Regulations before September 2006

The following University Regulations apply to all taught Masters degree courses, postgraduate diplomas and postgraduate certificates awarded by the University (except those offered by affiliated institutions). Candidates for these qualifications must satisfy both the University Regulations and the Supplementary Regulations which govern the relevant postgraduate degree, diploma or certificate as approved by the Board of the relevant Faculty or equivalent or Division of the Graduate School, and the Postgraduate Studies Committee.

These Regulations do not apply to the Postgraduate Certificate in Education.  

In these Regulations and in Supplementary Regulations the following definitions shall apply:

• A Course of study is a set of modules satisfying the requirements for a particular qualification and attracting 180 credits for a Masters degree, 120 credits for a postgraduate diploma and 60 credits for a postgraduate certificate.
• A Conversion Course is a set of modules satisfying the requirements for a particular qualification which may attract more than the maximum number of credits described above, normally because it contains additional training elements. Conversion courses normally exceed the standard duration of course.
• A Module is a specified programme of study which is self-contained and which attracts a specified number of credits.
• A Credit indicates a quantity of assessed learning which contributes to a cumulative indication of the modules which a student has completed as specified by Supplementary Regulations. Credits are gained by satisfying the Examiners as specified in Regulation 23 (of the Assessment section below).
• A Level provides an indication of the standard of the module content. The module levels appropriate for postgraduate study are levels 4 and D:

Level 4 - Modules designed principally for 4th year undergraduate students and for students who already hold a first degree in an appropriate subject at a suitable standard

Level D-Modules designed principally for students who already hold a first degree in an appropriate subject at a suitable standard

• A year is a 12 month period of study consisting of an Autumn Semester, Spring Semester and a Summer period.
• A Semester is a division of the year consisting of 12 weeks of teaching, coursework and revision and two (Autumn Semester) or four (Spring Semester) weeks of assessment and consultation. The Summer period is approximately 3 months running from the end of the Spring Semester to the beginning of the following academic year.
• An Examination comprises the totality of assessment applicable to modules taken at a particular stage of a course of study as determined by Regulations, upon which progression and/or award of a qualification is based. Assessment may be by means of written examination papers, coursework, dissertation or otherwise.
• A Mark is a numerical indication of the quality of the assessed work completed by a student in each module as approved by the Examiners concerned.

5.   All candidates for taught postgraduate qualifications must before beginning a course of study have satisfied the requirements for those qualifications under Ordinances and the relevant Supplementary Regulations, which may require evidence of qualifications in a particular subject or subjects as a condition of entry upon a course of study.

6.   Subject to Regulations 6 following, a candidate for a Masters degree would be expected to hold, either:

(a)   a Bachelor's degree or higher degree of this or any other approved University; or

(b)   a qualification deemed by the Board of the Faculty or equivalent concerned to be equivalent to a degree; and

(c)   such additional qualifications as may be specified in the Supplementary Regulations.

7.   A candidate who is not a graduate of any approved university and who does not hold a qualification deemed to be equivalent of a degree may nonetheless be admitted to a Masters course provided the candidate has been approved by the Board of the Faculty or equivalent concerned as to both general educational qualifications or other prior learning and competence for the course of study proposed.

8.   The right to refuse admission to particular courses of study shall be reserved to the Heads of Schools concerned. Accreditation for Prior Learning and Experiential Learning (now known as Recognition of Other Learning (ROL)). For more information, please consult the following:

Recognition of Other Learning

9.   Individual candidates with prior learning or experience at an appropriate level may apply, in advance of starting the course, to the relevant Faculty for exemption from up to a maximum of one-third of the credit requirements of the course.

10.   Candidates who have successfully completed an approved 14 single course of study may be eligible for exemption from up to two-thirds of the credit requirements of the course.

11.   The supervisor for a candidate for a Masters degree by examination will normally be the course tutor.

12.   To qualify for a degree a candidate must:

(a)   Pursue an approved course of study

(b)   Pass the assessments specified in these Regulations and in the relevant Supplementary Regulations.

13.   Approved courses of study under these Regulations shall be those prescribed by Supplementary Regulations and such other regulations as may be specially approved by the appropriate Academic Board equivalent.

14.   Approved courses of study may include such additional components, including periods of study abroad, as Supplementary Regulations may specify.

15.   An approved course of study for a Masters degree shall consist of 12 months full-time study, or of an equivalent period of part-time study offered over not less than 24 months and not more than 48 months from the start of the course. Candidates shall undertake a programme of study which consists of 180 credits of which at least 140 credits shall be at level 4 or D.

16.   An approved course of study for a postgraduate diploma shall consist of not less than 9 months of full-time study and not more than 12 months of full-time study, or of an equivalent period of part-time study offered over not less than 18 months and not more than 48 months from the start of the course. Candidates shall undertake a programme of study which consists of 120 credits of which at least 80 credits shall be at level 4 or D.

17.   An approved course of study for a postgraduate certificate shall consist of 60 credits of which at least 40 credits are at level 4 or D.The duration of the course shall be as specified in the Supplementary Regulations.

