The School is committed to utilising the Credit Accumulation and Transfer System (CATS) to offer flexible, modular learning. CATS enables students to accumulate and transfer credits across modules and institutions, supporting personalised educational pathways and lifelong learning. This system ensures consistent workload measurement, transparency, and facilitates academic progress, rewarding students for their achievements and efforts.
This Policy has been developed in line with the applicable laws, regulations, regulatory advice, and sector best practices, including the following:
The School uses the Credit Accumulation and Transfer System (CATS) to award credits for successfully completed modules and to determine progression between levels.
The School follows the OfS principle that higher education qualifications are awarded based on demonstrated achievements rather than years of study. CATS supports this by using a credit and descriptor-based system to track academic progress and facilitate progression.
All modules are assigned a CATS credit value, with each credit representing 10 notional learning hours. For example, a 10-credit module requires 100 hours of notional learning.
This system ensures that module workloads are standardised, guiding the allocation of teaching methods, activities, and assessments based on the module's credit value.
Two CATS credits are equivalent to one ECTS credit.
This equivalence aligns the School’s credit system with the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS), facilitating credit transfer and recognition across European institutions.
Programmes at the School adhere to the credit values set by the OfS sector-recognised standards, as integrated into the School's Programme Approval Rules within the Automated Governance System (AGS):
Award
Level
Required number of credits
Taught masters’ degrees e.g. MSc
7
180 (150 at Level 7)
Postgraduate diplomas
120 (90 at Level 7)
Postgraduate certificates
60 (40 at Level 7)
Bachelors’ degrees with honours e.g. BSc Hons
6
360 (90 at Level 6)
Bachelors’ degrees
300 (60 at Level 6)
Graduate diplomas
80 (80 at Level 6)
Graduate certificates
40 (40 at Level 6)
Diplomas of Higher Education (DipHE)
5
240 (90 at Level 5)
Certificates of Higher Education (CertHE)
4
120 (90 at Level 4)
This ensures that all programmes meet the required credit values and standards, maintaining consistency and compliance with sector guidelines.
The School provides a balanced range of modules across levels, each with a specific CATS credit value, learning outcomes, and summative assessments, to help students achieve the necessary credits for their awards.
Modules are standalone units of learning that contribute to the credits required for awards. Programmes utilise these modules to ensure students can earn the credits needed for their qualifications.
Modules delivered in the School’s programmes must be at Level 4, 5, 6, or 7 according to OfS sector-recognised standards and must adhere to module approval rules before approval. These rules include:
These criteria ensure that modules are well-defined, academically rigorous, and aligned with sector standards, thus supporting effective learning and assessment.
Modules may be linked, requiring a prerequisite module to be passed before enrolling and/or taking an assessment in the subsequent module.
This ensures proper progression and understanding, as prerequisite modules provide essential knowledge and skills needed for the linked modules.
Modules are generally assessed within the same semester they are delivered, with the exception of Final Project Modules. To progress and earn credits, students must demonstrate the required level of achievement in summative assessments, based on the module’s learning outcomes and the School’s assessment criteria. All marks are provisional until ratified by the Module Examination Board. Summative assessments remain consistent across all programmes. Partial credits for a module are not awarded.
This approach ensures timely assessment and consistency in evaluating student performance, while maintaining rigorous standards for module completion. The ratification process by the Module Examination Board guarantees accuracy and fairness in grading.
The School allocates credits and designs learning and teaching activities for each module based on its subject matter, guided by its learning and teaching strategy:
This approach ensures that the teaching methods and credit allocation are tailored to the specific content and requirements of each module, enhancing the quality of the academic experience for students.
The number of credits allocated for each teaching system and module must be 15-30 credits.
The only exceptions to this are:
Module
Postgraduate
Final Project Module (60 credits at Level 7)
Undergraduate
Final Project Module (30 credits at Level 6)
The School requires Final Project Modules for some undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.
