Advanced Practice Interventions for Mental Health (APIMH)

With pathways in:

Psychosocial Interventions for Psychosis
Dementia Care
Primary Mental Health Care

Student Programme Handbook

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

The University’s Vision for the Future

Our mission is to make the University of Manchester, already an internationally distinguished centre of research, innovation, learning, and scholarly enquiry, one of the leading universities in the world by 2020.

Our aim is to become the preferred destination for the best students, teachers, researchers, and scholars in the world. The new, merged University was established with an unprecedented £300 million investment programme to enhance our already excellent teaching and research facilities and to further improve the services that will support you during your time as a student here.

The Division’s mission is:

To aim for excellence and international renown in both research and teaching.
To encourage students to take responsibility for their own learning.
To foster good relations with others.
To contribute actively to the life of the city and region.
To secure, and wisely manage, the resources necessary for these purposes by promoting individual and collective responsibilities and accountabilities.

The Division aims to:

Prepare students to become registered as nurses, midwives, and social workers enabling them to fulfil a wide range of roles within health care settings.
Actively contribute to the advancement of knowledge and scholarship.
Meet student and employer requirements for diversity of provision and career enhancement by providing a structure of flexibility and choice within continuing education provision.
Provide higher education programmes that meet the changing demands of the NHS and fulfil requirements for professional registration and practice where appropriate.
Enhance the learning of students with a wide range of ability and previous experience and recognise prior learning where relevant to the programme of study.
Encourage students to take responsibility for their own learning and foster the use of problem solving approaches.
Provide students with appropriate information, advice, and ongoing academic and pastoral support to enhance their progression and development in both clinical practice and academic study.
Provide students with opportunities to progress through programmes and acquire knowledge, skill, and qualifications appropriate to their ability and future role.
Develop effective use of evidence in practice.
Provide a well-resourced teaching, learning, and research environment for staff and students.
Operate an effective system of programme management that assures quality.
Generate innovative education programmes from investigative research.

Further Information

In addition to this handbook you are required to familiarise yourself with the information contained within the A-Z of Student Services and IT Services Handbook. New students are given a copy of the appropriate handbooks at the beginning of their programme of study; alternatively the information is available on our website.

Student Services Centre, Burlington Street or Sackville Street

Tel: +44(0)161 275 5000

A-Z of Student Services

The Student Services Centre can offer all sorts of help and advice about tuition fee assessments or payments, Council Tax, examinations, graduation ceremonies, and all sorts of documents.

The Statutes, Ordinances, and Regulations that are applicable to all students across the University are referred to in the University A-Z of Services and detailed in full within the University Calendar.

Essential advice, information, and guidance for students at The University of Manchester, packed with up-to-the-minute information.

The University website contains a comprehensive and definitive listing of University policies and procedures relevant to both students and members of staff. It covers the full-range of our activities and is continually updated to ensure that you have immediate access to the latest versions of documents as soon as they are approved. It is also equipped with a search engine that enables you to find relevant documents using key words or phrases.

Visit the website: http://www.studentnet.manchester.ac.uk

SOCIAL & WORKING SPACES FOR STUDENTS

The Jean McFarlane Building has a central atrium which provides comfortable and flexible spaces for students to meet or work. Wi-Fi is available in the atrium. Additional flexible working spaces are available on the 2^nd floor where PCs are provided for individual / group work.

Student Charter

One of the University’s three core goals is ‘To provide a superb higher education and learning experience to outstanding students, irrespective of their backgrounds, and to produce graduates distinguished by their intellectual capabilities, employability, leadership qualities, and their ability and ambition to contribute to society’ (from the University of Manchester Strategic Vision 2020).

http://www.studentnet.manchester.ac.uk/enhancing-my-experience/charter/

DIVISION CONTACT DETAILS

The Division of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work
The University of Manchester
Jean McFarlane Building
Oxford Road
Manchester
M13 9PL

Tel 0161 306 0260
Fax 0161 306 7707

Head of Division
Professor Hilary Mairs
Tel 0161 306 7842

Head of Teaching Learning Student Experience
Gabrielle Brennan
Tel 0161 306

Administration Managers

Suzanne Eden - Admissions Manager
Tel 0161 275 2334

Janet Ellis – Student Support Officer
Tel 0161 306 7717

Chris Bamford – Deputy Head of Student Operations (School of Health Sciences)
Tel 0161 306 7622

Sally Hickson – Deputy Head of Student Operations Teaching and Learning (School of Health Sciences)
Tel 0161 306 7727

David Parry – Postgraduate Programme Support Manager
Tel 0161 275 2583

Division Website - Click Here

THE PROGRAMME TEAM

All staff are located in the Jean McFarlane Building, University of Manchester.

Programme Director
Tim Bradshaw 0161 306 7838
Room 6.319 t.bradshaw@manchester.ac.uk

Pathway Lead (Primary Mental Health Care)
Anna Pruszynska 0161 306 7837
Room 6.342 anna.pruszynska@manchester.ac.uk

Pathway Lead (Psychosocial Interventions for Psychosis)
Tim Bradshaw 0161 306 7838
Room 6.319 t.bradshaw@manchester.ac.uk

Pathway Lead (Dementia Care)
Simon Burrow 0161 306 7835
Room 6.305 simon.burrow@manchester.ac.uk

Programme Support 0161 306 7814
Room G.319 apimh@manchester.ac.uk

Assessments Support 0161 306 7720
Room G.313 nmsw.exams@manchester.ac.uk

Admissions Support
Cheryl Johnson 0161 306 0270
Room G.314 graduate.nursing@manchester.ac.uk

PROGRAMME OVERVIEW AND STRUCTURE

The PgCert / PgDip / MSc Advanced Practice Interventions for Mental Health programme has been designed to respond to and lead the modernisation of mental health care delivery and service design. The overall intention of the programme is to enhance access to and effectiveness of mental health and social care services that are evidence-based, multidisciplinary, and focussed on the needs of patients / service users and carers. The programme will equip students with the advanced knowledge and skills necessary to enhance their own practice, the practice of others, and contribute to innovations and developments in mental health care and services. Three pathways are available as follows:

Psychosocial Interventions for Psychosis
Dementia Care
Primary Mental Health Care

The specific pathways available within this programme enable practitioners to develop the advanced knowledge, understanding, and skills necessary for working with specific mental health problems, patient groups, and contexts – reflected in the pathway titles. Each student will select one relevant pathway and be required to undertake all necessary course units and practice requirements for their chosen pathway in order to successfully complete the award. Each pathway consists of compulsory pathway-specific course units and some core compulsory course units common to all pathways. See below for an outline of the programme and pathway structures.

Length of Programme

The length of the programme is normally as follows:

PgCert 1 year part-time
PgDip 2 years part-time
MSc 3 years part-time

The programme must normally be completed within 5 years of registration.

In Year 1 of the programme, all students undertake compulsory pathway-specific units that introduce them to relevant policy, legislation, core concepts, frameworks, and skills for practice relevant to their chosen pathway with a particular emphasis on the nature and importance of evidence-based practice. Central to these units is the development of advanced knowledge and skills in relation to structured and semi-structured, patient-centred assessment (utilising validated tools), formulation, goal setting, care planning, intervention, and evaluation. Students then apply and extend this knowledge and skills through undertaking units that facilitate an in-depth understanding and critique of a range of specific evidence-based interventions for direct work with clients, carers and communities. Core to a number of these units is skills development and critical reflective practice through role play, use of videos and, for some units, direct clinical work under the guidance of trained Practice Supervisors / Mentors and the Unit Leads.

In Year 2, students undertake a further intervention-based unit that extends their knowledge and skills of evidence-based interventions and / or the application and extension of learning in prior units, to different groups, mental health problems, or contexts. Again, application of knowledge and skills to practice is also developed and assessed in some units through supervised practice under the guidance of trained Practice Supervisors / Mentors and the Unit Leads. Students from all pathways also take common core units in research methods and designs which enhance their understanding of research and importantly prepare them to potentially undertake the Dissertation unit in year three. All students also complete a common, core unit that seeks to extend their knowledge and understanding of leadership, change management, and service development (‘Developing Practice and Managing Change’) in order to enable them to contribute to innovations and developments in their own specific areas of practice. These shared, core units focus on developing knowledge and skills common to all aspects of research and change management and development in whatever context and enable students to benefit from shared learning across pathways as well as with students from other programmes enhancing multi-professional learning and interaction. However, application of core elements to specific aspects of practice, and pathways, is also achieved through a number of methods: assessments that require students to make application to their specific area of practice, and in the leadership, change management unit through assessment and PBL work in pathway specific groups, addressing different types of practice cases / scenarios relevant to each pathway / area of practice.

Students progressing to Year 3 (MSc) undertake a dissertation where they are required to select a specific area of practice, policy, research, or service development, related to mental health, to extend their knowledge, understanding, and abilities to contribute to the advancement of mental health knowledge and practice at an individual and / or organisational level. A range of options exist for the dissertation.

This programme abides by the Post Graduate Taught Regulations 2012 of the University of Manchester. Any Specific Programme Regulations stated in this handbook will supersede the University regulations as agreed through the Faculty.

http://www.tlso.manchester.ac.uk/degree-regulations/

http://www.regulations.manchester.ac.uk/postgraduate-degree-regulations/

All students undertaking the programme must pass all the relevant units in each pathway in order to be eligible for an award (subject to rules regarding academic compensation and professional qualifications – University of Manchester Manual of Academic Procedures, section 5(d)).
Students on the Psychosocial Interventions for Psychosis Pathway must achieve at least 50% in all clinical assessments for this award.

For students funded to undertake the programme through the contract between the University and Health Education England North-West, this funding normally covers all programme fees for a maximum period of three years.

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. Your Programme and Course Unit Specifications will set out the requirements for passing the credit on individual units.

What happens if I fail some units?

First of all don’t panic, but the first thing to do is sit down with your Academic Advisor or Programme Director who will take you through your options. The regulations allow you further attempts of up to half the taught credits, for a standard Masters Programme as defined by your Programme Specification, so you can still get back on track.

This is known as ‘referred assessment’ and these reassessments will normally take place in the same academic year as the original assessment. The Examination Board will then make decisions on your progress and advise you accordingly of the decisions and next steps.

If you pass most of your units and only ‘just’ fail some of them, there may be a possibility of the Examination Board compensating this failed credit. This means if your mark was between 40 – 49% at Masters Level the Examination Board is able to compensate up to a maximum of 30 credits. Your transcript of results will show the actual mark achieved (e.g. 47C).

If you are on a Postgraduate Diploma or Certificate Programme then the overall pass mark will normally be 40%. The same logic for managing reassessment will be applied on these programmes but the mark will be capped at 30R and compensation can be applied for marks between 30 – 39%. You can be referred in up to half the taught credits on a Postgraduate Diploma or Certificate Programme and compensated in up to 30 credits on a Postgraduate Diploma Programme and 15 credits on a Postgraduate Certificate Programme.

Some programmes, particularly those which are externally accredited or linked to professional practice may set a higher pass rate than stated in the regulations. These programme exemptions will be clearly detailed in your handbook.

What happens if I fail my resits?