18.   An approved course of study for a conversion course shall be as Supplementary Regulations describe. However, if a candidate is to be eligible for the award of the qualification of Master, postgraduate diploma or postgraduate certificate the content of the conversion course in terms of the number and levels of credits must include the elements appropriate to those qualifications. If the conversion course contains more than 180 credits, the duration of the course shall normally be extended accordingly.

19.   Candidates shall not be deemed to have pursued an approved course of study unless their attendance and progress in the approved modules is certified satisfactory by the Heads of Schools concerned.

20.

(a)   Candidates shall select their modules in accordance with the regulations governing the courses for which they are registered.This selection shall be undertaken in consultation with their academic tutors/supervisors and shall be subject to the approval of their Head of School.

(b)   In making their selection of modules, candidates must satisfy any prerequisites, co-requisites or other requirements specified in Supplementary Regulations.

(c)   Where a particular module is specified as a pre-requisite, candidates will be regarded as satisfying that pre-requisite by having passed the assessments applicable to the module concerned.The requirement for passing the assessment may, however, be waived by the Head of School concerned if appropriate. Furthermore, candidates may be permitted to take a module in the Spring Semester even though they failed a pre-requisite in the immediately preceding Autumn Semester.

(d)   Where a particular module is specified as a co-requisite, candidates will be regarded as satisfying that co-requisite by registering for, and maintaining satisfactory attendance throughout, the module concerned.

(e)   The right to refuse admission to a particular module shall be reserved to the Head of School offering that module.

21.   Assessment for each module shall be as specified by the relevant Supplementary Regulations.The conditions under which candidates may be exempted from any element of such assessment shall also be determined by the relevant Supplementary Regulations.

22.   Candidates must enter for the examinations at the times and in accordance with the conditions prescribed by the Regulations for Examinations, and must submit coursework and dissertations as specified by Regulations and in accordance with the times and conditions determined by the Heads of Schools concerned.

23.   Candidates whose attendance and performance have been assessed as satisfactory shall be awarded the appropriate numbers of credits. Satisfactory performance shall be achieved by:

(a)   satisfying the Examiners with respect to individual modules;

(b)   satisfying such other requirements pertaining to the particular qualification as are set out in the relevant Supplementary Regulations.

24.   The assessment of each module, as determined in accordance with Regulation 21, will lead to the award of a mark for each candidate registered for each module. The pass mark in each module shall be 50% for Masters courses and 40% for postgraduate diploma and certificate courses.

25.   The Supplementary Regulations shall describe the rules of compensation relevant to each course. Compensation cannot be offered for failure of the dissertation module and all modules of 60 credits or over. 

26.   Progression for part-time students shall be as described in the relevant Supplementary Regulations.

27.   A candidate for a Masters degree by examination may be permitted to transfer to an MPhil degree on the terms prescribed in Regulation 4 of the Regulations for the degree of MPhil, but such a candidate shall not be permitted to transfer directly to a PhD programme.

28.   To qualify for the award of a Masters degree, full-time candidates shall follow approved courses for at least 12 months, and part-time candidates shall follow approved courses for an equivalent period of part-time study over not less than 24 months and not more than 48 months, resulting in the award of 180 credits at the appropriate level with an overall course average mark of at least 50%.

29.   To qualify for the award of a postgraduate diploma, full-time candidates shall follow approved courses for not less than nine months and not more than 12 months, and part-time candidates shall follow approved courses for an equivalent period of part-time study over not less than 18 months and not more than 48 months, resulting in the award of 120 credits at the appropriate level with an overall course average of 40%.

30.   To qualify for the award of a postgraduate certificate, candidates shall follow approved courses over a period specified in the relevant Supplementary Regulations resulting in the award of 60 credits at the appropriate level with an overall course average of 40%.

31.   The qualifications of a Masters degree, postgraduate diploma or postgraduate certificate may be awarded to a candidate who has failed to achieve the pass mark in one or more modules, where Supplementary Regulations provide for appropriate compensation.

32.   The qualification of a postgraduate diploma may be awarded to a candidate who registers for and completes an approved course of study for the degree of Master but who fails to achieve the pass criteria for the masters qualification, provided that the candidate has passed modules amounting to 120 credits at a level appropriate to a diploma and has achieved an overall average in those modules of 40%.

33.   The postgraduate diploma will be awarded with Merit provided the candidate satisfies all the requirements of the course and achieves an overall course average of at least 60%.

34.   The degree of Master, a Postgraduate Diploma or a Postgraduate Certificate will be awarded with Distinction provided that the candidate has satisfied all the requirements of the course and has achieved an overall course average of at least 70%.

35.   Candidates who fail to satisfy the assessment criteria for the award of a qualification shall normally have the right to one further opportunity to satisfy the Examiners by the end of the following academic year (with or without residence). The form of reassessment shall be determined by the Board of the Faculty or equivalent concerned. The mark to be carried forward following reassessment shall be the pass mark for the module, or the higher of the student's two marks if the pass mark is not achieved. The actual overall mark achieved should be recorded if higher than the pass mark for purposes of progression only. The award of a pass mark upon re-sit cannot be used in the calculation of the award of distinction. Any further opportunity to satisfy the Examiners after the second attempt shall be at the discretion of the Faculty Board or equivalent concerned, and shall be accorded only in exceptional circumstances.

36.   Candidates shall not normally be reassessed in any modules which they have passed.