Create an exam
Understand how formal exam instances appear from module requirements, then plan responsibles, schedules, and attempt tabs for a cohort and term.
Exams in the Exam Center are not created with a standalone Create exam button. An exam appears in My Exams when a module version includes an examination requirement and students are enrolled in the associated cohort and term. Your job in My Exams is to plan and run that instance — not to invent the academic requirement from scratch.
That design keeps examination regulations, curricula, and operational sittings aligned: the module and exam type define what the assessment is; My Exams defines who runs it and when it happens for a given cohort. How many Attempt tabs you get, and what attempt-usage indicators such as 2/3 mean, comes from academic rulesets and the exam type’s attempt workflow — see How exam attempts work.
Why it matters
If staff could create free-floating exams unrelated to modules, attempt limits, credit recognition, and institutional statistics would drift from the study programme. By surfacing exams from module examination requirements:
- Every sitting is tied to a curriculum module and cohort
- Max attempts come from academic rulesets at the module level — not from ad-hoc examiner choice
- Students who elect modules (including early or alternative exam paths in the Module Catalog) land in the correct exam instances after enrollment
- Related exams on the same module can be coordinated so students can pass all required exams at the same term and attempt number (module completion)
Planning early — responsibles assigned, dates set, Attempt 1 ready — reduces last-minute conflicts with rooms, accommodations, and grading capacity.
How it fits
| Prerequisite area | Role |
|---|---|
| Exam types | Define format, rating mode, duration, scheduling mode, and attempt workflow |
| Module version examination requirements | Attach the exam type to the academic module; may carry weight and final-exam designation used in module grade calculation |
| Curriculum and cohort assignment | Place the module in a study programme pathway |
| Student enrollment for the term | Make the instance operationally relevant — see registration |
| Academic rulesets | Supply module-level max attempts and effective grading schema |
| How exam attempts work | Explains how resolved limits become tabs, usage, and completion |
This CMS flow is separate from creating gradable content blocks in a course learning journey — those are LMS grading concerns.
Prerequisites
Before an exam shows up in My Exams:
- An exam type (examination requirement template) exists and is linked to a module version.
- The module is part of a study program curriculum assigned to a cohort.
- Students are enrolled and the exam requirement is active for the term.
Key concepts
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Examination requirement | The link between a module version and an exam type that causes an instance to appear |
| Exam instance | The My Exams row for a module, cohort, and term |
| Scheduling mode | Inherited from the exam type: appointment-based or deadline-based — see Schedule exam sittings |
| Max attempts | Derived from the student’s effective academic ruleset — not set per exam in the Exam Center |
| Module-level limits | Passed and failed caps apply across the module’s examination requirements |
| Attempt tabs | Attempt 1, Attempt 2, … generated from resolved max attempts for enrolled students |
| Attempt usage | Display such as 2/3 based on the student’s effective limits |
| Auto reattempt | Exam-type workflow: eligible students can appear on later attempts while under ruleset limits |
| Reassessment period | Exam-type workflow: maximum of two attempts; Attempt 2 requires reassessment approval; no Attempt 3+ |
| Responsible users | Primary and secondary examiners you assign after the instance exists — see Manage examiners |
What defines an exam
When you open an exam from My Exams, these properties come from the linked module requirement and institution configuration:
| Field | Source |
|---|---|
| Module | The course module version the requirement belongs to |
| Exam type | The examination requirement template (file upload, exam, digital exam, presentation, or custom form) |
| Duration | The length in minutes, when the exam type requires it |
| Max attempts | Derived from the student’s effective academic ruleset (not set per exam in the Exam Center) |
| Date | Scheduled on attempt tabs when you plan the exam (appointment or deadline, depending on scheduling mode) |
| Responsible users | Assigned on the Details tab |
Plan a new exam
Once the exam appears in My Exams, use the following steps to set it up for a cohort and term:
Open OrgHub → Exam Center → My Exams and select the exam row for the module, cohort, and term you want to manage.
Go to the Details tab and assign responsible users (primary and secondary examiners). Staff with permission to plan exams (organization-wide or on this exam) can designate responsibles.
Open the relevant Attempt tab (usually Attempt 1 for a first sitting).
Set the scheduled date — an appointment with date and time, or a submission deadline, depending on the exam type’s scheduling mode. For rooms and appointment logistics, see Schedule exam sittings.
Confirm the exam type and duration shown in the table match the requirement template. To change the template itself, update the module version’s examination requirements or the exam type definition.