Upon taking the referred assessment, if you fail again, the Examination Board will make a decision with regards to your progress. The possible options available may, in exceptional circumstances, include repeating the unit or being awarded an exit award once you’ve exhausted all the opportunities to retrieve failed assessment.

Referrals may also be compensated; so if you manage to achieve a mark at referral of between 40 – 49% at Masters Level, this may be compensated providing you haven’t already used your quota of compensatable credit. Compensated referrals will be capped at 40 and this is the mark (40R) that will show on your transcript of results and be used to calculate your final degree classification.

Again if you are on a Postgraduate Diploma or Certificate Programme then the pass mark and compensation mark range will be adjusted according to the lower pass rate.

What happens is I fail my dissertation?

If you fail your dissertation at the first attempt you will be given the opportunity to resubmit a revised version of the dissertation if you achieved a mark of above 30%. You will normally be given up to six months in which to make the requested revisions or undertaken additional work. You will be provided with feedback from your Examiners and guidance on the revisions required to bring the work to the appropriate standard for the Masters Award.

How is my degree calculated?

To be considered for a Master’s Degree you must have achieved 180 credits at the appropriate level. Don’t worry if you have had a referral or compensation as these still count towards your credit total for a Pass or Merit. If, however, you have undertaken any referred assessment or been compensated you will not be eligible for a Distinction.

The award of Masters is based upon gaining the required number of credits, normally 180. Classifications for Merit or Distinctions will be calculated on the basis of an average mark, based on the weighted programme as a whole.

If you are completing a Postgraduate Diploma or Certificate Programme then these degrees are only awarded as a Pass.

When and how are decisions made about my results and my progress?

There are normally three available assessment opportunities: January, May / June and August / September within each academic year. It is expected that all your attempts at referral assessment will take place in the same academic year in which the assessment was first taken. After each assessment period there is an Examination Board.

Members of the Examination Board normally include your Unit Tutors, Programme Director and overseen by an External Examiner from another university. It is the job of the Examination Board to review all the results anonymously and make decisions on the award of credit and who can resit exams / assessment or gain compensation. It is also the role of the Examination Board to decide who cannot continue and will leave the University with an exit award. Some students will narrowly miss the threshold for a degree classification and so we look at their pattern of marks (Mark Distribution) and may look at their examined work (Mark Review).

What do I do if I disagree with the Examination Board’s decision?

The University has clear and fair procedures which set out the course of action should you wish to appeal against an Examination Board decision or make a complaint. There are a number of grounds on which an appeal may be made, however an appeal which questions the academic or professional judgement of those charged with assessing your academic performance or professional competence will not be permitted. The relevant regulations and forms can be found at:

Academic Appeals (Regulation XIX)

Basic Guide to Academic Appeals

Student Complaints (Regulation XVIII)

Basic Guide to Student Complaints

In the first instance, we would urge you to contact your Academic Advisor who will be able to talk you through the decision-making process.

PROGRAMME STRUCTURE

2019 Curriculum

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Pathway

Semester 1

Semester 2

Semester 1

Semester 2

Up to one year

Primary Mental Health Care¹

Engagement & Assessment of Patients with Common Mental Health Problems

(20 credits)

Progress to Year 2

Exit with PGCert

Advanced Evidence-Based Practice & Leadership

(30 credits)

Long Term Conditions (LTCs) in Primary Mental Health

(15 credits)

Progress to Year 3

Exit with PGDip

Dissertation

(60 credits)

Evidence-Based Low-Intensity Treatment for Common Mental Health Disorders

(20 credits)

Developing Practice & Managing Change

(15 credits)

Values, Diversity & Context

(20 credits)

Psychosocial Interventions for Psychosis

Assessment, Screening & Formulation in Psychosis & Bi-Polar Disorder

(30 Credits)

Advanced Evidence-Based Practice & Leadership

(30 credits)

Developing Practice & Managing Change

(15 credits)

Family Interventions in Psychosis & Bi-Polar Disorder

(30 Credits)

Introduction to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Psychosis

(15 Credits)

Dementia Care

Perspectives on Dementia

(15 credits)

Working Effectively With Crisis & Complexity in Dementia Care

(15 credits)

Advanced Evidence-Based Practice & Leadership

(30 credits)

Evidence-Based Practice in Dementia Care

(15 credits)

Meeting the Advanced Care Needs Of People With Dementia

(15 credits)

Dementia & Social Inclusion

(15 credits)

Developing Practice & Managing Change

(15 credits)

¹Primary Care Graduate MH Workers who have already completed the PgCert in Primary Mental Health Care and have their employers support will be able to enter the programme (Primary Mental Health Care pathway) at year 2 and complete core modules and a further 30 credits of relevant modules to top up to the PgDip and potentially progress to MSc (subject to availability of funded places and progression requirements being fulfilled).

PROGRAMME AIMS

The Postgraduate Diploma programme aims to:
01.	Enable students to critically evaluate aspects of multidisciplinary mental health practice, policy, and research, fostering positive values and attitudes that recognise and respect individual and cultural diversities and challenge discriminatory practice.
02.	Equip students with in-depth knowledge, understanding, and advanced skills in a range of evidence-based, client and carer-centred, mental health interventions that promote mental health and social inclusion.
03.	Contribute to innovation, change, and service developments in mental health care at both individual practitioner and organisational levels by equipping students with a systematic and critical understanding of relevant knowledge, theoretical frameworks, and advanced skills.
04.	Enhance career-long development and lifelong learning in students in order to support and enhance best practice and the maintenance of appropriate standards of mental health care.
Additionally for the Masters:
05.	Enable students, through the systematic, in-depth, exploration of a specific area of policy, practice, and research to extend their knowledge, understanding, and ability to contribute to the advancement of mental health knowledge and practice at an individual and / or organisational level.
The Postgraduate Certificate in Primary Mental Health Care programme aims to:
01.	Equip students with the knowledge and skills to implement and evaluate a range of evidence-based low-intensity psychological treatments for people with common mental health problems in primary care settings.
02.	Enable students to function effectively as mental health practitioners in primary care settings, equipped with core knowledge and skills to be effective case managers, liaising and networking widely with other statutory and non-statutory agencies to facilitate patient-centred individualised mental health care for the primary care population.
03.	Produce practitioners who are able to recognise and respect the cultural diversities that arise in health care, challenge discriminatory practice, and endeavour to give of their best without prejudice.
04.	Provide students with challenging academic and practice learning opportunities that will enable them to critically evaluate, apply, and integrate knowledge, understanding, and skills relevant to their practice in primary mental health care.
05.	Lay the foundation for career-long development and lifelong learning in students in order to support best practice and the maintenance of appropriate standards.

INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES

The learning outcomes of the programme will provide opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding, skills, qualities, and attributes in a number of areas. There is a balance between these components that reflects both the practice-based nature of the programme and the academic requirements of Postgraduate Level study. Practice skills are viewed with the same importance as knowledge, intellectual, and transferable skills.

A. Knowledge & Understanding Within the context of their chosen award and pathway, students should be able to:
For the Postgraduate Diploma:
A1	Critically evaluate legal, ethical, and policy dimensions of modern multidisciplinary mental health practice and the culture, processes, and organisational systems of mental health care.
A2	Demonstrate an in-depth, critical understanding of bio-psychosocial concepts, perspectives, and explanatory models related to mental health – epidemiology, causation, and impact on individuals, relatives, carers, and society.
A3	Critically appraise philosophies, models, and frameworks for safe and competent multidisciplinary mental health practice including effective communication, partnership (service users, carers, teams, and external agencies), assessment, risk assessment, care planning and co-ordination, implementation, and evaluation.
A4	Display a critical understanding of a range of evidence-based interventions for people experiencing mental health problems and their care givers, and strategies for systematic implementation and evaluation of these in the provision of patient-centred, collaborative care that promotes mental health and social inclusion.
A5	Demonstrate an in-depth and critical understanding of the importance and influence of individual diversity, culture, and gender on mental health and the need for strategies and systems for care which respect and respond to difference and challenge discrimination.
A6	Critically appraise concepts and frameworks for supervision, lifelong learning, and continuing development as a basis for the continuing development of practitioner knowledge and skills.
A7	Demonstrate a critical understanding of theories and concepts relevant to practice innovation, change, and service development that takes appropriate account of user and carer perspectives and changing national and local policy and organisational structures.
A8	Critically evaluate a range of systematic strategies to identify and overcome barriers and resistance to the implementation of evidence-based practice at a practice and organisational level.
A9	Demonstrate a critical understanding of the nature and value of different research approaches, designs, and methods within the context of mental health research and practice.
A10	Systematically and critically examine hierarchies of research evidence that inform and underpin mental health practice, service design, and development.
Additionally for the Masters:
A11	Consolidate, synthesise, and critically apply the in-depth knowledge and understanding of relevant policy, literature, and research acquired through the taught components of the programme to the formulation of an extended dissertation relevant to a specific aspect of mental health practice, policy, research, or service development.
For the Postgraduate Certificate in Primary Mental Health Care (Level 6):
A1	Critically review policy of modern mental health practice and the culture, processes, and systems of primary mental health care.
A2	Demonstrate an understanding of concepts and explanatory models of mental health, including the impact of mental health problems on patients, relatives, and carers.
A3	Appraise a range of philosophies, models, and frameworks for safe and competent mental health practice and apply them in a systematic way to their own practice.
A4	Critically evaluate concepts, skills, and tools for patient-centred mental health assessment, including the assessment of actual and potential risk factors.
A5	Display knowledge and understanding of a range of evidence-based low-intensity psychological interventions, implementing and evaluating these in the provision of patient-centred collaborative care.
A6	Critically review the evidence base for a range of pharmacological treatments and effective strategies in order to monitor and enhance patient concordance with such treatments.
A7	Demonstrate understanding of individual diversity and the influence of culture and gender on mental health and systems and strategies for care which respect difference.
A8	Recognise the need for supervision, lifelong learning, and continuing development as a basis for their own professional practice.
For the Postgraduate Certificate in Primary Mental Health Care (Level 7):
A1	Critically evaluate policy of modern mental health practice and the culture, processes, and systems of primary mental health care.
A2	Demonstrate an in-depth, critical understanding of concepts and explanatory models of mental health, including the impact of mental health problems on patients, relatives, and carers.
A3	Critically appraise a range of philosophies, models, and frameworks for safe and competent mental health practice and apply them in a systematic way to their own practice.
A4	Critically examine and apply concepts, skills, and tools for patient-centred mental health assessment, including the assessment of actual and potential risk factors.
A5	Display a critical understanding of a range of evidence-based low-intensity psychological interventions, implementing and evaluating these in the provision of patient-centred collaborative care.
A6	Critically analyse the evidence base for a range of pharmacological treatments and effective strategies in order to monitor and enhance patient concordance with such treatments.
A7	Demonstrate an in-depth and critical understanding of the importance of individual diversity and the influence of culture and gender on mental health and systems and strategies for care which respect difference.
A8	Critically appraise the need for supervision, lifelong learning, and continuing development as a basis for their own professional practice.

