Guidelines on the Approval of Disciplines, Programmes and Courses

Guidance from Learning and Teaching Board on Curriculum Structure
Appendix 1
The Learning and Teaching Board has produced a series of guidance notes to assist Schools in the process
of re-designing programmes to incorporate the key requirements of RAY. These guidance notes are
provided as various separate documents:
(1) Graduate and Postgraduate Taught Curriculum Structure <strong>Guidelines</strong>
(2) Undergraduate Curriculum Structure <strong>Guidelines</strong>
Both documents provide full details of the mandatory requirements of all taught programmes (except
EBS), in most cases of which Schools have the flexibility to determine their own approaches to
implementation. In addition, aspects which are optional or for guidance are included, which Schools may
wish to consider implementing as part of the overall programme re-design for RAY.
(3) Curriculum Structure Summary: Mandatory Requirements, Options and Aspects for Guidance: a tabular
summary, produced for ease of reference, of the key principles outlined in the more comprehensive
Curriculum Structure <strong>Guidelines</strong>.
(4) Learning, Teaching and Assessment Toolkits: advice on how to re-design learning, teaching and
assessment approaches to incorporate the key principles of RAY into programmes.
RAY Mandatory Requirements, Options and Guidance: Applicability and Implementation
As part of the move to RAY, several aspects of curriculum structure and re-design will be mandatory,
although in most cases Schools will have the flexibility to determine how they implement such
requirements. With the exception of EBS, the same structural framework will apply to all forms of taught
provision, irrespective of mode or location of delivery (including Dubai, ALPs, independent DL,
collaborative provision).
If a School is experiencing difficulty in incorporating the mandatory requirements within its programme
provision, these should be highlighted clearly on the programme proposal for consideration by the
Undergraduate or Postgraduate Studies Committee, as appropriate.
Likewise, if a School wishes to request exemption from a mandatory requirement, then this request
should be highlighted clearly on the programme proposal for consideration by the appropriate Studies
Committee.
Programme Proposals: Completed Examples for Reference
Sample completed programme proposals, templates and coversheets (see Appendices 2-4) will be issued
shortly, to provide Programme Teams with examples of the types of information to be submitted to the
Studies Committees.
Discipline, Programme and Course Approval <strong>Guidelines</strong> (including Programme Proposals for Restructuring the Academic Year) 14