Procedures and Forms for Programme and Module Proposal, Amendment and Review


The work of Academic Services (part of Student and Registry Services) is directed by the UCL Board of Examiners (UCLBE) and the Programme and Module Approval Sub-Group (PMASG). UCLBE reports to the Education Committee and PMASG reports to the Education Committee and to the Research Committee.

The deadlines for the annual academic review for the 2013-14 are available by following the link below:

The schedule of PMASG meetings for 2012-2013 is available by following the link below:

PROGRAMMES

New Programmes

New programme proposals must be submitted using the Programme Institution Questionnaire (PIQ). From January 2011 new programmes should be submitted using an on-line form accessed via Portico. The form is housed in the Programme Rules and Review container, accessed via the Curricular Management link on the Portico staff screen.

NB. Prior to completing a PIQ members of staff should consult the Academic Manual for curricular design advice, and also the Centre for the Advancement of Learning and Teaching and the E-Learning Environments.

The On-line PIQ form should be used when:

  • proposing a new programme;
  • introducing a new route or version of an existing programme (e.g. the programme or introducing a distance learning or year abroad version).

Please note: When proposing new programme involves the need for new modules to be set up, please go to the section 'New Module Proposals', as a UPC/GPC form is also needed.

Procedures

  • Departmental/Divisional and Faculty Approval and External Scrutineer Review: The proposal for a new programme must be approved at Departmental and Faculty level and by an External Scrutineer, before being put forward for UCL-level approval and the on-line PIQ facilitates this process.
  • New programme initiators must get the business case signed off by the relevant School Finance Director before submitting the PIQ for Departmental/Divisional approval.
  • New programme initiators are advised to consult teaching and learning resources such as the Library, CALT and ELE before submitting a PIQ for Departmental/Division approval.
  • Advice about providing market research
  • Access to the PIQ is granted by a Head of Department/Division and up to three people can have access to it at any one time. 
  • In order to arrange access for the External Scrutineer, new programme initiators should contact modules@ucl.ac.uk and provide the following information: Title, Forename, Surname, email address and date of birth (if possible). A username and password will be sent to the External Scrutineer so that they can enter their comments directly and confirm that the proposal has been reviewed by them. A PIQ will not be granted Faculty approval unless external scrutiny has been confirmed.
  • The on-line PIQ allows comments and queries to be raised at all stages of the approval process.
  • In addition, UCL stakeholders such as estates, admissions and examinations etc., are alerted when a new programme proposal has been approved by a Department/Division and submitted for Faculty approval.
  • Submission: When the new programme proposal has been approved by the Department/Division and Faculty, and reviewed by the External Scrutineer, the on-line PIQ will be submitted automatically to the Secretary of PMASG (the Programme and Module Approval Steering Group), Academic Services, Student and Registry Services (Room 2.01, 2 Taviton Street).
  • The proposal will then be considered by PMASG  which will make a recommendation regarding UCL-approval to the Education Committee and Director of Finance.

  • Programme Specification: A Programme Specification must also be completed with the PIQ. Advice and guidance for completing a Programme Specification. A Programme Specification is a QAA template and should provide a concise summary of the main features of a programme. The specification should set out the learning outcomes that a typical student might reasonably be expected to achieve and demonstrate if they take full advantage of the learning opportunities that are provided.  The accuracy of the information contained in this document is reviewed by UCL and may be checked by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education. (Guidelines for the completion of a Programme Specification form)

Documents for information or for inclusion for with an on-line PIQ

Deadlines For New Programme Proposals

  • New programme proposals should be submitted to Academic Services in good time for their inclusion in the relevant prospectuses. For postgraduate programmes the lead-in time is 18 months and for undergraduate programmes the lead-in time is 20 months. The lead-in times are necessary to ensure that thorough and rigorous consideration of programme proposals can occur whilst giving programme organisers sufficient time to advertise and plan for new programmes knowing that they have been approved. The 20 month lead-in time for undergraduate programmes is also necessary to meet UCAS handbook deadlines.
  • The programme diet for new programmes should be approved by UCL by the last working day of March in the year of the first intake of students.

Please note: The 18 month lead time for PIQ is in place to ensure that thorough and rigorous consideration of programme proposals can occur whilst giving programme organisers sufficient time to advertise and plan for new programmes knowing that they have been approved. The 20 month lead time for undergraduate programmes is also meet UCAS handbook deadlines.

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Withdrawing Programmes (PWQ)

Programmes that will not be offered to students from a known date should be formally withdrawn using an on-line Programme Withdrawal Questionnaire (PWQ) form accessed via Portico.

Procedures

  • The proposal to withdraw a programme must be approved by the relevant Department/Divisions and Faculty before being put forward for UCL-level approval and the on-line PIQ facilitates this process. Access to the PIQ is granted by a Head of Department/Division and up to two people can have access to it at any one time.
  • Submission: When a proposal to withdraw a programme has been approved by the Department/Division and Faculty the on-line PWQ will be submitted automatically to the Secretary of PMASG in the Academic Services, Student and Registry Services (Room 2.01, 2 Taviton Street).
  • Regulations In recommending that a programme be withdrawn Heads of Department/Divisions are asked to give consideration to the following:
  • The gaps in provision within the Department/Faculty/University/UK as a whole which withdrawing or suspending the programme may cause; – Whether, if the primary reason for withdrawing or suspending the programme is one of resource, all means of alternative resourcing have been explored.
  • The views of other Departments/Divisions and Faculties involved in teaching the programme or whose teaching programmes rely on teaching which will be discontinued or suspended.
  • Provisions made for any students resetting courses on the programme or returning after interruption and for any students already accepted onto the programme.
  • Faculties are asked to monitor whether there are any implications for suspending or withdrawing programmes, for example, if any deferred offers have already been made. If any offers have been made, then the programme must be delivered.

