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New Taught Provision

The New Programme and Module Approval Process is a formal mechanism to ensure that proposals for new taught provision:

• satisfy academic standards benchmarks as outlined in the QAA Code of Practice and University polices
• are integrated with strategy and planning at University, college and school levels
• benefit from the expertise of student support services, especially Admissions and Student Recruitment (ASRS)
• act as a source, of information, when approved, that can be readily included in databases used for student recruitment, admissions and record-keeping.

This policy applies to all proposals for new taught programmes, both undergraduate and postgraduate. A separate approach applies to approval of changes to an existing programme or module.

It is intended that programme and module approval is conducted with due regard for appropriate pedagogy and the business interests of the University, by making the best use of expertise across the institution.

A Programme Rationale (or set of Module Rationales), Programme Specification and Schedule of Modules are created as part of the process. These are expected to take into account and inform school learning and teaching development plans and University and college learning and teaching strategies. Ideally a set of programme and module handbooks should also be produced at this time (see Senate policy on content although this may occur later than the approval process per se)

The approval process should involve 'externality' in the shape of institutional and external inputs. This is mandatory for programme approval and highly recommended for module approval.

Programme and module development teams are required to use standard forms detailing aspects of the proposal, engage in discussions with relevant support units and provide outlines of proposals for consideration at school and college boards before final approval by University Senate. The document Vacation Power Procedures for Programmes and Modules covers the situation where approvals need to be made outwith the normal reporting process.

The following detailed information is available from this page:

• New Programme and Module Approval - Outline of Processes
• New Programme and Module Approval - Guidenotes and Forms
• New Programme Market Research Request Form
• New Programme Rationale
• New Programme Specification
• New programme Schedule of Modules
• New Programme Student Recruitment Summary
• New Module Rationale
• New Module Specification
• Approved New Programme - Admissions and Registry Requirments Form
• New Programme and Module Approval - Intranet Posting Process
• Considerations of Good Practice For Taught Programmes
• Guidance Note for Learning and Teaching Development
• 'A Guidance Note in Relation to Equality and Diversity in the Curriculum'

Senate has agreed a Module and Programme Handbook Policy that specifies mandatory and recommended handbook content. This should be taken into account when developing documentation to support new curriculum elements.