School of Health and Related Research

Postgraduate Distance Learning Student Handbook

2013/2014

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Welcome

On behalf of all ScHARR staff, I offer you a warm welcome. You are now part of one of the top rated schools of health and related research in the UK and I hope you will find your time with us exciting, challenging and rewarding. Our mission is to provide research-led teaching, informed by our position as one of the largest multi-disciplinary schools of public health research and health services research in the UK. We deliver an extensive range of postgraduate study programmes, relevant to the needs of health and social care professionals, managers and those seeking a career in health services research. Studying with us provides you with the analytical skills, the in depth disciplinary knowledge, and the capacity to deploy critical thinking, all of which are essential to working effectively in health organisations in a globalised world, and our courses provide an essential stepping stone for you to become a leader in your chosen area. This handbook contains some of the important information you will need as you progress through your studies. You can find more information on the University and ScHARR websites, and you will of course receive plenty of guidance from members of staff throughout the year. In addition, if you feel that you need any personal advice, information or assistance, please feel free to approach relevant members of staff as detailed in this handbook and on our website. I hope you will find this handbook useful, and wish you well in your studies.

Jon Nicholl Dean of School

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Contents

Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................... 4

Important Dates........................................................................................................................................................ 5

The School of Health and Related Research .................................................................................................. 6

Postgraduate Life at ScHARR .............................................................................................................................. 8

Our Commitment ..................................................................................................................................................... 9

Postgraduate Programmes within ScHARR ................................................................................................. 10

Programme Structure.......................................................................................................................................... 14

Teaching Methods ................................................................................................................................................. 16

Attendance ............................................................................................................................................................... 18

Coursework, Assessment and Examinations ............................................................................................... 19

Contact with the School ...................................................................................................................................... 31

Personal Tutors ...................................................................................................................................................... 33

Student Feedback ................................................................................................................................................. 34

Study Support for Students ............................................................................................................................. 36

University Facilities ................................................................................................................................................ 37

Careers and Professional Skills ....................................................................................................................... 40

University Policies ................................................................................................................................................. 42

Frequently Asked Questions ............................................................................................................................. 44

Useful University Web Pages ............................................................................................................................. 47

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Introduction

This handbook is intended to be used as the main source of information about teaching in ScHARR. It contains key information that you will need throughout your studies with us, and provides links to web pages and other information where appropriate. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information given in this publication, but the University can accept no responsibility for any errors or omissions. University courses are continually reviewed and revised and there may well be some changes between the date of publication and the time you embark on your course. Students should check the ScHARR web pages regularly for updated course information: www.sheffield.ac.uk/scharr/current. Please familiarise yourself with the main University Regulations and use this handbook in conjunction with them. The regulations are available at: www.shef.ac.uk/calendar. If you have any feedback on this handbook or think that there are any errors or omissions, please do contact the Teaching Support Unit via email at: scharrtu@sheffield.ac.uk. Further details regarding the Teaching Support Unit can be found on page 31.

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Important Dates

Autumn Semester

[Intro Week 23 September - 28 September 2013] Monday 30 September 2013 Saturday 21 December 2013 total 12 weeks [4 Weeks Christmas vacation] Monday 20 January 2014 Saturday 8 February 2014 total 3 weeks Spring Semester

Monday 10 February 2014 Saturday 5 April 2014 total 8 weeks [3 weeks Easter vacation Easter Day 20 April 2014] Monday 28 April 2014 Saturday 14 June 2014 total 7 weeks Please note, in conjunction with many other departments within the University of Sheffield, ScHARR operates a 12 week teaching policy per semester, and direct face-to-face teaching will not occur during the last 3 weeks of each semester. Semester dates for future years can be found at: www.shef.ac.uk/about/dates

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The School of Health and Related Research

The School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR) is a centre of excellence in research, teaching and consultancy across public health, health services research, health economics and decision modelling and medical statistics. We are organised into sections which reflect either disciplinary or, more commonly, topic focused groupings. Although the sections have considerable autonomy the degree of collaboration between them in both teaching and research is substantial.

Sections within ScHARR

Design, Trials & Statistics (DTS)

DTS is involved with the design, conduct, data processing, statistical analysis and reporting of high quality randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and other studies to evaluate the clinical and cost-effectiveness of new services, therapies and health technologies. The section consists of three subgroups: National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) Research Design Service for Yorkshire and

the Humber Clinical Trials Research Unit (CTRU) Medical Statistics Group (MSG)

More information regarding DTS can be found at: www.sheffield.ac.uk/scharr/sections/dts

Health Economics and Decision Science (HEDS)

HEDS covers a broad range of disciplines, but its work is split into five main groups. Our information scientists lead our work in identifying literature and alternative information sources. Our systematic reviewers lead in the critical appraisal and synthesis of qualitative and quantitative research evidence. Our statisticians lead in the application of complex methods, Bayesian methods and network meta-analyses. Our economists lead in outcome measurement and clinical trial work. Our mathematical modellers lead in problem structuring, model development and optimisation problems. These five groups are nominal in many ways as researchers from the groups routinely work together. More information regarding HEDS can be found at: www.sheffield.ac.uk/scharr/sections/heds

Health Services Research (HSR)

Health Services Research consists of four academic groupings: Emergency Medicine Research in Sheffield (EMRiS) Medical Care Research Unit (MCRU) Mental Health Group Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology Group (RATs) More information regarding HSR can be found at: www.sheffield.ac.uk/scharr/sections/hsr

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Public Health

The section of Public Health works in three related areas: research; research-led teaching at undergraduate and postgraduate level; and professional development and support for the NHS. The core interest of this section is in improving the health of the public at local, regional, national and international levels, through research-informed teaching, our programme of applied research and close involvement with the National Health Service and other health care organisations. The Section is multi-disciplinary and our staff include: clinical public health specialists, epidemiologists, public health trainees, psychologists, sociologists, information scientists and systematic reviewers, policy and management specialists, international and global health specialists, pharmacists, health visitors, nutritionists and health services researchers. More information regarding Public Health can be found at: www.sheffield.ac.uk/scharr/sections/ph

Excellence in Teaching

Our growing portfolio of high-quality postgraduate taught courses are built around our core research strengths, and our programmes are highly rated in student satisfaction surveys. Many of our teachers are active researchers, meaning that you will be receiving relevant and cutting-edge teaching in your chosen area taught by leaders in their fields. The management and administration of a programme is important too, and ScHARR has invested in assuring the quality of systems, from first contact through to graduation and beyond. Our Student Experience Officer, Julie Dickinson, is responsible for ensuring a positive student experience, and students are consulted regularly to ensure we respond to your needs. Our Teaching Support Unit supports the management and administration of all of our programmes, and we have dedicated course administrators who will be your primary contact for any queries on your course. For the contact details for your course administrator, please see the section on Postgraduate Programmes within ScHARR on page 10.

Top-rated Research

Our focus is on multi-disciplinary public health and health services research with core strengths in the application of health economics and decision science. ScHARR has a world-wide reputation for the quality of its research in public health, health services research and health economics, achieving several million pounds worth of research funding every year. The UK’s national Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) has judged ScHARR the top UK department for health services research, in terms of the volume and concentration of world-class international researchers.

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Postgraduate Life at ScHARR

As a School of Health and Related Research student you are ideally placed to make the most of the University´s online resources. Full details of the University’s and School’s facilities appropriate to distance learning students can be found on pages 37. ScHARR, like the University of Sheffield in general, prides itself on having a diverse student population, and you will study online with other students from the UK and many countries internationally. Last year, students from over 20 different countries studied with us.

