Section 3: Credit-bearing Short Courses

Published for 2025/26

Contents

3.1 Short Course Credit Framework

General

  1. This section describes the underlying structures and credit requirements of UCL’s credit-bearing Short Courses.
  2. UCL’s credit-bearing Short Courses involve assessment which does not result in a UCL qualification but which may result in the award of UCL academic credit and ECTS credits upon completion and passing of the assessment component(s).
  3. In common with all credit-bearing modules that are offered as part of UCL programmes of study, credit-bearing Short Courses must include the following defined characteristics:
    1. a specified academic level;
    2. a specified credit-rating and associated learning hours;
    3. approved learning outcomes;
    4. appropriate methods of assessment;
    5. agreed methods of quality assurance;
    6. defined student support mechanisms.
  4. Credit-bearing Short Courses are rated in multiples of five, with 5-, 10-, 15- and 30-credit modules being the norm. The minimum module size is 5 credits, which equates to 50 learning hours and 2.5 European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits.
  5. Short Course Learners who are registered for assessment as UCL Associate Students on a credit-bearing Short Courses and who achieve a percentage mark equal to or greater than the relevant pass mark (see section 3.3) shall be entitled to receive a transcript produced by UCL, detailing the assessment taken and results achieved.
  6. UCL academic credit awarded through successful completion of a credit-bearing Short Courses that is eligible to be used to apply for advanced entry to a UCL programme of study is valid within UCL for five calendar years.

Further guidance

  1. Certification of UCL academic credit for credit-bearing Short Courses through production of an official UCL transcript is managed by Student and Registry Services (SRS).

Credit Accumulation and Qualifications

  1. A Short Course Learner who successfully completes one or more credit-bearing Short Courses may, depending on the activity that has been undertaken, be able to use the academic credit awarded for this to apply for advanced entry to a related UCL taught programme leading to a UCL qualification, through the regulations on the Recognition of Prior Learning.
  2. All applications for advanced entry onto UCL taught programmes must meet the criteria set out in the regulations on the Recognition of Prior Learning.
  3. Applications for advanced entry to UCL taught programmes will not be considered where the academic credit is more than five calendar years’ old, or where the academic credit achieved through the Short Course is not eligible to be used for advanced entry to a UCL programme.
  4. A Short Course Learner must meet the requirements of a UCL-approved programme of study in order to be awarded a UCL qualification. Academic credits from successful completion of individual Short Courses do not automatically accrue towards a UCL qualification, nor do they provide automatic credit exemption or accreditation of prior learning in the event of entry onto another Short Course or UCL programme of study.
  5. A UCL qualification cannot be achieved solely through successful completion of credit-bearing Short Course . The following table specifies the maximum number of academic credits that may be transferred from successful completion of eligible credit-bearing Short Courses for each group of UCL qualifications, in line with the maximum thresholds for the Recognition of Prior Learning.
UCL QualificationMaximum Short Course Credit
Certificate of Higher EducationUp to 30 credits
Diploma of Higher EducationUp to 60 credits
Foundation DegreeUp to 60 credits
Honours DegreeUp to 120 credits
Graduate CertificateUp to 20 credits
Graduate DiplomaUp to 40 credits
Postgraduate CertificateUp to 30 credits
Postgraduate DiplomaUp to 60 credits
Integrated MastersUp to 120 credits
Taught MastersUp to 90 credits
Modular Research MastersUp to 90 credits

Further guidance

  1. Recognition of academic credits awarded through the successful completion of a UCL credit-bearing Short Course is at the discretion of other Higher Education institutions. UCL makes no representation that the activity will be recognised and/or awarded credit by any other institution.

Accreditation of Short Courses by bodies outside UCL

  1. Some Short Courses organised by UCL may be recognised or accredited by Professional, Statutory or Regulatory Bodies and involve assessment leading to a non-UCL qualification or award.
  2. In addition to meeting any requirements specified by UCL, Short Course Learners on such Short Courses must observe any regulations and/or meet any requirements around admission, registration, additional learning hours, assessment and fitness to practise that are specified by these Bodies.

3.2 Change of registered Short Course status

  1. Short Course Learners taking credit-bearing Short Courses who are initially registered as a UCL Attending Student (i.e. not registered to undertake the assessment on the activity) may at the discretion of the activity organisers apply to change their registered Short Course status to a UCL Associate Student, so that they opt in to taking the assessment.
  2. Short Course Learners taking credit-bearing Short Courses who are initially registered as a UCL Associate Student (i.e. registered to undertake the assessment on the activity) may apply to change their status so that they opt not to undertake the assessment. In both circumstances, the application to change registered assessment status must be submitted by the learner to the course organiser by the specified deadline. Short Course Learners who opt out of taking the assessment option shall not be entitled to the award of the academic credits pertaining to the Short Course.
  3. The application to change registered Short Course Learner status must be made to the Short Course organisers in advance of the assessment on the activity taking place and by the specified deadline.

