Course Structure Process Guidance 2016
Document title:
Course Structure Process Guidance 2016
Responsible division within Academic Registry:
Registry Systems Development and Support (previously known as AMI)
Document is intended for:
Administrative staff working on Course Structures for the 2016 Academic Year.
The latest version of this document is always to be found at:
http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/services/academicregistry/academicmanagementinformatio
ndivision/RSSA/StudentRecords/CourseandUnitInformation/CourseStructures/
If you have any queries regarding this document, contact coursestructures@port.ac.uk
Current versions of all documentation must be used – please visit the Directory of Documentation
for the correct version of the Unit Descriptor
http://www.port.ac.uk/accesstoinformation/policies/#U
and the Course Structure Update Record
http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/services/academicregistry/academicmanagementinformati
ondivision/RSSA/CourseandUnitInformation/CourseStructures/
Please contact your Faculty Validation Officer for confirmation of deadlines for submission of
final Course Structures to Faculty.
1. Run report 001 Course Structure (workbook: REP_SR.CURR Course Details) from Discoverer
for each course. You should run the reports for the current academic session.
Please note that we have made some column layout changes to the report. The ‘Semester’
column is now situated next to the ‘Type’ column and the ‘Short Name’ is now situated next
to the ‘Unit’ column.
2. Export report 001 Course Structure to excel. This report has an additional column at the end
which is to be used to annotate changes that are to be made to the units on the structure
(as per the guidance from page 2 in this document). Once the report has been printed or
saved to a designated area it must be sent to the Course Leader.
The following guidance should be used to format your document in order to maintain
consistency across all departments:
 After exporting save the Course Structure as type ‘Excel Workbook’ (and NOT as a
‘Microsoft Excel 5.0/95 workbook’ as this does not carry the up-to-date colour fonts
and will not support the colour coding for amendments)
 Hi-light and delete rows 1 and 2
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Insert 4 new rows
Cut and paste the headings so they appear underneath one another:
Ac Year:
Faculty:
Dept:
Course Code:
Course Name:
Hi-light the entire workbook by clicking in the box at the top left corner (to the left of
the A column and above row 1)
In the ‘Cells’ area of the Excel menu bar at the top, click on ‘Format’ and ‘AutoFit
Column width’.
This will also expand column A (because of the course name) – drag it back to the
‘Year’ column.
See the Course Structure Example sheet on our webpages:
http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/services/academicregistry/academicmanagementin
formationdivision/RSSA/CourseandUnitInformation/CourseStructures/
3. Course Leaders may make changes on paper first, however all changes must be entered into
the Amendments Column on the course structure report 001 that has been exported to
excel.
Please also check the Final Project note at this point.
4. In the Amendments column you must indicate the type of amendment and the actual
change, e.g. “change Mode from Optional to Core’. If a unit is to be withdrawn from the
Course Structure and completely closed, please indicate this in the amendments column.
Please do not add any changes to Unit Coordinator as this is not relevant to the course
structure updates process and should be actioned via the UMA process later in the year.
The following changes must be clearly indicated in the amendments column:
-
A new or existing unit is to be added to the Course Structure
A unit is changing from/to optional, core or DL Additional
There is a change to the Teaching block the unit is delivered in
A unit’s department is to be changed
A unit is to be removed from the Course Structure
A unit is to be removed/closed
A unit is to be suspended
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These changes must be highlighted on the report using the colour coding as shown below:
Type of Change
Add New Unit
Notes
Unit Descriptor must be sent through with the
Course Structure
Add Existing Unit
Change of Delivery Mode (e.g. Optional,
Core)
Change of Teaching Block (e.g. TB1, YR)
Change of Owning Department
Remove Unit
Remove and Close Unit
This includes DL Additional units (for Distance
Learning students only – please contact your
RSSA if you believe this may apply to your
courses and would like more information and
further guidance)
Run Discoverer report REP_SR.CURR Unit
Details, Links to Courses (240) to check all
course links. If a unit is being closed, it must be
noted as being removed and closed on all
relevant Course Structures it is attached to.
Suspend Unit for 2016
5. If a unit is to be added to the course structure then a line needs to be inserted into the
spreadsheet and the relevant details completed. In the Amendments column for these units
the annotation should read “add”. This is the case for either a brand new or already existing
unit. If this is a brand new unit, the Word version of the Unit Descriptor from the Unit
Coordinator (not the descriptor from Student Records) MUST be included with the Course
Structure and the unit created in the Unit Database.
Please be reminded that if the name, FHEQ Level or credits of a unit is to be changed, then a
new unit will need to be created.
If there are tutorial units to be added for timetabling purposes only, then these need to be
added as a new unit to the relevant Course Structure. A unit descriptor is not required, but
it must be clear the unit is for timetabling purposes only. The unit should be drafted in the
Unit Database with the following information completed: Unit Code, Unit Title, Owning
Department, Standard Campus Delivery Mode, 0 Credit Points, and FHEQ Level.
For all new units, a new unit code is to be obtained from the Registry Support Systems
Analyst (RSSA) by emailing the following email address: coursestructures@port.ac.uk
Please ensure the short code of the owning department is in the subject of the email (e.g,
‘ENG New Unit Request’) including the unit title (in capital letters) in the body of the email.
PLEASE NOTE:
In a change of process, since 2015 we no longer utilise the Courses area of the Unit
Database, so you do not have to create new versions of any units where the only change is
to the Courses area. You only need to enter the Unit Database to create brand new units.
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6. Once all changes have been annotated, colour coded on the spreadsheet and the Course
Structure Update Record signed by both the Course Leader and Head of
Department/School, send all documentation to the Faculty/Department authority to check
for quality purposes. Once checked, the Course Structure Update Record should be signed
by them, and all documents are to be sent to the relevant RSSA in Academic Registry
(Hippodrome House) for input on the Student Record System.
If there are no changes to a Course Structure for 2016-17, please return the relevant
form unchanged with the signed Course Structure Update Record. These Course Structures
must still be checked and signed off.
7. RSSAs will make the changes as per the annotated report. Once all changes have been
made, the Course Structure Update Record will be signed off and returned to the
Faculty/Department authority.
8. The Faculty/Department authority should run a new course structure report from
Discoverer and send this to the Course Leader. If the Course Leader has access to Discoverer
Desktop then they will be able to run the report themselves, in which case the
Faculty/Department authority will just need to let them know that the course structure has
been updated.
9. The Course Leader needs to check the updated course structure and then sign off the
Course Structure Update Record once satisfied that all the changes have been made. The
Course Leader then needs to notify the Faculty/Department authority that the update is
complete. They in turn will advise the RSSAs that the Course Structures are correct.
10. Please note that the RSSA team requires notification once Course Structures have been
signed off along with a copy of the fully signed off Course Structure Update Record.
11. The FINAL version of the course structure will be uploaded to EDM by the RSSA team, once
the Course Structure Update Record is received.
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