Programme Specification

Course record information

Master of Science - MSc Software Engineering (Conversion) FT

Name and level of final award The award is Bologna FQ-EHEA second cycle degree or diploma
compatible

Postgraduate Diploma (Pg Dip) - Software Engineering

(Conversion)
Name and level of intermediate awards
Postgraduate Certificate (Pg Cert) - Software Engineering
(Conversion)

Awarding body/institution University of Westminster

Teaching institution University of Westminster
Status of awarding body/institution Recognised Body
Location of delivery Primary: Central London
Language of delivery and assessment English

QAA subject benchmarking group(s) QAA Subject Benchmark Statement - Computing March 2022

Professional statutory or regulatory body Not applicable.

MSc Software Engineering (Conversion) FT, Full-time,

September start - 1 year standard length
MSc Software Engineering (Conversion) PT, Part-time day,
Westminster course title, mode of September start - 2 years standard length
attendance and standard length MSc Software Engineering (Conversion) FT, Full-time, January
start - 1 year standard length
MSc Software Engineering (Conversion) PT, Part-time day,
January start - 2 years standard length

Valid for cohorts From 2024/5

Admissions requirements
There are standard minimum entry requirements for all postgraduate courses. Students are advised to check the
standard requirements for the most up-to-date information. For most courses a decision will be made on the basis of your
application form alone. However, for some courses the selection process may include an interview to demonstrate your
strengths in addition to any formal entry requirements. More information can be found here:
https://www.westminster.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/how-to-apply.

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Aims of the programme
The course is a generalist computing masters programme that has been specifically designed for non-computing
graduates who:
have some basic experience and interest in computing and wish to enter the IT industry, or
who are already within the IT industry and aim to increase their technical skills and knowledge.
Consequently, the course is not appropriate for computing/software engineering graduates or graduates where the
majority of their degree was computing/software engineering.
Software Engineering is the application of engineering style methods, practices and disciplines to the creation and
maintenance of software applications and systems. Hence, a professional Software Engineer when carrying out their
work uses these engineering approaches to develop software in a systematic, quantifiable, and disciplined way.
The main aim of the course is to provide non-computing graduates
with the core leading edge practical knowledge and skills that a professional Software Engineer requires to be
successful in today's IT industry;
with the essential practical experience of programming and applying software engineering to a number of new and
important areas of IT and computing. For example, technical skills such as programming, object oriented software
development, practical experience of software development tools; soft skills such as analytical and critical thinking;
with the appropriate knowledge underpinning these practical skills;
with a practical understanding of professional codes of conduct and how these relate to ethical issues and broader
considerations such as the environment, relevant law, and wider societal and commercial concerns in the real-
world;
with employability skills relevant to the IT industry which is achieved by embedding essential employability skills
within the course such as project management, risk management, teamwork, leadership and written and oral
communication.

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Employment and further study opportunities
Today’s organisations need graduates with both good degrees and skills relevant to the workplace, i.e. employability
skills. The University of Westminster is committed to developing employable graduates by ensuring that:
Career development skills are embedded in all courses
Opportunities for part-time work, placements and work-related learning activities are widely available to students
Staff continue to widen and strengthen the University’s links with employers in all sectors, involving them in
curriculum design and encouraging their participation in other aspects of the University’s career education and
guidance provision
Staff are provided with up-to-date data on labour market trends and employers’ requirements, which will inform the
service delivered to students.
The employability skills that have been embedded within the course fall into three main categories:

