1 General Information
1.1 Welcome from the Director of Postgraduate Taught Education
I am delighted to welcome you to the School of Health Sciences and the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health. We are extremely pleased you have chosen the University of Manchester to commence or continue your postgraduate study journey; whether you are progressing straight from your undergraduate studies, seeking to develop your knowledge/skills in your chosen career or, are bravely, taking a completely different direction in life.
In the pursuit of knowledge, wisdom and humanity, we will place you at the centre of a transformational learning process to support you to achieve your individual goals and aspirations. Our challenge to you is to embrace all of the opportunities available to you; be bold, think differently and realise your potential. We want your postgraduate journey with us to be intellectually stretching, rewarding and fun.
We are aware that most of you will need to juggle a number of competing priorities during your postgraduate taught studies. Some of you will already be in full time employment, while others will need to secure part time employment to fund your studies. We know that many of you will have family and caring responsibilities that will have to be prioritised before your own learning. We hope the information detailed in this programme handbook will help you in managing these competing commitments. Whether you are joining us on campus, or studying at a distance, you are an integral part of our School and University, and we are here to support you.
We are extremely proud of our postgraduate student community and alumni who are making a difference, both locally and globally. We look forward to working with you, confident that you too will play a role in transforming the lives of people who use health and social care services, whether during your studies or upon graduation.
I wish you every success in your postgraduate studies here at the University of Manchester.
Mr Andrew Mawdsley
Director of Post Graduate Taught Education
School of Health Sciences
1.2 Programme Contacts
| Head of School: | Professor Kay Marshall |
| Programme Director: |
Professor Arpana Verma |
| Deputy Programme Directors: |
Dr Isla Gemmell Dr Angela Spencer Dr Anjana Sahu Greg Williams John Owen |
|
Programmes Administrators: (MPH Administration Team) |
E-mail: mph.admin@manchester.ac.uk Tel: +44 (0) 161 275 1635 / +44 (0) 161 275 5135
G.606 Stopford Building The University of Manchester Oxford Road Manchester M13 9PL We will be available for support queries Monday – Friday, 10:00am – 4pm, UK local time. |
| MPH Admissions Co-ordinator: |
E-mail: pgtaught.cbm@manchester.ac.uk Tel: +44 (0) 161 306 0604 |
| PGT Programmes Manager |
Ona Sumner Tel: +44 (0) 161 306 0467 |
A full staff list can be found in Appendix 1.
The reporting structure for the programme can be found in Appendix 2.
1.3 Communications
As a student of the University of Manchester you will be given your own student e-mail address during the registration process:
student.name@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk
Some students may have a number after their surname (e.g. -2@manchester.ac.uk), so please take careful note of your email address during the IT sign-up process. All information and communication to students will only be sent to your student university e-mail address, and it is essential that any communications with tutors and the MPH admin office are made via your university student e-mail address.
It is imperative that students check their university email account regularly, at least on a weekly basis. The reason for this is to ensure that students do not miss out on important pieces of information which may include group information sent to all students. All communication from the MPH team will go to your university email address. Instructions on how to forward your emails from your university address to a personal address can be found here:
You can access your university e-mail account via Office 365.
To log on to Office 365
- Log in to My Manchester with your IT username and password (if you have not already done so you will need to activate your IT account)
- Click on the Email link on the homepage
- On the first occasion that you login, you are required to sign up for the service
- On all subsequent logins, after entering your username and password you will see your inbox straight away
If you have forgotten your username or password, you can go through the account recovery process here:
https://iam.manchester.ac.uk/recover
Announcements in Blackboard
On the front page of your Blackboard course there is a small space for course announcements. These will be brief and will usually flag up important longer messages or items of information contained on web pages or in e-mails.
My Manchester
From here you will be able to access many of the areas and sites that you use regularly, e.g. Blackboard, your e-mail, the Student System and the Library. You will be able to access this when you have set up your username and password via the following address:
1.4 Online re-registration
Full time students are only required to register once – for their year of study. However, all part-time students need to re-register for each year that they study. This is usually done in September. This process is important as it allows you to choose your units for the coming year, calculates the year’s fees based upon your choices, and reactivates your student accounts. You will be sent an e-mail in August telling you about the details of re-registration, which will open from 1st September. You cannot enrol on any units prior to this date.
1.5 Tuition fees
Students should complete their financial registration in September 2020. This should be possible online or over the phone. You are responsible for doing this. Students who have not completed financial registration by their mid-term assignment(s) submission (9th November 2020) may not receive their marks, and may face being withdrawn from the course. The University follows up all bad debts, a process that can affect your credit rating. Financial penalties may be applied if you do not complete registration by the dates specified on the Welcome website.
New & returning students: https://www.welcome.manchester.ac.uk/get-ready/become-a-student/register-as-a-student/
All fee issues are dealt with by the Student Services Centre (SSC). Contact details for the SSC can be accessed via:
http://www.studentsupport.manchester.ac.uk/finances/tuition-fees/payments/
Information on payment options for our modular programme (all part time students) is available here:
Please note that you will be responsible for any incidental costs of the programme, e.g.
- travel and accommodation expenses during any face to face units;
- some courses use a text book / software which may not be available via the library, students will be expected to incur these costs unless otherwise stated.
2 Programme of Study
The aims of the postgraduate programmes in public health and primary care are to:
- Provide students with the core knowledge necessary to develop competence in the academic underpinning of public health, with special emphasis on the critical appraisal of the evidence base (Cert, Dip, MPH, MRes);
- Produce graduates who understand the theory underlying the practice of public health and thus to equip them to proceed, should they wish, into further professional training within one of the diverse settings to which the public health perspective contributes (e.g. many clinical and related management disciplines) or where public health per se (e.g. a specialist in public health post) is practised (Dip, MPH, MRes);
- Teach students the rudiments of research methods and critical appraisal within the discipline so that on a life-long basis, they will be able to apply this knowledge to assess evidence that comes before them (Dip, MPH, MRes);
- Equip students to gain employment in public health (Dip, MPH);
- Obtain practical experience of designing, analysing and writing up a research project to enable the transition towards undertaking a research degree or to doing research in other settings (MRes).
We offer two main awards, the Master of Public Health (MPH) and the Master of Research (MRes), as well as a PG Diploma, a PG Certificate and stand-alone CPD units known as Public Health Professional Development (PHPD). The core requirements for these courses are different and are outlined in section 2. However, students from all these courses choose their units from a common pool, use the Blackboard learning environment, and share the same online discussions.
All of the courses offered in this programme share the same philosophy.
Developing skills in the collection, synthesis and implementation of evidence is central to this programme. Each course unit will be based on this approach wherever possible, and will use the evidence cycle as it applies to the population as a theme.
This can be summarised as: Collection, Synthesis (and/or Appraisal), and Implementation/Application.
Skills
The programmes emphasise the acquisition of skills so that you can put into practice what you learn. Many Masters level courses teach attitudes and knowledge, while our emphasis will be more focused on the development of skills to use in professional life. These skills also translate into the ability to perform and appraise research projects as well as developing the skills necessary to pass the professional examinations of the Faculty of Public Health.
Students will also be guided and encouraged to develop new and further refine their existing communication skills. Clear, precise, well presented and referenced writing is essential. Students will be required to present their assignments in styles which reflect models used in public health and research. Students should access study skills materials for academic writing and presentation skills which can be found on Blackboard – please see the Course Units available in 2020-21 under section 2.5 for more information.
The programmes encourage self-directed study around clearly identified learning outcomes for each course unit, rather than the provision of lectures or just web-based lecture notes.
The implications of emphasising self-directed study and skills are that the course will largely involve active learning methods using case-scenarios, exercises, etc., in a problem-based approach. Hence, examples and exercises will use real-world examples from appropriate settings, for example from primary/secondary care, public health practice, etc.
The programmes include a visionary aspect, so course units will cover the latest developments in the field and horizon scan for new and emerging topics and policies.
2.1 Master of Research (MRes) programme
The MRes has three streams, one in public health, one in primary care and the other in dental public health. Distinction between the three is on the basis of the course units taken and the research topics chosen.
The programme aims to provide an entrance to research development, mainly for those currently in the workforce who wish to become researchers, through a combination of coursework and research training in public health and primary care.
MRes course outcomes
By the end of the course, students should be able to:
- Assess the evidence that underlies health practice
- Develop a population focus for health issues
- Develop research skills necessary to research and answer population health questions
- Be able to work under supervision in a research capacity
- Be able to enter higher degree (PhD) research training
- Understand and develop skills in order to carry out research in the primary care and public health settings
The full programme specification can be found here.