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Our Commitment

Our Commitment is a partnership document between the University of Sheffield and its students, setting out individual rights and responsibilities to help students and staff work together in a spirit of co-operation. It has been endorsed by the Vice-Chancellor of the University and the current President of the Students' Union, on behalf of all students, and is reviewed annually. For further information about Our Commitment (previously known as the Students’ Charter), please see: www.shef.ac.uk/ssid/ourcommitment/index

Student and Staff Responsibilities

In addition to Our Commitment, there are some key responsibilities which all staff and students within ScHARR are expected to adhere to. You can expect staff to: treat you fairly and impartially according to the University’s Equal Opportunities policy,

which you can view at: www.shef.ac.uk/postgraduate/info/equal_opps listen to your views (individually and through the Staff-Student Committee); be available for meetings and keep appointments they make with you; reply within a reasonable time to messages and emails; offer you the opportunity to discuss the planning of coursework before you submit it; mark coursework promptly. Normally this will be within three weeks (15 working days) of

the submission deadline; give clear and constructive written comments on coursework; if appropriate, take action on your behalf if you need help, or put you in touch with the

relevant support services in the University. You are responsible for: reading this handbook carefully and any other course handouts you are given; knowing University regulations as they apply to you; updating your personal details, including your current address and telephone number,

via MUSE; registering for modules and examinations by the University’s deadlines; checking your Sheffield email address on a regular basis; participation in all interactive activities; polite, constructive, thoughtful and respectful contributions; preparing appropriately, following online tutorial guidance for any online formal

presentations that you may have to give the rest of the seminar group; ensuring you have understood the tasks set for each successive session and that you

have completed any tasks set before the deadline; completing online assessment tasks in good time and meeting coursework deadlines; providing dissertation draft excerpts for consultation with their supervisor early enough

to be able to benefit from any advice about improvement before the submission date; telling us when you are ill or have a problem affecting your work; telling us in advance if you cannot attend online appointments or cannot meet a deadline; managing your time, especially when you have deadlines close together;

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Postgraduate Programmes within ScHARR

The School of Health and Related Research offers a number of postgraduate programmes. Each programme has a number of dedicated staff to manage and support the programme, including a course director and a course administrator, and also usually has a deputy course director and/or a course tutor.

Master of Public Health

This programme will provide you with a strong grounding in the fundamental principles and practice of public health. The course begins by introducing key issues in global public health and the assessment of health need. Alongside these units, you take an introductory research methods unit, providing the basis for your research project later in the programme, plus an introductory statistics unit. You can then select further optional units from the wide range available. The full list of modules can be found on the course web page: www.shef.ac.uk/scharr/prospective_students/masters/mph Course Director: Richard Cooper Course Tutor: Julie Dickinson Course Administrator: Janine Linley Assistant Course Administrator: Emma Earle Email: scharr-mph@sheffield.ac.uk

Master of Public Health (Health Services Research)

The MPH (HSR) at the University of Sheffield has been designed to provide high quality education in health services research and to equip students with the essential knowledge and skills to seek funding for, undertake, evaluate or commission health care research. The syllabus for the MPH (HSR) has been designed to provide a firm grounding in a wide range of skills essential to good health services research, with a focus on qualitative and quantitative research methods, economic evaluation, systematic review and epidemiological research design. For details of the course structure please see the course web page at: www.sheffield.ac.uk/scharr/prospective_students/masters/mphhsr Course Director: Richard Cooper Course Tutor: Julie Dickinson Course Administrator: Janine Linley Assistant Course Administrator: Emma Earle Email: scharr-mph@sheffield.ac.uk

Master of Public Health (Management and Leadership)

The MPH (M&L) programme has been designed to provide progression from the fundamentals to more advanced topics. The course introduces students to important aspects of gathering and appraising evidence through research and needs assessment, as well as financing and economic concepts. In addition, students take more specific modules relating to leading and managing health systems, as well as policy and practice aspects in an international context. For details of the course structure please see the course web page at: www.sheffield.ac.uk/scharr/prospective_students/masters/mphml

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Course Director: Course Tutor: Julie Dickinson Course Administrator: Janine Linley Assistant Course Administrator: Emma Earle Email: scharr-mph@sheffield.ac.uk

ERASMUS MUNDUS European Masters Programme in Public Health

Europubhealth is based on the Bologna model of a 2 year, 180 ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) Masters Programme. In Year 1, students receive training in the essentials of Public Health and this takes place in either here in Sheffield (English) or Granada (Spanish). In Year 2, students specialise in an area of public health practice in Denmark, Spain, Poland or France. Course Director: Paul Bissell Course Administrator: Janine Linley Assistant Course Administrator: Emma Earle Email: scharr-mph@sheffield.ac.uk

MSc Advanced Emergency Care

This programme builds on ScHARR's international reputation for research in the field of pre-hospital and emergency care. Much of the teaching is delivered by members of the EMRiS research group, the foremost emergency medicine research group in the UK, and the programme will provide you with an opportunity to develop both your clinical and non-clinical skills in emergency medicine. For details of the course structure please see the course web page at: www.shef.ac.uk/scharr/prospective_students/masters/ace Course Director: Ian Sammy Course Tutor: Sarah Crede Course Administrator: Jess Meacham Learning Technologist: Dan Smith Email: scharr-aec@sheffield.ac.uk

MSc Clinical Research

This course provides a firm grounding in the range of skills and disciplines that are essential to good clinical and biomedical research, including study design, statistics and randomised trials methodology. The programme has been designed to enable developmental understanding of the research process, and progressive gain of the skills required to perform successfully as an independent clinical researcher. For full details of the course structure please see the programme web pages at: www.shef.ac.uk/scharr/prospective_students/masters/clinres/index1 Course Director: Jenny Freeman Deputy Course Director: Jo Coster Course Tutor: Sarah Crede Course Administrator: Jess Meacham Email: scharr-clinres@sheffield.ac.uk

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MSc Health Economics and Decision Modelling

This programme has a specific focus on the practical application of mathematical modelling to inform healthcare decision problems. It aims to equip students with a professional level analytical skill-base required to evaluate and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare systems for which they have responsibility; provide an in-depth understanding of current state-of-the-art methods for mathematical modelling to support and inform evidence-based healthcare decision problems; and provide a firm grounding for students wishing to pursue research degrees in health economics and mathematical modelling. For the course structure, please see: www.shef.ac.uk/scharr/prospective_students/masters/hedm Course Director: Silvia Hummel Deputy Course Director: Hazel Squires Course Administrator: Jess Meacham Email: scharr-hedm@sheffield.ac.uk

MSc International Health Technology Assessment, Pricing and Reimbursement (Distance Learning)

This programme offers the entire range of knowledge and skills needed by those developing health technologies for market, or involved in commissioning or evaluating health technologies. Using innovative, online, distance learning materials, the programme is suited to those with busy work commitments in these fields. This course is taught by senior staff, all of whom are actively engaged in health technology assessment programmes and research. For the full course structure please see the programme mini-site available at: http://scharr.dept.shef.ac.uk/ihta/index.htm Course Director: Chris Carroll Deputy Course Director: Claire Beecroft Course Administrator: Jess Meacham Learning Technologist: Luke Miller Email: scharr-ihta@sheffield.ac.uk

Master of Public Health (Distance Learning)

Our MPH DL focusses on providing research, evaluation and analytical skills relevant to understanding the social determinants of health in a rapidly changing environment. It is delivered using innovative, online, distance learning and high-quality web-based materials, written by leaders in the field of Public Health. Full details of the course structure can be found on the programme mini-site available at: http://scharr.dept.shef.ac.uk/mphdl/index.htm Course Director: Vanessa Halliday Course Administrator: Lynne Thompson Assistant Course Administrator: Emma Earle Learning Technologist: Luke Miller Email: scharr-mphdl@sheffield.ac.uk

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Joint Programmes

ScHARR also run a number of joint programmes with other departments across the University.

MSc Economics and Health Economics

This programme is based in the Department of Economics, and full details of the course and departmental can be found on the Economics website at: www.sheffield.ac.uk/economics Course Director (jointly based in Economics and ScHARR): Aki Tsuchiya ScHARR Course Administrator (ScHARR): Jess Meacham Email: scharr-ehe@sheffield.ac.uk

MSc in Health Informatics

This programme is based in the Information School, and full details of the course and departmental contacts can be found on the Information School website at: www.sheffield.ac.uk/is Assistant Course Administrator (ScHARR): Emma Earle Email: e.r.earle@sheffield.ac.uk

Master of Public Health (International Development)

This programme is based in the Department of Geography, and full details of the course and departmental contacts can be found on the Geography website at: www.sheffield.ac.uk/geography ScHARR Course Director (based in Geography): Dr Chasca Twyman ScHARR Course Administrator: Janine Linley

MSc Statistics with Applications

This programme is based in the School of Mathematics and Statistics (SoMaS), and full details of the course and departmental contacts can be found on the SoMaS website at: http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/maths. All administration for the programme is based within SoMaS.

