Curriculum Information

Document Version

QAA Benchmarks

Educational Aim

Learning Outcomes

Course Structure

Level 4 Modules

Level 5 Modules

Level 6 Modules

Teaching and Assessment

Learning and Teaching Methods

Employer Engagement

VISITING SPEAKERS

This is a strength of our courses in the Faculty of Computing, Engineering, and Science.  We engage with a wide range of professionals from industry who are invited to deliver guest lectures as part of our suite of courses in the subject area.  Many of these guest lectures are alumni.  We envisage a series of guest lecturers across a variety of modules over the course of the apprentices’ academic journey, bringing informed and industry specific case studies into the classroom. 

INDUSTRY PROJECTS

Employer related project that forms part of the work-based learning module, where an agreed problem is tasked to the apprentice around a real-world issue in the context of their own employment. The apprentice is to work towards making recommendations for the employer through critical analysis of the problem, linking theory to research, then research to practice.  

INDUSTRY VISITS

For each course there will be opportunities to visit industry related venues/sites to enrich and contextualised learning, such as construction sites, residential or commercial developments. Site visits provide apprentices with alternative experience and perspective from different industry practitioners and locations. 

VOLUNTEERING

Opportunities exist for our apprentices to volunteer through our Students’ Union, Careers Service, employer network and the apprentice’s own personal network and independent research. 

WORK-BASED LEARNING

Apprenticeship framework will stipulate competencies and necessary skills to achieve through the course which will employer led and assessed in partnership with professional bodies.  

EMPLOYER FORUMS

Both the Built Environment and Civil Engineering have active Industrial Advisory Boards.  They meet twice a year and comprises industrial partners from local and national organisation, as well as PSRB representatives and Alumni. 

In addition, USW runs an Opportunities Fair every autumn where many employers are present, providing apprentices exposure to many opportunities. Course Leaders also engage with employers and run individual sessions to suit employer demand and apprentice interest. 

OTHER

We engage with our PSRBs and facilitate on campus visits and talks on the benefits of professional body membership. 

Means of Assessment

Learning Support

INDUCTION

An induction event would be required at USW where apprentices will attend induction sessions and activities in the first week of their course.  The University’s Unilearn is used together with VERO to provide access to the course handbook, module information, an assessment schedule and their timetable.  

There is a refresher delivered 4 weeks into term and induction information is uploaded to course pages on Blackboard.  

Information sessions are recorded and made available on Course Pages.  This ensures that apprentices who are late to enrol can catch up with any information missed.  Attendance records are used, to enable CLs to identify apprentices who missed induction and may require additional support when they arrive. 

The expectation is that the induction programme does not just last for one week and that course teams continue to develop course identity, a sense of belonging and opportunities for apprentices to collaborate with peers and academics throughout Term 1. 

This would be organised through drop-in sessions for students to catch up with course team and staff, scheduled team building activity, enhancement activity during quiet times or build into the programme.  

PERSONAL ACADEMIC COACH

Through the Personal Academic Coaching (PAC) system apprentices will be assigned a coach who will formally meet apprentices on a termly basis. The apprentice can then request meetings outside of these formal windows when the need arises. The apprentices can meet with their PAC as often as they need. 

Apprentices will normally remain with the same PAC throughout their studies.  Returning apprentices are sent reminder emails from their PAC at the start of the academic year, to remind them that their PAC is still available to offer support.   

The relevant Course Leader will identify the PAC for their apprentices and incorporate PAC feedback into the 61-day reviews as part of the tripartite. 

LEARNER ANALYTICS

These courses utilise learner analytics to support our apprentices by identifying non-engagement and taking corrective steps to re-engage our apprentices.  This data relates to attendance as recorded in Jisc’s Study Goal app, engagement with Blackboard Ultra our virtual learning environment (VLE), access to our library services and assessment submissions. 

The course uses ‘Steam’ which is a USW project which acts as a dashboard in collecting the various streams of data and presents course leaders with an alert on non-engagement to take further action.  

OFFICE HOURS

Typically, staff are available when not teaching.  The Faculty of Computing, Engineering, and Science embraces an Open-Door Policy. Apprentices are provided with a document which details the arrangements for contacting staff, with particular emphasis on the Open Door Policy, which is now available both on campus and virtually.  The communications document identifies normal office hours as Monday to Friday between the hours of 08:00 and 18:00 UK time.  In addition to this, apprentices can make formal appointments to meet with staff. 

