MSc Health Psychology

Student Handbook

Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health
School of Health Sciences, Division of Psychology and Mental Health

2023-2024

 

Programme Director: Dr Daniela Ghio

Programme Administration : shs.hub@manchester.ac.uk

Website: https://www.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/psychology/

Version 1, September 2023

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

 

Where to find 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 access to a copy of the appropriate handbooks at the beginning of their programme of study; alternatively the information is available on our website.

We will be happy to provide this handbook in large print if required.

Student Services Centre

Burlington Street

Tel: +44(0)161 275 5000

ssc@manchester.ac.uk

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 A-Z of Student Services

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.

A-Z of Student Services

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.

Click Here to visit the website

Introduction to MSc Health Psychology

Welcome to the Division of Psychology and Mental Health at the University of Manchester and to your MSc in Health Psychology.

This handbook provides details of the University of Manchester Programme leading to the MSc in Health Psychology and the diploma (exit award only). It includes information about the aims and learning outcomes, structure, content, admissions, assessment and programme management. It should be read alongside related University documentation.

In Part A, there is a summary of how the course is structured while, in Part B, each of the course units is described. Part C contains practical information about the School, and Part D the various University Regulations.

We hope that your time here in Manchester will be productive and enjoyable and we look forward to getting to know you.

Dr Daniela Ghio

MSc Programme Director

Coupland 1 Building

Email: daniela.ghio@manchester.ac.uk

General information about the Division of Psychology and Mental Health, 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/

School of Health Sciences Teaching, Learning and Student Experience Staff :

In order for staff to respond as quickly as possible to your request, and to ensure that your request reaches the correct member of staff, we have set-up dedicated email addresses that serve a different function.  If your query relates to any of the below, please email the relevant email address.

Email Address	Supports queries about:
shs.assessment@manchester.ac.uk	Examination queries Assessment queries Assessment submissions Resit/reassessment queries
shs.attendance@manchester.ac.uk	Attendance monitoring
shs.dc@manchester.ac.uk	Disability support
shs.mitcircs@manchester.ac.uk	Mitigating circumstances
shs.placements@manchester.ac.uk	All placement queries
shs.programmes@manchester.ac.uk	Registration advice and guidance Course unit selection and enrolment Timetable queries Programme content
shs.wellbeing@manchester.ac.uk	Wellbeing student support, appointments and signposting
shs.hub@manchester.ac.uk	Student Support Hub – general queries and advice not covered by the above teams

As these inboxes are associated with staff supporting multiple programmes, please could you ensure that you always include the following details in your email, which will help us to ensure that your message is dealt with promptly:

Full Name

Student ID Number

Year of Study

Programme

Introduction to the British Psychological Society (BPS)

The BPS is the UK’s representative body for psychology. It promotes excellence and ethical practice in the science, education and practical applications of psychology.

This MSc Health Psychology is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS). As such, it forms stage one of the training route to achieving Chartered Health Psychologist status for students who also hold BPS Graduate Basis for Chartered membership (GBC). The final step towards Chartership, Stage 2, consists of the BPS’s Qualification in Health Psychology (minimum of two years of supervised practice) or completing a Doctorate in Health Psychology. On completion of Stage 2 you can use the title Chartered Psychologist (CPsychol) and also apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). You need to be registered with the HCPC in order to use the title ‘Health Psychologist’.

As a postgraduate student, you are entitled to apply for Graduate membership of the BPS. Membership provides psychologists with a stronger voice in demonstrating the contributions that psychology can make to society. The BPS supports members by providing guidance, career development and networking opportunities.

Benefits of Graduate Membership include:

• MBPsS – your designation as a Graduate Member in recognition of your academic achievement and professional status.
• Receipt of the monthly publication The Psychologist – to keep you up-to-date with the latest research, news and views.
• Access to Member Networks: a web contacts that enable you stay informed with, and contribute to, your areas of interest and expertise. For example, the local North West of England Branch and the national Division of Health Psychology.
• Preferential rates on professional development opportunities, conferences and events.
• PsychSource, a single access point to the 11 BPS journals and 32 other titles published by Wiley. This facility also includes full-text journals articles, journal abstracts, BPS Blackwell books and multimedia content. PsychSource is fully searchable and personalisable according to Member interests.
• A wide range of guidelines, guidance documents and support in professional practice and ethical decision-making.

For more information on membership, see www.bps.org.uk/membership, or contact the membership team on membership@bps.org.uk or 0116 252 911. There is also a video about student membership at: www.bps.org.uk/careers.

For information on careers in psychology, see www.bps.org.uk/careers. This web page also contains a video about benefits of BPS membership.

Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health PGT Graduate School Online 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 shs.programmes@manchester.ac.uk

Content

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 3 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 email shs.hub@manchester.ac.uk 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.

Introductory courses

MANDATORY Non Credit Bearing Introductory Courses SHSS60001

All students are automatically enrolled onto an introductory unit 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. Completion of these assessments is monitored by the School. All students are also strongly advised to complete the academic literacy section

Academic Malpractice

As further support, the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health Graduate School has developed a unit entitled Understanding Academic Malpractice . This unit should be completed by all postgraduate taught students and will allow you to test your understanding of what constitutes plagiarism and academic malpractice.The Academic Malpractice unit must be completed by  12 noon 1st October before your first assignment is submitted. You must achieve 100% in this unit to pass.

Health & Safety

As part of the University’s responsibility to help keep you safe and well during your studies, you will need to complete a short online health and safety course.This short course provides you with basic information about how health and safety is managed on campus and also includes some simple tests to assess your learning outcomes. It will take you approximately one hour to complete.There are 4 modules within the Health and Safety unit with a short test for each. You must achieve at least 70% in each module to pass the unit. This must be completed by 12 noon 1st October.

Academic Literacy

The Academic Literacy pre-assessment has been designed to assess your level of competency in academic writing. This assessment is compulsory for all students in the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health and consists of one short test (30 minutes) which must be completed by 12 noon 1st October.

SECTION A: Programme Structure

Rationale and General Description

Health Psychologists are interested in psychological processes underlying health, illness and healthcare. They seek to understand these processes and to develop interventions which enable people to maintain good health, avoid illness, and improve outcomes for people with health conditions. The MSc in Health Psychology is designed to provide students with the thorough grounding in health psychology that they will need to progress into careers in the area of health psychology. The course is designed in accordance with the British Psychological Society (BPS) curriculum for MSc Health Psychology programmes and provides the BPS-accredited basis for further training to become a Health Psychologist (i.e. the BPS’s Qualification in Health Psychology or a Doctorate in Health Psychology). The programme also provides the knowledge, understanding and research skills for students who plan to embark on a research career, for example by continuing on to a PhD.

The MSc programme is delivered full-time (across three semesters over a one-year period) or part-time (across six semesters over a two-year period). Students also have the option to take one 70 hour placement as part of their programme (please see PSYC 66660 Health Psychology Placement)

During the first two semesters of the course, students attend a number of course units covering a wide range of research issues and methodologies, as well as topics on health, illness and behaviour change. This taught element of the course comprises seminars, workshops and several forms of independent learning. Throughout the programme, students will also work on a dissertation, which involves a substantial piece of empirical work. After completion of the course unit assessments, including examinations in May/June, students work on their dissertation exclusively, and submit a thesis in September . Dissertation topics are chosen and developed by students in consultation with their supervisor.

Programme Learning Aims

As an MSc student you will become a member of a Division that leads research and development in areas of health psychology. The ethos fosters excellence in pure and applied research and in developing intervention approaches. The educational aims of the programme are to provide students with an understanding of core principles and features of psychological and health interventions and work in clinical and health settings, and prepare students for higher research degrees or professional training. The course aims:

1. To provide an in-depth knowledge and understanding of key theoretical and methodological issues in the application of health psychology.
2. To examine the role of psychological processes and states in disease and illness and understand the inter-relationships between emotion, behaviour, cognition, personality and well-being.
3. To provide experience and training in a range of qualitative and quantitative research methods.
4. To develop the skills to be able to conduct original research in health psychology
5. To provide knowledge of core principles and features of interventions within health psychology at the level of individual, groups and populations
6. To develop a range of transferrable skills including: effective oral and written communication suitable for both lay and professional audiences; familiarity with electronic databases; use of a range of software and analysis tools commonly used in health psychology settings.
7. To consider the careers routes open to students following on from this MSc and to support the development of skills to make strong applications for further training or employment.
8. To provide an understanding of the ways in which psychologists work within healthcare and related services at the level of individuals, groups and populations.
9. To meet British Psychological Society standards for Masters programmes in Health Psychology, and to meet regional and national demand for highly qualified psychologists with an understanding of theoretical and methodological applications of health psychology.
10. To develop a strong understanding of social responsibility in research and practice, for example in following ethical guidelines, professional regulations and engaging patients and members of the public in research design and dissemination.
11. To enable students to become independent in organising their time, solving problems (as appropriate), and in taking responsibility for their learning.

Programme Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the programme students should be able to:

• Understand key theories in health psychology and be able to apply them to the issues of concern to health psychology.

• Understand current approaches to changing health-related behaviour at individual, group and population levels.

• Critically evaluate key theories related to health behaviour change.

• Evaluate the impact of psychological processes and states in disease and illness and understand the inter-relationships between emotion, behaviour, cognition, personality and well-being.

• Understand the ways in which social-cultural factors contribute to health and illness.

• Understand the rationale behind a range of research methodologies and have a comprehensive understanding of research techniques applied in health psychology.

• Demonstrate the application of an appropriate methodological approach and research skills to address a specific research question.

• Critically appraise current scientific research and methodologies used in the area of health psychology.

