Learning and Teaching Committee
Curriculum Sub-Committee
Minutes of the Meeting of the
Sub-Committee held on Thursday 13 October 2005
Membership: Professor
Simon Austin (Chair), Professor Morag Bell (ab), Ms Becky Dicks (ab),
Dr Anne Goulding, Dr Jane Horner, Mr Phil Sawdon
By invitation: Dr Paul Byrne, Mr John Dickens, Dr Martin Harrison, Professor Cheryl Haslam (for Minute 05/45), Professor Roger Haslam (for Minutes 05/45 & 46), Professor Andrew Price (for Minute 05/43)
In attendance: Dr Jennie Elliott
Apologies for absence were received from Professor Bell and Ms Dicks.
05/36 Business of the Agenda
Item 23 had been unstarred.
05/37 Minutes
CSC05-M2
The minutes of the meeting held on
05/38 Matters Arising from the Minutes
.1 It
was noted that, with one exception (see item 4.5), 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
05/18 – Matters Arising from the Minutes (Programme Titles and Coding)
CSC05-P28
(a) The
revised proposal form for new programmes was noted.
CSC05-P29
(b) An
email from the Admissions Office on Programme Coding was noted.
.3 Minute
05/19 – BSc/MComp (DPS) Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence:
New Programme Proposals
(a) It was noted that the Student
Recruitment and Admissions Team had discussed the request by Computer Studies
to suffix ‘with Industrial Experience’ to the programme title and
that of other sandwich programmes in the Department. Further information had been requested which would
be presented to the Team on
(b) It
was noted that exemplars were being identified from Programme Specifications
for 2005-06.
.4 Minute
05/20 – BSc (DIS/DPS) Chemistry and Information Technology:
New Programme Proposals
CSC05-P30
The revised Assessment Matrix was noted.
.5 Minute
05/26 – MA/MSc Industrial Design by Research: New Programme Proposals
It was noted that revised proposals had been
submitted to Operations Sub-Committee for an MA/MSc/MDes in Research Studies in
Industrial Design, but Operations Sub-Committee had remained concerned about
the proposed title of the programme. The
Department had as yet not submitted a revised title.
05/39 Terms of Reference
CSC05-P31
The
Sub-Committee considered the Terms of Reference of Curriculum Sub-Committee. It was AGREED to recommend to Learning and
Teaching Committee that para 2 of the Terms of Reference be amended to include
reference to Programme Specifications.
05/40 Placement Modules
The
Sub-Committee received a copy of module 05MPI001 which had been provided to
departments as an exemplar of a placement module and considered whether it was
appropriate to have full Module Specifications for student placements. Though they did not contribute credits to a
degree award, such module specifications were required to carry a credit
weighting of 120 (or 60 in some cases) for use in the HESES and HESA returns
for student load purposes. It had been
considered a few years previously that placement modules should be required to
identify Aims, ILOs etc as was required for other modules. Concern had recently been expressed that the
content of the MTLA field in particular of those modules was not in line with
the modular weighting allocated to the module, which could leave the University
vulnerable to criticism at a future audit.
There might therefore be a need for a disclaimer in the module
specification to identify its indicative nature. It was queried whether a placement module
appeared on a student’s transcript and if so how it appeared should a
student not ultimately submit for a placement Diploma award, and agreed that
the Secretary seek clarification on this.
The Sub-Committee felt unable to make a recommendation until it had
received further information on existing placement module specifications and it
was AGREED that the ADTs consider those modules from their Faculties and, in
consultation with CIS and with the benefit of examples from other institutions,
discuss with the Programme Development and Quality Team how these modules
should best appear to coincide with the requirements of the student, their
transcript and the student information system.
The Sub-Committee would then reconsider the matter at its next meeting.
ACTION: ADTs, JEME
05/41 Completion of Consultation Forms for New Programme
Proposals
CSC05-P32
.1 The Sub-Committee considered comments
from the Librarian, noting that the Directors of other Support Services had
subsequently expressed support for those comments. Members understood the Librarian’s
concerns and expressed their own concerns that the AD(T)s often received
proposals well after the specified deadline and were unable therefore to read
and comment on the proposals prior to the CSC agenda being printed. The current requirements to allow 10 days
from receipt of operational proposals for comments by Support Services and
other Departments, and the deadlines set for AD(T)s to receive proposals, had
been established to ensure that there was adequate consultation on proposals
and time to improve documentation as necessary before its submission to
CSC. It was AGREED that in future the
Chair of the Sub-Committee would not permit the inclusion on the CSC agenda of
proposals which had not received proper consideration by all the necessary
parties and/or had not been received in time for the AD(T) to provide feedback
to the Department to ensure that paperwork could be improved as required and
was not inadequate. It was also AGREED
that an email from the PVC(T) be circulated to all HoDs to stress the
importance of proposers meeting the deadlines.
