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Teaching

You are taught through a combination of interactive workshops, lectures, seminars practical activities, etc. Interactive workshops take a variety of formats and are intended to enable the application of learning through discussion and small group activities. Seminars enable the discussion and development of understanding of topics covered in lectures, and laboratory practicals are focused on developing subject-specific skills and applied for individual and group project work. Most teaching sessions are face to face on campus although a blended approach will be taken. Lectures or lecture workshops for some modules will be delivered online either ‘live’ or pre-recorded.

Each work-based learning module requires the completion of a minimum of 100 hours of work-based learning. Students will identify and apply for placement in an area of relevant practice that interests them. The timing of practice-based learning will allow for some flexibility, although it is essential that certain parameters are met to ensure opportunities to link university-based learning to practice, facilitate reflection on work-based learning and ensure that assessment deadlines can be met.

In addition, meetings with Personal Academic Tutors (PATs) are scheduled on at least four occasions in the first year and three occasions in each of the other years of a course.

The University places emphasis on enabling students to develop the independent learning capabilities that will equip you for lifelong learning and future employment, as well as academic achievement. A mixture of independent study, teaching and academic support from Student Services and Library Services, and also the personal academic tutoring system enables you to reflect on progress and build up a profile of skills, achievements and experiences that will help you to flourish and be successful.

Contact time

In a typical week, students will have around 10 hours of contact teaching, of this, 7 hours will be delivered on-campus and 3 hours will be delivered online. The precise contact hours will depend on the optional modules selected and in the final year you will normally have slightly less contact time in order to complete more independent study.

A minimum of 7 hours per week in a placement, work-based learning setting is also part of your learning contact time.

In a typical week, for part-time students studying 60 credits, they will have around 4 hours of contact teaching, of this, 3-4 hours will be delivered on-campus and 1-2 hours will be delivered online.

Typically, on-campus contact time will be structured around:

• Lectures and seminars
• Workshops
• Group work
• Problem-based learning
• Skills development workshops

Online contact hours will be structured around:

• Group tutorials based on focused activities
• Assessment workshops
• Lectures

For students taking the Foundation Year on a full-time basis your contact time is likely to be a minimum of 12 hours per week. The precise contact hours will depend on the optional modules selected and in the final year you will normally have slightly less contact time in order to do more independent study. Typically contact time will be structured around:

• 2 hours of interactive workshops
• 2 hours of (large group) lectures
• 6 hours of seminars in groups of around 12 students
• 2 hours of personal development.

Independent self study

In addition to the contact time, you are expected to undertake around 25 hours of personal self-study per week. Typically, this will involve completing online activities, reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects, undertaking research in the library and online, preparing coursework assignments and presentations, and preparing for examinations.

Independent learning is supported by a range of excellent learning facilities, including The Hive and library resources, the virtual learning environment, and extensive electronic learning resources.

Duration

• 3 years full-time
• 4-6 years part-time

Teaching staff

You will be taught by a teaching team whose expertise and knowledge are closely matched to the content of the modules on the course. The team includes senior academics, professional practitioners with industry experience. 

Assessment

The course provides opportunities to test understanding and learning informally through the completion of practice or ‘formative’ assignments.

Each module has one or more formal or ‘summative’ assessments which are graded and count towards the overall module grade. Assessment methods include written examinations and a range of coursework assessments such as essays, reports, portfolios, performance, presentations and a final year independent studies project.

The precise assessment requirements for an individual student in an academic year will vary according to the mandatory and optional modules taken, but a typical formal summative assessment pattern for each year of the course is:

Year 1

• Essays
• Practical reports
• Individual or group presentations
• Practice portfolio and project
• Completion of practice hours

Year 2

• Reflective and skills portfolio relating to work placement
• Essays
• Practical project and report
• Individual or group presentations

Year 3

• Major independent study project
• Essays
• Practical reports
• Individual or group presentations.
• Completion of practice hours

You will receive feedback on practice assessments and on formal assessments undertaken by . Feedback on examination performance is available upon request from the module leader. Feedback is intended to support learning and you are encouraged to discuss it with personal academic tutors and module tutors as appropriate.

We aim to provide you with feedback on formal course work assessments within 20 working days of hand-in.