Programme Guide
2015/16
MA Criminal Justice PG Cert Advanced Policing Studies
Liverpool John Moores University
Table of Contents
Table of Contents ...... 2 Welcome to Liverpool John Moores University ...... 3 Introduction to your programme ...... 4 What you need to know about your programme ...... 6 Using technology to enhance your learning ...... 8 Timetabling and attendance ...... 8 Your Personal Tutor ...... 10 Key contacts ...... 11 Modules ...... 15 You and LJMU...... 16 Libraries ...... 17 Student Advice and Wellbeing Services ...... 19 Submitting coursework ...... 21 Marking criteria ...... 21 Feedback strategy ...... 22 Fairness, consistency and standards ...... 23 The role of external examiners ...... 23 Progression and Classification...... 24 Referrals/deferrals ...... 24 Assessment boards ...... 25 How you will get your results ...... 25 Academic misconduct ...... 26 The Student Voice ...... 27 Student representation and getting involved ...... 27 Change Liverpool ...... 27 What is the Board of Study? ...... 28 Liverpool Student Union ...... 29 Appendix – Programme Specification ...... 31
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Welcome
A welcome Welcome to Liverpool John Moores University from the Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) offers you an exceptional postgraduate experience, founded on high quality teaching, ground-breaking research and extensive links with employers, entrepreneurs and business Vice-Chancellor leaders. Scholarship, research and learning are at the very heart of everything we do. It drives the curriculum and is the foundation of our interaction with industry, Professor Nigel business and the community. LJMU is renowned for its open and happy academic community. Diversity is valued. Endeavour is supported. Achievement is celebrated. The search for deeper understanding in whatever field you have chosen to specialise in is enormously important and you will Weatherill be encouraged to fulfil your potential while you are a student at the University. More importantly, you will receive every opportunity to ensure that, wherever possible, your learning has a meaningful outcome – whether that be finding rewarding employment, embarking on further research or starting your own enterprise. But above all we want you to enjoy the journey. Discovery at the highest level of learning should be fascinating and absorbing, and I can guarantee that at LJMU, you will be working alongside some of the best academics in their field; they enjoy what they do and they pursue their own research and learning with a passion and enthusiasm that permeates the whole University. Everyone at LJMU is here to help you achieve your ambitions for the future. We are a university rich in resources, facilities, expertise and support. So make sure you take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way and please don’t be afraid to ask for help and advice should you need it.
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Professor Nigel Weatherill Vice-Chancellor
Introduction to your programme
Welcome to Liverpool John Moores University and more specifically welcome to the PG Cert in Advanced Policing Studies. This handbook has been designed with the needs of PG Cert in Advanced Policing Studies students in clear focus and throughout your time with us this resource should be used as your first port of call for any queries you may have about the programme and its operation. You'll find sections in this handbook that explain to you how the course is organised, what you’ll study, and how you can go about identifying and contacting members of the Policing Studies team who are here to help you through your studies. You'll also find essential information about the workings of the wider University and Faculty structures, information about the Students Union, and of different ways you can involve yourself in University life whilst a student of the institution. I therefore encourage you to have a read and store this handbook for future and continued reference throughout the course.
In terms of the PG Cert in Advanced Policing Studies programme you are the first cohort to enrol on the programme at a point in time when the University, Merseyside Police and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Merseyside are engaged in really meaningful collaboration. The impetus for the programme’s development has been the awarding of joint College of Policing and HEFCE funding to LJMU through the Police Knowledge Fund. The LJMU bid - one of only 14 successful bids of 72 submitted - formally established a collaboration between LJMU, the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Merseyside, and Merseyside Police to work together to develop the research capacity of Merseyside Police. The £10m funding opportunity offered by the College of Policing is representative of a wider shift in emphasis around the enhanced integration of research into policy and practice development within policing.
In addressing these challenges the PG Cert in Advanced Policing Studies has been designed with two clear ambitions in mind. The programme firstly, seeks to develop your individual research skills through three modules coherently
Liverpool John Moores University Page 4 assembled to develop your ability to identify, critically engage with, and reflect upon evidence-informed policing and criminal justice policy and practice. A second ambition of the programme - realised through the work-based research module - is to support you in constructing your own research project that has a clear focus on positively impacting on your own professional practice either through outlining manifest policy change or through enhancing a critical understanding of the challenges to creating greater efficiencies and enhanced performance in service provision. The programme’s ambition is to develop your own profiles and then to seek to support you in generating manifest practice developments to stimulate the learning and workings of others.
The programme of study is grounded in your professional practice and very alive to the real challenges facing policing policy and practice. As course leader I'm confident that this year will prove to be highly stimulating and rewarding for you. We have a diverse teaching team who will support you during your time on the programme with research active LJMU-based lecturers and research fellows in the fields of (amongst other things) policing studies, criminal justice and data analytics working in combination with Merseyside Police personnel assigned to the Project (and based at LJMU) for the duration of the project. Together this mix of research and practice expertise and experience will ensure you are engaging with cutting-edge, contemporary critical thinking and operational practice.
I'll conclude my welcome piece here by wishing you well in your studies. I'm confident you'll find what we have to offer is stimulating, dynamic and engaging.
Good luck and enjoy your time with us at LJMU,
Dr Matthew Millings, November 2015 Senior Research Fellow and Course Leader PG Cert Advanced Policing Studies
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What you need to know about your programme
The Police Knowledge Fund Project (PKF) is a collaboration between Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), the Office of the Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner, and Merseyside Police Service made possible through joint College of Policing and Higher Education Funding Council for England and Wales (HEFCE). The PKF represents an attempt to situate research activity at the core of decision-making, policy and practice development and is underpinned by three objectives; 1) to build capacity amongst police officers and staff to understand, critique, and use research; 2) to embed engagement with contemporary criminal justice and policing research in promoting evidence-based problem solving practice; and 3) to demonstrate innovation in developing evidence-base and in the dissemination and application of findings through knowledge exchange mechanisms across all levels of policing (publications, workshops and presentations). The PG Cert in Advanced Policing Studies seeks to address all 3 of these objectives and is a programme of study designed to bring together the available research knowledge/expertise in respect of evidence-based thinking with the operational insight(s) of serving police personnel.
The PG Cert in Advanced Policing Studies offers the opportunity for serving officers/staff to critically examine the role research does, can, and could play in the delivery and development of operational policing practice. On one level the programme equips officers with, and enables the evidencing of, a series of highly transferable research skills. On another level – through the tutor-supported development of student’s own bespoke work based research projects – the programme actively promotes the idea of implementing research evidence to positively shape and develop operational practice. The coherent skills and experience development through the programme coupled with the support of a project team consisting of experienced academic researchers and seconded police officers ensures students have the support in place to develop contemporary, stimulating, and practice-relevant research findings.
Specifically the educational aims of the programme are to;
1. Develop student’s critical appreciation and understanding of the impact evidence-informed policy has, and continues to have, on practice development within the broad areas of policing and criminal justice policy.
2. Develop student’s ability to critically reflect upon their own working practices to assess how empirical research concerned with evaluating the impact of practice developments designed to reduce reoffending and practitioner authored good and best practice guidance in the fields of policing, criminal justice and community safety have and can in the future shape their professional practice.
3. Develop student’s understanding of the emerging challenges to the delivery of policing policy and practice, to enhance their understanding of the social, cultural and political contexts within which these challenges are developing, and to throughout think critically about the respective roles played by the police, policing organisations and the public in managing crime control and public safety.
