5. Credit
5.1. The University’s credit framework summarises the amount and level of credit required to receive a University award. It aligns with the national Frameworks for Higher Education Qualifications of UK Awarding Bodies.
5.2.
The University’s Credit Framework:
| Qualification | FHEQ level | Total credits required | Minimum credits required at the highest level | Equivalent ECTS credits | Additional credit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taught Masters degree | 7 | At least 180 | 160 | The minimum requirement is 60, however, a range of 90-120 is more typical. | A Master of Research (MRes) includes a research component of between 60 and 120 credit points at level 7 |
| Integrated Masters degree | 7 | At least 480 | 120 | Where the programme includes a year away from the University: at least 60 credit points at level 6 in the year spent away from the University and at least 60 credit points at level 7 in the final year | |
| Postgraduate Diploma | 7 | At least 120 | 100 | Remaining credits to be at level 4 or higher | |
| Postgraduate Certificate (including the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE)) | 7 | At least 60 | 40 | ||
| Bachelors degree with honours | 6 | At least 360 | 100 | 180 - 240 | Remaining credits to include at least 100 at level 5 or above |
| Bachelors degree (Ordinary degree) | 6 | At least 300 | 60 | ||
| Professional Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) | 6 | At least 60 | 40 | ||
| Graduate Diploma | 6 | At least 80 | 80 | Students may undertake a curriculum of 120 credit points | |
| Graduate Certificate | 6 | At least 40 | 40 | ||
| Foundation Degree | 5 | At least 240 | 100 | ||
| Diploma of Higher Education in (Faculty name) (Subject) | 5 | At least 240 | 100 | Approx. 120 | Remaining credits at level 4 or above. |
| Certificate of Higher Education in (Faculty name) (Subject) | 4 | At least 120 | 120 |
* The highest level is the level of the qualification
Credit points
5.3. Credit points are assigned to units based on total student input for a normal full-time year of study. The appropriate input for students is considered to be an average of 40 hours per week during term time. One credit point represents approximately 10 notional hours of student input.
5.4. Credit points may only be used once and not towards two or more taught awards of this University or of another higher education provider and this University. The exceptions are:
- where an award at one level is subsumed into an award at a higher level (e.g. a Postgraduate Diploma is topped up to a Masters degree in the same subject);
- where a University award or award of another institution has independent standing as a professional qualification and is accredited by a professional body;
- where a medical, dental or veterinary student of this University intercalates a year of study for a specified degree in this University or elsewhere, or where a medical, dental or veterinary student from another institution intercalates a year of study for a specified degree in this University.
The use of credit or a lower award from this University towards an award of another institution is at the discretion of that awarding institution, including as part of articulation agreements where a partner institution might count the credit or qualification obtained at Bristol towards their own award.
5.5. It is the responsibility of the relevant exam board to determine whether a student has satisfied the criteria for the award of credit points in a unit or satisfied the criteria across units in a year of study for progression to the next stage or for award in non-modular programmes.