Learning and Teaching Committee

Curriculum Sub-Committee

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Minutes of the Meeting of the Sub-Committee held on Thursday 18 January 2007

Membership: Professor Simon Austin (Chair), Professor Morag Bell, Professor Roy Faulkner,
Dr Jane Horner, Karen Roxborough, Phil Sawdon

By invitation: Dr Paul Byrne (ab), Ray Dawson (for Minute 07/6), Professor John Dickens, Dr Martin Harrison

In attendance: Dr Jennie Elliott

Apologies for absence were received from Dr Byrne

07/1 Minutes

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The Minutes of the meeting held on 19 October 2006 were confirmed subject to the following amendment:

Minute 06/47.5 – ‘particularly in relation to D modules being at level 5’ to read

‘particularly in relation to D modules being at level 7’.

07/2 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 06/47 – Module Specifications

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(a) The module specification submitted to CIS for the new LUSI system was noted. It was reported that modules would be transferred to LUSI for 2007/08, but there would be only small changes to the module specification at that stage. It was hoped the refined specification would be available on LUSI from 2008/09.

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(b) The minute of the Programme Development and Quality Team on Credit Levels was noted.

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.3 Minute 06/48 – Programme Specifications

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The revised Programme Specification template and guidance notes, for adoption in 2007/08, were noted.

.4 Minute 06/50.1 – BEng/MEng Electronic and Electrical Engineering Programmes/MEng Systems Engineering Programmes

It was noted that UCAS already allowed up to 10 keywords per course code on the UCAS course search facility.

07/3 Membership

Further to Minute 06/46.2 of the previous meeting, the Sub-Committee considered further the position of AD(T)s on the Sub-Committee. No clear reason for their exclusion from membership had been identified and it was felt that the AD(T)s provided a valuable input to the Sub-Committee from an institutional as well as a Faculty perspective. It was therefore AGREED to recommend to Learning and Teaching Committee that they become full members of the Sub-Committee.

ACTION: JEME

07/4 Curriculum Map

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.1 The Sub-Committee considered whether to require a Curriculum Map as part of the documentation for new programme proposals. Provision of a Curriculum Map for each programme was currently a requirement for Periodic Programme Review and the Sub-Committee had received a copy of a sample Curriculum Map sent to departments for this purpose, which mapped modules against programme ILOs. The Sub-Committee also received from Jane Horner an example of mapping an MSc to the FHEQ masters level statements, which reflected current proposals coming from the Engineering Council and was put forward as a more useful approach, particularly in confirming programme level for Master’s programmes.

.2 The Sub-Committee agreed that it would be more logical for a Curriculum Map to be constructed at a programme’s inception, and should form part of the design process. It was therefore AGREED that it be required as part of the documentation for a new programme proposal. It was also agreed that the outcome headings should be those generic headings currently adopted by the University in Programme Specifications. Where there were external criteria relevant to the programme these should be used by the Department for guidance and to ensure compliance as necessary, and any resulting mapping documents retained by the Department for their purposes. If such criteria were universally adopted as programme ILOs there would be the danger that individuality of programmes across institutions could be lost.

.3 It was AGREED that a University Curriculum Map be devised, which referred to the level of modules as well as programme part, and with ILO coding which related recognisably to outcome headings. Listing of optional modules would only be required where these provided outcomes not met by core modules, and could be grouped in regard to common outcomes. Should the structure of a programme subsequently change, a revised Curriculum Map would be expected as part of the approval documentation.

ACTION: JEME

07/5 PGCert Infrastructure in Emergencies: New Programme Proposals

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.1 The Sub-Committee considered proposals from WEDC in Civil and Building Engineering for a new part-time distance-learning programme with effect from September 2007. This was a particular area of expertise in WEDC, which also had prior experience of distance-learning provision. It was commented that more enthusiastic support for the programme might have been expected from the key international agencies mentioned and suggested that endorsements from these bodies should be actively sought for its marketing advantages and that they be approached for advice on possible options to be included on the programme in due course.

.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:

Programme Regulations

(a) Delete para 3.3 as this was superfluous, and amend para 3.4 to read ‘Review Board’ rather than ‘Module Board’.

Programme Specification

(b) Consider whether ‘Through distance learning’ was appropriate wording for the start of the Aims section.

(d) Consider whether the ILOs, which were currently more detailed than would normally be expected, should be aggregated to a higher level. This would make them less sensitive to module changes.

(e) Generic sections should refer to relevant URLs rather than include the full text, unless there was department-specific text.