4. Enable student’s to develop an advanced and critical knowledge of the key ontological, epistemological and methodological issues that impact upon research into policing and criminal justice practice. The curriculum will allow students to generate a critical appreciation of diverse approaches to conducting research, methods of data collection and analysis and use real world case studies of research projects to advance student’s appreciation of the logistical, political and ethical issues related to the operation of good quality social research.
5. Provide students with the knowledge, skills, and qualified support to design, conduct and deliver a research project explicitly focused on an area of their working practice. The programme develops student’s ability to plan and implement an agenda for research in an area of work-based practice, to critically reflect the policy and practice development work that have taken place in the subject area, to document and reflect upon the challenges of conducting work based research, and by its conclusion produce critical commentary on how the understanding of practice may meaningfully be developed.
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Overview of the programme
In order to deliver the educational aims set out on the previous page the PG Cert in Advanced Policing Studies is built around the modular structure mapped out below. The column on the far right records the credits that are accumulated on completion of the three tiered layers of the programme. To achieve the Postgraduate Certificate you will need 60 credits.
Code Module Title Module Aims Credits
The module examines the contributions research-informed Evidence-Informed knowledge has, and continues to make to the development of 7000PS 20 Policy and Practice criminal justice practices and encourages students to think critically about the scope to extend further the role of evidence based thinking in developing problem solving solutions
The module will allow students to generate a critical appreciation of diverse approaches to conducting research, methods of data Methods for Work- 7001PS collection and analysis, and will use real world case studies of 20 Based Research research projects to advance student’s appreciation of the logistical, political and ethical issues related to the operation of good quality social research
Work-Based Research The module aims to provide students with the knowledge, skills, 7002PS 20 Project and qualified support to design, conduct and deliver a research project explicitly focused on an area of their working practice
The three modules on the programme are sequenced to develop student’s research knowledge and skills on the route to the completion of the supervised work-based research module. The core ambition of Evidence-Informed Policy and Practice (7000PS) is to develop student’s awareness of, and engagement with, research and best/good practice informed evidence in operational policing practice development. The second module - Methods for Work Based Research (7001PS) – equips students with the skills necessary to design and plan research activity. Through engaging with researchers involved in on-going or recently completed projects students will learn about the importance of making informed methodological choices, thinking through the ethical dimensions of their study, and the anticipated impact of the findings. The Work Based Research Project (7002PS) sees students consolidate the learning from the previous two modules and embark on their own independent study, undertaking projects directly related to individual’s operational working practice. The supervision of projects involves meetings in person at LJMU or in the student’s place of work, they can be conducted via the University’s virtual learning platform and/or via e-mail.
The Police Knowledge Fund’s Senior Research Fellow (Dr Matthew Millings) will assume course leadership responsibilities for the programme. Working directly alongside him are 3 Advanced Practitioner Fellows working on secondment from Merseyside Police for 3 days a week during the project - Insp Karen Dowden, Sgt Carl McNulty and PC Dominique Walker - and 3 LJMU based Research Fellows. This group will play a key role in facilitating the training being delivered and running workshops to develop learning. The teaching programme will be strengthen further by a range of guest speaker inputs who have all been invited onto to the programme by virtue of the contribution their research experience and/or criminal justice practice knowledge offers the curriculum.
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Students on the programme will each be assigned to one of three Communities of Practice working to engage with, and deliver upon, the below thematic Police and Crime Commissioner defined priority areas;
Child Exploitation (Insp Karen Dowden); Hate Crime (PC Dominique Walker); Effective Crime Prevention (Sgt Carl McNulty);
Communities of Practice are multi-disciplinary teams comprising an Advanced Practitioner Fellow, LJMU-based Research Fellow and a cohort of 12 officers. The principle behind the Community of Practice model is that a group of people – practitioners and research-active fellows – who share a common interest in a subject come together, share their experience/knowledge and collaboratively develop new ideas/agendas for research activity. The routine engagement with peers and critical reflection on learning and practice underpin the programme’s operation.
Students on the programme will be delivered research-informed teaching that is relevant and current to those seeking to understand the challenges facing policing and criminal justice services in the 21st century. The input of LJMU based experts actively researching across the disciplines of (amongst others) policing studies, criminal justice, data analytics, and forensic computing will be supplemented with teaching inputs from policing stakeholders drawn from such diverse backgrounds as statutory probation services and community safety partnerships to community/single interest groups. In a programme designed with the demands to balance work and study commitments the PG Cert combines in- class input with extensive use of LJMU’s virtual learning environment to tutor and support students through the development of their agendas for work-based research activity. The diversity of the talents within the teaching team, drawing together as it does established LJMU based research active staff and Advanced Practitioners currently or recently employed in criminal justice practice, enhances the learning development opportunities for students to engage with whilst also ensuring that course content is relevant to, and informed by, professional practice.
Importantly, the course develops students awareness of comparative and international practice development. In their ambition to develop evidence-informed practice the College of Policing (since its establishment in 2012) has sought to import many of the facets of the model used in the United States through the development of the What Works Centre for Crime Reduction in the promotion, commissioning and critical examination of research. In Australia and Canada too it is possible to identify models of University-Police co-producing research agendas where the tradition of research and policing policy intersecting with one another is much stronger. Through Evidence-informed Policy and Practice (7000PS) students engage with diverse international policy generation cultures and identifies the key pathways to accessing the extensive range of practice related research/evaluation evidence available. Within Methods for Work Based Research (7001PS) students are introduced to a range of national and international studies employing a diversity of methodological approaches to conducting work-based research (for example, comparative studies of police occupational cultures in America and the UK; ethnographic research into the occupational cultures of security officials in North-Western European seaports; and the use of GIS data mapping in shaping policing policy/practice in Nigeria). In the student’s final module - Work-Based Research - students will be encouraged to introduce and utilise any international/comparative research to help strengthen the claims for policy creation/development they are making in their project.
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Using technology to enhance your learning Blackboard is the University’s Virtual Learning Environment giving you access to learning materials, assessment activities, discussion forums and announcements from tutors for each of the modules you study. A mobile version of Blackboard is available for use with iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Android and Blackberry devices. You can download the App from your normal App store.
Blackboard is also used as a means of submitting assignments; your tutors will assist you with the process. You may also have access to a programme community site in Blackboard where you will be able to engage with staff and students from all levels of your programme of study. Please make sure you engage with all learning activities both within and outside the curriculum.
If you need help with using Blackboard, then a range of online help resources is available via the Help tab within Blackboard. If you have technical issues with access to Blackboard, you should visit the Student Zone in the Library or complete an Online Help Form, accessed through the LJMU Off Campus support service at www.ljmu.ac.uk/offcampus/helpform.asp.
The PG Cert Advanced Policing Studies is a programme that is heavily reliant upon students accessing and using Blackboard. The virtual learning environment platform will be used to engage students in learning between class sessions and module specific sites will be used by the programme team to post presentation slides, further reading guidance and any learning materials identified to help advance your learning, after or in advance of planned LJMU based sessional inputs. The module specific sites are also where you will submit work and where the staff will post announcements. Where appropriate and where both student and supervisor are comfortable with the arrangement it is possible that advanced features of Blackboard will be used to conduct Webinars and virtual group learning sessions during the completion of the Work-Based Research project.
Timetabling and attendance The more effort you put in, the more you will get out of being at LJMU. This will be reflected both in your academic marks and your personal and professional development. Please make every effort to attend all of your timetabled activities.
It is your responsibility to attend all your timetabled classes and lectures as well as any tutorials, seminars, fieldtrips or other activities delivered as part of the modules you are studying.
