Course Handbook - University Campus Oldham...7 HNC in Civil Engineering - Part time Route Year 1...

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Course Handbook HNC Construction/Civil Engineering/Surveying (RQF version)

September 2019 Fred Linskey - Course Leader

Validated by

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Contents Introduction 3

Aims and Intended Learning Outcomes of the Programme 4

Semester Dates and Programme Structure 5

Assessments on Your Programme 12

Assessment Procedures 13

Getting Feedback on your Work 14

Staff Details/Sources of Help 16

Resources 17

Student Support 19

Student Participation and Feedback 22

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Introduction

The HNC Construction/Civil Engineering/Surveying programme has been developed to provide students with a broad based entry level qualification within the construction area. The programme has been developed to widen student’s knowledge, understanding and abilities in a range of areas relevant to the sector.

Fred Linskey Course Leader [email protected] tel: 0161 344 8830

mailto:[email protected]

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Aims and Intended Learning Outcomes of the Programme

What are Aims and Intended Learning Outcomes? Each programme has its own set of aims and intended learning outcomes. These relate to both knowledge and understanding of your subject area and transferable key skills. Assessments (essays, exams, etc.) are designed to allow you to demonstrate the extent to which you have achieved these learning outcomes. The aims and intended learning outcomes of each programme shape what you will learn and reflect national subject benchmarks. Aims and Intended Learning Outcomes for HNC in Construction/Civil Engineering/Surveying The HNC programme has the following aims:

To provide a sound, intellectually demanding, vocational learning experience for employees and potential employees so that they can – in their own, employer`s and the nation`s interests – develop the competencies necessary for their work.

To make students effective in their immediate employment by developing practical application of theoretical knowledge

To provide the students with knowledge and skills relating to their chosen discipline.

To develop student’s reasoning abilities in deciding how, why, where and when to use particular procedures, systems and techniques.

To develop student’s abilities in coping with the various constraints that may be imposed on them in providing viable solutions to economic, technical and technological problems.

To develop student’s abilities in accessing, interpreting and applying economic, statistical and technical data and in communicating results effectively for use by others.

To build on student’s previous studies, experience and achievements and provide for progression to further study where appropriate.

To stimulate the confidence of students in their own intellectual abilities to enable them to communicate and work effectively with the public, clients, and professionals within the construction industry.

To engender key / common skills Its learning outcomes are: Knowledge and understanding On successful completion of the Programme, students will be able to: Explain the roles and responsibilities of a diverse range of disciplines involved in the

construction process. Demonstrate an understanding of a wide range of technologies employed in construction Demonstrate the ability to appraise the design, construction, and performance of low rise,

framed, and masonry structures; Apply appropriate technologies and techniques to provide suitable design/process outcomes. Demonstrate an ability to understand and apply Health and Safety legislation to the

construction process Demonstrate an ability to understand and apply the concepts of management and contract

administration within a legal framework in a project scenario; Demonstrate knowledge and skills in technological, professional and managerial aspects

appropriate to the construction industry.

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Demonstrate the ability to use appropriate methodologies to quantify and price construction operations.

Apply financial, managerial and contractual techniques to a given construction scenario Demonstrate knowledge and skills in technological, professional and managerial aspects

appropriate to the construction industry. Have acquired the necessary academic and professional framework to fulfil their potential. Key Skills On completion of the Programme, students will be able to:

Show by assessment and demonstration their competency in key / common skills as set out in the Edexcel framework.

Have broadened access to employment in their chosen discipline and be able to make a positive contribution to their place of work

Have demonstrated the successful acquisition of both the academic and professional skills and competencies required to fulfil the role of Construction Technician.

Appreciate the value of research and have developed their abilities for self – directed study.

Work as part of a team in preparing and delivering oral and written information.

