Postgraduate award information

Before you apply for a place on the Dean's List, read this information about making your application, sourcing evidence and the meeting the criteria for the postgraduate taught award.

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The Dean’s List is a prestigious award, which recognises and rewards academic merit and unique contribution to the Mission and Vision of the Management School around sustainability, social responsibility and employability.  The List is a growing body of alumni (former students) who have demonstrated social responsibility and employability as well as academic achievement.

Application

You must write two self-reflective case studies - one for Socially Responsible and one for Employable Students - each a maximum of 750 words. Your case studies should demonstrate how your skills and experience gained during your postgraduate studies have enabled you to meet the criteria outlined for Employable Students (ES1-3) and Socially Responsible (SR1-3).

Evidencing success

A Dean’s List winner at postgraduate level is required to illustrate succinctly, with examples, how they have continued to grow and evolve since commencing their postgraduate study. 

Examples may include:

  • projects that you are undertaking in the third-sector
  • extracurricular ventures you have started since enrolling for your MSc and MBA
  • areas of significant personal development (such as subject-specific training or Continuous Professional Development) that provide a clear justification of how you are engaging with the school’s mission and vision

The focus should be on your time in Sheffield, particularly during your current postgraduate course and not your undergraduate years, even if they were also at Sheffield. If you feel that (briefly) outlining previous experience is necessary, then make it clear for the judging panel what you did pre-Sheffield and what you did whilst you were on your current programme.

Remember to emphasise: 

  • What you have done
  • What you have contributed or achieved (i.e. outcomes rather than input)
  • Duration of activities (e.g. was this a one-off activity, or did you take part every week for the whole year?)
  • What you feel you have learnt as a result (e.g. how have you grown; what can you take forward as a result into your next move?)

The Dean's List winners are those who have gone over and above the requirements of their programme. Therefore the focus should be on what you have done outside of your programme, unless you have exceeded the expectations or parameters of your programme in a particular area (e.g. undertaken a marketing project for a charity as part of your programme, but then gone on to do further significant work for them). 

Sources of evidence

You will need to provide evidence of your impact on society and your or others employability skills. If examples are given for which there is no supporting evidence, you will be marked down. If you provide no evidence at all, your application will not be considered. 

Sources of evidence can include but are not limited to:

  1. Reference(s) from organisations that you have been involved with
  2. Testimonials from those that you have helped
  3. Media coverage of your work
  4. Secured placement/internship
  5. Reference from placement/internship employer

Please do not include items as supporting evidence that cannot be anonymised (such as videos or website links) because the judges will not have the opportunity to view them. If you wish to use an online source as evidence, we would instead recommend taking a screenshot of the source page to attach to your application. 

Judging process

Your contribution to the Mission will be judged by the case you make as to how you match the criteria. The assessment of your academic performance will be established from our records.

The Dean’s List Panel is comprised of:

  • Dean of Sheffield University Management School
  • Associate Dean for Education, Sheffield University Management School
  • Director of Postgraduate Education, Sheffield University Management School
  • Head of External Engagement, Sheffield University Management School

There are four stages of the scoring process:

Stage 1: vetting process

A vetting process is completed by two members of the Panel. This vetting process identifies any applications that should be discounted, because they do not meet the standards and criteria of the award.

The results of the vetting process are shared with the rest of the Panel.

Stage 2: independent scoring

Panel members independently score the remaining applications fully against the criteria. 

The mean of the three total scores will then be calculated and rounded to zero decimal places. Normal rounding rules apply. Scores < 0.5 round down, score ≥ 0.5 round up.

Stage 3: panel meeting

After the independent scoring process, the judging panel meets on an agreed date to finalise and agree scores. 

All applicants who achieve an average score of 65% or higher at the panel stages are put forward to the School’s examination board. 

Stage 4: academic grade

Academic marks are taken from the School’s records. 

All applicants who passed the panel stages and also meet the 65% Weighted Average Grade requirement are confirmed as winners of the award.

Scoring guidelines

For each of the six criteria, the judging panel will score between 0-5 based on the following. A total of 30 points can be given across these criteria:  i.e. a maximum score for ES 1-3 is 15, and for SR 1-3 is 15.  

Descriptor

Level of Contribution

Score

Exemplary

Demonstrable significant positive impact with mission (for at least one year of your degree) and for organisations or society. 

Demonstrating significant and progressive approach to growth in your own employability skills.

A well-articulated case explicitly demonstrating exceptionally high standards of commitment to the mission of the school.

Indicative of sustainable effort scoring highly in all areas and meeting fully the criteria and objectives.

5

Excellent

Engagement with mission for a period between seven and eleven months.

Demonstrable positive impact on organisations or society. 

Demonstrating a strong and progressive approach to growth in your own employability skills.

A well-articulated case, though not in all areas, demonstrating exceptionally high standards, a consistent approach and relates soundly to the mission of the school. 

Indicative of sustainable effort scoring highly in the majority of areas and meeting a large number of the criteria and objectives.

4

Good

Engagement with mission for a period of at least six months and less than one year.

Demonstrable positive impact on organisations or society during period of engagement, which is appropriate for a limited period of engagement.

Demonstrating a progressive approach to growth in your own employability skills.

A clearly articulated case demonstrating an overall high   standard, a mostly-consistent approach and relates, partially or to some extent with the mission of the school.

3

Limited

Some engagement with mission for a period of less than six months.

Demonstrable positive impact on organisations or individuals during period of engagement, but is limited in scope. 

Demonstrating limited progression in growth in your own employability skills, 

A reasonably articulated case but lacking in competency, showed by inconsistency in its approach and does not relates adequately to the mission of the school.

2

Very Limited 

Limited engagement with mission for a period of less than six months.

Activities are described, however, it is not clear how a positive impact on organisations or individuals during period of engagement occurred.

Demonstrating minimal growth in your own employability skills.

A poorly articulated case with obvious inconsistency in its approach and does not relate to the mission of the school.

1

Not graded

No rationale provided

0