Learning and Teaching Committee
Curriculum Sub-Committee
CSC07-M2
Minutes of the Meeting of the
Sub-Committee held on
Membership: Professor Simon Austin (Chair), Professor Morag Bell, Dr Paul Byrne,
Professor John Dickens, Professor Roy Faulkner, Dr Martin Harrison, Dr Jane Horner,
Karen Roxborough, Phil Sawdon
In attendance: Dr Jennie Elliott
07/10 Minutes
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The Minutes of the meeting held on
07/11 Matters Arising from the Minutes
CSC07-P13
.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
07/2.2 Module Specifications
It
was noted that:
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(a)
Module
Specifications were now live on the LUSI system (an example of an 07 printed
version was presented).
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(b)
Proposals
on Credit Levels had been approved by Senate.
There was a credit level field in the LUSI module specification which
was automatically populated from the module code.
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.3 Minute
07/14 Curriculum Map
The Curriculum Map, which was now part of the
documentation required for new programme proposals, for major changes to
Programme Regulations and for Periodic Programme Review, was noted.
07/12 External Input to Programme Approval
CSC07-P17
.1 A
paper from Robert Bowyer was considered. It was noted that the Sub-Committee
currently required programme proposers to invite at least one external senior
academic to write a letter in support of their proposal, but gave no guidance
as to what the external reviewer should be asked to comment on. In view of the
rigorous approach already undertaken by the Sub-Committee to the scrutiny of
new programme proposals, members saw no additional value in adding further
complexity and likely delay to the programme approval process with more
stringent requirements as to external input to the approval process. However,
it was agreed that guidance as to the questions to be asked of external
reviewers would be helpful to both the proposers and external reviewer and provide
a more structured response for the Sub-Committee. Members were of the view that
External Examiners should and could be fully trusted to provide an independent academic
view on proposals, and indeed their understanding of the department involved could
be useful to the process. In terms of the paperwork to be sent to the external
reviewer, it was felt to be inappropriate for them to receive the full
operational paperwork which would anyway be scrutinised by the Sub-Committee,
and agreed that they should receive information on the rationale for the
programme and a draft Programme Specification, so that their comments could
contribute to the programme development process. In regard to proposers seeking
an industrial/commercial viewpoint on new programme proposals, it was agreed
that such a requirement would depend on the nature of the programme. Guidance
on the questions to be asked would again be valuable, though it was acknowledged
that these might vary with discipline. In some cases input from a departmental
Advisory Board having industrial members might be sufficient.
.2 The
Sub-Committee AGREED the following:
(a) That
the seeking of comments from a senior external academic on a new programme
proposal as part of the preparation for the operational approval phase should
continue to be a requirement. The External Examiner should normally be
approached for this purpose unless there was good reason why an alternative
senior academic should be approached.
(b)
The
academic External Reviewer should be sent a copy of the draft Programme
Specification with a covering letter which included the information provided in
sections 7 and 14 of the proposal form. A pro-forma for the letter would be
made available for downloading from the Template Shop.
(c)
Guidance
would be provided to departments on the questions to be asked of academ ic and industrial reviewers. In view of
her experience as an external programme reviewer, Dr Jane Horner would draft 3
/ 4 questions to be asked of academic reviewers and 2 / 3 to be optionally asked
of industrial reviewers, for circulation to AD(T)s for initial comment and then
to members for further comment prior to approval by the Chair.
(d)
The
revised procedure would become operational from 2007/08.
(e)
The
implications of External Examiners’ involvement in the process on their
contract with the University should be explored. If the responsibility was
outside the requirement of their contract, the contract might need to be
reviewed for future appointments.
ACTION: JEME, JLH
07/13 MA English: New Programme Proposals
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.1 The Sub-Committee considered proposals
from English and Drama for a new full-time/part-time programme with effect from
October 2007. The proposals for a general MA in English were considered to be
well motivated. It was noted, however, that with the 2 compulsory modules and
all optional modules shared with other programmes in the department, the
difference between this and other English MA programmes in the department was
minimal. Whilst there were no specific rules on minimum levels of difference in
programme content that justified the award of different titles, the crucial
principle being that the title of the degree awarded should accurately reflect
the content of the programme of studies undertaken, the Sub-Committee felt it
to be anomalous if students could take exactly the same modules but receive
different degree titles. At present in the proposed Programme Regulations the
onus had been placed on the student to select a set of options which did not
match those of one of the specialist programmes. The Department would need to
ensure that should a student select modules appropriate to one of the
specialist titles, then it would be that specialist title they should receive.
