Modules
Reusable units of study with versioned ECTS, exams, and course templates — the building blocks of curricula, planning, and course linking in OrgHub Database.
A module is a reusable unit of study in your institution’s academic structure — for example, “Introduction to Economics” or “Advanced Mathematics.” Modules live in the Database section of OrgHub and feed into curricula, cohort study plans, course linking, and module planning.
Each module has a shared identity (name and code) and one or more versions. A version captures the module’s academic configuration at a point in time — ECTS credit points, attendance rules, examination requirements, course template details, and more — so you can revise a module for a new academic year without overwriting what earlier cohorts already follow.
Why it matters
Universities do not plan teaching as a flat list of one-off courses. Degree programs compose reusable modules into curricula, assign those structures to cohorts, plan which modules run in which terms, and connect delivery courses so study progress can be tracked against the academic blueprint.
Without a shared module catalog:
- The same unit of study is redefined inconsistently across programs and years.
- Curriculum revisions risk changing obligations for students already mid-program.
- Planning and organizers cannot reliably attach to a stable academic object.
- Courses in the LMS layer lack a clear link back to credits, exams, and study plans.
Versioned modules solve that: the identity stays stable while each version holds the configuration that curricula, planning, and linked courses actually reference.
How this fits into Fuxam
Modules are part of the Academic structure (Database) alongside curricula, rooms, and chronology. They are the what of the academic catalog; curricula arrange modules into programs; courses deliver them; planning decides when and who.
| Related area | Relationship |
|---|---|
| Academic structure | Modules sit in OrgHub Database with curricula, rooms, and terms |
| Curricula | Curriculum items reference specific module versions (not only the module name) |
| Module groups | Optional catalog groupings of related modules for organization and curricula planning |
| Courses management | OrgHub courses can be linked to a module version for study progress tracking |
| Module planning | Planned offerings come from the cohort curriculum’s modules; terms and organizers attach here |
| Assign a module organizer | Primary and secondary responsible staff are assigned on planned modules |
Key concepts
Module identity vs. version
Fuxam separates what the module is from how it is configured in a given year:
| Concept | Where it lives | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Module name | Module record | Shared identity used across all versions |
| Module code | Module record | Optional institution identifier (for example, ECON101) — required and unique in the create form |
| Module display name | Version record | Optional per-version override shown in study plans, exams, and planning |
| Version name | Version record | Label for a specific version (for example, 1.0 or 2025) |
When a version has no display-name override, Fuxam falls back to the module name.
ECTS and academic workload
In European higher education, modules (also called course units or educational components) are typically measured in ECTS credit points — the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System. Credits reflect estimated student workload to achieve defined learning outcomes. A full-time academic year commonly corresponds to 60 ECTS (often about 30 per semester in a two-semester structure).
On each module version you set:
- ECTS — the credit value this configuration carries into curricula and study plans
- Attendance — required attendance percentage when your regulations demand it
- Examination requirements — how the module is assessed (exams, pass/fail rules, weighting, and related settings on the version Details tab)
- Time plan — workload and appointment-related settings for the version
Those values travel with the version. If you raise a module from 5 to 6 ECTS for a new intake, create a new version rather than rewriting the one already placed in active curricula.
Domain vocabulary
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Module | A reusable unit of study in the Database catalog |
| Module version | A snapshot of credits, attendance, exams, descriptions, and course template for that module |
| ECTS | Credit points reflecting estimated student workload; commonly 60 for a full academic year in the European Higher Education Area |
| Default version | The institution’s preferred version for new curriculum items, course links, and other connections |
| Module group | A named catalog grouping of related modules (for organization and curricula planning) — not the same as a curriculum elective group |
| Course template | Defaults on the version Course tab used when the module version is linked to a course |
| Linked course | An OrgHub course associated with a specific module version so activity can feed academic tracking |
Module to curriculum and course
Two relationships matter most in day-to-day work:
| Relationship | What connects | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Module → curriculum | A curriculum item points at a module version, optionally mapped to a study period, focus, and elective group | Defines whether the module is required or electable, when it sits in the program, and which credit value the slot uses |
| Module → course | An OrgHub course is linked to a module version | Connects delivery (teaching and content) to the academic definition (ECTS, exams, study progress) |
Worked example — one module across layers
Imagine Introduction to Economics (ECON101):
- You create the module with initial version
2025and set 5 ECTS, 80% attendance, and a final exam on the version Details tab. - The B.A. Business curriculum places version
2025in Semester 1 as a required item (Add modules to curriculum). - Planners offer it in the winter term and assign organizers in Module planning.
- An empty OrgHub course is linked to version
2025so completion feeds study progress. - For winter 2026/27 the faculty raises the module to 6 ECTS. You add version
2026, set it as default when ready, place2026in the new curriculum version, and leave cohort 2025 on version2025.
Open the Modules page
Go to OrgHub → Database → Modules. The table lists all modules in your institution. From here you create modules, open a version to edit details, manage versions, archive retired modules, and prepare versions for curriculum placement or course linking.
In this section
Create a module
Add a new module with an initial version from the Modules table.
Edit a module
Update fields on the current module version — ECTS, exams, course template, and more.
Manage module versions
Add versions, set a default, and review version history.
Module groups
Group related modules for catalog organization and curricula planning.
Link module to course
Connect a course to a module version for study progress tracking.
Archive a module
Retire modules that are no longer in active use without deleting history.
Roles and responsibilities
| Role | Typical involvement |
|---|---|
| Curriculum / program office | Owns the module catalog, codes, module groups, and which versions belong in each curriculum |
| Examination office | Aligns examination requirements on module versions with institutional assessment rules |
| Study program coordinators | Place module versions into curricula and ensure cohorts follow the correct structure |
| Planners | Use curriculum modules in module planning and assign organizers |
| Course managers | Link delivery courses to the correct module version when content is ready to be connected |
Exact permissions depend on your institution’s OrgHub configuration — see Permissions and features.
Where to start
A practical order for building academic structure around modules:
- Create modules and configure the initial version (Edit a module).
- Optionally organize related modules into module groups.
- Add modules to a curriculum and assign the curriculum to a cohort.
- Plan offerings and organizers in Module planning.
- Link courses to the appropriate module versions for delivery and progress tracking.
- When requirements change, add a new module version rather than overwriting what active cohorts already use.
FAQ
Is a module the same as a course?
No. A module is the academic catalog definition (identity, ECTS, exams). A course is the delivery space in OrgHub where teaching and learning happen. You link a course to a module version to connect those layers.
Do I need a new module when ECTS changes?
Usually no. Keep the same module and create a new version with the updated ECTS. Point new curricula and course links at the new version.
What is the difference between a module group and an elective group?
A module group organizes related modules in the catalog for planning and structure. An elective group lives on a curriculum version and controls how students choose optional modules.