PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATE IN LOW VISION

PROGRAMME HANDBOOK

2023-24

Division of Pharmacy and Optometry

School of Health Sciences

Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health 

Welcome from the Director of Post Graduate 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

Introductory Courses

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

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

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

Online Skills Training Resource

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

Accessing the online skills resource

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

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

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

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

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

Introduction to the Professional Certificate in Low Vision

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

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

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

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

Programme Director:

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

Professional Certificate Leads:

Prof. Christine Dickinson
Email: chris.dickinson@manchester.ac.uk
3rd Floor, Carys Bannister Building

Dr Ana Hernandez Trillo
Email: ana.hernandeztrillo@manchester.ac.uk
3rd Floor, Carys Bannister Building

Theory Module Lead

Prof. Christine Dickinson
Email: chris.dickinson@manchester.ac.uk
3rd Floor, Carys Bannister Building

Examinations Lead

Dr Ana Hernandez Trillo
Email: ana.hernandeztrillo@manchester.ac.uk
3rd Floor, Carys Bannister Building

Teaching Staff

Prof. Christine Dickinson
Email: chris.dickinson@manchester.ac.uk
3rd Floor, Carys Bannister Building

Dr Ana Hernandez Trillo
Email: ana.hernandeztrillo@manchester.ac.uk
3rd Floor, Carys Bannister Building

Mr Andrew Gridley
Email: andrew.gridley@manchester.ac.uk
3rd Floor, Carys Bannister Building

Mrs Helen Denton
3rd Floor, Carys Bannister Building

PGT Consortium Lead, Pharmacy & Vision Sciences:

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

School Administrative Teams:

Student Hub: shs.hub@manchester.ac.uk
Wellbeing: shs.wellbeing@manchester.ac.uk
Attendance monitoring: shs.attendance@manchester.ac.uk
Disability support: shs.dc@manchester.ac.uk
Mitigating Circumstances: shs.mitcircs@manchester.ac.uk

Programmes team: shs.programmes@manchester.ac.uk

Assessments team: shs.assessment@manchester.ac.uk

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

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

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

Communication with Students

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

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

Section A: Programme Structure

Rationale, General Description, Postgraduate Taught Degree Regulations for Students

Postgraduate Taught degrees at the University of Manchester are based on the National Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ). This framework requires students to achieve credit at Masters level in order to get an award. For a standard postgraduate taught Masters programme this will normally mean passing 180 credits. A standard Postgraduate Diploma will normally have 120 credits and a Postgraduate Certificate 60 credits. The way in which you study these credits will be defined later in the programme handbook and the programme specification.

The University sets standards relating to your performance on every unit but also on your progression through the programme. Your programme and course unit specifications will set out the requirements for passing the credit on individual units.

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

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

Exemptions to the PGT Degree Regulations:

Please be aware that the Professional Certificate in Low Vision  programme has some higher requirements to the University degree regulations and details of these are outlined below.

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

A mark of 50% must be achieved this unit.

Criteria for Awards

Award of Masters Degree

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

Distinction

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

To obtain a Distinction, students must have:

accrued 180 credits;

have passed all units with no referrals;

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

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

Merit

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

Pass

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

Progression

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

Award Postgraduate Diploma

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

Award Postgraduate Certificate

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

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

Exit Awards

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

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

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

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

Reassessment

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

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

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

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

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

Available Degree Classifications

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

Deadlines for Assessed Work

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

Assessment submissions

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

100% of the available marks deducted if up to 240 hours (10 days) late

If the assessment is submitted within 10 calendar days of the deadline, the assessment should be marked and feedback to the student provided. If this mark before the penalty is applied reaches the appropriate pass mark but the applied penalty results in a fail of the assessment, the student should not be required to re-sit the assessment as the original mark can be taken in lieu of a re-sit/referral and normal re-sit/referral procedures will apply. Further information and examples can be found in the Policy and associated Guidance documents below.

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

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

For further information:

Guidance on Late Submission

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

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 and guidance 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

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.

Word Limits for Assessed Work

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

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

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

Imposing word limits communicates clear expectations.

In accordance with the University Policy on Marking:

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

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

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

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

All words that form the actual essay.

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

All in-text (that is bracketed) references.

All directly quoted material.

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

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

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

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

Submitting work

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

Submitting an electronic copy of the work

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

Click on the relevant course unit

Go to assessment folder

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

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

IMPORTANT

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

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

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

The electronic copy is your official record of submission.

Turnitin System

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

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

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

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

• https://video.manchester.ac.uk/faculties/52f9b4cd447aa2fbeb47d1926186f80b/46971601-1356-43e2-8e78-e9f8997821f0/
• https://youtu.be/47pA877MKJg

Feedback for assessments

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

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

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

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

Return of Marked Work

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

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

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

Example Marking Scheme

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

Classification	Mark as %	Criteria
Distinction	100 80 70	Perfect critique with outstanding degree of originality. Provides novel insights, including the ability to apply concepts to related fields Excellent, well organised critique with clear evidence of understanding. Contains examples of original ideas and supplementary reading Outstanding. Shows clear understanding of topic, examples of supplementary reading and cross-referencing of material. Very well presented.
Merit	69 60	Very good. Well-structured and presented report that is able to convey the central aspects of the tutorial material. Good. Comprehensive answer with accurate facts but largely limited to material covered in the tutorial class
Pass	59 50	Adequate answer with some errors or omissions. Limited to tutorial class material.
Unacceptable	49 40	Incomplete/inadequate answer with contains relevant information but demonstrates an incomplete understanding of tutorial material Clearly incomplete/inadequate answer with sparse relevant information and poor understanding of tutorial material
Fail	39 0	Deficient answer with many inaccuracies and little evidence of understanding of the tutorial topic No relevant material presented whatsoever

How to find your marks

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

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

Examinations

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

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

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

Monitoring Progress

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

Participation

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

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

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

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.

