Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health School of Health Sciences Division of Nursing, Midwifery & Social Work

MSc Specialist Practice Cancer Pathway

Continuing Professional Development

Student Handbook 2023-2024

Version: August 2023

MSc / PgD / PgC Specialist Practice, Cancer pathway The contents of this handbook may be subject to change throughout the academic year. Please check Blackboard for any updates.

Welcome from the Director of Postgraduate Taught Education

I am delighted to welcome you to the School of Health Sciences and the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health. We are extremely pleased you have chosen the University of Manchester to commence or continue your postgraduate study journey; whether you are progressing straight from your undergraduate studies, seeking to develop your knowledge/skills in your chosen career or, are bravely, taking a completely different direction in life.

In the pursuit of knowledge, wisdom and humanity, we will place you at the centre of a transformational learning process to support you to achieve your individual goals and aspirations. Our challenge to you is to embrace all of the opportunities available to you; be bold, think differently and realise your potential. We want your postgraduate journey with us to be intellectually stretching, rewarding and fun.

We are aware that most of you will need to juggle a number of competing priorities during your postgraduate taught studies. Some of you will already be in full time employment, while others will need to secure part time employment to fund your studies. We know that many of you will have family and caring responsibilities that will have to be prioritised before your own learning. We hope the information detailed in this programme handbook will help you in managing these competing commitments. Whether you are joining us on campus, or studying at a distance, you are an integral part of our School and University, and we are here to support you.

We are extremely proud of our postgraduate student community and alumni who are making a difference, both locally and globally. We look forward to working with you, confident that you too will play a role in transforming the lives of people who use health and social care services, whether during your studies or upon graduation.

I wish you every success in your postgraduate studies here at the University of Manchester.

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

 

The University’s Vision for the Future

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

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

The Division’s mission is:

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

The Division aims to:

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

 

Where to find further information

In addition to this handbook you are required to familiarise yourself with the information contained within the Crucial Guide and IT Services handbook. New students are given access to copy of the appropriate handbooks at the beginning of their programme of study, alternatively the information is available on our website.

Information, Advice & Guidance Team

The Information, Advice & Guidance (IAG) team are your first point of contact for any non-academic queries you may have relating to your studies, such as what support is available to you, how to access it, and where to direct any queries which you’re not sure about. The IAG team can be contacted via email at shs.hub@manchester.ac.uk, over the phone at 0161 306 7811, or in person at the student hub which is located on the ground floor of the Jean McFarlane building.

Student Services Centre

Burlington Street or Sackville Street Tel: +44(0)161 275 5000 The Student Services Centre can offer all sorts of help and advice about tuition fee assessments or payments, Council Tax, examinations, graduation ceremonies and all sorts of documents. The Statutes, Ordinances and Regulations that are applicable to all students across the University are referred to in the University Crucial Guide and detailed in full within the University Calendar. Essential advice, information and guidance for students at The University of Manchester; packed with up-to-the-minute information . The guide can also be viewed on the University student intranet at: A-Z of Student Services The University website contains a comprehensive and definitive listing of University policies and procedures relevant to both students and members of staff. It covers the full-range of our activities and is continually updated to ensure that you have immediate access to the latest versions of documents as soon as they are approved. It is also equipped with a search engine that enables you to find relevant documents using key words or phrases. Visit the website: http://www.studentnet.manchester.ac.uk 

Division Contact Details

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

Tel 0161 306 0260
Fax 0161 306 7707

Head of Division
Professor Hilary Mairs
Tel 0161 306 7842

Acting Head of Teaching Learning Student Experience
Chris Bamford
Tel 0161 306 7622

Administration Managers

Suzanne Eden – Admissions Manager
Tel 0161 275 2334

Sam Green– Student Support Officer
Tel 0161 306 7717

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

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

David Parry – Postgraduate Programme Support Manager
Tel 0161 275 2583

Division Website – Click Here 

Programme Staff

Programme Director | Simon Burrow | Room 6.305, Jean McFarlane Building | simon.burrow@manchester.ac.uk

Admissions Administration | Room G.314, Jean McFarlane Building | cpd.nursing@manchester.ac.uk

Programme Support Office | Room G.304, Jean McFarlane Building | shs.programmes@manchester.ac.uk

Assessment Support Office | Room G.313, Jean McFarlane Building | shs.assessment@manchester.ac.uk 

Introduction to the Programme

Programme Director’s welcome

Welcome to the MSc in Advanced Specialist Practice. The duration of the Programme can be undertaken over 1 year full time or between 2-5 years part time commencing at the start date of the first course unit following your registration onto the Programme, concluding at the Exam Board ratifying the Research Dissertation results. We hope you find this handbook helpful to you as you progress through your study, and would strongly advise that you become familiar with the contents of the handbook, but you may also seek advice or clarification from the programme team at any time. The underpinning philosophy of the MSc Specialist Practice is theory embedded in practice. Specialist pathways exist within the programme which offer a selection of course units designed to enhance your clinical specialist knowledge and skills. The programme design also allows students to undertake individual course units for reasons of continual professional development, without registration for the award of a degree. The MSc programme is 180 academic credits with exit points at Post Graduate Certificate (60 Credits) and Post Graduate Diploma (120 Credits). Stand alone level 7 units undertaken from the CPD portfolio may be counted towards the MSc Specialist Practice programme provided that:

• They were commenced within three years from the date of registration on the MSc Programme
• A mark of 50% or above was awarded

Students may, in exceptional circumstances, as judged by the exam board and based on evidence, be permitted to have an additional exceptional interruption period of up to a maximum of 12 months.

There is no limit to the maximum number of stand-alone modules a student can complete before registering for the MSc A.P.L. Programme however please note that this may affect funding options regarding applying for a student loan.

Simon Burrow
Programme Director MSc Advanced Leadership for Professional Practice

An Introduction to PGT Degree Regulations for Students is available at: Regulations | Academic-related regulations | Postgraduate Degree Regulations | The University of Manchester

Programme Director Role and Support

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

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

Simon Burrow, Programme Director | Room 6.305, Jean McFarlane Building | Simon.burrow@manchester.ac.uk

Programme Support Office location & postal address

The Programme Support Office is located in Room G.304 on the ground floor of the Jean McFarlane Building, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, M13 9PL shs.programmes@manchester.ac.uk 

Unit Leaders Role and Support

Each unit has a designated leader who is responsible for managing the teaching and assessment process for a specific unit.  This individual is also there to guide you regarding all issues relating to the specific unit.

Academic Advisors

Each student is assigned an Academic Advisor at the beginning of their degree. This will be a member of the academic staff in your department who can offer support and advice on academic and pastoral matters, and are key to the School’s student support structure.

You will meet with your Academic Advisor during Welcome Week, and will then have one-to-one meetings throughout the semester to discuss academic progress, steps taken towards career planning, and professional and personal development.

You can also seek advice from other quarters, for example, the Student Union Welfare Section, or the Student Health Care and Counselling Service.

Overall Programme Aims and Intended Learning Outcomes

The aim of the programme is to offer students an inter-professional opportunity to acquire knowledge and skills relevant to different practice settings and health/social care domains.

Successful completion of the programme will equip students to undertake high level strategic and leadership roles in a range of specialities.

The educational aims detailed below are those for the MSc, PgD and PgCert in Specialist Practice. The detail re: the design and delivery of the first pathway of the programme relate to the cancer pathway. The inter-profession pathway is the result of a collaboration between the Faculty of biology, medicine and health and The Christie NHS Foundation Trust. This collaboration gives strength and validation to the central tenet of the pathway, namely the integration of theory and practice.

Aims of the Programme

• Provide a flexible, multi-professional programme of clinically relevant postgraduate study to promote the development of practitioners recognised as expert, specialist practitioners in their own practice setting
• Advance specialist practice and service delivery through enhancement of critical thinking and synthesis of a range of sources of evidence relevant to clinical practice to inform decision making at an individual, team and/or organizational level
• Further develop skills to work individually and collaboratively to meet the learning and development needs of practitioners across a range of professions
• Meet the changing needs of patients/service users and the people who care for them by critically evaluating current practice
• Facilitate the development of an in-depth, critical understanding of relevant research and strategies to promote the uptake of research findings into routine healthcare in clinical contexts
• Further develop advanced clinical and leadership skills to lead the implementation of new accessible approaches to direct clinical care and models of service design
• Facilitate practitioners to share ideas, experiences and strategies for innovation in advanced clinical practice with key stakeholders including other health care professionals and those who use the services they provide
• Equip students with a range of transferable skills in critical reasoning and reflection, collaborative team working, communication, use of IT/health informatics, innovation in the application of knowledge to practice and logical/systematic approaches to solving problems and making decisions.

Intended Learning Outcomes of the Programme 

Knowledge and understanding

Having successfully completed the programme students should be able to:

1. Synthesise the theoretical and philosophical perspectives underpinning the range of knowledge relevant to their own practice setting
2. Systematically and critically examine the evidence base relating to the area of clinical practice
3. Demonstrate a thorough and critical understanding of the different approaches to leadership, management and change management and their application to their own advanced practice setting
4. Critically evaluate the rationale and optimal methods of engaging patients/service users and their families in the co-production of healthcare services
5. Develop an in-depth and critical understanding of a number of research methods and the optimal strategies to promote the uptake of research findings into routine practice settings
6. Critically engage with the principles and respective processes for ethics, clinical governance and other legal and policy frameworks relevant to the specific practice setting
7. Formulate the contemporary issues and challenges inherent in the management of clinical practice including strategies to ensure equitable access to healthcare services for all members of the general population
8. Demonstrate a critical synthesis of theoretical knowledge/evidence and their own clinical practice and that of their peers

Intellectual skills

Having successfully completed the programme students should be able to:

1. Critically evaluate the limitations of extant knowledge, evidence, policy and practice within the relevant practice setting
2. Formulate and resolve complex clinical problems through critical reasoning and synthesis of information from a range of sources
3. Critically evaluate leadership strategies designed to drive service improvements/quality
4. Engage critically with the theoretical frameworks/models underpinning advanced clinical practice
5. Critically appraise contemporary approaches to patient and public involvement in service design, delivery and audit and patient and public engagement in the dissemination of research findings
6. Complete and report upon a project, demonstrating an in-depth knowledge of appropriate methods and a critical engagement with an aspect of advanced clinical practice

Practical skills

Having successfully completed the programme students should be able to:

1. Practice competently extant and newly developed advanced clinical skills in the relevant practice setting, informed by a critical understanding of recognized theory and contemporary evidence
2. Facilitate, manage and assess changes in practice to drive improvements in clinical practice and health/social care outcomes
3. Contribute to meeting the learning and educational needs of other practitioners and those who use healthcare services
4. Work with patients/service users and their families in the co-production of healthcare services
5. Search, retrieve and appraise different sources of evidence to illuminate complex clinical practice issues
6. Under supervision, complete a project using an appropriate design and methods in line with good practice principles and guidance (MSc only)

Transferable skills & personal qualities

Having successfully completed the programme students should be able to:

1. Demonstrate innovation in the application of knowledge to advanced clinical practice
2. Use skills in systematic and creative approaches to solving problems and making decisions in relation to complex issues in advanced clinical practice and service delivery
3. Demonstrate effective and collaborative leadership and team working.
4. Effectively utilise technology, develop digital competence and IT skills.
5. Further develop the skills to articulate sound arguments and communicate these effectively orally and in writing.
6. Evaluate their own academic, professional and practice performance.

