ScHARR Postgraduate Student Handbook 2014-15 2

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.

Professor 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 .............................................................................................. 20

ScHARR Prizes ........................................................................................................................................................ 36

ScHARR Suggested Format and Referencing Guide for Assessed Work .......................................... 37

Contact with the School ..................................................................................................................................... 39

Personal Tutors ...................................................................................................................................................... 41

Student Feedback ................................................................................................................................................. 42

Study Support for Students ............................................................................................................................. 44

Support for Students with Caring Responsibilities ................................................................................. 46

University Facilities ................................................................................................................................................ 47

Facilities within ScHARR ...................................................................................................................................... 51

Careers and Professional Skills ........................................................................................................................52

University Policies ................................................................................................................................................. 54

Frequently Asked Questions .............................................................................................................................. 57

Useful University Web Pages ............................................................................................................................ 60

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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 39.

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Important Dates

Autumn Semester

[Intro Week 22 September - 27 September 2014] Monday 29 September 2014 Saturday 20 December 2014 total 12 weeks [4 Weeks Christmas vacation] Monday 19 January 2015 Saturday 7 February 2015 total 3 weeks Spring Semester

Monday 9 February 2015

Saturday 21 March 2015 total 6 weeks [3 weeks Easter vacation Easter Day 5 April 2015] Monday 13 April 2015 Saturday 13 June 2015 total 9 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, and 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 student of the School of Health and Related Research you are ideally placed to make the most of the University´s facilities, while taking advantage of all that the City of Sheffield has to offer. You will benefit from the top-quality buildings and teaching and learning facilities here in ScHARR and at the University of Sheffield, as well as a great city, vibrant social life, beautiful countryside and fantastic transport connections to the rest of the UK and Europe. Sheffield is a very friendly city, where the quality of life is high but the cost of living low! ScHARR, like the University of Sheffield in general, prides itself on having a diverse student population, and you will study with other students from the UK and many countries internationally. Last year, students from over 20 different countries studied with us. The School is based on Regent Street, which is situated between the University's main campus and Sheffield City Centre. The main campus, including the Students' Union, is approximately five minutes’ walk away from the School, while a five minute walk in the other direction will take you to the vibrant centre of the city. Just around the corner from Regent Street is West Street, which is one of the main centres of student social activity. West Street is home to a wide variety of restaurants, cafes and bars, and is a popular meeting place for students. West Street is also linked by tram to Sheffield railway station and the huge shopping and entertainment centre, Meadowhall. Sheffield is a diverse city, with a rich cultural life, and more information about what there is to discover in Sheffield can be found at: www.sheffield.ac.uk/postgraduate/whyshef/city and www.sheffield.gov.uk/out--about/tourist-information/visitor-attractions.html. As a Sheffield student, you will have access to a range of facilities including the Students’ Union, the University's sport facilities and its libraries. Further information regarding these and other facilities available can be found on page 47.

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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); keep appointments they make with you; reply within a reasonable time to messages and emails; 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 materials you are given; knowing University regulations as they apply to you and registering for modules and

examinations by the University’s deadlines; updating your personal details, including your current address and telephone number,

via MUSE; checking your Sheffield email address on a regular basis, using it for all communication

with staff and not using personal email addresses for any communication with staff; attending classes and seminars which are compulsory and arriving on time for

teaching sessions, appointments and exams; behaving appropriately in class (this includes switching off your mobile phone), on

campus and when representing the University more broadly (e.g. while on placement); completing assessment tasks in good time and meeting coursework deadlines; telling us when you are ill or have a problem affecting your work, and telling us in

advance if you cannot attend teaching or 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 team 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 provides 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 Email: scharr-mph@sheffield.ac.uk

Master of Public Health (Health Services Research)

The MPH (HSR) 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 Email: scharr-mph@sheffield.ac.uk

Master of Public Health (Management and Leadership)

The MPH (M&L) programme 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: Richard Cooper Course Tutor: Julie Dickinson Course Administrator: Janine Linley 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 is based in either 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 Email: scharr-mph@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 a 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: Liz Croot Deputy Course Director: Jo Coster Course Tutor: Sarah Crede Course Administrator: Matthew Scarbrough Email: scharr-clinres@sheffield.ac.uk

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 the 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: Emma Earle Email: scharr-hedm@sheffield.ac.uk

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MSc Advanced Emergency Care (DL)

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 Emergency Medicine Research in Sheffield (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: http://www.shef.ac.uk/scharr/prospective_students/masters/aec Course Director: Ian Sammy Course Tutor: Sarah Crede Course Administrator: Emma Earle Email: scharr-aec@sheffield.ac.uk

