GLOSSARY OF TERMINOLOGY
(in alphabetical order)
Academic Development Plan (ADP) A proposal is approved to go forward for Course Approval
through the process of consulting with the Dean of School, appropriate central services (eg LIS, FM,
Market Intelligence, Finance) and via AQA for consideration by the University Course Planning
Committee for inclusion in the Course Approval schedule. This ensures that the development of
courses proceeds in a planned way and that the University can take account of bids for additional
student numbers in growth areas.
Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) where the University gives credit to students who have prior
experiential or certificated learning.
Accreditation by a Professional or Statutory Body where a University award is also recognised as
fulfilling the requirements for a professional award.
Adopted Module
In designing a new course a University School may adopt a module owned by another University
School. This may also occur when a partner institution designs a course which will be overseen by
the lead University School, but may include modules adopted from another University School.
Modules may only be adopted with written permission of that Dean of the host School. Permission
must be secured prior to Course Approval.
Annual Monitoring
All provision, whether on campus or off-campus is reviewed annually by Course/Subject Teams. The
reports and actions identified from this review informs the Annual Monitoring process, which takes
account of all provision operated by the School on and off campus. A final report on major issues and
action is presented to ASQAC at an annual special meeting. The procedure is described more fully in
the document “Annual Monitoring Process” on the AQA website.
Course
A programme of study, consisting of specified combinations of modules leading to a University Award
and approved title, for example BSc (Hons) Environmental Management. All Courses are assigned
to a University Academic School/Centre (often referred to as the’ host’ or ‘lead’ School/Centre) which
has overall responsibility for quality and standards. The combination of modules in a Course may
include ‘adopted modules’ from a University School other than the ‘host’ or ‘lead’ School. Course
codes are generated by the Student Data Information and Reporting Team in Student & Academic
Support Services.
Course Approval
Course Approval is the University approval process for new courses. If the course has been
approved previously and there is a further proposal for it to run at a partner institution this is called a
Franchise Course Approval. The two processes of Course Approval and Franchise Course
Approval are virtually the same except that in a franchise Course Approval the Course Approval
Panel will not discuss the content of any prior approved modules to be franchised and will wish to
receive outline teaching schedules for franchised modules together with the module descriptors so
that the Course Approval Panel can discuss the delivery and understanding of the module content
with the Course Team.
Course Resource Audit Form
Information on the resources required for delivery of a course and submitted as part of the
documentation for Course Approval.
Credit Recognition is the process by which the University an in-house company course operated by
an industrial partner where anyone satisfactorily completing that course will gain University credit
which can be set against modules leading to a specified award.
Distance learning
The majority of the student's learning activities take place at a distance from the academic institution
(in QAA terms this term has now been officially replaced by flexible and distributed learning – see
below)
ELearn
eLearn was UCLan’s name for the on-line Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). Blackboard is the
name of the software used for eLearn from 2012 onwards. UCLan’s range of online services is now
available under the new name of MyUCLan, which is the University’s online learning and portal
environment.
Flexible and Distributed Learning (formerly Distance Learning)
The majority of the student's learning activities take place at a distance from the academic institution
and includes the following learning methodologies:
Blended learning (also called mixed-mode or hybrid learning)
This is where traditional forms of teaching and learning (i.e., classrooms, books, etc.) are
used in conjunction with e-learning to deliver the full student experience. (Sometimes called
with slight tongue-in-cheek the bricks 'n' clicks approach.)
Distributed learning
Distributed learning is a model in which the instructor, students and content can all be located
in different, noncentralised locations, so learning can occur independent of place and time.
E-learning
The HEFCE e-learning strategy of March 2005 (paragraph 20) describes this is any learning
that uses ICT, as a communications and delivery tool, to support students, or improve the
management of learning. E-learning is basically any use of electronic technologies to deliver
or support teaching and learning. This includes 'online learning' (which some people do use
as synonymous with e-learning), but also includes the use of Powerpoint and data projectors,
or even e-mail and SYD! The University's choice platform for delivering e-learning is
Blackboard. See also E-Learn.
To go beyond these, paragraphs 23&24 (pp. 6&7) in the QAA Code of Practice Section 2 are helpful
in making sense of 'flexible and distributed learning'.
http://www.qaa.ac.uk/Publications/InformationAndGuidance/Pages/Code-of-practice-section-2.aspx
(NB The Academic Infrastructure is being replaced by the UK Quality Code for Higher Education. This
may therefore be superseded by new Quality Code material.)
Franchised Module
A new course designed by a partner college could contain modules franchised from University
Schools. This is particularly useful to provide progression opportunities. These modules may come
from the University School which will assume quality assurance responsibility for the course (the lead
School) or they could be modules adopted from another University School. Franchise of adopted
modules needs the written permission of the Dean of School which owns the modules. Permission
must be secured prior to Course Approval.
Franchising
Franchising is a general term used to describe a situation where a complete course or module
designed and approved by the University is subsequently approved for operation by a partner.
Franchised Course. This is a University designed Course delivered at a partner institution. In a
franchised course most of the modules are likely to be franchised, however the course could contain
some new modules designed by the partner which may need to be validated. Schools generate
codes for new modules. See also Course Approval.
Host School and Lead School
All University courses are allocated to a School for quality assurance purposes normally referred to as
the ‘host’ School. Where a course operates solely at a partner institution, the term ‘lead’ School may
be used for the University School which oversees the quality assurance aspects of the provision.
Market Research
This term is used to cover the process of identifying the student market and how the student market
can be recruited.
Module
A module is a self-contained block of learning with separate aims and defined learning outcomes. All
modules are assigned to University Academic Schools/Centres. (For full description see Academic
Regulation C2). Each module has an alphabetical and numerical code. The alphabetical code
identifies the University School/Centre (the host School/Centre) which is ultimately responsible for
quality and standards. For collaborative provision, some modules are designed by and delivered only
at partner institutions. Where this is the case the alphabetical code is specific to the University
School/Centre and the partner. This system ensures that module results are channelled to the correct
assessment board. Formerly the first digit of the numerical code indicated the academic level at
which the module was delivered and assessed (eg BL1999 indicated level 1/year 1 of an
undergraduate degree). In line with national renaming of levels the level is now indicated in a suffix
eg BL1999 (L4) for first year undergraduates. Module codes are generated by the University
Academic School/Centre.
Module Descriptor
The standard presentation of information on a Module.
Network Provision
This is where a network of providers collaborate to design a course to be delivered across the
network. The course normally includes a common core with specialist options being available at
particular sites. This may result in there being a generic title for the course with the specialism shown
in brackets.
Periodic Course Review (formerly Periodic Evaluation)
This is the process through which courses are presented for review and re-Course Approval on a
cycle of 5/6 years. In the case of overseas provision, courses are normally reviewed and re-validated
on a five yearly cycle.
Programme Specification
The standard presentation of information on a course (or group of cognate courses), including the
intended learning outcomes and the means by which these are achieved and demonstrated.
QAA
The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education is the external body funded by the Government
to assess and report on quality and standards of Higher Education provision operated by UK
institutions in the UK and overseas.
Student Handbook
A course handbook for students, with standard minimum contents as specified in the Course
Developer’s Guide.
Teaching Schedule
This is required for franchised modules to provide information to the Course Approval Panel so that it
can be ascertained whether there is equivalence with delivery at the University so that students
studying the module at a partner institution are able to progress to the University.
URP
University Review Panel. There is a standing URP comprising academic and senior staff drawn from
Schools, Central Services and Partner Institutions. The Chair and internal membership for individual
Course Approval Panels is drawn from the URP and complemented by external advisors and, where
available, a representative from the Student's Union.