Learning and Teaching Committee

Subject: Report of Curriculum Sub-Committee – New Programme Proposals/ Strategic Changes/Other Matters requiring Senate approval

Origin Unconfirmed Minutes of the Meeting on 8 May 2008

Curriculum Sub-Committee at its meeting on 8 May 2008 recommended to Learning and Teaching Committee and Senate that approval be given to the following proposals. Details are available from the Secretary.

1. MSc Information Management and Business Technology:
New Programme Proposals

.1 The Sub-Committee considered proposals from Information Science for a new full-time/part-time programme with effect from October 2008. The strong external support for the programme was noted, together with the robust responses of the proposers to external comments. However, there was concern that the terminology used for the Aims and ILOs of the programme did not reflect those for a programme at Masters level. The proposers would be advised to look at the descriptor for a qualification at ‘M’ level within the QAA Framework for Higher Education Qualifications. The Sub-Committee noted the timetabling issue for block-taught modules highlighted by the Director of Media Services.

.2 It was AGREED to recommend the proposals to Learning and Teaching Committee subject to the following matters being resolved to the satisfaction of the ADT prior to the meeting of Learning and Teaching Committee:

(a) Programme Regulations

(i) Para 1.3 to refer also to part-time study

(ii) Para 2.1: to avoid use of ‘either/or’ where all modules are compulsory; to correct the module number for the PT Dissertation

(iii) Para 3.1: delete ‘the average percentage marks as specified in’

(b) Programme Specification

(i) Aims and ILOs to be revised in accordance with the FHEQ descriptors for an M level qualification

(ii) TLA strategies to be revised so that they were not simply a list of delivery methods but provided an explanation of how TL&A delivered on ILOs

(iii) Para 5: delete reference to sandwich placement and to pre-sessional course for international applicants

(iv) Para 6: to refer to SAP restriction on project module

(i) ISP483 has an assessed oral presentation but this was not reflected in the transferable skills ILOs

(ii) Some modules lacked Responsible Examiners

(iii) The Method of Feedback field should be completed for each module

(d) Curriculum Map

(i) To be revised to align with revised ILOs

(ii) T1 was not a transferable skill and needed to be more precise

.3 The Sub-Committee agreed that departments should be reminded of the importance of producing Programme Specifications to the necessary standard and that better guidance to departments was necessary to achieve this. It was AGREED that the Secretary, together with the Chair and with Jan Tennant, would pull together exemplar Programme Specifications for a UG and a PG programme, with reference to FHEQ and with italicised notes of guidance. ADTs would be asked to approve these before they were introduced for use in new programme proposals in the Autumn, and might wish to discuss these within their Faculties, perhaps with Departmental Learning and Teaching Co-ordinators.

.4 The PVC(T) alerted the Sub-Committee to the need in future for contact time on a programme to be specified at student induction. In order for this to be achieved this information would need to be incorporated in module specifications.

2. MSc Medical Management: New Programme Proposals

.1 The Sub-Committee considered proposals from the Business School for a new part-time programme with effect from October 2008 entry. The programme had the support of the British Association of Medical Managers and the proposal came with an impressive range of external support. Attention was drawn to the comments from the Library that whilst the Professional and Management Development Centre in the Business School had its own library of core texts, its students have expected the University Library to stock the material they need. Members were assured that the issue had really been one of poor communication with the Library by PMDC and this had now been resolved. The proposers were advised that reference to ‘Diploma level’ modules in the proposal form was misleading, as these modules were at Master’s level.

(a) Programme Regulations

(i) Para 4.1 & 4.2: to refer to credit being required rather than completion of specified modules

(ii) Para 4.3: reference to Dissertation module unnecessary

(iii) Information that was already presented in Regulation XXI to be deleted

(b) Programme Specification

(i) The Aims were not in the language expected for a Master’s programme. The proposers would be directed to the descriptor for a qualification at ‘M’ level within the QAA Framework for Higher Education Qualifications.

(ii) The ILOs appeared to have been aggregated from those of the modules within the programme and should be re-presented at a higher level

(iii) TLA strategies should be revised to convey how methods would achieve outcomes. Relevant material was already included at the start of the ILO section.

(iv) The structure of section 4 should comply with that in the new programme specification template

(i) The Method of Feedback field should be completed for each module

(ii) Contact time should be broken down wherever possible.

(iii) BSP666: The MTLA section was otherwise well presented, but it should make clearer at which stage in proceedings the minimum of 3 meetings between Supervisor and student took effect. The transferable skills appeared weak for a Master’s module.

