1. May 2013
KEY INFORMATION SETS
THE BASICS

2. Overview

3. OVERVIEW Key Information Sets Information fields
External data
Institutional data: University level
Institutional data: course level
Links and error checklist
Further information: KIS webpage on QA/E website on staffcentral

4. Key Information Sets

5. WHAT THEY ARE Comparable sets of information
Identified as useful by prospective students
All UG courses have a course level KIS
Exceptions:
Short courses (one year FTE equivalent or less)
PG courses
Closed courses
Courses delivered wholly overseas
Information drawn from external and institutional sources

6. KIS DISPLAY Published externally on Unistats
Allows comparisons
Can search by information fields
Displays on course finder pages as a widget
Rolling fields of information
Links to full list of information on Unistats
Course can be viewed in context
Course finder pages also display the course programme specification

7. Programme specification for current cohort (drawn from staffcentral)
Widget

8. Information fields in KIS

9. INFORMATION ITEMS 6 information tabs on Unistats page Overview
Employment and accreditation
Student satisfaction
Cost and accommodation
Study information
Entry information

11. SOURCES OF INFORMATION
University/ HE Institution
Institution level information
Course level information
External
NSS
DLHE
UCAS
HESA

12. INFORMATION FIELDS Information Source Level For KIS 2014, relates to
EMPLOYMENT AND ACCREDITATION INFORMATION
Graduate destinations
DLHE
Course level
DLHE and longitudinal results
PSRBs
UoB
Planned for
STUDENT SATISFACTION
Student satisfaction
NSS
NSS 2013
COSTS AND ACCOMMODATION
Accommodation
Institutional level
Financial support
Fees (UK domiciled)
STUDY INFORMATION
LTA (learning/ teaching activities and assessment methods)
Typical module pathway
Class of degree/ continuation
HESA
ENTRY INFORMATION
Entry qualifications/ UCAS tariff scores

13. INFORMATION SOURCE AND YEAR
KIS
LTA
NSS
DHLE
NEW COURSE INTRODUCED IN SEP 2013
KIS 2013 entry
Course stage estimates
Sector/ subject aggregate
KIS 2014 entry
KIS 2015 entry
Typical pathway course stage 1
Estimates for course stages 2 and 3
KIS 2016 entry
Typical pathway course stages 1 and 2
Estimates for course stages 3
Actual
KIS 2017 entry
Typical pathway course stages 1, 2 and 3

14. External data

15. EXTERNAL DATA FIELDS DLHE – employment information
NSS – student satisfaction
HESA – study information
Class of degree (qualification obtained)
Continuation (retention)
HESA – entry information
Entry qualifications
UCAS tariff score
Publication thresholds

16. EXTERNAL DATA: PUBLICATION THRESHOLDS
NSS and DLHE data at course level are only published when they reach certain thresholds
NSS: 50% of population and at least 23 students
Where numbers are too small, Unistats will show data for
More than one year of the course
Subject level data drawn from several courses
Similar courses across the UK (DLHE)

17. Institutional data

18. INSTITUTION LEVEL INFORMATION
Fees
Financial support
Accommodation costs

19. COURSE LEVEL INFORMATION
Accreditation
Study information
learning/ teaching and assessment information (LTA)
LT: how the course is taught measured as time spent in learning/ teaching activities
A: assessment methods measured as a percentage of total assessment

20. COURSE LEVEL INFO: ACCREDITATION
Includes professional, statutory and regulatory bodies’ (PSRBs) recognition and endorsement of courses
Drawn from a HESA list of recognised accrediting bodies
Can request that PSRBs be added to list
Link to PSRB website which outlines terms of accreditation

22. COURSE LEVEL INFO: LTA Presented by year of study (course stage)
Reflects aggregate LTA of module choices of students enrolled in a previous year (typical pathway)
Prescribed LTA categories
Learning/ teaching categories:
scheduled timetabled activities (e.g. lectures, field trips)
independent but guided study (e.g. reading, exam preparation)
placement learning
Assessment categories:
written (written exams)
coursework (written assignments e.g. essay, dissertation, portfolio, report, project etc.)
practical (presentations and practical skills assessments)

23. COURSE LEVEL INFO: LTA (2)
Assessment methods
Learning/ teaching activities
KIS category
Assessment method
Written
Written exam
Coursework
Written assignment/ essay
Report
Dissertation
Portfolio
Project output
Practical
Oral assessment/ presentation
Practical skills assessment
KIS category
Activity type
Scheduled
Lecture
Seminar
Tutorial
Project supervision
Demonstration
Practical class/ workshop
Supervised time in studio/ workshop
Fieldwork
External visits
Independent
Guided independent study
Placement
Work-based learning
Year abroad
Subject to amendment and revision by HESA.
Correct as of 2013 for KIS 2014 entry.

24. Learning/ teaching
Assessment

25. COURSE LEVEL INFO: LTA (3)
Based on the typical student pathway
Typical pathway = most popular module diet (based on enrolled students’ module selections in a previous year)
Calculated using an algorithm which
aggregates module LTA data at each course stage/ year of study
is credit-weighted
May include modules taken on other courses/ in other schools
Drawn from CAMS module records
Typical pathway for new/ periodically reviewed courses is estimated at course stage level

26. COURSE LEVEL INFO: LTA (4)
e.g. of calculation of typical pathway from module records for year 1
120 credits at course stage 1 (year 1)
20 credits
12 students √
XX101
20 credits
12 students √
XX102
10 credits
7 students √
XX103
10 credits
9 students
XX104 √
40 credits
12 students √
XX105
Note inclusion of optional module from different school
20 credits
5 students x
XX106
20 credits
8 students √
YY110

28. COURSE LEVEL INFO: LTA (5)
Reflects students’ module choices from a previous year
Selection of module year is automatic
Module maintenance in CAMS without reference to effects on KIS
KIS 2014 entry
KIS 2015 entry
KIS 2016 entry
KIS 2017 entry
Submission
August 2013
August 2014
August 2015
August 2016
KIS cycle
Typical pathway module data
2012
2013
2014
2015

29. Learning/ teaching activities in hours
2012 module record used in typical pathway for KIS 2014 entry (i.e. August 2013 submission)
Learning/ teaching activities in hours
Assessment methods (%)

30. Links and error checklist

31. USEFUL WEBSITES Comparisons of HE course data (Unistats)
University guidelines (staffcentral)
Guidance on KIS policy and process (HEFCE)
Guidance on compiling KIS data sets (HESA)

32. ERROR CHECKLIST PROBLEM SOLUTION The NSS/ DLHE data looks wrong.
Consult guidance on KIS webpage on staffcentral for info on external data publication.
The typical pathway is not what I expected.
Review module learning/ teaching and assessment data.
Review modules included in typical pathway.
The LTA does not reflect what students will experience on the course this year.
LTA reflects the learning/ teaching and assessment experiences of past students. If the course has been periodically reviewed, submit ASC02 to Registry
The LTA does not reflect the course structure.
LTA reflects past students’ module choices rather than the formal structure of the course.
My course has no exams. Why doesn’t it show 100% coursework?
There are two categories for non-exam assessment (written coursework and practical assessments).
What about zero credit assessment tasks?
A statement below the Assessment graph informs students there are additional assessments they must pass. Submit KIS course information amendments form to Registry if your course includes non credit-bearing assessments.