Warnborough College follows a model of higher education that combines the best of the European and American educational systems. This consists of terms/semesters, modules/courses, credit hours, continuous assessment and letter grading. These academic guidelines and methodology refer primarily to onsite (campus-based) and modular programs only.
The duration of a term/semester is between 12 to 15 working weeks, depending on the type of academic program and the frequency of teaching. There are two regular semesters fall and spring – and one or two summer semester(s) of eight weeks each. For distance learners, a term is defined as four (4) months.
Each module or course is identified by a two-part numbering system. The first part with alphabet letters represents the subject area (eg. BU for ‘Business’) and the second part refers to the level of the course as follows:
| Undergraduate courses | 100 – 499 |
| Masteral courses | 500 – 799 |
| Doctoral courses | 800 – 999 |
The series of 100, 200, 300, 400 (and so on) numbers are intended to indicate a progressively more demanding content of the course and correspondingly an increasing competence on the part of the students enrolled in the course. For example, BU275 Business Finance II is a second year module for the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA). It is assumed that a student registering for this module has already attended a first year (100 level) prerequisite module in business finance. Modules numbered 001-099 are remedial or non-credit modules.
Since 2015, Warnborough has adopted the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) as its main system of academic credits. ECTS is a Europe-wide standard for comparing the study attainment and performance of students of higher education, resulting from the Bologna Process. Under this system, one year of academic study equates to 60 ECTS credits (approximately 1500 to 1800 hours of study). The term ‘study’ is defined a little more loosely as it could mean contact time with teachers as well as time spent doing research, working in groups and other activities central to meeting the course learning objectives and outcomes.
Under the American credit system, credit hours for a module are assigned on the basis of a 15 week term, unless the term is defined differently for a program. One (1) credit hour means that the module meets for a one hour class each week; 3 credits means that it will meet three times every week or attend a 3-hour class. At Warnborough, a typical 3-credit module will have 2 hours of lectures with a 1 hour tutorial.
Warnborough College strives to maintain its high academic standards by implementing teaching and learning strategies, designing and updating curricula properly, selecting conscientious students and quality faculty, using effective instructional methodologies, and continuously monitoring and rigorously evaluating all activities and systems.
Students must complete all required credits of academic work in order to graduate.
Transfer of credits may be permitted from established institutions having equivalent course content, grading systems and standards, providing the student has obtained at least B grade(s) in the considered modules. However, no student is allowed to transfer more than 66% of the total credits required to graduate at Warnborough College. Each application for credit transfer will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
See Grading System below to compare US and European systems.
Warnborough College teaches programmes through distance education methods such as a Learning Management System (LMS), websites, instant messaging software such as Skype, emails, telephones and postal correspondence. In addition to this, the College uses a variety of teaching methods comprising face-to-face instruction (lectures, seminars, workshops, tutorials), simulations, case study analysis, laboratory exercises, field trips, and field study. Unless otherwise specified, the medium of instruction for all programs is English.
As per the College’s strategies on learning and teaching, the emphasis is on enabling students to understand concepts before applying them in practical situations. Review questionnaires and other feedback mechanisms throughout each module and programme allow us to make improvements and changes for an effective student experience.
Warnborough College offers two distinct graduate pathways that may differ from typical North American programs. Neither option requires students to take additional courses or modules.
Research Option
The Research Option is ideal for students who want to conduct a substantive investigation into a specific research question or set of questions. This pathway is entirely research-based, allowing students to focus intensely on their chosen subject from beginning to end, culminating in a substantial written thesis or dissertation.
Projects Option
The Projects Option provides a more flexible approach to graduate study. Instead of a single, continuous research project, students divide their research into multiple, interconnected projects. While each project can explore different facets of the overall topic, a clear unifying theme must link them all together. This option allows for more breadth and exploration within a chosen field, and is great for achieving practical or practice-led outcomes.
We assess students throughout the term on a ‘continuous’ basis through a variety of methods such as reflections, quizzes, assignments, and examinations. End-of-term evaluation includes final examinations, term papers, project reports, etc. At Warnborough, we also use oral examinations, documenting of evidence through photos/videos/audios, and other techniques deemed appropriate. Numerical scores earned by a student in tests, examinations, assignments and other forms of assessment are cumulated and converted to letter grades. See Grading System.
Alongside the ECTS framework, Warnborough College uses a grading system similar to that used in the North American university, by letters and notations in the following manner:
| USA Grading system | ECTS Grading System | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade | Grade point average (GPA) | UK Classification | ECTS Grade | ECTS GPA |
| 91 – 100 | A (4.0) Excellent | First Class Honours | A – Excellent | 10% |
| 86 – 90 | A- (3.7) | |||
| 81 – 85 | B+ (3.3) | B – Very Good | 25% | |
| 76 – 80 | B (3.0) Good | Upper second-class | ||
| 71 – 75 | B- (2.7) | C – Good | 30% | |
| 66 – 70 | C+ (2.3) | Lower second-class | ||
| 61 – 65 | C (2.0) Fair | D – Satisfactory | 25% | |
| 58 – 60 | C- (1.7) | E – Sufficient | 10% | |
| 56 – 57 | D+ (1.3) | Third-class honours | ||
| 53 – 55 | D (1.0) Poor | FX Fail | ||
| 50 – 52 | D- (1.0) | |||
| < 50 | F (0.0) Failure | F Failure | ||
| P | Pass | |||
| I | Incomplete | |||
| W | Withdrawal | |||
A Grade Point Average (GPA) is calculated by dividing the total grade points by the total credits.
Some modules and programs are graded as either a pass or fail. There are no letter or numerical grades. The final result is a cumulative indication of whether or not the learning competencies and objectives are met. This type of system is indicated in the module outline of the module concerned.
Information about this and related procedures can be found in our student and faculty handbooks.
Students are expected to maintain a consistently high standard in their academic work. They should be taking the required number of courses and maintain satisfactory grades. Students should maintain a GPA of at least 2.0 (both term/semester and cumulative). Failure to do so may result in a probation term. If a student fails to maintain a GPA of 2.0 in the following term, a full review of the student’s record will be undertaken, and further action will be recommended. Students may be asked to consider changing their course of study, take extra modules, or, in some cases, withdraw from the program.
Students are advised to seek information about the programs offered by Warnborough before enrolling. Advice may be sought from our learning centres or directly from the College by contacting us or completing our program advice form.
