UNIVERSITY OF SUNDERLAND

Transcription

1 UNIVERSITY OF SUNDERLAND DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTING ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY MSc Project Management PROGRAMME HANDBOOK

2 CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION Welcome from the Programme Leader Useful websites: 3 2. CONTACTING STAFF University Contact Faculty Contacts Programme Staff (Module Leaders) 5 3. PROGRAMME INFORMATION Aims of the Programme Overall Objectives of the Programme Structure of the Programme Learning Outcomes for each stage of the award Programme Schedule Entry Qualifications What you will need to do the programme Learning & Teaching Assessment Strategies Recognised Routes of Prior Learning Opportunities for Negotiated Learning Mechanisms for Feedback to Students Module-Specific Teaching & Learning Methods Useful Websites ASSESSMENT General Description of Assessment Strategies Types of Assessment Pass / Fail criteria Assessment Schedules Submitting Assignments Late Hand-in Policy Cheating, Collusion and Plagiarism Mitigating Circumstances Useful Websites STUDENT SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE Dept, Faculty and University Support Useful Websites Student Representation Student Feedback Useful Websites 20 Page 2 of 20

3 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Welcome from the Programme Leader On behalf of the MSc Project Management team, I welcome you to the University of Sunderland. We look forward to an enjoyable year of working together in productive association. You have chosen a postgraduate course which allows you to develop your knowledge and skills within the broad field of Project Management. This will be important and useful not only to you in your future careers, but also to the economies of your countries We are aware of the many problems faced by postgraduate students and in particular mature students who are returning to study after a period of absence. Often these problems can be solved by yourselves, or within your study group. If not, a discussion with the relevant Module Leader or the Programme Leader may be useful. This handbook is also designed to give you useful information that will help you in the early weeks of the course. I hope you will find the information in this handbook useful and I wish you a successful and enjoyable year. Ian Ridley Programme Leader 1.2 Useful websites: (Note that some websites listed throughout this handbook will need you to log in with your username and password) Sunderland MSc Project Management Blog University main home page Department home page Also from the department web page you can access MSDN Academic Alliance from Microsoft. Note the MSDN Academic Alliance is now called Microsoft DreamSpark for Academic Institutions. A direct link to DreamSpark is below: d8897&vsro=8 The My Sunderland webpage From this webpage you can access, the virtual learning environment New SunSpace, your timetable, university , your marks using evision and many other things you will need. Page 3 of 20

4 2. CONTACTING STAFF 2.1 University Contact You will at some point need to contact departments outside the Faculty such at Finance or Student and Academic Services. You can find out more about where each department is and what they do via the university website below and following the various links on the left Faculty Contacts Within the Faculty of Applied Science, all staff are vital to the operation of the various programmes. You will come into contact with a large number of staff in your time here, be they academic, administrative, technical or other support staff. The majority of academic, administrative and technical staff connected with the MSc in Project Management are based in the David Goldman Informatics Centre. All administrative and technical staff have clearly assigned roles and these will become apparent to you as you progress through your programme. There is a technical computer help desk situated near the main department reception. A technical virtual helpdesk is also available to students (see website in 2.4 below). Contacting administrative staff is best done via the main reception. However, an electronic enquiry service is also available to students in the form of an enquiry facility. Any postgraduate administrative related queries can be ed to the address given below: [email protected] The above can also be accessed via the Faculty Home Page under Contacts An appointment system is in place for academic staff, students can make appointments at the Main Reception. Alternately, students can or telephone staff. Contact details are available on the people finder web page - see below. Page 4 of 20

5 2.3 Programme Staff (Module Leaders) Module codes, titles and associated module leaders are listed below in Table 1. Module Title Module Code Module Credit Value Module Leader Project Management ENGM91 30 Ian Ridley and Control International Project ENGM92 15 Ian Ridley Management in Practice Managing People and CETM08 15 John Wraith Project Leadership Decision Support CISM02 15 Valentina Plekhanova for Management Research Skills and CETM11 15 Lynne Humphries Academic Literacy Commercial & Contractual CETM10 15 Ian Ridley Issues in Project Management Project Risk & CETM09 15 Helen Edwards Quality Management Project PROM01 60 David Nelson Table 1. Module codes, titles and associated leaders. Page 5 of 20

