MSc HEALTH INFORMATION MANAGEMENT

University of Sunderland Faculty of Applied Sciences Department of Computing, Engineering and Technology MSc HEALTH INFORMATION MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME HANDBOOK 2014/2015 MSc Health Information Management Programme Handbook 2014/15

KEY INFORMATION University Switchboard 0191 515 2000 Department of Computing, Engineering and Technology Reception (DGIC): Phone: 0191 515 2752 John Wraith (Programme Leader) Email: john.wraith@sunderland.ac.uk Room: IC230 Phone: 3395 Julie Baines (Administrator) Email: julie.baines@sunderland.ac.uk Room: Admin Office DGIC Phone: 3679 Technical Help Desk: Phone: 3783 (Terrace, DGIC) St Peter s Library: Phone: 3059 St Peter s Campus Security Office: Phone: 2659 Department of Computing, Engineering and Technology URL: http://cet.sunderland.ac.uk Web sites for NHS information: www.doh.gov.uk www.nhsia.nhs.uk MSc Health Information Management Programme Handbook 2014/15 Page 2 of 22

PROGRAMME INFORMATION CONTENTS 1. Introduction 5 2. Contacts Specific to the Programme 6 2.1 Teaching Team Contact Information 6 2.2 Other Useful Contacts 6 3. Programme Specification 6 3.1 Aims 7 3.2 Objectives 7 3.3 Structure and Content 7 3.3.1 Title of Awards 8 3.3.2 Programme Structure 8 3.3.3 Progression 10 3.3.4 Learning Outcomes for the Programme 10 3.3.5 Learning Outcomes 11 3.3.6 Learning Outcomes Mapped to Programme Awards 11 3.3.7 Career Opportunities 13 3.3.8 Teaching and Learning Strategy 13 3.3.9 Recommended Reading 14 4. What you will need in order to do the Programme 14 5. Studying and Learning Support 5.1 Practical Considerations 15 5.1.1 Attendance 15 5.2 Self Study 16 5.3 Study Skills 16 6. Student Support and Guidance 17 6.1 Programme Specific Support 17 6.1.1 Personal Tutor 17 6.1.2 Module Tutors 17 6.1.3 Student Consultation 17 6.2 Generic Department Support 18 6.3 Notice boards 18 MSc Health Information Management Programme Handbook 2014/15 Page 3 of 22

7. Assessment 19 7.1 Assessment Strategies 19 7.2 Assessment Regulations 19 7.3 Importance of Core Modules 20 7.4 Failing a Module 20 7.5 Extenuating/Mitigating Circumstances 20 7.6 Module Specific Regulations 21 8. Module Descriptors 21 9. Students Union 21 MSc Health Information Management Programme Handbook 2014/15 Page 4 of 22

PROGRAMME INFORMATION 1. Introduction Welcome to the MSc in Health Information Management on behalf of the teaching team. Many of you will be coming back to education after a few years and will be feeling apprehensive about what you are embarking on and the commitment that will be required. From the feedback we get from students I can assure you that while the going will be tough, you will certainly gain many benefits both personally and in your career development. This three year part-time Masters Programme in Health Information Management is designed to provide specific education and training in information systems relevant to the NHS as well as generic information and IT skills applicable to a variety of occupations, enhancing the career prospects of new/existing NHS staff. As such, the course is flexible enough to provide an academic grounding useful to students throughout a range of careers as well as specific skills that will be immediately relevant to the students working environment in the NHS. At the Diploma stage you can choose from a range of study options in line with your desired career path. There is a careful mix of theoretical and practical work spread throughout the course. For example, there is opportunity to discuss and analyse current NHS policies and developments and the impact of these on health information priorities. Close collaboration with NHS professionals currently employed in the service has been a key feature of the design of this course ensuring the practical relevance of the programme. It provides the opportunity for individuals to benefit from contact with colleagues engaged in different NHS organisations and to share experiences. Most importantly the course is relevant and topical to the issues students and their organisations face in the changing information needs of the NHS. As with most Masters level courses, there are three exit points: Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma and the Masters qualification itself. Each of these are recognised qualifications in their own right and some students will use the course to pursue the level of skills and expertise that meet their particular needs. Of course we would like to think that students join the course with the objective of obtaining their masters, but there is no requirement for them to do so. This means that if an individual s circumstances change partway through the course then he/she may not be seriously disadvantaged. Often students gain one level of accreditation and return at a later date to complete the next stage of the programme. This is supported by the flexibility of modes of study. This student programme guide is intended to set out all the core information about the academic and administrative operation of the MSc in Health Information Management. Some of it is specific to the programme while other aspects reflect practice within the Department of Computing, Engineering and Technology, or across the University as a whole. I hope you will find it a useful primer at the start of the year please do read through it now, as you need to be familiar with these details and I strongly suggest that you keep it handy for future reference. Best wishes for an enjoyable and successful programme. MSc Health Information Management Programme Handbook 2014/15 Page 5 of 22