Demonstrate a competence in the use of land surveying equipment

Semester Dates and Programme Structure

Semester dates for current and forthcoming Academic years are available via Moodle. The following chart outlines the structure of your programme, including both core and optional modules. Core modules are compulsory. You may be able to choose a certain number of optional modules.

https://moodle.uco.oldham.ac.uk/

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HNC in Construction - Part time Route

Year 1 Year 2

Year Long Modules

(Taught Semester 1 and Semester 2)

Science & Materials (MC) [ 15 credits ]

Construction Information (Drawing,

Detailing, Specification) (SM) [ 15 credits ]

Construction Technology (MC)

[ 15 credits ]

Construction Practice & Management (MC)

[ 15 credits ]

Year Long Modules


Individual Project (Pearson set) (MC) [ 15 credits ]

Mathematics for Construction (SM)

[ 15 credits ]

Surveying, Measuring & Setting out (OM) [ 15 credits ]

Legal & Statutory Responsibilities (SM) [ 15 credits ]

Total 60 Credits Total 60 Credits

MC = Mandatory Core Module

SM = Specialist Module

OM = Optional Module

HNC in Construction - Full time Route

Semester 1 Semester 2

Year Long Modules






[ 15 credits ]


[ 15 credits ]

Year Long Modules




[ 15 credits ]


Legal & Statutory Responsibilities (SM) [ 15 credits ]


MC = Mandatory Core



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HNC in Civil Engineering - Part time Route

Year 1 Year 2

Year Long Modules






[ 15 credits ]


[ 15 credits ]

Year Long Modules




[ 15 credits ]


Principles of Structural Design (SM)

[ 15 credits ]


MC = Mandatory Core



HNC in Civil Engineering - Full time Route


Year Long Modules






[ 15 credits ]


[ 15 credits ]

Year Long Modules




[ 15 credits ]


Principles of Structural Design (SM)

[ 15 credits ]


MC = Mandatory Core


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HNC in Surveying - Part time Route

Year 1 Year 2

Year Long Modules




[ 15 credits ]


Construction Practice & Management

(MC) [ 15 credits ]

Year Long Modules


Measurement & Estimating (SM) [ 15 credits ]

Financial Management & Business

Practises in Construction (SM) [ 15 credits ]

Legal & Statutory Responsibilities (SM)

[ 15 credits ]

Tender & Procurement [ 15 credits ]


MC = Mandatory Core


HNC in Surveying - Full time Route


Year Long Modules




[ 15 credits ]



(MC) [ 15 credits ]

Year Long Modules


Measurement & Estimating (SM) [ 15 credits ]

Financial Management & Business

Practises in Construction (SM) [ 15 credits ]

Legal & Statutory Responsibilities (SM)

[ 15 credits ]

Tender & Procurement [ 15 credits ]


MC = Mandatory Core


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Modules

Module Title Core/ Optional

Brief Description Module Coordinator

Individual Project HNC Construction Civil Engineering Surveying

Mandatory core

This unit provides learners with the opportunity to develop an understanding of the design process and how the planning and design phases are coordinated and managed.

FL

Construction Technology HNC Construction Civil Engineering Surveying

Mandatory core

This unit will introduce the different technological concepts used to enable the construction of building elements; from substructure to completion, by understanding the different functional characteristics and design considerations to be borne in mind when selecting the most suitable technological solution

FL

Science & Materials HNC Construction Civil Engineering Surveying

Mandatory core

This unit aims to support students to make material choices to achieve the desired outcomes of a brief. This is approached from the perspective of materials being fit for purpose; as defined by testing standards and properties, but also by consideration of the environmental impact and sustainability. Awareness of health & safety is considered alongside the need to meet legislative requirements.

FL

Construction Practice & Management HNC Construction Civil Engineering Surveying

Mandatory core

The unit compares and investigates small, medium and large construction companies within the market place and how construction processes, for development, have evolved.

FL

Legal & Statutory Responsibilities in Construction HNC Construction Surveying

Specialist This unit will introduce the different areas of law that are relevant to the construction industry throughout the development process. This includes applying for planning approval to undertake construction activities and using building control regulations to evaluate building design and alterations at the preconstruction stage. The unit will explore the laws of occupiers’ liability, trespass and nuisance to manage construction activities on-site, and the legal aspects of the sale and leasing process involved in the disposal of buildings; using the law of contract and land law.

