Programme Framework for Northumbria Awards

All Northumbria programmes are built around the four pillars of ‘research rich learning’, ‘assessment for learning and achievement’, ‘employability’ and ‘technology enhanced learning’ Additionally on completion of study students will be able to demonstrate the “Northumbria Graduate Characteristics which are mapped to the programme learning outcomes expressed at the end of each year/level[1]. Modules and their associated learning modules contribute to achievement of the programme learning outcomes. Our programmes, often combined into frameworks, have been constructed to enable flexibility.

A typical fulltime undergraduate Honours programme will:

be made up of 20 credit modules (or multiples of 20)
equate to a total of 120 credits in a year (normally 60 credits per semester)
conclude with a 40 credit project or dissertation
provide opportunities for placements and/or study abroad wherever possible
if option modules are utilised include no more than 40 credits of option at level 5 and no more than level 80 credits of option at level 6 (no options at level 4)

A typical fulltime Master’s programme will:

use 20 / 30 credit modules or multiples as the building blocks for the award
conclude with a 60 credit project / dissertation.

Students can directly enter the latter years/ stages of a programme, or move between programmes providing they can demonstrate that their prior learning maps to the content/level of earlier years of the chosen programme. Our regulations require that a student must undertake a minimum of 60 credits of taught study at Northumbria to gain a Northumbria award. Further detail on assessment regulations can be found here https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/sd/central/ar/qualitysupport/asspolicies/

[1] Undergraduate programmes Year 1 equates to level 4, Year 2 equates to level 5, Year 3 equates to level 6 and for Master’s programmes all modules are at level 7