MSc International Health Technology Assessment, Pricing and Reimbursement (DL)

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: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/scharr/prospective_students/masters/ihtapr Course Director: Claire Beecroft Course Administrator: Matthew Scarbrough Email: scharr-ihta@sheffield.ac.uk

Master of Public Health (DL)

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: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/scharr/prospective_students/masters/mphdl Course Director: Vanessa Halliday Course Administrator: Lynne Thompson Email: scharr-mphdl@sheffield.ac.uk

MSc International Health Management and Leadership (DL)

This new programme is aimed at providing a high-quality postgraduate taught qualification in management and leadership for healthcare providers, using real-world, real-life, up-to-date case studies, examples and scenarios to enable students to see how their learning is applicable to their own working life, now and in the future. The course uses multiple tools to deliver content and facilitate interaction with and between tutors and students, including discussion and chat tools, webinar software for real-time discussion and collaboration, wikis and screencasts. Full details of the course structure can be found on the programme webpages at:

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http://www.shef.ac.uk/scharr/prospective_students/masters/ihml Course Director: Janet Harris Course Administrator: Lynne Thompson Email: scharr-ihml@sheffield.ac.uk

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 contacts 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): Emma Earle 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): Uzzie Laubscher Email: scharr-hi@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: 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

Module Choices and Changes

If you are registered on a programme which includes optional modules, you will have been asked prior to starting with ScHARR to choose your optional modules online. To help you make informed module choices, full module details and programme regulations are available online. In addition, there is a module choice event during Intro Week at the start of the year where module leaders are available to talk to students about the modules. 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 ScHARR 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: 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: 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: 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:

Lectures

On many courses you can expect to receive lectures in the traditional format, with mainly a one-way flow of information from the lecturer to the student. These are designed to provide a broad introduction to a subject and offer guidance on further inquiry. Lectures are usually: an introduction to the subject matter under consideration; in a large group of up to 150 students with one lecturer (although the majority of lectures

within ScHARR will be smaller); primarily a one-way flow of information but there are usually opportunities for questions

throughout the lecture or in last few minutes. Take advantage of this opportunity if you have a question about the lecture.

Tutorials

Linked to most lecture programmes is a series of tutorials in which you will discuss the content of lectures and related readings in smaller groups so that subjects can be analysed in greater depth. Tutorials are usually: a small group where students discuss selected topics with member of teaching staff; an in-depth analysis of the topic; may be based on prepared written work; provide contact between students and staff guiding students towards extra reading.

Seminars

These operate like tutorials but may not be attached to lecture programmes. Seminars require greater independent inquiry from students and are usually: 8-20 students meeting with a member of teaching staff; the wide exchange of ideas. Students should speak as well as listen. It is acceptable and

not impolite to disagree with other members of the group, including staff; you should offer reasons and evidence for your views.

Assessment

Courses may be assessed in a variety of ways, including essays, practical classes, formal examinations, group work, tests and extended essays/dissertations. Further information regarding assessment can be found on page 20.

Independent Study

The timetable of formal instruction (lectures, seminars, tutorials and practicals) should be supplemented by spending a good deal of time reading books and articles, reading over lecture notes, preparing for seminars and tutorials, working on projects and so on.

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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 formal contact through seminars, assessment activity (essays and other coursework), and your own independent study.

Reading Lists

Most taught students receive reading lists. These will include class books/materials (items to be used by every student in formal teaching situations), 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.

Placements

Some programmes offer the option to undertake a work-related research placement. These placements are designed to enable you to undertake commissioned research projects in a variety of UK and international settings. They provide opportunities for you to carry out a piece of independent project work specific to an organisation’s needs, which is written up and submitted as your dissertation. Alongside this, you will also have other opportunities to observe and experience the issues and challenges faced by health professionals in daily practice.

University Online Services including MUSE and MOLE

To support the teaching we deliver, the University has a breadth of online services. The main services which you will need to access during your studies are available by logging into MUSE (My University of Sheffield Environment). MUSE gives easy access to all online services provided by CiCS and other departments, including access to MOLE (My Online Learning Environment). You will need to sign in with your University username and password then click the My services menu to access all your online services. Further details regarding MOLE can be found on page 44.

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Attendance

A full-time student is required under the General Regulations (available at: www.shef.ac.uk/calendar) to attend throughout the whole of each semester. Failure to attend regularly could lead to you being denied the credits assigned to particular modules, or being referred to the Faculty Student Review Committee, which has the power to exclude students from further study in the Faculty. All students are expected to attend all taught sessions, and to prepare in advance for these classes. Illness or other causes that prevent your attendance 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.

Attendance Monitoring

To help you ensure that you make full use of the learning opportunities that are available, departments are required to monitor the attendance 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 attend for good reason a Special Circumstances form must be submitted promptly (see the Absence Reporting section below). Within ScHARR, we monitor all attendance using registers that are collated and reviewed by academic and administrative staff throughout the academic year alongside information about whether all assessed and non-assessed coursework has been submitted in a timely manner. We can also use other forms of contact with you to assess whether you are ‘fully engaged’ with the programme of study, for example meetings with tutors and attendance at optional sessions. For the University’s policy on attendance monitoring, please see: www.shef.ac.uk/ssid/record/attendance

Absence Reporting

Where you are absent from the University 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

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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.

Feedback

Feedback forms a crucial part of learning in any subject. Feedback exists in any process, activity or information that enhances learning by providing you with the opportunity to reflect on your current or recent level of attainment. You will regularly receive feedback throughout your course and its aim is two-fold. Firstly, it should affirm what you already know and offer encouragement and secondly it will identify specific weaknesses and offer guidance on how to improve your future performance. Feedback can be provided individually or to groups and can take many forms. Here are some examples of how it can be provided: • Advice on a draft essay plan • Written comments returned on your coursework. • Responses to questions in lectures and tutorials • Discussion with fellow students in group work activities • Discussion threads in MOLE It is essential for you to engage with feedback to improve your future performance. At the beginning of each module you will be informed of the types of feedback you will receive and the dates when it is available. You may want to discuss how to get the most from feedback with your personal tutor.

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ScHARR is committed to support the University’s 6 principles of feedback which can be found at: www.sheffield.ac.uk/lets/pp/assessment/feedback

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 are produced by the Examinations Office. 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. If an examination falls on a date that you cannot attend due to Religious Observance on that day or date, you can apply to the University for it to be arranged for you to sit the examination on a different date. To do this, you must complete the Religious Observance form and submit this at least 6 weeks before the examination takes place. The form to apply for an examination date change due to Religious Observance can be found on the University webpages at: www.sheffield.ac.uk/ssid/exams/observance.

Written Assessments

ScHARR encourages the use of a wide range of written assessment methods to provide students with a breath of 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 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 44.

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.

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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 handbook/outline.

Research Ethics Approval

Any student who is required to undertake research as part of their study at ScHARR must apply for and be granted Ethical Approval from the University before starting their research. ScHARR Postgraduate Taught students must apply online for Ethical Approval for their research by completing and submitting an online Ethical Approval form. Full details on applying for Ethical Approval, including a link to the Online application form, can be found on our webpages at: www.sheffield.ac.uk/scharr/research/ethicsgovernance/ugpgt.

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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. Some markers may also make use of additional marking criteria or rubrics specific to their module. If this is the case, this will be published in the module handbook/outline. 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 are required to 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 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. 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, work is assessed and marked by the first marker and checked by a second marker who knows the mark awarded by the first marker. In ScHARR this marking policy is used less frequently than the methods above.

Moderation

Moderation ensures that there has been consideration of aspects such as the consistency of marking, correct application of marking criteria, and conformity with the module learning outcomes and the ScHARR standard marking scale. This process would usually be undertaken at the Exam Board with input from all the course team and the external examiner.

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 two decimal places (for example, 63.54%). 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 (details of how to access MOLE can be found on page 44). 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 assessment pages 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 achieve a minimum mark in all components individually, irrespective of the overall weighted average.

Deadlines, Submissions and Penalties

Submissions

You are required to submit all pieces of assessed coursework electronically through Turnitin. Full details of how to submit your work through Turnitin can be found at: https://vle.shef.ac.uk/bbcswebdav/xid-3199833_1. Please note, hard copy and email submissions will not be accepted. You must submit a coursework cover sheet with each piece of assessed work. The coversheet is available to download at: http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/scharr/current/pgt/writing_style The coversheet should be used as the first page of your written assignment. The coursework cover sheet asks you to complete key details regarding your assignment including: module name and code assignment title your student registration number the assignment word count In addition, by attaching the coursework coversheet to your assignment you are confirming that: the assignment is your own work and that you understand that plagiarism will be

considered ground for failure (for full details of ScHARR’s plagiarism policy and process, please see page 29 of this handbook).

that you have submitted the work to the draft Turnitin submission slot to check that your submission is fit for marking (including formatting and diagrams), in advance of submitting it to the final submission slot. It is very important that you do this as the work you submit to the final submission slot will be considered final and no changes can be made once it has been submitted.

Some modules may require you to submit additional information in relation to the assessed work (for example, with group work you may be asked to submit a declaration confirming that all student have equally contributed to the work). You should check individual module handbooks/outline for guidance on this.

