Module grade calculation

How exam marks, requirement weights, final-exam designation, and ruleset module vs final weights combine into a module result — plus completion rules and rounding.

A module grade is the academic outcome for a module after its required examinations are assessed. In Fuxam, examiners enter marks on individual exam attempts; those marks sit under examination requirements that can carry a weight percentage and a final-exam designation, while the student’s academic ruleset defines module weight and final weight (which must sum to 100%) plus rounding behavior.

This chapter connects those pieces for exam officers and module organisers. It does not replace day-to-day mark entry — that remains Grade submissions — and it does not invent a separate calculator screen beyond documented policy fields.

Why it matters

Transcripts, progression, and ECTS recognition depend on a coherent module result — not only on a single exam row. Institutions need:

Transparent weights across multiple examination requirements
A clear distinction between ordinary module assessments and a designated final exam
Ruleset-level module vs final weighting that matches the Prüfungsordnung
Predictable rounding so borderline cases are not argued ad hoc

Without documented weights, co-examiners disagree on averages, and students cannot see how a 2.3 on the written exam and a pass on the presentation become one module outcome.

How it fits

Building block	Where it lives	Role
Individual exam mark	My Exams attempt tabs	Entered and published per sitting
Examination requirement weight	Module version examination requirement	Relative weight of that exam within the module’s assessment design
Final-exam designation	Module version examination requirement	Marks which requirement is treated as the final exam
Module weight / final weight	Academic ruleset version	How module vs final grades combine — must total 100%
Rounding behavior	Academic ruleset version	Generic decimal rounding or rating-schema-based rounding
Rating schema	Exam Center / ruleset	Which numeric or letter values examiners may enter

Key concepts

Term	Meaning
Examination requirement	The module-linked exam definition (from an exam type) that produces a My Exams instance
Weight percentage	Relative weight of that requirement in the module’s assessment design
Final exam designation	Flag on a requirement indicating it is the module’s final exam
Module weight	Ruleset share of the combined result attributed to the module assessment side
Final weight	Ruleset share attributed to the final-exam side — with module weight must sum to 100%
Effective rating schema	Scale used when entering graded marks for the student
Best vs last attempt (domain)	Regulatory choice of which sitting counts on the transcript; Fuxam stores each attempt separately

Layers of weighting

Think in two layers:

Within the module’s examination requirements — each requirement can carry a weight percentage, and one may be designated the final exam. That is academic-structure design on the module version.
On the academic ruleset — module weight and final weight must sum to 100% and describe how those sides combine for students governed by that ruleset version. Rounding behavior is configured alongside them. See Edit a ruleset.

Completion vs calculation

Question	Answer in Fuxam
When is the module complete?	When all required exams pass at the same term and the same attempt number
When do weights matter?	When combining published marks into the module / final grade story your regulations define
Can a student pass one exam and still be incomplete?	Yes — sibling required exams must align on term and attempt

Worked example — two required exams, aligned pass

Setup: Module requires Written (weight 70%, designated final) and Presentation (weight 30%). Ruleset module weight 70% / final weight 30% (illustrative pair that sums to 100%). Both pass in Winter term on Attempt 1.

Exam	Term	Attempt	Result
Written	Winter	1	Pass (for example 2.0)
Presentation	Winter	1	Pass (for example 1.7)

Module complete? Yes — same term and attempt number. Weights then inform how the published marks combine under the ruleset.

Worked example — split attempts block completion

Exam	Term	Attempt	Result
Written	Winter	1	Pass
Presentation	Summer	2	Pass

Module complete? No — term and attempt number do not align, even if both marks look strong. Plan offerings so students can sit the full required set together. See How exam attempts work.

Worked example — German numeric average (domain framing)

Many German programmes average graded components on the 1.0–5.0 scale (lower is better), often with thirds (1.3, 1.7, …). In Fuxam those values come from a Graded rating schema. Weighted combination and rounding should follow the ruleset’s rounding behavior (generic decimal vs rating-schema-based). Do not invent intermediate UI steps beyond entering and publishing each exam’s mark.

Pass or fail and participation components

Not every requirement uses a numeric schema:

Rating mode	Role in a module grade
Graded	Enters the weighted numeric / letter calculation
Pass or fail	Gate for completion; may not contribute a differentiated average
Participation	Often a prerequisite credit rather than a transcript average

Configure rating modes on the exam type. Mixing a participation gate with a graded final exam is common; document for students which components affect the printed module mark.

Rounding

On the ruleset version you choose:

Generic decimal rounding, or
Rating-schema-based rounding

Align the choice with your examination regulations before contested borderline cases (for example 2.45 → 2.3 vs 2.7). Changing rounding mid-cohort without a new ruleset version creates disputes.

Best vs last attempt on the transcript

Fuxam records each sitting on its own attempt tab and releases what staff publish. Whether certificates use the best or last published attempt is a domain / regulatory decision for your exam office — not an automatic toggle invented on the detail page. See Exam results and resits.

Best practices

Design weights when you attach examination requirements — do not wait until grading week.
Keep module + final weights at 100% on every active ruleset version.
Teach the same-term / same-attempt rule to organisers who schedule multi-exam modules.
Use versions when regulations change weights — prefer a new ruleset version over silent mid-year edits.
Separate LMS course averages from CMS module grades unless your office documents otherwise.

Common pitfalls

Pitfall	Impact	Mitigation
Weights do not sum to 100%	Inconsistent final grade calculation	Fix ruleset module / final weights
Assuming one pass completes the module	Students stuck incomplete	Align all required exams
Changing schema mid-term	Dropdown values and averages drift	New ruleset version + communication
Treating LMS marks as the module grade	Transcript disagrees with Exam Center	Confirm authoritative system with exam office

FAQ

Where do I enter the module grade as a single field?

You grade each exam sitting on its attempt tab, then publish. Module / final combination is driven by requirement weights and ruleset weighting — not by retyping a single override on Details.

Where are module and final weights edited?

On the academic ruleset version under grading configuration — Edit a ruleset.

Does publishing one exam finalize the module grade?

Not if other required exams are still open or misaligned on term / attempt. Completion and weighting are separate concerns.

How do ECTS credits relate to this?

ECTS credits measure workload in the curriculum; ECTS grade letters (A–F) are a rating-schema design choice. See Configure grading scale.

How exam attempts work

Completion rule — same term and attempt number.

Edit a ruleset

Module weight, final weight, and rounding.

Configure grading scale

Rating modes and schemas used when entering marks.

Grade submissions

Enter marks on attempt tabs.

Publish grades

Release marks before they feed student-facing records.

Exam results and resits

Transcript context and which sitting counts.