Programme Structure

This is a Faculty-wide academic structure for continuing professional development (workforce transformation) which:

• Offers flexibility, choice and high quality postgraduate education in advanced specialist practice that is able to respond to individual and employer need locally, nationally and internationally
• Shares teaching and research expertise across the Faculty through inter-disciplinary provision and promotes a range of opportunities for inter-professional learning

The programme offers aspiring healthcare professionals, from a range of settings, an opportunity to engage in postgraduate education in order to enhance their practice through the extension, acquisition and critical appraisal of their knowledge and clinical/leadership skills.

The programme reflects professional, UK-wide government and international benchmarks for advanced clinical practice for the health care work-force to equip students with the knowledge and clinical/leadership skills required for advanced clinical practice.

Students can elect to study course units as stand-alone or build up units of study towards the awards of PgCert, PgDip or MSc.

Both full time and part time study options are available and face-to-face, online and blended models of teaching and learning are included within the programme.

The pathway comprises a number of compulsory units which draw on existing validated leadership and online research units as well as existing PGT CPD units in relevant specialities to create a programme for students at postgraduate level. This will contribute to the viability of the Specialist Practice MSc, the effective use of resources and enhance the opportunities for inter-disciplinary learning.

All existing units have been validated previously and all attract positive student feedback in unit evaluations. In addition they have been scrutinised to ensure that they are current and remain fit for purpose. The core units which are part of the cancer pathway of the MSc Specialist Practice are listed below as an example.  

Programme	PG Certificate in Specialist Practice (cancer pathway)
Number of credits required = 60 credits
Choice from a range of PGT units (appendix 4)		60 credits (O)

 

Programme	PG Diploma in Specialist Practice (cancer pathway)
Number of credits required: 30 compulsory (C) + 90 optional (O) = 120 credits
Advanced Evidence Based Practice		30 credits (C)
Choice from a range of PGT units (appendix 4)		90 credits (O)

 

Programme	MSc in Specialist Practice (cancer pathway)
Number of credits required: 90 compulsory (C) + 90 optional (O) = 180 credits
Advanced Evidence Based Practice		30 credits (C)
Choice from a range of PGT units (appendix 4)		90 credits (O)
Dissertation		60 credits (C)

Individual student specialist practice pathways will be planned in partnership between the student and programme director/pathway lead.

Programme and Course Unit Evaluation

Programmes are continually developed to meet the needs of Students, Public Services and government.  All programmes undergo an annual review, where information from a range of sources are reflected upon to enhance the quality of the programme.  All staff develop the programme through their specialisms and research undertaken. 

In addition to this, External Examiners are appointed to the programme, who are colleagues delivering similar programmes in other institutions throughout the UK.  They not only make recommendations but assist in ensuring that the programme is delivered to a similar standard as programmes in other Universities.

Students contribute to this process through completing programme related questionnaires, discussing matters with the External Examiner and through passing comments to your student representative which are then discussed at the Programme Committee Meeting, Quality Enhancement Days and the Teaching and Learning Committee (TLC).

Other sources outside the University that influence the development of programmes are practitioners within NHS Trusts, government departments, the private health sector and external agencies such as the Quality Assurance Agency, Nursing Midwifery Council and General Social Care Council.  

The Division operates a system of student evaluation of units, placements and programmes.  You will be asked to complete questionnaires and will be invited to participate in other evaluation exercises, such as group discussions. The results of evaluations are reviewed by the Unit Leaders, the Programme Director, the Programme Committee and the Head of Division.  All evaluations are reviewed together at the Quality Assurance Day. Any proposals for changes to the programme arising from the evaluations are considered by the Programme Committee. Student evaluations are an important part of the Division’s quality assurance and enhancement processes. Please complete and return questionnaires. 

Unit Leaders will always welcome any additional comments that you may wish to make informally.

Programme Schedule: Key dates

The majority of course units are delivered within the two semesters of September to December and January/February to May. The exceptions are course units such as Preparation for Mentorship where more regular provision is required.

The majority of course units are delivered one day per week with six hours contact per day.

For 15 credit course units this represents 7 days contact time, and this is doubled for a 30 credit course unit.

For information on start dates for specific course units please contact The Continuing Professional Development Admissions Office, Room G.314, Jean McFarlane Building (formerly Block 3, University Place).

Telephone numbers 0161 306 7746 / 7604 / 7605 or email cpd.nursing@manchester.ac.uk.

Programme Regulations 

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

Specific Programme Regulations

Entry Requirements

In order to fulfil the entry criteria, students must normally have: A health/social work professional qualification relevant to the programme or current registration with relevant professional statutory or equivalent regulatory body

• AND A relevant honours first degree (2.2 or above or equivalent) from an approved higher education institution
• OR Evidence of previous study, research or professional experience which the University accepts as qualifying the applicant for entry*
• AND Home/UK applicants should usually have current clinical practice experience at the point of applications and those studying part-time should continue to practice throughout the duration of their studies. International applicants should usually have current clinical practice at the point of application and up to the commencement of the programme.
• AND for part time students completing units with practical components, the written support from their employer to attend and complete any practice based components
• AND for applicants whose first language is not English, an IELTS score of 6.5 with no less than 6.0 on any one component or equivalent**

*UK applicants who do not hold a first degree (or equivalent qualification) may be admitted on the basis of a health/social work professional qualification. They must demonstrate the ability to study at postgraduate level. A standardised procedure for assessing this ability via the submission of a portfolio will be implemented where students are required to submit a portfolio of evidence of equivalence to the achievement of QAA FHEQ level 6 outcomes. This portfolio route is already successfully used in other PGT programmes in the Faculty. The portfolio will be reviewed by staff from the programme team. Such evidence may include a documented track record of innovative practice, leadership, service development, research projects and publications which are clearly underpinned by the academic skills required at level 6.

** TOEFL 600 paper based – 600 with a minimum score on Test of Written English of 6.0 TOFEL 250 computer based – 250 and Test of Written English 6.0 GCSE English Grade C. These requirements are in line with University regulations and are comparable with others set out for similar programmes within the Faculty where the target audience is from nursing and allied health backgrounds.

The Use of Accreditation of Prior Learning (APEL)

The University regulations allow students to receive an award of credits towards a programme on the basis of demonstrated learning that has occurred at some point in the past and is appropriate to the programme both in content and currency. The award of credits can be based on learning for which certification has been awarded by an educational institution or another education/training provider (APCL) e.g. a relevant credit rated unit completed elsewhere or uncertificated learning gained from experience (APEL). All APL applications must be approved in line with the University’s overall policy on the award of APL. The maximum number of credits allowable for APL (subject to any programme requirements) is:

• For MSc                60 credits. (APL credits will not count towards the dissertation.)
• For PgDip             30 credits
• For PgCert           15 credits.

Students wishing to be considered for APL should contact the programme director or pathway lead. 

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 (such as [Note – ideally this should be tailored for each programme handbook, with the name of the relevant regulator included]). 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: http://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.

Sharing of information between the University and Employers

Students who are seconded to the University from their employer for a Programme of study should note the following: The University reserves the right to share information about student progress and attendance with seconding employers.

• The University will respond to reasonable requests by employers for such information and may on occasion seek information from employers.
• Agreement to the sharing of such information for seconded students is a pre-requisite for entry and continuation on programmes of study.
• Students who wish to be excluded from this agreement should formally notify the Programme Director in writing, who will relay this information to the seconding employer.

Clinical Skills Laboratory Student Conduct

The following regulations must be followed by students when using the Clinical Skills laboratories:

• Shoulder length hair must be neatly tied back and preferably off the collar.
• No rings with stones, bracelets or wrists watches to be worn.
• Wear suitable non-restrictive clothing (sleeves above the elbow; no coats or scarves).
• Wear appropriate footwear (closed toes and heels, secure on foot, flat or broad low heel).
• Students who turn up late to a skills session may be refused entry at the discretion of the facilitator / lecturer (the student may have missed important health and safety instructions at the start of the session).
• On entering the laboratory bags, coats scarves and hats are to be placed in the area designated by the facilitator / lecturer.
• Mobile telephones must be switched off.
• No food or beverages to be consumed in the laboratory, including chewing gum.
• Immediately report breakages or faulty equipment to the facilitator / lecturer.
• Immediately report accidents or other adverse incidents to the facilitator / lecturer and complete the appropriate incident reporting form.

Confidentiality

By the nature of practice, students will be exposed to confidential information about patients/clients and others.  Breaching confidentiality may only be appropriate in exceptional circumstances.  Inappropriate breaching of confidentiality is a betrayal of trust, a serious matter and as such may lead to disciplinary action by the employer or university. You are reminded that information you are exposed to, may fall into two categories:

i) that for use within the Public Domain which is open and accessible, and

ii) that which falls within the Private Domain and is confidential. 

There is also information that is deemed to be in the public’s interest but not necessarily readily available.  Care should be taken to ensure that these aspects of information/confidentiality are properly addressed within student work.  If you are unclear on this subject, you should seek clarification from your Course Unit Leader.

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

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

Student’s responsibilities

Annual registration process

Student registration is valid for a year from the point of registration, e.g. if you register for a Stand Alone unit in September 2023, your registration will expire in August 2024. It is a requirement by the University of Manchester and the student’s responsibility to complete on-line registration each year via the Student Portal. You will be sent guidance notes prior to each registration period and you must register within four weeks of receiving the notification and/or two weeks of starting the course, failure to complete this may result in your access to University services being temporarily withdrawn.

Changes in personal and/or contact details

During the on-line registration process students need to confirm/update their personal and/or contact details. If these details change at any time following registration, it is the student’s responsibility to update their details via the Student Portal. Please note that the Division will only use the information on the Student Portal, no other source.

Checking Student e-mails

When you complete IT registration you will receive a student e-mail account, from the point of registration onwards, all departments within the Division will use the student e-mail address exclusively, not personal or work e-mail addresses.

As a student you are required to check your student e-mails, via the Student Portal, at least weekly whilst you are active on the programme, as this is where the Division would contact you.

Checking Blackboard

The Division uses Blackboard as the central location for information about all student resources. You will be given training on how to access Blackboard in your induction. As a student you are required to check Blackboard at least weekly, as this is where the Division would post both generic and specific information relating to course units and programmes, e.g Room changes or Assessment results.

Blackboard Student Community Area

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

Getting Started – includes the guide to using Blackboard, Programme Handbook and Course Unit Leaflets.

On Your Course – includes Study Skills information, Authorised Absence form, Missed Session form, Health & Safety information, etc.

Assessments & Examinations – includes Extension form, MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCES form, Academic Appeals form and information about Plagiarism and Academic Malpractice.

On-line End of Programme Evaluation – is where you give your feedback at the end of the course.

Introductory Courses 

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. 

Charges for extensions to length of programme

Students who go beyond the standard programme length and for whom we stop getting funding will be charged extension tuition fees. Additional fees will be charged based on the proportion of the Bench Mark Price (as set by SHA) effective at the date when the extension is required. The full policy and details of fees will be posted on the Student Community area on Blackboard during Semester one.

