Charter, Statutes, Non-curricular Ordinances, Rules for Award
ORDINANCE VI
TAUGHT POSTGRADUATE AWARDS
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Within the following Ordinance and its associated Regulations the
following phrases have the significance stated:
- 'relevant committee' means the committee empowered for the purpose concerned by the Senate i.e. normally the relevant Faculty Learning and Teaching Committee, the Collaborative Provision Learning and Teaching Committee or the relevant College Committee
- 'designated authority' means the member of staff authorised to act in accordance with the relevant Ordinances, regulations, Rules, Procedures and Codes of Practice of the University for the purpose concerned by the Senate or the relevant committee i.e. the appropriate Head of Faculty /School/ Affiliated Institution/Recognised Institution or other designated member of staff .
- 'designated Examination Board' means the University/Faculty/School/College Board or Committee of Examiners with designated authority from the Senate to consider and determine the examination results and degree classifications concerned.
1. The Taught Postgraduate Awards shall be:
The Degree of Master
Master of Arts (MA)
Master of Laws (LLM)
Master of Education (MEd)
Master of Science (MSc)
Master of Dental Science (MDentSci)
Master of Public Health (MPH)
Master of Medical Science (MMedSc)
Master of Music (MMus)
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Master of Science (Engineering) (MSc (Eng))
Master of Psychotherapy (MPsychother)
Master of Research (MRes)
Master of Health Science (MHSc)
Master of Psychoanalytic Observational Studies (MPsychObs)
Master of Child Forensic Studies (MCFS)
Master of Midwifery (MMid)
Master of Business Studies (MBS)
Master of Fine Art (MFA)
Other Taught Postgraduate Awards
Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip)
Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert)*
General
2. A degree of Master or other taught postgraduate award shall be conferred
on payment of the proper fee, upon candidates who have fulfilled the requirements
of the Ordinance and the relevant regulations as to study and examination.
3. Before commencing postgraduate studies at the University or at a College, Institution or teaching establishment affiliated to or recognised by the University under the provisions of Ordinance I Articles 8 and 9, all candidates for a degree of Master or other taught postgraduate award of the University shall be required to satisfy the requirements for entry upon a taught postgraduate award programme. Such requirements will be prescribed from time to time for the programme concerned by the relevant committee in accordance with the provisions of the Regulations governing Taught Postgraduate Awards.
4. Candidates for taught postgraduate awards who have successfully attended certain courses of study either at the University of Leeds or at an approved educational establishment shall be eligible for special consideration under the policies and procedures for credit accumulation and transfer(CATS)/accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) for the granting of exemption from any module/course and its examinations other than the modules/courses comprising the final examinations for an award providing always that no such exemptions will apply to the statutory qualifying examinations for registrable awards.
5. A candidate may transfer from any programme of study leading to a taught postgraduate award to any other taught postgraduate programme in conformity with the specification approved by the relevant committee for the programme into which the candidate has applied to transfer.
6. A candidate may proceed to a degree of Master or other taught postgraduate award by following an approved programme of study and by passing the prescribed examinations. The full-time and, where applicable, part-time minimum duration of study will, unless a longer period is specified in the prescribed programme specification concerned, be:
|
Period of Full-Time Study not less than |
Period of Part-time Study not less than |
Postgraduate Programme Year |
1 calendar year |
2 calendar years |
Degree of Master |
1 calendar year |
2 calendar years |
Postgraduate Diploma |
8 months |
16 months |
Postgraduate Certificate |
4 months |
8 months
|
Where candidates have been permitted to transfer between the full-time and part-time modes of study, or have been admitted under the provisions of Article 4 above the minimum periods of study for their programme will be determined in proportion to the minimum period of study applicable to the relevant mode of each Programme Year they are required to complete Where a candidate has been granted permission by the relevant committee to intercalate periods of leave of absence such intercalated periods will not be counted as contributing to the minimum period of study prescribed for his/her programme.
7. Except with the special permission of the relevant committee every candidate for a taught postgraduate award shall be required to have completed all study, class, practical, clinical and examination requirements, including any re-examinations, by not later than 24 months after the expiry of the minimum period of study prescribed for his/her programme.
8. A candidate who has been awarded a degree of Master or other postgraduate award on completion of one programme of study may not present a second time for the examination for the same degree or award on either the same programme of study or on another programme of study where a half or more of the compulsory components of the second programme formed part of the programme already successfully completed.
9. Subject to the provisions of the relevant regulations and prescribed programme specifications candidates who have not attained sufficient of the requirements to merit the award of the:
(a)degree of Master, may become or be deemed candidates for and, if they have fulfilled the requirements of a programme for, be awarded the Postgraduate Diploma;
(b) Postgraduate Diploma may become or be deemed candidates for and, if they have fulfilled the requirements of a programme for, be awarded the Postgraduate Certificate.
