STUDY BY CREDIT ACCUMULATION
UNDERGRADUATE
Policy for Undergraduate Modular Study
For the
purposes of this policy modular study is defined as the study of individual
modules over a period of time, in which the credits obtained are accumulated
and used towards approved university award in a manner that differs from
full-time and part-time awards.
A
university approved award could be a single module, a series of modules or a
course.
Information and guidance
Departments who wish to
introduce modular study at the undergraduate level must seek specific approval
from the University.
Departments should follow
the normal approval process for introducing new modules and courses, which can
be found on the Academic Standards and Partnerships Webpage
http://www.essex.ac.uk/quality/pages/schemeapproval.htm.
Before developing an award
at the modular level departments are encouraged to engage with staff in the
Communications and External Relations Section to determine whether a potential
market for modular study exists.
Principles which should
normally apply to modular study include:
·
External
Relations should take control of all admissions, including modular students,
where this improves the admissions process for both students and staff.
·
The fee for
modular study should be set as part of the approval process and take into
account market forces and the effect on equivalent and lower qualifications.
·
The maximum
period of registration for an award offered at the modular level should be
agreed at the point of approval, taking into account any requirements of a
professional or academic nature. All variations to the standard maximum period
must be approved by the Undergraduate School Board.
·
The standard
Undergraduate Rules of Assessment should apply to modular students, unless a
specific variation has been approved by the Undergraduate School Board.
·
Students
applying to study towards an approved university award may be allowed to enrol
directly onto a higher level module with relevant qualifications or credits in
accordance with the University AP(E)L policy.
·
Boards of
Examiners should consider full-time students and modular students at the same
meeting, where possible.
Points of guidance which
departments may like to consider when offering modular study at the
undergraduate level include:
Students need to be provided
with:
-
consistent
academic counselling throughout the duration of their studies, relating to
what options and pathways are available to them for example;
-
information
that is both clear and explicit throughout their academic career;
-
suitable
contact time with their teachers and lecturers;
-
access to all
necessary resources.
·
Departments
need to keep in contact with all modular students, including those who are
registered but not actively taking any modules during the term or year.
·
Departments
should consider encouraging students to create individual study plans, with
specific milestones, to help them achieve their academic goal within a set
timeframe.
POSTGRADUATE
The Graduate School Board and Senate approved the following arrangements for
applying the new Postgraduate taught (PGT) Rules of Assessment to credit
accumulation study:
-
that the Postgraduate
Credit Framework Rules of Assessment only be applied to students once they
have registered on a course leading to an award.
-
that students taking a
credit-accumulation route of study have one second attempt at assessment per
module taken. Once a student registers on a course of study, the
Rules of Assessment relating to second attempts are applied.
-
that condonement of
failure cannot be applied at the module level; modules are
either passed and credit awarded, or failed and no credit is awarded. Once
a student registers on a course of study, the Rules of Assessment
relating to condonement may be applied from that point onwards.
-
that the current AP(E)L
arrangements remain for students applying to AP(E)L credits from other
institutions, but do not apply to students wanting to use credit awarded at
Essex to register on a course of study.
-
that students are not
automatically given an award and certification; rather, student must apply
to register for an award and will only receive certification once requested.
-
that departments could
create awards with a generic title, which could be awarded once a student
had achieved the required amount of credits in any of the courses linked to
the award.
-
that departments hold
Exam Boards to confirm marks on modules and award credit.
-
that the maximum period
for completion of studies using credit accumulation should be a period of
six year (normally five years to complete all taught elements and a further
one year to complete the dissertation (or equivalent)). The maximum period
of study would be measured from the point at which a student first
registered for a module that was being used towards the award.
-
that departments should
seek the approval of the Graduate School if they wished to introduce a
module or discipline-specific credit lifetime that was less than six
calendar years.
Graduate School Board (GSB.MM.59-68/07 -21/03/07), and revised following
changes made to the Rules of Assessment on 27/06/07, and terminology August
2008.
The Dean of the Graduate
School, acting on behalf of the Graduate School Board, approved the following
additional arrangements for applying the new PGT Rules of Assessment to credit
accumulation study on 21/08/07:
-
that the maximum period
for the dissertation element of an award undertaken by credit accumulation
should be twelve months. Some departments may wish to seek permission for a
variation.
-
that students following a
credit accumulation route should not be permitted to commence the
dissertation module until at least 60 credits of taught modules have been
passed at first attempt.
Further guidance on credit
accumulation study can be found on the Registry webpage at:
Guidelines for staff:
http://www2.essex.ac.uk/academic/services/staff/msp_staff.doc
Guidelines for students:
http://www2.essex.ac.uk/academic/students/pgt/accumulation.htm
