Contents

INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 4
SECTION 1: The Structure of Taught Programmes at the University ........................... 5
Active Blended Learning ................................................................................................. 6
Semesters ........................................................................................................................ 6
Programme Registration................................................................................................. 6
Accreditation of Prior Certificated Learning/Experiential Learning (APCL/APEL) .... 7
Honours Awards .............................................................................................................. 7
Optional Placement Year ................................................................................................ 8
HNC/HND/FdA/FdSc/Certificates/Diplomas ................................................................. 8
SECTION 2: Your Programme of Study ............................................................................ 9
How many modules should you take? .......................................................................... 9
Modules............................................................................................................................10
Principal/Dissertation Module (Independent Study) ..................................................10
Attendance ......................................................................................................................10
Engagement with studies ..............................................................................................11
Timetable clashes and missing/extra modules...........................................................11
Registration Period .........................................................................................................12
SECTION 3: Making changes to your Programme of Study ..........................................13
Changing a module ........................................................................................................13
Transfers .........................................................................................................................13
Withdrawal from a module............................................................................................14
Part Time Study..............................................................................................................14
Study Break ....................................................................................................................15
Restarting studies ..........................................................................................................15
Withdrawal from study ..................................................................................................15
SECTION 4: Guidance, support and academic advice ...................................................17
Ask Us ..............................................................................................................................17
Student Support and Advice Team ..............................................................................17
Programme/Subject Leader ..........................................................................................18
Module Leader ................................................................................................................18
Personal (Academic) Tutor............................................................................................18
Difficult ies with study ....................................................................................................19
Learning Development...................................................................................................19
Complaints and Appeals ................................................................................................19
Bullying, Harassment, Sexual Misconduct and Hate Crime ......................................19
PREVENT ..........................................................................................................................20
1
SECTION 5: How your programme is managed .............................................................21
Student Information Desk (SID) ..................................................................................21
How we will contact you ................................................................................................21
The University website ..................................................................................................22
Northampton Integrated Learning Environment (NILE)............................................22
IT Services ......................................................................................................................22
SECTION 6: Assessment....................................................................................................25
Supplementary Regulations ..........................................................................................26
Types of assessment......................................................................................................26
Details on assessment – module guides and assessment briefs .............................27
Criteria for assessment and marking...........................................................................27
Submission dates and deadlines ..................................................................................28
Second opportunity deadlines ......................................................................................28
Examinations ..................................................................................................................29
Additional support for exams........................................................................................29
Submitting work .............................................................................................................30
Format of text based work............................................................................................31
Academic Integrity & Plagiarism ..................................................................................31
Late submission of work................................................................................................31
Extensions .......................................................................................................................31
Resit opportunities .........................................................................................................32
Grading and Feedback ...................................................................................................32
Moderation of Assessment ............................................................................................32
External Examiners and Reports ..................................................................................33
SECTION 7: Results and Progression ...............................................................................34
Progression......................................................................................................................34
Non-Submission of assessment....................................................................................34
Notification of assessment grades ...............................................................................35
Notification of overall outcome/result notification/end of year ................................35
Pass with outstanding second opportunity .................................................................36
Condonement..................................................................................................................36
Module failure .................................................................................................................36
Repeating modules and fees.........................................................................................37
Accumulated Failure.......................................................................................................37
Termination of Study .....................................................................................................38
Planning ahead ...............................................................................................................39
SECTION 8: Study Abroad.................................................................................................40
SECTION 9: Your Award ....................................................................................................41
2
 Single Honours ...............................................................................................................41
Joint Honours ..................................................................................................................41
Final Award title..............................................................................................................42
Combined Studies Award ..............................................................................................42
Ordinary Award...............................................................................................................42
Top up Award..................................................................................................................43
Classification calculation................................................................................................43
Foundation Degree (FdSc/FdA) / Higher National Diploma (HND) ..........................44
Higher National Certificate (HNC) ................................................................................44
Intermediate Awards .....................................................................................................44
Diploma in Higher Education/Certificate in Higher Education ..................................44
Graduation Ceremony....................................................................................................45
Graduation Ceremony and second submission opportunities. .................................45
Section 10: The Changemaker Hub .................................................................................46
Appendix I - Covid-19 and its impact on University matters........................................49
APPENDIX II: Grade calculation........................................................................................51
APPENDIX III: Classification – An indicative worked example .....................................52
APPENDIX IV: Tables..........................................................................................................53
APPENDIX V: Further sources of information..................................................................55
APPENDIX VII: Timetabling Approach and Processes ....................................................56

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INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the University of Northampton.

This Undergraduate Handbook provides advice on University Regulations and

contains a lot of useful and important information to refer to during your studies.
For each level of study there is an equivalent Handbook, i.e Postgraduate (Taught
Programmes) Handbook/Postgraduate Research Handbook, please ensure you are
referring to the one relevant to your studies.

You should familiarize yourself with the content now and refer to it throughout your
studies whenever you have a query. It explains the structure of the Awards, what
to do to make sure you are on the right programme of study, where to go to get
advice along with other valuable information.

Throughout the Handbook you will find years of study referred to as ‘Levels or
‘Stages’, i.e.:

Foundation Level
Level 4 : Stage 1 : Year 1
Level 5 : Stage 2 : Year 2
Level 6 : Stage 3 : Year 3

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
This Handbook should be read in conjunction with the International
Student Handbook. Any change to the programme for which you are
registered must be checked and approved by International Student
Support Services (ISSS) to ensure it meets with UKVI requirements.

The inform ation in this Handbook is taken to be correct as at the point of

publication (DATE). Where any errors with the inform ation in this Handbook are
identified these will be am ended and a statem ent on those changes added to the
Handbook so that it is clear where changes have been m ade.

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SECTION 1: The Structure of Taught Programmes at
the University

Almost all programmes at the University of Northampton are organised within the
University Modular Framework (UMF), which regulates taught programmes leading
to awards. The primary purpose of the UMF is to provide a framework for the
design, structure, assessment and regulation of a programme, and to ensure equity
of experience and treatment for students in terms of study hours, assessment and
so on.

The content of each programme is divided into discrete units of study called
modules. Each module is credit rated (roughly speaking this measures how ‘big’ it
is in terms of study hours) and as you successfully complete modules you gain
credit towards your final award. The word ‘award’ is normally used to indicate the
qualification that you are working towards, e.g. BA (Hons) Business Studies, HND
Computer Games Development, FdSc Health & Social Care. Some awards are
subject to Supplementary Regulations, please refer to specific information within
Policies, Procedures and Regulations 1 accessible via the Student Hub.

Your course has an Award Map 2 available via the Student Hub which details the
modules that you need to complete to meet the learning outcomes for your award.
To view the modules for your chosen programme select the year you commenced
study, followed by the name of the award you are working towards . If your
programme allows you to choose modules then you need to comply with any
restrictions, pre-requisites or co-requisites as identified in the module catalogue.3

1
https://www.northampton.ac.uk/about-us/governance-and-management/management/university-policies-
proce dure s-and-re gulations/

2
https://www.northampton.ac.uk/about-us/governance-and-management/management/quality-and-
standards/award-maps/

3
The University acknowle dges that it agrees to provide a programme of stu dy to students who have acce pted an
offe r and e nrolled onto that p rogramme. In circumstances whe re there is a re quirement to vary or ce ase delivery
of a programme this will be conducted in line with University policy. Please re fer to the Academic and Student
R e gulations for further information.

5
Active Blended Learning
The University’s approach to learning and teaching is called Active Blended Learning
and is detailed on our website here.

Semesters
Most undergraduate programmes at the University are taught across two
semesters- this is a new structure for 2021/22.

The Academic Year is split into two halves/semesters, and for full-time students you
will study half of your modules (60 credits) in Semester one and the other half of
your modules (60 credits) in semester two.

The semester dates for September starters are listed below:

Semester 1: September-mid January. 60 credits (min)

Semester 2: February-May. 60 credits (min)

There may be some modules, such as dissertations, principle modules or

placements, which run across the whole year.

You can find out more about term dates and the Academic Calendar4 via the
Student Hub and will also have your own personalised timetable5 .

Programme Registration
When you enrolled on your programme you were required to confirm your chosen
programme was correct, provide all necessary documentation/proof of qualification,
and complete the online pre-enrolment process. The University reserves the right
to withdraw you from study if any of these conditions are not met and your
registration is incomplete.

It is each student’s responsibility to ensure that they are registered for an approved
programme of study. This includes studying the right combination of modules as
set out on the award map for their programme, referring to supplementary

4
https://www.northampton.ac.uk/student-life/term-dates-and-closed-days/
5
https://mynorthamptonac.sharepoint.com/sites/student/Pages/Timetables.aspx

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regulations and ensuring the required number of credits are taken, and achieved, at
each level.

A student who fails to engage with the programme for which they are registered
without good cause and due notice by the end of the sixth week of the programme
will be deemed to have withdrawn from their studies and their registration will be
terminated by the University. This applies to all students, at all levels. In addition,
a student who fails to engage with all assessments within the first semester of a
year of study without good cause and due notice will be deemed to have withdrawn
from the programme and their registration will be terminated by the University.

Accreditation of Prior Certificated Learning/Experiential Learning

(APCL/APEL)
Students admitted with credit for prior learning may count such credit towards the
award in accordance with the APCL/APEL and/or credit transfer procedures of the
University of Northampton. In meeting the requirements of the award it normally
means this will be no more than two-thirds (measured in credits) of the award for
which you are registered. Please note any classification awarded will be calculated
on grades achieved whilst studying at the University of Northampton.

Honours Awards
Students registered for an Honours Degree must successfully achieve 360 credits in
total, those registered for an Honours Degree incorporating Foundation study must
successfully achieve 480 credits in total (see Appendix IV). Part of their
programme must include an independent study module at Stage 3/Level 6. This
study, the Principal/Dissertation Module, may be described as a dissertation, a
research project, an exhibition, a performance, or something similar.

Single Honours Award

This term is used for degree programmes leading to an award in a specific subject,
for example BA Popular Music or BSc Psychology.

Joint Honours Award

This term is used for degree programmes that are studied in equal amounts (joint)
or in a major/minor combination where one subject is covered in greater quantity
than the other.