2.1.1 Programme structures and core course units
- Master of ResearchTotal: 6 course units + MRes Dissertation = 180 credits
Public Health Primary Care Dental Public Health Core units Evidence Based Practice Evidence Based Practice
+
Primary Health Care
Evidence Based Practice
+
Fundamentals of Epidemiology
+
Practical Statistics for Population Health
+
Optional core course unit (at least one of 2 from)
- Oral Health & Disease in Populations
- Implementing Strategy in Dental Services
Optional units 5 units 4 units 2 units (can include remaining unit from optional core list above) NB Qualitative Research Methods (15 credits) is a prerequisite for any students planning a qualitative dissertation Dissertation (90 credits)
2.2 Course Units Available in 2020/21
The Dissertation Unit
Full time students register for their dissertation with the rest of their units.
Part time MRes Students can only register for their dissertation after successfully completing 6 units at Masters Level.
| MRes Dissertation (Public Health & Primary Care) | POPH63160 |
Essential Course Resources & Study Skills Units
The following course resources and skills based units can be found within Blackboard and can be accessed at any time. There is no cost for any of these units.
| Under ‘My Communities’ | Under ‘Course List’ |
| MPH Programme Community |
POPH62130 MPH/MRes Dissertation Skills (Masters level students only) |
Please note: The ‘My Communities’ resources can be found below your course list when you log into Blackboard.
Further details about the MPH Programme Community can be found in section 3.5
2.3 Student Timetable 2020/21
| Week Beginning | Teaching Week | Key Dates for Students |
| 31 August | – |
University Closed (31 August) Registration opens (1 September – 30 September) |
| 7 September | – | |
| Semester 1 | ||
| 14 September | Welcome Week | Online Induction Residential (15-16 September) |
| 21 September | 1 |
Semester 1 teaching starts (21 September) Registration closes 30 September – Students may be liable for a £200 fine if they have not completed registration by this point. |
| 28 September | 2 | Final date for enrolment on semester 1 modules (2 October) |
| 5 October | 3 | |
| 12 October | 4 | |
| 19 October | 5 | Semester 1 Midterm Assignment posted (22 October @ 12:00 noon) |
| 26 October | Assignment Working Time – Midterm | |
| 2 November | Assignment Working Time -Midterm | |
| 9 November | 6 |
Semester 1 Midterm Assignment submission (9 November @ 12:00 noon) POPH65011 Arts & PH Teaching (Online) 9-12 November |
| 16 November | 7 | |
| 23 November | 8 | |
| 30 November | 9 | Midterm marks and feedback (on or after 13:00, 30 November) |
| 7 December | 10 |
Semester 1 Final Assignment posted (10 December @ 12:00 noon) Winter Graduation Ceremony (14 – 18 December) Exact date TBC |
| 14 December | Assignment Working Time – Final | |
| 21 December | Christmas Break | University closed (24 December – 1 January) |
| 28 December | Assignment Working Time – Final | University closed (24 December – 1 January) |
| 4 January | Assignment Working Time – Final | |
| 11 January | – | Semester 1 Final Assignment submission (11 January @ 12:00 noon) |
| Semester 2 | ||
| 18 January | Welcome Week | Semester 1 ends (24 January) |
| 25 January | 1 | Semester 2 teaching starts (25 January) |
| 1 February | 2 | Final date for enrolment on semester 2 modules (5 February) |
| 8 February | 3 | Semester 1 final marks & feedback (on or after 13:00, 8 February) |
| 15 February | 4 | |
| 22 February | 5 |
Semester 2 Midterm Assignment posted (25 February @ 12:00 noon) POPH64772 Intercultural Public Health Teaching (Online) 22-24 February |
|
| 1 March | Assignment Working Time -Midterm | Semester 1 Exam Board TBC | |
| 8 March | Assignment Working Time -Midterm | Semester 1 Resit question posted (11 March @ 12:00 noon) | |
| 15 March | 6 | Semester 2 Midterm Assignment submission (15 March @ 12:00 noon) | |
| 22 March | 7 | POPH60062 Hard to Reach Teaching (Online) 22-25 March | |
| 29 March | 8 | University closed (2 April) | |
| 5 April | Easter Break | University closed (5 April) | |
| 12 April | 9 |
Midterm marks and feedback (on or after 13:00, 12 April) Semester 1 Resit submission (12 April @ 12:00 noon) |
|
| 19 April | 10 | Semester 2 Final Assignment posted (22 April @ 12:00 noon) | |
| 26 April | Assignment Working Time – Final | Semester 1 Resit marks & feedback (on or after 13:00, 26 April) | |
| 3 May | Assignment Working Time – Final | University closed (3 May) | |
| 10 May | Assignment Working Time – Final | ||
| 17 May | – | Semester 2 Final Assignment submission (17 May @ 12:00 noon) | |
| Summer Semester | |||
| 24 May | |||
| 31 May | University Closed (31 May) | ||
| 7 June | |||
| 14 June | Semester 2 final marks & feedback (on or after 13:00, 14 June) | ||
| 21 June | |||
| 28 June | |||
| 5 July | Semester 2 Exam Board TBC | ||
| 12 July |
Semester 2 Resit question posted (15 July @ 12:00 noon) Summer Graduation (12 – 23 July) Exact date TBC |
||
| 19 July | Summer Graduation (12 – 23 July) Exact date TBC | ||
| 26 July | |||
| 2 August | |||
| 9 August | Semester 2 Resit submission (9 August @ 12:00 noon) | ||
| 16 August | |||
| 23 August | Semester 2 Resit marks & feedback (on or after 13:00, 27 August) | ||
| 30 August |
University Closed (30 August) Dissertation Submission (6 September @ 12:00 noon) |
||
Assignment release times and submissions are at 12.00 midday local UK time (this varies throughout the year as GMT or BST – see World Clock).
- POPH65552 Infection Prevention & Control face to face teaching – Summer Semester TBC
Submission of assessed work
All assignments must be submitted electronically via Blackboard (through the Turnitin link) on the date and time specified above. Please see instructions in your course unit assessment pages. Assignments e-mailed to tutors or administration will not be accepted. Some units have additional assessed discussion board or group activities; details of these can be found in the course unit outline as well as the unit itself. Dates for these assessments can be found on the unit timetable in the course ‘overview’.
3 Teaching, Learning and Assessment
3.1 Residential and Online Induction Unit
We find that students greatly benefit from a formal induction to the programme before they start studying. We provide this in two different ways: firstly, through a 2 day online residential at the beginning of the first semester, and secondly, through an online induction unit.
The residential is designed to orient students to all aspects of the online course and is a good opportunity to meet staff and other students. Our eLearning team will be on hand to demonstrate how our online resources work. Our administration team will also be there to help deal with registration issues.
For students who cannot attend the residential, we have created an online induction unit. This supplements the residential materials, and includes information on Blackboard, assessment and the library, among other useful topics. This can be found using the following link: https://rise.articulate.com/share/9hN6qlxtiE6tx9O3EXK0ekRk_3Ewt0VI#/
3.2 Books
Some courses have one required core textbook (available as an e-book via Kortext), with all other reading material being accessed through the University Library (online) or the internet.
The links to materials are provided within the course content at appropriate points. A full course unit reading list will also be provided in the left menu of Blackboard for each unit.
3.3 Method of Study
Most of our teaching is entirely web-based with a high degree of student-led learning through interactive exercises to test understanding built into the web-based teaching materials, and exercises and assignments involving seeking out and retrieving information from a range of web-based resources.
There will be opportunities for student–student and student–tutor interaction through dedicated discussion groups. There will be web-based course material with links to external web resources such as reports, academic papers, other teaching materials and case studies.
Some units have exercises based around group work (using discussion boards or WIKI’s). These are developed around learning objectives for the particular unit. In addition they satisfy the skills-based learning objectives common to many public health curricula i.e. planning and managing a project and working as part of a team to deliver a project.
These courses are modular, meaning that each year you can choose to study a selection of units, which will count towards your degree. Units start twice a year: first in September in the first semester, then again in January in the second semester. The maximum number of units that can be taken per semester is four for full time students, three for 2-year part-time students, or two for 3-5 year part time students. If a part time student wishes to take more than 2 units in a semester, they must seek prior approval from the Programme Director before going ahead. All units run over 15 weeks: 10 devoted to teaching and five to assignment preparation and writing. Most units cover 8-10 different topics in this time. Each unit is expected to take students 10 hours of study per week. Although you work through these units independently in your own home, it is good to follow the teaching weeks, as the online discussions and assignments are linked to particular dates and topics. A unit specific calendar can be found in the introduction week of all units. Some of these online discussions may be assessed and marked. You are advised to make a note of all the dates of assignments and assessed discussion board activities at the start of each new unit. Missing an assessed piece of work because you failed to keep up will not be accepted as an excuse.
The University of Manchester Library has one of the biggest collections in the country and students should make the fullest use of this facility. So it is essential that you familiarise yourself with how to access, journal articles, databases and e-books. For information on library resources, please visit The University of Manchester Library webpage.