B. Intellectual Skills Within the context of their chosen award and pathway, students should be able to:
For the Postgraduate Diploma:
B1		Appraise and synthesise information from a variety of sources in order to develop a coherent critical analysis of issues relating to mental health policy, practice, and research.
B2		Critically reflect on and challenge their own practice, the practice of others, and the organisation and delivery of mental health services in order to ensure use of appropriate values and best evidence in delivering patient and carer-centred care and management.
B3		Demonstrate an in-depth and critical understanding of service user and carer perspectives and apply these to the delivery and organisation of mental health interventions and strategies.
B4		Demonstrate the ability to critically appraise and apply the evidence base for a range of specific bio-psychosocial interventions that promote health and recovery, service user empowerment, and social inclusion.
B5		Critically evaluate a range of intervention options which take account of people’s needs and strengths to promote patient and family-centred mental health care for individuals, families, and communities.
B6		Demonstrate and defend sound clinical judgements across a range of differing mental health and social care contexts.
B7		Construct sound arguments and rationales for mental health practice based on a critical synthesis of current research, policy, theoretical dimensions, and service user and carer perspectives.
B8		Within the context of current mental health and other related policy directives, critically appraise the need for change and service development that meets the diverse needs of service users and their carers.
B9		Critically evaluate and apply a range of leadership theories and styles in order to underpin strategies for practice innovation and service development that enhance access to and effectiveness of mental health care.
B10		Critically examine change theories, strategies, and implementation research relevant to managing change within organisations and apply these to the development of mental health services that promote recovery and social inclusion.
B11		Consider critically a variety of established techniques and methods of research and enquiry and how they relate to the advancement of evidence-based mental health knowledge and practice.
Additionally for the Masters:
B12	Engage in a systematic exploration of the literature, policy, and research related to a specific area of mental health so as to demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the relationship between theory and practice.
B13	Formulate an original proposal for change, educational learning package, or research proposal so as to challenge the boundaries of current thinking and demonstrate a sophisticated level of knowledge and understanding of a specific area of mental health practice.
For the Postgraduate Certificate in Primary Mental Health Care (Level 6):
B1	Critically review information from a variety of sources in order to develop a coherent understanding of mental health practice.
B2	Apply the knowledge and understanding outlined above (A1 – A8) to the management and delivery of competent mental health care in primary care settings.
B3	Critically review the evidence base for a range of mental health interventions and strategies to address the needs of patients with common mental health problems.
B4	Demonstrate sound clinical judgement across a range of differing patient groups and contexts.
B5	Evaluate a range of service options to promote mental health care for individuals, families, and the wider practice population and community.
B6	Reflect on their own practice, identifying their abilities and limitations.
For the Postgraduate Certificate in Primary Mental Health Care (Level 7):
B1	Critically analyse information from a variety of sources in order to develop a coherent understanding of mental health practice.
B2	Critically apply the knowledge and understanding outlined above (A1 – A8) to the management and delivery of competent mental health care in primary care settings.
B3	Critically appraise the evidence base for a range of mental health interventions and strategies to address the needs of patients with common mental health problems.
B4	Demonstrate sound clinical judgement across a range of differing patient groups and contexts.
B5	Critically evaluate a range of service options to promote mental health care for individuals, families, and the wider practice population and community.
B6	Critically reflect on their own practice, identifying their abilities and limitations.

C. Practical Skills Within the context of their chosen award and pathway, students should be able to:
For the Postgraduate Diploma:
C1	Manage and advance their own mental health practice in accordance with professional, ethical, legal, and policy frameworks, ensuring the primacy of patient (and, where appropriate, carer) interest and well-being.
C2	Practise in a non-discriminatory manner, respecting and being responsive to the variety of beliefs, cultural practices, and lived experiences of individuals and groups, challenging identified inequalities and discrimination.
C3	Contribute to the advancement of effective multidisciplinary working within the context of modern mental health practice and service delivery that respects and utilises the contributions of the wider health and social care community and aims to promote recovery and social inclusion.
C4	Through effective partnership working, contribute to the implementation and evaluation of a range of evidence-based strategies and interventions to promote and enhance the mental health and social inclusion of individuals, groups, and communities.
C5	Develop therapeutic relationships with individuals (and, where appropriate, care givers) that enable them to be purposefully involved in a partnership of care based on appropriate values and processes.
C6	Demonstrate sensitivity, awareness, and advanced skills in the process of engaging with people with mental health problems and / or their carers.
C7	Utilise core skills in mental health practice to undertake and record systematic, accurate, and comprehensive assessments of the needs and strengths of individual patients, groups, and communities, formulate goals, and devise treatment strategies based on best available evidence.
C8	Based on the assessed needs and strengths of individuals, families and communities, implement, support, and evaluate a range of psychosocial, evidence-based mental health interventions in a variety of practice settings.
C9	Appropriately utilise practice supervision / mentorship to ensure interventions and care are optimum and tailored to patient, family, and community needs and that learning needs are identified and acted upon to ensure ongoing personal development.
C10	Utilise appropriate theoretical frameworks and evidence-based constructs to formulate proposals to advance mental health practice that is responsive to the diverse needs of service users and carers.
C11	Contribute to the strategies for practice development and change at both a team and organisational level to enhance access to and effectiveness of mental health services.
C12	Draw on their knowledge and understanding of different approaches to research to formulate appropriate questions and methods for research and / or evaluations into aspects of mental health practice.
Additionally for the Masters:
C13	Construct a cogent and workable dissertation in order to select and critically examine a specific dimension of mental health care relevant to their own practice.
For the Postgraduate Certificate in Primary Mental Health Care (Levels 6 and 7):
C1	Manage their own mental health practice in accordance with ethical and legal frameworks, ensuring the primacy of patient interest and recognising personal limitations and case complexity in order to refer patients to others appropriate to the patient’s needs.
C2	Practice in a non-discriminatory manner, respecting the variety of beliefs and cultural practices of individuals and groups.
C3	Develop individualised, therapeutic alliances with patients that enable them (and, where appropriate, their carers) to be purposefully involved in a partnership of care.
C4	Utilise core skills in mental health practice to undertake and record systematic, accurate, and holistic assessments (including the assessment of risk) of individual patients, groups, and communities, and formulate care plans based on best available evidence.
C5	Within a case management framework, implement, support and systematically evaluate a range of evidence-based approaches to care (including low-intensity psychological interventions based on a self-management model of mental health care and strategies to promote concordance with medication and treatment).
C6	Participate in inter-professional approaches to care that respect and utilise the contributions of the wider health and social care team.
C7	Set up and operate systematic record and audit systems in order to effectively manage the mental health needs of individual patients, families, and communities.
C8	Utilise managerial and clinical supervision to ensure clinical care is optimum and tailored to patient, family, and community needs, and that learning needs are identified and acted upon to ensure personal development.

D. Transferable Skills and Personal Qualities Students should be able to:
For the Postgraduate Diploma and Masters:
D1	Communicate effectively (verbal, non-verbal, and written) in a variety of settings with a range of individuals.
D2	Effectively utilise information technology / health informatics.
D3	Demonstrate research and enquiry skills by accessing and analysing literature in order to inform and develop practice.
D4	Work co-operatively and effectively with others as a member of a team.
D5	Reflect on their own academic and clinical performance and utilise strategies to improve these.
D6	Use logical and systematic approaches to problem-solving and decision-making.
For the Postgraduate Certificate in Primary Mental Health Care (Level 6):
D1	Demonstrate a high level of communication skills (verbal, non-verbal, and written) in a variety of settings with a range of individuals.
D2	Utilise information technology / health informatics to underpin their academic and practice work.
D3	Demonstrate appropriate research and enquiry skills by accessing and critically analysing literature in order to inform, underpin, and develop practice.
D4	Work creatively and co-operatively with others as a member of the teams within which they operate.
D5	Reflect on their own academic and clinical performance and utilise strategies to improve these.
D6	Use logical and systematic approaches to problem-solving and decision-making.
For the Postgraduate Certificate in Primary Mental Health Care (Level 7):
D1	Demonstrate a high level of communication skills (verbal, non-verbal, and written) in a variety of settings with a range of individuals.
D2	Effectively utilise information technology / health informatics to underpin their academic and practice work.
D3	Demonstrate appropriate research and enquiry skills by accessing and critically analysing literature in order to inform, underpin, and develop practice.
D4	Work creatively and co-operatively with others as a member of the teams within which they operate.
D5	Critically reflect on their own academic and clinical performance and utilise strategies to improve these.
D6	Use logical and systematic approaches to problem-solving and decision-making.

CURRICULUM CONTENT

All course unit information is published via your MyManchester Student Portal using the CUIP (Course Unit Information Publishing) system. This will include unit outlines, assessment details, learning outcomes, and a link to the reading lists. Click here to access your Student Portal.

PROGRAMME DATES

Welcome Week / Induction / Registration

During the first week of the programme, students are invited to take part in an Induction or Welcome Week programme whereby they are orientated to the University, the Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, the Division of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, the programme, and the academic and administrative staff via a series of activities, workshops, and social events.

For semester dates click here.

For your programme timetable, please check your MyManchester area.

STUDENT’S RESPONSIBILITIES

Annual Registration Process

Student registration is valid for one year from the point of registration, i.e. if you register on 1st September 2020, your registration will expire on 31st August 2021. It is a requirement of the University of Manchester and your responsibility to complete online registration each year via the Student Portal. You will be sent guidance notes prior to each registration period and you must register within four weeks of receiving the notification.

Changes in Personal and / or Contact Details

During the online registration process you will need to confirm / update your personal and / or contact details. If these details change at any time following registration, it is your responsibility to update your details via the Student Portal. Please note that the University will only use the information on the Student Portal, no other source.

Checking Student Emails

When you complete IT registration, you will receive a student email account. From the point of registration onwards, all departments within the University will use the student email address exclusively, not personal or work email addresses.

As a student you are required to check your student emails, via the Student Portal, at least weekly whilst you are active on the programme, as this is where the University will contact you.

Checking Blackboard

The Division uses Blackboard as the central location for information about all student resources. You will be given training on how to access Blackboard in your induction.

As a student you are required to check Blackboard at least weekly, as this is where the Division will post both generic and specific information relating to course units and programmes.

Blackboard Student Community Area

The Blackboard Student Community area has been devised to provide information that is generic to all course units within the programme. Each section has been structured to reflect the student’s journey through the unit / programme:

On Your Programme – includes your Programme Handbook; Attendance, Sickness, Absence, and Interruption information; Academic English Success Programme information; etc.

Student Support & Advice – includes information about the University’s wide range of Student Support Services.

Exams & Assessments – includes the Assessment Schedule and exam information; Extensions and Mitigating Circumstances information; Policies and Regulations; etc.

STUDENT SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE

PROGRAMME DIRECTOR ROLE AND SUPPORT

The role of the Programme Director is to ensure the smooth running of the programme. This includes chairing the Programme Committee, overseeing the student evaluation process, considering changes to the programme, and ensuring adherence to the University’s guidelines for academic practice.

Your Programme Director will be pleased to meet with you at any time during your period of study, or to take suggestions or comments on any aspect of the programme through the contact details below:

Tim Bradshaw, Programme Director

Direct dial 0161 306 7838

Room 6.319, Jean McFarlane Building

t.bradshaw@manchester.ac.uk

UNIT LEAD ROLE AND SUPPORT

Each unit has a designated lead who is responsible for the management of the teaching and assessment process. This individual is also a guide for the students and will review a 500-word plan of your work prior to submission of summative assessments.

