COMMON ACADEMIC FRAMEWORK

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Common Academic Framework

COMMON ACADEMIC FRAMEWORK

1 Introduction

1.1 The purpose of the University of Brighton Common Academic Framework is two-fold: i) to protect and enhance the University’s collective academic standards through the use of a shared and common framework for the design and structure of the University’s awards. The Framework links to relevant national and European frameworks;

ii) to promote equity, transparency, choice and opportunity for students and staff:  Equity: there should be consistency in principles, practice and procedure

across the institution in the design of curricula and assessment, and the consideration of student performance.

 Transparency: the structure and assessment for all courses should be clear and well-understood by staff and students.

 Choice: students should be provided, where possible, with the opportunity to broaden their education by choosing some elements of their course from beyond the core subjects of the programme.

 Opportunity: to develop new and innovative programmes of study and to facilitate multi-disciplinarity where desirable through the possibility of combining, sharing and joint development of modules across Schools.

1.2 These main aims are achieved through the use of common principles as outlined below.

2 Qualifications (see table 1 for award framework)

2.1 The qualifications/ awards offered by the University, and in common with awards offered by other UK Universities, are aligned to the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ) published by the Quality Assurance Agency. Awards of the University are expected to achieve these standards (and where relevant, to be in accordance with PSRB requirements).

2.2 The awards of the University are, in addition, aligned with the European Qualifications Framework for Higher Education (Bergen 2005) in accordance with current national expectations.

3 Regulations

3.1 The General Examination and Assessment Regulations for Taught Courses (GEAR), outlines the regulations by which all taught courses are governed, and includes the University’s policy on, and principles relating to, assessment. All courses offered by the University must comply with GEAR; exceptions are normally only where a PSRB requirement must be taken into account.

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Academic Board, Approved 1999, Revised 2003, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

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4 Credit

4.1 All courses (except MPhil/ PhD) leading to an award of the University are credit-bearing. These are known as CATS points (Credit Accumulation and Transfer System). CATS points refer to notional student learning hours, where 10 CATS points is equivalent to 100 hours of learning.

4.2 CATS points are used as a means of designating the level and extent of study, and their value is determined in accordance with the principles of the Southern England Consortium for Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SEEC), of which the University is in membership.

4.3 The University’s awards are expressed using CATS, but in order to facilitate student mobility the University recognises the use of the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) as a means of designating credit for higher education learning within the European Union and uses the accepted exchange rate of 2 CATS points being equivalent to 1 ECTS point.

5 Modularity

5.1 All courses offered by the University are made up of modules which are described in terms of their learning outcomes and assessment criteria. These criteria, rather than the mode of delivery or place in the course structure, determine the basis upon which modules are assigned a specified number of credits at a given level.

5.2 All modules will have a credit rating of a whole-number multiple of 10 points (for example, 10, 20, 30, 40). The associated hours of total student learning are measured pro rata.

5.3 Each module has learning outcomes which are commensurate with one of five credit levels (Level 4, Level 5, Level 6, Level 7 and Level 8) i. An individual module cannot be offered at more than one level. Level 0 is reserved exclusively for foundation year courses.

5.4 The relevant credit is awarded to a student who demonstrates that he/ she has achieved the specified learning outcomes, and not for “time served”.

5.5 Each module is assessed independently during the semester(s) in which it is delivered. The assessment criteria are specific to the module, and form part of the module description agreed at validation. The assessment regime is specified in the module description.

5.6 Modules can be common to more than one course, and have their own assessment criteria which apply irrespective of the course which utilises the module. Methods for recording performance in an individual module are specific to that module, and not to the courses utilising the module.

5.7 The designation of the module for each of the courses should be specified when the module is approved according to the following criteria:

 Mandatory: those that must be taken and passed;

 Compulsory: those that must be taken but may be compensated for;

 Optional: those that may be taken to broaden the programme of study, and which may be compensated for or replaced by an alternative optional module in the event of academic failure and as agreed by the Course Examination Board. 5.8 A module will normally be delivered by a particular school and it therefore will be the

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lead responsibility, usually on the basis of the school whose subject area constitutes the majority of the content of the module.

5.9 A module is normally the responsibility of one, and only one, Area Examination Board, or exceptionally, Course Examination Board.

5.10 Award classifications are determined by an algorithm whereby marks are weighted according to the module credit value.

6 Award titles

6.1 All awards have a dedicated award title. Normally, no two awards will have the same title. Table 2 sets out general principles relating to the naming of awards.

