Handbook for Students on Courses Franchised by the University of Warwick
This handbook introduces you to the University of Warwick and outlines some
procedures you should be aware of.
Table of Contents
Page
Introduction to the University of Warwick
2
What is a “Franchised” course?
2
The University’s Commitment and the Role of the
Partner Institution
3
University Processes for Students on Collaborative Courses
3
Enrolment
3
Fees
4
University Cards and Library Access
4
Temporary Withdrawals and Extensions
4
Completion of Study
5
Staff-Student Liaison Committees (SSLCs)
5
Student Academic Complaints Procedure
6
Student Academic Appeals Procedure
7
Welcome!
Welcome to the University of Warwick! Although you are studying a course taught at
another institution, it is a course leading to a qualification of the University of
Warwick, so on behalf of the University, I would like to welcome you. You may not
come into contact with Warwick or its staff at all during your course, or you may visit
our campus in Coventry. Some of your modules may be taught by Warwick staff,
most are not. Most of your day-to-day contact will be with your home institution, and
they will be able to provide you with the information you need to make the most of
your course. However, whatever the arrangements for your course, the University of
Warwick pays close attention to the quality of the teaching and learning on it – and
you will hopefully end up with a University of Warwick award at the end of it, because
we are happy that the standards on your course match up to ours.
I hope you enjoy your course, and learn a lot from it!
Dr David Lamburn
Chair, Collaborative, Flexible and Distributed Learning Sub-Committee
University of Warwick
1.
Introduction to the University of Warwick
The University of Warwick, which is situated on the southern outskirts of
Coventry, was established in 1965 and, in the succeeding 40 years, has
become one of the most successful universities in the country, highly rated for
both research and teaching quality. The University has links with many local,
national and international industries which have helped to earn it a reputation
as an entrepreneurial institution. It has 26 academic departments in four
faculties; Arts, Medicine, Science, and Social Studies, with over 20,000
students following degree, diploma and certificate courses, and a further
8,000 people studying on Open Studies courses. Around 20% of our students
are international students. The campus offers many amenities including
Warwick Arts Centre, the largest arts centre outside London, a well-stocked
bookshop and a recently refurbished sports centre. Further information about
the University can be found on its website at www.warwick.ac.uk
The purpose of this Handbook is to clarify the nature of your relationship with
the University, your rights, and the services to which you are entitled.
2.
What is a “Franchised” Course?
The course you are following is a “Franchised” course. This means that the
University has deemed that another institution, your home institution, has the
appropriate staff expertise and resources to teach a course designed by the
University, and which the University would otherwise offer on its own campus.
The validation process involves close scrutiny by the University of your
institution and the facilities available to you. A University Course Coordinator
is appointed to liaise with the partner institution, a franchise group consisting
of members of staff from the University and from the partner institution is
formed to oversee the course, act as its Board of Examiners and produce an
Annual Course Review report, and the University formally appoints the
course’s External Examiner.
2
As a student enrolled on a franchised course, you are a full member of the
University of Warwick and are eligible to receive University cards, and to use
all the University’s facilities, including the Library and Sports Centre, in
addition to enjoying access to the facilities of your home institution.
3.
The University’s Commitment and the Role of the Partner Institution
Your home institution should provide you with a student handbook or other
documentation setting out:






The intended aims and learning outcomes of your course
Information on any admissions requirements, including relevant work
experience
Information on assessment methods
Information on fees
Information on guidance and support services available to you at your
home institution
Details of student feedback mechanisms, the operation of the StaffStudent Liaison Committee or equivalent, and the complaint procedures
relevant to your course.
The key role of University staff is to ensure that the academic standards of
your course are, and continue to be, of the highest possible level, and that
they justify the conferral of a University award.
4.
University Processes for Students on Franchised Courses
At the University of Warwick, responsibility for dealing with the student
administration for franchised undergraduate courses rests with the
appropriate academic department. The Graduate School oversees all matters
relating to postgraduate courses. Responsibility for monitoring the quality and
standards of all University of Warwick courses, including collaborative
courses, lies with the Teaching Quality team. You should not normally need to
contact any of these offices yourself but should you encounter a problem
which can only be dealt with by the University and your institution is unable to
assist you, please contact the University Course Coordinator in the first
instance.
5.
Enrolment
In order for you to be enrolled as a student with the University of Warwick, the
University’s Academic Office needs you to complete an enrolment form with
all the relevant academic and personal details relating to your course of study.
For most students this means completing an online enrolment form. We will
provide you with full details to enable you to do this, and we will ask you to
complete and submit the form within a certain time.
The data you provide enables the University to keep track of you throughout
your academic career and to ensure that you are correctly issued with a
certificate and transcript upon successful completion of your course. For
these reasons it is helpful if you inform your home institution of any changes
in your name or address so that these details can be passed on to the
University’s Academic Office via the University Course Coordinator. You may
also send such information directly to the University Course Coordinator if you
3
are concerned that the University’s records may not have been updated. As
the registration form makes clear, data about you will be held on computer on
the University’s central student record system in accordance with the Data
Protection Act 1998.
6.
Fees
Fee arrangements for franchised programmes are different for each
programme and you are advised to contact your home institution in the first
instance should you have any concerns about your situation. If you are
eligible for a grant and need assistance from the University in this area please
contact the Student Funding Team in the Academic Office
(studentfunding@warwick.ac.uk, tel. (024) 7652 2788).
7.
University Cards and Library Access
As a student on a franchised course you are eligible to receive a University
card which entitles you to access the University’s Library, IT facilities and
Sports Centre for the duration of your course of study, excluding any periods
of temporary withdrawal. Cards can only be issued after your enrolment
details are entered on the University’s student record system. It is normally
the case that partner institutions will arrange for cards to be issued to each
new cohort of students either as a part of a visit by the cohort to the University
or by having the cards sent to the institution itself. Replacement cards cost
£15 each and may be obtained by sending your name, address and card
number in writing to:
Academic Office
University House
University of Warwick
Coventry CV4 8UW
8.
Temporary Withdrawals and Extensions
If you are enrolled on a course of study but are unable to do any academic
work for a significant period of time you may be able to temporarily withdraw
from your course for up to a year. All requests for temporary withdrawal must
be made to the University via your home institution as soon as it becomes
apparent that you will be/are unable to continue with your academic work.
Your case for temporary withdrawal should be supported by evidence
indicating why this is necessary, e.g. medical certificates. If your temporary
withdrawal is granted on medical grounds, you will be asked to provide the
University with adequate medical certification of your fitness to return to your
course of study six weeks before you are due to restart. This will be forwarded
confidentially for approval of certification by the University’s Occupational
Health Physician.
If you expect to reach the end of your enrolment period without having
completed the course, you may be able to request an extension of up to six
months. All extension requests must be made to the University via your home
institution and should be supported by evidence indicating why you are
unable to complete on time. Where reasons include medical problems, a
doctor’s certificate is normally required.
4
Please note that students should have good grounds for requesting temporary
withdrawal and extensions, and that the University does not generally grant
more than two extensions at the end of a student’s period of enrolment. If you
wish to speak to someone at the University about a withdrawal or an
extension, you can contact the Undergraduate Student Records team in the
Academic Office (ugoffice@warwick.ac.uk, tel: 024 7652 4335).
9.
Completion of Study
When you successfully complete your course of study you will be eligible to
receive a certificate and transcript from the University of Warwick.
If you are following a course leading to a degree at either undergraduate or
postgraduate level, you will be presented with your certificate during your
graduation ceremony. If this applies to you the University’s Degree
Congregation Team will contact you to invite you to attend one of the
graduation ceremonies that take place in January and July each year. Your
home institution may arrange their own presentation ceremony for students
completing certificate or diploma courses, and will contact you directly if this is
the case. The University’s Centre for Lifelong Learning also has an annual
awards ceremony; if you are eligible to attend this, the Centre will contact you
directly. In all other cases your certificate will normally be sent to you by post.
For this reason it is important that the University has your up-to-date address.
Your certificate will bear the University name, crest, and the title and
classification (where relevant) of your award. It will be signed by the
University’s Vice-Chancellor and Registrar. You will also receive a transcript
that will detail the marks that you were awarded on each of the modules
followed during your course, which will normally be sent to you by post within
three months of receipt of your certificate. You may request additional
transcripts from the University’s Academic Office for a fee of £25 for up to 10
transcripts.
10.
Staff-Student Liaison Committees
It is expected that all students enrolled on Warwick courses will have the
opportunity to be involved in a Staff-Student Liaison Committee (SSLC) or
equivalent. SSLCs provide a forum for staff and students to discuss issues
relating to a course, a department or centre. They are important to the
University and Students’ Union because they provide a unique forum for staff
and students to discuss new ideas and solve problems. Issues that arise will
vary from year to year, but the following broad themes should be addressed
at least once each year:






Curriculum and teaching
Assessment and examination
Library
Computing and e-Learning issues
Careers and skills development issues
Student support and guidance
The University has set out the following Principles to underpin SSLC
arrangements at the University of Warwick and in partner institutions:
5
(a)
Staff-Student Liaison Committees constitute an important formal
channel through which the views of students on academic matters may
be communicated. Discussion should focus on teaching, learning and
student support issues. An SSLC should be informed of any major
changes to the curriculum and syllabus. The Staff-Student Liaison
Committee shall not consider matters relating to individual named
member of staff or a student’s personal grievances.
(b)
The Chair of the SSLC should be a student representative; the Chair in
collaboration with the Academic Convenor is responsible for establishing
an agenda for meetings.
(c)
SSLCs should meet regularly; no less than four times a year.
Divergence from this practice should only occur when justification in
terms of the structure and delivery of the course may be provided and
alternate arrangements for on-going feedback from students are
demonstrably in place.
(d)
Departments should report back to SSLCs on action being taken as a
result of feedback. This includes disseminating information obtained
from student feedback, discussing issues raised by the feedback and
publicising the action resulting from student feedback. It is important that
a positive culture exists in which the department makes explicit its
commitment to listening to and responding to students’ views. Students
in turn have a responsibility to treat the process seriously and
thoughtfully.
(e)
The SSLC system constitutes the mechanism for evaluating student
feedback and for identifying trends across courses offered by the
University. Progress on issues identified throughout the year and in
previous years should be summarised in an Annual Report and
considered by the appropriate Board/Committee and the University’s
SSLC Coordinators.
Your SSLC is not the appropriate forum for raising personal grievances or
complaints that involve specific named members of staff or students.
Discussions of matters of this nature are often highly subjective and emotive
and require alternative channels of communication. Problems that concern
another individual should be directed to a Personal Tutor or other member of
staff at your home institution or, at Warwick, the Head of Department, the
University Senior Tutor, Students’ Union Advice and Welfare Service or the
Students’ Union Education Officer.
More information about SSLCs and the SSLC Handbook can be found at
www.warwick.ac.uk/go/sslc
11.
Student Academic Complaints Procedure
Students of the University registered on franchised courses should raise any
complaints about any aspect of the teaching and learning process or the
provision made by the University to support that process, using the
University’s Academic Complaints Procedure, which you can find at
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/academicoffice/feedback/complain/. In the first
instance you should raise the complaint in writing with the person responsible
for the action which has given rise to the complaint, and if this does not lead
6
to a satisfactory outcome you should raise the complaint with either the
Course Coordinator at your home institution or the Course Coordinator in the
appropriate department at the University.
If the complaint remains unresolved, you may be able to take it further
through the independent student complaints scheme run by the Office of the
Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (OIA). Further information is
available from your Students’ Union, or from the OIA website at
www.oiahe.org.uk
12.
Student Academic Appeals Procedure
If the Board of Examiners requires you to withdraw from your course of study
prior to the final-year examination, you may in most cases appeal against this
decision to the Appeals Committee of the relevant University Faculty Board, if
you are in possession of evidence which was not available to the Board of
Examiners when its decision was reached. Appeals will not be considered
where both the Chair of the Board of Examiners and the Chair of the Appeals
Committee consider that no such relevant evidence has been produced.
Appeals must be submitted within ten days of the publication of the
examination results. Further details are given in the relevant section of the
University Calendar.
Where a final-year Board of Examiners awards a particular degree
classification (including Pass degree), or decides not to award you a
qualification (with no further right of resit), you may appeal against the Board’s
decision within ten days of its publication or notification to a preliminary review
panel, on the grounds that:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
You are in possession of evidence relevant to your examination
performance which was not available to the Board of Examiners when
its decision was reached and you can provide good reason for not
having made the Board of Examiners aware of this evidence; or
There appear to have been procedural irregularities in the conduct of
the examination process; or
There appears to be evidence of prejudice or bias on the part of one or
more of the examiners.
You may only make representations on the grounds set out above and may
not use this procedure to dispute the academic judgement of a Board of
Examiners. Appeals will not be considered where the preliminary review
panel considers that the evidence provided by you does not constitute
grounds for appeal. Further details are given in the University Calendar,
Regulations Governing Appeals Relating to Decisions of Final-year
undergraduate Board of Examiners, which may be found at
www.warwick.ac.uk/insite/info/gov/calendar or obtained in hard copy from the
Communications Office, University of Warwick.
7