Mandatory face-to-face teaching: Minimum 1 hour per week

Optional: Access to campus outside of scheduled teaching will be permitted but will need to be managed to help keep our campuses COVID secure. Controlling the occupation densities on campus, and maintaining social distancing measures, is critical to minimising the risk of spreading the virus. You will be able to access most campus facilities each week and it is important that you follow the local rules, including any cohort specific allocation systems that may be in place.  For further information, please visit https://www.rvc.ac.uk/about/coronavirus/community-safety/campus-services 

The RVC will continue to provide a blended learning approach to teaching, learning and assessment for Term 3 in 2020-21 (as described below for Term 1).

All Term 3 assessments will be conducted remotely and online. Details of your examinations are available on the exams timetable.

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: 2 hours (NB: some sessions will be held at the Hawkshead campus)

Optional: Access to campus outside of scheduled teaching will be permitted but will need to be managed to help keep our campuses COVID secure. Controlling the occupation densities on campus, and maintaining social distancing measures, is critical to minimising the risk of spreading the virus. You will be able to access most campus facilities each week and it is important that you follow the local rules, including any cohort specific allocation systems that may be in place.  For further information, please visit https://www.rvc.ac.uk/about/coronavirus/community-safety/campus-services

The RVC will continue to provide a blended learning approach to teaching, learning and assessment for Term 2 in 2020-21 (see below).

All teaching will be online for the first two weeks of Term 2 to facilitate student self-isolation where required.

In Term 2 you will have some In-Course assessments. These include:
• Formative written examination (online)
• Formative ISF oral examination (likely to be online)
• Summative written examination (online and proctored)

Details of your examinations are available on the exams timetable. For all assessments we will continue to take account of COVID-19 restrictions in place nearer the time (see below).

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: 2 hours per week

Optional: 6 hours on-campus experience and tutoring support

NB: These onsite hours may increase should COVID-19 restrictions permit.

The RVC is adopting blended learning as an approach to teaching learning and assessment for 2020-21. The RVC approach to blended learning provides you with a variety of ways to interact with your tutors and classmates that allows for a flexible and safe student experience. Your learning experience will be a combination of: synchronous (live) and asynchronous online learning activities; small and large group teaching; a blend of flexible self-paced study and collaborative learning; and a blend of on-campus practical teaching and online learning experiences. This will include:

• Newly recorded lectures to listen to in your own time
• Live streamed events of various kinds including: Q and A discussions, collaborative activities and some lectures
• Collaborative online group interactions such as directed learning sessions and tutorials
• Self-paced independent study including interactive learning activities; forums; blogs, wikis and quizzes for you to do in your own time.
• Onsite practical sessions and some tutorials
• A variety of digital materials to enhance your learning including eBooks and learning interactions
• Your instructor will post the sequence of the weekly activities that you need to engage with and related learning materials prior to the start of each week. Check the Announcement area for your course page on LEARN (the RVC virtual learning environment for your course to which you will have access once you are enrolled) on a regular basis to find out what you need to do for that week so you can plan your study schedule in advance.

In the autumn term you will be assessed via formative and summative exams as well as an essay assignment. A “formative” assessment is an assessment that will help you to understand how well you are doing and help to identify how you could improve your performance in the future. In a “summative” assessment you formally accrue marks towards your progression into the next year of study.

Both the formative and summative exams consist of problem solving questions (PSQ) and multiple choice questions (MCQ). These exams will be delivered online and will be proctored. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones.   The majority of assessments for 2020/21 take place in the spring and summer terms. We will provide you with further detail of these once confirmed.

We will take account of COVID-19 restrictions in place nearer the time which may mean that exams normally taken in an exam hall will be taken as a proctored online exam and practical, in-person exams may be delivered via remote means.   Submission of coursework/assignments is unaffected by COVID-19 restrictions as these are submitted electronically via upload to LEARN

 Blended (off-campus)

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: None

In Term 3 of BVetMed 2, the teaching activities are Integrated Concepts and Communication Skills; there are no practical elements. Both Integrated Concepts and Communication Skills involve group work; these group activities will be delivered online (please see Term 1 update below for further information on the RVC approach to blended learning).

All Term 3 assessments will be conducted remotely and online. Details of your examinations are available on the exams timetable.

Helen Stolp – hstolp@rvc.ac.uk
Stephen Frean – sfrean@rvc.ac.uk

First published: 13th November 2020

Revisions published 13 January 2021 due to changed Government COVID-19 restrictions

Blended (off-campus)

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: Zero

Optional: Zero

As a result of the Government announcements of 4th January 2021 and the need to reduce campus population density, your teaching for Term 2 will be delivered remotely.

The RVC will continue to provide a blended learning approach to teaching, learning and assessment for Term 2 in 2020-21 (see Term 1 information below).

As in Term 1, your instructor will post on LEARN the sequence of the weekly activities that you need to engage with and related learning materials prior to the start of each week. You should check the “Announcement” area for your course page on LEARN on a regular basis to find out what you need to do for that week so you can plan your study schedule in advance.

Additionally, your online timetable viewer will display synchronous/live teaching sessions. These will be confirmed on a rolling 2-week basis throughout Term 2.

Term 2 assessment for this course is unchanged, and involves submission of the RP1 project (Final deadline -  4pm 27th April 2021. Formative feedback will be provided by tutors if draft is submitted by 5pm 19th March 2021).

A formative Integrated Structure and Function (ISF) Oral exam session will be added this year to support students with preparation for the later summative ISF oral exam. This formative ISF may be delivered remotely via MS Teams or Zoom, depending on COVID-19 restrictions in place nearer the time.

Helen Stolp – hstolp@rvc.ac.uk
Stephen Frean – sfrean@rvc.ac.uk

The RVC is adopting blended learning as an approach to teaching, learning and assessment for 2020-21. The RVC approach to blended learning provides you with a variety of ways to interact with your tutors and classmates that allows for a flexible and safe student experience. Your learning experience will be a combination of: synchronous (live) and asynchronous online learning activities; small and large group teaching; a blend of flexible self-paced study and collaborative learning.

This blended learning will include:

• Newly recorded lectures to listen to in your own time.
• Live streamed events of various kinds including: Q & A discussions, collaborative activities and some lectures.
• Collaborative online group interactions such as directed learning sessions and tutorials.
• Self-paced independent study including interactive learning activities, forums, blogs, wikis and quizzes for you to do in your own time.
• From January 2021 (if COVID-19 restrictions  permit), a combination of on-campus practical teaching and online learning as described above
• A variety of digital materials to enhance your learning including eBooks and learning interactions

Your instructor will post the sequence of the weekly activities that you need to engage with as well as the learning materials prior to the start of each week. You should check your course page on LEARN on a regular basis to find out what you need to do for that week so you can plan your study schedule in advance.

PLEASE NOTE THAT 2020/21 ASSESSMENTS ARE SUMMATIVE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTIFIED. A summative assessment is one that helps to determine your progression to the next year/stage of study. If you do not achieve the required threshold marks as outlined in the Assessment and Award Regulations 2020/21 you will not be able to progress to the next year/level of study.

The in course assessment (ICA) exam in December will include a problem solving question (PSQ) as well as multiple choice questions (MCQs). This exam will take place online and will be proctored. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security.  

For Integrated Concepts in Term 3, students will present scientific communications as a small group exercise. We will take account of COVID-19 restrictions in place nearer the time; these may therefore be delivered remotely or in small, appropriately distanced groups. We will provide further information to you once confirmed and prior to the start of Term 3.

Further information re: end-of-year oral examinations will be provided to you once confirmed and prior to the start of Term 3. We will take account of COVID-19 restrictions in place nearer the time; these examinations may therefore be delivered remotely. 

The end-of-year written examinations (MCQs and PSQs) in Term 3 will be proctored online examinations.

There is no change to the Research Project 1 commitment. A minimum mark of 40% has to be achieved for progression to BVetMed3

Stephen Frean -  sfrean@rvc.ac.uk
Helen Stolp - hstolp@rvc.ac.uk

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: : 2 hours

Optional: Access to campus outside of scheduled teaching will be permitted but will need to be managed to help keep our campuses COVID secure. Controlling the occupation densities on campus, and maintaining social distancing measures, is critical to minimising the risk of spreading the virus. You will be able to access most campus facilities each week and it is important that you follow the local rules, including any cohort specific allocation systems that may be in place.  For further information, please visit https://www.rvc.ac.uk/about/coronavirus/community-safety/campus-services 

The RVC will continue to provide a blended learning approach to teaching, learning and assessment for Term 3 in 2020-21. Your learning experience will be a combination of: synchronous (live) and asynchronous online learning activities; small and large group teaching; a blend of flexible self-paced study and collaborative learning; and a blend of on-campus practical teaching and online learning experiences.

All Term 3 assessments will be conducted remotely and online. Details of your examinations are available on the exams timetable.

Helen Stolp – hstolp@rvc.ac.uk

Stephen Frean – sfrean@rvc.ac.uk 

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: Minimum 1 hour per week; some weeks will have additional hours of practical classes notified in advance via the online timetable.

Optional: Access to campus outside of scheduled teaching will be permitted but will need to be managed to help keep our campuses COVID secure. Controlling the occupation densities on campus, and maintaining social distancing measures, is critical to minimising the risk of spreading the virus. You will be able to access most campus facilities each week and it is important that you follow the local rules, including any cohort specific allocation systems that may be in place. Access to campus will be more restricted that you will previously have been used to. It is important to recognise that this will be different to your on-campus experience prior to the pandemic.

Term 2 for the BVetMed 3 course will consist of a modified on-campus experience consisting of face-to-face practicals in combination with online asynchronous delivery of lectures and CALs; and synchronous delivery of DLs and clinical scenarios (see below for further detail re: blended learning).

All teaching will be online for the first two weeks of Term 2 to facilitate student self-isolation where required. Face-to-face practicals will therefore commence on the 22nd January, with individual student sessions notified in advance via the online timetable.

1. Face-to-face animal handling DOPs in spring term. Two opportunities for “first sit” and must pass to progress to 4th year.
2. Professional studies assignment (submitted electronically via LEARN).
3. May - summative exams including MCQ and EMQ papers. The MCQ is primarily based on lecture material and  the EMQ paper is primarily based on DLs and Clinical Scenarios. Both examinations will be online and proctored (see below).

Students who do not meet the required pass thresholds will normally be required to re-sit in September 2020.

Mike Hewetson – mhewetson@rvc.ac.uk

The RVC is adopting blended learning as an approach to teaching, learning and assessment for 2020-21. The RVC approach to blended learning provides you with a variety of ways to interact with your tutors, lecturers and classmates that allows for a flexible and safe student experience. Your learning experience will be a combination of: synchronous (live) and asynchronous online learning activities; small and large group teaching; a blend of flexible self-paced study and collaborative learning; and a blend of online learning experiences. This will include: 

• Newly recorded lectures to listen to in your own time
• Live streamed events of various kinds including:  Q and A’s discussions, collaborative activities and some lectures
• Collaborative online group interactions such as clinical scenarios and tutorials,
• Self-paced independent study including interactive learning activities such as forums and quizzes for you to do in your own time.
• A variety of digital materials to enhance your learning including eBooks and learning interactions
• From January 2021 (if COVID-19 restrictions permit), a combination of on-campus practical teaching and online learning as described above. 

Strand leaders will post the sequence of the weekly activities that you need to engage with and related learning materials prior to the start of each week. Check your course page on LEARN on a regular basis to find out what you need to do for that week so you can plan your study schedule in advance.

PLEASE NOTE THAT 2020/21 ASSESSMENTS ARE SUMMATIVE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTIFIED. A summative assessment is one that helps to determine your progression to the next year/stage of study. If you do not achieve the required threshold marks as outlined in the Assessment and Award Regulations 2020/21 you will not be able to progress to the next year/level of study.

Your examinations in the Summer term will take account of COVID-19 restrictions in place nearer the time which may mean than exams normally taken in an exam hall will be taken as a proctored online exam. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security. We will provide you with further information for these exams once we are able to confirm arrangements.

Practical in-person assessments (e.g. DOPS) will be delivered in small, appropriately distanced groups with suitable PPE.

Submission of coursework/assignments is unaffected by COVID-19 restrictions as these are submitted electronically via upload to LEARN.

Mike Hewetson -  mhewetson@rvc.ac.uk

Mandatory face-to-face teaching/assessment: c40 hours per week whilst on rotations/EMS at either RVC, partner sites or EMS placements. 

The RVC is adopting blended learning is an approach to teaching, learning and assessment for 2020/21. The RVC approach to blended learning provides you with a variety of ways to interact with your tutors, lecturers and classmates that allows for a flexible and safe student experience. Your learning experience mainly comprise experiential clinical teaching with additional combination of: synchronous (live) and asynchronous online learning activities. Further details include:

• A modified timetable for the 2020/21 academic year, with a rotation start date of 26 April 2021 (as notified via individual student rotation schedules) and nominated weeks to complete revised RCVS EMS requirements
• Modified rotation teaching which may include live remote clinical rounds
• Newly recorded seminars to listen to in your own time
• Live streamed events of various kinds including: Q and A discussions, collaborative activities and seminars
• Self-paced independent study including interactive learning activities such as forums and quizzes for you to do in your own time
• A variety of digital materials to enhance your learning including eBooks and learning interactions
• Practical teaching and assessment that will require PPE and social distancing measures to be in place

Information of individual rotations can be found in relevant LEARN pages

There is no change to the continuous assessments for rotations.

Professor Daniel Chan – dchan@rvc.ac.uk

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: During rotations, up to 40 hr per week. Students will not be required to physically attend studies until the start of rotations on 26th April 2021.

Optional: Access to campus outside of scheduled teaching will be permitted but will need to be managed to help keep our campuses COVID secure. Controlling the occupation densities on campus, and maintaining social distancing measures, is critical to minimising the risk of spreading the virus. You will be able to access most campus facilities each week and it is important that you follow the local rules, including any cohort specific allocation systems that may be in place. Access to campus will be more restricted that you will previously have been used to. It is important to recognise that this will be different to your on-campus experience prior to the pandemic.  For further information, please visit https://www.rvc.ac.uk/about/coronavirus/community-safety/campus-services 

The RVC will continue to provide a blended learning approach to teaching, learning and assessment for Term 2 in 2020-21 (see below).

Please note revised rotation start date of 26th April 2021. When on rotation your time onsite (either at RVC or partners) will significantly increase to c.40 hours per week.

The Formative OSCE examination requirement for progression into Rotations has been suspended; an alternative formative experience will be scheduled before the summative OSCE exam during Year 5.

There have been no changes to the assessment of Rotations.

Professor Daniel Chan – dchan@rvc.ac.uk

Mandatory face-to-face teaching/assessment: 1 hour per week

Optional: 7 hours on-campus experience (inc. access to the Clinical Skills Centre) and tutoring support

NB: These onsite hours may increase should COVID-19 restrictions permit.

The RVC is adopting blended learning is an approach to teaching, learning and assessment for 2020/21. The RVC approach to blended learning provides you with a variety of ways to interact with your tutors, lecturers and classmates that allows for a flexible and safe student experience. Your learning experience will be a combination of: synchronous (live) and asynchronous online learning activities; small and large group teaching; a blend of flexible self-paced study and collaborative learning; and a blend of online learning experiences. This will include:

• Newly recorded lectures to listen to in your own time
• Live streamed events of various kinds including:  Q and A discussions, collaborative activities and some lectures
• Collaborative online group interactions such as clinical scenarios and tutorials
• Self-paced independent study including interactive learning activities such as forums and quizzes for you to do in your own time
• A variety of digital materials to enhance your learning including eBooks and learning interactions
• Practical teaching and assessment that will require PPE and social distancing measures to be in place
• A revised rotation start date of 1 May 2020. When on rotation your time onsite (either at RVC or partners) will significantly increase to c.40 hours per week.

Strand leaders will post the sequence of the weekly activities that you need to engage with as well as related learning materials prior to the start of each week. Check your course page on LEARN on a regular basis to find out what you need to do for that week so you can plan your study schedule in advance

PLEASE NOTE THAT 2020/21 ASSESSMENTS ARE SUMMATIVE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTIFIED. A summative assessment is one that helps to determine your progression to the next year/stage of study. If you do not achieve the required threshold marks as outlined in the Assessment and Award Regulations 2020/21 you will not be able to progress to the next year/stage of study.

The Year 4 exam in Term 1 will consist of two papers: 

Paper 1 – 60 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) and 60 Extended Matching Questions (EMQ).

Paper 2 – 6 problem solving questions. This paper will also be administered remotely and you will need to upload your answers in sequence to LEARN via Turnitin within a designated time-scale for each question.

Please note that these papers may be delivered as a proctored online exam. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security.

Formative OSCE examinations will take place in Term 2 and will take account of COVID-19 restrictions in place nearer the time. A “formative” assessment is an assessment that will help you to understand how well you are doing and help to identify how you could improve your performance in the future. We will provide you with further information for these exams once we are able to confirm arrangements.

There is no change to assessment for rotations.

Dan Chan -  dchan@rvc.ac.uk

The RVC is adopting blended learning is an approach to teaching, learning and assessment for 2020/21. The RVC approach to blended learning provides you with a variety of ways to interact with your tutors, lecturers and classmates that allows for a flexible and safe student experience. Your learning experience mainly comprise experiential clinical teaching with additional combination of: synchronous (live) and asynchronous online learning activities. Further details include:

• A modified timetable for the 2020/21 academic year, with a rotation start date of 1 September 2020 (as notified via individual student rotation schedules) and nominated weeks to complete revised RCVS EMS requirements
• Modified rotation teaching which may include live remote clinical rounds
• Newly recorded seminars to listen to in your own time
• Live streamed events of various kinds including: Q and A discussions, collaborative activities and seminars
• Self-paced independent study including interactive learning activities such as forums and quizzes for you to do in your own time
• A variety of digital materials to enhance your learning including eBooks and learning interactions
• Practical teaching and assessment that will require PPE and social distancing measures to be in place

Information of individual rotations can be found in relevant LEARN pages

PLEASE NOTE THAT 2020/21 ASSESSMENTS ARE SUMMATIVE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTIFIED. A summative assessment is one that contributes to your final award classification. If you do not achieve the required threshold marks as outlined in the Assessment and Award Regulations 2020/21 you will not be eligible for award in 2020/21.

Finals Part I:
- Rotations (as per individual rotation schedule)
There is no change to assessment for rotations
The number of required rotations to complete was changed to 22 and no tracking rotation is required
- OSCE examinations (26 April 2021 – 7 May 2021)
These in-person assessments will take account of COVID-19 restrictions in place nearer the time so may be delivered in small, appropriately distanced groups with suitable PPE. We will provide you with further information for these exams once we are able to confirm arrangements.
- eDOPS – to be completed during rotations
These demonstrations of clinical skills will continue to take place during rotations.
- EMS (as per individual rotation schedule)
The number of required EMS weeks (from the completion of Year 4 exam) is reduced to 8 (which in combination with 22 weeks of core rotations, completes the 30 weeks of clinical experience required for graduation). There were no changes to assessment of EMS

Finals Part II – Written Exams (w/c 7 June 2021)

UPDATE 1st February 2021
Further to the information below, we are now able to confirm that all exams relating to the 2020/21 academic year normally taken in an exam hall will be delivered online. As Finals Part II is an assessment of students’ ability to problem-solve rather than resting knowledge acquisition and retention, proctoring software will be used to confirm student identity but will not be running during exam itself. We will provide you with further information for these exams once we are able to confirm arrangements.

First published 13th November 2020
We will take account of COVID-19 restrictions in place nearer the time which may mean that exams normally taken in an exam hall will be taken as a proctored online exam. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security. We will provide you with further information for these exams once we are able to confirm arrangements.

Finals Part III - Research Project 2
Completion of RP2 took place before resumption of rotations. Deadline for submission of RP2 is 7th September 2020. There are no changes to marking criteria for RP2

Dan Chan - dchan@rvc.ac.uk

Jill Maddison - jmaddison@rvc.ac.uk

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: 2 hours

Optional: Access to campus outside of scheduled teaching will be permitted but will need to be managed to help keep our campuses COVID secure. Controlling the occupation densities on campus, and maintaining social distancing measures, is critical to minimising the risk of spreading the virus. You will be able to access most campus facilities each week and it is important that you follow the local rules, including any cohort specific allocation systems that may be in place.

The RVC will continue to provide a blended learning approach to teaching, learning and assessment for Term 3 in 2020-21 (as described below for Term 1).

All Term 3 assessments will be conducted remotely and online. Details of your examinations are available on the exams timetable.

Raymond Macharia - rmacharia@rvc.ac.uk

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: 2 hours

Optional: Access to campus outside of scheduled teaching will be permitted but will need to be managed to help keep our campuses COVID secure. Controlling the occupation densities on campus, and maintaining social distancing measures, is critical to minimising the risk of spreading the virus. You will be able to access most campus facilities each week and it is important that you follow the local rules, including any cohort specific allocation systems that may be in place.

The RVC will continue to provide a blended learning approach to teaching, learning and assessment for Term 2 in 2020-21 (see below).

All teaching will be online for the first two weeks of Term 2 to facilitate student self-isolation where required. Face-to-face practicals will therefore commence the week of 25th January 2021, with individual student sessions notified in advance via the online timetable.

Term 2 assessment for this course is unchanged and involves formative and summative in-course assessment which will be proctored and online. Feedback will be provided online for the formative assessment.

The summative end-of-year examinations will be online and consist of multiple-choice questions (MCQ) and problem-solving papers, and an Oral examination.

The method of delivery of the formative and summative ISF Oral examinations is still to be confirmed – these will be either face-to-face or live online via MS Teams or Zoom.

