PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATE IN MEDICAL RETINA

PROGRAMME HANDBOOK

2021-22

Division of Pharmacy and Optometry

School of Health Sciences

Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health

Welcome from the Director of Post Graduate Taught Education

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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.

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Mr Andrew Mawdsley
Director of Post Graduate Taught Education
School of Health Sciences

Introductory Courses

All students are automatically enrolled onto an introductory unit (SHSS60001 Introductory Courses) that provides information on health and safety, academic malpractice and academic literacy. Completion instructions for each of these sections are clearly defined within the course.

Completion of the academic malpractice and health and safety sections is mandatory for all students. All assessments must be completed as soon as possible after the programme begins, with the academic malpractice assessment completed before the first piece of coursework is submitted.

All students are also strongly advised to complete the academic literacy section. Completion of these assessments is monitored by the School.

Online Skills Training Resource

The Faculty has developed a skills training resource to support you through your postgraduate taught programme. This online material should supplement the assessed learning material and activities undertaken in your taught programme.

Accessing the online skills resource

You can access Blackboard through the My Manchester portal (http://my.manchester.ac.uk). The skills training resource is available in an academic community space available to all registered PGT students in the Faculty through Blackboard.

If you cannot see these units in your Blackboard please contact your Programme Administrator.

Full details of all these resources can be found in the introduction to each unit. These resources have been designed to give you formative feedback on your progress through them. If you experience any problems and would like to talk to someone please contact your Programme Director. If you have questions about referencing and how it applies to your own work, please contact your Programme Director or dissertation supervisor/module lead.

Academic Writing	This is an excellent resource that supports you to write your assignments and dissertation. It is split into units that focus on key areas that previous students have found difficult and aims to enhance your academic writing style.
Research Methods*	This course is spilt into three units that cover introductions to study design, statistics and dissertation skills. It has a number of online quizzes where you can test your knowledge.
Statistics*	The course provides a valuable foundation for understanding and interpreting biostatistics. It aims to provide you with the fundamentals of quantitative analysis.
Presentation Skills	This short interactive unit is designed to help you to enhance your presentation skills. Regardless of whether you are presenting in public, preparing for conferences, an oral examination or more informal settings this unit will give you the tops tips to improve your delivery.
Qualitative Research Methods*	This unit has been designed to give you an introduction to Qualitative Research.
SPSS*	This is an introduction to statistics, using SPSS, a popular and comprehensive data analysis software package containing a multitude of features designed to facilitate the execution of a wide range of statistical analyses.
Intellectual Property Awareness Resource	This Intellectual Property (IP) awareness resource has been created in order to improve your understanding of IP. Topics include: Types of intellectual property • Copyright and IP clearance • University policy on IP • IP commercialisation • IP in research or consultancy • IP issues to be aware when dealing with academic materials

* NOTE: the material in this online resource is for reference and formative learning purposes only. In some of your taught programme you may be required to undertake assessed course units for Research Methods, Qualitative Research or Statistics. If your programme involves taught units then you should refer to the Blackboard material relating to that course unit. Please contact your Programme Administrator if you are unsure which material relates to your assessed work. You will still be able to refer to the online skills resource in later years.

Introduction to the Professional Certificate in Medical Retina

Welcome to the Division of Pharmacy and Optometry at the University of Manchester. The Professional Certificate in Medical Retina sits in the Pharmacy and Vision Sciences PGT Consortium in the School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health

This handbook provides details of the University of Manchester Programme leading to the Professional Certificate in Medical Retina. It includes information about the aims and learning outcomes, structure, content, admissions, assessment and programme management. It should be read in conjunction with related University documentation.

This handbook contains details of the course structure, together with other useful information about the School. In Part A, there is a summary of how the course is structured while, in Part B, the course unit is described. Part C contains practical information about the School, and Part D the various University Regulations.

We hope that your time studying with Manchester will be productive and enjoyable.

Programme Director:

Dr Catherine Porter
Email: catherine.porter@manchester.ac.uk
3rd Floor, Carys Bannister Building

Professional Certificate Leads:

Dr Catherine Porter
Email: catherine.porter@manchester.ac.uk
3rd Floor, Carys Bannister Building

Mr Paul Rogers
Email: p.rogers@manchester.ac.uk
1st Floor, Carys Bannister Building

Theory Module Lead:

Prof Tariq Aslam
Email: tariq.aslam@mft.nhs.uk
Manchester Royal Eye Hospital

Programme Administrator:

Isha Victoria Cotay
Email: IOVS@manchester.ac.uk
Tel 0161 306 4295

PGT Consortium Lead, Pharmacy & Vision Sciences:

Dr Alain Pluen
Email: Alain.Pluen@manchester.ac.uk

General information about the Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, staff listings and research interests are contained in this handbook, but more information can be obtained from the following web sites:

The Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health home page:
https://www.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/

The University of Manchester home page:
http://www.manchester.ac.uk/

Communication with Students

Please note that only Blackboard, the University e-learning platform and your allocated student university email address will be used as official communication by University staff. It is your responsibility to ensure that you can access and read email from this source.

Students are required to keep the University informed of any change to their personal circumstances such as change of name or address. Changes can be recorded by the student via their own personal online record, accessed via the MyManchester portal. It is also essential to inform the Programme Administrator if you do not intend to return to the next session of the course, if, for example, you are moving away.

Section A: Programme Structure

Rationale, General Description, Postgraduate Taught Degree Regulations for Students

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.

The full PGT Degree Regulations can be accessed at:
http://www.regulations.manchester.ac.uk/postgraduate-degree-regulations/.

The following guidance should be read in conjunction with the Introduction to the Postgraduate Degree Regulations for Students:
http://www.tlso.manchester.ac.uk/degree-regulations/

Exemptions to the PGT Degree Regulations

Please be aware that the IOVS programme has some higher requirements to the University degree regulations and details of these are outlined below.

The programmes above will not apply compensation rules to any course units.

An average mark of 50% must be achieved for each unit, with no individual component mark within that unit below 40%. If any component mark of a unit falls below 40%, this assessment must be referred.

Criteria for Awards

Award of Masters Degree

The award of Masters degree is based upon credit accumulation using a pass mark of 50%.

Distinction

Exceptional achievements over the course of the Programme according to the taught masters marking scheme will be rewarded with the degree of Masters with Distinction.

