Independent Work in Undergraduate Degree Programmes - projects and dissertations
Key Information:
- Confirmation of regulations enshrining the principle to provide all undergraduate students with the opportunity to engage in independent work. Independent work can be a project or piece of research culminating in a written report or dissertation.
- Regulations covering the requirement for all Honours and Integrated Masters degrees to complete at least 20 credits worth of independent study at a minimum standard of D3.
For whom: Deans of Learning & Teaching, College Heads of Academic & Student Administration, Heads of School, Programme Co-ordinators and support staff.
Summary: In 2005-06 Senate agreed to the principle of compulsory independent work in all Honours degree programmes, including Joint Honours and Principal-Subsidiary Honours, and in unclassified professional degrees (the BDS, MBChB and BVMS). The requirement for a piece of independent work had been common practice for Single Honours programmes but was extended to Joint Honours and Principal-Subsidiary Honours programmes, and unclassified professional degrees.
In 2008-09 it was confirmed that the Generic Undergraduate Regulations should specify the minimum requirement of grade D3 for the dissertation / piece of independent work (worth at least 20 credits) to qualify for an Honours degree (GR 16.1). This was in turn extended to the regulations for the award of the Integrated Masters degree (GR 17.1) which is also a classified award.
| Amendment (iv): Confirmation of the minimum requirement of grade D3 in independent work for the award of Honours and Integrated Masters degrees: the policy applied to students entering Junior Honours from 2009-10 onwards and to students entering Integrated Masters from session 2010-11 onwards. Approved by: EdPSC, 6 May 2009 Endorsed by Senate: 4 June 2009 URL: http://committees.gla.ac.uk/senate/SEN/Minutes/20090604.htm#7.7 |
Amendment (iii): Confirmation of timing: the policy applied to students entering Junior Honours in 2007-08 and no later than session 2008-09 for programmes with no Junior Honours. |
| Amendment (ii): Extension to Joint Honours and Principal-Subsidiary Honours programmes. EdPSC, 7 December 2005. Noted by Senate: 19 January 2006 URL: The Inclusion of a Dissertation, Project or Other Piece of Extended Work within Undergraduate Degree Programmes: Responses from Faculties |
| Amendment (i): Extension of principle to unclassified professional degrees. Approved by: EdPSC, 23 March 2005. Noted by Senate: 5 May 2005 URL: Undergraduate Degree Programmes |
| First approved by: EdPSC, 2 February 2005 Noted by Senate: 24 February 2005 URL: The Inclusion of a Dissertation, Project or Other Piece of Extended Work within Undergraduate Degree Programmes: Responses from Faculties |