6 3. PROGRAMME INFORMATION 3.1 Aims of the Programme This Masters programme is designed to provide good graduates from any discipline with advanced skills and knowledge in the field of project management. The overall aims of the programme are: To take students from a wide range of backgrounds and prepare them for future roles as professional project managers. To equip these students with transferable skills to enable them to operate effectively as project managers in a wide variety of industrial and service sectors. To focus on project management methods, competencies and techniques as defined by the Association of Project Management (APM) and the Project Management Institute (PMI) in their Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). To provide students with the skills and knowledge to make a significant contribution to Project Management research activities. 3.2 Overall Objectives of the Programme The overall objectives of the programme are expressed below in terms of the overriding programme learning outcomes. In summary, the objective is to produce a postgraduate programme of study that will allow students, on completion, to have attained the following knowledge and skills: Knowledge: K1 A thorough appraisal and understanding of the current methods and concepts at the forefront of the academic discipline, particularly those as defined by the relevant professional bodies. K2 A thorough critical understanding of one key aspect of the academic discipline. K3 A knowledge of appropriate research techniques applicable in project management activities. K4 An appreciation of the importance of teamwork and communications management K5 Have experience of the iterative process of project control. Page 6 of 20

7 K6 Recognise the legal issues involved in contract negotiation and fulfilment. K7 Critical understanding and awareness of financial management techniques and their role in strategic planning and management. K8 An understanding and critical awareness of the techniques which aid management decision making. K9 An understanding and critical awareness of project management concepts and techniques, including the use of advanced tools for the management of projects. K10 Experience of applying Project Management techniques and concepts to a practical project in a real life environment. K11 Advanced knowledge in a highly specialised area in the discipline of Project Management via an individual project. Skills: S1 Independently and objectively, critically review, consolidate and extend their knowledge to produce a systematic and coherent body of information. S2 The ability of work independently and make objective decisions relating to complex problems. S3 To be able to apply knowledge and skills in a range of activities in project management. S4 To communicate effectively through presentational and report writing skills S5 To plan and control projects within a variety of disciplines by using appropriate project management tools and techniques S6 The ability to anticipate the legal issues involved in contract negotiation and fulfilment S7 The ability to apply and critically assess different methods of project appraisal and justification. S8 The ability to apply appropriate project management methodologies and tools for planning and control of project cost and schedules. S9 To be able to define, identify, quantify and assess elements of risk. S10 To analyse, appraise, and manage a project effectively in an academic, commercial or industrial setting S11 Independently design and undertake a major original research project on a topic which results in the application of skills and knowledge developed during the programme. Page 7 of 20

8 S12 To be able to communicate conclusions clearly in written and verbal form in a way accessible to both specialist and non-specialist audiences. 3.3 Structure of the Programme The programme consists of a single route of core modules with no optional modules. The modules, module codes and associated module credits are defined in Table 2. The Certificate and Diploma stage menus are typical only and can vary from year to year. The intermediate awards of PG Certificate and PG Diploma can be achieved by securing 60 or 120 credits respectively in any taught modules (see below). Code Module Title Credits Postgraduate Certificate Stage ENGM91 Project Management and Control 30 ENGM92 International Project Management in Practice 15 CETM11 Research Skills and Academic Literacy 15 Postgraduate Diploma Stage CISM02 Decision Support for Management 15 CETM08 Managing People and Project Leadership 15 CETM09 Project Risk and Quality Management 15 CETM10 Commercial & Contractual Issues in Project Management MSc Stage PROM01 Project 60 Total 180 Table 2. Module codes, titles and associated credits Stages and Awards There are two intermediate awards and one main award available within this programme. Note that only one award (i.e. the highest available to the student) will be granted. These awards are: Postgraduate Certificate in Project Management Postgraduate Diploma in Project Management Intermediate Awards Master of Science in Project Management. A generic award of a Postgraduate Certificate in Project Management is available for those students who gain a minimum of 60 M-level credits from any of the taught modules within this programme (i.e. excluding the project). The second intermediate award of Postgraduate Diploma in Project Management is available for students who Page 8 of 20