2. Contacts Specific to the Programme The programme is managed by a programme leader and supported by a teaching team who are responsible for the core modules on the programme. 2.1 Teaching Team Contact Information All telephone numbers are direct lines and should be prefixed by the following STD code if dialling from outside the University: 0191 515 John Wraith Email: john.wraith@sunderland.ac.uk Room: DGIC 230 Phone: 3395 Chris Milburn Email: chris.milburn@sunderland.ac.uk Room: DGIC 216 Phone: 3637 Linda Blenkinsopp Email: Linda.Blenkinsopp@nhs.net Phone: Linda Blenkinsopp is part of the team but is not a full time member of staff at the University. David Nelson Email: david.nelson@sunderlans.ac.uk Room: DGIC 224B Phone: 3643 Lynne Humphries Email: Lynne.Humphries@sunderland.ac.uk Room: DGIC 219 Phone: 2725 2.2 Other Useful Contacts Learning Resource Centre (Prospect Building) Phone: 3113 Car Parking Estates Phone: 2019/2551 MSc Health Information Management Programme Handbook 2014/15 Page 6 of 22

3. Programme Specification 3.1 Aims This section sets out the programme structure and content, including the aims and objectives of the Programme This programme is covered by the regulations set out in the University Framework for Modular Postgraduate Programmes. It is your responsibility to be fully aware of the regulations which govern your programme. These regulations can be found on the university web site. The M.Sc. in Health Information Management (HIM) has been designed to develop knowledge and the ability to apply Health Information Management into three areas: Health Systems administration, computing and IT management. The aim of the programme is to provide a postgraduate programme of study which will: Produce health information systems managers who combine information systems technology and computing skills, with business and organisational skills, appropriate to a health service environment. Enhance the understanding and critical awareness of healthcare policy issues and their influence and impact upon health services information management and technology (IM&T) practice. Enable a critical evaluation of information systems in order to ensure their effective deployment in a health service environment. Develop an ability to take the lead in the adoption of a systematic, professional, quality approach to health service systems analysis and implementation. 3.2 Objectives The objective of the programme is to provide the student with a broad, substantial understanding of the information environment in the NHS which facilitates significant future benefit for student and employer alike. 3.3 Structure and Content 3.3.1 Titles of all Awards On successful completion of the full three year programme you will be awarded a MSc. in Health Information Management. However, it is possible for you to exit at intermediate stages and gain the following interim awards: MSc Health Information Management Programme Handbook 2014/15 Page 7 of 22

- Postgraduate Certificate in Health Information Management - Postgraduate Diploma in Health Information Management Exiting at these points does not preclude you from continuing with the remainder of the programme at a later date should you wish to do so. Please note that there are time limits which might be applied to completing the programme. 3.3.2 Programme Structure The programme consists of three stages: Stage 1 - Postgraduate Certificate Stage 2 - Postgraduate Diploma Stage 3 - MSc The University of Sunderland operates its postgraduate programmes under a modular credit scheme (MCS). To obtain your masters degree you must successfully complete a stated number of modules. Each module is worth a certain number of masters level credits, which reflects the amount of study involved in that module. To achieve a Postgraduate Certificate, students must successfully complete 60 credits from the three core certificate modules. To achieve a Postgraduate Diploma, students must successfully complete 120 credits (five core plus two optional modules). Award of the full MSc HIM requires successful completion of 180 M level credits. 150 credits are gained by study of health specific IM&T modules and a final year project. The remaining 30 credits are obtained at Stage 2 by selection of optional modules from the list shown in Table 1, up to the value of 30 credits. This freedom to select generic information management and technology modules will allow you to tailor your studies towards current and future skills required by your organisation and for your own personal development. MSc Health Information Management Programme Handbook 2014/15 Page 8 of 22

