Marketing
How can the Marketing team can help with Programme Validation?
Guidance on the academic design of programmes can be found in the Curriculum Complexity Strategy and the Framework for Taught Programmes.
The University of Southampton has degree awarding powers and is responsible for ensuring the delivery of appropriate and high quality programmes. It, therefore, has its own set of regulations, policies and procedures set out in the Calendar and Quality Handbook that all programmes and members of the University are expected to follow.
Within the national context of Higher Education, quality across the sector is regulated through the Quality Assurance Agency and in particular, the UK Quality Code for Higher Education. The Competition and Markets Authority requirements for all undergraduate programmes for example have significant impacts for the timescales for planning programme and module validation and changes.
The Programme Validation Policy and Procedure and the Revalidation Policy and Procedure can be found below.
Programme Validation Policy and Procedure
Programme Revalidation Policy and Procedure
Programme Creation details for Banner - Non Themed
Programme Creation details for Banner - Themed
The data that you require to reflect up on as part of the proposal for a new programme, or evaluation of an existing programme is detailed below.
These generally contain information, collated by the Policy and Insights Team, relating to Understanding student recruitment:
The Market Analysis Tool provides data at subject level:
The Policy and Insight team can also help analysing student number trends, testing market demand, comparing competitor course modules or taking a detailed look at particular overseas markets and assessing which subject areas might be most attractive to applicants there. You can find out more via their Market Intelligence webpage.
Undergraduate
Information relating to Progression, Degree Outcomes and Graduate Outcomes can be found via the Annual Monitoring Portal.
Please note that, at the time of writing (November 2021) the most recent data available is:
Postgraduate
Information relating to programme completion can be found via the Annual Monitoring Portal.
Please note that, at the time of writing (November 2021) the most recent data available is:
The cost centre benchmarking dashboard, can provide SSRs at cost centre only. SSRs are not available at the more granular programme level.
The results of the NSS are published, for UG programmes, by the Policy and Insights team.
The University of Southampton captures information on visitors to understand how prospective students feel before they come to UoS, through three surveys:
The aim of the surveys are to gain a holistic view of the student experience that we have to offer and most importantly what we could improve. An overview of the surveys and the most recent results of each is detailed on the Policy and Insights website.
The most effective conversations take place face to face and it is recommended that the programme proposer meets with internal stakeholders to talk through a range of areas. This will facilitate greater understanding of the proposed programme between parties.
The programme proposer may find it useful to refer to the information on the pages below. It is considered to be good practice for any internal stakeholder to receive a short synopsis of the programme proposal in advance. This may be little more than a working title and rationale, but must include enough information to enable them to participate in a helpful way to the process.
How can the Marketing team can help with Programme Validation?
How can the Finance team can help with Programme Validation?
How can the Employability team can help with Programme Validation?
How can I-solutions can help with Programme Validation?
The Programme proposer, in consultation with relevant academic colleagues, will nominate an External Adviser to participate in the validation of the programme.
The External Adviser Policy, including the criteria for nomination, can be found in the Quality Handbook.
The programme proposer MUST obtain the views of students during programme development. There is no defined method of achieving this, however discussion at a Staff Student Liaison Committee, or a specially organised Student Forum are good examples. Evidence of student engagement and feedback will be provided to the Academic Scrutiny Group.
If the programme is being developed with a new collaborative partner institution, the meeting of Academic Scrutiny Group and the Collaboration Approval Panel (Stage 3 of the Partner Approval Process) may take place at the proposed partner location.
The purpose of Stage 0 is for the programme proposer to discuss a proposal to create a programme with the Deputy Head of School (Education) to consider whether the programme concept has been included in the programme portfolio plans in the Faculty business plan.
This stage does not require detailed consultation with stakeholders, but strongly encourages colleagues to start the conversation with some principal stakeholders.
Governance: permission to start will be given by the Deputy Head of School (Education).
Documentation: No documentation is required for this stage. However much of the information required will be used to populate sections of the Programme Proposal Template in a later stage.
Curriculum Manager System: If using the electronic system, this section requires completion of the mandatory fields in the Proposal Development and Proposal Approval sections.
The purpose of Stage 1 is to collect data and information which will evidence the business case and strategic argument in support of the programme.
Governance: approval at this stage is in two parts;
Documentation: The following documentation is required for this stage;
Curriculum Manager System: If using the electronic system, this section requires completion of the mandatory fields in the Strategic Planning section.
Following approval by Faculty Board the programme proposer can proceed to Stage 2 - programme development and academic approval.
The purpose of Stage 2 is to facilitate the development of the programme specification and module profiles. This will be undertaken in partnership with internal stakeholders. This stage also requires the programme proposer to collect feedback from the External Adviser(s).
Governance: The Academic Scrutiny Group considers the programme proposal and makes a recommendation to Faculty Education Committee.
Documentation: The following documentation is required for Academic Scrutiny;
Curriculum Manager System: If using the electronic system, this section requires completion of the mandatory fields in the Programme Development and Programme Approval sections
Following consideration by the Academic Scrutiny Group, the programme proposer can proceed to stage 3 - programme approval.
The purpose of stage 3 is to submit the recommendation of the Academic Scrutiny Group to Faculty Education Committee and then complete the administrative aspects of programme set up.
Governance:
Documentation: The following documentation is required for Programme Approval:
Curriculum Manager System: If using the electronic system, this section requires completion of the mandatory fields in the Validated section.
Following acceptance by Faculty Education Committee and final approval by AQSC the programme can be considered validated.
Creation in Banner - Banner is the University Student Record System. Once approved, programmes need to be translated into the Banner system so that it can inform wider University systems e.g. Timetabling, Blackboard etc. The templates below require completion in partnership with your CQA Team to ensure that the programme is set up correctly.
AQSC Documentation Requirements
Questions for Academic Scrutiny Groups
Programme Validation Workflow - Stage 0
Programme Validation Workflow - Stage 1
It is no longer necessary to use the templates below as the information can now be entered directly into the Curriculum Management System and can be extracted automatically onto the University approved templates.
If your Faculty has not yet selected to use the Curriculum Management System workflow for Programme (re)Validation, then you will need one or more of the templates below. Please contact your Faculty CQA Team for more information about your Faculty position and plans.
Additionally, there are some templates (stakeholders) that have been introduced since the Curriculum Management System was built. You can find these in the Stakeholder Engagement tab on this page.
Evaluative Report Template for Stand Alone modules
Programme Specification Template
Programme Specification Template (multi)
The (re)validation of programmes is now managed via the Curriculum Management System.
Access to the system can be obtained via Serviceline. Once you access the system, the workflow will ensure that you complete the required fields at the appropriate time.
There is currently no specific training on the use of CRUMS however support can be provided by Faculty CQA Team.
User guides have been developed for the creation of programmes and modules.