The student attendance policy can be accessed at www.ljmu.ac.uk/about-us/public-information/student- regulations/guidance-policy-and-process
See overleaf for a full breakdown of the timetable demands for 2015/16 with assessment information also listed.
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Timetabled Commitments for November 2015 Cohort
Module Expectation Date
LJMU based module study Day 1 10-5pm Wed 25/11/15
LJMU based module study Day 2 10-5pm Wed 02/12/15
LJMU based module study Day 3 10-5pm Wed 09/12/15
Submit a 2,000 word reflective account - ‘Critically explore the extent to which Sun 10/01/16 evidence based practice does, and can, impact upon your working practice’
Submit a 3,000 word literature review – Select a topic and examine contemporary research evidence and good/best practice guidance to critically identify the Sun 10/01/16 contribution(s) they can make to policing practice development
LJMU based module study Day 1 10-5pm Mon 11/01/16
LJMU based module study Day 2 10-5pm Tue 12/01/16
LJMU based module study Day 3 10-5pm Mon 18/01/16
Submit a 1,500 word report using SPSS to analyse quantitative data (study day 2 Mon 01/02/16 and online resources will provide essential guidance and support for this exercise)
Submit a 3,000 word Research Proposal outlining the ambition and agenda of Mon 15/02/16 research activity to be undertaken to deliver the work-based research project
Work place based research activity with project team support/supervision input Mon 29/02/16- once a fortnight Mon 20/07/16
Submit a 4,000 word Work-Based Research Project Report identifying the key and Mon 20/07/16 emergent findings from the research activity
15-minute individual presentation of the key findings of the work-based research project with an explicit focus on the potential of the project to impact upon w/c 20/07/16 or operational practice w/c 27/07/16
Successful Completion of the above will lead to the award of a PG Cert in Advanced Policing Studies
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Your Personal Tutor
You will have a Personal Tutor whose role is to support and oversee your development and progression through the programme. They will also help you find appropriate University support should issues arise that impact on your ability to complete your studies successfully. You will have a scheduled opportunity to meet individually with your Personal Tutor at least twice per year, but you may of course contact them as and when needed.
Each student on the PG Cert Advanced Policing Studies course is allocated a Personal Tutor who is responsible for the student during his/her time here. Your Personal Tutor is the course leader, Dr Matthew Millings. You will keep the same Personal Tutor all the way through your course and you will be entitled to regular meetings with your Personal Tutor during your first semester and beyond. You should see your Personal Tutor to:
Discuss your progress at the beginning of each semester and around once per month thereafter; Ask for advice and general information, or as the first 'port of call' for a student for any problems which may arise; Discuss issues relating to module choice and changes; and provide references as appropriate.
NB – Personal tutors are not trained counsellors but can refer you to specialist support services.
Personal Development Planning (PDP) is a structured process intended to help you become a more effective, confident and independent learner. It will support you in gaining knowledge of your strengths but also of areas in need of further development related to your academic, personal and professional aspirations. You will be enabled to undertake Personal Development Planning through your Programme.
PDP is supported throughout the PG Cert programme, with all of the core modules that you do being designed to help you to build on your skills as an independent learner and thinker. The range of optional modules available on the programme allows you to tailor your studies to your own specific career plans, and your Personal Tutor (and the other teaching staff) will be available to help you to review your progress on the programme, with the aid of the constructive and extensive feedback that you will receive on each assessment task you complete.
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Key contacts
The School of Humanities and Social Science is headed and managed by the Director of School, Dr Joe Yates. It is organised by course teams working under Subject Leaders. Steve Moss is the Subject Leader for undergraduate and postgraduate Policing Studies programmes with Dr Matthew Millings having nominal Course Leadership of the PG Cert Advanced Policing Studies.
As Course Leader, Matthew has responsibility for the management and development of the PG Advanced Policing Studies. Matthew should be approached over any matters of general programme management and also with any problems, worries or concerns you have about the course. He is located in room 3.09b on the third floor of the John Foster building on the Mount Pleasant Campus, but is also contactable by email and telephone (see table below). Other members of the Programme Team will also be available during the teaching semester, whilst outside these times they can be contacted either by email or telephone (see table below). Email is usually the quickest and most preferable way of getting in touch with any of the staff, although you are welcome to contact Policing Studies staff by telephone as well.
You can expect to receive a reply to emails and phone calls within 24 hours during the semester, and although replies may take a little longer at weekends and during holidays, as most of the staff will still check their emails regularly, you can still expect a reply within seven working days at these times, as long as the staff member is not on leave.
We want you to feel settled and are happy for you to approach whichever member of staff you feel most comfortable speaking with, although you need to understand that information may need to be passed to the Course Leader. Members of staff are available for your benefit and we feel that in order to get the most from the programme, a positive and productive relationship should be quickly established.
On commencing the course, during induction, you will be introduced to the Course Leader, who is responsible for your academic development and wellbeing. However, if you encounter problems of any nature – academic, social, domestic, health, or anything else – please contact any one of the Programme Team. If you have a particular issue or problem relating to an individual member of staff, then you should contact the Course Leader.
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Policing Studies within the School of Humanities and Social Science
Director of the School of Humanities and Social Science – Dr Joe Yates
Policing Studies Subject Leader – Steve Moss
Teaching and Learning Officer (Policing Studies) – Paul Welsh Disability Officer (Policing Studies) – Paul Welsh
Course Leader PG Cert Advanced Policing Studies – Dr Matthew Millings
Personal Tutor(s)
Student Course Representative(s)
The following is a detailed explanation of each role’s responsibilities:
The Director of the School is responsible for overall management of School policy, strategic development, line management of School staff and control of School resources. The Director is responsible for representing the School at Faculty and institutional levels
The Course Leader is responsible for the operation, co-ordination, and administration of the courses, in particular: Academic leadership of the course team; The academic and professional quality and standards of the course; The organisation and running of the courses, including the preparation of the course timetable, the nomination of external examiners for the course and the proper conduct of the examination procedures for the course; The promotion and oversight of recruitment, and admissions to the courses; The organisation and supervision of tutoring and the care of students on the courses; Ensuring that courses documentation is kept up-to-date and that appropriate statistics are produced; Chairing the Board of Study meetings for the programme.
Module leaders have overall responsibility for a particular module, e.g. handouts, tutorial groups, content of module, assessment, extensions for assessed coursework. This individual will be the person who will have the best knowledge of your progress in that subject. If you are concerned about an academic problem on the module, please contact him/her. They have three main responsibilities: To facilitate learning in particular modules by delivering teaching; To liaise with the module tutors and personal tutors on student progress; To assess learning outcomes in areas for which he/she is responsible.
The role of the Disability Officer is to offer some extra levels of support to students that may need it, and to act as a conduit to other LJMU support mechanisms that exist. If anyone thinks that they need extra support for their studies they should contact the disability support officer to arrange a meeting to discuss requirements.
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Each student on the PG Cert in Advanced Policing Studies is allocated a Personal Tutor who is responsible for the student during his/her time here. You will keep the same Personal Tutor all the way through your course and you will be entitled to regular meetings with your Personal Tutor during your first semester and beyond. You should see your Personal Tutor to: Discuss your progress at the beginning of each semester and around once per month thereafter; Ask for advice and general information, or as the first 'port of call' for a student for any problems which may arise; Discuss issues relating to module choice and changes; and provide references as appropriate.
NB – Personal tutors are not trained counsellors but can refer you to specialist support services.
