Some types of changes to existing courses require approval from the relevant Sub-Committee. The Sub-Committee Chair usually considers and approves such changes on the Sub-Committee's behalf. However, the Chair can decide to put complex modifications to a full Sub-Committee meeting. The relevant Sub-Committee Secretary will advise on specific proposals.
With the introduction of CAPIS (the Course And Programme Information System), and following a review of the Chair’s approval procedures, departments can now make certain changes without further approval. CAPIS will flag 'major' course changes to ensure that approval is sought if required and that the necessary amendments are made to related course guide information (and where applicable programme regulations) in the School Calendar. TQARO will also ensure that other departments are informed as necessary, such as Timetables, Prospectuses and Registry. Departments are asked to ensure that any Moodle or local information avoids duplicating what is already available in the Calendar and, where some duplication is essential, that the two sources match and that the Calendar is the definitive source.
All changes made to course information, whether approval is required or not, must be reflected in CAPIS during the annual review of course guides. Further details are given below in Timing of Changes. Follow the links below for further details about modifications to course information.
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion
When making modifications to courses, please consider how the issue of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion has been addressed through a consideration of accessibility and inclusivity in all areas of teaching, learning and assessment. Please see Equity, Diversity, Inclusion or contact Tlc.Academicdevelopment@lse.ac.uk for more information.
Course modifications: no approval required
Course modifications: approval required
Timing of changes
Modifications to courses can be made at any stage during the year before the course will be taught, up until the end of the annual course guide review process which usually closes in mid-May. Changes to material information will not be permitted between mid-May and the close of course choice. Beyond mid-May, changes can only be accepted in exceptional circumstances such as unexpected staff illness or a change in recent theory or practice which would undermine planned content.
Departments can make course changes directly in CAPIS during Lent Term and Summer Term once CAPIS has been rolled forward to the next academic year (a process whereby a copy of all course information is produced to enable edits to be made by departmental staff for the following academic session). TQARO will advise departments about the timing of the CAPIS roll forward.
Modifications proposed during Michaelmas Term should be sent by email to the relevant Sub-Committee Secretary.
In exceptional circumstances departments can make 'in year' course changes once course choice closes, (e.g. a change to the assessment method). ). This is to ensure that the information is static and accurate during the course choice window, whilst providing a process to consider late amendments when deemed absolutely necessary. Such requests are normally only approved if the modification positively affects the students' experience of the course.
Departments should first discuss proposed in-year changes with the relevant Sub-Committee Secretary. All such changes require consultation with students registered on the course in the vast majority of cases. Departments should give students an opportunity to register objections to a proposed change. If any students object, the amendment will not be approved until the following academic session.
Competition and Markets Authority (CMA)
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) sets out the consumer rights of students. The consumer rights issue which is directly affected by course and programme modifications relates to ‘information provision’ and the need for universities to provide up front, clear, intelligible, unambiguous and timely information for students.Changes made to courses and programmes may affect ‘material information’ which according to the CMA is information which allows students to make “an informed choice about which universities and courses to apply for”. This includes information such as programme title, core modules, programme composition and assessment. Please keep in mind the impact of the CMA guidelines on any proposals which are submitted for course and programme changes. Changes which do not provide students with sufficient time to consider their options, namely those proposed outside of the School’s established timelines for the proposal and modification of taught provision, will only be considered in exceptional circumstances.
Full details of the CMA guidance can be found in the Higher education: guide to consumer rights for students.
Updated course information
A summary of approved course and programme updates is available in the online Calendar for students. It gives them an overview of new and suspended courses for the current session, and helps them make course choices:
For Undergraduates - 2016/17 session
For Taught Master's and Research students - 2016/17 session
As the Calendar holds information for the current session only, there are also pages providing information for prospective students in the following year as well as future students:
For Undergraduates - 2017/18 session and 2018/19 session
For Taught Master's and Research students - 2017/18 session and 2018/19 session
Reviewed October 2016