To obtain a Distinction, students must have:

accrued 180 credits;

have passed all units with no referrals;

have achieved an overall weighted average of 70% or more across the programme;

Students who have compensated or have been referred in any course units are not eligible for the award of Distinction. In addition, the dissertation must be submitted by the end of the period of programme, unless there are significant mitigating circumstances, approved in advance for missing the end of programme deadline.

Merit

To obtain a Merit, students must have accrued 180 credits AND have achieved an overall weighted average of 60% or more across the programme, including any provision made for compensated or referred units.

Pass

To obtain a pass, students must have accrued 180 credits including any provision made for compensated or referred units.

Progression

To progress to the dissertation / research element of the Masters programme, students must have passed all taught units (120 credits).

Award Postgraduate Diploma

To obtain a Postgraduate Diploma award, students must have accrued 120 credits (as specified by the programme) including any provision made for compensated or referred units.

Award Postgraduate Certificate

To obtain a Postgraduate Certificate award, students must have accrued 60 credits (as specified by the programme) including any provision made for compensated or referred units.

Unless otherwise specified in the exemptions, the awards of Postgraduate Diploma and Postgraduate Certificate degree are based upon credit accumulation using a pass mark of 40% for which there is no classification other than pass/fail.

Exit Awards

Exit awards are available for students who do not satisfy the criteria for the programme they are registered on or who needs to exit the programme early due to unforeseen circumstances.

To be considered for a PG Diploma (120 credits; exit point) students must have accrued 120 credits across the programme.

To be considered for a PG Certificate (60 credits; exit point) students must have accrued 60 credits across the programme.

Please note the pass mark for course units making up the Postgraduate Diploma and Certificate exit awards is 40%.

Reassessment

Reassessment as a result of a fail is known as a “Referral”. Reassessment as a result of approved and verified mitigating circumstances is known as “Deferral” and may be permitted where students are reassessed as a first attempt, for which no penalty applies.

Students may be referred in up to half of the total taught credits. The combined total number of credits referred on IOVS cannot exceed half the taught credits. Decisions with regard to which components should be reassessed are made by the Examination Board. When a student is referred they will normally be permitted to retake the assessment/exam on one further occasion.

At the recommendation of the Board of Examiners, students will normally be allowed one resubmission of a failed dissertation or project and this will normally be within four months of the date of the publication of the result.

The pass mark for a reassessment is the same as the first attempt (i.e. 50% for masters and 40% for Postgraduate Diploma/Certificate). When a reassessment is passed, the mark is capped at the lowest compensable fail mark (i.e. 40R), unless the previous mark was within the compensation zone, in which case the original mark will stand with a suffix ‘R’. This mark is used in the weighted average/total mark for the final award. The capped mark is applied to the whole unit and not the failed component.

Please refer to the ‘Programme Exemptions to PGT Degree Regulations’ section of the handbook where specific exemptions applicable to the programme will be listed.

Available Degree Classifications

Overall Programme Mean	Number of Credits	Award
40% or more	120	Certificate/Diploma PASS
50% – 59.9%	180	MSc Pass
60% – 69.9%	180	MSc Merit
70% or more	180	MSc distinction*

NB If Either Taught Average or Dissertation mark fails within the buffer zone of 58.0-59.9 the student may be considered for the award of Merit. Further information please see the Postgraduate Taught Regulations.

*MSc with Distinction- with 180 credits successfully completed and no mark < 50% on any Course Unit at first attempt

NB If Either Taught Average or Dissertation mark falls within the buffer zone of 68.0-69.9 the student may be considered for the award of Distinction. Further information please see the Postgraduate Taught Regulations.

Students who register originally for a Diploma, but subsequently wish to transfer to the MSc course, will be allowed to do so if they attain, in assessments of the taught Course Units, the level of achievement specified above for the award of the MSc.

Students must be awarded 120 credits before being permitted to progress to the Dissertation stage of the programme.

Deadlines for Assessed Work

WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU TRANSFER SUBMISSION DATES TO YOUR DIARIES AS SOON AS THEY ARE PUBLISHED.

Assessment submissions

The University uses electronic systems for the purposes of detecting plagiarism and other forms of academic malpractice and for marking. Such systems include TurnItIn, the plagiarism detection service used by the University.

In accordance with the Policy on Submission of Work for Summative Assessment on Taught Programmes, ‘Where appropriate, summative assessed written work, including dissertations and projects, should be submitted online and subjected to plagiarism detection software’.

The School also reserves the right to submit work handed in by you for formative or summative assessment to TurnItIn 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.

All written summative assessments should be submitted via Blackboard® through TurnItIn. All written summative assessments must be submitted anonymously, only displaying your student ID.

Submission deadline dates and times are published on Blackboard® for each course unit.

We urge you to attempt to submit your assessment early in order to address any problems before the deadline.

Assessments must be submitted within the specified deadline. If there is a problem which prevents you submitting the assessment on time you must bring this to the attention of the Assessment and Progression Administrator promptly and before the assessment submission date. Depending on the length of time you require to complete the assessment you will then need to apply for an extension of up to a maximum of one week for circumstances such as acute illness (see paragraph on Extensions for full details). If you are experiencing longer term problems you should follow the mitigating circumstances route.

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 calendar 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 re-sit the assessment as the original mark can be taken in lieu of a re-sit/referral and normal re-sit/referral procedures will apply. Further information and examples can be found in the Policy and associated Guidance documents below.

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 procedures 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

Extensions

If you are unable to submit an assessment by the required deadline and you wish to request an extension you must submit the online extension request form and send supporting evidence to dpo.pgt@manchester.ac.uk, including your name, University ID number and programme. Rest assured that all information will be treated confidentially..

Course unit leads do not accept extension requests directly.

Please send extension requests no later than 12.00 pm on the last working day before the assessment deadline. Please do not submit extension requests via Blackboard.

Extensions will be granted at the discretion of the Unit Lead. You are permitted a maximum extension of two weeks. Extensions are only granted for acute illness around assignment submission time and any unforeseen life events that affect your ability to work in the short-term. They are not given for increased workload at your place of work, students who register late or book holidays during term time. If you are experiencing longer term problems that affect your ability to study you may wish to progress through the Mitigating Circumstances routes (see below).