Changing Academic Level

On commencement of a course unit, students will be given up to 4 weeks to change their academic level. After which point no further changes can be made. Students must contact the unit lead to enquire about any such request. Students must have written confirmation from their line manager that a change in level has been approved.

Defer/Suspend

Students may under exceptional circumstances be able to defer completion of a module up to 4 weeks after commencement. Students must request this in writing to the Programme Director and provide supporting independent 3rd party evidence. If approved, the student will be able to enrol on the next available intake without additional tuition fees being imposed. Any requests for deferral may result in the University contacting the student’s employer for clarification.

Academic Appeals, Complaints, Conduct and Discipline

Academic Appeals

• For the most up to date information regarding appeals, students should refer to the University’s general support pages, since the pages are updated to reflect changes in policy and guidelines.
• 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 and to determine whether the matter can be resolved informally by the School prior to making a formal appeal.
• 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 electronically by e-mail:  (FBMHappealsandcomplaints@manchester.ac.uk).
• The Academic Appeals Procedure (Regulation XIX) and associated documents, including the form on which formal appeals should be submitted, can be found at http://www.regulations.manchester.ac.uk/academic/basic-guide-academic-appeals/

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 https://www.reportandsupport.manchester.ac.uk/
• Students thinking of submitting a formal complaint should, in most instances, attempt informal resolution first (see the procedure). Formal complaints should be submitted on the relevant form to Faculty Appeals and Complaints Team electronically by e-mail: FBMHappealsandcomplaints@manchester.ac.uk).

Conduct and Discipline of Students

• General University information on the conduct and discipline of students can be found at Regulations | Academic-related regulations | Regulation XVII: Conduct and Discipline of Students | The University of Manchester
• Faculty policies for students on communication and dress code, social networking and drugs and 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 and Alcohol)
  • http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=29040 (Social Networking)
• Information on Academic Malpractice and how to avoid it can be found at http://www.regulations.manchester.ac.uk/guidance-to-students-on-plagiarism-and-other-forms-of-academic-malpractice/
• In accordance with the Policy on Submission of Work for Summative Assessment on Taught Programmes, ‘All typed summative assessment, including dissertations, should be submitted online and subjected to plagiarism detection software, where appropriate’.

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

https://www.library.manchester.ac.uk/training/my-learning-essentials/online-resources/

REGULATION XVII – CONDUCT AND DISCIPLINE OF STUDENTS

Guidance on Social Networking for Healthcare Students

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

What is the purpose of this document?

This document provides advice and guidance for healthcare students about the benefits and potential dangers of social networking and suggests ways in which their personal and professional interests, and those of others, can be protected while in the online environment.

What are social networking sites used for?

Social networking is a popular online activity: millions of people of all ages and backgrounds use social networking sites every day, Online social networking sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and Bebo, are used:

• To keep in touch with friends, both in words and through sharing music, video and other types of files (YouTube is also used for sharing videos, and Flickr for sharing images, online).
• For educational and professional benefit, through sharing information about the latest developments in treatments and practice, problem-solving, encouraging participation, and community building.
• To forge new relationships based on common interests.
• To make their views and opinions known.
• To take part in discussions on virtually any subject.

People often interact with social networking sites over long periods of time and, occasionally, excessive activity of this nature may have detrimental effects on their work or study.

What is the social networking environment?

It is important to remember that social networking sites are public and therefore, in theory, accessible to anybody.  In many cases, ownership of the material posted on them belongs to the site, not the person who posted it, and so sites such as Facebook are free to use it in any way they see fit.  Material posted online remains there permanently, if not as part of an active page then as part of easily-accessible ‘cached’, i.e. historical, versions of it.

Who visits social networking sites, and why?

Anybody can visit social networking sites and gain access to the information that is uploaded to them.  These people include:

• Your intended audience, i.e. your friends, colleagues and others, to share information and to keep in touch.
• Potential employers, who are, increasingly, using social networking sites to gather information about people who have applied for positions within their organisations.
• Criminals, including sexual predators who could use information about you to compromise your safety or wellbeing, and fraudsters, who could steal information about you and impersonate you online, to your potential cost.
• The police, as part of investigations into illegal activities.
• Professional healthcare bodies such as the General Dental Council, General Medical Council, General Pharmaceutical Council, General Social Care Council, Health Professions Council, and Nursing & Midwifery Council, who may access information directly or be asked to investigate material referred on to them by other people.
• Patients, clients and other service users, who may be looking for healthcare information in general, or for your views and comments in particular. Your professional relationship with your patients, and your career, could be compromised at any time by indiscriminate posting of details about patients or inappropriate information about yourself.

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 heaIthcare 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.  Healthcare students from Divisions in the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and 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 Division, 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 Regulation XVII Conduct and Discipline of Students 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 Dignity at Work and Study – Procedure for Students document gives information about the nature and consequences of acts of misconduct while social networking, such as discrimination, bullying and harassment[1], 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 A-Z of Student Services 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:

General Dental Council: ‘Standards for Dental Professionals’

Paragraph 3.2, ‘Protect the confidentiality of patients’ information’:

“(You must) prevent information from being accidentally revealed and prevent unauthorised access by keeping information secure at all times”.

Paragraph 6.3, ‘Be trustworthy’:

“(You must) maintain appropriate standards of personal behaviour in all walks of life so that patients have confidence in you and the public have confidence in the dental profession”.

General Medical Council: ‘Good Medical Practice’

Paragraphs 56 to 58, ‘Being honest and trustworthy’

“Probity means being honest and trustworthy, and acting with integrity: this is at the heart of medical professionalism”.  

“You must make sure that your conduct at all times justifies your patients’ trust in you and the public’s trust in the profession”.

“You must inform the GMC without delay if, anywhere in the world, you have accepted a caution, been charged with or found guilty of a criminal offence, or if another professional body has made a finding against your registration as a result of fitness to practise procedures”.

Nursing and Midwifery Council: ‘Your Code of Conduct applies to your Personal Life’

“Nurses and midwives could be putting their registration at risk if posting inappropriate comments about colleagues or patients or posting any material that could be considered explicit”.  

What conclusions can be drawn from all of this?

If the way you conduct yourself online breaks laws, or goes against the codes of practice set down by your professional healthcare body, then you risk the same penalties as you would in any other setting.  These include referral to the Faculty Fitness to Practise Committee and potential damage to your career, fines, and even imprisonment.

Acknowledgement: The Faculty wishes to acknowledge the work of Mrs Dianne Burns, Division of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, whose document “Social Networking Sites and Student Issues” informed the content of this guidance.

Fitness to Practice Committee

Students registered on a programme of study leading to a professional qualification may be referred to the Faculty’s Fitness to Practice Committee on either of the following grounds. Students registered on a programme of study, who already hold a professional body registration, may be referred to their own professional body Fitness to Practice Committee also on the following grounds.

• any conduct which may render that student a person not fit to be admitted to and practise that profession or calling; or
• any health problem which may render that student a person not fit to be admitted to and practise that profession or calling.

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

Attendance

Students are expected to attend all scheduled teaching and learning sessions in every year of study, unless alternative arrangements or flexibility in attendance has been agreed for individual students, if unavoidable circumstances such as illness prevents you from attending or if absence has been authorised. This includes both on-campus teaching as well as online/blended, distance or remote learning modes of delivery. 

It is expected that all students will attend all taught sessions; however, you are required to attend at least 80% of taught sessions for each programme unit. This regulation applies equally to course units that are delivered on-line. For e-learning/on-line course units online registers will be available in Blackboard for each teaching/themed session and Zoom reports will be available to monitor engagement (students are therefore encouraged to sign into Zoom using their full name). If, due to illness or other circumstances, you are unable to attend you need to inform the programme administrator.

If you are unable to attend a teaching session you should inform the lecturer/instructor in the first instance to catch up on missed learning and for support with teaching materials. For absences of 1-2 days, you do not need to tell the Student Support and Wellbeing Team.

If you expect to miss one or more full weeks of teaching, you must notify the Student Support and Wellbeing team on shs.attendance@manchester.ac.uk, as well as your Academic Advisor. Please provide a reason for this to help the team provide appropriate guidance and signposting as required. 

If your attendance is deemed to be too low, someone from the Student Support and Wellbeing team will be in touch to check in with you and make sure that you are ok. If the poor attendance continues without a valid reason, your Academic Advisor will be informed. If there is still no improvement in your attendance, you will be asked to a meeting with your Programme Director. This is in line with the university policy on monitoring attendance: Regulations | Academic-related regulations | Regulation XX Monitoring Attendance | The University of Manchester 

We are very aware of and experienced in delivering a part time programme of education to adult students who are also engaged in clinical practice. Course units are therefore arranged to take this into consideration, so far as is possible. Course units are not usually delivered over the main holiday periods at Christmas, Easter and the main summer holiday period, and many course units will make an effort to accommodate Division half terms (this is slightly more problematic as different Local Education Authorities have different half term dates).

Tier 4 Visa Students: 

As a part of your visa requirement, your attendance needs to be monitored with regular in-person check ins on campus. You will need to attend the SHS Hub (Ground Floor, Jean McFarland building) twice a week on your assigned days to scan your student ID card. 

Procedure for reporting sickness and absence

Regulation XX – Monitoring Attendance and Wellbeing of Students

Definitions of Sickness, Absence and Unauthorised Absence

Sickness: Absence from the programme due to personal ill-health or whilst attending for healthcare treatment. Even if you are sick for only one day, a self-certification form needs to be returned to the Division within seven days.

Authorised Absence – It is your responsibility to discuss these requirements and seek authorisation from your Academic Advisor. Authorised absence will be documented and includes Compassionate Leave, Carer’s Leave or leave for personal reasons – to be determined by your Academic Advisor. Authorised absence forms should be returned within seven days of the absence.

Unauthorised Absence – Absence from the clinical placement area or University without permission or explanation. Holidays in term-time will be recorded as unauthorised absence.

Failure to adhere to the attendance regulations stipulated above:

Monitoring Engagement

• Warning point 1 – Once a trigger point has been reached the student must be sent correspondence (normally via email)  inviting them to attend a meeting with their Programme Director (and/or nominee). At the meeting, the Student is invited to explain the reason for poor engagement. It is also outlined what the student must do to retrieve their engagement record.

Where the student fails to attend or respond to the Review Meeting letter:

• Warning point 2 – A formal written warning letter will be sent from the Programme Director/nominee. If the student does not respond to the formal written warning letter after a further 10-working days, a Withdrawal letter  should be sent.

Where the student attends the meeting but fails to provide a satisfactory explanation for not complying with the engagement requirements:

• Warning point 2 – A formal written warning should be issued. The formal warning must explain the steps required to affect necessary improvement in attendance and the consequences of further poor engagement.
• Warning point 3 – Failure to comply with steps taken to improve engagement will result in the Examination Board being notified and the student may be refused permission to continue with their programme of study. A further formal letter should be sent, outlining the final Exam Board decision.

Interruptions and Withdrawals 

Interruptions

If at any point in your studies you feel that you need to take some time away from your degree, you can interrupt your studies and return once you are ready. You need to be aware of the below implications when considering taking an interruption, so it is best to discuss any queries you may have with the Student Support and Wellbeing Team/Programme Director/Year Tutor/Academic Advisor. 

