Transcript
Online Resource for Staff new to teaching in HE
Higher Education Qualifications, Programmes and
Modules at GCU
GCU Qualifications Framework
The GCU Qualifications Framework can be found on the Governance and
Quality Enhancement website under Regulations and Policies. It outlines
all the degrees that can be awarded at GCU, the role of modules, credit
weighting1, levels of study and how they align with Scotland’s national
qualifications framework, the Scottish Credit and Qualifications
Framework(SCQF)2. The SCQF helps employers, learners and the
general public to understand the full range of Scottish qualifications.
1credit weighting defines how many credits there are for one academic year of full-time undergraduate study (120 credits)
or postgraduate study (180 credits). Please note that one credit equals ten hours of notional student effort (NSE). 2 see: www.scqf.org.uk
Higher Education (HE) Qualifications at GCU
Undergraduate Awards include:
• Certificate of Higher Education (with or without a subject identifier) =
120 credits
• Diploma of Higher Education (with or without a subject identifier) = 240
credits
• Degree = 360 credits
• Degree with Honours = 480 credits
Higher Education (HE) Qualifications at GCU
Postgraduate Awards include:
• Postgraduate Certificate (named or un-named)
• Postgraduate Diploma (named)
• Post Experience Certificate (named)
• Masters Degree (named)
• Professional Masters/Doctorates (Prof M/Prof D),
• Doctor of Business Administration (DBA),
• Doctor of Management (DMan),
• Doctor of Psychology (DPsych) and
• Doctor of Applied Psychology (DAppsy)
• Master of Philosophy (MPhil),
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Programmes
Programmes consist of a number of modules that students have to pass
in order to progress onto the next level of study (students can carry 20
credits between levels).
Modules are normally based on a standard unit of 20 credits for
undergraduate programmes including a 40 credit SHEH* (= SCQF levels
9/10) dissertation/project module, and 15 credits for postgraduate
programmes including a 60 credit SHEM* (= SCQF level 11)
dissertation/project module.
Information on Roles and Responsibilities can be found in the annexe of
the Quality Enhancement and Assurance Handbook.
*SHEH (Scottish Higher Education Honours)/SHEM (Scottish Higher Education Masters). Until the GCU
Qualifications Framework has been reviewed, the SCQF levels should be used, although it still refers to
Scottish Higher Education levels (SHE).
Programme Board (PB)
The Programme Board is responsible to the School which hosts the
programme for all aspects of quality assurance and enhancement related
to the programmes or suite of programmes under its jurisdiction. It is
normally chaired by the Assistant Head of Department (AHoD) or the
departmental Learning and Teaching Quality Lead (LTQL).
It consists of:
• programme officers;
• nominated representatives, normally from each subject area contributing to the
programme;
• student representatives from the programme;
• and where appropriate representatives from industry, commerce, or the
appropriate professions.
Programme Board
The specific responsibilities of Programme Boards, in liaison with
appropriate Schools, are:-
• the monitoring and maintenance of academic standards and the quality of the
student experience;
• the academic coherence and development of their programme;
• the creation and maintenance of Programme Specifications;
• External Assessor reports and communication of the associated responses to
the Externals;
• the establishment of Student Staff Consultative Groups (SSCG);
• where appropriate, the maintenance of effective relationships with professional,
statutory and regulatory bodies within their programme area to ensure that
quality assurance and academic standards activities at the programme level are
informed by the requirements of these bodies;
• the annual programme monitoring process.
Annual (in year) Programme Monitoring
The Programme Monitoring Process ensures that programmes remain fit for
purpose and to assure and enhance their quality.
Programme monitoring and review takes place in a planned annual cycle to
ensure that all provision is monitored adequately, how it is experienced by
students and whether alternative forms of delivery can be offered.
The process starts with an evaluation of the past session via the Programme
Enhancement Plan (PEP) and is then continued throughout the academic year
via the Annual Programme Analysis (APA). The APA document can be found on
the School Portal Programme Sites.
More detailed information on Programme Monitoring and Review can be found in
Section 5 of GCU’s Quality Assurance and Enhancement Handbook (QAEH).
Annual (in year)
Programme
Monitoring*
*Flowchart taken from QAEH, Section 5: Programme Monitoring
Programme teams
Programme teams consist of programme leaders, module leaders,
academics/lecturers, and programme administrator(s).
The programme team is responsible for:
• Developing the programme and preparing it for programme approval;
• Making any changes to the programme and preparing it for programme re-
approval;
• Liaising with professional and statutory bodies for external accreditation where
appropriate;
• The organisation and the delivery of the programme Contributing to the annual
programme analysis;
• Contributing to the programme handbook;
• Assessing student work;
• Academic advising for students.
Programme Leaders (PLs)
Programme Leaders are responsible for coordinating the delivery of the
programme. This includes responsibility for:
• Programme quality assurance, incl. Annual Programme Analysis (APA);
• Contribution to programme re-approval process;
• Annual monitoring report;
• Supervising the review and/or development of programme and module information
(handbooks, descriptors etc.);
• Reporting to the Assessment Board;
• Encouraging a student representative to chair the Student Staff Consultative Groups
(SSCG) and chairing the SSCG when necessary.