Submission Slots and Deadlines

All work should be submitted electronically to submission slots on Turnitin. All submission slots close at 1pm on the day of the submission deadline, and you should therefore ensure you submit your work before 1pm on the assessment deadline date.

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Requesting an Extension to a Submission Deadline

Students must request an extension to a submission deadline at least one working day before the deadline. The only exception to this rule is where an emergency occurs less than one working day before the deadline, and evidence of the emergency will be requested. For example, if the submission deadline was 1 pm on a Monday, then to request an extension you would need to submit the extension request by 1 pm on the preceding Friday. 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 documentary evidence. Your course administrator will then confirm whether you have been granted an extension, and inform you of your new deadline date.

Late Submission Penalties

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.

Word Count Limits and Penalties

In assessed written work, a word count limit should always be explicitly given. Student should specify their word 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

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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.

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.

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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.

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

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

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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, Alan O’Rourke, 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 attend the meeting and answer communications from the course administrators about setting them up. 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. 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 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.

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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.

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.

Companies or People offering Essay or Dissertation Writing Services

As a student you may be approached by people or companies, either face-to-face or by e-mail, offering help with academic written work, and specifically dissertations, which is “100% Plagiarism free.” These companies often target overseas students, and may hand out business cards to students, especially in the streets around the University. Please do NOT use the services of any such companies or individuals. Please note that when you hand in ANY course work, either summative (mark bearing) or formative, the University expects this to be: 1. For most written assignments, entirely your own individual work, based on your own

research and reading. 2. For work set as a group assignment, the equal, but original, work of each member of the

group. 3. For dissertations, your work may incorporate advice and feedback given by your

supervisors. If you have used ANY paid assistance to write or research any work, then the work is not your own, and irrespective of anything such companies tell you, the University will regard this as unfair means. We may still be able to detect such work by use of Turnitin etc. If any such material is found in your work, even if other parts of the essay are your own work, we will not allocate a mark for that work until we have interviewed you. If we feel that the student has paid an individual or a company to write or research ANY part of their essay for them, then the University will regard that as the deliberate, not accidental, use of unfair means, and a deliberate attempt to deceive the University. All such cases will be referred to a formal discipline committee, which may impose severe penalties, up to and including refusal of credits and awards and even complete exclusion from the University. Please do NOT use the paid services of any company or individual offering to help you with researching or writing any work for any University programme of study, including your dissertations: doing so may get you into serious trouble.

Use of Proof Reading Services

ScHARR’s view is that it is acceptable for students to employ other people to proof read their written work if they wish, before hand in. The University does not recommend or endorse

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any specific commercial or individual proof readers. However, bearing in mind the regulations that such material must the student’s own work, the input of the proof reader must be limited to:

Bringing to the student’s attention errors in spelling, punctuation and grammar Pointing out to the student passages where poor English makes it hard to understand

the points the student is making or the arguments they are developing. Reminding the student where citations and references are needed.

The student should make any such corrections themselves, so that what they hand in for marking is their own work. Proof readers should NOT:

Rewrite any passages on the student’s behalf Provide the student with any additional material, or references, to add to a written

assignment.

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%. Please note that word count and late submission penalties apply to resubmissions in the same manner as first submissions. Student transcripts (written evidence of the modules studied and grades attained on your programme) will always show both the first attempt mark and the reassessment 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 reassessed 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. Please note that students who have failed a module are not permitted to take a further module to allow them to obtain their programme award. Re-assessment of a Dissertation As with all ScHARR modules, the pass mark for a Dissertation is 50%. If a student fails their dissertation, they are given one further opportunity to re-submit a revised version of their dissertation. As with all modules, the implications for failing the dissertation module are significant. There are additional implications with the dissertation module as resubmission occurs after the end of the programme of study, which can impact upon students who have a visa to study in the UK. Students to whom this applies should seek advice from their dissertation supervisor, programme director and/or personal tutor.

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Having to re-submit a dissertation usually means a student’s graduation is delayed, unless they are able to re-submit an improved version of their dissertation relatively quickly. The maximum mark you could receive for the re-submitted dissertation is 50%.

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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.

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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ScHARR Prizes

Each year, ScHARR offers two prizes to our students.

Allen Hutchinson Prize in Public Health

The Allen Hutchinson Prize was founded in 2011 in recognition of the contribution of Emeritus Professor Allen Hutchinson, a Professor of Clinical Public Health who retired from The University of Sheffield following a distinguished career that included Director of the Section of Public Health and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine. The Allen Hutchinson Prize is awarded once annually to the most outstanding graduate of the Master of Public Health taught course. The prize consists of £100 and the award certificate. The prize will be awarded on the recommendation of ScHARR’s Director of Learning and Teaching and the MPH Programme Director.