Raymond Macharia - rmacharia@rvc.ac.uk

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: 3 hours per week dissection practical classes and integrated structure and function (ISF) tutorials

Optional: 6 hours on-campus experience and tutoring support

NB: These onsite hours may increase should COVID-19 restrictions permit

The RVC is adopting blended learning as an approach to teaching, learning and assessment for 2020-21. The RVC approach to blended learning provides you with a variety of ways to interact with your tutors and classmates that allows for a flexible and safe student experience. Your learning experience will be a combination of: synchronous (live) and asynchronous online learning activities; small and large group teaching; a blend of flexible self-paced study and collaborative learning; and a blend of on-campus practical teaching and online learning experiences. This will include:

• Newly recorded lectures to listen to in your own time
• Live streamed events of various kinds including: Question and Answer discussion sessions, collaborative activities and some lectures
• Collaborative online group interactions such as directed learning sessions and tutorials
• Self-paced independent study including interactive learning activities; forums; blogs, wikis and quizzes for you to do in your own time
• Onsite small-group/practical sessions and some integrated structure and Function (ISF) tutorials.
• A variety of online digital materials to enhance your learning including eBooks and learning interactions.

Your instructor will post on LEARN (the RVC virtual learning environment for your course to which you will have access once you are enrolled) the sequence of the weekly activities that you need to engage with and related learning materials prior to the start of each week. You should check the “Announcement” area for your course page on LEARN on a regular basis to find out what you need to do for that week so you can plan your study schedule in advance.

All exams taking place between 21 September 2020 and March 21st 2021 will be held online and will be proctored. These include both formative and summative In Course Assessments (ICAs). A “formative” assessment is one that will help you to understand how well you are doing and help to identify how you could improve your performance in the future. In a “summative” assessment you formally accrue marks towards your progression into the next year of study. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security.   Further information will be provided to you once confirmed for exams taking place after 21st March 2021. We will take account of COVID-19 restrictions in place nearer the time which may mean that exams normally taken in an exam hall will be taken as a proctored online exam.   Practical/presentation in-person assessments will either be delivered via remote means or in small, appropriately distanced groups.   Submission of coursework/assignments is unaffected by COVID-19 restrictions as these are submitted electronically via upload to LEARN

 Blended (on-campus)

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: 1 hour per week.

Optional: Access to campus outside of scheduled teaching will be permitted but will need to be managed to help keep our campuses COVID secure. Controlling the occupation densities on campus, and maintaining social distancing measures, is critical to minimising the risk of spreading the virus. You will be able to access most campus facilities each week and it is important that you follow the local rules, including any cohort specific allocation systems that may be in place.  For further information, please visit https://www.rvc.ac.uk/about/coronavirus/community-safety/campus-services 

The RVC will continue to provide a blended learning approach to teaching, learning and assessment for Term 3 in 2020-21 (as described below for Term 1).

All Term 3 assessments will be conducted remotely and online. Details of your examinations are available on the exams timetable.

Dr Lisa Thurston  - lthurston@rvc.ac.uk

First published: 13th November 2020

Revisions published 13 January 2021 due to changed Government COVID-19 restrictions

Blended (on campus)

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: Zero

Optional: Zero

As a result of the Government announcements of 4th January 2021, we are now required to deliver your learning remotely.

The RVC will continue to provide a blended learning approach to teaching, learning and assessment for Term 2 in 2020-21 (see Term 1 information below) with no onsite activity until Term 3, Government restrictions at that time permitting.

As in Term 1, your instructor will post on LEARN the sequence of the weekly activities that you need to engage with and related learning materials prior to the start of each week. You should check the “Announcement” area for your course page on LEARN on a regular basis to find out what you need to do for that week so you can plan your study schedule in advance.

Additionally, your online timetable viewer will display synchronous/live teaching sessions. These will be confirmed on a rolling basis throughout Term 2, two weeks’ in advance.

All Gateway modules (excepting Biology of Cells and Inheritance Genes and Evolution examined in November 2020) will be examined in April 2020. These exams will be delivered online and will be proctored to ensure assessment security (see below).

Dr Lisa Thurston  - lthurston@rvc.ac.uk

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: 3-5 hours per week. In addition, each week one tutor group will receive 5 hours onsite Animal Handling Stewardship training

Optional: 6 hours on-campus experience and tutoring support

NB: These onsite hours may increase should COVID-19 restrictions permit.

The RVC is adopting blended learning as an approach to teaching learning and assessment for 2020-21. The RVC approach to blended learning provides you with a variety of ways to interact with your tutors and classmates that allows for a flexible and safe student experience. Your learning experience will be a combination of: synchronous (live) and asynchronous online learning activities; small and large group teaching; a blend of flexible self-paced study and collaborative learning; and a blend of on-campus practical teaching and online learning experiences. This will include:

• Newly recorded lectures to listen to in your own time
• Live streamed events of various kinds including: Q and A discussions, collaborative activities and some lectures
• Onsite small-group laboratory practical sessions
• Onsite small-group anatomy dissections
• Onsite animal handling stewardship training
• Onsite Science Development and Communication Workshops
• Collaborative online group interactions such as directed learning sessions and tutorials
• Self-paced independent study including interactive learning activities; forums; blogs, wikis and quizzes for you to do in your own time
• A variety of digital materials to enhance your learning including eBooks and learning interactions.

Your instructor will post on LEARN (the RVC virtual learning environment for your course to which you will have access once you are enrolled) the sequence of the weekly activities that you need to engage with and related learning materials prior to the start of each week. You should check the “Announcement” area for your course page on LEARN on a regular basis to find out what you need to do for that week so you can plan your study schedule in advance.

Your first two modules (Biology of Cells and Inheritance Genes and Evolution) will be assessed via summative examinations in Week 10. In a “summative” assessment you formally accrue marks towards your progression into the next year of study. These exams will be delivered online and will be proctored. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security.  

All other modules will be summatively examined in April 2021. We will provide you with further detail of these once confirmed. We will take account of COVID-19 restrictions in place nearer the time which may mean that exams normally taken in an exam hall will be taken as a proctored online exam.  

Practical/presentation in-person assessments will either delivered via remote means or in small, appropriately distanced groups.   Submission of coursework/assignments is unaffected by COVID-19 restrictions as these are submitted electronically via upload to LEARN.

 On placement

Placement attendance of c35-40 hours per week

Term 3 learning activity is dedicated to practical placements. Please ensure that you follow guidance from your placement provider re: any adjustments to learning activities as necessary due to Covid-19.

All Term 3 assessments will be conducted remotely and online. Details of your assessments are available on the exams timetable.

vnschool@rvc.ac.uk

First published: 13th November 2020

Revisions published 13 January 2021 due to changed Government COVID-19 restrictions

Blended (on-campus)

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: 1 hour small-group practical sessions per fortnight

Optional: Access to campus outside of scheduled teaching will be permitted but will need to be managed to help keep our campuses COVID secure. Controlling the occupation densities on campus, and maintaining social distancing measures, is critical to minimising the risk of spreading the virus. You will be able to access most campus facilities each week on the days that you have either online or in-person practical teaching sessions and it is important that you follow the local rules, including any cohort specific allocation systems that may be in place.  For further information, please visit https://www.rvc.ac.uk/about/coronavirus/community-safety/campus-services 

The RVC will continue to provide a blended learning approach to teaching, learning and assessment for Term 2 in 2020-21 (see below)

Modules delivered in Term 2:

• Applied Animal Health & Welfare 2 (January 2021 – March 2021)
• Academic & Professional Development 1 (January 2021 – March 2021)

Applied Animal Health & Welfare 1

• Dec 2020: Assignment due and submitted electronically via LEARN 
• May 2021: Written examinations consisting of Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQ).

Applied Animal Health & Welfare 2

• March 2021: Oral presentation online
• March 2021: Assignment due and submitted electronically via LEARN
• May 2021: Written examinations consisting of Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQ).

Academic & Professional Development 1

• Dec 2020: Group presentations online
• March 2021: Assignment due and submitted electronically via LEARN
• Aug 2021: Assignment due and submitted electronically via LEARN
• In course practical assessments (eDOPS) – face-to-face sessions in appropriately distanced small groups throughout Term 2

Depending on COVID-19 restrictions in place at the time, these written exams may  be online and proctored. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security.

Please note that submission of coursework/assignments is unaffected by COVID-19 restrictions as these are submitted electronically via upload to LEARN.

vnschool@rvc.ac.uk

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: 1 hours per week practical classes  

Optional: 6 hours on-campus experience and tutoring support  

NB: These onsite hours may increase should COVID-19 restrictions permit

The RVC is adopting blended learning as an approach to teaching learning and assessment for 2020-21. The RVC approach to blended learning provides you with a variety of ways to interact with your tutors and classmates that allows for a flexible and safe student experience. Your learning experience will be a combination of: synchronous (live) and asynchronous online learning activities; small group teaching; a blend of flexible self-paced study and collaborative learning; and a blend of on-campus practical teaching and online learning experiences.

This will include:   

• Newly recorded lectures to listen to in your own time
• Live streamed events of various kinds including:  Q and A discussions and collaborative activities
• Collaborative online group interactions such as directed learning sessions, peer-review and tutorials
• Self-paced independent study including interactive learning activities; forums; blogs, wikis and quizzes for you to do in your own time 
• Onsite small-group/practical sessions and some tutorials 
• A variety of digital materials to enhance your learning including eBooks and learning interactions.  

Your weekly activities will be posted on LEARN (the RVC virtual learning environment for your course to which you will have access once you are enrolled) to help structure your studies. Please ensure you check the LEARN announcements and your RVC emails on a regular basis for these weekly activities so that you can plan your study schedule in advance.    

Modules delivered in Term 1:   

• Applied Animal Health & Welfare 1
• Academic & Professional Development 1

Applied Animal Health & Welfare 1 

• Dec 2020: Assignment due and submitted electronically via LEARN 
• May 2021: Written examinations consisting of Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ). Depending on COVID-19 restrictions in place at the time, these exams may be online and proctored. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security.    

Academic & Professional Development 1    

• Dec 2020: Group presentations online 
• March 2021: Assignment due and submitted electronically via LEARN
• Aug 2021: Assignment due and submitted electronically via LEARN 
• In course practical assessments (eDOPS) – face-to-face sessions in appropriately distanced small groups throughout Term 1 & Term 2

 On placement

Placement attendance of c35-40 hours per week

Term 3 learning activity is dedicated to practical placements. Please ensure that you follow guidance from your placement provider re: any adjustments to learning activities as necessary due to Covid-19.

All Term 3 assessments will be conducted remotely and online. Details of your assessments are available on the exams timetable.

vnschool@rvc.ac.uk

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: full practical days up to 6 hours each day

Optional: Access to campus outside of scheduled teaching will be permitted but will need to be managed to help keep our campuses COVID secure. Controlling the occupation densities on campus, and maintaining social distancing measures, is critical to minimising the risk of spreading the virus. You will be able to access most campus facilities each week and it is important that you follow the local rules, including any cohort specific allocation systems that may be in place. Access to campus will be more restricted than you will previously have been used to. It is important to recognise that this will be different to your on-campus experience prior to the pandemic.  For further information, please visit https://www.rvc.ac.uk/about/coronavirus/community-safety/campus-services 

ECC & Anaesthesia and Diagnostic Techniques modules delivered in Term 2 will be delivered via a combination of online learning as described below and limited onsite practical sessions (COVID-19 restrictions permitting).

The RVC will continue to provide a blended learning approach to teaching, learning and assessment for Term 2 in 2020-21.

Students will attend various small group practical sessions during these modules.

Modules delivered in Term 2:

• ECC & Anaesthesia module for 4 weeks starting January 11th 2021
• Diagnostic Techniques for 4 weeks starting 8th February 2021

Placement from 26th April to 20th August 2021

January 2021: 6 station formative OSCE

UPDATE 18th January 2021: Formative OSCE postponed due to increased Government restrictions. We will provide a further update no later than 18th February 2021.

ECC & Anaesthesia module

• April 2021: Written examinations consisting of Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) and short answer question paper.
• June 2021: Assignment due and submitted electronically via LEARN

Diagnostic Techniques module April 2021:

• April 2021: Written examinations consisting of Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) and short answer question paper.
• June 2021: (for BSc students only) Assignment due and submitted electronically via LEARN

Depending on COVID-19 restrictions in place at the time, these exams may be online and proctored. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security.     Please note that submission of coursework/assignments is unaffected by COVID-19 restrictions as these are submitted electronically via upload to LEARN.

vnschool@rvc.ac.uk

On placement/blended (off campus)
On placement (21st September – 27th November 2020)

Online discussion activities during placement as normal.
Whilst on placement, students can expect to work c35 hours per week.

Zero

ECC & Anaesthesia and Diagnostic Techniques modules delivered in Term 2 will be delivered via a combination of online learning as described below and limited onsite practical sessions (COVID-19 restrictions permitting).

The RVC is adopting blended learning as an approach to teaching, learning and assessment for 2020-21. The RVC approach to blended learning provides you with a variety of ways to interact with your tutors and classmates that allows for a flexible and safe student experience. Your learning experience will be a combination of: synchronous (live) and asynchronous online learning activities; small group teaching; a blend of flexible self-paced study and collaborative learning; and a blend of on-campus practical teaching and online learning experiences. This will include:

• Newly recorded lectures to listen to in your own time
• Live streamed events of various kinds including:  Q and A discussions and collaborative activities
• Collaborative online group interactions such as directed learning sessions, peer-review and tutorials
• Self-paced independent study including interactive learning activities; forums; blogs, wikis and quizzes for you to do in your own time
• A variety of digital materials to enhance your learning including eBooks and learning interactions. 

Your weekly activities and related learning materials will be posted on LEARN. Please ensure you check the LEARN announcements and your RVC emails on a regular basis for these weekly activities so that you can plan your study schedule in advance.  

PLEASE NOTE THAT 2020/21 ASSESSMENTS ARE SUMMATIVE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTIFIED. A summative assessment is one that helps to determine your progression to the next year/stage of study. If you do not achieve the required threshold marks as outlined in the Assessment and Award Regulations 2020/21 you will not be able to progress to the next year/stage of study.

It is proposed that the 12-station summative OSCE is moved from December 2020 to be delivered as a 6 station formative OSCE in February 2021. A 16-station summative OSCE will then take place in December 2021. We are seeking agreement from the RCVS for this change and will inform students of the outcomes as soon as we can.

ECC & Anaesthesia and Diagnostic Techniques module examinations in April 2021:
Examinations in the spring and summer term will take account of COVID-19 restrictions in place nearer the time which may mean that exams normally taken in an exam hall will be taken as a proctored online exam. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security.  We will provide you with further information for these exams once we are able to confirm arrangements and no later than the end of January 2021.

Please note that submission of coursework/assignments is unaffected by COVID-19 restrictions as these are submitted electronically via upload to LEARN.

 On placement

Placement attendance of c35-40 hours per week

Term 3 learning activity is dedicated to practical placements. Please ensure that you follow guidance from your placement provider re: any adjustments to learning activities as necessary due to Covid-19.

All Term 3 assessments will be conducted remotely and online. Details of your assessments are available on the exams timetable.

vnschool@rvc.ac.uk

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: None

Optional: Access to campus outside of scheduled teaching will be permitted but will need to be managed to help keep our campuses COVID secure. Controlling the occupation densities on campus, and maintaining social distancing measures, is critical to minimising the risk of spreading the virus. You will be able to access most campus facilities each week and it is important that you follow the local rules, including any cohort specific allocation systems that may be in place. Access to campus will be more restricted than you will previously have been used to. It is important to recognise that this will be different to your on-campus experience prior to the pandemic.  For further information, please visit https://www.rvc.ac.uk/about/coronavirus/community-safety/campus-services 

 The RVC will continue to provide a blended learning approach to teaching, learning and assessment for Term 2 in 2020-21 (see below).

Modules delivered in Term 2:

Professional Practice for 4 weeks starting 8th February 2021

Professional Development and Clinical Skills module:
Resit 12 station summative OSCE

Professional Practice module assessments

• March 2021: Assignment due and submitted electronically via LEARN
• March 2021: Written examination

Applied Nursing Care module assessments

• March 2021: Written examinations consisting of Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQ) and short answer question paper.
• March 2021: Assignment due and submitted electronically via LEARN

Resits for above modules: June 2021

BSc transfer assessments

• June 2021: 2 x Assignment due and submitted electronically via LEARN
• June 2021: Written examination (proctored)

Depending on COVID-19 restrictions in place at the time, these exams may be online and proctored. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security.     Please note that submission of coursework/assignments is unaffected by COVID-19 restrictions as these are submitted electronically via upload to LEARN.

vnschool@rvc.ac.uk

On placement: 21st September 2020 – 30th October 2020
Online discussion activities during placement as normal.

Practical teaching week: w/c 23rd November 2020 in preparation for summative OSCEs

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: 6 hours during practical week, w/c 23rd November 2020. 

Whilst on placement, students can expect to work c35 hours per week.

Applied Nursing Care module – theoretical content delivered July 2020. The practical teaching, along with OSCE revision sessions, will be delivered w/c 23rd November 2020.

Additional placement time will be available between 2nd November 2020 and 23rd November 2020 and a further four weeks in May 2021 to aid you in completing sufficient hours in practice to complete your Nursing Progress Log (NPL). NB: students are ineligible for the award of FdSc Veterinary Nursing and admittance to the RCVS register if their NPL is incomplete. 

Professional Practice module – start date 8th February 2021. This will be a combination of online learning as described below and limited onsite sessions (COVID-19 restrictions permitting):

The RVC is adopting blended learning as an approach to teaching, learning and assessment for 2020-21. The RVC approach to blended learning provides you with a variety of ways to interact with your tutors and classmates that allows for a flexible and safe student experience. Your learning experience will be a combination of: synchronous (live) and asynchronous online learning activities; small group teaching; a blend of flexible self-paced study and collaborative learning; and a blend of on-campus practical teaching and online learning experiences. This will include:

• Newly recorded lectures to listen to in your own time
• Live streamed events of various kinds including:  Q and A discussions and collaborative activities
• Collaborative online group interactions such as directed learning sessions, peer-review and tutorials
• Self-paced independent study including interactive learning activities; forums; blogs, wikis and quizzes for you to do in your own time
• A variety of digital materials to enhance your learning including eBooks and learning interactions.

Your weekly activities and related learning materials will be posted on LEARN to help structure your studies. Please ensure you check the LEARN announcements and your RVC emails on a regular basis for these weekly activities so that you can plan your study schedule in advance.

PLEASE NOTE THAT 2020/21 ASSESSMENTS ARE SUMMATIVE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTIFIED. A summative assessment is one that contributes to your final award classification. If you do not achieve the required threshold marks as outlined in the Assessment and Award Regulations 2020/21 you will not be eligible for award in 2020/21. 

Professional Development and Clinical Skills module:
12 station summative OSCE – to be held w/c 7th December 2020 and delivered in small groups with appropriate social distancing/PPE.

Professional Practice and Applied Nursing Care module assessments   – end of March 2021

Examinations in the spring and summer term will take account of COVID-19 restrictions in place nearer the time which may mean that exams normally taken in an exam hall will be taken as a proctored online exam. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security.  We will provide you with further information for these exams once we are able to confirm arrangements and no later than the end of January 2021.

For the group assignment, please note that submission of coursework/assignments is unaffected by COVID-19 restrictions as these are submitted electronically via upload to LEARN.

 On placement

Placement attendance of c35-40 hours per week

Term 3 learning activity is dedicated to practical placements. Please ensure that you follow guidance from your placement provider re: any adjustments to learning activities as necessary due to Covid-19.

All Term 3 assessments will be conducted remotely and online. Details of your assessments are available on the exams timetable.

vnschool@rvc.ac.uk

First published: 13th November 2020

Revisions published 13 January 2021 due to changed Government COVID-19 restrictions

Blended (on-campus)

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: 1 hour small-group practical sessions per fortnight

Optional: Access to campus outside of scheduled teaching will be permitted but will need to be managed to help keep our campuses COVID secure. Controlling the occupation densities on campus, and maintaining social distancing measures, is critical to minimising the risk of spreading the virus. You will be able to access most campus facilities each week on the days that you have either online or in-person practical teaching sessions and it is important that you follow the local rules, including any cohort specific allocation systems that may be in place.  For further information, please visit https://www.rvc.ac.uk/about/coronavirus/community-safety/campus-services 

The RVC will continue to provide a blended learning approach to teaching, learning and assessment for Term 2 in 2020-21 (see Term 1 information below)

Modules delivered in Term 2:

• Applied Animal Health & Welfare 2 (January 2021 – March 2021)
• Academic & Professional Development 1 (January 2021 – March 2021)

Applied Animal Health & Welfare 1

• Dec 2020: Assignment due and submitted electronically via LEARN 
• May 2021: Written examinations consisting of Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQ).

Applied Animal Health & Welfare 2

• March 2021: Oral presentation online
• March 2021: Assignment due and submitted electronically via LEARN
• May 2021: Written examinations consisting of Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQ).

Academic & Professional Development 1

• Dec 2020: Group presentations online
• March 2021: Assignment due and submitted electronically via LEARN
• Aug 2021: Assignment due and submitted electronically via LEARN
• In course practical assessments (eDOPS) – face-to-face sessions in appropriately distanced small groups throughout Term 2

Depending on COVID-19 restrictions in place at the time, these written exams may  be online and proctored. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security.