6.2 The title of Master of Science (MSc) shall be used where studies are substantially science-based. ‘Science-based’ is understood to denote content (for example in the natural sciences, mathematics and engineering), and/ or methodological approach (for example in social science, business and management, and where knowledge is derived from empirical approaches of observation and data collection).

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Table 1 University Of Brighton Award Framework

Award FHEQ Levelii Europe Leveliii Normal total credit value Normal minimum credit at level of award FTE period of study (normal) Maximum period of registrationiv Unde rgrad ua te (ta ug ht)

Certificate of Higher Education Cert HE 4

Sh o rt c y c le (wi th in 1 st c y c le ) Ty p ic a lly 1 2 0 ECTS 120 90 1 year 4 years

Diploma of Higher Education Dip HE 5 240 90 2 years 6 years

Foundation Degree Arts FdA Foundation Degree Science FdSc Foundation Degree Engineering FdEng

5 240 90 2 years 6 years

Bachelor of Arts BA Bachelor of Science BSc Bachelor of Engineering BEng

6v 300 60 2.5 to 3 years

8 years

Bachelor of Arts BA (Hons) Bachelor of Science BSc (Hons) Bachelor of Engineering BEng (Hons) Bachelor of Laws LLB (Hons)

6 Fi rs t c y c le Ty p ic a lly 1 8 0 t o 2 4 0 ECTS 360 90 3 years 8 yearsvi G rad ua te (ta ug ht)

Graduate Certificate Grad Cert 6

No e q u iv a le n t in Eu ro p e a n F ra m e wor k 60 40 4 months 3 years

Graduate Diploma Grad Dip 6 120 90 8 months 4 years

Professional Graduate Certificate in Education

ProfGCEvii 6 120 90 1 year 4 years Pos tgra du a te (ta u gh t)

Postgraduate Certificate PG Cert 7 60 40 4 months 3 years

Postgraduate Certificate in Education PGCE 7 120 40 12 months 4 years

Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery

BM BSviii 7 Se c o n d c y c le Ty p ic a lly r e p re s e n te d b y 9 0 -1 2 0 ECTS (m in o f 6 0 ECTS) 780 180 5 years 7 yearsix

Postgraduate Diploma PG Dip 7 120 90 8 months 4 years

Master of Architecture MArch 7 240 240 2 years 6 years

Integrated Masters degree Master of Engineering MEng

Master of Pharmacy with Honours MPharm

(Hons)

Master of Design MDes Master of Fine Art MFA Master of Computing MComp Master of Chemistry MChem

7 480 120 4 years 10 years

Master of Arts MA Master of Science MSc

Master of Business Administration MBA Master of Public Administration MPA Master of Law LLM

7 180 150 1 year 6 years

Master of Teaching and Learning MTL 7 180 180 3 yearsx 5 years

Res

e

a

rch Master of Research MRes 7 180 150 1 year 6 years

Master of Philosophy MPhil 7 N/A N/A 2 years 3 years (4 years p/t) Res e a rch Professional Doctorate Doctor of Education EdD Doctor of Midwifery D.Mid Doctor of Nursing D.Nursing

Doctor of Occupational Therapy D.Occ.T Doctor of Physiotherapy D.PT

Doctor of Podiatry D.Pod Doctor of Social Work D.S.W

Doctor of Business Administration DBA

Doctor of Counselling and Psychotherapy D.C.P Doctor of Biomedical Science DBMS

Doctor of Healthcare DHC Doctor of Pharmacy DPharm

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Award FHEQ Levelii Europe Leveliii Normal total credit value Normal minimum credit at level of award FTE period of study (normal) Maximum period of registrationiv

Doctor of Engineering EngD 8 540 360 4 years 6 years

Doctor of Medicine MDxii 8

Doctor of Philosophy PhD 8 N/A N/A 3 years 5 years (6 years p/t) Univ e rsi ty a w a rds x ii i Foundation Year 0 No e q u iv a le n t i n E u ro p e a n F ra m e wor k 120 120 1 year 4 years

Certificate in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector CTLLS

4 30 20 1 year 3 years

Certificate Cert 4 60 60 4 months 3 years

Foundation Certificate FCert 4 120 90 1 year 4 years

Certificate in Education CertEd 5 120 60 Part-time = 2 years

5 years

Foundation Diploma FDip 5 120 40 1 year 4 years

Diploma Dip 5 120 120 4 years

Diploma in Professional Studies DPS 5 120 120 not specified

Certificate in Management 7 60 60 1 year not specified

Diploma in Management Studies DMS 7 120 120 not specified

Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)

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6 Table 2 University of Brighton principles relating to award titles

Title element Usage Example

"and" 1. May be used between subject areas which could be award titles in their own right, where the two subjects are equally weighted.