Technical skills: the main focus for each module is to provide core technical computing and software engineering skills
in a specific area. For example, object-oriented programming, software design, software development within a particular
environment, algorithm design and analysis, database systems design and use, mobile and web application
development.
Generic skills: all modules develop self-direction, critical thinking, effective communication, effective software
demonstration, and presentation skills. Modules using group assessments in addition provide students with team
working and peer reviewing skills. The project module provides students with project management and research skills.
Career skills: core career management skills are embedded in the course, for example, CV writing, career planning,
job searching, self-evaluation and interview practice. These skills are developed within a number of workshops run by
the Careers and Employability Service (CES) during the course and are supported online using the University's
Engage/Engage Plus career skills development tools.
The MSc Software Engineering (Conversion) aims to produce graduates who will typically be employed in core
software engineering roles across a wide variety of software development environments. Typical job titles within this
area include:
Software Engineer, involved with the development of a software project dealing with clients and stakeholders.
They normally define the requirements, the tools, frameworks, languages required.
Systems Administrator, involved with managing, maintaining, and upgrading a computer system.
Software Developer/Programmer, involved with the design and implementation of computer programs.
Software Tester, involved with reviewing software requirements and designing and developing test cases,
application of test cases, analysis of results and reporting to the software designers.
Mobile Application Programmer, involved with the design and implementation of computer programs focusing in
the development of mobile applications.
Software Designer, involved with modelling and developing software application/system designs based on the
program requirements, will liaise with the developers for the development of system.
Web Developer/application programmer, involved with designing and building/coding websites, this will also
involve multiple tiers, and integration.

Many of these jobs require a knowledge of computer systems ranging from general skills in designing and
programming, to specialized mobile and/or web applications programming. Their common theme is that they require
the ability to understand and competently apply the various techniques related to the stages of the “software life cycle"
process.
In addition to these core software engineering roles, graduates would be able to find employment in a wider range of IT
roles by combining their existing skills and experience with the new skills acquired on the course. For example, Business
graduates would have the opportunity to join Technical Consulting, Sales Engineering, Technical Program Managers
roles.
Graduates would also have a sound understanding and knowledge required to undertake a specialist masters degree in
a software engineering area, or a research degree related to the object-oriented paradigm.

What will you be expected to achieve?

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Course learning outcomes
Learning outcomes are statements on what successful students have achieved as the result of learning.
These are threshold statements of achievement the learning outcomes broadly fall into four categories:
The overall knowledge and understanding you will gain from your course (KU)
Graduate attributes are characteristics that you will have developed during the duration of your course (GA)
Professional and personal practice learning outcomes are specific skills that you will be expected to have gained on
successful completion of the course (PPP)
Key transferable skills that you will be expected to have gained on successful completion of the course. (KTS)

Level 7 course learning outcomes: upon completion of Level 7 you will be able to:
CLO01 Apply and critically evaluate the object oriented techniques appropriate to develop and construct a software
system by following the stages of the software life-cycle: requirements analysis, design, implementation, testing and
maintenance ( KU SS CS )
CLO02 Critically evaluate and work within a range of typical software engineering environments by selecting and
using the appropriate software development tools and techniques for ensuring software quality ( KU SS )
CLO03 Design & synthesise solutions using appropriate tools, data structures and frameworks. ( KU SS CS )
CLO04 Critically evaluate different data modelling approaches and techniques to design and construct fit for
purpose data repositories for capturing, storing and processing data ( KU KTS )
CLO05 Recognize and assess risk pertaining to a given problem including those related to the environment,
sustainability, society, health and safety and regulation and suggest ways to mitigate this risk. ( PPP SS )
CLO06 Analyse, interpret and explore technical and theoretical knowledge and practical experience at a specialist
level, and to be able to formulate sound judgements in the absence of complete information within software
engineering ( KU )
CLO07 Demonstrate an understanding of the professional, legal, ethical frameworks within the software
engineering profession. ( KU )
CLO08 Work effectively within a team both as a leader and/or member, clarify tasks and guide the activities of
others, make appropriate use of team members abilities and diversity, negotiate and handle conflict with
confidence, and participate effectively in the peer review process to improve practice and outcomes ( KTS )
CLO09 Communicate confidently and effectively in academic and professional environments using written media,
orally and software demonstrations ( KTS )
CLO10 Demonstrate an awareness of continuing professional development and the importance and benefits of
supporting equality, diversity and inclusion. ( PPP KTS )

How will you learn?