There are a few important things to think about when deciding to interrupt: 

• Primarily, your wellbeing. If an interruption is the best decision for you, it should benefit your present and future wellbeing and support you completing your degree to the best of your abilities. 
• Tuition Fees 
• Accommodation (if living in UoM halls)  
• Possible changes to course content on return  
• Tier 4 students MUST be referred to the Student Immigration Team in SSC to discuss consequences of interruption (3.2 Policy on Interruptions to UG and PGT Programmes of Study)  

If you then wish to request an interruption to study, either via email, during a welfare meeting, or following a meeting with an AA, you would need to complete an SHS Interruption Request Form, which can be obtained by contacting the Student Support and Wellbeing team on shs.wellbeing@manchester.ac.uk. It is helpful to know at this stage how long you expect to interrupt for and when you might return. 

You need to complete and sign the form, returning it back to the shs.wellbeing@manchester.ac.uk email address with any appropriate supporting evidence. The form will then be sent to the relevant member of academic staff for approval (this may be the Programme Director, Year Tutor or Academic Advisor). 

*Please note that students will be contacted by the Student Support and Wellbeing Team prior to their return to study/return from interruption* 

Withdrawals

If you decide that you are unable to continue your programme, you can withdraw from your studies. You will need to be aware of the below implications when considering withdrawing from the programme, so we would always advise discussing any queries you may have with the Student Support and Wellbeing Team/Programme Director/Year Tutor/Academic Advisor. 

• Tuition Fees  
• Accommodation (if living in UoM halls)  
• Future career prospects 

If you then wish to withdraw from the programme, either via email, during a welfare meeting, or following a meeting with an AA, you will need to complete a SHS Withdrawal Request Form, which can be obtained by contacting the Student Support and Wellbeing team on shs.wellbeing@manchester.ac.uk.

Students need to complete and sign the form, returning it back to the shs.wellbeing@manchester.ac.uk email address. No supporting evidence is required for a request to withdraw. The form will then be sent to the relevant member of academic staff for approval (this may be the Programme Director, Year Tutor or Academic Advisor).

Once the Student Support and Wellbeing Team has received the form which has been approved by the relevant member of staff, a standard confirmation letter will be sent to you confirming the details of the withdrawal.  

Credits and Student Effort

In order to ensure parity and equity throughout the programme course unit specifications are standardised for the MSc degree.   From the first day of attendance to the handing in of course work, the length of time is normally 15 weeks for a 15-credit unit and 20 weeks for 30 credits (with the exception of the dissertation unit). For each 15 credit unit there is a standard 200 hours of student effort and this is 400 hours for 30 credits. Student effort consists of contact time, which is normally 42 hours for a 15 credit unit and 84 hours for a 30 credit unit, directed, and self-directed study.  

An example of student effort for a 15 credit unit:

Contact time	Lectures, tutorials, seminars, group discussion, PBLPersonal tutorial time	40 hours 2 hours
Directed study	Completion of practical and/or theoretical assessment	79 hours
Self-directed study	Reading and other scholarly activity chosen to achieve the learning outcomes.	79 hours

 Currency of Credits There is no limit to the number of stand-alone units a student can do before registering for the MSc programme. Stand-alone units undertaken in the CPD portfolio will be counted towards the MSc programme, provided they were commenced within three years from the date of registration with the programme and provided a mark of 50% or above was awarded. Units commenced outside the three year time frame will not be counted towards the MSc. A student who fails a stand-alone unit below the compensatable mark (i.e. 39%) would have to wait until three years had elapsed from the date of commencing that unit before they could register for the MSc programme. They would be entitled to continue with other stand-alone units during that period.

Completion of Course Units

Normally each unit must be completed and ratified as passed within two years of the commencement of the course unit.

Student Support & Guidance

Student Support and Wellbeing Team 

The Student Support and Wellbeing Team can support your wellbeing needs through the year. The team is here to support you when you wish to discuss circumstances such as interrupting your studies, financial issues, the submission of details of mitigating circumstances 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 support service. 

Support from the University 

As a student at the University of Manchester, you have access to a huge range of support services and resources. This includes, but is not limited to, support relating to your studies, finances, health and wellbeing, settling in and making friends, personal safety and planning for your future beyond University.  

Students’ Union Advice Centre 

The Students’ Union has advisers who can help with any matter ranging from finances to housing and beyond. The Advice Centre is on the first floor in the Student Union Building, and is open Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 4.30pm, term time and vacation. See http://manchesterstudentsunion.com/. 

Support of care experienced and estranged students 

The University of Manchester recognises that care experienced students, and those that become estranged from their families often require additional support. This may take the form of, amongst other things, financial support, help with accommodation, provision of quiet study are as and general support. Please contact shs.wellbeing@manchester.ac.uk for further details on how to access support. 

Support for Students with Disability and Long-Term Health Problems 

If you have a disability, or have learning support needs, we advise that you register with the Disability Advisory and Support Service (DASS). They can offer a range of services to help you make the most of your University experience. Where appropriate, they will work with you to develop a support plan which will put in place any support you require for exams, from the library or from teaching staff. 

Registering with DASS is particularly important for students where ongoing or recurring difficulties may impact their academic performance. The University’s Policy on Mitigating Circumstances (see section 6) does not allow students to make repeated claims for the same condition, because to qualify for mitigation, the circumstance must be ‘unforeseeable’. However, the Mitigating Circumstances Committee can award further mitigation where DASS support your claim; for example, by advising the committee that your condition is associated with ‘flare-ups’ (which are unforeseeable). 

You can find more information and how to register with DASS here: http://www.dass.manchester.ac.uk/ 

Support for International Students 

Manchester has a thriving International student community and you will have lots of opportunities to engage with students from all over the world. The International Society (http://www.internationalsociety.org.uk), based on Oxford Road, organises trips, events, activities and community projects which are open to both International and British students. The Language Centre also provides support to International students who have concerns about their English skills (http://www.languagecentre.manchester.ac.uk/). 

UoM Counselling Service 

The Counselling & Mental Health Service works in partnership with other support services within the university and are here to provide support for you should you feel you need help with your mental health. 

The Counselling & Mental Health Service offer a range of workshops, groups, 1-1 appointments and other resources to help you. For more information and to book an appointment click here: Get Help 

You can also phone for advice on 0161 275 2864 between 9.00am – 4.30pm (Monday – Friday). 

Student Support and Wellbeing Contact Details 

shs.mitcircs@manchester.ac.uk – for information and guidance on mitigating circumstances and extensions, including sending evidence and receiving outcomes of applications. 

shs.attendance@manchester.ac.uk – for queries related to attendance monitoring. 

shs.wellbeing@manchester.ac.uk – for support and signposting to university wellbeing resources, as well as making a wellbeing appointment with an advisor. 

shs.dc@manchester.ac.uk – for Disability Advisory and Support Service (DASS) enquiries. 

Occupational Health

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

Email: waterlooocchealth@manchester.ac.uk

Tel: 0161 275 2858

On-going support for all students is provided by the Occupational Health Department. The aim of the service is to promote the health and wellbeing of all students and the prevention of illness and injuries at work. This is achieved by ensuring students are offered at commencement an initial health screening appointment where key health related information is provided and appropriate immunisation provided.

Careers Service

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

Email: careers.info@manchester.ac.uk

Tel: 0161 275 2829

The Careers Service aims to improve the employability of students by providing them with key skills and knowledge. To help students formulate and implement well-informed choices about their careers they deliver and manage numerous services, projects, courses and events. The Careers Service work in partnership with colleagues across The University of Manchester and with organisations across the UK.

Programme Director and Unit Leads

The Programme Director is accountable and responsible for overseeing the ongoing development, planning, resourcing and delivery of all aspects of the programme and is available for support for students in relation to overarching programme issues. The Programme Director is available for appointments with students and has regular drop-in sessions.

Each course unit has at minimum one designated lead who is responsible for overseeing the management and delivery of all aspects of the teaching, learning and assessment process within that unit. They are also a guide for students in relation to the acquisition and development of the knowledge and skills within the unit and offer specific support for the development of work for formative and summative assessments.

Specific time is set aside in each unit for unit specific tutorial support (individually or in small groups) and students are offered the opportunity to submit and receive feedback on draft plans of work prior to submission of summative assessments. As well as specified tutorial time students will constantly receive advice and support as a group or individually from the unit leader/team through participating in seminar discussions and/or on line discussion boards and postings and receiving feedback.

Written feedback on summative assessments is provided and additional feedback may be obtained by booking an email/telephone or face to face appointment with the course unit leader/marker.

The programme director and unit leaders are supported by administrative and secretarial staff, who also act as key contacts for students in relation to any administrative issues related to the programme.

Health & Safety

All students must familiarise themselves with the procedures for dealing with an emergency, including discovery of a fire and fire exit points.  Similarly, all students are required to familiarise themselves with the Health and Safety at Work regulations, extracts of which are posted outside Room G.319 Jean McFarlane Building.  

Anyone requiring first aid for themselves or for others should contact one of the first aiders situated in the building. Their names and telephone numbers are posted in common user areas. There are two Health and Safety advisers for the Division.

A full copy of the University of Manchester Health and Safety Policy can be found at: http://www.campus.manchester.ac.uk/healthandsafety/index.htm

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

Religious Observance and Looking after yourself and your patients during Ramadan 

Policy on Religious Observance:

• University Policy
• The Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health has produced guidance for healthcare students on fasting and caring: display.aspx (manchester.ac.uk) 

Learning Resources 

Library Facilities 

The University of Manchester Library consists of the Main Library, Alan Gilbert Learning Commons (AGLC), and several site libraries, and provides you with the resources and support you need throughout your BMidwif/MMidwif programme. The two most relevant locations for you are the Main Library and the AGLC. The Main Library houses all of the essential text books whilst the AGLC provides a 24/7 learning environment.

As the third largest academic library in the country, and one of only five national research libraries, the Library has an extensive collection of resources, including eBooks, databases and journals available online.

The ‘My Home’ tab in MyManchester contains your library summary, including current loans, reservations and charges and links to the resource bank.  Other Library services can be access via ‘My Learning’ within MyManchester.

Getting Started

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

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

My Learning Essentials is the name of the Library’s study skills programme. As part of this programme we provide face-to-face workshops and online tutorials covering a wide range of subjects from presentations skills to referencing.

Each course module in Blackboard includes an online reading list, so you can quickly check availability and directly access e-books, digitised chapters and e-journals or articles.

The Main Library

The Main Library holds the principal collection of Midwifery books and journals. Midwifery textbooks are located on Floor 2 of the Blue Area, together with books in other related subjects. Midwifery journals held in print are on Floor 1 of the Green Area in the Clinical Sciences sequence; further relevant periodicals are shelved in other areas of the Main Library. Library Search is the name of the Library’s catalogue. You can use Library Search to find out what items are available and where to find them, including eBooks and online journals. One of the great features of Library Search is that you can search down to the article level in journals (and databases) without having to go to the journal homepage.

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

The Alan Gilbert Learning Commons

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

IT Facilities 

University Computer Facilities

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

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

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

IT Services and E-Learning

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

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 or search the Knowledge Base.

