Information about the provision of Higher Education

These guidelines have been drafted to comply with the requirements of Principle 7 of the UK Quality Code for Higher Education ‘Designing, developing, approving and modifying programmes’ and the expectation that higher education providers produce information for their intended audiences about the learning opportunities they offer that is fit for purpose, accessible and trustworthy.

These contents are relevant to staff, and may also be of interest to current or prospective students, across all of the UK, China and Malaysia campuses.

3.1 Information for prospective students

The University undertakes to provide appropriate and sufficient information to prospective students to enable them to select their programme of study, and to know what will be expected of them when they register to study at the University.

This information is available through a variety of routes, including open days, virtual open days or offer holder events, the prospectus, the University’s web pages, videos and social media channels. Guidance and advice is available from staff in schools, the Admissions Office and staff in the Student Recruitment Team’s Enquiry Centre to assist prospective students through the applications process.

In addition, information is available about the University’s teaching and learning facilities, student life at Nottingham, support services, opportunities for exchanges and study abroad, as well as information about employability of graduates as part of the requirement to provide course information through the Key Information Set.

3.2 Information for current students

The University has agreed that there must be a minimum level of information which must be provided for undergraduate and postgraduate students about their chosen programme of study. Additionally, students must know at the start of their course an overview of how their courses will be taught and assessed.

The following comprises information which School and teaching groups must supply and some suggestions for layout and style. The information which is supplied to students about their course must be accurate. It is reasonable for the more detailed information to follow after the start of the academic year, particually if students know when that information will be provided.

Information must be supplied about the following:

3.2.1 Course information

• A description of what a modular course comprises, definitions of terms – for example, what is a module, what is compensation.
• Full details of the course structure and philosophy – for example, how the course progresses, the main themes running through the course, the aims.
• Specific skills that may be required during the course – for example, essay writing, giving presentations, basic computing skills, and when they will be required.
• Policy on possible module choices within and outside the home School or teaching group.

3.2.2 Assessment information

• The purpose, methods and schedule of assessment tasks both during and at the end of a module or programme of study.
• For each module, the format of the assessment(s), including, for written examinations, whether it is essay questions or multiple choice questions (MCQs).
• The criteria for assessment including, where appropriate, descriptors of expected standards of student attainment; what is expected in order to pass or to gain a particular grade or classification.
• Which elements will – and which will not – count towards interim or final assessment and with what weighting or exemption procedures.
• The marking and grading conventions that will be used.
• The consequences of assessment, such as decisions about progression to the next level, final awards and the right of appeal
• Plagiarism – the definition and the penalties (as laid out in the Regulations Governing Suspected Academic Misconduct), including examples of acceptable referencing techniques.
• How and when assessment judgements are published.
• Any opportunities for re-assessment.
• Policy on the late submission of work.

3.2.3 Other

• The minimum standards expected of both staff and students – for example, the dates for handing in essays, the dates by which marked work will be returned to students by staff.
• Channels of communication – that is, how students make their views known, how they receive feedback on their views (for example, Student Staff Fora (SSFs)).
• Role of tutor, giving definitions of academic, personal and year tutor as appropriate, and what sort of queries each deals with.
• Times when tutors are available and the policy on availability.
• Purchase of books – recommended texts, price, when they will be required during the programme.
• Week-by-week course details – that is, what will be taught in each week of the programme.
• When to start applying for jobs, postgraduate opportunities and who to approach as referees.
• Information about administrative office hours.

3.2.4 Format for information

• Booklets are preferable to loose sheets.
• Style should be `user-friendly' – that is, an explanation should be provided for technical terms where appropriate.
• English should be used, blocks of text could be broken up by putting important points or ideas in boxes.
• Booklets specific to the year of the student's course are useful since they ensure that information is imparted at the point in the programme when the students need to know it, rather than overloading students with extraneous information at the start of the programme. A general introductory booklet (supplemented by specific year booklets) is the best approach. 

3.2.5 Plagiarism

Each School or department should have an appropriate mechanism in place for recording that a student has read and understood the guidelines on plagiarism, and that their work falls within those guidelines.

3.3 Information for students on completion of studies

Students are entitled to receive a full record of their academic achievements when they leave their programme of study. Degrees and diplomas are conferred at a degree ceremony. If a graduand is unable to attend the ceremony the degree will be conferred in absentia and certificates will be sent six to eight weeks after the ceremonies have finished. Students graduating from 2006 onwards will also receive a diploma supplement at the same time as they receive their degree certificate.

Throughout the period of study, students are able to request transcripts of their marks and to see information about their programmes, including modules and marks, by way of the MyNottingham app.

For more information about the UK Quality Code for Higher Education and the qualification types and structures in use at the University of Nottingham, please consult the folowing:

UK Quality Code for Higher Education

Qualification types and structures

For more information about the diploma supplement, please consult the following Student Services page.

Student Services - Diploma Supplement page