In addition to consideration by Annual Monitoring, the programme proposal will require further development and approval by the DTC, if not already secured. This more detailed work should begin at the earliest opportunity and will often run in parallel with Annual Monitoring and APRC consideration of the programme due to the deadlines for Sub-Committee consideration.
It is essential to ensure that the proposal is sent to the relevant departmental SSLC for feedback in plenty of time before it is submitted to the DTC to allow feedback to be incorporated into the proposal. When SSLC consideration is timed after the DTC decision, DTC approval should be subject to SSLC feedback and any appropriate action recommended as a result.
Consultation with the wider academic community within LSE, and more broadly across the sector, is a fundamental step in the process.
- In assessing the proposal within LSE, programme proposers are asked to consider potential overlap with existing provision offered within their department or by other departments; overlap should be avoided. Where other departments or faculty have closely related provision or research interests, proposers should seek to consult at the design phase and in good time before Sub-Committee consideration, to allow for feedback to be assessed and worked into the proposals as appropriate.
Important: Deciding who to consult is important and proposers should seek to identify and contact specific faculty or programme directors and not rely on generic emails to Heads of Department or Department Managers to seek feedback, although initial contact may be made with these individuals. Proposers might find it useful to refer to the LSE Experts information or existing courses listed in the Calendar to identify who to consult with. Sub-Committee secretaries and the Eden Centre department advisers are well placed to help advise on this process.
- Consultation outside of LSE should involve contacting faculty at peer institutions against which the department might benchmark their activity, using insights from employers and Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Bodies (PSRBs) to gauge whether the programmes intended learning outcomes will enable graduating students to meet current market needs, or by reviewing associated Subject Benchmark Statements published by the Quality Assurance Agency.
- Given TEF emphasis on employment outcomes, departments should ensure that programme proposers are consulting with LSE Careers at the design stage of new programmes.
If the programme involves a partnership with another institution (e.g. a double or joint degree), you should consult the Head of Academic Partnerships at a very early stage for advice.
It is strongly recommended that the Eden Centre is consulted at an early stage about new programme proposals. The Eden Centre can advise on: programme design and coherence; aims and intended learning outcomes; teaching delivery; and assessment methods. The Eden Centre team can also advise on different approaches to engaging students in programme design, with benefits for both staff and students of co-creation activities that encourage students to work as partners with faculty in educational design. You may want to refer to guidance for writing programme aims and programme learning outcomes as part of this process. Please contact the departmental adviser assigned to your department for advice.
Similarly, if the proposed programme will use technology to deliver teaching or assessment, it is strongly recommended that the Eden Centre team is consulted at an early stage.
Departments must work to ensure Equity, Diversity and Inclusion are embedded into the curriculum and are addressed from the outset during the design and approval phase of any new programme. Please see Equity, Diversity and Inclusion or contact eden@lse.ac.uk for more information.
Executive Masters proposals must also complete the Major Academic Initiative process. If you are proposing an executive programme, please read the ‘principles on modular master's programmes’ in TQARO’s Guidance and School Principles.
For research level proposals, either for MRes/PhD or MPhil/PhD programmes, please consult with Dr Pete Mills, PhD Academy Manager and secretary to the Research Degrees Sub-Committee.