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Planning Toolkit

Find out how to make the best use of the module selection data to inform decisions. See our user guide for Portico reports

Student Module Selection Planning Toolkit 

Here you will find descriptions and a user guide for the different reports available in Portico. Plus guidance on how to make the best use of the module selection data.

Module Selection Reports available in Portico:

  • Summary by Module Report - This report gives you an overview of the critical numbers associated with module selection E.g., expected numbers, the numbers of student selections. It now contains addition information enabling you to compare with previous years.
  • Summary by Student Report - This report looks at the module selection status for each student so that it enables you to look at all the students on your programme and how many credits they have selected. 
  • Detailed by Student Selection – This report gives detailed information such as the time the student made the selection.

All the reports in Portico can be converted to CSV files.  Please take a look at our Module Selection Reports User Guide which contains screenshots and guidance for each report.

Department Timetablers 

Department timetablers will have access to student numbers from module selection. They will use this data to look at their events for 2022/23

Department timetablers will also be given access to the following additional reports in May:

  • Diets by module 
  • Programme diets report 
  • Popular modules 

Take a look at our guide for Departmental Timetablers (PDF).  Here you will find guidance about how Departmental Timetablers can check student number data in CMIS.

Getting started – thing to consider as you start to approve student places: 

As Teaching department

  1. Check the Forecast Class Size for 2022/23 (which is the number of students who have selected your modules including compulsories) using Summary by Module report
  2. Check these numbers against the Expected Class Size numbers (which is the estimated class size entered in CDM: Modules and Assessments for 2022/23) using Summary by Module report
  3. Consider whether any other spaces need to be saved, e.g. for New students, for compulsory students or for Affiliates. To help you decide how many places to hold back for affiliates, we will be providing you with data on your Faculty Teams site. Use this data to make sure you have spaces waiting for affiliates. It is vital for UCL’s reputation that affiliates have relevant student choices. If you are holding places back, remember to inform your Departmental Timetabler as this may affect rooming.  Up-to-date information on offers and targets is available in Tableau.
  4. Discuss these numbers with the responsible senior colleagues within your department/Faculty The latter columns on the report shows the ‘Expected Class Size’ and confirmed registrations for 2021/22 which might assist you in your decision making.
  5. If your student selections are less than your expected numbers then you can start approving these modules on Portico in the ‘Student Module Selection – Approvals’ container
  6. If they are more than your expected numbers consider the capacity of the room that has been timetabled for you - can you exceed the expected number taking into account teaching load and marking if so can you request a larger room? (If you can’t access this information your Timetabling officer can help you). You must also consider any agreements or commitments you have with joint or interdisciplinary programmes. 
  7. Once you have clarity on the numbers approve the students you can, you may need to prioritise approving according to any departmental policies or agreements, e.g. an optional student may be higher than an elective student. You can also use the date and time of the selection which is on the Detailed by Student Module Selection report. If your module is oversubscribed you must discuss how to manage this with the parent department.
  8. If you are sure you do not need to hold back any spaces for affiliates and have no inter-department arrangements to consider, you can close the module on CDM. Once you have closed the module no student will be able to select the module. The selection will still be automatically included for students with compulsory modules.

As Parent department

  1. Check the student choices are suitable for the programme they are on
  2. Check the student has selected the right amount of credits using the Summary by Student report
  3. If they are, confirm the approval on Portico in the Student Module Selections – Approvals container

Frequently Asked Questions

  • The module is no longer running, what do I need to do?
    Inform your students that the module is no longer running and advise about next steps. (e.g., either you can amend on Portico or the students can select a new module in mid- July). Suspend the module on CDM modules and inform your departmental timetabler so that they can free up the room. 
  • For some of my modules I need to hold back places for new PGT students what information is available to help me work out how to do this?
    Up-to-date information on offers and targets is available in Tableau.
  • Some of my modules are oversubscribed how do I prioritise which students to approve?
    Discuss with your Faculty colleagues if there is a Faculty-wide approach. You can also use the date and time of the selection which is on the Detailed by Student Module Selection report. If your module is oversubscribed you must discuss how to manage this with the parent department.
  • How many module places do I hold back for Affiliate students?
    To help you decide how many places to hold back, we will provide you with data on your Faculty Teams site. Using this data you will need to make sure you have spaces waiting for them

    It is vital for UCL’s reputation that affiliates have relevant student choices. If you are holding places back, remember to inform your Departmental Timetabler as this may affect rooming.  
  • Do I need to make decisions about all of the modules or can I leave some students pending?
    Yes, you need to decide for all of the modules. No students should be left pending. You can consider whether managing a waiting list might help. It is vital for UCL’s reputation that affiliates have relevant student choices. If you are holding places back, remember to inform your Departmental Timetabler as this may affect rooming.
     
  • Can I change the class size for a module?
    Class sizes must be amended on Portico in order for the data to flow into CMIS.  Therefore, if you need to change the class size speak to your Departmental Timetabler who will consider any rooming implications. If it is possible to change the class size the Departmental Timetabler will then update Portico for you.
  • I need to include an additional module into our student choices. What actions do I need to take? 
    Set the module delivery as running in the Curriculum Data Maintenance (CDM) task.  If your module is for continuing students, once you have established which students are taking this module you need to add them using the Departmental Amend Task in Portico. If your module is for new students, liaise with the Lifecycle team to incorporate it in your diet.  Finally, make sure you contact your Department Timetabler to clarify class size and work out room implications.