Student Handbooks

The University aims to ensure that all students receive up to date, correct information in an accessible manner. For this reason Student Handbooks are now offered mainly on-line via Blackboard (printed copies are made available on request). There is usually a Handbook for each Programme or sometimes similar programmes are grouped within one Handbook.

Student Handbooks include information from central departments: Library Services, IT, Student and Academic Services and others, which is circulated and approved before being released to the Schools every year. These standard inserts must be included in all Student Handbooks and tailored where necessary to the mode of delivery. Some information may, for example, be inappropriate to distance learning students.

Within each School there is a variety of practice as to who has general oversight of the Student Handbook content and who finally approves it as ready for release. Each School, however, will have an identified lead reviewer for each Student Handbook they produce. It is expected that this lead will be an academic member of staff with responsibility for the area, for example the Programme Director or an Associate Dean. The lead reviewer has to confirm that the Handbook is ready for release. This can be via email to the co-ordinator of the Handbook so that there is an audit trail that approval has been given.

The Programme Director (or appropriate nominee) is likely to co-ordinate the Handbook. For a template of the minimum information expected to be included in the Handbook see Aston’s guidance document. There will be programme specific information that should be included such as fitness to practice, details of external teaching and any relevant professional codes of conduct.