Annual unit updating is a means of collecting undergraduate and taught postgraduate unit information for the next academic year through a web based system. It has the following functionality:
Enabling Schools to indicate which units will run in the next academic year, by adding or removing unit availability;
Enabling Schools to update the following unit information: the unit description, director, teaching block, pre- and co-requisites and whether it is an ‘open unit’ or not.
The deadline for annual updating of the Unit Catalogue is listed as by the end of week 19 of the Education and Students Cycle. As the University moves toward integration of many of its administrative processes, it becomes even more imperative that the deadline is observed. Failure to do so may compromise other processes such as timetabling, online unit registrations and student unit choices, as well as the production of examination timetables.
New units approved after the deadline and other changes due to circumstances such as staff changes can be incorporated into the catalogues, but it is essential that these instances are kept to a minimum and that the School keep the faculty timetabler is informed if this occurs.
The deadline for updating units coincides with the start of web data collection for timetabling. After the opening of the web data collection tool, any changes or updates going through the system MUST be discussed with the faculty timetabling officer by the School(s) concerned - otherwise they may not be incorporated into the timetable.
Annual unit updating is completed via the Unit & Programme Management System (UPMS), so that checking and editing of units can happen within the same online website which manages unit and programme approval process. Unlike changes going through the approval process, annual unit updating (see permissible updates below) does not require approval and is applied directly to the catalogues. However you still have to create and submit a proposal in the UPMS in order to update units.
To access the system for updating users need to log in.
Guidance and a training video on annual unit updating can be found on the UPMS BEAM page. If you have any questions after using these resources please contact approval-help@bristol.ac.uk
