2.6 Minor change or restructure

1. Departments should follow this route if they are proposing a minor change or restructure of an existing scheme. The Department should complete the following for consideration by the Faculty Academic Affairs Committee. Further detailed guidance can be found in the SDF form.

(i) committee coversheet

(ii) Scheme Development Form 3 (SDF3)

(iii) new/restructured module approval forms, where appropriate, or links to existing modules.

2. Academic departments should carefully consider the implications of any minor modifications to existing schemes, which may arise as a result of annual monitoring exercises or external feedback, and consult with students as outlined in Section 2.1 of the AQH. Academic departments should also consult the Academic Registry QA Team to ascertain which approval pathway should be followed. If FAAC is not satisfied with the level of detail provided, or is not assured that the proposed changes constitute a minor modification, the committee may require the department(s) concerned to submit a proposal for a scheme restructure by an SDF1 or SDF2 for consideration by PPC.

3. In order to ensure that existing schemes do not change as a consequence of cumulative annual revisions, to the extent that they are no longer valid in relation to their original specifications, all minor modifications to existing schemes must be monitored by faculties and be reported to Academic Board through the Annual Monitoring of Taught Schemes. All schemes are also subject to periodic revalidation of provision, as part of the Departmental Periodic Review, every five years.

4. Minor modifications to schemes may also be approved during the course of periodic revalidation of provision, as outlined in Section 2.10 of the AQH.

5. To help academic departments to assess the level of changes being proposed and the appropriate approval process, guidance should be sought from the Academic Registry QA Team. Minor modification will typically involve the following:

(i) No substantive change to the aims of the existing scheme

(ii) No substantive change to the credit number of core modules and restriction of student choice

(iii) No substantive change to the scheme learning outcomes, content and assessment methods

(iv) No changes affecting more than 60 credits at any level in Part Two of an undergraduate scheme

(v) No changes affecting more than 60 credits of a taught postgraduate scheme.

6. Academic Registry may determine that external consultation is required if the scheme differs significantly to existing provision at that level.