ACTION: PVC(T), JEME
.2 It was AGREED that the consultation
form be revised to make clearer the consultation requirements at the strategic
and operational phases, and that the possibility of rescheduling the Autumn
meeting of CSC to a slightly later date be explored.
ACTION: JEME
05/42 MSc Criminal Justice Research: New Programme Proposals
CSC05-P33
.1 The
Sub-Committee considered proposals from Social Sciences for a new
full-time/part-time programme with immediate effect. It was noted that the programme had been developed
from an existing programme to provide a greater proportion of research training
in order to attract ESRC recognition. It
was commented that should the University choose to adopt the MRes award and,
depending on the criteria established, the Department might wish to submit the
programme at a later stage for a change of award from MSc to MRes.
.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:
(a) Programme Regulations
(i) Consideration
of a better balance of module weightings between semesters.
(ii) Consideration
of the requirements expected for the award of PGDip/PGCert, which should be
included in the Programme Regulations.
(The awards of
PGDip/PGCert were considered by the Sub-Committee under Minute 05/46.5 to be
inappropriate for an MRes programme.)
(b) Programme Specifications
(i) Criteria
for admission to the programme: ‘though other applicants would be given
due consideration’ was superfluous with the inclusion of
‘typical’ in the first clause and should be removed.
(The Sub-Committee has
suggested under Minute 05/46.5 that entry to an MRes programme should require a
degree.)
(ii) The
key/transferable skills listed should be more specific and measurable.
(c) Module
Specifications
(i) SSP098
Dissertation: Consideration of a requirement to produce a journal paper, in
appropriate form for a specific journal, as an assessment element of the
module.
(The Sub-Committee has
suggested under Minute 05/46.5 the requirement for a journal paper as an
element of the MRes award)
(d) Assessment
Matrix
(i) Completion of the % Individual
Assessment column.
(ii) Explanation of how presentation skills
would be assessed.
ACTION:
Proposer, PLB, JEME
05/43 MSc
Construction Project Management (work-based DL):
New Programme Proposals
CSC05-P34
.1 The
Sub-Committee considered proposals from Civil and Building Engineering for a
new part-time programme with effect from January 2006. The proposer, Professor Andrew Price,
outlined the proposed programme, which was collaborative with Heriot Watt
University (HWU) and would receive Collaborative Training Account (CTA) funding
to support its development. He informed
members that the HWU modules were already well developed and the one LU module
that would run in year 1 already existed and would need only minor
modification. The LU material for year 2
was yet to be developed. The
Sub-Committee was advised that Robert Bowyer, PDQ Team Manager, had alerted the
proposer to a number of issues relating to the collaborative arrangement which
required clarification and/or resolution, and that Operations Sub-Committee had
yet to consider the proposals. It was
also advised that the Engineering Directorate and a member of the Engineering
Faculty Board had expressed concerns about the academic standard of the
work-based learning proposed, particularly in view of the lack of detail about
how academic rigour could be guaranteed.
The Sub-Committee explored how the meeting of ILOs through work-based
learning would be ensured. It was
critical that the employer was aware of the ILOs to be addressed.
.2 It
was AGREED to recommend the proposals for year 1 only at this stage 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) Approval by Operations Sub-Committee of
the strategic proposals.
(b) Resolution of the issues raised by
Robert Bowyer on the collaborative arrangement.
(c) Proposal Form
(i) Item
9: The research staff intended to mark some assignments, who would at some
stage require prior training, should be approached.
(d) Programme Regulations
(i)
(ii) To refer to the new Regulation XXI
rather than GRMPA.
(e) Programme Specification
(i) ILOs
to be listed, followed by the methods of teaching, learning and assessment that
would address them. Some presented under
knowledge and understanding might be better listed under skills.
(ii)
(iii)
(f) Module Specifications
(i) CVP034: reference to EngD programmes to
be removed.
