Quality Handbook Section 16 - Taught course awards and registration periods - Requirements

2.1 The regulations will be reviewed and updated periodically in line with developments in University policy and practice. There may be differences in regulations as they apply to different cohorts of students registered for the same award. Every effort will be made to inform students about proposed changes. Changes will not normally be introduced for implementation in the current year of study but would take effect in the following academic year.

2.2 Changes to the regulations are made after appropriate consultation. At University level, proposed changes will be discussed with staff who will be given the opportunity to comment on such changes. Students and external examiners will also have an opportunity to comment. Proposed changes may be modified in the light of feedback.

2.3 At course level, students and external examiners should be consulted on any proposed changes to the assessment regime which may affect progression and award requirements. Students must be kept fully informed as to any changes to the regime which affects them.

2.4 Where changes affect the material information provided to current and prospective students, the University will ensure appropriate and timely communication of these changes in line with Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) guidance.

2.5 The above processes apply to all award bearing courses.

3.1 Course specific requirements are set out in course documentation and include:

1. the approved awards to which the course leads;
2. the approved title(s) of the course awards;
3. the course learning outcomes (and those of interim awards);
4. the curriculum map showing where the course learning outcomes are assessed;
5. the assessment schedule; assessment and feedback plan;
6. the criteria for determining each award – including the criteria for classification;
7. specific applications, interpretations or dispensations of these regulations;
8. agreed statements on any requirements for work-based learning, professional practice or residence abroad, especially in respect of sandwich awards;
9. details of any special professional body, statutory or collaborative arrangement;
10. requirements that affect progression or awards.

4.1 Reasonable adjustments to assessment arrangements will be made to ensure that students with disabilities are not substantially disadvantaged. The Course Leader will ensure that students are made aware of the procedures for requesting adjustments, will consider such requests and will agree arrangements, referring to Student Support Services and the Academic Registry for guidance as necessary. Any agreed adjustments will be notified to the board.

6.1 Students proceeding through the course will not be recommended for interim awards. A student will normally be entitled to receive one award as a result of a continuous period of registration.

7.1 An award may be offered posthumously to a student who has died during the course of their studies. The level of the award will be determined by the number of credits completed by the student, as in 5.1.

7.2 An aegrotat award may be offered where a student has been forced to withdraw from their studies due to serious illness. This is an unclassified exit award and can be considered by the Board of Examiners where a student has failed one or more modules at Level 6 (or Level 5 for foundation degrees, or Level 7 for integrated master’s), or has failures in trailing modules.

8.1 A stage of study refers to the period of study in which the student achieves the learning outcomes associated with a particular level of study. For full-time courses, stages usually correspond to years of study, such that one year of study equates to one stage. For part-time courses, stages may last more than one academic year. Please use the following link to see the Stages and Levelsof Study for Undergraduate Awards:

Stages and Levels of Study for Undergraduate Awards

8.2 A stage of study may incorporate modules with a value of up to 20 credits from a lower level than the level of the majority of credits of that stage (or exceptionally a higher level) – provided this fits with the course aims, outcomes and specification, and is approved accordingly. Course documentation will describe any such dispensation. Exceptionally, a course may incorporate 40 credits provided that the amount of dispensation is approved through the University’s course design and approval process (see Quality Handbook Section 5).

8.3 This flexibility does not apply to stage 3 of the ordinary degree – it must contain at least 60 credits drawn from Level 6 modules. An exception to this is for large Level 6 modules, which are over 60 credits. In this case, a board may award an ordinary degree to a student who fails that module, provided the board is assured that the student’s assessment(s) provide sufficient evidence that the student has met the course learning outcomes for the ordinary degree.

8.4 A module used in this way becomes attached to the stage to which it is contributing. So that, for example, if a Level 5 module in French is used as part of the final stage of study on a Management Studies degree, this module would contribute to the final award and classification determination.

8.5 Integrated master’s courses contain 120 credits at Level 7, which are taken in stages 3 and/or 4 of an undergraduate course.

8.6 A board may determine an award by ‘counting down’ excess credits that a student may have achieved at either Level 5 or Level 6 in order to make up for a failed module(s) at either Level 4 or Level 5.

9.1 Normally, only one academic level – Level 7 – is used in postgraduate courses.  This corresponds to the level defined by the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ).

9.2 A master’s course may incorporate modules with a value of up to 20 credits from an undergraduate level (normally Level 6), provided this fits with the course’s aims, outcomes and specification, and is approved accordingly. Course documentation should describe any such dispensation. This level of dispensation may be exceptionally exceeded, provided this is justified and approved by the course design and approval process (see Quality Handbook Section 5).