3.3 Assessment of credit-bearing Short Courses

General

  1. The regulations governing assessment for credit-bearing Short Courses are defined by the academic level of the activity – e.g. a credit-bearing Short Course at level 6 is subject to the UCL assessment regulations for undergraduate programmes; and a credit-bearing Short Course at level 7 is subject to the UCL assessment regulations for taught postgraduate programmes.
  2. Each credit-bearing Short Course must have a Course Leader, who will be responsible for ensuring compliance with assessment regulations, including responsibility for planning and implementing appropriate marking, second-marking and internal moderation processes; processing requests for reasonable adjustment and extenuating circumstances; sitting on extenuating circumstances panels if required and any other reasonable role requirements.
  3. The following sections of the UCL Academic Manual shall pertain both to Short Course with Associate Student status taking assessment on credit-bearing UCL Short Courses, and participants on the credit-bearing UCL International Summer School for Undergraduates (‘Short Course Learners’ hereinafter):

Attendance Requirements and Eligibility for Assessment

  1. UCL’s minimum attendance requirements are defined in 2.11.
  2. Short Course Learners whose attendance falls below this attendance requirement are not eligible to undertake the assessment component of the activity or to receive a UCL Certificate of Participation.

Requirements to pass a credit-bearing Short Course

  1. The assessment requirements of the credit-bearing Short Course must be clearly communicated to Short Course Learners.
  2. Assessment results for credit-bearing Short Courses are not eligible for a classification and will be issued as a percentage mark.
  3. In order to pass a credit-bearing Short Course at undergraduate level (i.e. level 4, 5 or 6), a Short Course Learner must achieve a weighted average of 40%, plus 40% in any non-condonable component(s).
  4. In order to pass a credit-bearing Masters-level Short Course (i.e. those at level 7), a Short Course Learner must achieve a weighted average of 50%, plus 50% in any non-condonable component(s).

Reasonable Academic Adjustments

  1. The Reasonable Academic Adjustments regulations set out at Chapter 2 Section 4 of the UCL Academic Manual define how UCL supports students with a disability throughout the learning, teaching and assessment process.
  2. The Reasonable Academic Adjustment regulations shall apply to all Short Course Learners registered as UCL Associate Students and UCL Attending Students on credit-bearing Short Course.
  3. Short Course Learners should notify UCL of any disability at the point of application or during pre-enrolment so that UCL can put in place the support that is required.
  4. The following is a guide to applying for reasonable academic adjustments:

Step 1

Declare a disability at application stage or during pre-enrolment, and receive an invitation to complete an Applicant Support Questionnaire providing more information to the Disability and Neurodiversity, Mental Health and Wellbeing team in Student Support and Wellbeing Services about your disability and support needs.

Or

Contact the Disability and Neurodiversity, Mental Health and Wellbeing team directly at any stage during your studies to request a confidential 1:1 appointment.

Step 2

Continue to liaise with the Disability and Neurodiversity, Mental Health and Wellbeing team via email or phone, or attend an appointment. A member of the Disability and Neurodiversity, Mental Health and Wellbeing team will discuss your support needs in more detail and agree appropriate follow-on actions, which may include:

  • Production of Reasonable Academic Adjustments
  • Email liaison with your academic department, Information Services (ISD), Library
  • Completion of an application for Exam Adjustments
  • Onward referral for non-medical help (e.g. specialist tuition, mental health mentoring, note-taking support)

Step 3

Remain in contact with the Disability and Neurodiversity, Mental Health and Wellbeing team throughout your studies and request a review of support as and when you feel it is necessary.

  1. For further information on Reasonable Academic Adjustments please refer to Chapter 2 Section 4 of the UCL Academic Manual.