Table 1 - MSc Health Information Management Programme Structure COMM2Q Stage 1 Postgraduate Certificate Code Name Credits Health Information Systems Application Building Core/ Option 15 Core COMM1K Health Information Systems Analysis 15 Core COMM2R Health Service Information Environment 30 Core Stage 2 Postgraduate Diploma COMM66 Current Health Information Issues 15 Core CETM11 Research Skills and Academic Literacy 15 Core ENGM91 Project Management and Control 30 Option CISM02 Decision Support for Management 15 Option CETM16 Database Systems 15 Option CIFM09 Work Based Learning 30 Option Stage 3 Masters PROM01 Project 60 Core There is a natural progression through the course from the more basic healthcare IM&T modules in the Certificate stage through the more advanced and optional subjects in the Diploma stage to the individual masters project. 3.3.3 Progression To gain an award from the programme each student must fulfil one of the following: To be awarded a Postgraduate Certificate in Health Information Management a student must pass the three core modules at Certificate level or the equivalent (worth 60 M-level credits). To be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma in Health Information Management a student must pass in all modules studied excluding the project module. To be awarded a M.Sc. in Health Information Management a student must pass all modules studied including the project module. MSc Health Information Management Programme Handbook 2014/15 Page 9 of 22

To be awarded an M.Sc. with Merit in Health Information Management the conditions for the award of an M.Sc. in Health Information Management need to be fulfilled and in addition the project module must be graded between 60% and 60% and all other modules must normally have been passed at the first attempt. To be awarded an M.Sc. with Distinction in Health Information Management a student must pass all modules studied at the first attempt in addition the project module must be graded as at 70% or greater. Students may choose to leave the programme with an interim award as long as they fulfil the necessary requirements (See Section 4.2). 3.3.4 Learning Outcomes for the Programme This section is included to give you an overview of what you are expected to know, and what you are expected to be able to do at the end of the programme. 3.3.5 Learning Outcomes Knowledge and Understanding: 1. Substantial understanding of national and local healthcare policy issues and their influence on the design and development of health information management and on the health information function. 2. An understanding and critical awareness of current and emerging information technology tools and techniques. 3. A strategic view of the role of information management and technology in the successful operation of healthcare organisations. 4. Detailed knowledge of IM&T skills required to promote continuing professional development. 5. Critical awareness of statistical techniques applied to health service planning and decision making processes. 6. A critical awareness of a range of systems analysis and problem solving tools and techniques. 7. A critical understanding of research methods and ethical issues. 8. A critical awareness of current problems and/or new insights, much of which is at, or informed by the forefront of industrial practice. MSc Health Information Management Programme Handbook 2014/15 Page 10 of 22

Skills and Abilities: 9. Critically select and apply an appropriate range of information analysis techniques to healthcare problems. 10. Adopt a systematic, professional approach to IT systems analysis and implement solutions in a healthcare setting in order to meet healthcare business objectives. 11. Critically select and apply quantitative and/or statistical processes (including data collection) which result in useful expressions of the nature of healthcare management problems. 12. Critically assess outcomes and prepare reports which support the solution of specified healthcare management problems. 13. Design and undertake independently, a major individual research project on a topic which relates to a work situation and satisfies a healthcare organisational need, and reflect extensively on method, process and outcomes. 14. Independently apply and evaluate techniques to conduct research or professional activity in a healthcare environment, demonstrating selfdirection and originality in tackling and solving problems. 15. Continue to advance their knowledge and understanding of IM&T skills in order to promote continuing professional development. As a result students will have the qualities and transferable skills necessary to work in a health service environment requiring: The exercise of initiative and personal responsibility. Decision making in a complex and challenging environment. The independent learning ability required for continuing professional development. 3.3.6 Learning Outcomes Mapped to Programme Awards The MSc Health Information Management course attracts a wide variety of different types of students. We have identified two broad and distinct categories of students that may undertake the course: The Management Progression student A professional in any Health Services discipline who in order to improve their career prospects wishes to expand their knowledge and skills in Health Information Management and Technology (IM&T). MSc Health Information Management Programme Handbook 2014/15 Page 11 of 22