Planning scenarios
First-term sitting for a new cohort
Enrollment lands, the exam row appears, you assign a primary responsible, and you schedule Attempt 1. Attempt tabs beyond Attempt 1 may already be visible because resolved max attempts (for example, three failed attempts allowed) generate Attempt 2 and Attempt 3 tabs — but you typically only schedule Attempt 1 until results and eligibility justify a resit window.
Module with two examination requirements
If the module also requires a presentation exam, plan both instances for the same term and keep attempt numbers aligned. Module completion requires all required exams to pass at the same term and attempt number — scheduling the written exam on Attempt 1 while leaving the presentation unplanned often blocks completion even when written results look fine. Weighting across those requirements is covered in Module grade calculation.
Auto reattempt vs reassessment period at planning time
| Workflow on exam type | What to expect when planning |
|---|---|
| Auto reattempt | Later attempt tabs are available for eligible students under ruleset limits; plan resit dates after Attempt 1 outcomes without a separate reassessment gate |
| Reassessment period | Operational path is capped at two attempts; Attempt 2 needs reassessment approval — leave capacity for request handling and term reassessment registration windows before scheduling Attempt 2 |
Withdrawal and no-show (domain context)
In many examination regulations, a student may withdraw before a deadline or be recorded as a no-show when they do not attend. In My Exams, treat those situations as eligibility and status questions on the correct attempt tab — you cannot grade students who have withdrawn, are unable to take the exam, or are on leave for the term (see Grade submissions). How withdrawal deadlines are configured on rulesets is covered under academic rulesets; how attempt consumption works for those outcomes is in How exam attempts work.
Who can plan
| Action | Who typically needs access |
|---|---|
| View exams in My Exams | Permission to view exams (organization-wide or on individual exams) |
| Assign responsibles and schedule dates | Permission to plan exams (organization-wide or on individual exams) |
| Grade submissions | Permission to grade exams (organization-wide or on individual exams) |
Publishing later requires permission to publish exam grades — see Publish grades. Role setup is explained in Permissions, features and visibility.
Best practices
- Verify the template before scheduling. If the exam type or duration is wrong, fix the module requirement or exam type — do not treat My Exams as the place to redefine the assessment.
- Assign a primary responsible early. Unowned exams stall when requests and grading arrive — see Manage examiners.
- Plan Attempt 1 first. Later attempt tabs appear from max-attempt rules; focus the initial sitting, then use Configure attempt limits and How exam attempts work when policy questions arise.
- Check attempt usage on the list. Indicators such as 2/3 help you see who is already deep into their attempt budget before you schedule another sitting.
- Use bulk deadline assignment when many exams share the same term window and you have planning permission.
- Distinguish CMS from LMS. Do not recreate the formal exam as an LMS content block and expect it to replace OrgHub attempts — see LMS grading.
Common pitfalls
| Situation | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Exam missing from My Exams | No exam type on the module version, curriculum not on cohort, or no enrollment for the term | Check exam type linkage, curriculum assignment, and enrollment |
| Wrong duration or format | Exam type or module requirement outdated | Update the exam type or module examination requirement |
| Unexpected max attempts or tabs | Student effective ruleset differs from what you expected, or exam-type workflow differs | Review academic rulesets, assignment priority, and How exam attempts work |
| Expecting a Create exam button | Instances are generated from requirements | Create and attach exam types to module versions first |
| Cannot assign responsibles | Missing plan permission | Ask an administrator for permission to plan exams |
| Module never completes despite one pass | Another required exam not passed at the same term and attempt number | Coordinate related exam instances |
FAQ
Why is there no Create exam button?
Exam instances are generated from module examination requirements once students are enrolled for a cohort and term. Create and attach exam types to module versions first; then plan the instance here.
Can I change max attempts on the exam itself?
No. Max attempts come from the student’s effective academic ruleset at the module level. Configure limits in Configure attempt limits. See also How exam attempts work.
Why do I already see Attempt 2 and Attempt 3 tabs?
Attempt tabs are generated from the resolved max attempts for enrolled students. Seeing later tabs does not mean you must schedule them yet — plan Attempt 1 first, then open later tabs when eligibility and policy require a resit or reassessment sitting.
How does this relate to student module election?
Students elect modules (and sometimes early or alternative exam options) in the Module Catalog. After enrollment, those students appear on the corresponding exam instances in My Exams.
Related pages
How exam attempts work
How module attempts, tabs, and completion work end to end.
Schedule exam sittings
Appointments, deadlines, and room coordination.
Edit an exam
Manage responsibles after the exam is set up.
Exam types
Configure the templates attached to module versions.
Configure attempt limits
How max attempts are determined for each student.
My Exams
Find and open exam instances in the Exam Center.