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Faculty of Education

Postgraduate Professional Development Programme

Programme Specification

This document provides a concise summary of the main features of the course(s) & associated award(s) offered through this Programme Specification, and includes the learning outcomes that a typical student might reasonably be expected to achieve and demonstrate if s/he takes full advantage of the learning opportunities provided. More detailed information on the learning outcomes, curriculum content, teaching/learning, assessment methods for each unit and on the Programme’s relationship to QAA Subject Benchmark Statements may be found in the dedicated student handbook for the Programme. The accuracy of the information in this document is reviewed periodically by the University and may be subject to verification by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education

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Versioning of Programme Specification This programme specification is valid for the period of approval confirmed at the time of the approval/last review event and relates to provision approved at that point. Programme specifications are updated on an annual basis to include modifications approved through the University’s quality assurance processes. This version provides a description of the programme as approved for the academic session indicated in section 3 of the following table.

1 Date of initial Approval or last review: 15 January 2016

2 Effective date of Approved/Reviewed Programme Specification:

September 2016 – 31 August 2022

3 This Version effective from: September 2016

4 Version number: 2016 / version 1

Students who commenced their study on awards within this programme specification prior to September 2016 should refer to the previous version of the programme specification published on the CASQE website.

Modifications to Programme Specification

Modifications to the programme specification since approval/ last review, and the cohort of students affected by the change, are listed in Section H (Log of Modifications) at the back of the document.

Cross Referencing of Programme Specifications

The following elements of provision included in this document is/ are also included in the following programme specifications

Award Programme Specification

Amendments made to provision listed in this table, must also be reflected in the relevant programme specifications listed above

http://www.mmu.ac.uk/academic/casqe/specs/index.php

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_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ CASQE Page 1 of 73 Programme Specification

CENTRE FOR ACADEMIC STANDARDS & QUALITY ENHANCEMENT

Programme Specification

The information in this document is organised into the following sections: Section A – Administrative and Regulatory Information Section B – Outcomes Section C – Structure Section D – Teaching, Learning and Assessment Section E – Programme Management Section F – Mapping Section G – Points of Reference Section H – Log of Modifications

SECTION A – ADMINISTRATIVE AND REGULATORY INFORMATION

1 Overarching Programme Specification Title

Postgraduate Professional Development Programme

2 Brief Summary

The Postgraduate Professional Development Programme (PGPDP) is a comprehensive suite of part-time, (continuing) professional development Masters-level awards, comprising a range of Masters degrees as well as named PGCerts and Diplomas. The programme is designed for all those in the education community (teachers, education practitioners, professionals and leaders) as well as those in adjacent or inter- and multi-professional settings. Some awards in the programme offer opportunities to gain additional professional qualifications integrated with Masters study. Assessment is varied always relevant to the participants’ work context, encouraging participants to develop their own narrative, and innovations, for practice. There is the opportunity to have credit gained at other universities or experiential learning taken into account when applying for entry to the programme. The programme works out of the main Faculty of Education Brooks Building in Manchester but tutors can also be allocated at the Cheshire campus, and we also deliver units offsite (eg in schools and other organisations). The delivery model as a whole is specifically designed for busy professionals, incorporating weekend conference events, and group and individual tutorials. The programme is enhanced by keynote lectures, regular (optional) research and practice seminars and opportunities for networking. Our large and diverse postgraduate taught community in the Faculty of Education at MMU aims to be a community of research and knowledge generation for practice.

3 Awarding institution

Manchester Metropolitan University PSRBs National Youth Agency (for PGDip/MA Community Development and Youth Work: Leadership and Practice)

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British Dyslexia Association (for PGCert/PGDip Specific Learning Difficulties) NASEN (for PGCert The National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordination) Academy of Medical Educators (for PGCert Health and Medical Education)

4 Home Faculty

Education

5 Home Department/ School/ Institute

Professional Development and Educational Innovation (PDEI)

6 UCAS/GTTR code(s)

N/A

7 Framework for HE Qualifications position of final award(s) Framework for HE Qualifications

Masters (Level 7)

8 Alignment with University Curriculum Framework Curriculum Frameworks

Postgraduate

9 Engagement with the University-wide provision (eg Uniwide Language, EdLab)

Uniwide is not available for Postgraduate programmes

10 Compliance with University Assessment Regulations University Assessment Regulations

Taught Postgraduate

11 Approved Variations/Exemptions from University Assessment Regulations University Assessment Regulations

An exemption to regulation B.1: (‘Students must pass or otherwise be credited with the specified number and level of credits for any award for which they are eligible in order to gain that award. A final award shall only be granted to students who have demonstrated achievements of the learning outcomes for the programme on which they are registered’) was granted on 25 July 2011 for the PG Certificate/Diploma Specific Learning Difficulties. An exemption to regulation B.1: (‘Students must pass or otherwise be credited with the specified number and level of credits for any award for which they are eligible in order to gain that award. A final award shall only be granted to students who have demonstrated achievements of the learning outcomes for the programme on which they are registered’) was granted on 5 October 2012 for the National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordinators (NASENCo). Students will need to pass a practice credit unit in addition to two Level 7 units (equal to 60 credits) in order to gain the award. The need to pass a practice credit unit also applies to the PG Dip/MA Community Development and Youth Work: Leadership and Practice.

http://www.qaa.ac.uk/publications/information-and-guidance#page-1

http://www.mmu.ac.uk/academic/casqe/regulations/curriculum-frameworks.php

http://www.mmu.ac.uk/academic/casqe/regulations/assessment.php


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An exemption to regulation B.1 (‘Students must pass or otherwise be credited with the specified number and level of credits for any award for which they are eligible in order to gain that award. A final award shall only be granted to students who have demonstrated achievements of the learning outcomes for the programme on which they are registered’) was granted on 25 July 2011 for the PG Certificate/Diploma Specific Learning Difficulties. 90% attendance is required to gain the Postgraduate Certificate in Specific Learning Difficulties. 70% attendance is required for the PG Diploma in Specific Learning Difficulties.

12

Relationship with Faculty Foundation Year

N/A

Awards

13 Final award title(s)

MA Arts and Humanities in Education MA Autism Spectrum Conditions MA Bilingualism, Education and Society MA Coaching and Mentoring MA Community Development and Youth Work: Leadership and Practice MA Community Development Studies [fall back Award] PgDip Community Development and Youth Work: Leadership and Practice PgDip Community Development Studies [fall- back award] MA Disability Studies MA Early Childhood Studies MA Education MA Educational Inequalities and Social Justice MA Educational Leadership MA Inclusive Education and Special Educational Needs and Disability MA International Education, Development and Democracy MA Language Education MA Leadership in Early Years MA Policy Studies in Education MA Professional Development and Enquiry MA Professional Education and Training MA Specific Learning Difficulties PgDip Specific Learning Difficulties PgCert Specific Learning Difficulties MSc Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education

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PgCert Teaching Advanced Mathematics MA Teaching and Learning MA Teaching Computer Science PgCert Education (School-Centred Initial Teacher Training) PgCert Early Years Education PgCert Health and Medical Education PgCert Assistive Technology PGCert The National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordination PgCert Developing the Role of the SENCo [fall back award)

14 Combined Honours

There is no Combined Honours provision within this programme specification

14a (i) Combined Honours Awards available eg:

BSc/BA (Hons) AB

BSc/BA (Hons) AB and XY

BSc/BA (Hons) AB with XY (ii) Single Honours Awards available

through Combined Honours (iii) Approved Subject Combinations

administered by this Programme Specification

N/A

14b Approved Subject Combination administered by other Programme Specifications

Approved Combination Home Programme Specification & Home Dept

N/A

15 Interim exit awards and Subject title(s)

PgCert/Dip Arts and Humanities in Education PgCert/Dip Autism Spectrum Conditions PgCert/Dip Bilingualism, Education and Society PgCert/Dip Coaching and Mentoring PgCert/Dip Community Development Studies [fall back award for students exiting at this level registered on a PGDip/MA Community Development and Youth Work: Leadership and Practice] PgCert/Dip Disability Studies PgCert/Dip Early Childhood Studies PgCert/Dip Education PgCert/Dip Educational Inequalities and Social Justice PgCert/Dip Educational Leadership PgCert/Dip Inclusive Education and Special Education Needs and Disability PgCert/Dip International Education, Development and Democracy PgCert/Dip Language Education PgCert/Dip Leadership in Early Years

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PgCert/Dip Policy Studies in Education PgCert/Dip Professional Development and Enquiry PgCert/Dip Professional Education and Training PgCert/Dip Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education PgCert Teaching Advanced Mathematics (TAM) PgCert/Dip Teaching and Learning PgCert/Dip Teaching Computer Science

Arrangements with Partners

16 Approved Collaborative partner(s)

Partner Name Type of Collaborative Partnership

For: Assistive Technology Ace Centre North For: PgCert NASENCo Bolton LA Bury LA Manchester LA Oldham LA Salford LA Stockport LA Tameside LA Trafford LA Wirral LA

External Validation Jointly delivered programme

17 Articulation Arrangements with Partners

Partner Name Details of Arrangements

n/a

Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Bodies

18 PSRB(s) associated with final award of any route within the programme specification

British Dyslexia Association (BDA) for PgCert Specific Learning Difficulties – confers Accredited Teacher Status (ATS) or Accredited Practitioner Status (APS) British Dyslexia Association for PgDip Specific Learning Difficulties – confers Associate Membership of the British Dyslexia Association (AMBDA) National Youth Agency (NYA) for PgDip Community Development and Youth Work: Leadership and Practice – JNC recognition/professional qualification in youth and community work National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL)/National Association for Special Educational Needs (NASEN) for PG Certificate The National

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Award for Special Educational Needs Coordination – this is the national qualification for SENCos stipulated by NCTL, and NASEN confirm the quality of the course and confer approved provider status. Academy of Medical Educators for PgCert Health and Medical Education – eligible for membership of the Academy (MAcadMEd)

19 Date, outcome and period of approval of last PSRB approval/accreditation

BDA September 2014. Approved for 4 years until October 2018. National Youth Agency – reaccredited June 2014. PG Cert The National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordination (NASEN) 2 Nov 2015 Academy of Medical Educators (initiated)

Approval Status

20 Date and period of approval of most recent MMU review/ approval

(i) Latest review/approval 15 January 2016 (ii) Length & Dates of Period of approval given in (i) above: Years: 6 From: 01 September 2016 To: 31 August 2022

(iii) Major Modifications to Programme Specification since last review/approval

None

21 Next Scheduled Review Date:

2021/22

22 Programme Specification effective date:

1 September 2016

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SECTION B - OUTCOMES

23 MMU Graduate Outcomes

On successful completion of their course of study MMU graduates will be able to: GO1. apply skills of critical analysis to real world situations within a defined range of

contexts; GO2. demonstrate a high degree of professionalism characterised by initiative, creativity,

motivation and self-management; GO3. express ideas effectively and communicate information appropriately and accurately

using a range of media including ICT; GO4. develop working relationships using teamwork and leadership skills, recognising and

respecting different perspectives; GO5. manage their professional development reflecting on progress and taking appropriate

action; GO6. find, evaluate, synthesise and use information from a variety of sources; GO7. articulate an awareness of the social and community contexts within their disciplinary

field. NB the above align to the Employability outcomes on the unit specifications

