PROGRAMMES

Level 4 (120 credits) – Year 1 Bachelor/Undergraduate Degree
Level 5 (120 credits) – Year 2 Bachelor/Undergraduate Degree 
Level 6 (120 credits) – Year 3 Bachelor/Undergraduate Degree 
Level 7 (180 credits) –  Master’s Degree /Postgraduate Diploma
Level 8 (120-540 credits) –  Doctorate,  DBA,  D.Phil,  Ph.D  

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What is a Degree ?  :     (36 or 40 Hours of credit)

A Bachelors degree (Level 4, 5 & 6) is generally the next step to study after A levels or Level 3 Diplomas. The most common titles are Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Science (BSc) and Bachelor of Engineering (BEng).  Bachelor degrees usually have the option to be studied ‘with honours’. Honours are awarded when 360 credits are achieved, compared to a non-honours degree with 300 credits. The extra points are most commonly awarded for a research project such as a dissertation. The honours element is abbreviated as part of the degree title e.g. BA (Hons).

Following a Bachelors degree the next level of study is a Masters degree (Level 7). The most common titles are Master of Arts (MA), Master of Science (MSc).  Master of Business Administration (MBA), and Master of Engineering (MEng)

A Doctorate (PhD/DBA) is the highest level of research/academic degree. At Level 8, it requires students to produce an independent research project which can take years to complete. The qualification is highly regarded and many students use their Doctorates to become academics or industry researchers.

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What is a Masters degree?      (36 or 40 Hours of credit)

Masters degrees are taught postgraduate courses, for example:

• MBA – Masters in Business Administration
• MA – Master of Arts
• MSc – Master of Science
• MEng – Master of Engineering
• MRes – Master of Research
• LLM – Master of Laws
• PGDip – Postgraduate Diploma

You’ll study the subject of your first degree at an advanced level, or expand your study by taking a different subject.

Masters degree duration :

A Masters is usually one year (12 to 16 months) if you study full time, or two years if you study part time.

Some Masters are only available for full- or part-time study.

Help with English language and academic skills

If you don’t have the qualifications for a Masters, you may be interested in our English language and academic preparation courses:

Pre-sessional English for academic purposes course

This course is for you if you:

• already meet the academic requirements for your degree (except for September and January start dates)
• need to improve your English to meet the language requirements
• need help adjusting to the UK academic environment.

Pre-sessional English for academic purposes is based in the online Centre for Language Studies.

It runs full time (21 hours per week), with entry in September, January, April, June and July.

When you start depends on your English level and the English language entry requirement for your Masters.

As long as you pass the course, you will:

• not need to retake IELTS
• receive an unconditional offer of a place on one of our Masters degrees.

Pre-Masters Programmes:

Pre-Masters Programmes are preparation courses for international students, provided by the University Study Centre. These courses are for you if you:

• need to improve your academic and study skills
• need extra English-language training
• need help adjusting to the UK academic environment
• want to refresh your knowledge in your subject area.

The Pre-Masters Programmes are based by Study Group, specialists in university preparation for international students. Students can choose from either the Pre-Masters Programme in Business, Media and Social Sciences, or the Pre-Masters Programme in Science and Engineering.

You can start in September, January and May, depending on your English language level. If you need to improve your English to meet your Masters entry requirements, you can study an English for Pre-Masters course, starting in September and June.

Upon successful completion, you can receive an unconditional offer for a place on one of our Masters degrees.

Masters degree structure:

Our academic year starts in September, and includes the autumn, spring and summer terms.

You study modules in each term. A module may include a mix of lecture, seminars or lab sessions, and you’ll have a timetable with the modules for each week of your course.

Some modules are core, which means all students on the course study them. Others are options, which means you can choose the topics that interest you most.

You’ll spend around 50% to 70% of your time on your modules, and the rest of your time on your supervised dissertation or project.

Credits:

To successfully complete a Masters course, for example, you’ll need 180 credits.

Each module carries a multiple of 15 credits (15, 30, 45, 60 or 90), which you get when you successfully pass your assessments.

Teaching methods:

Our teaching methods include:

• lectures: you’re taught with a group of students. You’ll build on what you learn from your lectures through your independent study.
• seminars: you discuss ideas and consider a topic in depth with your tutor and a small group of students.
• tutorials: you ask questions, check your understanding and discuss assignments, either individually with your tutor or in a small group.
• laboratory and practical workshops: you test concepts and methods introduced in lectures and tutorials.
• group work: you work with other students on a project, so that you learn to work as part of a team.
• independent study: you explore topics in more depth, developing your own opinions on problems, their causes and solutions.

Find out more about how you’ll learn on your Masters course

Assessment methods:

You’re assessed using methods including:

• exams – this could include unseen, seen, oral and computer-based exams
• coursework – this could include essays, reports, portfolios, presentations, professional logs and take-away papers
• practical – this could include portfolios, presentations, observations and practical assessments
• group work – this could include group presentations and group written submissions
• written assessment – this could include essays, dissertations, reports and projects.