University awards and programmes (6.5-6.21)

6.5

These regulations cover awards made at level 7 of the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ), the national framework for qualification levels with the exception of Integrated Masters awards, which are also at level 7 of the FHEQ but which are governed by Senate Regulation 5.

6.6

All new programmes and awards are developed and approved under delegated authority from Senate, via the processes set out in the Code of Practice on the Development, Approval and Modification of taught programmes.

6.7

All programmes are built using credits. A credit represents a notional unit of study with its own workload allocation. Credits are combined to form a module. One credit represents 10 hours of workload, which may include but is not limited to teaching sessions, preparing for assessments and guided independent study.

6.8

Students who fail to meet the requirements of the award for which they originally registered will as standard be eligible to be awarded a lower qualification where available, subject to meeting the requirements of that qualification as defined under these regulations. Some programmes may not allow for the award of intermediate qualifications or set specific requirements for the award of an intermediate requirement such as passing particular modules. Where this is the case this will be set out in the relevant programme specification.

6.9

The number of credits required to achieve an award are set out in the following table.

6.10

A Level 7 Degree Apprenticeship may also be awarded in conjunction with individual taught postgraduate qualifications as approved through the programme development and approval process. The requirements for the academic award are set out in this regulation, but the requirements to be awarded the apprenticeship component may vary depending on the relevant apprenticeship standard and end point assessment requirements. This will be set out in the relevant programme specification.

6.11

Some Masters programmes include one year of study at level 6 (Bachelors level) which is taken before progression to level 7. The assessment and re-assessment processes on the level 6 component of these programmes are subject to the relevant sections of Senate Regulation 5 governing undergraduate programmes. The criteria for progression from the level 6 component of such programmes to the level 7 component will be approved by a Programme Approval Panel and stated on the relevant programme specification. The level 7 component of these programmes is subject to the progression and awarding criteria set out in this Regulation. In the case of these programmes the level 6 credits will not count towards the award of the level 7 qualification.

6.12

The structure of the degrees of MA, MSc, LLM, MEM, MEd or MBA will be approved by a Programme Approval Panel and will be one of the following:

• 150 taught credits and a 30 credit project
• 120 taught credits and a 60 credit project or dissertation
• 90 taught credits and a 90 credit project or dissertation
• 60 taught credits and a 120 credit project or dissertation

6.13

A project or dissertation may take the form of an extended piece of research with a minimum weighting of 60 credits, or either an industry facing project or a relevant professional practice project which will typically be weighted no more than 30 credits.

6.14

The structure of the degree of MRes will be approved by a Programme Approval Panel and comprise taught modules to the value of between 30 and 60 credits and a project or dissertation of between 120 and 150 credits.

6.15

A progression point defines the number of credits which must be passed at a particular stage of the programme for a student to progress to the next stage of their studies. All Masters programmes will have a progression point between the taught and project elements of the programme. Any additional progression points for an individual programme will be approved by the relevant Programme Approval Panel and specified in the programme specification.

6.16

Programmes may include a period spent on a placement undertaking work experience in industry. If successfully completed this will be reflected in the award title.

6.17

A Masters or Postgraduate Diploma may contain up to 30 credits of modules from level 6 of the FHEQ. A Postgraduate Certificate may contain up to 15 credits from level 6. Where level 6 modules are delivered within level 7 awards the modules will be treated in line with the requirements in these regulations. Level 6 content will be considered for inclusion where this is academically appropriate and supports student learning.  The appropriateness of level 6 content for inclusion in a level 7 award will be considered on a case by case basis by the relevant Programme Approval Panel, or the Curriculum and Quality Sub-Committee.

Modules

6.18

The credits for a programme will be split into modules. The credit value of a module will be set out in its module specification, along with the intended learning outcomes and the assessment methods for the module.

6.19

All credit bearing taught modules will be worth either 15, 30, 45 or 60 credits . Credit weightings of individual modules will be considered at the point of approval and through subsequent programme modification processes. Project or dissertation modules will be weighted either 30, 60, 90, 120 or 150 credits depending on the programme structure.

6.20

Taught modules will be either core or optional. Core modules are integral to the learning outcomes of a programme and must be studied. Alongside the core modules for a programme students may have the opportunity to study optional modules. All Masters programmes will incorporate a core project or dissertation module. The combination of core, optional and project modules studied by a student for a masters qualification must equal 180 credits.

6.21

Programmes may include non-credit bearing modules where these are appropriate for the discipline in question. Non-credit bearing modules will not contribute to the calculation of credit weighted averages for either progression or award. Where a non-credit bearing module must be passed for the purposes of progression or award this must be clearly stated in the programme specification.