School of **
Insert Programme Title**
Programme Handbook 2013/14
Introduction and welcome
Welcome to the programme handbook for [insert programme title]. The following pages contain information relating to many aspects of your academic year in 2013/14, including your programme of study, the modules you will undertake, and services and resources offered by the University to help you.
Hang on to this handbook! It contains lots of information that you’ll need to refer to throughout in the year, for example about assessments, or calendar dates. There is also a lot of information on the student portal, which will provide the most up to date information.
While care has been taken to try to ensure that the information contained in this edition of the programme handbook is correct, no guarantee can be given that it is completely free of errors or omissions.
Contents
Section A: About your programme of study and the School of [School]
Your programme
1. Welcome from programme leader
2. Programme management, communication, and contact details
3. Calendar of the academic year 2013/2014
4. Programme aims and objectives
5. Programme structure and other information
6. Personal Development Planning and Confident Futures
7. Academic regulations
Assessments
8. Assessment schedule
9. Coursework submission procedures
10. Style notes
11. Assessment criteria
12. Plagiarism
13. Academic support
14. Extenuating circumstances and student absence
15. Getting your results
School information
16. School facilities: equipment, computers, [other]
17. School processes and forms: e.g. for equipment loans, locker keys, etc.
18. Health and safety
Section B: University information
1. A-Z of University Services: Accommodation, Advice and Guidance, Careers Advice & Working with Employers, CLASS (Centre for Learning and Study Support), Confident Futures, Counselling, Disability & Inclusion, , Emergencies, [EN]gage Sport and Fitness, English Language Support, Faith, Spirituality and Chaplaincy, Fees and Finance, Health, Student Hub, Student Hub Helpdesk, Independent Student Advice Service, International Student Support, IT Support, Library, Mentoring, Matriculation, Moodle, Money, Napier Students’ Association, Student Records Online (e:Vision) (previously known as Nimweb), Personal Information, Regulations, Security, Student ID Cards, Student portal, Study Skills, Teaching Timetable.
Section A: About your programme of study and the School of [School]
1. Welcome from [programme leader or Head of School]
[Insert Welcome]
Include reference to the new academic year, specifying UG or PG academic year
[Add comment on TR3 if appropriate].
2. Programme management, communication, and contact details
Programme team
Each programme has a team to manage the day-to-day running of the programme. If you have a query or problem then you should contact one of the following members of staff. You should ensure that you know who the members of the programme team are for your programme.
Programme Leader
[name] / [room] / [phone number] / [email]Deputy Programme Leader
[name] / [room] / [phone number] / [email]PDTs, year tutors, lecturers, etc
[name] / [room] / [phone number] / [email][name] / [room] / [phone number] / [email]
[name] / [room] / [phone number] / [email]
[name] / [room] / [phone number] / [email]
[name] / [room] / [phone number] / [email]
Academic conduct officer
[name] / [room] / [phone number] / [email]School office and administrators
[room number, campus]
[phone number]
[name] / [phone number] / [email][name] / [phone number] / [email]
The school office is the centre of administration for the school. From time to time you may need to go to the school/faculty office to leave messages for a member of staff, to collect personal mail or messages from academic staff, or for other administrative matters. This mail will be left in the programme mail-trays/ pigeon holes/ elsewhere in the office for you to collect.
Please feel free to visit the office whenever you have a query.
If you are using a phone from inside the university, you only need to dial the last four digits.
Programme and Module External Examiners
[name] / [position] / [place of work][name] / [position] / [place of work]
The QAA’s quality code requires that higher education institutions provide students with the name, position and institution of their external examiners.
External examiners are appointed to offer an independent evaluation of academic standards and the quality of assessment. However, it is not part of their remit to communicate with individual students.
Students are therefore reminded that you must not make direct contact with any external examiner in respect of your assessed work or performance. Any student issues should be directed to your Module or Programme Leader
Communication between you and your programme
All students are allocated an e-mail address which can be used on all designated computers.
Your Edinburgh Napier e-mail account will be the only recognised email account that will be used to contact you.
It is your responsibility to check your Edinburgh Napier e-mail account regularly
Notice boards
You will be shown where your notice-boards are located during your Induction Week. Many important notices will be placed on them.
It is your responsibility to check these notice-boards regularly.
Meetings with staff
[insert information on office hours, open door policy, other ways to arrange meetings]
Student/Staff Liaison Committee (SSLC)
The Staff/Student Liaison Committee (SSLC) is the forum for the exchange of views on any matter relevant to the programme of study. It is student’s opportunity to air the views of course colleagues and for academic staff to bring issues to the attention of classmates via Programme Representatives.
Meetings should be used to inform Programme Reps of new developments and planned changes to the programme or academic environment.
The SSLC is the least formal of university committees but still has an agreed remit and strong and effective links within the decision-making process for the course in general, and so is the best place to raise programme specific issues.
There should be at least 2 SSLC meetings per term, with an agenda and minutes of previous meetings provided. The Chair is normally the Programme Leader but at least 2 other members of teaching staff and Programme Reps from all years of study should be present.
Board of Studies
The Board of Studies is responsible for the development, planning, management, operation and enhancement of the programme. Its members include staff and elected student representatives, and it receives reports from the SSLC.
The University encourages students to engage with the management of their programmes. At the beginning of your programme, NSA will issue programme leaders with student programme representative recruitment packs. Elected representatives are then trained by NSA and invited to attend five student senate meetings throughout the year and up to four staff student liaison committees. They will have the opportunity to liaise with their programme leader and other relevant staff about programme management issues during these meetings.
Further information on the student representative system can be found at the Napier Students’ Association website which can be accessed from the student portal.
3. Calendar of the academic year 2013/2014
The Edinburgh Napier academic year is divided into three trimesters.