• Stage 1 (Level 4) : Irrespective of joint or major/minor study compulsory

modules to the value of 60 credits should be taken in each of the two subject

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 areas at Stage 1 although there are exceptions 6 . There are also some subject
combinations that share a compulsory module at this level, in instances such
as this an alternative module is indicated on the Award Map.
• Stage 2 (Level 5) : At Stage 2 students may study either joint, or
major/minor, to include a research module from ONE of their subjects, if
applicable:
Joint – 60 credits in each of the two subject areas.
Major/minor – 80 credits in one subject (major) and 40 credits in the other
subject (minor).
At Stage 2 your award map may support an element of choice with modules.
It is therefore recommended you refer to Stage 3 for any module pre-
requisites at that Level so that your choice is fully informed. Please note that if
you are planning to take a 40 credit dissertation in one of your subjects only
(rather than a 40 credit interdisciplinary dissertation across both subject
areas), it is important that you study this subject as your major subject at
Stage 2.
• Stage 3 (Level 6) : It is normally expected that students will continue along
their joint, or major/minor, route in Stage 3 of study. If your route differs
from that at Stage 2 please seek advice from the Student Support and Advice
Team.

Optional Placement Year

The University has a number of strategic partnerships across a wide range of
industries offering students specific work placements and internship opportunities.
Following successful completion of Level 4 and Level 5 students may take an
optional placement year if their award map supports this. Further advice can be
sought from the Placement and Work-Based Learning Team. You may also wish to
discuss with your Programme/Subject Leader.

HNC/HND/FdA/FdSc/Certificates/Diplomas
Information on credits required for each award can be found in Appendix IV :
Tables. Each course will have a definitive list of modules on its Award Map7 that
must be successfully achieved to meet the learning outcomes for the final award. If
your study plans include topping up your award, for example to an Honours degree,
you should note the entry requirement will normally be successful completion of
your HNC/HND/FdA/FdSc award.

6
Subje cts studied jointly with Law, due to professional body requirements, study 80 cre dits, and 40 cre dits in the
se cond subje ct.

7
https://www.northampton.ac.uk/about-us/governance-and-management/management/quality-and-
standards/award-maps/

8
SECTION 2: Your Programme of Study

Making sure you are on the correct programme

At the start of the academic year you will receive an email from the University
confirming your registration is complete. The email will have one attachment
containing an Enrolment Confirmation Form listing your modules and, if you are full
time, a Council Tax Exemption certificate. If modules listed on your enrolment form
are incorrect or incomplete (or fewer than 100 credits if you are full time) this must
be resolved during Welcome and Induction Week, or at least no later than the end
of the first week of term. Please go to or contact the Student Information Desk.

If you are having any concerns or doubts over whether you are on the right
programme it is strongly recommended that you seek advice as soon as possible, at
least within the first two weeks of the autumn term/commencement of your
programme. During that time it may be possible to transfer to another programme
and continue study for the same academic year (please see information about
Transfers on page X).

How many modules should you take?

At undergraduate level a full time student will normally study 120 credits in each
academic year. A minimum of 100 credits must be studied in an academic year to
be classed as a full time student, with anything less being considered part time.

Some accelerated programmes, such as the intensive LLB (Hons) Law programme,
support study of more than 120 credits in an academic year. For other
programmes regulations permit study of a maximum of 140 credits in an academic
year only if this is due to module/s outstanding to meet the requirements of an
award map. In no other circumstances may an undergraduate student study more
than 120 credits in an academic year.

It may also be possible to study on a mixed, or ‘split level’, programme, i.e.

repeating module/s from different levels within an academic year, but it should be
noted there may be restrictions with progression from Foundation study into Stage
1 (Level 4), studying Stage 1 (Level 4) alongside Stage 3 (Level 6) or if your
programme is subject to supplementary regulations.

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If you are uncertain about choosing modules please seek guidance from your
Personal Tutor; Module, Programme or Subject Leader; Student Information Desk
(SID8 ); or Student Support and Advice Team9 .

Modules
Each Award Map specifies the modules for each s tage of that award, and details any
additional requirements or restrictions:
• Compulsory modules - as a rule these must be taken.
• Designated modules - an award map may support an element of choice.
• Pre-requisite modules - these are modules you must successfully complete
before progressing to another, specified, module.
• Co-requisite modules - these are modules that must be taken together.

Principal/Dissertation Module (Independent Study)

The Principal/Dissertation Module for an Award is generally identified as having 4 as
the first number in the code, i.e. MKT4001, however there are some exceptions so
please refer to your award map and discuss with the Programme Leader. It may
carry a rating of 20 or 40 credits or possibly even more depending on the nature of
your studies. The overall grade achieved for this module will be included in the
calculation of your classification, regardless of grade achieved.

Attendance
When embarking on a programme of study at the University students commit to
taking responsibility for their own learning and actively engaging with their studies,
for example attending induction, participating fully and actively in classes/seminars/
workshops and group learning activities, attending meetings with tutors and/or
supervisors, attending placements and ensuring time is spent in private
study/research. Please refer to the Student Partnership Agreement within Policies,
Procedures and Regulations to view further information.

All students are required to record their attendance at the start of every taught
session using the attendance function in the MyDay smartphone app. If you don’t
have a smartphone your lecturer can record your attendance for you. This will
allow the University to keep track of your attendance and engagement with your
studies and offer additional support where necessary.

8
https://mynorthamptonac.sharepoin t.com/sites/student/Pages/Student-Information-Desk.aspx

9
https://mynorthamptonac.sharepoint.com/sites/student/Pages/Student-Support-and-Advice.aspx

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Engagement with studies
The University has an Engagement Policy1 0 which sets out how concerns with your
engagement should be handled. It allows tutors who are concerned about you and
your engagement to make contact with you. It is important that you respond to
any contact made detailing concerns about your engagement so that you may
receive specific advice and guidance to enable you to get back on track. Students
who do not respond and fail to re-engage with their studies may struggle to justify
such lack of engagement during any appeal process should they be terminated for
accumulated failure at the end of the academic year.

It is very important that you engage with your studies to t he best of your ability
and speak to someone if you are unable to do so for any reason. Students who fail
to engage with the programme for which they are registered without good cause
and due notice by the end of the sixth week of the programme will be deemed to
have withdrawn from their studies and their registration will be terminated by the
University. This applies to all students, at all levels. In addition, students who fail
to engage with all assessments within the first semester of a year of study without
good cause and due notice will be deemed to have withdrawn from the programme
and their registration will be terminated by the University.

For students on a Tier 4 visa the implementation of this policy may lead to
your visa being curtailed and, therefore, your ability to continue to study in
the UK being withdrawn.

Timetable clashes and missing/extra modules

In accordance with University Academic and Student Regulations students are
expected to attend sessions at the times they are scheduled. If you have difficulty
attending a particular seminar, practical or workshop group and wish to change to
another session please discuss this with the Module Leader. It is not possible to
change lecture times. If you receive notification of a timetable clash, if there is a
module missing from your timetable, or there is one listed that you are not taking,
please contact the Student Information Desk, or respond to any email, as a matter
of urgency to resolve this.

Unresolvable timetable clashes will result in no option other than withdrawal from
one of the clashing modules. If the clash is between a compulsory and a
designated module at the same level, it may be possible to change to another
designated module. If the clash is due to a mixed level programme please seek
10
https://searchtundra.northampton.ac.uk/?tag=2555c501 -b198-4ca3-803f-613767d38e34

11
advice from the Student Support and Advice Team and read the information about
the financial implications of changing your study plans 1 1 . There is no provision to
accommodate a timetable, or travel, clash and part attendance on a module is not
permitted as valuable teaching will be missed.

For more information on the way in which the University timetables s essions please
see Appendix VII at the end of this document.

Registration Period
The Registration Period table in Appendix IV : Tables shows the minimum and
maximum registration period for undergraduate UMF awards, measuring the
academic years between initial registration and achievement of award. Time away
from study also counts towards the registration period. Students are not permitted
to continue on a programme that they are unable to complete within the timescales
shown. In exceptional circumstances this restriction may be waived, the decision to
allow continuation will be made following consultation with the Deputy Director of
Student and Academic Services or nominee. Advice should be sought from the
Student Support and Advice Team.

Students on Tier 4 visas should note there are UKVI restrictions on length
of study. Advice should be sought from International Student Support
Services (ISSS) for any instances where there may be an indication length
of study would extend beyond that permitted under Tier 4.

11
https://mynorthamptonac.sharepoint.com/sites/student/Pages/Fin ancial-Implications-of-a-Programme-
C hange.aspx

12
SECTION 3: Making changes to your Programme of Study

Changing a module
Should you wish to change one or more of your modules at the start of the
academic year it will be necessary to consider the following:
• That this is before the end of week three, or at least before 25% of the
teaching on the module has taken place.
• Any change complies with your award map.
• Your programme does not consist of 120 credits of compulsory modules,
indicating there is no element of choice.
• The module/s you wish to join will not clash with other modules on your
timetable.
• That you can meet any pre-requisites, co-requisites or restrictions.
• Late module change – In exceptional circumstances this may be approved
for a short period of time after the three week cut off point, the process
remains the same as for changing a module.

If you meet the requirements for changing a module please action this by
completion of a Module Change Form1 2 , available via the Student Hub. The form
requires you to speak with the Module Leader for both the ‘new’ and current
module, discuss the change with them, and obtain their signed approval.

Transfers
Students may request to transfer to an alternative programme of study. This
must take place either within the first two weeks of the year, or after
successful completion of a semester or year’s studies. Where a transfer is
approved at the end of a year’s studies, s ome or all of the modules completed prior
to the transfer may be able to be transferred over if the nature of those modules
can be mapped onto the modules in the new award map.

Transfers can be submitted at any point but where they are submitted after the first
two weeks of study a student must continue to study on their original programme,
and complete that year of study successfully, to enable the transfer to take place.
You can find detailed information about transfers, including how to apply for one, in
the Transfer Request Guidance1 3 , available via the Student Hub.

12
https://mynorthamptonac.sharepoint.com/sites/student/Pages/Student-Forms.aspx

13
https://searchtundra.northampton.ac.uk/?tag=79ad9842-9fa3-4b6d-8824-bc9a71660548

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Withdrawal from a module
Should you wish to discontinue study on a module please do not jus t stop attending
as this will result in failure of the module against your programme at the end of the
academic year. You should also note students may not withdraw from a module
after 75% of the teaching has been delivered.

Prior to withdrawing from a module please consider the following:

• If you need to repeat the module (or an alternative if designated) to meet the
requirements for your award, this may result in study on a mixed level
programme, and a minimum of a further year of study.
• The further year of study could be part time.
• Due to timetabling of modules there may be progression issues resulting in
more than one year of study being part time.

After considering the points above you still wish to withdraw from a module please
obtain a Module Withdrawal Form1 4 , available via the Student Hub. You will also
need to obtain approval from your Programme/Subject Leader or an Academic
Adviser. Once relevant signatures have been obtained please return the form
without delay to the Student Information Desk so the change can be processed.