Please note that submission of coursework/assignments is unaffected by COVID-19 restrictions as these are submitted electronically via upload to LEARN.

vnschool@rvc.ac.uk

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: 1 hours per week practical classes   

Optional: 6 hours on-campus experience and tutoring support   

NB: These onsite hours may increase should COVID-19 restrictions permit

The RVC is adopting blended learning as an approach to teaching learning and assessment for 2020-21. The RVC approach to blended learning provides you with a variety of ways to interact with your tutors and classmates that allows for a flexible and safe student experience. Your learning experience will be a combination of: synchronous (live) and asynchronous online learning activities; small group teaching; a blend of flexible self-paced study and collaborative learning; and a blend of on-campus practical teaching and online learning experiences.

This will include:

• Newly recorded lectures to listen to in your own time
• Live streamed events of various kinds including: Q and A discussions and collaborative activities
• Collaborative online group interactions such as directed learning sessions, peer-review and tutorials
• Self-paced independent study including interactive learning activities; forums; blogs, wikis and quizzes for you to do in your own time
• Onsite small-group/practical sessions and some tutorials
• A variety of digital materials to enhance your learning including eBooks and learning interactions.
• Your weekly activities will be posted on LEARN (the RVC virtual learning environment for your course to which you will have access once you are enrolled) to help structure your studies. Please ensure you check the LEARN announcements and your RVC emails on a regular basis for these weekly activities so that you can plan your study schedule in advance.

Modules delivered in Term 1:

• Applied Animal Health & Welfare 1
• Academic & Professional Development 1

Applied Animal Health & Welfare 1 

• Dec 2020: Assignment due and submitted electronically via LEARN 
• May 2021: Written examinations consisting of Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ). Depending on COVID-19 restrictions in place at the time, these exams may be online and proctored. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security.    

Academic & Professional Development 1    

• Dec 2020: Group presentations online 
• March 2021: Assignment due and submitted electronically via LEARN
• Aug 2021: Assignment due and submitted electronically via LEARN 
• In course practical assessments (eDOPS) – face-to-face sessions in appropriately distanced small groups throughout Term 1 & Term 2

 On placement

Placement attendance of c35-40 hours per week

Term 3 learning activity is dedicated to practical placements. Please ensure that you follow guidance from your placement provider re: any adjustments to learning activities as necessary due to Covid-19.

All Term 3 assessments will be conducted remotely and online. Details of your assessments are available on the exams timetable.

vnschool@rvc.ac.uk

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: full practical days up to 6 hours each day

Optional: Access to campus outside of scheduled teaching will be permitted but will need to be managed to help keep our campuses COVID secure. Controlling the occupation densities on campus, and maintaining social distancing measures, is critical to minimising the risk of spreading the virus. You will be able to access most campus facilities each week and it is important that you follow the local rules, including any cohort specific allocation systems that may be in place. Access to campus will be more restricted than you will previously have been used to. It is important to recognise that this will be different to your on-campus experience prior to the pandemic.  For further information, please visit https://www.rvc.ac.uk/about/coronavirus/community-safety/campus-services 

ECC & Anaesthesia and Diagnostic Techniques modules delivered in Term 2 will be delivered via a combination of online learning as described below and limited onsite practical sessions (COVID-19 restrictions permitting).

The RVC will continue to provide a blended learning approach to teaching, learning and assessment for Term 2 in 2020-21.

Students will attend various small group practical sessions during these modules.

Modules delivered in Term 2:

• ECC & Anaesthesia module for 4 weeks starting January 11th 2021
• Diagnostic Techniques for 4 weeks starting 8th February 2021

Placement from 26th April to 20th August 2021

January 2021: 6 station formative OSCE

UPDATE 18th January 2021: Formative OSCE postponed due to increased Government restrictions. We will provide a further update no later than 18th February 2021.

ECC & Anaesthesia module

• April 2021: Written examinations consisting of Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) and short answer question paper.
• June 2021: Assignment due and submitted electronically via LEARN

Diagnostic Techniques module April 2021:

• April 2021: Written examinations consisting of Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) and short answer question paper.
• June 2021: (for BSc students only) Assignment due and submitted electronically via LEARN

Depending on COVID-19 restrictions in place at the time, these exams may be online and proctored. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security.     Please note that submission of coursework/assignments is unaffected by COVID-19 restrictions as these are submitted electronically via upload to LEARN.

vnschool@rvc.ac.uk

 On placement/blended (off campus):

On placement (21st September – 27th November 2020)
Online discussion activities during placement as normal.
Whilst on placement, students can expect to work c35 hours per week.

Zero

ECC & Anaesthesia and Diagnostic Techniques modules delivered in Term 2 will be delivered via a combination of online learning as described below and limited onsite practical sessions (COVID-19 restrictions permitting). 

The RVC is adopting blended learning as an approach to teaching, learning and assessment for 2020-21. The RVC approach to blended learning provides you with a variety of ways to interact with your tutors and classmates that allows for a flexible and safe student experience. Your learning experience will be a combination of: synchronous (live) and asynchronous online learning activities; small group teaching; a blend of flexible self-paced study and collaborative learning; and a blend of on-campus practical teaching and online learning experiences. This will include:  

• Newly recorded lectures to listen to in your own time
• Live streamed events of various kinds including:  Q and A discussions and collaborative activities
• Collaborative online group interactions such as directed learning sessions, peer-review and tutorials
• Self-paced independent study including interactive learning activities; forums; blogs, wikis and quizzes for you to do in your own time
• A variety of digital materials to enhance your learning including eBooks and learning interactions.

Your weekly activities and related learning materials will be posted on LEARN. Please ensure you check the LEARN announcements and your RVC emails on a regular basis for these weekly activities so that you can plan your study schedule in advance.

PLEASE NOTE THAT 2020/21 ASSESSMENTS ARE SUMMATIVE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTIFIED. A summative assessment is one that helps to determine your progression to the next year/stage of study. If you do not achieve the required threshold marks as outlined in the Assessment and Award Regulations 2020/21 you will not be able to progress to the next year/stage of study.

It is proposed that the 12-station summative OSCE is moved from December 2020 to be delivered as a six-station formative OSCE in February 2021. A 16-station summative OSCE will then take place in December 2021. We are seeking agreement from the RCVS for this change and will inform students of the outcomes as soon as we can.

ECC & Anaesthesia and Diagnostic Techniques module examinations in April 2021:
Examinations in the spring and summer term will take account of COVID-19 restrictions in place nearer the time which may mean that exams normally taken in an exam hall will be taken as a proctored online exam. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security.  We will provide you with further information for these exams once we are able to confirm arrangements and no later than the end of January 2021.

Please note that submission of coursework/assignments is unaffected by COVID-19 restrictions as these are submitted electronically via upload to LEARN.

 On placement

Placement attendance of c35-40 hours per week

Term 3 learning activity is dedicated to practical placements. Please ensure that you follow guidance from your placement provider re: any adjustments to learning activities as necessary due to Covid-19.

All Term 3 assessments will be conducted remotely and online. Details of your assessments are available on the exams timetable.

vnschool@rvc.ac.uk

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: None

Optional: Access to campus outside of scheduled teaching will be permitted but will need to be managed to help keep our campuses COVID secure. Controlling the occupation densities on campus, and maintaining social distancing measures, is critical to minimising the risk of spreading the virus. You will be able to access most campus facilities each week and it is important that you follow the local rules, including any cohort specific allocation systems that may be in place. Access to campus will be more restricted than you will previously have been used to. It is important to recognise that this will be different to your on-campus experience prior to the pandemic.  For further information, please visit https://www.rvc.ac.uk/about/coronavirus/community-safety/campus-services 

 The RVC will continue to provide a blended learning approach to teaching, learning and assessment for Term 2 in 2020-21 (see below).

Modules delivered in Term 2:

Professional Practice for 4 weeks starting 8th February 2021

Professional Development and Clinical Skills module:
Resit 12 station summative OSCE

Professional Practice module assessments

• March 2021: Assignment due and submitted electronically via LEARN
• March 2021: Written examination

Applied Nursing Care module assessments

• March 2021: Written examinations consisting of Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQ) and short answer question paper.
• March 2021: Assignment due and submitted electronically via LEARN

Resits for above modules: June 2021

BSc transfer assessments

• June 2021: 2 x Assignment due and submitted electronically via LEARN
• June 2021: Written examination (proctored)

Depending on COVID-19 restrictions in place at the time, these exams may be online and proctored. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security.     Please note that submission of coursework/assignments is unaffected by COVID-19 restrictions as these are submitted electronically via upload to LEARN.

vnschool@rvc.ac.uk

On placement/blended (on-campus):

On placement:21st September 2020 – 30th October 2020
Online discussion activities during placement as normal
Practical teaching week: w/c 23rd November 2020 in preparation for summative OSCEs

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: 6 hours during practical week, w/c 23rd November 2020.

Whilst on placement, students can expect to work c35 hours per week.

Applied Nursing Care module – theoretical content delivered July 2020. The practical teaching, along with OSCE revision sessions, will be delivered w/c 23rd November 2020.

Additional placement time will be available between 2nd November 2020 and 23rd November 2020 and a further four weeks in May 2021 to aid you in completing sufficient hours in practice to complete your Nursing Progress Log (NPL). NB: students are ineligible for the award of FdSc Veterinary Nursing and admittance to the RCVS register if their NPL is incomplete.

Professional Practice module – start 8th February 2021. This will be a combination of online learning as described below and limited onsite sessions (COVID-19 restrictions permitting):

The RVC is adopting blended learning as an approach to teaching, learning and assessment for 2020-21. The RVC approach to blended learning provides you with a variety of ways to interact with your tutors and classmates that allows for a flexible and safe student experience. Your learning experience will be a combination of: synchronous (live) and asynchronous online learning activities; small group teaching; a blend of flexible self-paced study and collaborative learning; and a blend of on-campus practical teaching and online learning experiences. This will include:  

• Newly recorded lectures to listen to in your own time
• Live streamed events of various kinds including:  Q and A discussions and collaborative activities
• Collaborative online group interactions such as directed learning sessions, peer-review and tutorials
• Self-paced independent study including interactive learning activities; forums; blogs, wikis and quizzes for you to do in your own time
• A variety of digital materials to enhance your learning including eBooks and learning interactions.

Your weekly activities and related learning materials will be posted on LEARN. Please ensure you check the LEARN announcements and your RVC emails on a regular basis for these weekly activities so that you can plan your study schedule in advance.

PLEASE NOTE THAT 2020/21 ASSESSMENTS ARE SUMMATIVE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTIFIED. A summative assessment is one that helps to determine your progression to the next year/stage of study. If you do not achieve the required threshold marks as outlined in the Assessment and Award Regulations 2020/21 you will not be able to progress to the next year/stage of study.

Professional Development and Clinical Skills module
12-station summative OSCE – to be held w/c 7th December 2020 and delivered in small groups with appropriate social distancing/PPE.

Professional Practice and Applied Nursing Care module assessments  – end of March 2021
Examinations in the spring term will take account of COVID-19 restrictions in place nearer the time which may mean that exams normally taken in an exam hall will be taken as a proctored online exam. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security.  We will provide you with further information for these exams once we are able to confirm arrangements and no later than the end of January 2021.

Please note that submission of coursework/assignments is unaffected by COVID-19 restrictions as these are submitted electronically via upload to LEARN.

 On placement

Placement attendance of c35-40 hours per week

Term 3 learning activity is dedicated to practical placements. Please ensure that you follow guidance from your placement provider re: any adjustments to learning activities as necessary due to Covid-19.

All Term 3 assessments will be conducted remotely and online. Details of your assessments are available on the exams timetable.

vnschool@rvc.ac.uk

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: Practical sessions for Pathology elective

Optional: Access to campus outside of scheduled teaching will be permitted but will need to be managed to help keep our campuses COVID secure. Controlling the occupation densities on campus, and maintaining social distancing measures, is critical to minimising the risk of spreading the virus. You will be able to access most campus facilities each week and it is important that you follow the local rules, including any cohort specific allocation systems that may be in place. Access to campus will be more restricted than you will previously have been used to. It is important to recognise that this will be different to your on-campus experience prior to the pandemic.  For further information, please visit https://www.rvc.ac.uk/about/coronavirus/community-safety/campus-services 

The RVC will continue to provide a blended learning approach to teaching, learning and assessment for Term 2 in 2020-21 (see below)

Modules delivered in Term 2:

• Pathology elective (with practical sessions)
• Surgical Nursing (online) elective
• Medical Nursing (online) elective
• Project – self directed with supervisor support

Pathology elective

• May 2021: written examination timed online
• April 2021: Assignment due and submitted electronically via LEARN

Surgical Nursing (online) elective

• March 2021: Assignment due and submitted electronically via LEARN
• March 2021: written examination timed online

Medical Nursing (online) elective

• March 2021: Assignment due and submitted electronically via LEARN
• March 2021: written examination timed online

Final Year Project – self-directed with supervisor support

• May 2021: Project due and submitted electronically via LEARN
• June 2021 : Online presentation of project

vnschool@rvc.ac.uk

Blended (off-campus)

Zero

The RVC is adopting blended learning as an approach to teaching, learning and assessment for 2020-21. The RVC approach to blended learning provides you with a variety of ways to interact with your tutors and classmates that allows for a flexible and safe student experience. Your learning experience will be a combination of: synchronous (live) and asynchronous online learning activities; small group teaching; a blend of flexible self-paced study and collaborative learning; and a blend of on-campus practical teaching and online learning experiences. This will include:  

• Newly recorded lectures to listen to in your own time
• Live streamed events of various kinds including: Q and A discussions, collaborative activities. Any ‘live’ events in Term 1 will take place on Tuesdays and Wednesdays
• Collaborative online group interactions such as directed learning sessions, peer-review and tutorials
• Self-paced independent study including interactive learning activities; forums; blogs, wikis and quizzes for you to do in your own time
• From January 2021 (if COVID-19 restrictions permit), a combination of on-campus practical teaching and online learning as described above
• A variety of digital materials to enhance your learning including eBooks and learning interactions.

Your weekly activities and related learning materials will be posted on LEARN. Please ensure you check the LEARN announcements and your RVC emails on a regular basis for these weekly activities so that you can plan your study schedule in advance.

PLEASE NOTE THAT 2020/21 ASSESSMENTS ARE SUMMATIVE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTIFIED. A summative assessment is one that helps to determine your progression to the next year/stage of study. If you do not achieve the required threshold marks as outlined in the Assessment and Award Regulations 2020/21 you will not be able to progress to the next year/stage of study.

All assessments due in the Term 1 will be managed remotely.

Exams taken in Term 1 will be delivered as proctored online exams. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security.  

Examinations in the spring and summer term will take account of COVID-19 restrictions in place nearer the time which may mean that exams normally taken in an exam hall will be taken as a proctored online exam. We will provide you with further information for these exams once we are able to confirm arrangements.

Practical/presentation in-person assessments will either be delivered via remote means or in small, appropriately distanced groups.

Please note that submission of coursework/assignments is unaffected by COVID-19 restrictions as these are submitted electronically via upload to LEARN.

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: None

In Term 3, the teaching activities are the Problem, Definition and Investigation (PDI) module and a Literature project; there are no practical elements. The PDI module involves group work; this group work will be facilitated online (please see Term 1 update below for further information on the RVC approach to blended learning).

All Term 3 assessments will be conducted remotely and online. Details of your examinations are available on the exams timetable.

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: 2 hours

Optional: Access to campus outside of scheduled teaching will be permitted but will need to be managed to help keep our campuses COVID secure. Controlling the occupation densities on campus, and maintaining social distancing measures, is critical to minimising the risk of spreading the virus. You will be able to access most campus facilities each week and it is important that you follow the local rules, including any cohort specific allocation systems that may be in place.

 The RVC will continue to provide a blended learning approach to teaching, learning and assessment for Term 2 in 2020-21 (see below).Individual on campus student sessions will be notified in advance via the online timetable.

All teaching will be online until 25th January 2021 to facilitate student self-isolation where required.  

• All module exams will be online proctored exams (see below) 27th – 30th April 2021
• ICA Integrated Physiology 1 – 11th February 2021
• ICA Integrated Physiology 2 – 1st March 2021 (to be confirmed)
• ICA The Moving Animal – 15th March 2021 (to be confirmed)

 Charlotte Lawson – chlawson@rvc.ac.uk

The RVC is adopting blended learning as an approach to teaching, learning and assessment for 2020-21. The RVC approach to blended learning provides you with a variety of ways to interact with your tutors and classmates that allows for a flexible and safe student experience. Your learning experience will be a combination of: synchronous (live) and asynchronous online learning activities; small and large group teaching; a blend of flexible self-paced study and collaborative learning. This will include:

• Newly recorded lectures to listen to in your own time
• Live streamed events of various kinds including: Q and A discussions, collaborative activities and some lectures
• Collaborative online group interactions such as directed learning sessions and tutorials
• Self-paced independent study including interactive learning activities; forums; blogs, wikis and quizzes for you to do in your own time
• A variety of digital materials to enhance your learning including eBooks and learning interactions.

Your instructor will post on LEARN (the RVC virtual learning environment for your course to which you will have access once you are enrolled) the sequence of the weekly activities that you need to engage with and related learning materials prior to the start of each week. You should check the “Announcement” area for your course page on LEARN on a regular basis to find out what you need to do for that week so you can plan your study schedule in advance.

All assessments due in the autumn term will be managed remotely.

Exams taken in the autumn term will be delivered as proctored online exams. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security.

Examinations in the spring and summer term will take account of COVID-19 restrictions in place nearer the time which may mean than exams normally taken in an exam hall will be taken as a proctored online exam. We will provide you with further information for these exams once we are able to confirm arrangements.

Practical/presentation in-person assessments will either be delivered via remote means or in small, appropriately distanced groups.

Submission of coursework/assignments is unaffected by COVID-19 restrictions as these are submitted electronically via upload to LEARN.

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: None – some activity on campus according to project choice (see below).

For those studying onsite projects, access to wider campus facilities such as social learning spaces and common room areas are restricted due to social distancing requirements. You may not be able to have access to these facilities before/after your practical teaching sessions more than one day per week.

 In Term 3, the teaching activity is the Investigative Project, the titles of which have already been released:

• The Brain Injury and Disease Modelling (epidemiology/One Health) - projects to be delivered online
• Animal Welfare and Behaviour (Dairy Cow) and Locomotion (Wing Diversity) – projects to be delivered online
• Cancer and Stem Cell Biology, Wildlife Virology Surveillance, Immunology - projects to be delivered onsite at the Camden Campus and will likely involve 2-3 days per week for 3 weeks in the laboratory..

All Term 3 assessments will be conducted remotely and online. Details of your examinations are available on the exams timetable.

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: This will vary by module:

• Control of Infectious Diseases (all students) 2 hours
• Principles of Pharmacology (core for Biological / Bioveterinary Sciences / optional for ABBWE) 0 hours
• Introduction to Wild Animal Biology (core for WAB / optional for ABBWE) 2 hours 
• Applied Pharmacology (core for Applied Research students / optional for Biological / Bioveterinary Sciences) 2 hours (one practical)
• Introduction to Animal Behaviour, Welfare and Ethics (core for ABBWE, optional for Biological/Bioveterinary Sciences, WAB) 2 hours
• Imaging of Disease (optional for Biological/Bioveterinary Sciences, WAB) 2 hours 
• Introduction to One Health (optional for Biological/Bioveterinary Sciences, WAB) 0 hours

Optional: Access to campus outside of scheduled teaching will be permitted but will need to be managed to help keep our campuses COVID secure. Controlling the occupation densities on campus, and maintaining social distancing measures, is critical to minimising the risk of spreading the virus. You will be able to access most campus facilities each week and it is important that you follow the local rules, including any cohort specific allocation systems that may be in place. Access to campus will be more restricted than you will previously have been used to. It is important to recognise that this will be different to your on-campus experience prior to the pandemic.

The RVC will continue to provide a blended learning approach to teaching, learning and assessment for Term 2 in 2020-21 (see below). Individual on campus student sessions will be notified in advance via the online timetable.

All teaching will be online until 21st January 2021 to facilitate student self-isolation where required.

• All module exams will be online proctored exams (see below) 27th – 30th April
• Module ICA deadlines to be confirmed

 Charlotte Lawson – chlawson@rvc.ac.uk

The RVC is adopting blended learning is an approach to teaching, learning and assessment for 2020-21. The RVC approach to blended learning provides you with a variety of ways to interact with your tutors and classmates that allows for a flexible and safe student experience. Your learning experience will be a combination of: synchronous (live) and asynchronous online learning activities; small and large group teaching; a blend of flexible self-paced study and collaborative learning. This will include:

• Newly recorded lectures to listen to in your own time
• Live streamed events of various kinds including: Q and A discussions, collaborative activities and some lectures
• Collaborative online group interactions such as directed learning sessions and tutorials
• Self-paced independent study including interactive learning activities; forums; blogs, wikis and quizzes for you to do in your own time
• A variety of digital materials to enhance your learning including eBooks and learning interactions.

Your instructor will post the sequence of the weekly activities that you need to engage with and related learning materials prior to the start of each week. Check your course page on LEARN on a regular basis to find out what you need to do for that week so you can plan your study schedule in advance.

PLEASE NOTE THAT 2020/21 ASSESSMENTS ARE SUMMATIVE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTIFIED. A summative assessment is one that helps to determine your progression to the next year/stage of study. If you do not achieve the required threshold marks as outlined in the Assessment and Award Regulations 2020/21 you will not be able to progress to the next year/stage of study.

Please refer to module handbooks and check your course page on LEARN for in-course course assessment and exact exam dates. These will be available at the start of term at the latest.

Exams for Basis of Disease (BOD) and Aging and Degeneration (AAD) will be held in the autumn term at the end of reading week. These will be delivered remotely and may be a proctored online exam. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security.

Principles of Infectious Diseases (PID) exam will be held in April 2021. Examinations in the spring and summer term will take account of COVID-19 restrictions in place nearer the time which may mean than exams normally taken in an exam hall may be taken as a proctored online exam. We will provide you with further information for these exams once we are able to confirm arrangements.

