2021-22 MChem Green Principles and Sustainable Processes Programme Design Document

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1	1. Admissions/ Management Information
2	Title of the new programme – including any year abroad/ in industry variants See guidance on programme titles in Appendix V:
3	https://www.york.ac.uk/media/staffhome/learningandteaching/documents/policies/Framework%20for%20Programme%20Design%20-%20UG.pdf
4	Chemistry, Green Principles and Sustainable Processes
5	Level of qualification
6	Please select:				Level 7
7	Please indicate if the programme is offered with any year abroad / in industry variants												Year in Industry Please select Y/N					Yes
8													Year AbroadPlease select Y/N					Yes
9	This document applies to students who commenced the programme(s) in:												2021
10	Awarding institution										Teaching institution
11	University of York										University of York
12	Department(s): Where more than one department is involved, indicate the lead department										Board of Studies
13	Lead Department		Chemistry								Chemistry
14	Other contributing Departments:										Chemistry
15	Interim awards available Interim awards available on undergraduate programmes (subject to programme regulations) will normally be: Certificate of Higher Education (Level 4/Certificate), Diploma of Higher Education (Level 5/Intermediate), Ordinary Degree and in the case of Integrated Masters the Bachelors with honours. Please specify any proposed exceptions to this norm.
16	Certificate of Higher Education (Level 4/Certificate), Diploma of Higher Education (Level 5/Intermediate), Ordinary Degree, Bachelors with honours.
17	UCAS code										Route code(existing programmes only)
18	F191 (year abroad), F192 (year in industry), F193 (year in York)
19	Admissions criteria
20	A-level in Chemistry or equivalent
21	Length and status of the programme(s) and mode(s) of study
22	Programme			Length (years)		Status (full-time/part-time)Please select		Start dates/months (if applicable – for programmes that have multiple intakes or start dates that differ from the usual academic year)			Mode
23											Mode
24											Face-to-face, campus-based				Distance learning				Other
25	MChem			4		Full-time		n/a			Please select Y/N		Yes		Please select Y/N		No		Some distance learning (20 credits) is undertaken during Year 4
26	Language(s) of study
27	English
28	Language(s) of assessment
29	English
30	2. Programme accreditation by Professional, Statutory or Regulatory Bodies (PSRB)
31	2.a. Is the programme recognised or accredited by a PSRB
32	Please Select Y/N:		Yes		if No move to section 3 if Yes complete the following questions
33	2.b. Please provide details of any approval / accreditation event needed, including: timescales, the nature of the event, central support / information required:
34	All existing programmes are accredited by the Royal Society of Chemistry (PSRB) and future design and development need to be considered within this accreditation framework (http://www.rsc.org/Education/courses-and-careers/accredited-courses/). Full accreditation for the new courses was obtained from the RSC in April 2017.
35	2.c. Does/ will approval or recognition require exceptions to University rules/practices?Please select Y/N											No		if Yes, provide details
36	N/A
37	2.d. Any additional information (e.g. student attainment required to achieve accreditation) that are required by the PSRB should be recorded here
38	N/A
39	3. Additional Professional or Vocational Standards
40	Are there any additional requirements of accrediting bodies or PSRB or pre-requisite professional experience needed to study this programme?
41	Please Select Y/N:		No		if Yes, provide details
42	N/A
43	4. Programme Leader
44	4.a. Please name the programme leader for the year to which the programme design applies and any key members of staff responsible for designing, maintaining and overseeing the programme.
45	Nigel Lowe
46	4.b. How are wider stakeholders such as professional bodies and employers involved in the design of the programme and in ongoing reflection on its effectiveness?
47	The programme is monitored through initial accreditation and re-accreditation on a 5-year cycle through the Royal Society of Chemistry. Employer overview is achieved through the Department's External Advisory Group comprising academic and sector employer representatives. Advice from External Examiners has been solicited during preparation for approval.