(g) Assessment Matrix
(i) Assessment of WBL19PS to be clarified.
(h) Collaborative Statement
(i) Item
5: Replace reference to ‘Recommending marking bands’ with ‘
ACTION: Proposer, JGD, JEME
.3 It
was AGREED that the proposals be brought back to the next meeting of CSC on
·
the
requirement for more detail in the MTLA field of how the work-based learning
would operate, and on the distinction between DL and work-based DL modules
(Discussion with the
·
the
requirement for greater information on assessment, including guidance on the
length of the report. This might impact
on the Assessment Matrix
·
a
worked example to be provided in relation to the proposal within the
Collaborative Proposal QA Statement for units within a module to facilitate CPD
The proposer was advised to seek advice from
someone in the education sector experienced in the assessment of work-based DL.
ACTION: Proposer, JGD, JEME
05/44 MSc
Sustainable Infrastructure Services Management:
New Programme Proposals
CSC05-P35
.1 The Sub-Committee considered proposals
from WEDC for a full-time/part-time programme with effect from October 2006. It was noted that the issue of programme
title raised by the
(a) Proposal Form
(i) Item 14: Clarification of whether the links identified as likely to yield students had been approached.
(b) Programme Regulations
(i) Explanation of module ‘EEE’ and provision of a module specification.
(c) Programme Specification
(i)
(ii) Link methods of teaching, learning and assessment to ILOs.
(iii) An assurance that programme ILOs can be met irrespective of mode of study.
(d) Module Specifications
(i) CUP206: Size of assignments to be expressed as a word count rather than number of pages.
ACTION: Proposer, JGD, JEME
05/45 MSc Programmes in Occupational Health: New Programme Proposals
CSC05-P36
.1 The
Sub-Committee considered proposals from Human Sciences for the following
full-time/part time programmes with effect from October 2006:
MSc/PGDip
Occupational Health for Safety Professionals
MSc/PGDip
Evidence-based Practice in Occupational Health
MSc/PGDip
Occupational Health Management
MSc/PGDip
Psychology of Work and Health
The Proposer, Professor Cheryl Haslam, and Head of Department, Professor Roger Haslam, attended for this item. It was commented that there was a clear overlap in the titles proposed with programmes currently offered by CHaRM. The proposer assured the Sub-Committee that CHaRM was content with the proposed titles. The new provision, which was from the health perspective, would complement CHaRM’s provision, which was more from the safety perspective. It was noted that the four proposed titles were differentiated by one taught module and the content of the project. In regard to the Librarian’s comments, it was reported that the Department could meet any additional Library requirements for the programme within its existing allowance.
.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:
(a)
Programme Regulations
(i) To refer to the new Regulation XXI, which had superseded GRMPA/ARMPA and PGDip which had superseded LPD.
(ii) The award titles to be included in para 1 rather than para 2.
(b) Programme Specification
(i) Specific aims of individual programmes to be listed.
(ii) Teaching, Learning and Assessment Strategies to be more specific.
(iii)
(c) Module Specification
(i) Specificity of the project topic in relation to programme title to be made clear in the project module. Alternatively, separate project modules to be created for each programme title.
(ii) The need to ensure that all ILOs were assessed e.g team skills.
(iii) The provision of module specifications for the four revised existing modules, together with copies of the existing modules with the changes annotated.
(iv) HUP701 to include the 5,000 word report identified in the Assessment Matrix.
(v) Deletion of ‘normally’ from MTLA fields.
ACTION: Proposer, MCH, JEME
05/46 MRes Human Biology /MRes Ergonomics/ MRes Psychology: New Programme Proposals
CSC05-P37 CSC05-P38
.1 The
Sub-Committee considered proposals from Human Sciences for new
full-time/part-time programmes with effect from October 2006. The Head of Department, Professor Roger
Haslam, attended for this item. The
Sub-Committee was advised that the University did not currently award the MRes
degree but that discussions underway were likely to lead to a recommendation to
Learning and Teaching Committee and Senate in November for the University to
adopt the award. Possible criteria for
the award had been discussed but a clear recommendation had not yet come
forward. The Sub-Committee therefore
considered that it would not be able at this time to make a recommendation to
Learning and Teaching Committee for the new MRes programmes but would be able
to forward the proposals as MScs in Human Biology Research/ Psychology
Research/ Ergonomics Research. Should
the programmes meet the criteria for the MRes award when these had been
determined, the award and any necessary title change could be approved by
Chair’s action.
