Annual Programme Review 2015/16 – Postgraduate Taught Programmes

Programme Cluster Review Form

This form should be used to review a ‘cluster’ of cognate programmes within a School. Annual review should consider all programmes offered by the School.

In each section, please evaluate the statistical data and other relevant inputs as indicated below, and comment upon any significant issues or trends, indicating any action that has been / will be taken in response

Wherever possible, performance across diversity categories should be considered and appropriate actions identified accordingly. In cases where it is difficult to draw definite conclusions (for example where numbers are very low) then this should be noted as part of the review

All identified actions should be summarised in the action list, which should be cross-referenced with the main body of the text

I confirm that the Annual Programme Review has been conducted in accordance with the guidance notes on annual review and an action plan has been completed.
I confirm that module and programme specification(s) for the list of programmes reviewed here has/have been checked for accuracy and any necessary updates made to reflect changes which occurred during 15/16 or are expected in 16/17. [College Quality Committees (or equivalent) have also been asked to confirm that this has been undertaken for all module/programme specifications (and that appropriate mechanisms are in place for ensuring the accuracy and fitness for purpose of other information provided to current students) at their meetings during the autumn of 2016.]
Programme Director (or equivalent) name:
School Head of Quality Assurance (or equivalent) name:
Date of programme review team meeting and names and role titles of attendees:
College / School:
Programme / group of programmes:
1. Report on action taken as a result of previous annual programme review:
Please comment on any action taken, evaluate its effects, and indicate if further action is required.
2. Entrants:
Referring to the data provided, please comment on admissions for the programme/s under view, taking into account statistical data on student intake numbers, qualifications on entry, and diversity of entrants, drawing comparisons with the previous year’s data. Please evaluate the continuing viability of the programme/s.
3. Analysis of Performance:
Referring to the data provided, please comment on the relative performance of students registered on the programme/s, drawing comparisons where possible. Please also compare the relative performance of modules which contribute to the programme/s.
Non-completion
Distinction/Merit and Class of degree
Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE)
4. Feedback and evaluation:
(a) Please provide a brief summary of views expressed on the programme/s during the review period: e.g. by students (through module evaluation questionnaires, for example, or Staff Student Committee meetings): External Examiners; Professional, Statutory, and Regulatory Bodies (PSRBs), and any other key stakeholders
b) Please provide details of any other mechanisms(e.g. Vice-Chancellor’s Integrated Review) by which the programme/s has/have been reviewed or monitored
(c) Please summarise any changes which have been made or planned as a result.
5. Resources:
Please identify any resource, space, timetabling or staffing issues that have impacted positively or negatively upon teaching and learning, noting the action that has been / will be taken in response.
6. Placement learning/work-based learning
Where applicable, please provide a brief summary of
(a)mechanisms for debriefing students and seeking feedback from them
(b)mechanisms for gathering feedback from educational providers outside the University of Birmingham
(c)details of any changes anticipated in 16/17 to 15/16 list of educational providers (e.g. cessation of an existing arrangement or introduction of a new one)
7. Educational Enhancement:
a) Please identify any good practice that might be appropriate for College-wide or institution-wide dissemination. This may include reflection upon any ongoing activity if no new developments have been introduced recently.
b) What are the mechanisms in place to identify and disseminate good practice in learning and teaching within the School?

Summary Action List

Please signpost the actions below in the main body of the text

(e.g. by numbering actions and referring to the number both here and in the main body of the text)

Please list anyactions that have been identified as a result of this annual programme review, as well as any relevant ongoing actions identified during the course of the year.
Proposed Action / Deadline(s) / Role title of action owner
[Please add or delete rows as appropriate]

Timeline for annual review of 15/16 postgraduate data

(including collaborative provision)