48	5. Purpose and learning outcomes of the programme
49	5.a. Statement of purpose for applicants to the programme
50	Our degree is constructed to train the next generation of chemists, taking students deep into the subject and up to the forefront of cutting-edge chemical research. We focus on showing applications of fundamental chemistry, and providing practical training in a state-of-the-art facility. We undertake to develop the full range of skills in a chemistry context, from communication and team-working to scientific literacy and problem solving, so students will be ideally prepared for a PhD position, research in industry, a career in teaching, or other high-quality graduate-level work, as reflected in our strong final destination statistics. The course is delivered with a strong focus on small group teaching and choice between bachelors and masters programmes with specialisation into three 'Chemistry with' courses in addition to ‘Chemistry’. 'Chemistry with' courses follow a distinct pathway through our specialised (rather than core) modules; all these are optional modules on the generic Chemistry courses and the flexibility students have to switch between named and generic courses (up to the end of Year 2, and provisional on achieving the 55% threshold required to access Year 3 MChem) means that any student can choose any specialised module provided they concomitantly change course. ‘Chemistry, Green Principles and Sustainable Technology’ describes a 4-year course with defined specialised topics in Year 2 (20 credits), Year 3 (20 credits) and Year 4 (20 credits) and a fourth year spent using York's modern research facilities, at one of our partner overseas universities, or on industrial placement in one of the UK's largest chemistry placement schemes pursuing a research project related to biological or medicinal chemistry. As the 4-year MChem takes students to the research frontier of modern, interdisciplinary chemistry, it is the natural choice for academic and commercial careers in the subject; the 3-year BSc, with its more even balance of chemistry-specific content and general skills training, is the natural choice to launch careers in a wide range of graduate professions.
51	5.b.Programme Learning OutcomesPlease provide six to eight statements of what a graduate of the programme can be expected to do. Taken together, these outcomes should capture the distinctive features of the programme. They should also be outcomes for which progressive achievement through the course of the programme can be articulated, and which will therefore be reflected in the design of the whole programme.
52	PLO	On successful completion of the programme, graduates will be able to:
53	1	demonstrate learning and problem solving skills through the acquisition and application of a broad range of fundamental and advanced chemical principles and knowledge.
54	2	apply fundamental and advanced chemical principles and knowledge to the in-depth study of chemical science specialisms, relating to green chemistry principles and sustainable technology, and the solution of problems at the forefront of the subject.
55	3	design and safely conduct chemical experiments through an effective risk assessment. Accurately document and record experiments to enable the effective synthesis of complex chemical compounds and advanced analysis of physical measurements, of both a quantitative and qualitative nature.
56	4	interpret experimental data by using mathematical skills, advanced chemical knowledge, information technology and scientific conventions.
57	5	effectively articulate scientific principles, experimental results and research findings in a way that is accessible to a variety of audiences through written, oral and other formats.
58	6	independently plan, design and conduct an extended, open-ended investigative research project to extend knowledge and understanding at the forefront of the chemical sciences in an area related to green chemistry principles and sustainable technology.
59	7	demonstrate employability skills such as teamworking, commercial awareness, self-management and creativity and be equipped to work in a professional manner in their future careers consistent with the expectations of a research chemist in academic, governmental or commercial positions.
60	8
61	5.c. Programme Learning Outcome for year in industry (where applicable)For programmes which lead to the title ‘with a Year in Industry’ – typically involving an additional year – please provide either a) amended versions of some (at least one, but not necessarily all) of the standard PLOs listed above, showing how these are changed and enhanced by the additional year in industry b) an additional PLO, if and only if it is not possible to capture a key ability developed by the year in industry by alteration of the standard PLOs. (See also section 10)
62	For the Year in Industry PLO 6 is modified to independently plan, design and conduct an extended, open-ended investigative research project in an industrial environment to extend knowledge and understanding at the forefront of the chemical sciences in an area related to green chemistry principles and sustainable technology.