The staff group encourage the election of Student Course Representatives from within the student cohort. This representation provides an opportunity for students to share in the running of the University at School and Programme level. The representative’s role is to assess and represent the views of the students who are on the PG Cert programme of study and to this end, they attend the Board of Study meetings. These meetings offer an important forum where students can raise issues relating to the delivery, operation and management of their programme. As a result, student views are a fundamental aspect of the continued improvement and smooth running of programmes. Prior to these meetings, student representatives should seek an opportunity to discuss course-related issues with their fellow students.
Representatives are not chosen by staff, but elected by their fellow students. If you are interested in becoming a student representative, please see your programme leader. All student representatives are offered full training by the Liverpool Students’ Union (LSU: www.l-s-u.com/).
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Below is a list of locations and contact details for key Policing Studies and School of Humanities and Social Science contacts:
Name Role Room Ext E-mail (@ljmu.ac.uk)
Insp Karen Dowden Advanced Practitioner JF3.09a k.l.dowden
Dr Yarin Eski Policing Studies Lecturer JF3.07a 5160 y.eski
Sharon Grant Policing Studies Admin Support School 5077 s.grant Office
Anna Hopkins Practitioner Fellow JF3.07a a.w.hopkins
Sgt Carl McNulty Advanced Practitioner JF3.09a 3814 c.r.mcnulty
Dr Matthew Millings Senior Research Fellow JF3.09b 3838 m.n.millings PG Cert Course Leader
Steve Moss Police Studies Subject Leader JF3.05b 5916 s.j.moss
Yvonne Mossman Admin Support Manager School 5916 y.mossman Office
Dr Adegbola Ojo Policing Studies Lecturer JF3.07c 3605 a.a.ojo
Teaching and Learning Officer Heather Panter Policing Studies Lecturer JF3.07a h.a.panter
PC Dominque Walker Advanced Practitioner JF3.09b d.v.walker
Paul Welsh Policing Studies Lecturer JF3.07c 5150 a.p.welsh
Peter Williams Practitioner Fellow JF3.07c 3777 p.w.williams
Ian Whitfield Policing Studies Lecturer JF3.07b 5140 i.k.whitfield
Director, Humanities and Social Dr Joe Yates Science JF1.48 5940 j.yates1
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Modules
Your programme is divided into units of study called modules. Each module explores a subject relevant to your programme of study. What you will learn in each module is described by its intended learning outcomes. These outcomes form the basis for the criteria against which you will be assessed in order to gain credit from the module.
Core and Option Modules
Depending on your programme modules may be designated as either a Core or an Option:
Core modules are compulsory. Where option modules exist they offer choice from within a range of modules to be studied. Choice of modules may enable you to pursue particular areas of interest or to develop particular subject specialisms. In making a choice you may find it useful to think about future study and career aspirations.
The following modules are offered in 2015/16:
Core Evidence-Informed Policy and Practice - Dr Matthew Millings
Methods for Work-Based Research - Dr Matthew Millings
Work-Based Research - Dr Matthew Millings
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You and LJMU
LJMU wants you to have the best student experience possible so please don’t be afraid to approach LJMU if you need any advice. For information on all the student support services, including study skills workshops, go to: www.ljmu.ac.uk/students/supporting-your-study
The University’s rules and regulations cover everything from freedom of speech and dealing with difficult personal circumstances to payment of fees and programme information. Their function is not to limit your experiences at LJMU but rather to protect your rights as a student and to define your responsibilities as a member of the University. If you have any queries, visit the Student Zone in any of the LJMU Libraries. Alternatively, you’ll find more details in Chapter 11 of the Student Handbook: www.ljmu.ac.uk/students/supporting-your-study/student-policy-and-regulations
For a summary of what you can expect from LJMU – and what the University expects from you – please read the Student Charter. Copies are available in the Libraries and online at: www.ljmu.ac.uk/students/supporting-your- study/student-policy-and-regulations
LJMU promotes an environment where everyone is treated equally and with dignity and respect. We operate a policy of zero tolerance towards any form of discrimination, harassment or bullying, including cyber-bullying. Any students or staff found to be engaging in this type of activity will be subject to the University’s disciplinary procedures.
For more information on what LJMU expects with respect to student behaviour, read the Student Code of Behaviour and Disciplinary Procedures: www.ljmu.ac.uk/about-us/public-information/student-regulations/guidance-policy-and- process
The approaches the University takes to enhance teaching and learning are set out in the Learning Teaching and Assessment (LTA) Strategy 2012-2017. The University sets targets in relation to the student experience which include NSS satisfaction scores for teaching and for assessment and feedback, and outcomes for student retention and achievement. The LTA Strategy is supported by Faculty LTA Plans and each Faculty identifies priorities and actions for the forthcoming academic year. www2.ljmu.ac.uk/tla/tla_docs/Learning_Teaching_and_Assesment_Strategy_v1.docx
International students
LJMU’s International Student Advisers are dedicated to helping international students settle into life at Liverpool and the University. They are experienced in dealing with the kinds of issues that international students may face when moving to a new country, such as visa renewal, accommodation, financial concerns and the natural challenges emerging from developing a new ‘home away from home’. For more details, go to: www.ljmu.ac.uk/international, email: [email protected] or call 0151 904 6050/5063.
We are confident that our international students will enjoy studying at LJMU and learning more about Liverpool and UK culture but that doesn’t mean that you won’t feel homesick at times. Please don’t be afraid to approach LJMU if you feel you are not coping. Everyone from your Personal Tutor to the University’s dedicated Student Advice and Wellbeing Team are here to help.
International students can attend English language courses to help with academic writing and communications skills. These free workshops run throughout the academic year. For details, go to: www.ljmu.ac.uk/students/supporting-your- study/study-support
International students are subject to different attendance and enrolment regulations as set out by the UK Borders Agency. For more details on LJMU’s international attendance policies, visit the Student Zone in your local LJMU Library or go to: www.ljmu.ac.uk/about-us/public-information/student-regulations/guidance-policy-and-process
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Social media and you
We want your LJMU experience to be as enjoyable as possible so take a moment to consider your use of social media: your privacy settings, what you share and how it might reflect on you or the University, especially with respect to flatmates, fellow students and University staff. How you present yourself online may be noticed by potential employers in the future, and for courses leading to professional qualifications students are required to adhere to standards and Codes of Conduct defined by Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Bodies, so check if these apply to you.
If you need practical support and advice on personal issues arising from social media, contact Student Advice and Wellbeing. LJMU provides guidelines on using social media and follows strict procedures regarding behavioural standards.
Connect with LJMU on our social channels to keep up-to-date, get quick answers to queries and enhance your learning; lots of schools and programmes have their own dedicated accounts too. Visit www.ljmu.ac.uk/students for more information on using social media while studying at LJMU.
Tuition fees and student funding
LJMU’s Student Advice and Wellbeing team offers free, expert and confidential advice and guidance on the range of student funding available, including student loans, grants, bursaries and scholarships, disabled students allowance, parents learning allowance, childcare and adult dependants grants, and continuing professional development loans. To make an appointment to see an advisor, visit the Student Zone in your local LJMU library or email [email protected]
Remember, the consequences of not paying your tuition fees range from having your IT and borrowing rights removed to ultimately losing your place at the University. So please do not delay sorting out payment. For more details go to: www.ljmu.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-students/financing-your-study
Libraries
Libraries
In each of LJMU’s three campuses – IM Marsh, City and Mount Pleasant – you’ll find a library. These provide access to many services available to assist you as a student at LJMU. Libraries contain general and special collections, study spaces, computing resources as well as specialist staff for academic, administrative and personal support.
