Introduction to Higher Education Qualifications, Programmes and Modules at GCU

1. Online Resource for Staff new to teaching in HE
Higher Education Qualifications, Programmes and
Modules at GCU

2. GCU Qualifications Framework
The GCU Qualifications Framework can be found on the GCU website
under “Regulations and Policies”. It outlines all the degrees that can be
awarded at GCU, the role of modules, credit weighting1
, levels of study
and how they align with Scotland’s national qualifications framework, the
Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework(SCQF)2
. The SCQF helps
employers, learners and the general public to understand the full range of
Scottish qualifications.
1
credit weighting defines how many credits there are for one academic year of full-time undergraduate study (120 credits)
or postgraduate study (180 credits), an MSc is usually completed in one full calendar year. Please note that one credit
equals ten hours of notional student effort (NSE).
2
see: www.scqf.org.uk

3. Higher Education (HE) Qualifications at GCU
Undergraduate Awards include:
• Certificate of Higher Education (with or without a subject identifier) =
120 credits
• Diploma of Higher Education (with or without a subject identifier) = 240
credits
• Degree = 360 credits
• Degree with Honours = 480 credits

4. Higher Education (HE) Qualifications at GCU
Postgraduate Awards include:
• Postgraduate Certificate (named or un-named)
• Postgraduate Diploma (named or un-named)
• Post Experience Certificate (named) (can be undergraduate or postgraduate)
• Masters Degree (named)
• Professional Doctorates (Prof D),
• Doctor of Business Administration (DBA),
• Doctor of Management (DMan),
• Doctor of Psychology (DPsych) and
• Doctor of Applied Psychology (DAppsy)
• Master of Philosophy (MPhil),*
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)*
* Mphil/PhD are non-credit rated

5. Programmes
Programmes consist of a number of modules that students have to pass
in order to progress onto the next level of study (students can carry 20
credits between levels as standard, and up to 40 credits as the discretion
of the Assessment Boars).
Modules are normally based on a standard unit of 20 credits for
undergraduate programmes including a 40 credit SHEH* (= SCQF levels
10) dissertation/project module, and 15 credits for postgraduate
programmes including a 60 credit SHEM* (= SCQF level 11)
dissertation/project module.
Information on Roles and Responsibilities can be found in the annexe of
the Quality Enhancement and Assurance Handbook.
*SHEH (Scottish Higher Education Honours)/SHEM (Scottish Higher Education Masters). The GCU Qualifications
Framework generally uses SCQF levels.

6. Programme Board (PB)
The Programme Board is responsible to the School which hosts the
programme for all aspects of quality assurance and enhancement related
to the programmes or suite of programmes under its jurisdiction. The
Chair is appointed by the Programme Board from amongst its members.
This role is often filled by the Assistant Head of Department (AHoD) or by
the departmental Learning and Teaching Quality Lead (LTQL).
It consists of:
• Programme Leader;
• nominated representatives, normally from each subject area contributing to the programme;
• student representatives from the programme;
• and where appropriate representatives from industry, commerce, or the appropriate
professions.

7. Programme Board
The specific responsibilities of Programme Boards, in liaison with
appropriate Schools, are:-
• the monitoring and maintenance of academic standards and the quality of the
student experience;
• the academic coherence and development of their programme;
• the creation and maintenance of Programme Specifications;
• Consideration of External Examiner reports and communication of the
associated responses to the Externals;
• the establishment of Student Staff Consultative Groups (SSCG);
• where appropriate, the maintenance of effective relationships with professional,
statutory and regulatory bodies within their programme area to ensure that
quality assurance and academic standards activities at the programme level are
informed by the requirements of these bodies;
• the annual programme monitoring process.

8. Annual (in year) Programme Monitoring
The Programme Monitoring Process ensures that programmes remain fit for
purpose and to assure and enhance their quality.
Programme monitoring and review takes place in a planned annual cycle to
ensure that all provision is monitored adequately, how it is experienced by
students and whether alternative forms of delivery can be offered.
The process starts with an evaluation of the past session via the Programme
Enhancement Plan (PEP) and leads into an academic (year-long) cycle of on-
going monitoring and evaluation of the effectiveness of the programme.
More detailed information on Programme Monitoring and Review can be found in
Section 5 of GCU’s Quality Enhancement and Assurance Handbook (QEAH).

9. Programme teams
Programme team consist of programme leaders, module leaders,
academics/lecturers, and programme administrator(s). External representatives
e.g. from the public sector, industry and business, practitioners, service users and
care representatives may also participate in Programme Development Boards for
new programmes.
The programme team is responsible for:
• Making any changes to the programme and preparing it for programme review.
• Liaising with professional statutory and regulatory bodies for external
accreditation where appropriate.
• The organisation and the delivery of the programme and contributing to the
annual programme analysis.
• Contributing to the programme handbook.
• Assessing student work.
• Academic advising for students.

