Curriculum 2016 Academic Handbook (Part 1): Refreshing Learning and
Teaching: A new Undergraduate Academic Framework
1
Introduction
This guidance outlines the structure of a new academic framework resulting from the ‘in
principle’ decision made by Senate in June 2013. The framework is instrumental in
delivering the Curriculum 2016 programme of change. Higher Education in the UK has gone
through considerable change over the last five years and this is expected to continue in the
future. The design of the new academic framework thus aims to ensure that students
continue to receive an excellent education with a strong focus on employability whilst
allowing sufficient flexibility to allow new modes of learning now and in the future.
2
Undergraduate Qualifications and Credit Accumulation
Students at the University of Hull may be awarded the following Undergraduate
Qualifications:

Single Honours degree

Integrated Masters degree

Combined Honours degree in two or more subjects

Major/Minor Honours degree

Integrated degree in Education and one other main subject

Ordinary degree in one or more main subjects

Foundation Degree (to be addressed in a separate paper)

Undergraduate Diploma

Undergraduate Certificate
With the exception of the Ordinary degree, direct entry is permitted to all the above
programmes.
Single Honours programmes are structured in three or four stages reflecting the inclusion of
a placement year or otherwise. These stages are:
 Certificate Stage 120 credits (at least 100 credits at Level 4)
 Diploma Stage 120 credits (at least 100 credits at Level 5)
 Post Diploma Stage 120 credits – optional for placements (at least 120 credits at Level
5)
1
Curriculum 2016 Academic Handbook (Part 1): An Introduction to the new Academic Framework
Version 27 May 2014 – Post / SEB ULTAC
 Honours stage 120 credits (at least 100 credits at Level 6)
In some circumstances, the placement year may be split into two 60 credit placements
taken in the third trimester (the summer period), condensing a four year programme to
three years.
Single Honours with a Preliminary Certificate programmes have an additional stage
allowing students to enter Single Honours programmes who may lack the academic
background to enter directly into the Certificate Stage.
 Preliminary Stage 120 credits (at least 100 credits at Level 3 and the remaining credits
at Level 4).
Major/Minor Honours programmes are structured in the same way as Single Honours
programmes with the additional requirement that the Major component must be 2/3rd of
one academic discipline and the Minor component must be 1/3rd of a different academic
discipline.
Combined Honours programmes are structured in the same way as Single Honours
programmes but should involve two or more academic disciplines. The proportionality of
credits between disciplines need not be equal.
Integrated Masters programmes are structured in four/five stages:





Certificate Stage 120 credits (at least 100 credits at Level 4)
Diploma Stage 120 credits (at least 100 credits at Level 5)
Post Diploma/Pre-Honours Stage 120 credits at Level 5 - optional for placements
Honours stage 120 credits (at least 100 credits at Level 6)
Masters Stage 120 credits at Level 7
Undergraduate Diploma Programmes have two stages:
 Certificate Stage 120 credits (at least 100 credits at Level 4)
 Diploma Stage 120 credits (at least 100 credits at Level 5)
Undergraduate Certificate Programmes have one stage:
 Certificate Stage 120 credits (at least 100 credits at Level 4)
Ordinary Degree, Integrated Degree in Education and Foundation Degree guidance will be
developed in the near future.
2
Curriculum 2016 Academic Handbook (Part 1): An Introduction to the new Academic Framework
Version 27 May 2014 – Post / SEB ULTAC
Normally, a maximum of two years study will be given to completing a stage. This period
does not include breaks in study. Credits will remain valid for six years. Flexibility will be
provided for student to vary their mode of study between full and part-time.
3
Programme Portfolios
All of the undergraduate programmes described above will sit within broad planned
Programme Portfolios. A single Portfolio Specification will be required to cover all the
programme variations within the portfolio. This differs from the current approach of a
unique specification per programme.
Each department will different numbers of programme portfolios, depending on the nature
of the academic disciplines, fields of study and/or areas of practice involved.
In the case of Honours programmes, the Programme Portfolio should include:
i.
At least one degree level award
ii. At least one Major component (2/3rd of the award)
iii. At least one Minor component (1/3rd of the award)
iv. At least one award that includes either a placement trimester or year
Optionally it may also include:
v. Additional thematic pathways per award providing directed and limited optionality
for students
vi. Combined programmes (planned programmes that comprise a meaningful
combination of two or more academic disciplines, fields of study or areas of practice)
vii. Pre-certificate (Level 3), Certificate (Level 4) and Diploma (Level 5) awards
Where the portfolio does not result in an Honours award, for example where an academic
discipline only delivers a Minor component which is then combined with Major components
from other portfolios, (iii) and (v) apply. A similar approach will be taken for portfolios for
free standing Pre-Certificate and Diploma awards that are not stages of a degree
programme.
Each stage of a programme must include a set of stage outcomes. The outcome for a
programme is the union of the individual stage outcomes. It is recommended that at each
stage the number of end of stage outcomes is a maximum of four. The outcomes for each
stage should be appropriate to the level of the modules within it.
3
Curriculum 2016 Academic Handbook (Part 1): An Introduction to the new Academic Framework
Version 27 May 2014 – Post / SEB ULTAC
A portfolio specification will include a list of core stage outcomes that are common to all
elements (e.g. all pathways, awards, Major and Minor components). This list will then be
supplemented by additional outcomes specific to an individual programme or pathway of
study. Portfolio specification will also be required to reflect how employability skills and Hull
graduate attributes are reflected in each programme structure. Where more than one Single
Honours programme is included in a portfolio, they must be clearly differentiated by their
additional stage outcomes. These should differ by at least 30% at Diploma and Honours
stages.
The design of Preliminary (Level 3) Stages should reflect the transition into Higher Education
for diverse learners together with their reduced disciplinary understanding. Study skills
should be included within this stage.
The design of Certificate (Level 4) Stages should reflect the transition into Higher Education
for diverse learners. Core academic skills should be embedded within the stage and support
for retention/progression should be explicitly included.
NB. Programme portfolios will be validated for a maximum of five years and revalidation
events will be planned to align, where possible, with professional, statutory and regulatory
body re-accreditation dates.
4
Curriculum 2016 Academic Handbook (Part 1): An Introduction to the new Academic Framework
Version 27 May 2014 – Post / SEB ULTAC
4
The Academic Year and Delivery Modes
The new academic year structure is based upon a calendar year being partitioned into
trimesters, designated as trimester 1 (T1), trimester 2 (T2) and trimester 3 (T3). Although
trimesters are used to describe the delivery patterns in this document, this may be
presented in a different format for student timetables. The standard delivery mode for
undergraduate programmes remains as T1 (current semester 1) and T2 (current semester 2)
(see Figure 1). The accelerated delivery mode for undergraduate programme additionally
includes delivery in T3 (summer period) (see Figure 2).
Year 3
Honours
Year 2
Diploma
Year 1
Certificate
T1
T2
T3
Figure 1: Delivery of Stages in Standard Mode
Year 3
Year 2
Diploma
Year 1
Certificate
T1
Honours
Diploma
T2
T3
Figure 2: Delivery of Stages in Accelerated Mode
5
The Modular Structure
The standard module size is 20 credits, with 40 credits available for dissertation or projects,
60 credits available for trimester placements and 120 credits available for year-long
placements. Modules will define Learning Outcome appropriate to their level and in order
to pass a module, all learning outcomes must be met.
Once a programme portfolio has been established and validated, additional modules will
normally only be added when existing modules are withdrawn. The exception to this would
be when a new award is added to the portfolio, which may need additional specialist
modules.
Non-core modules will not normally run with less than 15 students.
5
Curriculum 2016 Academic Handbook (Part 1): An Introduction to the new Academic Framework
Version 27 May 2014 – Post / SEB ULTAC
Programmes include one or more stages and each stage will be delivered over two
trimesters. Unless granted specific exemption, the Preliminary, Certificate and Diploma
stages must include:

Three 20 credit modules in T1

Three 20 credit modules in T2
All Single Honours and Integrated Masters’ programmes should also include a 20 credit free
elective module option scheduled in T2 at both the Certificate and Diploma stages. This is
optional for other programmes.
At the Honours’ and Masters’ stages, a 40 credit module is permitted for projects or
dissertations. There are three options for delivery at these final stages:
Option A: All 20 credit
structure
Option B: 20 plus 40 credit
structure
Option C: Inclusion of a 40
credit module
i.
i.
i.
Two 20 credit modules
in the first trimester
ii.
Two 20 credit modules
in the second
trimester (may include
a Free Elective)
iii.
One 40 credit module
across both trimesters
ii.
Three 20 credit
modules in T1
Three 20 credit
modules in T2 (may
include a Free
Elective)
ii.
i.
ii.
One 20 credit module
and one 40 credit
module in T1
Three 20 credit
modules in T2 (may
include a Free
Elective);
or
Three 20 credit
modules in T1
One 20 credit and one
40 credit module in T2
(may include a Free
Elective).
Where a post-diploma/pre-honours stage is included within the degree programme, this
should be 120 credits spanning a two trimester period. The post-diploma stage may be split
and taken in T3 over a two year period, allowing the four year programme to be condensed
into 3 years.
Where a placement is included within a programme of study, this should be 60 credits and
replace the on campus structure for a given trimester. This placement may also be taken in
T3 as appropriate.
6
Curriculum 2016 Academic Handbook (Part 1): An Introduction to the new Academic Framework
Version 27 May 2014 – Post / SEB ULTAC
In the case of Major/Minor degree programmes, at each stage the Minor component
modules must be delivered as one 20 credit module per trimester.
6
Programme Pathways
All programmes must include one or more thematic pathways which direct students along
prescribed routes of study with controlled optionality. Students must complete all core
modules with a degree programme and then may elect to study on one or more additional
pathways. Where all modules are core, this constitutes a single ‘core pathway’. Pathways in
Single Subject Honours, Integrated Masters and Diploma awards will normally span more
than one stage and therefore modules may include pre- and post-requisites. Students may
transfer between pathways if they meet the pre-requisites for that pathway. An example of
this would be two pathways that include the same modules in the Certificate stage and only
differ at the Diploma and Honours stage. In this case transfer would be allowed after
completion of the Certificate stage. Non-core modules may be included in a pathway but
this should be kept to a minimum; the appropriate number of non-core modules for each
pathway will be based on the premise that student numbers should not fall below 15. For
Honours programmes and Integrated Masters programmes, non-core modules within a
pathway are not permissible at the Certificate stage.
In subjects with minimal core module provision, a student may select two or more pathways
that run concurrently to complete their study.
For Single Honours and Integrated Masters award, where a pathway includes more than
33% of the total credits, the thematic area may be included in the award title. For example,
within a Computer Science Portfolio, there may be a significant pathway in Computer
Graphics that meets the 33% criteria. In this case, the department may elect to have the
award as BSc Computer Science (Computer Graphics). Although pathways are permissible
within Major/Minor and combined programmes, the specialism will not normally be
reflected in the award title.
Non-core modules should not be made available at the Certificate stage where support for
student choice is governed by the provision of alternate pathways.
7
Major/Minor programmes
Each portfolio is required to design at least one Major component and one Minor
component. A Major component may be combined with a Minor component from another
academic discipline to form an award. The details of this programme will reside in the
portfolios for each discipline but ownership will lie within the discipline in which Major
component resides. Major and Minor components inherit stage outcomes from the single
7
Curriculum 2016 Academic Handbook (Part 1): An Introduction to the new Academic Framework
Version 27 May 2014 – Post / SEB ULTAC
subject degrees of which they are a subset which, when combined, will result in the stage
outcomes for the Major/Minor programme.
The majority of Major/Minor programmes will be prescribed, that is for each Major the
portfolio will record a list of suitable Minor combinations, agreed by the respective
departments. However, it may be permissible for a student to propose a combination
outside of this list and, where academically sound and permissible by the timetable, this
may be supported.
This type of programme will be described as BSc Computer Science with Geology.
8
Combined Programmes
Combined programmes span two or more academic disciplines. The proportion of credit
between subject areas need not be equal and may vary in the interest of developing a high
quality experience.
Combined programmes should include one or more jointly developed modules that provide
a strong linkage between the subject disciplines.
The development process for combined programmes should mirror that of a Single Honour
programme, differing only in that two or more academic disciplines, fields of study or areas
of practice are involved. Departments will work closely to create an integrated academic
programme that provides an equivalent student experience to that provided by a single
honours programme. For administrative purposes, a lead discipline will be identified and it
the programme will reside in their associated portfolio. Reference to the combined
programme will be included in the portfolios of the other contributing academic disciplines
but will not be duplicated.
A detailed exemplar of the structures outlined in this document is included in Appendix 1.
Please note, further guidance documents will be available for alternative delivery models
(e.g. pre-certificate and part-time) and progression rules between stages.
8
Curriculum 2016 Academic Handbook (Part 1): An Introduction to the new Academic Framework
Version 27 May 2014 – Post / SEB ULTAC
Appendix 1: Example Portfolio Construction
This example illustrates one approach to defining the relationship between single subjects
Major/Minor components within a single portfolio. For simplicity, the single honours
programme is assumed to have no non-core modules. In this case, if the modules can be
represented as:



Certificate Stage = {AL4T1M1, AL4T1M2, AL4T1M3, AL4T2M4, AL4T2M5, AL4T2FE}
Diploma Stage = {AL5T1M1, AL5T1M2, AL5T1M3, AL5T2M4, AL5T2M5, AL5T2FE}
Honours Stage = {AL6T1M1, AL6T1M2, AL6T1M3, AL6T2M4, AL6T2M5, AL6T2FE}
For the purpose of this illustration a series of initials and numbers have been used to
designate how each portfolio, programme and module aligns and combines. This example
does not, however, necessarily represent how programmes will be named in the new
programme structure going forward.
The initial letter (in this case A) indicates the portfolio from which the module derives.
The L designator indicates the level. In this case the certificate stage is includes Level 4
modules only (hence L4).
The T designator indicates the trimester of delivery. In the example, T1 or T2 are used
reflecting that the programme is delivered in the standard way.
The M designator differentiates the individual modules within a trimester. Modules ending
in FE are Free Electives and in this example, a free elective in the Honour stage is included.
The Major component can be described as:



Certificate Stage = {AL4T1M1, AL4T1M2, AL4T2M4, AL4T2M5}
Diploma Stage = {AL5T1M1, AL5T1M2, AL5T2M4, AL5T2M5}
Honours Stage = {AL6T1M1, AL6T1M2, AL6T2M4, AL6T2M5}
The Minor component can be described as:



Certificate Stage = {AL4T1M1, AL4T2M4}
Diploma Stage = {AL5T1M1, AL5T2M4}
Honours Stage = {AL6T1M1, AL6T2M4}
This approach is not prescriptive but illustrates one way of defining Major/Minor
combinations and, in this case, illustrating their relationship as:
Minor component ⊂ Major component ⊂ Single Subject
9
Curriculum 2016 Academic Handbook (Part 1): An Introduction to the new Academic Framework
Version 27 May 2014 – Post / SEB ULTAC
Pictorially this can be represented for portfolio A as:
Hon
AL6T1M3
AL6T2FE
AL6T1M2 x
AL6T2M5 x
AL6T1M1 x
Dip
AL6T2M4 x
AL5T1M3
AL5T2FE
AL5T1M2 x
AL5T2M5 x
AL5T1M1 x
Cert
X
x
AL5T2M4 x
AL4T1M2
AL4T2FE
AL4T1M2 x
AL4T2M5 x
AL4T1M1 x
x
AL4T2M4 x
X
x
x
Major Minor
Major Minor
Trimester 1
Trimester 2
Figure 4: An example of defining components within a
portfolio structure
10
Curriculum 2016 Academic Handbook (Part 1): An Introduction to the new Academic Framework
Version 27 May 2014 – Post / SEB ULTAC
The following example illustrates how a Major/Minor degree is constructed from two
academic disciplines.
BL6T1M1
Hon
x
AL6T2M2 x
AL6T1M1 x
AL6T2M1 x
x
BL5T2M1
x
AL5T1M2 x
AL5T2M2 x
AL5T1M1 x
AL5T2M1 x
BL4T1M1
Cert
x
AL6T1M2 x
BL5T1M3
Dip
BL6T2M1
x
BL4T2M1
x
AL4T1M2 x
AL4T2M2 x
AL4T1M1 x
AL4T2M1 x
Major Minor
Major Minor
Trimester 1
Trimester 2
Figure 5: A Major/Minor combination from portfolio A (blue)
and portfolio B (green)
11
Curriculum 2016 Academic Handbook (Part 1): An Introduction to the new Academic Framework
Version 27 May 2014 – Post / SEB ULTAC
The last example illustrates two thematic pathways running within the same single honours
programme. The student is required to take all modules in the ‘core’ pathway plus modules
either in pathway 1 or pathway 2. Note that in this example no students are able to attend
module CL6T1M3 and therefore unless part of another pathway, it would not run. Free
electives are included in the Certificate and Diploma stage but not in the Honours’ stage.
CL6T1
M4
Hon
CL6T2
M8
CL6T1
M3
X
x
x
x
CL6T2
M6
CL6T1
M1
x
CL6T2
M5
X
CL5T1
M3
X
x
CL5T2
M7
x
x
CL5T2
M6
x
CL5T1
M2
x
CL5T2
FE
x
CL5T1
M1
x
CL5T2
M5
x
CL4T
2FE
x
CL4T1
M4
Cert
CL6T2
M7
CL6T1
M2
CL5T1
M4
Dip
x
X
x
CL4T1
M3
x
CL4T1
M2
x
CL4T
2M6
x
CL4T1
M1
x
CL4T
2M5
x
Core
Path 1 Path 2
Trimester 1
Core
Path 1 Path 2
Trimester 2
Figure 6: An illustration of pathways within a single honours programme
12
Curriculum 2016 Academic Handbook (Part 1): An Introduction to the new Academic Framework
Version 27 May 2014 – Post / SEB ULTAC
Authors:
Derek Wills, Programme Director Curriculum 2016
Dr Elizabeth Cleaver, Director of Learning Enhancement and Academic Practice
13
Curriculum 2016 Academic Handbook (Part 1): An Introduction to the new Academic Framework
Version 27 May 2014 – Post / SEB ULTAC