Practical/presentation in-person assessments will either be delivered via remote means or in small, appropriately distanced groups.

Submission of coursework/assignments is unaffected by COVID-19 restrictions as these are submitted electronically via upload to LEARN.

Abir Mukherjee - amukherjee@rvc.ac.uk

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: None – some activity on campus according to student choice re: additional practical sessions (see below).

Term 3 is dedicated to investigative project write-up which will be undertaken remotely.

However, in recognition that many students feel they have not had the opportunity to develop practical laboratory skills this year, we will offer optional sessions in the teaching labs in Camden after your assessments have finished. These sessions will give you the opportunity to undertake a set of key laboratory techniques and to discuss these with academic and technical staff.

Please note that access to wider campus facilities will remain restricted due to social distancing requirements and we will not be able to have the whole year group back at exactly the same time. You will therefore have the opportunity to sign-up to sessions (a session is typically 2-3 days) so that you can plan your attendance in the lab - but socialising on-campus will not be possible.

We recognise that not all students will want or be able to come to these sessions and that will not affect any students’ degree outcome – these are optional non-credit bearing sessions. We will also record and make available demonstration videos of the techniques carried out during the face-to-face sessions.

All Term 3 assessments will be conducted remotely and online. Details of your examinations are available on the exams timetable.

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: None

Access to campus outside of scheduled teaching will be permitted but will need to be managed to help keep our campuses COVID secure. Controlling the occupation densities on campus, and maintaining social distancing measures, is critical to minimising the risk of spreading the virus. You will be able to access most campus facilities each week and it is important that you follow the local rules, including any cohort specific allocation systems that may be in place. Access to campus will be more restricted than you will previously have been used to. It is important to recognise that this will be different to your on-campus experience prior to the pandemic.

 The RVC will continue to provide a blended learning approach to teaching, learning and assessment for Term 2 in 2020-21 (see below).   You will have access to campus for a defined period in order to perform some limited practical work for your research project.  If circumstances permit, you will be offered a three-week period, during which you can perform practical work in the mornings (09.00-12.00) or afternoons (14.00-17.00) for up to three days a week.

In order for this to be arranged, it is vital that you have a meeting with your project supervisor as soon as possible to determine the following:

1. Whether you wish to come onto campus to perform some limited hands on experiments.
2. If returning to campus, which days you would be available to perform practical work.  These must not be days when you have scheduled module sessions.
3. That your supervisor is able to supervise on-campus activities and the most appropriate weeks for them to be able to do this

This information is essential to enable your supervisor to plan the practical experiments and book the space required. It is envisaged that access to the RVC to perform this work will be available from 11th January 2021 and will continue throughout Term 2. Details of which slots you have been allocated will be provided once bookings have been finalised.

Students can opt to complete a research project that comprises entirely of data analysis.  If appropriate, please discuss this option with your project supervisor as soon as possible.

• All module exams will be online and delivered via mix of open book exams accessed and submitted via LEARN plus online proctored exams (see below).
• Exact dates are to be confirmed but exams will be held end of April 2021 – May 2021.

Your project supervisor

Course Director: Charlotte Lawson – chlawson@rvc.ac.uk

Year 3 Leader: Isabel Orriss – iorriss@rvc.ac.uk

The RVC is adopting blended learning as an approach to teaching, learning and assessment for 2020-21. The RVC approach to blended learning provides you with a variety of ways to interact with your tutors and classmates that allows for a flexible and safe student experience. Your learning experience will be a combination of: synchronous (live) and asynchronous online learning activities; small and large group teaching; a blend of flexible self-paced study and collaborative learning; and a blend of on-campus practical teaching and online learning experiences. This will include:

• Newly recorded lectures to listen to in your own time
• Live streamed events of various kinds including:  Q and A discussions and collaborative activities
• Collaborative online group interactions such as directed learning sessions and tutorials
• Self-paced independent study including interactive learning activities; forums; blogs, wikis and quizzes for you to do in your own time
• A variety of digital materials to enhance your learning in your chosen modules
• 60 credit research projects:  Oct-Dec data analysis performed off site.  Jan: onsite lab work where required for your project (TBC, must be approved in advance by your supervisor)
• 30 credit research projects (Term 1):  data analysis to be performed offsite
• 30 credit research projects (Term 2): data analysis, may be some potential for on site lab work (TBC, must be approved in advance by your supervisor)

Module leaders will post the sequence of the weekly activities that you need to engage with and related  learning materials prior to the start of each week. Check the LEARN module pages on a regular basis to find out what you need to do for that week so you can plan your study schedule in advance.

PLEASE NOTE THAT 2020/21 ASSESSMENTS ARE SUMMATIVE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTIFIED. A summative assessment is one that helps to determine your progression to the next year/stage of study. If you do not achieve the required threshold marks as outlined in the Assessment and Award Regulations 2020/21 you will not be eligible for award in 2020/21.

Chosen modules (15 or 30 credit)
Each module will be assessed differently so it is important that you are clear on the assessment requirements for each of your modules.  For specific information please see the appropriate module page on LEARN.

Modules are expected to contain:

1. In Course Assessment: due dates will vary for each module but are usually before the end of the autumn term.
2. End of module exams:  these will take place in January. Information on the format of the exam will be available on the module pages on LEARN.

All assessments due in the autumn term will be managed remotely.

Exams taken in the autumn term will be delivered as proctored online exams. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security.

Examinations in the spring and summer term will take account of COVID-19 restrictions in place nearer the time which may mean than exams normally taken in an exam hall will be taken as a proctored online exam. We will provide you with further information for these exams once we are able to confirm arrangements.

Practical/presentation in-person assessments will either be delivered via remote means or in small, appropriately distanced groups.

Submission of coursework/assignments is unaffected by COVID-19 restrictions as these are submitted electronically via upload to LEARN.

Research Project (30 or 60 credit)
Projects will take the following format:

1. 30 credit research project undertaken in term 1 or term 2. Note, projects to be undertaken in term 1 will be data analysis only.
2. 60 credit research project
3. 30 credit research project + 30 credit dissertation (BSc Biological Sciences only)

Deadlines: Jan (30 credit term 1) or May 2021 (60 credit, 30 credit term 2)

Isabel Oriss - iorriss@rvc.ac.uk

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: None

In Term 3, the teaching activities are the Problem, Definition and Investigation (PDI) module and a Literature project; there are no practical elements. The PDI module involves group work; this group work will be facilitated online (please see Term 1 update below for further information on the RVC approach to blended learning).

All Term 3 assessments will be conducted remotely and online. Details of your examinations are available on the exams timetable.

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: 2 hours

Optional: Access to campus outside of scheduled teaching will be permitted but will need to be managed to help keep our campuses COVID secure. Controlling the occupation densities on campus, and maintaining social distancing measures, is critical to minimising the risk of spreading the virus. You will be able to access most campus facilities each week and it is important that you follow the local rules, including any cohort specific allocation systems that may be in place.

 The RVC will continue to provide a blended learning approach to teaching, learning and assessment for Term 2 in 2020-21 (see below).Individual on campus student sessions will be notified in advance via the online timetable.

All teaching will be online until 25th January 2021 to facilitate student self-isolation where required.  

• All module exams will be online proctored exams (see below) 27th – 30th April 2021
• ICA Integrated Physiology 1 – 11th February 2021
• ICA Integrated Physiology 2 – 1st March 2021 (to be confirmed)
• ICA The Moving Animal – 15th March 2021 (to be confirmed)

 Charlotte Lawson – chlawson@rvc.ac.uk

The RVC is adopting blended learning as an approach to teaching, learning and assessment for 2020-21. The RVC approach to blended learning provides you with a variety of ways to interact with your tutors and classmates that allows for a flexible and safe student experience. Your learning experience will be a combination of: synchronous (live) and asynchronous online learning activities; small and large group teaching; a blend of flexible self-paced study and collaborative learning. This will include:

• Newly recorded lectures to listen to in your own time
• Live streamed events of various kinds including: Q and A discussions, collaborative activities and some lectures
• Collaborative online group interactions such as directed learning sessions and tutorials
• Self-paced independent study including interactive learning activities; forums; blogs, wikis and quizzes for you to do in your own time
• A variety of digital materials to enhance your learning including eBooks and learning interactions.

Your instructor will post on LEARN (the RVC virtual learning environment for your course to which you will have access once you are enrolled) the sequence of the weekly activities that you need to engage with and related learning materials prior to the start of each week. You should check the “Announcement” area for your course page on LEARN on a regular basis to find out what you need to do for that week so you can plan your study schedule in advance.

All assessments due in the autumn term will be managed remotely.

Exams taken in the autumn term will be delivered as proctored online exams. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security.

Examinations in the spring and summer term will take account of COVID-19 restrictions in place nearer the time which may mean than exams normally taken in an exam hall will be taken as a proctored online exam. We will provide you with further information for these exams once we are able to confirm arrangements.

Practical/presentation in-person assessments will either be delivered via remote means or in small, appropriately distanced groups.

Submission of coursework/assignments is unaffected by COVID-19 restrictions as these are submitted electronically via upload to LEARN.

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: None – some activity on campus according to project choice (see below).

For those studying onsite projects, access to wider campus facilities such as social learning spaces and common room areas are restricted due to social distancing requirements. You may not be able to have access to these facilities before/after your practical teaching sessions more than one day per week.

 In Term 3, the teaching activity is the Investigative Project, the titles of which have already been released:

• The Brain Injury and Disease Modelling (epidemiology/One Health) - projects to be delivered online
• Animal Welfare and Behaviour (Dairy Cow) and Locomotion (Wing Diversity) – projects to be delivered online
• Cancer and Stem Cell Biology, Wildlife Virology Surveillance, Immunology - projects to be delivered onsite at the Camden Campus and will likely involve 2-3 days per week for 3 weeks in the laboratory..

All Term 3 assessments will be conducted remotely and online. Details of your examinations are available on the exams timetable.

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: This will vary by module:

• Control of Infectious Diseases (all students) 2 hours
• Principles of Pharmacology (core for Biological / Bioveterinary Sciences / optional for ABBWE) 0 hours
• Introduction to Wild Animal Biology (core for WAB / optional for ABBWE) 2 hours 
• Applied Pharmacology (core for Applied Research students / optional for Biological / Bioveterinary Sciences) 2 hours (one practical)
• Introduction to Animal Behaviour, Welfare and Ethics (core for ABBWE, optional for Biological/Bioveterinary Sciences, WAB) 2 hours
• Imaging of Disease (optional for Biological/Bioveterinary Sciences, WAB) 2 hours 
• Introduction to One Health (optional for Biological/Bioveterinary Sciences, WAB) 0 hours

Optional: Access to campus outside of scheduled teaching will be permitted but will need to be managed to help keep our campuses COVID secure. Controlling the occupation densities on campus, and maintaining social distancing measures, is critical to minimising the risk of spreading the virus. You will be able to access most campus facilities each week and it is important that you follow the local rules, including any cohort specific allocation systems that may be in place. Access to campus will be more restricted than you will previously have been used to. It is important to recognise that this will be different to your on-campus experience prior to the pandemic.

The RVC will continue to provide a blended learning approach to teaching, learning and assessment for Term 2 in 2020-21 (see below). Individual on campus student sessions will be notified in advance via the online timetable.

All teaching will be online until 21st January 2021 to facilitate student self-isolation where required.

• All module exams will be online proctored exams (see below) 27th – 30th April
• Module ICA deadlines to be confirmed

 Charlotte Lawson – chlawson@rvc.ac.uk

The RVC is adopting blended learning is an approach to teaching, learning and assessment for 2020-21. The RVC approach to blended learning provides you with a variety of ways to interact with your tutors and classmates that allows for a flexible and safe student experience. Your learning experience will be a combination of: synchronous (live) and asynchronous online learning activities; small and large group teaching; a blend of flexible self-paced study and collaborative learning. This will include:

• Newly recorded lectures to listen to in your own time
• Live streamed events of various kinds including: Q and A discussions, collaborative activities and some lectures
• Collaborative online group interactions such as directed learning sessions and tutorials
• Self-paced independent study including interactive learning activities; forums; blogs, wikis and quizzes for you to do in your own time
• A variety of digital materials to enhance your learning including eBooks and learning interactions.

Your instructor will post the sequence of the weekly activities that you need to engage with and related learning materials prior to the start of each week. Check your course page on LEARN on a regular basis to find out what you need to do for that week so you can plan your study schedule in advance.

PLEASE NOTE THAT 2020/21 ASSESSMENTS ARE SUMMATIVE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTIFIED. A summative assessment is one that helps to determine your progression to the next year/stage of study. If you do not achieve the required threshold marks as outlined in the Assessment and Award Regulations 2020/21 you will not be able to progress to the next year/stage of study.

Please refer to module handbooks and check your course page on LEARN for in-course course assessment and exact exam dates. These will be available at the start of term at the latest.

Exams for Basis of Disease (BOD) and Aging and Degeneration (AAD) will be held in the autumn term at the end of reading week. These will be delivered remotely and may be a proctored online exam. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security.

Principles of Infectious Diseases (PID) exam will be held in April 2021. Examinations in the spring and summer term will take account of COVID-19 restrictions in place nearer the time which may mean than exams normally taken in an exam hall may be taken as a proctored online exam. We will provide you with further information for these exams once we are able to confirm arrangements.

Practical/presentation in-person assessments will either be delivered via remote means or in small, appropriately distanced groups.

Submission of coursework/assignments is unaffected by COVID-19 restrictions as these are submitted electronically via upload to LEARN.

Abir Mukherjee - amukherjee@rvc.ac.uk

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: None – some activity on campus according to student choice re: additional practical sessions (see below).

Term 3 is dedicated to investigative project write-up which will be undertaken remotely.

However, in recognition that many students feel they have not had the opportunity to develop practical laboratory skills this year, we will offer optional sessions in the teaching labs in Camden after your assessments have finished. These sessions will give you the opportunity to undertake a set of key laboratory techniques and to discuss these with academic and technical staff.

Please note that access to wider campus facilities will remain restricted due to social distancing requirements and we will not be able to have the whole year group back at exactly the same time. You will therefore have the opportunity to sign-up to sessions (a session is typically 2-3 days) so that you can plan your attendance in the lab - but socialising on-campus will not be possible.

We recognise that not all students will want or be able to come to these sessions and that will not affect any students’ degree outcome – these are optional non-credit bearing sessions. We will also record and make available demonstration videos of the techniques carried out during the face-to-face sessions.

All Term 3 assessments will be conducted remotely and online. Details of your examinations are available on the exams timetable.

First published: 13th November 2020

Revisions published 13 January 2021 due to changed Government COVID-19 restrictions

Blended (on campus)

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: Zero

Optional: Zero

As a result of the Government announcements of 4th January 2021, we are now required to deliver your learning remotely.

The RVC will continue to provide a blended learning approach to teaching, learning and assessment for Term 2 in 2020-21 (see Term 1 information below) with no onsite activity until Term 3, Government restrictions at that time permitting.

As in Term 1, your module leader will post on LEARN the sequence of the weekly activities that you need to engage with and related learning materials prior to the start of each week. You should check the “Announcement” area for each module page on LEARN on a regular basis to find out what you need to do for that week so you can plan your study schedule in advance.

Additionally, your online timetable viewer will display synchronous/live teaching sessions. These will be confirmed on a rolling basis throughout Term 2, two weeks’ in advance.

• All module exams will be online and delivered via mix of online proctored exams (see below) and open book exams accessed and submitted via LEARNExact dates are to be confirmed but exams will be held end of April 2021 – May 2021.

Your project supervisor

Course Director: Charlotte Lawson – chlawson@rvc.ac.uk

Year 3 Leader: Isabel Orriss – iorriss@rvc.ac.uk

Intercalation Leader (Biosciences): Bradley Cobb – bcobb@rvc.ac.uk

The RVC is adopting blended learning as an approach to teaching, learning and assessment for 2020-21. The RVC approach to blended learning provides you with a variety of ways to interact with your tutors and classmates that allows for a flexible and safe student experience. Your learning experience will be a combination of: synchronous (live) and asynchronous online learning activities; small and large group teaching; a blend of flexible self-paced study and collaborative learning; and a blend of on-campus practical teaching and online learning experiences. This will include:

• Newly recorded lectures to listen to in your own time
• Live streamed events of various kinds including:  Q and A discussions and collaborative activities
• Collaborative online group interactions such as directed learning sessions and tutorials
• Self-paced independent study including interactive learning activities; forums; blogs, wikis and quizzes for you to do in your own time
• A variety of digital materials to enhance your learning in your chosen modules
• 60 credit research projects:  Oct-Dec data analysis performed off site.  Jan: onsite lab work where required for your project (TBC, must be approved in advance by your supervisor)
• 30 credit research projects (Term 1):  data analysis to be performed offsite
• 30 credit research projects (Term 2): data analysis, may be some potential for on site lab work (TBC, must be approved in advance by your supervisor)

Module leaders will post the sequence of the weekly activities that you need to engage with and related  learning materials prior to the start of each week. Check the LEARN module pages on a regular basis to find out what you need to do for that week so you can plan your study schedule in advance.

PLEASE NOTE THAT 2020/21 ASSESSMENTS ARE SUMMATIVE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTIFIED. A summative assessment is one that helps to determine your progression to the next year/stage of study. If you do not achieve the required threshold marks as outlined in the Assessment and Award Regulations 2020/21 you will not be eligible for award in 2020/21.

Chosen modules (15 or 30 credit)
Each module will be assessed differently so it is important that you are clear on the assessment requirements for each of your modules.  For specific information please see the appropriate module page on LEARN.

Modules are expected to contain:

1. In Course Assessment: due dates will vary for each module but are usually before the end of the autumn term.
2. End of module exams:  these will take place in January. Information on the format of the exam will be available on the module pages on LEARN.

All assessments due in the autumn term will be managed remotely.

Exams taken in the autumn term will be delivered as proctored online exams. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security.

Examinations in the spring and summer term will take account of COVID-19 restrictions in place nearer the time which may mean than exams normally taken in an exam hall will be taken as a proctored online exam. We will provide you with further information for these exams once we are able to confirm arrangements.

Practical/presentation in-person assessments will either be delivered via remote means or in small, appropriately distanced groups.

Submission of coursework/assignments is unaffected by COVID-19 restrictions as these are submitted electronically via upload to LEARN.

Research Project (30 or 60 credit)
Projects will take the following format:

1. 30 credit research project undertaken in term 1 or term 2. Note, projects to be undertaken in term 1 will be data analysis only.
2. 60 credit research project
3. 30 credit research project + 30 credit dissertation (BSc Biological Sciences only)

Deadlines: Jan (30 credit term 1) or May 2021 (60 credit, 30 credit term 2)

Isabel Oriss - iorriss@rvc.ac.uk

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: None

In Term 3, the teaching activities are the Problem, Definition and Investigation (PDI) module and a Literature project; there are no practical elements. The PDI module involves group work; this group work will be facilitated online (please see Term 1 update below for further information on the RVC approach to blended learning).

All Term 3 assessments will be conducted remotely and online. Details of your examinations are available on the exams timetable.

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: 2 hours

Optional: Access to campus outside of scheduled teaching will be permitted but will need to be managed to help keep our campuses COVID secure. Controlling the occupation densities on campus, and maintaining social distancing measures, is critical to minimising the risk of spreading the virus. You will be able to access most campus facilities each week and it is important that you follow the local rules, including any cohort specific allocation systems that may be in place.

 The RVC will continue to provide a blended learning approach to teaching, learning and assessment for Term 2 in 2020-21 (see below).Individual on campus student sessions will be notified in advance via the online timetable.

All teaching will be online until 25th January 2021 to facilitate student self-isolation where required.  

• All module exams will be online proctored exams (see below) 27th – 30th April 2021
• ICA Integrated Physiology 1 – 11th February 2021
• ICA Integrated Physiology 2 – 1st March 2021 (to be confirmed)
• ICA The Moving Animal – 15th March 2021 (to be confirmed)

 Charlotte Lawson – chlawson@rvc.ac.uk

The RVC is adopting blended learning as an approach to teaching, learning and assessment for 2020-21. The RVC approach to blended learning provides you with a variety of ways to interact with your tutors and classmates that allows for a flexible and safe student experience. Your learning experience will be a combination of: synchronous (live) and asynchronous online learning activities; small and large group teaching; a blend of flexible self-paced study and collaborative learning. This will include:

• Newly recorded lectures to listen to in your own time
• Live streamed events of various kinds including: Q and A discussions, collaborative activities and some lectures
• Collaborative online group interactions such as directed learning sessions and tutorials
• Self-paced independent study including interactive learning activities; forums; blogs, wikis and quizzes for you to do in your own time
• A variety of digital materials to enhance your learning including eBooks and learning interactions.

Your instructor will post on LEARN (the RVC virtual learning environment for your course to which you will have access once you are enrolled) the sequence of the weekly activities that you need to engage with and related learning materials prior to the start of each week. You should check the “Announcement” area for your course page on LEARN on a regular basis to find out what you need to do for that week so you can plan your study schedule in advance.

All assessments due in the autumn term will be managed remotely.

Exams taken in the autumn term will be delivered as proctored online exams. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security.

Examinations in the spring and summer term will take account of COVID-19 restrictions in place nearer the time which may mean than exams normally taken in an exam hall will be taken as a proctored online exam. We will provide you with further information for these exams once we are able to confirm arrangements.

Practical/presentation in-person assessments will either be delivered via remote means or in small, appropriately distanced groups.

Submission of coursework/assignments is unaffected by COVID-19 restrictions as these are submitted electronically via upload to LEARN.

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: None – some activity on campus according to project choice (see below).