It is also advisable to seek guidance from the Student Financial Guidance Team as
to any financial implications module withdrawal may bring. If you are a Tier 4
student you must also consult with International Student Support Services
(ISSS).

Part Time Study

A student may wish to change from full-time to part-time study due to personal or
work related demands on their time. In these instances please seek advice from an
the Student Support and Advice Team1 5 to help plan the best way forward.

Students on Tier 4 visas should note that part time study is not permitted
under the terms of Tier 4.

14
https://mynorthamptonac.sharepoint.com/sites/student/Pages/Student-Forms.aspx

15
https://mynorthamptonac.sharepoint.com/sites/student/Pages/Student-Support-and-Advice.aspx

14
Study Break
If your personal circumstances are such that they are causing severe disruption to
your studies (for example due to illness, unforeseen or unexpected events) a Study
Break should be considered and discussed with your Personal (Academic)
Tutor/Programme/ Subject Leader or the Student Support and Advice Team1 6 .

You can find detailed information about Study Breaks, including how to apply for
one, in the Study Break Guide1 7 , available via the Student Hub.

Restarting studies
A student may request to restart their studies either on the same, or an alternative,
programme once during their period of study, and in the 2021/22 academic year
the deadline to request this by is 7th March 2022 for all students who started their
programme in September. If your course did not start in September, please
contact the Student Support and Advice Team for more information. The request
must be made formally by completion of relevant paperwork, available via the
Student Hub or the Student Information Desk in the Learning Hub, and submitted
before the deadline.

You can find detailed information about Restarting your Studies, including how to
apply for a restart, in the Restart and Repeat Year Guidance1 8 , available via the
Student Hub.

Withdrawal from study

Should you wish to withdraw from your studies at the University of Northampton it
is recommended you seek advice from your Programme/Subject Leader or the
Student Support Officers. Please also read through the Withdrawal Guidance1 9 and
Withdrawal Policy within the Student Finance section2 0 on the Student Hub to view
information on cut off points for fee liability.

16
https://mynorthamptonac.sharepoint.com/sites/student/Pages/Student-Support-and-Advice.aspx

17
https://searchtundra.northampton.ac.uk/?tag=0e9af5a2-9892-4ff1-b98b-774fc63b1c76

18
https://searchtundra.northampton.ac.uk/?tag=79ad9842-9fa3-4b6d-8824-bc9a71660548

19
https://searchtundra.northampton.ac.uk/?tag=79ad9842-9fa3-4b6d-8824-bc9a71660548

20
https://www.northampton.ac.uk/about-us/governance-and-management/management/university-policies-
proce dure s-and-re gulations/

15
You may also wish to discuss future career plans with the Changemaker Hub and
the Student Financial Guidance Team within the Learning Hub for advice on any
financial implications.

If you ultimately decide withdrawal from study is your preferred option, please do
not just leave. Until you have followed the correct procedures and formally notified
the University in writing, or by returning a completed withdrawal form to the
Student Information Desk, you will remain liable for fees.

16
SECTION 4: Guidance, support and academic advice

Embarking on a programme of study can seem daunting. There are choices to be

made and sometimes issues to be resolved and the policies and procedures, rules
and regulations, can appear complicated. At the University of Northampton we are
committed to providing you with access to reliable and valid academic advice and
guidance at all reasonable times to support you throughout your studies. There are
people detailed in this section that may be approached for advice. Any emailed
query should include your full name, student ID number, and programme of study.

Advice is available for ALL students. Those on a Tier 4 visa, once academic
advice has been sought, should also consult with International Student
Support Services (ISSS).21

It is recommended, when seeking advice, not to email a number of people in

different departments with the same question at the same time. Additionally you
should note it may be 3-5 days minimum before you receive a response, and at
certain times during the year it may be longer (e.g. module choice, exam period).

Ask Us
If you have any questions during your studies with us you might be able to find the
answer on Ask Us 2 2 . This is a search engine for University of Northampton
students, where they can ask for anything from a map of the campus, to
information about module choices or apprenticeships.

Student Support and Advice Team

The Student Support and Advice Team is based in the Learning Hub at Waterside.
It has two teams within it:
• Student Support Officers
Available to provide information, advice and guidance on a range of
student issues and situations and are also able to signpost students to
more specialist areas of support and advice where necessary.
Can be emailed on studentsupportofficers@northampton.ac.uk

• Academic Advisers

21
https://mynorthamptonac.sharepoint.com/sites/student/Pages/International-student-support.aspx

22
https://askus.northampton.ac.uk/index.php

17
 Available to provide detailed advice and guidance on academic matters,
including the impact of regulations on students’ programmes of study.
Also responsible for considering Mitigating Circumstances, Study Breaks
and Restart requests.
Can be emailed on academicadvisers@northampton.ac.uk

Programme/Subject Leader
All programmes will have a dedicated Programme/Subject Leader. This person has
an overview of the modules which make up your programme, and overall
responsibility for the experience of all students on all modules that make up the
programme/subject.

Module Leader
Each module you study will have a Module Leader who is responsible for the
scheduled activities of teaching staff and students registered for that module. This
should be the person to consult if you have specific difficulties with the module, e.g.
the assessment requirements, problems meeting a deadline, obtaining reading
material etc.

Personal (Academic) Tutor

You can check the name of your Personal (Academic) Tutor by logging into your
programme on the Northampton Integrated Learning Environment (NILE) site.
Every student on a programme of study at the University is assigned a member of
staff as a Personal (Academic) Tutor. This person will usually be a tutor from your
main subject area, and may teach in one or more of your modules. They are
responsible for overseeing your academic and personal progress during your
studies.

Your Personal (Academic) Tutor should be regarded as an important source of

advice on a variety of matters and will be able to discuss any general problems or
uncertainties you may experience during your studies. You will meet with your
Personal (Academic) Tutor during the first term and at specified times during the
year. Ways of making contact outside of scheduled meetings may vary but yo u
may email, or telephone, to arrange an appointment.

If you do not know who your Personal (Academic) Tutor is please contact the
Student Information Desk (SID) in the Learning Hub.

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Difficulties with study
It is recognized that sometimes circumstances can affect a student’s ability to
engage fully with their studies. If you are experiencing any difficulties talk them
through with your Personal (Academic) Tutor, or an academic member of staff, in
the first instance. For further advice you can arrange to speak to a Student
Support Officer2 3 .

Learning Development
Learning Development is a resource for all students, where you can receive free
guidance and tuition on any academic skill, essay writing, dissertations, critical
analysis, presentation skills etc or Maths and statistics. Further information can be
found on the Learning Development webpages 2 4 .

Complaints and Appeals

The University has extremely robust policies and procedures covering student
complaints and academic appeals. In the first instance, all matters must be raised
with your Module or Programme/Subject Leader, and if you remain dissatisfied with
their response only then can the issues be progressed to the formal stages of the
policies. For further information, please refer to the Student Complaints Guidance
and Policy,2 5 available via the Student Hub, or contact the Student Conduct,
Complaints and Appeals Team2 6 .

Bullying, Harassment, Sexual Misconduct and Hate Crime

The University aims to be an inclusive and safe place for all of our students to live
and study, therefore bulling, harassment, hate crime or sexual misconduct will not
be tolerated.

If you have experienced any of these issues during your time with us then there is
a lot of support available.

If you have been subjected to bullying, harassment or hate crime then you might
want to speak to a Student Support Officer, your Personal (Academic) Tutor or the
Students’ Union. Further information about support and University Polices can be
found via the Student Hub. 2 7

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https://libguides.northamp ton.ac.uk/learningdevelopment

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The University also has a campaign to tackle Sexual Harassment, Misconduct and
Violence, called the Never Okay Campaign.2 8 If you have experienced sexual
violence then you might want to seek support and guidance from our specialist
team of Sexual Violence Liaison Officers (SVLOs),2 9 contact details can be found via
the Student Hub.

If you would like to report an experience of this nature you may do so using the
Harassment Reporting Form3 0 available on the University Webiste.

PREVENT
As for all universities, the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 imposed
statutory obligations on the University. The University has a set of PREVENT Duty
Guidelines. 3 1 If you have any concerns about the behavior of another student and
consider that these could fall under the remit of PREVENT please raise these
concerns with your personal (academic) tutor, programme leader of a member of
the Students’ Union. They will then be able to follow the University’s policy and
procedure in this area. If you ever feel that you are being coerced into behaviours
that that may fall under the remit of PREVENT please contact the Student
Information Desk, the Student Support and Advice Team or the Counselling or
Mental Health Teams for support and advice.

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SECTION 5: How your programme is managed

Student Information Desk (SID)

The first point of contact for all students with any query they may have will be the
Student Information Desk3 2 located in the Learning Hub. Staff there will be able to
advise on all general matters relating to your programme to include enrolment,
changes to your course, modules or personal contact information, queries on
assessment, ceremonies, exam concerns, NILE, correct processes.

They will also be your point of contact for referral to departments for specialist
advice.

You may visit in person, or contact them at:

SID@northampton.ac.uk
Tel : 01604 892833

Students studying at one of our Education with Others providers (EWO) should also
direct any questions relating to their programme to the Student Information Desk.

How we will contact you

During your studies we will contact you regarding important information such as
module choice for your next year of study, advising end of year result outcomes,
pre-enrolment. Methods of contact will be via :
• Email : All students will be given a University email account, however we will
use the personal email address that you confirm during completion of online
pre-enrolment. If you do not have a personal email account the University
email will automatically be used.
• Phone/Text : If a matter is urgent, you will be contacted via this method.
• Letter : Any letters sent will be formal correspondence that may or may not
require a response from you.

If there are any changes to your email address, your contact phone numbers, or
your home or term time address please ensure you notify the Student Information
Desk. Please remember to check junk/spam folders.

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The University website
A great deal of information is available via the Student Hub3 3 on the University
website. Please make yourself familiar with the site, and access it regularly. The
Exams and Results page is where you access your Online Results as well as your
exam timetables.

Results can also be found using the MyNorthampton app, instructions of how to use
it can be found on the student hub here

Northampton Integrated Learning Environment (NILE) 34

Once modules are confirmed and on your programme they will link to NILE and you
will be able to access sites specific to modules you are studying. Your tutors will
use NILE to communicate with you, and will provide you with more advice about
NILE and module guides. Should a module you believe you are taking be missing
from your NILE account, or one/s listed you are not taking, please seek advice from
the Student Desk.

There are guides on the NILE homepage that provide advice on electronic
submission of assignments, plagiarism and viewing grades and feedback. Please
also access ‘Resources’ in NILE for a variety of information.

