14 Length of Programme
14.1. An approved programme of study for a Foundation degree must, in accordance with the University Ordinances, extend over two academic years of full-time study or its equivalent in part-time study and be continuously pursued, unless Academic Board has permitted generally by regulation or in special cases its interruption or reduction on grounds of illness or other adequate cause. (See also section 6 Interruption of Studies.)
14.2 An approved programme of study for an undergraduate degree must, in accordance with the University Ordinances, extend over not less than three academic years and be continuously pursued, unless the Academic Board has permitted generally by regulation or in special cases its interruption or reduction on grounds of illness or other adequate cause. (See also Section 6, Interruption of Studies)
14.3 Postgraduate degrees shall be so organised as to fall into one or both of the following categories:
(i) a period of full-time study, the length of which shall be prescribed in the individual programme regulations but which shall normally be not less than one calendar year, the examinations being completed by the end of that period;
(ii) a period of part-time study of between two and five years, during which candidates will be examined in accordance with the individual programme regulations.
14.4 The minimum length of the period of study is prescribed in the relevant individual programme specification, but at the start of the programme or at a later stage the College may require individual students to pursue the programme for a period longer than the minimum period prescribed in this Programme Specification. The College shall determine, subject to the provisions of the individual programme specification, the methods by which the student is examined.
14.5 All taught programmes comprise a number of prescribed modules for which credit is awarded when the module is passed17 . A specified number of credits must be achieved to be eligible for an award for a given programme.
14.6 Programmes of study will vary in the number of modules required at each level; subject to the following constraints.
(a) For a Foundation Degree, 240 credits will be taken, of which at least 210 credits will be at Level 4 (C) or above and at least 90 credits will be at Level 5 (I) pr above.
(b) For an Honours Degree, 360 credits will be taken, of which no more than 120 credits may be at Level 4 (C) and no less than 120 credits may be at Level 6 (H) or above.
(c) Unless stated in the specific programme regulations, an honours programme should normally include an elective module or modules to the value of 30 credits
(d) All Masters Degrees will contain 180 credits, normally including a dissertation double module. Any Level M award above Postgraduate Certificate may include no more than one Level 6 (H) module (30 credits) in the total credits considered for the award.
(e) An MRes degree will normally include research methods and dissertation core modules to the value of 120 credits. The research methods and dissertation may be one combined 120 credit module or a number of distinct research methods modules and a dissertation module totaling 120 credits. The remaining 60 credits of the overall 180 credits required may be subject specific.
14.7 A programme of study shall lead to a target award but may incorporate a number of intermediate awards. Intermediate awards will normally only be made to students withdrawing from the programme before they have reached the minimum standard for the target award (see also sections 41-43, 50-51 Conferment of Awards)
14.8 Individual programme specifications shall state the required number of credits at each level in order to receive the named award for that programme. The programme specification will also state the modules that must be studied for the award and will state whether these modules are core, compulsory, option or elective.
14.9 The number of credits required for the award shall not exceed that given in regulation 14.6.
14.10 Where a student follows a module during the long vacation, the credit value of the module in question shall be assigned either to the previous or following year of study, but in neither year shall the total number of credits studied exceed that specified in the programme specification.
17 See also section 27 “Compensated Fail” and Awards