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

University PC Clusters

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

Some clusters will be booked for teaching and learning purposes at various times, therefore you are advised to visit the website:

http://www.itservices.manchester.ac.uk/pcclusters/pcclusterlocations/ or the Central IT Service Desk for the latest opening times and PC Cluster information.

Blackboard

Blackboard, the University’s ‘virtual learning environment’, will be used for online teaching.

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

• view course materials and learning resources,
• communicate with lectures and other students,
• collaborate in groups,
• get feedback
• submit assignments
• monitoring your own progress at a time and place of your own convenience.

Training in the use of software

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

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

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

Online Skills Training Resource

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

Accessing the online skills resource

You can access Blackboard through the My Manchester portal (http://my.manchester.ac.uk). The skills training resource is available in an academic community space available to all registered PGT students in the Faculty through Blackboard. If you cannot see these units in your Blackboard please contact your Programme Administrator.

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 contact your Programme Administrator if you are unsure which material relates to your assessed work. You will still be able to refer to the online skills resource in later years.

Past Examination Papers

Examination papers for the preceding academic year may be available on line from October.

These can be accessed from: http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/pastpapers.aspx Multiple-choice question papers and papers for practical examinations are not made available.

Assessment

Introduction to Assessments

The programme has been designed to evidence development through the use of a range of assessment strategies.  An assortment of assignments, formative and summative, is used to assess whether unit and programme learning outcomes have been achieved. Key to assessment is the integration of an in-depth understanding of theory/evidence to advanced clinical practice. Summative assignments include traditional strategies such as essay writing which will progress abilities associated with complex problem solving, critical thinking and formulation of sound and informed arguments in written formats.

Given the nature of the programme, some essays and presentations will require the critical reflection on aspects of the student’s own advanced specialist practice. Other methods of assessment for some clinically orientated units will include the simulation of clinical skills.

Students wishing to exit with the award of an MSc will be required to complete a 12-15 000 word dissertation under the supervision of a member of the learning and teaching team. This final part of the programme allows students to consolidate their learning and demonstrate their meeting of the learning outcomes of the programme which focuses on an aspect of advanced specialist practice.

All assessments will assess the student’s ability to gather information from a wide range of sources, evaluate and critically analyse information to inform the development of considered arguments about the information.

All of the written assignments offer students the opportunity to develop their knowledge and understanding of core subject areas, concepts and theories, integrating specialist theory and practice through a process of critical appraisal.

The extant marking criteria used in SNMSW will be used and included in the Programme Handbook. Formative assessment and feedback is a key feature of the units to enable the sharing of continuous feedback from the beginning of the programme.

The University postgraduate degree regulations are available at: Regulations | Academic-related regulations | Postgraduate Degree Regulations | The University of Manchester.

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

The dynamic nature of nurse education, the variety of assessment strategies, and the changes in University regulations will lead to periodic review of the assessment information within this handbook. Students will be notified of updates through the student Community area in Blackboard. It is essential that you familiarise yourself with these regulations so that you are aware of the correct procedures to follow for all assessment matters. Systems are in place to support your progression throughout the programme. 

Please take time to read the rest of this section as it will guide you through relevant processes. 

If you have a problem or concern at any stage of the assessment process it is beneficial to the student to deal with issues as they arise.

Range of Assessments

A range of assessments are utilised within the programme in order to assess students’ knowledge, understanding, and developing intellectual, practical and key transferable skills. This includes examinations, both seen and unseen that require the student to demonstrate their knowledge of underpinning subjects and apply this knowledge under controlled conditions. Individual and group seminars utilised enable students’ knowledge and skills to be assessed through verbal presentations to academic and clinical staff and fellow students.  The ability to communicate information and understanding using this format is an essential skill that will be required throughout students’ nursing careers.   Group work also allow for assessment of students’ abilities to work together as a team. Programmes use a variety of assessment methods. In this programme some examples of the methods used include:

• Written Assignments
• Seminar Presentations
• Written Examinations
• Poster Presentations
• Audio/Visual Recorded assessment
• Assessment in Practice through Practice Assessment Documents (PAD’s)

An example of standardised assessment

Theoretical assessment   

Unit creditRating	Notional Assignment Length/Student Effort
15	150 hours of student effort3,500 words +/- 10% Submission Week 15
30 credits	300 hours of student effort7,000 +/- 10% Submission Week 20
Equivalent assessment
One hour examination	1,750 + 10% words
Two hour examination	3,500 + 10% words

University and Professional Requirements for Progression

In order to Progress to the dissertation course unit of your MSc programme you must have completed and passed 120 Credits at Level 7 (FHEQ 7).

Assessment of Practice

See course unit guide.

Criteria for Success

See Course Unit Guide.

Failure to Achieve in Clinical Practice

You are expected to achieve all the standards or competencies and practice skills specified for each unit. Failure to achieve one of the outcomes specified will constitute a fail grade being awarded. If you are not making satisfactory progress at any time you should be informed. These events must be documented within an intermediate report and your personal teacher contacted.

Practice Assessment

Like academic assessments, all practice assessments need to be passed in order for an award to be conferred.

• Assessment documentation is your personal and professional responsibility and should not be given to clinical staff for safe keeping or to take away and complete. You will be fully responsible for document loss.
• You will need to secure a mentor prior to commencing the unit. A mentor will have responsibility to assess you in practice making both verbal and written comment.  Each mentor should have a copy of the Programme Specific guidelines/mentors handbook.  This can be obtained from your Course Unit Leader if required.
• Another appropriately qualified member of staff, working in that clinical placement, may carry out the function of the associate mentor for individual aspects of practice but the mentor will have overall responsibility for assessment. Placement Mentor Alone Determines a Pass / Fail.
• The mentor will give verbal and written comments on your progress in achieving the desired outcomes and practice skills. This will be assessed continuously as you move through the units and specifically both midway and at the end of the unit. The mentor signs the standards document to verify success in the practical aspects of the unit.
• The Course Unit Leader should be contacted if you encounter difficulty in being able to organise these meetings.
• Both mentor and student need to be familiar with the documentation before any entries are made. Should there be any problems associated with the understanding of this documentation the Course Unit Leader should be contacted.
• Completed practice assessment documents should be returned by the specified date to the receiving office.
• There is a word limit set for the evidence and reflection recorded within the Practice Assessment Document. The required word limit will be indicated on the document guidelines.

It is important to ensure that the practical assessment document is adequately completed.  The Verification Sheet must be signed and dated by your mentor and by you. If you are experiencing any difficulty in completing the practice assessment document you are strongly advised to talk to your Course Unit Leader or to contact the Examinations Office rather than submit the document incomplete or incorrectly recorded. 

Guidelines of Assessment

Course Work Requirements

Written work

It is strongly recommended that if you do not understand any aspect of an assignment or are otherwise experiencing some related difficulty, to contact your Course Unit Leader as soon as possible to discuss the situation.  The Course Unit Leader will offer you appropriate academic support, or referral to other support mechanisms within the Division or university.

Drafts of work

Please note that in the interests of parity and equity amongst students, and in the interests of promoting independent self directed learning only one draft piece of work (500 words) can be reviewed, and normally this should not be within 2 weeks of the submission date. Students will be given a cut-off date for the submission of formative work which will be identified within the course unit guide. All formative work submission should be via TURNITIN. Feedback on this draft is formative (feedback on how the work is progressing and identifying areas for development).

Written Assignments and Seminars

Each seminar is divided into a delivery section and a text (or written) section, both of these will be assessed. The regulations regarding word limits which apply to written assignments apply equally to seminar texts.

For seminar delivery, you are strongly advised to read and adhere to the guidelines which will be provided by your Course Unit Leader and will include details of time, venue, and presentation methods.

(i)        The delivery of the seminar will be presented in the designated classroom at the designated time.

(ii)       If you are absent for seminar delivery, and this is unauthorised, the seminar will be classified as a fail.

(iii)      You are advised to arrive well in advance of your seminar delivery time.

(iv)      If you do arrive late for seminar delivery, you should report as soon as you can, to your Course Unit Leader.

(v)       Lateness will constitute ‘an attempt’ unless the programme Examination Office receives official documentary evidence, within 5 working days of the Seminar delivery.

(vi)      Once a seminar text has been submitted it will not be returned. You are therefore strongly advised to make two copies of each seminar text.  The second non-submitted copy is for your own reference.

(vii)     All seminar texts must be submitted to the programme receiving Office by 12:00pm hours on the date specified unless stated otherwise. A receipt as proof of submission will be provided.

(viii)    If you do not submit a seminar text on time, the whole assignment will be classified as a fail.

(ix)      If you are sick on the day of seminar delivery and / or the last day of seminar text submission and thereby fail to meet the submission deadline, the programme Examination Office must (within 5 working days of the date) receive a certificate of sickness signed by a doctor or doctor’s letter or self cert form. If this is not forthcoming, a fail grade will be awarded.

(x)       If you have your absence certified, another delivery and /or submission date will be provided. The amount of time normally allowed is equivalent to the amount of continuous sickness from the original submission date until return to work.

(xi)      If the period of sickness is short and it is a first attempt, the work will generally be marked with the resubmitted seminar texts and deliveries.   If the period of sickness is long and / or it is not a first attempt another date for results will be provided.

(xii)     Absence from assessed Seminars/presentations as a result of a planned holiday or appointment will constitute ‘an attempt’, as a result the student will be referred for that assessment.

Avoiding Academic Malpractice

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

This guidance is designed to help you understand what we regard as academic malpractice and hence to help you to avoid committing it. You should read it carefully, because academic malpractice is regarded as a serious offence and students found to have committed it will be penalised.

Academic malpractice is any activity – intentional or otherwise – that is likely to undermine the integrity essential to scholarship and research. Academic malpractice includes plagiarism, collusion, fabrication or falsification of results and anything else intended by those committing it to achieve credit that they do not properly deserve. In addition to the advice that follows, your Division will give you advice on how to avoid academic malpractice in the context of your discipline. It will also design assessments so as to help you avoid the temptation to commit academic malpractice. Finally, you should take note that work you submit may be screened electronically to check against other material on the web and in other submitted work.

Information on Academic Malpractice and how to avoid it can be found: click here

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

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is presenting the ideas, work or words of other people without proper, clear and unambiguous acknowledgement. It also includes self-plagiarism (which occurs where, for example, you submit work that you have presented for assessment on a previous occasion), and the submission of material from essay banks (even if the authors of such material appear to be giving you permission to use it in this way). Obviously, the most blatant example of plagiarism would be to copy another student’s work. Hence it is essential to make clear in your assignments the distinction between:

• the ideas and work of other people that you may have quite legitimately exploited and developed, and
• the ideas or material that you have personally contributed.

To assist you, here is the library’s e–learning essentials guide.

Collusion

Collusion occurs when a student or students collaborate with another student or students, as an individual or group to gain a mark or grade to which they are not entitled. Students who allow another student to copy their work or who make their work available to another student are also committing collusion and both the copier and the provider of the work are liable to be penalised.

Fabrication / Falsification

Fabrication or falsification of data or results by individual students or groups of students is the presentation or inclusion in a piece of work of figures or data which have been made up or altered and which have no basis in verifiable sources; this may or may not involve other instances of academic malpractice.

