Generic Undergraduate Regulations

The Generic Undergraduate Regulations are governed by Resolution No. 582 of the University Court which came into effect on 1 September 2008, as subsequently amended, with the following provisions:

1.   All undergraduate degrees of the University of Glasgow except those listed in §20 of the section entitled ‘Regulations’ may be governed by common regulations (the Generic Undergraduate Regulations) and by supplementary regulations specific to each degree.

2.   The Senate may make such Generic Undergraduate Regulations, which are subject to the approval of the University Court - these are stated in §1 - §19 of the section entitled ‘Regulations’.

REGULATIONS

1.     Introductory and Definitions

These regulations must be read together with each degree’s supplementary regulations, programme specification, and associated programme and course documentation (handbooks) which, in some cases, will contain further requirements associated with the award. The definitions set out in the Glossary of Terms apply to these regulations.

2.     Scope of Regulations

These regulations apply to all undergraduate degrees offered by the University of Glasgow other than those listed in §20.

3.     Duration of Study

A candidate for a degree shall, subject to §4, normally attend the University of Glasgow either full-time or part-time for at least the number of academic sessions indicated as a minimum in the table below. The candidate must normally complete their studies for the award of a degree within the number of sessions indicated as a maximum in the degree’s supplementary regulations.

	Minimum duration of study (academic sessions)
Type of degree	Full-time	Part-time
Ordinary/designated degree[1]	3	4
Honours degree	4	5
MA Honours language degree[2]	5	7
Integrated Masters degree	5	6
BVMS, MBChB, BDS	5	N/A

4.     Recognition of Prior Learning

4.1   Credit may be awarded towards the completion of a degree programme for courses or examinations satisfactorily completed while following another programme at the University of Glasgow or at another institution or, where indicated in the degree’s supplementary regulations, for other examinations satisfactorily completed. Such credit may permit a candidate entry to the second or subsequent year of the degree programme. The maximum limit for the award of such credit is, other than in exceptional circumstances and with the approval of the Clerk of Senate, 50% of the credits associated with the degree programme. Candidates must normally attend courses offered by the University of Glasgow during their final year of study.

4.2   Although appropriate prior learning may be recognised for the award of credit, all such credit is ungraded for the purposes of the University except that credit obtained in earlier study at the University of Glasgow may be graded.  Guidance on the inclusion of ungraded APL credit in the application of degree regulations is set out in the University’s APL policy.

4.3   Graded credit may be awarded for study undertaken at an institution other than the University of Glasgow where this is done while registered for a degree programme at the University of Glasgow.

5.     Recognition of Prior Experiential Learning

Where indicated in the degree’s supplementary regulations, a candidate may be awarded credit for prior experiential learning. The procedure for approval of such credit is set out in the University’s APL policy.

6.     Composition of Degree Programmes

6.1   Each degree programme shall be composed of courses, each of which is characterised by the academic level at which it is set and the number of credits which it conveys. The course level will be expressed as 1, 2, 3, H or M, these corresponding to levels 7 to 11 in the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework. Each course shall convey either 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, or 60 credits, or exceptionally a different number of credits where approved by the College.

6.2   In each academic session a full-time candidate will normally take courses totalling 120 credits. A larger number of credits may be taken where necessary to satisfy the requirements for progress or for award of the degree. Alternative arrangements may be permitted, subject to College approval.

6.3   The structure of a degree programme, including the compulsory and optional courses of which it is composed, is shown in the degree’s supplementary regulations and the programme specification.

7.     Pre-requisites, Co-requisites and Excluded Combinations

7.1   Each course may have pre-requisite and/or co-requisite course(s). To be admitted to a course:

i)    The candidate must normally have attained a grade D or better in each pre-requisite course. If the course follows a pre-requisite course in the same academic session, however, it shall be sufficient for the candidate to have attended the pre-requisite course.

ii)   The candidate must either have attended, or be concurrently attending, each co-requisite course.

7.2   Where a candidate’s curriculum includes courses which form an excluded combination, credits from only one of these courses may be counted towards the requirements for award of a degree or other qualification.

8.     Approval of Curriculum

The curriculum of each candidate must be entered on MyCampus by that candidate at the start of each session. Once this has been done, the curriculum may not be altered outwith the ‘add-drop’ period except with the approval of an Adviser of Studies or the Advising Team.