FL

Construction Information (Drawing, Detailing, Specification) HNC Construction Civil Engineering

Specialist Through this unit, students will develop their awareness of different types of construction information and their uses in the process. Students will engage in the production, reading and editing of construction information, in order to understand

FL

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how this information informs different stages of the process. Using industry standard tools and systems, students will consider the ways that information may be shared and, through this, the value of collaboration in the information process.

Surveying, Measuring & Setting out HNC Construction

Specialist This unit explores the techniques used to set up controls and conduct topographic surveys. It also covers communication of results and methods of setting out structures.

FL

Mathematics for Construction HNC Civil Engineering

Specialist Topics included in this unit are: dimensional analysis, arithmetic and geometric progressions wave and vector functions, differential and integral calculus, binomial and normal distribution, sinusoidal waves, and trigonometric and hyperbolic identities, among other topics.

FL

Principles of Structural Design HNC Civil Engineering

Specialist Topics included in this unit are: methods and techniques used to determine bending moments and shear forces in simply supported steel and reinforced concrete beams; deflection in simply supported steel beams; and axial load carrying capacity of steel and reinforced concrete columns.

FL

Measurement & Estimating HNC Surveying

Specialist The overall aim of this unit is to provide students with an understanding of the quantity surveying techniques of measurement and the estimation of rates for the compilation of tender information. This is a vital activity in achieving a successful outcome for a contracting company in tendering and winning work.

FL

Financial Management & Business Practises in Construction HNC Surveying

Specialist This unit introduces the concepts of business management and financial control. Students will examine a range of factors that influence the ways in which companies grow, raise finance and control their costs and resources.

FL

Tender & Procurement HNC Construction Surveying

Optional The aim of this unit is to provide students with the knowledge to select a procurement route and an appropriate tendering method in the awarding of a project to a main contractor. Students will gain knowledge of how to prepare a tender package in procuring a contractor for a client’s work. Many different procurement methods are available to achieve this: from open to closed systems.

FL

Civil Engineering Technology

Optional Topics included in this unit are: earthwork activities, temporary and

FL

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HNC Civil Engineering

permanent dewatering procedures, methods and techniques used to create substructures, highways and superstructures and the common hazards, technical problems and solutions associated with modern civil engineering activities.

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Assessments on Your Programme

Further information about your assessments will be available in your module information and/or on Moodle at the beginning of each semester or module. This is the schedule of assessments for academic year 2019/2020

HNC Construction / Civil Engineering / Surveying

Module Title Level

Assessment Issue (w/c)

Submission Deadline

Feedback

Individual Project (Pearson-

set)

4 (PT) Assessment 1

Individual Project

(Pearson-set)

4 (FT) Assessment 1 27/01/2020 22/06/2020 06/07/2020

Construction Technology 4 (PT) Assessment 1 27/01/2020 30/03/2020 13/04/2020

Construction Technology 4 (PT) Assessment 2 30/03/2020 22/06/2020 06/07/2020

Construction Technology 4 (FT) Assessment 1 23/09/2019 25/11/2019 09/12/2019

Construction Technology 4 (FT) Assessment 2 25/11/2019 27/01/2020 10/02/2020

Science & Materials 4 (PT) Assessment 1 23/09/2019 04/11/2019 18/11/2019



Science & Materials 4 (FT) Assessment 1 23/09/2019 04/11/2019 18/11/2019




4 (PT) Assessment 1 27/01/2020 09/03/2020 23/03/2020


4 (PT) Assessment 2 09/03/2020 18/05/2020 01/06/2020


4 (PT) Assessment 3 18/05/2020 22/06/2020 06/07/2020


4 (FT) Assessment 1 23/09/2019 04/11/2019 18/11/2019


4 (FT) Assessment 2 04/11/2019 16/12/2019 13/01/2020


4 (FT) Assessment 3 16/12/2019 13/01/2020 27/01/2020

Legal & Statutory Responsibilities in Construction

4 (PT) Assessment 1


4 (PT) Assessment 2


4 (FT) Assessment 1 27/01/2020 30/03/2020 13/04/2020


4 (FT) Assessment 2 30/03/2020 22/06/2020 06/07/2020

Construction Information 4 (PT) Assessment 1 23/09/2019 25/11/2019 09/12/2019

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(Drawing, Detailing, Specification)

Construction Information (Drawing, Detailing, Specification)