Recommended browsers for NILE are Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome.

IT Services35
As part of your registration with the University you will receive a username and
password to enable you to access the computing services you may need fo r your
course and connect your own laptop, tablet or smartphone to the campus Wi-Fi.
Technology is used in all teaching and learning s o it is important that you are well-
informed and able to make the best use of the IT facilities.

The IT Help Desk can be found at the Student Information Desk on the ground floor
of the Learning Hub at Waterside. Alternatively, students can raise an IT request
by logging a ticket via the self-service portal on the Student Hub.

Online Services

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https://nile.northampton.ac.uk/ultra

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The University offers a range of online services to you. In co -operation with
Microsoft, we provide you with a web-based email service hosted by Microsoft’s
Office 365 environment.

Every student at the University of Northampton has been granted an Office 365
subscription licence for the time that they will be studying with us. This licence will
entitle you to:
• Office 365 ProPlus for PC (Office 2016 ProPlus base applications)
• Office 365 ProPlus for Mac (Office 2016 for Mac base applications)
• Office Mobile for iPhone
• Office Mobile for Android

For more details please see the Office 365 information3 6 available via the Student
Hub.

Safety Online
You must be vigilant when using any computer connected to the University
network. Here are some useful tips:

• Never open attachments in unsolicited emails or click on web links within such
messages
• Never provide any personal information in response to unsolicited email
• Scan any files you receive from external sources using anti-virus software
before opening or attempting to use them
• Do not attempt to download unauthorized programs to University devices
(such as screensavers or joke programs)
• When submitting assignments, save your work as an Adobe pdf document
using the Save As option within Office 2013 applications. This will help to
prevent the possibility of others tampering with your work.
• On your personally owned device, install anti-virus and anti-malware software
and ensure they are regularly updated to the latest version
• Install a personal firewall and ensure that your Operating System
automatically installs updates (some applications will also do this)

Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi is available in all buildings across the campus including teaching rooms and
Halls of Residences. Access is via UoN_Student using the Username and Password
given to you when joining.

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We also provide Eduroam (education roaming) which is the secure, world-wide
roaming access service developed for the international research and education
community – http://www.jisc.ac.uk/eduroam

UoN Printing Services

Along with standard printing facilities, we also have a print room which can be us ed
for poster printing, dissertation binding and high-volume printing or copying jobs.

Our printing facilities are simple to use. When you print work from the student
machines, your print job will be sent to a queue. You will then be able to print your
work using the card reader next to the printer.

The copyright rules must be followed by all who use our printing or copying services
on campus. For more information please refer to the Printing and Copying
Information on the Student Hub or contact the print room on 01604 892217.

The regulations regarding the use of any IT resource at the University can be foun d
in the University’s Acceptable Use Policy.

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SECTION 6: Assessment

Assessment is an essential part of life at University. It is the way you see that you
are progressing and developing the skills that are associated with your award, and
is the means by which you “earn” credits towards your award. This sectio n explains
the procedures and regulations related to assessment. It is very important that
you read this section carefully because the consequences of not submitting work
can be serious.

The learning and teaching on each of your modules generally takes place over the
full academic year (although there are exceptions). Each 20 credit is planned to
200 hours of study (which translates to about 6 ½ hours a week). This total
includes timetabled sessions, private study and assessment.

The University of Northampton has put in place a number of quality processes

designed to ensure your assessments are of the appropriate level and standard and
that your assessment results are properly considered and validated. Some of the
most important of these include:

• Academic and Student Regulations – bind all programmes to the same

regulatory approach, except where approved Supplementary Regulations exist
(for those programmes with professional body requirements in the main).
These set out the rules that govern assessment, progression, resitting/
repeating, award classification and other important areas of your academic
learning experience.

• Use of a learning outcomes approach to programme and module design - this

ensures that all modules at a given level are leading to broadly comparable
outcomes and that all students are being given a broadly comparable
academic experience; it also means that the assessments within each module
are aligned with the learning.

• Use of Turnitin software – this supports the detection of academic misconduct,

therefore protecting the integrity of the work of all students and the integrity
of the University’s awards.

• Internal anonymized marking and moderation – all summative work is

moderated by a second internal examiner, with all principal/dissertation
(independent study) modules second marked.

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• Use of generic grade criteria – these exist at undergraduate and postgraduate
level and set out what is expected of a student at each grade (A+ down to G).
They help students to know what they need to do to be awarded a grade and
also help to ensure consistent marking to grades by all academic staff.
Generic grade criteria is listed in Appendix VI.

• Participation in the external examiner system – with external examiners

involved in approving examination scripts, moderating assessed work and
ratifying assessment results at Assessment Boards.

• Two tier Assessment Board structure – module results are considered and
ratified at Module (exam) Boards, attended by Module Leaders and other
academic staff involved in the delivery and marking of the module, or held
virtually; the Award and Status Board, attended by academic staff with
responsibility for subjects, then considers and ratifies award and progression
decisions.

Further details on all these processes are available on the website or from
your module or Programme/Subject Leaders.

Please remember that the University marks in grades rather than percentages.
This is considered to deliver the most accurate and fair outcomes for students.
Whilst a broad mapping of grades to percentages is possible students are
encouraged to work in grades rather than to attempt to convert those grades to
percentages. On rare occasions you may see a number attached to a piece of work
on NILE – where this happens please contact the marking tutor in the first instance.

Supplementary Regulations
There are University regulations that apply to passing and failing modules and
progression on to the next year of study. Some programmes, usually those leading
to professional awards but not exclusively, have additional (supplementary)
regulations that take precedence. At this stage it is advisable to check to see if this
applies to your programme of study. Information can be found within the Student
Hub under Policies, Procedures and Regulations.

Types of assessment
Assessments within modules are generally coursework and examinations. Some
modules contain assessments that are entirely based on coursework (either text, or
non-text, based), while other modules contain a mixture of coursework and
examinations.

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Text based coursework will consist of essays, reports and written assignments,
while non-text based coursework may include presentations, group work, seminars,
performances, paintings and exhibitions.

Details on assessment – module guides and assessment briefs

Each module you study will have a dedicated NILE site. Within the site will be a
module guide containing details of the assessment schedule, which should include:
• Submission dates for the first opportunities.
• Submission dates for the second opportunities (also known as resit,
referral/deferral or resubmission).
• A date by which feedback will be given.
• An assessment brief for each item of assessment, or the date when the brief
will be available.

The assessment brief must contain:

• Details of the assessment such as weightings, best of two etc.
• The Learning Outcomes to which the assessment relates.
• An explanation of the Assessment Criteria.
• A description of the assignment.

Criteria for assessment and marking

Assessment criteria and grade-related criteria together provide mechanisms by
which the quality of a student’s performance in an assessment can be measured.
Both are descriptions of the skills, knowledge and attributes students need to
demonstrate in an assessment, and are based on the intended learning outcomes
associated with an assessment.

• Assessment criteria provides mechanisms by which the quality of a student’s

performance can be measured. They explain what a student needs to
demonstrate in order to complete an assessment successfully. These provide
the minimum requirement expected of students. Assessment criteria will differ
according to the discipline, the type of assessment and the level of the
students.

• Generic grade criteria explain what a student needs to demonstrate in order to

achieve a certain grade in an assessment. These enable students to be
positioned within the overall set of grades available for an assessment. These
are generic to each level of study. See Appendix VI.

Marking criteria or marking guidelines are used by staff when marking work against
the assessment criteria and grade criteria. They might, for example, set out the
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proportion of the overall mark that should be awarded for certain answers or
provide pointers to the markers on what information they should be looking for
when marking. These are usually documents that are internal to those staff
marking the student’s work.

Submission dates and deadlines

The deadlines given in your module guides are the latest possible dates for
submission of coursework. All work should be submitted on, or before, the
published deadline. This applies to first and second submission opportunities.
Work emailed directly to your tutor will not be marked.

It is advisable to note deadlines for items of assessment across ALL of your

modules as you may well find other items of assessment have a similar, or nearby,
due date. Please ensure you plan around such clashes, and factor in some extra
time, so as to take into account any unexpected event that may arise.

Second opportunity deadlines

The second submission deadline, often referred to as resit/referral/deferral/
resubmission, is the only opportunity to improve on a failed grade and there is a
fixed schedule for these attempts. There are no third oppo rtunities, unless you
have had an approved mitigating circumstances application which permits another
opportunity.

You can find information about assessment periods within the UMF Calendar3 7
available via the Student Hub.

For programmes that run from September to June the latest submission dates are
listed below. You must check NILE for exact deadlines :

Semester 1 Semester 2
First submission 14th January 2022 20th May 2022
First submission Exam week(s) 17th – 28th January 2022 23rd May – 3rd June 2022
Resit submission 20th May 2022 20th July 2022
Resit submission Exam week(s) 23rd May – 3rd June 2022 25th – 29th July 2022
3rd opportunity *(for students 20th July 2022 25th August 2022
with m itigating circumstances O NLY)
3rd opportunity exam week *(for 25th – 29th July 2022 29th August – 2nd September
stude nts with m itigating 2022
circum stances O NLY)

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Examinations
Assessment within some modules is by an examination. If you have examinations
you must be available to sit them when they are scheduled; they will not be
rearranged. It is your responsibility to refer to the examination timetable within
the Student Hub to note dates, times and venues from the final version.

In the event that the University is required to implement changes to face-to-face

examinations in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and government guidelines,
examinations may be moved online or managed via an appropriate alternative
assessment. Where examinations have been moved to an alternative assessment,
please refer to your module NILE sites for further information or alternatively liaise
with the relevant Module Tutor.

Face-to-Face Exam Updates and the Examination Timetables for all mandatory
face-to-face examinations will be published to the Exam Dates and Timetables
page within the Student Hub. You should check this page regularly for updates.

Please visit the Exams and Results page within the Student Hub for further
information regarding the University’s approach to examinations in response to
Covid-19.

Additional support for exams

Alternative examination arrangements may be provided for students who have a
disability, medical condition, or other additional need; any adjustments arranged
will also apply to in-class time-constrained tests. Students should refer to the
‘Guide to Examinations for Students with Additional Needs’ 3 8 available via the
Exams and Results page within the Student Hub for further information. Students
will be required to attend an appointment and provide supporting evidence to
ASSIST (Additional Student Support and Inclusion Services Team)3 9 or the
University Student Mental Health Service. 4 0

Please note that there are deadlines apply for alternative examination
arrangements, listed below:

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 • Semester 1 exams taking place in January 2022 - deadline date is 1s t
November 2021
• Semester 2 exams taking place in May 2022 – deadline date is 1s t February
2022

Any applications made after these deadlines cannot be guaranteed and students will
therefore need to check their individual timetable for further details.