The IM&T Health Professional Student A professional who has worked in some area of IM&T in the NHS and wishes to update and expand their understanding of the subject. Each individual student will have different reasons for completing the course and their goals and expectations will also vary. The following table illustrates the potential learning outcomes that each of the above students could expect to gain from the different stages of the course (see Table 2 below). Most students are employed within healthcare organisations in a variety of departments, for example: - Information and/or IT departments - Performance management - General Management - Nurse Management - GP Practice - Primary Care Groups / Trusts Table 2 Student Stage Certificate Diploma Masters Manager Confidence to communicate with IT professionals. Compare and evaluate skills for particular tasks. Critically evaluate and apply techniques and methods to ideas and practices in the workplace. IM&T Professional Increased ability to use a variety of IT management tools and techniques. Comparison and evaluation of modern IM&T methods and approaches. Critically evaluate and apply technical skills in a Healthcare Services IM&T environment. Each student may have different reasons for completing the programme and their goals and expectations can also vary considerably. Many of the skills that are developed are also applicable in a wide range of other occupations outside the healthcare sector. Current and former students are one of the main sources of recruitment for further cohorts, MSc Health Information Management Programme Handbook 2014/15 Page 12 of 22

recommending that their staff take, at the least, the Postgraduate Certificate. Feedback from senior managers within the healthcare sector indicates that the programme is relevant for staff for their continuing professional development and of benefit to the organisation in meeting objectives. A key feature of its success is in providing a wider understanding of the importance of the student s role in respect of healthcare policy and its implications for information needs. 3.3.7 Career Opportunities Successful students would be able to apply for posts in Information Technology and related fields at either a technical or managerial level. The level and role of employment pursued by graduates will vary depending on their previous healthcare/commercial experience. The course will particularly appeal to middle level managers who, in order to improve their current positions, wish to gain an understanding of modern information system practices. Personal and common skills will be enhanced to postgraduate research level. These are demonstrated with the production of the MSc project dissertation. Presentation and communication skills are exhibited during the presentation activity associated with the project stage of the course. 3.3.8 Teaching and Learning Strategy As you are an experienced NHS professional, and studying at masters level, we expect you to have the ability and commitment to carry out a significant quantity of unsupervised study. This may take the form of directed reading or practical work. The objective of the students-staff contact time is to set milestones and learning goals, and make new ideas and concepts accessible you. You should then follow these ideas up in your own time. Traditional lectures have been replaced with lectorials, which are simply a mixture of lecture and tutorial in a session. This delivery method is much more interactive and allows teaching staff to provide a more interesting, stimulating teaching environment for you as students. As well as requiring you to put in a significant amount of individual study, you will also be encouraged to work in groups. This is in recognition of the fact that you will probably already be working in an environment where significant demands are made on your ability to co-operate and collaborate with others. Each module you study will employ a particular mix of approaches to teaching and learning, and usually at least two or three different kinds of assessment technique. You will receive full details of these as you begin each module. Some of the teaching and learning techniques will certainly be familiar to you while others may not. Examples include: MSc Health Information Management Programme Handbook 2014/15 Page 13 of 22

Lectures / Lectorials Classroom-based tutorials (often working in groups) Seminars Invited speakers from the NHS Computer-based tutorials ( lab sessions ) Student-centred learning (sometimes called open learning ) using workbooks Directed reading On-line web-based and multimedia materials (eg NHS publications) Research Summary and Milestone Sessions Student Presentations Group Working Case Studies Workshops/application to work situations Personal work logs Work project simulation Discussion sessions Self study 3.3.9 Recommended Reading Module leaders will advise you on suitable texts and readings for their particular module. Reading lists are generally included in module handbooks provided at the start of each module. You are encouraged to make wide use of NHS web sites to access relevant and topical publications. Regular monitoring of the Department of Health and the NHS Information Authority web sites, e.g. COIN, POINT and What s new, is recommended on: www.doh.gov.uk www.nhsia.nhs.uk 4. Programme Requirements No special equipment or resources are required to do the Programme. However, all assignments are expected to be word-processed as appropriate. You will also need access to the NHSnet and the Internet to refer to NHS publications. 5. Studying and Learning Support A detailed Programme Handbook is issued annually to supplement the extensive on-line information resources within the Department, while each MSc Health Information Management Programme Handbook 2014/15 Page 14 of 22