• Demonstrate effective communication in a range of styles and formats including: oral and written communication; communications designed for lay and professional audiences; essay, journal, portfolio and exam formats.

• Demonstrate independence and originality in solving problems as appropriate.

• Demonstrate independence in planning and implementing tasks as appropriate.

• Develop the independent learning ability to reflect on learning and practice and to be able to continue their professional development beyond the MSc.

• Understand and apply current ethical guidance to research within the MSc and to future professional practice.

• Write a strong research career / job application and CV.

• Understand the role and scope of health psychology within health care practice and academia.

Details of the aims and learning outcomes associated with specific course units are found under the appropriate headings in section B.

Dissertation

The dissertation involves a student working closely with their supervisor to develop and implement an empirical research project. Details of what is involved, and of how and when to submit the dissertation are provided in Section B.

Please note: For those students progressing to a 3-year PhD following completion of this MSc, the data collected for this dissertation cannot be used in the PhD. However, it is perfectly proper to use the MSc dissertation research as a pilot study for the PhD.

The minimum requirements for progressing to the third year dissertation module are as follows:

• Students must have accrued 120 credits at MSc level (50% or higher for each module).

Further information of the process and supervisory arrangement for the dissertation is provided in the Dissertation Handbook that students will receive when they commence the unit.

Supervisory Arrangements

All Graduate Research Students are allocated a Supervisor. Supervision is governed by the University Manual of Academic Procedures, which outlines in more detail the responsibilities of the Supervisor and the Student. Briefly, the responsibilities of the Supervisor include: giving guidance about the nature of research and the standard expected; the planning of the research programme; and pointing the Student towards relevant literature and other sources of information.

The relationship between the Student and his/her Supervisor is of central importance. Both the Student and the Supervisor have a responsibility to ensure that the dissertation is completed within the prescribed period of the programme. Supervisors and students should establish at their initial meeting clear and explicit expectations of each other in order to minimise the risks and problems of misunderstanding, personality clashes, inadequate supervision and unsatisfactory work. Timetables for Progress Monitoring meetings must be closely observed. It should be noted that in some instances students may be jointly supervised by staff, and be assigned a principal and second supervisor.

During induction, you will be asked to identify areas of interest or research ideas. The Dissertation Unit Lead will then allocate a supervisor with expertise in your chosen areas. Whilst it is not always possible to allocate students to the supervisor of choice, every attempt will be made to match students to a research area of their choice.

The supervisor will assist in the monitoring a student’s progress and will act as a point of contact to discuss academic and other matters.

Supervisor Availability

It is the responsibility of the student to liaise with their research project supervisor to arrange supervision meetings, and to agree on deadlines around reading drafts. We recommend discussing availability and other practical aspects of meeting (when, where, how supervision will take place) in the first supervisory meeting, and booking in supervision meeting dates in advance.

Supervisors sometimes become unavailable unexpectedly, for example due to illness. Where a supervisor is unavailable and you have an urgent issue that needs resolution, you can contact your academic advisor for further advice or support. If they are also unavailable you can also contact the programme directors, or the dissertation lead (Lynsey Gregg) for further advice or support.

Academic Advisor

All students will be allocated an Academic Advisor from the outset of their studies.

Support from the Academic Advisor is a pastoral role and in addition to support provided by the student’s dissertation supervisor

The Academic Advisor for all students will be the Programme Director. Other individuals who are available to students include; the Student Support Hub,; all individual unit leads and Dissertation supervisors.

In addition, part time students would also be assigned an academic advisor (who will be the Programme Director), the same as for full time students. The same academic advisor would stay with the part time student for their two years on the programme.

Distressing Material

This programme will inevitably contain information that is potentially distressing for a number of reasons.

First, the topic of health psychology entail distress, in that the people who see health psychologists are often in distress, sometimes at a severe and urgent level. Whilst it is not necessary to reproduce this level of distress in the teaching materials, it is necessary to refer to it and describe the topics and concerns that clients experience.

Second, it is often critical to know the experiences of people who have mental or physical health problems in order to understand why they have the symptoms that they experience and how this impacts on their lives.

Third, learning about the distress experienced by other people can bring about empathy and a willingness to try to provide the most appropriate help.

Fourth, this programme involves some involvement by people with lived experience of health problems. We have made sure to select people with substantial experience speaking to groups, and have who have experienced a substantial recovery since the most distressing periods of their lives. Nonetheless, they may describe personal experiences or have personal opinions that could be distressing. We regard this as a necessary minimal risk to weigh against the huge potential benefits of their involvement, but we do value your feedback on this.

Despite the above reasons for providing potentially distressing material in the teaching, it is also essential that, as a student, you feel in control and fully informed about what you are going to be informed about. For this reason, we have made great efforts not to include material that might be distressing unless it is directly relevant to the learning aims of the session. Also, the introduction to each lecture will include information about potentially distressing material. We would also like to advise the following:

1.  Please contact your academic advisor if you have been significantly distressed by any material in the lecture.  They can help to address any issues for yourself or any other students who might be affected.
2. If you wish to miss a specific session because of the potentially distressing material in that session, you may do so without having to give any more details. However, you will need to contact the lecturer or unit lead at least 48 hours in advance to inform them that you will not be attending for this reason.
3.  If you are attending a session and you feel that you need to leave owing to your level of distress, you can leave immediately without giving any reason or explanation. It is not uncommon for students to leave a session early for a wide range of reasons and lectures are informed not to draw attention to or comment on this.

To summarise, all teaching staff have attempted to balance the requirement for clinically relevant material and accounts of lived experience against the potential for producing distress, by providing the necessary information in advance and the option for you, as students, to make your own decisions about how and whether to engage with the material.

Chatham House Rule

We recognise that students may have lived experience and/or work experience of issues that are covered in the MSc. Students may choose to share their experiences in classes although they should not feel compelled to if they do not want to. We ask students to follow the Chatham House Rule
“When a meeting, or part thereof, is held under the Chatham House Rule, participants are free to use the information received, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speaker(s), nor that of any other participant, may be revealed.”
This is to encourage inclusive and open dialogue but protect the identity of those who are speaking.

Introduction to postgraduate degree regulations

Full degree regulations can be found via the link below:

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

The following guidance should be read in conjunction with the regulations policy document.

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

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 or my dissertation?

First of all don’t panic, but the first thing to do is sit down with your Academic Adviser 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. Referred assessment at Masters level will be capped at 40% and this is the mark that will be shown on a transcript of results as a 40R (the capped mark is applied to the unit level mark, not just the failed element). It is this mark that will be used to calculate your final degree classification.

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 – the C signifies ‘compensation’). Please note that you cannot compensate units on Accredited courses like MSc Forensic Psychology & Mental Health, or MSc Health Psychology.

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 the 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.

Students must pass 120 credits of taught units in order to progress onto the dissertation unit. This includes compensated and referred pass marks.

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 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, as long as it was awarded a mark of 30 or above (up to the pass mark for your programme), you will be given the opportunity to resubmit a revised version of the dissertation. 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. If your dissertation at first attempt received a mark of less than 30, you will not be permitted to resubmit it and the Examination Board will make a decision on the outcome, which is likely to be the award of an Exit Award from the programme.

How is my degree calculated?

To be considered for a Masters 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.

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 (with no Merit or Distinction awards).

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 the Programme Directors, Programme administrator and unit leads, and the Board is overseen by an External Examiner from another university. It is the job of the Examination Board to review all the students’ 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 (Classification 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 procedure

http://www.tlso.manchester.ac.uk/appeals-complaints/academicappealsprocedure/

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.

Marking criteria

Full details of modes of assessment for each Course Unit are provided in the Syllabus Booklet. A copy of the standard marking criteria can be found in Appendix 1.

Programme Exemptions to PGT Degree Regulations

The MSc Clinical and Health Psychology/ MSc Health Psychology programme applies the University PGT Degree Regulations with the following exemption:

The following course unit has two weighted components: PSYC 60010 (Dissertation)

The overall pass mark for this unit is 50% (Masters).

Deadlines for Assessed Work

All assessed work must be handed in at the prescribed time. A complete list of these deadlines is circulated to all students at the beginning of the session.

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

If you have any issues or unforeseen circumstances that result in you being unable to attend an exam or submit your work on time, then you must let the course Unit Leader, and/or your Academic Advisor know and email the Student Support Hub (shs.hub@manchester.ac.uk)  as soon as possible.

Depending on the issue, we would then be able to advise how to support you. Please see the sections below, which advise further on:

• Late submissions/non-attendance of exams (without mitigation)
• Mitigating Circumstances
• Extensions
• Interruptions and Withdrawals

Word limits for Assessed Work (including dissertations)

With the exception of examination answers, all assessed work is subject to a word limit. There are reasons for this. It is one of our objectives to encourage students to acquire the skill of expressing ideas clearly and concisely. Writing within a word limit imposes a discipline on your work. Additionally, for any given type of work we can only apply fair and consistent marking standards when everyone is writing within the same constraints. Finally, 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.

Please note that all assignments on the MSc Health Psychology adhere to a strict word count policy and are therefore exempt from the 10% leeway stated in the standard policy. If you present an assignment with a word limit exceeding the upper banding, the assignment will be marked but the marker will stop reading when the word limit is reached.

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

• All titles or headings that form part of the actual text. This does not include the fly page or reference list.
• All words that form the actual essay.
• All words forming the titles for figures, tables and boxes, are included but this does not include boxes or tables or figures themselves.
• All in-text (that is bracketed) references.
• All directly quoted material.

We trust you to be honest that your assignments are within the word limit. However, we do check the word count within TurnitinUK and staff are good at recognising over-length work.