Module Specifications

(f) Assessment assignments needed to be clearly identified. Methods of assessment should be suited to achieving the ILOs.

Assessment Matrix

(g) Variety in assessment would be expected but assessment across the programme indicated essays only. This did not coincide with information in module specifications and in the programme specification and should be revised accordingly.

Consultation Forms

(h) Completed consultation forms from the Library, Computing Services and Professional Development were required.

ACTION: JGD, JEME

07/6 BSc,DPS Information Technology Management for Business: New Programme Proposals

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.1 The Sub-Committee considered proposals from Computer Science for a new full-time programme with effect from October 2007. The IT Management for Business (ITMB) degree had been designed by leading international companies and the Government was funding the creation of ITMB courses at universities through E-skills UK, the Sector Skills Council for IT and Telecoms.. The new programme would be recognised and supported by E-skills UK, including its promotion as an approved course and financial backing in the first year of up to £150,000.

.2 The Sub-Committee was informed that the proposals had necessarily been produced in haste, and following their approval by the Science Directorate the Department of Information Science had identified a potential problem with the title of the proposed programme and the possible detrimental effect this might have on recruitment to that department’s programme in Information Management and Business (IMB). It was noted that the title of the proposed programme was standard across the HE sector and not negotiable. The Sub-Committee was informed that a discussion with the Head of Information Science had identified a possible way forward that could work to that Department’s advantage. Marketing the programmes together, taking advantage of the E-skills support in this, but making clear the differences in content between the programmes to ensure their appeal to the right student market, could well attract more students to the IMB programme. It was noted, also, that the entry requirements to the ITMB programme would be high at 300 points. The matter was to be considered further at the meeting of the Student Recruitment and Admissions Team meeting on 22 January. The proposal would also be considered by Operations Sub-Committee on the same date.

.3 It was AGREED to recommend the proposals to Learning and Teaching Committee, subject to their approval by Operations Sub-Committee and resolution of the potential difficulties identified over its title, and to the following matters being resolved to the satisfaction of the AD(T) prior to the meeting of Learning and Teaching Committee:

Programme Regulations

(a) Choice of options to be made clearer in para 3.1.2 as annotated by the AD(T).

(b) Para 4.2: the reference to para 6.1 needed revision. Consideration should be given to pruning the list of optional modules to those modules known to be always available.

Programme Specification

(c) ILOs should map to the University’s standard descriptors (Knowledge & Understanding etc) rather than those of the SFIA framework, though a document mapping ILOs to that framework should be retained by the department for its own purposes. The ILOs for the existing Computing and Management programme should be reviewed at the same time. TLA strategies should be presented after each ILO section.

(d) External reference points should include reference to E-skills UK.

(e) Para 4 should include more information on the structure of the programme, in line with the proposed new template for Programme Specifications (to be provided)

Module Specifications

(f) Assessment should be itemised and percentage of assessment identified for each.

(g) Revisions should be undertaken in accordance with the ADT’s annotations.

(h) Consideration should be given to splitting subject-specific skills into cognitive and practical skills.

(i) COC259: ‘in-depth group project’ to be amended to read ‘in-depth project’.

Assessment Matrix

(j) Queries annotated by the ADT to be resolved

(k) Completion of the section at the end of the matrix template, concerning individual/peer assessment of groupwork for modules with 50% or more groupwork assessment, to be sought from the Business School by the Department.

Consultation Forms

(l) The Department should discuss with the Business School the likely impact on the number of students on BS modules, and subsequently inform the Director of Media Services of the position.

ACTION: MCH, JEME

07/7 Changes to Programme Titles or Awards

It was noted that the Chair had recommended to Learning and Teaching Committee the following changes:

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(a) BSc Ergonomics (Human Factors) to BSc Ergonomics (Human Factors Design)

With effect from October 2007 entry.

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(b) MA Making Performance and Multi-Media Texts to MA Performance and Multi-Media Texts (with effect from October 2007 entry)

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With immediate effect. (Students graduating in 2007 would be awarded the new title with the exception of one student who, by choice, would be awarded the original title.)

07/8 Discontinuation of Programmes

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

BEng Materials with Management Studies (October 2007)

MSc Vehicle Safety Engineering (no recruitment) (further to Minute 06/53.2 of the previous meeting)

07/9 Dates of Future Meetings in 2006/2007

Thursday 10 May 2007 (am)

Thursday 24 May 2007 (am) (if required)

Author: Jennie Elliott

Date: January 2007