9 wish to leave the course at the end of the taught component (or who fail the project) - having gained 120 M-level credits. This is illustrated in Table 3 below. Award Stage Credits Mode PG Certificate 1 60 credits FT/PT PG Diploma credits FT/PT Table 3. Intermediate awards available during programme. In addition, awards of MSc, MSc with Merit and MSc with Distinction are available. The criteria for these awards are: To be awarded an MSc in Project Management, the student must achieve marks of 40% or above in all modules including the project module. To be awarded an MSc with Merit in Project Management, the conditions for the award of an MSc in Project Management need to be fulfilled and, in addition, the project module must normally be graded 60% or higher. To be awarded an MSc with Distinction in Project Management the conditions for the award of an MSc in Project Management need to be fulfilled and, in addition, the project module must normally be graded 70% or higher. 3.5 Learning Outcomes for each stage of the award The following sections describe the learning outcomes for students on this masters programme for each stage of the award in terms of the knowledge and skills, the sum of which contribute to the attainment of the aims and objectives of the overall programme Postgraduate Certificate in Project Management On successful completion of the certificate stage of the programme, students will have acquired the following knowledge and skills: Knowledge: K1 A thorough appraisal and understanding of the current methods and concepts at the forefront of the academic discipline, particularly those as defined by the relevant professional bodies. K2 A thorough critical understanding of a key aspect of the academic discipline. K3 A knowledge of appropriate research techniques applicable in project management activities. Page 9 of 20

10 Skills: S1 Independently and objectively, critically review, consolidate and extend their knowledge to produce a systematic and coherent body of information. S2 The ability of work independently and make objective decisions relating to complex problems. S3 To be able to apply knowledge and skills in a range of activities in project management Postgraduate Diploma in Project Management In addition to the learning outcomes achieved for the postgraduate certificate, on successful completion of the diploma stage of the programme students will have acquired the following knowledge and skills: Knowledge: K4 An appreciation of the importance of teamwork and communications management K5 Have experience of the iterative process of project control. K6 Recognise the legal issues involved in contract negotiation and fulfilment. K7 Critical understanding and awareness of financial management techniques and their role in strategic planning and management. K8 An understanding and critical awareness of the techniques which aid management decision making. K9 An understanding and critical awareness of project management concepts and techniques, including the use of advanced tools for the management of projects. Skills: S4 To communicate effectively through presentational and report writing skills S5 To plan and control projects within a variety of disciplines by using appropriate project management tools and techniques S6 The ability to anticipate the legal issues involved in contract negotiation and fulfilment S7 The ability to apply and critically assess different methods of project appraisal and justification. S8 The ability to apply appropriate project management methodologies and tools for planning and control of project cost and schedules. S9 To be able to define, identify, quantify and assess elements of risk. Page 10 of 20

11 3.5.3 MSc Project Management In addition to the learning outcomes achieved for the postgraduate diploma, the successful MSc graduate will have acquired the following: Knowledge: K10 Experience of applying Project Management techniques and concepts to a practical project in a real life environment. K11 Advanced knowledge in a highly specialised area in the discipline of Project Management via an individual project. Skills: S10 To analyse, appraise, and manage a project effectively in an academic, commercial or industrial setting S11 Independently design and undertake a major original research project on a topic which results in the application of skills and knowledge developed during the programme. S12 To be able to communicate conclusions clearly in written and verbal form in a way accessible to both specialist and non-specialist audiences. 3.6 Programme Schedule Full-time course delivery normally takes 14 months to complete, which includes a 2 month vacation. The programme delivery is divided into three discrete stages from (i) October to February, (ii) February to June and (iii) September to December. The months of July and August are the vacation months. There are two entry points onto the course, one in October and the other in February. Table 4 below illustrates a possible full-time programme from the viewpoint of both October and February starters. Again note that the exact order in which the taught modules are taken may vary from year to year and intake to intake. Page 11 of 20

12 Date Oct Cohort Feb Cohort Mid Oct Mid Feb Oct Intake ENGM91 ENGM92 CETM11 CISM02 CETM08 CETM09 CETM10 _ Feb Intake CISM02 CETM08 CETM09 CETM10 Beginning July 2 Month Vacation 2 Month Vacation Beginning Sept PROM01 begins Mid Oct (New Oct Intake) ENGM91 ENGM92 CETM11 Early Dec Late Dec Jan Mid Feb Early April End April PROM01 dissertation submission Projects and Viva complete PROM01 begins (New Feb Intake) PROM01 dissertation submission Projects and Viva complete Table 4. Typical progression through course for Oct and Feb starters. 3.7 Entry Qualifications Entry requirements for the programme are normally: A good honours degree (2:2 or above) or equivalent in any discipline, or An appropriate Masters Entry Diploma or equivalent In the absence of the above qualifications, individuals possessing relevant and significant professional experience will also be considered for direct enrolment onto the programme. Students for whom English is not their first language will be required to meet the standard University language entry requirements, i.e. IELTS 6.5, or equivalent, before acceptance onto the programme. Page 12 of 20