ACADEMIC ADVISORS

Students have access to an Academic Advisor who is available for general guidance on non-academic problems or issues, and who can refer them to other sources of assistance or support.

Students are able to access any member of staff for advice in an emergency, and may discuss non-urgent issues with a member of staff of their own choosing.

At the beginning of the course students are allocated an Academic Advisor who will normally be responsible for pastoral guidance during the course, although this person may change at any time by negotiation if students feel there is a need to change Academic Advisor. If this is the case, students need to discuss the difficulties / problems with their Academic Advisor and then approach the Programme Director. You can also seek advice from other quarters, for example, the Student Union Welfare Section, or the Counselling and Mental Health Service.

STUDENT REPRESENTATION

Student representation and feedback is vital to the continued development of the Division. Student Representatives are elected at the beginning of the academic year for each programme and each year, and, where possible, each pathway within the programme. Their role is to represent the views of students on a particular course to the academic staff at various meetings of the Division. This ensures that students have a voice, are participating in developing learning and teaching within the Division, and can exert a measure of control over their own learning experience.

Responsibilities include:

Identifying student issues and needs, and, when necessary, referring them on to the relevant people who can assist them.
Providing another layer of support for new and existing students.
Attending and participating in various meetings held at the University.
Consulting, involving, and reporting to students.
When arranged, attending Student Representative training sessions.
Providing a link between the staff and students at the Division.
Keeping you informed of developments within your programme of study.
Promoting equal opportunities.

Benefits of Being a Student Representative

For your commitment, time, and effort you will reap many benefits and develop transferable skills. These include:

Increased involvement in your educational experience in the Division. It gives other students a feeling of ownership over their education and the reassurance that their views and concerns are being heard within the Division.
Knowing that you are making a positive impact on the lives of present and future students.
The opportunity to meet other students across the Division.
Representation and advocacy skills.
Listening and communication skills.
Meeting skills.
Organisation and time management skills.
Negotiation skills.
A certificate that can go into your Portfolio, from the Division. This would recognise your commitment to the Student Council after six months of being a Student Representative, attending no less than three Division of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work Staff / Student Liaison Committee meetings.

The Division also benefits, as it is seen to:

Consult with students.
Have the opportunity to improve the quality of its courses and student satisfaction.
Enable students to understand the system and educate others.
Promote an increased sense of belonging to the Division amongst students.
Have an active staff-student dialogue outside of the realms of teaching.

Meetings to Attend

All Student Representatives will be required to regularly attend the previously-mentioned Staff / Student Liaison Committee which discusses cross-programme issues and is held five times per academic year.

Provision has also been made for students to be represented at their Programme Committee, a forum to meet with University staff and Programme Directors to discuss programme-specific academic issues. Programme Committees are responsible for the review procedures of their respective programmes and manages programme development, assessment of individual units, student-related matters, and any other matters relating to the Programme. Each Programme Committee has Student Representatives from each year group.

Provision has also been made for students to be represented at two other main meetings at the Division, these are the Pan-Manchester Placement Group (a forum to meet with Trust-wide Clinical Facilitators and University staff to discuss placement issues) and the Division Board (a meeting for all academic and administrative staff from across the Division to discuss academic issues).

Student Representatives may also be invited to participate in other committees, working groups, workshops, and reviews related to academic programmes.

The Head of the Division of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work is willing to write letters of support for students to facilitate attendance at these meetings, authorising exemption from lectures and clinical areas. However, it can still be difficult for students to find the time to contribute to all of the committees and working parties, and it is understood that, as students, you will not be able to attend all meetings. Therefore, your apologies can be emailed in advance of the meeting, including any issues, ideas / suggestions that can be read to the meeting on your behalf.

Communication

You may have already gathered that due to our varying locations, timetables, and sessions spent at the University, email is the main mode of communication between students and University staff. As a Student Representative it is therefore doubly important that you check your University email account regularly in order to be kept in the loop and to keep the University informed of any contact detail changes.

More information can be found on student representation in the student support pages on Blackboard or by contacting studentsupport.nursing@manchester.ac.uk

Mechanisms for Collecting and Reporting Back On Feedback to Students

Every course unit is evaluated via a questionnaire and the gathering of qualitative comments. At the end of each year post-course evaluations are undertaken via questionnaires and group interviews. Where appropriate, these comments are fed back to students once evaluation comments have been collated and any necessary actions taken. This latter process will normally occur in the semester following the evaluation process.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

The A-Z of Services provides information and advice on a range of topics including finance, examinations, accommodation and health; it also contains details about the University’s policy for students with additional support needs and its equal opportunity and race equality policy. Please see the University Student Handbook for further details.

HEALTH & SAFETY

All students must familiarise themselves with the procedures for dealing with an emergency, including discovery of a fire and fire exit points. Similarly, all students are required to familiarise themselves with the Health and Safety at Work Regulations, extracts of which are posted outside Room G.319 in the Jean McFarlane Building. Anyone requiring First Aid for themselves or for others should contact one of the First Aiders situated in the building. Their names and telephone numbers are posted in common user areas. There are two Health and Safety Advisors for the Division.

A full copy of the University of Manchester Health and Safety Policy can be found at:

http://www.campus.manchester.ac.uk/healthandsafety/index.htm

The Division and its associated trusts all have NO SMOKING policies which students must strictly adhere to. The University has implemented a total no smoking policy throughout the University.

Looking after yourself and your patients during Ramadan

The Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health has produced guidance for healthcare students on fasting and caring:

https://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=29080

DISABILITY AWARENESS & RESOURCES

If you have specific needs relating to a disability, specific learning difficulty, or long-term health condition, you can discuss these needs with the following:

Your Academic Advisor

Division Student Support Officer – Janet.Ellis@manchester.ac.uk Tel: 0161 306 7717

University Disability Advisory Support Service – DASS@manchester.ac.uk Tel: 0161 275 7512

A copy of the University’s Disability Statement, which sets out the policy and provision for students with a disability, is available on request or available from: http://www.dso.manchester.ac.uk/

DIGNITY AT WORK AND STUDY FOR STUDENTS

The University seeks to create a study environment which is free of harassment and which protects the dignity of all students irrespective of sexual orientation, racial or ethnic background, religion, or disabled status. It regards sexual, racial, or personal harassment as most serious and requires all students to observe its policy in this area. Personal harassment takes many forms. It is uninvited and unwanted actions which cause offence and / or embarrassment, fear, stress, or tension. It can be an isolated act such as a comment or wilful gesture, or it can take the form of repeated behaviour against a person.

In cases where a complaint of harassment is substantiated, the individual responsible may be subject to disciplinary action under General Regulation XVII (Conduct & Discipline of Students).

The University Policy Statement on Dignity and Work and Study for Students is available in the A-Z of Services. This document contains details of the university resources, policies, and procedures and will be given to all students at registration. If you prefer to access the full University policy online it is located at the following web address:

http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/DocuInfo.aspx?DocID=22733

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE

Jackson’s Mill, Sackville Street – Tel: 0161 306 5806

Monday – Friday between 9am – 1pm & 2pm – 5pm.

Ongoing support to all students is provided by the Occupational Health Service. The aim of the OHS is to promote the health and well-being of all students and the prevention of illness and injuries at work. This is achieved by ensuring all immunisations are kept up to date, managing mild illnesses at work, giving advice and assistance on all health matters arising from work, and providing crisis counselling where required.

In making decisions with regards to medical fitness for the programme, we will ensure that we comply with relevant legislation, e.g. the Disability Discrimination Act 1998. The Occupational Health Physician and Occupational Health Nurses are all bound by the Code of Professional Conduct as set out by the BMA and NMC and complete confidentiality is maintained at all times.

Further information on the services provided by the Occupational Health Service can be found at their website: http://www.occhealth.manchester.ac.uk/

COUNSELLING AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE

5^th Floor, Crawford House, Precinct Centre, Booth Street East – Tel 0161 275 2864

The Counselling and Mental Health Service offers confidential help with any personal issues affecting work, self-esteem, relationships, mental health, or general well-being available to all University of Manchester students. The team have qualifications in counselling and psychotherapy and provide a range of therapeutic responses to all kinds of personal problems.

Further information on the services provided by the Counselling and Mental Health Service can be found at their website:

http://www.studentnet.manchester.ac.uk/counselling/

DIVISION STUDENT SUPPORT OFFICE

The Student Support Office has a full time Student Support Officer, Janet Ellis, and an intern who has recently graduated from the University.

Support is offered for academic or personal issues; preparation for Progress Committees, disciplinary hearings, and appeals; and information on, and referrals to, specialised support within the Division, the University, or outside agencies.

The Student Support Office also facilitates Student Representation and the Peer Mentor Schemes.

To arrange a meeting please contact studentsupport.nursing@manchester.ac.uk.

Telephone: 0161 306 7717 / 7725

Room 3.335B, Jean McFarlane Building

Division Student Council

The Student Council was established in February 2005 to support student nurses, midwives, and social workers. The council aims to promote the enrichment of the student experience in clinical, academic, social, and personal domains, and promote advocacy of student issues through effective communication between students, staff, hospital trusts, and other related organisations.

To get involved in the Student Council please contact studentsupport.nursing@manchester.ac.uk.

LEARNING RESOURCES

LIBRARY FACILITIES

The University Of Manchester Library

The University of Manchester Library provides you with the resources and support you need throughout your programme. The Main Library houses all of the essential text books, whilst the Alan Gilbert Learning Commons provides a 24/7 learning environment in addition to Study Skills Workshops. The Library also has an extensive collection of eBooks, databases and journals available online.

The My Library tab in My Manchester has quick links to all of the Library’s resources and services available to students.

Getting Started

You will need your student card to access all library sites around campus. Many of our services and resources also require you to confirm that you are a registered student. This authentication can be your student card, the ID number on the card, your Library PIN, the central username and password you use to log on, or a combination of these.

There is a library guide for Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work students giving all of the latest information on resources and learning and research services available. This is a good starting point if you are looking for any library resources or information related to your course.

Each course unit in Blackboard includes an online reading list, so you can quickly check availability and directly access eBooks, digitised chapters, and eJournals or articles.

The Main Library

The Main Library holds the principal collection of health-related books and journals. Textbooks are located on Floor 2 of the Blue Area, together with books in other related subjects. Journals held in print are on Floor 1 of the Green Area in the Clinical Sciences sequence; further relevant periodicals are shelved in other areas of the Main Library. The library search facility will let you know what items are available and where to find them, including eBooks and online journals.

The Main Library offers group study rooms, individual study space options, and computer clusters. Wi-Fi is available throughout the building and a café lounge can be found on the ground floor. The Library has long opening hours and extends these during exam periods. Please check Locations and Opening Hours for full details on opening hours and facilities.

The Alan Gilbert Learning Commons

The Alan Gilbert Learning Commons is a state-of-the-art learning environment with 24/7 opening hours throughout term-time. The Learning Commons has flexible open-learning spaces with multimedia facilities, computer clusters, and 30 bookable group study rooms with whiteboards and media screens.

There is a series of training workshops covering a variety of academic and transferable skills hosted in the training room at the Learning Commons. These workshops include training on revision / study skills, note-taking, and other topics and have been developed by Learning Commons staff in partnership with other teams across the University. Full details of training sessions are available in the My Learning Essentials Calendar.

