2014-15MPAP/FORM/1
Business Approval Form
Before completing this form please read the Handbook for Initial Approval and Subsequent
Amendment of Taught Programmes/Modules: Procedures and Requirements.
Institution/ College/
Discipline(s) If more than one
College is involved in delivering
the programme please list the
lead College first
Location/ campus
Programme to be delivered
with international partner
Institution
UK Partner Institution
College (Lead)
2nd College
Discipline
2nd Discipline
YES* / NO
Name of International Partner:
*Have the International Office
and the Collaborative Provision
Office been consulted?
Award (BA, MSc etc.)
Title (Maths, English etc.)
Contact name of lead
academic and lead
administrator responsible for
programme
(PLEASE PROVIDE BOTH
CONTACTS)
Additional information
Please delete as appropriate
Is this a combined honours or
interdisciplinary programme?
Lead academic
Lead administrator
Name:
Name:
Address
Address
(include
postcode)
Phone:
Phone:
email
email
Web address in College/discipline website or contact details for
further information if different from Programme Director etc
FT and/ or PT
Duration in months
Entry Requirements:
Grade Range:
Modular
Distance Learning
Disciplines and the
%
percentage split of
%
academic study
%
Proposed date of first
entry
Subject Requirements:
Will this programme include study abroad, work placements or
industrial experience?
YES / NO
(Delete as appropriate)
Description of the
Programme
Student numbers
Special Features
Programme Structure
What is the likely duration of
any study abroad / work
placement / industrial
experience (in months):
PROPOSAL
This section will be used for marketing and publicising of the new
programme following business approval. This should be written to the
student giving a description of the distinctive features of the
programme and any unique activities or opportunities. Why should a
student choose this programme at Exeter?
(Anticipated based on market research - confirmed by College
Marketing manager)
E.g. is this programme to be delivered in collaboration with another
institution and how? Is PSRB accreditation required? How will this
benefit students?
Outline of modules, learning activities and teaching methods
Assessment
Academic rationale for new
programme
Market rationale for the new
programme
Resources required for the
new programme
Library resources
Benefits of new programme
Critical success factors
Critical risk factors
Career opportunities for
students
Programme Specific
Funding
Key words for web searches
A brief summary of how the programme is assessed
To include information about how this programme will contribute to
key College and University strategic priorities e.g. employability,
internationalisation, enhanced student experience, sustainable
environment
Provide a summary of reports from the College Marketing Manager,
with particular reference to the following:
market research
sustainable local/ regional demand
survey results
meeting employer needs
consistency with current discipline offer
comparison with competitor offer
sustainability
marketing activity
Set-up costs, staffing, L&T resources, administrative costs, access to
learning resources, space implications, other
List additional resources required to support the new programme
For students, academic discipline, wider community, employers,
sustainability
Identify what factors need to be present to make the programme a
success
Identify any factors which could cause this proposal to fail
Include opportunities for progression as well as possible employment
pathways
e.g. studentships
Which of the following categories does this proposal come under?
Is this proposal a:
NEW PROGRAMME
NEW VARIANT
of this programme:
NEW PATHWAY
of this programme:
Fee
Level
(Tick
Box)
STANDARD UNDERGRADUATE FEES
Home Students
International Students
Please tick
STANDARD POSTGRADUATE FEES
Home Students
International Students
NON STANDARD APPROVED FEE
NON STANDARD FEE
(Specify, below, the fee level and whether per annum, whole programme or unit; state
whether home or international if both are non-standard fees)
**** (see guidance notes)
SIGNATURES
Completion of the boxes below confirms that the due process has been followed, as outlined in the
Handbook for Initial Approval and Subsequent Amendment of Taught Programmes/Modules:
Procedures and Requirements.
Programme Proposer
Date:
Name:
Signature:
Lead College’s Marketing Manager
Date:
Name:
Signature:
Head or Admissions (or nominee)
Date:
Name:
Signature:
Please note that entry requirements for all programmes must be approved by the Head of Student
Recruitment and Admissions or his/her nominee before the programme can be publicised.
Chair of Education Strategy Group or its
nominated body
Name:
Date:
Signature:
(repeat section as necessary for all collaborating UoE Colleges)
Dean of College
Date:
Name:
Signature:
(repeat section as necessary for all collaborating UoE Colleges)
Senior Officer in partner institution
Date:
Name:
Signature:
(repeat section as necessary for all partners)
Line managing deputy Vice Chancellor
(DVC) for the lead College
Name:
Date:
Signature:
For Professional Doctorates only:
Associate Dean (Research) or nominee
Date:
Name:
Signature:
(repeat section as necessary for all collaborating UoE Colleges)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
For Faculty Office Use Only
Date BAF received:
Valid Until:
New Programme MCR
form completed
Notes
GUIDELINES FOR COMPLETING THE BUSINESS APPROVAL AND MARKETING FORM
for NEW PROGRAMMES
Institution/ discipline/ College(s): If more than one discipline and/ or College and or institution is
involved in delivering the programme please list the home College/ institution first. If this programme
is to be delivered in collaboration with a UK partner institution, please give both the home College and
the partner institution names. Where a College wishes to deliver a programme in collaboration
with a UK partner, the College should follow the procedures for establishing a partnership.