For those studying onsite projects, access to wider campus facilities such as social learning spaces and common room areas are restricted due to social distancing requirements. You may not be able to have access to these facilities before/after your practical teaching sessions more than one day per week.

 In Term 3, the teaching activity is the Investigative Project, the titles of which have already been released:

• The Brain Injury and Disease Modelling (epidemiology/One Health) - projects to be delivered online
• Animal Welfare and Behaviour (Dairy Cow) and Locomotion (Wing Diversity) – projects to be delivered online
• Cancer and Stem Cell Biology, Wildlife Virology Surveillance, Immunology - projects to be delivered onsite at the Camden Campus and will likely involve 2-3 days per week for 3 weeks in the laboratory..

All Term 3 assessments will be conducted remotely and online. Details of your examinations are available on the exams timetable.

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: This will vary by module:

• Control of Infectious Diseases (all students) 2 hours
• Principles of Pharmacology (core for Biological / Bioveterinary Sciences / optional for ABBWE) 0 hours
• Introduction to Wild Animal Biology (core for WAB / optional for ABBWE) 2 hours 
• Applied Pharmacology (core for Applied Research students / optional for Biological / Bioveterinary Sciences) 2 hours (one practical)
• Introduction to Animal Behaviour, Welfare and Ethics (core for ABBWE, optional for Biological/Bioveterinary Sciences, WAB) 2 hours
• Imaging of Disease (optional for Biological/Bioveterinary Sciences, WAB) 2 hours 
• Introduction to One Health (optional for Biological/Bioveterinary Sciences, WAB) 0 hours

Optional: Access to campus outside of scheduled teaching will be permitted but will need to be managed to help keep our campuses COVID secure. Controlling the occupation densities on campus, and maintaining social distancing measures, is critical to minimising the risk of spreading the virus. You will be able to access most campus facilities each week and it is important that you follow the local rules, including any cohort specific allocation systems that may be in place. Access to campus will be more restricted than you will previously have been used to. It is important to recognise that this will be different to your on-campus experience prior to the pandemic.

The RVC will continue to provide a blended learning approach to teaching, learning and assessment for Term 2 in 2020-21 (see below). Individual on campus student sessions will be notified in advance via the online timetable.

All teaching will be online until 21st January 2021 to facilitate student self-isolation where required.

• All module exams will be online proctored exams (see below) 27th – 30th April
• Module ICA deadlines to be confirmed

 Charlotte Lawson – chlawson@rvc.ac.uk

The RVC is adopting blended learning is an approach to teaching, learning and assessment for 2020-21. The RVC approach to blended learning provides you with a variety of ways to interact with your tutors and classmates that allows for a flexible and safe student experience. Your learning experience will be a combination of: synchronous (live) and asynchronous online learning activities; small and large group teaching; a blend of flexible self-paced study and collaborative learning. This will include:

• Newly recorded lectures to listen to in your own time
• Live streamed events of various kinds including: Q and A discussions, collaborative activities and some lectures
• Collaborative online group interactions such as directed learning sessions and tutorials
• Self-paced independent study including interactive learning activities; forums; blogs, wikis and quizzes for you to do in your own time
• A variety of digital materials to enhance your learning including eBooks and learning interactions.

Your instructor will post the sequence of the weekly activities that you need to engage with and related learning materials prior to the start of each week. Check your course page on LEARN on a regular basis to find out what you need to do for that week so you can plan your study schedule in advance.

PLEASE NOTE THAT 2020/21 ASSESSMENTS ARE SUMMATIVE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTIFIED. A summative assessment is one that helps to determine your progression to the next year/stage of study. If you do not achieve the required threshold marks as outlined in the Assessment and Award Regulations 2020/21 you will not be able to progress to the next year/stage of study.

Please refer to module handbooks and check your course page on LEARN for in-course course assessment and exact exam dates. These will be available at the start of term at the latest.

Exams for Basis of Disease (BOD) and Aging and Degeneration (AAD) will be held in the autumn term at the end of reading week. These will be delivered remotely and may be a proctored online exam. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security.

Principles of Infectious Diseases (PID) exam will be held in April 2021. Examinations in the spring and summer term will take account of COVID-19 restrictions in place nearer the time which may mean than exams normally taken in an exam hall may be taken as a proctored online exam. We will provide you with further information for these exams once we are able to confirm arrangements.

Practical/presentation in-person assessments will either be delivered via remote means or in small, appropriately distanced groups.

Submission of coursework/assignments is unaffected by COVID-19 restrictions as these are submitted electronically via upload to LEARN.

Abir Mukherjee - amukherjee@rvc.ac.uk

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: None – some activity on campus according to student choice re: additional practical sessions (see below).

Term 3 is dedicated to investigative project write-up which will be undertaken remotely.

However, in recognition that many students feel they have not had the opportunity to develop practical laboratory skills this year, we will offer optional sessions in the teaching labs in Camden after your assessments have finished. These sessions will give you the opportunity to undertake a set of key laboratory techniques and to discuss these with academic and technical staff.

Please note that access to wider campus facilities will remain restricted due to social distancing requirements and we will not be able to have the whole year group back at exactly the same time. You will therefore have the opportunity to sign-up to sessions (a session is typically 2-3 days) so that you can plan your attendance in the lab - but socialising on-campus will not be possible.

We recognise that not all students will want or be able to come to these sessions and that will not affect any students’ degree outcome – these are optional non-credit bearing sessions. We will also record and make available demonstration videos of the techniques carried out during the face-to-face sessions.

All Term 3 assessments will be conducted remotely and online. Details of your examinations are available on the exams timetable.

First published: 13th November 2020

Revisions published 13 January 2021 due to changed Government COVID-19 restrictions

Blended (on campus)

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: Zero

Optional: Zero

As a result of the Government announcements of 4th January 2021, we are now required to deliver your learning remotely.

The RVC will continue to provide a blended learning approach to teaching, learning and assessment for Term 2 in 2020-21 (see Term 1 information below) with no onsite activity until Term 3, Government restrictions at that time permitting.

As in Term 1, your module leader will post on LEARN the sequence of the weekly activities that you need to engage with and related learning materials prior to the start of each week. You should check the “Announcement” area for each module page on LEARN on a regular basis to find out what you need to do for that week so you can plan your study schedule in advance.

Additionally, your online timetable viewer will display synchronous/live teaching sessions. These will be confirmed on a rolling basis throughout Term 2, two weeks’ in advance.

• All module exams will be online and delivered via mix of online proctored exams (see below) and open book exams accessed and submitted via LEARNExact dates are to be confirmed but exams will be held end of April 2021 – May 2021.

Your project supervisor

Course Director: Charlotte Lawson – chlawson@rvc.ac.uk

Year 3 Leader: Isabel Orriss – iorriss@rvc.ac.uk

Intercalation Leader (Biosciences): Bradley Cobb – bcobb@rvc.ac.uk

The RVC is adopting blended learning as an approach to teaching, learning and assessment for 2020-21. The RVC approach to blended learning provides you with a variety of ways to interact with your tutors and classmates that allows for a flexible and safe student experience. Your learning experience will be a combination of: synchronous (live) and asynchronous online learning activities; small and large group teaching; a blend of flexible self-paced study and collaborative learning; and a blend of on-campus practical teaching and online learning experiences. This will include:

• Newly recorded lectures to listen to in your own time
• Live streamed events of various kinds including:  Q and A discussions and collaborative activities
• Collaborative online group interactions such as directed learning sessions and tutorials
• Self-paced independent study including interactive learning activities; forums; blogs, wikis and quizzes for you to do in your own time
• A variety of digital materials to enhance your learning in your chosen modules
• 60 credit research projects:  Oct-Dec data analysis performed off site.  Jan: onsite lab work where required for your project (TBC, must be approved in advance by your supervisor)
• 30 credit research projects (Term 1):  data analysis to be performed offsite
• 30 credit research projects (Term 2): data analysis, may be some potential for on site lab work (TBC, must be approved in advance by your supervisor)

Module leaders will post the sequence of the weekly activities that you need to engage with and related  learning materials prior to the start of each week. Check the LEARN module pages on a regular basis to find out what you need to do for that week so you can plan your study schedule in advance.

PLEASE NOTE THAT 2020/21 ASSESSMENTS ARE SUMMATIVE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTIFIED. A summative assessment is one that helps to determine your progression to the next year/stage of study. If you do not achieve the required threshold marks as outlined in the Assessment and Award Regulations 2020/21 you will not be eligible for award in 2020/21.

Chosen modules (15 or 30 credit)
Each module will be assessed differently so it is important that you are clear on the assessment requirements for each of your modules.  For specific information please see the appropriate module page on LEARN.

Modules are expected to contain:

1. In Course Assessment: due dates will vary for each module but are usually before the end of the autumn term.
2. End of module exams:  these will take place in January. Information on the format of the exam will be available on the module pages on LEARN.

All assessments due in the autumn term will be managed remotely.

Exams taken in the autumn term will be delivered as proctored online exams. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security.

Examinations in the spring and summer term will take account of COVID-19 restrictions in place nearer the time which may mean than exams normally taken in an exam hall will be taken as a proctored online exam. We will provide you with further information for these exams once we are able to confirm arrangements.

Practical/presentation in-person assessments will either be delivered via remote means or in small, appropriately distanced groups.

Submission of coursework/assignments is unaffected by COVID-19 restrictions as these are submitted electronically via upload to LEARN.

Research Project (30 or 60 credit)
Projects will take the following format:

1. 30 credit research project undertaken in term 1 or term 2. Note, projects to be undertaken in term 1 will be data analysis only.
2. 60 credit research project
3. 30 credit research project + 30 credit dissertation (BSc Biological Sciences only)

Deadlines: Jan (30 credit term 1) or May 2021 (60 credit, 30 credit term 2)

Isabel Oriss - iorriss@rvc.ac.uk

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: None

In Term 3, the teaching activities are the Problem, Definition and Investigation (PDI) module and a Literature project; there are no practical elements. The PDI module involves group work; this group work will be facilitated online (please see Term 1 update below for further information on the RVC approach to blended learning).

All Term 3 assessments will be conducted remotely and online. Details of your examinations are available on the exams timetable.

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: 2 hours

Optional: Access to campus outside of scheduled teaching will be permitted but will need to be managed to help keep our campuses COVID secure. Controlling the occupation densities on campus, and maintaining social distancing measures, is critical to minimising the risk of spreading the virus. You will be able to access most campus facilities each week and it is important that you follow the local rules, including any cohort specific allocation systems that may be in place.

 The RVC will continue to provide a blended learning approach to teaching, learning and assessment for Term 2 in 2020-21 (see below).Individual on campus student sessions will be notified in advance via the online timetable.

All teaching will be online until 25th January 2021 to facilitate student self-isolation where required.  

• All module exams will be online proctored exams (see below) 27th – 30th April 2021
• ICA Integrated Physiology 1 – 11th February 2021
• ICA Integrated Physiology 2 – 1st March 2021 (to be confirmed)
• ICA The Moving Animal – 15th March 2021 (to be confirmed)

 Charlotte Lawson – chlawson@rvc.ac.uk

The RVC is adopting blended learning as an approach to teaching, learning and assessment for 2020-21. The RVC approach to blended learning provides you with a variety of ways to interact with your tutors and classmates that allows for a flexible and safe student experience. Your learning experience will be a combination of: synchronous (live) and asynchronous online learning activities; small and large group teaching; a blend of flexible self-paced study and collaborative learning. This will include:

• Newly recorded lectures to listen to in your own time
• Live streamed events of various kinds including: Q and A discussions, collaborative activities and some lectures
• Collaborative online group interactions such as directed learning sessions and tutorials
• Self-paced independent study including interactive learning activities; forums; blogs, wikis and quizzes for you to do in your own time
• A variety of digital materials to enhance your learning including eBooks and learning interactions.

Your instructor will post on LEARN (the RVC virtual learning environment for your course to which you will have access once you are enrolled) the sequence of the weekly activities that you need to engage with and related learning materials prior to the start of each week. You should check the “Announcement” area for your course page on LEARN on a regular basis to find out what you need to do for that week so you can plan your study schedule in advance.

All assessments due in the autumn term will be managed remotely.

Exams taken in the autumn term will be delivered as proctored online exams. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security.

Examinations in the spring and summer term will take account of COVID-19 restrictions in place nearer the time which may mean than exams normally taken in an exam hall will be taken as a proctored online exam. We will provide you with further information for these exams once we are able to confirm arrangements.

Practical/presentation in-person assessments will either be delivered via remote means or in small, appropriately distanced groups.

Submission of coursework/assignments is unaffected by COVID-19 restrictions as these are submitted electronically via upload to LEARN.

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: None – some activity on campus according to project choice (see below).

For those studying onsite projects, access to wider campus facilities such as social learning spaces and common room areas are restricted due to social distancing requirements. You may not be able to have access to these facilities before/after your practical teaching sessions more than one day per week.

 In Term 3, the teaching activity is the Investigative Project, the titles of which have already been released:

• The Brain Injury and Disease Modelling (epidemiology/One Health) - projects to be delivered online
• Animal Welfare and Behaviour (Dairy Cow) and Locomotion (Wing Diversity) – projects to be delivered online
• Cancer and Stem Cell Biology, Wildlife Virology Surveillance, Immunology - projects to be delivered onsite at the Camden Campus and will likely involve 2-3 days per week for 3 weeks in the laboratory..

All Term 3 assessments will be conducted remotely and online. Details of your examinations are available on the exams timetable.

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: This will vary by module:

• Control of Infectious Diseases (all students) 2 hours
• Principles of Pharmacology (core for Biological / Bioveterinary Sciences / optional for ABBWE) 0 hours
• Introduction to Wild Animal Biology (core for WAB / optional for ABBWE) 2 hours 
• Applied Pharmacology (core for Applied Research students / optional for Biological / Bioveterinary Sciences) 2 hours (one practical)
• Introduction to Animal Behaviour, Welfare and Ethics (core for ABBWE, optional for Biological/Bioveterinary Sciences, WAB) 2 hours
• Imaging of Disease (optional for Biological/Bioveterinary Sciences, WAB) 2 hours 
• Introduction to One Health (optional for Biological/Bioveterinary Sciences, WAB) 0 hours

Optional: Access to campus outside of scheduled teaching will be permitted but will need to be managed to help keep our campuses COVID secure. Controlling the occupation densities on campus, and maintaining social distancing measures, is critical to minimising the risk of spreading the virus. You will be able to access most campus facilities each week and it is important that you follow the local rules, including any cohort specific allocation systems that may be in place. Access to campus will be more restricted than you will previously have been used to. It is important to recognise that this will be different to your on-campus experience prior to the pandemic.

The RVC will continue to provide a blended learning approach to teaching, learning and assessment for Term 2 in 2020-21 (see below). Individual on campus student sessions will be notified in advance via the online timetable.

All teaching will be online until 21st January 2021 to facilitate student self-isolation where required.

• All module exams will be online proctored exams (see below) 27th – 30th April
• Module ICA deadlines to be confirmed

 Charlotte Lawson – chlawson@rvc.ac.uk

The RVC is adopting blended learning is an approach to teaching, learning and assessment for 2020-21. The RVC approach to blended learning provides you with a variety of ways to interact with your tutors and classmates that allows for a flexible and safe student experience. Your learning experience will be a combination of: synchronous (live) and asynchronous online learning activities; small and large group teaching; a blend of flexible self-paced study and collaborative learning. This will include:

• Newly recorded lectures to listen to in your own time
• Live streamed events of various kinds including: Q and A discussions, collaborative activities and some lectures
• Collaborative online group interactions such as directed learning sessions and tutorials
• Self-paced independent study including interactive learning activities; forums; blogs, wikis and quizzes for you to do in your own time
• A variety of digital materials to enhance your learning including eBooks and learning interactions.

Your instructor will post the sequence of the weekly activities that you need to engage with and related learning materials prior to the start of each week. Check your course page on LEARN on a regular basis to find out what you need to do for that week so you can plan your study schedule in advance.

PLEASE NOTE THAT 2020/21 ASSESSMENTS ARE SUMMATIVE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTIFIED. A summative assessment is one that helps to determine your progression to the next year/stage of study. If you do not achieve the required threshold marks as outlined in the Assessment and Award Regulations 2020/21 you will not be able to progress to the next year/stage of study.

Please refer to module handbooks and check your course page on LEARN for in-course course assessment and exact exam dates. These will be available at the start of term at the latest.

Exams for Basis of Disease (BOD) and Aging and Degeneration (AAD) will be held in the autumn term at the end of reading week. These will be delivered remotely and may be a proctored online exam. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security.

Principles of Infectious Diseases (PID) exam will be held in April 2021. Examinations in the spring and summer term will take account of COVID-19 restrictions in place nearer the time which may mean than exams normally taken in an exam hall may be taken as a proctored online exam. We will provide you with further information for these exams once we are able to confirm arrangements.

Practical/presentation in-person assessments will either be delivered via remote means or in small, appropriately distanced groups.

Submission of coursework/assignments is unaffected by COVID-19 restrictions as these are submitted electronically via upload to LEARN.

Abir Mukherjee - amukherjee@rvc.ac.uk

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: None – some activity on campus according to student choice re: additional practical sessions (see below).

Term 3 is dedicated to investigative project write-up which will be undertaken remotely.

However, in recognition that many students feel they have not had the opportunity to develop practical laboratory skills this year, we will offer optional sessions in the teaching labs in Camden after your assessments have finished. These sessions will give you the opportunity to undertake a set of key laboratory techniques and to discuss these with academic and technical staff.

Please note that access to wider campus facilities will remain restricted due to social distancing requirements and we will not be able to have the whole year group back at exactly the same time. You will therefore have the opportunity to sign-up to sessions (a session is typically 2-3 days) so that you can plan your attendance in the lab - but socialising on-campus will not be possible.

We recognise that not all students will want or be able to come to these sessions and that will not affect any students’ degree outcome – these are optional non-credit bearing sessions. We will also record and make available demonstration videos of the techniques carried out during the face-to-face sessions.

All Term 3 assessments will be conducted remotely and online. Details of your examinations are available on the exams timetable.

First published: 13th November 2020

Revisions published 13 January 2021 due to changed Government COVID-19 restrictions

Blended (on campus)

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: Zero

Optional: Zero

As a result of the Government announcements of 4th January 2021, we are now required to deliver your learning remotely.

The RVC will continue to provide a blended learning approach to teaching, learning and assessment for Term 2 in 2020-21 (see Term 1 information below) with no onsite activity until Term 3, Government restrictions at that time permitting.

As in Term 1, your module leader will post on LEARN the sequence of the weekly activities that you need to engage with and related learning materials prior to the start of each week. You should check the “Announcement” area for each module page on LEARN on a regular basis to find out what you need to do for that week so you can plan your study schedule in advance.

Additionally, your online timetable viewer will display synchronous/live teaching sessions. These will be confirmed on a rolling basis throughout Term 2, two weeks’ in advance.

• All module exams will be online and delivered via mix of online proctored exams (see below) and open book exams accessed and submitted via LEARNExact dates are to be confirmed but exams will be held end of April 2021 – May 2021.

Your project supervisor

Course Director: Charlotte Lawson – chlawson@rvc.ac.uk

Year 3 Leader: Isabel Orriss – iorriss@rvc.ac.uk

Intercalation Leader (Biosciences): Bradley Cobb – bcobb@rvc.ac.uk

The RVC is adopting blended learning as an approach to teaching, learning and assessment for 2020-21. The RVC approach to blended learning provides you with a variety of ways to interact with your tutors and classmates that allows for a flexible and safe student experience. Your learning experience will be a combination of: synchronous (live) and asynchronous online learning activities; small and large group teaching; a blend of flexible self-paced study and collaborative learning; and a blend of on-campus practical teaching and online learning experiences. This will include:

• Newly recorded lectures to listen to in your own time
• Live streamed events of various kinds including:  Q and A discussions and collaborative activities
• Collaborative online group interactions such as directed learning sessions and tutorials
• Self-paced independent study including interactive learning activities; forums; blogs, wikis and quizzes for you to do in your own time
• A variety of digital materials to enhance your learning in your chosen modules
• 60 credit research projects:  Oct-Dec data analysis performed off site.  Jan: onsite lab work where required for your project (TBC, must be approved in advance by your supervisor)
• 30 credit research projects (Term 1):  data analysis to be performed offsite
• 30 credit research projects (Term 2): data analysis, may be some potential for on site lab work (TBC, must be approved in advance by your supervisor)

Module leaders will post the sequence of the weekly activities that you need to engage with and related  learning materials prior to the start of each week. Check the LEARN module pages on a regular basis to find out what you need to do for that week so you can plan your study schedule in advance.

PLEASE NOTE THAT 2020/21 ASSESSMENTS ARE SUMMATIVE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTIFIED. A summative assessment is one that helps to determine your progression to the next year/stage of study. If you do not achieve the required threshold marks as outlined in the Assessment and Award Regulations 2020/21 you will not be eligible for award in 2020/21.

Chosen modules (15 or 30 credit)
Each module will be assessed differently so it is important that you are clear on the assessment requirements for each of your modules.  For specific information please see the appropriate module page on LEARN.

Modules are expected to contain:

1. In Course Assessment: due dates will vary for each module but are usually before the end of the autumn term.
2. End of module exams:  these will take place in January. Information on the format of the exam will be available on the module pages on LEARN.

All assessments due in the autumn term will be managed remotely.

Exams taken in the autumn term will be delivered as proctored online exams. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security.

Examinations in the spring and summer term will take account of COVID-19 restrictions in place nearer the time which may mean than exams normally taken in an exam hall will be taken as a proctored online exam. We will provide you with further information for these exams once we are able to confirm arrangements.

