Handbook toolkit
These pages have been put together to assist those members of staff in Schools responsible for producing student handbooks. The information provided is not exhaustive nor is a particular method or style of presentation prescribed.
Updating the handbook
Student handbooks are normally updated annually prior to the start of the academic year. A process for updating handbooks should be in place at the School level. Schools should ensure that responsibilities for effective and timely annual amendment are clearly identified as well as a mechanism for retaining older versions.
Compiling the handbook
In compiling your student handbooks, you will need to consider presentation and tone of language. Try to make the handbook sound personal with the use of ‘you’ and try to keep the information free from jargon. It is also essential that the handbook is clear and well structured. It might be beneficial to involve student input to the editing of handbooks to aid this process.
Students are inundated with information and so the handbook should be as succinct as possible whilst communicating key information. Where more than one handbook is produced (e.g. School/ programme/unit etc) the information should complement each other.
Distributing the handbook
The programme handbook forms part of the University's contract with a student. It is therefore recommended that students are asked to sign when they receive their programme handbook.
All students, whether undergraduate or postgraduate, should receive a handbook.
Handbook checklist
There is a programme handbook checklist on the Manual of Academic Procedures (MAP) which you might find useful. Advice is provided on what a programme handbook is, format and style and a suggested minimum content. This can be found at: