Version 1.0 - Last Updated: 25 Oct 2023
Creating a part-time undergraduate course
Course duration
It's important you submit an accurate course duration as this affects the funding entitlement of your students.
For part-time undergraduate courses you must enter the 'full-time equivalent' (FTE) duration of the part-time course you're submitting. You must not enter the duration of the part-time course itself.
If you do not have a full-time version of the course, you must enter the duration that the full-time course would be if there were one. For example, a degree is ordinarily completed within 3 years when studied full time. Therefore, where you have a part-time degree course but no full-time version, you should add your part-time course as 3 years FTE.
When you enter a part-time undergraduate course, you can choose a duration of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8 years full-time equivalent:
- part-time courses with a duration of 1 year FTE – can be studied up to 4 years
- part-time courses with a duration of 2 years FTE – can be studied up to 8 years
- part-time courses with a duration of 3 years FTE – can be studied up to 12 years
- part-time courses with a duration of 4 years FTE – can be studied up to 16 years
- part-time courses with a duration of 5 years FTE – can be studied up to 16 years
- part-time courses with a duration of 6 years FTE – can be studied up to 16 years
- part-time courses with a duration of 7 years FTE – can be studied up to 16 years
- part-time courses with a duration of 8 years FTE – can be studied up to 16 years
You must make sure your students are aware of the actual duration of the part-time course they'll be attending.
Common durations of full-time courses
Ordinary full-time duration – 1 year:
- Certificate of Higher Education (CertHE)
- Higher National Certificate (HNC)
- Honours degree (1-year top-up)
- Honours degree (1-year intercalation)
- Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE)
Ordinary full-time duration – 2 years:
- Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE)
- Higher National Diploma (HND)
- Foundation degree
- Honours degree (2-year top-up)
- Honours degree (condensed)
Ordinary full-time duration – 3 years:
- Ordinary degree
- Honours degree (full course)
Ordinary full-time duration – 4 years:
- Honours degree (with integral foundation year)
- Honours degree (with integral placement year)
- Honours degree (with study abroad year)
- Integrated master’s degree
Ordinary full-time duration – 5 years:
- Honours degree (with integral foundation year and integral placement year)
- Honours degree (with integral foundation year and study abroad year)
Scenarios for deciding part-time course duration
Scenario 1
BA degree studied part-time over 6 years with the full-time version of the course completed in 3 years.
You should add this course to CMS with a duration of 3 years full-time equivalent.
Scenario 2
Integrated master’s studied part-time over 6 years with the full-time version of the course completed in 4 years.
You should add this course to CMS with a duration of 4 years full-time equivalent.
Scenario 3
HND studied part-time over 4 years with no full-time version.
It normally takes 2 years to complete a full-time HND. You should therefore add this course to CMS with a duration of 2 years full-time equivalent.
Scenario 4
BA (hons) degree studied part-time over 7 years with no full-time version.
It normally takes 3 years to complete a full-time BA (hons) degree. You should therefore add this course to CMS with a duration of 3 years full-time equivalent.
Fixed durations
If you offer part-time courses with a fixed duration (for example a 15-month or 18-month course), you must add these to CMS with a one-year full-time equivalent duration. Returning students should apply to the one-year course and you should submit a CoC with the remaining term dates to correct the application.
This will make sure your students receive the correct level of funding.
Do not split out these courses (for example, one course for year 1 and another course for year 2).