Final Project Modules are mandatory for the following qualifications:
These core modules allow students to demonstrate autonomy by defining and addressing research questions using appropriate techniques and methods, thereby showcasing their skills and knowledge.
The applicable timelines are as follows:
Students can register for the Masters Final Project module after having completed at least 60 credits in other modules on their programme.
The Final Project Module is available at Level 6.
This ensures that students have achieved a sufficient level of learning and are prepared for the comprehensive work required in their final projects.
Modules may be delivered across multiple undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. The learning, teaching, summative assessments, and credits for the module will be consistent across all programmes.
This ensures uniformity in module delivery and assessment, maintaining consistent academic standards regardless of the programme in which the module is taught.
The classification of modules as core or optional depends on the programme's title and discipline, and this is detailed in the programme specification.
This ensures clarity in programme documentation, outlining which modules are essential or elective based on the programme's focus and requirements.
Students may choose optional modules to expand their understanding of their programme discipline.
Optional modules allow students to explore additional topics and deepen their knowledge within their field of study.
Students must pass core modules to receive the award on their programme. if they do not, the Programme Examination Board may grant an exit award if the student meets the relevant credit and descriptor requirements and the programme specification allows it.
This ensures that essential modules are completed to qualify for the main award while allowing flexibility for students who meet credit and descriptor criteria but do not complete core modules.
The regulations define the number of credits needed for each award at specific levels, including exit awards.
These regulations ensure that students meet the required credit thresholds for achieving awards at different levels.
The School follows the OfS principle that higher education qualifications are awarded based on demonstrated achievement of outcomes, not years of study. This is assessed through the School's assessment boards and is also crucial for progression. The Credit Accumulation and Transfer System (CATS) and notional hours are used for this purpose.
This approach ensures qualifications reflect actual learning outcomes, supports fair progression, and uses standardised measures like CATS and notional hours to assess achievement.
CATS credits for a module are awarded only when the learning outcomes are met through successful summative assessments, with marks approved by the School's examination boards according to its Academic Regulations.
This ensures that credits accurately reflect students' achievement of learning outcomes and adhere to the School's academic standards.
A student either receives the full CATS credit for a module or none at all. Partial credits are not awarded.
This approach ensures clarity and consistency in credit allocation, maintaining rigorous academic standards.
The School’s academic year is divided into three semesters, each lasting four months:
For full-time, part-time, and accelerated blended programmes, the registration and maximum period of registration (MPR) start on:
Students on a flexible-online programme may start at any time during the year. The Admissions Team will advise them on their registration date for determining the maximum registration period (MRP).
This structure ensures clear scheduling and registration timelines for different programme types, supporting effective academic planning and registration management.
The number of credits that students can do on each mode of study in each academic year are:
Full-time Blended Learning
Part-time Blended Learning
Accelerated Blended Learning
Flexible Online Learning
Up to 60 credits per semester across 2-semesters
Up to 30 credits per semester across 2 semesters
Up to 60 credits per semester across 3 semesters
Up to 60 credits per semester across 2 semesters
Up to 60 credits per semester across 3-semesters
Up to 30 credits per semester across 3 semesters
X
This is subject to the Module, Progression, and Award Regulations on multi-level programmes, which allow up to 20 extra credits to be taken from one level to another if a student is required to retake a module.
This ensures that credit loads are appropriate and manageable according to the study mode, facilitating a balanced academic workload.
Students may be allowed to enrol in more credits than normally specified for a semester, in accordance with the Assessment Regulations.
This provision accommodates exceptional circumstances where additional credits can be undertaken, as guided by the Assessment Regulations.
All modules at the School are delivered within a single semester, except Final Project Modules, which may extend over more than one semester depending on the mode of study.
This ensures standardisation for most modules while allowing flexibility for extensive projects that require additional time.
Students must adhere to the maximum periods of registration as specified in the Student Admission and Registration Regulations.
This ensures that students complete their studies within the prescribed timeframes, maintaining programme integrity
The following metrics will be measured and regularly reviewed as performance indicators for the School to ensure the effectiveness of this policy and associated operations.