Students granted alternative arrangements will receive an email from the

Examinations Office notifying them of their personal examination timetable and
arrangements. Please note: this is applicable to face-to-face examinations only.

Submitting work
Students are encouraged to take up all submission opportunities they may be
offered. This also applies where a restart, transfer or study break has been applied
for and the outcome is pending. In instances where Mitigating Circumstances has
been applied for please refer to the Mitigating Circumstances Guidance and Policy4 1 ,
available via the Student Hub.

All work for assessment, except items with exemption, should be submitted
electronically via NILE and will be subject to Turnitin anti-plagiarism detection
software. Turnitin checks student work for possible textual matches against
internet available resources and its own proprietary database. Please refer to
Academic Integrity and Plagiarism further on in this section. Work emailed directly
to your tutor will not be marked.

Those items with exemption from submitting and grading electronically (SAGE) will
have alternative submission requirements. Should further information be required
please contact the Assessment, Ceremonies and Examinations Office4 2 .

All Dissertations are to be submitted electronically unless instructed otherwise in

the Module Guide on NILE.

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Format of text based work
Unless specified otherwise by the Module Leader, work should be word processed.
Your student ID number should be clearly listed on the front sheet, and header and
footer, of each individual page. Pages should also be numbered ‘x of y’ for easy
identification of any missing pages.

Academic Integrity & Plagiarism

The University of Northampton takes the assessment process very seriously and
expects the work you submit to be your own. This may not be as straightforward
as it seems as you will almost certainly be using the work of others, so you need to
be quite clear what is, and is, not permitted.

We use the term ‘Academic Integrity’ to describe the honest approach you are
required to adopt in your work. We define plagiarism as passing off someone else’s
work intentionally, or unintentionally, as your own for your own benefit. If it is
confirmed that academic misconduct has taken place a penalty can be applied. This
may, for example, be a written warning; a reduction in your grade to a bare pass; a
fail or a G (AG); and/or any right to re-submit being removed.

Please view the University of Northampton Plagiarism Avoidance Course (UNPAC),

available via the Exams and Results page in the Student Hub, and in ‘Resources’ on
NILE. The Academic Integrity Policy is available via the Student Hub.

Late submission of work

If an item of assessment is submitted late at the first opportunity deadline, and an
extension has not been granted, the following will apply:
• Within one week of the original deadline – work will be marked and returned
with full feedback, and awarded a maximum bare pass grade of D-.
• More than one week from original deadline – maximum grade achievable LG (L
indicating late).

At the second opportunity deadline, or at the third opportunity deadline (for

students who have had mitigating circumstances approved), work submitted late
will be awarded a LG grade. There is no opportunity to submit work up to a week
late for a bare pass.

Extensions
The University of Northampton’s general policy with regard to extensions is to be
supportive of students who have genuine difficulties, but not against pressures of

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work that could have reasonably been anticipated. Please refer to the Extension
Policy4 3 available via the Student Hub.

PLEASE NOTE – NO extension is permitted at a second opportunity deadline, or at

the third opportunity deadline (for students who have had mitigating circumstances
approved).

Resit opportunities
If a student fails an assessment, or fails to submit an assessment, at the first
opportunity, s/he is entitled to a second submission (resit) opportunity, although
there are exceptions that are detailed in the Academic Regulations. At that resit
opportunity, the maximum grade achievable is a bare pass (D-).

Grading and Feedback

Your programme and module guides will contain information on the criteria used to
assess your work. The generic grade criteria (see Appendix VI) provides the
common standards that all subject areas work to.

Feedback comes in many forms. It may be written, verbal, electronic, face-to-face

or even audio-CD/MP3. It may be in response to assessed or non-assessed work
and may be from your tutors, student group, or yourself. Whatever the source,
consideration of that feedback will help with your understanding of the assessment
process and the use of assessment criteria.

Moderation of Assessment
Moderation is a collection of processes to ensure the reliability of grades awarded.
It confirms that the grading has been conducted with accuracy, consistency and
fairness.

The processes involved include:

• First Marking – the grading by the first marker will include comments justifying
the grade awarded.
• Second Marking – this involves the grading of a sample by another academic
member of staff.
• Moderation Meeting – the first and second markers will meet and confirm the
standard of marking, the whole set of assignments are then deemed to have
been moderated.

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• External Examiners scrutiny – this involves a review of the work to confirm to
the University that the standards are comparable with other institutions .

You should note that not all of the processes are necessarily applied at each point
and level.

External Examiners and Reports

To ensure the academic standards of awards offered by the University are
comparable with other Universities advice is sought from highly experienced
academics from other Universities or, in some cases, professional organisations.
These External Examiners provide, amongst other things, independent advice on
academic standards, review exams and assignments set, moderate samples of
student work and attend module (exam) boards to confirm assessment processes
are fair and appropriate. Each External Examiner sends an annual report
summarizing their observations. Reports, and the teaching teams’ response, can
be accessed and viewed via NILE under ‘Links’.

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SECTION 7: Results and Progression

Progression
The minimum overall pass grade on a module is D-. To progress from Stage 1 of
your studies to Stage 2 and onwards to Stage 3 smoothly as a full-time student you
need to have successfully achieved pass grades on 120 credits at the appropriate
level, and comply with any Supplementary Regulations for your course. There is
one exception to this, and information is listed under Condonement further on in
this section.

The items of assessment within each of your modules, and their % weightings, are
published in each module guide. The % weighting of an assessment gives an
indication as to its significance, and below are two examples of assessment
patterns:

• 2 hour exam (50%), 2,000 word essay (50%)

• Portfolio (100%)

Looking at the assessment containing the exam, it is possible that as you need to
get a D- overall, if a fail grade is achieved in one item, you may still be able to pass
the module overall provided you achieve a good pass grade on t he other item and
that any Supplementary Regulations for your programme allow this. However, if
the fail grade is on, for example, a 70% assessed piece an overall pass grade will
be exceedingly hard to achieve. See Appendix II for grade calculation advice.

You should note that once all opportunities to submit within a module have
been exhausted, and an overall pass grade is achieved, it is not possible to
repeat that module in order to improve on the grade.

Non-Submission of assessment
Failure to submit an item of assessment, or attend an examination, will result in the
awarding of a ‘G’ grade, which carries no points, for that item. ‘G’ grades are
further identified as LG – submitted late and outside timeframe allowed; NG –
submitted but work contained nothing of merit; AG – submitted but awarded G
grade following outcome of Academic Misconduct Panel; G – nothing submitted.

Any student who fails to engage with all assessments within the first semester of a
year of study without good cause and due notice will be deemed to have withdrawn
from the programme and their registration will be terminated by the University.

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Notification of assessment grades
After your assessment has been through the moderation process you will be
provided with your grade and feedback. This may be direct from the module
leader, or accessible to you via the module site on NILE. Should you wish to
discuss grade and/or feedback received and any implications for future study, at
any time please speak to your tutors.

You should also regularly access your results online via the Exams and Results page
within the Student Hub under ‘Results’ or via the MyNorthampton App. Instructions
of how to use it can be found on the student hub here. Grades showing on NILE do
not transfer across to online results but once the module leader has passed them to
a Student Records team for inputting, they will show. When the last grade for an
assessment on a module is input ‘Results’ is where you will see an overall grade
calculated. Grades remain provisional until confirmed by an Award and Status
Board.

Notification of overall outcome/result notification/end of year

A number of Assessment and Award Boards take place throughout the academic
year (see ‘Assessment Boards’ within the Exams and Results page on the Student
Hub for further information).

For standard undergraduate programmes the first module (exam) board to confirm
grades achieved throughout the academic year is normally scheduled for July 2022.
Outstanding resubmission opportunities (resit/deferral) in which to retrieve any
failure, progression options and final year outcomes will then be formally advised to
students following the September Award and Status Board. This is regardless of
whether you have taken up the opportunities or not. You should, already be aware
of the need to pick up any failure having viewed your grades via NILE and ‘Results’.

Result advice for continuing students and for final year students will be sent via
email. It is a student’s responsibility to ensure the University has current and
accurate home address and email information. Should result notification not be
received please contact the Student Information Desk in the first instance. Under
no circumstances will results and/or final outcomes be released via telephone.

For continuing students confirmed results will also provide an indication of the level
they have been working at, for example 2i, 2ii etc. The purpose of this information
is intended for students to track and monitor their achievement and progress, it
may change from year to year as it is a guide, and not a prediction of final
classification.

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Pass with outstanding second opportunity
You may have passed a module on aggregate, or have received a condoned pass
grade, but still have a second opportunity outstanding within that module. This
may be a resit, or deferred, item and will be indicated by an asterix (*) next to the
overall grade on your online results page – not in NILE. In this situation you are
able to undertake the second opportunity, but do not have to.

Condonement
Condonement Regulations grant awarding of a condoned ‘E’ fail grade on a failed
module under certain conditions, and providing no Supplementary Regulations on
the award prevent this. A student successfully achieving modules totaling 100
credits at Level 4 or Level 5, who has an overall F+ on one or two modules
amounting to no more than 20 credits in total at that level AND who has attempted
all items of assessment in the module(s) which was awarded an F+ will have the
failure condoned and may progress to the next stage. The module may not be
repeated to improve the grade, unless Supplementary Regulations for your
programme allow this.

Condonement applies at Level 4 and Level 5 only. Condonement is not permitted

at levels 6, 7 or 8 or for students studying Level 3 modules as part of the
Foundation Study Framework

Module failure
At the end of both assessment opportunities, if you have failed module/s with an
overall grade of F+, F, F- or G, it may still be possible to continue study repeating
the module/s alongside module/s from the next Level (mixed level programme).
Please be aware this may result in restrictions on progression from Foundation into
Stage 1 (Level 4) study, or from Stage 2 (Level 5) into Stage 3 (Level 6). Students
are normally permitted to repeat a failed module on two further occasions, as long
as Accumulated Fail is not exceeded, and as long as this is in line with the
Supplementary Regulations for your programme.

Whilst generally not advisable it may be possible to study a maximum of 140

credits in any year and a maximum of 80 credits in one semester if it is due to
modules outstanding to meet your award. This would be dependent on a number
of other factors, not least pre-requisite modules, timetables and module status, i.e.
compulsory/designated:
• Compulsory – should you fail a compulsory module you will have no option
other than to repeat it in order to meet the requirements for your award,
unless the module falls under the condonement regulations.

36
• Designated – should you fail a designated module you will still need to pick up
this failure but it may be possible to select a different designated module if
your award map supports this, and any pre-requisites have been met.

