Student Record.

All students included in the tables are those whose normal residence is in the United Kingdom, excluding Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man. This information comes primarily from the HESA POSTCODE field, with the DOMICILE field used if there is no valid postcode supplied. If neither field supplies valid information, it is assumed that the student is resident in the UK. Incoming and visiting exchange students and students studying for the whole of their programme of study outside the UK are excluded from the tables.

Table T6 is restricted to Welsh institution who return data to HESA using the ‘modular’ format. The indicator is based on modules for which results are available. There are a number of reasons why results for these students may not be returned to HESA. In some cases the student may have withdrawn from the course, in others they may have decided not to be assessed in that module. In particular, students who are studying a module out of personal interest may decide that they do not wish to be assessed.

Full-time equivalent

Student full-time equivalent (FTE) data represents the institution’s assessment of the full-time equivalence of the student during the reporting year 1 August 2007 to 31 July 2008.

Mode of study

Part-time students are those recorded as studying part-time, or full-time on courses lasting less than 24 weeks.

Level of study

The level of study is taken from the qualification aim of the student. Only undergraduate students are included in Tables T6. First degree students are those studying for any type of first degree; other undergraduate students are those studying for foundation degrees, diplomas, certificates and other undergraduate courses. The codes for qualification aims (HESA field COURSEAIM) used to define the level are shown below.

Rounding strategy

Due to the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Human Rights Act 1998, HESA implements a strategy in published and released tabulations designed to prevent the disclosure of personal information about any individual. This strategy involves rounding all numbers to the nearest 5. A summary of this strategy is as follows:

• 0, 1, 2 are rounded to 0
• All other numbers are rounded to the nearest 5.

So for example 3 is represented as 5, 22 is represented as 20, 3286 is represented as 3285, while 0, 20, 55, 3510 remain unchanged.

This rounding strategy is also applied to total figures; the consequence of which is that the sum of numbers in each row or column will rarely precisely match the total shown.

Average values, proportions and FTE values prepared by HESA will not be affected by the above strategy, and will be calculated on precise raw numbers. However, percentages and indicators calculated on populations which contain less than 20 individuals will be suppressed and represented as a blank value.

Enquiries

Press: Call 01242 211120 or email pressoffice@hesa.ac.uk.
General enquiries should be sent to piteam@hesa.ac.uk.
Enquiries regarding the Performance Indicators Steering Group (PISG) should be directed to the HEFCE Press Office on 0117 931 7307