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Programme Structure

All programmes within ScHARR are modular, which means that students take distinct individual modules which have a certain number of credits associated with them. In ScHARR these are usually 15 credit modules, but some may have a greater credit rating depending upon the depth of the module (for example, the dissertation module is either 45 or 60 credits). Certain modules may only be available on one programme, but others are shared between different ScHARR programmes and even other departments in the University. The majority of our programmes have a combination of core (i.e. required) and optional choice modules. Students registered on Masters programmes must successfully attain 180 credits of modules over the duration of the degree. The majority of our programmes are also available at Postgraduate Certificate (60 credits) and Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits) level. For full details of the programme regulations associated with your chosen programme of study, please see the relevant course webpages available from: http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/scharr/prospective_students/masters/index2

Module Choices and Changes

If you are registered on a programme which includes optional modules, you will be asked at the beginning of the academic year to choose your optional modules. To help you make informed module choices full module information is available via the programme regulations on the course webpages and module leaders can be contacted. Once the semester has started, there is a 3 week add/drop period where you are able to change your module choices subject to the degree programme regulations and the availability of modules. If you wish to change your modules, please complete an Add/Drop form which is available from ScHARR reception or can be downloaded from: www.shef.ac.uk/ssid/forms/addrop. Your completed form should then be brought to reception where your Course Administrator will approve it and then submit it to Student Services on your behalf.

Programme Changes

If you decide to change your programme or course at any point during your time at University, you should consult with your personal tutor and/or course director before proceeding. In order to change your programme of study, you will need to complete a Change of Status form which is available from: http://www.shef.ac.uk/ssid/record/status and have this approved by all relevant staff.

Withdrawal

If you decide to withdraw from your course, you will need to complete the Change of Status form available from: http://www.shef.ac.uk/ssid/record/status. If you consistently do not attend your course and do not respond to communication from the course team or department, you may be deemed withdrawn. Please see information on Student Attendance Monitoring on page 18.

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Leave of Absence

If you are planning to take time off from your studies in the future, e.g. there are other personal circumstances which will necessitate a prolonged period of absence or you want to take an extended period of time out to undertake a non-compulsory work placement, you will need to apply for an official Leave of Absence. You should speak with your personal tutor and/or your course director in the first instance, and then you will need to complete a Change of Status form and have this approved by all relevant staff. For information about applying for a leave of absence, please see: http://www.shef.ac.uk/ssid/record/status

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Teaching Methods

There are a number of different teaching methods used on our programmes and your course may include some or all of the following:

Self-directed Learning

The online learning material has been designed to provide a broad introduction to a subject and offer guidance on further inquiry. Sessions are usually: an introduction to the subject matter under consideration; primarily a one-way flow of information but there are also activities such as self-

assessment questions included; module links are available if you have any questions or need further support with the

material

Discussion Boards and Blogs

Linked to most modules are discussion boards and blogs through which you will discuss the learning material and related readings in greater depth. You will have the opportunity to share your knowledge and experiences with other members of your group.

Online Seminars or Tutorials

Seminars and tutorials will involve small groups of students discussing a selected topic with members of the teaching team. Students should speak as well as listen as it is an opportunity to discuss topics in more detail and analyse the subject and learning material.

Assessment

Courses may be assessed in a variety of ways, including essays, formal examinations, group work, tests and extended essays/dissertations.

Independent Study

The timetable of formal instruction (self-directed study and seminars) should be supplemented by spending a good deal of time reading books and articles, reading over the learning materials, working on learning activities and so on. The University of Sheffield adopts a model of notional learning hours (or student effort hours) which allocates ten hours of learning to each credit in a module. So for every 15 credit module you take, you will need to allocate 150 hours for learning. The learning hours include online contact through seminars, assessment activity (essays and other coursework), and your own independent study.

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Reading Lists

Most sessions will include a reading list. These will include class books/materials, highly recommended items (which students are expected to read) and recommended items (which will help broaden your understanding of a topic). Teaching staff will advise which documents or items on the reading list are essential and you should read other books on the list as you need to or when you have the opportunity. The list of contents and the index should be used to guide you to the sections in the book which will be most useful.

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Attendance

All students are expected to engage with the learning material and participate in all interactive activities. It is expected that you will spend approximately 150 hours studying each 15 credit module. Illness or other causes that prevent you from studying should be notified to your tutor(s) and the course administrator, in advance. For details of how to report an absence, please see the Absence Reporting section below.

Monitoring of Participation

To help you ensure that you make full use of the learning opportunities that are available, departments are required to monitor the participation of students and report to the Taught Programme Office at three official check points during the year that you are ‘fully engaged’ with your programme of study. Students are not permitted to be absent from their studies without proper authorisation. Where you are unable to participate for good reason a Special Circumstances form must be submitted promptly (see the Absence Reporting section below). Tutors will monitor your level of participation via MOLE, and we will use this information alongside information about whether all assessed and non-assessed coursework has been submitted in a timely manner to identify whether you are ‘fully engaged’ with the programme of study. Students who do not engage with the programme will be contacted by the module tutor and/or personal tutor. For the University’s policy on attendance monitoring, please see: www.shef.ac.uk/ssid/record/attendance

Absence Reporting

Where you are unable to study for relatively short periods of time or when any period of absence affects examinations or assessments you can use the University Special Circumstances Form available at: www.shef.ac.uk/ssid/forms/special to report your absence and any implications for your studies. Once you have completed this form, please submit it, together with the required documentary evidence, to your course administrator who will ensure that this is processed and the relevant members of staff informed. The Special Circumstances Form can be used to report both medical and/or other personal circumstances, for example: - Medical circumstances, e.g. sickness, injury, surgery/hospitalisation; - Personal/family problems; - Difficult events, e.g. bereavement - Serious incidents/emergencies, e.g. being affected by crime However, if your absence is likely to be prolonged (for example if an illness or medical condition is expected to last for several weeks or months), you are strongly advised to apply for an official Leave of Absence. Details of how to do this can be found on page 15.

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Coursework, Assessment and Examinations

ScHARR modules are assessed in a range of ways. Below are some of the most common forms of assessment. You will be given full details of how each module is assessed at the start of your course.

Forms of assessment

Assessment at the University of Sheffield is split between formative and summative assessment. Formative assessment is feedback that is designed to help a student learn. It is characterised as assessment for learning. It helps you by giving you feedback on your performance and influences the learning process. Summative assessment tries to summarise what a learner has learnt at a particular point in time. It contributes to grades and gauges your ability to meet specified learning outcomes. It is characterised as assessment of learning. It is important to note that the difference between formative and summative is about how feedback is used, rather than the type of student work leading to feedback (for example a piece of coursework could be summative or formative). For further information about the University’s assessment policies and procedures, please see the information on the University’s Learning and Teaching Services web pages: www.shef.ac.uk/lets/pp/assessment.

Assessment Methods

Examinations

Examinations are held three times during the academic year: at the end of semester one and semester two, and during the August resit period. Examination timetables will be found in My Online Learning Environment (MOLE). For further information about examinations, please see the information on the SSiD web pages at: www.shef.ac.uk/ssid/exams. In any form of assessment which requires you to handwrite (such as an invigilated examination), you must ensure that your handwriting is clear and legible. If an examiner is unable to read your writing, they will not attempt to mark the work. In such circumstances you will be required, at your own expense, to provide a typed copy under further invigilated conditions.

Written Assessments

ScHARR encourages the use of a wide range of written assessment methods to provide students with additional communication and presentation skills. Often these will be in the form of a non-invigilated written assessment such as an essay, report, proposal or short answer question. However, students may also be asked to produce assessed work in other

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formats, such as posters, wikis, bibliographies or reflective journals. Details of the assessment required for individual modules will be available in the module handbook/outline and module assessment pages in MOLE. MOLE is an online environment which gives you access to information regarding your course, full details of MOLE can be found on page 36.

Group work

Group work involves students working together on assessments. This is an important transferable skill. Group work can involve both individual and group components, which will be reflected in the assessment: for example, a module may be assessed on both a group presentation and an individual journal reflecting a student’s own contribution. Where assessment involves group work, additional checks are introduced to ensure the process adequately reflects individual contributions, for example through peer assessment. Full details of any group work assessments will be available in the module handbook/outline.