IT FACILITIES

UNIVERSITY COMPUTER FACILITIES

The University has one of the largest academic computing facilities in Europe, with a wide range of IT Services for students.

Students at the University have access to a wealth of resources including research support services, PC clusters, email and Internet access, wireless access, Microsoft applications, printing facilities, network document storage, student portal, eLearning environment, and the extensive electronic resources managed by University of Manchester University Library.

As a new student you will be introduced to the University’s IT facilities at your induction. In addition to your Faculty and Division IT provision, you will find IT facilities in areas of high student use, such as University Place (George Kenyon cluster), University of Manchester Library, and the Joule Library. The two libraries also house the IT Service Desks where you can get help and information.

You will find the most up-to-date information about our services on the IT Services website, so throughout this guide you will find web addresses which direct you to more detailed information on the web site: http://bmh-elearning.org/technical-support/.

Packed full of information, the website provides details of the services available to users including useful information about day-to-day help and support and information about protection from the latest viruses, etc. We recommend you visit the ‘Getting Started’ section of the site first.

Further support can be accessed via here.

UNIVERSITY PERSONAL COMPUTER CLUSTERS

The University’s Public PC Clusters are available for any staff or student to use. Operated on behalf of the University by the IT Services division, they are present at various locations on campus and also in some Halls of Residence. Opening times for each cluster will vary but at least one cluster operates 24/7 and two clusters operate 23/5 plus extended opening times at weekends.

Some clusters will be booked for teaching and learning purposes at various times, therefore you are advised to visit the website: http://www.itservices.manchester.ac.uk/our-services/desktop/clusters/ or the Central IT Service Desk for the latest opening times and PC Cluster information.

STUDENT IT SUPPORT HELPDESK

Open Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm

Tel 0161 306 5544 E-Mail: it-servicedesk@manchester.ac.uk

http://www.itservices.manchester.ac.uk/

STUDY SKILLS

Each student will start their programme with a mix of different skills. We have identified a number of Study Skills that are vital for you to master early in your study, in order to achieve your full potential on the programme. These include Academic Writing, Harvard Referencing, Using IT software, Numeric, and Literature Skills. You will be provided with an introduction to these Study Skills during enrolment.

In addition you can visit the Palgrave publishers’ website as this also contains information regarding Study Skills and is freely available to all students. There are specific section on plagiarism, referencing, and critical thinking skills which can be accessed as audio presentations by clicking onto the MP3 icon button.

If you feel that you may have a learning disability, further assistance may be available; please see your Academic Advisor or the Disability Support Officer at the Jean McFarlane Building.

INTRODUCTORY COURSES

All students are automatically enrolled onto a number of introductory course units that provide information on Health and Safety, Academic Malpractice, and Academic Literacy. Completion instructions for each of these units are clearly defined within the course. Completion of these units is mandatory for all students. All assessments must be completed as soon as possible after the programme begins, with the Academic Malpractice assessment to be completed before the first piece of coursework is submitted. Completion of the units is monitored by the School.

STUDENT PROGRESS AND ATTENDANCE REGULATIONS

The University of Manchester Regulations for Taught Masters Programme

http://www.campus.manchester.ac.uk/tlso/map/teachinglearningassessment/teaching/degreeregulations/

Admissions and Registration Requirements

Admission to the University and registration on a programme takes place at the start of each academic year of a programme of study. Admission and registration to the programme is subject to each student’s agreement to comply with the University Statutes, Ordinances and Regulations and the payment of any required fees.

The University has a facility to allow you to carry out your academic and financial registration, including the payment of your tuition fees, via the web before you leave home. This is a simple, straightforward process that will only take a few minutes. You will have to complete IT registration and academic registration before you will be allowed to proceed to financial registration. Ideally, you should complete all parts of the registration process before you arrive at the University. There may, however, be reasons why you are unable to complete financial registration online or you may prefer to use an alternative method for the payment of your tuition fees, e.g. via the University’s telephone hotline (+44 (0)161 272 2350) or in person when you arrive. In either case, you are strongly advised to complete your academic registration before you leave home if at all possible.

At the end of the registration process, students receive a University membership card (also known as a library card or swipe card) which lasts for the duration of the programme of study, subject to annual validation and payment of tuition fees.

Central registration is an essential process since it confirms a person’s status as a student of the University of Manchester and ensures that personal and programme details are correctly recorded for University purposes and for statutory returns to the Higher Education Funding Council and other bodies.

Central registration takes place on campus, at the start of the first semester of the academic year (September) and in the Student Services Centre on Burlington Street at other times of the year. Central registration is also available in some Halls of Residence around the campus.

APIMH – Primary Mental Health Care

Year 1 Full Year

Engagement & Assessment of Patients with Common Mental Health Problems

(20 credits)

The pass mark for a Degree of Master will be 50%.

The pass mark for a Postgraduate Certificate and a Postgraduate Diploma will be 40%.

All Degrees of Master will normally have exit points for the award of a Postgraduate Certificate and a Postgraduate Diploma. These will be clearly defined in terms of level of achievement and will correspond to 60 and 120 credits respectively. Students who do not achieve the required pass mark in the taught element for the Degree of Master, but who do achieve the required pass mark for a Postgraduate Diploma or Certificate, may be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma or Certificate, as appropriate, provided they have successfully completed the requisite number of credits including no more than the maximum number of credits allowed as APL for the exit award.

Evidence-Based Low-Intensity Treatment for Common Mental Health Disorders

(20 credits)

Values, Diversity & Context

(20 credits)

Exit with PgCert or Continue to Year 2

Year 2 Semester 1

Advanced Evidence-Based Practice & Leadership

(30 credits)

Year 2 Semester 2

Long Term Conditions (LTCs) in Primary Mental Health Care

(15 credits)

Developing Practice & Managing Change

(15 credits)

Exit with PgDip or Continue to Year 3

Year 3 Full Year

Dissertation

(60 Credits)

APIMH – Psychosocial Interventions for Psychosis

Year 1 Full Year

Assessment, Screening & Formulation in Psychosis & Bi-Polar Disorder

(30 Credits)

The pass mark for a Degree of Master will be 50%.

The pass mark for a Postgraduate Certificate and a Postgraduate Diploma will be 40%.

Family Interventions in Psychosis & Bi-Polar Disorder

(30 Credits)

Exit with PgCert or Continue to Year 2

Year 2 Semester 1

Advanced Evidence-Based Practice & Leadership

(30 Credits)

Year 2 Semester 2

Developing Practice & Managing Change

(15 credits)

Introduction to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Psychosis

(15 Credits)

Exit with PgDip or Continue to Year 3

Year 3 Full Year

Dissertation

(60 Credits)

APIMH – Dementia Care

Year 1 Semester 1

Perspectives on Dementia

(15 credits)

The pass mark for a Degree of Master will be 50%.

The pass mark for a Postgraduate Certificate and a Postgraduate Diploma will be 40%.

Meeting the Advanced Care Needs of People With Dementia

(15 credits)

Year 1 Semester 2

Working Effectively With Crisis & Complexity in Dementia Care

(15 credits)

Dementia & Social Inclusion

(15 credits)

Exit with PgCert or Continue to Year 2

Year 2 Semester 1

Advanced Evidence Based Practice & Leadership

(30 credits)

Year 2 Semester 2

Evidence-Based Practice in Dementia Care

(15 credits)

Developing Practice & Managing Change

(15 credits)

Exit with PgDip or Continue to Year 3

Year 3 Full Year

Dissertation

(60 Credits)

To progress to Dissertation students must satisfy the following criteria:

Have acquired 120 taught credits at FHEQ Level 7; and

Have compensation (marks of between 40 – 49%) in no more than 30 credits; and

Have been referred in no more than half of the taught credits. (Referrals are capped at the lowest compensatable fail mark and this is used in the weighted average mark for the final award. The capped mark is applied to the unit level mark, not just the failed element.) *this includes compensated credit.

WORK AND ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS

It is expected that all students will attend all taught sessions; however, you are required to attend at least 80% of taught sessions for each programme unit. This regulation applies equally to course units that are delivered online. For e-learning / online course units, the measure will be whether or not you accessed and participated in the course unit within the period it was delivered. If, due to illness or other circumstances, you are unable to attend or engage with online materials you need to inform Programme Support by telephoning 0161 306 7814 or by email. If at any time your work or attendance is unsatisfactory, you will be sent notice in writing that, unless there is an improvement, you will be invited to Progress Committee.

Please note that the student’s employer will be copied into emails relating to absence from taught sessions.

Please note that you must submit a medical certificate if you are absent through illness during examinations or for more than one week of the programme. Instances of illness or other extenuating circumstances affecting a student’s performance may be considered at Examination Board meetings (please note that details are not normally disclosed). Students should convey, in writing, their circumstances to the Programme Director as soon as possible, via Programme Support. If you have been absent due to illness for a period of one week you need to complete a self-certification form, which is available from the Postgraduate Student Community area on Blackboard.

It is the duty of the Division and each Programme Examination Board to keep under continuous review the work and attendance of all students within the Division. Student progress is monitored by the Programme Director in consultation with the Graduate Education Management Committee (Division of Nursing, Midwifery & Social Work.)

Each programme of study has specific compulsory requirements for the work and attendance of students. The work and attendance of students is monitored throughout the academic year, and if it is found that any student is not meeting the relevant requirements, he or she will be given an opportunity for improvement. If there is then no improvement, the student may not be permitted to take the examinations relating to their selected academic programme. For a copy of the full policy http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/DocuInfo.aspx?DocID=1895

Academic Appeals (Regulation XIX)

The purpose of the Appeals Procedure is to safeguard the interests of all students. It may be used only when there are adequate grounds for doing so and may not be used simply because you may be dissatisfied with the outcome of your assessment or other decision concerning your academic position or progress.

The appeals process may be used by students who wish to appeal against a decision of a Board of Examiners, or a Progress Committee, or a Graduate Committee or equivalent body which affects a students’ academic status or progress in the University.

The full procedures can be found at:

Academic Appeals (Regulation XIX)

Basic Guide to Academic Appeals

The Faculty contact for Academic Appeals and Student Complaints is

Room 3.21, Simon Building, University of Manchester, M13 9PL (e-mail: FBMHappealsandcomplaints@manchester.ac.uk)

CERTIFICATION OF STUDENT ILL HEALTH

You should always consult your GP (or for emergencies the Accident and Emergency Department of a hospital) if your illness is severe, if it persists, or if you are in any doubt about your health. You should also consult your GP if illness keeps you absent from the University for more than 7 days, including weekends.

If you do consult a GP and they consider that you are not fit for attendance at the University, then you should obtain a note from the doctor to that effect or ask them to complete Part III of the University form ‘Certification of Student Ill Health’ copies of which are available at local GP surgeries.

You should hand this certificate to Programme Support at the earliest opportunity but within seven days of your return to work / university.

If your condition is not sufficiently serious to cause you to seek medical help, then the University will not require you to supply a doctor’s medical certificate unless you are absent from the University due to illness for more than 7 days (in which case see above). You must however contact Programme Support as soon as possible and self-certify your illness (that is complete and sign the ‘Certification of Student Ill Health’ form to state that you have been ill) as soon as you are able to attend your department. You should do this if your illness means you are absent from the University for any period up to 7 days or if you are able to attend the University but your illness is affecting your studies.