63	5.d. Programme Learning Outcome for year abroad programmes (where applicable)For programmes which lead to the title ‘with a Year Abroad’ – typically involving an additional year – please provide either a) amended versions of some (at least one, but not necessarily all) of the standard PLOs listed above, showing how these are changed and enhanced by the additional year abroad or b) an additional PLO, if and only if it is not possible to capture a key ability developed by the year abroad by alteration of the standard PLOs. (See also section 11)
64	For the Year Abroad PLO 6 is modified to independently plan, design and conduct an extended, open-ended investigative research project at an overseas university to extend knowledge and understanding at the forefront of the chemical sciences in an area related to green chemistry principles and sustainable technology.
65	5.e. Explanation of the choice of Programme Learning OutcomesPlease explain your rationale for choosing these PLOs in a statement that can be used for students (such as in a student handbook). Please include brief reference to:
66	i) Why the PLOs are considered ambitious or stretching?
67	The PLOs describe a journey from consolidating basic chemical principles at the start of the course through to contributing to cutting-edge research in core and interdisciplinary chemistry at the end. The range of formative learning experiences in lecture, laboratory, workshop and tutorial, allied to independent work in individual and group settings, provide a structured training to meet the aspiration of the PLOs. The summative assessment points, including formal examinations, assessed presentations and extended research projects, allow the achievement of the knowledge, skills and attributes of the PLOs to be demonstrated.
68	ii) The ways in which these outcomes are distinctive or particularly advantageous to the student:
69	The outcomes are advantageous as they ensure that the research-led teaching of chemical science is integrated with the development of laboratory, problem solving and employability skills. This will ensure that the York Chemist has all the technical and employability skills needed in his/her future career regardless of whether this career lies inside or outside the chemical sciences. The PLOs remind students that the course provides an education through chemistry as well as an education in chemistry. The year 4 experience in particular (PLO6) makes the MChem ideal preparation for those thinking of careers in chemistry whether in industry or further study in academia.
70	iii) How the programme learning outcomes develop students’ digital literacy and use technology-enhanced learning to achieve the discipline and pedagogic goals which support active student learning through peer/tutor interaction, collaboration and formative (self) assessment opportunities (reference could be made to such as blogging, flipped classrooms, response 'clickers' in lectures, simulations, etc).
71	Chemistry students develop effective communication and related skills through regular application of digital literacy skills. In Year 1, students will give an oral presentation and prepare a team poster on a practical project involving presentation software and specialist molecular drawing packages including the use of molecular graphics with the Protein Data Bank (PDB). They also carry out a public communication of science exercise, producing a popular science article or YouTube video aimed at explaining an application of polymer science. Some student videos have had thousands of views globally and been highlighted by international chemistry magazines. In Year 2, communication skills are enhanced by the smartphone video recording and sharing of group presentations and feedback thereon. Students will use specialist software and databases used to visualise proteins and to calculate properties of small molecules. Year 3 focuses on scientific literacy, and develops the ability to write scientific reports with effective use of search tools and databases to access reserach literature culminating in the BSc project report. Computational approaches continue to include applications of quantum chemistry. Data manipulation and analysis in laboratory work frequently involve the use of scientific software, with appropriate training. The Department makes near comprehensive use of lecture recording, and all modules are supported by material on the VLE including screencasts, external links and quizzes, with pockets of use of 'flipping' and 'clicker' technology. The VLE is exploited variously for online workflow management including submission of summative assessments.
72	iv) How the PLOs support and enhance the students’ employability (for example, opportunities for students to apply their learning in a real world setting)? The programme's employability objectives should be informed by the University's Employability Strategy:
73	http://www.york.ac.uk/about/departments/support-and-admin/careers/staff/
74	At the start of Year 1, students take part in ‘Becoming a Professional Chemist’ where they discuss the wider issues andresponsibilities of scientists in modern society, and they work together in pairs to research and present 'hot topics' in chemistry research through short presentations. In Year 1, they also carry out Integrated Chemistry Team Practical Projects in which the contents of a ‘typical’ night out are analysed – junk food, alcohol and a ‘morning-after’ coffee, to determine levels of fat, protein, alcohol, sugar and caffeine. This develops research, time-management and team-working skills. In Year 2, these ideas of team-working are developed much further in the ‘Group Exercises’, in which they work in smaller teams in a mock industrial company to solve a real-world chemistry problem. The suite of exercises covers various aspects of the chemical and related industries, the development of which was supported by the industries themselves. Having to organise meetings, keep minutes and consider financial implications also helps develop business skills. The Year 3 BSc research projects introduce the planning of open-ended research – only by collaborating effectively as a group, or an individual, within a research group can students achieve an optimal understanding of the complex topic they are studying – exactly as in modern interdisciplinary research. Chemistry at York is an Athena Swan Gold department, and we foster an inclusive atmosphere, particularly through our team-working exercises, in which students will be encouraged to recognise the contributions of all the diverse members of their team.
