Curriculum Design at Liverpool Hope

Co-Design

The Co-Design event is a key element of the University's Programme Design and Approval Process. Following initial "approval in principle" to develop a new programme. the event can be used in all stages in the design of a programme, product or process, but especially in the initial or conception phase. Our view is that co-design is a critical aspect of programme design because different perspectives, and a productive combination of different perspectives, are needed in order to stimulate creativity and innovation. The introduction of specific creative co-design workshops within the Programme Development and Approvals Process provides an opportunity for a range of different stakeholders to jointly explore and articulate their needs/opinions and to jointly develop and create solutions drawing on a diversity of experience and expertise. The key benefit of such creative approaches is that they support the University to develop innovative and original provision.

For more information, please visit the Academic Quality web pages. 

The Integrated Curriculum: Key Principles

• To move beyond fragmentation of learning (often associated with a modular curriculum structure) to having a rounded formation of the graduate in the discipline.
• To support student progression and enhancement
• To ensure that staff and students have improved engagement (recognising that the design and delivery of the curriculum is a key factor in shaping engagement)
• To ensure that academic staff/teams are central to learning and teaching in the discipline and that teaching is research informed.

In the various fora and presentations undertaken, the Integrated Curriculum has been described as:

• Coherent
• Centred upon an ‘essential core’, which ALL students study
• Not broken up into self-contained units

An Integrated Curriculum may also: 

• Be ‘common’ (i.e. without any choices)
• Be flexible (i.e. may change from year to year)
• Include some element of student choice

In support of this, the following aspects have been woven into the curriculum templates: 

• 50% of the formal delivery of a programme should be research informed teaching (lectures) and 50% geared towards self-directed learning (seminars/tutors)
• Provision should be focused on 
  First Year = Foundations; 
  Second Year = Explorations; 
  Third Year = Advanced Studies
• Lectures are 50 minutes of academic input
• Seminars are concentrated sessions – minimum of two hours per week
• Contact time must be at least 12 hours at Level C and 10 hours at both I and H (Levels 4,5,and 6 of the FHEQ).

Timetabling Process

For information on the principles behind the University's process, and a schedule of actions and responsibilities, please see:

Timetabling: Core Principles.