University of Southampton Calendar 2009/10


University Calendar 2009/10 Section VIII : Academic Regulations - Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences School of Medicine

School	School of Medicine
Final Award	Bachelor of Medicine with intermediate exit awards of Certificate of Higher Education, Diploma of Higher Education, Bachelor of Medical Sciences (Ordinary), Bachelor of Medical Sciences (Hons)
Programme(s)	BM4 (four year graduate entry programme) BM5 (five year programme) BM6 (Year 0 widening access programme followed by the five year programme)
Last modified	June 2009

Reference should be made to the University's General Regulations found in Section IV of the University Calendar.

The School has been granted an opt-out by the University’s Academic Standards and Quality Committee(ASQC) to Section IV, General Regulations – Progression, Determination and Classification of Results (see below). The following variations to the University regulations apply:

*Definitions*	The definitions used by the School are as per the University regulations with the following additions/exceptions.
*Component*	Module of study/assessment to be passed in order to progress to the next year of the programme. Components may comprise of more then one element of assessment. A component is equivalent to the term “module” as referred to in the University regulations.
Element	Examination or assignment within a component.
Pass Mark	As per the University definition and may also be applied to an element of a component.
Pass Grade	The minimum grade that must be achieved in order to pass a component marked in grades. It may be applied either to a component, an element or to an average grade. A to D grades will represent Pass grades. E and F grades will represent Fail grades.
Average Mark	The mark obtained by taking the mean or weighted average of individual element marks (as required by the assessment regulations) contributing to the assessment of a component.
Average Grade	The grade obtained by taking the mean or weighted average of individual element grades (as required by the assessment regulations) contributing to the assessment of a component.
Year	The School refers to Years in the following regulations. A Year is equivalent to the term Part as referred to in the University regulations.
Repeat	As per the University definition except BM programme students will normally be required to repeat the year as an internal candidate.
Board of Examiners	Within the School of Medicine, progression decisions for the BM Programme are made by the School’s Undergraduate Student Progress Committee. The Student Progress Committee is therefore the equivalent to the Board of Examiners when reference is made to progression in the University regulations for Special Considerations Paragraphs 7.6 to 7.9.

Admissions

Admissions requirements will be as stated in the University’s General Regulations, the Programme Specifications and the University Prospectus.

Structure of Programme(s)

The structures of Programmes are as per the University General Regulations and the Programme Specifications. The BM4, BM5 and BM6 programmes lead to an unclassified degree.

Progression

The School’s progression regulations are subject to an opt out, granted by the University’s ASQC, from part of the University’s Progression Rules as published in the University Calendar Section IV – Progression, Determination and Classification of Results and exceptions to the University’s regulations are detailed below.

BM4/BM5/BM6 Programmes

Criteria for Progression

University regulation 4.1 with the following addition:
Progress from one year of the programme to the next will depend upon the successful completion of the appropriate examination and course work requirements, satisfactory completion of clinical and other practical work, and freedom from health, behavioural and conduct problems relevant to future employment as a medical practitioner.

University regulation 4.4.1 with the following addition:
Any candidate failing to satisfy the examiners in the BM Final examination at the first attempt will normally be required to repeat the final year before retaking the BM Final examination. A repeat Final Year would normally be undertaken as an internal candidate.

University regulation 4.4.2 with the following addition:
Components passed at referral will be capped at the module pass mark/grade for the purposes of calculating Distinctions.

University regulation 4.5 Repeat:
A candidate failing to progress after referral may repeat the appropriate Year of the programme internally. Normally the Repeat will include all modules and marks from any previous attempts will be set aside. Due to Statutory Body requirements candidates are normally limited to two repeat years during the programme on which they are registered. The maximum duration of a student’s programme of study that will lead to registration with the GMC are therefore:

	BM4 - no more than 6 years
	BM5 - no more than 7 years
	BM6 - no more than 8 years

BM6 Programme only

Students undertaking the BM6 programme have the right to a referral in the assessment of each individual component but are not normally permitted to undertake a repeat year.

Assessment

Details of the assessment structure for the BM programmes are held on the School of Medicine website. Examination and Assessment Regulations are available within Student Handbooks and policy documents on the School of Medicine website.

Award of Qualification(s)

The School of Medicine has been granted exemption from Paragraphs 5 and 6 of the University’s Regulations for Progression, Determination and Classification of Results and operates the following variation.

In order to qualify for the degree of Bachelor of Medicine candidates must:

have passed the Years 1 and 2 assessments, the Intermediate examination and the Final examination and, except for BM4 students, have satisfactorily completed the fourth year Study in Depth;
have completed satisfactorily all practical work, clinical work and other coursework as required; and
have been free from health, behavioural and conduct problems relevant to future employment as a medical practitioner.

Students are eligible for the award of the following intermediate exit qualifications if they successfully complete a proportion of the Bachelor of Medicine programme but leave the programme, for whatever reason, before successful completion. Credit Accumulation and Transfer (CATS) points will be awarded following successful completion of a whole year only and will not be awarded for separate components or a partially completed year.

AWARD	*EXIT POINT*	*CATS (ECTS) POINTS*
Certificate of Higher Education in Biomedical Sciences	Successful completion of Year 1	120 (60) level 4
Diploma of Higher Education in Biomedical Sciences	Successful completion of Year 2	120 (60) level 5
Bachelor Medical Sciences (Ordinary)	Successful completion of Year 3 including the BM Intermediate examination	120 (60) level 5
Bachelor of Medical Sciences (Honours)*	Successful completion of Year 4	120 (60) level 6
Bachelor of Medicine	Successful completion of Final Year including the BM Final examination	120 (60) level 6

* not applicable for BM4

Should a student be permitted to rejoin the BM programme within two years of the award of the intermediate exit qualification this would be converted to a BM degree following successful completion of the BM programme.

Award of Distinction

The award of a Distinction is conferred on students showing excellence at the end of Years 2, 3 and the Final Year at the first attempt. In order to achieve a Distinction at the end of Year 2, candidates would need to show excellence in both Years 1 and 2 at the first attempt. The criteria defining excellence are detailed in the School’s Examination and Assessment Policies.

Criteria for the award of BM Degree with Honours

The award of Honours is conferred on students who, in Years 1 and 2 examinations, Intermediate, Fourth Year Study in Depth and Finals:

normally have passed all the examinations at the first attempt (as well as the Fourth Year Study in Depth [not applicable for BM4 students]);
have achieved Distinctions in both the Intermediate and Final examinations or have achieved Distinction in either the Intermediate or Final examination and the equivalent of a B grade overall in the other examination;
have achieved no less than a C grade in any one component at Intermediate or Finals and have exemption from the Mini CEX at Finals.

The final award is awarded by Senate on the recommendation of School Board to candidates who have satisfactorily completed an approved programme of study and have satisfied the assessment requirements.

Placements/Study Abroad/Exchange/Fieldwork

Details of clinical attachments are given in the Programme Specifications and Student Handbooks on the School of Medicine website.

Other

7.1	Any other specific requirements for this programme are included in programme specifications, assessment regulations and student handbooks on the School of Medicine website.
7.2	These regulations apply for the year in which the student is registered and may be revised during the student's period of registration on a programme in accordance with the procedures approved by Senate.