The word limits for assessed work are provided in the Syllabus Booklet.

Guidance on 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 TurnItIn system. You must submit by the deadline advertised in your timetable/assessment handbook.

When uploading your work and completing the ‘Assignment Title’ field in Turnitin you must ONLY PUT YOUR ID NUMBER IN THIS FIELD.

DO NOT save the work as ‘Essay’ or as the assignment title – the programme administrator cannot identify who it belongs to if you do this. To ensure anonymous marking it is essential the programme administrator can tell who the work belongs to from the ID number in the ‘Assignment Title’ field.

If you do not insert your ID in the ‘Assignment Title’ field in Turnitin your work may be deleted and if it is not uploaded again with the correct title before the deadline it may be classed as late.

When creating your document please ensure your ID number is on each page in the page header, and your name does NOT appear on the document.

The electronic copy is your official record of submission.

• How to submit an electronic copy of your 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 Turnitin process

http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=13010

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

Format of all submitted work

All Assignments MUST be submitted in the following format:

Font: Arial

Font Size: 12

Line Spacing: 1.5

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.

As part of the formative and/or summative assessment process, you may be asked to submit electronic versions of your work to TurnitinUK and/or other electronic systems used by the University (this requirement may be in addition to a requirement to submit a paper copy of your work). If you are asked to do this, you must do so within the required timescales.

The School also reserves the right to submit work handed in by you for formative or summative assessment to TurnitinUK and/or other electronic systems used by the University.

Please note that when work is submitted to the relevant electronic systems, it may be copied and then stored in a database to allow appropriate checks to be made.

Reference Format Style in Assignments

The programme requires students to use APA 7^th formatting for references in any submitted work, unless stated otherwise.

Late Submission (including non-attendance of exams)

If you have a valid reason for the late submission of a piece of work, and this is documented, and the length of the delay is appropriate to the circumstances, then the provisional mark awarded will stand. If you do not have mitigation, or the Mitigating Circumstances committee feel that you do not have sufficient reason for late submission; the provisional mark will be reduced in line with the penalties below.

The penalty applied is 10% of available marks deducted per 24 hours, until the assignment is submitted or no marks remain.

The mark awarded for the piece of work will be reduced by:

10% of the available marks deducted if up to 24 hours late (1 day)

20% of the available marks deducted if up to 48 hours late (2 days)

30% of the available marks deducted if up to 72 hours late (3 days)

40% of the available marks deducted if up to 96 hours late (4 days)

50% of the available marks deducted if up to 120 hours late (5 days)

60% of the available marks deducted if up to 144 hours late (6 days)

70% of the available marks deducted if up to 168 hours late (7 days)

80% of the available marks deducted if up to 192 hours late (8 days)

90% of the available marks deducted if up to 216 hours late (9 days)

A zero mark will be awarded if the piece of work is more than 9 days late.

The sliding scale does not apply to referred assessment, where late submission will automatically receive a mark of zero.

For further information see: Policy on the Submission of Work for Summative Assessment on Taught Programmes

Similarly, if you are unable to attend an exam then you must submit a Mitigating Circumstances Form and supporting evidence to  shs.mitcircs@manchester.ac.uk explain your non-attendance. This will then be considered at the appropriate Mitigating Circumstances Panel and following Exam Board. Unauthorised absence from examinations will result in a mark of zero being recorded for that examination.

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 have read the guidance provided by the University to students on this topic.

Academic malpractice is any activity – intentional or otherwise – that is likely to undermine the integrity essential to scholarship and research. It includes plagiarism, collusion, fabrication or falsification of results, and anything else that could result in unearned or undeserved credit for those committing it. Academic malpractice can result from a deliberate act of cheating or may be committed unintentionally. Whether intended or not, all incidents of academic malpractice will be treated seriously by the University.

The procedures and penalties for dealing with academic malpractice are covered by the same regulations as apply to the Conduct and Discipline of Students (Regulation XVII): http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=6530

If you have any doubts or further questions please contact your Course Tutor or Programme Director.

The Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

We urge students to be cautious when using a chatbot or AI tool within their learning. Chatbots and AI tools can be useful, but there are a number of risks associated with using them. Please ensure that you are aware of what is permissible use of AI for each assignment. You can utilise AI to generate ideas, key themes, and plan your assessment but not to write your assessment. Do not use AI to generate text, or partial text for use in your assessment unless the assignment brief explicitly states that this is permitted, otherwise use will be deemed academic malpractice. This is academic malpractice because the words and ideas generated are not your own and not an accurate reflection of your learning. Further to this, the words and ideas generated by the chatbot or AI tool may make use of other, human authors' ideas without referencing them, which is plagiarism. Where a chatbot or other form of AI has been used, make sure you acknowledge that use. Information on how to cite can be found here:

https://manchester-uk.libanswers.com/teaching-and-learning/faq/264824

Some units, for example those on AI and technology, permit the use of AI. However, they require you to sign a code of conduct which must be adhered to. Make sure you understand and follow these codes. If you are unclear on what is permissible, speak to the unit lead.

 

As further support, the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health Graduate School has developed a unit entitled “Understanding Academic Malpractice”. This unit should be completed by all postgraduate taught students and will allow you to test your understanding of what constitutes plagiarism and academic malpractice. The unit should be completed as soon as possible after you begin your programme, but must be completed before you submit your first piece of academic writing for assessment. See: Introductory courses Mandatory Non Credit Bearing Introductory Courses SHSS60001

University guidance on plagiarism and other forms of academic malpractice can be found here: http://www.regulations.manchester.ac.uk/guidance-to-students-on-plagiarism-and- other-forms-of-academic-malpractice/

Other Information on academic malpractice and how to avoid it can be found at

www.regulations.manchester.ac.uk/academic

Feedback for Assignments

The purpose of feedback is to provide constructive comments so that you can improve the standard of your work. Thus, in addition to marks you will receive written feedback on most of your assessed coursework.

Marks awarded for your assessments (i.e. everything which contributes to your final degree classification) are subject to moderation by the Exam Board and the External Examiner at the Exam Board meetings. Consequently all marks given before the final examiners’ meeting has taken place in November 2023 must be regarded as provisional. Questions of compensation can only be dealt with at the final examiners’ meeting when the full range of results is available. Shortly after the examinations meetings we will publish results and post out a breakdown of your marks. These will remain provisional until after the final examination board in November 2024 (for full time students) or November 2025 (for part time students).

When you have graduated you may obtain a detailed official account of all your examination results (called a transcript) via the link below:

http://www.graduation.manchester.ac.uk/after-youve-graduated/copies-of-degree-certificates-and-transcripts/

Documents are digitally signed to make them legally valid and tamper-evident, allowing for quick and efficient verification of genuine documents. Transcripts are recognised for such purposes as admission to a further course of study at another institution, membership of professional bodies, exemption from sections of professional examinations etc.

Return of Marked Work

For all formative assessments and assessed coursework, feedback will normally be provided within 15 working days after the final submission deadline or exceptionally, and subject to prior approval by the faculty, within 20 working days after the final submission deadline; extensions to 20 working days will be approved on academic grounds only and must be clearly communicated to students in advance. For single pieces of assessed work carrying a credit weighting of 30 credits or more, the maximum time for feedback to be given is normally 30 working days after the final submission deadline.

Policy on Feedback to Undergraduate and Postgraduate Taught Students

http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/DocuInfo.aspx?DocID=6518

How to Find Your Marks

Once work has been marked and moderated, you will receive an email from the Programme 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://www.portal.manchester.ac.uk/uPortal/render.userLayoutRootNode.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 does not appear until the unit is fully completed and marks have been through an Exam Board.

Teaching

The teaching will take a blended approach, involving both synchronous (i.e., live) sessions and asynchronous (i.e., pre-prepared) teaching materials. Synchronous sessions may be online (e.g. delivered via a video conference like Zoom) or face to face. There is an expectation that students engage with asynchronous materials prior to the corresponding live sessions, and manage their own time and learning needs in engaging with this material. Academic advisors are available to discuss self-directed learning with students and any challenges they may be experiencing with this.

During online teaching sessions (e.g. those conducted via Zoom or other video conference platform), including group activities,  we expect all students to have their cameras turned on. This is important in ensuring an interactive and engaging sessions. Where practical or personal issues prevent this from being possible, students should raise this in advance of the session with the lecturer.

Recording Lectures

Please do not assume you can record lectures with a voice recorder or other device. If you wish to record a lecture or other teaching session, ensure you obtain the prior permission of the lecturer. You may not share any recordings with any other person (including by electronic media) without first being given specific permission by the lecturer.

Monitoring Attendance and Wellbeing of Students

The Programme Directors and teaching staff will monitor the work and attendance of students on the programme. This is for your benefit and helps to ensure you are coping with the work. Regular or a pattern of non-attendance and/or engagement will result in you being contacted by the School to meet with your Programme Director.

Following this, further action will be taken if there isn’t a significant improvement in attendance.
For further information see:

Regulation XX Monitoring Attendance and Wellbeing of Students

The University offers a range of advice and support to students experiencing problems with attendance. Further information can be found in the Crucial Guide: www.studentnet.manchester.ac.uk/crucial-guide/personal-life/. You can also speak to your Programme Director and/or Academic Advisor.

Attendance

Attendance at lectures is compulsory: you are required to attend all sessions. Attendance monitoring will take place during ALL sessions.

Your programme uses both a physical sign-in form and a new online student attendance system, ‘My Attendance’.

From September you will have to ‘check in’ at the start of each timetabled activity to confirm your attendance – you can do this via My Manchester on a mobile, tablet, laptop or desktop. There is also a simple dashboard showing your attendance record, so you can see how you’re doing.