Presentations

You may be asked to give presentations as part of module assessment. Please see relevant module handbook/outline for details. These may be individual or group presentations, and ScHARR provides additional skills sessions for students to prepare them for presentations.

Oral examinations

Oral examinations involve students answering questions about their work. If this is part of the assessment for your programme, you will be advised by relevant staff, and full details will be included in the module handbooks or outlines.

Marking policies and procedures

Marking scales

The pass mark for all ScHARR assessment is 50%. ScHARR uses a standard marking scale from 0 – 100%. Certain modules will make use of specific marking criteria or rubrics that have been developed for that module. The Standard ScHARR marking scale can be found on the next page.

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Standard ScHARR Marking Scale The marking scale below is that used by all markers to determine the grade to be awarded for individual pieces of assessment. Markers will also refer back to the learning outcomes of the module and the material taught to inform their final decision as to the mark to award. Please note that not all of the descriptors below will apply to each assessment. Grade (%) Criteria

Distinction The candidate: 80 – 100

- demonstrates a faultless and complete understanding of the issues, to a publishable level;

- has fully researched and critically reviewed the literature; - demonstrates (where appropriate) an ability to integrate theory

and practice concerns; - has addressed all the issues required of the question set or topic; - identified and presented these to a publishable standard; - has produced work that contains almost no error of fact or

interpretation.

70-79 - shows a high degree of insight and understanding of the issues; - has fully researched and critically reviewed the literature; - demonstrates (where appropriate) a sophisticated ability to

integrate theory and practice concerns; - has addressed all the issues required of the question or topic; - has produced work that contains no significant errors of fact or

interpretation.

Merit The candidate: 60 - 69 - demonstrates good understanding of the important issues;

- has researched the literature beyond an acceptable level; - demonstrates (where appropriate) an insightful ability to integrate

research and practice concerns; - has addressed the significant issues required of the question set or

topic identified; - has produced work that contains no serious errors of fact or

interpretation.

Pass The candidate: 50 - 59 - demonstrates an adequate understanding of the important issues

with some gaps or inadequacies; - has researched the literature to an acceptable level but not beyond

this; - demonstrates (where appropriate) an adequate ability to relate

research and practice concerns; - has addressed enough of the significant issues required of the

question set or topic identified; - has produced work that contains few serious errors of fact or

interpretation, although there may be misunderstandings of the literature.

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Fail The candidate: 40 – 49 30 – 39 20 – 29 0 - 19

- demonstrates less than adequate understanding of the important issues;

- has researched the literature but left significant gaps; - demonstrates (where appropriate) a limited ability to relate

research and practice concerns; - has addressed few of the significant issues required of the

question set or topic identified; - has produced work that contains some serious errors of fact or

interpretation, possibly including misunderstandings of key materials.

- demonstrates poor understanding of a few of the important issues; - has included some of the literature but left important and

significant gaps; - demonstrates (where appropriate) a very limited and ill thought-

out ability to relate research and practice concerns; - has addressed very few of the significant issues required of the

question set or topic identified; - has produced work that contains serious errors of fact or

interpretation, including misunderstandings of key materials.

- demonstrates only a very basic understanding of the important issues;

- has not researched the literature properly; - demonstrates an inability to make meaningful connections

between research and practice concerns; - has addressed few, if any, of the significant issues required of the

question set or topic identified; - has produced work that contains serious errors of fact or

interpretation, and misunderstandings of key materials.

- demonstrates almost no understanding of the important issues; - has not demonstrated any research of the literature at all; - has addressed none of the issues required of the question set or

topic identified; - has produced work that contains profound errors of fact or

interpretation, and misunderstanding of the key materials.

0 - has not submitted.

Marking and moderation policies

Anonymous marking

Where possible, ScHARR adopts an anonymous marking policy, which means that markers are not aware of the identity of the student whose work is being assessed. You should include your registration number in all assessed work, whether this is an examination or a written and submitted piece of work.

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Some forms of assessment mean that anonymous marking is not possible. Common examples of this include group work, presentations and dissertations. In such cases, additional processes are used to ensure a rigorous approach to assessment, such as full blind second marking.

Marking

ScHARR uses a number of marking and moderation approaches that vary depending on the module, the type of assessment and the number of students. The most common form of marking is known as independent blind second marking, where all work is assessed and marked independently by two markers. This takes two main forms: full blind second marking and sample blind second marking. Where modules are marked by full blind second marking, all work is assessed and marked independently by two markers. All new modules and new forms of assessment are subject to full blind second marking. This approach may also be taken on modules with very small numbers of students. Where sample blind second marking is used, all work is assessed and marked by the first marker. The second marker marks a selected sample of approximately 10% of the work. The sample should include a selection from each grade band together with all marks below 50%. In both full and sample blind second marking, the first and second markers agree a final mark together during a marking moderation meeting. Any failure to agree a final mark will be referred to a third blind marker, the module co-ordinator and the external examiner. The final form of second marking is open or un-blind second marking (sometimes referred to as check marking). With this form of marking, all work is assessed and marked by the first marker and checked by the second marker. In ScHARR this marking policy is used less frequently than the methods above.

Moderation

All modules marks are moderated by the module co-ordinator, the examinations and assessment lead and/or the external examiner. Moderation ensures that marking is consistent and conforms to both the marking criteria and the learning outcomes.

Reporting component and overall grades

ScHARR reports module grades as whole numbers, without any decimal places. However, many forms of assessment may result in either a component or the overall module grade being calculated as a percentage to one decimal place (for example, 63.5%). Grades are always rounded to the nearest whole number when final grades are issued. It should be noted that overall degree grades are calculated to one decimal place in order to determine final awards. All marks are available to students via MOLE. This enables students to view their component marks as well as their overall grades, and in some cases may permit students to view anonymised module statistics such as module average, minimum mark, maximum mark and standard deviation.

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Component marks

Some modules may include more than one form of assessment and these are referred to as component assessments. Where component assessments are summative (i.e. they contribute to the overall module mark), full details of how the module mark is derived may be found in the module handbook/outline and the module assessment page in MOLE. Please note that some modules with components require only an overall pass based on the weighted average of the components but some require students to pass all components individually, irrespective of the overall weighted average.

Deadlines, Late Submissions and Penalties

Deadlines

Students are expected to manage their time effectively and an important aspect of this is to submit assessed work before the deadline set for that assessment. ScHARR imposes penalties for the late submission of assessed work, reducing the overall grade by 5% per working day late. These are calculated in simple rather than compound percentage reductions and apply only up to 5 days later than the deadline. Work submitted more than 5 working days late will be graded as zero.

Requesting an Extension to a Submission Deadline

Students must request an extension to a submission deadline at least 24 hours before the deadline. The only exception to this rule is where an emergency occurs less than 24 hours before the deadline. Requesting an extension does not guarantee that one will be granted. If an extension is granted, this will normally be for 10 working days in the first instance, and 20 working days under extreme circumstances. Longer extension requests may be approved in exceptional circumstances with agreement from the course director. Acceptable reasons for requesting an extension include medical problems, bereavement, severe family problems and sudden events or emergencies that have a negative impact on students’ ability to study (for example, being the victim of a crime). For part-time students, a sudden and unanticipated increase in workload will also be considered. Unacceptable reasons for requesting an extension include poor time management, holiday plans, being required to complete a number of assignments at the same time and not seeking appropriate clarification about the assignment in time. Please note that you will be required to provide supplementary documentary evidence before an extension request will be granted. For example, all extension requests on the grounds of ill-health must be accompanied by a doctor's note, and extension requests for other reasons will also require documentary evidence: for example, a letter from your employer regarding a change in work circumstances. Extensions must be requested using the University’s standard Special Circumstances form, available to download at: www.shef.ac.uk/ssid/forms/special. This form should be completed and submitted to your course administrator along with the required supplementary evidence. Your course administrator will then confirm whether you have been granted an extension, and inform you of your new deadline date.

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Word Count Limits and Penalties

In assessed written work, a word count limit should always be explicitly given. Students should specify their work count on their piece of work and this will be checked. Students will be penalised for exceeding the word count limit if their total word count is more than 10% of the required total. Penalties will be 5% of the total mark. For example, if the word limit is 2,500 words, students will be able to submit up to a maximum of 2,750 words and anything over this will result in the application of a 5% penalty. Where the piece of assessed work requires a word count range, this range is absolute and must be adhered to. For example, if the piece of work specifies that the word count range should be between 10,000-12,000, students must keep within these parameters or they will be subject to a 5% penalty. Students should refer to specific module guidance for information regarding whether the word count on a particular assignment includes table, footnotes, etc.

