Curriculum Information

Document Version

QAA Benchmarks

Educational Aim

Learning Outcomes

Course Structure

Level 3 Modules

Level 4 Modules

Level 5 Modules

Level 6 Modules

Teaching and Assessment

Learning and Teaching Methods

Employer Engagement

Visiting Speakers 

Visiting speakers will be invited to speak to students taking the compulsory Level-5 module Reflection on Learning in the Workplace. The speakers will be invited from across the range of employers that typically recruit History graduates. 

History students in other years will be invited to attend the talks by visiting speakers. 

Volunteering 

Where possible, students will be encouraged to volunteer as part of their studies. For example, we are currently participants in an Australian-led research project called Conviction Politics. USW History students will be undertaking research as part of the project. They can do this as part of the Reflection on Learning in the Workplace module or simply because they are interested. The opportunity includes talks on academic history, public history and working in archives. 

Fieldwork 

N/A 

Fieldtrips 

Where possible, we will arrange fieldtrips to places of graduate employment for students taking the compulsory Level-5 module Reflection on Learning in the Workplace. 

History students in other years will be invited to attend the fieldtrips. 

Work Placements 

Work placements will be a compulsory element of the module Reflection on Learning in the Workplace taken by all Level-5 students. Each placement should be for at least 70 hours. To ensure that students undertake a placement relevant to their career aspirations, they will be encouraged to find their own placements. They will use USW Careers and the GoWales advisors to assist with their placement planning. Where possible, we will also offer live projects in conjunction with external partners. 

Work-based Learning 

N/A 

Sandwich Years 

N/A 

Employer Forums 

N/A 

Other 

We are part of the 2030 Curriculum pilot. We are currently exploring ways to engage external partners, including employers, in the development of the challenge-based curriculum. Our principal partner is Antenna International.  

Means of Assessment

Portfolio Essay Written Examination Document Analysis Report Project Output Dissertation Oral Assessment Poster Presentation Presentation

Learning Support

Induction 

All students will be given a full induction to the BA History course in their first week, enabling them to adjust to university life, get to know the teaching team, their PAC tutor and their peers, plan their studies, and understand how the University works. The induction will include a full explanation of the course handbook and the student charter, a tour of Blackboard and its resources, and team-building activities to help foster a sense of cohort and course identity among new and existing students. 

CertHE students will be treated as part of the first-year cohort but will also be invited to meet with their course leader to discuss the year ahead. 

Personal Academic Coach1 

All BA History and CertHE students will be allocated a Personal Academic Coach (PAC). The role of the PAC will be to meet with their students periodically throughout the academic year to discuss their academic progress. Discussions will cover assessment feedback, module choices, and study skills development. Where appropriate, the PAC will point their students in the direction of the Advice Zone, the Student Development and Study Skills Service, or the Library for additional support. 

Where possible, and subject to staff availability, the PAC will remain consistent throughout a student’s progression on the course. 

Learner Analytics  

Learner analytics will be used by module leaders, personal academic coaches and the course leader to identify students who may not be engaging on the course. The course leader will review the information and contact the student about individual modules or engagement across the course as a whole. Whether or not the issues relate to a single module or the course as a whole, the course leader will advise the student about the best course of action. In most cases, this will be to contact module leaders for academic support and the Advice Zone to discuss applications for extenuating circumstances and advice on appropriate support services.  

Office hours 

Each member of the course team will have at least one scheduled office hour per teaching week. These office hours will be drop-in sessions for which students will not need to book. 

Students will also be able to book an appointment to meet with members of the course team, as well as using online tools like the discussion forums on Blackboard. 

Tutorials 

Tutorials will be scheduled for some modules. They will be used to discuss feedback on assessments or project- and portfolio-based coursework in progress. 

CertHE students taking Enhancing Academic Success (History) will meet with the module team in tutorials to discuss skills on both that module and the others they take at Level 4. 

Seminars 

Seminars will be the bedrock of learning and teaching on the CertHE in History and BA History courses. In seminars, students will be given the opportunity to discuss the historical subjects or skills in depth. They may sometimes be asked to take the lead in running seminars. Students will be expected to prepare for the seminars by completing the reading and tasks set in advance of the classes. 

Formative Assessment 

Formative assessment will be scheduled for some modules. It may take the form of coursework plans or partial drafts on which the module team make comments before the final version is completed. Activities and tasks set in advance of seminars may also be classed as formative assessment; feedback on these will be given during seminar discussions. 

Progress meetings 

Student progress will be monitored through PAC meetings and tutorials. Students will also be invited to make appointments with their module leaders, year tutor or course leader to discuss progress at any time throughout the academic year. 

Research Supervision 

The Dissertation module in the final year will be compulsory. It will require a lot of independent research and the writing of a substantial piece of work. Dissertation students will therefore be allocated a supervisor with relevant research skills and knowledge. Students will meet regularly with their research supervisors. Students will not require research supervision on other modules. 