module leader will provide a Module Guide giving details of objectives, schedule, teaching and learning activities and the assessment regime. Further information on studying and learning support can be found in the Department Handbook under Learning Development Services: http://osiris.sunderland.ac.uk/webedit/catweb/handbooks.htm 5.1 Practical Considerations You will find that studying and working full-time will be extremely challenging, especially as work commitments put pressure on you to stay in the office instead of attending your module sessions. If you are experiencing any difficulties please see the programme leader to discuss any issues before they become insurmountable. 5.1.1 Attendance The Postgraduate Certificate sessions are held every Wednesday through the year for a total of 30 weeks. You will be provided with the year s teaching timetable on your first day during the induction sessions. The Diploma Stage of the programme requires attendance on two core modules, one of which is held on one Tuesday afternoon each month, for a total of 5 sessions. The Department of Computing, Engineering and Technology deliver the Diploma optional modules. These modules are available during the day, with some being offered twice in one academic year. It is your responsibility to check the availability of the modules when making your choice of options, although the programme leader will facilitate this process. Timetables can be found on the Department web site. The Masters project module does not require any attendance other than for two project reviews and a viva presentation. You are also expected to have monthly meetings with your project supervisor which can be undertaken faceto-face or via email contact. You are expected to attend all taught sessions as part of your commitment to the programme. If you are unable to attend for any reason, you must telephone or email a message to one of the following stating your reasons: - John Wraith - Julie Baines - The relevant module leader MSc Health Information Management Programme Handbook 2014/15 Page 15 of 22

The regulations in the Deaptment Handbook give you more information regarding attendance and submission of assessments: http://osiris.sunderland.ac.uk/webedit/catweb/handbooks.htm If you miss a class, please make sure you get copies of any handouts and notes from your colleagues. You are also encouraged to set up your own networks for communication, sharing email addresses and telephone numbers. A list of your colleagues email addresses and telephone numbers will be provided within the first two weeks of starting the programme. If you find that once you have started the course you have doubts about continuing, do please contact the Programme Leader who will counsel you on your various options. Once registered it is your responsibility to formally withdraw from the programme this helps to keep our records straight and ensures that you are not just failed on a module for non-attendance. 5.2 Self Study Self study, is particularly important when you are a part-time student. For each 10 credits in a module you should allow 10 hours study, but you will generally find that less than half of this is set out as classes in your timetable. The rest of the time is made up with whatever combination of private study activities you find most helpful in consolidating your understanding and tackling the assessments you are set. Independent learning is encouraged and supported by the teaching team. 5.3 Study Skills As part of the Programme Induction students are given a work-shop based study skills session by a member of the Department staff. This is to encourage you to identify your own personal learning style and apply that to the way you tackle a postgraduate course of studies. You are also invited to attend two sessions on basic numeracy skills if you feel that yours have become a little rusty. 6. Student Support and Guidance Support and guidance is offered to students through a comprehensive set of mechanisms. All new students are given an 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 Department and their chosen programme of study. Further induction sessions take place at the commencement of each subsequent level of study. MSc Health Information Management Programme Handbook 2014/15 Page 16 of 22

