This page provides you with the information you need to successfully select your modules at each Level of your degree, and ensure you have the correct credits to graduate from your Programme of Study.
You must study a total of 120 credits worth of modules across the academic year
The academic year is broken up into two semesters. Every module runs for a total of 13 weeks in either semester 1 or semester 2. With this in mind the following rules apply:
You must study a total of 60 credits worth of modules in semester 1
You must study a total of 60 credits worth of modules in semester 2
The number at the end of the module code indicates the credit weighting for that module. For example, BMA4000-20 is worth 20 credits.
The 120 credits worth of modules you must study in an academic year (60 credits per semester) are broken down into the following three categories:
A Compulsory Module is a module offered by your Subject that you MUST take. You will be automatically enrolled on these modules and they will count toward your 120 credit yearly/60 credit per semester limit.
Optional Modules are offered by your Subject and you are free to pick any of the Optional Modules listed to make up your credit totals. For example, if you have 40 credits worth of Compulsory Modules in each semester you are free to pick 20 credits worth of Optional Modules in each semester.
An Open Module is a module offered to all students by a Subject that is not your own. You can pick ONE 20 credit Open Module PER YEAR at Levels 5 and 6 in order to broaden your study. An Open Module is selected instead of a 20 credit Optional Module.
120 credits in your Single Honours subject per academic year.
You may take one 20 credit Open Module instead of a 20 credit Optional Module at BOTH Level 5 AND Level 6. With this in mind, you must take at least 200 credits in your Single Honours subject across level 5 and 6 to graduate with this award.
You must take at least 40 credits from each subject in each of level 5 and 6. You are free to split your remaining 40 credits at each level between your two subjects in anyway you like. You may take one 20 credit Open Module instead of a 20 credit Optional Module at BOTH Level 5 AND Level 6.
Certain modules require you to have studied a specific module, prior to commencing it. This is normally because the skills and topics covered in the pre-requisite are continued and developed in the subsequent module.
In the guides we highlight if a module requires you to have studied a specific pre-requisite. We also flag if a module is a pre-requisite for a specific module for the following academic year (for example, in order to study 'BIO6000-20 Dissertation Planning', you must have studied the pre-requisite module 'BIO5008-20 Biology Research Skills').