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- Academic Partnerships Handbook
- Approval and Revision of Taught Modules and Programmes Handbook
- Assessment, Progression and Awarding: Taught Programmes Handbook
- Credit and Qualifications Framework
- 1 - Introduction
- 2 - Definitions
- 3 - Scope
- 4 - Relationship to the Calendar
- 5 - Notional Study
- 6 - Modules
- 7 - Academic Level
- 8 - Assessment and Award of Academic Credit
- 9 - Academic Credit Requirements for Award
- 10 - Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL)
- 11 - Intercalated Programmes
- 12 - Award of Undergraduate Degrees 'with Proficiency in'
- 13 - Combined, Major/Minor, Triple Honours + Integrated Masters
- Exceptional Circumstances Handbook
- External Examining Handbook
- Learning and Teaching Support Handbook
- Postgraduate Research Handbook
- Quality Review & Enhancement Framework
- Student Cases Handbook
- Special Provisions for Online Programmes (including those offered in partnership with Keypath Education)
- Special Provisions for Healthcare Programmes
- Special Provisions for Degree Apprenticeships
- Special Provisions for Programmes with Accreditation Licenced by the Engineering Council
Chapter 13 - Combined (Joint), Major/Minor and Triple Honours and Integrated Masters Undergraduate Degree Programmes
13 - Combined (Joint), Major/Minor and Triple Honours and Integrated Masters Undergraduate Degree Programmes
Programmes may be developed that comprise more than one subject. The balance of subjects may be organised so that the overall programme is delivered on a major/minor, combined(joint) or triple basis. The maximum number of subjects that may be combined to achieve a given named programme is normally two; however, where the programme regulations permit, a student may take modules from a wider range of subject areas.
In developing undergraduate curricula, subjects are combined according to the following rules to provide for major/minor, combined(joint) and triple combinations (see tables below for more complete rules):
a) Combined (Joint) honours: a combination where there is an approximately equal balance between two subjects; each subject contributes at least 30 academic credit points at the level of the award.
b) Major/Minor honours: a combination where the minor subject accounts for at least a quarter of the programme and the major subject accounts for at most three-quarters of the programme; the major subject contributes at least 30 academic credits at the level of the award, and the minor subject area contributes at least 15 academic credit points at the level of the award (the subject ratio is between 2:1 and 3:1).
c) Triple (three subjects) honours: a combination where there is approximately an equal balance between three subjects; each subject contributes at least 15 academic credit points at the level of the award.
d) Single honours: those programmes that are approved as a single entity. A single honours programme may comprise one subject or may reflect a combination of subjects presented as an integrated whole. The title of a single honours award reflects the nature of the programme’s curriculum and outcomes; it does not need to follow the conventions identified above but should normally include some study at the level of the award in any named subject.
| 3-year Bachelors or 4-year Bachelors including year out (the year out does not contribute when calculating the credit weight of the component subjects) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Credit requirement | Maximum credits per subject | Minimum credits per subject | Overall minimum credits required at level 6 | Minimum credits per subject required at level 6 | |
| Single honours | 360 | 360 | 90 | n/a | |
| Combined (Joint) | 210 | 150 | 30 | ||
| Major | 270 | 240 | |||
| Minor | 120 | 90 | 15 | ||
| Triple (1:1:1) | 150 | ||||
| 4-year integrated Masters | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Credit requirement | Maximum credits per subject | Minimum credits per subject | Overall minimum credits required at levels 6 and 7 | Minimum credits per subject required at level 6 | Minimum credits per subject required at level 7 |
| Single honours | 480 | 480 | 210 at levels 6 and 7 with a minimum of 120 at level 7 | n/a | n/a |
| Combined (Joint) | 270 | 210 | 30 | 30 | |
| Major | 360 | 315 | 30 | 30 | |
| Minor | 175 | 120 | 15 | 15 | |
| Triple (1:1:1) | 190 | 120 | 15 | 15 | |
For joint programmes, the conjunction ‘and’ is used to join the two subjects, with the two subjects listed as approved in the programme specification.
