Regulations for Undergraduate Programmes
These Regulations
have been approved
by Senate with an
effective date of July
2014
Version 2.0
ioe.ac.uk
Effective Date 1 September 2012
1
INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION, UNIVERSITY OF LONDON
REGULATIONS FOR UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMMES
1. Introduction
1.1
These Regulations govern the conduct and award of undergraduate degrees,
including the BA, BSc, BA/B.Ed top-up route and the Foundation Degree.
1.2
These Regulations are made subject to the General Academic Regulations of
the Institute, the Regulations for the Assessment of Students and any other
appropriate regulations, policies or procedures of the Institute.
2.
2.1
Definitions
In these Regulations, terms have the meanings assigned to them in the
General Academic Regulations and the Regulations for the Assessment of
Students, unless otherwise stated in the text, with the following additions
subject to the same proviso:
Programme
A collection of modules with a coherent academic
focus
Module
A self-contained, credit-rated and formally
assessed unit of study
Credit value
The number of credits, at a particular level,
assigned to a module. One credit notionally
represents ten learning hours
The level of programme as nationally indicated by
Level
the UK Quality Code for Higher Education, and as
amended or replaced from time to time
Compulsory/core A module that is a mandatory part of the
module
programme of studies being taken by the student.
Optional module
Prerequisite
module
A module that is not a compulsory part of the
programme of studies
A module which must be passed to enable entry
to a subsequent module at a more demanding
level of study (normally level 6).
3. Admission
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3.1
In order to be admitted as a student of the Institute an applicant must:
3.1.1
be at least 18 years of age on the published start date of the
programme
3.1.2
satisfy or be exempted from the general entrance requirements set
out in the prospectus
3.1.3
satisfy or be exempted from the additional entrance requirements
prescribed for individual programmes as set out in Regulation 3.2
3.1.4
be demonstrably proficient in spoken and written English to the
satisfaction of the Institute before commencing the programme of
study.
3.2
The normal minimum entrance qualification for admission is:
3.2.1
BA/BSc Psychology:
300 UCAS points, with a pass in GCSE Mathematics or Statistics and
GCSE English at Grade C or above
BA Education Studies:
280 UCAS points with a pass in GCSE English at Grade C or above
BA/BEd top-up route:
Foundation degree or other qualification judged to be equivalent by
the Institute in a cognate area
Foundation Degree:
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A level 3 qualification or equivalent
and
A minimum of two years' work experience which is judged to be
relevant to the programme of study by the Institute
and
Employment in a setting relevant to the programme of study
3.3
Satisfaction of the criteria referred to at Regulations 3.1 and 3.2 above does
not guarantee admission.
4.
4.1
Registration
A student is required to register at the beginning of his or her programme and
at the beginning of each subsequent academic year of the programme,
according to procedures determined by the Academic Registrar from time to
time.
4.2
The requirements for initial registration on a programme are that the person
concerned has:
4.2.1 applied for admission, been accepted as a student and satisfied any
conditions set for initial registration;
4.2.2 supplied to the Academic Registrar all data and documents requested of
him or her in connection with registration; and
4.2.3 paid all fees and charges due to the Institute or to the University or
provided guarantees of such payment satisfactory to the Institute.
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4.3
The requirements for registration beyond initial registration are that the student
has:
4.3.1 satisfied the academic requirements for progression from the previous
year or stage of study;
4.3.2 supplied to the Academic Registrar all data requested of him or her in
connection with registration;
4.3.3 paid all fees and charges due to the Institute or to the University or
provided guarantees of such payment satisfactory to the Institute.
5. Programme of study
5.1
A student must take and pass an approved combination of modules at the
appropriate level in order to complete the programme of study.
5.2
The total minimum number and level of credits required to be obtained for
the relevant award shall be as set out in the table below.
5.3
The Institute shall publish annually the approved curriculum for each
programme.
5.4
Individual programmes will specify the compulsory modules which have to
be passed and the optional modules which may be taken to satisfy the
programme requirements. Programmes will also specify prerequisite
modules, where successful completion is a requirement to taking a module
at a higher level.