24 Programme Rationale

The Postgraduate Professional Development Programme (PGPDP) in the Faculty of Education attracts the largest number of postgraduate taught (PGT) students in the university. It is a comprehensive suite of part-time Masters awards providing professional and continuing professional development for practitioners, professionals, and leaders/managers engaged in a wide range of educational and adjacent settings. It includes some awards that confer professional recognition/accreditation. The programme seeks to meet the continuing professional development needs of educational professionals, from NQT and senior leader development to those in other appropriate (including inter-/multi-professional) settings beyond education. The programme attracts students from public, voluntary/community, social enterprise, private, and multiagency sectors of practice. As education has ‘fragmented’ it has been important to be able to offer a full range of award titles to reflect specific orientations and the diversity of job roles; this range is one of the features of the MMU CPD Masters offer and we offer the most comprehensive award ‘package’ for Masters CPD education outside London. At the same time, ‘education’ is recognised as a complex set of practices – and an interdisciplinary field of study in itself. Part of meeting the challenges inherent in practice is to respond to, rather than reduce, some of this complexity; this is reflected in curriculum design and delivery, including opportunities to address and explore contexts and underpinning issues at wider programme level. Specifically designed for busy professionals, the focus and locus of learning in the programme is the student’s own practice environment, the award specialism, informed by QAA Masters Degree Characteristics (QAA 2010, 2014). Awards in the programme are underpinned by an understanding of practice-relevant Masters study as developing critical conceptual understanding, specialist practice knowledge, the ability to meet challenges, complications and develop new approaches, and to practise research and knowledge generation in a systematic and thoughtful manner. This is reflected in the programme learning outcomes and core curriculum structure that

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is designed to enable students to explore, articulate and develop their own practice narrative and interests/priorities, in the context of the award. On each award students work with substantively with award specialists throughout the programme, enhancing award distinctiveness. Programme-wide enhancements and collaboration are supported by whole programme keynotes and specific events e.g. induction, methodology fair. There is a strong emphasis on academic advice and guidance as students progress through their award. Even where content is more closely defined by PSRBs, students are encouraged to use the frameworks of the programme to enable them to articulate their own development and go where they want to within award parameters. This includes study, for example, for career progression (or professional recognition), in developing specific areas of expertise, for thinking through significant organisational or project developments, advancing to doctoral study or, more generally, for broadening their academic and practice horizons. The programme is Manchester based (Brooks) but, where possible, award tutors can be allocated for groups at Crewe where students wish to be Crewe-based and where award expertise exists.

25 QAA Benchmark Statement(s)

QAA Subject Benchmark Statements are not extensively developed at Masters level, including for Education. For Masters level programmes the QAA approach focuses on Masters degree characteristics: QAA (2010) Masters Degree Characteristics QAA (2014) Masters Degree Characteristics – draft for consultation (see Appendix 2 map) Named awards in PGPDP are aligned with PSRB statements/standards/learning outcomes:

National Award for SENCOs – NCTL learning outcomes, and NASEN ‘Core Principles, Quality Standards and Evidence’

National Youth Agency (NYA) – ‘Professional Validation Requirements’ (including National Occupational Standards for Youth Work). In addition, the QAA Subject Benchmark Statement for Youth and Community Work (QAA, 2009) is pivotal for professional qualification; although the statement is at Bachelor’s level, professional qualification at Masters level is regarded as involving extension of the benchmark statement.

British Dyslexia Association – ‘Requirements for Course Providers’

Academy of Medical Educators – ‘Professional Standards’

26 Programme Specific Outcomes

Definitive List of Study Areas/Final Award Names: 1. MA Arts and Humanities in Education 2. MA Autism Spectrum Conditions 3. MA Bilingualism, Education and Society 4. MA Coaching and Mentoring 5. MA Community Development and Youth Work: Leadership and Practice (PSRB award) MA Community Development Studies (fall back award) 6. PgDip Community Development and Youth Work: Leadership and Practice (PSRB award) PgDip Community Development Studies (fall back award) 7. MA Disability Studies

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8. MA Early Childhood Studies 9. MA Education 10.MA Educational Inequalities and Social Justice 11.MA Educational Leadership 12.MA Inclusive Education and Special Education Needs and Disability 13.MA International Education, Development and Democracy 14.MA Language Education 15.MA Leadership in Early Years 16.MA Policy Studies in Education 17.MA Professional Development and Enquiry 18.MA Professional Education and Training 19.MA Specific Learning Difficulties 20.PgDip Specific Learning Difficulties (PSRB Award) 21.PgCert Specific Learning Difficulties (PSRB Award) 22.MSc Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education 23.PgCert Teaching Advanced Mathematics 24.MA Teaching and Learning 25.MA Teaching Computer Science 26.PgCert Education (School-Centred Initial Teacher Training) 27.PgCert Early Years Education 28.PgCert Health and Medical Education (PSRB Award) 29.PgCert Assistive Technology 30.PgCert The National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordination (NASENCo) (PSRB Award) PgCert Developing the Role of the SENCo (fall back award) (a) Final Award Learning Outcomes

For students achieving a named MA (180 credits).

On successful completion of [insert MA final award title, 1-5, 7-19, 22, 24, 25] students will be able to:

PL01 Explain, interrogate and apply conceptual and theoretical material relevant to their own practice and award area* in a systematic and creative way, to extend practice understanding.

PL02 Critically analyse and evaluate relevant research evidence for thinking, policy and practice in their award area*, and argue for alternative interpretations or approaches where appropriate.

PL03 Articulate the implications of their learning for their future professional development and practice.

PL04 Appreciate the centrality of ethical considerations and values as they relate in complex ways to their own and others’ practice, including the significance of issues of equality, diversity, inclusion and social justice

PL05 Demonstrate understanding at the forefront of the area of study and associated practice, including critical analysis of relevant current developments

PL06 Integrate self-awareness and critical reflection about practice in making

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evaluative judgements, analysing subject material, in suggesting or choosing actions, and for the learning process.

PL07 Demonstrate a systematic and critical use of approaches, tools and methods appropriate to the award area* and for practice, and be able to adjust/adapt these where appropriate

PL08 Critically analyse, reflect on, and evaluate, the complex contexts and dynamics for their own practice and award area* articulating logical and coherent arguments, and making informed judgements, including where there are gaps in knowledge and/or data.

PL09 Demonstrate and apply a comprehensive and practical understanding of how research approaches and procedures are used to create and interpret knowledge in their award area*

PL10 Identify and explain methodological and epistemological/ontological issues and approaches in the social/educational research process

PL11 Plan for, and execute, small-scale but significant enquiry in an aspect of their award area* in a systematic and reflexive manner, with research depth

For students achieving a named PgDip final award of the programme (120 credits)

On successful completion of a PgDip [insert PgDip final award title, 6, 20] students will be able to:






PL06 Integrate self-awareness and critical reflection about practice in making evaluative judgements, analysing subject material, in suggesting or choosing actions, and for the learning process.

PL07 Demonstrate a systematic and critical use of approaches, tools and methods appropriate to the award area* and for practice, and be able to adjust/adapt these where appropriate


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For students achieving a named PgCert final award of the programme (60 credits) On successful completion of a PGCert [insert PGCert final award title, 21, 23, 26-30] students will be able to:






(b) Combined Honours Learning Outcomes

Not applicable for this programme

(c) Pass Degree Learning Outcomes Not Applicable for this programme

27 Interim Award Learning Outcomes

PgDip Interim award title

On successful completion of a [insert interim PgDip award title, 1-19, 22, 24, 25], students will be able to:






PL06 Integrate self-awareness and critical reflection about practice in making evaluative judgements, analysing subject material, in suggesting or choosing actions, and for the learning process.

PL07 Demonstrate a systematic and critical use of approaches, tools and methods

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appropriate to the award area* and for practice, and be able to adjust/adapt these where appropriate


PgCert Interim Award Title

On successful completion of a PgCert [insert PgCert interim award title, 1-20, 22, 24, 25] students will be able to:






*INSERT relevant award name from the definitive list 1-31 as listed Section 26.

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SECTION C – STRUCTURE

28 Structures, modes of delivery (eg FT/PT/DL etc), levels, credits, awards, curriculum map of all units (identifying core/option status, credits, pre or co-requisites) potential entry/exit points and progression/award requirements

OPTION UNITS Option units listed in the following curriculum structures are all approved for delivery but may not all run in any one academic session. The overall PGPDP curriculum structure is at Appendix 1. This indicates that some awards are ‘stand-alone’ (19, 20, 21, 27, 29, 30), normally where very particular PSRB requirements apply. For other awards of the programme there is an integrated curriculum – students study the same unit titles but these are context specific for each award with 60-80% of delivery taking place in award-specific groups with subject/award specialist tutors. Nonetheless, each award has 90 credits which is wholly within the award area through the units Specialist (Supported) Project, and the dissertation (again, taken wholly within the award area).

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1. MA Arts and Humanities in Education Level 7 On successful completion of the following units:

Core Units

Code Occ Status Unit Title No of credits

22KMAPTT 9 Core Mapping the Territory: critical concepts and issues

30

22KO0001 2 Core Specialist (Supported) Project: Arts and Humanities in Education

30

22KSHTF 6 Core Shaping the Future 30

22KRESPR 9,2 Core Research and Practice 30

22KDISS 6,2 Core Dissertation (undertaken in award area)

60

APL/APEL (normally 30/60, max 90 credits) available with the agreement of the Award Tutor 60 credits – interim exit award: PGCert Arts and Humanities in Education On successful completion of two of the following four Level 7 units:



30

Option Units Choose from options listed

22KMAPTT 9 Option Mapping the Territory: critical concepts and issues

30

22KSHTF 6 Option Shaping the Future 30

22KRESPR 9,2 Option Research and Practice 30

APL/APEL available (30 credits) with the agreement of the Award Tutor 120 credits – interim exit award: PGDip Arts and Humanities in Education On successful completion of the following level 7 units:



30


30



APL/APEL available (30/60 credits) with the agreement of the Award Tutor

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2. MA Autism Spectrum Conditions

Level 7

Core Units



30

22K90001 2 Core Specialist (Supported) Project: Autism Spectrum Conditions

30



22KDISS 6,2 Core Dissertation (undertaken in the award area)

60

APL/APEL available (normally 30/60, max 90 credits) with the agreement of the Award Tutor 60 credits – interim exit award: PGCert Autism Spectrum Conditions On successful completion of two of the following four Level 7 units:



30



30



APL/APEL available (30 credits) with the agreement of the Award Tutor 120 credits – interim exit award: PGDip Autism Spectrum Conditions On successful completion of the following level 7 units:



30


30




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3. MA Bilingualism, Education and Society Level 7

Core Units



30

22K10001 2 Core Specialist (Supported) Project: Bilingualism, Education and Society

