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Course Design Blueprint: Structure

What are the University expectations for course structure? 

Course and module structure requirements for University of Suffolk awards are set out within Our policies and procedures for delivering our services and responsibilities

Creating a course visualisation linking modules, learning outcomes and assessment can be a helpful way for reflecting upon how the structure works, exploring possible options available to students, and how these might support their development and future aspiration. 

 

The Course Storyboard

Creating a course storyboard linking modules, learning outcomes and assessment can be a helpful way for reflecting upon how the structure works, exploring possible options available to students, and how these might support their development and future aspirations.

Module specifications allow the explicit recording of prerequisites, modules which students must have studied or passed prior to being allowed to embark on the module.
  • A standard Honours degree consists of 360 credits of undergraduate study equally divided between three levels (four to six). 
  • Foundation Degrees and Diplomas of Higher Education comprises 240 credits with 120 credits at each of levels four and five. 
  • A Masters Degree requires 180 credits of postgraduate study at level seven.  Also at postgraduate level, a Postgraduate Certificate comprises 60 credits of study at level seven, and a Postgraduate Diploma comprises 120 credits of study.
  • At the University of Suffolk all modules must be situated at a single level of study and so each student will be required to pass 120 credits at each relevant level of study. The standard model for block structure within an academic year will involve consecutive 30 credit modules, but there will be an allowance of 2 x 15 credit modules per level of study. 15 credit modules will normally be delivered in pairs, either consecutively or simultaneously (over a 6-week block). Where an apprenticeship standard dictates the need for a 20 or 40 credit EPA, this will be allowed, with additional 10 credit modules identified as wrap-around activity / output. The Dissertation module on Postgraduate taught courses must be 60 credits (With no exceptions). 
Level 4 module condonement

Level four studies within undergraduate programmes are designed to enable a wide variety of students to adapt to Higher Education, and that marks at this level do not count towards final classification calculations. The University allows module condonement at level four, allowing students who achieve marks near to but not at pass standard on requisite modules to have these condoned to a pass mark.  In line with this, most courses only designate level four modules as mandatory if there is a very strong reason to do so.

Mandatory modules

Where courses have only mandatory and requisite modules, students who fail a single module have no means by which they could gain an overall award regardless of their performance through the rest of the course. Some courses include an additional final year optional independent study module in which students explore an area of the subject not covered in detail within the rest of the curriculum. Thus, should a student fail a requisite module they could complete this optional module as replacement credits and gain an overall award. Another alternative would be the inclusion of an optional placement or work-based learning module in the final year. A further possibility for a few courses is the inclusion of a cognates courses' final year module as an optional module.

Sandwich year honours degrees

A number of course teams have opted to validate four year versions of their courses where the third year consists of either a year in placement, a year studying abroad, or half a year of each. Students engaging in a Sandwich year have to achieve the associated 120 credits at level five which does not count towards their final degree classification but is included on their final transcript. There are a number of specific regulations associated with this type of course (as set out in Appendix A of the Framework and Regulations for Undergraduate Awards) and course team will need to provide clear student guidance and supporting documentation onn how these opportunities will be managed. Course teams considering the inclusion of a sandwich year option within their programme should, in the first instance, consult with teams who are operating similar arrangements to gain insight on the opportunities, costs and constraints of such provision.