Foundation
Certificate
Effective Date July 2014
Foundation
Degree
BA / BEd
Honours
Top-up
Ordinary
Degree
BA/BSc
Honours
5
Indicative length
of
registration:F/T
Indicative length
of
registration:P/T
Minimum total
credits for
qualification
Minimum number
of credit points
by level
Standard
distribution of
credit points by
level for each
award
1 year
2 years
1 year
3 years
3 years
2 years
4 years
2 years
6 years
6 years
120
240
360
(240
imported
from a
Foundation
Degree
300
360
240
300
360
90
150
210
60
90
120
(Stage 1)
120
(Stage 2)
60
(Stage 3)
120
(Stage 1)
120
(Stage 2)
120
(Stage 3)
3
+
4
+
5
+
6
+
3
4
120
120
120
5
120
(Stage 1)
120
(Stage 2)
6
5.5
120
Students shall be required to obtain the appropriate number of credits
through satisfactory performance in approved formal assessments.
6.
Duration of programme
6.1
Students registered for an undergraduate award are normally expected to
complete the requirements for each stage in one academic year of full-time
study or two academic years of part-time study, excluding any agreed
period of deferral or interruption.
6.2
Students are expected to pursue the programme continuously, except
where an interruption or deferral has been granted in accordance with the
Institute’s policies.
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7.
Attendance
7.1
In order to be assessed in a module or module element, a student shall
normally be required to meet the attendance requirement set out in the
module or programme handbook.
7.2
For those modules or module elements in which teaching is offered online,
programme teams may measure levels of student participation in online
activity, and where this is the case, students shall be provided with
guidance from the Programme Leader on how participation is to be
measured and the consequences of failure to meet the specific courserelated participation requirements.
7.3
Students who withdraw before completing the approved programme of
study may be required to restart the whole programme or repeat elements
of the programme should they subsequently be permitted to re-register for
it.
8.
Assessment
8.1
By registering for a programme, a student is deemed to have entered for
assessment in that programme.
8.2
The timing of the assessment of each element of an undergraduate
degree programme shall be in accordance with schedules published
annually by each Faculty.
8.3
In exceptional circumstances students may be granted permission to extend
the deadline for assessment or to defer their assessment. Such requests
must normally be made in accordance with the Institute’s policy on
extensions and deferrals.
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8.4
Students who do not have permission for an extension, deferment or notice
of withdrawal and who do not submit to assessment at the proper time will
normally be recorded as absent from it and this will count as an attempt.
8.5
A candidate who is prevented from completing an assessment or part of an
assessment at the normal time by illness or by any other cause judged
sufficient by the Head of the relevant Academic Department may normally
enter for formal assessment in relation to those elements on the next
occasion when the assessment is held. At the discretion of the Board of
Examiners concerned, such a candidate may instead undertake a special
assessment in those elements missed and/or be permitted to submit any
prescribed assignment at a date specified by the Board. The special
assessment shall be undertaken in the same mode of assessment as the
assessment that was missed.
8.6
A candidate who does not at his or her first entry satisfy the examiners in
the formal assessment or part of the formal assessment for which he or she
has entered may be re-assessed in that element of his or her programme of
study on one further occasion only. Deadlines for the resubmission of work
for formal assessment or of examination resits shall be specified by the
Faculty in which the student is registered.
8.7
Where a student elects or is permitted to re-submit formally assessed work
or to resit an examination within the same academic year, such a
resubmission or resit shall be regarded as the student’s second and final
attempt at that element of the programme of study.
8.8
A student who on two occasions fails or is absent from the assessment
associated with a course required for the award for which he or she is
registered may not continue with the programme of study.
8.9
A student who fails an optional module on two occasions may, subject to
the approval of the Head of Department, register for a new optional module
and may present himself or herself for formal assessment in relation to that
new course on no more than two occasions. No more than one new
optional
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module may be studied and assessed on this basis, and a candidate who
fails at the second attempt shall not be permitted to continue with his or her
programme of study.
9.
