Course Approval and Course Review & Revalidation for professional staff

1. Course Approval and Course Review & Revalidation for professional staff Hayley Burns Head of Quality Unit

2. Purpose To provide an overview of the following processes: • Course Approval: • Course development approval • Course Validation • Course Review & Revalidation • To introduce ICIS and its support of these processes

3. Course Development Approval Purposes • Alignment with University strategic plan • Sound business case • Identify resource implications • Potential impact on other courses • Compliance with legislative requirements • Determine appropriate course validation route

4. Course Development Approval Process • Course Development Team completes the ‘Curriculum Proposal Form’ (CPF) on ICIS • CPF submitted to Head of School • CPF submitted to Faculty Committee • If approved submitted for University peer review • Submitted to Deans and Executive for final approval to proceed to course validation

5. Curriculum Proposal Form Sections • Course information • Market Research • The Course Costing Template [or Business Case] • Course Delivery • Course Structure • Course Exit Points • Subject Codes • Faculty Approval

6. TheCPF on ICIS

11. Course Validation: Event Types • Standalone validation event • University level • Faculty level • Paper-based level • Re/approval of a collaborative partner • Collaborative partner event • PSRB accreditation -- *Deadlines*

12. Course Validation:Criteria For a course to be validated the following criteria must be met: • Curriculum • Learning, Teaching and Assessment • Admissions • Course Management • Resources • Implementation • Socially Inclusive Practice

13. Course Validation: The Validation Document SECTION 1 Executive Summary

14. Course Validation: The Validation Document (2) SECTION 2: PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE COURSE • CPF • Rationale for the proposal • Engagement with External and Internal Reference Points • Resources • Quality Assurance • Transitional Arrangements • Ethics

15. Course Validation: The Validation Document (3) SECTION 3: THE COURSE SPECIFICATION • Course Information • Educational Aims and Learning Outcomes • Course Structure • Teaching and Assessment • Entry and Exit Requirements • Inclusive Curriculum Statement • Addendum for Delivery at a Collaborative Partner Organisation

16. Course Validation: The Validation Document (4) • SECTION 4: COURSE STRUCTURE • Per each level of study: • Module Code • Module Title • Credits • Module Status • *ensure that at each level you have the correct number of credits. See Regulations for Taught Courses

17. Course Validation: The Validation Document (5) SECTION 5: MODULE SPECIFICATIONS • Module Information • Module Criteria • Learning Outcomes • Assessment Matrix • Key Skills • Concise/Indicative Reading List

18. Course Validation: The Validation Document (6) SECTION 6: SUPPORTING MATRICES • Learning Outcomes Matrix • Key Skills Matrix • Assessment Schedule

19. Learning Outcomes Matrix

20. Key Skills Matrix

21. Assessment Schedule

22. Course Validation: The Validation Document (7) • APPENDICES • External Examiner/Consultants’ Report(s) and Team’s response • Letters of support from employers • Staff CVs • Ethical Approval Forms • Applications for RTS

23. Course Validation:Guidance Documents • QAA UK Quality Code • QAA docs: FHEQ, subject (and other) benchmarks, course specifications • USW Course Developer’s Guide • USW Guidelines for the Development of Foundation Degrees • USW Regulations for Taught Courses • USW Assessment Policy and Tariff • USW Learning, Teaching and Widening Access Strategy • USW CELT

24. Course Validation: The Validation Document and ICIS

34. Course Validation: The Process (1) Timescales

35. Course Validation: The Process (2) • The Panel • The event • The outcomes • Conditions, requirements and recommendations • The report • Responding to conditions

36. Course Validation: The Process (3) Paper-based validation • No panel meeting • External Advisor appointed • Sign off by FQAC Chair and Faculty Quality Manager

37. Course Validation: The Report • Part A • Summary of information about the event • Recommendation to the FQAC/QAC • Conditions, requirements, recommendations, housekeeping, good practice • Part B • Validation Checklists • Main points of discussion • General points of note • Office Admin

38. Course Approval:Summary • Course Development Approval and the CPF • Course Validation: • the criteria • the Validation Document • Guidance documents • the process • How ICIS supports these systems

39. Course Review & Revalidation:Introduction • Assurance of maintenance of academic standards • Assurance of quality • Enhancement-focused • Opportunity for holistic and strategic thinking • Cumulative effect of change • Changes to internal and external environments • Changes to legislation • Single or multiple courses • Revalidation

40. Process • Self-critical • Evidence-based • Building on strengths • Identifying and assessing risk • Highlighting areas for enhancement • Peer review: staff, students and externals • Designed to be developmental • Occurs every 6 years

41. Panel Focus • Academic Standards • Quality of Learning Opportunities • Quality Management and Enhancement

42. Schedule

43. Preparation • Admin support provided by faculty to give advice and coordinate • Briefing meeting between FQM, Head of School and Course Leader(s) 6 months before the event: • Confirm the scope of the review • Provide an overview of the process • Identify a date and establish deadlines for submission of documentation • Guidance on developing the self-evaluation document • Discuss panel members and identify a reporting officer

44. Panel • Chair • 2 or more external members • 2 or more internal members from a different faculty • Faculty Quality Manager • Student Union sabbatical officer or nominee • Reporting Officer

45. Self-evaluation document:Part 1: Critical Review • Academic Standards • Quality of Learning Opportunities • The maintenance of Standards and Enhancement of Quality • Working with Others • Appendices • Mapping from old to new courses and modules • External Examiner/Consultant’s Report and Team’s response • Recruitment and conversion table • Statistics detailing student progression, outcomes and career destinations • Reports of accreditation events and details of any changes to professional body requirements

46. Self-evaluation document: Part 2: Revalidation Document • SECTION 1: Planning and Development of the Course • Engagement with External and Internal Reference Points • Evidence of ethical consideration • Transitional Arrangements • SECTION 2: Course Specification • SECTION 3: Course Structure • SECTION 4: Module Specifications • SECTION 5: Supporting Matrices • APPENDICES

47. Additional Documentation to be submitted with the SED • List of evidence • Course Handbooks • Student Data • External Examiner reports • Course annual monitoring report • Faculty annual monitoring report

48. Additional Documentation to be available during the review • Course and module handbooks and any other relevant course documentation • Staff lists and a short profile • Course Board minutes • Module/course questionnaire summaries • Data, i.e. NSS satisfaction levels • Notes of course team meetings • Recent validation reports • Marketing materials

49. The preparatory meeting • Chair, Head of School, Course Leader(s), FQM, Reporting Officer – 4 weeks before the event • Agree on key issues • Check which claims in the SED the panel are going to verify • Identify key members of staff who will attend meetings • Agree on sample of students’ work to be made available • Shape the overall agenda • Discuss arrangements for meeting students from collaborative partners

50. The Event • 1 day long • Meetings with course and other staff, current and former students and other relevant stakeholders • Private meetings of the panel • Good practice and recommendations made • Report produced