Location: Please give the name of the campus and/ or the location of the partner institution.
International partners: Where a College wishes to deliver a programme in collaboration with an
international partner, the College should follow the procedures for establishing a partnership.
Award: The shortened form (initials) is required here e.g. BSc.
Title: Please give the full title that you wish to be used in all marketing and publications and that will
appear on the final certificate.
Contact name: In the interests of providing a prompt service to initial enquirers, please provide both
an academic and an administrative name and contact details.
Additional information: Link to College website or contact details for further information if different
from Programme Director
FT/ PT/ modular, and duration: Full-time, part-time? How many months? Indicate if programme
includes distance learning, split-site study, block study or residential and if these options are available
or required. State if the programme start date is different from standard October date.
Interdisciplinary/ combined honours: Indicate if the programme is a combined honours or
interdisciplinary programme, with two or more academic areas of study. What are the disciplines
involved? What is the percentage split between these areas of study? This refers to degrees that
combine academic areas of study from more than one discipline within a College or across two or
more Colleges and disciplines.
Entry requirements Provide a clear statement of the entry requirements for the programme. Please
note that entry requirements for all undergraduate programmes must be approved by the Head
of Student Recruitment and Admissions before the programme can be publicised via UCAS and the
University prospectus/website.
Description of the programme: Provide a brief introduction to promote the programme, who it is
designed for and its distinctive selling points, e.g. its uniqueness in the field of study, teaching
methods, staff expertise, facilities, field-work, work/research placements, study abroad, etc. This
should be written to the student. Why should a student choose your programme at Exeter? What is
the unique selling point of the programme? 150-200 words approx.
Student numbers: Provide the anticipated numbers of students likely to be recruited onto the
programme, based on market research findings.
Special features: Any special features such as visits or field trips, work placements, training in the
use of software packages, etc, which would be helpful to highlight for prospective students. Please
explain the requirements for completion of the Cert/Dip/ and MA/ MSc.
Programme structure: A draft Programme Specification should be included with the Business
and Marketing Approval form. Please provide a clear idea of the basic structure and content of the
programme, including total credits required, exit routes available, compulsory and optional module
titles if approved, or module content if established titles are not yet available, plus some indication of
the range of option choice that might be available. For modular programmes, please provide the
specialist pathways available.
Assessment: Provide a brief summary of how the programme is assessed, e.g. 'By coursework,
including presentation and group project, and a dissertation of 20,000 words'; 'By a combination of
coursework and written examinations.'
Academic rationale: Include information about how this programme will contribute to key College
and University strategic priorities such as employability, internationalisation, enhanced student
experience, sustainable environment. Outline in what way the programme will support achievement of
the key priorities.
Market rationale: Provide a summary of market research carried out to support the introduction of
this programme. Is there a sustainable local/ regional market demand for this programme? Is there a
growing demand for this programme in terms of applications growth experienced by the College? Is
this growth in both quality and quantity? Is this level of growth likely to be sustainable in the future?
What is the state of competition in terms of the number and relative strength of competitor
programmes particularly in the region?
Resources required for the new programme: State full costing for both setting up the new
programme and for delivery following approval to include staffing, e-learning, IT and support for part
time and/ or distance learning students. Identify what is required to support delivery and assessment
of the programme.
Learning resources required for the new programme: Complete the Learning Resources Plan for
each new programme/ modules. Submit all LRAP to the Senior Librarian for discussion and approval
of any expenditure. Following such approval, attach the LRAPs to the Business Approval Form for
consideration and approval by the Education Strategy Group.
Benefits of new programme: Explain what benefit the new programme will bring to both the
University and to the wider community.
Critical success factors: What action needs to be completed and what resources and areas of
expertise are required? How will assurance be provided that all steps have been taken to ensure the
programme is successful? Is further consultation or marketing required?
Critical risk factors: What factors, if absent, will cause this proposal to fail?
Career opportunities: Is the programme affiliated with any external organisations? Were any
industry contacts involved in developing the programme? Please give examples of the sort of jobs
graduates of the programme can expect to apply, and be considered for, or the career prospects
currently available.
Programme specific funding: Highlight here the availability of any programme-specific funding e.g.
studentships.
Key words: If a prospective student was searching for this and/or similar programmes, which search
terms would they use? Are there any elements of the programme or key words which may particularly
appeal? This information can be used to help improve ranking in web searches or course searches.
New Programme/ New Variant/ New Pathway: Please see guidance in the Handbook for Initial
Approval and Subsequent Amendment of Taught Programmes/Modules: Procedures and
Requirements .
Fees: All non-standard fees have to be approved by the Pricing Strategy Group. Colleges are strongly
recommended to discuss proposed fees for all PGT programmes and all international fees (both UG
and PG) with the Marketing and International Offices as part of the programme development process.
****Please note that any non-standard fees require University approval. Proposals for non-standard
fees should be sent to the Head of Marketing. A guidance document on setting market-led/premium
fees can be found at:
http://www.admin.ex.ac.uk/cap/marketing/planning/Fee%20setting.shtml