Learning methods
The guiding principles are to provide sufficient and appropriate teaching facilities, learning resources and student
support services to deliver a high-quality academic experience. In practice, this means providing and maintaining
appropriate physical and virtual environments for delivery of learning and teaching; learning facilities and resources are
accessible and relevant to your development of knowledge and skills and to support you to achieve successful academic
outcome.
The specific teaching and learning strategies adopted on the course use a variety of inclusive learning, teaching and
assessment methods to ensure that together they enable and empower you to fulfil your potential and achieve a
successful outcome. The knowledge and skills required for the successful development of complex software systems
means that a correspondingly wide range of strategies is adopted to facilitate your acquisition of a required knowledge
and skills.
How is Equality, Diversity, and Inclusivity (EDI) addressed in your course

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The course design ensures that you will have a learning experience that is flexible, respects diversity, encourages
active participation and considers students varying needs, supporting the University of Westminster’s Black Lives
Matter Commitment Plan. The course has been developed using an inclusive approach where you will have a learning
experience that respects diversity, encourages participation, reduces barriers to learning and considers the varying
needs of students. Inclusivity has been addressed by welcoming any candidate with interest and basic experience in
computing along with a good degree in any non- computing subject, for example, the arts, humanities, sciences, etc.
Within the course, inclusivity has been addressed through a programme that offers a wide range of software
engineering topics blending both practice and theory, different learning and teaching methods, diverse assessment
methods, personalised learning through accessible online resources and individual support throughout the course and
opportunities for professional development.
The course will encourage and enable you to tailor your learning according to your career ambitions, cultural identity
and individual aspirations by allowing you to choose a project specialisation within the area of software engineering,
develop your own practical solutions to a given problem set and select option modules that will enable you to
specialise or gain greater confidence in various application areas of software engineering.
The topics covered in the course focus entirely on essential technical, generic and transferable skills, but where
appropriate will be studied from different social and cultural contexts providing you with a more robust and rounded
approach to the subject. For example, a diverse range of case studies, authors, reading lists and critical perspectives
are embedded within the course to provide an inclusively designed course delivery.
The course will equip you with the technical and employability skills required to work in a changing and diverse world.
Above all you should be reassured that the course team aims to eliminate all arbitrary barriers to your learning and to
work with you to achieve your best outcome.
The learning methods employed by the course are underpinned by three key principles. These are:
Provision of a learning environment, both physical and digital, that is equitable, diverse and inclusive and which
allows you to learn flexibly with materials that will be available to you in a number of learning context and at any time
such as mobile and home environments;
Provision of a supportive and safe learning environment, based on mutual trust and respect, where students are
empowered to act as partners in their transformative learning experiences;
Provision of a forward-looking course curriculum that is work-place relevant, current and authentic.
Practically, you will see this working in the following ways, for example:
teaching materials are where possible, designed to be inclusive for all
where possible, the assignment of students to groups will be done in such a way as to encourage diversity
the active development of mutual trust and respect between students and between staff and students
the celebration and encouragement of diversity through the extra-curricular activities
emphasis on skill-based learning using a learn-by-practice approach, use of current and industry standard tools
chains and methodologies
the teaching of broader concerns, concepts, and skills such as the environment and project management that
values inclusivity and diversity.
a curriculum that is current, global in outlook and targeted at application areas that address real-world challenges.
Learning Methods
Learning methods are aimed to facilitate active and critical learning by the acquisition, understanding and application
of knowledge, skills and professionalism. The learning methods employed on the course vary depending on the type
and content of a module and its intended learning outcomes. Consequently, a wide range of learning methods are used
across the course's modules, for example, the use of:
specialised software tools and packages, such as Software Development Environments and Computer Aided
Software Engineering (CASE) tools, to build students hands-on skills and understanding of such tools.
case studies, to improve your analytical and problem-solving skills; moreover, to integrate the knowledge gained in
individual modules and demonstrate how the accumulated knowledge and understanding can be used, common
case studies, where possible, are used across modules, with each module tackling different aspects of the same
problem.
presentations from outside speakers with industrial experience, where appropriate, to enable you to see how the