Plagiarism, Collusion and the Use of Unfair Means in Assessment

Assessment, whatever form it takes, is the means by which the University tests whether a student has achieved the objectives of a course and the standards of an award. It is fundamentally important that students are assessed fairly, and on equal terms with each other for the same award. Any attempt by a student to use unfair means to gain advantage over another student in the completion of an assessment, or to assist someone else to gain an unfair advantage, is cheating. Cheating undermines the standards of the University's awards and disadvantages those students who have attempted to complete assessments honestly and fairly. It is an offence against the values of the academic community of which students and staff are both part. The University expects its graduates to have acquired certain attributes. Many of these relate to good academic practice, and involve the student becoming: a critical, analytical and creative thinker an independent learner and researcher information literate and IT literate a flexible team worker an accomplished communicator competent in applying their knowledge and skills professional and adaptable Throughout your programme of study at the University you will learn how to develop these skills and attributes. Your assessed work is the main way in which you demonstrate that you have acquired and can apply them. Using unfair means in the assessment process is dishonest and means that you cannot demonstrate that you have acquired these essential academic skills and attributes.

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What Constitutes Unfair Means?

The basic principle underlying the preparation of any piece of academic work is that the work submitted must be your own work. Plagiarism, submitting bought or commissioned work, double submission (or self-plagiarism), collusion and fabrication of results are not allowed because they violate this principle (see definitions below). Rules about these forms of cheating apply to all assessed and non-assessed work. 1. Plagiarism (either intentional or unintentional) is the using of ideas or work of another person (including experts and fellow or former students) and submitting them as your own. It is considered dishonest and unprofessional. Plagiarism may take the form of cutting and pasting, taking or closely paraphrasing ideas, passages, sections, sentences, paragraphs, drawings, graphs and other graphical material from books, articles, internet sites or any other source and submitting them for assessment without appropriate acknowledgement. 2. Submitting bought or commissioned work (for example from internet sites, essay “banks” or “mills”) is an extremely serious form of plagiarism. This may take the form of buying or commissioning either the whole piece of work or part of it and implies a clear intention to deceive the examiners. The University also takes an extremely serious view of any student who sells, offers to sell or passes on their own assessed work to other students. 3. Double submission (or self-plagiarism) is resubmitting previously submitted work on one or more occasions (without proper acknowledgement). This may take the form of copying either the whole piece of work or part of it. Normally credit will already have been given for this work. 4. Collusion is where two or more people work together to produce a piece of work, all or part of which is then submitted by each of them as their own individual work. This includes passing on work in any format to another student. Collusion does not occur where students involved in group work are encouraged to work together to produce a single piece of work as part of the assessment process. 5. Fabrication is submitting work (for example, practical or laboratory work) any part of which is untrue, made up, falsified or fabricated in any way. This is regarded as fraudulent and dishonest.

How Can I Avoid the Use of Unfair Means?

To avoid using unfair means, any work submitted must be your own and must not include the work of any other person, unless it is properly acknowledged and referenced. As part of your programme of studies you will learn how to reference sources appropriately in order to avoid plagiarism. This is an essential skill that you will need throughout your University career and beyond. You should follow any guidance provided on the preparation of assessed work. If you have any concerns about appropriate academic practices or if you are experiencing any personal difficulties which are affecting your work, you should consult your module leader, personal tutor, course director or another member of academic staff.

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The Library provides online information literacy skills tutorials and information on reference management software: www.shef.ac.uk/library/services/infoskills.html www.shef.ac.uk/library/refmant/refmant.html The English Language Teaching Centre operates a Writing Advisory Service through which students can make individual appointments to discuss a piece of writing. This is available for all students, both native and non-native speakers of English: www.shef.ac.uk/eltc/languagesupport/writingadvisory The online Writing Advisory Service is available to Distance Learning students and you can sign up via MOLE.

What Happens if I Use Unfair Means?

Any form of unfair means is treated as a serious academic offence and action may be taken under the Discipline Regulations. Where unfair means is found to have been used, the University may impose penalties ranging from awarding a grade of zero for the piece of work through to expulsion from the University in extremely serious cases. ScHARR has a comprehensive procedure for dealing with any suspected cases of unfair means which is detailed below.

Unfair Means Procedure

If a marker suspects unfair means in your written work, or an invigilator reports any untoward events during an examination for a ScHARR module, we will need to interview you. Students often find being invited to such interviews worrying. If you have any anxieties when called to the interviews, you can contact the ScHARR Unfair Means Officer, your personal tutor or the Student Advice Centre for guidance. At this stage we are not accusing you of doing anything wrong, but we are obliged by University rules to investigate. Primarily, such meetings are exploratory, as we wish to hear your side of the story and find out how you came to write and research the assessment for which we have concerns. The interview may uncover weaknesses in academic writing skills and we can offer support and advice to address these problems. If you are invited to interview, we will not usually be able to complete marking your work or allocate a grade until we have discussed these issues with you so it is very much in your interest to participate in the meeting and answer communications from the course administrators about setting them up. Interviews will normally be held by an appropriate medium, for example Collaborate, Skype, video-conferencing, telephone, etc. You may have a friend, supporter or colleague with you at the meeting. The School is usually represented by the marker, someone to minute the meeting, and another member of academic staff (programme director or Unfair Means Officer) to chair.

If we do ask you to participate in such a discussion about a piece of your course work, please observe the following:

Reply promptly to any messages from course administrative staff about finding a suitable time to interview you.

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In setting up times for the meeting, please take note of any time zone differences, and be aware that in the Summer months Britain uses British Summer Time (BST) which is one hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

Please answer any questions about the sort of software and computer access you have, so we can use the most appropriate technology to talk to you.

If the marker sends you a list of documents you need for the meeting (e.g. copies of your work as handed in for marking; specific source documents), make sure you have these to hand for the meeting. Generally, it will be easier if you have these as printed hard copies.

It is your responsibility to make sure that you have access to a reliable Internet connection for the interview at the right time. Our experience is that mobile telephones are not dependable for such interviews.

Once we have set up such an interview with you, please make sure that you keep it.

If you do not engage in setting up the meeting, you may miss the opportunity to have advice and guidance on your academic writing skills. Also, we may end up giving your work a mark of 0, unless we talk to you. This may mean that you fail the module and cease to be eligible for a masters level award. At the end of one of these meetings, if we conclude that there were unfair means in your coursework, we may apply a penalty to your mark. Typically, this means that you fail the module and are allowed to resubmit the work, but for the second attempt, your mark will be capped at a maximum of 50%. At this stage, we will also issue you with a formal warning and a copy of this will remain on your student record. In itself, this record will not have any implications for your completion of any other course work with the University of Sheffield, and the award of the appropriate qualification. However, should any unfair means be confirmed in later written work for the University, that may lead to referral to a discipline committee hearing (see below). If you do not accept ScHARR’s decision in applying any penalties to your work, you may submit an academic appeal to the Student Conduct and Appeals Office, 5 Favell Road, within fourteen working days of being notified of any such penalties. Information about the Academic Appeals Regulations and how to submit an appeal can be found at: www.shef.ac.uk/ssid/procedures/grid_academic. Occasionally we have to treat unfair means more severely. This usually means that one or more of the following apply: It is the second time unfair means have been confirmed in the same student’s work and

the student has already had a formal warning. The unfair means is on a very large scale (e.g. plagiarism of a whole piece of assessment). The unfair means are not accidental or due to weakness in academic skills, but represent

a deliberate attempt to obtain marks from the University by deceit. In such cases, after interviewing the student, we are obliged to refer them on for a disciplinary hearing, which can impose much more severe penalties, such as refusing credits for modules or even exclusion from the University. In practice, we have to interview very few students for unfair means, and if you make sure that you fully understand how to use techniques like quotation, paraphrasing, citation and referencing in your work, you should not have any problems with unfair means.