This short video shows how to check in and view your attendance record. Check-in will close after each activity has ended, so don’t forget! We’ve asked your lecturers to remind you to check in, but you may also want to write yourself a note or set reminders until you get used to checking in.

If you do forget to check in, or you have a planned absence, or there is an error in your attendance record, you should contact shs.attendance@manchester.ac.uk

This new system does not change any attendance requirements for your programme or course units. My Attendance is much more effective than older systems like paper registers. Recording attendance consistently will help us see when you might need support, and save resource to better support you elsewhere.

You can find out more about My Attendance here.

If you know you are going to miss a session in advance, please contact the Unit Lead at least 24 hours BEFORE the session.

Postgraduates in the Division of Psychology and Mental Health are also expected to sit ALL examinations and coursework tests for their degree programme and to submit ALL coursework assignments by the deadline specified. In order to be allowed to submit coursework and/or sit exams, you must have accessed / attended 80% of the formal sessions for that unit (i.e. 8 of 10 sessions on most units).

• If you miss two sessions in a unit without authorisation you will need to cover the course material independently and demonstrate that you have done so by providing evidence to the Unit Lead/Programme Director, through completion of a reflective log.
• If you miss more than two sessions in a unit without authorisation you will be asked to meet with your Programme Director to discuss your progress, and you will be assigned catch-up work to ensure you have covered the learning outcomes of the unit (s).
• If poor attendance persists following this meeting you will not be permitted to submit coursework or assignments. You will be asked to meet with a Panel to discuss continuation on the course. If following this meeting coursework and assessments cannot be accepted those units will be given an automatic 0 and you will fail the course and be withdrawn.

If you have problems with accessing / attending 80% of the course because of serious issues such as illness, we want to fully support you to complete the MSc, but we do also need to make sure that you actively cover the content of taught units. You will need to submit a Mitigating Circumstances form and meet with your Academic Advisor as soon as possible. In discussion with your Advisor a decision will be made as to which one of two options is most appropriate for your circumstances:

• You cover the course material independently and demonstrate that you have done so by providing evidence to the Unit Lead/Programme Director, possibly through completion of a reflective log. You will also need to complete any coursework and/or exam requirements for the Unit.
• Interruption: you take some time out of studies and return to the course at a later date, at an appropriate time for both your circumstances and the stage of the course. Further information is provided in Interruptions and Extensions to the Programme/Dissertation Submission section.

Students who are absent / do not access the teaching materials for a continuous period of 30 days or miss an entire end-of- semester set of examinations without good reason will be assumed to have withdrawn. Students will be notified of a withdrawal date and will be withdrawn from the University**

Students who achieve a weighted average of 45% or less in their first semester examinations will be required to attend a compulsory interview with a senior member of Academic staff.

• Students with approved previous experience, or APEL may have agreed absence have prior approval from Programme Director to be absent from specific lectures. These absences will not be counted towards the assessment of unsatisfactory attendance.

**Students studying under a Tier 4 visa permission should note that once a withdrawal has been completed on the University’s Student System, students will be reported to UK Visas and Immigration and will be required to leave the UK within 60 days of their withdrawal date.

International Student Census

The University operates attendance monitoring census points within the academic year in order to confirm the attendance of students holding a Tier 4 Student Visa. This is to ensure the University meets the UKVI statutory requirements as a sponsor of Tier 4 students and its responsibilities in accordance with its Highly Trusted Sponsor status.

If you are a Tier 4 visa holder, you must attend these census points, in addition to complying with your programme’s attendance requirements.

You will receive an e-mail from shs.attendance@manchester.ac.uk to confirm when and where you should go to have your attendance confirmed.

You must check your University e-mail account regularly. Failure to check your e-mail account is not a valid reason to be absent from a census point.

What if a Tier 4 student cannot attend a census point?

If you cannot attend in person due to a valid reason which includes: illness; study placement; field studies; on year abroad; research work; or any other reason connected to your programme of study, you must email shs.attendance@manchester.ac.uk to inform us of your absence and your inability to attend in person. In the case of illness, you must provide a copy of a medical certificate. If you are in this position you should report in person to the School as soon as possible after you return to campus.

Students who are recorded as interrupting their studies are not expected to attend during their period of interruption.

What happens if a student does not attend a census point?

The School must be able to confirm your presence to the UKVI by the end of each census point in the academic year. If you do not attend a census point when required by your School and you do not provide a valid explanation for your absence you will be deemed to be “not in attendance”.

Those students identified as “not in attendance” will be reported to the UKVI and the University will cease to sponsor the student’s Tier 4 visa. The Tier 4 visa will then be curtailed and the student must leave the UK within 60 days.

Further information

For more information on Tier 4 visas: https://www.gov.uk/tier-4-general-visa

If you have any concerns about the attendance monitoring census points, or your Tier 4 visa status, please contact visa@manchester.ac.uk

Monitoring Progress and Dissertation Supervision

Monitoring Dissertation Progress
In order to monitor their progress, students will have regular, scheduled meetings with their dissertation supervisor. Progress forms should be completed at these meetings (please see the Dissertation unit on Blackboard for these).

Progress meetings will take place as follows:

• Meeting 1: Full-time and Year 1 Part time students in December 2023
  The purpose of this meeting is to discuss initial ideas for your dissertation work once students have been allocated a supervisor.
• Meeting 2: Full-time and Year 2 Part time students in February 2024
  The purpose is for students to discuss their progress on the dissertation with their supervisor, and to ensure timely progress in dissertation work.
• Meeting 3: Full-time and Year 2 Part time students by June 2024
  The purpose of this meeting is to monitor the student’s progress in dissertation work, and to plan a timetable for the completion of the dissertation.
• For Part-time students review meeting dates are expected by 18th December 2023, 30th June 2024, 25th March 2025 .

In order to provide opportunity for reflection, students will be required to complete a Progress Form at each meeting with their supervisor which must be signed by both parties following the meeting. This form should be used as the basis for discussion in the meetings.
After each meeting, the forms should be submitted via Blackboard (Unit PSYC60010) by the dates specified above, to ensure that School records are complete and up-to date. It is your responsibility to ensure forms are completed and submitted on time.

Academic Advisors
You will be allocated an academic advisor who you will be expected to meet with (either in person or online) at least three times per year

• Meeting 1: Full-time and Year 1 Part time students in December 2023
  The purpose of this meeting is to discuss any questions you have about the programme.
• Meeting 2: Full-time and Year 2 Part time students in February 2024. This meeting occurs after students have received the results for semester 1 taught courses. The purpose is for students to discuss their progress on taught courses with their advisor.
• Meeting 3: Full-time and Year 2 Part time students by June 2024.

The purpose of this meeting is to monitor the student’s progress and to discuss any issues to do with the programme.

In addition, students may request meetings with the Programme Directors at any point throughout their studies if there are additional matters they wish to discuss.

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 MSc Programme Committee. The student representatives will be offered some training and attend one staff/student liaison committee per semester alongside all MSc committee meetings throughout the year. These meetings will be held on the days that student representatives are timetabled to be in the University and are usually held via Zoom/Teams. The student representatives will also organise group feedback sessions at the end of each semester for all students to feedback about their experience of the programme. We would also hope that student representatives would be available to speak to the External Examiner in advance of the Exam Boards to share the year groups views about the modules and programme; the External Examiner is generally able to accommodate this via phone if needed. Both a full time and a part time student rep is selected, to represent these two respective bodies of students on the programme.

We realise that the pressures and difficulties that part time students face can differ to those for full time students. Therefore a student representative is selected specifically for the part time student, as well as for the full time students. This individual will have a role liaising between the part time student cohort and the programme team and will be able to share any concerns or queries the cohort may have about the programme.

Please note: this role is what you make it. In previous years, MSc reps have also organised social occasions and a weekly journal club.

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 committee, where details of any actions carried out by the programme team 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: Prof Gozde Ozakinci
• Name of Institution: University of Stirling
• Position at current Institution: Health Psychologist; Professor of Health Psychology

Please note that this is for information only and 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).

Roles and Responsibilities of Unit Leads

1. Developing and updating the unit specification in consultation with lecturers and Programme Directors, ensuring a coherent selection of teaching material and assessments to fit with the overall aim of the programme and its specifications;
2. Liaising with Programme Administrators and the lecturers on their unit to ensure that the information on their unit in the programme handbook is accurate;
3. Liaising with Programme Administrators and lecturers to organise examining, marking and student feedback;
4. Developing and monitoring the Blackboard E-Learning site for their unit, in liaison

with lecturers for the sessions in their unit;

1. Liaising with students concerning queries relating to teaching and assessments for the unit that are not specific to an individual teaching session;
2. Attending programme meetings and the programme Exam Board in order to liaise

with Programme Directors and student representatives;

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

Roles and Responsibilities of Supervisors

1. Giving guidance about the nature of research and the standard expected, the planning of the research programme, literature and sources, and about requisite techniques (including arranging for instruction where necessary);
2. Maintaining contact through regular meetings (the frequency of meetings being appropriate to the research being undertaken and agreed in advance);
3. Being accessible to the student at other appropriate times for advice and responding to difficulties raised by the student;
4. Giving detailed advice on the necessary completion dates of successive stages of the work so that the thesis may be submitted within the agreed timescale;
5. Requesting written work or reports as appropriate and returning written material with constructive criticism and in reasonable time;
6. Ensuring that the student is made aware when progress is not satisfactory and facilitating improvement with advice and guidance;
7. Establishing at an early stage the supervisor’s responsibilities in relation to the student’s written work, including the nature of the guidance and comments to be offered as the work proceeds and on the draft of the thesis before it is submitted. It must be made clear to the student that research for a higher degree is undertaken within the general principle that a thesis must be the student’s own work;
8. Making students aware of other researchers and research work in the department and graduate school;
9. Encouraging the student to publish the research where appropriate;
10. Providing pastoral support and advising students, where appropriate, of university support services;
11. Bringing to the attention of the students the health and safety regulations and academic rules, regulations and codes of practice of the university. More detailed guidance on health and safety is available in the university’s health and safety policy notice UMHSP 33, available from health and safety services, which interprets and applies the CVCP note of guidance n/93/111, “Health and Safety Responsibilities of Supervisors Towards Graduate and Undergraduate Students”. Guidance on specific situations is available from the staff in Health and Safety Services.