Academic Support:
Library collections, print and electronic Study spaces, group study spaces, quiet and silent areas, with self-service booking for study rooms PCs and laptops – with self-service booking for some PCs Specialist staff are available at the Hub and Academic Support Desks to help you get the best from the library collections and IT resources provided for your learning and research needs.
Administrative Support:
Specialist staff are on hand at the Student Zone Desk to give advice on enrolment, module registration, changes of circumstance, programme advice and guidance, student finance – tuition fees, bursaries and scholarships.
Staff can provide standard letters confirming your student status to open a bank account, for council tax remittance, or for visa extensions for international students.
Personal Support:
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If you are not sure where to go for advice for additional support for study or personal needs, help with financial hardship or career planning, the experienced staff in the libraries will make an appointment for you with the appropriate Student Advice Team.
Each Library offers an identical range of services plus library and study materials tailored to meet the academic needs of the Faculties and students it supports. The libraries are shown below:-
Aldham Robarts Library Mount Pleasant Campus www2.ljmu.ac.uk/lea/77293.htm
I M Marsh Library I M Marsh Campus www2.ljmu.ac.uk/lea/77293.htm
Avril Robarts Library Tithebarn Street www2.ljmu.ac.uk/lea/77293.htm
Library Opening hours
The Aldham Robarts and Avril Robarts library buildings are open 24/7 during semester time.
For exact library opening hours, please go to: www2.ljmu.ac.uk/lea/126651.htm
Semester
Library and IT support available:
Monday – Friday 8.45am – 11pm
Saturday and Sunday 10am – 8pm
Specialist services for information searching and subject advice available from the Academic Support Team
Monday – Friday 9am – 7pm
Overnight computing and study access is in Aldham and Avril libraries; computing and study access is available from 8am at I M Marsh Library.
Vacation
Library and IT support available:
Monday – Friday 8.45am – 7pm
Saturday 10am – 4pm
Sunday Closed
Specialist services for information searching and subject advice available from the Academic Support Team
Monday – Friday 9am – 7pm
Please check for I M Marsh opening times during July and August
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Staff in the libraries are always happy to help. You can contact them in person at the Hub or Student Zone, by telephone: (0151) 231 3179 or online: www.ljmu.ac.uk/offcampus/helpform.asp (response within 24 hours).
Student Advice and Wellbeing Services
Student Advice and Wellbeing Services are committed to ensuring that students benefit from their time at the University by having access to appropriate and timely information, support and guidance, and advice on practical aspects of study. There is a wide range of services available covering all aspects of student life (personal, financial, emotional and academic) and we are here to help. For further information on the range of support available, check out www2.ljmu.ac.uk/student/ and click on the ‘Need help’ section.
For students with additional needs the service also offers dedicated Disability provision and Study Skills support. The Disability team will be able to advise on the availability of support both internal to the University and externally through Disabled Student’s Allowance, based on individual need. Further information can be found at www2.ljmu.ac.uk/disability .
Many students find they need some additional support with study techniques once they enter higher education. LJMU has an extensive provision of study support available ranging from essay writing technique to revision skills and through to Maths support, via our dedicated Maths Resource and Support centres. Further details can be found at www.ljmu.ac.uk/students/supporting-your-study/study-support
Student Advice and Wellbeing Services are located in the Aquinas building, next door to Aldham Robarts Library. Advisers can also be contacted through the Student Zones in each library. Contact can either be informal (i.e. by dropping in), or by appointment.
How your studies will enhance your career prospects
The World of Work Programme
The World of Work Programme, endorsed by FTSE 100 companies and leading business organisations, offers you the chance to prove to potential employers that you have the skills and experience they are looking for. No other university in the UK or internationally, offers students the chance to develop these skills and organisations of all sizes and from the public, private and not-for-profit sectors back the scheme, including BT, United Utilities, Sony, Barclays, Siemens, Tate Liverpool, Federation of Small Businesses, Royal Mail and many more.
The University also offers paid undergraduate and post graduate placements open to all students organised by the World of Work Careers Centre.
The PG Cert in Advanced Policing Studies offers you the opportunity to critically examine the role research does, can, and could play in the delivery and development of operational policing and criminal justice practice. On one level the programme equips you with, and enables the evidencing of, a series of highly transferable research skills. On another level – through the tutor-supported development of student’s own bespoke work based research projects – the programme actively promotes the idea of implementing research evidence to positively shape and develop operational practice. The coherent skills and experience development through the programme coupled with the support of a project team consisting of experienced academic researchers and seconded police officers ensures you have the support in place to develop contemporary, stimulating, and practice-relevant research findings.
Designed with ‘in-service’ criminal justice professionals in mind the curriculum endeavours to develop highly transferable research and critical thinking skills at a moment in time when austerity measures and the College of Policing led drive to develop new evidence-based approaches to developing practice bring the continuous development of work-related skills into sharp focus. With the continued development of the research profile and postgraduate teaching portfolio of the Policing Studies group through Police Knowledge Fund activities and the inter- disciplinary collaborations of the Liverpool Centre for Advanced Policing Studies (involving, amongst others colleagues
Liverpool John Moores University Page 20 based in Forensic Science, Forensic Computing and Maritime Studies) there will be scope for you to extend your engagement with LJMU through further study and research opportunities.
World of Work Skills
Competition for professional jobs is tough but we are confident that our unique World of Work Programme will enable you to compete against the best candidates and win. The programme has real credibility with employers because they helped us develop it and it is employers – not LJMU – who’ll decide if you qualify for your World of Work Skills Certificate.
World of Work Skills are high level skills, valued by graduate employers, in the areas of:
Self Awareness Organisational Awareness Making Things Happen.
The Skills Certificate process, managed by the World of Work Careers Centre, mirrors a conventional recruitment process, developing your ability to articulate and provide evidence for your skills, on paper and at interview.
To find out more details see www2.ljmu.ac.uk/worldofwork
Career planning and guidance
LJMU’s World of Work Careers Centre runs regular careers and employability workshops and webinars for all students covering CV writing, application forms, interviews, assessment centres, psychometric testing and more, In addition, the University’s professional career and employability advisers, trainers and business advisers provide both group and one-to-one support at the Centre and in two faculty Careers Zones.
The Careers Zones, based at Byrom Street and Aldham Robarts Library, also host regular employer visits where you can meet, network and discuss career opportunities. The Careers Centre also produces annual, school-specific Career Planning Guides to help you better understand your career options, as well as a range of other careers resources.
Where can I find out more?
For more detailed information about the World of Work Skills Certificate and to learn about the employability help and support offered by the World of Work Careers Centre see your School’s World of Work Career Planning Guide 2015/16 or visit www2.ljmu.ac.uk/worldofwork
Don’t forget, also, that there are a range of support staff on hand at LJMU to help you to think about how to prepare yourself for a wide variety of careers after you complete the programme. To find out more about the help and support available at LJMU’s dedicated World of Work Careers Centre, visit their website at http://www.ljmu.ac.uk/worldofwork, drop into the Centre (which is based in Hatton Garden in Liverpool city centre) anytime on Mondays to Fridays between 9am and 5pm, or phone 0151 231 8099 to arrange a one-to-one appointment with an adviser.
You can also call at the Careers Zone in the Aldham Robarts Library or to the drop in sessions conducted by a careers advisor or an employability advisor in the John Foster Building.JF G.02
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Submitting coursework Coursework on the PG Cert in Advanced Policing Studies will be submitted electronically through Blackboard. Module handbooks will make clear submission dates and explain how to submit work.