9.     Assessment

For each academic session, assessment and re-assessment are governed by the Code of Assessment which is contained in the ‘University Fees and General Information for Students’ section of the University Calendar published for that session.

10.    Progress

10.1  The progress of candidates shall be reviewed annually.              

10.2  In the case of an Honours programme, and subject to further requirements contained in the degree’s supplementary regulations, a full-time candidate who has achieved a grade point average[3] of at least 9 (equivalent to grade D3) across all third year courses contributing to the programme will be permitted to progress from Junior Honours to Senior Honours.[4]

10.3  In the case of an Integrated Masters programme, and subject to further requirements contained in the degree’s supplementary regulations, a full-time candidate who has achieved a grade point average of at least 12 (equivalent to grade C3) across all third year courses contributing to the programme will be permitted to progress to year 4; and a full-time candidate who has achieved a grade point average of at least 12 (equivalent to grade C3) across all fourth year courses contributing to the programme will be permitted to progress to year 5.

10.4  The requirements for a full-time candidate to progress, other than those covered in §10.2 and §10.3, are set out in the degree’s supplementary regulations.

10.5  For a part-time candidate, the minimum achievement required to progress will be determined for and communicated to the candidate at the start of each session by the Chief Adviser for the degree on which the candidate is enrolled. A candidate who fails to meet this progress requirement must apply for re-admission to the Chief Adviser.

11.    Administration of Progress

11.1  Decisions on progress shall be taken by the College Progress Committee or a sub-committee thereof. The committee shall have the power to exclude a candidate or to impose conditions regarding a candidate’s future progress.

11.2  The College shall publish to all candidates the arrangements for identifying any candidate who does not comply with progress requirements. The College shall notify such candidates of the date of the meeting of the committee and the procedures to permit a candidate to make representations at or prior to the committee meeting.

11.3  Appeal against decisions of the College Progress Committee may be made following the Codes of Procedure set out in the ‘University Fees and General Information for Students’ section of the University Calendar.

12.    Award of a Certificate of Higher Education

12.1  A candidate who has completed courses totalling at least 120 credits with a grade point average[3] of at least 7 shall be eligible to receive a Certificate of Higher Education, unless the candidate proceeds immediately to a diploma or degree programme. This does not preclude the use in subsequent completion of a degree programme of credit counted towards the award of a Certificate of Higher Education.

12.2  The Certificate of Higher Education shall be awarded with Merit where the grade point average is at least 12, and with Distinction where the grade point average is at least 15.

12.3  Where the candidate has accumulated more than 120 credits, the credit counted in the calculation of the grade point average shall be reduced to 120 credits by discarding all of the credit for certain of the courses in such a way as to maximise the grade point average while meeting all other requirements of the regulations.

13.    Award of a Diploma of Higher Education

13.1  A candidate who has completed courses totalling at least 240 credits, of which at least 80 credits are for courses at level 2 or above, with a grade point average[3] of at least 7, shall be eligible to receive a Diploma of Higher Education, unless the candidate proceeds immediately to a degree programme. This does not preclude the use in subsequent completion of a degree programme of credit counted towards the award of a Diploma of Higher Education.

13.2  The Diploma of Higher Education shall be awarded with Merit where the grade point average is at least 12, and with Distinction where the grade point average is at least 15.

13.3  Where the candidate has accumulated more than 240 credits, the credit counted in the calculation of the grade point average shall be reduced to 240 credits by discarding all of the credit for certain of the courses in such a way as to maximise the grade point average while meeting all other requirements of the regulations.

14.    Award of an Ordinary/Designated Degree

14.1  Subject to further requirements contained in the degree’s supplementary regulations, the candidate, to be eligible for the award of an ordinary/designated degree, must have obtained at least 360 credits and achieved an overall grade point average[3] of 9. Within these 360 credits:

a)   at least 120 must be at level 2 or higher, and

b)   at least 280 must be at grade D or better including at least 60 at level 3 or higher.

14.2  Subject to further requirements contained in the degree’s supplementary regulations, the ordinary/designated degree shall be awarded with Merit where the grade point average is at least 12, and with Distinction where the grade point average is at least 15. 

14.3  Where the candidate has accumulated more than 360 credits, the credit counted in the calculation of the grade point average shall be reduced to 360 credits by discarding all of the credit for certain of the courses in such a way as to maximise the grade point average while meeting all other requirements of the regulations.

