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Aims and objectives
Any
Postgraduate certificate course consists of work which is postgraduate in
character. The objectives of certificate courses include -
·
instruction for students wishing to change disciplines
·
the upgrading of knowledge within a discipline, and
·
preparation for entry to a Master's or Diploma course.
Criteria for approval of certificate schemes
- Schemes of
study may contain units based on Part II undergraduate courses. All
schemes of study must contain at least one element which is postgraduate
in character (e.g. independent project work). Where possible separate
tutorial arrangements shall be made for undergraduate and certificate
students taking the same course.
- Contact hours
shall normally amount to a minimum of at least 100 hours of formal
contact, although special features of certain courses, like field work
and interactive computer learning, may produce individual variations.
- The normal duration
shall be up to six months for full-time courses and six to twelve months
for part-time courses or a mixture of full- and part-time study judged
to be the equivalent. Longer periods of study may be prescribed in
exceptional circumstances by the Senate acting on the recommendation of
the faculty board or equivalent concerned.
- In order to
qualify for the award of a certificate, candidates must reach an overall
final standard which (after making allowance for the greater maturity of
the students and distinctive content of the certificate course) may be
regarded as the equivalent of honours standard in a first degree course
or, in the case of certificate courses which constitute a professional
qualification, must reach a standard not less than the minimum standard
set by the relevant professional body.
Admission
- Candidates
must be graduates of a recognised university or comparable institution
or must in other ways be qualified to be regarded by the University as
the equivalent of such graduates.
- For each
course there shall be a prescribed scheme of study and method of
assessment which is approved by the Senate on the recommendation of the
faculty board or equivalent and after scrutiny by the Graduate School
Committee.
- The method of
assessment for each course shall be appropriate to the discipline
concerned.
Examination
Examiners
(including at least one external examiner for each approved certificate
course) shall be appointed by the Senate on the nomination of the faculty
board or equivalent concerned. The examiners shall conduct all prescribed
forms of assessment, and may, at their discretion, require a candidate to
attend for an oral examination. The examiners shall jointly submit
recommendations on the work of the candidates.
Re-examination
Permission
to resit examinations shall be at the discretion of the Senate. The date of
any resit examination shall be reported to the Director of the University Graduate School
on the recommendation of the board of examiners concerned. No candidate may be
re-examined more than once. Review and appeal procedures in case of failure
shall apply as specified in section II of these regulations.
Credits
The degree
may be awarded with credit if the examiners, in accordance with requirements
specified in advance, so recommend.
Subsequent entry to Diploma and Master's courses
An overall
final standard in a certificate course which is at least equivalent to a
second class honours standard in a first degree shall normally be the minimum
requirement for admission to a more advanced postgraduate course of study.
Individual Master's courses may set additional requirements for entry and all
candidates intending to undertake a Diploma or Master's course after
completing a postgraduate certificate should consult the detailed regulations
for particular courses.
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