The University acknowledges that there may be occasions when a student’s performance in assessment may be severely affected by unforeseen or unexpected circumstances. Such events include sudden acute illness or close personal bereavement.
For information about the Extenuating Circumstances Process please visit: www.ljmu.ac.uk/about-us/public- information/student-regulations/guidance-policy-and-process
Marking criteria
Marking/Assessment criteria are the knowledge, understanding and skills that you are expected to demonstrate in the particular assessment task(s). These criteria are based on the intended learning outcomes and should help you in identifying what you need to do in order to achieve a particular mark in the given assessment task. Tutors use these criteria when marking your assignments to determine the mark given and to provide feedback to you on your performance.
Institutional Grading Descriptors can be accessed here www2.ljmu.ac.uk/tla/128714.htm. Please check for specific guidance and criteria supplied by module leaders.
Programme Level Assessment Criteria
In establishing pass thresholds for M Level programmes the University utilises guidelines published by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA). The QAA checks how universities maintain their own academic standards and quality. They review and report on how best universities meet their responsibilities, identify good practice and make recommendation for improvement. As part of their efforts to publish guidelines to help institutions develop effective systems to ensure students have the best learning experience they set out the following assessment descriptors;
Master's degrees are awarded to students who have demonstrated:
a systematic understanding of knowledge, and a critical awareness of current problems and/or new insights, much of which is at, or informed by, the forefront of their academic discipline, field of study or area of professional practice;
a comprehensive understanding of techniques applicable to their own research or advanced scholarship;
originality in the application of knowledge, together with a practical understanding of how established techniques of research and enquiry are used to create and interpret knowledge in the discipline;
a conceptual understanding that enables the student: to evaluate critically current research and advanced scholarship in the discipline, to evaluate methodologies and develop critiques of them and, where appropriate, to propose new hypotheses.
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Typically, holders of the qualification will be able to:
deal with complex issues both systematically and creatively, make sound judgements in the absence of complete data, and communicate their conclusions clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences;
demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems, and act autonomously in planning and implementing tasks at a professional or equivalent level;
continue to advance their knowledge and understanding, and to develop new skills to a high level.
And holders will have:
the qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment requiring:
the exercise of initiative and personal responsibility
decision-making in complex and unpredictable situations
the independent learning ability required for continuing professional development.
See original source see: http://www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/FHEQ/EWNI08/default.asp#p4.4
Feedback strategy
Feedback is a critical part of the learning process. Its role is not restricted to providing information on your performance on a single assignment but is also to support your development in future assessments.
LJMU’s policy on feedback determines that:
Student assessment deadlines will be published alongside University feedback deadlines
Details of assessment submission deadlines and feedback return will be provided in programme and module guides.
Feedback will be available three weeks after the assessment deadline
Unless otherwise stated, you should expect to receive feedback on assessed written coursework (not examinations or dissertations) 15 working days after the assessment deadline, not including weekends or bank holidays. Feedback may mean marks as well as more detailed written comments; the marks will be subject to moderation, so should not be taken as the final mark.
Feedback will relate to the assessment criteria
All assessment tasks are marked according to Assessment Criteria, as described above. Tutors will use these criteria when providing you with feedback to help you to understand how well you have done and why. In this way, feedback should be helpful to you in subsequent similar assessment tasks in any modules.
Students will be entitled to face-to-face feedback on their first piece of assessed work
Early on in each year of study you will have an opportunity for face to face feedback on a piece of assessed work. This will not necessarily be in a one to one meeting with your tutor but may be done in a group setting, such as a tutorial.
Every piece of assessed work you complete will receive extensive and bespoke feedback. In addition to this you are entitled to speak to the module leader for further advice and guidance. It is essential that you use this feedback to help enhance the quality of your future performances by building on your strengths and identifying and tackling your weaknesses.
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Fairness, consistency and standards
For every piece of work that is formally marked there will be procedures in place to ensure that the marking is fair, consistent and upholds academic standards. For most assessments, including examinations, there is anonymous marking so that the marker does not know the student who has produced the work. At all levels a proportion of the work will be marked by a second member of staff. External examiners, experts in the subject from outside the University, are appointed to every programme and will look at samples of work from across the programme. Once the marks for all the assessments on your programme have been moderated and finalised an assessment board can meet.
The role of external examiners The University appoints an external examiner to all its programmes. They will either be from another University or Higher Education Institution or from industry where that plays a major role in your programme. The role of the external examiner is to provide informative comment and recommendations upon whether or not:
the University is maintaining the threshold academic standards set for awards in accordance with the frameworks for higher education qualifications and applicable subject benchmark statements the assessment process measures student achievement rigorously and fairly against the intended outcomes of the programme(s) and is conducted in line with the University policies and regulations the academic standards are comparable with those in other UK higher education institutions and that programme content is current and up-to-date the achievements of students are comparable with those in other UK higher education institutions. the external examiner also provides informative comment and recommendations on: good practice and innovation relating to learning, teaching and assessment opportunities to enhance the quality of the learning opportunities.
External examiners report to the University annually. This report is discussed and available to student representatives at Board of Study meetings. The External Examiner report will be made available to all students. Please ask your Programme Leader or Student Representative for further information.
External Examiners are appointed to ensure the quality management of HE programmes and it is not part of their remit to communicate with individual students. For this reason please do not make direct contact with External Examiners in respect of your assessed work or performance. Any issues should be relayed directly to the Module or Programme Leader
The current external examiner for Policing Studies Programmes is Brian Blakemore, Head of Police Sciences Division, University of Glamorgan
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Progression and Classification
Classification of award Award marks determine the classification of the award as follows:
Distinction – overall mark of 70% or above Merit – overall mark between 60 and 69% Pass – overall mark between 40 and 59%
For further information, the Academic Framework Regulations are available at www.ljmu.ac.uk/about-us/public- information/academic-quality-and-regulations/academic-framework
If there is a professional body associated with your programme, you need to know if any additional regulations apply to your programme. Where this is applicable further information is available in the Professional Accreditations section of this guide.
If you have not achieved the full amount of credits for your award you will be allowed a referral in the modules you have failed. In certain circumstances it may be possible to ‘compensate’ for failure to allow you gain your award. This will be done by taking account of your overall performance according to specific criteria. Please note that in some programmes and for some modules compensation for failure is not permissible. This is usually as a result of professional body requirements and may relate to fitness to practice considerations.
Full details of the criteria for compensation are included in the Academic Framework, which includes Academic Framework Regulations. This may be viewed here: www.ljmu.ac.uk/about-us/public-information/academic-quality-and- regulations/academic-framework
Referrals/deferrals
Referrals and exceptional second referrals
A referral is the opportunity to re-take assessment in a module in which you scored less than the pass mark, usually 40%. You only get one referral opportunity in each module. If you fail to gain the credits for a module at the second attempt, you may be eligible for an exceptional second referral (ESR) for up to 24 credits, but in order to be eligible for an ESR you need to have attempted the referral. See the Academic Framework Regulations, section C7.17 for further details. www.ljmu.ac.uk/about-us/public-information/academic-quality-and-regulations/academic-framework
If you are eligible, you will have a third attempt at the assessment and will have to pay an ESR fee. If you are not eligible for an ESR, you will not be able to progress or complete the programme. In the case of a referral or an ESR you are awarded 40%, or whatever is the minimum pass mark, as the maximum mark.
