Flexible study

Top-up degrees

All of our undergraduate and postgraduate taught courses are also offered in top-up format. In order to assess the eligibility of an applicant for a top-up degree we ask for the inclusion of all relevant documents with the application. Credits may be awarded based on previous academic performance in equivalent subject areas or alternatively applicable knowledge gained through prior work experience. Final decisions on admission for top-up degrees and the awarding of credits are made by the degree awarding body, in line with the Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) procedure. When considering the relevance of previous experience we advise applicants to try to match their experience to the learning outcomes of the degree curriculum, a copy of which can be obtained on request from the Admission Office.

A top-up degree requires the student to take fewer credits and the tuition fee is adjusted accordingly, as follows:

Note that if it is decided that an applicant is not exempt from any modules but that they are eligible to study for the degree, an offer of full study shall be made instead.

Evening, weekend & part-time study

Currently evening, weekend and part-time study are available only to postgraduate home students and run dependent on demand.

Evening and weekend

Evening study and weekend study involve 12 contact hours per week divided up as follows:

Evening

• Monday, 6pm to 9pm

• Tuesday, 6pm to 9pm

• Wednesday, 6pm to 9pm

• Thursday, 6pm to 9pm

Weekend

• Friday, 5pm to 9pm

• Saturday, 9am to 1pm & 2pm to 6pm

Please note that evening and weekend study run independently of one another and there is no facility to combine the two.

Part-time

Part-time study typically involves half the number of contact hours per week compared to full-time study, though in certain circumstances, if requested, exceptions may be made at the discretion of the university to offer fewer hours per week spread over a longer period of time. Timetables for part-time study are set taking into account the input of part-time students, in order to best fit in with other demands on their time.  If uptake is low, part-time students sit in classes alongside full-time students; if uptake is high it is likely that contact hours will be arranged specifically for groups of part-time students.