University of Sunderland

Outline of the Customised Modular Scheme

Building Your Programme

The University operates a Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS). This has many advantages for you, including:

• full- or part-time study, and the opportunity to vary this during your time here
• credit for what you successfully study
• credit given to you for previous study (known as Accreditation of Prior Learning)
• transfer of credits to another programme of study at Sunderland, or to another Higher Education Institute, in the UK or abroad.

Your programme is designed in conjunction with a member of the academic team and the relevant subject staff to suit your individual needs

Full-Time Study

• To qualify as a full-time student you must be studying modules totalling 80 credits or more during an academic year. The expectation is that you will study 120 credits per year, however you may register for up to 160 (80 credits per semester). It will therefore take you three years to complete an undergraduate honours degree.

Part-Time Study

• Students studying on a part-time basis are permitted to register for up to 80 credits in any academic year. If 80 credits are exceeded full-time status is conferred. This means that it will take a part-time student a minimum of 9 semesters, or four and a half years, to obtain an Honours degree. Students may take up to nine years to complete a degree.
• As a part-time student you may find yourself taking modules at more than one level at the same time;

Changing Your Mode of Study

It may be possible to change your mode of study during the course of your programme. If you wish to change from full-time to part-time, or vice versa, you must arrange an appointment to see the Scheme Leader or an Academic Tutor, who will discuss the implications of such a change with you.

Your programme is built up of a number of modules. These may be "Core", "Designated", or an "Optional. In addition, there are modules, which are available as electives to all students.

The number of credits modules attract carry vary between 10, 20, 30, or 40.

Core (Compulsory) Modules

These are modules that you must do. Almost every subject demands core modules at each level and they usually supply the theoretical basis of your subjects. When choosing your modules you should make sure that your core modules are given priority. You need to build your other modules around your core modules. One of the academic team will be available to help you with your module choice.

Optional Modules

These modules are defined by your subject(s) and usually offer a variety of perspectives on your chosen subject.

Elective Modules

For most subject combinations you are able to study an elective module at each level of your programme, if you so choose. This module will count towards the 120 credits at that level. "Elective" modules enable you to partake of other University Programmes. For example, if you wish to study a modern language in addition to your chosen subjects you can add a module from the Universities Language Scheme to each level of your Programme. If you wish to become a more effective learner you may decide to do the Effective Learning Programme, which is a level one open-learning module or the online Information Skills module.

Co-Requisite Modules

Some modules may have co-requisites which are identified on module descriptors. Co-requisites are those modules, which must be studied alongside each other. A co-requisite module is normally at the same level as the requiring module.

Pre-Requisite Modules

Some modules may identify other modules which you must have already studied and passed. Such modules are referred to as "pre-requisites" and are normally at a lower Level than the requiring module.

Award Titles

Do I get a qualification?

Successful completion would result in a University of Sunderland Certificate or Diploma (the award depends upon the level of study). For example, complete at least 10 credits at level 1 and you will achieve a University of Sunderland Certificate via Customised Study. Complete at least 20 credits at level 2 and you will receive a University of Sunderland Diploma via Customised Study. Complete at least 20 credits at level 3 and you will receive a University of Sunderland Advanced Diploma via Customised Study.

If you prefer to study modules from a particular subject area you can negotiate a different title, eg University of Sunderland Certificate in History or University of Sunderland Diploma in Spanish Studies.

You could then go on to take more modules, perhaps even resulting in a degree or a further award.

Degree Students

If you choose to study for a degree (undergraduate or post graduate) your programme of study will be designed in negotiation with the Scheme leader, relevant subject specialists and yourself. It will then have to be be approved to run by the Scheme Board of Studies, after which one of the subject specialists will then become your Director of Study.

The number of credits obtained, the subjects studied and the combination type determines the title of your final award.

If you are studying with aim of achieving a degree with honours you must have passed 360 credits (120 at each of the three Levels) including all cores for your chosen combination type in each subject.
Please refer to "awards" in the "Model Regulations" for details of how award classifications are calculated.