The Academic Year
The academic year consists of thirty weeks divided into two semesters each of fifteen weeks. The Autumn Semester starts in late September and consists of twelve teaching weeks before Christmas and a three-week examination period after the Christmas Vacation, when the modules taken during the semester are assessed. The Spring Semester starts immediately after this examination period and consists of twelve teaching weeks broken into two blocks one before and one after the Easter Vacation. The second semester concludes with a three-week examination period when the modules taken in this semester are assessed.
University semester and exam dates can be found here
Modular Degree Structure and Credits
All undergraduate degree courses in the University have a common modular structure (except Medical and Dental degrees). A module is a unit in a degree course. In the Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, all first year (Level 1) modules and second year (Level 2) lecture-based modules are worth 20 credits, and the practical module in each year is assigned a value of 30 credits. Level 1 modules are taught over the whole academic year. Level 2 lecture modules are taught over the 12 weeks of a semester, and the practical module is taught through the whole academic year. Each third year (Level 3) lecture module is worth 10 credits and taught in a six-week block, whereas the data handling modules (10 credits) and project (20 credits) are spread over both semesters. In the fourth year of MBiolSci degrees, Introduction to Research Methodology is taught over the first week of the year, and the other modules are spread over both semesters.
To obtain a degree you must take modules to a value of 120 credits in each academic year. In each semester, modules to a value of at least 40 credits must be taken. It is thus technically possible, but not necessarily desirable, for you to take up to two thirds of your modules for any particular year in a single semester.
Each degree course has a structure prescribed by University Regulations. In each year you will be required to take certain modules - these are called core modules. Other modules you will choose from a list specific to your degree course - these are called approved modules. In each of the first two years, you will also have a free choice of one 10-credit unrestricted module. The first three semesters are the same for all degree programmes, meaning that transferring between programmes is trivial. This can easily be done at the end of the year at the same time as module choice.
Some modules have prerequisites. This means that you must have taken another module before you will be allowed to take the module in question. Prerequisites usually consist of module(s) at a lower level, but can be at the same level.
Years and Levels
You will find in University Regulations that "first year”, “second year”, etc. are terms no longer used. Rather the terms Level 1, Level 2, Level 3 and Level 4 are used, together with Level 0 for Foundation Year. This reflects the fact that a modular degree structure is flexible, and it is possible for part-time students to take longer than one academic year to gain 120 credits. For full-time students a Level is identical to an academic year.
Each module is identified by a prefix which indicates the academic department that provides the teaching, and a three digit suffix that indicates its level and identification. So MBB301 is thus a Level 3 module taught by the Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, BMS223 is a Level 2 module taught by the Department of Biomedical Science, and so on.
Registration for Modules
All Level 1 and Level 2 students, plus Level 3 MBiolSci students, will register for next year’s modules before leaving Sheffield at the end of the academic year.
For approved and unrestricted modules, you will be able to change your registration during the first part of each module, but not normally after that. At Level 1 and Level 2, you can make changes within the first three weeks of each semester. At Level 3, you can make changes within the first week of each module. You will only be able to change your registration after appropriate academic approval. You should visit here and submit an online Add-Drop form. If required, the Office will arrange for you to see one of the Year Tutors. It must be stressed that if you do not follow the proper procedure for changing your registration, you will not be allowed to attend or be assessed in any module for which you are not correctly registered.