For major/minor programmes the major subject is listed first in the name of the award and the conjunction ‘with’ is used to join the two subjects.
For triple (three-subject) programmes the subjects are listed as approved in the programme specification with a comma separating the first two subjects and the conjunction ‘and’ used before the listing of the third subject.
e) Flexible Combined Honours: allows the combination of two or more subjects in a flexible manner which does not duplicate any existing ‘established’ Combined Honours programme. A single subject, known as a ‘themed pathway’, which is different from any existing Single Honours programme, can also be created. The titles of the award indicate the programme’s content and use appropriate conjunction terms (‘and’, ‘with’ or commas) to reflect the proportions of the curriculum studied (FCH degree rules).
| 3-year Bachelors or 4-year Bachelors including year out (the year out does not contribute when calculating the credit weight of the component subjects) | |
|---|---|
| Description | Credit required |
| Overall credits | 360 |
| Overall minimum credits at level 6 | 90 |
| Overall maximum credits at level 4 (with the permission of the Director of Flexible Combined Honours, students are able to take up to 180 credits at level 4) | 150 |
| Minimum credits for a subject (non-language) to be mentioned in the degree title. Credits are accrued in the second and/ or final stage; Stage 1 credits do not normally influence the degree title. Credits do not have to achieve a particular level. | 60 |
| Minimum credits for a language to be mentioned in the degree title. Credits can be accrued in the first, second or final stage. Credits do not have to achieve a particular level, but the degree title may reflect the level passed. | 60 |
| Minimum credits overall in each subject of a two-subject programme in the second and/ or final stages for the conjunction ‘and’ to be used between the subjects. The subjects do not need to achieve credits at a particular level. | 105 |
| Number of credits overall in a subject in the second and/ or final stages for it to be preceded by the conjunction ‘with’ in the degree title. The subject does not need to achieve credits at a particular level. | between 60 and 90 |
| For degrees that combine more than two subjects, the relative subject proportions in the second and final stages are used to determine the appropriate use of the conjunctions ‘and’ and ‘with’ or commas to separate subject names; Stage 1 may be relevant, e.g. if languages have been studied. The subjects do not need to achieve credits at particular levels, but the level passed may be reflected in the title. There are no set proportions of subject credits for such programmes. | variable |
| Minimum overall credits for a single subject pathway in the second and final stages. | 180 and the remaining 60 credits are not in one subject; otherwise, the programme becomes a major/minor. |
f) Liberal Arts: students select one subject in which to specialise (the Major) and select modules from other disciplines within the “Arts” across Humanities and Social Sciences to create a flexible and bespoke field of study.
| 3-year Bachelors or 4-year Bachelors including year out (the year out does not contribute when calculating the credit weight of the component subjects) | |
|---|---|
| Description | Credit required |
| Overall credits | 360 |
| Overall minimum credits at level 6 | 90 |
| Overall maximum credits at level 4 (with the permission of the Director of Liberal Arts, students are able to take up to 180 credits at level 4) | 150 |
|
Minimum credits for a subject (non-language) to be mentioned in the degree title. Credits are accrued in the second and/ or final stage; Stage 1 credits do not normally influence the degree title. Credits do not have to achieve a particular level, however, the following credit requirements must be met: - First stage; 30 credits taken from the Major subject pathway - Second stage; 60 credits taken from the Major subject pathway - Final stage; 90 credits taken from the Major subject pathway, which must include a 30-credit dissertation module from the Major subject pathway or a Liberal Arts dissertation |
180 |
| Minimum credits for a language to be mentioned in the degree title as outlined in the guidance for the Proficiency/ Advanced Proficiency in Language. Credits can be accrued in the first, second or final stage. Credits do not have to achieve a particular level, but the degree title may reflect the level passed. | 60 |
Last reviewed August 2023
