6. Student guidance and support

Student Services encompasses the following services:

In accordance with the requirements of the Equality Act (2010), the University has taken the following steps to ensure that disabled students are not substantially disadvantaged in their studies:

  • The University has a central Student Wellbeing and Inclusivity which provides advice, support and guidance to disabled students and to academic colleagues working with disabled students. The service also makes recommendations for reasonable adjustments.
  • Academic Schools and relevant Support Services have designated Disability Co-ordinators who are trained and supported by Staff Development and the Counselling and Disability Service.
  • A Guide for Academic Departments has been issued to all academic staff.
  • Student Wellbeing and Inclusivity provide and offer University-wide training on disability, wellbeing and inclusion. 

Guide for Departments on inclusive teaching and learning:

  • Is there a good level of inclusionary practice amongst staff in your department?
  • Is there someone in your department with specific responsibility for disabled students, and promoting an inclusive environment?
  • Is there a good link between your department and the relevant University sections, e.g. Student Wellbeing and Inclusivity, the Exams Office?
  • Are teaching resources compiled using basic accessibility principles?
  • Are teaching and learning staff confident in checking for reasonable adjustments on a student’s LUSI record?
  • Are admissions tutors briefed on good practice in recruiting and selecting disabled students?
  • Do senior staff members model good practice in this area?

All postgraduate research students, whether based in Loughborough or London, are members of the Loughborough University Doctoral College.

The Doctoral College provides an extensive doctoral training programme, alongside a suite of activities designed to support research students at every stage of the doctoral process.  It links with other specialist support services across the University, such as the Careers Network, to give doctoral researchers access to help and advice, and work with colleagues across academic schools to attract external funding to support doctoral study. It also helps foster intellectual and social links between postgraduate research students from different disciplines and cultures, to be a voice for their concerns, and continually improve the doctoral researcher experience at Loughborough University.

Loughborough University Doctoral College →

The University Library provides support for the development of students' study skills. Resources include a comprehensive web-based self-help study guide, study advice sheets and a programme of study skills workshops.

The Mathematics Learning Support Centre, which is the responsibility of the Mathematics Education Centre, aims to help Loughborough University students who might benefit from resources and tuition on top of that normally provided as part of their course. It can provide help with revising long-forgotten mathematics, help with basic mathematical or statistical techniques and support in coping with the mathematical and statistical demands of a particular course.

It is Loughborough University policy that all students should have timetabled access to personal academic tutors. This is to ensure that appropriate advice and support is provided, student problems and concerns are quickly identified and causes of student withdrawal are minimised.

All Schools are expected to have effective and consistent support mechanisms in place, for both undergraduate and postgraduate taught students.

Schools should nevertheless seek to ensure that students do not regard the personal academic tutor system as in any way absolving them from recognising their own needs and taking responsibility for their own learning.

The University recognises that Schools will wish to make arrangements for personal academic tutoring to suit the curriculum and their own methods of learning and teaching. However, all Schools should observe the following minimum requirements.

1. Each School/Department should publish guidance on personal academic tutoring in its School/Departmental/Programme handbook.

In addition Schools/Departments may wish to publish this information elsewhere and by other means, for example, the system may be described at the induction meeting, followed my meetings with individual tutors; induction materials; School/Departmental web page; a School/Departmental "Guide to Personal Academic Tutoring"; Programme Handbooks; an introductory letter from personal academic tutors to all their new tutees; a Student "Log Book"; Staff Handbook.

2. All undergraduate students should be invited to attend a minimum of two scheduled, face-to-face meetings per year. All postgraduate taught students should be invited to attend a minimum of three scheduled, face-to-face meetings per year. It is expected that the meetings are in-person, but in exceptional circumstances at the request of the student, and by mutual consent, these may be online.

  • For first year undergraduate and for postgraduate taught students, the first meeting should normally be scheduled to take place in the first two weeks of semester 1 and will typically take place during the induction process, with another meeting scheduled by the third week of semester 2 to discuss progress based on semester 1 marks.
  • For postgraduate taught students, another meeting should normally be scheduled to take place during Semester 3, typically by the third week once Semester 2 results are available.
  • Meetings with returning undergraduate tutees should be scheduled within 3 weeks of the new academic year.
  • Arrangements for undergraduate students in their third or subsequent year, and for postgraduate taught students when they are taking project/dissertation modules, may be more flexible, reflecting other sources of academic support available, e.g. project supervision (in such cases, students should be provided with the opportunity to access personal academic support outside of their supervisory team, such as a Director of Studies or Year Tutor).
  • While recognising that students should be encouraged to take responsibility for maintaining contact with their personal academic tutors, reasonable efforts should be made to ensure that students attend the meetings to which they have been invited.

 
3. Personal Academic Tutors should record all formal meetings with their students on Co-Tutor, the electronic tutorial record system. Examples of information that should be recorded to Co-Tutor include:

  • notes of Personal Academic Tutor meetings;
  • emails discussing support and referrals to other services;
  • details of attendance or non-attendance at scheduled meetings.

