Sections A-F Documentation

For Word or PDF versions of the new template, please see below:

The first stage of the programme approval process is to gain approval in principle for the development of the programme from the School and Faculty. If the proposal is a cross-school or cross-faculty programme then evidence of the approval of collaborating schools must be provided. Approval in principle requires a commitment from the School to develop the proposed programme, therefore applications should be submitted as early as possible in order to allow sufficient lead-in time for the full development, approval and marketing of the programme.

Programme proposers are asked to complete Sections A-F as follows:

Section A Programme Outline

This will enable a provisional record of the programme to be set up on the Student Records System (Campus Solutions), including the information required to create a Web-Publishing record, and also captures all data and information for CMA and UNISTATS compliance, in addition to external reporting HESA requirements.

Once Sections A to F are approved a programme proposal can be advertised as 'subject to approval'. Information for Recruitment, Admissions and International Development is requested in Section A and will also be used for marketing the programme. Marketing information will be input to Campus Solutions for the University website and will be attached to the academic plan code.

As part of CMA requirements, and in order to maintain quality data within the Course Unit Information Publishing module you are also required to submit a UOM Course Unit Summary Publication (STA) to list all mandatory course units and optional (or likely optional where not know) for all years of study.

Section B Market Demand and Academic Rationale

A detailed rationale for the development of the programme

This should

set the programme in its School, Faculty, University (Manchester 2020) and wider context to enable the academic and strategic merit of the proposal to be considered by the School and Faculty
for Undergraduate programmes, demonstrate how to support the development of graduate attributes, outlined in the 'The Purposes of a Manchester Undergraduate Education' (The Manchester Matrix)
demonstrate the academic case for the proposed programme
demonstrate that the programme proposers have considered the potential impact of the new programme development on existing activities, including those of other schools and discipline areas (programme proposers are required to consult with other affected parties and to obtain their comments on the proposal)
provide evidence of demand for the programme

NB. This is an important section of the proposal as the School/Faculty will consider this information when determining whether the programme proposer can proceed to Section G of the template.

Section C Resources required to Deliver the Programme

If additional resources are required to support the proposed programme then confirmation that they will be provided will be required, and colleagues from each respective Division or Department will need to be consulted along with obtaining a signature by the relevant resource manager. These include:

The Library
eLearning and Information Systems
Marketing
Student Admissions
Timetabling

It is no longer necessary to submit separate resources forms as the information captured by these forms is now embedded with Sections A to F.

Section C Prompts

Rationale for the development of this programme other than for reasons of market demand
Consider: The objectives of your School and Manchester 2020 agenda Strong reputation and strength of the academic area at UoM Particular specialisms or combinations of subjects unique to the University of Manchester? Links to the University’s research beacons: https://www.manchester.ac.uk/research/beacons/ Opportunities presented by the availability of new sources of funding Professional/statutory body requirements New developments within a subject area Utilisation of new areas of staff expertise or sources of funding Reorganisation of previously offered programmes into a new structure for reasons of ‘economies of scale, shared teaching, utilisation of course units offered in other programmes etc. Inter-disciplinary development or opportunities Widening student choice Creation of opportunities for progression to PGR eLearning strategy

Rationale for the development of this programme other than for reasons of market demand

Consider:

The objectives of your School and Manchester 2020 agenda
Strong reputation and strength of the academic area at UoM
Particular specialisms or combinations of subjects unique to the University of Manchester?
Links to the University’s research beacons: https://www.manchester.ac.uk/research/beacons/
Opportunities presented by the availability of new sources of funding
Professional/statutory body requirements
New developments within a subject area
Utilisation of new areas of staff expertise or sources of funding
Reorganisation of previously offered programmes into a new structure for reasons of ‘economies of scale, shared teaching, utilisation of course units offered in other programmes etc.
Inter-disciplinary development or opportunities
Widening student choice
Creation of opportunities for progression to PGR
eLearning strategy

Statement to support the academic case for this programme
Consider: Recruitment statistics of similar delivery elsewhere in the UK, and how UoM programme stands out from its competitors Is this a brand new area that others may later follow? Does the programme recognise new pathways or combinations of subjects unique to UoM? Consult with colleagues to assess the impact on existing or overlapping provision within the School, Faculty and University Enquiry data where applicable. Will the new programme be attractive to students applying to, but failing to get in to, other over-subscribed HEIs or higher entry grade programmes? Outputs from direct market research (e.g. Open days, liaison with VI Form Colleges, current students’ opinions, employer groups, sponsors) to determine interest.

Statement to support the academic case for this programme

Consider:

Recruitment statistics of similar delivery elsewhere in the UK, and how UoM programme stands out from its competitors
Is this a brand new area that others may later follow? Does the programme recognise new pathways or combinations of subjects unique to UoM?
Consult with colleagues to assess the impact on existing or overlapping provision within the School, Faculty and University
Enquiry data where applicable. Will the new programme be attractive to students applying to, but failing to get in to, other over-subscribed HEIs or higher entry grade programmes?
Outputs from direct market research (e.g. Open days, liaison with VI Form Colleges, current students’ opinions, employer groups, sponsors) to determine interest.

Demonstrate the demand for the programme based on the analysis of market research
Statistical evidence: HESA data, University data Feedback from the International Centres Evidence of gaps in the market National and international trends: in the subject area or other areas which may impact on this discipline The potential for growth and scalability The scale of student enquiries in this area The size of the potential recruitment pool What is being offered by competitor institutions and how successful this is What would make the proposed programme distinct from others already being offered in the discipline Feedback from students/alumni/employers/Professional Bodies

Demonstrate the demand for the programme based on the analysis of market research

Statistical evidence: HESA data, University data
Feedback from the International Centres
Evidence of gaps in the market
National and international trends: in the subject area or other areas which may impact on this discipline
The potential for growth and scalability
The scale of student enquiries in this area
The size of the potential recruitment pool
What is being offered by competitor institutions and how successful this is
What would make the proposed programme distinct from others already being offered in the discipline
Feedback from students/alumni/employers/Professional Bodies

Section D Financial Model and Tuition Fee Approval

For both undergraduate and postgraduate proposals the financial case should be demonstrated for a minimum 3 year period or an estimated period before recruitment reaches a steady state. This should include full estimates of costs, revenues and the impact of the proposed programme on the School, as indicated in the suggested model below, which can be downloaded as an Excel spreadsheet:

Financial Model

Please confirm that the fees payable by students for the programme have been agreed and submit a Tuition Fee Approval Form.

Tuition Fee Approval Form

Nomination of an external adviser

An external adviser should be nominated by the School, approved by the Faculty, and asked by the School to provide feedback on the academic coherence of the new programme during the drafting of the full programme submission in Sections G to I. S/he should be a subject specialist but should not be a current External Examiner.