University of Southampton Calendar 2015/16


University Calendar 2015/16 Section XII : Academic Regulations - Faculty of Physical Sciences and Engineering

Academic Unit	Electronics and Computer Science
Final Award	Master of Science (MSc) with exit awards of: Postgraduate Certificate Postgraduate Diploma
Programme(s)	These regulations apply to all MSc programmes in ECS
Last modified	July 2015

Reference should be made to the University's General Regulations found in Section IV and Section V (Higher Degree Regulations) of the University Calendar.

Except where an opt-out has been granted by the University (see below) the following academic regulations apply in addition to the General Regulations.

Admissions

1.1	The specific admissions criteria for each programme are given at http://www.ecs.soton.ac.uk.

Structure of Programme(s)

2.1	All ECS taught programmes are full-time degrees.
2.2	MSc degrees normally require 12 months of study.
2.3	Students on taught programmes in ECS are required to register for 30 ECTS credits (60 CATS) of modules in each semester, except where their programme specification explicitly permits otherwise. Students may attend lectures for additional modules, but only with the permission of the module leader. Students may not participate in the assessment activities of these additional modules.
2.4	The core, compulsory and optional modules for each year of each ECS degree are given in the programme specifications and student courses handbook. Some modules have pre-requisites and some modules are mutually exclusive. These are documented in the ECS module specifications. A printed copy of the latest version of these documents is kept in the Student Office and can also be viewed electronically at http://www.ecs.soton.ac.uk.
2.5	Students with a first degree from ECS that overlaps with their MSc programme must consult their programme leader who will define an appropriate set of compulsory and optional modules taking into account their prior studies. MSc students cannot repeat modules they have taken and passed as an undergraduate. Instead they will be offered a suitable alternative from the other existing modules. Exceptionally well-prepared students may take a relevant option instead of a compulsory module; this requires written permission from their tutor and course leader and must be agreed at the start of the academic year. Recognition of Prior Learning is not permitted.
2.6	Students must select their options for each semester of study before the start of the semester on or before the options deadline as notified by the Student Office.
2.7	It is the responsibility of each student to ensure that the combination of modules they have selected is valid and meets the requirements of their programme of study.
2.8	Students may change their selection up to week three of the semester. Students changing their selection after the options deadline are responsible for checking that there are no timetable clashes.
2.9	Students must submit a completed project preferences form by the end of the semester before the start of the project, on or before the deadline as notified by the project coordinator so that a project supervisor can be allocated.

Progression

3.1	Progression is determined according to the standard University regulations.
3.2	MSc students must suspend their summer project if the Board of Examiners refers them in one or more subjects, or requires them to repeat.

Assessment

4.1	The regulations and arrangements for referrals and repeats will be as specified in the University’s standard Progression Regulations for Standalone Masters Programmes. These should be read in conjunction with the Regulations and Definitions Applying to Progression for all Credit Bearing Programmes.
4.2	When students repeat modules externally, it may be impractical for them to undertake the normal assessment activities, for example in the case of a module with assessed laboratories or group work. In such cases, ECS will provide an alternative but equivalent form of assessment.
4.3	Assessed coursework or project work that is submitted late will be subject to the standard University penalty of 10% of the awarded mark times the number of working days, or part thereof, after the published submission deadline. For the purposes of this regulation, working days are defined to be weekdays during term time, or the summer vacation, or the first week of the Christmas or Easter vacation, but excluding bank holidays. Unless an extension has been granted, work submitted more than 5 working days late will not be marked. In the case of assignments worth less than 10% of a module, work must be submitted on time in order to be marked unless an extension has been granted.
4.4	A project that fails as a result of the application of late penalties will however be awarded the pass mark of 50%.
4.5	A student who does not submit a dissertation will not normally be offered a further submission opportunity, but will be deemed withdrawn and their studies terminated in accordance with the University's regulations on Transfer, Suspension. Withdrawal and Termination.
4.6	A project re-submission represents an opportunity for a student who has failed their project to improve and re-submit their dissertation, normally without receiving additional supervision or undertaking further experimental work.
4.7	Where a student completes their dissertation externally, they will normally be assessed also via an oral examination, for example over Skype or similar electronic means.
4.8	Students who choose to repeat externally will not be asked to repeat coursework if there is also an examination. Instead, for progression purposes, the higher of their examination marks alone, or in combination with their previous coursework mark, will be used.
4.9	Students are expected to attend all formally timetabled examinations. A student who misses an examination without good explanation will be deemed withdrawn and their studies terminated in accordance with the University's regulations on Transfer, Suspension. Withdrawal and Termination.

Award of Qualification(s)

5.1

ECS students are required to obtain an overall average of 50% overall for the award of MSc, and students who fail to achieve this will have one opportunity to re-submit their dissertation to improve their overall average. Otherwise, qualifications are awarded according to the standard University regulations.

Laboratory and Field Work

6.1	ECS students are required to demonstrate that they have read and understood the relevant laboratory handbook and computer regulations before they are allowed to work in any ECS teaching laboratory.
6.2	ECS students are required to complete a risk assessment before undertaking as part of their studies any activity that is judged to involve health and safety risks.

Other

7.1	Students who are not enrolled on an ECS approved programme of study require written permission from the module leader before they may register for an ECS module.
7.2	Candidates are required to satisfy the academic and attendance requirements of the programme as laid out in the Programme Specification and the Student Handbook for the programme. Those failing to do so may have their course terminated.
7.3	Students resuming their studies after suspension may be asked to attend a return to study panel. Students may resume their studies following a suspension for medical reasons on, at most, two occasions.
7.4	Projects involving human subjects need approval from the Faculty Ethics Committee.
7.5	As a research-led University, we undertake a continuous review of our programmes to ensure quality enhancement and to manage our resources. As a result, these regulations may be revised during a student’s period of registration, however, any revision will be balanced against the requirement that the student should receive the educational service expected. Please read our Disclaimer to see why, when and how changes may be made to a student’s programme.