10. Nothing in the provisions of Ordinance XXIV ( Aegrotat degree) shall apply to the award of any degree of Master which is recognized by the relevant Statutory Body for inclusion in the relevant professional register.
11. Posthumous taught postgraduate awards may be awarded in accordance with the procedure approved by the Senate by the relevant committee upon report from the internal and external examiners concerned and upon such further evidence as the Committee sees fit.
The degree of Master
12. Candidates who have presented for and passed the examinations
prescribed for the programme of study leading to the degree of Master
may, in conformity with the Rules for Award approved by the Senate and
the arrangements approved for the programme concerned by the relevant
committee, be awarded:
the degree of Master with Distinction,
the degree of Master with Merit, or
the degree of Master
The Postgraduate Diploma and the Postgraduate Certificate
13. Candidates who have presented for and passed the examinations
prescribed for the programme of study leading to the Postgraduate Diploma
or Postgraduate Certificate may, in conformity with the Rules for Award
approved by the Senate and the arrangements approved for the programme
concerned by the relevant committee, be awarded:
the Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate with Distinction,
the Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate with Merit, or
the Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate
*Programmes of initial teacher training leading to the PGCE are governed by Ordinance III
REGULATIONS FOR TAUGHT POSTGRADUATE AWARDS
General
1. Admission Requirements
In order to qualify for admission to a taught postgraduate programme
of study, all applicants must demonstrate that they have qualifications
and/or experience which suggests that they have the ability to benefit
from and succeed on the programme through:
a. meeting the normal minimum entry requirement for admission to a taught postgraduate programme which, unless otherwise stated in the prescribed programme specification, require candidates to be:
i. graduates of the University of Leeds or any other approved university or institution of Higher education with normally at least the Honours degree of Bachelor in an appropriate discipline or its equivalent; or
ii. if not graduates, through their possession of other qualifications and/or experience which is recognised by the University as the equivalent of i. through its procedures for the recognition of prior certificated or experiential learning,
or
b. attaining the standard prescribed for transfer to a taught postgraduate
award from a prescribed access or graduate diploma programme and/or in
modules provided by the University's Schools, Colleges and Affiliated
Institutions;
and
c. in addition to meeting the above requirements, all applicants will
be required to meet any requirements for admission to an individual course
of study stipulated in the prescribed programme specification and by any
relevant professional statutory or accreditation body;
d. applicants whose first language is not English shall fulfil the following conditions in order to provide evidence that they have a sufficient knowledge of both written and spoken English:
i. Applicants for admission to a programme of study leading to a taught postgraduate award of the University must, before they can be admitted to the University, provide evidence that they have attained normally at least a pass (grade C) in the Certificate of Proficiency in English of the University of Cambridge or a IELTS band score of 6.0 overall with not less than 5.5 in any individual skill, or a paper based TOEFL score of 550 with 4 on the Test of Written English or a computer based TOEFL score of 220 with 4 on essay writing.
ii. Exceptionally, with the explicit approval of the Learning and Teaching Board of the requirements and procedures concerned, a School may develop and prescribe requirements instead of or in addition to those prescribed in d.i. above which are designed to ensure that students whose first language is not English have a sufficient knowledge of both written and spoken English to meet the particular characteristics of the programme of study to which they are being admitted.
iii. upon admission to courses of study in the University all applicants must undergo a test in English as soon as possible and in any case not later than one month after registration. Students who fail to reach a satisfactory standard in this test will be required to complete satisfactorily appropriate courses, as may be required. These may require a year of study additional to the period required for a qualification of the University.
2. All candidates intending to be admitted to a programme of study leading either to the degree of Master or to the award of Postgraduate Diploma or Certificate must comply with any special requirements laid down for the programme of study.
3. Candidates for taught postgraduate awards will be admitted, or will be permitted to transfer under the provisions of the Ordinance, to a prescribed programme of study by the designated authority.
4. Programmes of Study
Programmes will comprise the study of 180 credits, unless otherwise
prescribed in the programme specification, during each Programme Year
(Article 6 of Ordinance VI refers). Part-time programmes will require
the study in each session of the number of credits specified in the prescribed
programme specification. The University's programmes of study are taught
and examined in the English Language except where the subject of the programme
of study obviously necessitates all or part of the teaching and assessment
being in another language.
5. Attendance
Students are required to be in residence throughout each designated
period of study and may not absent themselves without permission from
the designated authority except at weekends. Certain programmes of study
may require students to be in attendance outside term time and at weekend.
