COLLEGE OF HUMAN & HEALTH SCIENCES ADMISSIONS POLICY
This policy is congruent with the relevant legislative framework and university policies.
The decision to admit an applicant will be taken on individual merit, demonstrated
through the application process to include:
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Personal statements;
Appropriate references;
Academic potential;
Assessment of prior achievement, whether by reference to academic or
vocational qualifications, or prior experience described more broadly.
The policy relates to applications to all taught programmes within the College of
Human and Health Sciences, with the exception of part time Continuing Personal and
Professional Development (CPPD) awards at all levels. Here admission is
determined by appropriate professional registration (or specified equivalent) and
individual profiling to determine appropriate module options. This will be undertaken
by the relevant Programme Manager according to CPPD award.
All admissions staff/admissions tutors are appraised of University, national and
international developments and strategies in relation to admissions to higher
education. Close liaison between admissions staff and Admissions
Tutors/Programme Leaders ensures consistency and transparency of the admissions
process. Admissions staff co-ordinate admission to all taught programmes. An
annual review of admissions criteria is carried out prior to the start of the admissions
cycle.
Admissions Principles
Admissions processes should be transparent to potential applicants. The provision
of criteria for entry, the processes involved and the application of these processes
are available to all applicants, both home/EU and international. Special criteria for
admissions to each professional programme are identified by the Admissions Tutor
and are included in the application pack.
The selection process includes the following stages;
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Consideration of application forms and supporting documents in order to short
list applicants. Selectors use clearly determined criteria that are applied to all
applications.
Individual interviews are held for many programmes and modules, including
those where it is a requirement of a professional body. Interviewers use predetermined selection criteria to guide the interview.
Alternatively, for some programmes, group interviews may be undertaken.
Group interviews are facilitated using pre-determined criteria.
The processes used in selection are underpinned by the following principles:
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The process is based on fairness, merit and inclusion, seeking to minimise
barriers and provide appropriate support. All applicants however must meet
the minimum entrance requirements.
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Applications are considered on a fair basis regardless of disability or other
protected characteristics, such as age, gender, or race.
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The diverse range of qualifications available is taken into account and
applications are welcomed from those with non-traditional qualifications. The
admissions process will determine whether non-traditional qualifications are
equivalent to those required for entry.
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A student whose first language is not English or Welsh may be required to
obtain a qualification acceptable to the University and/or to a professional
body (eg Nursing and Midwifery Council) which indicates his/her ability to
study through the medium of English and successfully complete the chosen
course.
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For professional programmes, service users may be involved in the interview
process.
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The College seeks to provide equal opportunity for all applicants to
demonstrate their achievements and potential, and endeavours to consider
any obstacles applicants have had to overcome in their studies.
The College seeks to use valid and reliable selection methods to select and admit
students who are considered able to complete the programmes. Some selection
procedures and requirements are designed to ensure compliance with external
regulations and professional requirements.
Enquiries & Advice
Enquiries can be made to the College admissions team who will be able to answer
general queries or will be able to refer the applicant to other staff who are able to
answer more specific queries. Applicants are also encouraged to attend Open Days
and any applicant/interview events, offering the opportunity to meet with academic
staff and familiarise themselves with the College.
Where an applicant’s qualifications do not provide a suitable match for a particular
programme of study, advice will be given on alternatives or possible courses of
action.
Applicants with specific learning or other needs are advised and encouraged to seek
further advice from Student Services within the University.
Feedback to applicants
Written feedback may be provided to an unsuccessful applicant only upon emailed
request. No communications will normally be entered into with anyone other than
the applicant or without the applicant’s consent.
Admission to Professional Programmes
Becoming a professional means more than just acquiring knowledge and skills; it
also involves the requirement to exhibit attitudes and behaviours congruent with
programme policies, legal and ethical frameworks and core professional values and
standards.
Students on a number of programmes may come into close contact with infants,
children, young people and/or vulnerable adults. The University has a duty to ensure
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public protection. Any offer of a place to study on a professional programme of study
at the CHHS is conditional on being deemed fit for practice. If the conduct of a
student enrolled on a professional programme falls below the expected high
professional standards, the University has the right to terminate a student’s
participation on the course.
Fitness for practice covers the following areas:
Students with a Criminal Record
Applicants with criminal convictions are required to declare all convictions, cautions,
warnings, reprimands or civil orders that may appear on a Disclosure and Barring
Service Disclosure (DBS) form.