The library has also produced a set of new webpages specifically for distance and off-campus students. These include more tailored support information for those who are not in attendance at the university, and can be found at:
https://www.library.manchester.ac.uk/using-the-library/students/distance-off-campus/
UK and Ireland students may also use the SCONUL scheme in order to gain access to a local University Library. Please view this link for more information and how to apply for SCONUL access:
http://www.sconul.ac.uk/sconul-access
Due to recent events, for the 2020/21 academic year, we have adapted the materials for POPH65011 Arts & Public Health, POPH64772 Intercultural Public Health and POPH60062 Engaging the Hard to Reach for Health Gain to be fully online. Students selecting these units will still need to be available for the compulsory face-to-face teaching block (see individual unit websites for more information).
We are still expecting that POPH65552 Infection Prevention & Control will require compulsory face-to-face attendance in Manchester in Summer 2021. Students are required to arrange their own transport and accommodation.
These units are not mandatory therefore, if you cannot attend the face-to-face element of these units, you should not select them for study.
3.4 Referencing
All work provided for assessment at Masters level must be evidence based – based on the literature and research that a student has read to prepare their work. This evidence must be correctly referenced. In particular when students have a) used direct quotes or b) synthesised or paraphrased a section of text. The MPH and MRes programmes allow students to use either the Vancouver or Harvard referencing systems. Failure to reference correctly can lead you to be suspected of plagiarism. Guidance can be found on academic writing and referencing in the Study Skills course within the MPH Programme Community space in Blackboard.
Academic Malpractice
Academic malpractice is any activity – intentional or otherwise – that is likely to undermine the integrity essential to scholarship and research. It includes plagiarism, collusion, fabrication or falsification of results, and anything else that could result in unearned or undeserved credit for those committing it. Academic malpractice can result from a deliberate act of cheating or may be committed unintentionally. Whether intended or not, all incidents of academic malpractice will be treated seriously by the University.
The procedures and penalties for dealing with academic malpractice are covered by the same regulation as apply to Conduct and Discipline of Students (Regulation XVII): http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=6530.
You are responsible for ensuring that you understand what academic malpractice is, and how to avoid committing it. If you are unsure, ask your lecturer or academic adviser.
The Study Skills course in the MPH Programme Community provides learning material and self-tests on academic writing and academic malpractice. The course should be completed as soon as possible after you begin your programme, but must be completed before you submit your first piece of academic writing for assessment. You are also required to complete a short Academic Malpractice Driving Test in the MPH Programme Community under the Study Skills section.
Guidance for students on plagiarism and other forms of academic malpractice can be found at:
Other Information on Academic Malpractice and how to avoid it can be found at: www.regulations.manchester.ac.uk/academic
3.5 MPH Programme Community
The MPH Programme Community is the central place to access all programme related resources and information, and communicate with other students across the programme.
It contains several essential courses.
Online Induction
The online induction course contains everything you need to get started on the programme by providing an introduction to, and overview of, the essential University systems and services. You must complete this short course before starting your studies.
Within the Online Induction course, you have the option to complete a Learning Needs Assessment. This questionnaire is to help you identify your own learning needs and to help us support you in achieving your goals. For further information on the way that The University of Manchester handles your information, please consult our Student privacy notice.
Study Skills
The Study Skills course introduces you to a range of skills and resources required for developing practical and effective strategies for successful learning online. It includes topics on information searching, referencing and academic writing, and requires you to complete the Academic Malpractice Driving Test.
Health and Safety Presentation
The University’s duty of care covers all its students, staff and visitors, including distance learning students who come onto campus for residential courses, study days, or assessments. Although you will not spend much time on campus as a distance learner, there is some information you should know before you come. This short presentation tells you what to do in case of a fire or an accident while you are with us in Manchester. It should only take around 5 minutes to complete.
Both the academic malpractice driving test and health and safety presentation must be completed by 31st October 2020.
3.6 Accreditation of (Experiential) Prior Learning (AP(E)L)
A student may be permitted to receive an award of credits on the basis of demonstrated learning that has occurred elsewhere at some point in the past or during the life of the programme. The award of credits can be based upon learning for which certification has been awarded by an educational institution or another education/training provider, or un-certificated learning gained from experience. For full criteria please contact the programme administration team.
All requests from the student for consideration of AP(E)L can be made to the programme director. You will be asked to complete a form (which you can request from your programme administration team), which will require you to indicate which MPH course units are equivalent to your prior learning. You will also be required to provide evidence of the prior learning. This will then be assessed by the programme team and approved at School level to ensure equivalency of learning outcomes has been met.
Please follow the link below for the university’s policy on AP(E)L:
http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=2856
If an AP(E)L application is successful, the University charges £30 for every 15 credits of AP(E)L. The overall tuition fee is adjusted and the administrative charge is applied.
Students who have completed units on the PHPD stand-alone unit scheme, can re-apply to the PG Cert, PG Diploma or MPH/MRes. Any PHPD units achieved would be automatically accredited towards their new programme (with no administrative fee), providing they were completed within 5 years of registration on one of the award-bearing programmes.
3.7 Public Health Trainees and Professionals
The programme meets most of the Public Health Competencies identified by the Faculty of Public Health. It has also been carefully structured to ensure that learning is integrated with work. This is done mainly by assignments, discussions and the dissertation being linked to current professional activities.
3.8 Fitness to Practise
Postgraduate students at The University of Manchester who are qualified health or social care professionals (e.g. doctor, dentist, nurse, social worker) registered by a healthcare or social care regulatory body (e.g. General Medical Council, General Dental Council, Nursing & Midwifery Council, Social Care Council) are expected to behave at all times in a way that is consistent with the recommendations or code of practice of the relevant professional regulatory body*.
Postgraduate students need to be aware that in the event of misconduct, dishonesty, unprofessional behaviour, or other behaviour or illness (e.g. mental health illness) that raises the possibility that the student’s fitness to practise may be impaired the university has a duty to protect the public and to inform the relevant professional regulatory body. This means, for example, that where a student has been found to be dishonest (e.g. plagiarism, collusion, falsification of research data or other forms of cheating) the matter may be reported by the university to the relevant professional regulatory body.
Students who are dishonest risk not only failing to be awarded the intended degree, but also place at risk their whole professional career.
Information on Fitness to Practise related matters can be found at http://www.staffnet.manchester.ac.uk/tlso/academic-appeals-complaints-and-misconduct/fitness-to-practise-/
* This also applies to intercalating medical students
3.9 Conduct and Discipline of Students
General University information on the Conduct and Discipline of Students can be found at https://www.staffnet.manchester.ac.uk/tlso/academic-appeals-complaints-and-misconduct/conduct-and-discipline-of-students/.
Faculty policies for students on Communication and Dress Code, Social Networking and Drugs & Alcohol can be found at:
- http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=29038 (Communication and Dress Code)
- http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=29039 (Drugs & Alcohol)
- http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=29040 (Social Networking)
Information on Academic Malpractice and how to avoid it can be found at http://www.regulations.manchester.ac.uk/guidance-to-students-on-plagiarism-and-other-forms-of-academic-malpractice/
3.10 Sharing Information
The University may share appropriate information relating to your health and/or conduct with external organisations such as your professional employer(s) (for example, relevant NHS Trust), placement and training providers and/or regulator (such as GMC, FOM, BOHS, NMC, GDC etc.). This may occur where concerns in relation to your health and/or conduct arise and the University considers it necessary for them to be disclosed to one or more of the above organisations. The University’s Privacy Notice for Registered Students (which is accessible via this link: www.regulations.manchester.ac.uk/data-collection-notice/) includes further information about how the University may use and process your personal data, including the legal basis and conditions which may be relevant to such processing (see section 6 of the Privacy Notice). The University will only disclose special category data (such as data relating to your health) to a third party organisation where one of the additional conditions are satisfied (see section 9 of the Privacy Notice), including where processing is necessary for reasons of substantial public interest.
3.11 IT Requirements
You will need to be able to access a computer (and/or device) with stable internet access and ensure an up-to-date browser is installed.
You should also have access to word processing and spreadsheet software and be confident in using them.
As a Postgraduate taught student at the University of Manchester you can download the full Microsoft Office suite, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, as well as other applications which are available for offline and online use whilst you are a registered student. This is via Microsoft Office 365 – http://www.itservices.manchester.ac.uk/students/office365/.
Course materials are accessed via Blackboard and Rise Articulate, both platforms are mobile compatible, but you may find it easier to carry out some tasks (such as posting on discussion boards on a computer). Information about how to set up your University email on your phone or tablet can be found here – http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=29431.
If you have any technical queries please contact IT Services – http://www.itservices.manchester.ac.uk/.
Additional software
The Practical Statistics for Population Health course unit (POPH60982) requires a statistical package. You will be informed of what package is recommended and given instructions on how to purchase/obtain a copy once the course starts.
Students paying the higher international fee will be automatically registered for their statistical software package in semester two. There may be a small charge for the package for other students at a reduced rate for a three-year license.