(d) Curriculum Map

This would need revising to align with the revised ILOs

3. PGCert Management and Leadership (The Sports and Play Construction Association)

The Sub-Committee considered proposals from the Business School for a new part-time programme with effect from January 2009 entry. It was AGREED to recommend the proposals to Learning and Teaching Committee subject to the following matters being resolved to the satisfaction of the ADT prior to the meeting of Learning and Teaching Committee:

.1 Programme Regulations

(a) Titles of modules listed should align with module specifications

(b) Paras 1.4 and 2.2 were unnecessary

.2 Programme Specification

(a) Consideration should be given to the appropriateness to a PG programme of the language used in the Aims

(b) 37 ILOs seemed excessive for a PGCert and the proposers should consider making these more generic. This was also likely improve the appearance of the Curriculum Map which currently suggested over-assessment.

.3 Module Specifications

(a) Details on coursework submission dates would be better placed in the Programme Handbook rather than module specifications

(b) BSP814: as the ‘Planning’ section of the module was not assessed, this should not appear in the ILOs

(c) BSP829: as the group work would be assessed individually, the proposers should consider how the transferable skill of working in teams would be taken into account in assessment

.4 Curriculum Map

To be revised in line with any changes made to ILOs

.5 Assessment Matrix

Assessment showed only as written reports across all modules. Types of assessment and thereby the Assessment Matrix should align with ILOs.

4. MSc Globalization, Space and Sport: New Programme Proposals

.1 The Sub-Committee considered proposals from Geography, in collaboration with SSES, for a new full-time programme with effect from October 2009. The proposal was subject to strategic approval. Strong external support was presented for this innovative proposal, which the Sub-Committee considered to be well thought through and well integrated. It was suggested that the proposers should exploit the international links demonstrated to provide an international dimension to the programme, perhaps by video links. The Aims and TLA strategies within the Programme Specification were considered to be exemplars for a Master’s programme. The Curriculum Map was also considered an exemplar suggesting good design. The Sub-Committee wished to enquire of the proposers whether the Curriculum Map was used to inform the design of the programme or whether it was produced afterwards. It was queried whether ‘Space’ was relevant in the programme title when it was not covered in programme aims and ILOs, but acknowledged that it gave representation to the Human Geography element of the programme.

(a) Programme Regulations

(i) Para 3.1: Information that was already presented in Regulation XXI to be deleted

(ii) Para 4.1: Regulation XXI required 100 credits for a PGDip. With 30-credit modules this programme would have to require 120 credits rather than 90 for a PGDip.

(b) Programme Specification

(i) The content of section 2 was missing and section 3 was disordered. The structure of sections 4 and 7 should comply with those in the new programme specification template

(ii) The programme could be the responsibility of one department only. Geography should be listed in the introduction to the specification.

(i) The Method of Feedback field should be completed for each module

(ii) GYP001: The four assessments should be weighted. Clarification was needed on the reference to Parts A and B in the MTLA field

(d) Assessment Matrix

This demonstrated a reasonable spread of assessment, but an explanation was requested of how oral presentation skills would be assessed in GYP001.

(e) External Support

A response was requested on the external comment that a review of library resources for the programme would be advisable

5. Changes to Postgraduate Programmes in English and Drama

.1 The following package of postgraduate programme changes was considered:

Changes to Programme Regulations/Titles with effect from September 2008 entry:

MA Performance and Multi-Media Texts (to be renamed MA Performance and Multi-Media)

MA Texts in Performance (to be renamed MA Drama)

MA Creative Writing

MA English

Programme discontinuations (last intake shown in brackets):

MA Early-Modern Writing 1560-1780 (October 2007) (to be incorporated into MA English)

MA Modern and Contemporary Writing (October 2007) (to be incorporated into MA English)

(a) Assurance that modules EAP050 – 061 presented were the only new modules resulting from the programme changes

(b) In each case the ILOs listed in the Programme Specification did not coincide with those in the Curriculum Map. This needed to be resolved. It was not necessary to list optional modules in the Curriculum Map if all ILOs were met by compulsory modules.

6. BSc Financial Mathematics: Major Programme Changes

It was AGREED to recommend to Learning and Teaching Committee major programme changes with effect from October 2008. Current Part B students would be unaffected by the changes.

7. MSc Mathematical Processes in Finance: Major Programme Changes

It was AGREED to recommend to Learning and Teaching Committee major programme changes with effect from October 2008 entry, subject to the completion of the Method of Feedback field within the new module specifications.

8. Changes to Programme Titles/Awards

.1 It was AGREED to ratify the action of the Chair in recommending to the Chair of Learning and Teaching Committee the following changes (effective date shown in brackets):

MSc/PGDip/PGCert Criminal Justice Research to

MRes Criminal Justice Research, PGDip/PGCert Advanced Studies in Criminal Justice Research (October 2008 entry)

MEng Innovative Manufacturing Technology to

MEng Innovative Manufacturing Engineering (with immediate effect)

.2 It was AGREED to ratify the action of the Chair in recommending to the Chair of Learning and Teaching Committee the following further change:

MSc/PGDip/PGCert Management: Higher Education Administration to

MSc/PGDip/PGCert Management and Leadership: Higher Education Administration (with immediate effect, previous approval for September 2007 entrants onwards to be extended to existing students)

Author – Jennie Elliott

Date – May 2008