4 (PT) Assessment 2 25/11/2019 27/01/2020 10/02/2020


4 (FT) Assessment 1 23/09/2019 25/11/2019 09/12/2019


4 (FT) Assessment 2 25/11/2019 27/01/2020 10/02/2020

Surveying, Measuring & Setting out

4 (PT) Assessment 1


4 (PT) Assessment 2


4 (FT) Assessment 1 27/01/2020 30/03/2020 13/04/2020


4 (FT) Assessment 2 30/03/2020 22/06/2020 06/07/2020

Tender & Procurement 4 (PT) Assessment 1

Tender & Procurement 4 (PT) Assessment 2

Mathematics for Construction

4 (PT) Assessment 1


4 (PT) Assessment 2


4 (FT) Assessment 1 27/01/2020 30/03/2020 13/04/2020


4 (FT) Assessment 2 30/03/2020 22/06/2020 06/07/2020

Principles of Structural Design

4 (PT) Assessment 1


4 (PT) Assessment 2


4 (FT) Assessment 1 27/01/2020 30/03/2020 13/04/2020


4 (FT) Assessment 2 30/03/2020 22/06/2020 06/07/2020

Financial Management & Business Practises in Construction

4 (PT) Assessment 1


4 (PT) Assessment 2


4 (PT) Assessment 3

Measurement & Estimating 4 (FT) Assessment 1

Measurement & Estimating 4 (FT) Assessment 2

Assessment Procedures

The deadline for any submission is 4pm on the specified deadline (GMT/BST). Any work submitted after 4pm on this day will be considered to be one day late. Late submission of

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assessments may incur penalties. Assessments will normally be submitted both hardcopy and online. Exceptionally, due to the nature of the assessment, it may be necessary for your work to be submitted offline as described below. Your module leader will inform you what method you must use to submit your work for assessment. Instructions for submitting work via Turnitin are available here: The Moodle Portal Instructions for submitting work via Moodle will be provided by the Library, through information on the Library website and via drop-in sessions with Library staff. Instructions for Offline Submission of Assessments 1. Your Faculty’s designated submission point is the UCO reception desk. 2. Your submitted work should be accompanied by a signed declaration form that confirms that any work you are submitting is your own and that you are aware of the Academic Misconduct Procedure. Declaration forms are available from reception. The declaration form should be completed in full. 3. You will be provided with a receipt following the submission of assessed work, which you should retain for your records. 4. The date of assessment feedback will be included in your programme or module information. Any work that is returned to you will be distributed by a member of the module team unless you are informed otherwise by email or on Moodle. The return of work may be restricted to the published times. You should be prepared to present your student ID card when collecting your work. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that work is collected within the specified timescales.

Getting Feedback on your Work

Students are entitled to have feedback on all assessed work, including presentations and examinations. The purpose of the feedback is to promote your learning and help you to improve your performance.

Written feedback for coursework will be provided in electronic format within 15 working days of the submission deadline. For written examinations, you should receive an unratified exam mark within 15 working days of your exam date. You should contact the Module Leader if you do not receive any feedback within this time.

Academic staff will give you more specific information regarding how and when feedback will be provided.

Please note that all marks are provisional and subject to change until ratified by the Board of Examiners.

Any pieces of assessed work that you are entitled to collect will not be kept indefinitely so it is your responsibility to ensure that you collect your assessments at the times that your Module Leader informs you they will be available. Assessments are retained in line with the University assessment policy, which will be made available to students at the start of the programme. Feedback on Examinations If you wish to have feedback on examination scripts, you should contact the Module Leader to



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arrange an appointment or attend any timetabled feedback session that the module leader may arrange. The script will be made available for you to view, but you will not be allowed to take the script away from the appointment or session. Late completion & resubmission of assignments

Late completion

Students must have a clear understanding on completing assignments by the given

deadline.

Students may be given authorised extensions for legitimate reasons, such as illness etc.

this must be authorised by the course leader.

An amended set date (depending on circumstances) will be given for completion.

Resubmission

Only one opportunity for reassessment of the unit will be permitted.

Reassessment for course work, project or portfolio based assessment shall normally

involve the reworking of the original task.

