University of Essex
Course Approval – Part 1
Application for Part 1 Approval for a New Course for Publicity Purposes
This form will be considered by the Faculty Executive Dean in consultation with the Deputy Dean,
Faculty Manager, Quality and Academic Development Manager, and Quality and Academic
Development team. Once approval for publicity has granted, the new course may be advertised, and
the route for seeking final full approval will be confirmed.
Offers of admission to a course can be made once Part 1 approval has been granted, but until Part 2
(final approval) has been obtained, students will be made aware that the course is subject to approval.
See the Academic Standards and Quality webpages for more information on these forms and the
course approval process.
Departments should forward the completed form to the Quality and Academic Development team
(Quad@essex.ac.uk) for uploading onto SharePoint, where it will follow the workflow to request
approval from the Executive Dean (via the Faculty Manager and Academic and Quality Development
Manager) and QUAD.
Please answer all questions
SECTION A (FINANCIAL APPROVAL)
1.
Basic Details
Title of course1:
Level of course
(For Foundation degrees please provide
information on the top up year)
JACS code2
Campus(es) to be offered on
Faculty/Graduate School
(Research degrees are located in the
Graduate School)
Administering department:
Key contact person for the new course:
Other departments involved in the course
delivery, including percentage for student
load purposes:
(other than in the form of outside options)
(see Planning Office / Stats and Data / FTE
and load information:
http://www.essex.ac.uk/planning/Statistics/ftel
oad.aspx)
Modes of study3
(F/T, P/T/credit accumulation/distance
learning)
Length of course (months or years):
1
Department
% of teaching
by Dept
Please refer to the Programme Specifications webpages for advice on the title of courses which
include a year abroad or a placement year.
2 Further guidance available from the Planning Office (SPCS)
3 Unless otherwise stated, courses will be approved for both full-time and part-time study.
Proposed date of introduction:
Admissions Requirements:
2.
Course variants include:
Study abroad version: Y/N
Work-based / placement learning year: Y/N
The department currently offers WBL /
placements?
Y/N
Are there established WBL/placement
procedures / policies / handbooks in place?
Y/N
Is the WBL / placement in a curriculum area
which is new to the department?
Y/N
Have you consulted the Points Based
Immigration (PBI) Officer in the Registry
about compliance with Tier 4 immigration
regulations? (please include details)
Y/N
Rationale and Market
Before filling in this section you are advised to contact Communications and External Relations
(email: intelligence@essex.ac.uk) to request a market research report and/or the International
Office about demand for the course and possible competitors.
2a: Course Finder Entry and Key words: Please provide the proposed text for the Course Finder
and identify up to 10 key search words for UCAS/University Course Finder
2b: Please provide a brief outline of the reasons for introducing the course and any observations
about possible demand (You may wish to include reference to employer needs and/or
professional requirements). Please attach the market research report if completed.
3.
Resources
The purpose of this section is to determine resource implications of the new course.
All new courses have resource implications and your Faculty Accountant will help identify costs
and advise on any bids which may need to be made for additional funding. The proposer should
contact the Faculty Accountant, who will provide a costing report for consideration by the
Executive Dean.
Please note that any new staff posts identified in this section must be formally applied for via the
“Request to Recruit” process at the point the post is required. Executive Dean Part 1 approval is
of the business case and represents “in principle” approval only.
Income
Please indicate in the table below what you expect to be the net increase in student numbers as a
result of introducing this course during its first four years of operation. (Please give new student
registrations only – do not include expected student progression numbers.)
Year 1
Home/EU
Overseas
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Should premium fees be charged?
Yes/No
Expenditure
3a: If the new course is based on existing provision and requires no new resources e.g. no
additional classes, library resources or facilities, please tick here and proceed to Section B.
The course is based entirely on existing provision and no new resources required
3b: Please complete the table below with details of all new modules required for this course.
(Please expand table as required)
Module title
NQF
Level
Credits
Status
(core/
comp/
opt)
Contact hours
Lectures
Classes
Labs
Unique
to this
Other
course?
3c: Do you anticipate needing any additional non staff resources for existing modules as a result
of running the new course, e.g. additional classes, labs, etc? If so, please give details
below:
3d: Are you planning to discontinue any courses/modules in order to free up teaching resources
for the new course (compensating resource savings)? If so, please list discontinued
courses/modules below together with date of withdrawal:
3e: Please complete the table below with details of any new staff (teaching or support services
e.g. lecturer, part-time teacher, GTA/D, admin, technician,) required to be able to deliver the
course: (please expand table as required)
Job Title
3f:
FTE
Start-date
Grade or estimated salary
(in case of part-time teacher)
Please give details of any start-up costs below (e.g. labs, equipment)
3g: Please complete the table below with details of any ongoing non-staff costs required to be
able to deliver the course: (please expand table as required)
Year
Recurrent costs to the
Department e.g. library,
equipment maintenance,
consumables, CRB checks,
field trips etc.
Non-standard teaching
requirements
1
2
3
4
SECTION B (ACADEMIC APPROVAL)
Please note: Section A approval is required before the proposal can be considered by the
Dean.
1.
Course Structure and Content
Please provide a brief outline of the structure, academic content and coherence of the course
Where similar courses exist either within the department’s current portfolio or at other Universities
you may wish to identify in what way this course is distinctive. Please indicate if the course will
involve modules largely delivered on a distance learning basis. Please indicate the way in which
other departments are involved, where relevant
(minimum 100 words)
2.
Other Considerations
Teaching Staff:
Where compulsory/core courses rely on the
expertise of a single member of staff please
describe your contingency plans to cover staff
study leave/illness.
Are there any elements of the course that
might pose a specific risk to staff, students
or University property (i.e. placements, study
visits, field trips)?
If yes, please give brief details and contact the
University’s Health and Safety Advisory
Service and Finance Section
Is there any particular aspect of this course
that might present any particular difficulties
for students with disabilities?
If yes, please provide details and contact
Student Support
Will students on the course need to
undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service
(DBS) check, either at application stage or
once admitted?
If yes, please provide details and contact the
Systems Administration Office.
SECTION C (SIGNATURES)
A. DEPARTMENTAL APPROVAL
Proposal supported by the relevant Head of Administering Department
Administering Department:
Signed
Date
Proposal supported by the Head of other department(s) contributing to the course
(other than as outside options)
Department:
Signed
Date
B. APPROVAL ROUTE AND NOTES FOR FURTHER AREAS TO CONSIDER
Comments from Quality and Academic Development team (QUAD)
Format of Part 2 Final Approval:
(delete as necessary)
Category 1: Executive Dean
Category 2: AQSC via Faculty Education Committee
Category 3: AQSC via Validation Panel
Comments to be addressed during the approval process:
Signed
Date
C. FINAL APPROVAL FOR PUBLICITY PURPOSES
Consideration by the Faculty Executive Dean
Part 1 approved by the Executive Dean:
Part 1 not approved
Comments:
(include any additional areas for consideration during Part 2 final approval, and any conditions attached
to Part 1 approval)
Signed
Date