The following sub-paragraphs explain what you should do if your illness affects your attendance at compulsory classes or if you consider that your performance in your studies / examinations has been impaired.

i) If you are unwell and feel unable to attend the University to take a compulsory class, assessment, or examination then you must seek advice by contacting Programme Support immediately, either in person, by telephone, or by email. This is to ensure that you understand the implications of being absent and the consequences for your academic progress, which might be quite serious. You must do this as soon as possible so that all options can be considered and certainly no later than the day of your compulsory class, assessment, or examination. If you do not do this then you will normally be considered to have been absent from the class without good reason, or to have taken the assessment or examination in which case you will be given a mark of zero. You must also complete and hand in a ‘Certification of Student Ill Health’ form on your return.

ii) You may be unwell but are able to proceed with an assessment or examination and yet you feel that your performance will have been impaired. If you wish this to be taken into account as an extenuating circumstance, you must inform your Assessments Administrator about this on the day of the assessment or examination and hand in to Programme Support a completed ‘Certification of Student Ill Health’ form. If you leave this until later it will not normally be possible to take your illness into account when assessing your performance.

iii) If, as a consequence of your illness, you wish to seek an extension to a deadline for submitting assessed coursework, you must complete a ‘Certification of Student Ill Health’ form and discuss it with your Assessments Administrator. The application for extension must be made BEFORE the deadline and not retrospectively.

iv) You may be under occasional and ongoing medical attention which affects your studies. If so, you should obtain a letter from your physician which should be given to your Assessments Administrator before the end of the January, May / June or August / September examination period, as appropriate, if you wish your condition to be taken into account as an extenuating circumstance.

Further guidance on the effects of absence or under-performance can be found under the section titled: Health and Conduct Committee.

Notes:

Certification of Student Ill Health forms are available in all departments and halls of residence, and a copy of this form can be found in the Postgraduate Student Community area on Blackboard.

Your department will give you guidance on the effect of any absence from your studies or if you consider your illness has affected your studies. If you have repeated episodes of ill health which is affecting your studies, your department may refer you to the Student Health Centre.

If you are found to have been deceitful or dishonest in completing the ‘Certification of Student Ill Health’ form you could be liable to disciplinary action under the University’s General Regulation XX: Conduct and Discipline of Students.

The use of the ‘Certification of Student Ill Health’ forms by GPs as described above has been agreed by the Manchester Local Medical Committee. A GP may make a charge for completing the form.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What to do if you are sick for more than seven consecutive days

University self-certification forms only cover up to seven days of continuous illness. If you are ill for longer, you should consult with your GP or other appropriate health professional. In any case, you should consult your GP if your illness is severe, if it persists, or if you are in any doubt about your health.

Repeated bouts of self-certificated short-term illness

The Division and the University has the right to investigate repeated bouts of self-certificated short-term illness. The outcome of such an investigation might include, for example, referral to Occupational Health or to a Progress Committee.

What to do if you are absent through illness

If you are ill / absent during theory (Division) weeks, on the first day of absence you should inform Programme Support of the reason. You can telephone or email to report this illness or you can ask someone else to report it on your behalf.

If you are ill / absent during practice (placements), on the first day of absence you should inform the person in charge of the placement area (or a designated deputy) of your reason. You should also inform Programme Support of your absence and the reason on the same day. You can telephone or email to report this illness or you can ask someone else to report it on your behalf.

What to do if you are ill when an examination or assessment is due

See the examination guidelines covered in this handbook.

What to do after a period of absence through illness

Within seven days following the end of a period of absence through illness, you must submit to Programme Support a University self-certification form (Certification of Student Ill Health) explaining your absence through illness. Part 1 of this form needs to be completed and signed.

If returning from being absent for other reasons you must complete the absence form and hand this in to Programme Support. This will ensure that students are recorded as having returned from sickness / absence.

INTERRUPTIONS FROM THE PROGRAMME

Principles for Granting Interruptions to a Postgraduate Taught Programme of Study

1. Background

1.1 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. It is understood, however, that students may encounter personal difficulties or situations which may seriously disrupt their studies.

Students who encounter such difficulties, which may result in prolonged interruption of normal activity, and where it becomes clear that continuation of their studies is not possible, may be granted a temporary interruption to their studies at the discretion of their Division.
In order to ensure that requests for interruption to a programme of study made by students are handled consistently, processed formally, and students treated equally, the procedure detailed below should be implemented. Existing Faculty, School, or Division procedures, that follow the spirit of these guidelines, can also be used.
The decision to approve, either in full or in part, or to reject, an application for a leave of absence would normally be taken by people who are remote from the process of giving advice to students and counselling them on their alternatives. Each Division should identify a group of people of standing and experience.

2. Monitoring

2.1 All applications for interruptions should be made in writing on the appropriate School form with attachments as relevant.

The outcome of the application should be relayed to the student in writing.
Divisions should report to their Faculty quarterly the outcomes of all applications received.

3. Criteria to be applied

3.1 Any application to interrupt a programme must be made before the beginning of the proposed leave of absence with the support of the Programme Director and the PGT Programmes Support Manager. The Programme Director (or equivalent) will be responsible for discussing with students any circumstances that have resulted in the student requesting an interruption to their studies. The application for interruption should be made on the relevant School form with PGT Programmes Support responsible for submitting the request to the group of staff designated by the Division for considering such requests.

3.2 PGT Programmes Support has overall responsibility for handling any administrative arrangements that result from an interruption being approved. They will be required to notify any relevant parties of the student’s interruption and update any systems as required, following the current procedures at that time.

In the case of non-EU students in the UK on a student visa or residence permit, the University is legally required to report to the government any interruption of studies. International students should discuss the consequences of taking an interruption with the International Advice Team in the Student Services Centre.

3.3 Students and Programme Directors should note that retrospective applications for a leave of absence will only be considered in the most exceptional circumstances.

Each request for a leave of absence will be considered on an individual, case-by-case basis, and any decision made will be at the discretion of the University.

3.4 Consideration should also be given as to whether a change of mode of attendance to part-time status may be an appropriate alternative to a leave of absence.

International students in the UK on a student visa are not normally permitted to study part-time and it is essential that they seek impartial immigration advice from the International Advice Team in the Student Services Centre before considering this option.
The duration of the period of absence may have to be determined by the student’s status in the course. For example, if a student interrupts during the taught element of the course, their return may be dictated by the availability of the course units that they have missed. A period of interruption would not normally be for more than a complete year.

3.5 Where a student is granted an interruption to their programme of study for medical reasons, PGT Programmes Support must ensure, prior to re-registration, that the student provides a note from their healthcare professional which states that they are fit to resume their studies.

4. During the interruption

4.1 During the period of interruption, a student’s registration status is ‘Leave of Absence’ (LOA) and no tuition fees are payable. Where tuition fees have already been paid they will be refunded or held over by the University. However, if a student is refunded in one year and they return in another year, they will have to pay the higher rate of fee. If the University holds the money for them, they would not have to pay the higher fee.

4.2 During the leave of absence period, students will not be entitled to supervision or use of any University facilities including swipe cards, library, and computer access.

5. Return from interruption

5.1 Upon return from a period of interruption, students must inform their PGT Programmes Support. Students may be required to register on their return from a leave of absence; this is dependent on their registration cycle and the date of their return to studies.

5.2 Where the leave of absence was permitted for serious medical problems, the student must provide a note from their healthcare professional that states that they are fit to return to studies.

5.3 A student can be withdrawn from the programme if they do not return to their studies at the appointed time or if they do not notify PGT Programmes Support on their return as specified in the interruption letter.

5.4 If a student fails to return and re-register after 30 days of their expected date of return following an interruption, and there has been no response to the Division’s efforts to contact the student, they can be deregistered from the student system.

6. Students’ right to appeal

6.1 If a student’s application for interruption is declined by their Division, the student has a right to appeal against this decision. In this instance, students should be advised to refer to the University’s Academic Appeals regulation: CLICK HERE

Maternity Leave

Provided that their employer is informed and has given signed consent, students on Maternity Leave are able to commence or continue to study on theory-only courses.

Students may interrupt their studies for the purpose of Maternity Leave at any time from 28 weeks of the pregnancy for a maximum period of 12 months during their programme. The period of leave must be taken in one consecutive block.

Adoption Leave – Students who are adopting a child may interrupt their studies for a maximum period of 12 months during their programme. The period of leave must be taken in one consecutive block.

UNSATISFACTORY PROGRESS

A candidate who fails to satisfy the Examiners in any assessment of taught units may be permitted a reassessment on one further occasion. The candidate must take the opportunity for reassessment in the next available University examination period.

Where students have passed a reassessment, the minimum pass mark(s) for all Masters Level work and for Postgraduate Diploma work will be used when calculating the average marks and on any entry on transcripts.

Candidates for the Degree of Masters will not be permitted to present a dissertation until they have satisfied the Examiners in the assessment of the taught part of the programme.

Candidates who do not achieve the required pass mark in the taught element for a Masters award, but who do achieve the required pass mark for a Postgraduate Diploma or Certificate, may be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma or Certificate, as appropriate, provided they have completed the requisite number of credits.

HEALTH AND CONDUCT COMMITTEE

Functions of the NMSW Health and Conduct Committee

The overall function of the NMSW Health and Conduct Committee (NMSW H&CC) is to consider matters concerning a student’s conduct and health as directed by both the University of Manchester regulations and policies; for example, attendance, academic malpractice, plagiarism, conduct, and discipline – both inside and outside the campus of the University of Manchester.

The Committee does this by monitoring students’ health, conduct, and discipline issues (including attendance) and determines the consequences and course of action for students in the following scenarios:

Where a report of unprofessional behaviour or unsatisfactory conduct has been received (this may include plagiarism);
Where reports of unsatisfactory attendance have been received;
Where a student’s general health is of concern.

The full terms of reference for Health and Conduct Committee can be found in the Postgraduate Student Community area on Blackboard.

WITHDRAWING FROM THE PROGRAMME

If you are considering withdrawing from the programme, you are strongly advised to speak to the Pathway Lead immediately as they may be able to present an alternative perspective on your situation and will certainly be able to offer advice on how to proceed. It may be the case that you chose to interrupt your studies rather than fully withdraw.

If, for whatever reason, you have firmly decided to withdraw from the programme, inform your Programme Director or Pathway Lead as soon as possible verbally and in writing (email is sufficient). It is obviously important that you keep the Division fully informed of your intentions or actions and the University is obliged to inform the appropriate Trusts of your decision. You will be requested to return library books and your student ID badge.

CONFIDENTIALITY

By the nature of practice, students will be exposed to confidential information about patients / clients and others. Breaching confidentiality may only be appropriate in exceptional circumstances. Inappropriate breaching of confidentiality is a betrayal of trust, a serious matter and, as such, may lead to disciplinary action by the employer or University.

You are reminded that information you are exposed to may fall into two categories: i) that which is for use within the Public Domain, and is open and accessible; and ii) that which falls within the Private Domain and is confidential. There is also information that is deemed to be in the public’s interest but not necessarily readily available. Care should be taken to ensure that these aspects of information / confidentiality are properly addressed within student work. If you are unclear on this subject, you should seek clarification from your Unit Lead.