30




60

APL/APEL available (30/60, max 90 credits) with the agreement of the Award Tutor 60 credits – interim exit award: PGCert Bilingualism, Education and Society On successful completion of two of the following four Level 7 units:



30



30



APL/APEL available (30 credits) with the agreement of the Award Tutor 120 credits – interim exit award: PGDip Bilingualism, Education and Society On successful completion of the following level 7 units:



30


30




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4. MA Coaching and Mentoring Level 7

Core Units



30

22KD0001 2 Core Specialist (Supported) Project: Coaching and Mentoring

30




60

APL/APEL available (30/60, max 90 credits) with the agreement of the Award Tutor 60 credits – interim exit award: PGCert Coaching and Mentoring On successful completion of two of the following four Level 7 units:



30



30



APL/APEL available (30 credits) with the agreement of the Award Tutor 120 credits – interim exit award: PGDip Coaching and Mentoring On successful completion of the following level 7 units:



30


30




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7. MA Disability Studies Level 7

Core Units



30

22KA0001 2 Core Specialist (Supported) Project: Disability Studies

30



22KDISS 6,2 Core Dissertation (undertaken in the award area) 60

APL/APEL available (normally 30/60, max 90 credits) with the agreement of the Award Tutor 60 credits – interim exit award: PGCert Disability Studies On successful completion of two of the following four Level 7 units:



30



30



APL/APEL available (30 credits) with the agreement of the Award Tutor 120 credits – interim exit award: PGDip Disability Studies On successful completion of the following level 7 units:



30


30




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8. MA Early Childhood Studies Level 7

Core Units



30

22KP0001 2 Core Specialist (Supported) Project: Early Childhood Studies

30




APL/APEL available (normally 30/60, max 90 credits) with the agreement of the Award Tutor 60 credits – interim exit award: PGCert Early Childhood Studies On successful completion of two of the following four Level 7 units:



30



30



APL/APEL available (30 credits) with the agreement of the Award Tutor 120 credits – interim exit award: PGDip Early Childhood Studies On successful completion of the following level 7 units:



30


30




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9. MA Education Level 7

Core Units



30

22K20001 2 Core Specialist (Supported) Project: Education 30




APL/APEL available (normally 30/60, max 90 credits) with the agreement of the Award Tutor 60 credits – interim exit award: PGCert Education On successful completion of two of the following four Level 7 units:





30



APL/APEL available (30 credits) with the agreement of the Award Tutor 120 credits – interim exit award: PGDip Education On successful completion of the following level 7 units:



30





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10. MA Educational Inequalities and Social Justice Level 7

Core Units



30

22KH0001 2 Core Specialist (Supported) Project: Educational Inequalities and Social Justice

30




APL/APEL available (normally 30/60, max 90 credits) with the agreement of the Award Tutor 60 credits – interim exit award: PGCert Educational Inequalities and Social Justice On successful completion of two of the following four Level 7 units:



30



30



APL/APEL available (30 credits) with the agreement of the Award Tutor 120 credits – interim exit award: PGDip Educational Inequalities and Social Justice On successful completion of the following level 7 units:



30


30




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11. MA Educational Leadership Level 7

Core Units



30

22K30001 2 Core Specialist (Supported) Project: Educational Leadership

30




APL/APEL available (normally 30/60, max 90 credits) with the agreement of the Award Tutor 60 credits – interim exit award: PGCert Educational Leadership On successful completion of two of the following four Level 7 units:



30



30



APL/APEL available (30 credits) with the agreement of the Award Tutor 120 credits – interim exit award: PGDip Educational Leadership On successful completion of the following level 7 units:



30


30




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12. MA Inclusive Education and Special Educational Needs and Disability Level 7

Core Units



30

22KB0001 2 Core Specialist (Supported) Project: Inclusive Education and SEND

30




APL/APEL available (normally 30/60, max 90 credits) with the agreement of the Award Tutor 60 credits – interim exit award: PGCert Inclusive Education and Special Educational Needs and Disability On successful completion of two of the following four Level 7 units:



30



30



APL/APEL available (30 credits) with the agreement of the Award Tutor 120 credits – interim exit award: PGDip Inclusive Education and Special Educational Needs and Disability On successful completion of the following level 7 units:



30


30



APL/APEL available (30/60 credtis) with the agreement of the Award Tutor

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13. MA International Education, Development and Democracy Level 7

Core Units



30

22KK0001 2 Core Specialist (Supported) Project: International Education, Development and Democracy

30




APL/APEL available (normally 30/60, max 90 credits) with the agreement of the Award Tutor 60 credits – interim exit award: PGCert International Education, Development and Democracy On successful completion of two of the following four Level 7 units:



30



30



APL/APEL available (30 credits) with the agreement of the Award Tutor 120 credits – interim exit award: PGDip International Education, Development and Democracy On successful completion of the following level 7 units:



30


30




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14. MA Language Education Level 7

Core Units



30

22K40001 2 Core Specialist (Supported) Project: Language Education

30




APL/APEL available (normally 30/60, max 90 credits) with the agreement of the Award Tutor. 60 credits – interim exit award: PGCert Language Education On successful completion of two of the following four Level 7 units:



30



30



APL/APEL available (30 credits) with the agreement of the Award Tutor 120 credits – interim exit award: PGDip Language Education On successful completion of the following level 7 units:



30


30




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15. MA Leadership in Early Years Level 7

Core Units



30

22KG0001 2 Core Specialist (Supported) Project: Leadership in Early Years

30




APL/APEL available (normally 30/60, max 90 credits) with the agreement of the Award Tutor 60 credits – interim exit award: PGCert Leadership in Early Years On successful completion of two of the following four Level 7 units:


22KG0001 2 Core Specialist (Supported) Project: Leadership in Early Years

30


22KMAPTT 9 Mapping the Territory: critical concepts and issues

30

22KSHTF 6 Shaping the Future 30

22KRESPR 9,2 Research and Practice 30

APL/APEL available (30 credits) with the agreement of the Award Tutor 120 credits – interim exit award: PGDip Leadership in Early Years On successful completion of the following level 7 units:



30

22LG0001 2 Core Specialist (Supported) Project: Leadership in Early Years

30




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16. MA Policy Studies in Education Level 7

Core Units



30

22KL0001 2 Core Specialist (Supported) Project: Policy Studies in Education

30




APL/APEL available (normally 30/60, max 90 credits) with the agreemtn of the Award Tutor 60 credits – interim exit award: PGCert Policy Studies in Education On successful completion of two of the following four Level 7 units:



30



30



APL/APEL available (30 credits) with the agreement of the Award Tutor 120 credits – interim exit award: PGDip Policy Studies in Education On successful completion of the following level 7 units:



30


30




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17. MA Professional Development and Enquiry Level 7

Core Units



30

22KN0001 2 Core Specialist (Supported) Project: Professional Development and Enquiry

30




APL/APEL available (normally 30/60, max 90 credits) with the agreement of the Award Tutor 60 credits – interim exit award: PGCert Professional Development and Enquiry On successful completion of two of the following four Level 7 units:



30



30



APL/APEL available (30 credits) with the agreement of the Award Tutor 120 credits – interim exit award: PGDip Professional Development and Enquiry On successful completion of the following level 7 units:



30


30




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18. MA Professional Education and Training Level 7

Core Units



30

22KM0001 2 Core Specialist (Supported) Project: Professional Education and Training

30




APL/APEL available (normally 30/60, max 90 credits) with the agreement of the Award Tutor 60 credits – interim exit award: PGCert Professional Education and Training On successful completion of two of the following four Level 7 units:



30



30



APL/APEL available (30 credits) with the agreement of the Award Tutor 120 credits – interim exit award: PGDip Professional Education and Training On successful completion of the following level 7 units:



30


30




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19. MA Specific Learning Difficulties Level 7

Core Units


22KR0001 (Year 1)

9 Core Specific Learning Difficulties: Nature, Assessment and Intervention

30

22KR0002 (Year 1)

2 Core Specific Learning Difficulties: Intervention and the Practice of Teaching

30

22KR0003 (Year 2)

9 Core Support for Learning: Management of SPLD 30

22KR0004 (Year 2)

9 Core Specific Learning Difficulties: Legal Issues and Consultancy

30

22SLDDISS (Year 2) Co-taught with 22KDISS

6 Core Dissertation (undertaken in the award area) 60

No APEL allowed; APL (certificated) only allowed where a student enters from a similar award elsewhere, and subject to mapping of outcomes. Condonement of taught units is not permitted 21. 60 credits – Final award: PGCert Specific Learning Difficulties On successful completion of the following Level 7 units:


22KR0001 9 Core Specific Learning Difficulties: Nature, Assessment and Intervention

30

22KR0002

2 Core Specific Learning Difficulties: Intervention and the Practice of Teaching

30

No APEL allowed; APL (certificated) only allowed where a student enters from a similar award elsewhere, and subject to mapping of outcomes. Condonement of taught units is not permitted 20. 120 credits – final award: PGDip Specific Learning Difficulties On successful completion of the following level 7 units:


22KR0001

9 Core Specific Learning Difficulties: Nature, Assessment and Intervention

30

22KR0002 2 Core Specific Learning Difficulties: Intervention and the Practice of Teaching

30

22KR0003 9 Core Support for Learning: Management of SPLD 30

22KR0004

2 Core Specific Learning Difficulties: Legal issues and Consultancy

30

No APEL allowed; APL (certificated) only allowed where a student enters from a similar award elsewhere, and subject to mapping of outcomes. Condonement of taught units is not permitted To be eligible for BDA AMBDA accreditation at PGDip level, students must also pass associated supervised practice elements.

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22. MSc Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education Level 7

Core Units



30

22K50001 2 Core Specialist (Supported) Project: STEM Education

30




APL/APEL available (normally 30/60, max 90 credits) with the agreement of the Award Tutor 60 credits – interim exit award: PGCert Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education On successful completion of two of the following four Level 7 units:



30



30



APL/APEL available (30 credits) with the agreement of the Award Tutor 120 credits – interim exit award: PGDip Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education On successful completion of the following level 7 units:



30


30




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24. MA Teaching and Learning Level 7

Core Units



30

22K60001 2 Core Specialist (Supported) Project: Teaching and Learning

30




APL/APEL available (normally 30/60, max 90 credits) with the agreement of the the Award Tutor 60 credits – interim exit award: PGCert Teaching and Learning On successful completion of two of the following four Level 7 units:



30



30



APL/APEL available (30 credits) with the agreement of the Award Tutor 120 credits – interim exit award: PGDip Teaching and Learning On successful completion of the following level 7 units:



30


30




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25. MA Teaching Computer Science Level 7

Core Units



30

22K70001 2 Core Specialist (Supported) Project: Teaching Computer Science

30




APL/APEL available (normally 30/60, max 90 credits) with the agreement of the Award Tutor 60 credits – interim exit award: PGCert Teaching Computer Science On successful completion of two of the following four Level 7 units:



30



30



APL/APEL available (30 credits) with the agreement of the Award Tutor 120 credits – interim exit award: PGDip Teaching Computer Science On successful completion of the following level 7 units:



30


30



APL/APEL available (30/60 credits) with the agreement of the Award Tutor.