Course download options
Most MPH course units are available to download. The downloadable versions of the courses are provided for offline use when no Internet connection is available. They are in no way a substitute for the full online versions of the courses delivered through Blackboard. Some of the interactive elements of the course units are not available on the mobile course versions.
Once you have started the course you will have access to these downloads in each course unit’s Blackboard space, with instructions on how to use them.
3.12 Technical Support
If you are having problems accessing My Manchester, email, your course materials, or you would like to discuss computer related issues, please follow this link for 24 hour services:
Details of IT Services Support Centre and FBMH eLearning Support
If you are having difficulty with the electronic resources you should contact the library via My Manchester
On the university campus, there are large open access PC clusters which are also open at weekends. If you wish to use any of the on-campus machines, you will need to log in using the same username and password that you use to log into My Manchester. If you have any queries about this, please contact us at the above email address. Details can be found here for all the clusters available around the university campus.
The University also has an extensive WiFi network which can be accessed from most University buildings, cafes and shops on Oxford Road using your University ID and password.
IT Services Support Centre online – http://www.itservices.manchester.ac.uk/help/
Login to the Support Centre online to log a request, book an appointment for an IT visit, or search the Knowledge Base.
- Telephone: +44 (0)161 306 5544 (or extension 65544). Telephone support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- In person: Walk-up help and support is available at the Joule Library, Main Library or Alan Gilbert Learning Commons:
Technical Help with My Blackboard Course
If your Blackboard course unit is not behaving as you expect, you can:
- Contact your Unit Co-ordinator by email to get help with content issues (missing notes, etc.).
- Contact the eLearning team for technical bugs using the eLearning Enquiry button.
Further details can also be found at: http://bmh-elearning.org/technical-support/
4 Assessment
4.1 Methods of Assessment
We have described in each course unit outline the mix of self-assessment and marked assessment expectations. The assessment will be closely linked to the learning outcomes of each course unit. Factual knowledge is assessed by self-assessment assignments/quizzes. The marks from these self-assessments are purely for feedback purposes, and are not part of your assessment and not made available to course unit tutors, although tutors will know if you have completed them. Marked assignments will focus on the ability to synthesize and implement knowledge. There are no formal examinations, as most work is assessed by essay-type assignments. Some courses have assessed discussion boards or online activities. Please refer to individual course unit outlines for details; dates will be found in the actual Blackboard activities at the start of each semester. Course unit outlines are available on our website at:
All coursework assignments should be completed in Microsoft Word or in a rich text format documents and submitted via Blackboard. For full details of how to submit an assignment please see On-line Skills and Resources. Please note that this is also the method by which you are expected to submit your dissertation.
Use of Turnitin
The University uses electronic systems for the purposes of detecting plagiarism and other forms of academic malpractice and for marking. Such systems include TurnitinUK, the plagiarism detection service used by the University.
As part of the formative and/or summative assessment process, you may be asked to submit electronic versions of your work to TurnitinUK and/or other electronic systems used by the University (this requirement may be in addition to a requirement to submit a paper copy of your work). If you are asked to do this, you must do so within the required timescales.
The School also reserves the right to submit work handed in by you for formative or summative assessment to TurnitinUK and/or other electronic systems used by the University.
Please note that when work is submitted to the relevant electronic systems, it may be copied and then stored in a database to allow appropriate checks to be made.
4.2 Feedback Policy
The following policy has been developed in line with the University ‘Policy on feedback to Undergraduate and Postgraduate Taught Students’.
“The University of Manchester is committed to providing timely and appropriate feedback to students on their academic progress and achievement, thereby enabling students to reflect on their progress and plan their academic and skills developmen.t effectively. Feedback, and acting on feedback, is therefore part of the active learning process throughout a student’s course of study.” Teaching and Learning Support Office, University of Manchester (2010).
On the MPH/MRes programme we are committed to;
- Providing students with personalised feedback for their mid-term and final summative assignments, within 15 working days for mid-term assignments and 20 working days for final submission
- Providing more opportunities for formative feedback (on non-assessed work) during a course unit.
1. Personalised feedback on written assignments will be provided for mid-term and final assignments
We aim to offer the same quality of feedback across the programme, however the form that this feedback will take will vary from unit to unit, and this will be specified in each individual Blackboard unit. Some assignments will benefit from a summary at the end of the paper, short answer questions may receive feedback after each question and in other units feedback may refer to the model answer.
All feedback will be given through ‘Grademark’ within Blackboard, unless specifically stated differently in the course unit materials. Your tutor may use a variety of different tools within the software. A guide to accessing feedback within Grademark will be found in each unit.
We aim to get feedback uploaded into Grademark and your assignments marked in under 15 working days or less for the mid-term papers and in 20 working days or less for the final assignments. In the case of tutor sickness delaying feedback, students will be informed by e-mail or an announcement placed in Blackboard.
Feedback is designed to be positive to show you how you can improve. In most cases it will be linked closely with the programme marking criteria found in the handbook.
We encourage you to reflect on the feedback and to incorporate the ideas into your next work. If you are uncertain about it, or have any questions please contact your Course Unit Lead. Do this via Blackboard. If you are advised to improve your referencing then please do so using the skills units for guidance. If you still do not understand how to reference then contact your Course Unit Lead or the Programme Director before your next assignment.
Some discussion board and small group exercises are also assessed. Details of the marking and assessment will be explained in the individual course unit.
Feedback for assessed discussion board activities can be found in Blackboard in ‘Gradebook’ along with your mark for the work. We aim to provide these within a week to ten days of the exercise finishing.
2. Providing opportunities for formative feedback (on non-assessed work) during a course unit
Formative feedback gives you the opportunity to develop and improve with the unit and/ or programme of study. In our programme this is offered in several different ways, for example:
- Feedback by tutors and fellow students on discussion boards or WIKI’s
- Automated feedback from self-test or quizzes
- Peer review exercises
- Reflective exercises which provide sample answers
These are not assessed and therefore optional, however we do encourage you take part and reflect on the feedback that you receive.
4.3 Programme External Examiners
The role of the External Examiners
External Examiners are individuals from another institution or organisation who monitor the assessment processes of the University to ensure fairness and academic standards. They ensure that assessment and examination procedures have been fairly and properly implemented and that decisions have been made after appropriate deliberation. They also ensure that standards of awards and levels of student performance are at least comparable with those in equivalent higher education institutions.
External Examiners’ reports
External Examiners’ reports relating to this programme will be shared with student representatives at the programme committee/staff student liaison committee, where details of any actions carried out by the programme team/School in response to the External Examiners’ comments will be discussed. Students should contact their student representatives if they require any further information about External Examiners’ reports or the process for considering them.
External Examiner Details
We have six External Examiners for this programme.
- Professor Lesley Anderson, Chair in Health Data Science at the University of Aberdeen
- Professor Anjum Memon, Chair in Epidemiology and Public Health Medicine at the Brighton and Sussex Medical School and Honorary Consultant in Public Health.
- Dr Bharat Pankhania, Senior Clinical Lecturer at University of Exeter Medical School
- Dr Charlene McShane, Lecturer in Cancer Epidemiology, Centre for Public Health at Queen’s University Belfast
- Dr Jenny Blythe, Clinical Senior Lecturer, Barts & The London Medical School
- Professor Zoe Marshman, Professor and Honorary Consultant in Dental Public Health at the University of Sheffield
Please note that it is inappropriate for students to make direct contact with External Examiners under any circumstances, in particular with regards to a student’s individual performance in assessments. Other appropriate mechanisms are available for students, including the University’s appeals or complaints procedures and the UMSU Advice Centre. In cases where a student does contact an External Examiner directly, External Examiners have been requested not to respond to direct queries. Instead, External Examiners should report the matter to their School contact who will then contact the student to remind them of the other methods available for students. If students have any queries concerning this, they should contact their Programme administration team in the first instance.
4.4 Faculty assessment criteria for assignments and dissertations
NB A more comprehensive assessment criteria specific to the MPH/MRes course units can be found in each Blackboard unit.
* The award of Merit or Distinction for the final degree is dependent upon a number of criteria laid out in the list below.
Dissertations
Please see the MPH/MRes dissertation handbook in Blackboard for further details. Please click the following link to open the dissertation handbook (login required): https://online.manchester.ac.uk/bbcswebdav/xid-11944381_1.
4.5 Postgraduate Taught Degree Regulations
Postgraduate Taught degrees at the University of Manchester are based on the National Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ). This framework requires students to achieve credit at Masters’ level in order to get an award. For a standard postgraduate taught Masters programme this will normally mean passing 180 credits. A standard postgraduate diploma will normally have 120 credits and a postgraduate certificate 60 credits. The way in which you study these credits will be defined later in the programme handbook and the programme specification.