If you commit any form of academic malpractice, teaching staff will not be able to assess your individual abilities objectively or accurately. Any short-term gain you might have hoped to achieve will be cancelled out by the loss of proper feedback you might have received, and in the long run such behaviour is likely to damage your overall intellectual development, to say nothing of your self-esteem. You are the one who loses.

TurnitinUK

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.

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.

Referencing – The Harvard System

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

Though there are many referencing/bibliographical systems around, the Harvard system is the system adopted by many of the prestigious social work and social science journals.  More importantly, it is the system, which the Division of Nursing, Midwifery & Social Work has adopted.

This means that it is the only system, which is acceptable for any work submitted by students within the Division.  Please see the Library’s Referencing Guide.

Assignment Word Count (Including Dissertation)

In accordance with the University Policy on Marking:

Each written assignment has a word limit which you must state at the top of your first page. It is acceptable, without penalty, for you to submit an assignment within a range that is plus 10% of this limit. If you present an assignment with a word count exceeding the specified limit+10%, the assignment will be marked but 1% will be deducted from this mark for every 100 words over the limit given. For an original word limit that is 1000 words and an assignment that is marked out of 100.  If a submission is made that is 1101 words, then it exceeded the 10% leeway, and is more than 100 words over the original limit and should receive a 1-mark deduction.  In accordance with accepted academic practice, when submitting any written assignment for summative assessment, the notion of a word count includes the following without exception:

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

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

(NB: This section also and equally applies to seminar texts)  

The Division’s policy on what is included in the word count for academic (that is) theoretical assessments namely any one of the following

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

In accordance with accepted academic practice when student are submitting any written assignment for summative assessment in the format outlined above the notion of a word count includes the following without exception:

• All titles or headings that form part of the actual text. This does not include the fly page or reference list.
• All words that form the actual essay
• All words forming the titles for figures, tables and boxes, are included but this does not include boxes or tables or figures themselves
• All in-text (that is bracketed) references
• All directly quoted material
• Each written assignment has a word limit. It is acceptable, without penalty, for you to submit an assignment within a range that is plus 10% of this limit. The rationale for imposing a word limit is that it provides a degree of parity for marking and moderating purposes and it allows you to demonstrate a degree of academic discipline. You are required to record the word count on your written work.
• If you present an assignment with a word limit substantially below the minimum banding, depending on the amount short, it may well contribute to or determine the award of a fail grade.
• If you present an assignment with a word limit substantially exceeding the upper banding, a penalty of 1% of the marks will be deducted for every 100 words over the limit.

Where Assessment is via Pre-recorded Presentation

It is acceptable, without penalty, for you to submit an assignment via pre-recorded presentation within a range that is plus 10% of the set time limit. If you present an assignment via pre-recorded presentation with a time exceeding the specified time limit (+/- 10%), the assignment will be marked but 1% will be deducted from this mark for every minute over the limit. Presentation of Assignments

(NB: This section also and equally applies to seminar texts)

• Presentation is an important aspect of assignment writing. Poor presentation of assignments can result in poor marks. You are strongly advised to consider the following guidelines. Further aspects of assignment presentation can be obtained from your Course Unit Leader.
• Students submitting assignments electronically must complete the submission page and when asked to enter the submission title, must enter their 7 digit university id number (to be found on the student I.D./library/photo card). Failure to follow this explicit instruction may result in a ‘Failed to submit’.
• All assignments submitted online should have the appropriate information situated in the header/footer of the document. This should include your student ID (7 digit number on your I.D./library/photo card) and the Course unit Code. A submission guide can be found in the online submission area in Blackboard.

For any hard copy assessments submitted to the examinations office, you must complete a coversheet/Pro-forma prior to submission. These can be obtained from the Assessment Support Office, room G.313 Jean McFarlane Building University Place.

• All work must be submitted in typescript. If you do not possess a word processor, you have access to IT facilities and support within the university and Division. Your Course Unit Leader will be able to provide you with information on how to access these facilities.
• For typescript the font size of the main body of text should be a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 14.
• You will not be penalised for handwritten assessments, however hand written work must be legible; that which is not may receive lower marks or a fail grade.
• The presentation should be consistent. Marks will be deducted if some of the assessment is hand written and some of it is in typescript.
• Lines of script must be 1.5 to double spaced. An extra line should be present between paragraphs.
• Pages should possess adequate side margins of approximately 2.5
• Each page must be numbered, preferably at the bottom centre position. Only one side of each sheet of paper should contain handwriting or typescript.
• Each assignment must possess a reference list using a Harvard style (see appendix 1). You will incur a penalty for any assignment submitted without a reference list meaning a mark of 0% will be awarded.
• When submitting your assignment online, this must include your reference list as part of the same document.
• All assignments submitted online will need to follow the appropriate instructions on the appropriate submission area in Blackboard.
• You are strongly advised to retain a personal copy, as assignments cannot be returned.

Seminar Presentations

• Each seminar is divided into a delivery section and a text (or written) section, both of these will be assessed.
• For seminar delivery, students are strongly advised to read and adhere to the respective guidelines.
• The time limits for each seminar delivery will be strictly adhered to. Students are strongly advised to utilise allocated time to the full.

Written and Practical Formal Examinations

• If you do not present yourself at an examination for reasons other than illness or other officially verifiable cause, you will be deemed to have failed that examination and awarded a fail grade. Misreading of the timetable or communication will not be accepted as a satisfactory explanation of absence.
• If you do not sit an examination, satisfactory official documentation (detailing the cause) such as a certificate of sickness, signed by a doctor or doctor’s letter or self-certification form, should be received by the Examination & Assessments Office within 5 working days¹ of the examination. This will enable the attempt to be declared null and void. Another date/time will be arranged.
• In the event of late arrival, In the case of any written examination, you are only permitted to enter the examination room within the first 30 minutes. In the case of practical examinations no student is permitted to enter the examination room if his / her ‘time slot’ has been missed. You are strongly advised therefore to arrive at examination sites well in advance of the commencement of examinations.
• A student, who arrives late to an examination, should, at a mutually convenient time, report to his / her personal tutor/unit leader.
• Lateness at any examination (written or practical) will constitute ‘an attempt’ unless official documentary evidence such as that from the police (in the case of an accident) is received by the Examination Office within 5 working days of the examination.
• You are required to bring to each examination your current university registration card (swipe card). In the case of written examinations this card will normally be placed on the top right hand corner of the desk and is to remain there throughout the examination. In the case of practical examinations an examiner will inspect the card at the beginning of each student’s examination.
• If you are not in possession of a ‘swipe card’ another form of acceptable identity will be one that contains a recent photograph and your name such as a current passport or staff ID card.
• A form of identity not containing a photograph will be unacceptable, as will a form of identity not containing, but presented with, a separate photograph.
• Should you present at an examination with any form of identity, other than those referred to above, or no photographic proof of identity at all you will be refused entry and / or asked to leave. This will be registered as ‘an attempt’ and a fail grade will be awarded.
• Written examinations must be completed in ink. Work in pencil is only allowed, for the drawing of graphs, diagrams or illustrations.
• Pencil cases, tins or other containers are not allowed in any examination rooms. Candidates who need to keep pens, pencils etc. together must use either a rubber band or small transparent plastic bag.
• You must write your examination answers legibly. If scripts are deemed illegible by the examiners, they will receive a fail grade.
• Talking to, or any other form of communication with, other candidates during an examination is strictly forbidden. Smoking, eating and drinking in examination rooms is forbidden. If a student is found to be indulging in any of these activities he/ she will be asked by an invigilator to desist. If you do not comply with this request or if it is repeated in the same examination, you will be asked to leave and as a minimum penalty will be awarded a fail grade.
• It is a serious offence for you to take to your desk (or station in the event of a practical examination) any books, notes, or other materials or aides which are not specifically authorised for use in that examination. If you are found in possession of unauthorised material, whether deliberately intending to use it or not, you will be brought before the University’s Discipline Committee and will find that, as a minimum penalty, your examination paper will receive a fail grade. A number of more severe penalties (including expulsion from the programme) are available according to the circumstances of individual cases.
• At the end of written examinations you must not leave your seat until all of the answer books have been collected. Silence must be observed, throughout, until all candidates have left the examination room. If you wish to leave an examination room before the allotted finishing time, you must remain seated and raise a hand: invigilators will come to collect your answer book after which you are free to leave (silently). Except for sickness you are not permitted to leave a written examination during the last 15 minutes.
• In the case of practical examinations silence from the candidates is also normally demanded unless specified by the nature of the examined task.
• If you are taken ill during an examination and do not complete it, providing that a certificate of sickness signed by a doctor or a doctor’s letter is presented to the Continuing Examination Office within 5 working days of the examination, the attempt will be declared invalid. Another date will then be arranged for the examination to be undertaken.
• Mobile phones/pagers should not be taken into the examination.

Project/Dissertation Arrangements

Students progressing to the dissertation will, under the supervision of a nominated academic (and where appropriate – practice) supervisor, complete a 12,000 – 15,000 word, dissertation related to a specific aspect of nursing practice, policy, research or education. Detailed dissertation guidelines are provided in the programme handbook. Each student will be allocated an individual dissertation supervisor who is an academic member of staff with relevant expertise, knowledge and experience in graduate supervision. Key milestones for achievement will be negotiated and set out very clearly and students will be required to submit formatively assessed components of their developing project/dissertation. All dissertation students are entitled to the equivalent of 20 hours individual supervision which includes time spent by the supervisor reading drafts. It is the student’s responsibility to initiate and maintain contact with their supervisor. The dissertation will be assessed independently by two internal examiners and a sample is sent to the external examiner for the programme.

Students are required to follow the University guidance for Taught Masters Dissertation – Guidance for the presentation of Taught Masters dissertations. The guidance explains the required presentation of the dissertation, and failure to follow the instructions in the guidance may result in the dissertation being rejected by the examiners.

Assessment Process

How to submit Assessed Work

(NB: This section also and equally applies to seminar texts)

• If not submitting online you are strongly advised to make two copies of each assignment. The second (non-submitted) copy is for your own reference.
• All written assignments must be submitted by 12:00 noon on the date specified. A receipt will be provided as proof of submission. Online submission will take place through the relevant unit area of Blackboard.
• If you are sick on the day of submission and therefore fail to submit an assignment, the Examination & Assessments Office must, within 5 working days of the submission date, receive a certificate of sickness, or self-certification of sickness form. Forms can be obtained from the Examinations Office. If either of these is not forthcoming, a fail grade will be awarded.
• Once this evidence is obtained, another submission date will be provided. The amount of time normally allowed is equivalent to the amount of continuous sickness from the original submission date until return to the programme.
• If the period of sickness is short and you are presenting as a first attempt, the work will generally be marked with the resubmitted scripts. If the period of sickness is long and / or it is not a first attempt another date for results will be provided.

Location of the Assessments Office for Submission of Work

In exceptional circumstances, eg for Practice Placement documents, work may be submitted to the Continuing Professional Development Examinations office located in: Room G.313, Jean McFarlane Building, Oxford Road, University of Manchester M13 9PL The office is open during office hours of 9.00am to 4.00 pm Monday to Friday. The Programme Examinations Officer is Janice Christie: Telephone number: 0161-306-7656. Email address:  Janice.Christie@manchester.ac.uk.