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5. MA Community Development and Youth Work: Leadership and Practice

Level 7

Core Units



30

22K00001 2 Core Specialist (Supported) Project: Community Development and Youth Work: Leadership and Practice

30




22KC0003

9 Core Community Development and Youth Work Placement: Practice Credit Unit

60 practice credits

No APEL allowed; APL (certificated) only allowed where a student enters from a similar award elsewhere, and subject to mapping of outcomes.

6. 120 credits – final award: PGDip Community Development and Youth Work: Leadership and Practice

On successful completion of the following level 7 units:



30

22K00001 2 Core Specialist (Supported) Project: Community Development and Youth Work

30



22KC0003 Core Community Development and Youth Work Placement: Practice Credit Unit

60 practice credits


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23. PGCert Teaching Advanced Mathematics On successful completion of two Level 7 units:


22KT0001 2 Core Specialist (Supported) Project: Teaching Advanced Mathematics

30

Option Units Choose one from options listed


30



APL/APEL and entry with advanced standing is not permitted on this award 26. PGCert in Education (School-Centred Initial Teacher Training) Level 7 On completion of the following units:

Core Units



30

22GJ0002 2 Core Specialist (Supported) Project: Education (SCITT)

30

APL/APEL and entry with advanced standing is not permitted on this award

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27. PGCert Early Years Education Level 7

On completion of the following units:

Core Units


22PL0002 9 Core Global Principles and Local Action in Early Years Education

30

22PL0001 2 Core Teaching in Early Education 30

APL/APEL and entry with advanced standing is permitted on this award 28. PGCert Health and Medical Education Level 7

On completion of the following units:

Core Units



30

22KJ0001 2 Core Specialist (Supported) Project: Health and Medical Education

30

APL/APEL and entry with advanced standing is not permitted on this award 29. PGCert Assistive Technology Level 7 On successful completion of two of the following four units:


22K80001 9 Core Assistive Technology to Support Communication and Learning

30

Option Units Choose from options listed 22K80002 9 Option Access and Control of Technology for

Communication and Learning 30

22K80003 9 Option Augmentive and Alternative Communication

30

22K80004 9 Option Recording Information using Assistive Technology

30

APL/APEL and advanced standing is not permitted on this award

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30. PGCert The National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordination (NASENCo) Level 7

Core Units


22KV0001 9 Core National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordination: Professional Knowledge and Understanding

30

22KV0002 2 Core National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordination: Leading and Coordinating Provision

30

22KV0003 9 Core NASENCo Practice Credit Unit 30 Practice Credit Units


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SECTION D - TEACHING, LEARNING AND ASSESSMENT

29 Articulation of Graduate Prospects See Guidance document for details

The programme is for education professionals and those working in adjacent/interdisciplinary areas. It provides CPD Masters awards and, in some awards, professional accreditation/recognition. Approximately 80% of students are qualified and practising teachers, from NQTs through to senior leaders, working in schools or other education settings (for example, early years, further and higher education, community education projects, international settings). Others come from a variety of practice settings or professional roles, for example, inter-professional/multidisciplinary settings in health services, youth and community work, early years, advice and guidance, and social care. As education has ‘fragmented’ it has been important to be able to offer a full range of award titles to reflect specific orientations and the diversity of job roles; this range is one of the features of the MMU CPD Masters offer and we offer the most comprehensive award ‘package’ for Masters CPD education outside London. At the same time, ‘education’ is recognised as a complex set of practices – and an interdisciplinary field of study in itself. Part of meeting the challenges inherent in practice is to respond to, rather than reduce, some of this complexity; this is reflected in curriculum design and delivery, including opportunities to address and explore contexts and underpinning issues at wider programme level. Many students progress to more senior roles whilst they are still students. For delivery in school-based and other groups offsite, the unit of study sometimes is part of wider school improvement planning or similar. We maintain contact with our graduates at Faculty level via our Alumni office, and also informally, and work with MMU Careers and Employability Service to make sure that DLHE (Destination of Leavers in Higher Education) survey data informs curriculum approaches and content. In addition, extensive and diverse partnership links for ITE programmes and, more widely, in Knowledge Exchange (KE) Centres (Inclusive Education and Disability Studies; STEM Education; Education Leadership and Management; and Childhood, Youth and Community) mean an array of ongoing relationships with our target markets and prospective/actual students. Many students progress in career roles as a result of their Masters study but some also progress to doctoral study including the EdD at MMU (alongside their continuing work); last year one student was successful in gaining a scholarship award for PhD study. 30 Curriculum Design

Option Units Option units listed in the curriculum structures (section C28 above) are all approved for delivery, but may not all run in any one academic session. The curriculum design is at Appendix 1. The design of the programme incorporates the unit structure, and also enhancements/additions. The core programme structure is common to most awards. The awards that sit separately are PgCert NASENCo, PgCert/PgDip Specific Learning Difficulties, PgCert Early Years Education, and PGCert Assistive Technology, as on the diagram; this is to do with particular requirements pertaining in these award areas e.g. PSRB requirements, international or closed group delivery. It has been a major concern in programme management and QA terms to bring much greater coherence (and possibilities for award viability) to the programme as a whole, but also to develop a structure (and associated pedagogical approaches)

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that enhances the student experience and embeds a clear and accessible CPD approach for a wide range of educational (and adjacent) professionals. The core programme structure is underpinned by a broad belief (in common with the QAA approach which focuses on Masters degree characteristics that study to full Masters (in this case practice-related Masters) encompasses:

an understanding of conceptual/theoretical/contextual territory in the award area (Unit: Mapping the Territory: critical concepts and issues)

the development of specialist (award and practice relevant) knowledge (Unit: Specialist Supported Project: Award Area)

the ability to meet challenges, complications and develop new approaches/innovate (Unit: Shaping the Future), and

to practise research and knowledge generation in a systematic and thoughtful manner. (Unit: Research and Practice, Dissertation in award area)

The programme is part-time and specifically designed for practitioners and professionals with busy work (and other) lives. The locus of learning is the student’s own practice setting; all units are core units but are designed to enable students to develop practice thinking in the award area. Programme learning and unit outcomes reflect this, normally enabling students to work on assignments salient to their own (professional/personal) interests and/or organisational priorities, as related to the award. The programme runs through the calendar year (including the summer months when many educational professionals have a longer period of leave), enabling students to achieve full Masters (in part-time mode) in two years. In all units, award groups work with award tutors who are subject/award area specialists; students are assigned a subject/award-specialist supervisor through dissertation. In addition, units incorporate (normally) two programme-wide keynote sessions which focus on cross-programme themes or issues and enable wide cross-award networking. For example, for the unit Mapping the Territory the keynote session (for all award groups in the core programme structure) focuses on issues of power, inequalities and diversity as these relate to professional practice. The accreditation of prior experiential learning in line with the MMU policy on the Accreditation of Prior Learning is embedded in the programme enabling students to claim credit for the often significant professional experience/expertise they bring and where they can demonstrate learning at Masters level in the award area. In PGPDP APL is progressed via enrolment on a relevant APL unit, with the agreement of the Award Tutor. APL is excluded in some areas, where PSRB stipulations do not allow this. Students with PGCE in the previous five years are able to enter the programme with advanced standing (likewise others with relevant postgraduate qualifications, with the agreement of the Award Tutor and Programme Leader); exceptions apply for PSRB awards. There is an emphasis on academic advice in the programme to enable students to use the structures of the programme in a tailored way to support professional and personal interests and aspirations, including for career progression. Enhancements to the programme run alongside the formal unit structure. These enhancements are particular additional requirements for professional accreditation or recognition, notably in Specific Learning Difficulties awards and MA Youth and Community Work. In addition, the

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programme runs dedicated/monthly postgraduate ‘sessions’, open to all students, where staff/doctoral students will present on ongoing research and/or knowledge exchange projects. The programme has one progression point – at the end of PgDip (120 credits); this brings flexibility to accessing the programme at three points through the year, and for the order in which PgCert/Dip units can be taken.

31 Learning and Teaching

The Programme is based on the principle that professional learning takes place through active engagement in: • seeking to learn from a wide knowledge/skills-base, and engagement with others • analysing, reflecting on, evaluating, reviewing and revising practice in light of this knowledge-base and actual practice. There is an emphasis on examining, researching and evaluating personal practice and accrediting learning resulting from professional practice. The programme is aligned with the MMU Strategy for Learning, Teaching and Assessment. The programme team uses a variety of methods and activities to facilitate participants’ learning. These teaching and learning methods vary within individual units, but in all units the approach to teaching and student learning recognises the diversity of participants and experiential/practice knowledge they bring, and is designed to develop participants’ skills, capabilities, knowledge and critical reflection for extending practice understandings. Both larger, cross-award group learning but, in particular, small (award) group and collaborative learning supported by tutor involvement, is central to the programme’s learning and teaching strategy, and employed in all units. Tutor, expert professional, researcher or student-led discussion groups, seminar and presentation, experiential teaching/learning, simulation exercises using role-play activities and workshops are all used alongside more formal sessions. Directed and independent study using reflection, analysis, enquiry, synthesis and evaluation is also essential to the learning processes involved. Moodle is utilised for all units and integrated into teaching and learning as appropriate to the unit. All units are supported by a unit outline with key information for the unit, including award-specific assessment briefs, reading, and activities of the unit. A dedicated Moodle dissertation resource has been developed for all PGPDP students. Units available on some awards include Accreditation of Prior (Experiential) Learning units and these units form the operational basis upon which APEL is undertaken within the programme (but according to the principles of the institutional Accreditation of Prior Learning Policy). This means that accrediting prior experience becomes part of the unit framework for relevant programme awards and students also undertake an (APEL) piece of work (and the unit is assessed as for taught units, including via External Examiner scrutiny and Exam Boards). All students are invited to the (Professional Development and Educational Innovation Department) Methodology Fair, a weekend event of many workshops and plenaries for all taught postgraduates at Research and Practice/Dissertation stage that also enables productive link up with full-time postgraduates in the Faculty. PDEI is also developing monthly postgraduate ‘sessions’, informal (and podcasted) evening seminars where doctoral students and staff will present on ongoing

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research or knowledge exchange projects they are involved in. There are specific minimum attendance requirements in place for BDA-accredited SpLD awards and formal retrieval arrangements are stipulated in-award. There are also NYA-stipulated minimum attendance requirements for (NYA-validated) Community Development and Youth Work: Leadership and Practice awards.

32 Assessment

The assessment strategy is designed to be transparent, rigorous, and to enable participants to experience a variety of approaches to assessment. All assessments are aligned with learning outcomes and are designed to:

Promote student learning

Be valid, reliable and fairly administered

Allow students to demonstrate their achievement of the learning outcomes according to explicit and transparent assessment criteria

Provide appropriate opportunities for constructive feedback and feed-forward All units incorporate formative, developmental (rapid turn-around) feedback to students, for ‘feed-forward’ to summative assessment. The nature and extent of feedback available for each assessment task, and the dates by which marks and feedback will be provided is clearly indicated in each unit outline, and is aligned with institutional requirements. Units are largely taken sequentially (rather than concurrently) so the assessment timetable is paced sensibly for students who also work. It also allows for feedback to be provided in a timely way to maximise opportunities to apply learning from each assessment to future learning activities. A variety of assessment tasks are utilised in the programme, including presentation tasks. Structured assignments are also used in more than one unit to enable students and awards to develop particular formats that might be particularly appropriate for the award or particular focus; further details are provided in assignment briefs.