13 4. STUDYING AND LEARNING SUPPORT 4.1 What you will need to do the programme There is no specialised equipment needed for this programme, although you will be expected to purchase a number of core texts the details of which are outlined in the specific module guides. A range of software packages will be used but access to these is provided by the Faculty. 4.2 Learning & Teaching Assessment Strategies. The curriculum of the programme has been developed to meet the current needs of employers across diverse fields, both national and international, in line with the guidance of the relevant professional institutes [The Association of Project Management (APM) and the Project Management Institute (PMI)] via their respective Body of Knowledge publications. The curriculum predominately consists of technical knowledge and skills to enable the pursuit of a career in a wide variety of Project Management environments. In addition, close attention has been given to ensuring that the curriculum is at the forefront of the academic discipline and clearly at M level in line with QAA framework benchmarks for postgraduate qualifications. These requirements are fulfilled by the Programme Team responsible for curricular design and delivery, and whose professional activities underpin and support the programme. Students are encouraged to join their professional association (Association for Project Management: APM). Student representatives attend APM Committee meetings (held monthly) and thereby gain access to expert practitioners and potential employment opportunities. In addition, monthly talks/seminars by external speakers are a valuable feature of the APM provision. Students also get the opportunity to interact with (and even compete with) students from other regional universities during meetings, but particularly during the annual Presentation Skills APM event. Finally, APM regularly provide a student prize for the best performance in each cohort. External speakers are also employed outside of the APM programme. For instance, Rory Burke, author of one of Project Management s seminal texts is a regular visitor and speaker. Students are supported in their work by the computing facilities across the Faculty on both the City and St Peter s Campuses. The Murray Learning Resource Centre is large and provides students with access to photocopying and binding services as well as access to journals, past projects, manuals and expensive textbooks. There is ample room for private study. The Centre is also responsible for collecting and receipting student assignments. Library facilities for students are provided across both campuses and offer an innovative learning environment, as well as areas for group and individual study. Finally, in addition to the significant physical and human resources available to students, the ever-evolving university VLE offers a host of benefits for study and communication. Page 13 of 20

14 4.3 Recognised Routes of Prior Learning Students may seek exemption from parts of the programme upon which they are registered. This is generally termed Accreditation for Prior Learning (APL), but this may be subdivided into Accreditation for Prior Certificated learning (APCL) or Prior Experiential learning (APEL). Such accreditation can be gained production of appropriate evidence. A maximum of 120 credits can be awarded to successful students, normally from the taught elements of the programme. The rules and procedures governing the application of prior learning are described in the generic University APL regulations. 4.4 Opportunities for Negotiated Learning Negotiated learning is only used within the project module of this programme. In the project module, the negotiation will centre on the terms of reference that the student wishes to propose. A central objective within the terms of reference will be the delivery of the feasibility study or design required by the client. However, the route by which this is achieved, and the topic and scope of the research that will interlink with it, are decided under negotiation between the student and supervisor (these decisions are ratified during project reviews). 4.5 Mechanisms for Feedback to Students The Faculty requires that student feedback on modules is obtained. This feedback and general student concerns are discussed at the Board of Studies. Action taken (or planned to be taken) as the result of these discussions must be communicated back to students by the Student Representative on the Board of Studies and this feedback is formally documented. In addition the Programme Leader will hold meetings with the students on the programme at various times throughout the year in order to inform them about such actions. Assignments are expected to be marked and returned with adequate comments for students to understand why they have been given the mark they have, and what they have to do to improve their performance. In addition the University standard is that all assignments should be marked and returned within 4 working weeks of submission for on-campus students. 4.6 Module-Specific Teaching & Learning Methods Learning and teaching methods employed throughout this programme constitute a rich mixture of methods appropriate to the modules under study. Each module will usually have both lectures and tutorials, in addition to various other techniques to enrich the student learning experience. Lecturers / Module Leaders will provide module guides which give a breakdown of the teaching & learning strategies employed within each module. 4.7 Useful Websites Library Services Page 14 of 20