The University sets standards relating to your performance on every unit but also on your progression through the programme. The programme and course unit specifications will set out the requirements for passing the credit on individual units.
Please be aware that the programme has some higher requirements to the University degree regulations and details of these are outlined in the section ‘Programme Exemptions to PGT Degree Regulations’
Postgraduate Taught Degree Regulations
Please find below the link to the degree regulations:
http://www.regulations.manchester.ac.uk/postgraduate-degree-regulations/
The following guidance should be read in conjunction with the regulations policy document.
Criteria for Awards
Award of Master’s Degree
The award of Master degree is based upon credit accumulation using a pass mark of 50%.
Distinction
Exceptional achievements over the course of the Programme according to the taught Masters marking scheme will be rewarded with the degree of MPH/MRes with Distinction.
To obtain a Distinction, students must have:
- accrued 180 credits;
- have passed all units with no compensations or referrals;
- have achieved an overall weighted average of 70% or more across the programme;
Students who have compensated or have been referred in any course units are not eligible for the award of Distinction. In addition, the dissertation must be submitted by the end of the period of programme, unless there are significant mitigating circumstances, approved in advance for missing the end of programme deadline.
Merit
To obtain a Merit, students must have:
- accrued 180 credits
- have achieved an overall weighted average of 60% or more across the programme, including any provision made for compensated or referred units.
Pass
To obtain a pass, students must have accrued 180 credits including any provision made for compensated or referred units.
Award of Postgraduate Diploma
To obtain a Postgraduate Diploma award, students must have accrued 120 credits (as specified by the programme) including any provision made for compensated or referred units.
Award of Postgraduate Certificate
To obtain a Postgraduate Certificate award students must have accrued 60 credits (as specified by the programme) including any provision made for compensated or referred units.
Unless otherwise specified in the exemptions, the awards of Postgraduate Diploma and Postgraduate Certificate degree are based upon credit accumulation using a pass mark of 40% for which there is no classification other than pass/fail.
Exit Awards
Exit awards are available for students who do not satisfy the criteria for the programme they are registered on or who needs to exit the programme early due to unforeseen circumstances.
To be considered for a PG Diploma (120 credits; exit point) students must have accrued 120 credits across the programme, including any provision made for compensated or referred units.
To be considered for a PG Certificate (60 credits; exit point) students must have accrued 60 credits across the programme, including any provision made for compensated or referred units.
Please note the pass mark for course units making up the Postgraduate Diploma and Certificate exit awards is 40%, including any provision made for compensated or referred units.
The following guidance should be read in conjunction with the regulations document.
Compensation
Master’s Degree
Students can obtain a maximum of two compensations (30 credits) in the taught component if they receive a mark in the 40 – 49% range.
Postgraduate Diploma
Students can obtain a maximum of two compensations (30 credits) in the taught component if they receive a mark in the 30 – 39% range.
Postgraduate Certificate
Students can obtain a maximum of one compensation (15 credits) in the taught component if they receive a mark in the 30 – 39% range.
Please note that some programmes do not allow compensation, as outlined under Degree Regulations, if applicable.
Reassessment
Where the overall unit mark is below the lowest compensation mark (40% for Master’s and 30% for Postgraduate Diploma/Certificate) OR the number of compensatable fails (30 credits for Masters/Diploma and 15 credits for Postgraduate Certificate) has been exceeded, reassessment may be taken.
Reassessment as a result of a fail is known as a “Referral”. Reassessment as a result of approved and verified mitigating circumstances is known as “Deferral” and may be permitted where students are reassessed as a first attempt, for which no penalty applies.
Students may be referred in up to half of the total taught credits. The combined total number of credits referred and compensated cannot exceed half the taught credits. Decisions with regard to which components should be reassessed are made by the Board of Examiners. When a student is referred they will normally be permitted to retake the assessment/exam on one further occasion at the next available opportunity.
At the recommendation of the Board of Examiners, students will normally be allowed one resubmission of a failed dissertation or project and this will normally be within four months of the date of the publication of the result. For September 2016 starters only, failed PGT dissertations can only be re-submitted if they achieve a mark of 30 or above. The Board of Examiners, in agreement with the External Examiner may, exceptionally, decide not to allow resubmission.
The pass mark for a reassessment is the same as the first attempt (i.e. 50% for masters and 40% for Postgraduate Diploma/Certificate). When a reassessment is passed, the mark is capped at the lowest compensatable fail mark (i.e. 40R for Masters and 30R for Postgraduate Diploma/Certificate), unless the previous mark was within the compensation zone, in which case the original mark will stand with a suffix ‘R’. This mark is used in the weighted average/total mark for the final award. The capped mark is applied to the whole unit and not the failed component.
Referrals may also be compensated providing the number of quota of compensations has not been exceeded. When a student’s referral mark is in the compensation zone (and the student/unit is eligible for compensation), the student’s mark will be capped at the lowest compensatable fail mark (i.e. 40R for Masters and 30R for Postgraduate Diploma/Certificate).
Please note that some programmes do not allow referrals. Please refer to the ‘Programme Exemptions to PGT Degree Regulations’ section of the handbook where specific exemptions applicable to the programme will be listed.
5 School and Programme Policies
5.1 Assignment extensions
All submission deadlines will be 12 noon GMT/BST. There will be no grace periods following the deadline (unless mitigating circumstances are approved) and the University late submission policy will take effect.
Students are permitted a maximum extension of one week and will only be granted for acute illness around assignment submission time and any unforeseen life events that affect your ability to work in the short-term. They are not given for increased workload at your place of work, students that register late or book holidays during term time.
You will be required to submit your request in writing directly to your programme administration team together with supporting 3rd party evidence, prior to the assignment deadline. All requests are treated confidentially. Extensions will be granted at the discretion of the programme administration team/director.
Please do not submit any extension request via Blackboard or via your Course Tutor.
Please note that extensions of more than one week will not be offered by the programme. Students who require more than one week will need to complete a mitigating circumstances form and provide evidence which will be taken to the mitigating circumstances panel. This panel will make a recommendation to the Exam Board as to whether the student can take the resit as a first attempt. (see ‘Mitigating Circumstances’ section for further details).
Please note that extension requests can take up to 2 working days to confirm and your request is not guaranteed to be accepted, so please submit any requests as early as possible. Students who submit late will risk having penalties (see ‘Late Submission’ section for further details)
Any extension for a resit assignment will be dealt with by the same procedure, however you will need to submit new request and provide new evidence.
5.2 Late Submission (including dissertations)
Work submitted after the deadline without prior approval will be subject to a late penalty in accordance with the University Policy on Submission of Work for Summative Assessment on Taught Programmes. The penalty applied is 10% of available marks deducted per day/24 hours (from the time of the original or extended deadline), until the assignment is submitted or no marks remain.
Penalties for late submission relate to 24 hours/calendar days, so include weekends and weekdays, as well as bank holidays and University closure days.
The mark awarded for the piece of work will be reduced by:
10% of the available marks deducted if up to 24 hours (1 day) late
20% of the available marks deducted if up to 48 hours (2 days) late
30% of the available marks deducted if up to 72 hours (3 days) late
40% of the available marks deducted if up to 96 hours (4 days) late
50% of the available marks deducted if up to 120 hours (5 days) late
60% of the available marks deducted if up to 144 hours (6 days) late
70% of the available marks deducted if up to 168 hours (7 days) late
80% of the available marks deducted if up to 192 hours (8 days) late
90% of the available marks deducted if up to 216 hours (9 days) late
100% of the available marks deducted if up to 240 hours (10 days) late
If the assessment is submitted within 10 days of the deadline the assessment should be marked and feedback to the student provided. If this mark before the penalty is applied reaches the appropriate pass mark but the applied penalty results in a fail of the assessment, the student should not be required to resit the assessment as the original mark can be taken as the resit mark. Further information and examples can be found in the Policy and
associated Guidance documents.
For work submitted more than 10 days late, it is regarded as a non-submission and need not be marked. In this case a mark of zero will be awarded and normal resit regulations will apply.
The sliding scale should only be applied to first-sit submissions. For all referred (resit) assessment, any late submission will automatically receive a mark of zero.
For further information:
Policy on the Submission of Work for Summative Assessment on Taught Programmes
5.3 Mitigating Circumstances
Mitigation describes the process when a student’s assessment performance has been affected, or when they are not able to complete an exam/assessment, as a consequence of unforeseen or unpreventable circumstances. Mitigation can be submitted for any assessments that have been completed but have been adversely affected, or for exams/assessments that a student has been unable to complete.
A student must submit a request for mitigation to their programme administration team, in advance of their assessment submission deadline or exam, together with supporting 3rd party evidence. Your programme administration team will provide you with the Mitigating Circumstances form to complete.
Retrospective mitigation requests will only be considered, if presented at least 2 weeks prior to the exam board and there are compelling reasons as to why the circumstances could not be made known or presented prior to the assessment submission deadline. (See Student Timetable under section 2.6 for the programme’s exam board dates.)