The programme has exemption from anonymous marking – as students are working in generally small groups in award areas, writing frequently about their particular practice setting, and working closely with an award tutor it is normally clear who has written an assignment. Second marking and moderation (as well as External Examiner scrutiny) obviously applies, however. All dissertations are separately double-marked with markers only conferring after both have marked the dissertation. The programme follows the university Procedures for the Verification, Marking and Moderation of Assessment. In line with the institutional Code of Practice for the Assessment of Students, the programme has its own assessment matrix (see Appendix 4) based on the University Standards Descriptors. The matrix has been commented on favourably by External Examiners and is common to all taught postgraduate awards in the PDEI Department. It stimulates ongoing and productive discussion between staff (and with students) and is regularly revisited, reviewed (and amendments made when appropriate).

33 Inclusive Practice

The programme team actively takes in to account MMU guidelines on inclusivity for the curriculum, programme organisation, assessment and teaching. Issues of inclusion and diversity are introduced at induction and discussed through the programme in student award groups, as they are embedded in units. The programme attracts students from diverse backgrounds so can

http://www.mmu.ac.uk/academic/casqe/regulations/docs/assessment_icp.pdf

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be a rich backdrop for discussions; in addition, global considerations (culture, diversity, inequalities, citizenship) also inform units, and particular awards, in the programme in specific ways. Personal tutoring actively signposts students to wider university services, e.g. learning support, PLP assessments, as appropriate. Programme awards generally involve small groups of students so productive personal/professional relationships, and a supportive postgraduate community can be built; tutors and students can get to know each other. Several staff have research interests directly related to inclusivity.

34 Technology Enhanced Learning

The Virtual Learning Environment, Moodle is used to support learning in a variety of ways. At Programme Level Moodle is used as a Virtual ‘Programme Handbook’ providing students with information and links to information as well as Award specific support. At unit level Moodle is used in a more interactive way to engage students and to facilitate student learning, for example with podcasts as a trigger for discussion in session, relevant media and independent learning resources, and to host discussion forums. Technology is used to support learning both within taught sessions and between sessions e.g. as part of (self-)directed study tasks. All assessed written work in submitted and assessed via turnitin. Electronic access to library resources is particular important for postgraduate, part-time students, some of whom live at some distance. The availability of e-books, electronic journals, and databases is important for the programme and dedicated programme induction includes a mandatory and tailored library session, with follow-ups as appropriate through the programme. We provide additional guidance on the programme Moodle pages, including step by step guidance on submitting assessed work on turnitin. The PgCert Early Years Education is delivered via a blended learning approach and has been developed to support (part) international delivery; as part of this development extensive evaluation of technology to support learning and teaching was undertaken.

35 Placement and/or Work-based Learning Activities

All awards in the PGPDP programme include assessments linked to the contexts in which participants practice. In SpLD (BDA accredited) courses: students undertake 20 hours of specialist teaching in their own workplace for the PG Certificate SpLD, and 30 hours for the Pg Diploma SpLD and the (20 hours in the first year and ten hours in the second year of the courses). This does not constitute a formal placement but incorporates observations of teaching and practice assessment related tasks. PG Certificate in Education (SCITT): All course members undertake extensive teaching practice as part of their training programme leading to QTS in the SCITT. This practice is not assessed within the award (so does not constitute a formal placement) but is drawn on for learning and assessment within the award. In PgCert The National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordination, students undertake a practice credit unit as part of the award but practice itself is not assessed within the award (so this does not constitute a formal placement), but is drawn on for learning and assessment within the award PgDip/MA Youth and Community Work: Students undertake two (formal) supervised placements in

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different settings, framed by professional requirements (National Youth Agency/JNC recognition); these are underpinned by the QAA Code of Practice on Placement Learning.

36 Engagement with Employers

The approach behind the programme is about working alongside the education and adjacent sectors to provide practice-relevant CPD Masters awards. For a number of awards employers have contributed specifically to programme design. Key examples include:

PgCert The National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordination – developed with Local Authorities, jointly delivered.

The PgDip Community Development and Youth Work: Leadership and Practice has been developed in conjunction with employer stakeholders (the Employer Reference Group)

The PgCert in Early Years Education has been developed in consultation with employers in Nigeria, Pakistan and China and commissioning employers are involved in the selection process.

The PgCert Education (SCITT) has been developed with three lead SCITT Providers locally and the content and delivery of this has been based on experience of other school led ITT programmes.

For (closed-group) units delivered offsite in schools or other organisation settings, this is always preceded by extensive engagement to ensure unit suitability and to ensure delivery pattern and specific content can be covered where possible/appropriate.

More generally, the Faculty of Education has extensive and rich relationships with partner schools through its ITT provision and staff teaching on the programme are normally engaged directly in some way with education providers, that informs programme discussions and development in ongoing ways. In addition, RKE Centres in Inclusive Education and Disability Studies, Children, Youth and Community, Educational Leadership and Management, and STEM Education collaborate widely with diverse organisations and sectors of practice. Inasmuch as students are in employment, and some in senior leadership roles, they are also stakeholders and so ongoing programme consultation and discussion processes (notably via the Student Board of Studies) contribute to programme developments.

37 Personal Development Planning

As this is a practice-related (CPD) Masters programme and the locus of learning is the student’s own practice relating to the award area, all assignments normally require explicit consideration of implications for own practice and professional development. This is even more so where professional recognition/accreditation is embedded in, or alongside, awards. The Programme has an annually updated Personal Tutoring Plan (Appendix 3) which places an emphasis on award-based academic advice in a structured model, to engage with students about their own learning and progression through their programme (as, integrally, this is linked to professional development and career aspirations). The programme runs a dedicated induction programme incorporating key sessions on student services and wider university services to support personal development planning both in, and beyond, the programme.

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SECTION E - PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT

38 Programme Specific Admission Requirements

In response to University agreement to enable students to enrol on a single unit rather than an Award an additional Programme Code has been set up entitled "Unit Registration". Under this programme code, a student can enrol on a single unit of study with the permission of the Award Leader. On successful completion of this unit a student may continue on to the named Award with permission of the Award Leader and if the unit is recognised as meeting the requirements of the Award. The student may choose not to progress to a named award and may request a transcript of study on the completion of the 30 credit unit.

All applicants to awards on the Postgraduate Professional Development Programme must meet the MMU standard academic criteria for admission to taught postgraduate programmes (see below). Students with PGCE in the previous five years are able to enter the programme with advanced standing (likewise others with relevant postgraduate qualifications, with the agreement of the Award Tutor and Programme Leader); exceptions apply for certain (mostly PSRB) awards, as below.

As the Programme focus is (continuing) professional development, applicants will also have current or recent relevant practice experience in (and/or be in a role relevant to) the award area for which they have applied. For many applicants and awards this experience will be in an educational setting (e.g. in a school) but relevant experience may also be in a social welfare/care, community, youth, or health setting (and as appropriate for the award), and this list is not exhaustive.

In addition, certain awards in the PDP confer professional accreditation e.g. Community Development and Youth Work: Leadership and Practice; SpLD awards, PgCert NASENCo and have additional admissions criteria.

AWARD AREA/NAME ACADEMIC REQUIRE-

MENTS

CURRENT/ RECENT ROLE OR

EXPERIENCE

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

EAS APL

MA Arts and Humanities in Education

STANDARD YES Y Y

MA Autism Spectrum Conditions

STANDARD YES Y Y

MA Education STANDARD YES Y Y

MA Educational Leadership

STANDARD YES Y Y

MA Early Childhood Studies

STANDARD YES Y Y

MA Coaching and Mentoring

STANDARD YES Y Y

PgDip/MA Community Development and Youth Work: Leadership and Practice

STANDARD YES -Minimum of one year’s relevant experience (or equivalent part-time) in youth/community settings -Understanding of the issues faced by young

N N

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people/communities, including the impact of inequalities. -All applicants are interviewed for ‘professional suitability’ (NYA) -All applicants are required to undergo DBS clearance.

MA Bilingualism, Education and Society

STANDARD YES Y Y

MSc STEM Education STANDARD YES Y Y

MA Language Education

STANDARD YES Y Y

MA Leadership in Early Years

STANDARD YES Y Y

MA Teaching Computer Science

STANDARD YES Y Y

MA Teaching and Learning

STANDARD YES Y Y

PgCert Education (School Centred Initial Teacher Training)

STANDARD YES SCITT students only. N N

PgCert Early Years Education

Normally a 2:1 or equivalent of UK undergrad degree; alternatively a degree and extensive practice experience

YES Commissioning organisations are normally involved in selection of students; certificates are always provided to MMU

N N

MA Inclusive Education and SEN

STANDARD YES Y Y

PgCert Teaching Advanced Mathematics

STANDARD YES -Opportunity to teach A level mathematics, complete TAM course

N N

PgCert/PGDip/MA Specific Learning Difficulties

STANDARD YES -Direct access to SPLD settings (for supervised practice/observations)

N APCL (Certificated) only

PgCert The National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordination

STANDARD YES -QTS or QTLS

N APCL (Certificated) only

MA Disability Studies STANDARD YES Y Y

PgCert Assistive Technology

STANDARD YES N N

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MA Professional Development and Enquiry

STANDARD YES Y Y

MA Professional Education and Training

STANDARD YES Y Y

PgCert Health and Medical Education

STANDARD YES Y Y

MA Educational Inequalities and Social Justice

STANDARD YES Y Y

MA International Education, Development and Democracy

STANDARD YES Y Y

MA Policy Studies in Education

STANDARD YES Y Y

MMU STANDARD ADMISSIONS CRITERIA FOR TAUGHT POSTGRADUATE PROGRAMMES:

for the Taught Master’s Programmes (MA, MSc)

You should have an honours degree or a PGDip or a professional qualification recognised as being equivalent to a UK honours degree. Other qualifications or experience may be acceptable if they demonstrate appropriate knowledge and skills to a UK honours degree standard.

for the PGDip Programmes(PgDip)

You should have a degree or other qualification at an equivalent level. A lower level qualification together with appropriate experience (from which you have developed the skills, aptitude and knowledge to succeed on a course), or exceptionally, substantial appropriate experience alone, may be acceptable.

English-language requirements (see website)

NB Minimum admission points for entry to the University are reviewed on an annual basis. For entry requirements refer to the current University on-line prospectus

39 Programme Specific Management Arrangements

General Overall PGPDP is led by the Programmes Leader in the PDEI Department. The Programmes Leader is supported by a small core team for programme-level (and groups of awards) management tasks and roles. Award Tutors are student-facing roles and have responsibility for specific awards within the programme. Each offsite/closed school (or other organisation) based delivery has a named tutor for coordination purposes.

