A standard academic year of full-time study comprises 120 credits (for undergraduate degrees) or 180 credits (for postgraduate taught degrees). Teaching sessions are scheduled in accordance with the University’s Timetabling Policy managed by the Timetabling Team.
Students may wish to exceed these standards for particular reasons, but in order to manage workload they are allowed to take modules up to a maximum of 150 credits (undergraduate programmes) or 220 credits (postgraduate programmes) per year. Applications for extensions beyond the standard credit load must be submitted to the Academic Registrar; and will only be granted in extraordinary circumstances. Individual programmes may also exceed the standard credit year - if necessary in the disciplinary, professional or national context within which it is delivered - with the approval of the Academic Board.
Students should note the maximum credit limits for their programme, as set out in section 6.14. There are no formal minimum limits on credit taken per year (unless stated in a programme specification); however, students should ensure they are aware of the potential impact on their entitlements to funding, or their ability to meet progression requirements on their programme, if they choose to study fewer modules than is normally necessary to meet the credit requirements for a standard academic year.
Some programmes incorporate a compulsory year abroad (for example, for students of modern languages); however, the University also wishes to enable students on other programmes to experience studying or working abroad during the course of their studies, and offers a range of international opportunities through the Study Abroad and Exchanges scheme*.
*Undergraduate students should note that Study Abroad and Exchange opportunities are not available during their final year of study, as credit earned while on exchange is not graded, and the University requires 120 graded credits at level 6 in order to calculate degree classifications (see section 7.1)