Submission Dates

Submission dates for each course unit are to be found on Blackboard in the relevant Course Unit Guide in the Course Documents folder. In exceptional circumstances submission dates may be subject to change, you are strongly advised to check Blackboard on a regular basis, as any changes would be posted there.

Online Submission

Submission of assignments electronically takes place on the relevant unit area of Blackboard. Please follow the guidelines located on the Exams & Assessments section of the Student Community area on Blackboard. If you have any further queries then please contact the examinations and assessments office in the first instance. Please note that unless otherwise stated the submission deadline for all assignments will be 12.00noon on the submission date as outlined in your submission timetable on the Exams & Assessments section of the Student Community area on Blackboard.

Late Submission Penalty (Including Dissertation)

Work submitted after the deadline without prior approval will be subject to a late penalty in accordance with the University Policy on Submission of Work for Summative Assessment on Taught Programmes.  The penalty applied is 10% of available marks deducted per day/24 hours (from the time of the original or extended deadline), until the assignment is submitted, or no marks remain.

Penalties for late submission relate to 24 hours/calendar days, so include weekends and weekdays, as well as bank holidays and University closure days.

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

10% of the available marks deducted if up to 24 hours (1 day) late
20% of the available marks deducted if up to 48 hours (2 days) late
30% of the available marks deducted if up to 72 hours (3 days) late
40% of the available marks deducted if up to 96 hours (4 days) late
50% of the available marks deducted if up to 120 hours (5 days) late
60% of the available marks deducted if up to 144 hours (6 days) late
70% of the available marks deducted if up to 168 hours (7 days) late
80% of the available marks deducted if up to 192 hours (8 days) late
90% of the available marks deducted if up to 216 hours (9 days) late
100% of the available marks deducted if up to 240 hours (10 days) late

If the assessment is submitted within 10 days of the deadline the assessment should be marked and feedback to the student provided. If this mark before the penalty is applied reaches the appropriate pass mark but the applied penalty results in a fail of the assessment, the student should not be required to resit the assessment as the original mark can be taken as the resit mark. Further information and examples can be found in the Policy and associated Guidance documents.

For work submitted more than 10 days late, it is regarded as a non-submission and need not be marked. In this case a mark of zero will be awarded and normal resit regulations will apply.

The sliding scale should only be applied to first-sit submissions. For all referred (resit) assessment, any late submission will automatically receive a mark of zero.

For further information:

Guidance on Late Submission

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

Extensions

If you experience difficulties that will prevent you from submitting assessed coursework on time, you can request an extension of up to one week. You need to provide a credible reason for your extension, in line with the extension policy, but you do not need to submit evidence to support your request.  

Please think carefully about whether one-week is enough time to submit and how this will impact the rest of your workload before requesting an extension. 

To apply for an extension, you will need to complete this form:  

https://www.qualtrics.manchester.ac.uk/jfe/form/SV_56LcBQhsaZ6Agsu  

Extensions should be applied for by 15:00pm on the day of your original assessment submission date. Any applications after this time will not be considered and you will need to apply for mitigating circumstances.  

If mitigating circumstances prevent you from submitting an extension request in advance, or mean that you miss the extended deadline that has been awarded, you should submit mitigating circumstances following the procedures outlined in the mitigating circumstances procedure. Please note, such requests for mitigation will only be considered where students provide a clear justification (including evidence) for failing to follow the normal extension request procedure. 

Some DASS students are entitled to an automatic one-week extension, which does not need to be applied for. If you are a DASS student with this automatic extension and require longer than one-week, please complete the form above by 15:00pm on the day of your DASS submission date. 

If you are on a clinical programme and your reason for an extension or mitigating circumstances may impact on your placement, your academic team will be made aware so that they can review your fitness to practice.

For all programmes, if you apply for repeated extensions your Academic Advisor will be made aware so that they can support you appropriately. If this exceeds four extensions in one semester, your Programme Director will also be informed.

(NB: This section also and equally applies to seminar presentations and texts)

You must submit assignments by the dates specified. Course Unit Leaders can grant up to four weeks extension in the first instance however this must be directed through the exams office. Applications for extensions must normally be made in writing using the appropriate proforma.  It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that this form is completed accurately and is legible. All extension requests must normally be accompanied by documentary evidence from an independent third party. All requests for an extension must be processed through the assessments office.  

The form can be found outside the Assessments Office as well as in the Examinations section of the Student Gateway on Blackboard. Applications for extensions should be submitted to the Assessments Office as soon as it is realised that an extension may be required.  This should not normally be within 5 working days of submission.  If an extension is requested within the 5 working days of submission please refer to the mitigating circumstances section in this document. Automatic extensions are normally given where a student is ill in the two weeks prior to the submission date where the illness is certified by a doctor The Examinations Officer (or nominee) will consider each application in consultation with your Course Unit Leader.

Extensions will not normally be granted for any computer or computer disk problem, printer malfunction or computer disk loss. You are therefore strongly advised to complete any assignment well before the final submission date to avoid last minute problems.

If a student has a number of assignments and/or examinations in a short period of time, this will not constitute sufficient reason for the granting of an extension.

Students who are granted an extension and subsequently submit outside of the originally designated marking period may experience a delay in acquiring their result and feedback.

Mitigating Circumstances 

Sometimes, factors beyond your control may interfere with your ability to attend to your academic studies. The University’s mitigating circumstances procedures exist to try to mitigate against the impact that this could have on your grades. 

The full mitigating circumstances policy can be accessed via the following link: https://www.studentsupport.manchester.ac.uk/study-support/mitigating-circumstances/.

We strongly recommend that you seek advice from a member of the Wellbeing team before submitting any claim for mitigating circumstances. You can contact them via shs.mitcircs@manchester.ac.uk or shs.wellbeing@manchester.ac.uk 

Grounds for mitigation 

Grounds for mitigation are unforeseeable or unpreventable circumstances that could have, or did have, a significant adverse effect on your academic performance. 

Possible mitigating circumstances include: 

• significant illness or injury 
• the death or critical/significant illness of a close family member/dependant 
• significant family crises or major financial problems leading to acute stress 
• absence for public service e.g., jury service 

Circumstances that will not normally be regarded as grounds for mitigation include: 

• holidays, moving house and events that were planned or could reasonably have been expected 
• assessments that are scheduled close together 
• misreading the timetable or misunderstanding the requirements for assessments 
• inadequate planning and time management 
• consequences of paid employment 
• exam stress or panic attacks not diagnosed as illness or supported by medical evidence 
• disruption in an examination room during the course of an assessment which has not been recorded by the invigilators 

Applying for mitigation 

You should inform us if you experience difficulties that may negatively affect your performance on assessed work. You can inform us of such difficulties by submitting an online Mitigating Circumstances Form. The form must be completed by you. It will ask you to provide details of your difficult circumstances and to list the assessments affected. It is important that you list each separate assessment, giving details of the course unit and the nature of the assessment (e.g. PSYC10711 Essay or PSYC10100 Week 4 Quiz). Your form should also be supported with evidence, which is independent and time-specific (for example, a doctor’s note which confirms that you were ill and indicates the period affected). Our Student Support and Wellbeing team can advise you on the information required on the form. 

You should inform us of mitigating circumstances as soon as you become aware that they might affect your performance. Typically, mitigating circumstances must be submitted prior to the assessment taking place. In exceptional circumstances, where it is not possible to inform us in advance, you should submit your Mitigating Circumstances application as soon as possible after deadline or scheduled examination, supported by a credible and compelling explanation of why your claim could not be submitted in advance.  

Please note, not informing the University of circumstances due to personal feelings, e.g., shame, embarrassment and pride, or having concerns over the confidential treatment of requests for mitigation, are not considered to be credible and compelling explanations as to why the circumstances could not be made known or shown by these deadlines. If the details of the mitigating circumstances are considered to be highly confidential, you can discuss with the wellbeing team shs.wellbeing@manchester.ac.uk the best way to submit an application. The committee handle all requests for mitigation with sensitivity and due regard for confidentiality. 

How mitigation is considered and applied 

Evidence for personal and medical mitigating circumstances is considered by a mitigating circumstances committee. It is this committee’s role to determine whether there is evidence of mitigating circumstances, whether those circumstances could have had an effect on your performance, and the likely impact. The committee will consider all submissions and, where there is evidence that circumstances have been serious enough to have an effect on one or more elements of assessment, the committee will make recommendations to the exam board.  

The exam board, at the recommendation of the mitigating circumstances committee, can take a limited number of actions to apply mitigation. In most cases, acceptance of the mitigation will involve revoking any late submission penalties or allowing for the missed or failed coursework/exam to be taken again as a first sit. 

A claim for mitigating circumstances may be turned down for several reasons: 

• The circumstances detailed by the student are not regarded as grounds for mitigation under the Policy on Mitigating Circumstances 
• The supporting evidence does not cover the relevant period 
• The supporting evidence is not supplied by an appropriate (independent) source 
• The supporting evidence is deemed insufficient to support the student’s claim of the seriousness of impact on their assessment performance 
• The wording of the evidence supplied does not support the student’s claim e.g. the material does not provide a medical diagnosis 
• No evidence is provided, and the student has not given any explanation as to the reasons why nor indicated when evidence could be available 
• The evidence relates to a chronic condition which the student is already in receipt of support from the Disability Advisory and Support Service (DASS). This does not include instances where the student has an acute flare up of a pre-existing condition which may be accepted if properly evidenced and confirmed by DASS 
• The deadline for submitting mitigating circumstances has been missed, without a credible and compelling reason 
• The claim relates to an ongoing condition or circumstance previously used to claim mitigation where the Panel, on the earlier occasion, instructed the student that this mitigation could not be used again and may have instructed the student to access support from the Disability Advisory and Support Service 

Marking Criteria 

90-100%	Exceptional Pass Exceptional work, nearly or wholly faultless for that expected at Masters Level.
80-89%	Outstanding PassWork which is outstanding throughout, sensitive, original and innovative thinking evident in the text.
70-79%	Excellent PassExcellent work throughout, clear attainable goals, methods used formulating text entirely appropriate.
60-69%	Good PassWork of good to high quality showing evidence of understanding 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 problem.
50-59%	Clear Masters PassWork 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.
40-49%	Diploma Pass Work shows satisfactory understanding of the important programme material and a basic knowledge of the relevant literature with little or no originality and limited accuracy of information Shows adequate presentation skills with clear but limited objectives and does not always reach a conclusion.
30-39%	Compensatable Fail (potentially compensatable mark for the award of a Postgraduate Diploma or Certificate) Work shows some understanding of the main elements of the programme material and some knowledge of the relevant literature Shows some limited level of accuracy with little analysis of data or attempt to discuss its significance.
20-29%	FailLittle relevant material presented Unclear or unsubstantiated arguments with very poor accuracy and understanding.
0-19%	Clear failWork of a very poor quality containing little or no relevant literature.