Trimester dates 2013/14
Undergraduate / PostgraduateTrimester 1 / 09 September - 21 December / 30 September - 11 January
Trimester 2 / 13 January - 10 May / 27 January - 10 May
Trimester 3 / 19 May - 30 August / 19 May - 30 August
Holiday dates 2013/14
Undergraduate / PostgraduateChristmas break / 23 December -3 January / 23 December -3 January
Inter-trimester week / 6 - 10 January / 13 - 17 January
Easter break / 14 April - 25 April / 14 April - 25 April
Inter-trimester week / 12 - 16 May / 12 - 16 May
Assessment dates 2013/14
Undergraduate / PostgraduateTrimester 1 / 09 - 21 December / 06 - 11 January
Trimester 2 / 28 April - 10 May / 5 - 10 May
Trimester 3 / 18 - 30 August / 18 - 30 August
During the Inter-Trimester Week, support classes, workshops or tutorials may be conducted to help develop knowledge and skills for the next trimester, or students may use this as a supplementary reading week (it is not a holiday).
The structure of the academic year is different for undergraduate and postgraduate students. If you are a postgraduate student you should contact your Programme Leader about the academic structure of your study. The full 2013/14 university calendar can be found on the student portal at https://studentportal.napier.ac.uk/sas/Calendars/Pages/default.aspx
4. Programme aims and objectives
[insert programme aims and objectives]
5. Programme structure and other information
[insert current programme structure]
The Modular Scheme
All taught undergraduate and postgraduate programmes are modularised at Edinburgh Napier. This means that all programmes are composed of modules, which are usually delivered and assessed in a single trimester.
Modules
Each standard module contributes 20 credits towards your degree, and full-time undergraduate programmes contain three standard modules per trimester, i.e. six standard modules in each year of the programme (6 x 20 credits = 120 credits). An undergraduate degree with honours comprises 480 credits.
Compulsory, Core and Option Modules
Compulsory Modules are modules which you must take within your programme of study.
Core Modules are a group of modules from which you will choose one or more.
Option Modules are offered from an option pool of modules determined by your programme of study, from which you will choose. Your choices may include modules relating to your programme of study and/or modules from other disciplines which are relevant to you.
The option pool may contain discipline specific modules which have not been designated as being core or compulsory, modules from other disciplines which have been identified as being acceptable option choices for your programme and will contain a set of approved co–curricular modules.
Co–curricular modules provide an opportunity for you to make a personal choice to study subjects that strengthen your employability skills and boost your confidence. They are part of the pool of option modules on your programme and you can choose up to two of these modules rather than the modules listed in the option pool that relates specifically to your programme of studies. They are not programme specific and relate to personal and professional development.
The development of co-curricular modules is dynamic and will develop and grow year-on-year in line with employability, education and social trends. These modules are diverse in subject but all offer knowledge and skills relevant to today’s working environment. For a list of co-curricular modules and more information on co-curricular module delivery and timetables http://www.modules.napier.ac.uk/Home.aspx?ID=6 .
[Any supplementary information specific to your own programme, e.g.:
- Study periods abroad
- Guidance or Option choices
- Requirements of professional bodies for accreditation purposes in terms of specific modules/subjects taken
- Specific programme related dates
- Class prizes which might be available
- Professional accreditation
- Professional recognition or links
- Employer links
- Process for identifying work placement opportunities
- Learning outcomes and module information for work placement
- The support available to students in placement
- The nature of the learning experience
- The benefits of work placement]
6. Graduate attributes, employability and Confident Futures
As a student at Edinburgh Napier, you will be asked to carry out a number of activities that, at first glance, might not seem directly related to your academic studies. These will involve you in thinking not only about what you are doing and learning but how and why you are doing this and what implications this has for your personal and professional success, both now and in the future. In higher education and in the workplace these types of activities are grouped together and described by the terms employability and graduate attributes. Associated activities will involve you in developing an understanding of yourself so you can operate more effectively – in your personal life, your studies, and your professional career.
All Edinburgh Napier’s programmes aim to develop confident, employable graduates with effective attitudes to knowledge, learning, citizenship and the world of work. Edinburgh Napier’s Graduate Attributes Model - branded as Stand Out from the Crowd - captures what we think makes a graduate from this University both unique and valuable. But it’s only really useful if you work actively with it.
We want to help you be the first choice of employers, postgraduate recruiters and others. In order to help you Stand Out from the Crowd, you will need to be able to show how, where and when you have exhibited the attributes, skills, qualities and characteristics they value. Your time at University offers many opportunities, both as part of your studies and outside them, for developing them. In this way, you’ll be well on your way to standing out from the crowd; but it’s up to you to do so.
In conjunction with members of Student Development (for details, see below), your programme team works to develop a range of employability activities that will engage you in work-related activities. These will include opportunities for you to meet with a range of relevant employers. Some of these opportunities will be integrated into your programme, and others will be available to you centrally.
Careers
Action taken during the time you study can have a great effect on your employment prospects after you graduate. Employers look for candidates who are able to communicate their abilities and transfer their skills into the workplace. Keep your career on track by visiting Careers on the Student Portal regularly or email
Confident Futures: Personal Skills for Professional Development
Confident Futures is here to help you. We offer a number of stimulating and interactive workshops that are designed to equip you to develop your skills, attributes and attitudes in order to:
· Be more successful in your academic studies
· Increase your competitive edge with employers
· Achieve your full potential
We are the only University in the UK that offers you this opportunity - and the workshops are free to all Edinburgh Napier students. Some of the workshops you will undertake as part of your academic studies, dependent on what programme you are actually enrolled on. All of the workshops are available to you through our open workshop schedule that runs throughout the year. So - get ahead . . develop skills and attributes to succeed at university and beyond!