Deadlines

  • In order for a programme to be withdrawn or suspended from the appropriate UCAS handbook and undergraduate/graduate prospectus in time, notice will be given to the Admissions Office and UCL Publications, via the on-line PWQ process.

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Programme Amendments (PAQ)

Programme Amendments must be submitted using a Programme Amendment Form (PAQ).

A PAQ form should be used when:

  • making an amendment to a programme (undergraduate and graduate) which affects the entire programme, e.g.: - entails changes to the published regulations; - alters mandatory or core courses; - substantially alters the programme diets; - alters the balance of workload over the whole programme of study; - alters the proportion of research project work; - alters the entry requirements (except where prerequisites for individual programme components are concerned).
  • Departmental and Faculty Approval and External Scrutineer The proposal for programme amendments must be approved at Departmental and Faculty level and by an External Scrutineer, before being put forward for UCL-level approval. Please note: Confirmation of the approval and External Scrutiny can be alternatively submitted by email or letter.
  • Submission When the proposal to amend a programme has been approved at Department and Faculty level, and by the External Scrutineer, the form, with relevant signatures, should be sent to Academic Services, Student and Registry Services (Room 2.01, 2 Taviton Street). The form can also be submitted in electronic format to modules@ucl.ac.uk , together with evidence of Department, Faculty and External approval.

Please note: When introducing new module as a part of the programme amendments, please go to the section ‘New Module Proposal’, as a UPC/GPC form is also needed. When making a change to the title or credit value of a module, please go to section ‘Module Amendments’, as an UPCam/GPCam form is also needed.

Procedures
Please note: The principle regarding amendments to any part of a programme, including its Scheme of Award, is that changes should only apply to students registered for the first time in the following year after the change has been approved. The only exception is for minor changes when all students (including re-entries) sign a statement agreeing to the changes. If one student does not sign his/her agreement, then the change cannot be implemented for existing students.

Deadlines

  • Undergraduate / Postgraduate programmes: no later than the last working day of May in the year in which the module is due to start (i.e. for the 2013-2014 academic session, the form should be submitted by the end of May 2013).

Please note: When the amendment has been approved by UCL, the programme regulations affected by the amendment should be updated by the Department/Division.

A form for programme amendment is available by following the link below

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MODULES

New Module Proposals must be submitted using UPC/GPC forms.

UPC/GPC forms should be used when introducing a new module.

Please note: If the new module is mandatory/core to the programme or changes the published regulations for a programme, please go to section ‘Programme Amendments’, as a PAQ form is also needed.

Procedures

  • Submission: When UPC/GPC has been completed and approved at Department and Faculty level, and by the External Scrutineer, the form, with relevant signatures, should be sent to Academic Services, Student and Registry Services (Room 2.01, 2 Taviton Street). The form can also be submitted in electronic format to modules@ucl.ac.uk , together with evidence of Department, Faculty and External approval.

Deadlines

  • Undergraduate / Postgraduate programmes: no later than the last working day of May in the year in which the module is due to start (i.e. for the 2013-2014academic session, the form should be submitted by the end of May 2013).

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Module Amendments

Modules amendments should be submitted to modules@ucl.ac.uk  using UPCam/GPCam and CAF forms. The UPCam/GPCam form should be used when altering:

  • the module title;
  • the module code;
  • credit value/learning hours/ECTS value of the module;
  • the Parent Department/Faculty of the module.

The CAF form should be used when altering:

  • the weighting of assessment;
  • the assessment criteria.

Please note: If the module amendments affect the core structure of a programme, please go to section ‘Programme Amendments’, as a PAQ form is also needed.

Procedures

  • Departmental and Faculty Approval and External Scrutineer Proposals for module amendments must be approved at Departmental and Faculty level, and by an External Scrutineer, before being put forward for UCL-level approval. Please note: Confirmation of the approval can be alternatively submitted by email or letter.
  • Submission When the proposal has been approved at Departmental and Faculty level, and by the External Scrutineer, the form, with relevant signatures, should be sent to the Curricular Development and Examiners Section in Registry & Academic Services. The form can also be submitted in electronic format to modules@ucl.ac.uk, together with evidence of Department, Faculty and External approval. Please note: Changes in the weighting of assessment up to and including 10% may be notified by letter, signed by the Dean, and do not need to be signed by the External Scrutineer (not more than two such alterations may be made in a five-year period without external approval). Nor do changes in the distribution of the workload unless these involve a significant (more than 15%) increase or reduction in the hours allocated to any one item. Changes to the title or code of a module which do not involve any other changes to the module (e.g. credit value, learning hours etc) may be requested by letter signed off at Faculty level and sent to Academic Services, Student and Registry Services (Room 2.01, 2 Taviton Street).

Deadlines

  • Undergraduate / Postgraduate programmes: no later than the last working day of June in the year in which the amendment is due to start (i.e. for the 2013-2014 academic session, the form should be submitted by the end of June 2013).

MODULE WITHDRAWAL – Modules are formally taken out of use as part of the annual academic review process. Modules that are not being delivered in a specific academic session can be made non-active and flagged as active in the next maintenance cycle.

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Page Editor : Keir Bonnar

Page last modified on 06 jun 13 12:03