Pam Enderby Prize for the best Part-time Student in ScHARR

The Pam Enderby Prize was founded in 2014, through the generosity of Emeritus Professor Pam Enderby, MBE, a speech therapist who retired from ScHARR following a distinguished career within the University, being in turn Chair of Community Rehabilitation, Head of the Department of Human Communication Sciences, and the first ever woman to serve as Dean of the University’s Faculty of Medicine. The Pam Enderby prize is awarded once annually to the best part-time student in ScHARR. Any student graduating from a part-time programme of study within the School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR) is eligible for the award. The prize consists of £100 and the award certificate. The prize will be awarded to the part-time student who is judged to have made the most exceptional achievement, taking account of personal challenges. Confidential nominations by personal tutors or other senior academic staff will be used to inform the process, as well as overall academic achievement in terms of grades. The prize will be awarded on the recommendation of ScHARR’s Director of Learning and Teaching and Deputy Director of Learning and Teaching, with a final decision by the Dean of ScHARR.

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ScHARR Suggested Format and Referencing Guide for Assessed Work

Many ScHARR modules have assignments that contain details about the format and referencing style to be used, and these should always be adhered to. However, where such details are not explicitly mentioned, the following guide provides suggestions as to how a ScHARR assignment should be formatted and referenced.

Format

You must use a ScHARR coursework coversheet as the first page for your written assignments. This can be downloaded here, and is already set up according to the settings required. Font: Use either Arial or Times New Roman Font size: 11 or 12 point size Line spacing: Use 2.0 or no less than 1.5 Margins: Use default margin or no less than 2.5 cm Preferably use left and right justified text. Pages should be numbered straight through.

When using the ScHARR coursework coversheet as the first page of your written assignment please enter the following information onto the coversheet: Module Code and Title: Essay Title: Student Registration ID: Word Count

Once you are ready to submit your assignment, please upload your electronic document to your Turnitin Submissions Slot. When Turnitin asks you for a ‘Submission Title’ for your assignment, please use your Student Registration ID (which you can find on your ucard) as the title of your assignment unless you have been instructed otherwise. This enables us to employ anonymous marking on most assignments and assists the administrators and marking teams in finding your work. Using any other number or text as the title may delay marks being released to the whole class. The description title of your assignment will be contained in your coversheet.

Referencing

ScHARR recommends the use of two main referencing systems – Harvard and Vancouver style. Only one of these should be used in a consistent manner throughout your assignment when you refer to the work or others or include quotes or extracts of work that is not your own. It is important that references are accurate and include all the information required to enable a reader to find the references cited. Specific details of the two styles are as follows: Harvard guide - the Harvard system uses the author surname and year of publication

(Smith, 2005) in the citation in the text and then an alphabetical list of the references (organised by first author surname) at the end of the assignment. The University of Sheffield Harvard referencing guide (available at: http://librarysupport.shef.ac.uk/hsl-dvc1.pdf) has a focus on citing printed material, however there is an additional guide for

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citing online and audio visual sources of information (available at: http://librarysupport.shef.ac.uk/hsl-dvc2.pdf). There is also an online tutorial on Harvard referencing (http://librarydevelopment.group.shef.ac.uk/shef-only/referencing/scharr_harvard.html) produced by the University Library.

Vancouver guide - the Vancouver referencing system uses sequential numbers in the main text either as superscripts1, or in brackets (2). The reference list at the end is organised in order of the appearance of the reference in the student work, starting with 1 and continuing sequentially. An online guide to Vancouver referencing for Medicine (https://librarydevelopment.group.shef.ac.uk/shef-only/referencing/medicine_vancouver.html) has been produced by the University Library.

For more information on the University Library, please see page 47.

ScHARR Information Resources

The IRIS area within the MOLE complements the services of the ScHARR Library (see page 51) by providing links to useful resources on a range of topics including referencing and reference management. Further information regarding IRIS can be found at: www.sheffield.ac.uk/scharr/sections/ir/teaching/iriss For any further information contact the ScHARR library at scharrlib@sheffield.ac.uk.

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Contact with the School

Contacting Us

Teaching Support Unit

The Teaching Support Unit (TSU) is led by the Learning and Teaching Manager, 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 administrators are located in the TSU office behind reception on Level 1 of Regent Court. The reception is open 9.00 am – 5.00 pm each day, and if you visit TSU during these times, a member of the team should be able to assist.

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 (for details of how to access MOLE, please see page 44).

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 at: 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. If you email a member of our academic staff and they do not reply to you within 48 hours, please re-send your email or query to the relevant course administrator, and they will assist you. When contacting ScHARR staff please use your University email account, not a different personal email account. You should use your University email account for all correspondence with the University.