The CHHS welcomes applications from a wide range of individuals, including those
with criminal records. Swansea University uses the Disclosure and Barring Service
(DBS) to assess applicants’ suitability for professional courses. As such, the CHHS
complies fully with the DBS code of practice, undertakes to treat all applicants fairly
and not to discriminate unfairly against any applicant subject to a DBS disclosure on
the basis of information revealed about the presence of a caution, conviction,
reprimand or warning.
For professional programmes an enhanced disclosure is required. Applicants will be
asked whether they have any convictions, cautions, reprimands or final warnings
which would not be filtered in line with current guidance.
More information about the filtering rules that the DBS apply can be found at;
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/filtering-rules-for-criminal-record-checkcertificates
Having a criminal record will not necessarily bar an applicant from studying with the
CHHS. This will depend on the circumstances and background of an applicant’s
offences. However, the failure to declare a relevant criminal conviction at the time of
application, or before enrolment if the conviction was gained after the application
form was completed, is likely to result in the withdrawal of the offer of a place on the
programme and any enrolment may be regarded as invalid.
Following receipt of the DBS disclosure, a separate meeting will ensure that an open
and measured discussion takes place on the subject of any offences or other matters
that might be of relevance. Failure to reveal information that is directly relevant is
likely to lead to withdrawal of an offer of a place on the course. The College
undertakes to offer to discuss any matter revealed in a disclosure with the applicant
before withdrawing an offer of a place.
Each case is considered individually and with regard to risk, employability and
continuation on the programme at the Fitness to Practice and Professional Suitability
panel and reported to the Pro Vice Chancellor for Student Experience.
More information can be found in;
EITHER
The policy and procedures in respect of disclosure of criminal record(s) for applicants
to Pre-Qualifying professional programmes
OR
The policy and procedures in respect of disclosure of criminal record(s) for applicants
to Social Work programmes.
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Copies of these policies will be made available upon request to the programme
Admissions Tutor
Guidance Notes for Applicants with Criminal Records
Every subject of a DBS Disclosure is made aware of the existence of the DBS code
of practice which may be accessed online at
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dbs-code-of-practice
Students with a Medical Condition
As part of the admissions process, students must declare all medical conditions on
the medical questionnaire, including any mental health or behavioural difficulties or
drug or alcohol problems. Such declarations are made in confidence to the
University Occupational Health service. The Occupational Health service, in
consultation with the CHHS will decide whether the student is fit to study and (where
relevant) fit to undertake practice placements. Students who are employed by
sponsoring Health Boards or Trusts will require confirmation of fitness to participate
in the programme.
Applicants to professional programmes are required to give full details of vaccination
status and should be aware that they are required to comply with any advice offered
by Occupational Health that relates to their desired programme of study and that this
requirement forms a part of any conditional offer. Applicants should also note that
failure to comply with a programme’s vaccination requirements could lead to the
withdrawal of a conditional offer, or may be prevented from attending placements
until vaccination requirements have been met.
For the Midwifery and Paramedic Science programmes, in particular, students MUST
be cleared to participate in Exposure Prone Procedures (EPPs) as all Placement
Learning Opportunities carry the risk of EPPs.
Students with a Disability
The CHHS welcomes students with disabilities. However, students are asked to
declare any disability, including any mental health problems, on the medical
questionnaire so that an assessment can be made of any reasonable adjustments
that may be required to enable the applicant to study or to participate in placement
learning. Applicants with any requirements relating to disability are encouraged and
advised to contact the University’s Disability Office who can provide guidance and
support.
It is the responsibility of an applicant to make the necessary declarations to the
University during the admissions process, as well as to the Occupational Health
doctor. Failure to do so may result in the student not receiving the necessary support
during his/her studies. If there are reasons to believe that the student is not fit for
practice once enrolled onto a module or programme, normal College and University
procedures will come into force.
As with applications to all other courses offered at Swansea University, the
involvement of the Disability Office/Wellbeing Service is formalised at the point the
applicant has accepted a conditional offer. At this stage the Disability
Office/Wellbeing Service will be notified of the offer by Admissions and will contact
individual applicants to discuss the steps required to implement an appropriate
package of support.
