To manage the approval process, the University has implemented an Online Approval Tool for editing or creating new units and programmes. The Tool has now replaced the previous paper based approval process and is the primary way to manage your unit and programme information. It is essential to ensure that the information stored in the approval database is kept up-to-date as is used to inform many other systems, including SITS, Syllabus+, Hobsons and the new online unit registration system.
Since the launch of the Tool, changes have been made to the approval process itself. You will therefore need to familiarise yourself with the revised definitions of ‘major’ and ‘minor’ changes to units and programmes. For further information on the approval process please see our Programme and Unit Approval Guidance pages.
IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ! The ESU request that your unit specifications for ALL existing approved units are sent to us for updating in the Online Approval Tool. This is so we can update the central electronic records for use in the Tool and so that the full set of unit information can be displayed in the Unit Catalogue. All unit information must be supplied as soon as possible (we have extended the deadline to 23rd April 2012 as only 50% of unit information has been received) – any unit information that requires updating after this date will have to be submitted for approval. Please send your unit specifications to C.Lee@bris.ac.uk. If you have any questions about what format to send this information in, please email approval-help@bristol.ac.uk
Please click on one of the following links for further information on the Online Approval Tool:
Before using the Online Approval Tool, please read the guidance on approval and ensure that you have gathered all of the relevant information required for your proposal.
Please login using your normal UoB username and password to the Online Approval Tool at: https://www.bris.ac.uk/esu/approvalprocess
Before using the Tool we recommend that you read and follow the guidance notes below which provide a step by step guide:
| Unit Updating [PDF 507KB] | Programme Updating [PDF 584KB] | Committee Processes & Approval Workflow [PDF 784KB] |
| Setting Up a New Unit [PDF 400KB] | Setting up a new programme [PDF 381KB] | Authorising Proposals [PDF 348KB] |
| Withdrawing a unit [PDF 434KB] | Withdrawing a programme [PDF 563KB] | SITS Coding Structures (new webpage) |
Once your proposal has been approved via the Online Approval Tool, the new unit and programme information will be pulled across into SITS and the Catalogues automatically and you should be able to see your changes after one working day.
Demonstrations of the Online Approval Tool have now happened for all Faculties and we have now completed a series of training sessions for committee secretaries.
If further training is required we can offer more focused School level demonstrations and training, please email approval-help@bris.ac.uk to arrange this.
Since 2009 it has been mandatory for all new units to be ‘costed’ as part of the approval process. The Online Approval Tool links to the costing tool and it will therefore be mandatory for a unit costing ID to be entered into the Tool when creating a new unit.
To create a unit costing, please use the Online Unit Costing Tool
For help with carrying out a unit costing please email costing-teaching@bristol.ac.uk.
Please see our page of Frequently Asked Questions.