You must not give information to the media regarding events which take place in the Division of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work or any of the placement areas. Any enquiries from the media must be directed to the Head of Division or the Senior Officer (if in a clinical placement). If you are requested to make a statement, help and advice should be sought from your Academic Advisor.

Although you are free to publish your own work, you are strongly advised to seek tutorial guidance first, since any work submitted for examination / assessment purposes remains the copyright of the Division.

SHARING OF INFORMATION WITH SECONDING EMPLOYERS AND PROFESSIONAL BODIES

Students who are seconded to the University from their employer for a programme of study should note the following:

The University reserves the right to share information about student progress and attendance with seconding employers or professional bodies. This will be carried out via a Student Engagement and Progress Report (See your Pathway Lead for more information).
Students who wish to be excluded from this agreement should formally notify the Pathway Lead in writing, who will relay this information to the seconding employer.

CHARGES FOR EXTENSIONS TO LENGTH OF PROGRAMME

Students who go beyond the standard programme length and for whom we stop getting funding, will be charged extension tuition fees.

Additional fees will be charged based on the proportion of the Bench Mark Price (as set by SHA) effective at the date when the extension is required.

ASSESSMENT REGULATIONS

INTRODUCTION TO ASSESSMENT

This section reflects the assessment regulations of the University of Manchester. The standard of the University’s awards and the students’ confidence in the equity and parity of the assessment of their work depends crucially on the scrupulous conduct of all matters relating to the assessment process.

All programmes of study need to be assessed and in this programme you will be assessed in both theory and practice elements.

The purpose of assessment is to form a judgement on the quality of students’ work, to ascertain and certify levels of achievement, and to enable Examiners to report on the standard of performance reached by students.

Assessments are either formative or summative. Formative work is designed to help you meet the requirements of summative assessments. Summative assessments must be passed in order for an award to be conferred. Failure to pass all summative assessments will affect your progression through the course and may result in discontinuation of your studies.

HARVARD REFERENCING SYSTEM

Accurate referencing of all written work is essential as it enables readers to (i) assess the accuracy of the writer’s interpretation of source material; (ii) check the writer’s integrity; and (iii) easily seek out material that may be of interest to their own studies. All assignments completed for this programme of study are required to have a reference list.

Though there are many referencing / bibliographical systems around, the Harvard System is the system adopted by many of the prestigious nursing journals. More importantly, it is the system which the Division of Nursing, Midwifery & Social Work has adopted. This means that it is the only system which is acceptable for any work submitted by students within the Division.

The Harvard System is a standardised system. This means that certain conventions must be adhered to (though there is some room for flexibility). The Harvard System works on the principle that every text / article / book mentioned (‘cited’) in an assignment must have a matching full reference in the final reference list. Likewise, every full reference in the reference list must have been mentioned in the main body of the assignment. An additional ‘bibliography’ (which in this context means a list of texts / articles / books used, but not mentioned in the main body of an assignment) is not required.

http://subjects.library.manchester.ac.uk/referencing-harvard

Please note that failure to include a reference list in all summatively assessed coursework will incur an automatic fail and the mark of 0% being awarded.

ACADEMIC MALPRACTICE, INCLUDING PLAGIARISM, COLLUSION, FABRICATION, OR FALSIFICATION OF RESULTS

Guidance on Plagiarism and Other Forms of Academic Malpractice

As a student, you are expected to co-operate in the learning process throughout your programme of study by completing assignments of various kinds that are the product of your own study or research. For most students this does not present a problem but, occasionally, whether unwittingly or otherwise, a student may commit what is known as plagiarism or some other form of academic malpractice when carrying out an assignment. This may come about because you may have been used to different conventions in your prior educational experience or through general ignorance of what is expected.

The University uses the TurnitinUK electronic system to detect plagiarism and other forms of academic malpractice and for marking.

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 Division 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.

For more information see the Division’s policy on Plagiarism and Academic Malpractice including the potential Fitness to Practice implications for students who hold a registration with a professional body.

SUBMISSION OF ASSESSED WORK

When submitting work for summative (formal) assessment students need to ensure they meet the following requirements:

Submit work on the correct date, as failure to do so can result in imposition of severe penalties.
Submit each course unit assignment via online submission through Blackboard. Where online submission is not available an alternative method of submission will be provided.
Students submitting assignments electronically must complete the submission page and when asked to enter the submission title, must enter their University ID number (to be found on the student ID / library / photo card) followed by the course unit code (e.g. Student 123456_NURS12345). Failure to follow this explicit instruction may result in a ‘Failed to Submit’.
When submitting your assignment online, you must include your reference list as part of the same document.
Write the title of the course unit, the course unit code, the name of the Unit Lead, the title of the assignment, the submission date, and the number of words on the front sheet of the assignment document.
Write their University ID number in the top-right hand corner of the front sheet of the assignment and on the top-right hand corner of all pages of the assignment.
Do not write any candidate name on any part of the assignment as the assessment process is supposed to be anonymous.
Submit all assignment work by 12 noon on the submission date. This is an absolute deadline.

Policy on Submission of Work for Summative Assessment on Taught Programmes Scope – CLICK HERE

The policy refers to what is generally regarded as coursework for summative assessment, i.e. work such as essays, project reports, and portfolios that contribute to a final mark. It does not refer to purely formative assessment that does not contribute to a final mark, nor to work that students must attend to complete, such as practical tests and written examinations. It is primarily concerned with deadlines, i.e. the dates and times by which work should be submitted, and with penalties for late submission.

Late Submission Penalty (Including Dissertation)

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:

Guidance on Late Submission

Policy on the Submission of Work for Summative Assessment on Taught Programmes

PENALTIES FOR ILLEGIBILITY AND EXCEEDING THE WORD LIMIT

A mark of zero will be awarded to illegible scripts.

For every 100 words over the word limit (plus or minus 10%) the student will lose 1% mark. This equates to 10% per 1000 words. The references and appendices should not be included in the word count. All coursework should have a word count on the title page.

The Division’s policy on what is included in the word count for academic theoretical assessments covers any one of the following:

Posters
Essays
Reports
Dissertations
Business Cases
Reflections
Portfolio Documents and any other form of essay-type summative assessment submission, except unseen examination papers

In accordance with accepted academic practice, when students are submitting any written assignment for summative assessment in the format outlined above, 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. This does not include the figures, tables, or boxes themselves.
All in-text (that is, bracketed) references.
All directly quoted material.

PENALTY FOR FAILING TO INCLUDE REFERENCE LIST / BIBLIOGRAPHY

A mark of 0% will be given to a piece of work submitted without a reference list.

MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCES

A special meeting of a panel drawn from the Programme Examination Board will discuss personal and medical circumstances that affect a student’s assessment performance. Written information and evidence must be submitted to the appropriate Programme Director at the earliest opportunity and always before the Examiners’ meeting.

All deliberations of Examinations Boards on Mitigating Circumstances must be recorded in the Minutes of the meeting. See the University web site regarding Mitigating Circumstances and the following hyperlinks for more details.

Sometimes circumstances or events beyond a student’s control may adversely affect their ability to perform in an assessment to their full potential or to complete an assignment by the set deadline. In such cases mitigation may be applied, i.e. treating marks or results in a way that recognises the adverse impact that may have resulted from those circumstances or events, or waiving penalties that would arise from late submission.

Mitigation will not result in the changing of any marks, unless penalties for late submission are waived after an assignment has already been marked. Instead, mitigation may result in some marks being disregarded and the assessment being excused because it was adversely affected.

The student should first seek advice from their Academic Advisor as to whether the adverse circumstances are sufficient to warrant consideration by the Division’s Mitigating Circumstances Panel. Advice should also be sought as to whether it is in the interest of the student to consider alternative remedies such as a deadline extension, re-scheduling of an assessment within a current assessment period (if possible), or sitting an examination at the next available opportunity. In very serious cases, the student might even be best advised to interrupt their studies for a period of time.

It is important to remember that, in order to qualify for consideration, the adverse circumstances or events must be unforeseeable or unpreventable, and sufficiently disruptive to have a significant adverse effect on the academic performance of the student or their ability to complete assignments by the due date.

Policy on Mitigating Circumstances

http://www.campus.manchester.ac.uk/tlso/map/teachinglearningassessment/assessment/sectionc-reachingdecisionsfromassessment/policyonmitigatingcircumstances/

Requesting an Extension

Extensions to agreed assessment dates are not granted as a right, but where exceptional circumstances exist students should normally request an extension in the following way:

Applications for extensions should be submitted to the Examinations & Assessments Office as soon as it is realised that an extension may be required. Unless the circumstances are exceptional this should normally take place not less than two weeks before the submission date of the assignment.

It is expected that there would normally be two types of request for late submission, the first of these will be based on short-term needs. In other words, the extension required will be for no longer than two weeks. In this instance, students will need to contact the Examinations & Assessments Office, Room G.313, Jean McFarlane Building, who will liaise with the Unit Lead to renegotiate, agree, and arrange a new deadline for the submission of the assignment.

The following process must be followed:

Normally not later than two weeks before the assignment submission date: Submission of an extension form and supporting documentary evidence to the Examinations & Assessments Office, Room G.313, Jean McFarlane building, using the standard paperwork to be found on the Postgraduate Student Community area of Blackboard or in the receptacles outside the Examinations & Assessments Office. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that this form is completed accurately and is legible.

The relevant checks are made by the Examinations & Assessments Administrators to ensure that the submission is made in a timely manner and that supporting documentary evidence from an independent third party is provided.

If these criteria are passed, then the documents would be forwarded to the Unit Lead, who will assess the documentary evidence and its worthiness to support an extension request.

If passed, the Unit Lead would then sign the document and return it to the Examinations & Assessments Office who then enter a new date for submission into the examinations grid (normally 2 weeks from the original submission deadline) and create a new submission area on Blackboard. The most that can be sanctioned by the Unit Lead is two weeks.

The second form of request will require an extension of more than two weeks, as the underlying reasons for this form of request will be more complex or will take longer to resolve. The following process must be followed:

If these criteria are passed, then the documents would be forwarded to the Examinations Officer in the first instance, or the Programme Director as an alternate, who will assess the documentary evidence and its worthiness to support an extension request.

If passed, the Examinations Officer or Programme Director would then sign the document and return it to the Examinations & Assessments Office who then enter a new date for submission into the examinations grid and create a new submission area on Blackboard. In this case, the Unit Lead and the Programme Director will need to be notified of the situation by the Examinations Officer (or vice versa if the Programme Director approved the request.)

Please Note: If the form is not received by the Examinations & Assessments Office it will be assumed that no extension has been granted.

Whatever the reason for requesting an extension and whatever its duration, this needs to be supported by appropriate documentation. This documentation may take the form of a medical certificate or a letter written by a professional person. Letters from family members will not count as evidence. This documentation will then be available, where appropriate, at the Examination, Progress, or Mitigating Circumstances Committee for discussion, should this become necessary. The maximum extension that can be granted by an Examinations Officer or Programme Director is one month; longer extensions will need to be sanctioned at a Mitigating Circumstances or Progress Committee.