For examinations, reassessment shall involve completion of a new task.

A student who undertakes a reassessment will have their grade capped at a pass for

that unit.

A student will not be entitled to be reassessed in any component of assessment for

which a pass grade or higher has already been awarded.

Repeat units

At Centre discretion & Assessment Board, decisions can be made to permit a repeat

of unit.

The student must study the unit again with full attendance and payment of the unit fee.

The overall unit grade for a successful completed repeat unit is capped at a pass for

that unit.

Units can only be repeated once.

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Staff Details/Sources of Help The Course Leader is responsible for the day-to-day running of your programme of study. If, for example, you’re unclear about what modules you should be attending, or your timetable, or your assessed coursework requirements, you should ask your Course Leader. As noted earlier in this handbook, the Course Leader for the HNC/HND Construction is Fred Linskey. Key Contact Details Academic Staff Fred Linskey – Course Leader [email protected] Room S3/8 0161 344 8830 Other Services HE Student Services Team / Reception: [email protected] or 0161 344 8800 Academic Development Lecturers: [email protected] Library and Resource Centre help desk: [email protected] or 0161 344 8888 UCO Careers Service: Appointments can be made via UCO Reception or 0161 344 8800 Communication UCO expects you to use your UCO email address and check regularly for messages from staff. If you send us email messages from other addresses they risk being filtered out as potential spam and discarded unread. The course team will normally communicate with students by email, through the campus VLE (Moodle), the course notice board and by post. Messages can be left with the HE Student Services Team. It is always helpful to leave your name, course and year of study and needless to say a contact number. Tutorials can be arranged with staff in the scheduled tutorial times and by appointment. External Examiner An External Examiner has been appointed to help ensure that the standards of your course are comparable to those provided at other higher education institutions in the UK. The current External Examiner for your course is Paul Allan (Pearson). If you wish to make contact with your External Examiner, you must do this through your Course-Leader and not directly. A sample of student coursework will be sent to the external examiner(s) for external moderation purposes, once it has been marked and internally moderated by the course tutors. The sample will include work awarded the highest and lowest marks and awarded marks in the middle range. External Examiner reports will be made available to you electronically on the course Moodle page. Student Charter Our student charter was developed jointly by the staff and students. It is an example of the working partnership which exists between our staff, students and student representatives. The charter embodies our commitment to delivering a high-quality student experience and sets out the expectations and responsibilities we have for our community of students and staff. A copy of the current Student Charter can be found on Moodle. Please click here to view.





https://moodle.uco.oldham.ac.uk/mod/book/view.php?id=6779

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Attendance As a registered student of UCO, you are expected to attend all timetabled learning activities for each module. If you miss classes, your absence will be noted and you may find that you have to explain your poor attendance. Continued poor attendance will lead to exclusion from your programme. Notification of illness or exceptional requests for leave of absence must be made to the HE Student Services Team, by calling 0161 344 8800 or by emailing [email protected]. Full details of the UCO Attendance Policy and Procedure can be found here.

Resources HE Student Services The HE Student Services Team are located at the UCO Main reception desk, which is open from 8.30am until 5.30pm Monday to Thursday and 8.30am until 4.00pm on Fridays. If you have queries regarding fees, replacement ID cards, council tax letters., or need advice regarding specific processes such as extenuating circumstances (ECs), extensions and appeals, please call at the UCO Reception desk, or contact a member of the HE Student Services Team on the details below. Any accidents or hazards should be reported to a member of staff via the UCO Reception desk where details will be logged and submitted to the Health and Safety Manager. First Aiders can be requested via the UCO Reception desk or by contacting a member of the HE Student Services Team on the details below. If the fire alarm sounds, students are requested to exit the building via the closest emergency exit in an orderly fashion and make their way to the fire assembly point on the main car park. Students with mobility limitations will have an evacuation plan within their Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan, which they will be made aware of at the commencement of their studies. Contact Details: UCO Reception, ground floor, main UCO building. [email protected]. 0161 344 8800 Academic Development Lecturers Engaging with a Higher Education programme at UCO is a life changing experience. To make the most of this new phase in your education, expert Academic Development Lecturers are on hand to offer advice on various aspects of study skills. As well as helping you make the transition into degree level studies, they will help you to develop the skills you will need in preparing coursework, as well as any other academic challenges you may face whilst at UCO. Throughout the academic year there are a wealth of activities on offer to ensure you can access supportive, friendly and developmental guidance in relation to your studies. The Academic Development Lecturers will help you to:

strengthen your research

improve your problem solving skills

manage your time effectively

acquire good study skills

adopt an academic writing style

structure your work appropriately

construct arguments

gain confidence in referencing

finding and evaluating information

improve your grades

prepare for exams




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Contact Details: Academic Success Centre, Room S1/7, first floor, main UCO building. [email protected] Library and Resource Centre The Library and Resource Centre provides learning resources, support and help to enable students to achieve success on their course of study. Our knowledgeable and friendly staff are on hand to help with all your enquiries. The small community here at UCO means that staff develop an effective learning relationship with every student. Whether it is responding to your individual enquiries, or working with groups of students in a bespoke workshops to develop information and digital literacy skills, we support all students to achieve success in their studies. You can access a wealth of online information, creative suite programs, audio-visual materials, and of course, books. The Library and Resource Centre Team can provide support with:

Locating and accessing relevant resources

Developing your skills in effective searching

Utilising technology effectively in your learning, assessment and research activities Contact Details: Library and Resource Centre, first floor, main UCO building. [email protected] 0161 344 8888 UCO IT Support Your UCO IT account gives you access to PC’s on campus at UCO, your UCO email account, and your UCO library account. The UCO virtual learning environment, Moodle, can be found at: http://moodle.uco.oldham.ac.uk/. Contact Details: [email protected] 0161 785 4182 IT help sheets can be found on Moodle here. Electronic Resource All students have internet access and a personal academic e-mail account and all computers available to students are fully networked and students have access to their accounts off campus, at home, the workplace and in other libraries or Wi-Fi points. This enables students to work at their own pace and at times that are convenient and to develop essential employability and transferable skills. Access to learning materials, books, journals and reports relating to courses is provided through the course and module VLE and this can be accessed from anywhere. Academic staff maintain a live set of e resources on the course VLE and students are encouraged to check these regularly. UCO Facilities Support Please text the number below to report any issues with facilities (e.g. heating, lighting, furniture, etc.) Text: 07950081398



http://moodle.uco.oldham.ac.uk/



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Personal development planning Through a number of modules, you are engaged in processes of reflective learning and personal development planning in relation to subject specific skills as well as more generic transferrable skills. The Performance Training modules provide you opportunities to develop key performance skills as well as cultivating important attitudes for lifelong learning. You are encouraged to keep log books documenting and reflecting on your learning within Performance Training and the Performance Project modules to develop critical reflection and to identify any additional learning needs. Within the Professional Practice module, you are encouraged to identify your own skills and abilities alongside your individual career aspirations in order to inform your personal development plan. You will document and develop these ideas into an online portfolio so that your ideas and progressions can be recorded and updated throughout your course. As you progress into their second year, the Professional Project module provides a further opportunity to engage with professional practice through the design and realisation of a specific project within an area relating to your individual vocational interests. This project may take you out of the campus into a professional setting where you are able to gain further experience and make valuable contacts. Career and Employability Service The Career and Employability Service provides expert help from qualified and experienced professionals to help you plan your future from day one of your UCO journey, continuing for 3 years following graduation. You will receive support from a level 6 qualified guidance practitioner with substantial experience and contact across a range of industries, which means that you will get the very best up-to-date information to help you make great choices. UCO students have exclusive access to this service from day one and continuing for three years after graduation. The Career and Employability Service provide the following services:

One to one information, advice and guidance

Seminars, workshops & masterclasses

Future planning and decision making

Online CV resources

CV checking service

Application form support

Job interview preparation

Mock interviews

Finding a placement

Contact Details: Appointments can be made with the HE Career & Employability Officer via the UCO Reception or by calling 0161 344 8800.