Student Staff Consultative Group (SSCG)
The Student Staff Consultative Group (SSCG) offers students an
opportunity to feedback on the programme and/or raise any concerns or
issues with regards to the programme in relation to content, teaching and
the development of the programme.
The group forms part of the University’s Quality Assurance and
Enhancement process and more information on the purpose, operation
and membership of the SSCG can be found in Section 8 of GCU’s Quality
Assurance and Enhancement Handbook (QAEH).
Programme Handbook
A Programme handbook contains a complete set of all necessary
programme information, including:-
• Programme structure;
• Assessment;
• Regulations;
• Attendance monitoring;
• Information about mitigating circumstances;
• General information for students;
• Student support and academic advising.
The Programme Handbook is made available to students via GCU Learn.
Programme Specification
The Programme Specification or ‘Programme Spec’ contains key
information for students and is updated annually.
It also forms part of the programme information that is published in the
University Prospectus.
It would normally include:-
• Admissions criteria;
• Programme Aims and Learning outcomes;
• Programme Structure;
• Assessment Scheme.
Programme Approval/Re-approval
Programme Approval describes the procedures underpinning the
development of new programmes.
The Programme Re-approval process takes place every five years, either
as part of the Enhancement-Led Internal Subject Review (ELISR) or as a
stand alone process.
The different stages of both processes are detailed in the Quality
Enhancement Assurance Handbook on the Quality Assurance and
Enhancement website.
ELISR (Enhancement Led Internal Subject Review)
• Every five years an ELISR (enhancement Led Internal Subject
Review) will take place at department level.
• The review process is organised and facilitated by the Department of
Governance and Academic Quality.
• It will include programme approval/re-approval as far as possible.
• For more information and to download a copy of the Quality Assurance
and Enhancement Handbook, please visit the Governance and Quality
Assurance Website.
ELISR (Enhancement Led Internal Subject Review)
The purpose of the ELISR is to support quality assurance and
enhancement across departmental programmes.
Reviews will:
• Promote dialogue in order to enhance quality and identify good practice;
• Reflect critically on practice;
• Take full account of student feedback;
• Review programmes against benchmarks and the QAA Quality Code and where
appropriate, professional and statutory bodies;
• Take account of the Scottish credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF);
• Consider the effectiveness of annual monitoring arrangements;
• Consider the impact of central and school-based student support activities in
enhancing the student experience.
Modules
Academic programmes consist of a series of credited modules, or in other
words, special programme components that are assessed.
There is a module handbook and a module descriptor for each module
that includes the learning outcomes and the assessment methods.
Students must achieve a minimum number of credits in order to progress
to the next level of study.
The GCU Qualifications Framework provides details on the University’s
Credit Accumulation and Modular Scheme.
Module Teams
Module Teams normally comprises module leaders, module tutors, and
an administrator.
However, some modules are run by the module leader only.
Module Leaders (MLs)
Module Leaders are responsible for:-
• the planning, delivery, review, monitoring, standards and academic
development of module(s) and day-to-day administration of the module;
• preparing a Module Handbook;
• developing appropriate learning, teaching, and assessment strategies for each
module, consistent with the learning objectives of the programme;
• monitoring student progress and liaising with the Programme Leaders or other
appropriate individuals with regard to the needs of the students, including
students with disabilities;
• providing academic advice including feedback on assessment
• reporting to Programme Boards on matters concerning the delivery of the
module;
• the quality assurance and enhancement of the module,
• the assessment of the module.
Module Handbooks
Module Handbooks provide students with essential information about:-
• Module structure and content;
• Timetables;
• Material, notes and reading list;
• Delivery;
• Module team;
• Student support;
• Module descriptor;
• Assessment and feedback.
Module Descriptor
The module descriptor outlines the structure, content and assessment of
the module. It follows a standard GCU template and includes:
• Module title, code, level and credit points;
• Pre-requisite knowledge;
• Activity types and hours per activity;
• Summary of content;
• Learning outcomes;
• Reference to the Strategy for Learning;
• Syllabus, indicative reading lists;
• Transferrable skills.
Frameworks
The University also offers frameworks, normally at Masters level (SCQF Level
11), which comprise a series of programmes. There is a framework coordinator
and each programme within the framework has its own programme leader.
Frameworks offer postgraduate and post-qualification programmes of study and
Continuous Professional Development (CPD) opportunities. They focus on
applied knowledge and research and can also provide inter-professional learning
opportunities.
Frameworks are designed taking account of relevant statutory, political and
professional standards, benchmarks and drivers and are being mapped against
the SCQF and other relevant professional frameworks.
Frameworks
A framework consists of core modules that run across all programmes.
For instance:
A framework could consist of 30 credits advanced research and 60 credits for the
dissertation. The remaining 90 credits would normally comprise programme
specific credits, such as nursing, physiotherapy or similar practice-based
programmes.
Thank you!
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