Degree Course Information

• A to Z list of undergraduate courses and their UCAS codes

All undergraduate courses at Bradford are organised on a modular basis, and are taught over two semesters each year.

A standard Bachelor's degree programme is made up of a total of 36 modules. You take six modules in each semester, making twelve in each full academic year. Each module represents approximately 100 hours of student learning-time, though the balance between timetabled lectures, seminars, laboratory classes and private study varies.

Each module is largely self-contained, although some are linked. This means that a module you take in the second semester is a direct continuation of a module you took in the first semester. Others are double, meaning that one subject fills two module slots simultaneously. In addition, some later-year modules have prerequisites, which means you can only choose them if you have taken a specified module in the previous year.

A modularised structure has several advantages. It gives each degree course a standard format under which a range of modules can be made available within each Department, offering greater choice of second- and final-year subjects.

It also makes it possible for students to take individual modules offered by other departments; in peace studies, or computing, or marketing, or a language. In principle, you are entitled to select two modules each year from outside your core department, although the number of students who take advantage of this varies. Opportunities for structured choice are growing all the time, which is also reflected in the growing number of different degree titles available to you.

There are advantages for the University too. Modularisation enables us to make more efficient use of our teaching resources whilst enhancing quality and effectiveness.

Finally, a national scheme of credit transfer will enable you, if you wish, to transfer to a similar course at another university mid-way through; or to take time off during your course. We do not expect many students to take advantage of this, but if you are a mature or experienced student, you may find that being able to accumulate modules for a degree over a longer time-span (and perhaps in different places) is more suited to your personal circumstances.

What it means in practice

The two semesters are of unequal length: the first being fourteen weeks, the second being sixteen weeks. Each semester comprises twelve weeks of teaching, followed by a two- or four-week period of examination and/or assessment. This reflects the fact that, though some single modules will be examined at the end of the first semester, rather more, including double and linked modules, are examined at the end of the second semester.

Under the current pattern, the first semester will start in mid-to late-September. Twelve weeks of teaching before Christmas are followed by two weeks of assessment after the Christmas vacation. The second semester then starts immediately, with a break for Easter, ending with four weeks of assessment.

• Semester/term Dates