Data Science with International Foundation Year

This is a 4-year undergraduate degree programme with a fully embedded International Foundation Year.  During the International Foundation year, you will develop your English language, academic skills, and subject knowledge, in a favourable learning environment at INTO, designed to meet your specific needs.  Your learning is well paced and supported with a generous allocation of teaching time.

The Foundation year of the programme consists of:

·         Two academic content modules

·         A module in English language for academic study

·         A module in current issues and research skills.

You will explore the academic content modules through studying and applying core concepts and principles, whilst developing the relevant technical and communication skills.

The Foundation year will give you experience of the expectations of study as a university student, while at the same time enabling you to benefit from small-group academic tuition and tutorial support.  In the following year, depending on your achieving the required academic and linguistic standards, you will move to the Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy (FESE) and join the first year of a Data Science degree programme.

The BSc Data Science degree is an innovative inter-disciplinary taught course designed with industry and aimed at students wishing to work or research in data science. The course will cover the core areas of mathematics (discrete maths, fundamentals of machine learning and computational maths) and computer science (programming; object-oriented programming; software development; database theory and design). It will also include new modules which will introduce students to applied data science (e.g. machine learning, data structure & algorithm, AI & applications, computational intelligence, HPC, Big Data, Cloud) as well as social context (e.g. governance, ethics, business applications).   Research projects in each academic year will allow students to develop research and project management skills in an area of interest, using real world datasets, guided by a leading academic supervisor.
 

The Foundation year of the BSc Data Science with International Foundation Year programme aims to help you meet the linguistic and academic requirements for progression to the first, and subsequent stages of a Data Science degree at Exeter.

Through the International Foundation Year of the programme, we aim to:

a)  Enable you to increase your knowledge and skills in your given discipline to a level equivalent to A-level study

b)  Help you to improve your English to the level required for entry onto a BSc Data Science degree at the University of Exeter, making sure that you can use written and spoken language appropriately in an academic context

c)   Help you to develop the necessary study skills and approaches to learning required in undergraduate level study

d)  Develop your independent research and study skills

e)  Provide you with the technical, communication and personal skills that you will need both in your further studies and in employment

f)   Introduce you to the culture of academic study in a UK higher education institution

Through the BSc Data Science stages of the programme we aim to:

a)      provide a high-quality general education in data science comprising a balanced core of key knowledge together with the opportunity to study a range of selected topics in more depth;

b)      develop the analytical abilities of students so that they can identify and apply appropriate data science techniques and methods to solve problems in a range of application areas;

c)      equip students with knowledge and experience of theoretical and practical data science techniques and practices;

d)      develop in students appropriate subject-specific, core academic and personal and key skills in order to prepare them for a wide range of employment opportunities;

generate in students an enthusiasm for the subject of data science and involve them in a demanding, interesting and intellectually stimulating learning experience reinforced by appropriate academic and pastoral tutorial support.

Your BSc Data Science with International Foundation year programme is a 4-year programme of study at National Qualification Framework (NQF) level 6 (as confirmed against the FHEQ). This programme is divided into 4 ‘Stages’. Each Stage is normally equivalent to an academic year.  The programme is also divided into units of study called ‘modules’ which are assigned a number of ‘credits’. The credit rating of a module is proportional to the total workload, with 1 credit being nominally equivalent to 10 hours of work.

The Foundation year of your programme will be taught by INTO University of Exeter with the subsequent 3 stages being taught by the departments at the University.

Interim Awards


If you do not complete the programme you may be able to exit with a lower qualification.  If you have achieved 120 credits in the Foundation stage, you may be awarded a Foundation Certificate.  If you have achieved over 120 credits following stage one, you may be awarded a Certificate of Higher Education in Data Science, and if you achieve 240 credits, where at least 90 credits are at NQF Level 5 or above, you may be awarded a Diploma of Higher Education in Data Science.

Credit

The programme consists of 480 credits with 120 credits taken at each stage. Normally not more than 75 credits would be allowed in any one term. In total, participants normally take no more than 150 credits at Stage 1, and must take at least 90 credits at Stage 3.

The pass mark for award of credit in an individual module is 40%.