.2 In
response to a query Professor Haslam informed the Sub-Committee that the
intention to create some of the HUP modules from existing advanced-level UG
modules was only for those modules for which there was no existing PG
provision. In these cases there would be
shared teaching with undergraduates but a different assessment regime for the
postgraduates to ensure deeper study.
One example of such a module had been provided (04HUC309), but all the
proposed new HUP modules would require approval before the programme could be
recommended further.
.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) Programme
Regulations
(i) Programme titles and awards to appear
in para 1.
(ii) Adjust the balance of modules in Semesters 1 and 2 to allow
options to be taken in Semester 2. The
distribution of the short project module between Semester 1 and 2 could achieve
this.
(iii) Identify more clearly the compulsory and optional modules in
each semester.
(iv) Reflection
on the balance of module choice to students and the equity of this between the
programmes in view of the likelihood that students might have studied some
modules at undergraduate level and the need to avoid duplication of study.
(v) In
order to avoid duplication of study at UG and PG level, make clearer in para
2.4 that module choice should be approved by the Programme Director.
(vi) Reflection
on the appropriateness of the Qualitative Design and Analysis module being
compulsory for Psychology and Ergonomics but not Human Biology.
(b) Programme
Specification
(i) To amend in relation to para a (v)
above.
(ii) To include programme title.
(iii) To list ILOs.
(iv) To delete superfluous text in para 2.
(c) Module
Specifications
(i) HUP
version of HUC309: Attendance cannot be compulsory. The introduction of an assessment element to
the workshop could encourage attendance and help ensure the assessment of all
the ILOs which one essay was unlikely to achieve. This would affect the Assessment Matrix.
(ii) Provision
of specifications for all the proposed new converted HUP modules, together with
annotated versions of the relevant UG modules.
(iii) Dissertation Project Module: Specificity of the project topic
in relation to programme title to be made clear in the project module. Alternatively, separate project modules to be
created for each programme title. The
Research Supervisor should not be the Internal Examiner. The prerequisite module field would be better
left blank.
(iv) Experimental
Design and Basic Epidemiological Principles for Human Sciences Research: Items
of coursework and their weightings to be stipulated.
(v) Gender
Topics: Exam weighting should be 0%. To
consider the replacement of the attendance requirement with a form of assessment. ILOs to be extended. Two Internal Examiners only to be included.
(vi) Human
Growth and Development: Total student effort should be 150 hours. The second sentence under Aims to be deleted.
(d) Mapping
of the programme ILOs onto the joint Research Councils’ skills training
requirements for research students and the detailed skills requirements of the
relevant individual Research Councils.
.4 The
Sub-Committee recognised that the requirements in para 3 above were
considerable and might prove difficult to achieve before the next meeting of
Learning and Teaching Committee. It was AGREED that the Head of Department
would liaise with the AD(T) on progress and if necessary the proposals would
miss the impending meeting of Learning and Teaching Committee and revised
proposals would come to Curriculum Sub-Committee on
ACTION: Proposers, HoD, MCH, JEME
.5 The
Sub-Committee noted that Ordinance IV did not currently allow for the award of
MRes, and noted the Minute of the Programme Development and Quality Team
thereon. In discussion of the above
proposals and other proposals on the agenda the Sub-Committee wished to forward
the following comments to the body that would make recommendations on the
criteria for the University’s award of the MRes:
(a) That
the MRes should be clearly distinguishable from an MA/MSc with a large project
module, by the inclusion of a significant research skills element.
(b) That
the PGDip and PGCert awards did not sit comfortably within an MRes programme
and should not therefore be available as alternative or exit wards. The lack of exit awards should not be
considered to be a problem if the MRes was viewed as akin to an MPhil award.
(c) An
undergraduate degree should be a requirement of admission to an MRes programme
and no special case route to admission should therefore be available.
(d) The
dissertation module should include as part of its assessment the requirement to
produce a paper written for a specific and appropriate journal, following the
specified rules of that publication.
(e) That
the provision of intra/inter Faculty research skills modules should be
considered as part of the
(f) That
advice be sought from the Department of Social Sciences which had particular
knowledge of ESRC’s approach to research training.