Online Resources 

Students will be able to access course materials, like the course handbook, course timetable, assessment diary, marking criteria, staff-student liaison meeting minutes and copies of course-level announcements, through the course organisation on Blackboard. 

At a modular level, students will be able to access learning and teaching materials and tools via the Blackboard Virtual Learning Environment. These will include the module programme, lesson plans, TalisList, recordings of lectures and seminars, module-specific resources, tools for producing and submitting coursework (like Turnitin), staff contact details, discussion boards, and copies of modular-level announcements. 

Most items for learning and teaching will be made available by the Library (through FindIt) or academic online resources. Students will also have access to the Student Development and Study Skills Service and USW Careers to help develop their skills. 

Students will be able to access online resources provided by the University through their UniLife dashboards. The course and module leaders will be able to monitor engagement on the course via the Learning Analytics tool. 

Advice Zone 

Advice Zones are the first point of contact for advice and information regarding university life. Advice Assistants offer confidential, impartial guidance and advice on a range of issues including extenuating circumstances. Advice Assistants are also able to answer and advise on queries, questions or concerns regarding booking appointments with specialist teams such as Counselling, Disability and Dyslexia, Money Advice and Progression Advice.? 

Disability  

The Disability Service provides information, advice and guidance to and co-ordinates support for USW students who have disabilities, including physical, sensory, mental health or unseen disabilities, specific learning difficulties (e.g.?dyslexia) and autism.?A confidential service where students can discuss their individual requirements. DDS can advise on what support is available and help students apply for it.? 

The Disability Service also has a key role in ensuring the University meets its commitment to providing an inclusive environment for disabled students. See?our?Policies and Equality Scheme.? 

IT/Library 

IT and media resources are a common thread behind many of the activities which help to enhance students’ learning experience, such as their online student account (giving access to email, printing and payments and more),?UniLearn?(the online learning environment), open access to computers on each campus, printing services, and media equipment.? 

USW has a strong commitment to providing technology-based learning environments to support students. Whether studying on campus, at home or elsewhere, students have web access to their course materials anytime and anywhere.? 

The recently refurbished Library is where students can get the help of librarians who can offer advice on finding resources for their course. The library contains a wide range of books including copies of every set or recommended text for each of their modules. USW also provides access to journals related to the discipline so students can keep up to date with the latest thinking and developments.?? 

There is also a periodicals collection with newspapers and magazines. Many of these resources are also available digitally.? 

Course Exit Points

Progression Route

Graduates of the BA History degree will typically progress on to graduate careers or postgraduate study. About 60% of graduate career opportunities are open to History graduates; they range from heritage, museums and teaching (primary and secondary) to management, law and journalism.

In many cases, students will need to study for a postgraduate qualification like a PGCE. Graduates of the existing degree programme have progressed on to Masters level courses in, for example, History, Public History, Heritage, and Global Governance. We offer an MA by Research in History at USW and have a proposed a new History MA which we aim to validate in due course.

Entry Requirements

Admission to the course is typically through the following qualifications:

Typical A-Level Offer 

BCC - CDD (this is equivalent to 104-80 UCAS tariff points). 

Typical Welsh BACC Offer 

Pass the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate Diploma with Grade C/D in the Skills Challenge Certificate and BC - CD at A Level (this is equivalent to 104-80 UCAS tariff points). 

Typical BTEC Offer 

BTEC Extended Diploma Distinction Merit Merit - Merit Merit Pass (this is equivalent to 112-80 UCAS tariff points). 

Typical IB Offer 

Pass the International Baccalaureate Diploma with a minimum score of 29 overall including 5 or above in English at standard level. 

Typical Access to HE Offer 

Pass the Access to HE Diploma and obtain a minimum of 80 UCAS tariff points. 

Additional Requirements 

GCSEs: The University normally requires a minimum 5 GCSEs including Mathematics/Numeracy and English at Grade C or Grade 4 or above, or their equivalent, but consideration is given to individual circumstances.  

CertHE History 

We do not advertise the CertHE History for applications. Applicants who just miss our typical offer are offered the CertHE as a means of bridging the gap between their achievements and those who have met the typical offer. CertHE History students take the full level-4 BA History programme and the 10-credit Enhancing Academic Success (History). 

Inclusive Curriculum Statement

The University of South Wales operates a policy of inclusive learning, teaching and assessment to ensure that all students have an equal opportunity to fulfil their educational potential. Course teams will have considered ways of designing out any potentially disadvantageous element of courses during the course design process. However some specific needs may remain, details about how to apply to have your needs assessed can be found at: http://unilife.southwales.ac.uk/pages/3040-disability-and-dyslexia-service/

Addendum for Delivery at a Partner Institution

N/A