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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.

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: 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 personal tutorial 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 (see below for contact details).

Meetings

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 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 Taught 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 the survey will be circulated to you later in your programmes.

Course Representatives

The course representative’s role is to provide feedback to the department on any aspect of your course. They also provide a useful contact point for staff in communicating with students. Course representatives sit on the Student/Staff 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 the contact details for the representatives for your course.

Student/Staff Committee

ScHARR has a Student/Staff Committee which meets once a semester. Key members of ScHARR 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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Responding to Your Feedback

Developments as a result of your feedback are posted on the ScHARR website at: www.sheffield.ac.uk/scharr/current/pgt/feedbackdev. This page contains a summary of recent student feedback and any action points. The information is largely gathered from the Student/Staff 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 Student/Staff Committees, and working with the TSU, course directors, module coordinators and personal tutors to ensure student feedback is collected and acted upon.

ScHARR Teaching and Learning Excellence Awards

We value student feedback to help us recognise excellence from our Teaching and Learning staff. Each year the Dean of ScHARR invites ScHARR students to submit a nomination for a member of ScHARR staff to be considered for a ScHARR Teaching and Learning Excellence Award or a ScHARR Learning Support Excellence award. This is an opportunity to recognise excellence in the ‘classroom’ and in learning support. These awards are given in recognition of continued excellence and inspiration in teaching and learning and/or learner support in ScHARR. You will be emailed towards the end of the year with further details about the awards and how to nominate member of staff.

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Study Support for Students

MOLE (My Online Learning Environment)

MOLE 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. You log into MOLE via the University’s MUSE system. For advice on getting started with the MUSE and MOLE systems, please see the introductory information online using the following link; Accessing the Essentials: MUSE and MOLE

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.

ScHARR English Language Support Sessions

Each semester we run free Departmental Language Support sessions to assist our students with their academic English. The classes are informal drop-in sessions available for any of our students. You don’t need to sign up or commit to sessions; you can come or go as you like. Details of the times and days of English Language Support sessions in ScHARR will be included in the teaching timetable. The sessions are run by Deborah Cobbett from the University’s English Language Teaching Centre (ELTC) and are designed to help with academic English Language skills like essay writing skills or presentation skills, and will also include specific help with your course assignments.

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. This includes: The Writing Advisory Service (WAS) to help improve the writing skills of both home and

international students. It provides you with the opportunity to discuss your writing in a one-to-one situation for an hour at a time with a specialist writing tutor. You can book online at: www.sheffield.ac.uk/eltc/languagesupport/writingadvisory

English Language Support classes which are held at the ELTC building and provide general support in grammar, pronunciation and general English classes, and Academic English sessions, both of which you can register for online at: http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/eltc/languagesupport/els

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301: Student Skills and Development Centre

301 (www.shef.ac.uk/ssid/301/services) is the University's Student Skills and Development Centre which opened in spring 2013. Based in premises at 301 Glossop Road, the Centre offers a flexible, modern space with a range of services and activities to support your skills development. 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, including one-to-one support from tutors, a drop-in facility, appointments for targeted support (for individuals or small groups), and a study room with resources and tutors to help if necessary. 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. All masters students on face-to-face programmes are advised to sign-up to one FIND (in Weeks 1, 5, 7) and one MANAGE session (in Weeks 2, 4, 6, 8) in Semester 1. Further information can be found on MOLE.

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Support for Students with Caring Responsibilities

ScHARR is committed to supporting students with caring responsibilities. We provide a range of facilities to enable students to balance their learning with their family and other caring responsibilities, which complements the arrangements that are provided by the University.

Lectures and mode of study

ScHARR is sensitive to the need for students with caring responsibilities to arrive late or leave early and we can accommodate such requests by arrangement with the relevant teaching staff. Please contact your course administrator to arrange. Teaching materials, reading lists and additional resources for modules are available to students via the online learning environment (MOLE) which can be accessed at any time. Many courses have been designed to deliver modules on two or three key teaching days per week to avoid attendance on multiple days. ScHARR also offers several courses with part-time and distance learning options, for students requiring greater flexibility to accommodate caring commitments. If you have any questions or concerns about how ScHARR supports students with caring responsibilities, please contact your course administrator or email scharr-tu@shef.ac.uk.

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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, or visit SSiD in the Union Building. 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. It also has a large reading room and houses the Library’s Special Collections.

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. One site is based on Floor C of the Medical School, and the other site is based at the Northern General Hospital.

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. A valid UCard is needed to gain entry to all Library sites and to borrow books. You will also need your UCard to use photocopying, printing and scanning facilities. 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.