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 taught material is applied in industry; appreciate how industry uses the various technologies / tools / methods /
techniques to produce solutions.
team/group work, to enable you to develop further teamwork skills to work effectively in a professional environment.
research methods involving the use of library and online sources to develop research and analysis skills.
academic report writing as part of the assignments set, to develop further these important skills, including those
related to formatting and proper use of referencing.
presentation and seminar sessions during which you present work to your classmates and evaluate/assess each
other’s work.
continuous encouragement to exploit networking opportunities and to participate and get involved in community
organised events, as these enable you to identity areas for improvement while demonstrating you skills and
knowledge on specific subjects / topics.
assessment and feedback as an integral part of the learning process to enable you to (a) gauge your progress in
relation to learning outcomes; (b) reflect on what you have learned; (c) identify areas in which you are strong and
areas in which you need to improve you learning so that you develop the rights skills to achieve the required
learning outcomes; and (d) help you make informed decisions on the pace and focus of you own independent
learning;
You are supported throughout your studies by Blackboard, the University’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), web-
based teaching materials and the Library and IT services. Blackboard provides access to sites that provide important
information related to the course, individual modules, and general university information. The Blackboard module sites
are used as repositories for lecture notes, online reading lists, tutorials exercises, lectures and tutorials recordings,
assessment schedules, coursework (including feedback) and for assessment purposes.
Once module teaching begins you will be supported by lectures, workshops and practical tutorials. In addition, each
module will provide the following online support: recording of lectures, access to teaching material in a range of formats,
online reading lists and access to e-books, discussion boards, virtual study rooms for students to collaborate, individual
and group online meetings. Individual support for each module will be available from the module's teaching staff. At key
stages you will be guided and supported in decisions concerning your studies, e.g. choice of option modules and project
topic. You will also be supported with any personal issues that arise during your studies by your personal tutor and senior
tutor.

Teaching methods
The teaching strategies employed on the course are wide ranging and vary across the modules that make up the
programme of study. Those selected for an individual module depend on what is most appropriate for the module's topic,
learning outcomes and assessment strategy.
The delivery of the course's taught modules involves using lectures, tutorials, workshops and seminars. The lectures are
used to provide a firm grounding in the theory, methods and techniques relevant to the module’s topic. Within lectures a
range of approaches are adopted, such as, traditional lectures, and ‘structured lectures’, where lecturing is broken up by
periods of student-led activity. Lectures are usually supplemented by instructor led sessions where a more experimental,
investigative and problem-solving approach is adopted, than is feasible in a formal lecture, to solve theoretical and/or
practical problems. During these sessions you will attend problem solving tutorials or workshops, where you work at your
own pace, working alone or in small groups with a tutor guiding the work or on hand to help resolve problems. To
integrate the knowledge gained in individual modules common case studies, where possible, are used across modules,
with each module tackling different aspects of the same problem. Modules with a highly technical and practical content
are typically delivered in the form of workshops. These take place in a computing lab and they combine material normally
covered in a lecture with practical/hands-on exercises. In particular, the various concepts/constructs of the module’s
topics are introduced in short bursts and they are followed by a series of practical exercises that aim at enabling students
to appreciate these and understand how they can be used. This approach encourages you to actively participate in the
development of a solution by allowing you to (a) express your thoughts; and (b) receive individual individual feedback from
peers and/or the tutor.

Assessment methods
Assessments and feedback are important and are designed to form part of the learning experience and they can have a
variety of types and forms. For example, assessments may involve practical exercises ranging from short focused tasks
that might be completed in a tutorial, to more complex tasks, such as the design and creation of an artifact, e.g. software,
or the investigation/research on a topic/area. Some of the assessments are designed to be completed individually,
whereas other assessments may require you to work as part of a team, emulating as close as possible the environment
you will face in industry. Types of assessment used in the course include essays, technical / lab reports, practical