Practical/presentation in-person assessments will either be delivered via remote means or in small, appropriately distanced groups.

Submission of coursework/assignments is unaffected by COVID-19 restrictions as these are submitted electronically via upload to LEARN.

Research Project (30 or 60 credit)
Projects will take the following format:

1. 30 credit research project undertaken in term 1 or term 2. Note, projects to be undertaken in term 1 will be data analysis only.
2. 60 credit research project
3. 30 credit research project + 30 credit dissertation (BSc Biological Sciences only)

Deadlines: Jan (30 credit term 1) or May 2021 (60 credit, 30 credit term 2)

Isabel Oriss - iorriss@rvc.ac.uk

First published: 13th November 2020

Revisions published 13 January 2021 due to changed Government COVID-19 restrictions

Blended (on campus)

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: Zero

Optional: Zero

As a result of the Government announcements of 4th January 2021, we are now required to deliver your learning remotely.

The RVC will continue to provide a blended learning approach to teaching, learning and assessment for Term 2 in 2020-21 (see Term 1 information below) with no onsite activity until Term 3, Government restrictions at that time permitting.

As in Term 1, your module leader will post on LEARN the sequence of the weekly activities that you need to engage with and related learning materials prior to the start of each week. You should check the “Announcement” area for each module page on LEARN on a regular basis to find out what you need to do for that week so you can plan your study schedule in advance.

Additionally, your online timetable viewer will display synchronous/live teaching sessions. These will be confirmed on a rolling basis throughout Term 2, two weeks’ in advance.

• All module exams will be online and delivered via mix of online proctored exams (see below) and open book exams accessed and submitted via LEARNExact dates are to be confirmed but exams will be held end of April 2021 – May 2021.

Your project supervisor

Course Director: Charlotte Lawson – chlawson@rvc.ac.uk

Year 3 Leader: Isabel Orriss – iorriss@rvc.ac.uk

Intercalation Leader (Biosciences): Bradley Cobb – bcobb@rvc.ac.uk

The RVC is adopting blended learning as an approach to teaching, learning and assessment for 2020-21. The RVC approach to blended learning provides you with a variety of ways to interact with your tutors and classmates that allows for a flexible and safe student experience. Your learning experience will be a combination of: synchronous (live) and asynchronous online learning activities; small and large group teaching; a blend of flexible self-paced study and collaborative learning; and a blend of on-campus practical teaching and online learning experiences. This will include:

• Newly recorded lectures to listen to in your own time
• Live streamed events of various kinds including:  Q and A discussions and collaborative activities 
• Collaborative online group interactions such as directed learning sessions and tutorials
• Self-paced independent study including interactive learning activities; forums; blogs, wikis and quizzes for you to do in your own time
• A variety of digital materials to enhance your learning in your chosen modules
• 60 credit research projects:  Oct-Dec data analysis performed off site.  Jan: onsite lab work where required for your project (TBC, must be approved in advance by your supervisor)
• 30 credit research projects (Term 1):  data analysis to be performed offsite
• 30 credit research projects (Term 2): data analysis, may be some potential for on site lab work (TBC, must be approved in advance by your supervisor)

Module leaders will post the sequence of the weekly activities that you need to engage with and related  learning materials prior to the start of each week. Check the LEARN pages for each of your modules on a regular basis to find out what you need to do for that week so you can plan your study schedule in advance.

PLEASE NOTE THAT 2020/21 ASSESSMENTS ARE SUMMATIVE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTIFIED. A summative assessment is one that helps to determine your progression to the next year/stage of study. If you do not achieve the required threshold marks as outlined in the Assessment and Award Regulations 2020/21 you will not be eligible for award in 2020/21.

Chosen modules (15 or 30 credit)
Each module will be assessed differently so it is important that you are clear on the assessment requirements for each of your modules.  For specific information please see the appropriate module page on LEARN.

Modules are expected to contain:

1. In Course Assessment: due dates will vary for each module but are usually before the end of the autumn term.
2. End of module exams:  these will take place in January. Information on the format of the exam will be available on the module pages on LEARN.

All assessments due in the autumn term will be managed remotely.

Exams taken in the autumn term will be delivered as proctored online exams. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security.

Examinations in the spring and summer term will take account of COVID-19 restrictions in place nearer the time which may mean than exams normally taken in an exam hall will be taken as a proctored online exam. We will provide you with further information for these exams once we are able to confirm arrangements.

Practical/presentation in-person assessments will either be delivered via remote means or in small, appropriately distanced groups.

Submission of coursework/assignments is unaffected by COVID-19 restrictions as these are submitted electronically via upload to LEARN.

Research Project (30 or 60 credit)
Projects will take the following format:

1. 30 credit research project undertaken in term 1 or term 2. Note, projects to be undertaken in term 1 will be data analysis only.
2. 60 credit research project
3. 30 credit research project + 30 credit dissertation (BSc Biological Sciences only)

Deadlines: Jan (30 credit term 1) or May 2021 (60 credit, 30 credit term 2)

Isabel Oriss - iorriss@rvc.ac.uk

First published: 13th November 2020  

Revisions published 13 January 2021 due to changed Government COVID-19 restrictions

Blended (off campus)

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: Zero

Optional: Zero

As a result of the Government announcements of 4th January 2021, we are now required to deliver your learning remotely.

The RVC will continue to provide a blended learning approach to teaching, learning and assessment for Term 2 in 2020-21 (see Term 1 information below) with no onsite activity until Term 3, Government restrictions at that time permitting.

For those of you completing course modules, your instructor will post on LEARN the sequence of the weekly activities that you need to engage with and related learning materials prior to the start of each week as in Term 1. You should check the “Announcement” area for your course page on LEARN on a regular basis to find out what you need to do for that week so you can plan your study schedule in advance.

Additionally, your online timetable viewer will display synchronous/live teaching sessions. These will be confirmed on a rolling basis throughout Term 2, two weeks’ in advance.

For your research project work, this will be completed remotely with interaction between you and your project supervisor. Where necessary we will provide you with data which you can use in your analysis. You will be expected to agree a timetable for your studies and research plan with your supervisor and actively engage with the research project. You can expect to spend equivalent to 5 days per week on your project for a 60 credit (full time) project and 2.5 days per week for a 30 credit project. This will not appear in the online timetable viewer.

January exams to be completed as a proctored online exam. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security.  Otherwise no change to the structure or content of assessments.

For those students choosing optional taught modules, in course assessments will be online in Term 2 and module exams will be held in Term 3. Examinations in Term 3 will take account of COVID-19 restrictions in place nearer the time which may mean than exams normally taken in an exam hall will be taken as a proctored online exam. We will provide you with further information for these exams once we are able to confirm arrangements.

 PLEASE NOTE THAT 2020/21 ASSESSMENTS ARE SUMMATIVE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTIFIED. A summative assessment is one that contributes to your final award classification. If you do not achieve the required threshold marks as outlined in the Assessment and Award Regulations 2020/21 you will not be eligible for award in 2020/21. 

 Rob Noad – rnoad@rvc.ac.uk

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: 2 hours

Optional: Access to campus outside of scheduled teaching will be permitted but will need to be managed to help keep our campuses COVID secure. Controlling the occupation densities on campus, and maintaining social distancing measures, is critical to minimising the risk of spreading the virus. You will be able to access most campus facilities each week and it is important that you follow the local rules, including any cohort specific allocation systems that may be in place.

 The RVC will continue to provide a blended learning approach to teaching, learning and assessment for Term 2 in 2020-21 (see below).Individual on campus student sessions will be notified in advance via the online timetable.

All teaching will be online until 25th January 2021 to facilitate student self-isolation where required.  

• All module exams will be online proctored exams (see below) 27th – 30th April 2021
• ICA Integrated Physiology 1 – 11th February 2021
• ICA Integrated Physiology 2 – 1st March 2021 (to be confirmed)
• ICA The Moving Animal – 15th March 2021 (to be confirmed)

 Charlotte Lawson – chlawson@rvc.ac.uk

The RVC is adopting blended learning as an approach to teaching, learning and assessment for 2020-21. The RVC approach to blended learning provides you with a variety of ways to interact with your tutors and classmates that allows for a flexible and safe student experience. Your learning experience will be a combination of: synchronous (live) and asynchronous online learning activities; small and large group teaching; a blend of flexible self-paced study and collaborative learning. This will include:

• Newly recorded lectures to listen to in your own time
• Live streamed events of various kinds including: Q and A discussions, collaborative activities and some lectures
• Collaborative online group interactions such as directed learning sessions and tutorials
• Self-paced independent study including interactive learning activities; forums; blogs, wikis and quizzes for you to do in your own time
• A variety of digital materials to enhance your learning including eBooks and learning interactions.

Your instructor will post on LEARN (the RVC virtual learning environment for your course to which you will have access once you are enrolled) the sequence of the weekly activities that you need to engage with and related learning materials prior to the start of each week. You should check the “Announcement” area for your course page on LEARN on a regular basis to find out what you need to do for that week so you can plan your study schedule in advance.

All assessments due in the autumn term will be managed remotely.

Exams taken in the autumn term will be delivered as proctored online exams. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security.

Examinations in the spring and summer term will take account of COVID-19 restrictions in place nearer the time which may mean than exams normally taken in an exam hall will be taken as a proctored online exam. We will provide you with further information for these exams once we are able to confirm arrangements.

Practical/presentation in-person assessments will either be delivered via remote means or in small, appropriately distanced groups.

Submission of coursework/assignments is unaffected by COVID-19 restrictions as these are submitted electronically via upload to LEARN.

Stuart Patterson - spatterson@rvc.ac.uk

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: This will vary by module:

• Control of Infectious Diseases (all students) 2 hours
• Principles of Pharmacology (core for Biological / Bioveterinary Sciences / optional for ABBWE) 0 hours
• Introduction to Wild Animal Biology (core for WAB / optional for ABBWE) 2 hours 
• Applied Pharmacology (core for Applied Research students / optional for Biological / Bioveterinary Sciences) 2 hours (one practical)
• Introduction to Animal Behaviour, Welfare and Ethics (core for ABBWE, optional for Biological/Bioveterinary Sciences, WAB) 2 hours
• Imaging of Disease (optional for Biological/Bioveterinary Sciences, WAB) 2 hours 
• Introduction to One Health (optional for Biological/Bioveterinary Sciences, WAB) 0 hours

Optional: Access to campus outside of scheduled teaching will be permitted but will need to be managed to help keep our campuses COVID secure. Controlling the occupation densities on campus, and maintaining social distancing measures, is critical to minimising the risk of spreading the virus. You will be able to access most campus facilities each week and it is important that you follow the local rules, including any cohort specific allocation systems that may be in place. Access to campus will be more restricted than you will previously have been used to. It is important to recognise that this will be different to your on-campus experience prior to the pandemic.

The RVC will continue to provide a blended learning approach to teaching, learning and assessment for Term 2 in 2020-21 (see below). Individual on campus student sessions will be notified in advance via the online timetable.

All teaching will be online until 21st January 2021 to facilitate student self-isolation where required.

• All module exams will be online proctored exams (see below) 27th – 30th April
• Module ICA deadlines to be confirmed

 Charlotte Lawson – chlawson@rvc.ac.uk

The RVC is adopting blended learning as an approach to teaching, learning and assessment for 2020-21. The RVC approach to blended learning provides you with a variety of ways to interact with your tutors and classmates that allows for a flexible and safe student experience. Your learning experience will be a combination of: synchronous (live) and asynchronous online learning activities; small and large group teaching; a blend of flexible self-paced study and collaborative learning. This will include:

• Newly recorded lectures to listen to in your own time
• Live streamed events of various kinds including: Q and A discussions, collaborative activities and some lectures
• Collaborative online group interactions such as directed learning sessions and tutorials
• Self-paced independent study including interactive learning activities; forums; blogs, wikis and quizzes for you to do in your own time
• A variety of digital materials to enhance your learning including eBooks and learning interactions.

Your instructor will post the sequence of the weekly activities that you need to engage with and related learning materials prior to the start of each week. Check your course page on LEARN on a regular basis to find out what you need to do for that week so you can plan your study schedule in advance.

PLEASE NOTE THAT 2020/21 ASSESSMENTS ARE SUMMATIVE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTIFIED. A summative assessment is one that helps to determine your progression to the next year/stage of study. If you do not achieve the required threshold marks as outlined in the Assessment and Award Regulations 2020/21 you will not be able to progress to the next year/stage of study.

Please refer to module handbooks and check your course page on LEARN for in-course course assessment and exact exam dates. These will be available at the start of term at the latest. 

Exams for Basis of Disease (BOD) and Aging and Degeneration (AAD) will be held in the autumn term at the end of reading week. These will be delivered remotely and may be a proctored online exam. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security.

Principles of Infectious Diseases (PID) exam will be held in April 2021. Examinations in the spring and summer term will take account of COVID-19 restrictions in place nearer the time which may mean than exams normally taken in an exam hall may be taken as a proctored online exam. We will provide you with further information for these exams once we are able to confirm arrangements.

Practical/presentation in-person assessments will either be delivered via remote means or in small, appropriately distanced groups.

Submission of coursework/assignments is unaffected by COVID-19 restrictions as these are submitted electronically via upload to LEARN.

Stuart Patterson - spatterson@rvc.ac.uk

UPDATE 12TH NOVEMBER 2020:

Blended (on-campus) – with option to remain off-campus dependent upon project activity

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: None

Access to campus outside of scheduled teaching will be permitted for those students undertaking project activity at the RVC but will need to be managed to help keep our campuses COVID secure. Controlling the occupation densities on campus, and maintaining social distancing measures, is critical to minimising the risk of spreading the virus. You will be able to access most campus facilities each week and it is important that you follow the local rules, including any cohort specific allocation systems that may be in place. Access to campus will be more restricted than you will previously have been used to. It is important to recognise that this will be different to your on-campus experience prior to the pandemic.

The RVC will continue to provide a blended learning approach to teaching, learning and assessment for Term 2 in 2020-21 (see below). The two taught modules will be delivered remotely.

You will have access to campus for a defined period in order to perform some limited practical work for your research project.  If circumstances permit, you will be offered a three-week period, during which you can perform practical work in the mornings (09.00-12.00) or afternoons (14.00-17.00) for up to three days a week.

In order for this to be arranged, it is vital that you have a meeting with your project supervisor as soon as possible to determine the following:

1. Whether you wish to come onto campus to perform some limited hands on experiments.
2. If planning to carry out research off-campus with a partner institution (i.e. not desk-based research) that the site is able to accommodate you safely and in accordance with any Government guidance that is in force at that time.
3. If returning to campus, which days you would be available to perform practical work.  These must not be days when you have scheduled module sessions.
4. That your supervisor is able to supervise on-campus activities and the most appropriate weeks for them to be able to do this

This information is essential to enable your supervisor to plan the practical experiments and book the space required. It is envisaged that access to the college to perform this work will be available from 11th January 2021 and will continue throughout Term 2. Details of which slots you have been allocated will be provided once bookings have been finalised.

Students can opt to complete a research project that comprises entirely of data analysis.  If appropriate, please discuss this option with your project supervisor as soon as possible.

The two Spring term modules each have an in course assessment as previously notified.

Each of the two modules has an April/May exam as previously notified which will be delivered online. These may be as an online proctored exam (see below); further information will be provided no later than February 2021. 

The 30 credit research project will have the usual May submission date.

 Stuart Patterson – spatterson@rvc.ac.uk

The RVC is adopting blended learning as an approach to teaching, learning and assessment for 2020-21. The RVC approach to blended learning provides you with a variety of ways to interact with your tutors and classmates that allows for a flexible and safe student experience. Your learning experience will be a combination of: synchronous (live) and asynchronous online learning activities; small and large group teaching; a blend of flexible self-paced study and collaborative learning; and a blend of on-campus practical teaching and online learning experiences. This will include:

• Newly recorded lectures to listen to in your own time
• Live streamed events of various kinds including: Q and A discussions and collaborative activities
• Collaborative online group interactions such as directed learning sessions and tutorials
• Self-paced independent study including interactive learning activities; forums; blogs, wikis and quizzes for you to do in your own time
• A variety of digital materials to enhance your learning in your chosen modules
• The 60 credit research project module has been broken into two sections:
1. A new, 30 credit, WAB-specific dissertation module has been added to the Autumn term
2. A 30 credit research project will take place in the Spring term

Module leaders will post the sequence of the weekly activities that you need to engage with and related learning materials prior to the start of each week. Check your module pages on LEARN on a regular basis to find out what you need to do for that week so you can plan your study schedule in advance.

PLEASE NOTE THAT 2020/21 ASSESSMENTS ARE SUMMATIVE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTIFIED. A summative assessment is one that helps to determine your progression to the next year/stage of study. If you do not achieve the required threshold marks as outlined in the Assessment and Award Regulations 2020/21 you will not be able to progress to the next year/stage of study.

Chosen modules (15 or 30 credit)
Each module will be assessed differently so it is important that you are clear on the assessment requirements for each of your modules. For specific information please see the appropriate module page on LEARN.

Modules are expected to contain:

1. In Course Assessment: due dates will vary for each module but are usually before the end of the autumn term.
2. End of module exams: these will take place in January. Information on the format of the exam will be available on the module pages on LEARN.

All assessments due in the autumn term will be managed remotely.

Exams taken in the autumn term will be delivered as proctored online exams. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security.

Examinations in the spring and summer term will take account of COVID-19 restrictions in place nearer the time which may mean than exams normally taken in an exam hall will be taken as a proctored online exam. We will provide you with further information for these exams once we are able to confirm arrangements.

Practical/presentation in-person assessments will either be delivered via remote means or in small, appropriately distanced groups.

Submission of coursework/assignments is unaffected by COVID-19 restrictions as these are submitted electronically via upload to LEARN.

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: None

Optional: Access to campus outside of scheduled teaching will be permitted but will need to be managed to help keep our campuses COVID secure. Controlling the occupation densities on campus, and maintaining social distancing measures, is critical to minimising the risk of spreading the virus. You will be able to access most campus facilities each week and it is important that you follow the local rules, including any cohort specific allocation systems that may be in place. Access to campus will be more restricted than you will previously have been used to. It is important to recognise that this will be different to your on-campus experience prior to the pandemic.

The RVC will continue to provide a blended learning approach to teaching, learning and assessment for Term 2 in 2020-21 (see below).

You will have access to campus for a defined period in order to perform some limited practical work for your research project. If circumstances permit, you will be offered a three-week period, during which you can perform practical work in the mornings (09.00-12.00) or afternoons (14.00-17.00) for up to three days a week.

In order for this to be arranged, it is vital that you have a meeting with your project supervisor as soon as possible to determine the following:

1. Whether you wish to come onto campus to perform some limited hands on experiments.
2. If planning to carry out research off-campus with a partner institution (i.e. not desk-based research) that the site is able to accommodate you safely and in accordance with any Government guidance that is in force at that time.
3. If returning to campus, which days you would be available to perform practical work. These must not be days when you have scheduled module sessions.
4. That your supervisor is able to supervise on-campus activities and the most appropriate weeks for them to be able to do this 

This information is essential to enable your supervisor to plan the practical experiments and book the space required. It is envisaged that access to the college to perform this work will be available from 11th January 2021 and will continue throughout Term 2. Details of which slots you have been allocated will be provided once bookings have been finalised.

Students can opt to complete a research project that comprises entirely of data analysis. If appropriate, please discuss this option with your project supervisor as soon as possible.

An optional module for some students will be delivered remotely in January 2021. Students undertaking an optional module in January 2021 will have an ICA in the form of an online presentation (for example using MS Teams or Zoom) and will be examined in March 2021. The March examination will consist of a short answer questions paper and will be delivered as an online proctored exam (see below).

All students are required to submit their research project report in May 2021 as usual via electronic upload within LEARN. All vivas will be conducted remotely online using video conferencing software such as MS Teams or Zoom.

  Stuart Patterson – spatterson@rvc.ac.uk

The RVC is adopting blended learning as an approach to teaching, learning and assessment for 2020-21. The RVC approach to blended learning provides you with a variety of ways to interact with your tutors and classmates that allows for a flexible and safe student experience. Your learning experience will be a combination of: synchronous (live) and asynchronous online learning activities; small and large group teaching; a blend of flexible self-paced study and collaborative learning. This will include:

• Newly recorded lectures to listen to in your own time
• Live streamed events of various kinds including:  Q and A discussions, collaborative activities
• Collaborative online group interactions based around problem based learning
• Self-paced independent study including interactive online discussion forums moderated by teaching staff
• The timing of the taught modules has changed so that modules that were previously 3 days/week for 3-4 weeks are now consolidated to 5 days/week for 2 weeks, but with the total teaching time and learning outcomes remaining the same.
• A variety of digital materials to enhance your learning including eBooks and learning interactions.

Your weekly activities and related learning materials will be posted on LEARN to help structure your studies. Please ensure you check the announcements and emails indicating the sequence of activities so that you can plan your study schedule in advance.

In the Autumn term two compulsory and one optional module will be taught and assessed. Previously all three were examined in February and only two modules (one compulsory and one optional) had coursework.
Conservation Biology (Compulsory): New in-course assessment introduced to replace essay style exam question. Module exam moved from February to December.
Impacts of Disease on Populations (Compulsory): In-course assessment retained. Module exam moved from February to December.
Health and Welfare of Captive Wild Animals (Optional): In-course assessment retained. Module exam moved from February to December.

Exams taken in December will be conducted online and proctored. It will consist of short-answer questions.

The optional January module, Ecosystem Health, has retained its in-course assessment, and the module exam has been brought forwards from May to March 2021.