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Detection of Unfair Means

The University subscribes to a national plagiarism detection service (Turnitin) which helps academic staff identify the original source of material submitted by students. This means that academic staff have access to specialist software that searches a database of reference material gathered from professional publications, student essay websites and other work submitted by students. It is also a resource which can help tutors to advise students on ways of improving their referencing techniques. For more information see: www.shef.ac.uk/ssid/ourcommitment/guidance_taught.

Re-assessment

ScHARR modules have a pass mark of 50%. Any overall module marks below 50% are a fail, as are any modules where a student achieves less than 50% on a component which must be passed. Students will be given one further opportunity to re-sit the module or component. Should a student pass at re-sit, the mark is capped at 50%. Student transcripts (written evidence of the modules studied and grades attained on your programme) will always show both the first attempt mark and the re-assessment mark. If a student fails the reassessment then their best fail (the highest of the two marks) is used in reporting the final student grade for that module. The University requires all students who are being re-assessed to pay an additional fee based on the number of credits being re-assessed. More information is available on the SSiD web pages at: www.shef.ac.uk/ssid/exams/reassessment_pg The implications for failing a module are significant but these vary depending upon the programme of study being undertaken, the other grades and the exact grade obtained for the failed module and the credits for that module. Further details can be found in the University Regulations, available at: www.shef.ac.uk/calendar . Students who have failed a module are not permitted to take a further module to allow them to obtain their programme award.

Award of Degree

Examination Boards

Examination Boards serve to finalise students’ marks and recommend their degree awards and classifications. Prior to the Examination Board, student marks are provisional and may be subject to change. Examination Boards are attended by relevant academic staff and external examiners. Examination Boards occur three times over the academic year: to confirm marks and grades at the end of semesters one and two and to recommend final degree awards and classifications.

Criteria for degree awards

Standard University guidance exists in relation to the awards related to postgraduate higher Degrees, Diplomas and Certificates. Please see full University regulations relating to higher degrees, available at: www.shef.ac.uk/calendar.

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Appeals You are entitled to appeal against your module marks, exam results or final award within 14 days of their publication should you feel there are sufficient grounds. You must be able to demonstrate that either there has been a procedural error or that there is new evidence concerning mitigating circumstances that was not made available to the examiners and that could not have been produced at an earlier stage. Appeals will not be considered against the academic judgement of the examiners or in respect of the quality of teaching or supervision prior to the examination, unless the student could not reasonably have been expected to have made this a subject of a complaint before the examination. An appeal may also be brought if you do not accept departmental action taken against you in the case of unfair means as detailed above. Full guidance on the grounds for appeal and the process may be found at: www.sheffield.ac.uk/ssid/procedures/grid_academic.

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Contact with the School

Contacting Us

Teaching Support Unit

The Teaching Support Unit (TSU) is led by Lucy Thorp and supports the management and administration of all postgraduate teaching within ScHARR. This includes administering the coordination and delivery of all programmes and modules, and being the first point of call for any student enquiries. All programmes within ScHARR have a dedicated course administrator who should be your first point of contact for any queries regarding your programme. The contact details for course administrators can be found on page 10.

Course Directors

Each of the courses in ScHARR has a course director who is responsible for the overall running of your course. Details of ScHARR course directors can be found on page 10.

Module Coordinators

Each of your modules will have a named coordinator. This is your main contact for any academic support you need with regards to an individual module. This may include queries around teaching sessions, the module content, and assessment. Contact details will be stated on the relevant module MOLE site.

Contacting Academic Staff

A full list of all our academic staff including information regarding their teaching and research interests is available on the departmental website: http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/scharr/staff-pgrs The above pages also include all staff contact details. Should your query be related to your academic progress or you feel it can only be answered by a member of academic staff, please do contact the individual staff member directly. If you wish to meet with a member of academic staff, please contact them to make an appointment.

How We Will Contact You

Email

The majority of our correspondence will be via email to your University address, so please make sure you check this regularly.

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By Post

It is important that your University record always includes your most up-to-date address, as this record will be used by both the department and University central services when we need to contact you. You can check and change your address using MUSE (My University of Sheffield Environment), which contains all your personal information.

Twitter and Facebook

ScHARR also has its own Twitter and Facebook pages with which you can keep up-to-date with the latest news and events. Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ScHARRSheffield Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ScHARRSheffield

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Personal Tutors

Below is a brief outline of the personal tutorial system. During Intro Week/Week One of your studies, you will be provided with a handbook which provides more detailed information on the system and how it operates within ScHARR. The Role of the Personal Tutor Within the first few weeks of registering with ScHARR, you will be allocated a personal tutor. This is a member of academic staff in the department who is there to help you if you are having any difficulties with your studies, or personal difficulties that you are worried about or are impacting on your studies. Your personal tutor is likely to be the same person throughout your degree, although this may change under exceptional circumstances, for example staff leave of absence. Should it be necessary to change your personal tutor, we will allocate you a replacement personal tutor. You can also request to change your personal tutor by speaking to Jennifer Burr, the Senior Tutor.

Contact with your Personal Tutor

Your personal tutor will be in touch periodically during your time on your programme to discuss how you are getting on and if you have any concerns. However, if you are experiencing difficulties, do not wait for your scheduled meeting but do contact your personal tutor as they will want to help you identify ways to help resolve the problem. You can email or phone your personal tutor to arrange a time to meet online or speak over the phone or via other media during their office hours. It is important that you are in touch with your personal tutor early in on in your programme so you know who to go to if you have a problem.

ScHARR Senior Tutor

In ScHARR, we have a senior tutor, Dr Jennifer Burr, who oversees the personal tutorial system and ensure it runs effectively. Should you have any problems which you are unable to discuss with your personal tutor, please do contact Jennifer via email at: j.a.burr@sheffield.ac.uk.

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Student Feedback

We appreciate the contribution that students can make to improving our learning and teaching provision and encourage students to be involved as much as possible. You are always welcome to discuss any aspect of your experience with ScHARR staff and we have listed below some of the ways we also obtain feedback.

Module and Course Evaluations

These take place at the end of your modules and course. They are either in paper or electronic format and give you the opportunity to provide general and specific feedback about your experience.

Postgraduate Student Experience Survey

This is a national survey run by the Higher Education Academy to all higher education providers. The survey collects feedback from postgraduate taught students and provides us with anonymous results which we can compare against other departments, faculties and Universities. Full details can be found at: www.heacademy.ac.uk/PTES Details of how to take part in PTES 2014 will be circulated to you later in your programmes.

Course Representatives

The course representative’s role is to provide feedback on what you want from the University staff involved in your course. They also provide a useful contact point for staff in communicating with students. Course representatives sit on the Staff/Student Committee and also meet regularly with the Student Experience Officer, Julie Dickinson. Full details on becoming a course representative can be found on the Sheffield Student’s Union course rep web pages available at: www.shef.ac.uk/union/you-run-us/course-reps/. You will be contacted early in Semester One about becoming a Course Representative and soon after will receive information on contact details on for the representatives for your course.

Staff/Student Committee

ScHARR has a Staff/Student Committee which meets once a semester. Key members of staff attend with your course and faculty representatives. This is the more formal way in which you can give feedback to staff in ScHARR and discuss teaching and learning issues.

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Student Feedback Website

The ScHARR student feedback web pages are available at: www.shef.ac.uk/scharr/current/pgt/feedbackdev and contain a summary of recent student feedback and any action points. The information is largely gathered from the Staff/Student Committee meetings, module and course evaluations, and directly through your course representatives. If you wish to comment on any existing content or add any new feedback please contact your course representative or the student experience officer.

Student Experience Officer

The Student Experience Officer, Dr Julie Dickinson, is responsible for facilitating student input into all aspects of ScHARR. This involves supporting the course representatives, organising and facilitating the ScHARR Staff/Student Committees, and working with the TSU, course directors, module leaders and personal tutors to ensure student feedback is collected and acted upon.

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Study Support for Students

MOLE (My Online Learning Environment)

MOLE (http://shef.ac.uk/cics/mole2/students) provides a secure environment which gives you flexible access to your course via the internet from anywhere in the world. Through MOLE you will have access to module and course information including general information, teaching materials, exercises and support, and assessment. It is important that you familiarise yourself with MOLE and access it regularly as this will be the main portal for all module information.

Writing Skills Paper

ScHARR requires all new students to complete a short test essay which is completed during your first three weeks. This test is designed to address two areas: to assess your ability to demonstrate the necessary academic writing skills for a Masters level course, and to introduce you to the process of submitting work and getting feedback online through Turnitin. Further information regarding the test essay can be found in MOLE.