Any requests for mitigation will be considered confidentially by a mitigating circumstances panel. This will include a nominated School contact and will meet the quoracy guidelines of the University regulations. Where a request for mitigation is supported, a recommendation will be made to the exam board for them to decide on the best course of action for the student.
Students are also advised to consult the following guidance, which directs them to seek advice and support before and whilst submitting a request for mitigation.
A Basic Guide to Mitigating Circumstances
5.4 Word Count (including the dissertation)
In accordance with the University Policy on Marking:
Each written assignment has a word limit which you must state at the top of your first page. It is acceptable, without penalty, for you to submit an assignment within a range that is plus 10% of this limit. If you present an assignment with a word count exceeding the specified limit+10%, the assignment will be marked but 1% will be deducted from this mark for every 100 words over the limit given.
For an original word limit that is 1000 words and an assignment that is marked out of 100. If a submission is made that is 1101 words then it exceeded the 10% leeway, and is more than 100 words over the original limit and should receive a 1 mark deduction.
In accordance with accepted academic practice, when submitting any written assignment for summative assessment, the notion of a word count includes the following without exception:
- All titles or headings that form part of the actual text. This does not include the fly page or reference list.
- All words that form the actual essay.
- All words forming the titles for figures, tables and boxes, are included but this does not include boxes or tables or figures themselves.
- All in-text (that is bracketed) references.
- All directly quoted material.
Certain assessments may require different penalties for word limits to be applied. For example, if part of the requirement for the assessment is conciseness of presentation of facts and arguments. In such cases it may be that no 10% leeway is allowed and penalties applied may be stricter than described above. In such cases the rules for word count limits and the penalties to be applied will be clearly stated in the assessment brief and in the submission details for that assessment.
5.5 Deferral & Referral of assignments (Resits)
To pass a course unit you must have submitted all (usually two) assignments (excluding assessed discussion boards), and gained an overall mark of 50% or greater at Masters Level and 40% or greater at Diploma or Certificate level. If you have failed to submit the required number of assignments you are very likely to fail the unit.
If you fail a course unit and are unable to compensate the mark, you will be offered the opportunity to take a resit assignment (known as a “referral”). The resit assignment will take the form of one assignment which is designed to test your knowledge of the entire unit and will also form your mark for the entire unit. This will be capped in line with the regulations, unless mitigating circumstances are submitted and approved.
If you fail a course unit but have a mitigating circumstances request accepted for any of your assignments, the most likely outcome is that you will be offered the opportunity to take a resit assignment (known as a “deferral”). The resit assignment will take the form of one assignment which is designed to test your knowledge of the entire unit and will also form your mark for the entire unit. This will mark not be capped.
Any extension for a resit assignment will need to submit new mitigating circumstances and provide evidence. This will be taken to the panel also and a recommendation will be made. Please note that this will take time and your request is not guaranteed to be accepted. Extensions of more than one week will not be offered.
Failure of a resit assignment at first attempt
If you have approved mitigation to take the resit assignment for a unit at first attempt, and you fail this assignment, you will have to wait until the following academic year to take a further resit at second attempt. We offer only one resit opportunity for each unit per year, directly following the examination board for that unit. This means that there will be no further opportunity to take a resit in the same academic year if you fail the resit assignment at first attempt. Even if you have further mitigation, you will likely be offered to retake the full unit in the following academic year.
Failure of a unit at second attempt
If a student fails a resit assignment they will not be eligible to take the unit again. They are also unable to take an additional unit in place of the failed one. Should this happen, the students situation will be discussed at an exam board and the student will be offered appropriate options. This may include transfer to another award such as a PG Diploma or PG Certificate, or exit from the programme if this is not possible.
A detailed description of the regulations surrounding resits can be found in Section 4.5.
5.6 Special permissions (Interruptions and Extensions)
It is the expectation of the University that postgraduate taught students pursue their studies on a continuous basis for the stipulated duration of their programme. However, it is recognised that students may encounter personal difficulties or situations which may seriously disrupt or delay their studies. In some cases, an interruption or extension to your programme of study may be the most sensible option.
Students who wish to interrupt the programme or extend to write up the dissertation should initially discuss their plans and reasons with their Programme Administration Team, Programme Director or their Dissertation Supervisor (if requesting an extension to their dissertation deadline).
Students must also provide documentary evidence when appropriate, for example, doctor’s letter, sick note etc.
An application must be submitted to the Programme Administration Team and this will be sent to the Programme Director who will either support or reject the request. The form will then be submitted for consideration to the School Postgraduate Programme s Manager who will make the final decision.
The forms required for formal application are available from the MPH Administration team.
5.7 Academic Appeals
Students have a right of appeal against a final decision of an Examination Board, or a progress committee, or a graduate committee or equivalent body which affects their academic status or progress in the University.
Students thinking of appealing should first discuss the matter informally with an appropriate member of staff, in order to better understand the reason for the result or decision.
Should you wish to proceed to a formal appeal, this must be submitted within the timeframe outlined in the Academic Appeals Procedure to the Faculty Appeals and Complaints Team, Room 3.21, Simon Building, University of Manchester, M13 9PL (e-mail: FBMHappealsandcomplaints@manchester.ac.uk).
The Academic Appeals Procedure (Regulation XIX) and associated documents, including the form on which formal appeals should be submitted, can be found at www.regulations.manchester.ac.uk/academic
5.8 Student Complaints
The University’s Student Complaints Procedure (Regulation XVIII) and associated documents, including a complaints form, can be found at www.regulations.manchester.ac.uk/academic
University has separate procedures to address complaints of bullying, harassment, discrimination and/or victimisation – see https://www.reportandsupport.manchester.ac.uk/
Students thinking of submitting a formal complaint should, in most instances, attempt informal resolution first (see the procedure). Formal complaints should be submitted on the relevant form to Faculty Appeals and Complaints Team, Room 3.21, Simon Building, University of Manchester, M13 9PL (e-mail: FBMHappealsandcomplaints@manchester.ac.uk).
6 Student Progression
6.1 Attendance/Engagement
Monitoring Attendance (Engagement) and Wellbeing of Students
The programme director and teaching staff will monitor the work and attendance of students on the programme. This is for your benefit and helps to ensure you are coping with the work. Regular or a pattern of non-attendance and/or engagement will result in you being contacted by the School to meet with your programme director.
Examination Boards can refuse assessment, as well as referred assessment, on the grounds of poor academic performance and/or lack of attendance/engagement. A series of warnings (informal and formal) would be issued to any students failing to meet the engagement requirements of their programme. If there is no significant improvement, or the criteria set out in the formal warning is not met, then further action will be taken and may result in withdrawal from the programme.
Informal non-engagement triggers – If a student reaches any of the following trigger points, they will be contacted via email by a member of the admin team:
- Where a students has not accessed the unit after 3 weeks of the start of course.
- Where a student has not accessed the unit after 10-days of the mid-term or final
assignment being released.
- In the dissertation year, where a student is not regularly engaging with their Supervisor within the expected guidelines (see dissertation handbook for further information)
Formal non-engagement warnings – If a student reaches any of the following formal trigger points, then they will be issued a formal warning resulting in a skype/telephone review meeting with one of the Academic Student Support Advisors. If the student does not attend the review meeting, or hits a further formal trigger, the student will then receive a formal written warning. Further failure to comply with engagement may lead to student being refused permission to continue with their programme. Examples include:
- Non-submission of a mid-term or final assignment (unless mitigation is approved)
- Non-attendance of mandatory face-to-face session (blended units only)
- In the dissertation year, where a student is consistently not engaging with their supervisor within the expected guidelines (see dissertation handbook for further information)
For further information see:
Regulation XX Monitoring Attendance and Wellbeing of Students
The University offers a range of advice and support to students experiencing problems with attendance. Further information can be found via Student Support – http://www.studentsupport.manchester.ac.uk/. You can also speak to your Programme Director and/or one of the Student Support Tutors.
The requirements in relation to the monitoring of engagement for students during the research component of a Masters level degree can be found in the MPH/MRes dissertation handbook in Blackboard. Please click the following link to open the dissertation handbook (login required): https://online.manchester.ac.uk/bbcswebdav/xid-11944381_1.
6.2 Programme changes
Students may request to change their programme from full time to part time. They may also request to change from a Master level to a Diploma or Certificate. They may also request to change from the MPH to MRes, or vice versa. On the basis of performance students may be recommended or required to change their programme for example from a Masters to a Diploma.
Progressing from PG Certificate or Diploma to a Masters
Well performing PG Cert/PG Dip students can progress on to a Masters level programme if they meet or better the required academic performance for a Master award. Anyone wishing to consider this route should contact the programme administration team as soon as possible to discuss this (mph.admin@manchester.ac.uk).
