SEN99-P

SENATE

Agenda

Subject: New Programme Proposals/Strategic Changes requiring Senate approval

Origin: Unconfirmed Minutes of Curriculum Sub-Committee on 22 October 1999; Teaching and Learning Committee on 16 November 1999

At its meeting on 16 November 1999 Teaching and Learning Committee recommended to Senate that approval be given to the following proposals. The unconfirmed Minutes of Curriculum Sub-Committee, and those of Teaching and Learning Committee where appropriate, are presented.

1. MSc Advanced Systems Engineering : New Programme Proposals

.1 The Curriculum Sub-Committee received programme proposals from the Department of Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering for January 2000 entry. Professor Woodhead informed members that the proposed programme was intended at this stage for specific customers via the British Aerospace Virtual University, being nominated staff from British Aerospace and the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency, though the University would retain right of rejection. Open access might be considered in due course. There were sensitivities in relation to the programme in terms of its content and matters of security. Teaching would be undertaken in Burleigh Court and there would be no demands on University computing or Library resources, as these would be provided by the students' employer.

.2 Members expressed unhappiness with the lateness of the proposals, which some had only received a day before the meeting, and the consequent lack of time to read what were complex and sensitive proposals which did not conform to the Sub-Committee's requirements on presentation.

.3 Clarification was requested on who would be teaching the proposed modules. The Sub-Committee was informed that teaching would involve staff from the Department, both existing and yet to be recruited, from industry, and from other identified institutions. British Aerospace was seeking a Loughborough University rather than an in-house programme for its staff as it recognised the University's expertise in education and training. The Sub-Committee was assured that the company would have no role in selecting the Programme Assessor, the guarantor of the University's MSc kitemark. There would be no objection to the modules being available on the internal Web site.

.4 The Sub-Committee AGREED that the proposals should be resubmitted for consideration as an unstarred item at the next meeting of Teaching and Learning Committee, for receipt by the AD(T) before 5 November 1999. The resubmission should:
    1. Include the completed pro-forma, extracting the relevant information from the current documentation and avoiding duplication of information.
    2. Include completed consultation forms, including a clear statement where University resources would not be required, though acknowledging that students would be free to make the same use of University resources as other students.
    3. Provide assurance that external staff delivering modules would be subject to the University's bought-in teaching procedures.
    4. Include an enhancement of coursework requirements in module specifications.
    5. Identify against each module who would be delivering these, to include individual's names for those modules intended to commence in January 2000.
    6. Provide a letter of support from an external academic.
    7. Include an indication of a likely Programme Assessor (not involved in programme delivery).

Teaching and Learning Committee at its meeting on 16 November 1999 considered on reference from the Curriculum Sub-Committee meeting on 22 October proposals for the introduction of a new MSc programme in Advanced Systems Engineering. The Chair of CSC assured the Committee that the issues raised by CSC had all been satisfactorily addressed in the revised documentation now submitted.

A question was raised concerning the modules that students on the programme would be required to undertake at the University of York and at Cranfield University. It was understood that the teaching arrangements for these modules were effectively being sub-contracted to York and Cranfield, but it was not clear to the Committee how assessments would be handled or why it was not possible to set up credit transfer arrangements. It was RESOLVED to RECOMMEND the proposals to Senate for introduction in January 2000, subject to the Department providing, to the satisfaction of the PVC(T)

  1. A clear statement of how the assessment of students on the modules delivered at York and Cranfield would be handled.
  2. Confirmation that the teaching and assessment arrangements for these modules were acceptable to the institutions concerned.
  3. Any consequential changes to the relevant module specifications.

The Committee noted the predominance of one member of staff as Internal Examiner for modules on the programme and questioned the desirability of this arrangement. It was agreed to ask the Department to re-consider this matter for the future.

2. BSc/MChem Chemistry with Materials : Revised New Programme Proposals

Further to Minute 99/19 of the meeting on 22 April 1999, the Sub-Committee considered revised proposals for a BSc/MChem in Chemistry with Materials to replace the BSc/MChem in Chemistry with Polymer Science/Technology. Members expressed some concern about possible poor recruitment to the proposed new programme. It was nevertheless AGREED to recommend the proposals to Teaching and Learning Committee, subject to the following matters being resolved to the satisfaction of the AD(T) prior to the meeting of Teaching and Learning Committee:

  1. Confirmation of the proposed start date to the new programme and termination of recruitment to the BSc/MChem in Chemistry with Polymer Science/Technology.
  2. Expansion of para.8 on the pro-forma to articulate programme objectives clearly.