Stuart Patterson - spatterson@rvc.ac.uk

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: None

In Term 3, the teaching activities are the Problem, Definition and Investigation (PDI) module and a Literature project; there are no practical elements. The PDI module involves group work; this group work will be facilitated online (please see Term 1 update below for further information on the RVC approach to blended learning).

All Term 3 assessments will be conducted remotely and online. Details of your examinations are available on the exams timetable.

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: 2 hours

Optional: Access to campus outside of scheduled teaching will be permitted but will need to be managed to help keep our campuses COVID secure. Controlling the occupation densities on campus, and maintaining social distancing measures, is critical to minimising the risk of spreading the virus. You will be able to access most campus facilities each week and it is important that you follow the local rules, including any cohort specific allocation systems that may be in place.

 The RVC will continue to provide a blended learning approach to teaching, learning and assessment for Term 2 in 2020-21 (see below).Individual on campus student sessions will be notified in advance via the online timetable.

All teaching will be online until 25th January 2021 to facilitate student self-isolation where required.  

• All module exams will be online proctored exams (see below) 27th – 30th April 2021
• ICA Integrated Physiology 1 – 11th February 2021
• ICA Integrated Physiology 2 – 1st March 2021 (to be confirmed)
• ICA The Moving Animal – 15th March 2021 (to be confirmed)

 Charlotte Lawson – chlawson@rvc.ac.uk

The RVC is adopting blended learning as an approach to teaching, learning and assessment for 2020-21. The RVC approach to blended learning provides you with a variety of ways to interact with your tutors and classmates that allows for a flexible and safe student experience. Your learning experience will be a combination of: synchronous (live) and asynchronous online learning activities; small and large group teaching; a blend of flexible self-paced study and collaborative learning. This will include:

• Newly recorded lectures to listen to in your own time
• Live streamed events of various kinds including: Q and A discussions, collaborative activities and some lectures
• Collaborative online group interactions such as directed learning sessions and tutorials
• Self-paced independent study including interactive learning activities; forums; blogs, wikis and quizzes for you to do in your own time
• A variety of digital materials to enhance your learning including eBooks and learning interactions.

Your instructor will post on LEARN (the RVC virtual learning environment for your course to which you will have access once you are enrolled) the sequence of the weekly activities that you need to engage with and related learning materials prior to the start of each week. You should check the “Announcement” area for your course page on LEARN on a regular basis to find out what you need to do for that week so you can plan your study schedule in advance.

All assessments due in the autumn term will be managed remotely.

Exams taken in the autumn term will be delivered as proctored online exams. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security.

Examinations in the spring and summer term will take account of COVID-19 restrictions in place nearer the time which may mean than exams normally taken in an exam hall will be taken as a proctored online exam. We will provide you with further information for these exams once we are able to confirm arrangements.

Practical/presentation in-person assessments will either be delivered via remote means or in small, appropriately distanced groups.

Submission of coursework/assignments is unaffected by COVID-19 restrictions as these are submitted electronically via upload to LEARN.

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: None – some activity on campus according to project choice (see below).

For those studying onsite projects, access to wider campus facilities such as social learning spaces and common room areas are restricted due to social distancing requirements. You may not be able to have access to these facilities before/after your practical teaching sessions more than one day per week.

 In Term 3, the teaching activity is the Investigative Project, the titles of which have already been released:

• The Brain Injury and Disease Modelling (epidemiology/One Health) - projects to be delivered online
• Animal Welfare and Behaviour (Dairy Cow) and Locomotion (Wing Diversity) – projects to be delivered online
• Cancer and Stem Cell Biology, Wildlife Virology Surveillance, Immunology - projects to be delivered onsite at the Camden Campus and will likely involve 2-3 days per week for 3 weeks in the laboratory..

All Term 3 assessments will be conducted remotely and online. Details of your examinations are available on the exams timetable.

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: This will vary by module:

• Control of Infectious Diseases (all students) 2 hours
• Principles of Pharmacology (core for Biological / Bioveterinary Sciences / optional for ABBWE) 0 hours
• Introduction to Wild Animal Biology (core for WAB / optional for ABBWE) 2 hours 
• Applied Pharmacology (core for Applied Research students / optional for Biological / Bioveterinary Sciences) 2 hours (one practical)
• Introduction to Animal Behaviour, Welfare and Ethics (core for ABBWE, optional for Biological/Bioveterinary Sciences, WAB) 2 hours
• Imaging of Disease (optional for Biological/Bioveterinary Sciences, WAB) 2 hours 
• Introduction to One Health (optional for Biological/Bioveterinary Sciences, WAB) 0 hours

Optional: Access to campus outside of scheduled teaching will be permitted but will need to be managed to help keep our campuses COVID secure. Controlling the occupation densities on campus, and maintaining social distancing measures, is critical to minimising the risk of spreading the virus. You will be able to access most campus facilities each week and it is important that you follow the local rules, including any cohort specific allocation systems that may be in place. Access to campus will be more restricted than you will previously have been used to. It is important to recognise that this will be different to your on-campus experience prior to the pandemic.

The RVC will continue to provide a blended learning approach to teaching, learning and assessment for Term 2 in 2020-21 (see below). Individual on campus student sessions will be notified in advance via the online timetable.

All teaching will be online until 21st January 2021 to facilitate student self-isolation where required.

• All module exams will be online proctored exams (see below) 27th – 30th April
• Module ICA deadlines to be confirmed

 Charlotte Lawson – chlawson@rvc.ac.uk

The RVC is adopting blended learning is an approach to teaching, learning and assessment for 2020-21. The RVC approach to blended learning provides you with a variety of ways to interact with your tutors and classmates that allows for a flexible and safe student experience. Your learning experience will be a combination of: synchronous (live) and asynchronous online learning activities; small and large group teaching; a blend of flexible self-paced study and collaborative learning. This will include:

• Newly recorded lectures to listen to in your own time
• Live streamed events of various kinds including: Q and A discussions, collaborative activities and some lectures
• Collaborative online group interactions such as directed learning sessions and tutorials
• Self-paced independent study including interactive learning activities; forums; blogs, wikis and quizzes for you to do in your own time
• A variety of digital materials to enhance your learning including eBooks and learning interactions.

Your instructor will post the sequence of the weekly activities that you need to engage with and related learning materials prior to the start of each week. Check your course page on LEARN on a regular basis to find out what you need to do for that week so you can plan your study schedule in advance.

PLEASE NOTE THAT 2020/21 ASSESSMENTS ARE SUMMATIVE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTIFIED. A summative assessment is one that helps to determine your progression to the next year/stage of study. If you do not achieve the required threshold marks as outlined in the Assessment and Award Regulations 2020/21 you will not be able to progress to the next year/stage of study.

Please refer to module handbooks and check your course page on LEARN for in-course course assessment and exact exam dates. These will be available at the start of term at the latest.

Exams for Basis of Disease (BOD) and Aging and Degeneration (AAD) will be held in the autumn term at the end of reading week. These will be delivered remotely and may be a proctored online exam. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security.

Principles of Infectious Diseases (PID) exam will be held in April 2021. Examinations in the spring and summer term will take account of COVID-19 restrictions in place nearer the time which may mean than exams normally taken in an exam hall may be taken as a proctored online exam. We will provide you with further information for these exams once we are able to confirm arrangements.

Practical/presentation in-person assessments will either be delivered via remote means or in small, appropriately distanced groups.

Submission of coursework/assignments is unaffected by COVID-19 restrictions as these are submitted electronically via upload to LEARN.

Abir Mukherjee - amukherjee@rvc.ac.uk

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: None – some activity on campus according to student choice re: additional practical sessions (see below).

Term 3 is dedicated to investigative project write-up which will be undertaken remotely.

However, in recognition that many students feel they have not had the opportunity to develop practical laboratory skills this year, we will offer optional sessions in the teaching labs in Camden after your assessments have finished. These sessions will give you the opportunity to undertake a set of key laboratory techniques and to discuss these with academic and technical staff.

Please note that access to wider campus facilities will remain restricted due to social distancing requirements and we will not be able to have the whole year group back at exactly the same time. You will therefore have the opportunity to sign-up to sessions (a session is typically 2-3 days) so that you can plan your attendance in the lab - but socialising on-campus will not be possible.

We recognise that not all students will want or be able to come to these sessions and that will not affect any students’ degree outcome – these are optional non-credit bearing sessions. We will also record and make available demonstration videos of the techniques carried out during the face-to-face sessions.

All Term 3 assessments will be conducted remotely and online. Details of your examinations are available on the exams timetable.

First published: 13th November 2020

Revisions published 13 January 2021 due to changed Government COVID-19 restrictions

Blended (on campus)

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: Zero

Optional: Zero

As a result of the Government announcements of 4th January 2021, we are now required to deliver your learning remotely.

The RVC will continue to provide a blended learning approach to teaching, learning and assessment for Term 2 in 2020-21 (see Term 1 information below) with no onsite activity until Term 3, Government restrictions at that time permitting.

As in Term 1, your module leader will post on LEARN the sequence of the weekly activities that you need to engage with and related learning materials prior to the start of each week. You should check the “Announcement” area for each module page on LEARN on a regular basis to find out what you need to do for that week so you can plan your study schedule in advance.

Additionally, your online timetable viewer will display synchronous/live teaching sessions. These will be confirmed on a rolling basis throughout Term 2, two weeks’ in advance.

• All module exams will be online and delivered via mix of online proctored exams (see below) and open book exams accessed and submitted via LEARNExact dates are to be confirmed but exams will be held end of April 2021 – May 2021.

Your project supervisor

Course Director: Charlotte Lawson – chlawson@rvc.ac.uk

Year 3 Leader: Isabel Orriss – iorriss@rvc.ac.uk

Intercalation Leader (Biosciences): Bradley Cobb – bcobb@rvc.ac.uk

The RVC is adopting blended learning as an approach to teaching, learning and assessment for 2020-21. The RVC approach to blended learning provides you with a variety of ways to interact with your tutors and classmates that allows for a flexible and safe student experience. Your learning experience will be a combination of: synchronous (live) and asynchronous online learning activities; small and large group teaching; a blend of flexible self-paced study and collaborative learning; and a blend of on-campus practical teaching and online learning experiences. This will include:

• Newly recorded lectures to listen to in your own time
• Live streamed events of various kinds including:  Q and A discussions and collaborative activities
• Collaborative online group interactions such as directed learning sessions and tutorials
• Self-paced independent study including interactive learning activities; forums; blogs, wikis and quizzes for you to do in your own time
• A variety of digital materials to enhance your learning in your chosen modules
• 60 credit research projects:  Oct-Dec data analysis performed off site.  Jan: onsite lab work where required for your project (TBC, must be approved in advance by your supervisor)
• 30 credit research projects (Term 1):  data analysis to be performed offsite
• 30 credit research projects (Term 2): data analysis, may be some potential for on site lab work (TBC, must be approved in advance by your supervisor)

Module leaders will post the sequence of the weekly activities that you need to engage with and related  learning materials prior to the start of each week. Check the LEARN module pages on a regular basis to find out what you need to do for that week so you can plan your study schedule in advance.

PLEASE NOTE THAT 2020/21 ASSESSMENTS ARE SUMMATIVE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTIFIED. A summative assessment is one that helps to determine your progression to the next year/stage of study. If you do not achieve the required threshold marks as outlined in the Assessment and Award Regulations 2020/21 you will not be eligible for award in 2020/21.

Chosen modules (15 or 30 credit)
Each module will be assessed differently so it is important that you are clear on the assessment requirements for each of your modules.  For specific information please see the appropriate module page on LEARN.

Modules are expected to contain:

1. In Course Assessment: due dates will vary for each module but are usually before the end of the autumn term.
2. End of module exams:  these will take place in January. Information on the format of the exam will be available on the module pages on LEARN.

All assessments due in the autumn term will be managed remotely.

Exams taken in the autumn term will be delivered as proctored online exams. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security.

Examinations in the spring and summer term will take account of COVID-19 restrictions in place nearer the time which may mean than exams normally taken in an exam hall will be taken as a proctored online exam. We will provide you with further information for these exams once we are able to confirm arrangements.

Practical/presentation in-person assessments will either be delivered via remote means or in small, appropriately distanced groups.

Submission of coursework/assignments is unaffected by COVID-19 restrictions as these are submitted electronically via upload to LEARN.

Research Project (30 or 60 credit)
Projects will take the following format:

1. 30 credit research project undertaken in term 1 or term 2. Note, projects to be undertaken in term 1 will be data analysis only.
2. 60 credit research project
3. 30 credit research project + 30 credit dissertation (BSc Biological Sciences only)

Deadlines: Jan (30 credit term 1) or May 2021 (60 credit, 30 credit term 2)

Isabel Oriss - iorriss@rvc.ac.uk

The RVC is adopting blended learning as an approach to teaching, learning and assessment for 2020-21. The RVC approach to blended learning provides you with a variety of ways to interact with your tutors and classmates that allows for a flexible and safe student experience. Your learning experience will be a combination of: synchronous (live) and asynchronous online learning activities; small and large group teaching; a blend of flexible self-paced study and collaborative learning; and a blend of on-campus practical teaching and online learning experiences. This will include:

• Newly recorded lectures to listen to in your own time
• Live streamed Q and A’s, Padlet discussions and collaborative activities
• Collaborative online group interactions such as tutorials
• Self-paced independent study including interactive learning activities, forums, and quizzes for you to do in your own time.
• On-placement research where required by your project (onsite and/or offsite as agreed with your placement provider)
• A variety of digital materials to enhance your learning during the Research Skills Module

During the Research Skills Module, your instructor will post the sequence of the weekly activities that you need to engage with and related learning materials prior to the start of each week. Check your course page on LEARN on a regular basis to find out what you need to do for that week so you can plan your study schedule in advance.

PLEASE NOTE THAT 2020/21 ASSESSMENTS ARE SUMMATIVE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTIFIED. A summative assessment is one that contributes to your final award classification. If you do not achieve the required threshold marks as outlined in the Assessment and Award Regulations 2020/21 you will not be eligible for award in 2020/21. 

The Research Skills module (run in October) will be summatively assessed as follows:

The Research project module will be summatively assessed as follows:

*Assessment change subject to approval by the Course Management Committee. We will notify you via email once changes are agreed and update these webpages.

Submission of coursework/assignments is unaffected by COVID-19 restrictions as these are submitted electronically via upload to LEARN.

Presentations will either be delivered via remote means or in small, appropriately distanced groups.

Claire Russell - crussell@rvc.ac.uk

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: None

In Term 3, the teaching activities are the Problem, Definition and Investigation (PDI) module and a Literature project; there are no practical elements. The PDI module involves group work; this group work will be facilitated online (please see Term 1 update below for further information on the RVC approach to blended learning).

All Term 3 assessments will be conducted remotely and online. Details of your examinations are available on the exams timetable.

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: 2 hours

Optional: Access to campus outside of scheduled teaching will be permitted but will need to be managed to help keep our campuses COVID secure. Controlling the occupation densities on campus, and maintaining social distancing measures, is critical to minimising the risk of spreading the virus. You will be able to access most campus facilities each week and it is important that you follow the local rules, including any cohort specific allocation systems that may be in place.

 The RVC will continue to provide a blended learning approach to teaching, learning and assessment for Term 2 in 2020-21 (see below).Individual on campus student sessions will be notified in advance via the online timetable.

All teaching will be online until 25th January 2021 to facilitate student self-isolation where required.  

• All module exams will be online proctored exams (see below) 27th – 30th April 2021
• ICA Integrated Physiology 1 – 11th February 2021
• ICA Integrated Physiology 2 – 1st March 2021 (to be confirmed)
• ICA The Moving Animal – 15th March 2021 (to be confirmed)

 Charlotte Lawson – chlawson@rvc.ac.uk

The RVC is adopting blended learning as an approach to teaching, learning and assessment for 2020-21. The RVC approach to blended learning provides you with a variety of ways to interact with your tutors and classmates that allows for a flexible and safe student experience. Your learning experience will be a combination of: synchronous (live) and asynchronous online learning activities; small and large group teaching; a blend of flexible self-paced study and collaborative learning. This will include:

• Newly recorded lectures to listen to in your own time
• Live streamed events of various kinds including: Q and A discussions, collaborative activities and some lectures
• Collaborative online group interactions such as directed learning sessions and tutorials
• Self-paced independent study including interactive learning activities; forums; blogs, wikis and quizzes for you to do in your own time
• A variety of digital materials to enhance your learning including eBooks and learning interactions.

Your instructor will post on LEARN (the RVC virtual learning environment for your course to which you will have access once you are enrolled) the sequence of the weekly activities that you need to engage with and related learning materials prior to the start of each week. You should check the “Announcement” area for your course page on LEARN on a regular basis to find out what you need to do for that week so you can plan your study schedule in advance.

All assessments due in the autumn term will be managed remotely.   Exams taken in the autumn term will be delivered as proctored online exams. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security.  

Examinations in the spring and summer term will take account of COVID-19 restrictions in place nearer the time which may mean than exams normally taken in an exam hall will be taken as a proctored online exam. We will provide you with further information for these exams once we are able to confirm arrangements.  

Practical/presentation in-person assessments will either be delivered via remote means or in small, appropriately distanced groups.   Submission of coursework/assignments is unaffected by COVID-19 restrictions as these are submitted electronically via upload to LEARN.

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: None – some activity on campus according to project choice (see below).

For those studying onsite projects, access to wider campus facilities such as social learning spaces and common room areas are restricted due to social distancing requirements. You may not be able to have access to these facilities before/after your practical teaching sessions more than one day per week.

 In Term 3, the teaching activity is the Investigative Project, the titles of which have already been released:

• The Brain Injury and Disease Modelling (epidemiology/One Health) - projects to be delivered online
• Animal Welfare and Behaviour (Dairy Cow) and Locomotion (Wing Diversity) – projects to be delivered online
• Cancer and Stem Cell Biology, Wildlife Virology Surveillance, Immunology - projects to be delivered onsite at the Camden Campus and will likely involve 2-3 days per week for 3 weeks in the laboratory..

All Term 3 assessments will be conducted remotely and online. Details of your examinations are available on the exams timetable.

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: This will vary by module:

• Control of Infectious Diseases (all students) 2 hours
• Principles of Pharmacology (core for Biological / Bioveterinary Sciences / optional for ABBWE) 0 hours
• Introduction to Wild Animal Biology (core for WAB / optional for ABBWE) 2 hours 
• Applied Pharmacology (core for Applied Research students / optional for Biological / Bioveterinary Sciences) 2 hours (one practical)
• Introduction to Animal Behaviour, Welfare and Ethics (core for ABBWE, optional for Biological/Bioveterinary Sciences, WAB) 2 hours
• Imaging of Disease (optional for Biological/Bioveterinary Sciences, WAB) 2 hours 
• Introduction to One Health (optional for Biological/Bioveterinary Sciences, WAB) 0 hours

Optional: Access to campus outside of scheduled teaching will be permitted but will need to be managed to help keep our campuses COVID secure. Controlling the occupation densities on campus, and maintaining social distancing measures, is critical to minimising the risk of spreading the virus. You will be able to access most campus facilities each week and it is important that you follow the local rules, including any cohort specific allocation systems that may be in place. Access to campus will be more restricted than you will previously have been used to. It is important to recognise that this will be different to your on-campus experience prior to the pandemic.

The RVC will continue to provide a blended learning approach to teaching, learning and assessment for Term 2 in 2020-21 (see below). Individual on campus student sessions will be notified in advance via the online timetable.

All teaching will be online until 21st January 2021 to facilitate student self-isolation where required.

• All module exams will be online proctored exams (see below) 27th – 30th April
• Module ICA deadlines to be confirmed

 Charlotte Lawson – chlawson@rvc.ac.uk

The RVC is adopting blended learning is an approach to teaching, learning and assessment for 2020-21. The RVC approach to blended learning provides you with a variety of ways to interact with your tutors and classmates that allows for a flexible and safe student experience. Your learning experience will be a combination of: synchronous (live) and asynchronous online learning activities; small and large group teaching; a blend of flexible self-paced study and collaborative learning. This will include:

• Newly recorded lectures to listen to in your own time
• Live streamed events of various kinds including: Q and A discussions, collaborative activities and some lectures
• Collaborative online group interactions such as directed learning sessions and tutorials
• Self-paced independent study including interactive learning activities; forums; blogs, wikis and quizzes for you to do in your own time
• A variety of digital materials to enhance your learning including eBooks and learning interactions.

Your instructor will post the sequence of the weekly activities that you need to engage with and related learning materials prior to the start of each week. Check your course page on LEARN on a regular basis to find out what you need to do for that week so you can plan your study schedule in advance.

PLEASE NOTE THAT 2020/21 ASSESSMENTS ARE SUMMATIVE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTIFIED. A summative assessment is one that helps to determine your progression to the next year/stage of study. If you do not achieve the required threshold marks as outlined in the Assessment and Award Regulations 2020/21 you will not be able to progress to the next year/stage of study.

Please refer to module handbooks and check your course page on LEARN for in-course course assessment and exact exam dates. These will be available at the start of term at the latest.

Exams for Basis of Disease (BOD) and Aging and Degeneration (AAD) will be held in the autumn term at the end of reading week. These will be delivered remotely and may be a proctored online exam. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security.

Principles of Infectious Diseases (PID) exam will be held in April 2021. Examinations in the spring and summer term will take account of COVID-19 restrictions in place nearer the time which may mean than exams normally taken in an exam hall may be taken as a proctored online exam. We will provide you with further information for these exams once we are able to confirm arrangements.

Practical/presentation in-person assessments will either be delivered via remote means or in small, appropriately distanced groups.

Submission of coursework/assignments is unaffected by COVID-19 restrictions as these are submitted electronically via upload to LEARN.

Abir Mukherjee - amukherjee@rvc.ac.uk

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: None – some activity on campus according to student choice re: additional practical sessions (see below).