9.3 A module used in this way becomes attached to master’s level rather than retaining its actual academic level. So that, for example, an existing Level 6 module in Psychology, when used in a master’s degree in Business Studies, should be regarded as a Level 7 module for the purposes of determining awards and classification.

9.4 A board may award an interim award by ‘counting down’ excess credits that a student may have achieved beyond the postgraduate certificate or postgraduate diploma stage in order to make up for an earlier failed module(s).

11.1 The definitive course information in CourseLoop will contain the course title(s) that will have been approved according to criteria set out in the Quality Handbook.

11.2 A board may recommend an award with the course title for a student who has not met the precise requirements set out in course documentation. In doing so, a board must be satisfied that a named award is fair and appropriate.

11.3 Where a board cannot award the course’s named interim awards because the student has failed in the appropriate learning outcomes, the student will only be entitled to receive a transcript.

14.1 Subject to approval, a student may vary their rate of study to suit their individual needs and circumstances. Where a student has formally taken leave of absence from their studies, the period of absence will not be included for the purposes of calculating their maximum period of registration.

15.1 Students should study a certain number of credits in an academic year.

1. Full-time undergraduate students normally study 120 credits. The maximum credits are 160, except in the case of accelerated courses where use is made of the summer vacation and students study 180 credits.
2. Full-time postgraduate students normally study 180 credits in a 45 week year.
3. The maximum number of credits for part-time students should be outlined in course documentation. The minimum for undergraduate courses will normally be 20 credits; the minimum for postgraduate courses will normally be 30 credits.

16.1 The Executive Dean of the School or an agreed nominee can extend a student’s registration on an exceptional basis beyond that set out in the course documentation.

17.1 A student may be accredited with prior learning where they can demonstrate evidence of achievement comparable to the learning outcomes set out in the course specification. This may apply to certificated or experiential learning.

17.2 A student can be admitted directly to Level 5 or, exceptionally, Level 6 of an undergraduate course. For foundation awards, in some cases, a further 40 credits of Level 5 can be recognised at admission. However, the student will not be able to claim an interim award from the University unless they meet the credit requirements set out in regulation 12.1.

17.3 A student can be admitted to a master’s course with 120 prior credits. However, the student will not be able to claim an interim award of the University unless they meet the credit requirements set out in regulation 12.1.

17.4 Course teams must have procedures for granting accreditation of prior learning (see Quality Handbook Supplement 15C). A student’s prior learning claims should be approved before they commence the course. Special arrangements will be approved for students progressing from foundation degrees to bachelor’s degrees.

18.1 A student will be eligible for a sandwich award if they:

• Complete the required number of weeks of placement activity;
• Achieve the competencies, learning outcomes and workplace experience as required in the placement specification;
• Submit and pass the specified assessment requirements.

19.1 A student who successfully completes a placement will be entitled to a placement award (the precise award and title will have been approved and will be set out in the course specification).

19.2 A placement award (certificate or diploma) may be conferred with commendation and distinction. Further information about placement certification requirements can be found in Quality Handbook Section 10D.

20.1 Exemptions from part of the placement year may be authorised by the Course Leader. The student must have completed supervised placement activities that can be certified as at least equivalent, in terms of length and in terms of the learning outcomes, competencies, or rationale, to the normal placement experience.

21.1 Where a student has not completed the minimum number of weeks of placement activity to be awarded a sandwich placement, the board may enact one of the following options:

1. Require the student to make good the shortfall by undertaking supervised placement activity during vacations or other appropriate times within their initial period of registration;
2. Exceptionally, where (a) above cannot be satisfied due to illness or some other valid cause, a student is required to complete satisfactorily an alternative form of assessment which simulates some of the characteristics of supervised placement activity within the student's initial period of registration;
3. Recommend a placement award if there is a sufficiently minor shortfall in the number of weeks and regs. 18.1b and 18.1c have been satisfied.

22.1 Where a student’s performance fails to satisfy the requirements of the regulations 18.1b and/or 18.1c, the board may enact one of the following options:

1. Require the student to undertake another period of supervised placement lasting no longer than the first and indicating the criteria the student needs to satisfy;
2. Exceptionally, require the student to complete satisfactorily an alternative form of assessment which simulates some of the characteristics of the supervised placement;
3. Where course documentation allows and the student’s overall performance justifies, amend their registration in order to take modules that lead to a non-sandwich award. The student will need to give a written agreement to this action;
4. Withdraw the student from the course.

22.2 At the board’s discretion, a student on an undergraduate sandwich course who does not satisfactorily complete Level 5 (or Level 4 for foundation degrees) may be allowed to proceed to the placement with trailing modules – see Quality Handbook Section 16A and Section 16B for regulations around trailing modules.