1. BSc(Hons) Biology and Chemistry 2. May also be used as a conjunction to indicate two linked areas within

a single larger focus.

2. BEng(Hons) Electrical and Electronic Engineering "with" Used between subject areas which could be award titles in their own

right, but where a major award is listed first and minor award second this normally represents a weighting of subject areas of two thirds/one third.

BA(Hons) History with Politics

"for" Synonymous with "used in", "with applications in" and "of relevance to". It may be used to indicate a skills orientation of the course content.

BSc (Hons) Mathematics for Management

Brackets Used to denote pathways, specialisms or the bias of the course. FdSc Computing

(Software Engineering)

"by" Used to denote mode of learning (in exceptional circumstances). Design by

Independent Study "Management" 1. Denotes reference to an approved field (equal, major or minor) and is

indicative of the inclusion in its key topics, skills and techniques which relate to subject of study commonly called "Management".

1. BSc(Hons) Physics with Management 2. Used in conjunction with an industry, service or business sector.

Principles are not studied in general, but with particular reference to sector.

2. MA Retail Services Management 3. Describe activities at a functional level within an organisation and

indicates course content which focuses on acquisition of skills to particular management function.

3. MA Change Management "Studies" 1. Indicative of a broad (not focused) coverage within subject area. 1. BA(Hons)

Cultural and Historical Studies 2. Add to a noun which would not in itself be indicative of an academic

subject area.

2. Business Studies "Science/s" Indicates a particular methodology. Knowledge base of content should

be that which has been established from observation, experience or data collection. BSc (Hons) Biomedical Sciences "Environmental "

Course content gives consideration to relevant factors and processes relating to and impacting upon the environment.

BSc (Hons) Environmental Sciences "International" 1. Added to a subject area which could be an award title in its own right,

is indicative of the course including an awareness of that subject within an international context.

MA International Management 2. When used in a professional context it indicates that the course

considers the role of that professional person within various countries.

BA (Hons) International Accounting and Finance "European" 1. Added to a subject area which could be an award title in its own right,

is indicative of the course including an awareness of that subject within a context appropriate to the European continent.

BSc (Hons) European Computing 2. When used in a professional context it indicates that the course

considers the role of that professional person within (some) European countries.

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Common Academic Framework (CAF) Footnotes

i

The University has adopted the national framework of levels which spans further education and higher education module/ credit descriptors: levels 1 to 3 denote FE levels and levels 4 to 8 denote HE levels. Level 0 is reserved for use for Foundation year course modules. The previous

nomenclature (HE level 0, 1, 2, 3 and M level) will fall out of use following implementation of the new framework. These credit level descriptors bring the University in line with the national credit

framework (Higher Education Credit Framework for England).

ii

The FHEQ refers to the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications published by the QAA. It describes qualifications levels in terms of award level descriptors 4 through 8 with 4 referring to Certificate level, 5 to Intermediate level, 6 to Honours level, 7 to Masters level, and 8 to Doctorate level. The previous nomenclature will fall out following implementation of the new framework.

iii

Europe Level refers to the Framework for Qualifications for the European Higher Education Area (FQ-EHEA), agreed at Bergen in 2005, which includes 3 cycles of higher education, and the typical ECTS points associated with the completion of each cycle.

iv

The maximum period of registration for taught courses refers to the maximum period of time a student is permitted in which to complete the course/programme, beginning when they first register for the course and ending with completion of that course. It is applicable to full-time and part-time modes of study (unless PSRB requirements state otherwise, the duration is approved at validation of the course and is clearly stated in course handbooks for students). A key principle determining the maximum period of registration is that the time taken to study 360 credits is set at 8 years and successive 120 credits are equivalent to 2 years’ worth of study; a lowest maximum period of registration is set at 3 years. (Further details can be found in ASC07-45).

v

To note the proposed national level of the ordinary degree is at level 5 but remains at level 6 within the CAF.

vi

For one year undergraduate top-up awards leading to a BA/BSc (Hons), the maximum registration period is 4 years; for two year BA/BSc (Hons) awards, the maximum registration period is 6 years; for four year BA/BSc (Hons) (including 4-year sandwich courses), the maximum registration period is 10 years.

vii

The Professional Graduate Certificate in Education may be referred to as a PGCE at other institutions.

viii

Joint award with the University of Sussex.

ix

8 years where an intercalated degree is incorporated into the period of study.

x

University of Brighton award is 3-5 years part-time only.

xi

University of Brighton award is 5 years part-time.

xii

Joint award with the University of Sussex.

xiii