Responsibilities of the Student

1. 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 Supervisor, other staff and research students;
2. Discussing with the Supervisor the type of guidance and comment believed to be most helpful, and agreeing a schedule of meetings;
3. Ensuring that he/she is aware of the health and safety regulations and academic rules and regulations and codes of practice of the University;
4. Successfully completing any training programme arranged within the prescribed time period;
5. 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;
6. Maintaining the progress of the work in accordance with the stages agreed with the Supervisor, including in particular the presentation of written material as required, in sufficient time to allow for comments and discussion before proceeding to the next stage.
7. Checking the completeness and accuracy of the text of the thesis submitted; failure to check the thesis carefully may result in the thesis being failed or cause a delay in the award of a degree.

Please note that the student is responsible for any incidental costs of the course, e.g. travel, printing, internet charges etc.

Research Seminars

All MSc students are encouraged to attend the regular seminars held within the University.

Division of Psychology and Mental Health Research Seminars

External speakers or speakers from within the Division present their research to an audience of postgraduate students and academic members of staff. These talks are followed by scholarly debates, and usually an informal drink or meal after the session to which all are invited. The programme of speakers is published in advance, and posters and emails advertising the week’s seminar are circulated during the week. Topics for these seminars are drawn from the full range of psychology and psychiatry topics, including cognitive, social, clinical, health psychology as well as forensic and forensic mental health topics. You should attend these sessions regardless of whether you feel the topics are directly related to your coursework or research as they are a good opportunity to learn about a range of methodologies and theories and to network with other postgraduate and academic researchers.

Manchester Centre for Health Psychology Seminars

Speakers from the Manchester Centre for Health Psychology (MCHP) or invited guests will present their research to members of MCHP including staff and students. These talks are scheduled for the first Wednesday every month at 12.00 – 1.00. The speakers will talk about their latest research or topics of interest to health psychologists followed by a question and answer session.

You can find details here http://research.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/healthpsychology/events/

SECTION B: Route through the Programme

The following summarises the core teaching in each semester for the full and part time routes.

You are referred to the ‘Timetable and Assignment’ document which contains full details of all dates and locations for teaching sessions, as well as deadlines for all assignments for all units.

A full syllabus booklet is available on Blackboard.

Timetable for Full time students

(September 2023 – September 2024)

Full time students are required to attend / access all teaching in both semesters. Full time students attend 60 taught credits per semester. For full time students it is expected that 36 hours per week will be committed to the programme, including attending teaching sessions, undertaking dissertation research, completing assignments, and self-directed learning.

Students also have the option to take one 70 hour placement as part of their programme (please see PSYC 66660 Health Psychology Placement)

Full time students are expected to come into university or attend online synchronous sessions two days a week for teaching. There may be a need to attend University or attend online meetings on other days due to supervisor or advisory meetings, depending on student and staff member availability.

All students are to commence the dissertation in semester one (worth 60 credits), discussing ideas with the supervisor and applying for ethical approval. In semester two the aim is to receive ethical approval, commence data collection, complete analysis and write up of the project. The Dissertation is submitted in September 2024 (September 2025 for part time students)

See below for a unit timetable for full time students:

Semester 1		Semester 2
September   – January		February  – May
Monday	Thursday	Monday	Thursday
Critical, Creative and Comprehensive Research Methodologies    PSYC 60001 (15 credits) PSYC 69841: Professional Issues (15 credits)	PSYC 69741:  Psychology in Clinical Practice (PiCP) 1 (15 credits)	Critical, Creative and Comprehensive Research Analyses    PSYC 69802 (15 credits)	PSYC 69842 Health Behaviour Change (15 credits)
	PSYC 69831: Health and Society (15 credits)	PSYC 69822 Mind and Body (15 credits)	PSYC 69852 Illness and healthcare (15 credits)

Timetable for Part Time Students

(September 2023-September 2025)

There is the option of completing the MSc part time. This is done over two years, with two teaching units taken each semester (rather than four). Part time students are taught as part of the same cohort as full time students and the same policies and procedures apply unless stated otherwise. For part time students it is expected that 18 hours per week will be committed to the programme, including attending / accessing teaching sessions, undertaking dissertation research, completing assignments, and self-directed learning.

Students also have the option to take one 70 hour placement as part of their programme (please see PSYC 66660 Health Psychology Placement)

Part time students are expected to come into university at least one day a week for teaching. There may be a need to attend University or make online contact on other days due to supervisor or advisory meetings, depending on student and staff member availability.

The dissertation is completed across the two years. The timeline for identifying and being allocated a supervisor remain the same as full time students. The deadline for the initial research proposal also remains the same. This is to ensure that part time students are able to start their projects soon to maximise the time they have to work on their research.

As with the full time students, part time students begin discussing ideas with the supervisor and applying for ethical approval in semester one of their first year. In semester two the aim is to receive ethical approval, and then commence data collection. However, part time students have added flexibility in how then plan their dissertation. Whilst some students may plan to complete the bulk of the work in the first years others may wish to split the workload more evenly across the two years. It is important to discuss and agree on such plans with you project supervisor, ensuring your time line is realistic and manageable given the other demands of the programme. The Dissertation is submitted in September 2024.

See below for a unit timetable for part time students

Year 1		Year 2
Semester 1	Semester 2	Semester 1	Semester 2
Sept 2022-Jan 2023 Monday	Feb- May 2023 Monday	Sept 2023-Jan 2024 Thursday	Feb-May 2024 Thursday
Critical, Creative and Comprehensive Research Methodologies    PSYC 60001 (15 credits)	Critical, Creative and Comprehensive Research Analyses    PSYC 69802(15 credits)	PSYC 69741: Psychology in Clinical Practice (PiCP) (15 credits)	PSYC 69842 Health Behaviour Change (15 credits)
PSYC 69841: Professional Issues (15 credits)	PSYC 69822 Mind and Body (15 credits)	PSYC69831: Health and Society (15 credits)	PSYC 69852 Illness and Healthcare (15 credits)

Transfer to the MSc Clinical and Health Psychology

Students who develop a strong interest in Clinical Psychology during the first semester may be permitted to transfer from the Health Psychology Programme onto the MSc Clinical and Health Psychology at the discretion of the Programme Directors. However, Health Psychology students who have received a bursary will not be permitted to transfer programmes.

 

SECTION C:

Key Contacts and Resources within the School

The programme is in the Division of Psychology and Mental Health, which is part of the School of Health Sciences, which resides in the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health. Information about the Faculty can be found at https://www.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/

Administrative and Academic staff contacts

Student Support Hub

The Student Support Hub provides advice and guidance to students and staff in the school. Student Support offer assistance which complements and underpins the support provided by academic departments and can work with you to explore what options are available to you within the School and the wider University.

Student Support can talk through 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 Student Support is not a counselling service; it is a practical problem solving service.

You can come to the Student Support Hub located on the ground floor of the Jean MacFarlane Building, Monday– Friday, 9:00am to 5:00pm.

Alternatively, or outside of office hours, you can email shs.hub@manchester.ac.uk

Head of Division:

Prof Richard Brown

The Division address is:	Contact details:
Division of Psychology & Mental Health The University of Manchester Oxford Road Manchester M13 9PL	Switchboard: 0161 275 2000

Academic Staff

Dr Daniela Ghio, Programme Director

Email daniela.ghio@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.

Course unit selection

One option in the student centre is the ability to select course units, please note that this facility is not open to you.  If you have any questions regarding this please email  shs.programmes@manchester.ac.uk.

As an MSc Student, the key members of staff who will guide you through your degree are your Supervisor, your Advisor and the Programme Directors.

If you have any queries or concerns at any time during your period of study, there is a range of people you can approach:

• Your Student Representatives
• Student Support Hub
• Your Supervisor
• Your Advisor
• The Programme Director
• The Head of Division 

Any time you need to make contact with Programme Administrator or Programme Team always contact shs.hub@manchester.ac.uk

If you wish to raise a confidential matter at Faculty level, you should approach the Head of Academic Administration.

Progress Committee

The MSc Programme Committee, and ultimately the School Postgraduate Committee, considers issues of poor student progress, student dissatisfaction with academic supervision and other mitigating circumstances that may be influencing progress.

Failure to submit progress forms or assessments on time will result in investigation.

Email and contact details

You will be supplied with a student e-mail address. All official communications will be directed using your student e-mail address and it is your responsibility to ensure that you can access and read mail from this source, you if you prefer to use a local account then you must arrange to have your university email forward to your local address, for details on how to do this please contact Garry Byrne on garry.byrne@manchester.ac.uk.