Student Support Your Year Tutor and your Personal Tutor are available to help you will all aspects of your course and to connect you with other Student Support teams. Personal Tutors Every student enrolled on the Course has a personal tutor allocated to him or her and they will arrange to meet you during your induction week. It is the responsibility of the personal tutor to supervise and monitor their tutee’s progress and well-being, both personal and academic. Everyone has problems from time to time. They may be academic: you have problems with a particular subject; your study skills are weak; you are not very good at presenting written work; you are concerned at your oral presentational skills. Your problems may be personal, illness,

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family or social problems. These may affect your standard of work, your attendance, your production on time of written work, your examination results or your general well-being. You should see your personal tutor sooner rather than later if you have a problem – do not wait for the crisis to occur! Any discussions with the tutor will be completely confidential. If necessary, your tutor can pass you on to professionals who can help with specific problems e.g. an Academic Development Lecturer or the Mental Health and Wellbeing Support Officer. The personal tutor is, therefore, an important focal point for every student and students are expected to keep in regular contact with their personal tutor, particularly in the student’s first year. It is your final year personal tutor who you can ask to provide a reference for you. It is, therefore, important that you have an up to date curriculum vitae (CV) is available. The role of the personal tutor

To provide a personal contact for the student within the institution.

To act as a liaison between the student and course leaders to seek any improvements required.

To offer guidance, assistance and support in helping to manage the student’s academic experience.

To recognise when the problems presented are beyond the tutor’s competence and control and seek guidance and support for the student through the appropriate institutional referral processes.

To work with students to review and reflect upon their own progress and if necessary on ways to improve it.

To take part in supportive training events.

The responsibilities of the personal tutor The personal tutor should:

Introduce themselves and meet their new tutees before the end of the first week of a new academic year.

Aim to see their tutees regularly and, at a minimum, twice during the winter and spring term and once in the summer term.

Ensure tutees know how to contact their tutor at short notice in the case of emergencies and make themselves available to students for some specified period every week. Dates and times of availability should be displayed clearly on department noticeboards or staffroom doors and be lodged within the Administration Office.

Be aware of any special learning needs of their students.

Help the tutees allocated to them overcome any problems of adjustment to University life.

Respond to tutees’ requests for advice on matters and refer, as necessary, to the correct department or service, ensuring that appropriate help is offered to the student.

Encourage tutees to come and see them in the event of needing to seek information or advice or to talk things through with a friendly listener.

Complete appropriate records of dates, times and outcomes of meetings with tutees.

The responsibilities of the Student Students should:

Respond promptly to requests to see their personal tutor, meeting or having contact at a minimum twice during the winter and spring term and once in the summer term.

Aim to respect the specified times at which tutors make themselves available to see students.

Ensure they know how to contact their tutor at short notice in the case of emergencies and, at all other times, try to see their tutor at the specified time

Keep tutors informed of any academic, health or personal problems which may have an effect upon their studies.

Complete appropriate records of dates, times and outcomes of meetings with tutors, and store in their PDP.

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Disability and Mental Health and Wellbeing Support If you have a disability, long-term health condition, mental-health condition or a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia or dyspraxia, UCO has a HE Disability Support Officer and a Health & Wellbeing Support Officer who are here to advise and help you. At UCO we can make reasonable adjustments to what we do to help you overcome the difficulties your disability presents you with. Examples of the adjustments that may be appropriate are: development of learning support plans, alternative arrangements for exams, extra time on library book loans or extra tutorials with your programme tutors. We are also able to support you in an application for Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA). This is a government grant to help you pay for the extra costs you may have as a result of your disability. We offer you time and space in a confidential manner, tailoring your support needs specifically to you offering support from a bespoke 6 week monitoring programme, counselling, 1-2-1 appointments, drop in’s, tutorials and workshops. If you would like to book an appointment with either of our officers you can do this via the booking systems outside SG/3 for Health and Wellbeing or SG/4 for Disability. You will also find drop in times available here. For Disability related queries, please contact 0161 344 8877 For Mental Health and Wellbeing queries, please contact 0161 344 8843 The HE Disability Policy can be found here Student Representation University Campus Oldham (UCO) considers student representation to be an important part of the process of engaging students in giving feedback to UCO to enhance the students’ experience of learning and teaching. The use of student representatives allows direct and immediate input from students, providing two-way communication that is interactive and not constrained. Each cohort will nominate a Student Representative to represent them and their views in each academic year. Discussions in Group Tutorials will inform the issues that your class representative(s) take forward to the HE Student Forums and Student Panels. Student representatives have a valuable role in providing feedback on current provision and providing views on future course developments. Student Representatives can also be used to identify good practice and provide feedback on student satisfaction. Student Representatives will be expected to pass on information to the students in their cohort, ask for their comments and suggestions and either take them to meetings or take them up individually. Requests to Withdraw/Suspend Studies Everyone at UCO wants you to enjoy your time here and to succeed in your programme, and we will support you in achieving this. Because of personal or academic issues you may think about changing programmes, suspending your studies or withdrawing from your programme. However, there may be financial implications involved with such changes to study, for example, liability for tuition fees, repaying student funding, funding while taking time out, and/or the impact on funding for future studies. If you are considering suspending your studies or withdrawing from it, you must talk to your Personal Tutor about the implications and any alternative options available to you. If you are worried about your studies, we want you to be able to talk through the difficulties you are experiencing. We would welcome the opportunity to explore with you support that might make