Some modules may not be eligible for exceptional second referrals. These are usually modules related to professional competency requirements. Deferral
A deferral is the opportunity to undertake assessment that you missed or in which you were affected adversely by illness or other valid reasons. If this happens you must follow the extenuating circumstances procedure – see www.ljmu.ac.uk/about-us/public-information/student-regulations/guidance-policy-and-process
If there is a foreseen event, such as jury service or a hospital operation, that is going to affect an assessment you can ask for deferred consideration of that assessment. Again see the above link for the correct procedure.
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Assessment boards
Assessment Boards meet to consider the progress of every student at least once a year. The Boards make decisions on completion, progression and awards. The Board ensures the maintenance of appropriate standards of assessment and that all students are assessed fairly in accordance with the approved regulations and procedures.
How you will get your results You will get results for coursework submitted during the academic year no more than 15 working days after the date when you submitted the work (unless the module leader concerned provides clear and explicit reasons for any delay beyond this). These results may be given you face-to-face as part of oral feedback, by email, or through the module’s Blackboard site. Results will also be accessible through the online LJMU Student Information System.
You will get your final academic year performance results within 10 days of the assessment board for your programme. The board will take place in September each year. You will receive these results (together with all of your results for the academic year) by post in the form of a written transcript, and as with coursework, your results will also be made available through Blackboard and the Student Information System.
The results transcript which you receive after the assessment board will also tell you how many credits you have gained in the current academic year, up to a maximum of 60 credits if you have passed all of the modules which you have registered for. If you have not passed one or more modules, and have either failed the coursework for that module (a referral) or had to defer the coursework (deferral), you should firstly look at your module handbook, which will contain details of what you need to do to resubmit the coursework, and when you need to submit it. You should work as hard as you can before the resits to make sure that you pass second time round – module leaders and tutors will offer guidance on specific modules. If you do not have enough credits to proceed to the next level of your programme after the April/May assessment period, you should contact the Programme Leader (if they have not already contacted you) for help and advice on what to do next.
Academic Appeals
All students have the right to appeal against the decision(s) of Assessment Boards.
The Assessment Boards receive individual student assessment profiles (module marks, level progression), make decisions on level completion and progression and make recommendations on awards. In addition Assessment Boards determine any requirements for deferred assessments) and any referral requirements for students failing module(s) in accordance with the regulations. Assessment Boards also receive decisions from the Extenuating Circumstances Panels, note any decisions from Academic Misconduct Panels and act accordingly.
The grounds for appeal are strictly limited to the criteria outlined in the Regulations – students cannot submit an Academic Appeal just because they don’t agree with the mark.
Appeals can only be considered on the grounds that there has been a material administrative error, or that assessment was not conducted in accordance with the regulations or that some other material irregularity has occurred. There are also strict time limits for lodging an Academic Appeal – normally within 10 working days after the publication of the decision of the Assessment Board or the date of the decision of the Academic Misconduct Panel Further information about Academic Appeals can be found at: www.ljmu.ac.uk/about-us/public-information/student- regulations/appeals-and-complaints
Student Complaints
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LJMU is committed to providing an environment that is conducive to study and provides academic and support services to facilitate the achievement of your target award. However, we recognise that from time to time students may wish to raise issues regarding the academic, administrative, support or other services provided by the University.
Often complaints can be quickly resolved if they are raised promptly with the service directly involved or with the relevant staff member. Students are expected to try and resolve any complaints locally with the relevant Faculty, School, Student Support Zones or Department, in the first instance. This would normally be within 30 working days of the alleged matter or incident.
Where it is not appropriate for a complaint to be submitted for local resolution, or where a student is not satisfied with the outcome following local resolution, a formal complaint should be made within 3 calendar months of the alleged incident, matter or concern, to Student Governance.
Further information regarding the LJMU Student Complaints procedure, including the Student Complaint Form and Guidance Notes, can be found on the Student Governance web pages at www.ljmu.ac.uk/about-us/public- information/student-regulations/appeals-and-complaints
Academic misconduct
Academic Misconduct is deemed to cover cheating, attempts to cheat, plagiarism, collusion and any other attempts to gain an unfair advantage in assessments. Assessment includes all forms of written work (including in-class tests), e- assessments, presentations, demonstrations, viva voces, accreditation of prior learning portfolios and all forms of examination.
Cheating includes:
(i) any form of communication with, or copying from, any other source during an examination;
(ii) communicating during an examination with any person other than an authorised member of staff;
(iii) introducing any written, printed or other material into an examination (including electronically stored information) other than that specified in the rubric of the examination paper;
(iv) gaining access to unauthorised material in any way during or before an assessment;
(v) the use of mobile phones or any other communication device during an assessment or examination;
(vi) the submission of false claims of previously gained qualifications, research or experience in order to gain credit for prior learning;
(vii) the falsification of research data, the presentation of another’s data as one’s own, and any other forms of misrepresentation in order to gain advantage;
(viii) the submission of work for assessment that has already been submitted as all or part of the assessment for another module without the prior knowledge and consent of the Module Leader for the subsequent assessments;
(ix) the submission of material purchased or commissioned from a third party, such as an essay-writing service, as one’s own.
Plagiarism is defined as the representation of the work, artefacts or designs, written or otherwise, of any other person, from any source whatsoever, as the student's own. Examples of plagiarism may be as follows: i) the verbatim copying of another's work without clear identification and acknowledgement including the downloading of materials from the Internet without proper referencing of materials;
Liverpool John Moores University Page 27 ii) the paraphrasing of another's work by simply changing a few words or altering the order of presentation, without clear identification and acknowledgement; iii) the unidentified and unacknowledged quotation of phrases from another's work; iv) the deliberate and detailed presentation of another's concept as one's own.
Collusion Includes:
(i) the conscious collaboration, without official approval, between two or more students in the preparation and production of work which is ultimately submitted by each in an identical or substantially similar form and/or is represented by each to be the product of his or her individual efforts;
(ii) where there is unauthorised co-operation between a student and another person in the preparation and production of work which is presented as the student's own.
The LJMU Penalty Tariff
The University strives to ensure fairness and consistency in the application of penalties to students across all Faculties and has adopted a standard penalty tariff to be used in all cases of proven academic misconduct.
The principle behind the tariff is simple and serves to ensure that all students are aware of the penalties that they will receive if they are found guilty of academic misconduct.
For information about Academic Misconduct please visit www.ljmu.ac.uk/about-us/public-information/student- regulations/appeals-and-complaints
The Student Voice
We want your feedback Informal feedback and communication is sought from students on a daily basis. However, there are certain points in the year when the University formally asks you for your feedback in the form of surveys. The University values your feedback and encourages students to complete the formal surveys you receive in your student email account.
All survey results are looked at in-depth at various levels of the University and students should get involved in discussing any appropriate action that needs to take place to address any issues. Increasing the response rates of the surveys is vital to ensure the University is receiving the views of the majority of the student body. Publicity information when the surveys are running will be available across the University and via your LJMU email account.
The Module Appraisal Survey will be sent out to you towards the end of your module(s). These are analysed by the Academic Enhancement Unit and results are disseminated back to faculty staff to address and comment on. Module Appraisal Survey results are also reported on in each programme’s Annual Monitoring Report. This is a compulsory report that programme leaders have to submit detailing how their programme has run that academic year. This report is presented to a Board of Study meeting for discussion.
