Curriculum Information

Document Version

QAA Benchmarks

Educational Aim

Learning Outcomes

Course Structure

Level 4 Modules

Teaching and Assessment

Learning and Teaching Methods

Employer Engagement

Visiting Speakers

Industry links are well established and the course has an excellent reputation with local businesses. Industry specific guest speakers and field trips to local successful enterprises enhance the engagement with employers. Former -students are employed in various roles within the industry and are always ready to offer advice and support.

Volunteering

Students are encouraged to volunteer with organisations in the sector and staff have excellent contact with potential employers in the area.

Fieldtrips

Regular fieldtrips are offered to students which allow industry specific skill to develop by students. Fieldtrips allow for a greater diversity of experience within the horticultural sector.

Work Placements

Students are encouraged to arrange their own placements with local horticultural organisations in the sector. Students further develop employability skills in the production houses at the Pencoed Campus and also on the wider estate of the campus. Horticulture staff have excellent contact with potential employers in the area who can provide support.

Means of Assessment

Learning Support

Induction

The College places critical importance on thorough induction procedures which make new learners feel welcome, valued and settled in their chosen course. This forms the basis from which learners can undertake their studies effectively and begin to make a contribution to their course. All learners receive a course induction upon commencement of the course, they are directed to critical information to support their study, e.g. student handbook, module handbooks, assessment schedules etc.

Personal tutor

All HE learners at the college are assigned a personal tutor who can act as a first point of contact. Weekly pastoral tutorial sessions are run by the personal tutor and provide a dedicated time and opportunity for any issues (personal or course-related) to be raised in either a group setting or on an individual basis.

Office hours

Office hours at Bridgend College are between 8.30am and 5pm, (Monday to Thursday), and 8.30am – 4.30pm (Friday).

Tutorials

Learners have a mixture of group and individual pastoral tutorials through the year in a dedicated tutorial slot with their personal tutor. Module lecturers may also choose to provide module-specific tutorials to the learners as deemed necessary.

Seminars

Small class sizes on the course allows for a more interactive style of lesson that more closely resembles seminars than lectures, with learners encouraged to participate and enter into discussions with the rest of the group and the lecturer.

Formative Assessment

In line with the University’s Assessment for Learning policy, all modules contain elements of formative assessment as well as their summative assessments. The format of these assessments could include (but is not limited to) examinations, presentations, group tasks, reports, reflective journals, and many more. The style of assessment varies between modules, but is clearly linked to relevant learning outcomes. Feedback from these formative assessments is provided to the learners via a combination of written and verbal feedback, as appropriate to the piece of work and context. Learners are encouraged to review their own progress in these assessments and consider them when setting individual learning targets.

Progress meetings

Learners participate in three individual tutorials a year with their personal tutor. These tutorials are used to discuss progress and set individual learning targets.

Online Resources

Learners are provided with an ATHENS account and a Bridgend College Google account with personal storage space, scanning and printing facilities, and access to the G Suite of apps. The Bridgend College Moodle and USW network facilities are available for all learners enrolled on courses in the college.

Advice Centres

Learner support is available at Bridgend College from the HE Office which is located on the first floor of A block at Bridgend campus. The HE team provide advice and guidance on HE applications, enrolment, finance, and on course support and liaison with USW.

DDS Service

Learners with disabilities are able to access assessment by the college Disability and Dyslexia Service [DDS] and support can be provided to meet their needs. This includes one to one in class support, interpreters, note takers and specialist equipment. Support may also take the form of one to one meetings for study skills/organisational skills support. All support resourcing is allocated on an individual learner basis in order to ensure closest fit of support to enable their engagement with learning.

IT/Library

Upon enrolment all learners receive an induction to the Educational Library / Learning Resource Centre (LRC) at Bridgend College on the Cowbridge Road Campus. Early on in the course, the learners then receive an induction to the Pencoed Campus LRC. The LRCs hold a wide range of materials for study including books and journals in both hard copy and electronic format. Learners are able to request library books using the Library catalogue. A dedicated HE study room is available for learners’ quiet use with study space and 12 PCs; this is in addition to the PCs and Chromebooks available for all learners to use within the LRC. There are MFDs which photocopy, print and scan e-mail which are all available for learner use. All requirements for additional needs are supported.

All learners are encouraged to visit the University’s libraries, which provide a range of different learning spaces including individual, group study and PC areas. They also offer wifi access to the university network and library users are welcome to use their own laptops within the libraries.

Course Exit Points

Progression Route

No progression is currently available with USW however BSc Landbased Business Management (Top-up) is being proposed concurrently with this revalidation within the Faculty of Business and Society.

Entry Requirements

Admission to the course is typically through the following qualifications:

48 UCAS points (2017 tariff) [2 D’s at A level]

Mature applicants lacking formal entry requirements but with relevant and/or industrial experience will also be considered.

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