75	v) Consultation with Careers The programme proposal should be discussed with Careers (tom.banham@york.ac.uk, ext. 2686) Please provide details of Careers' comments and your response.
76	The Department has a dedicated Careers Liaison Officer who works closely with the Industrial Placement Coordinator to circulate information and opportunities to students and to deliver training through CV Writing and Interview Skill workshops. These are delivered in collaboration with staff from Careers. The new course will retain the current links to, and involvement of, Careers from the current course. For this reason, we have not consulted directly with the Careers service during the planning of the new course.
77	vi) How will students who need additional support for academic and transferable skills be identified and supported by the Department?
78	The Department has two principal mechanisms for identifying students who require additional support. Firstly, any student whose assessment results are either poor or failing are identified by the appropriate examinations officers and then written to by the Chair of the Board of Studies and counselled by their supervisors. If deemed necessary, these students will meet with the Director of Teaching & Learning/Chair Board of Studies and their supervisors to agree a personal learning plan. Secondly, the need for individual support is identified through our college teaching system where progress is monitored weekly. Student supervisors review progress at the end of term meetings and any actions identified. All new students are assigned a mentor who is studying in a higher year in the same chemistry college as them. These mentors can provide advice on a range of social issues, such as preparing for arrival at university, settling into York or finding good student houses in the second year, as well as on academic issues such as option module choices. Furthermore, there are centrally-timetabled revision classes, run by the mentors, to provide academic peer-to-peer support to the benefit of mentees and mentors. This scheme demonstrates how our chemistry college system helps to break down barriers and enables students to make personal connections across a large chemistry department.
79	vii) How is teaching informed and led by research in the department/ centre/ University?
80	The Department of Chemistry has a research-led teaching philosophy. Although most of the core material in Years 1 and 2 is common in UK Chemistry Departments, in Year 3 material aligns with the research specialisms in the Departments. Furthermore, the option module structure has been specifically designed to reflect the research expertise in the Department with courses on environmental, sustainable, analytical and biological/medicinal chemistry as well as options on mechanistic chemistry and advanced spectroscopy.
81	5.f. Stage-level progressionPlease complete the table below, to summarise students’ progressive development towards the achievement of PLOs, in terms of the characteristics that you expect students to demonstrate at the end of each year. This summary may be particularly helpful to students and the programme team where there is a high proportion of option modules. Note: it is not expected that a position statement is written for each PLO, but this can be done if preferred (please add information in the 'individual statement' boxes). For a statement that applies across all PLOs in the stage fill in the 'Global statement' box.
82	Stage 0 (if your programme has a Foundation year, use the toggles to the left to show the hidden rows)
86	Stage 1
87	On progression from the first year (Stage 1), students will be able to:									demonstrate an understanding of core chemical principles that will underpin studies at subsequent stages (PLO1). By working through guided activities in our laboratories, students will also have acquired key laboratory skills for the synthesis and analysis of chemical compounds (PLO3) and had experience of acquiring, recording, processing and analysing physical data (PLO4). Students will also have developed the key quantitative, mathematical and IT skills needed for further study (PLO4) through 'Skills for Chemists' and self-directed, independent learning including, for example, the use of Excel in linear regression analysis. Students will begin to acquire invesitgative (PLO6) and communication (PLO5) skills through the ICP lab-based activity, and communication skills in a range of media developed in the 'Macromolecules' self-study package. Personal skills (PLO7) are developed through small-group teaching environments, through group work in laboratories and 'Becoming a Professional Chemist' presentations.