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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. In addition to the University Libraries and the Information Commons, ScHARR has its own library located within Regent Court. Full details of this can be found on page 51.

Accessing Library Materials Off-Campus

University and ScHARR Library electronic web-based materials can be accessed from anywhere in the world, providing you have a modern web browser with an active internet connections. This service is available to all registered University of Sheffield students and is accessed through MUSE.

Students can access Electronic Journals. Ebooks, subject databases, and module reading lists via myResource Lists: www.sheffield.ac.uk/library/services/rlists

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 web 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 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

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Childcare provision

Childcare provision is provided by the Union of Students and further information can be found at: www.shef.ac.uk/ssid/student/mature/childcare. There is also a Holiday Playscheme for the children of students aged 4 to 12 years during every school holiday, except Christmas. Students' fees are subsidised according to income. The Playscheme is held close to the University. Information about financial assistance for help with childcare is available from the Student Advice Centre at: www.shef.ac.uk/union/student-advice-centre/

Sport Sheffield

Sport Sheffield (www.sport-sheffield.com/About-Sport-Sheffield), is the University’s sports department responsible for all aspects of sport and fitness within the University of Sheffield.

Prayer Rooms

The University prayer room facilities include a Multi-Faith Quiet Room at 344 Glossop Road, and a Muslim Prayer Room is available in the Mappin Building, which is just across the street from Regent Court, so very close to ScHARR. More details on the University’s Multi-Faith Chaplaincy Service can be found at: www.sheffield.ac.uk/ssid/chaplaincy

The Sheffield Student Guidebook

The University’s Student Services Information Desk (SSiD) have created a new Facebook page designed to keep you up-to-date on anything and everything you need to know as a student at the University of Sheffield. Featuring news, events, tips and advice, the Sheffield Student Guidebook is a one-stop-shop for all sorts of useful information and support. The Sheffield Student Guidebook can be found at: www.facebook.com/shefstudentguide

‘Hashtags & Healthcare’ – The benefits and potential pitfalls to Social Media

Social media is a part of everyday life, but it's important to realise that the "personal" and "professional" boundaries can easily blur. Our ‘Hashtags & Healthcare’ webpages contain advice and resources designed to help our students gain a realistic view of the great potential of social media in a healthcare setting, whilst also understanding the potential pitfalls to avoid. The ‘Hashtags & Healthcare’ webpage can be found at: https://sites.google.com/a/sheffield.ac.uk/hashtagsandhealthcare/ These resources were produced by our Student Ambassadors for Learning and Teaching (SALT) team. The Ambassadors influence, improve and develop how students learn and how they are taught at the departmental, faculty and University level. More information on SALT, including how to apply to be part of the team, can be found here at: www.sheffield.ac.uk/lets/student/salt

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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.

Accommodation

Information and support for any accommodation issues can be found at: www.sheffield.ac.uk/accommodation.

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) 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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Facilities within ScHARR

In addition to the University Facilities detailed on page 47, as a student of ScHARR you will also have access to a number of School-wide facilities.

ScHARR Library

The ScHARR library is open to all ScHARR students and is located on the first floor of the Regent Court building. It offers access to a range of health-related bibliographic databases as well as internet resources. ScHARR students are entitled to a variety of library and information services including a staffed enquiry desk, inter-library loans, book loans, reference manager or literature searching training, use of the library PCs including our online catalogue and use of the printer and photocopier (charges are applicable). Opening hours are from 10am – 3pm Monday to Friday. More specific information about borrowing books, training and downloadable inter-library loan forms can be found at www.shef.ac.uk/scharr/sections/ir/library

Student Common Room

A common room is available for students to use on the ground floor of Regents Court (room G030). The room has an area to make drinks, a fridge and a microwave, and chairs and tables. Please be aware that it is a shared area and cannot be booked for sole use.

Baby Feeding/Changing Room

Room G033E, located on the ground floor of Regent Court, is available for you to feed and/or change your baby should this be required. This room can be booked in advance using the forms located outside the room. Should you wish to store milk for your baby, please use the fridge located in the Common Room, which is also on the ground floor of Regent Court.

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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. It is located at: 388 Glossop Road, Sheffield S10 2JA (on the corner of Glossop Road and Durham Road, just through the car park).

Career opportunities

The following websites 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) 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 at: 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! 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

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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

Health and Safety

The University has comprehensive Health and Safety web pages which cover all policies and procedures relating to your health and safety at the University. Please visit: www.shef.ac.uk/hs/index for further details and familiarise yourself with relevant accident and emergency procedures. The University Safety Services booklet Health and Safety – Code of Practice is made available to all students (www.shef.ac.uk/safety/codes) and must be taken seriously in the light of recent legislation. The code involves both rights and duties. Everyone has responsibilities for safety. All departments within the University have a Departmental Safety Officer responsible for day to day health and safety matters. ScHARR’s Departmental Safety Officer is Cheryl Oliver (c.a.oliver@sheffield.ac.uk). There is NO SMOKING in university buildings.

