Marketresearch Document

							Quality Handbook
Guidance on Completing the SAA form
Technical advice about completing the form
The SAA Form is a Word document with special form features, shown as grey boxes on screen. You
can only add information into the grey boxes as the rest of the form is locked – but they do expand
as you type. For example the first box at the top of the form says:

Proposal from the School of
You should position your mouse cursor in the box and type the name of your School.

There are also check-boxes which you can click to select or deselect, and drop down menus which
allow you to make a choice (usually YES or NO).

When you have finished you may wish to deselect the Form Field Shading button on Word’s Forms
toolbar so that the grey boxes do not print.

If you find that the check-boxes or drop-down lists do not work, you will need to select the Protect
Form button on the Forms toolbar.

Section 1: General information about the programme:
    Programme title – this is a text field, please insert full programme title
    Proposed level and qualification – this a text field, please state level first followed by
     qualification, eg: PGT - MA in ……..
    Intermediate exit awards – for example in BA Fine Art - There are three exit awards available.
     Each level of study is worth a total of 120 CATS Credits (60 ECTS). To be eligible to receive
     these awards the following number of credits is required:
    Certificate of Higher Education (Level 1) 120 CATS (60 ECTS)
    Diploma of Higher education (Level 2) 240 CATS (120 ECTS)
    BA (Hons) Degree (Level 3) 360 CATS (180 ECTS)
    Length of Programme – the proposed number of years should be stated here
    Programme mode – full time; part time; or full and part time: please ‘click’ in the appropriate
     box to select the correct mode
    Mode of delivery – block; day-time; evening; other: please ‘click’ in the appropriate box to
     select the correct mode of delivery. If ‘other’, please provide details in the text box provided.
    Sections (g) to (n) offer a drop down box at each question: please select either YES or NO. If
     the answer to any of these questions is YES, please provide further details at (o). Questions (i),
     (j) and (k) should only be answered if (h) is YES.
    Funding source for programme – NHS; HEFCE; TDA; Other: please ‘click’ in the appropriate box
     to select the appropriate funding source for the programme. If ‘other’, please provide details
     in the text box provided.
    Tuition fee levels – please insert the expected fee, refer to the following links for details of
     undergraduate or postgraduate fees at the University:
    http://www.soton.ac.uk/study/feesandfunding/undergradfeesscholar.html
    http://www.soton.ac.uk/postgraduate/feesandfunding/postgradfees.html
    Entry requirements – please ‘click’ in the appropriate box: A levels; 1st Degree, Other, and
     alongside each one, state the level and then the subject required.
    Potential for external accreditation/professional recognition – this is a text field, please
     provide details
    If this programme is a replacement for an existing programme (t) detail the reasons for this
     programme replacement (q).
    Anticipated primary sources of funding for students – NHS Bursary; Research Council
     Studentship; Self-funding; Other: please ‘click’ in the appropriate box. If other, please specify
     source in the text box provided.
    Proposed start date for first cohort – please specify the date of commencement.




University of Southampton                      1               Guidance on Completing the SAA form
Quality Handbook
     Section (x) refers to the considerations you’ve made to ensure the subject is available, to all
      students, whatever their circumstance. Please provide details of the actions and discussions
      under taken.

Section 2: Programme details

     Section (a) requires the number of student intake split by Home/EU and International, together
      which the minimum initial intake and the regular intake expected.
     Brief description of the programme – this is a text field, please include a brief summary of the
      proposed programme.
     Section (c) refers to the rationale for the development of the programme and how this fits
      within the School’s Strategic Plan and shape of the School’s education provision. Please refer
      to relevant documents (eg Strategic Plan) when completing this section.

Section 3: Market research and marketing
Section (a) to (g) relate to market research and marketing. These are text fields for comments.
With any new programme, there are a number of questions to consider which will determine the
approach that you might take these include.

1.   What competitor programmes are running currently?
2.   How successful are competitor programmes in recruiting students?
3.   What is the size of the market?
4.   Who are the market leaders?
5.   Is the market in growth?
6.   Who are our key competitors?
7.   Which International markets should we target?
8.   How will students react to the new programme?

Advice on how to answer these questions can be found at
http://www.planning.soton.ac.uk/web/marketresearch/newprograms/index.shtml.

If you need further advice or support with Market Research please contact Michelle Wilson on
extension 28749.

Section 4: Resources
     Section (a) asks for costs to be allocated to: Staff time; Space; Marketing; Other. Please insert
      the cost in the appropriate space.
     Section (b), (c), (d) and (e) relate to any other Schools involved in the delivery of the
      Programme. Please select either YES or NO from the drop down list/enter the name of the
      School and details of agreement if relevant.
     Section (f) and (g) refers to additional staff, please select the correct option from the drop
      down list.
     Section (h) relates to additional learning resources such as ISS and the Library, please state
      which resources are likely to be required in the text box provided.
     If there are any implications for the learning environment in the development of the proposed
      programme, such as availability of lecture theatres, please include details in section (i). In
      addition, if there are likely to be particular timetabling requirements, these should be detailed
      in section (j).
     Section (k) asks whether the programme will include placements. Please select YES or NO from
      the drop down list. If placements will not be included, please move to section 5, otherwise
      please provide further details in sections (l) to (n).

Section 5: Further information
Please provide as much information that you can to support the new programme.

Section 6: Contact details
Please ensure that you provide accurate contact details and that it is signed by the Head of School
or nominee.




University of Southampton                        2               Guidance on Completing the SAA form
Quality Handbook
Revision History
1.   AQSC April 25th 2007
2.   Revised for new website August 2007
3.   New Brand added July 2008


Keywords
Strategic Approval
New award
policy




University of Southampton                  3   Guidance on Completing the SAA form
Quality Handbook