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tests/exercises, quizzes, in-class or online tests, practical exercises, portfolios, demonstrations, oral presentations, vivas,
project reports, time constraint examinations, etc.
Assessment can be (a) formative (i.e. helps establish where you are in you learning and what you have learnt so far), or
(b) summative (i.e. measures how much you have learnt in a way that contributes to your overall grades). The type and
nature of the employed assessment methods varies depending on the module and its associated learning outcomes.
The guiding principles in designing/choosing a module’s assessment and its associated feedback include:
the choice of assessment method(s) employed needs to provides an opportunity for new learning and contribute to
the learning process;
the assessment method used should be fit-for-purpose able to measure students’ achievement in the module’s
associated learning outcomes of each module;
assessment is criterion-based, i.e., assessed work is marked using clearly stated assessment criteria;
in selecting assessment methods consideration is given to the amount of effort and time required to complete the
task(s) and to maintain an acceptable and balance assessment loading;
timely and formative feedback is to be given for all assessments, including examinations;
providing information about how you performed in the (summative or formative) assessment; guidance on how you
can improve your performance in future, either individually or as part of a team.
All assessments that contribute to final grades will be assessed against clear assessment criteria stated in module
descriptors; these assessment criteria are directly linked to the module’s learning outcomes and they will be used to
evaluate the submitted work and produce written feedback. Marks will be produced following rigorous quality
mechanisms that ensure academic judgement remains fair and consistent with the wider educational sector. Feedback
is given in various forms and stages; for example, in response to assessment, in response to questions in lectures,
seminars and tutorials, and in guidance given during the supervision of student projects. Feedback will also come from
interactions with other students.
The assessment diet of most of the modules involves a mixture of practical coursework and a closed book problem
solving focused examination. For most of the modules, the coursework component involves a few assessment elements
that may involve laboratory work, technical reports, oral presentations, in-class (written or online) tests, etc. The project,
which is a substantial piece of work that involves the investigation/research of a topic and the development of software,
is assessed using a written project proposal, final report and a viva where the students need to discuss and defend their
work and findings and demonstrate their software.

Example of Summative assessments used in the course

You will be expected to complete lab tasks following lab guidelines and either
answer specific questions about the labs (Coursework) or analyse your results
Practical Coursework / based on a given scenario (Portfolio). This type of assessment is used to assess
Practical based portfolio the technical skills you acquired during the term and your ability to apply your
knowledge gained in the correct context following the correct procedures and
standards.

You will be working in a group, typically of 3 to 4 members, investigating a specific

problem, or research a specific topic. You will be expected to give a presentation
Group Presentation to demonstrate your group work. This is usually followed by a brief discussion and
questions and answers with your peers and instructor. Generally, you will need to
with/without Group Coursework discuss in detail what the group has achieved, and how, and also how the work
and the team member responsibilities were distributed. This type of authentic
assessment is used to assess your ability to work in teams in a context that closely
matches typical teamwork activities found in industry. This demonstrate that you
are able to be productive and complete your given tasks in a timely manner. This
assessment generally has both a group and an individual mark component.

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 You will be expected to sit an in-class test under timed conditions. Typically, these
in-class tests can be a closed-book or open-book where you will have access to
ICT (exam conditions) certain materials. This type of assessment is used to assess your understanding
of the fundamentals, theory, and paradigms. Tests help ensure you can
demonstrate that you have developed a deep understanding of the subject which
enables you to cope with complex problems that require deep inside in order to
provide secure and optimal solutions.

You will be expected to sit exams under timed conditions. Typically, these can be
closed-book or open-book where you will have access to certain materials. This
type of assessment is used to assess your understanding of the fundamentals,
Exam theory, and paradigms. Exams help ensure you can demonstrate that you have
developed a deep understanding of the subject which enables you to cope with
complex problems that require deep inside in order to provide secure and optimal
solutions.

You will be expected to complete a specific lab task in the lab. This will be in most
Lab-based Practical cases a timed activity where you are given instructions and a set of tasks to
complete. This type of assessment is used to assess and evaluate your technical
skills in a timely manner.

You will be required to work on a scenario that illustrates a specific problem. You
will have to study this problem and assess it and take decisions or make
recommendations. This will require research and analysis and potentially
Coursework Case study implementation in order for you to produce an assessment and recommendation.
This type of assessment is used to assess your understanding of topics related to
your module and how you can apply your knowledge to a given scenario. This type
of assessment usually requires you to evaluate your given solution or method and
justify your answers.

