| | | Course Units |
Many of the MSc course units are taught in a one-day-a-week format over 4 periods (2 in each Semester). Some course units are taught in half-days over a longer period.
For those in a one-day-a-week format, the teaching period is divided into 4 periods of 5 weeks each; 2 periods in each Semester. At the end of each period is a coursework completion week to enable you to complete the coursework for the preceeding period. Examinations take place twice a year at the end of each Semester. Each course unit is allocated a day a week in a particular period, making 5 days for each course unit; see the timetable at http://www.cs.manchester.ac.uk/pgt/timetable/ for details. These 5 days are the taught days of the course unit and will typically consist of a mix of activities including lectures, supervised practical work, seminars, discussions etc. In addition, the course units have coursework to be taken outside these taught days, amounting to one and a half days per week for each course unit. Some or all of the coursework is likely to be assessed. Deadlines for assessed work will be set in individual course units. For units taught in half-days per week format, arrangements are similar but these units extend over a full semester. Course units are worth 15 credits each and you need to take 6 taught course units for an MSc and, in addition, the 30 credit Research Skills and Professional Issues course unit, and the 60 credit dissertation.
Where there is a choice of course units you are strongly advised to spread the load evenly throughout the taught period, taking into account the Research and Professional Skills course unit and your Research Project. For example, for the MSc in Advanced Computer Science you should take 4 course units in the first Semester (two in each period) and 2 in the second Semester (one in each period). In this way, your work will be properly paced over the taught period and you will be able to manage the workload to your best advantage. Any other arrangement of your course units requires special dispensation from your Programme Director.
Whilst we try to ensure all course units will run, some may be withdrawn or changed for a variety of reasons. The University reserves the right to change the availability of course units. Some course units will have a restriction on the number of students who may attend for various reasons (e.g. licences, facilities etc) and these may become fully subscribed. Course units with very few students may be cancelled but we try to avoid this.
| | | Course Units |