Decisions regarding extension requests will be confirmed via email to the student’s University email account.

Automatic extensions are normally given where a student is ill in the two weeks prior to the submission date where the illness is certified by a doctor. Students with DASS requirements must still submit an extension request form in the usual way.

If the mitigating circumstances are extremely complex or severe then a Mitigating Circumstances Committee may need to be convened in order to manage the situation in the best interest of the student. The Mitigating Circumstances Committee would comprise the Director of Postgraduate Studies, Quality Assurance and Enhancement Officer for Postgraduate Studies, Programme Director, Unit Lead, Academic Advisor, and Programme Examinations Secretary. It is expected that this committee would only need to be convened in extreme circumstances.

MARKING PROCESSES

All work has to be assessed by at least one Internal Examiner.
A selection of work is scrutinised by the External Examiner (Please Note: all work can be made available for the External Examiner if required).
All examiners receive a copy of the Assessment Schedule for the programme in September of each academic year. The schedule provides information on:
The name of the person allocated as the first and second Internal Examiners for each of the course units;
Submission dates – this is the date when first markers will be sent the work for scrutiny;
Second Marker date – this is the date when the Second Marker should be sent the scripts for second marking;
The date when the work will be sent to the External Examiner; and
Dates of the Examination Boards.

Please note that the Assessment Schedule, containing dates and deadlines, is provided on the Exams & Assessments section of the Postgraduate Student Community area on Blackboard, so that the assessed work can be presented at the Examination Boards identified on the schedule.

All Examiners receive a copy of the marking criteria. This provides a guide as to how work should be graded, please see the Exams & Assessments section of the Postgraduate Student Community area on Blackboard for a copy of this document.

Marking Units: All marks for credit-bearing assessment must be given as percentages.
Double Marking: The University has a policy for marking, details of which are found in the Manual of Academic Procedures located at http://www.tlso.manchester.ac.uk/map/teachinglearningassessment/assessment/sectionb-thepracticeofassessment/policyonmarking/. In the Division of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, we operate a system of moderation, whereby all scripts are marked by one person and a sample of the scripts are marked by a second person. The exception to this is NURS60046, the Dissertation Course Unit, which is double-marked. Double-marking is where every text is marked independently by two markers.
Resolution of Marks: Programme Committees have procedures whereby differences in marks can be resolved internally by the two markers or by the use of a third marker. In exceptional cases, the External Examiner may be asked to adjudicate and award an agreed mark.
Anonymous Marking: The University has a policy of anonymous marking and anonymity of students at Examination Boards. It is appreciated that some types of assessment employed on Taught Masters Programmes cannot be undertaken anonymously, but Programme Management Teams and Examination Boards follow this policy wherever possible. The Board of Examiners, in consultation with the External Examiner will examine the assessment methods for a programme, and where they are unable to comply with the policy an application must be made to the Graduate Division to ratify any deviation.

FEEDBACK / RETURN OF MARKS

You will be provided with dates for submission of your assignments, practice documents, and examinations by the Unit Lead on commencing the unit.

You will normally receive provisional feedback, based on the Internal Marker’s comments, four to six weeks after submission. This feedback is provisional and subject to confirmation of / by the External Examiner and ratification by the Examination Board. This information will either be posted or emailed to you at your University student account, or uploaded to the Division’s online results system for you to access through Blackboard.

Following External Examiners’ approval and ratification, you will receive the final feedback by post or email to your University student account.
Any student who has failed will be notified in writing of the resubmission date following the ratification of results by the Examination Board.
Any student having failed a part or all of the assessment process for the second time, will automatically be referred to the Progress Committee.
Results cannot be given over the telephone and no tutor / lecturer is permitted to divulge results to you or others.
Tutors / lecturers are the only people who are entitled, on request, to remove examination scripts from the relevant Examination Office. The scripts need to be signed in and signed out by a tutor / lecturer.

Notes

Working days are Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, excluding Bank Holidays.

RE-ASSESSMENTS

A student who fails to satisfy the Examiners in any assessment of taught units may be permitted to resubmit the assessment or retake the examination on one further occasion, up to a maximum of half the taught credits. The student will take this opportunity during the next available University examination period or within a period as published in the Programme Handbook.

Full copies of PGT regulations are available at http://www.campus.manchester.ac.uk/tlso/map/teachinglearningassessment/teaching/degreeregulations/.

RESIT FEE CHARGES

All students needing to undertake a resit assessment at second attempt may be charged a fee. The full policy and details of fees will be posted on Blackboard prior to the first submission period.

Primary Mental Health Care Pathway

There is no compensation in units with more than 1 summative assessment in the Primary Mental Health Care pathway. For more information please see the unit specification.

Dementia Care Pathway

There is no compensation in units with more than 1 summative assessment in the Dementia Care pathway. For more information please see the unit specification.

Psychosocial Interventions for Psychosis

Students can compensate in units with more than 1 summative assessment except where there is a skills component, for these units a pass at Masters Level (50%) is required.

Ratification of Results at an Examination Board

At designated points in the academic year, each assessment, including practice, is considered by the Board of Examiners, which consists of lecturers, including markers and moderators, External Examiners, and representatives from the clinical practice areas. The meetings are chaired by the Dean (or nominee). No mark or grade is finalised until it has been considered by this committee. Students normally receive marks and grades before they have been returned from the External Examiner and before a meeting of the Board of Examiners; therefore, students should be aware that marks could change after consideration by the Board of Examiners. Any change of marks is exceedingly rare and if it does occur, all the students involved will be informed immediately. If the mark has been changed from a pass grade to a fail grade, and if the student is eligible for a further attempt, an appropriate date for resubmission of the assessment will be given.

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 institution.

External Examiners’ reports relating to this programme will be shared with student representatives at the Staff Student Liaison Committee (SSLC) / Programme Committee / other appropriate forum, where details of any actions carried out by the Programme Team / Division 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 for Dementia Pathway

Name: Ruth Bartlett

Name of Current Institution: University of Southampton
Position at Current Institution: Associate Professor

External Examiner for Psychosocial Interventions for Psychosis Pathway

Name: Clare Brizzolara

Name of Current Institution: University of Sunderland
Position at Current Institution: Senior Lecturer

External Examiner for Primary Mental Health Care Pathway

Name: Judith Kelly

Name of Current Institution: Abertay University
Position at Current Institution: Programme Lead

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 Division 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 Examinations & Assessments Office.

RETAKING A WHOLE PROGRAMME

Students may, in exceptional circumstances, and with prior permission of the Faculty, be allowed to retake the entire programme. In such circumstances, students may re-register only if all outstanding fees have been paid. Fees are payable for the new period of registration.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ACADEMIC AWARDS

GRADUATION

A person who has passed the degree examination shall be deemed to be a graduate of the University from the date of the meeting of Senate at which the relevant examination result was confirmed. Candidates who so wish may be presented for conferment of the degree at the appropriate ceremony following confirmation of the result.

The names that are printed on the degree certificate will be the student’s name as recorded in the University student record system and which is printed each year on the registration form. It is important, therefore, for students to check the registration form to ensure that their names are correctly recorded. The name printed on the degree certificate cannot subsequently be amended without valid proof of the correct name (i.e. birth certificate, passport, etc.) and this service may incur a charge.

Students eligible for graduation are encouraged to check the online student system normally 6 – 8 weeks prior to their ceremony taking place to register their attendance at the ceremony and to request tickets for family / friends.

http://www.studentnet.manchester.ac.uk/selfservice/graduation/

ROLE OF THE PROGRAMME COMMITTEE

The Programme Committee is responsible for the review procedures of their respective programmes. Reports are reviewed by the Graduate Education Management Committee and include programme development, variety of programme options, assessment of individual units, and any other matter relating to the programme. Each Programme Committee invites Student Representatives from each year group. Student participation is welcomed.

REGULATIONS AND POLICIES

As a registered student of The University of Manchester, you agree to comply with the rules and regulations under which the University and its students must operate. The principles underpinning these are set out in the University’s Statutes, Ordinances and Regulations, which are listed in the Founding Documents available at: http://www.regulations.manchester.ac.uk/postgraduate-degree-regulations/.

Specific regulations regarding your programme of study are set down in the Programme Information section of this handbook. The main elements of the rules and regulations of which you should be aware are summarised in the A-Z of Services.

BEHAVIOUR AND PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT

Students are expected to behave in a professional manner when on University premises. Any student demonstrating inappropriate behaviour may be asked to leave the premises. The student may be referred to the Occupational Health Service or to the Progress Committee.

Students are expected to behave in a professional manner when on placement. Any student demonstrating inappropriate behaviour may fail their placement report, may be asked to leave the placement, and will be reported to the University.

Inappropriate behaviours include being under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs, being rude or aggressive to fellow students or staff, smoking in restricted areas, or putting students’ or staff members’ health and safety at risk.

REGULATION XVII – CONDUCT AND DISCIPLINE OF STUDENTS – www.tlso.manchester.ac.uk/appeals-complaints/conductanddisciplineofstudents/

SOCIAL NETWORKING WEBSITES

The Faculty of Biology, Medicine & Health have produced a document that provides advice and guidance for healthcare students about the benefits and potential dangers of social networking and suggests ways in which their personal and professional interests, and those of others, can be protected while in the online environment.

APPEALS PROCEDURE (REGULATION XIX)

The appeals process may be used by students who wish to appeal against a decision of a Board of Examiners, or a Progress Committee, or a Graduate Committee, or equivalent body which affects a student’s academic status or progress in the University.

The full procedures can be found at:

Academic Appeals (Regulation XIX)

Basic Guide to Academic Appeals

Student Complaints (Regulation XVIII)

Basic Guide to Student Complaints

The Faculty office for Academic Appeals and Student Complaints is based in Room 3.21, Simon Building, University of Manchester, M13 9PL (email: FBMHappealsandcomplaints@manchester.ac.uk)

COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE

As part of its commitment to ensuring the standard and quality of its programmes of study, services, and facilities, the University has established a procedure to deal with complaints from students. Complaints provide useful feedback information from students and, where appropriate, will be used to improve services and facilities.

The procedure comprises a number of stages, both informal and formal. Students who have a complaint to make should raise it directly with the staff concerned at the earliest opportunity, as matters that are dealt with informally at an early stage have the best chance of being resolved effectively. Only where the informal procedures have been completed and the complainant remains dissatisfied should the formal stage be instituted.

http://www.staffnet.manchester.ac.uk/bmh/teaching/teaching-activity/student-appeals-complaints-and-discipline/

Harassment is unwanted conduct that may create the effect (intentionally or unintentionally) of violating a person’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment which interferes with an individual’s learning, working, or social environment or induces stress, anxiety, or sickness on the part of the harassed person.

Discrimination takes place when an individual or a group of people is treated less favourably than others because of their race, gender, gender reassignment, marital status, status as a civil partner, disability, age, religion or belief, sexual orientation, or other factors unrelated to their ability or potential.

Bullying can be defined as repeated or persistent actions, criticism, or personal abuse, either in public or private, which (intentionally or unintentionally) humiliates, denigrates, undermines, intimidates, or injures the recipient. It should, in particular, be borne in mind that much bullying occurs in the context of a power imbalance between victims and alleged perpetrators.