UNIVERSITY STANDING PANEL REPORT. Part A: Summary Report. Programme Specification Title(s) Legal Apprenticeships Network

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1 UNIVERSITY STANDING PANEL REPORT Part A: Summary Report A1 Programme Specification Title(s) Legal Apprenticeships Network A2 Home Department/School Postgraduate, Professional and Commercial A3 Home Faculty or Business and Law Supporting Faculty A4 Type of Proposal Approval A5 Date of Standing Panel 3 December 2013 A6 Objectives of Event To ensure that the design, academic standards and quality of learning opportunities of the proposed programme, given strategic approval on 3 September 2013 (SAF ref PARM/13/118) refers) and as outlined in 7 below, are appropriate to the award to which it leads and are informed by reference to institutional regulations and policies, national benchmarks and relevant professional and employment demands. A7 Outline of Proposal/Development(s) The proposal from the Faculty of Business and Law was for a new 60 credit award at level 4 designed as an addition to the CILEx distance learning level 3 award which is also part of the apprenticeship scheme. The proposed new award of University Certificate in Legal Skills comprises two 30 credit units already in approval. The new programme would operate within the Flexible Curriculum Framework. A8 Conduct of the Event and Panel Membership The Standing Panel meeting was held on the All Saints campus. The Panel included the following internal members: Joss West-Burnham (Chair) Ian Eastwood (Academic Representative) Lineker Hurren (Student Union Representative) Janet Robertson (Panel Secretary) The Panel included the following external member appointed by the Head of Centre for CASQE Page 1 of 6 Standing Panel Report

2 Academic Standards & Quality Enhancement: Doug Carr (University of Derby) The Panel invited Joanne Urmston and/or Mary Meldrum to speak to the proposal if necessary, who would be available by telephone. In the event, it was not thought necessary to seek further clarification of the information provided in the documentation, which was clear, but to ask for further detail or extended information through the formation of the conditions of approval. A9 Documentary Evidence Base Agreed approval process Strategic Approval Form and sign off Briefing document Programme Specification Unit Specifications for existing units: Legal System and Skills; Contract Law Staff CVs of MMU staff teaching on the programme were received separately A10 Conclusions The Panel concluded that the intended learning outcomes of the proposed programme were achievable by students and appropriate to the standards of the University s awards and that the programme was current and valid in the light of developing knowledge in the discipline and developments in teaching and learning. A11 Summary of Outcome The Panel recommended: (i) Initial approval with effect from September 2014 subject to fulfilment of the seven conditions in Section A13 below. A full list of the award titles approved may be found in Section A of the updated programme specification. A full list of the award titles approved may be found in para 13 of the updated programme specification. A full list of changes made as part of this Approval event may be found in Appendix 1 of this report. A12 Condition(s) of Approval The following condition(s) of approval must be fulfilled before the programme/modified programme may commence: CASQE Page 2 of 6 Standing Panel Report

3 1. Clarify the roles and responsibilities of all assessors, mentors and the unit leader. 2. Articulate the admissions requirements appropriately; describing any necessary supporting structures for those without the standard entry requirements, (Box 33 of the programme specification, second paragraph, should be transferred to Box 38, describing programme specific admissions requirements). 3. Clarify the position of the programme in relation to the University s policies and procedures, such as the Institutional Code of Practice for Placement and Work-based learning, support for learners, (eg. access to Faculty Student Support Officer) in line with standard level 4 provision. 4. Articulate the processes for induction to units and to MMU systems and procedures so that students are provided with information on staff responsibilities, student support, programme management and personal tutoring. (Extended information is required in Box 41 of the programme specification. 5. Amend the programme specification to confirm the position of PSRBs in relation to approval of exemption from their requirements for the LLB(Hons) and the LLB(Hons) in Legal Practice. The information in Box 18 should be removed until PSRB approval is granted. 6. Clarify the arrangements for student participation to describe how the student voice is heard. 7. Remove the final sentence from Box 30 of the programme specification on curriculum design so that current information only is captured within the programme specification. A13 Deadline(s) for Fulfilment of Condition(s) 31 January 2014 A14 Recommendations The Programme Team must consider and address explicitly the following recommendation(s) in the course of its continuous monitoring processes: 1. As the Legal System and Skills unit is already approved, the Panel suggested that the task requirements for the portfolio for the new cohort of students could be more fully articulated and recommended an early point of feedback. 2. Noting that the Contract Law unit is in approval as a distance learning unit, the Panel queried whether it would be possible to specify a word length for the essay and to confirm whether it would be possible to submit it electronically. They also asked whether it would be possible to state whether the examination would held at MMU, in the workplace or take place online. 3. The Panel recommended that full reading lists for units should be available at future Panel meetings. CASQE Page 3 of 6 Standing Panel Report

4 A15 Date of next scheduled review The first scheduled periodic review of the programme will be held during the Autumn term of the academic year 2018/19. CASQE Page 4 of 6 Standing Panel Report

5 Part C: Response to Conditions of Approval To be completed by Panel Secretary Programme Title Type of Event Approval Legal Apprenticeships Network Date of Event 3 December 2013 Deadline for fulfilment of Conditions Panel Chair 31 January 2014 Joss West-Burnham Response to be approved by (indicate as appropriate) Panel Chair on behalf of Panel Joss West-Burnham All/designated Panel Member (please specify) To be completed by Programme Team C2 Documentation submitted for approval Revised programme specification To be completed by Panel Chair C3 Panel Chair/Panel Member Comments C4 Confirmation of approval I confirm that I am satisfied that all the condition(s) of approval has/have been fulfilled subject to confirmation of compliance with the ICP for Placement and Work-based Learning. Signed: J West Burnham (signed copy held in CASQE file) Date: 18 February 2014 CASQE Page 5 of 6 Standing Panel Report

6 Secretary s Note Revised programme specification received from programme team 24 March Section 35 now includes the following statement The programme adheres to the Institutional Code of Practice for Placement and Work-based Learning. To be completed by Panel Secretary C5 For arrangements involving Collaborative Partners only: Date notification from Collaborative Partnership Office that Formal Agreement(s) signed by all parties N/a Section D - For CASQE use only D1 Date Report circulated to Faculty 11 December 2013 D2 Date Panel Recommendation(s) & 28 March 2014 responses to conditions confirmed by Head of CASQE D3 Final outcome reported to AQSC 2013/14 annual report End of Part C: Response to Conditions CASQE Page 6 of 6 Standing Panel Report