It was suggested that the Department consider bringing together the similar
programmes within a suite having one set of Programme Regulations and Programme
Specification (an example to be provided).
.2 It was noted that the new Curriculum
Map submitted with the paperwork was the first that the Sub-Committee had
received and as such served as a trial for the map. The programme was unusual,
having a high weighting of optional modules, but nevertheless showed a higher
than expected indication of where programme outcomes were developed and
assessed and suggested possible over-assessment of ILOs. The Sub-Committee was
not convinced that the Department had looked sufficiently closely at how ILOs
would be met.
.3 In regard to the Curriculum Map
generally, the Sub-Committee agreed that the list of modules should be
subdivided between core and optional modules, to help identify that all
outcomes not met by core modules were met by optional modules. Module weight
should also in future be identified on the form. In cases where outcomes were
not met by core modules, there should be a statement in the Content section of
Programme Regulations that the selection of module options must ensure that
each programme ILO was delivered by at least 2 modules, which would help in the
achievement of all ILOs in the event of module failure. However, it was
acknowledged as implicit in the system that all ILOs should be studied but not
necessarily successfully. The proposed statement would gradually be inserted
into Programme Regulations as Curriculum Maps for other programmes were
developed. Reference could be made to the Curriculum Map in Programme
Regulations and a copy of the map provided to students.
ACTION: JEME
.4 It was AGREED to recommend the programme
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) Para 2.1(i): Compulsory modules should
total 80.
(b) Para 2.1(ii): To be revised so that the
onus was on the Programme Director rather than the student to ensure a
combination of optional modules not equivalent to those on a specialist
programme.
(c) Para 3.2:To be deleted.
Programme Specification
(d)
(e)
(f) Para 4(ii); To be revised in line with
para .1 above.
(g) Differences in Aims and ILOs between the
new programme and the other English MAs to be identified.
Module
Specifications
(h)
All new module specifications (those listed without
numbers in the Programme Regulations) to be submitted in LUSI format.
(i)
‘Exploring the Early-Modern Body’: Word
count to be provided for written assignments.
(j)
‘Derrida..’: Seminar attendance cannot be
compulsory.
(k)
Assessment should be of ‘contribution’
rather than ‘participation’ in seminars.
(l)
All assessment contributing to module mark should be
summative.
Curriculum Map
(m)
To be reviewed to identify those modules which made a
significant contribution to meeting ILOs.
(n)
Table to be subdivided into core modules and optional
modules, grouping the latter in regard to common outcomes.
(o)
Para 2.1(ii) of Programme Regulations to include a
statement that option choice should ensure that each programme ILO was
delivered by at least 2 modules.
Assessment Matrix
(p)
Revise ‘Assessment of Participation’ to
read ‘Assessment of Contribution’.
Consultation forms
(q)
Completed and signed consultation forms to be
submitted.
ACTION: PLB, JEME
07/14 MA/MSc Information and Library Management: Major Programme Changes
CSC07-P19
.1 The
Sub-Committee considered proposals for significant programme changes with
effect from October 2007 entry. The intention was that existing part-time
students would be offered the opportunity to complete their taught modules from
those on the revised programme. Concern was expressed that such students should
have the option of continuing on the programme in its current form, and that
any migration by such students to the new structure should only be permitted
where all programme ILOs could be met, with each case being formally approved
by the AD(T). Unless the new structure would allow this, the existing structure
would need to exist in parallel until current students had completed.
.2 Concern
was also expressed about the imbalance of modules between semesters, with the
best case scenario being module weightings of 80 undertaken in semester 1 and
55 in semester 2 (with the 45-credit dissertation being undertaken over the
summer). This imbalance would not be of such significance if the programme was
wholly part-time, but the load in semester 1 for full-time students,
particularly international students and students new to the University, was
considered to be unacceptable. The proposer’s response to this matter
when raised by the AD(T) had not provided justification for the imbalance. The
Sub-Committee made suggestions as to how the imbalance might be overcome, such
as the transfer of block-taught module ISP435 to the end of semester 2, which
would be pedagogically justifiable. In view of the comments from the Director
of Media Services concerning pressures on rooms for block-taught modules at
certain times, it was suggested that the proposer approach Media Services to
explore those periods when facilities were most likely to be available.
