NFAAR-UG: Information for students on Undergraduate Programmes (NFAAR Phase 1)
Terminology | Details in Programme Structure | Examples of NFAAR-UG information in Programme Catalogues | Where to access further information
NB. The information below pertains only to students on first-degree programmes not Foundation Degrees and Honours Years (top up programmes from Foundation Degrees). Links to pages for students on other types of programme can be found on the NFAAR index page.
In 2008/09 the University introduced a new academic framework of assessment regulations governing most undergraduate degree programmes. This framework - called the New Framework for Assessment: Assessment Regulations: Phase 1 for first-degree programmes (NFAAR-UG) - describes the rules for progression from one stage of a degree programme to the next (including supplementary assessment, and the extent of failure that can be condoned), as well as for the award of degrees. Students taking programmes which fall within the NFAAR-UG will be assessed according to these rules.
These changes will not affect students who have started their programmes of study prior to the 2008/09 academic year (unless they repeated or transferred into the first year of a programme of study which falls within the NFAAR in 2008/09). Students on Foundation Degrees and Honours Year programmes will not be assessed under NFAAR-UG - see the NFAAR index for links to versions of the NFAAR relating to these programmes.
Terminology
The NFAAR-UG has necessitated the introduction of new terminology which you may come across within the programme catalogues:
- Parts and Stages: these describe the breakdown of a programme for the purposes of the NFAAR-UG.
- Designated Essential Units (DEUs): these are units which must be passed in order to qualify to proceed with a programme or to receive its normal award at the end; marginal failure in such units cannot be condoned.
- Designated Alternative Programmes (DAPs): these are programmes which are specified alternatives to a student's current programme of study.
- Standard/Enhanced Placements: under NFAAR-UG all placements are described as either 'Standard' or 'Enhanced'. An enhanced placement will require you to complete assessed work related to your placement which contributes towards your final degree classification. A standard placement must only be satisfactorily passed.
You can find a full list of the terminology used in the NFAAR-UG in Appendix 2 (
) of the NFAAR-UG documentation.
Programme Structure
The programme catalogues have been structured to help you understand the way in which the NFAAR-UG has been applied to a specific programme of study. Years of programmes which fall within the NFAAR-UG will have the relevant parts and stages described as well as any designated essential units (or designated essential optional units). Also, at the beginning of each year (or for some thin-sandwich programmes at the beginning of each stage) within the programme the catalogues include a block of text providing further NFAAR-UG information:
- For placement years only: Whether the placement is standard or enhanced.
- Whether a Designated Alternative Programme (DAP) is available for the relevant year of study (note that this may differ between individual years of a programme - some years may have a DAP while others may not).
- Details of any exemptions granted for the relevant stage of the programme (e.g. some programmes may require you to achieve an average mark for assessment across a particular stage which is different from that given in the standard documentation). See page 50 of the NFAAR-UG documentation () which lists all the exemptions currently approved.
- For some undergraduate masters programmes only (e.g. MEng, MChem, MSci etc): a marker to show the programme's penultimate stage (this distinction is important when using the NFAAR-UG flowcharts).
- Links to the University's official NFAAR-UG documentation relevant to the specific year of study (this includes flowcharts describing how you can progress through each stage of your programme).
This information will appear in a shaded box at the top of each year of study within the programme catalogues.
Example 1: a programme with no DAP and no exemptions
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Example 2: a programme with a DAP and exemptions granted
 NFAAR-UG assessment regulations:
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Example 3: a placement year which forms the penultimate year of an undergraduate masters programme
NFAAR-UG assessment regulations:
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Where to access further information
- You can find full details of the NFAAR-UG on the NFAAR web page. This page includes links to the full Assessment Regulations document .
- Details of the way in which the NFAAR-UG has been applied to your programme of study should be provided in your programme handbook. Your Director of Studies will also be able to help with any queries you might have.