3. Regulations for the Curriculum-Based Component of the Doctor of Engineering (EngD) Research Programme

  1. The Sub-Committee noted proposals for the Engineering Doctorate, to commence in October 1999, approved by Senate on 23 June 1999.
  2. The Sub-Committee considered Regulations for the curriculum-based component of the EngD. It was noted that the Engineering Doctorate with its taught component was a completely new concept and the regulations established now would be setting a precedent for future programmes of this kind which were likely to become more common. It was important therefore that this precedent was sufficiently generic to accommodate this. In view of this the proposers, in conjunction with the AD(T) and Postgraduate Office, were requested to consider the following:
  1. The provision of transparent guidelines for exemption from taught elements of the programme, taking into account how an MEng entrance qualification would be considered.
  2. External input through the AD(T) to the panel handling the tariff for exemptions.
  3. Provision on the student database for the category of EngD student (in consultation with Computing Services)
  4. Operational procedures to ensure that the submission of a draft academic paper as part of the MSc award and the submission of this as a published paper as part of the EngD award represented different levels of achievement and did not constitute 'double-counting'.

3. It was AGREED to recommend the proposals to Teaching and Learning Committee, for October 1999 entry, subject to the following matters being resolved to the satisfaction of the AD(T):

  1. Para 1.4: to be amended to incorporate the AD(T) as Chair of the panel determining eligibility for a reduced curriculum-based component.
  2. References to credits in module listings to be amended to modular weights.

4. In view of the recruitment of students to the programme in October 1999, it was AGREED that full approval for the proposals should be sought as soon as possible through Chair's action by the PVC(T) on behalf of Teaching and Learning Committee, and the Vice-Chancellor on behalf of Senate.

Secretary's Note: Revised proposals have been approved by Chair's action on behalf of Teaching and Learning Committee and Senate.

4. MSc Innovative Construction : New Programme Proposals

.1 The Sub-Committee considered proposals, for October 1999 entry, noting that the programme was intended as an option to Research Engineers on the EngD programme and as a stand-alone programme.

It was AGREED to recommend the proposals to Teaching and Learning Committee, subject to the following matters being resolved to the satisfaction of the AD(T):

  1. References to credits in module listings to be amended to modular weights
  2. Indicative Reading list to be amended for module 99CVP095.

.2 In view of the recruitment of students to the programme in October 1999, it was AGREED that full approval for the proposals should be sought as soon as possible through Chair's action by the PVC(T) on behalf of Teaching and Learning Committee, and the Vice-Chancellor on behalf of Senate.

Secretary's Note: Revised proposals have been approved by Chair's action on behalf of Teaching and Learning Committee and Senate.

5. BEng/MEng Automotive Materials : New Programme Proposals

  1. The Sub-Committee considered proposals from IPTME for October 2000 entry. The proposals were considered an exemplar in relation to their presentation of consultation with industry. It was recognised that the programme should prove attractive to potential students and should help to overcome recruitment difficulties in the Department. The Department was asked to note, however, that the mathematics qualification of entrants may require to be higher than that for students entering other programmes in the Department.
  2. It was AGREED to recommend the proposals to Teaching and Learning Committee for October 2000 entry, subject to the following matters being resolved to the satisfaction of the AD(T) prior to the meeting of Teaching and Learning Committee:
    1. Clarification of whether professional accreditation was being sought.
    2. Amendment of the award in the Programme Regulations for the extended programme to read Master of Engineering.

6. BSc Sport and Leisure Management/Sport and Leisure Management with DPS : New Programme Proposals

The Sub-Committee considered proposals, for 2001 entry. It was noted that Operations Sub-Committee had recognised the implications for MASN of the proposed placement year. It was AGREED to recommend the proposals to Teaching and Learning Committee for 2001 entry, and the consequent discontinuation of the BSc in Recreation Management with a final entry in 2000.

7. BEng/MEng Electronics Manufacture and Management : Discontinuation

It was AGREED to recommend discontinuation to Teaching and Learning Committee. Proposed date of last intake : 1996.

8. BSc Physics with Environmental Science : Discontinuation

It was AGREED to recommend discontinuation to Teaching and Learning Committee. Proposed date of last intake : 1999.

9. Diploma in Social Psychology : Discontinuation

It was AGREED to recommend discontinuation to Teaching and Learning Committee. Proposed date of last intake : October 1994.

10. Diploma in Substance Abuse : Discontinuation

It was AGREED to recommend discontinuation to Teaching and Learning Committee. Proposed date of last intake : October 1994.