During the prescribed periods of study students shall attend regularly, punctually and in an orderly manner the course of lectures, laboratory work, tutorial periods, classes and examinations prescribed in their programmes of study, together with such other lectures, classes, practice or examinations as may be directed. Persistent neglect of work, repeated failure in examinations or unreasonable delay in presentation for an examination or assessment may result in a student being required to withdraw from the University. A student who becomes absent through illness or other sufficient cause shall send a written explanation promptly to the designated authority. In cases where absence through illness extends for more than one week, or results in absence from University examinations or assessments, the student shall promptly send to the designated authority a medical certificate stating the nature, severity and duration of the illness in relation to the absence.
6. Examinations
Candidates must present themselves for any Faculty/School/College
assessments associated with any module/course for which they are registered
and for the University examinations and assessments arranged in connection
with any module/course prescribed in their programme of study, except
that candidates will not be permitted to present themselves for such examination
or assessment unless they have satisfactorily attended the prescribed
module/course and performed any required class, practical and/or clinical
work to the satisfaction of the designated authority for the module/course.
Candidates must present themselves for such oral examinations as may be
required by the examiners in accordance with the requirements laid down
in relation to the programme of study.
7. The last date for registration for University examinations will be published in the University/College Almanac in the preceding session. The timing of examinations and re-examinations in the Schools of Medicine, of Dentistry and of Healthcare Studies and in the Colleges and Affiliated Institutions will be in accordance with the arrangements approved for the programme of study concerned. (See also the General Regulations for Examinations.)
8. Subject to the provisions of the relevant programme of study a first attempt at University examinations as prescribed for individual modules/courses will ordinarily be held at the end of either Semester 1 or Semester 2 upon completion of the module/course. Additionally, candidates may be required to present for sessional examinations or assessments either at the end of the academic or the Programme Year or at other times in accordance with the individual requirements of the programme of study. Candidates who do not achieve a satisfactory standard at the first attempt may be permitted a second attempt in individual assessments and examinations, normally when the assessment or examination is next offered.
a. Candidates will not be admitted to any re-examination, except with the special permission of the Senate, unless:
iv. they have presented for and failed the corresponding preceding examination, and
v. they have attained a minimum standard in the examination concerned, as defined by the relevant committee on the recommendation of the designated Examination Board, and
vi. they have repeated study or pursued such further study as internal candidates as may be required by the designated Examinations Board.
b. A candidate's failure in any examinations and assessments to the extent that the parent Faculty/School is no longer prepared to take responsibility for that candidate will, where the regulations may permit further re-examination, lead to him/her being considered by the relevant committee under the Referred Students Procedure for final determination in accordance with the terms of reference of that committee.
9. In any re-examination of any module taken as part of a taught postgraduate award the grade achieved may not exceed the minimum pass grade for that module as designated on the University scale of grades.
10 A candidate who fails any re-examination in a module/course which it is required be passed before progression to the next Programme Year or to award will be required to withdraw from the programme of study concerned.
11. The examination performance of candidates at any stage in their programme may be taken into account in assessing their final award in accordance with the Rules for Award approved by the Senate and the provisions for that programme approved by the relevant committee.
12. The results of examinations shall be considered by the Designated Examination Board to which authority to determine and publish the results of examinations has been delegated by the Senate. Pass lists for taught postgraduate awards shall be published by programme of study.
13. Where permissible in the programme of study and subject to the provisions of Regulation 4, a candidate who has failed the first assessment but who has not attempted the re-assessment for an optional or elective module may seek the permission of the parent School to study and present for assessment in another such module on a single occasion (as if it were a re-examination). The examination opportunity in such a substituted module will normally be at the end of either semester 1 or semester 2 when the examination or assessment is next offered. Only with the prior approval of the relevant Faculty Special Cases Committee will the grade that an individual student can achieve in such a substituted module exceed the minimum pass grade designated on the University scale of grades.
The Degree of Master
14. Programmes of study leading to the degree of Master
will comprise a minimum of 180 credits, of which at least 135 will be
‘M' level credits, together with any further periods of practice, study
and research as may be prescribed in the programme of study concerned.
Programmes in which there is a emphasis on research training and research
such as those leading to the degree of Master of Research will include
(a) significant research project(s) or their equivalent comprising at
least 90 'M' credits which will be undertaken under the supervision of
a member of staff of the Faculty/affiliated or recognised institution
concerned appointed by the relevant committee. Candidates shall be required
to give evidence of satisfactory progress by such means as the designated
authority may prescribe.
15. Candidates for the degree of Master must not submit for assessment any of their work for which another degree or similar qualification has been awarded, or which is under consideration for such an award. They will not however be precluded from making appropriate reference to such previous work in any of their submissions for assessment provided that any such submission contains new work or research which they have undertaken during their candidacy which is sufficient to merit consideration for the award of the credits concerned.