ACTION: JEME
05/47 MRes
Sustainability Management (in Engineering):
New Programme Proposals
CSC05-P39
.1 The
Sub-Committee considered proposals from WEDC for a full-time programme with
effect from October 2006. In view of the
Sub-Committee’s previous discussion under Minute 05/46.1, members
considered that they would not be able at this time to make a recommendation to
Learning and Teaching Committee for a new MRes programme, but could forward the
proposals as an MSc with the possibility of subsequent Chair’s action to
convert the award to an MRes. However,
within the proposal the Sub-Committee could see no features distinguishing the proposed
MRes from an MSc, even with the large 120-credit project module. Other submissions for MRes awards had
included a greater weighting of research skills which the Sub-Committee would
expect to see. Members were not convinced
that the large project module with one 10,000 word report could substitute for
skills training. The project module appeared
unchanged from its existing 60-credit version other than a change in weighting
and size of report. Indeed the
journal-style paper, which the Sub-Committee has considered to be a necessary
element of an MRes, had been removed. It
was felt that for an MRes proposal it would be better if the project was left as 60
credits and research skills modules were introduced.
.2 The
Sub-Committee felt unable to recommend the proposal even as an MSc at this
time, there being no argument presented for such a large project module within
an MSc. It was therefore AGREED that the
proposers be asked to recast the proposals for consideration at the CSC meeting
on
(a) Proposal form
(i) Item
7: Further explanation of why the cost and time to develop the programme would
be marginal, and who would be developing the material.
(b) Programme
Regulations
(i) Clarification of the intended programme
title for the chosen award.
(ii) Removal
of para 1.3 and the two sentences following the listed compulsory modules in
para 2.2.
(c) Programme
Specification
(i) Benchmarks
should include an external reference point.
(This should include Research Council requirements for an MRes.)
(ii) Greater
explanation was needed of how teaching, learning and assessment methods related
to ILOs, particularly for skills and other attributes.
(iii) Assessment methods for skills and attributes included a
reference to journal papers which was excluded from the module specification
and assessment matrix.
(iv) Information
on Assessment Regulations: The section on weightings and credits should be
removed.
ACTION:
Proposers, JGD, JEME
05/48 MSc
Business Management Research: Change of Award and Title
CSC05-P40
The
Sub-Committee received proposals from the
MRes Business and Management
With
reference to Minute 05/46, the Sub-Committee agreed that it was unable to make
a decision until the criteria for the MRes award had been determined, but a
decision could be taken by Chair’s action after Senate on 23 November
2005.
05/49 PG
Diploma in Management (NG Bailey):
New Programme Proposals
CSC05-P41
Further to
Minute 05/28 of the meeting on
(The Secretary’s email of
05/50 Changes to Programme Titles
CSC05-P42
.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 change (effective
date shown in brackets):
MSc Construction Innovation and
Management to
MSc Engineering Innovation and Management (October 2005 entry)
CSC05-P43
.2 It
was AGREED to recommend to Learning and Teaching Committee the following change
in programme title (effective date shown in brackets):
BSc Sports Science and Mathematics to BSc Mathematics and Sports Science
(October 2007 entry)
(Note: This proposal
was coupled with a proposal to transfer responsibility for the programme from
the
05/51 Discontinuation of Programmes
CSC05-P44
It was
AGREED to recommend to Learning and Teaching Committee discontinuation of the
following programmes (proposed date of last intake shown in brackets):
BSc Sports Science and Social
Science (October 2006)
BA English and Sports Science
(October 2006)
MSc Packaging Technology (January 2005)
05/52 Membership
CSC05-P45
The
membership of the Sub-Committee was noted.
05/53 Use of 15-Credit Modules in Undergraduate Programmes
With
reference to Minute 04/41.4 of the meeting on 14 October 2004, It was noted
that Senate had agreed to exceptionally allow the Department of Electronic and
Electrical Engineering to continue using 15-credit modules in its undergraduate
programmes, and to extend their use to Part C, but had reaffirmed that the
structure of the University’s undergraduate programmes generally should
continue to be based on the 10-credit module and multiples of 10.
05/54 Year-long Modules
It was noted that Senate had agreed to remove the 80-credit restriction on year-long modules for undergraduate programmes.
05/55 Changes to Academic Regulations
The following changes in Academic Regulations with effect
from
GRUA and ARUA have been converted to Regulation XX
GRMPA and ARMPA have been converted to Regulation XXI
05/56 Dates of Future Meetings in 2005/2006
Author: Jennie Elliott
Date: October 2005
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