Senate

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

Origin Unconfirmed Minutes of the Meeting on 7 May 2009

Curriculum Sub-Committee at its meeting on 7 May 2009 recommended to Learning and Teaching Committee and Senate that approval be given to the following proposals. Details are available from the Secretary.

1. BSc (DPS/DIntS) Engineering Management: New Programme Proposals

.1 The Sub-Committee considered proposals from Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering for a new full-time programme with effect from October 2010 entry. Concern was expressed about some common teaching in Part A with the SEFS foundation programme, and with the inclusion of A modules in Part B, C modules in Part B and particularly D modules in part C. The programme did, however, conform to the University’s credit framework, but the possibility that Part D students on extended programmes could be taught together with Part C students on this programme was not felt to be acceptable.

.2 It was noted that the award for the programme was BSc rather than BEng, that accreditation was unlikely to be sought, and that A-level Mathematics would not be an entry requirement to the programme. The latter was likely to be influencing the timing of modules so that students had the necessary mathematical background for some of the engineering modules. The Sub-Committee was unclear, however, as to the intended student market for the programme, the careers that its graduates were likely to pursue and how industry would perceive these graduates. The programme appeared to have been designed with a small management component to make it more attractive to students who would be unlikely to be accepted onto BEng/MEng programmes. This concern was echoed in the comments from the external assessor.

.3 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:

(a) A statement should be provided of the students likely to be recruited to the programme and the likely careers that graduates would pursue.

(b) The proposers should reflect on the wisdom of common teaching with the SEFS programme. Foundation students moving to this programme might find themselves having to repeat material they have already covered. If common teaching was necessary there should be some differentiation in assessment for the different student groups.

(i) The proposers should: reflect on the mix of module levels in each Part; explore ways to include MMA102 in Part A; and avoid the use of D modules in Part C, perhaps by the use of appropriate C modules from the Business School.

(ii) Para 2.3.2: Delete ‘normally’ from the final sentence and/or provide a fallback position for students unable to work on an individual project (presumably worth 20 credits).

(iii) Para 3.1: Delete ‘(40%)’ as this was superfluous.

(d) Programme Specification

(i) Para 3: ILOs on management needed to be strengthened. The section on TLA strategy was not very informative: Strategies must be explained under each type of ILO.

(ii) Para 5: This should be a link to the prospectus entry, when available.

(iii) Para 6: ‘This rule is applied to ensure that students are not permitted to skip modules on which later material may be based’ to be reworded with a more positive slant.

(iv) Para 7: ‘accredited’ to be deleted, assuming this was not applicable.

(e) Module Specifications

(i) Presentation of all the specifications required some improvement.

(ii) MMA110/111: More than one knowledge and understanding ILO and at least one transferable skill would be expected. It was unclear whether the 22 hours of effort for the module comprised both lectures and tutorials. The 3-hour exam for MMA110 seemed excessive for a 10-credit module.

(iii) MMB102: This module did not appear in the Programme Regulations. Should its modular weight be 10 rather than 20?

(iv) MMB610, MMA210, MMB102: Reference to timings in the MTLA field should be removed.

2. MSc Signal Processing in Communication Systems: New Programme Proposals

The Sub-Committee considered proposals from Electronic and Electrical Engineering for a new full-time/part-time programme with effect from October 2009. The programme would provide an additional variant in the suite of Digital Communication Systems postgraduate programmes. 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:

(a) Programme Regulations

Delete paras 3.2 and 3.4. This information should be included in module specifications.

(b) Programme Specification

(i) Para 1: Some of these were couched in marketing terms rather than aims. ‘Enable’ would be more appropriate than ‘permit’.

(ii) Para 3: The ILOs for each programme variant should be differentiated. More aspirational language would be expected for knowledge and understanding outcomes for a Masters programme.

(iii) Para 4: The text should be reduced to the hyperlink to Programme Regulations.

(iv) Para 5: The text should be reduced to a hyperlink to the prospectus entry.

(v) Para 6: Information replicated in Regulation XXI should be removed.

(vi) Para 7: A statement about the distinctiveness of the programme suite, followed by comments on the specialisations, would be expected.

(vii) The project work would be expected to feature more in the Programme Specification as it appears to be quite significant.

(i) ELP012: Prerequisites were not required as all modules were compulsory. ILO 2(i) was not a learning outcome.

(ii) All modules on the programme should be checked for ILOs that were appropriately expressed.

(d) Curriculum Map

(i) It was surprising that T2 was only met by the project module; fortunately students were required to pass this module.

(ii) A Curriculum Map covering the suite of programmes was required.

(e) Assessment Matrix

(i) There appeared to be little variation in assessment across the modules, but may depend on the type of case studies. Confirmation of this was required.

(ii) Assuming that the 0.5 hour examination listed for the project was the viva, this should not be appearing in the examination column.

