Summary

At this stage, ideas are generated and assessed for strategic fit/ links to other initiatives.

Ideas for new programmes come from a wide variety of routes. They might be generated within Departments/Schools, by Institutional or Faculty leadership teams, or by Marketing colleagues.

In the first instance, it is important that we assess the strategic fit of these ideas and explore links to other portfolio developments within and beyond the Faculty.

To allow for this, all early-stage new programme ideas should be shared with your Associate Dean (AD) for Teaching, Learning and Students via email.

The AD will log the idea on a central tracker, and initiate a discussion with relevant Departments/ Schools and other colleagues. Ultimately they will decide if the idea should progress to Stage 2 (Viability assessment).

If the idea is approved for further development, your Deputy Head of Faculty Operations (DHFO) will be asked to set up a Programme Approval Form. Information will be collated on the form as the new programme proposal moves through each stage of approval.

Approval at Stage 1 does not mean that you can move forward with full programme development. All ideas must go through the Viability assessment (Stage 2) before full programme development can begin.

Key dates 

Beginning of September: deadline for discussing ideas with your AD if you intend to advertise the following academic year

New programme ideas can be discussed with your AD at any time of year.

Example:

• September 2023: Begin discussions
• May to September 2024: Programme advertised / recruitment begins
• September 2025: First intake of students

However, ideas should be shared with your AD by the beginning of September at the latest (preferably earlier) if you intend to advertise in the following academic year. This will leave sufficient time for Stage 1 and 2 approvals in advance of Portfolio Management discussions at the December Faculty Executive Board (FEB) meeting. Programmes not considered at the December FEB are at risk of missing key UCAS and postgraduate recruitment cycle deadlines.

Summary

At this stage, we assess the financial viability of the proposed programme. This includes establishing potential market demand and resourcing requirements (eg for staff, teaching equipment).

If your Associate Dean (AD) for Teaching, Learning and Students has approved the programme for further consideration at Stage 1, they will have initiated assessment of the following (as appropriate):

Department/School resourcing implications including, for example, staffing and equipment (Action: DHFO)

Market demand analysis (Action: Head of Faculty Marketing and Recruitment)

Faculty Financial implications assessment (Action: Faculty Finance Manager)

The information generated through this viability assessment will be recorded on the Approvals form and shared with your Faculty Executive Board (FEB) 

Key dates

Any time of year: Viability assessments

End of October: Viability assessments completed for programmes intended to be advertised (as the marketing and recruitment cycle begins) in the following academic year

Viability assessments can be undertaken at any time of year. However, this should be completed by the end of October at the latest (preferably earlier) if you intend to advertise in the following academic year. This will leave sufficient time for including the proposal in Portfolio Management discussions at the December FEB meeting. Programmes not considered at the December FEB are at risk of missing key UCAS and postgraduate recruitment cycle deadlines.

Summary

At this stage, all new programme proposals are considered at Faculty and Institution levels, and decisions are made about which go forward to full development.

A Faculty list of all new programme proposals is drawn up for consideration at the December FEB. This allows each Faculty to consider the strategic and financial benefits of the proposed developments, and to evaluate the overall risk associated with the package of proposals. 

The proposed new programme lists from the three Faculties are subsequently brought to the institutional Portfolio Management Board (PMB) for information, comment, and discussion of possible cross-faculty links.  

The Dean’s Personal Assistant (Secretary to FEB) will let your DHFO know the outcome of the review by FEB. If approved by FEB, the programme can move forwards to Stage 3 (Operational details and planning approval) and Stage 4 (Programme design and academic approval) which can run simultaneously.

Summary

This stage ensures that the potential impacts of the new programme on University services are clear.

Once a new programme proposal has been approved for development, it is important that we understand how the programme could impact University services including the Library, Space Management and Recruitment and Admissions.

Following confirmation of approval at the Portfolio Management stage, your Deputy Head of Faculty Operations (DHFO) will contact relevant teams across the University to establish these impacts. This information will be recorded on the Approvals Form.

The Faculty Executive Board (FEB) of the relevant faculty will then sign off Stage 3 to confirm that all relevant teams have been informed and that no significant concerns have been raised. Where concerns have been raised, your DHFO should discuss solutions and mitigations with your Associate Dean (AD). Approval at Stage 3 will be formally recorded in the minutes of the relevant FEB. 

Key dates 

Undergraduate  

Proposals should receive approval by mid-April for programmes that are to be advertised (as the marketing and recruitment cycle begins) in the following academic year. This maximises market exposure, as it allows the programme to be available when the UCAS search tool opens in May.