Professional, Regulatory & Statutory Bodies

The relevant Award Tutor (with the Programmes Leader) has overall management and

http://www2.mmu.ac.uk/study/

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responsibility for liaison with PSRBs (Academy of Medical Educators, British Dyslexia Association, National Youth Agency, NASEN)

Collaborative Partnerships Management arrangements are consistent with the University’s Management of Programme Delivery Requirements. Link Tutors are allocated for each collaborative partnership (currently Ace Centre North and for NASENCo provision) in line with the role descriptor developed by CPO. Specific arrangements for the NASENCo award are in Appendix 2. Whilst the Programmes Leader is responsible for programme delivery, the Head of Partnerships in PDEI oversees all formal collaborative partnership arrangements in the Faculty.

Offsite delivery The Head of Partnerships is responsible overall for any other ‘partnerships’ (that fall short of formal collaborative partnership) but where various agreements may need to be in place (e.g. Memorandum of Understanding, Service Level Agreement); the Programmes Leader is responsible for programme delivery.

Employer Reference Group The PgDip/MA Community Development and Youth Work: Practice and Leadership has an Employer Reference Group (required by the NYA) that meets twice a year, to inform programme development. It is made up of youth and community work stakeholders (employers, students and alumni, award team staff).

PGPDP Board of Studies The programme Board of Studies is held three times/year and open to any student (and tutors). The Board has been developed in recognition that our students are stakeholders (and frequently with leadership roles and expertise in practice). The Board is an open forum within which issues relating to education/teacher CPD and higher education/PGPDP can be raised and discussed. The Board can also act as a consultative body for the programme, for forward thinking and planning. Normally, students cannot attend Programme Committee meetings (held during the day) so items from the Board of Studies (which meets in the evenings) are brought forward to the Programme Committee where there is a specific agenda item for this, and as appropriate. NB: see guidance on University’s Management of Programme Delivery

40 Staff Responsibilities

Award Tutors Award Tutors are in place for each award bringing subject specialist/award expertise to ensure

coherent and coordinated delivery of the award, for the student experience. Award Leaders are

academically and professionally knowledgeable in the award area as well as being student-facing,

concerned with the student experience. They provide personalised academic support, advice and

guidance in the award area, to meet the requirements of the personal tutor role. see: The MMU

Strategy for Learning, Teaching and Assessment - Principle 4

Award tutors normally play a substantive part in teaching on the award/units, help implement

programme level requirements in the delivery of the award, provide award-specific information for

the programme (and other tutors/unit leaders in the award area where applicable), ‘champion’

http://www.mmu.ac.uk/academic/casqe/regulations/docs/programme-management.pdf

http://www.celt.mmu.ac.uk/personal_tutoring/index.php

http://www.celt.mmu.ac.uk/ltastrategy/standards4.php


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their award area in discussions on the development of the overall Programme, and engage in

recruitment activities.

Apart from any additional management roles within the programme, award tutors:

1. Provide proactive academic advice/guidance to students in relation to the award and students’ routes through it (e.g. options) and provide relevant student information to others e.g. programmes office;

2. Advise on exceptional factors, suspensions, assessment regulations etc. and signpost to other university support/guidance as appropriate;

3. Communicate/ensure necessary adjustments/arrangements are in place for/with students with PLPs;

4. Identify/provide a sample of work on award units for the relevant External Examiner; participate in discussion with External Examiners about the award, Examiner feedback, and our responses;

5. Respond to applicant enquiries about the award; 6. Encourage informal and formal feedback from, and ongoing dialogue with, students and

stakeholders; 7. Participate in wider discussions on programme development including from the

perspective of the award, students, and its academic coherence, and articulate, adapt and implement delivery arrangements in the light of overall programme considerations and developments.

For specific staff roles and responsibilities for the PGCert The National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordination collaborative partnership arrangements please see Appendix 2 for details. For the PGDip/MA Youth and Community Work there is a dedicated Placement Coordinator (academic) with programmes office administrative assistance for placements. NB: the University’s Management of programme Delivery is available from the CASQE website

41 Programme Specific Academic Student Support

Generic academic student support is provided to all students in line with the guidance outlined in the University’s Student Handbook. The Collaborative Partner Student Handbook is available from the CASQE website

Programme Specific Support See above – the role of the Award Tutor. The academic support of students on the PGPDP takes a structured and proactive approach in line with institutional requirements for personal tutoring and the annually updated programme Personal Tutoring Plan (Appendix 3).

42 Programme Specific Student Evaluation

The Programme complies with current institutional evaluation guidance. NB University guidance on Evaluation of Student Opinion is available from the CASQE website


http://www.mmu.ac.uk/students/

http://www.mmu.ac.uk/academic/casqe/collaborative/docs/CP_Student_Handbook.pdf

http://www.mmu.ac.uk/academic/casqe/experience/voice/docs/evaluation_of_opinion.pdf

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Programme Specific Evaluation The Programme will comply with current institutional evaluation and related CMI policies and processes. MMU postgraduate students are invited to participate in the MMU Internal Student Survey (ISS) twice a year. The Programme Committee is supplemented and enhanced by a Student Board of Studies that is open to all students and meets three times a year. Ongoing evaluation takes place in unit award groups informally/on an ongoing basis to help shape the programme forward. Communications with students on the programme and the scope of evaluations are commensurate with the principle that our postgraduate students are aspiring, and actual, collaborative professionals in their own right. The focus is on ongoing dialogue within award groups, and with individuals. The NYA Annual Monitoring Report (of all validated, professionally qualifying programmes) collates a range of monitoring information across course providers; this is a public document and a useful source of information about issues and trends arising across providers nationally.

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____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ CASQE Page 50 of 73 Programme Specification

SECTION F – MAPPINGMAP I

RELATIONSHIP TO SUBJECT BENCHMARK STATEMENT(S) QAA Masters degree aims: Masters Diplomas Certificate

enabling students to focus on a particular aspect of a broader subject area in which they have prior knowledge or experience through previous study or employment

enabling students to focus on a particular subject area or field of study in greater depth than they encountered during the course of previous study or experience.

enabling students to develop knowledge of a new discipline or field of study in combination with a relevant subject area in which they have prior knowledge or experience

enabling students to undertake a research project on a topic within the area of interest that makes up the majority of the overall assessment

enabling students to learn how to conduct research, often linked to a particular discipline or field of study

enabling students to specialise or to become more highly specialised in an area of employment or practice related to a particular profession

QAA Masters’ degree characteristics of graduates:

have in-depth knowledge and understanding of their discipline and/or profession, informed by current practice, scholarship and research, including a critical awareness of current issues and developments in the subject and/or profession

have an ability to complete a research project in the subject, which may include a critical review of existing literature or other scholarly outputs

be able to apply research to professional situations, both practical and theoretical, and the ability to use a range of techniques and research methods applicable to their professional activities

able to use initiative and take responsibility

able to solve problems in creative and innovative ways

able to make decisions in challenging situations

able to continue to learn independently and to develop professionally

able to communicate effectively, with colleagues and a wider audience, in a variety of media

prepared to enter a variety of types of employment or to continue academic study

possess the skills and experience necessary for the particular profession or area of practice

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MAP II ASSESSMENT /OUTCOMES MAP Map guide: GO = MMU Graduate Learning Outcomes (Section 23) PLO – Programme Learning Outcomes (Section 26) – add more lines as appropriate

insert as appropriate

Level 7 Mapping the Territory

Specialist (Supported) Project: [each award area]

Shaping the Future Research and Practice Dissertation

Assessment 1 (Reflective essay 100%)

Assessment 1 (Structured assignment 80%)

Assessment 2 (Presentation 20%)


Assessment 1 (Assignment 60%)

Assessment 2 (Research proposal 40%)

Assessment 1 (Thesis 100%)

GO 1

GO 2

GO 3

GO 4

GO 5

GO 6

GO 7

PLO 1

PLO 2

PLO 3

PLO 4

PLO 5

PLO 6

PLO 7

PLO 8

PLO 9

PLO 10

PLO 11

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Level 7 Assistive Technology to

Support Communication and Learning

Access and Control of Technology for Communication and Learning

Augmentative and Alternative Communication

Recording Information Using Assistive Technology

Community Development and Youth Work Placement: Practice Credit Unit

Assessment 1 (Written assignment 100%)




Assessment 1 (Portfolio 100%)

GO 1

GO 2

GO 3

GO 4

GO 5

GO 6

GO 7

PLO 1

PLO 2

PLO 3

PLO 4

PLO 5

PLO 6

PLO 7

PLO 8

PLO 9

PLO 10

PLO 11

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Level 7 NASENCo: Professional

Knowledge and Understanding

NASENCo: Leading and Coordinating Provision

NASENCo: Practice Credit Unit

Global Principles and Local Action in Early Years Education

Teaching in Early Education




Assessment 1 (Presentation 30%)


Assessment 1 (Reflective journal 60%)

Assessment 2 (Written essay 40%)

GO 1

GO 2

GO 3

GO 4

GO 5

GO 6

GO 7

PLO 1

PLO 2

PLO 3

PLO 4

PLO 5

PLO 6

PLO 7

PLO 8

PLO 9

PLO 10

PLO 11

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Level 7 SpLD: Nature, Assessment

and Intervention SpLD: Intervention and the Practice of Teaching

Support for Learning: Management of SpLD

SpLD: Legal issues and Consultancy

Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) Extension





Assessment 1 (Essay 100%)

GO 1

GO 2

GO 3

GO 4

GO 5

GO 6

GO 7

PLO 1

PLO 2

PLO 3

PLO 4

PLO 5

PLO 6

PLO 7

PLO 8

PLO 9

PLO 10

PLO 11

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Level 7 Accreditation of Prior

Experiential Learning (APEL) 30

Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) 60

Assessment 1 (Structured assignment 100%) 3 or more of PLO 1-8

Assessment 1 (Structured assignment 100%) 5 or more of PLO 1-8

GO 1

GO 2

GO 3

GO 4

GO 5

GO 6

GO 7

PLO 1

PLO 2

PLO 3

PLO 4

PLO 5

PLO 6

PLO 7

PLO 8

PLO 9

PLO 10

PLO 11

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_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ CASQE Page 56 of 73 Programme Specification

SECTION G – POINTS OF REFERENCE

Internal

University Policy documents:

University Mission and Strategic Aims Programme Approval, Review and Modification Procedures outlined on the Centre for

Academic Standards & Quality Enhancement website

Relevant University Assessment Regulations for Programmes of Study - Postgraduate

University Curriculum Framework (Postgraduate)

MMU Strategy for Learning, Teaching and Assessment

Institutional Code of Practice for the Assessment of Students

University Standards Descriptors

University’s Equality and Diversity policy

University guidance on collaborative provision

University Academic Ethics Framework

Student Engagement Policy

Programme Handbooks

Management of Programme Delivery

Policy for Accreditation of Prior Learning

ICP for Placement and Work-based Learning

ICP for Collaborative Provision

Recruitment and Admissions Policy

Programme Specific Information:

Previous Programme Review Report (27 April 2010)

Staff Research

Departmental Professional/Industrial Advisory Committees

Staff/Student Liaison Committees

External

QAA Subject Benchmark statement

QAA Framework for HE Qualifications

QAA Quality Code

PSRB visit reports

PSRB requirements

External Examiner reports

http://www.mmu.ac.uk/about/corporate-strategy/

http://www.mmu.ac.uk/academic/casqe/event/

http://www.mmu.ac.uk/academic/casqe/event/


http://www.mmu.ac.uk/academic/casqe/regulations/curriculum-frameworks.php

http://www.celt.mmu.ac.uk/ltastrategy/index.php

http://www.mmu.ac.uk/academic/casqe/regulations/docs/assessment_icp.pdf

http://www.mmu.ac.uk/academic/casqe/regulations/docs/assessment_procedures.pdf

http://www.mmu.ac.uk/academic/casqe/collaborative/index.php

http://www2.mmu.ac.uk/rke/ethics-forms/

http://www.mmu.ac.uk/academic/casqe/regulations/docs/student_engagement_policy.pdf

http://www.mmu.ac.uk/academic/casqe/regulations/docs/prog_handbooks.pdf


http://www.mmu.ac.uk/academic/casqe/regulations/docs/APL_policy.pdf

http://www.mmu.ac.uk/academic/casqe/regulations/docs/placement_icp.pdf

http://www.mmu.ac.uk/academic/casqe/collaborative/docs/collab_icp.pdf

http://www.mmu.ac.uk/academic/casqe/regulations/docs/admissions_policy.pdf

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SECTION H Approved Modifications to Programme Specification since Approval/Last Review The following log provides a cumulative of minor and major modifications made to the Programme Specification since its approval/last review.