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.

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 www.regulations.manchester.ac.uk/academic

Complaints

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

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

Students thinking of submitting a formal complaint should, in most instances, attempt informal resolution first (see the Student Complaints procedure). Formal complaints should be submitted on the relevant form to Faculty Appeals and Complaints Team, 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 https://www.staffnet.manchester.ac.uk/tlso/academic-appeals-complaints-and-misconduct/conduct-and-discipline-of-students/.

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

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

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

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

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

• 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/using-the-library/students/training-and-skills-support/my-learning-essentials/online-resources/

Sharing Information

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

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

Understanding Academic Malpractice

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

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

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

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

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.

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

Fitness to Practise

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

Programme Management

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

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

Election of a Student Representative

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.

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. 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.

IAG/Hub

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.

Feedback from Students

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

Responsibilities of the Student

The responsibilities of the student include:

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

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

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

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

Role and Responsibilities of Unit Leaders

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Role of the External Examiner

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

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

The External Examiner for this programme is: Dr Keziah Latham

Name of Institution: Anglia Ruskin University

Position at current Institution: Associate Professor

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

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

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

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

Key Calendar dates

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

Semester Dates:

	Start Date	End Date
Semester 1	11 September 2023	26 January 2024
Christmas Vacation	18 December 2023	14 January 2024
Examination period	15 January 2024	26 January 2024
Semester 2	29 January 2024	7 June 2024
Easter Break	25 March 2024	7 April 2024
Examination period	13 May 2024*	5 June 2024*

 

Teaching Staff

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

Programme Information

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

Section B- Course unit specification

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

GENERAL INFORMATION

OPTO71311 Professional Certificate in Low Vision syllabus and aims

Credits: 15
Semester: 2

Aims:

• The Professional Certificate in Low Vision is designed to prepare healthcare professionals to provide a high standard of low vision care in a hospital or community setting including: goal setting; assessment of vision; provision of optical and electronic low vision aids; advice about lighting and other methods of enhancing vision; provision of information and advice; understanding the multi-agency approach to low vision rehabilitation in the UK; referral and signposting to other services including social services; re-appraisal of goals; and arrangement for follow up.

Learning Outcomes:

• an understanding of the terminology used to describe low vision and visual impairment
• an understanding of the epidemiology and demography of low vision in the UK
• an understanding of low vision certification and registration for individuals
• an understanding of the impact of low vision, including emotional impact, on an individual and their community
• an understanding of the different impact that chronic and acute eye conditions have on the individual
• an understanding of the importance of sensory substitution
• a detailed knowledge of the role, contact details and communications pathways of other professionals and organisations which are an essential part of multidisciplinary low vision service provision
• an awareness of other local clinical low vision services and referral pathways
• an ability to establish effective communication with individuals, their family, carers and with other organisations and professionals.
• an ability to apply learning to novel situations
• problem solving
• an ability to assess people with low vision
• an ability to determine magnification requirements and to prescribe, dispense and train in the use of electronic and optical low vision task appropriate devices

Coursework

Formative written assessment with feedback on a  reflective case report. Formative practical assessments include a clinical skills OSCE, and a patient examination episode

Assessment

The pass mark for the Professional Certificate in Low Vision is 50%. Compensation rules do not apply to this unit.

An analysis of low vision services and
facilities for the area local to the student (weighted 40%)

OSCE – 4 stations (3 x 15 and 1 x 30 minutes) (weighted 30%)

1. History taking (double station – 30 minutes)
2. Distance visual acuity and determining magnification
3. Near word reading acuity and determining magnification
4. Contrast sensitivity and central visual field (Amsler)

1.5 hours “Patient Interaction” Assessment and management of a low vision patient attending for a “first visit” (weighted 30%)

The OSCE candidate and assessor sheets can be found on BlackBoard, using the following link:

https://online.manchester.ac.uk/webapps/blackboard/content/listContentEditable.jsp?content_id=_14484146_1&course_id=_75308_1&mode=reset

Section C: Information about the University

Divisional Administration Contacts

Head of Division: Prof Jayne Lawrence

Head of Divisional Operations: Victoria O’Reilly

The Division address is:

Division of Pharmacy and Optometry
School of Health Sciences
Jean McFarlane Building
Oxford Road
Manchester
M13 9PL

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

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

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

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

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

Full Name

Student ID Number

Year of Study

Programme

Student Centre

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

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

www.manchester.ac.uk/selfservice

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

Working with your own computer

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

IT Services Support Centre online

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

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

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

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

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

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

Blackboard

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

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

What is Blackboard?

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

• view course materials and learning resources,
• communicate with lectures and other students,
• collaborate in groups,
• get feedback
• submit assignments
• monitor 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.

Library facilities

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Student Support Services

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 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.

Attendance monitoring and Student Ill Health

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.

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.

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.

Occupational Health

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

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

Health and Safety

See Introductory Courses.

Section D: University Regulations

Academic Support Policies

A list of University Policies and documents can be found at:

http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/list.aspx

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Social Media Policy

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

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

Guidance for the Presentation of Taught Masters Dissertations

Guidance for the presentation of Taught Masters dissertations

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

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

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

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

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

Policy on religious observance for students (for UG/PGT and PGR students)

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

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

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

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

Student Support Issues

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Students Union
http://manchesterstudentsunion.com/