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a difference and help you to carry on. If you do want to leave, these discussions will ensure that you have made an informed decision. You must formally notify UCO and the University of Bedfordshire of your decision. You will need to fill in a withdrawal form, which you can get from the HE Student Services Team based at the main UCO Reception. The precise date of your withdrawal can be significant for a variety of reasons. Withdrawal will be deemed to be effective from the date that this form is received. You must remember that withdrawal does not end all your obligations to us as a student (such as your liability to pay tuition fees).

Student Participation and Feedback

We use a wide range of formal and informal methods to listen to our students. These include the Student Representation system, Staff Student Panels, UCO Committees, the Personal Tutor Scheme, Course and Module Evaluation Surveys, Focus Groups and our Student Forum meetings. We also actively encourage our students to take part in national surveys, for example, the National Student Survey (NSS) and the Destination of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) Survey. The value feedback we received from these methods is incorporated into our Business Planning and Review systems and utilised to help us deliver continuous improvement of our courses and campus services. Staff-Student Panel Meetings Staff Student Panel Meetings will be held twice per year, and are an opportunity for UCO Staff and Students to discuss their views, identify good practice, and develop improvements. Staff Student Panels are an integral part of the quality assurance and quality enhancement processes. The panel must be free to discuss any business relating to the overall student learning experience, including but not limited to:

Staff Student Panel representation

Assessment methods

External Examiner reports and action plans

Learning and teaching methods

Student evaluation, i.e. module and course surveys

Quality of teaching

Work placements

Academic policy

Quality and availability of resources, including rooms, library and IT resources

Student support services

Content and quality of modules

Feedback mechanisms for assessed work

Personal tutor system

Student, course and module handbooks

NSS results

Complaints The student complaints procedure enables students to bring matters of concern about their learning experience to the attention of UCO. The procedure should be invoked within one calendar month of the incident which is the cause of the complaint. Students who have left UCO may invoke this procedure within one calendar month of termination of their academic studies. The procedure comprises three stages: an informal approach with emphasis on early resolution, a formal stage and an appeal stage. It is anticipated that the majority of complaints will be resolved satisfactorily on an informal basis and close to their point of origin through early resolution. Initial contact should be made with the

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relevant member of staff who is responsible for dealing on a day-to-day basis with the matter being complained about. (For example, if the complaint refers to an academic matter, the first point of contact should normally be the module tutor, personal tutor or course leader.) UCO recognises that there may be exceptional circumstances where early resolution is not appropriate, in particular where the issues are complex and will require detailed investigation. In these circumstances, a formal Stage 2 complaint should normally be made. Students who wish to instigate a formal Stage 2 complaint must do so by completing the Student Complaints Form available here. Full details of the HE Complaints Policy and Procedure can be found here.

https://www.uco.oldham.ac.uk/about-us/


Course Handbook - University Campus Oldham...7 HNC in Civil Engineering - Part time Route Year 1...

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Transcript of Course Handbook - University Campus Oldham...7 HNC in Civil Engineering - Part time Route Year 1...