Outcomes of Assessment
9.1
In determining the outcome of assessment for a candidate, the Board of
Examiners will consider the following:
(a) whether the candidate has satisfied the attendance
requirements set out in the relevant module and programme
handbook; and
(b) whether the candidate has satisfied the assessment
requirements set out in the relevant module and programme
handbook
9.2
The Examiners will determine an outcome and a percentage mark for
each module recorded as an integer between 0% and 100%, as follows:
9.2.1 an outcome of Pass (P) with a percentage mark will be
returned where the candidate has gained a mark of 40% or
above overall and in all the elements of assessment which carry
an individual pass requirement
9.2.2 an outcome of Fail (F) with a percentage mark will be
returned where the candidate has gained a mark of 39% or
below overall in any element of the assessment which carries an
individual pass requirement. Candidates who fail with a mark in
the upper fail range (normally 33-39%) may, at the discretion of
the Board, be allowed to count this mark towards final degree
classification, up to a maximum of 30 credits.
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9.2.3 an outcome of Absent (ABS) without a percentage mark
will be returned where the candidate has not met the attendance
requirements or has failed to be present for an assessment.
This will count as an attempt at the assessment in question.
9.3
Unless otherwise specified in programme handbooks, students who re-sit
assessment shall not receive an overall mark greater than 40% for that
module
9.4
It is not permitted to re-take passed assessments in order to achieve a
higher grade.
10.
Progression to a subsequent stage of a programme
10. 1
The requirements for academic progress shall be stated in the programme
specification.
10.2
The Board of Examiners will review the annual academic progress of each
student.
10.3
A part-time student may be required to repeat or re-sit modules before
registering for further modules in the same stage of the programme, where
this is deemed appropriate in light of his/her academic performance.
10.4
In order to progress from the first to the second stage of a programme
leading to the award of Foundation Degree, BA or BSc a student must:
a) Pass or be granted exemption from modules to the value of at least 90
credits; and
b) Pass or be granted exemption from any prerequisite modules deemed
necessary for progression onto the second stage in the programme
specification
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10.5
In order to progress from the second to the third stage of a programme
leading to the award of BA or BSc a student must:
a) Pass or be granted exemption from modules from the second stage to
the value of at least 90 credits; and
b) Pass or be granted exemption from any prerequisite modules deemed
necessary for progression onto the third stage of the programme.
11. Awards
11.1
In order to be eligible for the award of a BA or BSc , a candidate must:
a) Complete the programme and satisfy the requirements for attendance
and submission of work for all modules
b) Pass or be granted exemption from modules from the programme
totalling 300 credits (Ordinary award) or 360 credits (Honours award), 60
of which must be passed at Level 6 or above for an Ordinary award, 90
of which must be passed at Level 6 or above for an Honours award
11.2
In order to be eligible for the award of a BEd or BA (top-up route) a
candidate must:
a) Complete the programme and satisfy the requirements for attendance
and submission of work for all modules
b) Pass or be granted exemption from modules from the programme
totalling 120 credits, all of which must be at Level 6 or above
11.4
In order to be eligible for the award of a Foundation Degree, a candidate
must:
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a) Complete the programme and satisfy the requirements for attendance
and submission of work for all modules
b) Pass or be granted exemption from modules from the programme
totalling 240 credits, 90 of which must be taken at Level 5 or above
12. Degree classification
12.1 The classification of candidates for the award of Foundation Degree shall be as
follows
70% or above
Distinction
60-69%
Merit
40-59%
Pass
0-39%
Fail
To be eligible for the award of Distinction, students must achieve
a
Distinction for modules totalling 160 credits, with at least half of these
marks falling in the second year of the programme. To be eligible for the
award of Merit, candidates must achieve a Merit for modules totalling 160
credits, with at least half of these marks falling in the second year of the
programme. Students who successfully complete 120 credits but do not
pass the entire programme are eligible for a Foundation Certificate.
12. 2 The classification of candidates for the award of BA, BEd and BSc Honours
shall be as follows, to be calculated as indicated in Regulation 12 below :
70% or above
First Class Honours
60-69%
Upper Second Class Honours
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50-59%
Lower Second Class Honours
40-49%
Third Class Honours
For candidates for the award of BA/BEd (top-up), the final classification
shall be calculated as follows:
Mean of 2nd Year FD marks + marks for 3 x level 6 modules
4
12.3
For candidates for the award of BA or BSc (excluding the top-up route), the
final classification will be determined on the basis of a weighted average of
modules taken at levels 5 and above, where level 5 credits are given a
weighting of 2 and level 6 credits are given a weighting of 3. The following
calculation will be applied:
marks x relevant credit volumes x weight
sum of credit volume x weighting
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