4. Personal Academic Tutors should be aware of procedures to be followed if students fail to engage (for example, what efforts should be made to contact the student, who else should be alerted if the student is not responding, what checks should be made on the student's work).
 
5. The School/Departmental guidance should include, as a minimum, the following information:

  • A statement that each new student is assigned a personal academic tutor on arrival, and how students are informed who their personal academic tutor is.
  • A description of how students meet their personal academic tutor for the first time, and the nature of arrangements for subsequent meetings; the description might include reference to a booking system for meetings, regular 'surgery' hours, or the use of email for setting up meetings or resolving issues online.
  • A description of how personal academic tutoring arrangements differ as students progress from year one of the programme (if appropriate); for example, while arrangements for first year undergraduate students may be formally timetabled by the tutor, other students may be encouraged to take more responsibility for maintaining regular contact.
  • A statement about the availability of personal academic tutors; individual tutors should publish times when they are available and times for meetings; for example by use of School/Departmental notice boards or web pages, email to tutees or notices on their office doors.
  • Information about other sources of guidance and advice within Schools/Departments and the University at large. Students should be made aware of other School/Departmental arrangements, such as the availability of Director of Studies, Year Tutor, Programme Tutor and other staff o whom they may speak as an alternative to the personal academic tutor of they so wish. Students should be told where they can find out about University-wide support services such as the Centre for Faith and Spirituality, the Careers Network, the Student Wellbeing and Inclusivity, the Academic Language Support Service, etc.
  • A statement about the confidentiality of meetings with personal academic tutors, with the proviso that matters that have to be dealt with officially may need, with the student’s approval, to be referred on and/or placed ‘on the record’.
  • A statement about how, in exceptional circumstances, a student may ask his/her Programme Leader for the Personal Academic Tutor to be changed. This may include the opportunity to pursue the matter with the Dean of School/Head of Department if an initial request to the Programme Leader does not succeed.
     

6. Where a student is contemplating leave of absence, a change of programme or withdrawal, an appropriate member of staff should explain any implications for assessments and accumulation of credit towards the degree or other qualifications, and discuss the possibilities for transfer to other programmes or to part-time study if appropriate.

  • Appropriate members of staff should also discuss whether it would be appropriate to provide the student with some reading whilst on leave of absence, to provide support and advice on preparation for their return to study and monitor their progress during the first few months following their return.
  • If a School/Department judges it inappropriate for a personal tutor to provide such information and advice, then the personal academic tutor must know to whom such a student should be referred - e.g. the programme leader or Director of Studies.
  • Students should be advised to contact Student Services when contemplating this course of action so that they can understand the financial and visa implications (if applicable) of their decision.

7. Schools/Departments should have a clear procedure for reassigning students when the existing personal academic tutor takes leave of absence (e.g. sabbatical leave, long term sickness), or leaves the University.
 
8. School/Departmental systems of personal academic tutoring should be monitored and evaluated by the School/Departmental learning and teaching committee with the results feeding into the Annual Programme Review process.
 
9. Schools/Departments should provide adequate support for their personal academic tutors to ensure that they know where and how to seek additional advice on student problems.

These should include subject experts, other experienced colleagues, and the University's wider support services, depending on individual circumstances.

 

18 April 2024

The University allows departments to determine their own approach to PDP, drawing upon central support as required. The Library provides some guidance on personal development planning.

6.7.1 The Lead School

6.7.1.1   Responsibility for each Joint Honours, Major/Minor and Multidisciplinary degree programme (hereafter called Joint Honours programmes) rests with the admitting school, hereafter called the Lead School.

6.7.1.2   The Lead School is responsible for all aspects of the management of a Joint Honours programme (although responsibility for certain aspects of the programme may be delegated to a Partner School with the approval of all parties).

 

6.7.2. Key Points of Contact

6.7.2.1   Each Joint Honours programme should be allocated a Programme Director (or other academic staff member of the School responsible for the programme) and a named administrative support.  These people are normally within the Lead School.

6.7.2.2   For programmes which span more than one School, there should be at least one person (academic and ideally, administrative) in the Partner School who has responsibility for the programme and who acts as contact person for the Programme Director.

6.7.2.3   The Programme Director should ensure that oversight and communication mechanisms between and within Schools are as strong as possible so that, where appropriate:

  • relevant staff, including those in the Partner School, have access to student records if they request it.
  • information is shared via Learn (incl. Departmental Information pages) and/or other intranet pages, such that students would be able to see some, though not necessarily all, of the information from Lead and Partner Schools
  • emails to Joint Honours students come from both Lead and Partner Schools
  • the Lead and Partner School Staff-Student Liaison Committees share information on the programme(s) that may be of relevance to each other (e.g. a development in a module that will affect a joint honours programme).
  • as far as possible, there is co-ordination of assessment deadlines and activities such as field trips.

