Guidance for Committee approval of new degree programmes and major curriculum changes

Further additional notes of guidance on specific areas are referenced throughout this page via links.  

School Level Approval

The school teaching and learning committee (or equivalent) should check the full academic case, in detail.   The role of the school committee is to assure itself that the academic case is complete and ready to send to the Faculty.  In signing off an academic case, the school committee confirms that:

The School Level Approval Checklist (Office document, 11kB) can be found here should you require it.

Faculty Level Approval

The faculty teaching and learning committee (or equivalent) should review the full academic case.   The role of the faculty committee is to assure itself that the school has carried out due diligence and that the proposed new programme (or curriculum changes) fits with faculty education plans.  In signing off an academic case, the faculty committee confirms that: 

University Level Approval

The University Academic Quality and Standards Committee (UAQSC) will review the full academic case, including a FED coversheet which confirms faculty approval and sets out any faculty conditions or comments.  The role of the UAQSC is to provide University-level scrutiny of all proposed new programmes/ high-risk changes to existing programmes, and to recommend approval (or not) to the University Education Committee. In signing off an academic case, UAQSC confirms that:

 Committee Management 

Committee secretaries should ensure proposals awaiting approval are scheduled for consideration as soon as possible. Please note that your committee may have proposals to consider which originate in other schools and faculties (e.g. joint programmes, shared units). Such proposals cannot move to the next stage in the process until all required approvals are recorded at the previous stage.  Committee secretaries are responsible for recording decisions in the Unit and Programme Management System (UPMS).

The Chair of a committee has the ability to approve proposals between meetings using Chair’s Powers and recording this in the UPMS. 

A PDF version of the guidance for Committees is available here: Guidance for Committee Programme Approvals (PDF, 118kB)