(f) Consultation Forms

The awaited responses from the External Assessors were required, which should be supportive.

3. MSc Road and Vehicle Safety: New Programme Proposals

.1 The Sub-Committee considered proposals from the Ergonomics & Safety Research Institute (ESRI) and Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering for a new part-time programme with effect from October 2010. It was advised that the Department of Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering had raised concerns that the programme would not be appropriately placed within that department. Informal discussions were underway about a possible alternative parent department for the programme. The Sub-Committee agreed that these matters were outside its remit and would need to be resolved elsewhere. It would nevertheless consider the operational proposals at this point so that it would be possible for the programme to be taken forward once the strategic issues had been resolved. The Sub-Committee was clear, however, that the parent department would need to have a sense of ownership of the programme and discuss the proposals within the department as it would any other programme proposal.

.2 It was AGREED to recommend the proposals to Learning and Teaching Committee once the strategic issues had been resolved and there had been the opportunity for the proposal to be discussed within the parent department. The Sub-Committee’s recommendation was subject to the following matters being resolved to the satisfaction of the AD(T) prior to the meeting of Learning and Teaching Committee:

(a) Programme Regulations

Para 3.5: Delete ‘where suitable modules are available’.

(b) Programme Specification

(i) Para 2: Remove ‘The research interests…disciplines’ as this was inappropriate.

(ii) Para 3.1: The first sentence was not useful to prospective students. A clearer statement was needed about the remote support and whether there would be access to tutor support.

(iii) Para 3.2b: ‘set up real world studies’ should be more clearly explained.

(iv) Para 4: The link to the correct programme regulations would need to be inserted in due course.

(v) Para 5: A hyperlink to the prospectus would need to be inserted in due course.

(vi) Para 6: Information replicated in Regulation XXI should be removed.

(i) These would need to be provided from the LUSI system once a parent department had been determined.

(ii) The length of written assignments should be included. Aims and ILOs required further development. ‘Flexible private study sessions’ required further explanation as to whether or not they involved a tutor.

(iii) TTP702: The weight of the two assignments should be presented.

(d) Curriculum Map

The proposers should be aware that outcomes C4 and P1 were only being assessed by one module each.

(e) Assessment Matrix

Continuous assessment was entirely by report. If the outcome T1 was intended to include oral presentation, this was not being assessed.

(f) Clarification was required as to whether ESRI staff were subject to teaching observation/training.

[Secretary’s note: It has now been agreed that the programme would be housed within the Department of Human Sciences (Ergonomics). The proposals are now recommended to Senate by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching) on behalf of Learning and Teaching Committee, subject to satisfactory completion of minor modifications.]

4. MSc Information and Knowledge Management: Major Programme Changes

The Sub-Committee considered major programme changes with effect from October 2009 entry.

The changes involved a repackaging of existing material from 10-credit to 15-credit modules so that the programme was consistent with other postgraduate programmes in the department, and the withdrawal of modules taught jointly at UG and PG level. 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:

(a) Programme Regulations

Para 2.1: ‘May onwards’ to be deleted.

(b) Programme Specification

(i) Para 2: Annual Programme Review, External Examiners’ reports and Staff Student Committees to be deleted as these were inappropriate.

(ii) Para 3: Module titles to be removed from ILOs. Wording of subject-specific cognitive skills should be reconsidered as to whether they were sufficiently demanding for a Masters programme. The FHEQ descriptors would provide an indication of better wording.

(iii) Para 5: The text should be reduced to a hyperlink to the prospectus entry.

(iv) Para 6: Information replicated in Regulation XXI should be removed

(i) ISP508: Second aim to read ‘to introduce students to software packages that are commonly used for web design’. Reference to field trip in feedback section to be clarified.

(ii) ISP509: ‘Academic essay’ in MTLA field to be clarified.

(d) Curriculum Map

Assessment of knowledge and understanding outcomes appeared light, with the exception of ISP487. The proposers should reflect on this and whether, for example, the dissertation module included some assessment of these outcomes.

5. MEng Innovative Manufacturing Engineering: Proposed Additional Pathway to MEng Innovative Manufacturing Technology

It was AGREED to recommend to Learning and Teaching Committee the addition of a pathway leading to an MEng in Innovative Manufacturing Technology for those students unable to obtain a placement in industry, with effect from October 2009. (There would be no direct recruitment to this new pathway.)

6. Change to Programme Title

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

MA/PGDip/PGCert Healthcare Risk Management to MA/PGDip/PGCert Patient Safety Management (September 2009 entry)

MSc Mathematical Processes in Finance to MSc Mathematical Finance (October 2010 entry) (Chair’s action)

7. Discontinuation of Programmes

It was AGREED to recommend to Learning and Teaching Committee discontinuation of the following programme (proposed date of last intake shown in brackets):

BSc/BSc,DIS Process Technology and Management (October 2009)

Author – Jennie Elliott

Date – May 2009