Appendix 1


UNIVERSITY OF ULSTER


COURSE/SUBJECT HANDBOOK – CONTENTS


The following is the suggested minimum contents for a Course/Subject Handbook. A Handbook should be produced for each course, or undergraduate Honours subject (with appropriate differentiation for Single Honours, Major, Main and Minor strands), although there may be a standard Faculty/School section, and issued to students as part of the induction process.


Style/presentation notes in italics have been provided by Dr B S Rushton, Faculty of Life and Health Sciences and is offered as helpful guidance.

The School
  Welcome by Head of School
  Faculty/School structure chart
  School location and details of School Office including opening hours and staff contact details, including arrangements for outside office hours contact
  Location of School and/or course notice board(s)
  Faculty/School Health and Safety Policy
    In this welcoming introduction reference should be made to the student mix, eg mature students, overseas students, etc.
    Include mini-profiles on student achievement.
    Include a few choice phrases to build their confidence.
    Include photograph of the course director/course team.
    Provide a location map to include public and road transport access, parking arrangements for cars, motorcycles and cycles.
    Provide a site plan to include tutors’ offices, laboratories, library, computer laboratories, etc.
    Special arrangements for students with disability, including identifying rooms with induction loops, access details.
    Include a short guide on how to use the booklet (initial reading, material for later reference).
    Colour code sections for ease of use.
    Include a contents page and/or an index.
The Course/Subject Timetable
  Course/Subject Timetable
  Dates for field trips or any specific attendance requirements
  Attendance monitoring and notification of absence arrangements
    Note: with many students working or caring for others during their studies, it is important that they know of their commitments well in advance.
Course/Subject Management
  Course/Subject Committee List with staff contact details (including student members if applicable) and brief statement of main roles and responsibilities
  Arrangements for Studies Advice
  Arrangements for Staff/Student consultation
  Staff/Student Consultative Committee, if applicable (membership, terms of reference and method by which outcomes will be disseminated).
    Describe communication channels outside classes.
    Location of notice boards, staff and student pigeon holes.
    Describe the use of timetables on staff office doors (if this system operates).
The Course/Subject
  Course/subject strand(s) Aims and Objectives and intended learning outcomes
  Course/subject strand(s) Structure Diagram
  Programme Specification
  Module Information (summary information should be provided as part of this Handbook with detailed module information issued to students at the beginning of each semester/year in the module handout (see Appendix 29)
  Placement Information (if applicable)
    You may need to spell out terms, subject-specific vocabulary, acronyms, etc (eg CA, seminar, open access laboratory).
Teaching, Learning and Assessment
  Brief description of main types of teaching used – lectures, seminars, tutorials, practicals etc
  Brief description of main types of assessment used
  Criteria for assessing and grading coursework
  Arrangements for the submission of coursework and for penalty for late submission
  Regulations
  Guidance on issues relating to cheating and plagiarism
  Guidance on conventions for referencing.
    Describe the likely demands on students (preparing for lectures, taking notes, participating in seminars, making oral presentations, individual and group projects, etc).
    Describe how students will acquire key skills and where these will be found in the curriculum.
    Provide information on assessment (timing, methods, assessment criteria).
    Include the policy on late submission of coursework.
    Include information on procedures for dealing with illness, the submission of evidence of extenuating circumstances, failure, appeals.
    Include a copy of the course regulations. Be very careful about simplifying these as you may introduce ambiguity or even errors. It is better to include the full regulations, even though they are a formidable ‘read’.
  Personal Development Planning
  Provide relevant information.
  Other Course Matters
  Prizes
  Details of any course-specific resources and how and where these can be accessed
  Any charges associated with the course e.g. for materials
  Specific Health and Safety matters if not addressed under Faculty/School Policy
  Books and Equipment
    Advise on which texts will be needed and when.
    Advise on any specialist equipment and when they should purchase it; include any opportunities to purchase materials from faculty staff (eg laboratory coats).
    Do you have arrangements for the sale of second-hand books and equipment?
  Careers:
    Identify career outcomes and moves into further study.
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• Describe how careers advice is incorporated into the course and who is responsible for this.
    Give examples of previous students’ progression (particularly focussing on those entering from different routes).
    Indicate the role of placement/student exchange/study abroad.
     
All Course/Subject Handbooks should include the following statements:
  Disclaimer
Details of the course/subject* are set out in this Handbook. The University will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver the course/subject* in accordance with this description. However the University does not provide education on a commercial basis and is largely dependent on public and charitable funds, which the University has to manage in a way which is efficient and cost-effective, in the context of the provision of a diverse range of programmes to a large number of students. The University therefore reserves the right to make variations in the content or method of delivery or assessment or other changes if such action is reasonably considered necessary by the University in the context of its wider purposes. [The University cannot guarantee complete success in placements being secured for all students.*]
*delete if not applicable.
  Retention of Information
You are advised that you should retain this Handbook and associated module handbooks for future reference. You may be asked to provide documentary evidence of modules taken and their content by potential employers or in connection with an application to undertake further study. The University can provide such details from its records, but will make a charge to cover the costs involved in conducting searches and supplying information.
   

GENERAL ADVICE
STYLE
• The handbook will be the first thing a student will read on joining the University and therefore think carefully about the style in which it is written.
• Use a simple style with relatively short sentences.
• Avoid unnecessary long and specialist words or explain their use.
• Use “you will be expected to …” rather than “students will be expected to …”.

PRESENTATION
• Try to move away from pages and pages of un-remitting text.
• Aspire to an interesting and clear layout with good use of styles of font. Where possible include photographs, tables, etc to break up the text; produce an attractive cover.
• Think about how the handbook will be used – a ring binder may help as it will allow students to add their own material.
• Think about preparing different versions for different year groups. There is evidence that students returning to their final year after placement need special attention.

CHECKING AND REVISION
• Students are good judges of a handbook; ask them for advice on what they want in a handbook.
• What arrangements are made for revision each year?

Remember one important fact – that a handbook forms part of the contract with the student and therefore it is important that the contents are accurate. This applies particularly to regulations and assessment work.