If you prefer to wait until the main UCAS recruitment starts in September, the latest date by which proposals can be approved is mid-July. This reduces market exposure but still allows programmes to be advertised by September, when UCAS applications can be submitted. Submitting a proposal for this later deadline requires FEB approval. Discuss with your AD if you have a strategic or financial case for working towards this later deadline.

Example

• Mid-April 2024: standard deadline for UG Programme Approval
• Mid-July 2024: exceptional deadline for UG Programme Approval
• May 2024 to September 2025: Programme advertised / recruitment begins
• September 2026: First intake of students

Postgraduate Taught

1 June for programmes that are to be advertised (as the marketing and recruitment cycle begins) in the following academic year: Deadline for Stage 3 approvals for PGT programmes. This allows sufficient time for programme set-up and web page build for the start of the recruitment cycle in September.

Example

• 1 June 2024: standard deadline for PGT Programme Approval
• September 2024: Programme advertised / recruitment begins
• September 2025: First intake of students

Advertising subject to approval

In exceptional circumstances, a Department/School developing a new UG/PGT programme may wish to advertise and market it to potential applicants in advance of it receiving full approval at Stages 3 and 4. This requires discussion with your Associate Dean and the subsequent endorsement of FEB and the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Learning, Teaching and Students and will only be considered where there is a strategic or financial case to support this route.

Summary

At this stage, the academic teams in Departments/Schools design the programme in consultation with your AD and your Academic Quality contact, and seek academic approval.

Once your new programme idea has been approved at Faculty Executive Board (FEB), you can go ahead with designing the programme. The Stage 4 tab on the Programme Approval form provides guidance on the specific aspects you will need to consider as you design the programme.

You must propose full module descriptors for the programme via the module catalogue. See also: Guide to Using the Online Module Catalogue.

When designing a programme, it's essential that you adhere to the University’s Programme design framework. We also strongly recommend that you consult key guidance documents such as:

• Inclusive Learning Toolkit to ensure your learning and teaching approaches are inclusive
• Digital Education Team webpages for advice on incorporating technologies. 

In advance of formal academic approval, your Associate Dean (AD) will take your new programme idea to the Faculty Matrix Group meeting at an appropriate time. From these meetings you will receive feedback on your programme design from teams in the Library, Careers and Placements, Disability Services and Inclusive Learning.

Depending on the nature of the programme, you may also decide to further consult colleagues from the teams listed above as you design the curriculum in consultation with your AD and your Faculty Academic Quality contact. 

Once you have completed all sections of the Stage 4 tab in the Programme Approval form, your DHFO will initiate the academic approval process alongside your Faculty Academic Quality contact.  

Getting your programme approved

Formal academic approval of standard PGT and UG programmes is through the Department/School Board of Studies, and then the Faculty Learning and Teaching Group (FLTG) which is chaired by your AD for Teaching, Learning and Students. Your DHFO should make sure that Board of Studies Approval has been granted before the proposal is considered at FLTG.

In advance of submitting your Programme Approval Form for FLTG approval, you need to provide an External Assessor’s report. 

For further information, see guidance on Recruiting an External Examiner.

Further information on the FLTG review process

• Terms of reference for FLTGs
• Guide for FLTGs - Academic Approval of New Programmes

Key dates 

Undergraduate

Proposals should receive approval by mid-April for programmes that are to be advertised (as the marketing and recruitment cycle begins) in the following academic year. This maximises market exposure, as it allows the programme to be available when the UCAS search tool opens in May.

If you prefer to wait until the main UCAS recruitment starts in September, the latest date by which proposals can be approved is mid-July. This reduces market exposure but still allows programmes to be advertised by September, when UCAS applications can be submitted. Submitting a proposal for this later deadline requires FEB approval. Discuss with your AD if you have a strategic or financial case for working towards this later deadline.

Example

• Mid-April 2024: standard deadline for UG Programme Approval
• Mid-July 2024: exceptional deadline for UG Programme Approval
• May 2024 to September 2025: Programme advertised / recruitment begins
• September 2025: First intake of students

Postgraduate Taught

1 June for programmes that are to be advertised (as the marketing and recruitment cycle begins) in the following academic year: Deadline for Stage 4 approvals for PGT programmes. This allows sufficient time for programme set-up and web page build for the start of the recruitment cycle in September.

