Senate
Subject: Report
of Curriculum Sub-Committee – New Programme Proposals/ Strategic
Changes/Other Matters requiring Senate approval
Origin Unconfirmed
Minutes of the Meeting of Curriculum Sub-Committee on 18 January 2007
At its meeting on 15 February 2007 Learning and Teaching Committee recommended to Senate that approval be given to the following proposals. Details are available from the Secretary.
1. PGCert Infrastructure in Emergencies: New Programme Proposals
.1 The Sub-Committee considered proposals
from WEDC in Civil and Building Engineering for a new part-time
distance-learning programme with effect from September 2007. This was a
particular area of expertise in WEDC, which also had prior experience of
distance-learning provision. It was commented that more enthusiastic support
for the programme might have been expected from the key international agencies
mentioned and suggested that endorsements from these bodies should be actively
sought for its marketing advantages and that they be approached for advice on
possible options to be included on the programme in due course.
.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 AD(T) prior to the meeting of
Learning and Teaching Committee:
Programme Regulations
(a)
Delete para 3.3 as this was superfluous, and amend
para 3.4 to read ‘Review Board’ rather than ‘Module
Board’.
Programme Specification
(b)
Consider whether ‘Through distance
learning’ was appropriate wording for the start of the Aims section.
(c)
Delete the introductory paragraph of the ILO section
as this was superfluous.
(d)
Consider whether the ILOs, which were currently more
detailed than would normally be expected, should be aggregated to a higher
level. This would make them less sensitive to module changes.
(e)
Generic sections should refer to relevant URLs rather
than include the full text, unless there was department-specific text.
Module Specifications
(f)
Assessment assignments needed to be clearly
identified. Methods of assessment should be suited to achieving the ILOs.
Assessment Matrix
(g)
Variety in assessment would be expected but assessment
across the programme indicated essays only. This did not coincide with
information in module specifications and in the programme specification and
should be revised accordingly.
Consultation Forms
(h)
Completed consultation forms from the Library,
Computing Services and Professional Development were required.
2. BSc,DPS Information Technology Management
for Business: New Programme Proposals
.1 The Sub-Committee considered proposals
from Computer Science for a new full-time programme with effect from October
2007. The IT Management for Business (ITMB) degree had been designed by leading
international companies and the Government was funding the creation of ITMB
courses at universities through E-skills
.2 The Sub-Committee was informed that the
proposals had necessarily been produced in haste, and following their approval
by the Science Directorate the Department of Information Science had identified
a potential problem with the title of the proposed programme and the possible
detrimental effect this might have on recruitment to that department’s
programme in Information Management and Business (IMB). It was noted that the
title of the proposed programme was standard across the HE sector and not
negotiable. The Sub-Committee was informed that a discussion with the Head of
Information Science had identified a possible way forward that could work to
that Department’s advantage. Marketing the programmes together, taking
advantage of the E-skills support in this, but making clear the differences in
content between the programmes to ensure their appeal to the right student
market, could well attract more students to the IMB programme. It was noted, also,
that the entry requirements to the ITMB programme would be high at 300 points.
The matter was to be considered further at the meeting of the Student
Recruitment and Admissions Team meeting on 22 January. The proposal would also
be considered by Operations Sub-Committee on the same date.
.3 It was AGREED to recommend the
proposals to Learning and Teaching Committee, subject to their approval by
Operations Sub-Committee and resolution of the potential difficulties
identified over its title, and to the following matters being resolved to the
satisfaction of the AD(T) prior to the meeting of Learning and Teaching
Committee:
Programme Regulations
(a)
Choice of options to be made clearer in para 3.1.2 as
annotated by the AD(T).
(b)
Programme Specification
(c)
ILOs should map to the University’s standard
descriptors (Knowledge & Understanding etc) rather than those of the SFIA
framework, though a document mapping ILOs to that framework should be retained
by the department for its own purposes. The ILOs for the existing Computing and
Management programme should be reviewed at the same time. TLA strategies should
be presented after each ILO section.
(d)
External reference points should include reference to
E-skills
(e)
Module Specifications
(f)
Assessment should be itemised and percentage of
assessment identified for each.
(g)
Revisions should be undertaken in accordance with the
ADT’s annotations.
(h)
Consideration should be given to splitting
subject-specific skills into cognitive and practical skills.
(i)
COC259: ‘in-depth group project’ to be
amended to read ‘in-depth project’.
Assessment Matrix
(j)
Queries annotated by the ADT to be resolved
(k)
Completion of the section at the end of the matrix
template, concerning individual/peer assessment of groupwork for modules with
50% or more groupwork assessment, to be sought from the Business School by the
Department.
Consultation Forms
(l)
The Department should discuss with the
3. Changes to Programme Titles or Awards
It was noted that the Chair had recommended to Learning and Teaching
Committee the following changes:
(a) BSc
Ergonomics (Human Factors) to
BSc Ergonomics (Human Factors Design)
With effect from October 2007 entry.
(b) MA
Making Performance and Multi-Media Texts to
MA Performance and Multi-Media Texts (with effect from October 2007 entry)
(c) BSc
Applied Design (Product Performance and Safety) to BSc Design with Engineering Materials
With immediate effect. (Students graduating in 2007 would be awarded
the new title with the exception of one student who, by choice, would be
awarded the original title.)
4. Discontinuation of Programmes
It was AGREED to recommend to Learning and Teaching Committee
discontinuation of the following programmes (proposed date of last intake shown
in brackets):
BEng Materials with Management
Studies (October 2007)
MSc Vehicle Safety Engineering
(no recruitment) (further to Minute
06/53.2 of the previous meeting)
Author
– Jennie Elliott
Date
– January 2007
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