Students progressing to the Diploma Stage are offered the opportunity to discuss their choice of optional modules with the programme leader prior to registration. A matrix is drawn up indicating weeks, days and times on which module lectures and tutorials run. This will enable you to make an informed choice given your work commitments. A workshop is arranged for students about to embark on their MSc Projects, giving details of schedules, plus the support and guidance which will be available to enable them to reach a successful conclusion. 6.1 Programme Specific Support All students have access to their Programme and Module Leaders via a guaranteed appointment system booked through Reception. Students on this programme will benefit from being part of moderately sized cohorts with a close-knit team of lecturers. The Programme Leader is responsible for the overall operation of the MSc in Health Information Management, including monitoring standards, planning the development of the programme, collecting feedback from staff and students and presenting students results to the Programme Assessment Board. The Programme Leader is also responsible for reporting matters relevant to the programme to the Programme Board of Studies, and ultimately the Department Quality Board. 6.1.1 Personal Tutor The Programme Leader is also level leader for all stages of the programme and performs the role of personal tutor to all students during their years of study on the programme. The programme leader will meet with you briefly on most occasions that you attend the University to check that there are no outstanding issues that need addressing. This will also provide the opportunity to disseminate any information regarding visiting speakers or other items of which you should be made aware. You are welcome at any time to contact the programme leader and discuss personal issues which may affect your performance on the programme. 6.1.2 Module Tutors If you need help or advice about a particular module that you are studying then in the first instance you should talk to the Module Leader (or the tutor running your particular class if that is not the same person). These are members of academic staff responsible for designing, teaching, supporting and assessing a particular module, and you will see them regularly in classes. If for any reason you are unable to resolve the issue by discussion with the module staff, or if you have concerns that fall outside the scope of an MSc Health Information Management Programme Handbook 2014/15 Page 17 of 22

individual module, you should consult the appropriate member of the MSc HIM programme team. 6.1.3 Student Consultation The students are asked to elect a representative from each stage of the programme to be a member of the Board of Studies which meets four times during the academic year. 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. All feedback from students is addressed at Boards of Studies, and through the annual quality monitoring process. 6.2 Generic Department Support A Department handbook is available on the Department Website as indicated in earlier sections. www.sunderland.ac.uk/regulations Appendix B lists the index to key headings in this document. All members of staff have individual direct telephone lines. Internal telephones and lists of telephone numbers are located within the Learning Resource Centres in Edinburgh Building and at Reception in the David Goldman Informatics Centre as well as at many other sites throughout the University. These can be utilised by students if they need to contact academic members of staff. To dial any internal number, just use the last four digits. All members of staff also have E-mail addresses, details of which can be obtained from the individuals concerned or by looking at the Department of Computing, Engineering and Technology Web Site. Extensive 24-hour computing resources are housed within the Department, while more general support facilities are provided in a campus-wide Learning Resources Centre. All students have access to email and Internet services. The helpdesk is located on the terraces and manned during normal Department opening hours. The Campus library, adjacent to the Department, provides a comprehensive range of relevant academic and technical books and journals as well as access to electronic databases for research purposes. Please refer to the Department Handbook for more details on Department support. MSc Health Information Management Programme Handbook 2014/15 Page 18 of 22

www.sunderland.ac.uk/regulations 6.3 Notice boards There are no notice boards in the Department for this programme. However, you are encouraged to make full use of email services to keep in contact with the teaching team and with each other. The Programme Leader will also meet and greet you at the beginning of most days you attend to provide you with any important notices and to make sure that any problems are sorted quickly. 7. Assessment 7.1 Assessment Strategies There are a variety of assessment methods you will encounter during your programme of study, including: Time constrained tests TCTs (multiple-choice, written or practical) Group/Individual Assignments (of many kinds including research, report writing, programming and other practical tasks), usually over a period of three to four weeks Viva/demonstrations Presentations Peer/Self assessment Personal/workplace log Workplace assignment/project Software demonstrations You might ask: what is a written TCT? A TCT is regarded as coursework (like an assignment) while an exam is a separate element. On many modules you are required to pass the coursework overall, and will still pass if a fail in one element (test, assignment etc.) is made up by a good result in another. There are no formal examinations in this programme. You will have to complete a minimum of two pieces of assessed coursework for each module, and where appropriate, time constrained tests will be used. In cases of group assignments, you will be formally assessed on your ability to work collaboratively as a group. You will be provided with a detailed strategy describing the management and organisation for each group assignment. This will include a description of the group component and individual component as well as the proportion of marks to be awarded to each of these components. All assignments will be accompanied with assessment criteria and the scheme of these will be made known and explained to you when the assignments are handed out. You will be given a schedule of all assignments and their MSc Health Information Management Programme Handbook 2014/15 Page 19 of 22