If you cannot construct a valid programme for the next stage of your award, it may
be possible to transfer to a different award for which progression is possible. If this
is not an option, and you wish to continue study, a change to part time status for
the next academic year may be unavoidable.

Should you be considering studying 140 credits, cannot construct a valid

programme, or have any questions regarding progression please seek advice from
the Student Support and Advice Team4 4 . Tier 4 students should also consult
with International Student Support Services (ISSS).45

Repeating modules and fees

Students who are required to repeat a module may be charged an additional fee fo r
that module. Students should contact the Finance Office at
income@northampton.ac.uk who can advise on the level of any additional fee and
the mechanisms through which they can be paid.

Students who do not pay the additional fee/set up a payment plan with Finance for
the payment of that additional fee will not be eligible to take up the repeat module
opportunity.

Accumulated Failure
When all assessment opportunities on a module/s have been exhausted and a
certain amount of failure is exceeded this will result in termination of stud y. Each
time a module is taken, and failed, the failure will accumulate.

If an item of assessment within a module has been granted mitigating

circumstances and that item is failed, resulting in failure of the module overall, if a
student has been eligible to submit work on only one occasion then the overall
failure is excluded from the accumulated failure count.

44
https://mynorthamptonac.sharepoint.com/sites/student/Pages/Student-Support-and-
Advice.aspx
45
https://mynorthamptonac.sharepoint.com/sites/student/Pages/International-student-
support.aspx

37
If an item of assessment within a module has been granted mitigating
circumstances and a student has had opportunity to submit work on two occasions,
but the module is still failed overall, the failure will be treated in the same way as
any other student’s module failure and will be counted in the overall accumulated
failure count.

Levels of failure for students commencing study from 2018/19 onwards are as
follows:
Either:
• More than 60 credits at Foundation Level
• OR More than 80 credits at Level 4
• Or more than 60 credits at Level 5
• Or more than 60 credits at Level 6 *

Levels of failure for students commencing study BETWEEN 2016/17 and 2017/18
are as follows:
• More than 40 credits at Foundation Level (2017/18)/More than 80 credits at
Foundation Level (2016/17)
• OR more than 80 credits at Level 4
• Or more than 60 credits at Level 5
• Or more than 60 credits at Level 6*

* Where Level 6 study comprises a single module worth 80 credits termination of

study will only apply once 80 credits of failure has been exceeded.

Levels of failure for students commencing study PRIOR to 2016/17 are as follows:
• More than 80 credits at Foundation Level
• OR More than 80 credits at Level 4
• Or more than 60 credits at Level 5
• Or more than 80 credits at Level 6 **

** Supplementary regulations apply to Accumulated Failure at Level 6 for pre

2016/17 entry. At the end of all assessment opportunities, if a student has failed
more than 40 credits but not more than 80 credits at that level, they may continue
study towards a maximum award of an Ordinary degree, but are no longer eligible
to proceed towards an Honours degree. It is possible to appeal this decision,
please seek academic advice.

Termination of Study
Should a student’s programme of study be terminated under the University’s
Accumulated Failure regulation there will be an opportunity to appeal that
termination, with a deadline to submit the appeal by. If an appeal is not submitted,
38
or is unsuccessful, an application to return to study at the University cannot be
made until after a minimum period of two years has passed. If a subsequent
application is made, you should note that University regulations prohibit return to
the same programme. This also applies to programmes studied with one of the
University’s Education with Others (EWO) providers.

For standard Undergraduate programmes termination of study may apply after the
first (summer) Award & Status Board, or the second (resit) Award & Status Board,
depending on when all opportunities to submit have been exhausted. Please refer
to ‘Assessment Boards’4 6 via the Student Hub for dates of the main Undergraduate
Boards.

Advice on the termination appeal process and the Policy4 7 is available via the
Student Hub.

Planning ahead
During Semester 2 continuing students whose award map supports an element of
choice will receive an email requesting they confirm module choice for the next
academic year. Students on a mixed level programme will receive a similar
request. Please refer to the award map for your programme, and respond by the
stated deadline. If in any doubt about choices seek advice from your Personal
(Academic) Tutor/Programme/ Subject Leader or the Student Support and Advice
Team.

Should there be any failure following the summer and resit Award Boards, with a
requirement to repeat failed module/s, neither your timetable, nor modules listed
on NILE, for the next academic year will be correct. Please follow advice in your
formal result notification so your record, timetable and NILE can be updated.

46
https://mynorthamptonac.sharepoint.com/sites/student/Pages/Assessment-Boards.aspx
47
https://searchtundra.northampton.ac.uk/?tag=a379ee90-ea25-4be8-95fc-663f69609084

39
SECTION 8: Study Abroad

The University participates in a number of study abroad arrangements with

European institutions (Erasmus for example); some individual programmes have
also considered establishing bilateral agreements with non-European institutions.
Studying abroad is an enriching and life-enhancing experience and aligns very
strongly with the University’s Transforming Lives and Inspiring Change,
Changemaker and Employability agendas.

If studying abroad is something you may be considering please contact your

Programme/Subject Leader at the earliest opportunity. Joint Honours students
must consider both of their subjects. Before any study abroad can be approved the
curriculum at the University must be mapped to that of the study abroad partner to
ensure your learning outcomes whilst studying abroad are equivalent.

The Erasmus and Mobility Co-ordinator at the University can help you work through
practicalities of studying abroad, including the cost of living, accommodation,
language differences etc.

40
SECTION 9: Your Award

An Award is the title of the qualification that will be given to (conferred upon) you
when you successfully complete your programme of study. All students are
registered for a final Award, and the title of Awards is subject to approval by the
University Senate.

In order to be eligible for your Award you must fulfil the requirements for
registration, have followed the programme as specified on your award map, meet
any Supplementary Regulation requirements, and have successfully accumulated
the required number of credits at the specified levels.

Associate students – may be registered for one or more modules, not a whole
award.

Single Honours
To be eligible for a Single Honours, or Specialist Honours, Award credit must be
gained for modules specified on the relevant award map, including a Principal/
Dissertation (independent study) module.

Joint Honours
To be eligible for a Joint Honours : Joint Award, or Joint Honours : Major/Minor
Award, credit must be gained for modules specified on the relevant award map,
including a Principal/Dissertation (independent study) module, at each stage as
follows:
• Level 4
• Joint : at least 60 credits in each subject.
• Major/minor : at least 60 credits in each subject, unless exceptions as per
guidance in Section 1.
• Level 5
• Joint : at least 60 credits in each subject.
• Major/minor : at least 80 credits of the major subject and at least 40
credits of the minor subject.
• Level 6
• Joint : 60 credits in each subject, to include a dissertation module (or
equivalent) of 20 credits from one subject, or an interdisciplinary
dissertation (or equivalent) made up from 2 x 20 credit dissertation
modules, one selected from each subject.
• Major/minor : 80 credits of the major subject, to include a dissertation (or
equivalent) and 40 credits of the minor subject.

41
Final Award title
This heading refers to Joint Honours programmes, for Single Honours programmes
the final award title (BA or BSc) should be evident.

For Joint Honours awards subjects will be coupled with the word ‘and’ (for Joint
awards) or ‘with’ (for major/minor awards). The final designation of the award will
be determined by the subject with the most number of credits at Level 5 and Level
6 taken together. Where equal credits are divided between Science (BSc) and Arts
(BA) a BA will be awarded.

In the case of Human Geography, Psychology and Sport Studies, any of these
subjects may be designated as Science or Arts. Where one of these is studied as a
major subject, it is the designation of the minor subject that will determine the
award. In the event that two of these subjects are studied together a BA will be
awarded.

Combined Studies Award

If you meet the requirements for an Honours degree as specified in the table at
Appendix IV but your modules do not comply with the relevant award map/s you
may be eligible for a Combined Studies award. This award comprises the same
amount of credits and status as any other award but is not available for students to
register for and must be considered and agreed on an individual basis in
consultation with the Student Support and Advice Team.

For some professions and some postgraduate study, where a specific named
undergraduate degree is required, a Combined Studies award may not allow access.
Students are strongly encouraged to discuss any potential career implications with
the Changemaker Hub prior to making any decisions. At the discretion of the
Award and Status Board a parenthetical description of the main area of study may
be appended, e.g. BA (Hons) Combined Studies (Business Entrepreneurship).

Ordinary Award
If you meet the requirements for an Ordinary (without Honours) award as specified
in the table at Appendix IV and do not wish to progress to achieve an Honours
award you may claim an Ordinary award. This must be claimed in writing prior to
the summer Award and Status Board if you wish to attend a July ceremony. The
Ordinary award is unclassified but will normally carry the title of the corresponding
Honours degree although there are exceptions and Supplementary Regulations
should be referred to. Please also see Intermediate Awards further on in this
section.

42
Top up Award
This applies to students entering study directly onto a Level 6/stage 3 programme
to ‘top-up’ their previous study to an Honours award. For Top-up awards the
classification will be calculated from grades achieved in the highest 100 credits at
Level 6, including the Principal/Dissertation module, double weighted. Grades
achieved from previous study, e.g. HND or Foundation award, will not be included.

For HNC top up route awards further information should be sought from the
Assessment, Ceremonies and Examinations Office.

Classification calculation
The classification for an award is calculated from grades achieved in the highest
100 credits at Level 6, double weighted, (to include the Principal/Dissertation
Module, regardless of grade) and grades achieved in the highest 100 credits from
the remaining modules at Level 5 or 6, single weighted. Grades from the lowest 40
credits are discounted – they must, however, be PASS grades as 360 credits must
be successfully achieved for an Honours award. The class awarded will be
calculated as the higher of the mean grade and the median grade.

This calculation also applies to students joining the University as a direct entrant to
second year study.

For those entering directly into third year study please refer to advice on Top Up
Awards.

The requirements for each class are as follows * :

• First Class (1s t ) : Mean of A- or above; or more than half the counting grades
A- or above.
• Upper Second Class (2i) : Mean of B- or above; or more than half the counting
grades B- or above; and requirements for a higher class not met.
• Lower Second Class (2ii) : Mean of C- or above; or more than half the
counting grades C- or above; and requirements for a higher class not met.
• Third Class (3rd) : Requirements for an honours degree achieved; and
requirements for a higher class not met.

There is an indicative worked example at Appendix III.

* As clarification on the workings of the algorithm 1) the term ‘more than half’
takes account of differential credit rating and is simply a guide; 2) at module level

43
an alphabetical grade is mapped to a range of numeric values (Appendix II) and it
is these values that are used by the algorithm to determine classification.