Please ensure that you update your student centre with any changes to your personal information straight away and please also submit a note of the change to shs.hub@manchester.ac.uk

Computing Facilities

We ask that all users abide by the following Code of Practice

1. The software provided for your use on the computers in the Division of Psychology and Mental Health are commercial products which we use under license. It is illegal to make copies of these programs to take away and use on other machines. The University regards unauthorised copying (and other illegal activities such as hacking) as a serious breach of its regulations, and any student who copies programs or tries to gain unauthorised access to a computer will automatically be reported to the Registrar. In some cases it is possible for students to obtain legitimate copies of programs either free or at very low cost; please ask any member of the Computer Users Committee, or enquire at the Computing Centre shop.
2. Keeping the computer facilities working properly is a complex and expensive job and it is very important that only authorised programs are installed. Students are not allowed to install their own programs on the computers under any circumstances. If you know of programs which might be generally useful, please let a member of the Computer Users Committee know. The playing of games, even when run off USB memory sticks or downloaded is forbidden.
3. Viruses are destructive programs which are generally transmitted between machines by infected emails and websites, and also by USB memory sticks as they are transferred between machines. Once a machine is infected it can cause serious problems for users, including the destruction of data files. It is usually very difficult to know if a memory device carries a virus and although our computers have some protection this is never 100% effective. To minimise problems with viruses, take these sensible precautions:

1. Don’t borrow other people’s memory sticks/CDs, buy your own new ones.
2. As far as possible use USB memory sticks/CDs only on the University machines, or your own computer. Avoid passing your USB memory stick/CD from one strange computer to another!
3. Use the virus scanning program on the system regularly to ensure that your USB memory stick/CD hasn’t picked up something nasty.
4. Back up all of your work. We would recommend using your space on the University’s P drive.

Indiscriminate printing causes a very great waste of paper, so please try to follow these suggestions:

1. Before you send a file to be printed, check how busy the printers are. Don’t print a file if you can’t wait until it is finished. Save the file to disk, and come back when you have more time.
2. When you are writing essays, don’t print out more draft copies than is necessary.
3. When using the word processors, use the page view facility to check that everything looks right before you print.
4. If you realise that you have sent a large job to the printer, but you don’t want it, or cannot wait until it is printed, please delete the job from the print queue.
5. Instructions on how to do this are displayed on the noticeboard. DO NOT walk away leaving matters to take their course.

• There is always a demand for computers, especially around the times of deadlines for assessed work. It is not acceptable to log in, leave your belongings around a computer and leave a machine to do other things. Users who do this will be logged of by a member of staff if they are absent for more than five minutes and there are people waiting.
• When you finish your work please clear up any rubbish and put it in the bins.

Computer keyboards react very badly to having things spilt on them, or getting crumbs between the keys, so we ask that you don’t eat anything while working at a computer, and please keep drinks at a safe distance.

Working with your own computer

Some students may have their own computers. If you have such facilities then you should check that your system is compatible with the University system. This will help avoid problems when you try to transfer documents from your machine to ours. Details can be found at: http://itservices.manchester.ac.uk/help/

If you are thinking of buying a computer and would like advice please contact Garry Byrne (garry.byrne@manchester.ac.uk).

Blackboard Support

Blackboard (an on-line learning and information environment) is available to students.

• Students should access Blackboard via MyManchester
• Queries (technical related) should be directed to: elearning@manchester.ac.uk
• Queries (course content related) should be directed to: shs.programmes@manchester

A short introduction to Blackboard for new students is available via a short (just over 7 minutes) video recording. The recording is hosted in two places: the VLS and on YouTube:

https://stream.manchester.ac.uk/Play.aspx?VideoId=30453 https://youtu.be/47pA877MKJg

Student will also be introduced to Blackboard in the two-day Induction programme.

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.

Technical support

Technicians are readily available to provide assistance with IT and Audio-Visual support. Details of further IT support can be found at: http://www.itservices.manchester.ac.uk/help/

Login to the Support Centre online to log a request, book an appointment for an IT visit, or search the Knowledge Base.

• Telephone: +44 (0)161 306 5544 (or extension 65544). Telephone support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
• In person: Walk-up help and support is available at the Joule Library, Main Library or Alan Gilbert Learning Commons:

Use Support Centre online for support with eLearning, from where you may make a request, report a fault, or search the Knowledge Base. The email address is: elearning@manchester.ac.uk

Library facilities

The John Rylands University Library of Manchester (often just referred to as ‘The Rylands’) is one of the most important resources available to you. It may look a daunting place but online resources are available to help you come to grips with using the library. It is vital that you learn to use the library as quickly as possible, and in particular that you start reading journals. These are the periodicals in which original research is first published and thus they form an archive of knowledge which is continually being added to. Naturally there are a lot of books there too; some can be borrowed for a week, others are in a short loan collection for overnight borrowing only. There is plenty of room to work in the library, and you can often read and make notes from material without having to borrow it. Psychology periodicals cannot be taken out of the library.

The library also subscribes to a wide range of electronic journals. This means that you will be able to access many of the papers that you will be expected to read from the MSc from any computer in the library – or from a home networked computer.

Books from the John Rylands Library are usually ordered at the beginning of the academic year and budgets are tight. Lecturers usually ensure that key texts for courses are available in the library. However should you find that a particularly important book is not available you should write a note, giving full bibliographic details, to the Programme Director. Unfortunately we cannot guarantee that we will be able to buy it straight away but we can always try.

The John Rylands Library has arranged reciprocal reading (but not borrowing) rights with many other University libraries. If you would find it convenient to use another library (in vacations, for example) then it’s worthwhile checking with the information desk at the library entrance.

Additional Support Services

Disability Support Office

The University of Manchester welcomes students with a disability or specific learning difficulties. The University has a Disability Support Office, 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 Support Office is located on the 2nd Floor of University Place, Block 2. E-mail: dass@manchester.ac.uk

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

Website: https://www.dass.manchester.ac.uk/

To speak to a member of SHS staff about your needs, email shs.dc@manchester.ac.uk or visit the SHS Student Support Hub at Ground Floor, Jean McFarlane Building.

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. www.counsellingservice.manchester.ac.uk

The service also provides access to a variety of self-help tools and workshops designed to build skills in aspects such as managing stress, managing finances and relaxation. All students are encouraged to engage with the resources available.

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/postgraduates/

Students Union Advice Service

The Students Union has advisors 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

University Careers Service

As a postgraduate the demands on your time can seem overwhelming. The University careers service can make your life easier by offering a range of services designed to help you. Advice and support for Postgraduates include:

• Help with CVs and applications, practice interviews and psychometric tests
• Drop in quick query advice service
• Personal Career consultations targeted to your needs
• A range of postgraduate employability training opportunities
• 24-hour access to up to date information, advice, vacancies and details of forthcoming events, including a specifically designed section for postgraduates available through our website: www.manchester.ac.uk/careers
• Information on Job opportunities and vacancies through our fortnightly vacancy paper bulletins
• Register on-line to receive vacancy e-mails tailored to your requirements (www.manchester.ac.uk/careers)
• The careers resources centres hold an extensive collection of reference and takeaway information

Where to find us: the careers service has three offices on campus and you are welcome to use whichever office is convenient.

Central – a large centre offering a full range of services (open 9-5 Monday-Friday, Crawford

House, Booth Street East Tel: 275 2829)

Metro – located on campus north and offers full guidance facilities (open 9-5 Monday-Friday,

C Floor Renold Building, Sackville Street Tel: 306 4330)

Express – ideal for quick queries and help with applications (open 9-5 Monday-Friday (term

time only), Staffed Daily 12-2 Ground Floor, Students Union, Oxford Rd)

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

International Students

The International Society is a busy centre for international students based in the Greater Manchester area. It is located in the Students Union The International Society has a website which can be found at http://www.internationalsociety.org.uk

Ethics Procedures

The same ethical issues apply to undergraduate and postgraduate students and staff. All studies and projects must conform to British Psychological Society (BPS) guidelines. The University Ethics Committee (UREC) must approve all studies prior to their commencement. There is a standard application procedure for attaining ethical clearance. You must work with your supervisor prior to submission. Details can be accessed via your supervisor.

Those of you wishing to work with NHS clients, HM Prison service, or other vulnerable groups will have to apply for external ethical clearance via NHS trusts and NOMS. Further guidance can be found at the Faculty Research Office. Even for straightforward projects, this type of clearance can take up to three months to secure. If you wish to work on such a project it is essential that you plan for these kinds of delays and that you work closely with your supervisor in the early stages of project planning. You should always plan contingency studies should ethical clearance become particularly problematic. Those of you wishing to work on clinically relevant topics in non-clinical samples (e.g. anxiety or depression traits in student populations) should also consider how you might provide information about support groups in an unobtrusive way, should they be needed by your participants.

It is your responsibility to ensure that you have followed the correct ethical procedures, and that you have done this in good time. Note that some ethics committees may take months to approve a study. It is also your responsibility to make sure that your supervisor fully supports any ethics application – no ethics application can be submitted until your supervisor has signed it off.

Health and Safety

Online health and safety course

We want to make sure that you stay safe during your studies. This is why we ask you to take a short online health and safety course. You must complete this course by the end of October of your First Year; it should take around one hour. If you have any queries or problems completing it, contact the Student Support Hub (shs.hub@manchester.ac.uk). The course will be available on Blackboard, your online learning environment, which can be accessed via www.portal.manchester.ac.uk

Health and safety is everyone’s responsibility. Members of staff, students, contractors, and visitors have a legal and moral obligation to assist the University to provide a healthy and safe working environment.

The University and the School have Health and Safety Policies in place and you can access these on the intranet.

