Faculty of health, psychology and social care department of continuing professional development and postgraduate studies

4.1.2 Responsibilities

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  programmes, teaching and learning, the content of the curriculum
  
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  the assessment and examination of students (in conjunction with Board of Examiners)
  
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  criteria for the admission of students
  
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  research, scholarship and programme-related staff development
  
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  the appointment of internal and external examiners
  
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  the retention, support and progression of students.
  

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  Head of Department of Continuing Professional Studies and Postgraduate Studies (Chair)
  
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  Dean of Faculty (ex-officio)
  
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  Programme Leader(s)
  
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  Unit Tutors
  
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  Internal Examiners (defined as those staff, both full and part-time associated with assessment which are the responsibility of the Board
  
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  The External Examiners appointed for the programme(s)
  

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   The Board of Examiners shall be responsible to the Academic Board for all the programme assessments that contribute to the granting of academic awards and for recommending the granting of awards to candidates who it is satisfied have fulfilled the objectives of the programme of study, demonstrated fulfilment of the associated learning outcomes and achieved the required standard.
   

2. 
   In exercising its responsibilities, the Board of Examiners has the discretion, subject to the provision of the regulations of the University, to reach such a decision in respect of candidate’s assessment(s) and award as it may deem appropriate having regard for the need to ensure that justice is done to individual students and that the standards of the University’s awards are maintained.
   

1. 
   The duties of the Chair of the Board of Examiners shall include convening meetings, corresponding and communicating with external examiners between meetings and accepting responsibility for the correct recording of decisions and recommendations of the Board.
   

2. 
   The duties of the internal examiners shall include preparation of draft examination papers, assessment schemes, marking scripts, assessing projects and theses, drawing up and presenting to the Board of Examiners such reports as may be required and attending meetings of the Board.
   

3. 
   The role, authority, duties and rights of external examiners shall be defined in the regulations on external examiners made by the Academic Board.
   

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  Responsibility for Quality Monitoring and Enhancement within the programme;
  
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  Responsibility for the submission of an annual Quality Action Plan;
  
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  Responsibility for the submission of Annual Monitoring Reports;
  
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  Responsibility for facilitating evaluation of the entire programme and providing feedback to external examiners;
  
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  Responsibility for the appropriate use of and development of learning resources within the programme;
  
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  Responsibility for the programme budget;
  
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  Responsibility for supervising the organisation and management of all timetables, teaching and room bookings process for the entire programme. Route Leaders will be responsible, as a team, for the organisation and management of timetables; and
  
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  Responsibility for liaison with the Programme Committee, student body, external examiners and FADC in the planning and development of new/revised units.
  

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  ensure that equal opportunities and the recognition of diversity are embedded within each unit;
  
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  as required by the Programme Leader, liaise with external examiners in relation to assessment and overall student progress;
  
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  ensure that, at the end of each block, students complete an evaluation of the unit in order to promote a quality learning experience;
  
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  identify and liaise with the Programme Management Team regarding unit development and review;
  
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  attend and contribute to the Programme Committees and the Examination Board; and
  
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  provide specific academic support relating to the unit.
  

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  All Student Handbooks will provide a section that outlines the strategy for academic support.
  
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  As much of the contact with the university is remote within this programme, students will be enabled to use the library and other services via web links and online tutorials.
  
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  The programme team will encourage students to use peer support throughout their programme. The peer networks may include face to face groups and on line networks including on line discussion groups and email communication.
  
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  In Phase 1 of the programme, the unit leader will act as a first point of contact and support for issues relating to a particular unit. Access to the Unit Leader may be face to face, by phone, letter or email. Whatever the style, students will negotiate the process of ongoing, regular contacts.
  
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  The Programme Leader will act as a point of contact for both academic and pastoral issues.
  
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  In Phase 2 of the programme, students will be allocated a supervisor who will be their primary point of contact. Access will be negotiated as above.
  
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  Students will be strongly encouraged to discuss assignment plans with the Unit Leader before submission.
  
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  The Unit Leader may consider drafts of assignments. Normally, one draft only will be considered but this may be individually negotiated between student and tutor.
  
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  Unit Leaders will provide written and verbal assessment guidelines and will provide opportunities for students to discuss their ideas for assessment.
  
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  Feedback on assessed work will identify, in student-friendly language, the way in which the work has fulfilled the criteria for assessment which will indicate a level of achievement.
  
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  All students undertaking a unit will be provided with the opportunity to see their ‘marked’ assessment.
  

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  to represent their fellow students;
  
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  to bring key issues concerning the management of the programme (including learning, teaching, assessment and learning support) to the attention of the programme team;
  
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  to participate in the Annual Monitoring Exercise as members of the Programme Committee;
  
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  to provide advice to the programme team on issues relating to the quality of the student learning experience;
  
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  to provide advice to the programme team on the operation of processes for the polling of student opinion on the learning experience, its analysis, response and publication;
  
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  to be consulted about proposals for programme development;
  
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  to be members of the student/staff liaison committee, if such a group has been established by the Programme Committee.