14.4  The ordinary/designated degree may be awarded to candidates on Honours programmes who fail to meet the requirements of the Honours degree, including any progress requirements, provided that the requirements of §14.1 are met. The supplementary regulations for a degree programme shall specify any provision for candidates who have been assessed at level H to be reassessed at level 3.

15.    Entry to an Honours or Integrated Masters Degree Programme

15.1  In order to obtain entry to an Honours or Integrated Masters degree programme at the end of the second year of full-time study,[5] a candidate must:

a)   achieve 240 credits at levels 1 and 2 with a  grade point average[3] of at least 9; at least 140 of these credits must be derived from the list of recognised courses for the degree; and

b)   achieve a grade D or better in 200 credits; and

c)   achieve a minimum of 40 credits at level 2 at a grade point average of 12 in the subject of the Honours programme[6] at the first attempt: and

d)   meet any further requirements set out in the degree’s supplementary regulations; and

e)   meet any additional requirements set by the School or Schools in which the candidate is applying for entry to the Honours or Integrated Masters programme.

15.2  In order to obtain entry to an Integrated Masters degree programme, a candidate must normally, in addition to meeting the requirements in §15.1:

a)   meet the requirements set out in the degree’s supplementary regulations; and

b)   meet any additional requirements set by the School or Schools in which the candidate is applying for entry to the Honours or Integrated Masters programme.

15.3  Exceptionally, a candidate who does not meet all of the requirements in either §15.1 or §15.2 may be offered admission to Honours, or an Integrated Masters programme, if the Head of School (or their nominee) judges that in other respects the candidate’s previous performance offers a reasonable prospect of the candidate reaching the minimum standard required for the award to which admission is granted.

15.4  The College and School will provide all candidates with written information on the specific level of performance required to obtain entry to each Honours and Integrated Masters degree programme in the School. This information will be made available to candidates at the start of the session preceding that in which Honours study normally commences.

15.5  Admission to an Honours or Integrated Masters degree programme does not guarantee admission to a particular course. A candidate must apply for admission to a particular course in accordance with the instructions issued by the School. Admission to a particular course cannot be guaranteed even for a candidate who satisfies the minimum admission requirements. Where there are more applicants for a particular course than there are places available, selection of candidates will be based on criteria published in course documentation and/or School web pages.

16.    Award of an Honours Degree

16.1  To be eligible for the award of an Honours degree, the candidate must have obtained at least 480[7] credits, including at least 120 at level H, achieved a grade D3[8] or better for a piece of independent work worth at least 20 credits,[9] and complied with the other requirements set out in the degree’s supplementary regulations.

16.2 A Joint Honours degree is awarded following successful completion of an Honours programme in years three and four in which two subjects are studied in depth. At least 120 credits but no more than 140 credits are studied in each subject, and the subjects are normally equally weighted in the calculation of the final classification.[10]

16.3  A Principal with Subsidiary Honours degree is awarded following successful completion of an Honours programme in years three and four where 180 credits will normally be in one subject with 60 in another, the weighting of the programme’s scheme of assessment reflecting the respective credit values of the two subjects.[10]

16.4  A scheme of assessment may permit a candidate for Honours in a single subject to be assessed in not more than 25% of the total assessment for Honours from the scheme of assessment in one other subject.

16.5  Courses at level 3 or above which form a candidate’s Honours programme must be counted towards the calculation of the candidate’s Honours classification unless other provision is justified by good cause circumstances affecting the candidate. 

This regulation applies where level 3 course registration continues:

a)   on the date on which the first summative assessment for that course is to be submitted; or

b)   on such other date as may be specified in the course document for that course.

17.    Award of an Integrated Masters Degree

17.1  To be eligible for the award of an Integrated Masters degree, the candidate must have obtained at least 600 credits, including at least 120 credits at level M, achieved a grade D3[8] or better for a piece of independent work worth at least 20 credits,[9] and complied with the other requirements set out in the degree’s supplementary regulations.

17.2  Courses at level 3 or above which form a candidate’s Integrated Masters programme must be counted towards the calculation of the candidate’s Honours classification unless other provision is justified by good cause circumstances affecting the candidate. 

This regulation applies where level 3 course registration continues:

a)   on the date on which the first summative assessment for that course is to be submitted; or

b)   on such other date as may be specified in the course document for that course.