.3 The
question was raised as to when students actually made the decision to aim for
an MA or MSc award, and whether there was a need to identify individual modules
as leading to the MA or MSc route. It was considered that as the existing
programme had managed to deal with this issue without any apparent problem, it
was not an urgent matter to address. However, it might need to be revisited if
developments in the LUSI system were to allow for the automatic navigation of
students through a programme pathway to their degree award.
.4 It was
AGREED to recommend the programme proposals to Learning and Teaching Committee
subject to the following matters being resolved to the satisfaction of the
AD(T) and the Chair of Curriculum
Sub-Committee prior to the meeting of Learning and Teaching Committee:
(a)
Evidence that programme ILOs for existing students
could be satisfactorily mapped onto the new structure. Alternatively, an
assurance that the existing structure would run in parallel with the new
structure until existing students had completed.
(b)
An external academic perspective on the proposal
should be sought.
Programme Regulations
(c)
The programme structure should be revised to provide a
balanced workload between semesters. A 15-credit imbalance would be acceptable in
this case where a student’s choice of options required it.
Programme
Specification
(d)
This should be revised to conform with the new
template structure.
(e)
Module
Specifications/Assessment Matrix
(f)
Revisions should be undertaken to Module Specifications
in accordance with the AD(T)’s annotations.
(g)
ISP431, Assessment para 2: The origin of the research
findings to be clarified.
(h)
ISP436: To include an element of individual/peer
assessment in accordance with the University’s Policy on Groupworking.
ACTION: MCH, SAA, JEME
07/15 Changes to Programme Titles
CSC07-P20
.1 It
was AGREED to recommend to Learning and Teaching Committee the following
changes to programme titles (effective date shown in brackets):
BSc Sport and Leisure Management to BSc Sport Management (October 2008 entry)
BSc Geography and Sport and Leisure Management to BSc Geography and Sport Management
(October 2008 entry)
MSc Sport and Leisure Management to MSc Sport Management (October 2007
entry)
MSc Chemistry and Information Technology to MSc
Analytical Chemistry and Information Technology (October 2007 entry)
MSc Evidence Based Practice in Occupational
Health to Occupational Health
(October 2007 entry)
.2 It
was noted that the following proposed change of title required further
discussion with the
PGCert Mathematics Support for Students with
Dyslexia and Dyscalculia in HE/FE to PGCert
Maths Support for HE/FE Students with Dyslexia/Dyscalculia
(with immediate effect, required due to a 60-character limit on titles)
ACTION:
JEME
07/16 Discontinuation of Programmes
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It was AGREED to recommend to Learning and
Teaching Committee the discontinuation of the following programmes (proposed date of last intake shown in
brackets):
BSc Information Science (October
2007)
MEng Chemical Engineering with Professional
Development (October 2006)
MSc Batch Process Engineering
(October 2006)
MSc Chemical Product Design (October
2006)
MSc Electronic Publishing (October
2006)
MSc Mathematical Processes in the
Environment (October 2007)
MSc Urban Environmental Engineering
(2004/05)
07/17 Major Changes to Programme Regulations
It was AGREED to approve the following
procedure for the approval of major changes to Programme Regulations for the
period to October 2007. Proposals should
receive Curriculum Sub-Committee consideration by post at the discretion of the
Chair. Where concerns were raised a
second circulation would summarise these and invite a formal decision. The Chair would be empowered to determine
whether the replies constituted a consensus.
07/18 PGCE/PGDip/MSc in Education with Qualified
Teacher Status in Design and Technology/Science/Physical Education: Changes to
Programme Regulations and Award arrangements
Further
to Minute 06/27 of the meeting on
.1 The Chair had approved the removal of credit from the teaching practice element of the PGCE. The PGCE would therefore be awarded on the basis of 60 credits, in line with the University’s other PG Certificate awards.
.2 Senate had agreed that students entering Year 2 of the programme having completed the PGCE element should be permitted to retain their PGCE award.
07/19 BA English and Sports Science: Reinstatement
Further to Minute 05/51 of the
meeting on
07/20 Annual Update of Module Specifications and Programme Regulations/Specifications
The Sub-Committee noted:
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.1 The memorandum circulated to
departments on 6 March 2007 (without Annexes).
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and CSC07-P24
.2 The
proposal forms for Module Specification and Programme Regulation/Specification
changes for 2007/08.
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.3 Validated
Programmes: The procedure and timetable for revision and approval of Module
Specifications and Programme Regulations/Specifications for 2007/08.
07/21 Dates of Future Meetings
2007/08
(Date for if necessary
meeting in late May 2008 to be determined)
Author – Jennie Elliott
Date – May 2007
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