FAQSC Reference (or PARM ref for Major Modifications requiring strategic approval)

Programme Specification Title (specify award titles/routes affected by change)

Brief Outline of Minor Modification/ Major Modification (Minor - include level & title of units & a brief description of modification) (Major - include details of change such as new routes, pathways etc)

Date of FAQSC Approval (or PARM event)

Approval effective from:

Details of cohort of students who will be affected by the modification (eg students entering Level 5 wef September 2014 onward)

Postgraduate Clarification of APL arrangements for the SpLD and SENCO awards

Reported to FAQSC 06 December 2016

September 2016

PGCert Teaching Advanced Mathematics

Error in Section 28 - programme structure. Option unit Research and Practice 22KRESPR, occurrence 9, 2, 30 credits, was missing. Amended to include this unit.

27 March 2017 Immediate Reporting only

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______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ CASQE Page 58 of 73 Programme Specification

Appendix 1

PGPDP: CURRICULUM DESIGN Most awards in the programme sit in a core integrated curriculum spine (below); separate

(stand-alone) award structures are over.

Unit

(Focus of unit, including contribution to research learning/RKE)

Credits

Enhancements/additions (as appropriate to award)

APL/APEL

Mapping the Territory: critical concepts and issues

(contexts, concepts and perspectives for developing

understanding, criticality; the selection and use of

theoretical/conceptual lenses for own practice context)

30

Postgraduate

‘sessions’

(proposed as a tailored/dedicated

programme of monthly evening sessions – to be

podcast or streamed live – at

which staff/doctoral students will

present completed or ongoing

practice-related research and KE projects; this will

be open to all students and all

RKE/closed or off-site group

partners/students). To be developed

Professional

requirements for specific

awards ( youth and community

work placements:

Practice Credit Unit)

APL/APEL

Specialist (supported) Project: [named award area]

(development of specialist/expert knowledge in

award/practice area and for developing use of

knowledge/data/evidence)

30

Exit award PGCert

(or final

award where

named)

APL/APEL

Shaping the Future (complications, dilemmas and interventions for innovations,

reframing, reworking re-visioning/change for own

award area/practice context)

30

Research and Practice (research questions, design and

methodologies for generating new practice knowledge)

30 Exit

award PGDip

(or final

award where

named)

Dissertation[named award area]

60

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Separate awards (outside the integrated curriculum spine):

PGCERT The National Award for Special Educational Needs

Coordination (jointly delivered award)

PGCERT EARLY YEARS EDUCATION

(Corona Schools Trust, Nigeria; other commissioning organisations)

PGCERT ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY

(external validation)

PGCERT/DIP SPLD

National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordination: Professional

Knowledge and Understanding (30)

Global Principles and Local Action in Early Years

Education (30)

Unit 1 (30) SPLD Unit 1 (Nature…)

National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordination: Leading and

Coordinating Provision (30)

Teaching in Early Years (30)

3 option units (30) SPLD Unit 2 (Intervention..)

NASENCo Practice Credit Unit

SPLD Unit 3 (Support for Learners..)

SPLD Unit 4

(Legal Issues and Consultancy…)

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Appendix 2 Management and roles PgCert The National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordination collaborative partnerships.

PGCert The National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordination Organisational Structure for PG Cert The National Award for SENCo

Student Representation & Student Voice

Stakeholder Group Link Tutor and LA reps

Manage the day to day running of the programme (meets 4 times per

year)

Receives student evaluation Tutor evaluation

Updating and sharing of best practice

Contribute to award annual review Feedback to Students

Steering Group Faculty Leads

Oversee and lead strategic developments

(meets 4 times per year and as needed)

Fee setting Review delivery model and partner

relationships Receive Award Annual review

Programme Committee Post Graduate Professional Development Programme

Receives Award Coordinator/Link Tutor report Programme Leader includes in Programme CMI

Updates to Programmes and University regulations etc Feedback to Stakeholder group via Link Tutor

PgCert NASENCo

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ROLES AND RESPONSIBILIITES

Partner Stakeholder Group – representatives from each Partner organisation

MMU Link Tutor Responsibilities

Attendance at MMU for participation in Stakeholder Group Meetings for purposes of Briefing, Planning, Evaluation and Quality Assurance.

Planning and coordination of Stakeholder Group Meetings for purposes of Briefing, Planning, Evaluation and Quality Assurance and the Programme Leader for QA as part of CMI process

Planning, delivery and evaluation of course Units in accordance with the requirements of MMU Framework for the National Award for SEN Coordination.

Managing all aspects of assessment for quality assurance purposes, including participating in the delivery of each Unit of Study by briefing Course Members on assessment requirements.

Providing additional mentoring and tutorial support to course members, in relation to school-based tasks and assignment completion in particular.

Providing guidance on mentoring and tutorial support for Course Members, in relation to school-based tasks and assignment completion in particular.

Liaising with the MMU team throughout the lifetime of the programme to ensure effective organisation and high quality delivery of the National Award for SEN Coordination.

Leading on the planning and organising an MMU Conference for SENCos; this forms an essential element of the programme

Assisting in the provision of accurate data on the progress of course members for audit and assessment purposes.

Liaising with LA Coordinators to ensure effective organisation and high quality delivery of the National Award for SEN Coordination; including : material updates, sharing of best practice etc.

Reviews Student Evaluation and contributes to CMI processes

Providing LA Coordinators with access to MMU Virtual Learning Environment and library facilities (subject to compliance with MMU’s relevant policies and procedures).

Making arrangements for marking of assignments by appropriately qualified staff paid at a standard rate.

Steering Group MMU Link Tutor Award Tutors Award Coordinator Centre Leader for IESEN Head of Partnerships, PDEI Programmes Leader, PDEI Faculty Accountant Award Administrator

Assessors Employed by MMU as Associates

Overseer of the Award including: horizon scanning and making strategic decision on the running of the award and overall partnership arrangements

Marking of assignments in in accordance with university requirements and within timeframes. Attendance at training and moderation events for assessment

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Appendix 3

Programme Personal Tutoring

Plan

Programme title (Postgraduate) Professional Development Programme (PDP)

Date produced October 2015

Most recent update

Key principles

Context of personal tutoring in the programme

The postgraduate Professional Development Programme (PDP) is a complex and flexible suite of Masters-level awards with over 1000 enrolled students (2015/16), including:

98% part-time students normally in full-time demanding professional roles in education and adjacent occupational areas

20 validated final awards and 125 validated units (30% ‘active’)

More than 15 ‘partnership’/offsite groups, mostly in schools, following named awards or individual Masters units

Incorporating professional accreditation from the BDA (via SPLD awards) and NASEN (PGCert NASENCO)

2 full-time Masters awards in IESEN and ELM attracting mostly international students

A Cheshire campus separate offer via CPD Saturdays

An emerging international offer delivered overseas incorporating blended learning

In-year starts at January, and sometimes in April, with large numbers of students following routes thrugh that are outside standard academic year ‘progressions’

The Programme is currently in review and 2016 will bring substantive changes. Personal tutoring developments and improvements are an integral part of programme review processes. Having run in dispersed/disparate ways, the development of basic programme-level infrastructure is a priority and progressing. The PDP CIP 2014-15 identified the management of progression as a key programme issue. One aspect of this is the availability of accurate and meaningful data via CMI (where some incremental improvements at Faculty level have been achieved via coding changes), alongside the development of administrative (and admission/APCL) systems to support progression (and accreditation). The other key strand in the management of progression in the programme is the provision, and quality, of academic advice and guidance to students. It is this latter which forms the basis of the PDP personal tutoring system key aim. Our discussions with students, and research in the area (eg Mellors-Bourne et al, 2014), indicates that part-time postgraduate students

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with demanding work (and other) commitments have particular information, support, and academic guidance needs. These needs differ in key ways from, for example, our full-time international students. Likewise, support and guidance needs can be further sub-divided (are particular) for different constituencies within the part-time body of students, such as:

Students studying in partnership/offsite groups

NQTs

Students following professionally accredited programmes of study

Those who have been out of higher education for a considerable period of time (but who, nonetheless, might be in senior professional roles and/or highly experienced practitioners).

The overall aim of our personal tutor system is therefore to provide tailored and appropriate academic advice, guidance and support to our diverse constituencies of postgraduate students, to support professional/academic scholarship and attainment at Masters level, and to enable individualised, appropriate progression routes through, and across, programme awards. A supplementary aim is to ensure that personal tutoring is embedded in our new postgraduate offer for 2016, via programme review processes. It should be noted that whilst academic advice and support needs can be considerable (and particular) for our part-time postgraduates (98% of our students), their time can be extremely limited, and also limited to outside standard work hours, and they often travel from some distance too. As part of programme review, and in the first instance, it is intended to integrate personal tutoring (the provision of academic advice, guidance and support) within overall programme pedagogy/delivery, as integral to identified award roles, and as a joint venture/ jointly owned by staff and students .

A structured approach to consideration of a student’s progression

There are seven key and structured elements integrated into PDP organisation and pedagogy/delivery and that support our personal tutoring system, many of these are new arrangements for 2015-16 following identification of key issues in 2014-15 as part of CIP and CMI processes:

Designated programme roles For the first time, allocation of a specific resource to support personal tutoring is in place for 2015-16 (full and part-time awards). For 2015-16 each award has a named Award Tutor who is primarily student-facing and who oversees/ executes the personal tutor role (role descriptor at Appendix A). For partnership/offsite groups a named organising tutor is

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identified, who is the personal tutor.