Progressing from PHPD units to PG Cert, PG Dip or Masters in Public Health
If you have completed course units on the PHPD stand-alone unit scheme and would like to progress to the PG Certificate, PG Diploma or MPH programme, you must complete the online application form providing all supporting documents before the beginning of August. If you need any further information about this process, please contact the admissions co-ordinator (pgtaught.cbm@manchester.ac.uk).
6.3 Withdrawal from studies
If for any reason you would like to withdraw from your studies, please contact the programme administration team for further guidance. You will be asked to give notification of your withdrawal in writing, and may be invited to speak to a member of academic staff before your withdrawal is processed. Please note that you may be liable for part or whole of the tuition fees due and/or an administrative charge if you decide to withdraw once teaching has started.
6.4 Managing your Studies as a Part Time Student
Our Part Time programmes in Public Health and Primary Care offer a flexible modular approach to learning, where students can manage their study time around other commitments. We have two semesters per year, starting in September and January, and different units run in each semester. Students are permitted to take up to 2 units per semester, but we also allow ‘Not Currently Studying’ semesters, where students can choose not to take a unit during that time, providing they still have enough time remaining to complete within the timeframe allocated to their programme. Taking too many semesters away from studying will not be accepted as grounds for extension to programme, and official interruptions must be sought if a student wishes to ‘stop-the-clock’ on their studies.
The maximum time limit on the period of study for the MRes is to 5 years (please see information below regarding limitations if students are funded by a PG Loan)
This section illustrates the ways in which a student can manage their study on the programme in order to gain a qualification. Each period of study/non-study can be shuffled, but the maximum number of ‘Not Currently Studying’ periods must be abided by (see below).
KEY
The following abbreviations will be utilised in this section:
MRes (2 years)
Students must take 6 units and a 90-credit dissertation to gain the MRes, and have 2 years in which to complete their studies. We highly recommend that this is split as follows:
Students must complete within 2 years due to constraints from the Student Loans Company, therefore the timing for this programme is less flexible. There is no option to take NCST periods when registered on this programme due to time constraints. Students can only begin their dissertation on completion of 6 taught units (unless exceptional authorisation has been approved – see section 6.5.1 for further details).
If you wish to take more than the recommended 3 units in a semester, please contact the MPH admin team (mph.admin@manchester.ac.uk) and/or the Programme Director (mph.director@manchester.ac.uk) for advice/approval.
As the MRes dissertation has a higher credit bearing, we currently do not recommend that students take this in less than one full year, although students may discuss this with the dissertation lead (Roger Harrison/Andrew Jones) and Programme Director if they wish to complete the MRes dissertation in the second semester. This may mean that students can take 2 units per semester across 3 semesters, and the dissertation in semester 2 of year 2.
MRes (3 – 5 years)
Students must take 6 units and a 90-credit dissertation to gain the MRes, and have up to 5 years in which to complete their studies. This may be split in the following ways:
Students can complete within 3 years when taking 2 units per semester plus 1 year for the dissertation, ranging to 5 years when taking 1 unit per semester, 2 semesters of NCST, plus 1 year for the dissertation.
However, on the MRes, students can take up to 5 semesters of ‘Not Currently Studying’, providing they have enough time remaining to complete their units. The NCST periods can be taken at any point, so the patterns above are simply for illustration.
Students can only begin their dissertation on completion of 6 taught units (unless exceptional authorisation has been approved – see section 6.5.1 for further details). As the MRes dissertation has a higher credit bearing, we currently do not recommend that students take this in less than one full year, although students may discuss this with the dissertation lead (Roger Harrison/Andrew Jones) and Programme Director if they wish to complete the MRes dissertation in the second semester.
6.5 Progression to dissertation
In order to progress to the dissertation, MRes students must have completed 90 taught credits (or 6 taught units). Of these at least 60 credits (or 4 units) must be passed at Masters Level (i.e. 50%). The other 30 credits (or 2 units) must have marks that fall within the compensation zone for a Masters degree (40 – 49%) or higher.
Once a student has completed the taught component for their programme and received their results, they should contact the dissertation tutor, Roger Harrison, to arrange to begin work on their dissertation.
6.5.1 Part-time students wishing to start their dissertation early
In exceptional cases, part-time students may request to start their dissertation unit early, before they have successfully completed all their taught unit. Such students must already be at least registered on all of their remaining taught units and be achieving pass marks at Master’s level before their request will be considered.
Starting a dissertation early than the recommended time will not be considered as sufficient grounds for mitigation and/or an extension to submission deadline. To enquire about starting your dissertation early, please email mph.admin@manchester.ac.uk
6.6 Graduation
All students who successfully complete the PG Diploma, MPH, and MRes programmes are invited, along with their guests, to attend a graduation ceremony. The School will write to you confirming your award and the details for graduation. Further information about graduation can be found at:
http://www.graduation.manchester.ac.uk/
All University of Manchester degree ceremonies are broadcast live on-line, and are also stored on the University website.
Graduation and Blackboard Access
Students who are presented at the June Exam Board will be invited to join the July Graduation Ceremony and students who are presented at the November Exam Board will be invited to join the December Graduation Ceremony. The University’s Graduation Team will release the Graduation Ceremony information as soon as it is made available, usually late April/October. The standard email sent by the University’s Graduation Team is sent to ALL potential graduands. Therefore, please do not book flights or hotels until you have received your award/degree result following the Exam Board meeting.
Graduands will have access to both Course and Organisation spaces until the end of their Graduation period; end of July/end of December.
7 Student Support
Full details of support offered by The University of Manchester can be found on the Student Support web pages. Though you may not be able to come to the university, many support or guidance services can now be accessed by e-mail, phone or mail. The course unit leaders, course unit tutors, the programmes administrator and the programme director are all on hand to support and guide you while you are going through your programme of study. If you have any queries or would like to discuss any issues at all – academic, administrative, technical or personal – please do not hesitate to get in touch. All personal issues will be dealt with confidentially.
If we are unable to help you directly, we can put you in touch with many of the support services that are available to students of the university through our Student Support and Advice team. You can approach these services independently, without the involvement of MPH staff.
Details of the resources available for student support, wellbeing support and learning support can be found in pages 21, 22 and 23 of the MPH Online Induction.
7.1 Student Services Centre (SSC)
The Student Service Centre can help provide you with information about:
- Registration
- Tuition fees queries
- Graduation and transcripts
You can contact the SSC at:
Tel: +44 (0) 161 275 5000
E-mail: ssc@manchester.ac.uk
7.1.1 Student identity card
Once you have completed your registration, if you would like a University of Manchester Student ID card, please request this by contacting the SSC by email to request one (ssc@manchester.ac.uk).
If you have uploaded a photograph of yourself to the student system during your application process, this can be used for your student card. If not, once you have logged into ‘My Manchester’, you will be able to upload a photo for your student card in the My Profile area.
Please state in your email to the SSC that you are a distance learning student and are not based at the University of Manchester and therefore you are requesting that your student card be posted to your home address.
7.2 Health and Safety and Security on Campus
If you are going to be visiting the University campus for any purpose, please take time to read the university’s Health and Safety Policy before doing so. This can be accessed via:
http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=654
Security
If you are going to be visiting the university campus for any purpose, please note that neither the Division of Population Health, Health Services Research & Primary Care, nor The University of Manchester can be held responsible for your personal property. Please keep your belongings with you at all times. Items left unattended may be removed and destroyed or damaged without warning by University Security Services.
7.3 Student Counselling Service
The University of Manchester Counselling Service offers confidential help with any personal issues affecting work, self-esteem, relationships, mental health or general well-being. Counselling can provide a valuable opportunity to work on personal issues in a confidential setting with someone independent from your own life. The Counselling Service is available for all University of Manchester students (undergraduate, postgraduate or research students) and all members of staff. They are happy to communicate with distance learning students by phone or e-mail. It is free of charge and consists of a team of professional counsellors with extensive experience of helping people with issues such as managing anxiety, confidence and self-esteem, managing low mood, personal development and coping better with academic pressures:
counselling.service@manchester.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)161 275 2864
http://www.counsellingservice.manchester.ac.uk/
Distance learning students can use a confidential online videoconference service which will allow you to obtain one-to-one counselling support via videoconference over a secure network.
https://www.counsellingservice.manchester.ac.uk/distancelearners/
7.4 Disability Support
The University of Manchester welcomes students with a disability or specific learning difficulties. The University has a Disability Advisory and Support Service, who can supply further information, and DASS advisors will be pleased to meet you to discuss your needs. DASS will liaise with your School through the Disability Coordinator to make the necessary arrangements for your support during your time in Manchester.
The office can also provide a copy of the University’s Disability Statement, ‘Opportunities for Students with Additional Support Needs at the University of Manchester’ which sets out the policy and provision for students with a disability.