Marking and Moderating 

• All summatively assessed course work (the completed work which will be marked and awarded a grade or pass/fail) will be marked by a lecturer/teacher within the programme.
• All seminars, written examinations and assignments, having been marked are then moderated. This means that another team of tutors / lecturers, who were not involved in the initial marking, review the comments and marks that have been awarded. The moderators will review fail, borderline fail and borderline pass grades.
• If you fail any assessment for the first time you will normally be allowed one opportunity to be reassessed unless you have left the course.
• The pass mark for Master’s level is 50% as stated in the University regulations.
• Students may be awarded a compensated pass for the Master’s degree if within the specified University regulations.
• The determination of competency based practice awarded at the end of a practice placement is the responsibility of the placement mentor who will sign to verify successful completion of the requirements of practice assessment. It is very important that you do not hand in your PAD without having the verification signed by your mentor. Failure to do so will result in a fail grade. If you are experiencing difficulties getting that signature for the hand in date, you are advised to contact the examinations office for advice.
• Practice assessment awards a numerical grade.
• A selection of scripts from each assessment is then sent to an external examiner from another university. This person considers fail, borderline fail and borderline pass grades, as well as a selection of other grades, and will make comments on issues of parity and equity. This is an important quality assurance role and the external examiner will have been invited to, and may visit you and fellow students, to seek your anonymous comments on your student experience.
• Each assessment including practice, is considered by the Board of Examiners which consists of tutors/lecturers, including markers and moderators, and external examiners. The meetings are chaired by the Head of Division (or nominee). No mark or grade is finalised until it has been considered by this committee.

Please note that in the interests of parity and equity amongst students, and in the interests of promoting independent self-directed learning only one substantial draft of work can be reviewed, and normally this should not be within 2 weeks of the submission date. Feedback on this draft is formative (feedback on how the work is progressing and areas for development).

Publication of Results & feedback

You will be provided with dates for submission of your assignments, practice documents and examinations, by the unit leader on commencing the unit. You will normally receive provisional feedback, based on the internal markers comments, four to six weeks after submission.  This feedback is provisional and subject to confirmation of/by the External Examiner and ratification by the Examination Board.  This information will either be posted, e-mailed to you at your University student account or uploaded to the Divisions online results system for you to access through Blackboard.

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

Notes

1. Working days are Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays excluding Bank Holidays.
2. Any written communication by external post will be sent to the address last supplied to the Division by you. It is your responsibility to ensure that your current address is on record. It will not be acceptable for a student to claim that you were not informed of events if the Division has not received details of a change of address either by email or in writing.

Opportunities for Re-assessment

If you fail to satisfy the examiners in a unit of study at level 7 you may, subject to the permission of the Examinations Board, and by establishing that the 1^st attempt was bonafide, present yourself for re-examination and/or reassessment on a subsequent occasion, the specific date of which will be set by the Examination and Assessment Board.  For units with more than one piece of assessment and where aggregation exists for this assessment the original marks for the work which has been passed at 1^st attempt will be calculated towards the aggregated overall mark.

Resit fee charges

As of September 2011 all students needing to undertake a resit assessment at second attempt may be charged a fee. The full policy and details of fees will be posted on Blackboard prior to the first submission period.

Exam Scheduling

During the January examination period this year, taking place between 16th-27th January, the University will be administering a total of 29,460 individual student examinations across all Divisions and Faculties. A total of 1,727 separate examination papers will be invigilated during this time, and these will take place over 1,157 separate examinations sessions. The University uses a total of 69 different venues and 12 PC clusters for these activities to occur. The examination schedule has been produced using dedicated software for which the overarching factor is the production of a timetable with no, or as few as possible, student clashes. While attempts are made to ensure that students have a spread of examination dates throughout the examination period, in many cases this is not possible given the institutional constraints on the numbers of examination venues that are available, the number of examinations that are scheduled to take place and the options available to students on any particular programme of study.

Health & Conduct Committee

DIVISION OF NURSING MIDWIFERY AND SOCIAL WORK

THE HEALTH AND CONDUCT COMMITTEE

 Introduction     

It is requirement of both the NMC and GSCC that when a University places the names of students on a pass list to graduate for the pre-registration diplomas/degrees, the University is confirming that these students are of good health, good character and fit to practice. The relevant advice is contained for nursing/midwifery students at:

http://www.nmc-uk.org/Documents/Guidance/NMC-Guidance-on-professional-conduct-for-nursing-and-midwifery-students.PDF

and for social work students at:

http://www.gscc.org.uk/cmsFiles/Registration/Codes%20of%20Practice/CodesofPracticeforSocialCareWorkers.pdf

Functions of the NMSW Health and Conduct Committee

The overall function of the NMSW Health and Conduct Committee (NMSW H&C) is to consider matters concerning a student’s conduct and health as directed by both the University of Manchester regulations and policies, (for example, attendance, academic malpractice, plagiarism, conduct and discipline -both inside and outside the campus of the University of Manchester) and the guidance from the NMC and GSCC and regulatory framework relating to pre-registration students.

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

• Where a report of unprofessional behaviour or unsatisfactory conduct has been received;
• Where reports of unsatisfactory attendance have been received;
• Students whose general health is of concern.

Terms of Reference for the Division of Nursing Midwifery and Social Work Health and Conduct Committee can be found on the Student Gateway (Blackboard).

Procedure for the Committee on Fitness to Practice

The Faculty procedure for the committee on Fitness to Practice guidance can be found via the following link:

http://www.FBMHS.manchester.ac.uk/intranet/admingroups/teachingandlearning/ftp/studentftp/

 

Publishing Final (Ratified) Results

At various points in the academic year, each assessment is considered by the Board of Examiners, which consists of lecturers, including markers and moderators, and external examiners. The meetings are chaired by The Head of Division (or nominee). No mark or grade is finalised/ratified until it has been considered by this committee. In order to facilitate early feedback, students normally receive marks before confirmation by the Board of Examiners, but should be aware that marks could change after consideration by the Board. Because this programme offers course units as ‘stand alone’ options, this board also serves the function of a Progression Board which reviews the completion of work on a regular basis.

External Examiners

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

Reports

External Examiners’ reports relating to this programme will be shared with student representatives at the Staff Student Liaison Committee (SSLC)/programme committee/other appropriate forum (specify), where details of any actions carried out by the programme team/Division in response to the External Examiners’ comments will be discussed. Students should contact their student representatives if they require any further information about External Examiners’ reports or the process for considering them.

The External Examiner for this programme is:

Name: Alison James

Name of Institution: Cardiff University

Position at current Institution:  Senior Lecturer in Adult Nursing

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

Graduation

A person who has passed the degree examination shall be deemed to be a graduate of the University from the date of the meeting of Senate at which the relevant examination result was confirmed.

Candidates who so wish, may be presented for conferment of the degree, diploma or certificate at the appropriate ceremony following confirmation of the result.

The names that are printed on the degree certificate will be the student’s name as recorded in the University student record system, which you update each year when you re-register online. It is important, therefore, that you check your record thoroughly to ensure that your name is correctly recorded. The name printed on the degree or diploma certificate cannot subsequently be amended without valid proof of the correct name (i.e. birth certificate, passport, etc.) and this service may incur a charge.

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

http://www.studentnet.manchester.ac.uk/selfservice/graduation/ Academic Award / Classification All results are subject to agreement by the Faculty Board and ratification by the Senate of Manchester University.

PG Certificate/PG Diploma/MSc  All awards are determined under the Regulations of the University of Manchester http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/DocuInfo.aspx?DocID=13147

Student Representation and Feedback

Student Representation on Committees

Each programme will choose a number of student representatives at the start of each academic year. You will be able to apply for this role, and will be informed of who is chosen so that you can feed back any issues or areas for improvement you may have identified within your programme.

The representatives are invited to the Staff Student Liaison Committee, where they can feedback anything which they have heard from their fellow students. The Programme Team then respond to these, and these responses and any action taken are fed back to staff and students via a newsletter.

Role of a Student Representative

Student representation and feedback is vital to the continued development of the Division.  Because Continuing professional development students are practitioners often in full or part time employment, and attend university on a part time basis, we are very aware of the demands on your time. For this reason, you are invited to submit in writing or by email to the Programme Director at any time, your views or opinions on any aspect of the programme, and this will be presented at the appropriate committee. Essentially, the role of a student representative is to represent the views of students on a particular course to the academic staff at various meetings of the Division. This ensures that students can exert a measure of control over their own learning experience.

Responsibilities include:

• Identifying student issues and needs. When necessary referring them on to the relevant people who can assist them.
• Providing another layer of support for new and existing students.
• Attending and participating in various meetings held at the University.
• Consulting, involving and reporting to students.
• When arranged, attending Student Representative training sessions.
• Providing a link between the staff and students at the Division.
• Keeping yourself informed of developments within your programme of study.
• Promoting equal opportunities.
• Contributing to the growth and development of the Student Council by providing ideas and suggestions.
• Helping to organise and run the ‘Freshers’ Fair’ for new students at the September intake.
• Helping to organise, run and promote social events such as ‘Freshers Welcome’ parties and ‘End of Unit’ parties.

Benefits of Being a Student Representative:

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

• Increased involvement in your educational experience at the Division. It gives other students a feeling of ownership over their education and the reassurance that their views and concerns are being heard within the Division.
• Knowing that you are making a positive impact on the lives of present and future students.
• Extra-curricular activity.
• The opportunity to meet other students across the Division.
• Representation and advocacy skills.
• Listening and communication skills.
• Meeting skills.
• Organisation and time management skills.
• Negotiation skills.
• A certificate and letter of commendation that can go into your Portfolio, from the Division. This would recognise your commitment to the Council after six months of being a student representative, attending no less than three combined ‘Division of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, Student/Staff Liaison and Student Council Meetings’.
• Active involvement in the council’s various activities.

The Division also benefits, as it is seen to:

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

Meetings to Attend

All representatives will be required to regularly attend the previously mentioned Staff Student Liaison Committee which discusses cross-programme issues and is held five times per academic year. Provision has also been made for students to be represented at Programme Committee, a forum to meet with University staff and Programme Directors to discuss programme specific academic issues. Although you will receive an authorised letter of exemption (from lectures and clinical areas) to attend them, it is understood that as students you cannot attend all meetings. Therefore, your apologies can be emailed a week in advance of the meeting, including any issues, ideas/suggestions that can be read to the meeting on your behalf.

Communication

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

Committee Involvement / Commitment

Student representation and feedback is vital to the continued development of the Division. It can be difficult for students to find the time to contribute to all of the committees and working parties. For this reason, the Head of the Division of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work is willing to write letters of support for students to facilitate attendance.

How to become a Student Representative

Student representatives are elected at the beginning of the academic year for each programme and each year, within a programme. Their role is to represent the views of students on a particular course to the academic staff at various meetings of the Division. This ensures that students have a voice and are participating in developing learning and teaching within the Division.

Staff Student Liaison committee

Student representatives are required to regularly attend the Staff Student Liaison Committee, held five times per academic year. The Staff Student Liaison Committee addresses issues of common concern across programmes.

National Student Survey 

In the final year of any undergraduate programme, you will be invited to complete the National Student Survey (NSS). This independently administered survey asks for your feedback on your whole degree, as well as your broader University experience. The results are published to help prospective students make informed decisions about where and what to study. The NSS also provides us with useful data for benchmarking ourselves against other universities.

 

 

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

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

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