Understanding the British System of Higher Education

Outline British Framework –Programmes, Modules, Credits, Assessments, Regulations Module Specifications –Their significance & importance for students British Philosophy of Higher Education –Independent learning 2

Activity: Study at university and the British system What do you know about study at university and the British system of Higher Education? Take a few minutes to think about this and discuss it with the person next to you 3

British Framework 4

Elements of the British Framework Degree Programmes Programme Specifications Modules Credits Assessments Semesters & Progression Regulations 5

Degree programmes Degree programmes comprise modules each with a predefined modular weight During the four years of study a student should complete 600 credits worth of modules Graduates are granted a B.Sc. 6

Programme Specifications Provide an overview of the required learning outcomes of a specific programme Outcomes are classified based on the skills and knowledge they help develop Programme Specifications also provide a list of modules to study in order to acquire the defined learning outcomes 7

Regulations, semesters & progression Study at BUE is in two Semesters –Autumn Semester (Sep-Jan) –Spring Semester (Feb-June) Students study sixty credits/semester with a total of 120 credits/year Students are allowed four attempts for P level modules and three for C, I & H level modules Students can Re-Sit a module in September of each year and the first time it is offered thereafter Students can progress to the next year with a maximum of 20 failed credits 8

Module Specifications Their significance and importance to students 9

Each module specification outlines Module title Module code Modular weight Aims Intended learning Outcomes (ILOs) Content Methods of teaching, learning and assessment Resources list Methods of feedback 10

Modular weight and student effort Each module is assigned a modular weight The unit of a modular weight is the credit Each credit requires, on average, a total student effort of 10 hours along the semester A regular module is worth 10 credits, which requires 100 hours of student effort along the semester This total effort includes 30% in the form of direct contact on campus in lectures and tutorials The rest is the independent effort required by students to fulfill the module requirements 11

Module levels Modules are classified in three levels: i.Preparatory level - (P) ii.Certificate level - (C) iii.Intermediate level - (I) iv.Honors level - (H) These four levels match the four years of study The four levels are spread over four years, each is worth 160 credits 12

Assessments Each module specification outlines the Intended learning outcomes and modes of assessment. Evaluate the extent to which students achieve the intended learning outcomes Assessments include, assignments, class tests, projects, research, reports and exams 13

British Philosophy of Higher Education Independent Learning 14

Key attributes 1.You must possess high levels of personal motivation & work to sustain this 2.You will need good time management skills 3.You will be able to reflect upon, and adapt effectively, aspects of your learning 4. Take responsibility for your learning and try to be an ‘independent learner’, but don’t hesitate to seek help and support if you need it 15

Activity: Time management We all have time management skills which can be developed and used to help us study effectively. Work in pairs. List what you think good time management involves. How will this help you be an effective student? Compare your list with the definition given 16

Good time management will help you to: Time management refers to the development of skills and tools that increase efficiency and productivity. It will help you: understand & manage your commitments break assignments down into tasks plan & prioritise tasks carry out each stage effectively avoid last minute rushes produce higher quality work participate in a wider range of activities avoid stress be an active & independent learner 17

Activity: making time to study – 24 hour diary Use the 24 hour diary to analyse how you spend a typical day. Write down your different activities: 1.essential time – eating, sleeping, travelling, lectures, classes 2.flexible time – time you can choose what you do: leisure, independent study, use of computer etc 3.best study times – times when you prefer to study Look at your completed diary. When can you fit in study time? Are there any activities you could reduce time doing to free up more study time? 18

Activity: making time to study - 24 hour diary TimeActivityTimeActivity Midnight-1amMidday-1pm 1am-2am1pm-2pm 2am-3am2pm-3pm 3am-4am3pm-4pm 4pm-5pm 5am-6am5pm-6pm 6am-7am6pm-7pm 7am-8am7pm-8pm 8am-9am8pm-9pm 9am-10am9pm-10pm 10am-11am10pm-11pm 11am-midday11pm-midnight 19