Senate

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

Origin Unconfirmed Minutes of the Meeting on 18 October 2007

Curriculum Sub-Committee at its meeting on 18 October 2007 recommended to Learning and Teaching Committee and Senate that approval be given to the following proposals. Details are available from the Secretary.

1. FdEng Foundation Degree programme in Fundamentals of Powertrain Engineering: New Programme Proposals

Dr Paul Byrne took the chair for this item, in view of the involvement of the Acting Chair in the proposal.

The Sub-Committee considered proposals from Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering for a full-time, work-based Foundation Degree (FdEng) programme with the Ford Motor Company, with effect from January 2008. The proposal would be a new development for the University, as its only involvement to date with Foundation Degrees was as validator of local FE provision. The background to the proposal was outlined. It was designed to address current government policy for greater employer engagement with Higher Education Institutions, aligning with the University’s strategy of industry-linked teaching, and could be seen as a pilot for future such collaboration with other employers. Whilst many issues in terms of setting up the programmes had been identified in the short term, the strategic value and long-term benefits of the developments, such as the incorporation of the learning materials into other undergraduate programmes, were considered to far outweigh these. There was no intention to articulate Foundation Degree graduates onto the third year of a Bachelor’s programme. A bid to HEFCE for significant development funding was in hand, which would include an element to cover the administrative costs that would be incurred in adapting current documents and procedures to accommodate the different rules and flexibility that would be required to run a programme of this kind, and provision for regular monitoring and evaluation of the programme.

It was emphasised that the programme would not progress unless the bid to HEFCE was successful and a subsequent satisfactory outcome was achieved for the validation of the Ford-taught teaching at the Centre for Engineering and Manufacturing Excellence (CEME) and Thames Gateway College. Some issues identified in an initial visit would be scrutinised during the validation process. The Sub-Committee was assured that University staff had already selected only the most appropriate learning materials from Ford, that University staff would ensure that all those teaching on the programme would have suitable qualifications and experience, with appropriate mentoring where necessary, that all assessment would be the responsibility of the University, that the engCETL was overviewing the learning material, and that provision was in hand for tutorial support for students.

The Sub-Committee considered the draft Programme Regulations and Module Specifications, noting that provision would need to be made in general regulations to prescribe for the different requirements of Foundation Degrees. A number of issues were presented that would need to be resolved before the general regulations could be drafted. It was noted that module codes needed further thought to ensure that they were appropriate and distinct.

The Sub-Committee congratulated the proposers on the quality of the documentation to date. It was AGREED to recommend the proposals to Learning and Teaching Committee, subject to:

(i) a successful funding bid to HEFCE and a satisfactory validation outcome

Programme Regulations

(ii) exploration of the possibility of referring to ‘Level’ rather than ‘Part’

(iii) para 1.3: reference to full-time, work-based and DL

(iv) para 3.2: Rephrasing to avoid use of ‘Special Assessment Period’

Programme Specification

(v) References to ‘Ford’ to be changed to ‘employer(s)’

(vi) Approval of revised drafts of Programme Regulations, Programme Specification and Module Specifications by the Chair of the Sub-Committee prior to the programme’s commencement.

2. 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 programme title changes (effective date shown in brackets):

MSc, PGDip, PGCert Management (Higher Education Administration) to

MSc, PGDip, PGCert Management and Leadership (Higher Education Administration) (September 2007 entry)

MSc, PGDip, PGCert Management (NG Bailey) to

MSc, PGDip, PGCert Management and Leadership (NG Bailey)

(September 2007 entry)

MSc, PGDip, PGCert Management (Thomas Cook) to

MSc, PGDip, PGCert Management and Leadership (Thomas Cook)

(September 2007 entry)

MSc, PGDip, PGCert Management (Professional) to

MSc, PGDip, PGCert Management and Leadership (Professional)

(September 2007entry)

PGCert Management (British Printing Industries Federation) to

PGCert Management and Leadership (Print and Packaging)

(September 2007 entry)

PGCert Management (Federation of Sports and Play Associates ) to

PGCert Management and Leadership (Federation of Sports and Play Associations)

(September 2007 entry)

.2 It was AGREED to recommend to Learning and Teaching Committee the following programme title change (effective date shown in brackets):

BSc Retail Management to

BSc Retailing, Marketing and Management (October 2009 entry)

3. Discontinuation of Programmes

It was AGREED to ratify the action of the Chair in recommending to the Chair of Learning and Teaching Committee discontinuation of the following programmes (proposed date of last intake shown in brackets):

MSc Risk and Reliability Methods (October 2004)

MSc, PGDip, PGCert Management (Professional) – (FKI) (2001-02)

Author – Jennie Elliott

Date – October 2007