10. Programme Leaders (PLs)
Programme Leaders are responsible for coordinating the delivery of the
programme. This includes responsibility for:
• Programme quality enhancement and assurance, including annual programme monitoring.
• Contribution to the programme review process;
• Supervising the review and/or development of programme and module information (handbooks,
descriptors etc.) and annual update of Programme Specfication;
• Reporting to the Assessment Board;
• Ensuring student consultation by for example encouraging a student representative to chair the
Student Staff Consultative Groups (SSCG) and chairing the SSCG when necessary.
• Continuous programme development.
• Advise HoD of resource issues arising from progamme delivery
• Liaising with External Examiners/
• Ensuring loading and timing of assessments are appropriate.

11. Student Staff Consultative Group (SSCG)
The Student Staff Consultative Group (SSCG) offers students an
opportunity to feedback on the programme and/or raise any concerns or
issues with regards to the programme in relation to content, teaching and
the development of the programme amongst other issues.
The group forms part of the University’s Quality Enhancement and
Assurance process and more information on the purpose, operation and
membership of the SSCG can be found in Section 8 of GCU’s Quality
Enhancement and Assurance Handbook (QEAH).

12. Programme Handbook
A Programme handbook contains a complete set of all necessary programme
information, including:-
• Programme Leader’s name
• Trimester Calendar
• Programme Timetable
• Self-Registration
• Campus map
• External Examiner(s)
• Programme Specification (summary and approach to Learning and Teaching)
• Programme-Specific Assessment Regulations
• Personal Development Planning
• University Assessment Regulations and Associated Policies
• University Assessment Regulations (Concise Guide)
The Programme Handbook is made available to students via GCU Learn.

13. Programme Specification
The Programme Specification or ‘PSP’ contains key information for
students and is updated annually.
It also forms part of the programme information that is published in the
University Prospectus.
It would normally include:-
• Admissions criteria;
• Programme Aims and Learning outcomes;
• Programme Structure;
• Programme-specific Assessment Regulations.

14. Programme Approval/Review
Programme Approval describes the procedures underpinning the
development of new programmes.
The Programme Review process takes place every five years, either as
part of the Enhancement-Led Internal Subject Review (ELISR) or as a
stand alone process.
The different stages of both processes are detailed in the Quality
Enhancement and Assurance Handbook.

15. ELISR (Enhancement Led Internal Subject Review)
• Every five years an ELISR (enhancement Led Internal Subject
Review) will take place at department level.
• The review process is organised and facilitated by the Department
Academy Quality and Development.
• It will include programme approval/review where possible.
• More information is available from the Regulations and Policies
section on the GCU website.

16. ELISR (Enhancement Led Internal Subject Review)
The purpose of the ELISR is to support quality enhancement and
assurance across departmental programmes.
Reviews will:
• Promote dialogue in order to enhance quality and identify good practice;
• Reflect critically on practice;
• Take full account of student feedback;
• Review programmes against subject benchmark statements, where
appropriate, and the QAA Quality Code and where appropriate, professional,
statutory and regulatory bodies;
• Take account of the Scottish credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF);
• Consider the effectiveness of annual monitoring arrangements;
• Consider the impact of central and school-based student support activities in
enhancing the student experience.

17. Modules
Academic programmes consist of a series of credit-rated modules, or in
other words, special programme components that are assessed.
There is a module handbook and a module descriptor for each module
that includes the learning outcomes and the assessment methods.
Students must achieve a minimum number of credits in order to progress
to the next level of study.
The GCU Qualifications Framework provides details on the University’s
Credit Accumulation and Modular Scheme.

18. Module Teams
Module Teams normally comprise module leaders, module tutors, and an
administrator.

19. Module Leaders (MLs)
Module Leaders are responsible for:-
• the planning, delivery, review, monitoring, standards and academic
development of module(s) and day-to-day administration of the module;
• preparing a Module Handbook;
• developing appropriate learning, teaching, and assessment strategies for each
module, consistent with the learning objectives of the programme;
• monitoring student progress and liaising with the Programme Leaders or other
appropriate individuals with regard to the needs of the students, including
students with disabilities;
• providing academic advice including feedback on assessment
• reporting to Programme Boards on matters concerning the delivery of the
module;
• the quality enhancement and assurance of the module,
• the assessment of the module.

20. Module Handbook
Module Handbooks provide students with essential information about:-
• Module structure and content;
• Timetables;
• Material, notes and reading list;
• Delivery;
• Module team;
• Student support;
• Module descriptor;
• Assessment and feedback.
More details can be found in the Quality Enhancement and Assurance Handbook (QEAH)

21. Module Descriptor
The module descriptor outlines the structure, content and assessment of
the module. It follows a standard GCU template and includes:
• Module title, code, level and credit points.
• Assessment: components, description, weighting and thresholds.
• Summary of content.
• Reading List.
• Teaching and Learning Strategy.
• Syllabus.
• Learning Outcomes.
• Activity type and hours.
• Pre-requisite knowledge.
• Module Leader and Module Tutors.

22. Thank you!