English Language Teaching Centre (ELTC)

The ELTC (www.shef.ac.uk/eltc) offers a wide range of English language courses and services for University students and departments, as well as the public. ELTC staff have experience of teaching international students in a wide range of locations and situations, both in the UK and overseas. The ELTC also runs the Writing Advisory Service to help improve the writing skills of both home and international students. The online Writing Advisory Service is available to Distance Learning students and you can sign up via MOLE.

301: Student Skills and Development Centre

301 (www.shef.ac.uk/ssid/301/services) is the University's Student Skills and Development Centre. This includes Academic Skills Workshops, Study Skills Drop in sessions, Dyslexia Support, the Languages for All programme and Mathematics and Statistics Help (MASH).

Mathematics and Statistics Help (MASH)

Based in 301, MASH (www.shef.ac.uk/mash/home) offers several core services to students to help develop learning skills. Support available includes help for use of some maths and statistics software, online material for self-study and diagnostic testing, and targeted provision and classes in key topics.

Information Resources Information Study Skills (IRISS)

IRISS is available to all ScHARR postgraduate taught students via MOLE and aims to equip students with the basic information-related study skills necessary to support their course and research.

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University Facilities

The University of Sheffield has a wide variety of facilities and comprehensive support structures, which you can utilise during your studies. Listed below are some specific areas on which you may find it helpful to have more information. For further details regarding the facilities and support which the University can offer you, please look at the Student Services Information Desk (SSiD) web pages at www.sheffield.ac.uk/ssid/index. SSiD also have a general student handbook with more information available at www.shef.ac.uk/ssid/handbook

The University Library

The role of the University Library is to provide access to the world’s knowledge. There is a wealth of material available – over 1,500,000 printed volumes and 23,000 electronic journals – and staff to help you find what you need. The University Library delivers its services electronically so that they are available whenever you may need them, anytime of the day or night, on or off campus. Additionally, the Library has four sites: the Information Commons; Western Bank Library; St George’s Library; and the Health Sciences Library. Further information on the University Library can be viewed here: http://www.shef.ac.uk/library/

The Information Commons

The Information Commons holds the majority of core texts found on reading lists. This extremely popular 24-hour facility has 1,300 seats, 550 PCs, complete wireless networking, flexible spaces to enable group study, a café and access to all the library’s electronic resources. While studying at Sheffield, you may also need to use the other library sites to gain access to more specialised books, monographs and journals. These are: Western Bank Library for arts, languages, architectural studies, law, social sciences and

pure sciences. St. George’s Library for engineering, management, economics, information studies, and

computer science The Health Sciences Library, on two sites, for medicine, dentistry and nursing. The library works in partnership with academic departments to fully support the information needs of students. This is achieved by co-ordinating all the print and electronic information resources required for individual modules and by providing training in the use of resources through the library’s extensive information literacy programme. This is available to students via MUSE on the Library MyResource List. Library staff are on hand at each site to offer advice and assistance. If you have problems, for example, locating material in the library, accessing electronic resources, or need help with your library account please ask any member of staff. Alternatively, please email library@sheffield.ac.uk or telephone on (0114) 2227200. The telephone has an option for automated renewals which is in operation 24/7. Our faculty librarians offer subject-specific guidance (see www.shef.ac.uk/library/libstaff/sllist.html for a full list) and specialist staff can advise with disability and additional support requirements.

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University Corporate Information and Computing Services (CiCS)

CiCS provides a full range of support to all the University’s corporate information and computing services, and full details can be found at: www.sheffield.ac.uk/cics/index. We would also recommend that you read the computing code of practice which is available at: www.sheffield.ac.uk/cics/codeofpractice.

Sheffield Students’ Union

Every student at the University of Sheffield is automatically a member of Sheffield Students' Union (www.shef.ac.uk/union/index.php). The Students’ Union exists to enhance your student life through activities, sport, representation, entertainment, services and support. Every member of Sheffield Students' Union has a right to have a say in how it is run and there are many ways for you to get involved. Each year you elect the 8 Students' Union Officers to work full-time to work and campaign for students in Sheffield and oversee the work of the Students' Union. At the start of each academic year you elect a student from each department and representative group to speak up for students and make decisions on the work and future of the Students' Union, and all of the big decisions are made through a vote of all students in a referendum.

Mature Students

SSiD have some we pages dedicated to providing help and support to mature students and these can be found at: www.shef.ac.uk/ssid/student/mature/index.

International Students

The University provides a range of information specifically for international students, and provide information and support to new and current students including: Immigration Advice; Induction and Orientation; Meet and Greet Scheme, and Visa Extension Scheme. Further information can be found on the international student webpages at www.shef.ac.uk/ssid/international

Counselling Services

The Counselling Service (www.shef.ac.uk/ssid/counselling/services) is a free confidential service for you to use as needed. Services available include appointments, a drop in service, self-help materials and workshops. Specific services are also available for international students and students with disabilities.

Disability and Dyslexia Support Service

The Disability and Dyslexia Support Service (DDSS) is a friendly and confidential service providing support and advice to enable students to access their studies and university services. Further details about the service can be found at: www.shef.ac.uk/ssd/ddss If you have a disability, medical condition, or specific learning difficulty, or become aware of an issue during the course of your studies (for example, the identification of dyslexia), we strongly recommend that you contact the Disability and Dyslexia Support Service (DDSS)

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and talk to your personal tutor. ScHARR also has an Equality and Disability Officer, Charlotte Hollins (c.hollins@sheffield.ac.uk), who is also available to help make any special arrangements that may be required.

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Careers and Professional Skills

As a student within ScHARR at the University of Sheffield, you now have access to a range of career enhancing opportunities to help you progress your career.

Careers Service

The Careers Service (www.sheffield.ac.uk/careers/index) supports students and graduates up to three years after graduation.

Career opportunities

The following websites may show current career opportunities which may be of interest: European Public Health links (www.europubhealth.org/index.php/en/linksinterest) Government Jobs Direct (www.governmentjobsdirect.co.uk) Graduate Talent Pool

(http://graduatetalentpool.direct.gov.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/p!ecaaefg) Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO) (www.paho.org/English/HDP/equidad-list-

about.htm) Charity Jobs (www.charityjob.co.uk) Third Sector Jobs (http://jobs.thirdsector.co.uk) Jobs in universities, colleges, research institutions, commercial and public sector, schools

and charities (www.jobs.ac.uk) International development (www.bond.org.uk) Public Sector vacancies (www.jobsgopublic.com)

The Sheffield Graduate

We believe that all of our students should have the opportunity to acquire a set of attributes that enables them to get the most out of their time with us, whilst also ensuring that they are ready for further study, employment and engagement with the wider world. The Sheffield Graduate Award recognises valuable skills and experience gained at university outside your degree course. This prestigious Award brings an extra dimension to your qualifications when you graduate, enriching your personal development and substantially boosting your employment prospects.

For more information, please see information on The Sheffield Graduate (www.shef.ac.uk/sheffieldgraduate)

Alumni

Now you have joined a ScHARR programme you will make contacts among staff and students that will last for the rest of your life. Our alumni come from over 30 countries world-wide, creating a network of great value for career development. Our graduates hold posts in governments, health services and universities. Some have even returned to join ScHARR as members of teaching and research staff!

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We are committed to keeping in touch with our students and currently have 400 ScHARR alumni. Our alumni receive a regular newsletter, entitled S1, keeping them in touch with other ScHARR alumni and with updates on current ScHARR activities. Alumni are also included in more general university updates. We would be delighted if you kept in touch with us after you have successfully completed your studies. Please visit the ScHARR alumni website (www.shef.ac.uk/scharr/alumni) for more information

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University Policies

There are a number of University policies and procedures which impact upon your time as a student at Sheffield. Detailed below are some of the key policies with which you should make yourself familiar.