Programme Leaders will also discuss Module Appraisal Survey outcomes with student representatives at Board of Study meetings. The Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES) is an online survey which runs every spring and asks about the experiences of students on taught postgraduate programmes. The survey is run and analysed by the Academic Enhancement Unit. The survey is overseen by the Higher Education Academy who are able to combine data from all institutions taking part in the survey to provide benchmarking data. LJMU use the results to enhance the experiences of postgraduate taught students.
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The Boards of Study obviously provide a more formalised platform for feedback to be generated. However, the Course Leader and Programme Team are always willing to engage with students who wish to provide on-going feedback, however minor or seemingly obscure, on all aspects of the programme.
Student representation and getting involved LJMU aims to make every one of our courses as good as it can possibly be, and for that we need students’ help. Every year, each programme elects a Course Rep; a fellow student who represents the views of their course mates to academic staff and the University. Course reps can influence everything from changes to the course curriculum to improving how the course is organised and supported by lecturers. By working together as equals, Course Reps and Lecturers can have a significant impact on the experience of going to LJMU.
Course Reps are elected at the start of every academic year and will receive online training designed by LiverpoolSU. They also receive continuous support in their role from relevant programme leaders and lecturing staff, as well as the Student Voice Coordinators employed by LiverpoolSU. If you are interested in becoming a Course Rep contact your Programme Leader or [email protected].
Follow Course Reps on Twitter @coursereps
Or on Facebook search for “LJMU Course Reps”
Change Liverpool The University is committed to working with students as partners in all aspects of their learning experience. The Change Liverpool initiative, which is jointly led by LJMU and LiverpoolSU, provides you with the opportunity to be actively involved in partnership projects with University staff or community organisations in the wider community. For example, if you have an idea for improving the student experience, you can bid for funding to support a project you would like to undertake to achieve it. Visit www2.ljmu.ac.uk/changeliverpool/ for more information about how you can make changes happen.
What is the Board of Study? The Board of Study oversees the management and operation of the programme. Membership will consist of all staff teaching on the programme, other staff essential to the running of the programme and student course representatives. You can discuss any aspects of your programme with your course representative, in this way you can contribute to the formal running of the programme. Course representatives have an obligation to then feed back to their fellow students. Programme leaders will ensure that Board of Study papers are available to all students in Blackboard.
At the time of writing (November 2015) the dates for the Board of Studies have not been set. I will, as programme leader and Sharon Grant or Yvonne Mossman as our Admin Support staff will communicate the dates to you as and when they have been agreed and/or amended, and as in previous years we will look to arrange these at times that are convenient for students in light on on-going work commitments.
Liverpool Student Union Get more from your LJMU experience with LiverpoolSU
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Who we are:
As the Students’ Union for over 24000 students at Liverpool John Moores University, LiverpoolSU exists to help all LJMU students love student life. We do this through running sports teams, clubs, societies and events; campaigning with and on behalf of students; and offering a range of support, advice and information services. We want students to have the best academic and social experience that Liverpool has to offer.
Where we are:
You’re never too far from LiverpoolSU – with Mini LiverpoolSU’s across all campuses. That means that you can book an advice appointment, join a sports team, club or society, give us feedback and find out how to get more involved at Byrom Street Foyer, John Foster (opposite the School Office for the School of Humanities & Social Sciences), Redmonds next to Starbucks, Tithebarn Street Café and the I.M. Marsh Student Space. Look out for our student staff in and around these locations, they’ll be happy to help.
You will also find LiverpoolSU shops at Byrom Street and I.M. Marsh, where you can buy a range of items including hot and cold food, stationery and lab coats.
Get involved: LJMU has a diverse range of students, and we facilitate ways for you to meet like-minded people – our sports teams, clubs and societies are a fantastic way for you to do that. We have nearly every group you can think of; competitive sports such as Rugby, Football, Lacrosse and Netball as well as academic societies like Law, English History and Business. There are also social and political groups such as the Mature Student Network, World Travel Society, Greenpeace, Conservation, Dance and Drama, as well the country’s first Paranormal Activity society! For a complete list visit www.liverpoolsu.com/clubsandsocs. If the student group you’re looking for isn’t there, we can help you start a new one; just get in touch and tell us what you’d like to do.
The Students’ Union also ensures you get the most from your learning experience by representing your views and lobbying the University on your behalf when something needs to change. If you think aspects of your University experience are good or bad, either way, we want to know! We can help shape the future of education at LJMU – and by getting involved, you can too.
Every year students at LJMU vote to elect LiverpoolSU’s President and three Vice Presidents. The elected officer team leads the Students’ Union. There are a range of opportunities for you to get involved in deciding the organisation’s priorities – from attending our conferences, becoming a Student Trustee, or even standing for election yourself.
We care about you whilst you’re studying, and afterwards too. We want you to be as employable as possible. That’s why we offer a large number of part-time, placement and full-time opportunities to work within our organisation. We recruit on a fairly regular basis, so make sure you check our out jobs page at www.liverpoolsu.com/workwithus.
Freshers and Re-Freshers Fairs:
Your first week as an LJMU student will be a busy one, and we’re here to make sure your student life starts with a bang! As part of the September Welcome Week calendar, LiverpoolSU hosts Freshers Fest activities and events, when we showcase the social aspects of university life in Liverpool. We also hold our own free Freshers Fair (open to all LJMU students, not just Freshers!), where you’ll be able to find out what services, sports clubs and societies are on offer, grab plenty of freebies from local bars, shops and other retailers and sign up to take part in a wide range of taster activities throughout September and beyond.
In case you miss the chance to attend our Freshers Fair in September, we hold a Re-Freshers Fair in January and, once again, all LJMU students are invited to attend and find out more about what your Students’ Union and Liverpool have to offer.
Supporting you when you need it:
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LiverpoolSU supports you when you need it through the Advice Centre, Course Reps, Hall Reps and Community Reps.
Our Student Advisers can help you with any course related problems – from failing a module because of extenuating circumstances to having to attend an appeal hearing or submitting a complaint. We also offer a Hate Crime Support Service if you’ve been made to feel different and experienced bullying, harassment, intimidation or anything similar.
LiverpoolSU trains hundreds of Course Reps each year to give students a voice across the University. These reps drive improvement of the academic experience. Thanks to an active network of Course Reps, issues affecting your academic experience can be brought to the University via LiverpoolSU. This means that students can and do influence University policy.
Hall and Community Reps ensure students settle into both their accommodation and the city, and help tackle any problems that might arise. They also organise events and activities – for students both in halls and out as well as for the local community to enjoy.
LiverpoolSU on Campus:
LiverpoolSU’s main hub is opposite the Humanities & Social Sciences School Office, within the John Foster Building, located on the Mount Pleasant Campus near the Aldham Robarts Library. We also have a presence at:
Byrom Street Foyer Tithebarn Street Café I.M. Marsh Student Space Redmonds Student Space & G.38
Stay in touch and get involved in our many conversations:
Visit us at our main hub: 80-98 Mount Pleasant, Liverpool, L3 5UZ (Ground Floor - opposite the Humanities & Social Sciences School Office)
Or on a campus near you: Byrom Street Foyer, I.M. Marsh Student Space, Tithebarn Street Café, Redmonds G.38
Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/liverpoolsu Follow us on Twitter @LiverpoolSU Follow us on Instagram: @LiverpoolSU
Check out the amazing work we do:
You can also visit www.liverpoolsu.com to see what’s on and find out how you can get involved.
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Appendix – Programme Specification
Your programme specification can be found here....
https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/about-us/public-information/wider-information-set/programme-specification-documents- portal/undergrad-programme-specification-documents (and select Advanced Policing Studies)
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