Term 3 is dedicated to investigative project write-up which will be undertaken remotely.

However, in recognition that many students feel they have not had the opportunity to develop practical laboratory skills this year, we will offer optional sessions in the teaching labs in Camden after your assessments have finished. These sessions will give you the opportunity to undertake a set of key laboratory techniques and to discuss these with academic and technical staff.

Please note that access to wider campus facilities will remain restricted due to social distancing requirements and we will not be able to have the whole year group back at exactly the same time. You will therefore have the opportunity to sign-up to sessions (a session is typically 2-3 days) so that you can plan your attendance in the lab - but socialising on-campus will not be possible.

We recognise that not all students will want or be able to come to these sessions and that will not affect any students’ degree outcome – these are optional non-credit bearing sessions. We will also record and make available demonstration videos of the techniques carried out during the face-to-face sessions.

All Term 3 assessments will be conducted remotely and online. Details of your examinations are available on the exams timetable.

First published: 13th November 2020

Revisions published 13 January 2021 due to changed Government COVID-19 restrictions

Blended (on campus)

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: Zero

Optional: Zero

As a result of the Government announcements of 4th January 2021, we are now required to deliver your learning remotely.

The RVC will continue to provide a blended learning approach to teaching, learning and assessment for Term 2 in 2020-21 (see Term 1 information below) with no onsite activity until Term 3, Government restrictions at that time permitting.

As in Term 1, your module leader will post on LEARN the sequence of the weekly activities that you need to engage with and related learning materials prior to the start of each week. You should check the “Announcement” area for each module page on LEARN on a regular basis to find out what you need to do for that week so you can plan your study schedule in advance.

Additionally, your online timetable viewer will display synchronous/live teaching sessions. These will be confirmed on a rolling basis throughout Term 2, two weeks’ in advance.

• All module exams will be online and delivered via mix of online proctored exams (see below) and open book exams accessed and submitted via LEARNExact dates are to be confirmed but exams will be held end of April 2021 – May 2021.

Your project supervisor

Course Director: Charlotte Lawson – chlawson@rvc.ac.uk

Year 3 Leader: Isabel Orriss – iorriss@rvc.ac.uk

Intercalation Leader (Biosciences): Bradley Cobb – bcobb@rvc.ac.uk

The RVC is adopting blended learning as an approach to teaching, learning and assessment for 2020-21. The RVC approach to blended learning provides you with a variety of ways to interact with your tutors and classmates that allows for a flexible and safe student experience. Your learning experience will be a combination of: synchronous (live) and asynchronous online learning activities; small and large group teaching; a blend of flexible self-paced study and collaborative learning; and a blend of on-campus practical teaching and online learning experiences. This will include:

• Newly recorded lectures to listen to in your own time
• Live streamed events of various kinds including:  Q and A discussions and collaborative activities
• Collaborative online group interactions such as directed learning sessions and tutorials
• Self-paced independent study including interactive learning activities; forums; blogs, wikis and quizzes for you to do in your own time
• A variety of digital materials to enhance your learning in your chosen modules
• 60 credit research projects:  Oct-Dec data analysis performed off site.  Jan: onsite lab work where required for your project (TBC, must be approved in advance by your supervisor)
• 30 credit research projects (Term 1):  data analysis to be performed offsite
• 30 credit research projects (Term 2): data analysis, may be some potential for on site lab work (TBC, must be approved in advance by your supervisor)

Module leaders will post the sequence of the weekly activities that you need to engage with and related  learning materials prior to the start of each week. Check the LEARN module pages on a regular basis to find out what you need to do for that week so you can plan your study schedule in advance.

PLEASE NOTE THAT 2020/21 ASSESSMENTS ARE SUMMATIVE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTIFIED. A summative assessment is one that helps to determine your progression to the next year/stage of study. If you do not achieve the required threshold marks as outlined in the Assessment and Award Regulations 2020/21 you will not be eligible for award in 2020/21.

Chosen modules (15 or 30 credit)
Each module will be assessed differently so it is important that you are clear on the assessment requirements for each of your modules.  For specific information please see the appropriate module page on LEARN.

Modules are expected to contain:

1. In Course Assessment: due dates will vary for each module but are usually before the end of the autumn term.
2. End of module exams:  these will take place in January. Information on the format of the exam will be available on the module pages on LEARN.

All assessments due in the autumn term will be managed remotely.

Exams taken in the autumn term will be delivered as proctored online exams. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security.

Examinations in the spring and summer term will take account of COVID-19 restrictions in place nearer the time which may mean than exams normally taken in an exam hall will be taken as a proctored online exam. We will provide you with further information for these exams once we are able to confirm arrangements.

Practical/presentation in-person assessments will either be delivered via remote means or in small, appropriately distanced groups.

Submission of coursework/assignments is unaffected by COVID-19 restrictions as these are submitted electronically via upload to LEARN.

Research Project (30 or 60 credit)
Projects will take the following format:

1. 30 credit research project undertaken in term 1 or term 2. Note, projects to be undertaken in term 1 will be data analysis only.
2. 60 credit research project
3. 30 credit research project + 30 credit dissertation (BSc Biological Sciences only)

Deadlines: Jan (30 credit term 1) or May 2021 (60 credit, 30 credit term 2)

Isabel Oriss - iorriss@rvc.ac.uk

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: Zero

Optional: up to 25 hours per week maximum in Nov, Dec and Jan according to project need (project supervisor approval required)

The RVC is adopting blended learning as an approach to teaching, learning and assessment for 2020-21. The RVC approach to blended learning provides you with a variety of ways to interact with your tutors and classmates that allows for a flexible and safe student experience. Your learning experience will be a combination of: synchronous(live) and asynchronous online learning activities; small and large group teaching; a blend of flexible self-paced study and collaborative learning; and a blend of on-campus practical teaching and online learning experiences. This will include:

• Newly recorded lectures to listen to in your own time
• Live streamed Q and A’s, Padlet discussions and collaborative activities
• Collaborative online group interactions such as tutorials
• Self-paced independent study including interactive learning activities, forums, and quizzes for you to do in your own time.
• Onsite labwork where required by your project (approved in advance by your project supervisor)
• A variety of digital materials to enhance your learning during the Research Skills Module

During the Research Skills Module, your instructor will post the sequence of the weekly activities that you need to engage with and related learning materials prior to the start of each week. Check your course page on LEARN on a regular basis to find out what you need to do for that week so you can plan your study schedule in advance.

PLEASE NOTE THAT 2020/21 ASSESSMENTS ARE SUMMATIVE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTIFIED. A summative assessment is one that contributes to your final award classification. If you do not achieve the required threshold marks as outlined in the Assessment and Award Regulations 2020/21 you will not be eligible for award in 2020/21. 

The Research Skills module (run in October) will be summatively assessed as follows:

NOTE: these are currently subject to approval. We will email you with confirmed details once agreed and prior to the start of Term 1.

UPDATE 9th November 2020: The above assessment changes have been approved.

Practical/presentation in-person assessments will either be delivered via remote means or in small, appropriately distanced groups.

Submission of coursework/assignments is unaffected by COVID-19 restrictions as these are submitted electronically via upload to LEARN.

Claire Thornton - cthornton@rvc.ac.uk

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: None

In Term 3, the teaching activities are the Problem, Definition and Investigation (PDI) module and a Literature project; there are no practical elements. The PDI module involves group work; this group work will be facilitated online (please see Term 1 update below for further information on the RVC approach to blended learning).

All Term 3 assessments will be conducted remotely and online. Details of your examinations are available on the exams timetable.

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: 2 hours

Optional: Access to campus outside of scheduled teaching will be permitted but will need to be managed to help keep our campuses COVID secure. Controlling the occupation densities on campus, and maintaining social distancing measures, is critical to minimising the risk of spreading the virus. You will be able to access most campus facilities each week and it is important that you follow the local rules, including any cohort specific allocation systems that may be in place.

 The RVC will continue to provide a blended learning approach to teaching, learning and assessment for Term 2 in 2020-21 (see below).Individual on campus student sessions will be notified in advance via the online timetable.

All teaching will be online until 25th January 2021 to facilitate student self-isolation where required.  

• All module exams will be online proctored exams (see below) 27th – 30th April 2021
• ICA Integrated Physiology 1 – 11th February 2021
• ICA Integrated Physiology 2 – 1st March 2021 (to be confirmed)
• ICA The Moving Animal – 15th March 2021 (to be confirmed)

 Charlotte Lawson – chlawson@rvc.ac.uk

The RVC is adopting blended learning as an approach to teaching, learning and assessment for 2020-21. The RVC approach to blended learning provides you with a variety of ways to interact with your tutors and classmates that allows for a flexible and safe student experience. Your learning experience will be a combination of: synchronous (live) and asynchronous online learning activities; small and large group teaching; a blend of flexible self-paced study and collaborative learning. This will include:

• Newly recorded lectures to listen to in your own time
• Live streamed events of various kinds including: Q and A discussions, collaborative activities and some lectures
• Collaborative online group interactions such as directed learning sessions and tutorials
• Self-paced independent study including interactive learning activities; forums; blogs, wikis and quizzes for you to do in your own time
• A variety of digital materials to enhance your learning including eBooks and learning interactions.

Your instructor will post on LEARN (the RVC virtual learning environment for your course to which you will have access once you are enrolled) the sequence of the weekly activities that you need to engage with and related learning materials prior to the start of each week. You should check the “Announcement” area for your course page on LEARN on a regular basis to find out what you need to do for that week so you can plan your study schedule in advance.

All assessments due in the autumn term will be managed remotely.   Exams taken in the autumn term will be delivered as proctored online exams. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security.  

Examinations in the spring and summer term will take account of COVID-19 restrictions in place nearer the time which may mean than exams normally taken in an exam hall will be taken as a proctored online exam. We will provide you with further information for these exams once we are able to confirm arrangements.  

Practical/presentation in-person assessments will either be delivered via remote means or in small, appropriately distanced groups.   Submission of coursework/assignments is unaffected by COVID-19 restrictions as these are submitted electronically via upload to LEARN.

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: None – some activity on campus according to project choice (see below).

For those studying onsite projects, access to wider campus facilities such as social learning spaces and common room areas are restricted due to social distancing requirements. You may not be able to have access to these facilities before/after your practical teaching sessions more than one day per week.

 In Term 3, the teaching activity is the Investigative Project, the titles of which have already been released:

• The Brain Injury and Disease Modelling (epidemiology/One Health) - projects to be delivered online
• Animal Welfare and Behaviour (Dairy Cow) and Locomotion (Wing Diversity) – projects to be delivered online
• Cancer and Stem Cell Biology, Wildlife Virology Surveillance, Immunology - projects to be delivered onsite at the Camden Campus and will likely involve 2-3 days per week for 3 weeks in the laboratory..

All Term 3 assessments will be conducted remotely and online. Details of your examinations are available on the exams timetable.

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: This will vary by module:

• Control of Infectious Diseases (all students) 2 hours
• Principles of Pharmacology (core for Biological / Bioveterinary Sciences / optional for ABBWE) 0 hours
• Introduction to Wild Animal Biology (core for WAB / optional for ABBWE) 2 hours 
• Applied Pharmacology (core for Applied Research students / optional for Biological / Bioveterinary Sciences) 2 hours (one practical)
• Introduction to Animal Behaviour, Welfare and Ethics (core for ABBWE, optional for Biological/Bioveterinary Sciences, WAB) 2 hours
• Imaging of Disease (optional for Biological/Bioveterinary Sciences, WAB) 2 hours 
• Introduction to One Health (optional for Biological/Bioveterinary Sciences, WAB) 0 hours

Optional: Access to campus outside of scheduled teaching will be permitted but will need to be managed to help keep our campuses COVID secure. Controlling the occupation densities on campus, and maintaining social distancing measures, is critical to minimising the risk of spreading the virus. You will be able to access most campus facilities each week and it is important that you follow the local rules, including any cohort specific allocation systems that may be in place. Access to campus will be more restricted than you will previously have been used to. It is important to recognise that this will be different to your on-campus experience prior to the pandemic.

The RVC will continue to provide a blended learning approach to teaching, learning and assessment for Term 2 in 2020-21 (see below). Individual on campus student sessions will be notified in advance via the online timetable.

All teaching will be online until 21st January 2021 to facilitate student self-isolation where required.

• All module exams will be online proctored exams (see below) 27th – 30th April
• Module ICA deadlines to be confirmed

 Charlotte Lawson – chlawson@rvc.ac.uk

The RVC is adopting blended learning is an approach to teaching, learning and assessment for 2020-21. The RVC approach to blended learning provides you with a variety of ways to interact with your tutors and classmates that allows for a flexible and safe student experience. Your learning experience will be a combination of: synchronous (live) and asynchronous online learning activities; small and large group teaching; a blend of flexible self-paced study and collaborative learning. This will include:

• Newly recorded lectures to listen to in your own time
• Live streamed events of various kinds including: Q and A discussions, collaborative activities and some lectures
• Collaborative online group interactions such as directed learning sessions and tutorials
• Self-paced independent study including interactive learning activities; forums; blogs, wikis and quizzes for you to do in your own time
• A variety of digital materials to enhance your learning including eBooks and learning interactions.

Your instructor will post the sequence of the weekly activities that you need to engage with and related learning materials prior to the start of each week. Check your course page on LEARN on a regular basis to find out what you need to do for that week so you can plan your study schedule in advance.

PLEASE NOTE THAT 2020/21 ASSESSMENTS ARE SUMMATIVE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTIFIED. A summative assessment is one that helps to determine your progression to the next year/stage of study. If you do not achieve the required threshold marks as outlined in the Assessment and Award Regulations 2020/21 you will not be able to progress to the next year/stage of study.

Please refer to module handbooks and check your course page on LEARN for in-course course assessment and exact exam dates. These will be available at the start of term at the latest.

Exams for Basis of Disease (BOD) and Aging and Degeneration (AAD) will be held in the autumn term at the end of reading week. These will be delivered remotely and may be a proctored online exam. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security.

Principles of Infectious Diseases (PID) exam will be held in April 2021. Examinations in the spring and summer term will take account of COVID-19 restrictions in place nearer the time which may mean than exams normally taken in an exam hall may be taken as a proctored online exam. We will provide you with further information for these exams once we are able to confirm arrangements.

Practical/presentation in-person assessments will either be delivered via remote means or in small, appropriately distanced groups.

Submission of coursework/assignments is unaffected by COVID-19 restrictions as these are submitted electronically via upload to LEARN.

Abir Mukherjee - amukherjee@rvc.ac.uk

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: None – some activity on campus according to student choice re: additional practical sessions (see below).

Term 3 is dedicated to investigative project write-up which will be undertaken remotely.

However, in recognition that many students feel they have not had the opportunity to develop practical laboratory skills this year, we will offer optional sessions in the teaching labs in Camden after your assessments have finished. These sessions will give you the opportunity to undertake a set of key laboratory techniques and to discuss these with academic and technical staff.

Please note that access to wider campus facilities will remain restricted due to social distancing requirements and we will not be able to have the whole year group back at exactly the same time. You will therefore have the opportunity to sign-up to sessions (a session is typically 2-3 days) so that you can plan your attendance in the lab - but socialising on-campus will not be possible.

We recognise that not all students will want or be able to come to these sessions and that will not affect any students’ degree outcome – these are optional non-credit bearing sessions. We will also record and make available demonstration videos of the techniques carried out during the face-to-face sessions.

All Term 3 assessments will be conducted remotely and online. Details of your examinations are available on the exams timetable.

First published: 13th November 2020

Revisions published 13 January 2021 due to changed Government COVID-19 restrictions

Blended (on campus)

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: Zero

Optional: Zero

As a result of the Government announcements of 4th January 2021, we are now required to deliver your learning remotely.

The RVC will continue to provide a blended learning approach to teaching, learning and assessment for Term 2 in 2020-21 (see Term 1 information below) with no onsite activity until Term 3, Government restrictions at that time permitting.

As in Term 1, your module leader will post on LEARN the sequence of the weekly activities that you need to engage with and related learning materials prior to the start of each week. You should check the “Announcement” area for each module page on LEARN on a regular basis to find out what you need to do for that week so you can plan your study schedule in advance.

Additionally, your online timetable viewer will display synchronous/live teaching sessions. These will be confirmed on a rolling basis throughout Term 2, two weeks’ in advance.

• All module exams will be online and delivered via mix of online proctored exams (see below) and open book exams accessed and submitted via LEARNExact dates are to be confirmed but exams will be held end of April 2021 – May 2021.

Your project supervisor

Course Director: Charlotte Lawson – chlawson@rvc.ac.uk

Year 3 Leader: Isabel Orriss – iorriss@rvc.ac.uk

Intercalation Leader (Biosciences): Bradley Cobb – bcobb@rvc.ac.uk

The RVC is adopting blended learning as an approach to teaching, learning and assessment for 2020-21. The RVC approach to blended learning provides you with a variety of ways to interact with your tutors and classmates that allows for a flexible and safe student experience. Your learning experience will be a combination of: synchronous (live) and asynchronous online learning activities; small and large group teaching; a blend of flexible self-paced study and collaborative learning; and a blend of on-campus practical teaching and online learning experiences. This will include:

• Newly recorded lectures to listen to in your own time
• Live streamed events of various kinds including:  Q and A discussions and collaborative activities
• Collaborative online group interactions such as directed learning sessions and tutorials
• Self-paced independent study including interactive learning activities; forums; blogs, wikis and quizzes for you to do in your own time
• A variety of digital materials to enhance your learning in your chosen modules
• 60 credit research projects:  Oct-Dec data analysis performed off site.  Jan: onsite lab work where required for your project (TBC, must be approved in advance by your supervisor)
• 30 credit research projects (Term 1):  data analysis to be performed offsite
• 30 credit research projects (Term 2): data analysis, may be some potential for on site lab work (TBC, must be approved in advance by your supervisor)

Module leaders will post the sequence of the weekly activities that you need to engage with and related  learning materials prior to the start of each week. Check the LEARN module pages on a regular basis to find out what you need to do for that week so you can plan your study schedule in advance.

PLEASE NOTE THAT 2020/21 ASSESSMENTS ARE SUMMATIVE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTIFIED. A summative assessment is one that helps to determine your progression to the next year/stage of study. If you do not achieve the required threshold marks as outlined in the Assessment and Award Regulations 2020/21 you will not be eligible for award in 2020/21.

Chosen modules (15 or 30 credit)
Each module will be assessed differently so it is important that you are clear on the assessment requirements for each of your modules.  For specific information please see the appropriate module page on LEARN.

Modules are expected to contain:

1. In Course Assessment: due dates will vary for each module but are usually before the end of the autumn term.
2. End of module exams:  these will take place in January. Information on the format of the exam will be available on the module pages on LEARN.

All assessments due in the autumn term will be managed remotely.

Exams taken in the autumn term will be delivered as proctored online exams. A proctored online exam is one where candidates are monitored during the online exam, typically utilising webcams and microphones, to ensure assessment security.

Examinations in the spring and summer term will take account of COVID-19 restrictions in place nearer the time which may mean than exams normally taken in an exam hall will be taken as a proctored online exam. We will provide you with further information for these exams once we are able to confirm arrangements.

Practical/presentation in-person assessments will either be delivered via remote means or in small, appropriately distanced groups.

Submission of coursework/assignments is unaffected by COVID-19 restrictions as these are submitted electronically via upload to LEARN.

Research Project (30 or 60 credit)
Projects will take the following format:

1. 30 credit research project undertaken in term 1 or term 2. Note, projects to be undertaken in term 1 will be data analysis only.
2. 60 credit research project
3. 30 credit research project + 30 credit dissertation (BSc Biological Sciences only)

Deadlines: Jan (30 credit term 1) or May 2021 (60 credit, 30 credit term 2)

Isabel Oriss - iorriss@rvc.ac.uk

Mandatory face-to-face teaching: Zero

Optional: up to 25 hours per week maximum in Nov, Dec and Jan according to project need (project supervisor approval required)

The RVC is adopting blended learning as an approach to teaching, learning and assessment for 2020-21. The RVC approach to blended learning provides you with a variety of ways to interact with your tutors and classmates that allows for a flexible and safe student experience. Your learning experience will be a combination of: synchronous(live) and asynchronous online learning activities; small and large group teaching; a blend of flexible self-paced study and collaborative learning; and a blend of on-campus practical teaching and online learning experiences. This will include:

• Newly recorded lectures to listen to in your own time
• Live streamed Q and A’s, Padlet discussions and collaborative activities
• Collaborative online group interactions such as tutorials
• Self-paced independent study including interactive learning activities, forums and quizzes for you to do in your own time.
• Onsite labwork where required by your project (approved in advance by your project supervisor)

• A variety of digital materials to enhance your learning during the Research Skills Module

During the Research Skills Module, your instructor will post the sequence of the weekly activities that you need to engage with and related learning materials prior to the start of each week. You should check your course page on LEARN on a regular basis to find out what you need to do for that week so you can plan your study schedule in advance.

PLEASE NOTE THAT 2020/21 ASSESSMENTS ARE SUMMATIVE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTIFIED. A summative assessment is one that contributes to your final award classification. If you do not achieve the required threshold marks as outlined in the Assessment and Award Regulations 2020/21 you will not be eligible for award in 2020/21.

The Research Skills module (run in October) will be summatively assessed as follows:

NOTE: these are currently subject to approval. We will email you with confirmed details once agreed and prior to the start of Term 1.

UPDATE 9th November 2020: The above assessment changes have been approved.

Practical/presentation in-person assessments will either be delivered via remote means or in small, appropriately distanced groups.

Submission of coursework/assignments is unaffected by COVID-19 restrictions as these are submitted electronically via upload to LEARN.