 

6.7.3. Rights of Joint Honours Students

6.7.3.1   The Programme Director is responsible for ensuring that students on Joint Honours programmes are provided with the following:

  • a Personal Tutor in the Lead School
  • a point of contact in the partner school for academic / pastoral support, such as a Director or Co-ordinator for Joint Honours programmes
  • access and invitation to induction events for all relevant Schools, which should include specific induction advice for Joint Honours students.  However, given that it will not always be possible to schedule induction events on different days, priority should be given to attendance at the Lead School induction events. Any information issued at induction should be provided to all students, even if they are unable to attend an event.
  • the opportunity to have their views  represented on Staff-Student Liaison Committees at both the Lead and Partner Schools
  • equal access to resources and support at the Lead and Partner Schools
  • a programme handbook (see 4 below)

 

6.7.4. Programme Handbooks

6.7.4.1   Each Joint Honours programme shall have either a dedicated handbook, or a dedicated section within School/Department-wide handbooks, that should include information such as points of contact for Joint Honours students.

 

6.7.5. Programme Boards

6.7.5.1   Programme Boards for Joint Honours Programmes shall be appointed by the Dean of the Lead School and shall include in their membership an Internal Examiner from the Partner School(s).

  • The Lead School should consult with the Partner School prior to setting Programme Board dates to ensure that the Programme Board is held at a time which will allow all information (including on Claims for Impaired Performance) and marks to be available from the Partner School, even if the Lead School's Programme Board takes place ahead of that of the Partner School.
  • This procedure obviates the need for External Examiners from Partner Schools to attend the Exam Board of the Lead School where logistical difficulties prevent attendance.
  • IP claim forms should be submitted to the Lead School, irrespective of where the module is being taught.   Where the IP claim affects a module taken in the Partner School, the Lead School should make the Partner School aware of action taken.

6.7.6. Programme and Module Review

6.7.6.1   The Lead School must consult with the Partner School(s) on matters affecting course structure and assessment and must receive their consent for any changes.

6.7.6.2   The Joint Honours programme is subject to review in the Annual and Periodic Review of the Lead School. The Partner School(s) may be asked by the Lead School to assist it in preparation for these reviews.

6.7.6.3   Both the Lead and Partner School(s) shall share in a timely fashion information on the programme(s) and module(s) involved that will be of relevance to the quality and standards of the programme.  This includes, but is not limited to, external examiner reports and School responses; the outcomes and responses to the National Student Survey; the outcomes and responses to student module evaluation; progression, retention and attainment statistics and the outcomes of APR and QR.

Students performing at elite level in their sport may seek approval to reschedule their academic programmes over a longer period of time, in order to help them manage the balance of their sporting and academic commitments and reach their full potential in both areas. This will normally mean 'stretching' an undergraduate degree programme over one or two extra years.

The application form and guidance for Stretched Degree Approval can be found on the Student Administration page on Stretch Degree Applications.

The primary sources of information for those considering studying at Loughborough University, as well as applicants, are as follows:

Marketing and Advancement lead the update of both Prospectuses. Details of the update process are being reviewed in light of the Competition and Markets Authority guidance and details will be available here shortly.

Prospective applicants may also access specific subject brochures and information on School websites. To prevent multiple versions of online course information, a policy of School websites linking through to the appropriate page of the Undergraduate or Postgraduate Study website is in place.

The information published by Marketing and Advancement is in line with both the Visual identity guidelines and Writing style guide.

Prior to their arrival at the University all new students are sent a Registration Pack containing the advance information required. A registration pack may also be sent from Schools, and this should inform School and Programme Handbooks into one document.


School Handbooks cover more specifically some of the issues covered in general terms in the Student Handbook. They should also cover:

  • a statement of School policy on concessionary assessment arrangements for students with disabilities
  • the School's Coursework Code of Practice
  • Opportunities for study elsewhere e.g. ERASMUS, international exchanges.
  • the School's approach to Quality Assurance Procedures
  • the contact person for making a claim of impaired performance

 Programme Handbooks should contain:

  • a statement of the Programme's aims and intended learning outcomes
  • Programme Regulations
  • Module Specifications for core modules only, with directions as to where specifications for optional modules can be found and mention that students might not be accepted onto their optional module choice for reasons of timetable clashes or maximum limits on numbers.
  • An Assessment Matrix for the programme showing the mode of assessment for every module (template available from the Template Shop at: http://www.lboro.ac.uk/admin/ar/templates/index.htm)
  • a statement of any requirement for moderate additional personal expenditure which students were liable to incur during their studies and items specifically required for the programme. Exceptionally high levels of additional personal expenditure required for an individual module should be indicated in the relevant Module Specification in the Teaching, Learning, and Assessment field, and Programme Handbooks should direct students to this information.
  • a reference to the existence of the funds available for students in financial difficulty.

Provision of information to students on PGCE Partnership courses is detailed in the section on Initial Teacher Training.

Marketing and Advancement  operate a policy of only publishing material following approval and confirmation of accuracy by those originating the material.

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