15 5. ASSESSMENT The programme operates under University of Sunderland standard postgraduate regulations. Consult these regulations for more detailed information. 5.1 General Description of Assessment Strategies The assessment throughout this programme is a mixture of methods appropriate to the modules under study. The assessment strategy is designed to ensure that the aims and objectives of the programme are satisfied. The purposes of assessment are as follows: - To motivate learners To provide feedback To grade performance and to allow judgements to be made relating to progression A variety of assessment methods will be employed as appropriate to the learning outcomes of the modules. These include individual assignments, viva voce examinations, time-constrained tests and written reports. In general, a great reliance is placed on individual assignments, but the flexibility / range of possibilities within this single category is great. Individual assignment types include case study analysis, individual presentations (preparation, delivery or both), management reports, essays, research papers (proposal, paper, or both) an many others. The diverse range of assessment strategies employed across the programme enables students to display those skills associated with Masters level learning. For all assignments a clear marking scheme and a set of performance criteria are scrutinised (and modified where necessary) by (i) an internal assessment panel and (ii) the external examiner, where appropriate before being issued. The comprehensive moderation process is designed to ensure (a) adequate instructions to the student about what is expected, via an assessment schedule, (b) appropriate mapping to learning outcomes and (c) the appropriate academic level is targeted. 5.2 Types of Assessment Assessment is divided into two broad types: Constrained Tests (TCTs) etc) and Examinations. Coursework (Assignments, Time What is the difference between TCTs and examinations? A TCT is normally over a shorter period of time than an examination and can be taken during or at the end of the module. An examination normally takes place at the end of the module. There is more variety in the type of coursework assessments set. You may be asked to do any of the following: writing essays or reports, practical development design and/or make oral presentations or demonstrations. For modules with an examination component as well as a coursework component, it is normally the case that you must achieve a pass in both components. Check individual Modules Guides for specific information. Page 15 of 20

16 5.3 Pass / Fail criteria The pass mark for each module is 40%. All elements of assessment in each module must be attempted. Failure to achieve an overall pass mark of 40% in the module will normally result in a referral in those elements of assessment scoring below 40%. Failure in the referred work will normally result in a failed module. Referred assessment marks will be capped at 40%, whatever the actual mark gained. All decisions on progression to subsequent sages of the course will be made by a properly convened assessment board. 5.4 Assessment Schedules For each module that you study you should receive an assessment schedule. This is simply a list of the assessments - coursework and examination - for the module, the dates the assessments are set and hand-in dates together with the weighting of each assessment (what proportion each assessment contributes to your final mark for the module). For all assignment you will be allowed at least four term weeks to complete the assignment as the University Regulations. This information is often found in the individual module handbook. For all assignments you will be allowed at least four term weeks to complete the assignment as per the University Regulations. Always check with the Module Leader that the details given are correct. 5.5 Submitting Assignments All assignments should be handed in to the relevant Learning Resource Centre (LRC), currently operating in the Library. To enable the LRC staff to collect and process assignments efficiently (thus avoiding your having to queue unnecessarily), hand-in days are staggered according to Faculty, Level and mode of study. This means that the assignment hand-ins will be set for a specific day of the week. Currently, the hand-in day for Postgraduate programmes is Wednesday. You will normally be given a specific date and time by which you have to hand in your work. The latest hand-in time for Computing and Engineering modules is typically 4 pm for full time and 10 pm for part-time students. Modules delivered by other Faculty s have different hand-in days and times. Assignments will normally be returned to the LRC for collection by students. A sample of each batch of assignments is taken for QAA purposes. If yours is chosen you will only receive the feedback for your assignment, therefore it is strongly recommended that you retain a copy of all your work. 5.7 Late Hand-in Policy It is both a University and Faculty requirement that assignments are handed in by the time and date stated on the assignment brief. Mitigation details (see 5.9) must be provided for late submissions. 5.8 Cheating, Collusion and Plagiarism The Faculty operates the University s policy on cheating, collusion and plagiarism. It is very important that you familiarise yourself with the policy. If you are unsure about any of the terminology talk to your Programme Leader. To ensure fair play, all coursework Page 16 of 20

17 must be submitted electronically via the university s plagiarism-detection software. Further details on this process will be provided by module leaders. 5.9 Mitigating Circumstances If you are likely to miss classes for more than one week because of illness or personal problems, you should inform your Programme Leader of your absence. If you have missed an assignment deadline or produced work which is below your normal standard because of your circumstances, and you wish the Module Assessment Board to take those circumstances into account, then you must produce documentary evidence, such as a medical certificate. The evidence must be handed in at the DGIC Main Reception and accompanied by the form Evidence of Mitigating Circumstances, available from the DGIC Main Reception and on the Web. You must ensure that you hand in your mitigation to the DGIC Main Reception, before the deadline; otherwise the Mitigation Panel will not consider it Useful Websites Student and Academic Services Rules and Regulations Copies of various University of Sunderland academic rules and regulation can be found at the link below. Postgraduate Student Handbook See appropriate section of New SunSpace Page 17 of 20