Advertising Subject to Approval

In exceptional circumstances, a Department/School developing a new UG/PGT programme may wish to advertise and market it to potential applicants in advance of it receiving full approval at Stages 3 and 4. This requires the endorsement of FEB and the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Learning, Teaching and Students and will only be considered where there is a strategic or financial case to support this route.

Once Stage 3/4 Planning and Academic Approval has been granted, the Academic Quality Team will notify both the proposing Department and relevant professional services, who will set up the programme on systems. The Department should then work with Marketing to supply information necessary for the external advertisement of the programme.

Tab 5 of the approval document should be completed and submitted to Marketing in accordance with their processes. The Academic Quality Team will also work with the department to convert the approval document into a format that can be published to students as a programme specification document. 

The programme is set up by Operational Data Services (ODS). ODS will also require key details such as:

• HECOS codes
• fee profiles
• link to the course pages
• the intended award
• the full award title as it should appear on official documents
• lower exit awards
• standard/non-standard semester dates
• available study patterns (eg full time, part time).

ODS will then create new course and/or route codes as required before populating and sending a 'Programme Set up' email to the relevant teams.

Once ODS have provided the route codes and a HECOS code is available; for undergraduate programmes, UG Admissions will decide a UCAS course code to link to the MCR/route code and set up the new course on UCAS for applicants to search for/make their applications. This will need the link to the relevant UoY course page to be provided by Marketing.

Key dates

Undergraduate

Mid-April: Stage 3/4 approval for standard undergraduate programmes should normally be in place by mid-April for programmes that are to be advertised in the following academic year. Setting up UG courses and advertising as early as possible enables applicants to start reviewing courses on UCAS, which gives a course the maximum amount of exposure and should hopefully lead to more interest. 

Postgraduate taught

1 June: Stage 3/4 approval for standard postgraduate programmes should normally be in place by 1 June for programmes that are to be advertised in the following academic year. This allows sufficient time for programme set-up and web page build so that PGT programmes are advertised one year ahead of their first student intake. 

A non-award-bearing programme is one in which successful completion does not lead to the award of a University Certificate, Diploma or Degree. Non-award-bearing programmes may be credit-rated (students receive credits on successful completion) or non-credit-rated.

Credit-rated programmes

Credit-rated, non-award-bearing programmes require the approval of both the relevant Board of Studies and FLTG (or its Chair). These programmes may also require planning approval by the relevant Faculty Executive Board. To confirm whether or not planning approval is required, please contact your Deputy Head of Faculty Operations as outlined in the 'Key Contacts' section below.

Non-credit-rated programmes

A wide variety of programmes and activities (including short vocational and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses, summer schools, workshops, Learning for Pleasure courses within the Centre for Lifelong Learning, and access to higher education provision) fall into the non-credit-rated non-award-bearing programme category. This category does not normally include conferences and seminars.

Responsibility for the approval of a non-credit-rated programme rests with the relevant Board of Studies.

Pre-sessional programmes

Pre-sessional programmes (all non-award-bearing provision that an applicant would be required to take in order to progress to an award-bearing University of York programme) follow the same process as award-bearing programmes. Contact the Academic Quality Team for advice and guidance.

Forms and Guidance

• Guidance on CPD Provision and Non-Award-Bearing Programmes
• Approval Process for Pre-sessionals
• New non-award-bearing programme pro-forma
• Design and delivery of CPD and Lifelong Learning courses 

If you are proposing a higher or degree apprenticeship programme, please use the following Apprentice Programme Approval Form. The approval process for stages 1-5 as outlined above is broadly similar, but there are specific considerations for apprenticeships that must be taken into account.

Please contact apprenticeships@york.ac.uk if you are proposing a new apprenticeship programme. The Apprenticeships Unit can advise on specific quality and resourcing requirements for apprenticeships.

Contact details

apprenticeships@york.ac.uk 

Information about apprenticeship standards approved for delivery is available by searching the information on the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical education website.

The programme approval process for online programmes is currently being updated and will be added to this webpage in due course. If you are interested in developing an online programme, please contact the Head of Online Partnerships Zoe Devlin via email: zoe.devlin@york.ac.uk. 

If you are in a school or department at York and are thinking of developing collaborative provision involving undergraduate or postgraduate taught programmes please consult the Collaborative Provision page and contact Adrian Lee with any queries via email adrian.lee@york.ac.uk.

For PGR programmes, please view our process documentation and contact academic-quality-pgr@york.ac.uk.