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The Equality Act (2010) states;
'In the Act, a person has a disability if:
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they have a physical or mental impairment
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the impairment has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability
to perform normal day-to-day activities
For the purposes of the Act, these words have the following meanings:
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'substantial' means more than minor or trivial
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'long-term' means that the effect of the impairment has lasted or is likely to
last for at least twelve months (there are special rules covering recurring or
fluctuating conditions)
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'normal day-to-day activities' include everyday things like eating, washing,
walking and going shopping
The Equality Act (2010) confers a number of rights for applicants or applicants with
disability. Among these is the right to have their individual needs assessed and for
reasonable adjustments to be put into place to facilitate their learning or wellbeing.
For applicants on professional programmes where placements are a component of
that programme, reasonable adjustments will be made in the placement in
conjunction with the placement provider and as far as is reasonably practicable.
The Equality Act (2010) also confers the right for individuals to choose to decline the
disclosure of a disability. Should this be the case, then it will not be possible for
Swansea University to provide appropriate reasonable adjustment and the individual
has the responsibility to manage his/her disability accordingly. In relation to
placement areas, the individual should be aware that the Health and Safety at Work
Act (1974) takes precedence and the individual is required to disclose any disability
that could have a detrimental effect upon the workplace, upon colleagues in the
workplace or upon patients, clients or others in the workplace.
Swansea University and the CHHS recommend that applicants disclose any disability
for the following reasons;
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Disclosure is a positive, proactive step
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It will allow the offer of specific support for academic studies enabling
students to reach their full potential whilst at Swansea
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It allows access to expert advice and guidance through the Disability
Office/Wellbeing service
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It enables programme staff to work more effectively with the student
The following information may be helpful;
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Students need only disclose once.
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Personal information relating to disability remains confidential and is shared
only with those directly involved in teaching, supervising or supporting
students and only on a ‘need to know’ basis.
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Personal information will not be disclosed for any other purpose without the
individual’s consent, except where there is a legal obligation to do so, or
where exceptional issues of personal safety arise. Information will be
processed and held in the University administration systems and used for the
administration of your academic related support and any other legitimate
University process.
Complaints
The CHHS welcomes feedback from both successful and unsuccessful applicants.
Such feedback is monitored to enable the CHHS to continuously improve the
admissions process.
If an applicant wishes to complain about the way his/her application has been
handled or are unhappy with the processes followed, he/she should refer to the
published Complaints Procedure for guidance. This can be found at:
http://www.swan.ac.uk/admissions/complaintsprocedure/ In the first instance, any
complaint about the admissions process should be addressed to Mr Gareth Davies,
Academic Services Officer, CHHS.
This policy should be considered alongside published admissions and related
procedures, with specific reference to the University Admissions policy which can be
found at: http://www.swan.ac.uk/admissions/admissionspolicy
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Policy / Procedure title:
Date initially approved:
Approving body:
Date this version
approved:
Approving body:
Version:
Previous review dates:
Next review date:
Related Statutes,
Ordinances,
General Regulations:
Related policies:
Admissions Policy
27-11-08
Admissions Committee
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January 2015
The Equality Act 2010
The University’s admissions practices are consistent
with the Quality Assurance Agency Quality Code for
Higher Education Chapter B2 - Recruitment and
Admissions to Higher education. (Draft June 2013)
Policy and Procedure in relation to Fitness To
Practice. Applicants to Pre-Qualifying professional
Programmes or Programmes with Placement Options
Policy and procedures in respect of disclosure of
criminal record(s) for applicants to Pre-Qualifying
professional programmes
The policy and procedures in respect of disclosure of
criminal record(s) for applicants to Social Work
programmes.
Related procedures:
Procedure for Appeals and Complaints for Applicants
Procedure for Handling Applications for People with
Additional Support Needs
Related guidance and
or
codes of practice:
Related information:
DBS Code of Practice available at
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dbscode-of-practice
Further information on the University, its courses and
entry requirements can be found on the University
website
(http://www.swansea.ac.uk/humanandhealthsciences)
and in student recruitment literature, copies of which
can be obtained by contacting the Admissions Office
on 01792 295789 or at
chhsadmissions@swansea.ac.uk
Policy owner:
Policy written by Nerys Pearson
Updated by Mary Paget January 2013
Updated by Mary Paget August 2013
Mary Paget, Director of Quality.
College of Human and Health Sciences
Swansea University
Singleton Park
Swansea
SA2 8PP.
Lead contact:
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