Foundation Degree (FdSc/FdA) / Higher National Diploma (HND)

Any work based learning component may be delivered more flexibly but should
amount to the equivalent of at least 40 credits in total. Specific requirements for a
Foundation Degree are detailed in the relevant Award Map.

Distinction or Merit will be derived from the highest grades for Level 5 modules,
amounting to 100 credits, or all grades awarded following admissio n with APL if less
than 100 credits. All module grades so counted will be weighted according to the
credit value of each module:
• Distinction – a mean of A- or above, or a median of A- or above.
• Merit – a mean of B- or above, or a median of B- or above and s/he is not
eligible for a Distinction.
• Where a student has met the demands of the award map but does not satisfy
the conditions for Distinction/Merit s/he will receive the award without
Distinction/Merit classification.

Higher National Certificate (HNC)

Where a student has met the demands of the award map s/he will receive the
award. Distinction/Merit classification does not apply.

Intermediate Awards
An Intermediate Award is an award a student can achieve after partial completion
of a programme of study once s/he is no longer registered for that award. All
students who complete a stage and do not wish to, or may not, continue study are
considered for eligibility in relation to the appropriate Intermediate Award.

Exiting with an intermediate award through choice permits a student to retain the
entitlement to apply to return to complete the final award, subject to confirmation
the learning is still current, once a minimum period of 12 months has passed since
conferment of the award. A student who exits with an intermediate award following
termination of study due to academic failure has no such entitlement.

Students accepting an intermediate award of Diploma of Higher Education/

Certificate of Higher Education may not attend a Graduation Ceremony.

Diploma in Higher Education/Certificate in Higher Education

Distinction or Merit will be derived from the highest grades for Level 5 or 6
modules, amounting to 100 credits, or all grades awarded following admission with
44
APL if less than 100 credits. All module grades so counted will be weighted
according to the credit value of each module:

• Distinction – a mean of A- or above, or a median of A- or above.

• Merit – a mean of B- or above, or a median of B- or above and s/he is not
eligible for a Distinction.
• Where a student has met the demands of the award map but does not satisfy
the conditions for Distinction/Merit s/he will receive the award without
Distinction/Merit classification.

The Diploma in Higher Education will normally carry the title of the correspo nding
Honours degree although there are exceptions and Supplementary Regulations
should be consulted. The Certificate in Higher Education will not normally be
named as the content of study will invariably be generic.

Graduation Ceremony
Students accepting an intermediate award of a Diploma in Higher Education or
Certificate in Higher Education are not eligible to attend a Graduation Ceremony.

Students achieving the following awards will be invited to attend a Graduation

Ceremony:

• Bachelors degrees, including Combined Studies and Ordinary

(BA/BSc/LLB/BEng). Students accepting an Ordinary degree must have
notified the University in writing prior to the summer Award and Status Board
if they wish to attend the July ceremony.

• HND, HNC, Foundation Degrees, University Certificates and Diplomas (full

named awards).

Graduation Ceremony and second submission opportunities.

Students undertaking second submission opportunities (resits/referrals/deferrals)
may not attend a Graduation Ceremony until all modules have been successfully
achieved and grades and Final Award confirmed by an Award and Status Board.

Equally students may not submit their work earlier than the published second
opportunity deadline to gain entry to an earlier Graduation Ceremony. Work
submitted early will not be processed or ratified early.

45
Section 10: The Changemaker Hub

The University of Northampton is proud to be the UK’s first internationally

designated Changemaker Campus placing us within a group of only 50 such
Universities worldwide, and unique in England. Our designation is in recognition of
our commitment in supporting students to become graduates who are
knowledgeable in their chosen subject, socially responsible, digitally
proficient and highly employable global citizens – the Changemakers of the
future and unique in today’s graduate labour market. Our commitment is to do
everything we can to ensure every student can succeed when it comes to gaining
that graduate job they dream of and ensuring they stand out from the competition
when it comes to securing that role.

There are five key elements to developing your Employability at Northampton,

designed to enable you to build the personal toolkit needed to enter the graduate
labour market. The Changemaker Hub is unique to Northampton and is here to help
students navigate the opportunities and develop as graduate employees.

The most important element is achieving a world class degree. Engagement in the
course to its fullest extent is crucial if a graduate is to gain that sought-after role.
Employers want to see that a graduate has achieved well on every module, has
engaged with activities and experience offered through the programme and
understands how what they have learnt can be applied to the world of work. The
curriculum at Northampton is designed to not only develop subject skills but the
essential skills employers say make successful candidates stand out from the rest.

Secondly is demonstrating a portfolio of relevant work ex perience and engagement

with employers either through networking, part time work, placements, internships
or mentoring. Understanding the world of work puts a graduate at an advantage
when it comes to interviews.

Next is access to high quality information, advice, and guidance (IAG). The
Changemaker Hub provides access to 1-2-1 careers advice, careers coaching, and a
programme of seminars and workshops that will help students develop their
personal brand, have a competitive CV, and be ready for anything an interview can
throw at them. The Changemaker hub portal is available 24/7 with over 4500
activities, information videos, blogs, and practical advice on how to access graduate
jobs. In addition, the Changemaker Hub team work with academics to embed IAG
into the timetable and ensure that employability is supported through the
programmes of study.

46
For those students thinking about self-employment or who are looking at a career
where consultancy, freelancing, or contract work is the norm, knowing how to start
and run a business is an essential way to get into graduat e work. The Changemaker
Hub provides a full programme of startup and business development programmes
with access to mentorship, business expertise, coaching and business support,
including workshop and access to grants and other funding.

Finally, and unique to Northampton, is Changemaker. Our designation as a

Changemaker Campus recognise our students’ commitment and impact in affecting
positive social change in the world. This can be through involvement in community
activities, volunteering, starting a social enterprise, completing the University’s
Changemaker Certificate, but will involve you understanding the problems people
face and do something about them.

The Changemaker Hub and our unique offer builds on the principle of ‘Do the right
thing, in the right way, with the right people, for the right reasons’ and
provides access to a wide range of employability opportunities including :

• Careers and employability support

• Part-time and temporary work (Unitemps)
• Community engagement, volunteering opportunities and Changemaking
activities
• Paid internships in relevant business sectors and social enterprises
• Employer engagement events, work experience, and sector specific talks
• Opportunities to explore self-employment and venture development

All of these enable students to create their own employability journey; developing
the skills, values, and behaviors needed to not only gain their first graduate role,
but to build their life time career. Importantly, it allows our students to develop and
grow key “stores of capital” – Economic, Social, Cultural and Personal.

Recognising students’ achievement in developing their employability the

Changemaker Hub provides the Employability Plus award. Unique to the University
of Northampton, all activities a student undertakes are captured in the Higher
Education Achievement Record (HEAR) and form a permanent record of
development. The award recognises the investment students make in themselves
beyond the curriculum, and is structured at bronze, silver, and gold levels. Key to
success is early engagement with the range of opportunities available through the
Changemaker Hub.

47
We are so confident that our employability offer will enable our students to achieve
their ambitions and pursue the career path they want we promise every student
that if they haven’t found employment 12 months after leaving us that we will
secure them a short term (3-6 month) paid placement and a free PG Certificate
programme to enhance their chances of accessing graduate roles. The placement
will give them practical experience which can be added to their CV and boost their
graduate employability. The student must gain a 2:2 or above and have achieved
Employability Plus or Changemaker gold certificate whilst here. In addition, for
students looking to pursue post graduate study a 20% discount is offered 4 8

After graduation we provide career and employability support for life to help with
career changes, return to study, or just to reassess progression in t heir chosen
career.

To explore how the Changemaker Hub can help improve your employment
prospects, and for more details of Employability Plus and the wide range of
opportunities available take a look at the Changemaker Hub portal, or please email
changemakerhub@northampton.ac.uk and one of our team will be able to help.

48
Terms and conditions apply.

48
Appendix I - Covid-19 and its impact on University matters

This Handbook contains information on the standard University policies and

processes. Please note that the University has implemented Emergency Regulations
and processes in some key areas for the past two academic years (2019-20 and
2020-21) because of the ongoing impact of Covid-19 on teaching, learning and
assessment and on University business.

This included the following:

1. The University’s Emergency Regulations. These are split into the Emergency
Regulations put in place for the period 20 March 2020 for the remainder of the
2019/20 academic year; and the Emergency Regulations put in place for the
2020/21 academic year. Both sets of Emergency Regulations can be found on
the Policies, Procedures and Regulations section of the University website.
Frequently Asked Questions on the implementation of those Emergency
Regulations are also available here.

2. The University’s Institutional Statement and Emergency Protocols, implemented

to manage changes to programme and module specifications resulting from the
impact of Covid-19. Again, these are split between 2019/20 and 2020/21 and
can be found on the Policies, Procedures and Regulations section of the
University website. These documents include information on how assessments
may be temporarily adjusted, in particular how face to face assessments
(including examinations) may be temporarily replaced with other forms of
assessment.

3. The University’s Student Code of Conduct, which requires students to act in

accordance with safety guidelines and/or requirements that are in place to
manage public health emergencies, including pandemics.

4. The University’s policy on Amending and Cancelling Programmes of Study,

updated to incorporate how the policy might be used to respond to the impact of
Covid-19.

5. The University’s Reunite and Respond promise to its staff and students.

6. The University’s Frequently Asked Questions for students on Covid-19, which

can be found here. These include critical information on:

49
 a. How to report to the University if you are experiencing symptoms of
Covid-19 and/or have tested positive.
b. Requirements around self-isolation, should this be required.
c. Living in University halls of residence.
d. Health and Safety matters related to Covid-19.
e. University policy on the use of face coverings on University premises.
f. Teaching and Learning matters related to Covid-19.

Where the information in the rest of this Handbook conflicts with the Emergency
information published in the documents listed above, the Emergency documentation
prevails. Nonetheless, please contact the Student Information Desk and/or the
Student Support and Advice Team if you require further clarity on any matters
related to the Emergency Regulations and associated documentation.

The University’s response to Covid-19 is under continuous review, and any

alterations will be published to students in a timely manner.

50
APPENDIX II: Grade calculation
The following table is used to calculate an overall module grade. The two left
columns convert a grade to its numerical equivalent, and the weighted average is
converted back to a grade in the column to the right.