Extenuating Circumstances

  1. The Extenuating Circumstances regulations set out at Chapter 2, Section 3 of the UCL Academic Manual define the support available for UCL students who might experience something unexpected, significantly disruptive and beyond their control and which may affect their performance at assessment, such as a sudden, serious illness or the death of a close relative.
  2. The Extenuating Circumstances regulations shall apply to all Short Course Learners registered as UCL Associate Students on credit-bearing Short Courses. The regulations apply to summative assessments only. They do not apply to formative assessments or to absence from lectures, seminars, tutorials etc.
  3. Further guidance about the types of circumstances which are generally considered to be extenuating can be found in Chapter 2, Section 3.5: Grounds for Extenuating Circumstances.
  4. Extenuating Circumstances Claims submitted by Short Course Learners will be considered in accordance with the Extenuating Circumstances Regulations, with the following exceptions:
    • Extenuating Circumstances submitted by Short Course Learners will be considered in a timeframe appropriate for the duration of the Short Course;
    • The Short Course organiser or leader will fulfil the role of the Programme Leader (or equivalent);
    • Decisions on Extenuating Circumstance claims will be referred to the Chair of the relevant Faculty/Department Extenuating Circumstance Panel for decisions under the authority of the Faculty/Department Extenuating Circumstance Panel
    • Forms of mitigation for Short Course Learners may include any of the following:
      1. The Course Leader for the Short Course may approve a coursework extension of up to one week;
      2. The Course Leader, Departmental Tutor or Chair of the relevant Board of Examiners may approve a coursework extension of up to four weeks;
      3. Other forms of mitigation can be considered by the Faculty or Departmental Extenuating Circumstances Panel or by the Chair acting on behalf of the Panel, including:
  5. Short Course Learners may also apply for Exam Adjustments via a separate online application process. Exam Adjustments are adjustments to central or departmental written examinations which can be made as a form of Reasonable Adjustment for those with a disability or long-term condition or as a form of mitigation for those with shorter-term Extenuating Circumstances – see Chapter 2, Section 5: Exam Adjustments.
  6. For further information on Extenuating Circumstances please refer to Chapter 2, Section 3 of the UCL Academic Manual.

Reassessment

  1. The Consequences of Failure regulations set out at Chapter 4 Section 9 of the UCL Academic Manual cover the provisions for UCL students who do not meet the module or programme requirements at the first attempt and there are no Extenuating Circumstances material to that failure.
  2. The Consequences of Failure regulations shall apply to all Short Course Learners registered as UCL Associate Students on credit-bearing Short Courses.
  3. For Short Course Learners who are registered as UCL Associate Students, a credit-bearing Life Learning activity is completed when they have been academically assessed in all of the examined components relating to the activity.
  4. A credit-bearing Short Course is passed when a Short Course Learner who is registered as a UCL Associate Student has been academically assessed in all of the examined components relating to the activity and achieved the pass mark for the activity as a whole (see ‘Requirements to pass a credit-bearing Short Course’ section above).
  5. A student must be awarded a mark of 0% for a Component and must be deemed to have made an attempt where they:
    1. Are absent from an examination, presentation or other assessment event, OR
    2. Do not attempt a paper or task, OR
    3. Attempt so little of a paper or task that it cannot be assessed, OR
    4. Do not submit coursework.
  6. Where a Short Course Learner who is registered as a UCL Associate Student is absent or makes an un-assessable attempt due to illness or other Extenuating Circumstances they should follow the procedures for Extenuating Circumstances described in paragraphs 15-20 above.
  7. Where a Short Course Learner who is registered as a UCL Associate Student fails to pass the assessment on a credit-bearing Short Course at the first attempt, one further attempt at assessment is normally permitted unless otherwise specified in the course specification for the Short Course concerned. Short Course Learners are therefore advised to refer to the course information for the Short Course.
  8. Reassessment must be made at the next normal occasion.
  9. For credit-bearing Short Courses, the expectation is that Short Course Learners who are eligible for reassessment will resit the assessment without extra tuition Short Course Learners who wish to resit the assessment with tuition will be required to re-enrol on the Short Course in question.
  10. The assessment or reassessment for a Short Course must be completed within two years of initial enrolment on the activity. This period of two years may be extended at the discretion of UCL by way of an approved suspension of regulations.
  11. Short Course Learners should receive the higher of the marks achieved at the first or second attempt.
  12. Short Course Learners should only be reassessed in the failed module components, unless the course specification for the activity requires reassessment of all components.
  13. Short Course Learners who have passed a credit-bearing Short Course activity cannot repeat the assessment for the activity.
  14. Short Course Learners who have been excluded from UCL are not eligible for any further assessment attempts.

Boards of Examiners

  1. Marks for Short Course Learners registered as UCL Associate Students on credit-bearing Short Courses must be considered and approved by a Board of Examiners.
  2. Departments must consider and approve these marks once per term, either through their usual Boards of Examiners cycle, or through a Sub-Board convened to consider only marks for credit-bearing Short Courses. In the case of the latter, the regulations for Boards of Examiners at Chapter 4, Part A: Section 11 of the UCL Academic Manual shall apply in respect of:
    • Terms of reference
    • Constitution and Membership
    • Quorum
    • Candidate anonymity
    • Confidentiality
    • Conflicts of interest
    • Involvement of External Examiners;
    • All other procedures for the management of Boards of Examiners set out at Chapter 4, Part A, Section 11 of the UCL Academic Manual.

Publication of Results

  1. Course organisers are permitted to release unconfirmed provisional marks to Short Course Learners, prior to the formal publication of results by UCL. Publication of full results should occur at least once per term.
  2. Short Course Learners will be informed of the date when their examination results will be published.
  3. UCL Associate Student Short Course Learners who complete the assessment for a credit-bearing UCL Short Course will be eligible to receive an official transcript detailing their mark.