Credits and modules

VIP ‘modules’ are available at 10, 15 and 20 credits. However, the modules are not the same thing as a project: students working on the same project may be registered in different modules according to their level of study and number of credits.  

Academic supervisors will keep track of the student’s level and credits and carefully allocate tasks so that their workload and the level of difficulty is appropriate for them.  

Modules 

The module codes are written VP followed by the level of study (1, 2, 3, 4 or 5), the semester (1 or 2), and the number of credits (10,15 or 20). See the module catalogue for more details.   

Level 1 

1000-level modules are only available in Semester 2 as students must apply to join in the preceding semester.  

  • Semester 2: VP1210 (10 credits), VP1215 (15 credits), VP1220 (20 credits) 

Level 2 

  • Semester 1: VP2110 (10 credits), VP2115 (15 credits), VP2120 (20 credits) 
  • Semester 2: VP2210 (10 credits), VP2215 (15 credits), VP2220 (20 credits) 

Level 3 

  • Semester 1: VP3110 (10 credits), VP3115 (15 credits), VP3120 (20 credits) 
  • Semester 2: VP3210 (10 credits), VP3215 (15 credits), VP3220 (20 credits) 

Level 4  

  • Semester 1: VP4110 (10 credits), VP4115 (15 credits), VP4120 (20 credits) 
  • Semester 2: VP4210 (10 credits), VP4215 (15 credits), VP4220 (20 credits) 

Level 5 

  • Semester 1: VP5110 (10 credits), VP5115 (15 credits), VP5120 (20 credits) 
  • Semester 2: VP5210 (10 credits), VP5215 (15 credits), VP5220 (20 credits) 

Credit load imbalance and overcrediting 

It is important to ensure that a VIP does not cause a heavy imbalance in credit loads across semesters. For example, some Schools only have 30-credit modules at Honours. In this case, allocating 30 credits to VIP and splitting them 10/20 across semesters is better than a 15/15 split. The reason is that with a 10/20 credit split, the total credit load each semester could be 70/50 which is manageable. With a 15/15 credit split, the credit load each semester would be 75/45 or 45/75 which is more uneven and a less desirable imbalance. 

Students are permitted to overcredit (that is, to enrol in more than 120 credits). However, overcrediting may cause work overload and risks student performance.