16. All arrangements for the undertaking and supervision by a member of the academic staff of the University of research projects included in programmes leading to the degree of Master will be subject to the explicit approval of the designated authority or the relevant programme management group. Approval may be granted by the designated authority or relevant programme management group for the research concerned to be undertaken in the University and/or in other approved academic institutions, scientific, clinical, professional or industrial locations whilst the candidate concerned remains under the direction of and supervision by the University provided that the designated authority or programme management group is satisfied that:
(i) the candidate will be able to devote his/her whole time, if a full-time candidate, or an agreed proportion of his/her time, if a part-time candidate, to his/her research;
(ii) the external location has available the facilities necessary for the research;
(iii) the necessary arrangements are agreed in advance with the external organisation including arrangements for the appropriate day to day supervision of the candidate's research by (a) suitably qualified local supervisor(s).
17. A candidate for the degree of Master on a programme which specifies a thesis, dissertation or research project must submit that thesis, dissertation or research project for examination in accordance with the relevant programme and/or specifications. Any such thesis, dissertation or research project:
a. shall be specially written for the purpose;
b. shall be written in English except in those exceptional individual cases where the Learning and Teaching Board has granted its prior permission for a thesis, dissertation or research project to be submitted in a language other than English: any recommendation from the relevant committee for such exceptional permission will be considered solely on the basis of the demands of the subject material under investigation in the thesis, dissertation or research project;
c. must contain a critical account of original studies carried out personally by the candidate.
The examination of a thesis, dissertation or research project may include an oral examination which shall be conducted in English except in those exceptional individual cases where the Learning and Teaching Board has granted its prior permission for such an oral examination to be conducted in a language other than English.
18. In conformity with the prescribed programme specification as determined by the relevant committee and the Rules for Award approved by the Senate, candidates become eligible for the award of the degree of Master when they have satisfied any supplementary regulations governing the programme and (a) have been awarded at least 150 credits of which at least 135 must be passed at 'M' level and (b) achieved an Award Average, determined across all 180 credits or such larger number of credits as are prescribed as comprising their programme in accordance with the Rules for Award approved by the Senate, equal to or greater than the minimum pass grade prescribed for the award of a Masters degree.
19. The degree of Master may be awarded with distinction or with merit in conformity with the provisions laid down in the Rules for Award approved by the Senate.
20. Where it is permitted by the individual programme regulations, candidates for the degree of Master who accumulate fewer credits than those required for the award of the degree of Master shall be considered by the examiners for the award of another postgraduate award where they have satisfied any regulations governing the award concerned and met the requirements of the relevant prescribed programme.
The Postgraduate Diploma and Postgraduate Certificate*
21. Programmes of study leading to the award of
a. the Postgraduate Diploma
will comprise at least 120 credits of which at least 75 will be 'M'
level credits and not more than 45 credits may be credits at an undergraduate
level.
b. the Postgraduate Certificate
will comprise at least 60 credits of which at least 45 will be 'M'
level credits and not more than 15 may be credits at an undergraduate
level.
22. In conformity with the prescribed programme specification as determined by the relevant committee and the Rules for Award approved by the Senate:
a. a Postgraduate Diploma may be awarded to a candidate who has satisfied any supplementary regulations governing the programme, and has: (a) achieved not less than 90 credits of which a minimum of 75 must be 'M' credits and (b) achieved an Award Average, determined across all 120 credits or such larger number of credits as are prescribed as comprising their programme in accordance with the Rules for Award approved by the Senate, equal to or greater than the minimum pass grade prescribed for the award of a postgraduate taught award degree.
b. a Postgraduate Certificate may be awarded to a candidate who has achieved not less than 60 credits of which a minimum of 45 must be 'M' credits.
23. A Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate may be awarded with distinction or with merit in conformity with the provisions laid down in the Rules for Award approved by the Senate.
*Programmes of initial teacher training leading to the PGCE are governed by Ordinance III and its associated regulations
Explanatory Note
Credits
The University's modular programme framework is based on the award of credit in recognition of the achievement of the learning outcomes prescribed for a given module at a specified level. Credit is expressed in terms of notional learning hours at a given level with 10 credits equating to 100 notional learning hours. Notional learning hours are the number of hours which it is expected that a learner (at a particular level) will spend to achieve the learning outcomes at that level.
Taught or contact time may vary according to the manner of delivery of the module concerned but notional learning time does not vary according to the manner of delivery. Notional learning time is not the actual time that any particular learner necessarily needs to spend in order to achieve the learning outcomes: the actual time will vary according to the individual's capabilities, extent of prior experiential or other learning and the type of the learning concerned. Some modules may require attendance for study purposes in excess of the notional learning hours particularly when learning is to be achieved in non-academic environments.