INITIAL PROGRAMME PROPOSAL FORM
for new programme proposals and major restructuring of existing programmes
1. Qualification and programme title (max 60 characters including spaces): [Click here and type]
The programme title should be descriptive of the key subjects covered and approaches used, whilst appealing to prospective students.
2. Start date(s): [Click here and type]
Taught programmes normally have one annual intake in September. Proposals for undergraduate programmes will normally be submitted at least 24
months before the start date; proposals for postgraduate programmes will normally be submitted at least 12 months before the start date.
3. Sponsoring Faculty, Division and/or School(s): [Click here and type]
List the Faculty, the Division and/or the School which will have complete or partial responsibility for the organisation, delivery or assessment of the
programme. Indicate the Lead Division with an asterisk.
4. Lead for Programme Development: [Click here and type]
Identify the person with overall responsibility for the development of the programme and list the staff expected to have a significant involvement in the
proposed programme before and after validation.
5. Rationale for developing the programme
a) How does the proposal relate to agreed SGUL, Faculty and Divisional/Centre plans and strategies?
[Click here and type]
b) What student groups are being targeted and what evidence exists of demand for the programme? (Please contact the
Head of Widening Participation & Student Recruitment at an early stage to discuss the target market and potential student
numbers – see appendix ‘Market Research and Evidence of Demand’.)
[Click here and type]
c) What career and/or further learning opportunities is it realistically intended the programme would offer?
[Click here and type]
d) Is it intended that the programme will be accredited by, or meet the requirements of a professional body?
[Click here and type]
6. Overall educational aims of the programme
What will the programme aim to do?
[Click here and type]
Programme aims provide a general context for the learning outcomes (see Section 7) and are normally limited to a few key points. They might include what
is most distinctive about the programme in terms of the way in which students will learn, the types of graduate it will seek to develop (e.g. career and
further learning opportunities), how it compares to programmes offered elsewhere, and its relationship to the discipline and any relevant external
contexts.
7. Main learning outcomes of the programme
What will students who successfully complete the programme know, understand or be able to do?
[Click here and type]
Learning outcomes are specific, realistic and summatively assessed. They describe in more detail how students’ successful completion of the programme
will lead to the programme aims being met. Learning outcomes should be consistent with the descriptors in the Framework for Higher Education
Qualifications, and in the case of undergraduate programmes, referenced to the relevant subject benchmark statement(s). All students must have the
opportunity to achieve the learning outcomes of the programme, regardless of the options or pathway they choose.
8. Notional learning hours: [Click here and type]
9. Contact hours: [Click here and type]
Indicate the estimated total learning time (teaching, assessment and private
study) taken by the average student to achieve the learning outcomes of the
programme. This will normally be 1200 notional learning hours per year of
full-time undergraduate study, and 1800 notional learning hours per year of
full-time postgraduate study.
The balance between time spent on teaching contact, assessment and
private study is a matter of academic judgement and will vary between
disciplines, and undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.
10. Entry routes and requirements: [Click here and type]
Indicate the standard entry requirements for the programme, including proficiency in English language and, where relevant, work experience. For
undergraduate programmes indicate the combinations of grades and subjects which will be required, with tariff equivalents. Explain how students will
apply, if not though UCAS or the Registry.
11. Programme structure and organisation
What is the duration of the programme?
Full-time:
[Click here and type]
Part-time:
[Click here and type]
Distance-learning or e learning:
[Click here and type]
12: Student numbers
1st year of operation
2nd year of operation
3rd year of operation
Home or EU students:
[Click here and type]
[Click here and type]
[Click here and type]
Overseas students:
[Click here and type]
[Click here and type]
[Click here and type]
Provide a realistic estimate of new admissions during the first three years of operation. Differentiate between full- and part-time if appropriate.
13. Funding sources: [Click here and type]
List any sources of funding in addition to HEFCE.
14. Resources
a) How will the Faculty, Division, Centre and/or School put in place staff to develop, teach, assess and administer the
programme? Will additional staff, and/or staff development activities be required?
[Click here and type]
b) What learning resources (library, computing and web-based materials) and/or specialist equipment will be required, and
how will they be provided?
[Click here and type]
c) Where will students be taught and assessed? Can space requirements be met within the existing estate, taking into
account any timetabling constraints? Will any modifications to the estate be required? The Director of Academic
Administration (Undergraduate) will normally be consulted regarding the availability of teaching accommodation.
[Click here and type]
d) Where students are expected to spend time undertaking clinical placements, how will the placements be supervised and
how the costs of supervision be met?
[Click here and type]
e) What are the other types of expenditure arising from the programme (e.g. publicity or field trips), and how will these be
funded? If students are required to undertake project work, do the resources exist to provide adequate supervision?
[Click here and type]
15. Collaborative arrangements
a) Provide names and contact information for any organisations outside SGUL which would be involved in the organisation,
delivery or assessment of the programme.
[Click here and type]
b) Describe the nature and extent (as a percentage of the programme) of each partner’s intended involvement.
[Click here and type]
c) Provide a brief rationale for the proposed collaboration, which should take into account each partner’s size, sphere of
influence, range of activities, standing among professionals in the field and existing links with SGUL and other bodies.
[Click here and type]
Collaborative programmes are subject to additional scrutiny during validation and are regulated by institutional contracts. No department or individual
may enter into a formal understanding or agreement with an external partner in regard to an accredited programme without the prior approval of SPARC.
By signing below, heads of in the sponsoring faculty/division/centre/school certify that they have agreed to the above
proposal and that members of the Programme Team will be available to participate fully in the programme validation
process.
Signature:
Name:
Faculty/Division/School:
Date:
Signature:
Name:
Faculty/Division/School:
Date:
By signing below, the Chair of the Monitoring Committee confirms that s/he has been consulted about the programme. In
signing, the Chair is not confirming Monitoring Committee approval of the programme.
Signature
Name
Monitoring Committee
Date of final SPARC approval:
[Click here and type] To be completed by Susan Trubshaw
Completed forms should be submitted to Susan Trubshaw (GLAS) (strubsha@sgul.ac.uk; ext. 0585). In the event of any query about how to complete this
form, please contact the Governance Legal and Assurance Services Office.
After Approval in Principle has been granted by SPARC, copies of this form will be sent to the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Secretary and Academic Registrar
Director of Finance
Director of Strategic Planning
Dean for education
Secretary to the Validation Panel (usually the Validation Manager or the Deputy Head of Governance, Legal and
Assurance Services)
Head of Widening Participation & Student Recruitment
Head of Information Services
The Secretary and Academic Registrar will ensure that all relevant support departments – library, computer services, media
and communications – are aware that approval in principle for the development of a new programme has been approved.
This is the means by which the programme will appear in the prospectus and on the website.
The Director of Finance will advise on and in due course sign off the budget for the programme.
The Associate Dean for e learning will nominate an e learning specialist to work with the programme team during the
programme development stage to help the team make use of appropriate learning technologies.
The Secretary to the Validation Panel will advise on the validation process and agree a date for the validation event.
Head of Widening Participation & Student Recruitment will advise on the development of an effective marketing strategy (see
appendix).
R:\Quality Assurance\Quality Manual\2013 Version\Section A Validation procedure\Appendix A2 - Initial proposal form Sept 2013.doc
Appendix
Market Research and Evidence of Demand
New/revised Course Proposals
This document is designed as a DIY market research tool for staff wishing to propose a new course or to revise an
existing course. By following these steps, you will be able to identify the likely level of demand for your course as
well as highlight the Unique Selling Points (USPs) that will facilitate the effective and efficient recruitment of
students. For contract-funded programmes (i.e. programmes that have been commissioned as a means of
providing education and training for a pool of potential students that have already been identified), further
market research may not be needed.
There are eight sections to this process. Once you have completed the first seven sections, you should discuss the
proposed course with the Head of Student Recruitment (Eoin Lally) who will help you review the submission.
Martha will help you complete the final (eighth) section.
Section 1
Target audiences
Knowing your target audience is crucial in identifying unique selling points and in pedagogical design. List your
main target audiences here (e.g. school leavers, healthcare professionals, graduates, those without traditional
qualifications (such as A levels), mature students, other)
Where is the target audience most concentrated (e.g. schools, colleges, hospitals)?
Is there a specific geographical target area?
Would the course be open to International students?
(For UG courses ) How might the proposed course support the SGUL commitment to widening participation?
Section 2
Competition
Knowing the competition will give you an indication of how popular the subject area is as well as help you to
identify what makes your proposed course unique. Search the UCAS website, look at competitors’ websites, look
at the websites of key professional bodies, order prospectuses - list the HEIs and their unique selling points (USPs)
here:
HEIs
USPs
Would there be any internal competition?
(are students applying for the proposed course also likely to apply for an existing course?)
Section 3
Mystery Shopping
It is advisable to complete this section with at least three different competing institutions.
Ring HEIs and pretend to be a prospective student or parent. How many places do they offer on the course and
what is the level of competition for those places?
How long has the course been running and what do students like about the course?
How many places do they offer, and, if applicable, do they go through clearing?
Section 4
Evidence of student demand
Think about contacting careers advisors, school teachers and school pupils. Consider running focus groups with
potential students. If your target audience is not school leavers, then consider how you will contact them to find
out their views about the proposed course. What evidence is there of a course of this type being in demand?
Is there any evidence of market trends indicating likely changes in demand for your proposed course?
It is advisable to provide evidence of market testing.
Section 5
Professional, Regulatory and Statutory Bodies (PSRBs)
If the programme is intended to provide entry to a profession, contact the PSRB to discuss the proposed course
and list them here:
It is advisable to provide a written statement of support and/or endorsement where possible.
Section 6
Employer links
List the potential links to business and/or employers here:
What are the employment prospects for graduates? If the programme is aimed at those who already in
employment, will the programme enhance the career prospects of graduate?
It is advisable to provide published information demonstrating that graduates of your proposed course and
required by employers.
Section 7
Unique Selling Points (USPs)
List the four key points that make your proposed course different from the competition and demonstrate how
these are of benefit to potential students:
USP
Benefit to students
1
2
3
4
Section 8
Marketing of the course
Contact the Student Recruitment Unit to discuss the proposed course and to consider ways of reaching your target
audience. If approved, the Student Recruitment Unit will be able to develop a bespoke marketing and recruitment
plan for your new course.