18 6. STUDENT SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE 6.1 Dept, Faculty and University Support The overall strategy for support and guidance is three-pronged: accessibility to staff and resources; provision of relevant and reliable information and operation of a responsive system for managing problems as they arise. Support and guidance is offered to students through a comprehensive set of mechanisms. All new students are given a week-long induction programme during which time they are exposed to various aspects of student academic life and much information on the University and its Services, the Faculty and their chosen programme of study. They are provided with programme information, talks by programme and module staff, library visits, talks by representatives from Student Services, the Student s Union, the Charter Office and the Careers Office. The students also have access to their specific timetables through the Faculty s intranet site; this allows students to be informed of any changes to module arrangements. All students have access to their Programme and Module Leaders as appointments can be made with staff. Students on the programme will benefit from being part of moderately sized cohorts with a close-knit team of lecturers. Students have representation on Programme Boards of Studies. From time to time staff may meet with their tutees as a whole group to take soundings and obtain feedback on various issues. Additionally staff will take care to talk to students individually to provide important academic guidance. In addition, students will also be able to receive support and information through individual lectures web pages and where appropriate to the module the use of the Universities NewSunSpace VLE system. Students are supported in their work by the computing facilities across the Faculty on both the City and St Peter s Campuses. The Murray Learning Resource Centre is large and provides students with access to photocopying as well as access to journals, past projects, manuals and expensive textbooks. There is ample room for private study. The Centre is also responsible for collecting and receipting student assignments. Library facilities for students are provided across both campuses and offer an innovative learning environment, an electronic environment which offers access to CD-ROM, the campus network and the Internet, and areas for group and individual study. A summary of the major features of the Web provision, which will be available to students, is given below (see also the useful web addresses listed in this document): Complete staff list, telephone numbers, addresses and module responsibilities; Complete list of Faculty programmes, modules with links to programme structures and module descriptors; generic student handbook including links to Faculty home pages, University sites e.g. Student Services, Careers, Information Services, Campus maps and various Faculty and University policy documents e.g. rules on cheating and collusion, the Modular Credit Scheme and Teaching & Learning policies; Page 18 of 20

19 Faculty standards; Code Of Conduct for Use Of The Computing Terraces; Health & Safety advice. 6.2 Useful Websites Student and Learning Support Services Student & Learning Support Services provide a wide variety of services to students including the following: Careers & Employability Service, Chaplaincy Service, Counselling Service, Disability Support Services, Student Financial Advice, Health and Wellbeing Service and the Student Support Funds Service. Use the link below to find out more Progress Files PADSHE See appropriate section of NewSunSpace Postgraduate Faculty Handbook (Sections 3 & 5) See appropriate section of NewSunSpace Centre for International Education Student Union Page 19 of 20

20 7. STUDENT REPRESENTATION AND FEEDBACK 7.1 Student Representation At the beginning of each year, you will be asked to participate in the election of a number of representatives for your year group. You may want to put your own name forward. The job of a student representative is to convey the views of their fellow students about various aspects of University life and, in particular, the experiences provided by programmes of study. In doing this job, students learn more about how the University itself functions, and acquire experience which is generally beneficial for their future career. There are representatives for each of the following boards/committees: University of Sunderland Students Union; Module/Programme Board of Study; Faculty Quality Assurance Board; Faculty Learning Enhancement Board; Staff-Student Consultative Committees. Students may also have the opportunity to participate in programme validation events. Such events are an essential part of the process of updating and improving the programmes we offer. Training for all student representatives is available through USSU. 7.2 Student Feedback There are several types of evaluation in which a student is asked to participate Typical evaluation and validation events include informal evaluation, you may be asked how useful you (and your colleagues) found a particular teaching activity or assessment; module evaluation, conducted formally at the end of each module; programme evaluation, conducted formally at the end of each year, to assess the opinions you and your colleagues have of your programme as a whole; University evaluation, the University uses questionnaires for particular fact-finding surveys across the University Students play a vital role in assisting the Faculty and University in evaluating their provision and the importance of this role cannot be understated. 7.3 Useful Websites Student Union Page 20 of 20