structuresThese reporting structures apply to undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) provision for the following matters:
Partner institutions should refer to the Academic Partnerships handbook, which sets out the relevant approval structures which apply.
Where the Executive Dean has authority to approve matters on behalf of the Faculty Education Committee, the Dean may opt to refer the matter to the Faculty Education Committee for consideration. Some tasks indicated as undertaken by the Dean might be undertaken either by the Executive or Deputy Dean.
| Timing | First Decision Point | Reporting Structure | Final record of decision | |
| Schedule of Periodic Reviews | Updated annually | ASPO website | ||
| Institutional Reviews | Typically every 5 years | PEC | Recommends to AQSC | AQSC Minutes |
| Periodic Reviews | Typically every 5 years | FEC | Recommends to AQSC | AQSC Minutes |
| Annual Review of Courses (ARCs) | Course ARC submitted: UG – in time for Autumn term FEC PGT – end spring term Institutional Annual Reviews submitted: UG only – end Jan UG &/or PGT – end spring term |
Dean | FEC Key themes or issues may be referred to AQSC and/or EC |
FEC Minutes (& AQSC/EC) |
| Student Survey data | Autumn term | FEC | AQSC/EC | FEC / AQSC / EC Minutes |
| External Examiner Appointments | Autumn term | Dean | Reported to FEC | ASPO |
| External Examiner Reports | UG: 1 September PG: 1 February Non-standard awards: 4 weeks > final Exam Board |
Dean | Key themes are considered by FEC and reported to AQSC | FEC / AQSC Minutes |
| Progression Reports | Spring term | FEC | FEC Minutes | |
| Report of Awards Conferred | Spring term | FEC | FEC Minutes | |
| Enrolment Data | Spring term | FEC | FEC Minutes | |
| Report of Discontinued / Suspended Courses | Autumn term | Dean's action reported to FEC | Recommends to AQSC | AQSC Minutes |
| First Decision Point | Reporting Structure | Final record of decision | |
| Approval for publicity purposes (Part 1) for new courses | Executive Dean | Dean decision reported for info to FEC, AQSC, and EC | Report of Dean's action to FEC |
| Approval /
validation of new courses (where relevant, initially reported subject to conditions and recommendations, and again when conditions and recommendations have been met) |
Category 1: | ||
Executive Dean |
Dean decision reported to FEC, AQSC, EC, and Senate | Report of Dean's action to FEC | |
| Category 2: | |||
| FEC | Recommends to AQSC | AQSC Minutes | |
| Category 3: | |||
| Validation panel | Recommends to AQSC, with opportunity for input from members of FEC | AQSC Minutes | |
| Implementation of a sub-degree framework or named exit awards | FEC | Recommends to AQSC | AQSC minutes |
| Change to the course title (no substantive change in content) | FEC | Recommends to AQSC | AQSC minutes |
| Change to the course structure, syllabus, learning outcomes, programme specification and module map, including change to the credit model (15/30 or 20/40) | FEC | Resolved at FEC or Report of Dean's action to FEC |
FEC paper |
| Change in the mix of core, compulsory and optional modules | Dean | Report of Dean's action to FEC | |
| Change in mode of study or introduction of a new mode of study | |||
| Change to the rules of assessment | EC | Recommends to Senate | Senate minutes |
| Temporary suspension of a course | Dean | Recommends to AQSC | AQSC minutes |
| Discontinuation of a course | |||
Departments are asked to judge whether a change is major or minor. Minor changes usually only involve a rewording but no substantive change, or where topics are updated.
The amendments below are subject to approval by the Dean, although approval may be referred to the Faculty Education Committee or another relevant committee where there are a large number of minor changes, or where the change includes an amendment which falls under the category for approval via the Faculty Education Committee or other committee.
| First Decision Point | Reporting Structure | Final record of decision | |
| Introduction of new module | Dean | Report of Dean's Action to FEC | FEC paper |
| Change of module title | |||
| Major changes to module syllabus or learning outcomes | |||
| Significant changes to module assessment and assessment weighting or methods (within range of currently approved assessment methods), changes to the weighting of exams to coursework, and to the timing or length of exam | |||
| Changes to credit value or credit level | |||
| Minor changes to module status as core, compulsory or optional | |||
| Changes to co- or pre-requisites | |||
| Temporary suspension of a module | |||
| Discontinuation of a module | |||
| Introduction of new assessment method | |||
| Change to the term in which a module is offered, where it affects the degree structure or pre- and/or co-requisites | |||
| Minor changes to module syllabus | Department | Via annual review process | Department |
| Minor changes to the weighting between units of coursework assessment | |||
| Changes to the format of the exam paper | |||
| Changes to the term in which a module is offered (no impact on degree structure or pre- or co-requisites | |||
| Changes to the availability of optional modules in the following academic year |
| Initiator | First Decision Point | Reporting Structure | Final record of decision | |
| Panel of members of Progress Committees (undergraduates only) | Dean | FEC | FEC | FEC Minutes |
| Panel of members of Academic Offences Committees | Dean | FEC | FEC | FEC Minutes |
| UG Progress Committee minutes | Progress Committee | Progress Committee | Progress database / file | |
| Academic
Offences Committee statistics (also Academic appeals and complaints) |
Registry | AQSC | Emerging issues and trendt reported to EC | AQSC / EC Minutes |
| Reports from Progress Committees for PG research students | Dept / Progress Committee | Dean of Graduate School | Registry / Dept |
| Initiator | First Decision Point | Reporting Structure | Final record of decision | |
| Nomination for appointment of External Examiners for taught UG and PG courses | Dept | Dean (1) | Reported to FEC | ASPO |
| Appointment of Examiners for PG research students | Dept | Dean of Graduate School (2) | Registry | |
| Composition of Boards of Examiners | Dept | Dean (2) | Registry | |
| Examination pass lists | Exam Board | Exam Board (2) | Registry / Board of Examiners file | |
| Reports of External Examiners for UG and PGT courses | External Examiners | Deputy Dean (2) | Key themes are considered by FEC and reported to AQSC | FEC / AQSC Minutes |
| Reports of Examiners for PG research students | External Examiners | Dean of Graduate School (2) | ||
| Broad issues arising from Boards of Examiners which are identified for discussion | Dean | FEC | Referred to AQSC or EC where necessary | FEC / EC / AQSC minutes |
(1) On behalf of Council
(2) On behalf of Senate
Page last updated: 12 September 2013