Learning and Teaching Committee

Curriculum Sub-Committee

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Minutes of the Thirty-First Meeting of the Sub-Committee held on Thursday
14 October 2004

Membership: Professor S A Austin (Chair) (ab), Professor M Bell (Acting Chair),
Dr C Christie, Dr J L Horner, Mr J Roberts, Dr D R Worrall (ab)

By invitation: Dr P L Byrne, Mr J G Dickens, Dr M C Harrison, Professor V McKee

In attendance: Dr J E M Elliott

Apologies for Absence were received from Professor Austin and Dr Worrall.

04/40 Minutes

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The minutes of the thirtieth meeting held on 6 May 2004 were confirmed and signed.

04/41 Matters Arising from the Minutes

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.1 It was noted that all recommendations to Learning and Teaching Committee, and subsequently to Senate where appropriate, had been approved. The relevant minute of Senate was noted.

.2 Minute 04/20.2 – MPhys Physics and Mathematics:
New Programme Proposals

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The minute of Learning and Teaching Committee concerning use of Part C modules in Part D of extended undergraduate programmes was noted. It was also noted that the Committee’s proposals had been approved by Senate on 23 June 2004.

.3 Minute 04/22.3 – BA International Relations: New Programme Proposals

It was noted that Operations Sub-Committee intended to review space needs for the future during 2004/05.

.4 Minute 04/23 – BEng/BEng (DIS)/BEng (DPD) Systems Engineering:
New Programme Proposals

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The minutes of Learning and Teaching Committee and Senate concerning the use of 15-credit modules in undergraduate programmes were noted.

.5 BA/BSc Information Science: New Programme Proposals

It was noted that prior to Senate’s approval of the proposals the Department of Information Science had revised the award for the programme to BSc only.

.6 Minute 04/21.3 - MPhys Engineering Physics: New Programme Proposals

Attention was drawn to the Secretary's note informing the Sub-Committee that
a student's Department could load any modules from any Department onto that
student's record. Members considered that a process of consultation and
agreement was essential where modules from another Department were being
loaded, but were informed that this did not always occur, with the result
that a Department could find unexpected students registered on its modules.
The Sub-Committee considered this to be unacceptable and AGREED to forward
its comments to the Departmental Administrators' Group convened by the
Student Office, to ensure that the necessary consultation and agreement took
place in the future.

ACTION: JEME

04/42 MSc International Relations/MSc Transatlantic Relations:
New Programme Proposals

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.1 The Sub-Committee considered proposals from PIRES for two full-time/part-time MSc programmes from Autumn 2005 entry. It was noted that added to three existing MSc programmes in the Department this would make a suite of five programmes in the International Relations area. Members were supportive of the proposals in principle, but expressed confusion about the optional modules mentioned in Programme Regulations when all modules appeared to be compulsory, and about the clarity of coursework requirements and assessment. There was no clear evidence that assessment across
the programmes would demonstrate the skills and other attributes identified in the Programme Specifications. It was reported to the Sub-Committee that the coursework for the 30-credit modules to be taken in Semester 2 would be different in nature and broader and deeper than the coursework in the 20-credit modules in Semester 1, which had not been made clear in the Assessment Matrix provided.

.2 The Sub-Committee discussed the general need for a matrix that would map ILOs and their assessment against modules. It was noted that discussion was underway in a sub-group of the Programme Development and Quality Team as to how this might best be achieved. It was considered that in future proposers should provide only one cover sheet for new modules, where appropriate.

.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) and PVC(T) (as Acting Chair of CSC on this occasion) prior to the meeting of Learning and Teaching Committee:

(i) Programme Regulations

                        - Removal of reference to optional modules
            - Removal of detail which could be found in GRMPA/ARMPA e.g.references to
            distinctions in paras 1.3.1 and 1.3.2
            - Removal of reference to dissertation length and deadline, which should
            instead be included in Module Specifications

(ii)        Programme Specifications

- Clarify coursework assessment

(iii) Module Specifications

                        - Clarify coursework assessment and the greater complexity of assessment in
            the 30-credit modules

(iv)       Assessment Matrix

- Provide a revised matrix for all the programmes' modules, clarifying the
differences in coursework assessment

.4 When the programmes were up and running the Department was advised to
consider pulling together the five programmes in the International Relations
suite within one set of Programme Regulations and one Programme Specification, identifying clearly the pathways to, and the ILOs for, the five award titles. The Sub-Committee considered this to be a sensible and pragmatic approach where a suite of programmes included common modules, and would advise Departments of this in the future.

ACTION: PLB, MB, JEME

04/43 Professional Certificate/Diplomas: Revised awards to Postgraduate Certificates/Diplomas

It was AGREED to ratify the action of the Chair in recommending to the Chair of Learning and Teaching Committee the following award changes from Autumn 2004 entry:

Prof Cert in Management (SIF) to PG Cert

Prof Cert in Management (BPIF) to PG Cert

MSc/Prof Cert/Prof Dip in Management (Professional) – Thomas Cook to

MSc/PGCert/PGDip

MSc/Prof Cert/Prof Dip in Management (Professional) to MSc/PGCert/PGDip

MSc/Prof Cert/Prof Dip in Management (Professional) (FKI) to MSc/PGCert/PGDip

MSc/Prof Cert/Prof Dip in Management (Professional) (HEA) to MSc/PGCert/PGDip

04/44 MSc in Industrial Sales and Marketing: Change of Title to Industrial Sales and Strategic Marketing

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It was AGREED to ratify the action of the Chair in recommending to the Chair of Learning and Teaching Committee the change of title, with effect from the 2004 student entry.

04/45 Discontinuation of Programmes

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

BA History of Art and Design (October 2003)

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.2 It was AGREED to recommend to Learning and Teaching Committee discontinuation of the following programmes:

BEng Chemical Engineering with Bioprocessing (October 1999)
Diploma in Technology for Development (DL) (July 2004)

04/46 Membership and Terms of Reference

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The membership and Terms of Reference of the Sub-Committee were noted.

04/47Structure of the Academic Year

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The final report and recommendations from the Committee to Review the Structure of the Academic Year, approved by Senate on 23 June 2004, and the Minute of Senate’s discussion were noted.

04/48 QAA Audit Report

It was noted that the QAA Audit Report could be found on the QAA website at:

http://www.qaa.ac.uk/revreps/instrev/loughborough2004/summary.htm

The report would be considered by other University bodies in the first instance.

04/49 Dates of Future Meetings in 2004/2005

Thursday 13 January 2005 (am)

Thursday 5 May 2005 (am)

Wednesday 25 May 2005 (am) (if required)

Author – Jennie Elliott

Date – October 2004