You will be expected to conduct in-depth research on a specific topic. This

involves examining various resources, concepts and ideas about the topic you
Research essay are researching. This type of assessment is used to assess your ability to
critically evaluate research material and concisely summarize, formulating your
own recommendations and suggestions depending on the context.

You will be expected to present in a form of either a presentation or discussion on

a given topic. This could also be a part of your Project Report where you will be
Oral Assessment and/or expected to sit a viva voce assessment to defend your work.
Individual Presentation
This type of assessment is used to assess the authenticity of your work and give
you an opportunity to explain the reasoning of the choices, methods and principles
used in your work. This assesses a wide range of practical, analytical, and
interpretative skills that demonstrate your understanding of the topic and your
refection.

You will be expected to produce a product such as code implementation or a

document containing a set of recommendation and guidelines that demonstrate
Artefact your ability to innovate to provide solutions to a given problem. This assessment is
used to assess your ability to produce quality artefacts as this is an essential
requirement in the workplace.

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 You will be expected to produce a document that outlines activities you have
undertaken. This can be either for lab work that you have completed, a work
experience and work placement that you undertook or your reflective comments
Report
about a specific topic. This type of assessment is used to evaluate how you can
convey technical matters about activities you have conducted in an academic,
concise, and justified manner.

This will probably be the biggest document you will have to produce for your
entire studies. You will be expected to produce an extended piece of written work,
that contains substantial evidence of research, investigations, and possibly
implementation, all related to a specific problem you have chosen. The project
Project Report report is the result of your independent work, carried out under the guidance of a
supervisor. This type of assessment is used to verify that you have developed a
sound understanding of the course material and are able to utilize the skills and
knowledge gained to produce an independent and substantial project that
successfully meets the given requirements.

Graduate Attribute Evident in Course Outcomes

Critical and creative thinker CLO01, CLO02, CLO03, CLO04
Literate and effective communicator CLO06, CLO07, CLO08, CLO09
Entrepreneurial
Global in outlook and engaged in communities CLO10
Socially, ethically and environmentally aware CLO05, CLO07, CLO08

Course Structure
This section shows the core and option modules available as part of the course and their credit value. Full-time
Postgraduate students study 180 credits per year. Additional free text information on the choices may also be included,
for example where students must choose one of two modules.. Course structures can be subject to change each
academic year following feedback from a variety of sources.

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Modules
Level 7
Students must choose two from the pool of four option modules.

PT Year
Module Code Module Title Status (where UK credit ECTS
applicable)
7SENG003W Advanced Software Design Core 1 20 10
7SENG010W Data Structures and Algorithms Core 1 20 10
7SENG011W Object Oriented Programming Core 1 20 10
7SENG012W Software Development Environments Core 1 20 10
7BUIS030W Data System Concepts and Fundamentals Core 2 20 10
7SENG013W Software Development Project Core 2 40 20
7BDIN006W Big Data Theory and Practice Option 2 20 10

7CSEF002W Cyber Security Threats and Option 2 20 10

Countermeasures
7SENG002W Mobile Application Development Option 2 20 10
7SENG014W Web Application Development Option 2 20 10

Please note: Not all option modules will necessarily be offered in any one year. In addition, timetabling and limited spaces
may mean you cannot register for your first choice of option modules.

Professional body accreditation or other external references

Currently the MSc Software Engineering (Conversion) course does not have any Professional Body Accreditation.

Course management
The management structure supporting the course is as follows:
Course leader: responsible for the running and overall management of the course and development of the
curriculum.
Module Leader: responsible for overall management of the module, coordinating the module team and for the
delivery, resourcing and smooth running of the module.
Course Team: comprises the Course Leader and all the members of staff who teach on the course.
Personal Tutor: responsible for providing academic and personal support for a student throughout their studies.
Head of School of Computer Science and Engineering, holds academic responsibility for the course, and for the
other courses within the School within the College of Design, Creative and Digital Industries.
Head of the College of Design, Creative and Digital Industries, holds overall responsibility for the course and for
other courses run by the College.