Progression

You can progress from the Foundation stage to stage 1 provided that you have achieved a mark of at least 60% in Mathematics and Statistics (INT0065), 65% in Foundation Academic English (INT0052), and an average mark of at least 65% across the following 90 credits:  INT0053, INT0065, and one module to be chosen from INT0063, INT0064, INT0066, INT0067, INT0068, INT0069, INT0070.

You can then progress to the next stage (or the final year, to proceed to the award of an honours degree) once at least 90 credits have been passed in a stage, and provided that an average of at least 40% has been achieved over the 120 credits of assessment for that stage.

CondonementCondonement is the process that allows you to be awarded credit (and so progress to the next stage or, in the final stage, receive an award), despite failing to achieve a pass mark at a first attempt. You are not entitled to reassessment in condoned credit.

You must have registered for and participated in modules amounting to at least 120 credits in the stage.

You must pass the modules marked with a 'Yes' in the 'non-condonable' column in the tables above.

Assessment and Awards

UG Programmes: Assessment at stage one does not contribute to the summative classification of the award. The award will normally be based on the degree mark formed from the credit weighted average marks for stages 2 and 3 combined in the ratio 1:2 respectively.

Classification

The marking of modules and the classification of awards broadly corresponds to the following marks:

Undergraduate Degrees                                         Postgraduate Degrees

Class I    70% +                                                        Distinction   70%+

Class II   Division I 60-69%                                       Merit            60-69%

Class II   Division II 50-59%                                      Pass            50-59%

Class III  40-49%

Full details of assessment regulations for UG programmes and PGT programmes assessment regulations can be found in the Teaching Quality Assurance Manual (TQA) on the University of Exeter website.  Generic marking criteria are also published here.

Please see the Teaching and Quality Assurance Manual for further guidance.

Personal and Academic tutoring: It is University policy that all Colleges should have in place a system of academic and personal tutors. The role of academic tutors is to support you on individual modules; the role of personal tutors is to provide you with advice and support for the duration of the programme and extends to providing you with details of how to obtain support and guidance on personal difficulties such as accommodation, financial difficulties and sickness. You can also make an appointment to see individual teaching staff.

Information Technology (IT) Services provide a wide range of services throughout the Exeter campuses including open access computer rooms, some of which are available 24 hours, 7 days a week.  Help may be obtained through the Helpdesk, and most study bedrooms in hall and flats are linked to the University's campus network.

Additionally, the College has its own dedicated IT support staff, helpdesk and computer facilities which are linked to the wider network, but which also provide access to some specialised software packages.  Email is an important channel of communication between staff and students in the College and an extensive range of web-based information (see https://student-harrison.emps.ex.ac.uk/index.php) is maintained for the use of students, including a comprehensive and annually revised student handbook.

The Harrison Learning Resource Centre is general open during building open hours. The Centre is available for quiet study, with four separate rooms that can be booked for meetings and group work.  Amongst its facilities, the Learning Resource Centre has a number of desks, four meeting rooms with large LCD screens, and free use of a photocopier.  Also available are core texts from your module reading lists, and undergraduate and MSc projects from the past two years.

Online Module study resources provide materials for modules that you are registered for, in addition to some useful subject and IT resources.  Generic study support resources, library and research skills, past exam papers, and the 'Academic Honesty and Plagiarism' module are also available through the student portal.

For the Foundation stage, INTO University of Exeter also provides

·         Its own computer suites, printing facilities and AccessAbility

·         One-to-one language tutorials to support subject assignments

·         Dedicated support for applications for further study

·         Language counsellors who speak a range of languages and who provide pastoral care and can communicate in the student’s own native languageA social programme specifically for INTO University of Exeter students

Staff Student Liaison Committee enables students & staff to jointly participate in the management and review of the teaching and learning provision.

Each academic programme in the University is subject to an agreed College assessment and marking strategy, underpinned by institution-wide assessment procedures.

The security of assessment and academic standards is further supported through the appointment of External Examiners for each programme. External Examiners have access to draft papers, course work and examination scripts. They are required to attend the Board of Examiners and to provide an annual report. Annual External Examiner reports are monitored at both College and University level. Their responsibilities are described in the Universitys code of practice.  See the Universitys TQA Manual for details

Certain programmes are subject to accreditation and/or review by professional and statutory regulatory bodies (PSRBs).