Students taking the MSc degree in Process Automation, Instrumentation and Control have to be assessed for each module taken.
Each module has two stages of formal assessment, an assignment and an examination, as follows:
- An assignment, equivalent to one week’s full-time effort, for which a report is submitted within two months of the start of the module. Late submission of assignments is permissible but only with prior approval.
- A formal written examination which is normally held about two and a half months after the start of the module.
The overall result for any module is the average of the marks of both stages, the assignment and examination being weighted equally. The pass mark for the module as a whole is 50% but there is also a constraint of a minimum of 40% for each stage.
Examinations are held at Imperial. To reduce the time and cost of travelling, arrangements can be made to enable students to take their exams on a remote basis, typically at one location in the north of England and another in Scotland. For overseas students, arrangements can be made for them to take their exams at a suitable office of the British Council.
For those students registered for the MSc degree, a dissertation is submitted on the basis of the work done for the industrial project.
For award of the MSc degree (90 ECTS credits), students are required to take and pass eight taught modules (7.5 credits each) and the industrial project (30 credits).
For award of the Diploma (60 ECTS credits), students are required to take and pass eight taught modules (7.5 credits each).
The MSc degree may be awarded as a Pass or as a Pass with either Merit or Distinction. The Certificate and Diploma may only be awarded as a Pass.
There is a time limit of five years for completion of the part-time MSc degree, and four years for the Diploma, starting from when a student’s first module is taken. However, students’ registrations may be suspended if, for good cause, they are unable to progress their studies for significant periods of time, in which case the time limit will be extended.
Note that all MSc students will initially be registered for the Postgraduate Certificate. Once they have successfully completed four modules (30 ECTS credits) their registrations will be upgraded to the Postgraduate Diploma. Once they have successfully completed a further four modules (60 ECTS credits in total) their registrations will be upgraded to the MSc degree.
If, for some reason, a student is unable to complete the MSc degree, he or she may be awarded the Certificate or Diploma depending upon number of modules successfully completed.