deadlines for the Postgraduate Certificate at the start of the year. Schedules for diploma modules will be given to you by the relevant module leaders. A cover sheet, an example of which can be found in Appendix A, will accompany each assignment. 7.2 Assessment Regulations Details of these regulations can be found in the Framework for Modular Postgraduate Programmes in the Department Handbook. www.sunderland.ac.uk/regulations 7.3 Importance of Core Modules Core modules are a mandatory part of the programme and must be passed in order to successfully complete the programme of study. Failure to do so will result in you being unable to receive an award. 7.4 Failing a Module What happens if you fail a module or several? Hopefully you will pass all 60- credits-worth of modules which you study each year without any problems. Occasionally this might not be the case. If you don t reach a pass mark on a particular module at the first attempt then, provided the assessment board is satisfied that you have made a reasonable attempt at the module, you will be allowed a second attempt to make good the deficit by completing further coursework and/or TCTs. This is called a referral, and because it constitutes a second attempt your mark for the referred work will be limited to a bare pass mark of 40%. In the unfortunate event that you were to fail a referral, or be failed in the first instance because you had not made a serious attempt to pass the module, things get a bit more complicated. In some cases you might be able to proceed to the next stage/year and retake the module in parallel with your next phase of study, but there are several restrictions on this and you would need to seek specific advice from your level or programme leader. In some cases it would be necessary to repeat modules before proceeding, so requiring an additional year of study. However, be reassured that relatively few students find themselves in such a situation: the best way to avoid doing so is firstly (and most obviously!) to engage fully with each module you study, and secondly to seek help and advice at the earliest possible moment if you feel that a problem might arise. 7.5 Extenuating / Mitigating Circumstances MSc Health Information Management Programme Handbook 2014/15 Page 20 of 22

In the event that you are ill or other circumstances prevent you from handing in an assignment by the due deadline, or you are unable to attend for a TCT/examination, or your performance is being affected by factors outside your control, then there are University and Department procedures to follow. Please also talk to the relevant module leader(s) and/or the programme leader and keep them informed. You must complete a mitigation form (available from reception) and provide documentary evidence, e.g. a doctor s note, and hand this in to the programme administrator. The mitigation form should indicate all the modules that are affected. The mitigation and supporting evidence will be considered by either a suitable panel or the Module Assessment Board. If you have submitted acceptable evidence of mitigating circumstances, such as a doctor s note certifying that you were ill at the time of a particular assessment, the assessment board may give you a deferral instead: in this case the new work will be regarded as a first attempt and the mark you eventually receive will not be limited to 40%. You will receive notification of when any referred/deferred work is due to be handed in. If your mitigation is not accepted then you will be referred in that module (see section 7.4 above). www.sunderland.ac.uk/regulations 7.6 Module Specific Regulations Please see your module guides for module specific regulations regarding assessment. 8. Module Descriptors Descriptions of all the modules within the Programme can be found on the department web site: http://www.sunderland.ac.uk/faculties/apsc/study/postgraduate/ 9. University of Sunderland Students Union The Students Union exists to provide support designed to help you make your University experience valuable for life. The Union is run by a team of elected students, which means the student voice can really be heard and directly shapes the work that we do. There are loads of ways you can get involved with the Union, from trips out to exciting places on our Connect scheme and a wide range of volunteering opportunities, to representing your fellow students as a Student Rep or at Union Council or even helping other students settle in as an SU Buddy. MSc Health Information Management Programme Handbook 2014/15 Page 21 of 22

We re here to support you throughout your University life and we offer professional, confidential and friendly advice on a range of different issues including: Housing Loans Benefits Visas Consumer rights We can also provide support if you: Feel homesick and lonely Want to meet new people and make friends Are wondering whether you have chosen the right course Are unsure whether Sunderland or the University is right for you Have missed lectures/deadlines and don t know what to do about it Visit our website www.sunderlandsu.co.uk for more information on all of our different services and to find out how you can get involved. You can also find us on Facebook (The University of Sunderland Students Union) or Twitter (@sunderlandsu). Key Contacts Service Telephone number Welfare Advice 2413/2741 Academic Advice 2944/2950 Student Representation 3790 Students Union Contact Officers 3582/4117 Volunteering/Environmental 2748/4136 General Enquiries 3030 To e-mail for an enquiry or to book an appointment please e-mail: ussu@sunderland.ac.uk For Student Executive contact details, please visit our website. Descriptions of all the modules within the Programme can be found on the department web site: http://www.sunderland.ac.uk/faculties/apsc/study/postgraduate/ MSc Health Information Management Programme Handbook 2014/15 Page 22 of 22