DASS Contact Details:-
Location: 2nd Floor, University Place
E-mail: dass@manchester.ac.uk; Phone: 0161 275 7512;
Text (for d/Deaf students only): 07899 658 790; Website: www.dass.manchester.ac.uk
Disability Coordinator Contact Details:-
Name: Chris Bamford
E-mail: christopher.bamford@manchester.ac.uk
7.5 Religious Observance and looking after yourself during Ramadan
Policy on Religious Observance
The Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health has also produced guidance for healthcare students on fasting and caring:
Fasting and Caring – Looking after yourself and your patients during Ramadan: guidance for health care students.
7.6 Careers Service
The University has a Careers Service which you will be able to use. Please see the link below for more information.
http://www.careers.manchester.ac.uk/
Guidance Appointments may be available by telephone and Skype for those who are unable to make it onto campus
http://www.careers.manchester.ac.uk/services/guidance/telephone/
Careers Blog for Students @ Manchester – A Careers Blog has been set up dedicated to keeping students at The University of Manchester informed with regular news and upcoming events.
7.7 Equal Opportunities
In conformity with the general intention of the university’s charter, the Public Health and Primary Care Programmes confirm their commitment to a comprehensive policy of equal opportunity for students and prospective students in their admissions policy, in all aspects of teaching and examining, in their counselling of students, and in the way they afford access to any of their benefits, facilities and services. The aim of the policy is to ensure that no student or prospective student receives less favourable treatment directly or indirectly on the grounds of race, nationality, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, marital or parental status, disability, creed, political belief or social or economic class. The Code of Practice for complaints represents our commitment to a programme of action to make these policies fully effective (see Appendix 3).
8 Student Representation and Feedback
8.1 Student Representatives
Each year, we ask students to volunteer for the role of student representative. Student representation plays a vital and important part in helping us to maintain and improve the quality of the services and programmes that we provide.
The role of a student representative has three aspects:
- To liaise between staff and students on matters of concern to either side
- To provide two-way feedback on the course and on teaching quality
- To promote active student involvement in course development
Student representatives are also invited to speak confidentially to our external examiner at the end of the academic year, and to participate in our end-of-year course review meetings. Representatives can participate by attending meetings in person or by teleconference. Representatives will be asked to feedback information from these meetings to the other students.
We usually recruit 5 or 6 student representatives each year to cover the range of public health programmes. You will receive an email at the start of the academic year from the MPH Administration Team asking for volunteers for the positions. Representatives should be studying at least 1 course unit in the current academic year. If more than 6 students put themselves forwards, a vote may be held or if you are a part-time student you may be asked to stand in a later year. If you wish to nominate yourself for the role of student representative, please contact mph.admin@manchester.ac.uk.
Each student will act as a rep for one year, unless they express a desire to continue, in which case they may put themselves forwards again. In this instance, students who have yet to act as a representative will take precedent.
8.2 Student Feedback
Your feedback is part of an on-going process of programme and course unit assessment. At the end of each semester you will be asked to complete an anonymous on-line evaluation questionnaire for each course unit you have taken. At the end of your programme you will also be asked to complete a general evaluation for your overall programme of study.
The university also requests that students complete a PTES (Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey) once a year. This information is quite different from that collected by the programme and we would encourage you to complete both.
Information about both unit surveys and PTES will be sent directly to you through the student portal. The end of programme survey will be emailed to you on completion of your programme.
Appendix 1: Academic staff and course unit leaders
| Course Code | Course unit | Course Unit Lead | Contact Details |
| Full Year | |||
| POPH62130 | Dissertation Skills | Roger Harrison & Andy Jones | |
| Semester One | |||
| POPH60041 | Evidence Based Practice | Paula Whittaker | Paula.whittaker@manchester.ac.uk |
| POPH60991 | Fundamentals of Epidemiology | Tracey Farragher | Tracey.farragher@manchester.ac.uk |
| POPH63111 | Primary Health Care | Stephen Campbell | Stephen.campbell@manchester.ac.uk |
| POPH62051 | Communicable Disease Control | Anjana Sahu | Anjana.sahu@manchester.ac.uk |
| POPH60021 | Health Promotion Theory & Methods | Angela Spencer | Angela.spencer@manchester.ac.uk |
| POPH63121 | Qualitative Research Methods |
Reem Addam & Christine Greenhalgh |
|
| POPH60091 | Health Economics | Gemma Shields | Gemma.shields@manchester.ac.uk |
| POPH62311 | Global Health into the 21st Century | Greg Williams | Greg.williams@manchester.ac.uk |
| POPH62411 | Global Women’s Public Health | Liz Dalgarno | Elizabeth.dalgarno@manchester.ac.uk |
| POPH64551 | Implementation Sciences | Clare Huish | Clare.huish@manchester.ac.uk |
| POPH65011 | Arts & Public Health | Annie Harrison | Annie.harrison@manchester.ac.uk |
| POPH68001 | Evidence Synthesis: Systematic Reviews | Lucy O’Malley | Lucy.omalley@manchester.ac.uk |
| POPH76061 | Oral Health & Disease in Populations | Rebecca Craven | Rebecca.craven@manchester.ac.uk |
| Semester Two | |||
| POPH60982 | Practical Statistics for Population Health | Isla Gemmell | Isla.gemmell@manchester.ac.uk |
| POPH62212 | Health Systems Challenges in Low & Middle Income Countries | Liz Dalgarno | Elizabeth.dalgarno@manchester.ac.uk |
| POPH64132 | Emergency Planning, Response & Resilience | Anjana Sahu | Anjana.sahu@manchester.ac.uk |
| POPH60112 | Applied Epidemiology | Jill Stocks | Jill.stocks@manchester.ac.uk |
| POPH60092 | Health Economics | Gemma Shields | Gemma.shields@manchester.ac.uk |
| POPH60072 | Working with Communities | Andrew Rogers | Andrew.d.rogers@manchester.ac.uk |
| POPH64662 | Health Services Management | Greg Williams | Greg.williams@manchester.ac.uk |
| POPH65022 | Digital Public Health | Omer Ali | Omer.ali@manchester.ac.uk |
| POPH65042 | Climate Change & Health | Christine Greenhalgh | Christine.greenhalgh@manchester.ac.uk |
| POPH65052 | Introduction to Health Policy | Marcello Morciano | Marcello.morciano@manchester.ac.uk |
| POPH60062 | Engaging the Hard to Reach for Health Gain | Annie Harrison | Annie.harrison@manchester.ac.uk |
| POPH64772 | Intercultural Public Health | Clare Huish | Clare.huish@manchester.ac.uk |
| POPH76072 | Implementing Strategy in Dental Services | Rebecca Craven | Rebecca.craven@manchester.ac.uk |
| POPH68012 | Guideline Development & Implementation | Lucy O’Malley | Lucy.omalley@manchester.ac.uk |
| Summer Semester | |||
| POPH65552 | Infection Prevention & Control | Hannah Waterson | Hannah.waterson@manchester.ac.uk |
Appendix 2: Academic Reporting Structure for the Programme
This programme is managed and operated in accordance with the policies, principles, regulations and procedures of the University of Manchester. The programme committee reports and responds to the Community Based Medicine Consortium and the MPH Programme Director is a member of the Community Based Medicine Consortium. The Consortium committee then feeds in to the School, Faculty and University committees.
Appendix 3: Links to current regulations, codes of practice and policies
Basic Guide to Academic Appeals
http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=23874
Academic Malpractice: Procedure for the Handling of Cases can be found at: http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/DocuInfo.aspx?DocID=639
Data Protection
https://www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/privacy-information/data-protection/
Equality and Diversity Policy
http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=8361
Guidance for the Presentation of Taught Masters Dissertations
http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=2863
Policy on Feedback to Undergraduate and Postgraduate Taught Students
http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/DocuInfo.aspx?DocID=6518
Mitigating Circumstances:
- Mitigating Circumstances: Guidance for Students
http://www.regulations.manchester.ac.uk/basic-guide-mitigating-circumstances/
and
Policy on Mitigating Circumstances
http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=4271
Guidance for students on plagiarism and other forms of academic malpractice can be found at:
http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=2870
Student Complaints:
- Basic Guide to Student Complaints
http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=23875
Policy on Submission of Work for Summative Assessment on Taught Programmes
http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=24561
Monitoring Attendance and Wellbeing of Students
http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=1895
Student Support
Student Charter
http://www.yoursay.manchester.ac.uk/student-charter/
Occupational Health Services for Postgraduate Students
http://www.occhealth.manchester.ac.uk/postgraduates/
International Student Support
http://www.manchester.ac.uk/study/international/why-manchester/student-support/
A Personal Safety Guide for International Students
http://www.studentnet.manchester.ac.uk/medialibrary/study/safety-international-student-guide.pdf
Students Union
http://manchesterstudentsunion.com/
Health & Fitness
http://www.sport.manchester.ac.uk/
A full list of student services can also be found at: A-Z of Student Services