Programme and Module Amendment Procedure

Transcription

1 PMA08 Page 1 of 9 Programme and Module Amendment Procedure This document defines three levels of amendment (minor amendment; major amendment and potential revalidation trigger). The process for approval is dependent on what type of amendment you wish to make, supported by the required documentation. Contents 1 Levels of amendment 2 Processes for amendment 1 (including identification of amendments not covered by this process) 3 Documentation required for amendments 4 Amendment process flow diagrams Appendices: Information on whether an amendment to a module and/or programme requires student approval or A notification B Quality and Standards Committee (QSC) Scrutiny Panels C Amendment diagram 1. Levels of Amendment If your proposed changes have a range of level of amendment (e.g. a mix of minor and major amendments) you will need to follow the process for the highest level change. 1.1 Minor amendment Is your Amendment limited to changing any of the following? Module title Module Indicative content Module balance of learning and teaching hours Module assessment weighting Module types of assessment Module number of teaching weeks Module regulations (e.g. qualified fail statements) Module changing the semester of delivery Programme option module(s) deletion 2 Programme option module(s) addition 3 Programme altering the scheduling of delivery of module(s), e.g. reducing or extending the number of teaching weeks Then it is a Minor amendment. 1.2 Major amendment Does your Amendment change any of the following? Module aims Module learning outcomes New module Programme compulsory module(s) deletion Programme compulsory module(s) addition Programme amending award title Programme regulations (i.e. relating to admissions; assessment; progression; eligibility for award/graduation) Programme adding a new study pathway (but not impacting on award title) 1 Note that a potential revalidation can be decided at one of two different levels (by School or QSC). 2 Please be aware that some option modules are actually either/or choices within a module set that is a compulsory part of a programme e.g. on Joint Honours.

2 PMA08 Page 2 of 9 Programme balance of theory and practice elements Programme balance of learning and teaching hours Then it is a Major amendment. 1.3 Potential re-validation trigger Does your Amendment require changing any of the following? Programme aims Programme learning outcomes Programme assessment strategy Programme new title Programme 33% of curriculum replaced Then it is a Major amendment but also a Potential Trigger for Re-validation. 1.4 Proposals that are not in the scope of this procedure The following are not covered by the programme and module amendment procedure: New award Programme [by Scrutiny Panel type A] New award Strand [by Scrutiny Panel type B] Change or addition of mode of study (full-time; part-time; on-line; block study etc.) [type A] New location of study [type A] Any administrative or document updating that arises from an approved amendment, although necessary for the record, would not, in itself, be regarded as a formal Amendment. Examples include: deleting or adding an award from a Module award bearing programme section of a module description resulting from an approved deletion or addition of the module for a Programme; re-coding a module due to a change in subject or programme home. 1.5 Student Approval or Notification of Amendments Appendix A provides guidance on the action required when making changes to a module that students are currently studying or have chosen for the following year

3 PMA08 Page 3 of 9 2. Processes for Amendment Key to table below: Green text indicates work to be done in School Italicised text is the information that differs from the process of the previous levels of amendments. Minor Amendments FOR MODULE CHANGE a. New and Amended Module Request form b. Revised Module description with highlighted changes c. A brief rationale for the change d. Comment and endorsement from External Examiner e. Student consultation as required FOR PROGRAMME CHANGE a. Programme Amendment Request form b. A rationale for and description of proposed change c. Revised Programme Specification d. Comment and endorsement from External Examiner e. Student consultation as required 3. School send approved documentation and evidence of School approval to AQS 4. AQS will provide the documentation to University QSC Programme Amendment Scrutiny Panel (PASP) and update the Programme Amendment Log 5. PASP will consider the documentation and reach a decision via voting. Due process will be confirmed to QSC by report. 6. PASP Officer will confirm the decision to the School 7. Once approved Schools need to inform their external examiners of the change. Major Amendments FOR A MODULE CHANGE ALONE a. New and Amended Module Request form b. Revised Module description with highlighted changes c. A brief rationale for the change d. Comment and endorsement from External Examiner e. Student consultation as required FOR A NEW MODULE a. New and Amendment Module Request form b. New Module description c. A brief rationale for the change d. Comment and endorsement from External Examiner e. Student consultation as required FOR A CHANGE TO THE PROGRAMME ALONE

4 PMA08 Page 4 of 9 a. Programme Amendment Request form b. A rationale for and description of proposed change c. Revised Programme Specification d. Details of any resource implications e. Detail of the change to be made and the effect on the overall programme f. Comments and endorsement by External Examiner g. A report from a professional body (where relevant) h. Student consultation as required 3. School to send approved documentation and evidence of School approval to AQS 4. AQS will provide the documentation to PASP and update the Programme Amendment Log 5. PASP will consider the documentation at a meeting and confirm due process to QSC by report. 6. QSC Scrutiny Panel Officer will confirm the decision to the School 7. Once approved Schools need to inform their external examiners of the change. Potential Revalidation Trigger a. Programme Amendment Request form b. A rationale for the proposed change c. Revised Programme Specification d. Details of any resource implications e. Detail of the change to be made and the effect on the overall programme f. Comments and endorsement by External Examiner g. A report from a professional body (where relevant) h. Student consultation as required i. School will make a recommendation regarding if Revalidation is necessary 3. School to send approved documentation and evidence of School approval to AQS 4. AQS will provide the documentation to PASP and update the Programme Amendment Log 5. PASP will consider the documentation at a meeting and confirm due process to QSC by report. a. QSC Scrutiny Panel will recommend to QSC if re-validation is necessary IF NO NEED FOR RE-VALIDATION: 6. QSC Scrutiny Panel Officer will confirm the decision to the School 7. Once approved Schools need to inform their external examiners of the change IF RE-VALIDATION IS NEEDED: 7. The School will provide a proposal to AQS that the programme be revalidated to incorporate proposed revisions. 8. AQS will submit the proposal to QSC for approval to schedule a re-validation. 9. If PASP considers that, having made the proposed amendment the programme should be subject to re-validation then this recommendation will be made to QSC for approval to schedule a re-validation.

5 PMA08 Page 5 of 9 3. Amendment Process Flow diagrams 1. Minor Amendment School External Examiner AQS PASP (reports outcome to QSC) 2. Major Amendment School External Examiner AQS PASP (makes recommendation to QSC) QSC

6 PMA08 Page 6 of 9 3. Potential triggers for Re-validation School Re-Validation? External Examiner Yes No AQS AQS QSC PASP Re-validation Approved Approved No with Re-validation Re-validation required QSC QSC Re-validation 4. Documentation required for amendments Key: AM = Amending an existing module; NM = New module; P = Programme Amendment Document Minor Major Re-Validation amendment amendment Trigger New and amended module request AM AM NM Programme Amendment request P P P Revised module description AM AM Rationale AM P AM NM P P External examiner comment AM P AM NM P P Student consultation AM P AM P AM P Revised programme specification(s) 3 P P P New module description NM Resource implications P P Change detail and effect P P Report from PSRB ( if applicable) P P Programme Amendment Log AM NM P AM NM P AM NM P 3 for all programmes in which an amended module is used

7 Optional module Compulsory module PMA08 Page 7 of 9 APPENDIX A: Information on whether an amendment to a module and/or programme requires student approval or notification The grid illustrates the action required when making changes to a module that students are currently studying or have chosen for the following year. Notify students of the proposal via Consult with and seek approval for the proposal from the students via Moodle, face-to-face sessions, , etc. New module Status Assessment Hours Rationale and/or aims Award bearing programme Learning outcome Indicative content Where a module is compulsory for some programmes and optional for others you should follow the table above according to the status for each affected programme.

8 PMA08 Page 8 of 9 Appendix B: Quality and Standards Committee (QSC) Scrutiny Panels QSC operates 3 types of scrutiny panels. Types A and B are used to approve programmes, and are documented in the programme approval procedure. Type A Type B ( Strands ) Type C: Purpose: To consider the process undertaken by Schools to approve amendments to programmes and modules in order to report approvals to QSC. To consider whether re-validation should be instigated by QSC for a programme that has reached the limit of allowable amendment (see triggers for re-validation ). Terms of reference: Composition: Procedural rules: To be responsible for: Considering for approval activities and processes undertaken by Schools in approving programme and module amendments Making approvals and reporting them to QSC or identifying for QSC where School processes have been inadequate to support the approval decision Recommending to QSC that a programme re-validation be instigated where the limit of allowable amendment has been reached Four members of QSC (at least two of whom, independent of the proposed amendments, must attend any meetings/ be involved in the consideration and decision-making) Officer from AQS The Type C panel will consider the documentary record, including input from the external examiner(s). It would not normally meet with the proposers. Quorum at least two members independent of proposed amendments Frequency of meetings: At least 3 times per year, with additional Virtual meetings conducted to consider small amounts of business if necessary. Reporting: Formally responsible to the University s QSC. Written statement of panel approvals forwarded to QSC for information. Written notification of panel approvals of any change to a programme title forwarded to the Academic Leadership Team for information.

9 PMA08 Page 9 of 9 Appendix C: Amendments (on-campus, on-line and collaborative) Note: amendments in one category may result in amendments in other categories. Key: Light green = Minor amendment; Yellow Major Amendment; Orange = Potential Re-validation trigger MODULE: Title Balance of learning and teaching hours Assessment weighting Indicative Content Types of Assessment Module regulations (e.g. qualified fail statements) Altering the number of teaching weeks Altering the semester of delivery of module(s) MODULE: Aims Learning Outcomes New module RE-VALIDATION PROGRAMME: Aims Learning Outcomes Assessment Strategy New Title 33% of curriculum modules replaced PROGRAMME: Adding Compulsory module(s) Deleting Compulsory module(s) Amending Award title Amending programme regulations Adding a new study pathway on a programme (but not impacting on award title) Balance of theory and practice elements balance of learning and teaching hours PROGRAMME: Adding Option module(s) Deleting Option module(s) Altering the scheduling of the curriculum