PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT
Last Updated: September 2013
STAGES OF THE PROGRAMME PLANNING PROCESS
ACTIVITY
INPUT / ACTION
STAGE 1: Scoping Exercise
1. Department/School identifies new opportunity and decides that the
proposal has academic merit. New opportunities will be identified
through the annual planning process and included in the
Department/School Business Plan, and will arise from new external
funding opportunities and collaborative ventures in year.
No development work is yet undertaken.
 Proposing
Department/School
 Deputy Provost
2. Scoping exercise takes place. To identify process, decisions, and
information required. The proposal is discussed with the Academic
Office (basic information about the proposal is required at this stage).
a) For collaborative proposals the Initial Risk Assessment proforma is
completed and permission to negotiate further obtained from the
Enterprise Development Committee (EDC) and/or Curriculum
Strategy Committee.
b) For collaborative proposals, the Partnership Review Proforma is
completed and submitted to the Academic Office, for consideration
by the Chair of EDC.
 Proposing
Department/School
 Academic Office
 CSC members
 EDC members
-
-
If step 2 is successful, the proposal moves through either of the
following routes:
Business Case or Curriculum Development Proposal to CSC (for
proposals to introduce or remove award- bearing taught programmes,
proposals involving collaborative partners, and major changes to
existing programmes);
Business Case or Curriculum Development Proposal to EDC
(for proposals that are non- credit bearing);
Programme Modifications Process (for proposals with no
major implications).
3. For collaborative proposals a Memorandum of Understanding is
prepared and the process of negotiation and signing underway.
 Academic Office
 Legal Office
STAGE 2: Preparation and consideration of the Business Case
4. Developing the Business Case (or Curriculum Development
Proposal), with support and guidance from key departments, to
prepare the following:
a) Academic rationale
b) Market and business intelligence, including employability
c) Student number planning
d) Recruitment and promotion strategy
e) Finance and resourcing, including full programme costings.
f) For collaborative proposals an initial risk assessment and
Partnership Review is undertaken. For off-site provision an off-site
location report is required.
g) Resourcing implications
 Proposing
Department/School
 Academic Office
 Planning Department
 Finance Department
 Recruitment and
International Development
 Subject Librarian Team,
Library Services
 Learning Services
 IT and Media Services
 Timetabling and Space
Management
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5. Head of Department/School and Deputy Provost consider the
Business Case/Curriculum Development Proposal in terms of
academic merit and resourcing implications. Submission of the
paperwork to CSC confirms acceptance by the Head of
Department/School of the resourcing implications.
 Proposing
Department/School
 Deputy Provost
6. Business Case or Curriculum Development Proposal is considered by
the Curriculum Strategy Committee and/or Enterprise
Development Committee
 Academic Office
 CSC members
 EDC members
7. Outcomes from CSC/ EDC communicated to Department/School,
including:
Approval in principle (with or without conditions) and approval method
Request for further information or to revise Business Case/Curriculum
Development Proposal (return to steps 4-6)
Not approved
 Academic Office
 Deputy Provost
 Proposing
Department/School
8. Approval in principle:
a) The programme can be marketed as ‘subject to approval’. If the
programme is not fully approved within twelve months the
approval in principle status will usually be revisited.
b) Key departments are informed the programme has been
approved for full development.
c) Senate receives notification of the outcome via the Approval
and Review Schedule.
 Proposing
Department/School
 Recruitment and
International Development
 Communicat ions
 Academic Office
9. The full approval method for the proposed programme is determined
by CSC as either:
- Method A
- Method B (applied to programmes that meet a certain criteria in
terms of new content and type of provision)
- Enhanced Modification Process (applied to Curriculum
Development Proposals)
 Academic Office
For a September start the
Approval Panel is to be
completed by the end of
May.
STAGE 3: Development of the Programme
Method A
Method B
10. Department/School to nominate two
10. Department/School
external advisers, and one reserve adviser
to nominate one
who will be panel members and scrutinise
external adviser
the proposal.
who will scrutinise
the proposal in
writing.
11. Appoint panel members and set dates for
the panel meeting.
11. As with method A
12. Programme team develop the Programme 12. As with method A
Specification, and supporting annexes, with
Advice and guidance on:
- the documentation and procedure for the
approval process.
- learning, teaching and assessment
strategies for the programme. This may
include a programme planning away
day.
- blended learning techniques, elearning, study skills, reading lists
and hard copy and electronic library
resources.
 Proposing
Department/School
 Deputy Provosts
 Academic Office
 Deputy Provost
 Academic Office
 Proposing
Department/School
 Academic Office
 LTEU
 Library Services
 Learning Services
 Employability and
Entrepreneurship
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13. Drafting and internal Department/School
approval of the Documentation.
a) The Academic Office will liaise with the
Programme Convener (designate) and
the Head of Department/School to
provide guidance and support, and will
coordinate the administrative aspects of
completing the documents.
b) Quality control for the programme
documentation rests with the Head of
Department/School and internal
academic scrutiny will take place
through the department/school as
appropriate.
13. As with method A
 Library Services
 Learning Services
 Head of
Department/School
 Academic Office
14. For collaborative proposals a Memorandum of Agreement is
prepared and the process of negotiation and signing underway.
 Academic Office
 Legal Office
15. Proposal documentation submitted to the Approval Panel (3 weeks
prior to the scheduled University Approval Panel meeting).
 Proposing
Department/School
 Academic Office
16. To inform the meeting agenda, panel members review the
documents and submit comments in advance of the meeting.
 Panel Members
17. Approval Panel meets.
 Panel Members
Programme Team
18. Outcomes from the Approval Panel communicated to the
Department/School, including:
- approval absolutely;
- approval with conditions (and/or required actions and/or
recommendations), to be fulfilled by a given date.
 Panel Chair
 Academic Office
19. Department’s response to Approval Panel feedback. All conditions
must be fulfilled prior to commencement of the programme and
required actions are monitored through the Programme Annual
Review process.
20. Approval in full:
Once all conditions have been satisfied the response is sent to the
Chair and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for approval.
a) Key departments are informed the programme has been
approved in full.
b) CSC receives notification of the outcome via the updated
Approval Schedule.
c) Senate receives notification of the outcome via the CSC
Annual Report.
 Proposing
Department/School
 Academic Office
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