TUTORIALS

These sessions allow apprentices to be more practically engage with a topic and apply/develop/practise their learning through group and class discussions, problem solving, undertaking short exercises, working through set tasks, demonstrating their work, all with the support of a lecturer. The more personal nature of these sessions facilitates personal and tailored apprentice academic support. 

SEMINARS

There are several annual seminars and conferences which apprentices will have access to, such as the Apprenticeships Conference and events organised by the USW Careers Team and CITB.  

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT

Each module has an element of formative assessment designed into its delivery program. This is to enable apprentices and staff to understand how the apprentices are progressing through the course and to relieve assessment pressure by allowing apprentices to become acclimatised to the level of study expected of them. 

PROGRESS MEETINGS

These will be tripartite involving 61-day reviews with Apprentice/Employer/Course Leaders to monitor the academic and work-based learning experience. Here, the knowledge, skills, and behaviours will be monitored against the competency framework checklist related to each pathway. Any progression issues can be identified, and individual action plans agreed upon for either apprentice or employer. 

PROJECT SUPERVISION

A work-based learning module will begin at the start of Year 4 and apprentices are expected to critically analyse their apprenticeship journey to write a reflective essay on their experience across the four years. Using their evidence logbook, 61-day reviews and academic study materials, apprentices will present their assessment to their academic supervisors, who are allocated at the start of the module, and their employers as part of a formal presentation. Apprentices would typically be expected to meet their academic supervisor regularly over the duration of the module, either face to face or electronically (MS Teams/phone/email), depending on circumstance. 

ONLINE RESOURCES

Teaching and coursework assessment materials are made available on-line through the University’s virtual learning environment (Unilearn).  

Modern computing laboratories provide access to specialist resources. The University also has centrally managed open-access laboratories for more general work. Each apprentice has an academic e-mail account that is particularly useful when requesting support from teaching staff. 

Staff email apprentices via Unilearn to announce course and module related information. 

The Built Environment are exploring investment options to enhance the programme of study using CostX, to quickly and accurately generate quantities from both 2D and 3D (BIM) models and prepare complete estimates, tenders and bills of quantities; as well as BlueBeam, a software that helps improve design quality with purpose-built markup and collaboration tool. 

ADVICE ZONE

The University operates advice zones located in the libraries of each campus. The Advice Zone supports apprentices with anything that might affect their ability to study and achieve their goals. They help with both personal and academic issues. If they cannot help directly, they guide apprentices towards the specialist support they need. 

DISABILITY

USW?has a legal obligation to make reasonable adjustments in relation to education and services as required by disabled apprentices.?It does this using individual support plans. The Disability Service provides information, advice and guidance to and co-ordinates support for?USW apprentices who have disabilities, including physical, sensory, mental health or unseen disabilities, specific learning difficulties (e.g., dyslexia) and autism. The Disability Service also has a key role in ensuring?the University meets its commitment to providing an inclusive environment for disabled apprentices. 

IT/LIBRARY

IT Services provide apprentices with their online student account (giving them access to email, printing and payments and more),?Unilearn, open access to computers on each campus, printing services, and media equipment.  The faculty has dedicated Student Resource Rooms that provides further PCs with relevant software. 

Library Services provides a wide range of high-quality library and information services to USW students, academics and researchers.  They also provide a dedicated Subject Librarian Sharon Latham, who produces subject specific guides and in class library research sessions. 

Course Exit Points

Progression Route

Entry Requirements

Admission to the course is typically through the following qualifications:

The qualification seeks to actively promote University policies on equal opportunities and widening access and will seek to recruit as wide a range of apprentices as the current modes of attendance and admission requirements permit. 

The Degree Apprenticeships in the Built Environment and Civil Engineering pathway at Level 6 is primarily suitable for applicants who have either completed A levels appropriate for university entrance, or who may have already completed a related apprenticeship at Levels 3, 4 or 5.   

Please note: Applicants for this apprenticeship pathway are likely to be 18+ years and normally, evidence will be sought for a minimum average IELTS (International English Language Testing System) score of 6.5. 

It is likely that applicants may be asked to undertake a variety of tests which will include English, maths and problem solving, supported by an employer interview.  

These are not meant as a barrier to entry, but more to gauge the ability of the applicant to achieve the programme outcomes and to tailor the individual learning plan to meet their needs and those of the employer.   

The Professional Academy at USW will administer the application process and screen student for APL with assistance for Course Leaders where applicable. If applicants have higher qualifications or credit values for APL that meet threshold for entry to different year levels, then these applicants can gain direct entry onto those. 

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