The process for requesting an extension is:

Complete the online extension request form
Send supporting evidence to dpo.pgt@manchester.ac.uk (with your name, ID and programme)
Extension request is sent to unit lead for review
Final decision is communicated by the Programme Support Team
Submit your assessment by the agreed extension date via the original submission method

Mitigating Circumstances

The Division of Pharmacy and Optometry has a Mitigating Circumstances Committee, which meets on a regular basis to consider the effect of extenuating circumstances (e.g. medical/personal/family problems) on assessment performance. Evidence can only be considered if presented in time for this Committee and in any event no later than the publication of the examination results. Any extenuating circumstances should be provided by completing the online mitigating circumstances form and submitting strong third-party evidence to dpo.pgt@manchester.ac.uk stating your name, University ID and programme, by the deadline given. All information will be treated in strict confidence.

Please note: Any IT issues (including printing problems) or simply ‘not having enough time’ or ‘not being able to get on a computer’ will NOT be regarded as a sufficient reason for late submission. You must ensure you give your assessed work priority! Do not leave completion until the very last minute. Even theft of a home computer will not be deemed an excuse as you should always ensure work is ‘backed-up’ elsewhere.

The process for submitting mitigating circumstances is:

Complete the online mitigating circumstances form
Send supporting evidence to dpo.pgt@manchester.ac.uk (with your name, ID and programme)
Programmes Support Office confirm receipt and the date of the next mitigating circumstances panel meeting
Mitigation circumstances panel meet and agree on outcomes of applications
Programmes Support Office communicates the decision with letter by email

The Policy on Mitigating Circumstances can be accessed here:
http://www.campus.manchester.ac.uk/tlso/map/teachinglearningassessment/assessment/sectionc-reachingdecisionsfromassessment/policyonmitigatingcircumstances/

Guidance for students on mitigating circumstances can be found here:
http://www.tlso.manchester.ac.uk/map/teachinglearningassessment/assessment/sectionc-reachingdecisionsfromassessment/mitigatingcircumstancesguidanceforstudents/

A basic guide to mitigating circumstances can be accessed here:
http://www.regulations.manchester.ac.uk/basic-guide-mitigating-circumstances/

(For students submitting a final dissertation if the work is submitted after the deadline, at the discretion of the Board of Examiners or other appropriate Committee, it may be treated in the same manner as a resubmission following failure with the mark capped at 50% with no further opportunity for resubmission)

Word Limits for Assessed Work

With the exception of closed book examination answers, all assessed work is subject to a word limit. There are three reasons for this.

It is one of our objectives to encourage students to acquire the skill of expressing ideas in clear and concise written prose. Writing within a word limit imposes a discipline on your work.

For any given type of work we can only apply fair and consistent marking standards when everyone is writing within the same constraints.

Imposing word limits communicates clear expectations.

In accordance with the University Policy on Marking:

Each written assignment has a word limit which you must state at the top of your first page. It is acceptable, without penalty, for you to submit an assignment within a range that is plus 10% of this limit. If you present an assignment with a word count exceeding the specified limit+10%, the assignment will be marked but 1% will be deducted from this mark for every 100 words over the limit given.

For an original word limit that is 1000 words and an assignment that is marked out of 100. If a submission is made that is 1101 words then it exceeds the 10% leeway, and is more than 100 words over the original limit and should receive a 1 mark deduction.

In accordance with accepted academic practice, when submitting any written assignment for summative assessment, the notion of a word count includes the following without exception:

All titles or headings that form part of the actual text. This does not include the cover page or reference list.

All words that form the actual essay.

All words forming the titles for figures, tables and boxes, are included but this does not include boxes or tables or figures themselves.

All in-text (that is bracketed) references.

All directly quoted material.

Certain assessments may require different penalties for word limits to be applied. For example, if part of the requirement for the assessment is conciseness of presentation of facts and arguments. In such cases it may be that no 10% leeway is allowed and penalties applied may be stricter than described above. In such cases the rules for word count limits and the penalties to be applied will be clearly stated in the assessment brief and in the submission details for that assessment.

Word limits should not include text in the bibliography/reference list, figure legends and tables and appendices (if relevant). However, students cannot use figure legends or text within tables to try and side step the word limit (i.e. figure legends and table must be of appropriate length) and must be warned that if they do so they will be penalised.

Where assignments have high numeric content (e.g. statistics) then a judgement should be made as to whether it is reasonable for this ruling to apply.

Where any mark reductions result in a fail, the unit will be treated as a failed unit in accordance with the University’s Degree Regulations.

Submitting work

All assignments must be submitted electronically. The published deadlines for assessments all relate to the electronic submission which is done via Blackboard, on the SafeAssign system. You must submit by the deadline advertised in your timetable/assessment handbook.

Submitting an electronic copy of the work

Log onto Blackboard via My Manchester https://login.manchester.ac.uk/cas/login

Click on the relevant course unit

Go to assessment folder

Upload your assignment via the SafeAssign process: https://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_913066741&feature=iv&src_vid=7ZuZW9-KAjY&v=oI3X0XW-xkI

Please remember you can only upload ONE document so you cannot save your references as a separate document.

IMPORTANT

For Online Blackboard submissions, you MUST put your ID number first in your assignment title and save your document using your ID Number e.g. 7123456 Assignment 1.

DO NOT save the work as ‘Essay’ or as the title of the work.

When creating your document please ensure your ID number is on each page (in header or footer) and your name does not appear on the document.

The electronic copy is your official record of submission.

Turnitin System

The University uses electronic systems for the purposes of detecting plagiarism and other forms of academic malpractice and for marking. Such systems include TurnitinUK, the plagiarism detection service used by the University. Where appropriate, summative assessed written work, including dissertations and projects, should be submitted online and subjected to plagiarism detection software.

The School 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.

The Faculty eLearning team have produced a short introduction to Blackboard for new students. The recording is hosted in two places: the VLS and on YouTube:

Feedback for assessments

The purpose of feedback is to provide constructive criticism and encouragement so that you can improve your standards as time goes on. Thus in addition to marks we will give you written feedback on most of your assessed coursework and give it back to you.

Marks awarded for your assessments (i.e. everything which contributes to your final degree classification) are subject to moderation by the examination board and the external examiner. Consequently all marks given to students before the final examiners’ meeting has taken place must be regarded as provisional. Shortly after the examinations meetings we will publish results and email out results letter.

The date your results will be published will be added to Blackboard.

When you have graduated you may obtain a detailed official written account of all your examination results (called a transcript) from the Student Services Centre on payment of a small fee. This carries the University stamp and is recognised for such purposes as admission to a further course of study at another institution (in the UK or abroad), membership of professional bodies, exemption from sections of professional examinations and so on. If you need a transcript, contact the SSC on 0161 275 5000.

Return of Marked Work

Understandably students are keen to know their results and to receive comments. However, there must inevitably be a trade-off between the diligence of the marking process and the speed at which it takes place. Marks from marked work must also be entered into our records, and this process is slowed by the need for painstaking checking to ensure accuracy. Students will be notified by email once the work has been marked and grades are available.

We will endeavour to mark work and give feedback to students 15 working days after the hand-in date. However, occasionally there may be delays as a result of staff illness or other unforeseeable factors.

The Policy on Feedback to Undergraduate and Postgraduate Taught Students can be accessed here: http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/DocuInfo.aspx?DocID=6518

Example Marking Scheme

A generalised marking scheme for examinations and assignments to give an indication of the levels required for the award of a range of marks is given below.

Classification

Mark as

Criteria

Distinction

100

Perfect critique with outstanding degree of originality. Provides novel insights, including the ability to apply

concepts to related fields

Excellent, well organised critique with clear evidence of understanding. Contains examples of original ideas and

supplementary reading

Outstanding. Shows clear understanding of topic, examples of supplementary reading and cross-referencing of material.

Very well presented.

Merit

Very good. Well-structured and presented report that is able to convey the central aspects of the tutorial material.

Good. Comprehensive answer with accurate facts but largely limited to material covered in the tutorial class

Pass

Adequate answer with some errors or omissions. Limited to tutorial class material.

Unacceptable

Incomplete/inadequate answer with contains relevant information but demonstrates an incomplete understanding of

tutorial material

Clearly incomplete/inadequate answer with sparse relevant information and poor understanding of tutorial material

Fail

Deficient answer with many inaccuracies and little evidence of understanding of the tutorial topic

No relevant material presented whatsoever

How to find your marks

Once work has been marked and moderated you will receive an email from the Assessment and Progression Administrator to tell you that the marks have been released. Work submitted via Blackboard will usually show a mark along with feedback on the Blackboard system.

You can also access marks by logging into your MyManchester account at https://my.manchester.ac.uk/uPortal/f/welcome/normal/render.uP and going to My Services/Self Service and Student Centre. You can choose ‘Assignments’ from the drop down box and choose the relevant unit. Your Final mark for the unit doesn’t appear until the unit is fully completed and marks have been through an exam board.

Examinations

Examinations run in the standard University exam period. The University publishes the dates of each examination period two years in advance, please refer to:

https://www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/key-dates/

Please be aware that you may be tested on any topic from within a unit. Do not presume that because a piece of coursework has covered one area of a unit that it will not also appear in the exam. Past papers (where appropriate) are available on Blackboard in the Assessment folder for each course unit. Do not assume that exams will take the same format as previous years. Academic staff should not indicate what will/ will not feature in an exam as this may not be accurate. Staff may have submitted questions that may not, necessarily, appear on the final exam paper. You should presume that anything can appear on the exam paper unless informed officially by the Assessment and Progression Administrator or Programme Directors.

Monitoring Progress

For students progressing on to study for the MSc, further information regarding supervision will be in the Dissertation handbook and on the OPTO61262 Dissertation space on Blackboard. In order to monitor their progress, students will have regular, scheduled meetings with their dissertation supervisor. Progress forms should be completed at these meetings.

Participation

Online participation at webinars and academic adviser tutorials is compulsory and attendance is monitored. If your attendance or participation is unsatisfactory then you will be reported to the MSc Programme Committee and, ultimately, to the Pharmacy and Vision Sciences Postgraduate Consortium Committee. Of course we realise that students will sometimes be unable to study for very good reasons due to personal or family circumstances, or illness; if this happens to you we will only know if you tell us, and we ask that you account for any period of absence which involves missing any scheduled session. In case of illness you should supply a doctor’s certificate or, if the illness is brief, a self-certification form can be obtained. If you are absent for other reasons then you should write a letter to the Programme Director, submitted via the Programmes Administrators, explaining the circumstances. Medical certificates or letters should be given in person or sent to the IOVS@manchester.ac.uk. Whatever your reason for being away, please inform your supervisor or academic advisor about it and make any necessary arrangements to catch up with work you have missed. If you have failed to hand in a piece of assessed work as a result of your absence, be sure you have complied with the rules outlined above for late submission.

The Programme Committee monitors all cases of absence, and students who do not participate satisfactorily will be asked to meet the Committee and give good reason for their lack of engagement.

The University Policy on Monitoring Attendance and Wellbeing of Students can be found at Regulation XX: Monitoring Attendance and Wellbeing of Students

Requests for interruption

Students normally study for their Diploma over two years and their MSc postgraduate qualification over three years of part-time study. However the University recognises that it is sometimes necessary, in unfortunate circumstances, for people to interrupt their attendance. The regulations refer to this as “interruption”. An interruption allows students the chance to recover from such things as ill health; it is NOT a device to allow students to take time off because they fancy a break.

If approved, interruption would normally be granted for a period of 12 months. Thus a student would leave the University on a certain date and resume their studies on the anniversary of that date. Shorter periods of interruption are possible, but since they inevitably involve repeating some of the programme it is unusual for the University to allow them.

If you wish to interrupt you should first discuss it informally with the Programme Directors. If you decide to continue with your application, you must complete the online interruption form and send your supporting evidence to the Programmes Support Team at dpo.pgt@manchester.ac.uk, stating your name, University ID number and programme. You can also contact the Programmes Support Team if you need further advice on the process.

The process for submitting a request for interruption is:

Complete the online interruption form
Send supporting evidence to dpo.pgt@manchester.ac.uk (with your name, ID number and programme)
Programme Support Team confirms receipt and the date of the next interruptions panel meeting by email
Interruptions panel meet and agree on outcomes of applications
Programme Support Team communicates the decision with letter by email

Withdrawal from studies

If for any reason you would like to withdraw from your studies, please contact the Programme Support Team (IOVS@manchester.ac.uk) for further guidance. We will ask you to give notification of your withdrawal in writing, and you may be invited to speak to the Programme Director before your withdrawal is processed. Please note that you may be liable for part or whole of the tuition fees due and/or an administrative charge if you decide to withdraw once teaching has started.

Academic Appeals

Students have a right of appeal against a final decision of an Examination Board, or a progress committee, or a graduate committee or equivalent body which affects their academic status or progress in the University.

Students thinking of appealing should first discuss the matter informally with an appropriate member of staff, in order to better understand the reason for the result or decision.

Should you wish to proceed to a formal appeal, this must be submitted within the timeframe outlined in the Academic Appeals Procedure to the Faculty Appeals and Complaints Team, Room 3.21, Simon Building, University of Manchester, M13 9PL (e-mail: FBMHappealsandcomplaints@manchester.ac.uk).

The Academic Appeals Procedure (Regulation XIX) and associated documents, including the form on which formal appeals should be submitted, can be found at www.regulations.manchester.ac.uk/academic

Complaints

The University’s Student Complaints Procedure (Regulation XVIII) and associated documents, including a complaints form, can be found at www.regulations.manchester.ac.uk/academic

The University has separate procedures to address complaints of bullying, harassment, discrimination and/or victimisation – see https://www.reportandsupport.manchester.ac.uk/

Students thinking of submitting a formal complaint should, in most instances, attempt informal resolution first (see the Student Complaints procedure). Formal complaints should be submitted on the relevant form to Faculty Appeals and Complaints Team, Room 3.21, Simon Building, University of Manchester, M13 9PL (e-mail: FBMHappealsandcomplaints@manchester.ac.uk).

Conduct and Discipline of Students

General University information on the Conduct and Discipline of Students can be found at https://www.staffnet.manchester.ac.uk/tlso/academic-appeals-complaints-and-misconduct/conduct-and-discipline-of-students/..

Faculty policies for students on Communication and Dress Code, Social Networking and Drugs & Alcohol can be found at:

http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=29038 (Communication and Dress Code)

http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=29039 (Drugs & Alcohol)

http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=29040 (Social Networking)

Information on Academic Malpractice and how to avoid it can be found at http://www.regulations.manchester.ac.uk/guidance-to-students-on-plagiarism-and-other-forms-of-academic-malpractice/

The University Library has produced online resources to help students in avoiding plagiarism and academic malpractice at:
https://www.library.manchester.ac.uk/using-the-library/students/training-and-skills-support/my-learning-essentials/online-resources/

Sharing Information

The University may share appropriate information relating to your health and/or conduct with external organisations such as your professional employer (for example, relevant NHS Trust Professional and Statutory Regulatory Bodies (PSRB), placement and training providers and/or regulator (such as the General Optical Council or the General Medical Council)). This may occur where concerns in relation to your health and/or conduct arise and the University considers it necessary for them to be disclosed to one or more of the above organisations.

The University’s Privacy Notice for Registered Students (which is accessible via this link: www.regulations.manchester.ac.uk/data-collection-notice/) includes further information about how the University may use and process your personal data, including the legal basis and conditions which may be relevant to such processing (see section 6 of the Privacy Notice). The University will only disclose special category data (such as data relating to your health) to a third party organisation where one of the additional conditions are satisfied (see section 9 of the Privacy Notice), including where processing is necessary for reasons of substantial public interest.

Understanding Academic Malpractice

The University does not permit plagiarism or other forms of academic malpractice under any circumstances, and individuals found to have committed such an incident can expect a harsh penalty, which in some cases results in exclusion from the University. To ensure that you are fully informed about University expectations and understand your responsibilities with regard to academic malpractice, please ensure you complete mandatory academic malpractice training in the Blackboard unit SHSS60001 Introductory Courses.

A copy of the University’s Academic Malpractice Procedure can be found at the following link:

http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=639

You can also access an online e-learning package on avoiding plagiarism via the University Library’s award-winning skills programme, My Learning Essentials.

If you have any doubts or further questions please contact your Educational Supervisor or Programme Director.

Fitness to Practise

Information on Fitness to Practise related matters can be found at:
www.tlso.manchester.ac.uk/appeals-complaints/fitnesstopractise.

Programme Management

The Programme Committee will be primarily responsible for monitoring the programme and will report directly to the Pharmacy and Vision Sciences Postgraduate Consortium Committee. This committee in turn reports to the School of Health Sciences PGT Committee. Special responsibility for the programme will be taken by the Programme Director, the Consortium Lead for Postgraduate Taught Programmes and the Head of Division. The Programme Committee will, in liaison with the School Postgraduate Committee, take responsibility for programme structure, development and delivery. The Programme Director will be responsible for admissions to the programme.

The Programme Director, in liaison with the Consortium Lead and the Postgraduate Programmes Manager, will be responsible for Quality Assurance for the programme.

Election of a Student Representative

Early in Semester 1, students will be asked to select one or two individuals to represent their interests to the IOVS Programme Committee. The reps will also organise group feedback sessions at the end of each semester for all students to voice opinions on the programme.

Feedback from Students

Students will be asked to complete an online survey at the end of each unit. This feedback is vital to help us improve the programme for future cohorts of students.

Responsibilities of the Student

The responsibilities of the student include:

a) pursuing the programme with a positive commitment, taking full advantage of the resources and facilities offered by the academic environment and, in particular, contact with the staff and fellow students;

b) ensuring that he/she is aware of the health and safety regulations and academic rules and regulations and codes of practice of the University;

d) successfully completing any training programme arranged within the prescribed time period;

e) taking the initiative in raising problems or difficulties, however elementary they may seem, bearing in mind that prompt discussion and resolution of problems can prevent difficulties and disagreements at a later stage;

Role and Responsibilities of Unit Leaders

To develop and update the unit specification in consultation with specialists and programme directors, ensuring a coherent selection of teaching material and assessments to fit with the overall aim of the programme and its specifications

To liaise with a programme administrators and the specialists on their unit to ensure that the information on their unit in the programme handbook is accurate

To liaise with programme administrators and specialists to organise examining, marking and student feedback

To develop and monitor the Blackboard e-Learning site for their unit, in liaison with specialists for the sessions in their unit

To liaise with students concerning queries relating to teaching and assessments for the unit that are not specific to an individual teaching session

To attend programme meetings and the programme exam board in order to liaise with programme directors and student representatives

To consider and act upon student feedback, staff feedback, and external examiner feedback, in order to modify the structure, content and processes within their unit, in discussion with the programme team.

Role of the External Examiner

External Examiners are individuals from another institution or organisation who monitor the assessment processes of the University to ensure fairness and academic standards. They ensure that assessment and examination procedures have been fairly and properly implemented and that decisions have been made after appropriate deliberation. They also ensure that standards of awards and levels of student performance are at least comparable with those in equivalent higher education institutions.

External Examiners’ reports relating to this programme will be shared with student representatives at the programme board, where details of any actions carried out by the programme team/School in response to the External Examiners’ comments will be discussed. Students should contact their student representatives if they require any further information about External Examiners’ reports or the process for considering them.