University of Manchester Health and Safety Policy

http://www.healthandsafety.manchester.ac.uk/policy/

University information and guidelines on staying safe in relation to Covid-19 can be found here:

https://www.manchester.ac.uk/coronavirus/

Fire

If you discover a fire, raise the alarm by activating the fire alarm push buttons and leave the building as soon as possible. The alarm (a continuous electronic siren) will sound throughout the building. If you hear the alarm, leave the building by the nearest exit (signs will indicate the nearest emergency exit) and assemble outside at the sign-posted assembly point. Fire doors must not be wedged open. Corridors, stairs and access/escape routes should never be obstructed.

Accidents/Incidents

All accidents/incidents/near misses must be reported by means of an accident form. In case of minor accidents seek help from the School office, where first-aid boxes may be found. In more serious cases help may be summoned by phoning University Security on 0161 306 9966 or internal phone 69966, or the Emergency Services on (ext) 999 or (int) 9999. In an emergency you should ALWAYS telephone the appropriate emergency service Fire/Police/Ambulance by dialing (ext) 999 or (int) 9999.

The University has 24 hour security in place and in an emergency security can be contacted from any internal phone by dialing 69966 or 0161 306 9966. Further information can be found on Student Support | Taking care of your wellbeing | Help in a crisis | The University of Manchester

Health

You should register with a local GP. You can find useful information on Student Support | Taking care of your wellbeing | Support Services | Accessing Healthcare | The University of Manchester If you are under medication or treatment that may affect your work or attendance you must inform the Student Support Hub (shs.hub@manchester.ac.uk) who will take details in confidence.

SECTION D:

University Regulations and Policies

 

Religious Events

We recognise that there may be occasions when students are unable to attend The University or clinical placement due to the observance of religious events. You are required at the beginning of the academic year to notify the Programme Director in writing of any date/s on which you intend to be absent from the University due to the observance of religious events falling within the academic year. These dates will be noted and kept on your file. You must notify The University of any absences due to religious events in the same way as for any other absences.

https://staffnet.manchester.ac.uk/tlso/policy-guidance/assessment/practice-of-assessment/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

Sharing Information

The University may share appropriate information relating to your health and/or conduct with external organisations such as your professional employer(s) (for example, relevant NHS Trust Professional and Statutory Regulatory Bodies (PSRB), placement and training providers and/or regulator.

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.

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

(Email: FBMHappealsandcomplaints@manchester.ac.uk)

The full 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

• Academic Appeals (Regulation XIX)

http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/DocuInfo.aspx?DocID=1872

• University Guide: Academic Appeals, Complaints and Misconduct

http://www.tlso.manchester.ac.uk/appeals-complaints/

• Basic Guide to Academic Appeals

http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=23874

Student Complaints

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

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

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

• Student Complaints (Regulation XVIII)

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

• Basic Guide to Student Complaints

http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=23875

Conduct and Discipline of Students

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)

• Conduct and Discipline of Students (Regulations XVII)

http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/DocuInfo.aspx?DocID=6530

Social Media – A guide to conduct

What precautions should be taken when social networking?

The same ethics, morals and penalties apply to online social networking as to any other activity. This is particularly true for healthcare students and professionals, who are expected by the University of Manchester, their professional bodies, and by the public generally, to meet the same standards of behaviour both in and out of their professional settings. Students from Schools in the Faculty of Biology, Medicine & Health should therefore conduct themselves appropriately online, and take reasonable precautions to ensure that the information they upload cannot be used in a way that could place them, or others, at a disadvantage, either personally or professionally, now or at any time in the future.

The following pointers may be helpful:

• Do everything that you can to limit access to your posts to those for whom they are intended. Change security settings if possible to restrict unwanted access.
• Consider the language and terminology that you use when you are online and make sure that it is appropriate.
• Avoid posting personal information such as phone numbers or personal addresses, of you or anybody else, since these may fall into the hands of criminals.
• Use your common sense. If you feel that a post, a picture, or a video that you are about to upload might have repercussions for you later, or might not be in good taste (e.g. it relates to sexual activity or inappropriate behaviour, or it expresses inappropriate views), then simply do not post it. Once it is online it is there for good.
• Make sure you are thinking clearly before you go online. If, for any reason such as the effects of medication, stress or inebriation, your judgement might temporarily be impaired, you may be tempted to post something that you otherwise would not.
• Do not post material that might be considered offensive and/or derogatory, that could cause somebody else to feel bullied, harassed, or that could harm somebody’s reputation. If you have a grievance about an individual related to your programme, follow it up through the recognised channels in the School, Faculty and/or the wider University.
• Avoid posting confidential information about patients, clients and service users that could violate professional codes of conduct.
• It is imperative that if you post anything about somebody else, including any images of them, it is done with their knowledge and consent. It might seem inoffensive to post images of friends, relatives, staff or other colleagues, but it might easily cause offence that you had not intended or could not have foreseen.
• Try to make sure that the people to whom you give access to your information use it sensibly, and also that they themselves do not upload potentially incriminating material about you, which can be just as damaging.
• Avoid joining any groups that could be seen as discriminatory or judgemental in nature.

Are there any related policies and guidance in the University?

The University’s Conduct and Discipline of Students (Regulation XVII) document states that a student may be liable to disciplinary action in respect of conduct which, amongst others: “involves violent, indecent, disorderly, threatening or offensive behaviour or language (whether expressed orally or in writing, including electronically) whilst on University premises or engaged in any University activity” and “involves distributing or publishing a poster, notice, sign or any publication which is offensive, intimidating, threatening, indecent or illegal, including the broadcasting and electronic distribution of such material”.

Regulation XVII also states that:

“the conduct covered (above) shall constitute misconduct if it took place on University property or premises, or elsewhere if the student was involved in a University activity, was representing the University, was present at that place by virtue of his or her status as a student of the University or if the conduct raises questions about the fitness of the student on a programme leading directly to a professional qualification or calling to be admitted to and practise that profession or calling.”

The University of Manchester’s Dignity at Work and Study Policies and Procedures give information about the nature and consequences of acts of misconduct while social networking, such as discrimination, bullying and harassment1, and the penalties that they may incur.

These policies should be read in conjunction with this guidance. The University’s Dignity at Work Procedure for Students states:

“Any cases of harassment, discrimination and bullying will be taken very seriously by the University and, where necessary the appropriate procedure will be used to investigate complaints. Similar arrangements will be used in dealing with complaints made by members of staff or by visitors to the University.”

“Cases of proven harassment, discrimination or bullying may be treated as a disciplinary offence where it is not possible to reach a compromise or resolution. Some cases of harassment, discrimination or bullying if proven could result in dismissal for staff members or expulsion for students.”

In addition, the University’s Crucial Guide states that:

“The University expects its members to treat one another with respect. There are established procedures to use if you are dissatisfied with any aspect of the University’s facilities and services, and you are encouraged to use these procedures to bring such matters to the University’s attention. Inappropriate or defamatory comments about either the University or its members in any media (print, broadcast, electronic) contravene the University’s regulations and offenders may be liable to disciplinary action.”

 What do the Professional Bodies say?

Professional body codes and guidance also explore the potential consequences of social networking activity:

The BPS recommend the following:

You should:

• Remember that social networking sites are public and permanent. Once you have posted something online, it remains traceable even if you later delete it.
• Keep your professional and personal life as separate as possible. This may be best achieved by having separate accounts, for example Facebook could be used for personal use and LinkedIn or Twitter used for professional purposes.
• If ‘friends’ requests are received from clients and service users, decline the request via more formal means of communication.
• Be minded that whether you identify yourself as a psychologist or not on your profile, you should act responsibly at all times and uphold the reputation of the profession.w.bps.org.uk
• Protect your privacy. Consider the kinds of information that you want to be available about yourself and to whom. Ensure that you regularly check your privacy settings.
• Be aware that social networking sites may update their services and privacy settings can be reset to a default that deletes your personalised settings.
• Remember that images posted online by family (for example, your children) or friends, may be accessible as they may not set privacy settings as tightly as you do.
• Be minded that social networking sites can make it easier to engage (intentionally or unintentionally) in professional misconduct.
• Report the misconduct of other members on such social networking sites to any relevant parties (such as the employer, the Health Professional Council and the Society).

You should not:

• Establish inappropriate relationships with clients and service users online.
• Discuss work-related issues online in any non-secure medium.
• Publish pictures of clients or service users online, where they are classified as clinical records.
• Use social networking sites for whistle-blowing or raising concerns.
• Post defamatory comments about individuals or institutions. Defamation law can apply to any comments posted on the web, irrespective of whether they are made in a personal or professional capacity

The HCPC (Health Care Professions Council) recommend the following:

• Think before you post. Assume that what you post could be shared and read by anyone.
• Think about who can see what you share and manage your privacy settings accordingly. Remember that privacy settings cannot guarantee that something you post will not be publicly visible.
• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries if you communicate with colleagues, service users or carers.
• Do not post information which could identify a service user unless you have their permission.
• Do not post inappropriate or offensive material. Use your professional judgement in deciding whether to post or share something.
• If you are employed, follow your employer’s social media policy.
• When in doubt, get advice. Appropriate sources might include experienced colleagues, trade unions and professional bodies. You can also contact us if you are unsure about our standards. If you think something could be inappropriate or offensive, do not post it.
• Keep on posting! We know that many registrants find using social media beneficial and do so without any issues. There’s no reason why you shouldn’t keep on using it with confidence.