Fire Procedures

On hearing a fire alarm all staff and students must leave the building immediately and assemble in the designated area. The assembly point for Regent Court is the St George’s Churchyard. Fire exits are clearly marked and in the case of a fire all occupants should use the stairs unless otherwise instructed by a Fire Marshall. Do not use the lifts in cases of fire. In the event of a fire alarm, ensure that someone in the building alerts the Control Room by ringing 4444 giving full details. Please note that Fire Alarm testing in Regent Court will take place on Thursday afternoons between 1-2 pm.

Accidents and Injuries In an emergency, telephone 4444 on a University internal phone and give details clearly and concisely.

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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, available at: https://hs.sheffield.ac.uk/. More information about health & safety and training is available on the University’s Health and Safety web pages at: www.shef.ac.uk/hs. Security Please do not leave personal possessions around. You should note that the University will accept no responsibility for damage to, or loss of, any personal property.

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? If you have completed online pre-Registration and uploaded an acceptable headshot photo for your UCard, then your UCard should be ready for you to collect at registration. If you did not complete online pre-Registration, or are otherwise unable to attend your registration event you will be able to obtain your card from SSiD or CiCS once you have registered. You will be required to show some form of personal ID. For further information about UCards, including what to do if it is lost or stolen, visit: http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/ssid/ucards Where do I find my timetable? You can access your timetable through the ScHARR course web pages here. I am a new full-time student. How and when do I make my module choices? You will make your module selection during Intro Week. See your Intro Week programme for details. If you cannot make that event, there will be a Registration Event taking place in Week One, where you can complete the process. Support is also available from the Student Experience Officer, Dr Julie Dickinson. I am a new part-time student. How and when do I make my module choices? Your module selection take takes place online during your Registration process. You will be contacted 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 of this handbook. How do I contact my course administrator? Each course has an email 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 DL: scharr-aec@sheffield.ac.uk MSc International Health Technology Assessment, Pricing & Reimbursement: scharr-ihta@sheffield.ac.uk MSc International Health Management and Leadership Distance Learning: scharr-ihml@sheffield.ac.uk Where do I find the ScHARR Student Common Room? The Common Room is located on the ground floor of the Regent Court building.

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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. Please see page 14 and 15 of this handbook for further information. 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 one working day prior to the assignment deadline. Full details of how to request an extension can be found on page 28 of this handbook. 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 Do I need a library card? Your UCard functions as your library card. I’ve heard ScHARR has a library. Is this true? Yes, it’s located on the first floor of the Regent Court Building, opening hours are Monday – Friday, 10am-3pm. The library also has a website: www.sheffield.ac.uk/scharr/sections/ir/library Where can I get my student railcard application form signed and stamped? Bring your form with you to ScHARR Reception for signing and stamping. You must bring your UCard with you for identification purposes. I have forgotten my network password/my network password is not working. What do I do? You will need to have your password reset by calling in to see User Registration in the Computer Centre on Hounsfield Road - please bring your UCard with you (users will not be given password information via the telephone). I am a full-time student. How do I find out if I’m eligible for a Council Tax Exemption Certificate? Students registered on a full time programme of study may be exempt from paying council tax or may qualify for a reduction in the amount payable. Further information is available here: www.sheffield.ac.uk/ssid/forms/council I am a part-time student. Do I have any right to claim a reduction in Council Tax? Students on part-time routes are not eligible for a reduction in their council tax. Who do I contact about 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.

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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 the Student Advice Centre at: www.shef.ac.uk/union/student-advice-centre Further information on financial support can be found at: 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: 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. 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 and 2.00 - 4.00pm during term time. Times may vary during vacations. For more information see: www.sheffield.ac.uk/ssid/contacts/counselling Where can I find information about the DDS (Disability and Dyslexia Support Service)? The DDS is based in the Alfred Denny Building and is open 10.00am – 4.00pm (Mon, Tues, Thurs and Fri) and 10.30am – 4.00pm on Wednesdays. Contact details are telephone: 0114 222 1303 and email: disability.info@sheffield.ac.uk . The website address is: 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/forms

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

The University of Sheffield Calendar (sets out the Charter, Statutes, Ordinances and Regulations of the University)

http://www.shef.ac.uk/calendar

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

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

Accommodation www.sheffield.ac.uk/accommodation Transport and Parking www.sheffield.ac.uk/parkingservices