Pre-course advice and information Research (eg Mellors-Bourne et al 2014) and experience indicates that simply being able to contact/communicate with, and receive, personalised advice and guidance from a named award-specific tutor is one of the most important factors for part-time postgraduate choices. Part of our personal tutoring system, then, begins with a strong commitment to attendance at, and advice to, individuals at Postgraduate Fairs and for individual enquirers, many of whom have individual and particular advice/guidance needs as they consider an application and/or how they might engage with the programme. Routes through/progression planning is often already considerable at this stage because of the particular demands on part-time/in-work professionals and as they seek to ‘juggle in’ Masters study. In addition, the primary locus of learning for our p/t students is the students practice setting and discussion and debate about possible areas of study that might be pursued is vital academic/professional support at an early, often pre-course, stage. As part of Faculty website redevelopment, a contact/award tutor will be named for every award, and we are seeking to make significant improvements in website information, tailored to known postgraduate information needs. For partnership/offsite groups it is the responsibility of the organising tutor to provide pre-course information and advice; a template is being developed for unit outlines for partnership/offsite groups that incorporates standardised information to support academic advice processes and progression.

Induction and allocation to Award Tutors Dedicated programme/award inductions establish student-award tutor links and continue discussions, advice and guidance (group and individual) as outlined above. Most awards have manageable numbers of students (10-20) to make these discussions meaningful

Progression planning This has already been put in train in previous stages. A progression tool is currently under discussion to support individualised progression planning (item at Programme Committee, October 2015, item at student Board of Studies December 2015); one key issue is the extent to which we can enable students to take ownership of their own progression planning. If adopted, the progression tool remains ‘on the table’ for discussion/variations between Award Tutor and student.

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It is anticipated the progression tool might be particularly helpful in supporting progression from partnership/offsite groups.

Peer to peer support This is an enhancement to personal tutoring programme systems. Throughout the programme, the pedagogies adopted encourage peer to peer support via, for example, programme-wide events that support networking, and the sharing and dissemination (with student permissions) of assignment work. There will be a dedicated publications space on moodle for uploading the best assignments across award areas.

Regular review For full-time students there will be three timetabled tutorial slots between October and May. Part-time student arrangements need to be negotiated, because of the varying constraints on student time and more limited attendance patterns. Normally, tutorial time will be integrated within (or either side of) taught session times, and/or conducted via email or phone.

Dissertation The allocated dissertation supervisor is the primary point of contact (advice and support) at final stage of Masters courses. Where this is not the Award Tutor, liaison arrangements must be clarified and promoted.

Student and staff engagement

The progression tool (if adopted), or equivalent, enables the recording of planning outcomes. It is anticipated that the student will hold their own progression plan.

Staffing and Workload Award Tutors are normally those fulfilling the personal tutor role (and in larger awards they oversee this) for named PDP award students. There are budget challenges for PDP as 1000 part-time (0.33fte) students to provide personal tutoring for does not mean only a third of the resource Is required – there are still 1000 actual students. A small leeway is made in resource allocation to allow for this but the resource generated still leaves very little leeway and is arguably not adequate for the tutoring needs of our p/t postgraduates. The allocation for Award Tutors is less than one hour/student. This is why the use of small groupwork is crucial to delivery of the plan, as is early (pre-course), tailored information and advice (as explained above), effective signposting to other sources of support, enabling students to play a full role and, likewise, integration of academic advice into programme/unit delivery. Award Tutors charged with delivery of personal tutoring all

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bring subject expertise in the award areas, and generally teach significant and substantive parts of the award so have regular contact with students. There is currently no specific resource identified to support personal tutoring for partnership/offsite groups and this is under discussion. Programme review plans for PDP include an integrated curriculum design which, with associated budget and deployment planning is hoped will allow for greater opportunities for dedicated tutorial support; in addition, the new postgraduate offer allows for faster progression through awards so will generate more resource to play with (students will be 0.5fte rather than 0.33fte).

Timetabling See above. Timetabling for teaching for the bulk of PDP takes place outside standard working days.

There is a partnership approach with students - enabling them to meet their own particular needs

For part-time postgraduate PDP students for whom the locus of learning is their own practice environment, a partnership approach is crucial, and to enable students to use the structures and input of the course to identify and develop their own learning trajectory in an informed way, and for progression through. It is intended that the (proposed) progression tool will be held by students. Our part-time postgraduates are generally extremely light users of the university. However, PDP staff have increasingly worked closely with Student Support to identify additional academic support needs and to provide tailored (eg carefully timetabled) support; in 2014-15 Student Support noted increased use of their academic support services by PDP students. Likewise, PDP has worked closely with the library and they have provided tailored induction and other sessions focused on the particular needs (almost wholly offsite usage) of our taught p/t postgraduates. Award Tutors work closely with students with PLPs to ensure appropriate adjustments/arrangements can be implemented productively. Programme administrative staff are well-used and consistently responsive to our p/t postgraduates, and understand some of the challenges inherent. One of the biggest concerns of PDP students concerns a whole host of practical/organisational arrangements for study – enrolment, IT, finance, exceptional factors systems all feature prominently in informal feedback, and regularly show up on ISS results (albeit with low overall response rates). When these systems go wrong they can cause serious frustrations for PDP students (many of whom are also key stakeholders by virtue of their often senior roles in education). These issues disproportionately occupy academic staff/Award Tutors in PDP and sometimes there is a lack of understanding exhibited eg requests to call in during working hours which is generally impossible for PDP students.

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Recording As above via the proposed progression tool which (if adopted) may be further developed.

Evaluation framework

Measures of success:

Improvements in reported student feedback (via ISS, Student Board of Studies, informally)

Progression arrangements published in unit outlines/at the outset for each partnership/offsite group

A reduction in progression troubleshooting by programme administrative, programme management, and Award Tutor staff

Reports at Programme Committee from Student Support, Library

Adoption, successful implementation and further development of progression tool

Professional development Ongoing discussion via Programme Review. Sharing of good practice in Programme Development Days Continued development of programme infrastructure eg handbook information, continued focus on data improvements with Management Services/CMI.

Scope of annual review of personal tutoring

Annual review of personal tutoring at Programme Committee to provide a narrative linked to the unfolding/developing objectives in this personal tutoring plan, and as PDP progresses Programme Review and for the 2016 new offer.

Action Plan (delete/add rows as appropriate)

Task What needs to be done Date due Who is responsible?

Planning: Agree overall PDP personal tutoring plan, and key purpose

Item at Programme Committee Item at Student Board of Studies

October 2015 December 2015

Programme Committee Student Board of Studies

Programme roles: Implement Award Tutor roles

Dissemination of role descriptor to new Award Tutors

Previously discussed/disseminated; circulate to new Award Tutors Oct 2015

(Prog Lead and)All Award Tutors

Organisation and resource: Identify tutoring role/resource for each partnership/offsite delivery group

Discussion with Head of Partnerships PDEI, and in SMT in PDEI

October 2015 HoD (for identification of resource); Prog Lead and Head of Partnerships

Provision of advice and guidance: high quality academic

Website information and redevelopments tailored to known postgraduate advice

November 2015 (f/t progs) (in line with prog review timetables)

Programme Leader/Award Tutors

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advice from initial contact point, and specific tutor contact details included

and support needs Full attendance at Postgraduate Fairs

Jan 2016 (p/t progs) (in line with prog review timetables) Throughout year

Identified attending staff

Provision of advice and guidance: Information to partnership/offsite groups

Provision/Development of unit template with standardised progression information included

October 2015 and cotinuing

Prog Lead

Supporting progression: consider/adopt progression tool to support PDP student progressions/tutorial processes

Item at Prog Committee Item at Student Board of Studies

October 2015 December 2015

Prog Award Area Leader (MH)/Award Tutors

Supporting academic achievement: Development of ‘publications space’ on moodle for dissemination of student work

Moodle set up; student permissions; uploading

December 2015 Programme Award Area Leaders

Orientation and integration of academic advice and guidance

All awards (and partnership/offsite groups) to identify own academic advice/guidance inputs and discussions and to implement individualised progression tool (if adopted)

Throughout the year Programme Award Tutors

Resources: consideration of resource implications particularly for p/t PDP awards and students

Review and advice. Deployment for 2016.

October 2015 (and March 2016 for new academic year)

HoD/Associate HoD

Programme Review: embed personal tutoring in to the new programme offer for 2015 and align with prog approaches and objectives

Ongoing consideration via prog review processes; make visible in PARM documentation

November 2015 (f/t); January 2016 (p/t).

Prog Leader/Programme Award Area Leaders/Award Tutors

Annual Review Review at summer Development Day

July 2016 Prog Lead/Programme

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Award Area Leaders/Award Tutors

Reference

Mellors-Bourne, R., Hooley, T. and Marriott, J. (2014) Understanding how people choose to pursue

taught postgraduate study. Report to HEFCE by Careers Research and Advisory Service and the

International Centre for Guidance Studies. London: HEFCE.

Appendix A

PROGRAMME AWARD TUTORS [first discussed/disseminated at Development Day July 2015]

Award tutors are designated against each award (and must also be identified for each offsite group),

bringing subject specialist/award expertise to ensure coherent and coordinated delivery of the

award, for the student experience. Award tutors are academically and professionally

knowledgeable in the award area and are primarily student-facing. They ensure that personalised

academic support, advice and guidance is in place in the award area

(http://www.celt.mmu.ac.uk/personal_tutoring/index.php), (coordinating with others on larger

awards) and to meet the threshold requirements of the personal tutor role. See:


http://www.celt.mmu.ac.uk/personal_tutoring/docs/MMU%20Personal%20Tutoring%20Protocol.pd

f

Award tutors normally play a substantive part in teaching on the award/units, help implement

programme level requirements in the delivery of the award, provide award-specific information for

the programme (and other tutors/unit leaders in the award area where applicable), and ‘champion’

their award area in discussions on the development of the overall Programme.

Specifically, award tutors:

8. Provide proactive academic advice/guidance to students in relation to the award and

students’ routes through it (eg APEL, options); provide relevant progression and other

student information to others eg programmes office, Award Area Leaders;

9. Advise on exceptional factors, suspensions, assessment regs etc. and signpost to other

university support/guidance as appropriate;

10. Communicate/ensure necessary adjustments/arrangements are in place for/with

students with PLPs;

11. Identify/provide a sample of work on award units for the relevant External Examiner;

participate in discussion with External Examiners about the award, Examiner feedback,

and our responses;

12. Respond to applicant enquiries about the award;

13. Encourage informal and formal feedback from, and ongoing dialogue with, students and

stakeholders

http://www.celt.mmu.ac.uk/personal_tutoring/index.php


http://www.celt.mmu.ac.uk/personal_tutoring/docs/MMU%20Personal%20Tutoring%20Protocol.pdf

http://www.celt.mmu.ac.uk/personal_tutoring/docs/MMU%20Personal%20Tutoring%20Protocol.pdf

PARM1.4


14. Participate in wider discussions on programme development including from the

perspective of their award, students, and its academic coherence, and articulate, adapt

and implement delivery arrangements in the light of overall programme considerations

and developments.