88	PLO 1		PLO 2				PLO 3		PLO 4		PLO 5		PLO 6			PLO 7				PLO 8
89	Individual statements
90	Stage 2
91	On progression from the second year (Stage 2), students will be able to:									demonstrate an understanding of chemical principles at an intermediate level and how they may be applied to solve unseen, complex problems that begin to challenge basic theories (PLO1). Through the teaching of 20 credits of option modules, they will gain a more detailed knowledge of aspects of chemical science specialisms with the added complexity of interdisciplinarity (PLO2). The Advanced Synthesis laboratory course will develop techniques necessary to handle sensitive and potentially hazardous materials in a controlled manner (PLO3) whilst physical chemistry practical work brings a deeper consideration of data acquisition and analysis involving the use of software in processing (including the use of Excel in non-linear regression analysis) and presentation (PLO4, PLO5) and simulation of experiments to inform experimental design in Hammett Lab (PLO6). Awareness and practice of employability skills with a view to developing future career paths (PLO7) continue to be developed through tutorial and workshop teaching and by collaboration in laboratory work. Intermediate levels of written and oral communication (PLO5) and teamworking skills (PLO7) are developed through the Year 2 Group Exercises and the focus on employability (PLO7) sharpened through Interview Skills and CV Writing workshops.
92	PLO 1		PLO 2				PLO 3		PLO 4		PLO 5		PLO 6			PLO 7				PLO 8
93	Individual statements
94	Stage 3
95	(For Integrated Masters) On progression from the third year (Stage 3), students will be able to:									demonstrate an understanding of complex chemical principles, recent developments and applications in the field from a research-led perspective (PLO1). Through the study of a further 40 credits of option modules, students will advance their knowledge of science specialisms (PLO2) engaging with the forefront through research literature and problem solving. Students will learn advanced laboratory techniques including inert atmosphere manipulations and handling catalytic reactions, and analyse reactions through the application of spectroscopy during the Advanced Practicals (PLO3). They will have performed investigative research projects involving the design and implementation of novel experiments which require direct engagement with the primary chemistry literature (PLO6) and advanced analysis of data (PLO4) from a wide range of instrumental analytical techniques during the Miniprojects. Presentation (written, oral and poster) skills (PLO5) will have been enhanced through the reporting of Advanced Practicals and Miniprojects, and engagement with experimental design and the interpretation of research literature further developed (PLO6). Collaborative skills and interpersonal communication skills continue to be developed through tutorial/workshop teaching and especially through the group Miniproject investigative project work (PLO7). Additionally, at graduation, MChem students will demonstrate an understanding of complex chemical principles, recent developments and applications in the field from a research-led perspective through studying advanced and synoptic elements of chemistry through Open Learning (PLO1,2) engaging with the forefront through research literature and problem solving. Students will learn advanced laboratory and research techniques (PLO3) through MChem research projects involving the design and implementation of novel experiments which require direct engagement with the primary chemistry literature (PLO6) and potentially advanced analysis of data (PLO4) from a wide range of instrumental analytical techniques. Presentation (written, oral) skills (PLO5) will have been enhanced through the reporting of MChem projects, and engagement with experimental design and the interpretation of research literature further developed (PLO6). Collaborative skills and interpersonal communication skills continue to be developed through MChem project work within research groups, with the possibility that this is conducted in industry (Yr Ind) or at an overseas university (Yr Abr) (PLO7).
96	PLO 1		PLO 2				PLO 3		PLO 4		PLO 5		PLO 6			PLO 7				PLO 8
97	Individual statements
98	5.g. Other features of the programme
99	i) Distance Learning Does the programme involve distance learning:
100	Please Select Y/N:		No		if Yes, you are required to submit to Teaching Committee:
101	Please Select Y/N:		No		Checklist for Distance Learning Programmes
102	ii) Involvement of partner organisations Are any partner organisations involved in the delivery of the programme?
103	Please Select Y/N:		No		if Yes, outline the nature of their involvement (such as contributions to teaching, placement provision). Where appropriate, see also the: