Programme management
Quality assurance
The quality assurance pages provide information on programme development procedures, continual (annual) monitoring, periodic review, collaborative activity, external examiners, student experience surveys and statistical data for quality assurance.
Policy on inclusive teaching and learning materials
The University has issued the Policy on Inclusive Teaching and Learning Materials, for implementation from September 2015, to standardise practice across the University in terms of the anticipation, identification and promotion of good practice in the preparation and presentation of teaching and learning materials for the general benefit of all students, but particularly for the support of disabled students, by mainstreaming a small number of adjustments. The general principles of the policy are aimed at removing barriers for disabled students to access teaching and learning materials and improving access for all.
The implementation of the policy is expected to take time. It is not, for example, anticipated that adoption of the policy will mean that all teaching and learning materials will be required to adhere to all of the policy guidance by September 2015. Rather, the adoption of the policy should signal that new materials will be produced to adhere to the principles and guidelines outlined. Existing materials should be adapted in due course.
Committee management and oversight of programmes
The Faculty has some guidelines which outline factors to be considered in the design of the structure of programme committees within schools:
- Guidelines on Committees for the Management and Oversight of Programmes
- Guidelines for Joint Honours programmes
Guiding Principles on the Maintenance of existing and setting up new programme / plan codes in Campus Solutions
Schools should use the following guidance when maintaining existing, or setting up new programme and plan codes in Campus Solutions:
Directed reading/independent study
The Faculty has a set of guidelines on the above topics. They discuss factors to consider for the operation of credit-bearing units within a student’s programme of study which relies on directed self-study rather than normal class-based coverage of a syllabus.
- Guidelines on Directed Reading / Independent Study (PGT Programmes) (v.1 August 2005)
eLearning
- Procedure to enhance the use of eLearning in course units
- Staff and student access to additional Blackboard Courses
- Guidelines for use of Social Networking and other Web 2.0 tools in teaching and learning (v.1, May 2008)
Exclusion
Employability
The T&L Office, in conjunction with the Careers Service and University Marketing, has produced the following guidance to enable colleagues to improve and better promote the careers content within the web profiles of their programmes.
Handbooks
The Faculty has developed a Handbook Toolkit which has been put together to assist those members of staff in Schools responsible for producing student handbooks. There is also a programme handbook checklist which provides information on what a programme handbook is, format and style and a suggested minimum content.
Personalised learning
The Policy on Personalised Learning document defines a set of principles that form the basis of the University’s approach to personalised learning. The Faculty has an annotated version of this document to provide further guidance.
Placement learning
The University defines placement learning as learning that is an integral part of a programme of study, which contributes to the programme’s learning outcomes but which normally takes place outside the University. Placements may be a compulsory or optional part of a programme but must be planned and contribute to the learning outcomes. The University has principles and guidance in relation to student placements as part of their taught programmes of study. There is also a set of checklists to accompany the principles and guidance, as well as a confidential disclosure agreement template for student placements with an external company.
- Policy for Placement Learning
- Checklist for placement learning
- Confidential disclosure agreement template
- FAQs Placements and Internships
- Guidance on Monitoring the Attendance and Wellbeing of Undergraduate Students Abroad
- Guidance for staff on placement learning
The MyPlacement System must be used to record all overseas work placements/industrial experience occurring from the 2016-17 academic year onwards. It may also be used to record UK based placements rather than the Campus Solutions External Study page. (ie if the processes for UK-based placements are the same as overseas placements then schools can use the new system for both).
- The MyPlacement system must be used to record details of ALL UGRD overseas placements.
- UK based UG placements or any PGT placement may have their details recorded in either the MyPlacement system or on the External Study page (Campus Solutions).
Guidance is available for recording, on Campus Solutions, placements, Industrial Experience and Fieldwork.
Approval of new placements
The Faculty has produced some guidelines for those intending to introduce a placement to a programme, whether academic, work or research.
The University Introduced the 'Policy on Additional Costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes' from September 2014. Point 3.6 of the Policy states: 'When placements and field trips are a mandatory requirement of a programme, Schools should endeavour to make a low cost or free option available to students and endeavour to make sources of funding or support available to help with travel or other costs (e.g. consumables) on a needs basis'.
Health and safety in off-campus work
Printing course materials - policy on additional costs
The University’s Policy on Additional Costs states that ‘the costs of any compulsory printing (including coursework and course material) must be met by the School'
Purposes of a Manchester education – Manchester Matrix
As part of the University review of undergraduate teaching, learning and the student experience, the Manchester Matrix was produced, which sets out the eight purposes of a Manchester Undergraduate Education.
Recording of lectures
The following University Policy was approved by Senate in June 2013 and relates to the automated lecture capture process put in place within the University from September 2013 in lecture theatres equipped with lecture capture equipment.
Risk register
The University has introduced a formal risk management process based around the maintenance of risk registers at School, Faculty and University level. The aim of this process is to provide a tool to facilitate the systematic identification and management of key risks, and which enables the efficient reporting of risks through the organisation and to the Board of Governors.
Teaching assistants
The University has produced guidelines for the use of full-time postgraduate students as teachers in seminars and tutorials and demonstrators in laboratory classes (i.e. teaching assistants). The Faculty has also created a Faculty of Humanities TA Policy. More information on the use of TAs can be found on the Teaching Assistant Hub.
Use of Level 6 units at Level 7
The Faculty has a Policy on the use of level 6 units at level 7, in order to permit greater flexibility and encourage efficiencies in teaching.
Adjusted Mode of Study
The option of an adjusted mode of study for Undergraduate students is permitted in the Faculty under the Procedure for Approval of UG Adjusted Mode of Study.