The External Examiner for this programme is: Dr Keziah Latham

Name of Institution: Anglia Ruskin University

Position at current Institution: Associate Professor

Please note that it is inappropriate for students to make direct contact with External Examiners under any circumstances, in particular with regards to a student’s individual performance in assessments. Other appropriate mechanisms are available for students, including the University’s appeals or complaints procedures and the UMSU Advice Centre. In cases where a student does contact an External Examiner directly, External Examiners have been requested not to respond to direct queries. Instead, External Examiners should report the matter to their School contact who will then contact the student to remind them of the other methods available for students. If students have any queries concerning this, they should contact their Programme Office (or equivalent).

Important information with regards to this course will usually be emailed to you. If you have any queries or concerns at any time during your period of study in Manchester, there is a range of people you can approach. Your Programme Administrator will be your first port of call for general issues. If your Programme Administrator is unable to help you, your query will be passed onto one of the Programme Directors. If all else fails or you wish to raise a confidential matter at Divisional level, you should approach the PGT Consortium Lead – contact details below.

The Programme Director, in liaison with the Consortium Lead and the Postgraduate Programmes Manager, will be responsible for Quality Assurance for the programme.

Key Calendar dates

https://www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/key-dates/

Semester Dates:

	Start Date	End Date
Semester 1	13^th September 2021	30^th January 2022
Christmas Vacation	20^th December 2021	2^nd January 2022
Examination period	17^th January 2022	28^th January 2022

Semester 2	31^st January 2022	12^th June 2022
Easter Break	11^th April 2022	24^th April 2022
Examination period	23^rd May 2022	10^th June 2022

Dissertation Submission	9^th September 2022

Teaching Staff

The Professional Certificate in Medical Retina course draws upon the expertise of a large number of academic and clinically qualified staff. Each module is led by one or two academic staff, but lectures may be delivered by invited guest speakers with specific expertise in that area.

Programme Information

The course, which can lead to the award of Professional Certificate in Medical Retina brings together the research expertise of the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health and the clinical expertise within Manchester Royal Eye Hospital to provide students with a firm grounding in the knowledge needed to pursue a higher degree and to follow a research/academic career in ocular health/vision sciences. It also gives an opportunity for vision related professionals to advance their knowledge on the scientific foundations of ophthalmology and vision sciences.

Section B- Course unit specification

Information about all course units is given on the following pages. Timetable information for the academic year will be uploaded onto Blackboard. You can access individual unit timetables and week-by-week lecture information on each unit’s Blackboard space. Please note that you must be enrolled on a unit to access its Blackboard site.

GENERAL INFORMATION

OPTO71300/ OPTO70301 – Professional Certificate in Medical Retina/ Medical Retina (IOVS Unit)

Title	Professional Certificate in Medical Retina/ Medical Retina (IOVS Unit)
Unit code	OPTO 71300/ OPTO 70301
Programme	Prof Cert compulsory ACOP Medical Retina compulsory IOVS
Credit rating	15
Level	7
Contact hours	20
Other Scheduled teaching and learning activities*	10
Pre-requisite units	none
Co-requisite units	none
School responsible	SHS
Member of staff responsible	Prof Tariq Aslam
ECTS**	7.5
Notional hours of Learning***	150

AIMS

The unit aims to:

Provide students with knowledge of common medical retina conditions including diagnosis and management. This will incorporate areas such as screening, referral and treatment pathways where appropriate. Understanding of the role and importance of modern imaging and interpretation of these images and of clinical signs towards diagnosis will be a key aspect as well as subsequent formulation of a management plan.

This will allow clinicians to understand how to manage patients or community and hospital based optometrists to make accurate and appropriate referral decisions for patients with medical retina conditions

Finally the course aims to provide students with critical appraisal skills to keep knowledge up to date.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE UNIT

The unit will provide students with a core understanding of the anatomy of the retina with reference to modern imaging technologies. They will learn pathophysiology, clinical presentation and investigation techniques in particular detail . The unit will cover range of management strategies and approaches to treatment including screening.

The unit will cover common medical diseases of the retina in detail including diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusions and other vascular diseases and macular degeneration.

Other more rare conditions will also be covered in less detail.

Students should understand latest research findings and apply evidence based care to patients with age related macular degeneration.

Students will learn the principles of critical appraisal and have practical experience of applying these skills .

INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES

Category of outcome	Students should/will (please delete as appropriate) be able to:
Knowledge and understanding	Explain the anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology of the retina and retinal disease. Understand the epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnostic approach, imaging findings, and management options for retinal vascular pathologies. They should have an understanding of relevant literature especially with respect to the evidence base supporting the use of current treatments for retinal vascular disease.
Intellectual skills	An ability to apply learning to novel situations such as patient presentations Problem solving, in particular with regards to diagnosis. Critically assess published ophthalmic research and report results both orally and in written format, including critical appraisal of relevant papers and understand the role of research in this field.
Practical skills	Interpretation of modern retinal imaging To review papers submitted for publication and research proposals. Prof Cert Students only: An ability to interpret clinical images An ability to detect and classify diabetic eye disease An ability to detect and classify macular degeneration An ability to recognise and manage acute retinal pathology, including appropriate referral An ability to examine the fundus using appropriate Volk lenses
Transferable skills and personal qualities	Communication, an ability to communicate effectively with patients Critical analysis Reflection Manage time and work to deadlines Use initiative when seeking information Use information technology to a high standard Apply skills for identifying, appraising, synthesising and applying evidence.

LEARNING AND TEACHING PROCESSES (INCLUDING THE USE OF E-LEARNING)

Lectures (in the form of online podcasts), Quizzes, Discussion boards, Case studies (all e-learning)

Setting of individual papers for critique and interactive assessment online.

Prof Cert students only:

Practical skills day

OSCE including VRICS

ASSESSMENT (INCLUDING FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT, E-ASSESSMENT, and INFORMATION ABOUT FEEDBACK)

Assessment task

Length

How and when feedback is provided

Weighting within unit (if relevant)

Examination (short answer and MCQ)

Presentation on research paper

Prof Cert Students only OSCE

2 hours

10 mins

1 hour

After written examination

Immediately after presentation

Within 15 working days

90% IOVS

100% Prof Cert

10% IOVS

Not credit rated but must pass all stations to gain the certificate

INDICATIVE READING LIST

Ryan’s Retina, 6th Edition. Authors : Andrew P. Schachat & Charles P. Wilkinson & David R. Hinton & K. Bailey Freund & David Sarraf & Peter Wiedemann & SriniVas R. Sadda

Date of Publication: 06/2017

Gass’ Atlas of Macular Diseases: 2-Volume Set – Expert Consult: Online and Print 5th Edition

by Anita Agarwal MD

Retina- Color Atlas and Synopsis of Clinical Ophthalmology (Wills Eye Series)

Authors Allen Ho, Gary Brown, J. Arch McNamara, and Carl D. Regillo

Publisher McGraw-Hill Professional

For Information and advice on Link2Lists reading list software, see:

http://www.library.manchester.ac.uk/academicsupport/informationandadviceonlink2listsreadinglistsoftware/

Date of current version

15^th January 2021

OPTO71300 Professional Certificate in Medical Retina

Credits: 15
Semester: 2

Aims:

The Professional Certificate in Medical Retina is designed to prepare community and hospital based optometrists with knowledge of common medical retina conditions. It will enable community and hospital based optometrists to make accurate and appropriate referral decisions for patients with medical retina conditions. .

Learning Outcomes:

Following completion of the programme an optometrist will be able to demonstrate:
- a detailed knowledge of the anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology of the retina, with emphasis on the macula
- an understanding of the risk factors and differential diagnosis of disorders of retinal and macular pathology
- an understanding of treatments of medical retina disorders including the patient’s response to treatment
- an ability to communicate effectively with patients
- an ability to interpret OCT images and fundus photographs for AMD and diabetic retinopathy, with appropriate patient management
- an awareness of the use of fluorescein, ICG angiography and autofluorescence in medical retina service delivery
- an understanding of the principles, processes, protocols, potential benefits and limitations of national diabetic retinopathy screening programmes
- an understanding of diabetes and its relevance to retinopathy screening
- an ability to detect and classify diabetic retinal disease
- an ability to recognise acute retinal pathology, conduct appropriate tests and make appropriate referrals, clearly stating the level of urgency
- an awareness of current national referral guidelines and detailed knowledge of local referral pathways for patients with medical retina disorders
- an awareness of the rapidly evolving nature of medical retina treatments including pertinent treatment trials
- an understanding of current guidelines for management of medical retina disorders
- safeguarding adults and children – equivalent to DOCET Safeguarding Adults and Safeguarding Children level 2.
The learning objectives for each week’s content are in the relevant folder

Coursework

The course includes summative assessments of learner’s management/diagnostic skills when provided with clinical data (OCT images, fundus photographs and medical history).

Assessment

Written Examination (100%)- 20 MCQs, five short answer questions

The pass mark is 50% and compensation rules do not apply to this unit

OSCE (Pass/ Fail for professional accreditation)
Please use the following link for the up to date assessment details (includes candidate and assessor OSCE mark sheets)
https://online.manchester.ac.uk/webapps/blackboard/content/listContentEditable.jsp?content_id=_13402175_1&course_id=_70293_1https://online.manchester.ac.uk/webapps/blackboard/content/listContentEditable.jsp?content_id=_13004591_1&course_id=_68626_1

Section C: Information about the University

Divisional Administration Contacts

Head of Division:

Prof Jayne Lawrence

Head of Student Operations

Gabrielle Brennan

The Division address is

The University of Manchester

Stopford Building

Oxford Road

Manchester

M13 9PT

Telephone number

0161 306 0257

IOVS@manchester.ac.uk

* To access Stopford Building you will need a swipe card. To obtain your student card, please contact the Student Services Centre (+44 (0)161 275 5000 / ssc@manchester.ac.uk).

Student Centre

The online student support system, MyManchester enables students to register online and have access their personal and academic details.

This means that you will be able to use the system to check and update your address and contact details, view your supervisor and advisor details and check the course units you are enrolled on. To access MyManchester, you will use the same log-in you were provided with at registration and log in to the system from the following page:

www.manchester.ac.uk/selfservice

You should use MyManchester to check we have the correct details for you and that you are on the correct programme. You should also ensure that as soon as your contact details change that you update them on the system as well as informing the Graduate Administrator for your file.

Working with your own computer

You will need your own computer to study on the IOVS programme. If you also intend to use the computers at the university then you should check that your system is compatible with the ones in at UoM. This will help avoid problems when you try to transfer documents from your machine to ours.

IT Services Support Centre online

Details of what IT support is available and how to access it can be found on the FBMH eLearning Support page.

Telephone: +44 (0)161 306 5544 (or extension 65544). Telephone support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

In person: Walk-up help and support is available at the Joule Library, Main Library or Alan Gilbert Learning Commons.

Use Support Centre online for support with eLearning, from where you may make a request, report a fault, or search the Knowledge Base.

For IT and eLearning support visit: https://elearning.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/student/technical-support/

Blackboard

Blackboard (the University’s virtual learning environment) is the learning platform for the IOVS programme, and is accessed via https://my.manchester.ac.uk/.

All course-related materials will be placed on Blackboard so it is essential that you familiarise yourself with the system as soon as possible. Blackboard also offers discussion forums which you may find a useful resource to share information about assignments and other course-related queries.

What is Blackboard?

Blackboard is a web-based system that complements and builds upon traditional learning methods used at The University of Manchester. By using Blackboard you can

view course materials and learning resources,

communicate with lectures and other students,

collaborate in groups,

get feedback

submit assignments

monitoring your own progress at a time and place of your own convenience.

Training in the use of software

The Faculty eLearning team have produced a short introduction to Blackboard for new students. The recording is hosted in two places: the VLS and on YouTube:

The recording is just over seven minutes long and covers most of the commonly used tools in Blackboard.

Library facilities

The University of Manchester Library provides resources and support for your Division of Pharmacy and Optometry PGT programme. The Library has an extensive collection of eBooks, databases and journals online, in addition to the print holdings in The Main Library. The Alan Gilbert Learning Commons provides a 24/7 learning environment in addition to study skills workshops.

Off -campus, many resources are available by logging in with your University username and password (this includes individual book chapters digitised as part of a unit’s directed reading); where this option is not available, the material can still be accessed through the University’s VPN service, and this is clearly indicated in the Electronic Journals A-Z list and on the information page for each of the Databases . A small number of titles require a Special username and password . For further details, see Accessing e-journals, e-books and databases .

The My Library tab in My Manchester has quick links to get you started:

A-Z of subjects includes a library guide for Pharmacy
Library search enables you to search the Library’s electronic and physical resources – books, journals, articles, images, manuscripts, video – using a single search box
training sessions listed in the My Learning Essentials Calendar
online enquiry form
your Library Account, including PIN
Document Supply for the DELIVER postal loans service (£5 per item)

Using other libraries has information on both regional (NOWAL) and national (SCONUL) schemes which may be helpful.

Training materials to help you make the most of the Library’s resources will be available via the following link:.

https://www.library.manchester.ac.uk/using-the-library/students/training-and-skills-support/my-learning-essentials/online-resources/

The University Library has produced online resources to help students in avoiding plagiarism and academic malpractice at:

An Introduction to Referencing and Avoiding Plagiarism is provided by the Student Guidance Service at:
An Introduction to Referencing and Avoiding Plagiarism (Student Guidance Service)

The Student Support website provides guidance on Good Study Skills at:
https://www.studentsupport.manchester.ac.uk/study-support/goodstudyskills/

The Student Support website also provides guidance on avoiding academic malpractice:
https://www.studentsupport.manchester.ac.uk/study-support/academic-support/accessing-online-teaching-and-learning/assessments-and-exams/avoiding-academic-malpractice/

Student Support

There are several options for support. The Programme Support Team is likely to be able to direct you to the most suitable support. Contact: IOVS@manchester.ac.uk.

You can talk through with you issues such as interrupting your studies and progression, financial issues, the submission of details of mitigating circumstances, work and attendance problems and any personal concerns that are affecting your ability to study and engage fully with your course. It is important to point out that this is not a counselling service; it is a practical problem solving service.

Further details about student support are available on the following website:

http://www.staffnet.manchester.ac.uk/supporting-students/

Disability Advisory and Support Service

The University of Manchester welcomes students with a disability or specific learning difficulties. The University has a Disability Advisory and Support Service, who can supply further information, and staff will be pleased to meet you, by prior arrangement, to discuss your needs. Staff will liaise with your School to make the necessary arrangements for your support during your time in Manchester. The office can also provide a copy of the University’s Disability Statement, ‘Opportunities for Students with Additional Support Needs at the University of Manchester’ which sets out the policy and provision for students with a disability.

The Disability Advisory & Support Office is located on University Place, 2^nd Floor, Block 2.

Contact details:

E-mail: dass@manchester.ac.uk

Phone 0161 275 7512/8518; Text 07899 658 790; Minicom 0161 275 2794;

Fax: 0161 275 7018; Website: http://www.dass.manchester.ac.uk/

In addition, the Division has a Disability Support Officer: Sandra Humphries.

Counselling Service

The counselling service is available for all students. It is free and consists of a team of professional counsellors. The service provides confidential counselling for anyone who wants help with personal problems affecting their work or well-being.

The service is open 9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday all year round except public holidays.

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

Occupational Health

Occupational Health is a specialised area of medicine concerned with the way in which an individual’s health can affect his or her ability to do a job and to study and conversely how the work environment can affect an individual’s health. Their aim is to promote the physical, mental and social well-being of students and to reduce the incidence of ill-health arising from exposure to work place hazards.

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

Students Union Advice Service

The Students Union has advisers who can help with any matter ranging from finances to housing and beyond. To contact the UMSU Advice Service please email advice.umsu@manchester.ac.uk

The Students Union website can be accessed here:
http://manchesterstudentsunion.com/

Health and Safety

See Introductory Courses.

Section D: University Regulations

Academic Support Policies

A list of University Policies and documents can be found at:
http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/list.aspx

Academic Appeals (Regulation XIX)
http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/DocuInfo.aspx?DocID=187

Academic Malpractice Procedure
http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/DocuInfo.aspx?DocID=639

Basic Guide to Student Complaints
http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=23875

Conduct and Discipline of Students (Regulations XVII)
http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/DocuInfo.aspx?DocID=6530

General University information on the Conduct and Discipline of Students can be found at www.tlso.manchester.ac.uk/appeals-complaints/conductanddisciplineofstudents/.

Faculty policies for students on Communication and Dress Code, Social Networking and Drugs & Alcohol can be found at:

http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=29038 (Communication and Dress Code)

http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=29039 (Drugs & Alcohol)

http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=29040 (Social Networking)

Social Media Policy
http://www.regulations.manchester.ac.uk/guidance-on-social-media-for-students/

Data Protection
http://www.manchester.ac.uk/aboutus/documents/privacy/

Guidance for the Presentation of Taught Masters Dissertations
Guidance for the presentation of Taught Masters dissertations

Policy on Submission of Work for Summative Assessment on Taught Programmes
http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=24561

Policy on Mitigating Circumstances
http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=4271

Mitigating Circumstances Guidance for Students
http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=23886

PGT Degree Regulations
http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=29208

Policy on Feedback to Undergraduate and Postgraduate Taught Students
http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/DocuInfo.aspx?DocID=6518

Policy on religious observance for students (for UG/PGT and PGR students)
http://www.regulations.manchester.ac.uk/academic/policy-on-religious-observance/

The Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health has produced guidance for healthcare students on fasting and caring: Fasting and Caring – Looking after yourself and your patients during Ramadan: guidance for health care students.

Student Complaints Procedure
http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/DocuInfo.aspx?DocID=1893

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

Work and Attendance of Students (Regulation XX)
http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=1895

Student Support Issues

A-Z of Student Services
http://www.studentnet.manchester.ac.uk/crucial-guide/

Accommodation
http://www.accommodation.manchester.ac.uk/

Blackboard
Students should access Blackboard via my Manchester at https://my.manchester.ac.uk

Careers Service
http://www.careers.manchester.ac.uk/

Counselling Service
https://www.counsellingservice.manchester.ac.uk/

Disability Advisory and Support Service
http://www.dass.manchester.ac.uk/

University Language Centre – Study English – Tel: 0161 306 3397
http://www.languagecentre.manchester.ac.uk/study-english/

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion for Staff and Students
http://www.manchester.ac.uk/aboutus/equalityanddiversity/

Health & Fitness
http://www.sport.manchester.ac.uk/

Health & Safety Policy
http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=654

International Advice Team
http://www.manchester.ac.uk/international/support/advice/

IT and eLearning Support
https://elearning.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/student/technical-support/

Mature Students Guide
http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=18122

Occupational Health Services for Students
http://www.occhealth.manchester.ac.uk/postgraduates/

Personal Development Planning
http://www.tlso.manchester.ac.uk/personaldevelopmentplanning/

A Personal Safety Guide for International Students
http://www.studentnet.manchester.ac.uk/medialibrary/study/safety-international-student-guide.pdf

Students Union
http://manchesterstudentsunion.com/