Academic regulations
The current Handbook of Academic Regulations is available at westminster.ac.uk/academic-regulations.
Course specific regulations apply to some courses.

Academic Support
Upon arrival, an induction programme will introduce you to the staff responsible for the course, the campus on which you
will be studying, the Library and IT facilities, additional support available and to your Campus Registry. You will be

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provided with the Course Handbook, which provides detailed information about the course. Each course has a course
leader or Director of Studies. All students enrolled on a full-time course and part time students registered for more than
60 credits a year have a personal tutor, who provides advice and guidance on academic matters. The University uses a
Virtual Learning Environment called Blackboard where students access their course materials, and can communicate
and collaborate with staff and other students. Further information on Blackboard can be found
at https://www.westminster.ac.uk/current-students/studies/your-student-journey/when-you-arrive/blackboard
The Academic Learning Development Centre supports students in developing the skills required for higher education. As
well as online resources in Blackboard, students have the opportunity to attend Study Skills workshops and one to one
appointments. Further information on the Academic Learning Development Centre can be found at
westminster.ac.uk/academic-learning-development.
Learning support includes four libraries, each holding a collection of resources related to the subjects taught at that site.
Students1 can search the entire library collection online through the Library Search service to find and reserve printed
books, and access electronic resources (databases, e-journals, e-books). Students can choose to study in the libraries,
which have areas for silent and group study, desktop computers, laptops for loan, photocopying and printing services.
They can also choose from several computer rooms at each campus where desktop computers are available with the
general and specialist software that supports the courses taught in their College. Students can also securely connect their
own laptops and mobile devices to the University wireless network.

Support Services
The University of Westminster Student and Academic Services department provide advice and guidance on
accommodation, financial and legal matters, personal counselling, health and disability issues, careers, specialist advice
for international students and the chaplaincy providing multi-faith guidance. Further information on the advice available to
students can be found at https://www.westminster.ac.uk/student-advice
The University of Westminster Students' Union also provides a range of facilities to support students during their time at
the University. Further information on UWSU can be found at https://www.westminster.ac.uk/students-union

How do we ensure the quality of our courses and continuous improvement?

The course was initially approved by a University Validation Panel. University Panels normally include internal peers from
the University, academic(s) from another university. a representative from industry and a Student Advisor.
The course is also monitored each year by the College to ensure it is running effectively and that issues which might affect
the student experience have been appropriately addressed. Staff will consider evidence about the course, including the
evidence of student surveys, student progression and achievement and reports from external examiners, in order to
evaluate the effectiveness of the course and make changes where necessary.
A Course revalidation takes place periodically to ensure that the curriculum is up-to-date and that the skills gained on the
course continue to be relevant to employers. Students meet with revalidation panels to provide feedback on their
experiences. Student feedback from previous years is also part of the evidence used to assess how the course has been
running.

How do we act on student feedback?

Student feedback is important to the University and student views are taken seriously. Student feedback is gathered in a
variety of ways.
Through student engagement activities at Course/Module level, students have the opportunity to express their voice
in the running of their course. Course representatives are elected to expressly represent the views of their peers.
The University and the Students’ Union work together to provide a full induction to the role of the course
representatives.
There are also School Representatives appointed jointly by the University and the Students’ Union who meet with
senior School staff to discuss wider issues affecting student experience across the School. Student representatives
are also represented on key College and University committees.;
All students are invited to complete a questionnaire before the end of each module. The feedback from this will
inform the module leader on the effectiveness of the module and highlight areas that could be enhanced.
Final year Undergraduate students will be asked to complete the National Student Survey which helps to inform the
national university league tables.
This programme specification provides a concise summary of the main features of the course and the learning outcomes
that a student might reasonably be expected to achieve and demonstrate, if they take full advantage of the learning

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opportunities that are provided. This specification is supplemented by the Course Handbook, Module proforma and
Module Handbooks provided to students. Copyright in this document belongs to the University of Westminster. All rights
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