Date / Action
June 2016 – February 2017 / Period for completion of module review forms, programme or programme cluster review forms, Collaborative Programme Review forms and School summary forms
Each School should complete a School summary form, and some may also complete programme cluster review forms, if they have opted to review programme clusters (i.e. groups of cognate programmes). A Collaborative Programme Review form should be completed for all collaborative programmes.
In completing these forms, the following should be taken into account:
  • Module review forms
  • External Examiners’ written and/or oral reports
  • Statistical data
  • Staff Student Committee annual reports and other student feedback
  • Any other feedback (e.g. from PSRBs)
Each School should hold (a) meeting/s of an Annual Programme Review Team, chaired by the ‘quality’ lead for the School, and including the School Head of Education, Programme Directors, Collaborative Programmes Officers and one or more student representative/s, in order to consider the above inputs to the review process and to identify issues and actions for inclusion in the School summary form (and programme/programme cluster review forms, if relevant) and in the Collaborative Programme Review forms.(Schools may decide when to hold this meeting, and may combine it with an existing meeting (e.g. School Education Committee) if helpful, subject to the requirements set out in the annual review guidance).
October/November 2016 / PGT Examination Boards take place to confirm final awards
(Note: different timescale applies to a few exceptional programmes).
MidOctober 2016 / CAPPs to request return of 15/16 clusters from Schools.
Early November 2016 / Final deadline for return of 15/16 clusters to CAPPs.
Late November 2016 / Module data published on the intranet at programme and School level data published on Tableau Server.
Mid December 2016 / School summary forms, programme/programme cluster review forms where required, Collaborative Programme Review forms, and associated data will be sent to College contacts for forwarding to Schools.
19 December 2016 / Final deadline for completion of annual module review forms
Module leaders complete postgraduate taught annual module review forms (using module data, feedback from examiners and feedback from students) and submit these to Programme Directors by 19 December 2016.
Schools should have a mechanism to enable Programme Directors to discuss the completed module review forms with module leaders. Completed module review forms should be forwarded, in electronic format, to the relevant School/College office, for storage.
27 January 2017 / Final deadline for completion of programme/programme cluster review forms and Collaborative Programme Review forms
Completed programme/programme cluster review forms and Collaborative Programme Review forms should be emailed to the School ‘quality’ lead.
17 February 2017 / Final deadline for completion of School summary form
The Head of School or School quality lead drafts the School summary form, and submits it, together with any programme/programme cluster review forms and all Collaborative Programme Review forms, to the College Deputy Director of Education (or equivalent), copied to the College Academic Policy Partner.
No later than February 2017 / Consideration of annual review outcomes in a relevant School meeting[1]. Depending on timing of meetings, this might be before or after submission of the School summary form.
No later than February 2017 / Meeting of a College Committee (e.g. Education or Quality Committee) to consider School summary forms, programme/programme cluster review forms if requested, and all Collaborative Programme Review forms from all Schools. The Committee should ensure the forms are appropriately completed before consideration by the University Quality Assurance Committee (UQAC) and the Collaborative Provision Committee (CPC), respectively.
College Committees therefore might:
  • Investigate any issues in more detail
  • Request supporting evidence for areas of concern, or of best practice
  • Challenge assumptions or conclusions
  • Request that a School revise some elements of its report, or its action plan

February/March 2017 / Schools report outcomes of the annual review process to students (e.g. by presenting action plan to Staff Student Committee).
01 March 2017 / Final deadline for completion of the College summary report
Following the College meeting, the College Deputy Director of Education (or equivalent), with support from administrative ‘quality’ leads in Colleges and guidance from the College Academic Policy Partner, should prepare a College summary report on the outcomes of the annual review process, for consideration by UQAC.
14March 2017 / Meeting of UQAC to consider College and School summary forms and oral reports on discussions at College Committees and to provide feedback to Colleges and Schools.
29 March 2017 / Meeting of CPC to consider Collaborative Programme Review forms and provide feedback to Colleges and Schools.

[1]Depending on College committee structures, it might be appropriate for these forms also to be considered at a relevant College Committee for PGT matters