(Hb, Web, AA)

New and returning students should be made aware of the level of personal responsibility they need to take for their learning, at each stage of their programme.

Schools are responsible for determining whether students are permitted to progress from one year of study to the next, on the basis of whether a student’s performance is judged to have been satisfactory.

As students enter the second and subsequent years of their programme it is essential to provide them with the necessary information to equip them in facing changed expectations and priorities.

It is good practice to:

• make explicit the academic progression that students are expected to make as they study on their degrees from their enrolment to reaching the final award
• clearly state the results required to pass each stage and to progress to the next stage of a programme (where appropriate), at the beginning of a programme
• make clear the consequences of poor academic performance on progression
• provide clear information to students about specific assessment outcomes or other criteria that must be met to fulfil the requirements of professional statutory and regulatory bodies
• include relevant activities such as careers and employability skills development; research skills; dissertation support

When they should attend and how their attendance will be monitored 

(Hb, Web, AA)

Research has shown that good attendance has a direct impact on a students’ success and monitoring of students’ attendance is normally part of a School’s student support system.  There is also evidence to suggest that by identifying students who are demonstrating poor attendance, and offering these students help, then these students are more likely to be retained.  
Monitoring of student attendance is, therefore, an important element in supporting both student retention and performance.

Schools should make it clear to students:

• which aspects of the programme students are expected to attend, and how attendance will be monitored
• at what point action will be taken with regard to poor attendance
• at what point the student should contact the School to notify/explain the absence
• how and with whom contact should be made
• whether there are any differences in requirements between disciplines for students on Joint Honours programmes

Students should be informed how their attendance will be monitored whilst on distance learning programmes; fieldwork; joint programmes; study abroad; work placements

It is good practice to:

• Include Academic Advisers in reviewing a student’s attendance at and engagement with their programme.

The work and attendance policy is available on StaffNet.

The University’s Guidelines on this topic are under construction and will be posted here shortly.

(Hb, F2F, Web, PG)

Course unit selection is the process whereby students (both those fully registered on to a programme of study and those visiting for a proportion of the programme e.g. Erasmus students) select their optional course units for that year.  Students should be informed of where to access course unit outlines etc. in order to make informed choices, and given guidance on how to select their optional course units via the Campus Solutions Self-Service system.

It is good practice:

• for a School to hold ‘option fairs’ where staff are available to discuss the course units available with the students

(Hb, F2F, Web, PG)

Students are normally allowed to choose course units from outside of their discipline area. Students need to be informed if it is a requirement that course units from outside of the discipline area must be approved by either their Academic Advisor or the Programme Director (or equivalent).

Students should be informed if they are not able to take course units from outside of their discipline area or those course units which are not approved as part of the programme.

(F2F)

Key elements of a programme should be highlighted for students, and time taken to ensure that students understand the content of such materials.

It is good practice to:

• provide an introduction to the programme of study by key academic staff, including the opportunity to discuss the students’ expectations of the programme and the programme’s expectations of its students
• provide opportunities (both formal and informal) to meet other students and academic staff on the programme

Practical and language skills are an essential part of the competence in some disciplines. Not all students will be familiar with the requirements of working in a laboratory. Students should be informed of how to use any specialised equipment that is used as a requirement of the programme, and any other laboratory safety information.

It is good practice to:

• have an introductory laboratory session in which students can use the equipment;
• inform students of laboratory rules, compliance with legislation etc;
• have an introductory session on how to handle data, plot graphs etc.

(Hb, Web)

The programme handbook forms part of the University’s contract with a student and should be written specifically for a student audience (although it can act as a useful reference for staff!).  The handbook should not be a substitute for student induction but should contain all the information (or signposts to information) which students will need throughout their programme.

The University has a Programme Handbook checklist.

It is good practice:

• to inform students how they will be notified if a change needs to be made to information published in a handbook
• make some or all of this information available for students online

(Hb, Web)

Programme specifications are written with current students as the target audience. They should help students to understand the teaching and learning methods that enable the outcomes to be achieved; the assessment methods that enable the outcomes to be demonstrated; and the relationship of the programme and its study elements to the qualifications framework and to any subsequent professional qualification and career path.

It is good practice to:

• Include the programme specification within the programme handbook
• Make the programme specification available for students online, even if it is supplied as a printed document

(Web, BB)