PROGRAMME APPROVAL/REVIEW/MODIFICATION REPORT Part A: Summary Report
CONFIRMED
A1 Programme Specification Title(s)
Legal Practice Course
A2 Home Department/School Manchester Law School A3 Home Faculty Business and Law
A4 Type of Event Review
A5 Date of Event 15 December 2014 A6 Objectives of Event
To ensure that the design, academic standards and quality of learning opportunities of the existing provision, together with the proposed developments, given strategic approval on 26 June 2014(SA ref PARM/14/047 refers) and as outlined in 7 below, remain appropriate to the award to which the provision leads and are informed by reference to institutional regulations and policies, national benchmarks (particularly the Framework for Higher Education
Qualifications and relevant subject benchmarks) and relevant professional and employment demands.
A7 Brief Outline of Proposal/Propose Developments Last periodic review – 2008/2009
MMU Award
Qualification as a solicitor is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). Satisfactory completion of a Legal Practice Course (LPC) is an essential requirement to qualify as a solicitor in England and Wales under the provisions of the SRA Training Regulations 2011 Part 1 – Qualification Regulations. The LPC builds on students’ academic knowledge of the law and prepares them for their training and early years in practice. The LPC course outcomes, course design and assessment methods are specified by the SRA. The course has two parts: Stage 1 which covers all the compulsory elements of the course and Stage 2 which is made up of three vocational electives chosen from a range of elective subjects on offer. Stage 1 and Stage 2 are separate and can be studied consecutively or simultaneously. Students obtain the Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice on successful completion of Stage 1 and Stage 2.
The LPC is validated in its current format by the SRA until the end of the 2017/18 academic year. The SRA and Bar Standards Board completed a review of professional legal education during 2013/15. The full recommendations will have a profound impact on professional legal education for the future. In order to ensure that there is stability and continuity the professional bodies have indicated that the current arrangements will remain in place until the end of 2017/18. This proposal therefore is required to ensure that we have robust and appropriate provision in place for 2015/16, 2016/17 and 2017/18 which takes account of updates and amendments to the current LPC. A further validation will be
required prior to 2018/19 academic year when the new proposals are full developed by the professional bodies.
The LPC Assessment regulations are governed by the requirements of the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and MMU’s Taught Postgraduate Regulations from time to time in force.
Where the SRA requirements are in conflict with the MMU Taught Postgraduate Regulations, the SRA regulations take precedence and the MMU regulations have been varied accordingly.
Exemptions were granted on 21 September 2009. A further request for variations was made on 30 October 2014 and was not approved on 27 November 2014.
A single request for exemption will be submitted.
The changes will roll in from September 2015. A8 Conduct of the Event and Panel Membership
The event, comprising private panel meetings and meetings of the panel with members of the programme team [and representatives of current/former students], was held on the All Saints Campus.
The panel included the following internal members: Christine Horrocks (Panel Chair)
Carole Forbes (Faculty Representative) Julie Watson (CASQE Representative) Karen Weekes (Panel Secretary)
Helen Poveda (Student Representative)
Barbara Walters (Management Services Manager) Julie Wright (PARM Chair Observer)
The panel included the following external members appointed by the Head of Centre for Academic Standards & Quality Enhancement after nomination by the Faculty:
Emma Piasecki (School of Law, Northumbria University) Gemma Davies (School of Law, Northumbria University).
[Secretary’s note: As this event was a periodic review, only one external assessor was required to attend the event. However, due to health reasons, the original external assessor was not in a position to confirm whether or not she would be able to be present at the event. An alternative external assessor from the same institution was, therefore, approved, as a “back up” arrangement. In the event, both were able to attend].
A9 Documentary Evidence Base
Strategic Approval Form and Strategic Approval sign off
Programme Specification
Unit Specification Proformas
Exemption Document (PARM 23) submitted on 30 October 2014
Course Development Plan
Summary CVs of staff teaching on the programme
PSRB course specification requirements and guidance. A10 Conclusions on Innovation and Good Practice
The Panel identified the following aspects of good practice:
1. With regard to employability; work based learning in the form of Jordan Maxwell (a virtual law firm) was evidenced as innovative and highly effective.
2. Having a designated Pastoral Care Co-ordinator was commended by the Panel; ensuring timely and effective pastoral care and support for students.
3. Student feedback mechanisms are varied and responsive to the student voice. 4. The development and delivery of well-structured online/distance learning was
deemed excellent by students and thus a specific area of good practice. A11 Conclusions on Quality and Standards
The Panel concluded that the intended learning outcomes of the provision were being achieved by students, that the standards of the University’s awards were being maintained and that the provision, as modified, remained current and valid in the light of developing knowledge in the discipline, practice in its operation and developments in teaching and learning.
A12 Summary of Outcome
The Panel recommended:
(i) Continued approval of Legal Practice Course as modified with effect from September 2015.
A13 Condition(s) of Approval
No conditions of approval were set. However, the outcome of a request to Academic Board for exemption from MMU Taught Postgraduate Regulations was awaited.
Secretary’s Note 4 Sept 2015:
As part of the Legal Education and Training Review, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (professional body) have announced that, with effect from September 2018, it will be changing the way in which students are trained to become law professionals. In light of this development, the Head of CASQE has agreed that the course specific regulations for the LPC would not be required at this stage. The position will be reviewed by the University on receipt of information confirming the new arrangements from the SRA.
A14 Deadline(s) for Fulfilment of Condition(s)
A15 Recommendations
The Programme Team must consider and address explicitly the following recommendation(s) in the course of its annual monitoring processes:
1. In the light of increased competition, to consider how the course marketing strategy can ensure that evidence of the excellent student experience is capitalised upon to maintain market share.
2. In order to meet University expectations in relation to completion the Programme Team should continue to take forward efforts to ensure that students complete in year of study.
3. For MMU, respond more quickly to issues raised by students in relation to the teaching learning environment (e.g. temperature of teaching rooms).
A16 Date of next scheduled review
The next scheduled periodic review of the Legal Practice Course will be held during the Autumn/Spring term of the academic year 2020/21.
Section C – Not required Section D - For CASQE use only
D1 Date Finalised Report Received 4 September 2015
D2 Date Panel Recommendation &
responses to conditions confirmed by Head of CASQE
4 September 2015