Taking an example of an assessment pattern with a 2 hour exam (60%) and a

2,000 word essay (40%). If a student passed the exam with a D+ and the essay
with a B-, the overall grade will be calculated as follows:

60% of 14pts + 40% of 18pts (left columns)

= 8.4 + 7.2

= 15.6

= C for the module overall (right column)

ITEM GRADE ITEM VALUE TOTAL MODULE VALUE MODULE GRADE

A+ 25 24.00 - 30.00 A+
A 23 22.00 – 23.99 A
A- 21 20.50 – 21.99 A-
B+ 20 19.50 – 20.49 B+
B 19 18.50 – 19.49 B
B- 18 17.50 – 18.49 B-
C+ 17 16.50 – 17.49 C+
C 16 15.50 – 16.49 C
C- 15 14.50 – 15.49 C-
D+ 14 13.50 – 14.49 D+
D 13 12.50 – 13.49 D
D- 12 11.50 – 12.49 D-
F+ 11 9.50 – 11.49 F+
F 8 6.00 – 9.49 F
F- 4 2.00 – 5.99 F-
G 0 0.00 – 1.99 G
AG 0 0.00 – 1.99 AG
LG 0 0.00 – 1.99 LG
NG 0 0.00 – 1.99 NG

51
APPENDIX III: Classification – An indicative worked example

In this case modules of 20 credits have been studied. If you have studied larger
modules the same principle applies.

Level 5 Level 6
Single Double
Weighted Weighted
B- 18 A+ (PM) 25
B 19 C 16
A- 21 B+ 20
C- 15 B+ 20
D- C- 15
B+ 20 D+

The lowest 40 credits (highlighted) are discounted. The grades are put into
descending order to work out the median, and the mean of the number is also
calculated. If the mean and median are in different classification bands the higher
classification is awarded.

A+ 25
A+ 25
A- 21
B+ 20
B+ 20
B+ 20
B+ 20 Mean = 19 = B
B+ 20 (median) Median = B+
B 19 Classification = 2i
B- 18
C 16
C 16
C- 15
C- 15
C- 15

As clarification on the workings of the algorithm 1) the term ‘more than half’ takes
account of differential credit rating and is simply a guide; 2) at module level an
alphabetical grade is mapped to a range of numeric values (Appendix II) and it is
these values that are used by the algorithm to determine classification.
52
APPENDIX IV: Tables

Framework of Undergraduate Higher Education Qualifications

Credits for Award

When considering the following table you should note:
• 240 credits in total must be achieved at Levels 4 and 5.
• Credit at a higher level may normally be substituted for credit at a lower level,
provided pre-requisites have been taken into account.

AWARD
Level 4 Level 5 Level 6 Total Credits
Bachelor (Honours) 120 Not less than 120 360
100 to include
Principal
module
Bachelor (Honours) 120 Not less than 120 to 480
incorporating 100 include to include 120
Foundation Year 0 Principal achieved on
module Foundation
level modules
Bachelor (Ordinary 120 Not less than 60 300
Degree) 100
Foundation Degree 120 Not less than 240
100
Graduate Diploma 120 120
Graduate Certificate 60 60
Diploma in Higher 120 Not less than 240
Education (Dip HE) 100
Certificate in Higher 120 120
Education (Cert HE)
Higher National 120 Not less than 240
Diploma 100
Higher National 150 Not less than 150 or 160
Certificate 30
University Diploma 120
University 60
Certificate

53
Registration Period for Undergraduate Framework Awards

AWARD Total Credit Min Period Min with APL Max Period

Honours Degree 360 2 years 1 year 9 years

Honours Degree 480 4 years N/A 9 years

incorporating
foundation

Ordinary Degree 300 2 years 1 year 9 years

Foundation Degree 240 2 years 1 year 6 years

(FdA, FdSc)
Diploma of Higher
Education 240 2 years 1 year 6 years
Higher National
Diploma 240 2 years 1 year 6 years
Higher National
Certificate 150 2 years 1 year 4 years
Certificate of Higher
Education 120 1 year 3 years
Professional Graduate
Certificate in Education 120 1 year 3 years

Top up Degree 120 1 year 3 years

Top up Degree 120 8 months 3 years

(intensive route)
Professional Awards Some professional awards do not conform to these credit
requirements. See supplementary regulations for specific
details.

54
APPENDIX V: Further sources of information

The University offers a range of support to students to ensure their time at the
University is as enjoyable as possible and information can be accessed via the
Student Hub https://mynorthamptonac.sharepoint.com/sites/student. Please
familiarize yourself with the variety of information available. There will be
someone, somewhere, who can help with any query you may have.

Exams and Assessments

In brief, and not limited to:
• Guide to Examinations for Students with Additional Needs and Disabilities.
• Plagiarism Avoidance Course
• Exam information and guidance, timetables, code of conduct
• On-line results
• Decision Forms
• Guidance on further assessment opportunities
• Harvard referencing ~ full and quick guides
• Assessment Boards
• Mitigating Circumstances

University Policies, Procedures and Regulations

In brief, and not limited to:
• Academic and Supplementary Regulations
• General Student Regulations
• Student Handbooks
• Student Partnership Agreement
• Appeals & Complaints
• Health, wellbeing & fitness to study
• UKVI-related policies
• Library and Learning Services
• Financial Guidance
• Student Support
• Needs Assessment Centre NAC

Study
In brief, and not limited to:
• Module Catalogues
• Award Maps
• Change to study forms (Study Break/Transfer/Withdrawal)
• Finances – Withdrawal Policy

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APPENDIX VII: Timetabling Approach and Processes

Aims

The primary aims when building the academic timetable each year are –
1. That for all single honours courses the compulsory and designated modules are
available in any combination for each level of teaching
2. That for all joint honours courses the compulsory modules between subjects are
available in any combination for each level of teaching
3. That for all joint honours courses where the compulsory modules take place on
different campuses travel time between sites is catered for
4. To schedule no more than four teaching hours without a break between
timetabled activities
5. That part-time students’ timetables are condensed as much as possible within
the confines of the full-time timetable

It is not always possible to create a timetable to suit all students. To do so would

require limitless space. This document tries to explain the nature of timetabling and
the potential for the timetable to change.

Standard Schedule

The University of Northampton timetables Undergraduate teaching within the

following schedule –
Monday 9am to 6pm
Tuesday 9am to 6pm
Wednesday 9am to 1pm*
Thursday 9am to 6pm
Friday 9am to 6pm
(* - Wednesday afternoons are kept free for undergraduate sporting activities)

Joint Honours subjects are controlled by a blocking system to help avoid clashes
between compulsory modules from different blocks.

At level 4 the subject blocks are linked to a particular day.

Block A Monday
Block B Tuesday
Block C Thursday
Block D Friday

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The only exception is any level 4 module that is shared between subjects and
therefore linked to more than one block. In that case the module is either repeated
on each block day or instead runs on Wednesday morning to avoid clashes.

For level 5 the blocks move on a day; Block A to Tuesday, Block B to Thursday, etc.
The same shift in days happens again for level 6. The shift in days is made to avoid
the overloading of staff workloads and allow fair access to resources. However,
these are guide days for the compulsory modules on each subject and to achieve
the second timetabling aim.

Publication of Timetables

Once a timetable is constructed, populated with returning students and checked by

tutors / module leaders it can be published online around mid-July each year.
However, the published timetable is still considered draft and subject to possible
changes right up to the start of the academic year.

Individual timetables for returning students will also be available for mid-July
provided they have completed their module choices for the coming year and once
that detail has been fully loaded into the Student Record System. The individual
timetables for new students or students on new courses will be available online in
August / September once their module choices have been submitted and that detail
has been fully loaded into the Student Record System.

Problems and Issues

Common issues as to why a timetable appears uneven include -

• Unable to take a combination of modules as they clash on the timetable
• Large gaps in the timetable or the timetable is spread too much across the week
• Not being allowed to attend a particular seminar
• Changes occurring to what appears to be a set timetable

Clashes and Restrictions

For Joint Honours at levels 5 and 6 each subject includes multiple designated
modules as well as the core compulsory modules. It is therefore not always possible
with the weekly standard schedule for all the modules of one subject to avoid all
the modules of the other subjects, particularly when a subject has a large number
of designated modules. As a result there might be designated modules on the
award map which are unavailable to a student due to the modules choices from
their other subject.

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If such a clash occurs it in not possible to incorporate it into the award map as in
subsequent years the timetable can change again.

Split level students are likely to find clashes between modules for different levels.
This is because the timetable is constructed to work within each teaching level. It
would be impossible to construct it around every module combination within the
three levels.

Gaps and Spread

Course award maps contain multiple modules which can be taken in various
combinations. As the modules are spread across the week, due to such factors as
staff and room availability, some combinations can appear to be better timetabled
than others.

Less favourable combinations may result in module activities taking place at the
start of the day for one module and the end of the day for another module, leaving
a large period free within the middle of the day.

Sometimes the gaps are a result of seminar allocation (see below) when a module
has a large number of students and multiple seminars taking place.

Seminar Allocation
For modules with multiple seminars the allocation of students to those seminars
conforms to the main timetabling aims but is otherwise arbitrary. As a result some
students’ timetables may appear more favourable than others.

Students are allowed to request a move between seminars by contacting Central

Timetabling up to the beginning of the academic year. The change will be made as
long as it does not result in the 'overloading' of a particular seminar. However, once
the academic year has begun the request must be made via the seminar / module
tutor by completing a Seminar Change Form.

Changes to the Timetable

Changes to the draft timetable can be made for any number of reasons and can
happen at any time. Module activities could move to different times or students
moved between seminars.

Module activities might move because –

• Staffing availability changes
• An increase / decrease in module sizes necessitates finding a alternative room at
a different time
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Seminar changes may also occur because –
• A student changes modules which clashes with the original seminar
• Seminar is cancelled due to lower than expected student numbers and students
are reallocated to remaining seminars
• Seminar is added due to higher than expected student numbers and students
are reallocated to new seminar in order to balance the sessions

Prior to the start of the academic year it is not possible to inform all students of
every alteration that might occur so it is recommended that students check weekly
for any changes. During the Academic Year students will be notified of permanent
or temporary cancellations / changes to their timetable within certain time-scales.
An email alert will be sent of changes happening with less than two week notice. A
text alert will be sent for changes happening with less than 24 hours’ notice.

Failure to receive alerts may be a result of:

• Incorrect email address and / or mobile number in student’s record
• Student attending a seminar/workshop group other than that allocated to them
on their timetable
• Unavoidable disruption to University’s IT / Data Systems

Changes covered include:

• Cancellation of classes
• Changes in teaching location
• Changes in teaching time

Summary

The Central Timetabling Unit is aware that students would prefer a neat, orderly
timetable and endeavour to achieve this where possible given the restrictions
mentioned. Students are welcome at any time to contact Timetabling with any
queries or concerns regarding their timetable.

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Amendments to Handbook

Date Page Amendment & reason

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