Personal Information and Data Protection

Personal information about you is held by the University and carried across University systems. The University needs to have and use this information to perform its usual business. You can be assured that access to this information is restricted, in part or in whole. Your rights of access are protected under the English law of Data Protection, and the University adheres to strict policy on this subject. The University takes the confidentiality of all personal information particularly seriously and consequently takes all reasonable steps to comply with the principles of the Data Protection Act 1998. The University aims to collect personal information only in order to meet specific legitimate purposes, and to retain that information only for as long as those purposes remain valid. Ordinarily, the University will not pass individualised personal information to any third party, save where required by law, statutory obligations or legitimate purposes balanced against the rights and interests of the data subject. Student records are governed by the Data Protection Act of 1998. For information on how the University implements this, see www.shef.ac.uk/cics/dataprotection/.

University Student Discipline

The University has a formal student discipline procedure which falls within the University's General Regulations. Further information regarding this, including related links and downloads, can be found at: www.shef.ac.uk/ssd/sca/discipline

Harassment and Bullying

The University of Sheffield takes harassment and bullying very seriously. We are committed to promoting the highest standards of behaviour to maintain a working, learning and social environment where everyone is treated fairly and with respect.

Ours is a motivated and diverse University community, where staff and students have a right to expect high standards from each other and to work together to maximise the benefits of difference.

Allegations of harassment, bullying and victimisation will be treated seriously and the University is prepared to take disciplinary action against offenders.

For further information, please see: www.shef.ac.uk/ssid/harassment/home

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Payment of fees

You should make sure you are aware of the course fees for your programme and how payment should be made. Details of all the course fees within ScHARR can be found at: www.sheffield.ac.uk/scharr/prospective_students/fees Information on paying your fees, including information about scheduling payment, defaulting on payments, refunds and reductions, etc can be found at: www.shef.ac.uk/ssid/fees/pgt

Use of Display Screen Equipment (DSE)

Over a period of time you can suffer serious ill effects if you use display screen equipment without a few sensible precautions. You should complete an online DSE self-assessment at the beginning of your course. More information about health & safety and training is available on the University’s Health and Safety web pages at: www.shef.ac.uk/hs.

Data Security

All members of the University have a responsibility to ensure that they handle information appropriately. Within ScHARR, all staff and students are required to undertake Information Security training. This training is delivered by an online course in MOLE which will introduce you to key information security concepts and provide practical advice on working safely with sensitive information. Access to the Information Security training MOLE module will be provided at the beginning of term. You will receive an email once access has been provided, and you should ensure that you then complete the training as soon as possible.

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Frequently Asked Questions

I am a continuing student. When and where do I need to register for the new academic year?

You will need to access the online registration screens through your MUSE record. I am a new student, how do I get my UCard? Once you have registered online, your course administrator will send you your UCard. For further information about UCards, visit: http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/ssid/ucards I am a new student. How and when do I make my module choices? You will be contacted by your course administrator in advance of the start of the new academic year and asked to make your choices. I want to change a module I’m studying. How do I do this? You have up to three weeks from the start of each semester (Autumn and Spring) to add or remove modules. You cannot make any further changes after this three-week deadline has passed. For more details about how to change a module see page 14. How do I contact my course administrator? Each course has an admin e-mail address. MPH (all attended variations) and EPH: scharr-mph@sheffield.ac.uk MPH Distance Learning: scharr-mphdl@sheffield.ac.uk MSc Health Economics & Decision Modelling: scharr-hedm@sheffield.ac.uk MSc Clinical Research (All Routes): scharr-clinres@sheffield.ac.uk MSc Advanced Emergency Care: scharr-aec@sheffield.ac.uk MSc Health and Social Care Research: scharr-hscr@sheffield.ac.uk MSc International Health Technology Assessment, Pricing & Reimbursement: scharr-ihta@sheffield.ac.uk What do I do if I need a leave of absence or decide to withdraw from the course?We

would advise discussing the matter with your personal tutor and other relevant members of

the course team. If you decide to pursue this course of action, then you will need to fill out a

change of status form and send it to your course administrator.

How long does it take to receive results of submitted work/exams? Provisional marks are available three weeks after submission/the exam - but marks are not finalised until after the next Exam Board meeting. Exam Boards currently take place three times a year - in March, July and November. How do I apply for an assignment deadline extension? You complete a Special Circumstances form available from reception. You can apply for an extension of up to 10 working days. Please note that all extension requests must be made at least 24 hours prior to the assignment deadline. Full details of how to request an extension can be found on page 24.

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How do I access the University’s library facilities? The University has several library sites. You will need your UCard to access each one. Library opening times can be found at: www.sheffield.ac.uk/library/libsites/opengen Information on accessing library facilities across the campus can be found at: www.sheffield.ac.uk/library/services/taught How so I access the University Wireless Network (Eduroam) and the Virtual Private Network (VPN)? Eduroam - You will need your University username and password to access the University wireless network, “eduroam”. When connecting most devices, select “Wireless”, the device will then scan for wireless services, and detect “eduroam”. Select “eduroam” then enter your username followed by @sheffield.ac.uk in the identity box, and your password in the password box. Then select “Connect”, a wireless icon will appear in the status bar once connected. If you have any difficulties, you can either contact the CiCS Helpdesk (telephone 0114 222 1111), talk to a member of staff in the Information Commons, or access www.shef.ac.uk/cics/wireless which has further information relating to connecting computers, laptops and phones to the Wireless Network. Virtual Private Network (VPN) - The university VPN is used to establish a secure link from a remote computer to services at the University. It allocates a Sheffield IP address effectively making your computer part of the campus network. In order to setup the VPN connection to access the campus network, you will need to know your remote access password. For further information on this and how to set up a VPN, visit: www.shef.ac.uk/cics/vpn Who do I contact regarding an issue with my tuition fees? All fees enquires must be directed to studentfees@sheffield.ac.uk . Your course administrator cannot check your fee record, review payment plans or quote outstanding balances. I am experiencing financial hardship. Who can I speak to about support? If you need to discuss your financial situation with someone, please call the Student Advice Centre on 0114 2228660, or e-mail advice@sheffield.ac.uk or visit Student Advice Centre Further information on financial support can be found here: http://www.shef.ac.uk/ssid/finance/application I am an international student and I would like to improve my English language skills. How do I do this? ELTC (English Language Teaching Centre) offer a wider range of courses designed to help students who wish to improve their language skills. For more information, please visit their site: http://www.shef.ac.uk/eltc Does ELTC offer support to home students, too? Yes, ELTC provides training for all students, not just those assessed as international students.

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Can I access a counselling service? Yes, the University offers a free and confidential counselling service, which is available to undergraduate and postgraduate students. The service is open week days between 9.00am - 12.30 & 2.00 - 4.00pm during term time: http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/ssid/contacts/counselling Where can I find information about the DDS (Disability and Dyslexia Support Service)? The DDS contact details are 0114 222 1303 and disability.info@sheffield.ac.uk . The website address is: http://www.shef.ac.uk/ssid/disability/index We hope you have found the answer to your question. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you haven’t. Remember: if in doubt, ask.

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Useful University Web Pages

Students’ Union www.shef.ac.uk/union Student Services Information Desk (SSiD) (general information for all students)

www.shef.ac.uk/ssid

Student Advice Centre (Independent confidential advice for all students)

www.shef.ac.uk/union/student-advice-centre/index.php

SSiD On-Line Forms (student status forms, add/drop forms, module correction forms, change of address forms, change of status forms, medical certificates, council tax exemption certificates)

www.shef.ac.uk/ssid/form s

Frequently Asked Questions www.shef.ac.uk/ssid/faq

Your University Record (your registration information, update your contact details, add/drop information, list of modules available)

www.shef.ac.uk/ssid/record

Things Not Going Right? (help and support for students)

www.shef.ac.uk/ssid/sos

Financial Information (including fees, financial help and student loans)

www.shef.ac.uk/ssid/finance www.shef.ac.uk/ssid/fees

Disability & Dyslexia Support Service

www.sheffield.ac.uk/ssid/disability

Essential Guide for Mature Students

www.shef.ac.uk/ssid/welfare/mature

Information for International Students

www.shef.ac.uk/ssid/international

University Health Service www.shef.ac.uk/health

Nightline http://nightline.union.shef.ac.uk

Counselling Service www.shef.ac.uk/counselling

University Administration www.shef.ac.uk/ssid/admin The University of Sheffield Calendar (sets out the Charter, Statutes, Ordinances and Regulations of the University)

www.shef.ac.uk/govern

Careers Service www.shef.ac.uk/careers/students

Student Job Shop www.shef.ac.uk/careers/students/jobs/jobshop