Fitness to Practise

Information on Fitness to Practise related matters can be found at:

www.tlso.manchester.ac.uk/appeals-complaints/fitnesstopractise

Other links to current regulations, codes of practice and policies

Crucial Guide for Postgraduate Students

http://www.studentnet.manchester.ac.uk/crucial-guide/

Presentation of Dissertations Policy

http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=2863

Policy on Submission of Work for Summative Assessment on Taught Programmes http://www.campus.manchester.ac.uk/tlso/map/teachinglearningassessment/assessment/se ctionb-thepracticeofassessment/policyonsubmissionofworkforsummativeassessment/

Policy on Feedback to Undergraduate and Postgraduate Taught Students

http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/DocuInfo.aspx?DocID=6518

Student Charter

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

Postgraduate Degree Regulations

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

Work and attendance policy

http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=1895

Policy on Feedback to Undergraduate and Postgraduate Taught Students

http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/DocuInfo.aspx?DocID=6518

Equality and Diversity Policy

http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=8361

Other information

Security

http://www.accommodation.manchester.ac.uk/healthwellbeing/personalsecurity/

Student Support Issues

Disability Support Office

http://www.manchester.ac.uk/connect/jobs/disabled-applicants/contact/

Counselling Service

http://www.staffnet.manchester.ac.uk/personalsupport/counselling/

Careers Service

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

Careers Blog for International Students @ Manchester

Recently launched, a Careers Blog dedicated to keeping international students at The University of Manchester informed with regular news and upcoming events. http://manchesterinternationalcareers.wordpress.com/

Occupational Health Services for Students

http://www.studentnet.manchester.ac.uk/occupational-health/

International Advice Team

http://www.campus.manchester.ac.uk/ssc/internationalteam/

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

Crucial Guide for PG Students

http://www.studentnet.manchester.ac.uk/crucial-guide/

Students Union

http://manchesterstudentsunion.com/ email: advice.umsu@manchester.ac.uk

A full list of student services can be found at A-Z of Student Services

It is your responsibility to familiarise yourself with the academic policies, procedures and guidelines governing the University of Manchester’s postgraduate taught programmes.

University Proofreading Statement

If a student chooses to approach another person to proofread their written work or seeks to use the services of a proofreading service or agency, they must take account of the following principles:

1. It is the responsibility of students to ensure that all work submitted is their own, and that it represents their own abilities and understanding. Any proofreading of work that is undertaken by a third party must not compromise the student’s own authorship of the work;
2. Proofreading undertaken by a third party must not take the form of editing of text, such as the adding or rewriting of phrases or passages within a piece of student’s work;
3. Proofreading undertaken by a third party must not change the content or meaning of the work in any way’.

Intellectual Property Policy

Introduction

The University of Manchester regards the creation of intellectual property and know-how (IP) as one of its major objectives; complementary to the core objectives of knowledge creation, scholarship and learning. The central features of its IP Policy are:

• Clear incentives for the creation of IP
• Effective and efficient University services which can evaluate and protect IP, and then decide on the most appropriate arrangements for its transfer into use
• Arrangements for sharing any commercial returns from commercialisation of IP which provides for generous rewards to its originators.
• The University’s Intellectual Property Policy deals with IP created by its and its subsidiaries’ employees and students as well as the interface with others who may fund or collaborate with the University. This document is a summary of the main points in the University’s IP Policy. It is not a substitute for reading the relevant parts of the IP Policy itself.

Ownership

Many people may be involved with the work that leads up to the creation of IP and the work that subsequently reduces it to practice. However many of those involved will not own any of the IP created as at law they have not been involved at the actual point of creation.

The University asserts its rights to IP created by employees in the course of his or her employment. If other IP is created by an employee or any IP is created by a student outside the course of his/her University studies with more than incidental use of University resources the employee or student will be deemed to have agreed to transfer such IP to the University.

IP created in the course of or pursuant to a sponsored research or other agreement with an outside body will initially belong to the University and then be determined according to the terms of such agreement. Students will be expected to transfer such IP to the University initially. Students will grant to the University a continuing license to use other IP created by a student in the course of his/her studies with the University, for administrative, promotional, educational and teaching purposes of the University.

The University generally waives its rights to the copyright in scholarly materials (but not teaching materials), allowing employees to commercialise the materials to their own benefit. The University does not waive its rights where any use of material might bring the University into disrepute. If there is any doubt about this the matter should be discussed with the creator’s Head of School.

Where the University has waived its rights it will have a continuing license to use such IP for its administrative, promotional, educational and teaching purposes and to sub-license. It is the responsibility of an individual employee to make any publisher, or any other party interested in the potential commercialisation of such material, aware of this license.

IP Protection & Commercialisation

The University owns and uses The University of Manchester Intellectual Property Limited (UMIP) as a management company to advise on and facilitate the protection and commercialisation of IP (other than teaching materials). Where UMIP considers there is potential for profitable commercialisation, it will try to arrange the protection of IP generated by employees and students by patenting or other means, generally at its own expense.

UMIP will have the “first rights” to commercialise IP owned by the University. If UMIP does not do so in a timely manner or decides it does not wish to do so then the originator(s) (whether employees or students) may ask for such IP to be transferred to them and will be free to pursue alternative routes. If an originator of IP believes that their best commercialisation route involves partners other than UMIP, they may make a case to that effect to the University.

Employees and students must keep secret any confidential information to which he or she has access as an employee or student of the University.

Revenue Sharing

There is no general obligation on an employer to reward employees for IP which is generated in the course of their employment. The only exception is where an invention is of ‘outstanding benefit’ to the employer. However, the University’s IP policy is designed to create strong incentives for the creation and development of IP. Hence the sharing of rewards is strongly biased in favour of employees and students.

The University will not retain more than 15% of the value of IP created by University employees and (where their IP belongs to the University) students, in cases when the

University or UMIP has no involvement in the commercialisation of such IP or their only

involvement is in reviewing the IP, undertaking legal due diligence on it and advising the originator on the next steps to be taken. This 15% value may be represented by shares in a spin-out company or in royalties from a licence.

If a special fee is paid for the creation of any teaching materials then this will be instead of any share of commercialisation revenue or if the originator has been employed specifically to create the IP then they will not be entitled to any share of commercialisation revenue.

The Inland Revenue treats any sharing of income by the University with employees, students and others with an honorary association with the University as if it were a bonus on salary. Income tax and national insurance contributions will generally be deducted from an individual’s share by the University before payment is made or an indemnity for such taxes will be required by the University.

Further Information

The Policy is a living document and may be subject to change by the University. Major changes will be communicated to the departments, employees and students affected by the changes. All queries arising from this document should be addressed to the Registrar and Secretary. For general advice a publication called “Intellectual Property & Confidentiality: An Academic’s Guide” is available from UMIP.

Student Ill-Health

It is a requirement of your registration with the University of Manchester that you register with a local general practitioner. A list of GP practices can be obtained from the student Health Centre, any University hall of residence or a local Pharmacy. According to guidance issued by the General Medical Council it would not be regarded as good practice for a family member to be the registered GP or to offer treatment except in the case of an emergency.

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 week-ends. 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 your Programme Director, tutor, departmental office or degree programme office as appropriate at the earliest opportunity.

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 b. above). You must however contact your department or degree programme 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:

• 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 your department or degree programme immediately, in person, through a friend or family member, 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 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.
• 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 department or degree programme about this on the day of the assessment or examination and

hand in to your department or degree programme 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.

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 department or degree programme 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.

• The Government Department employs 2 criteria when deciding whether to alter the mark of a student who has been ill or suffered other external interference: a.

evidence of such illness or external interference and b. evidence that the student

would have performed better in the absence of such external interference.

Additional notes:

• Certification of student Ill Health forms are available in all departments and halls of residence.
• Your department or degree programme 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 or degree programme 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.

Further guidance and forms regarding student ill health can be found at

https://studentnet.cs.manchester.ac.uk/student-services/certification_ill_health.pdf

APPENDICES

APPENDIX 1 – Standard marking criteria

Criteria of levels of achievement for the programme are as follows –

 

Marks	Boundaries	MARKING CRITERIA
90	70%-100% Distinction	EXCELLENT (allows award of distinction) Exceptional work, nearly or wholly faultless for that expected at Master’s level.
80		EXCELLENT (allows award of distinction) Work of excellent quality throughout.
74		EXCELLENT (allows award of distinction) Work of very high to excellent quality showing originality, high accuracy, thorough understanding, critical appraisal, and very good presentation. Shows a wide and thorough understanding of the material studied and the relevant literature, and the ability to apply the theory and methods learned to solve unfamiliar problems
62, 65, 68	60%- 69.9% Merit	GOOD PASS (allows award of Merit) Work of good to high quality showing evidence of understanding of a broad range of topics, good accuracy, good structure and presentation, and relevant conclusions. Shows a good knowledge of the material studied and the relevant literature and some ability to tackle unfamiliar problems.
52, 55, 58	50%-59.9% Pass	PASS Work shows a clear grasp of relevant facts and issues and reveals an attempt to create a coherent whole. It comprises reasonably clear and attainable objectives, adequate reading and some originality
42, 45, 48	40%-49.9% PGDip Pass	DIPLOMA PASS, POTENTIALLY COMPENSATABLE FOR MASTERS Work shows a satisfactory understanding of the important programme material and basic knowledge of the relevant literature but with little or no originality and limited accuracy. Shows adequate presentation skills with clear but limited objectives, and does not always reach a conclusion.
38	0%-39.9% Fail	FAIL, POTENTIALLY COMPENSATABLE FOR DIPLOMA Work shows some understanding of the main elements of the programme material and some knowledge of the relevant literature. Shows a limited level of accuracy with little analysis of data or attempt to discuss its significance
20 – 29		FAIL Little relevant material presented. Unclear or unsubstantiated arguments with very poor accuracy and understanding.
0 – 19		CLEAR FAIL Work of very poor quality containing little or no relevant information.

The minimum pass mark for each course unit at MSc level is 50%