Handbook Stages 1-2 Neuroimaging for Research MSc/Dip/Cert ... · University of Edinburgh College...

University of Edinburgh

College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine

Handbook

Stages 1-2

Neuroimaging for

Research

MSc/Dip/Cert/PPD

&

Imaging

MSc/Dip/Cert/PPD

2015-2016

Handbook Neuroimaging for Research & Imaging 2015-16

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Table of Contents Table of Contents................................................................................. 2

Introduction with disclaimer .................................................................. 5

Programme team – contacts and support ................................................ 6

Personal Tutor .................................................................................. 7

Content Tutors ................................................................................. 8

IT help and support ........................................................................... 8

Local IT and administrative help ......................................................... 9

Central IT, library and e-learning help ................................................. 9

Central administrative help ............................................................... 10

Other help and support ..................................................................... 10

Calendar of the Academic Year ............................................................. 10

Module discussion boards .................................................................. 11

Module self-assessment tests ............................................................ 11

Group activities/group discussion boards ............................................ 11

Final assessment ............................................................................. 11

Graduations .................................................................................... 12

Programme aims and structure ............................................................. 12

Programme aims .............................................................................. 12

Programme Structure ....................................................................... 13

Planning for intermittent study ........................................................ 14

Suggested Study Plans for the Imaging MSc........................................... 16

Individual course details ...................................................................... 17

Stage 1 - Certificate in Neuroimaging for Research ............................... 17

Techniques and Physics .................................................................. 17

Applications in Disease ................................................................... 18

Common Image Processing Techniques 1 ......................................... 19

Practicalities ................................................................................. 19

Stage 2 - Diploma in Neuroimaging for Research ................................. 20

Anatomy ...................................................................................... 20

Statistics ...................................................................................... 21

Study Design ................................................................................ 21

Common Imaging Processing Techniques 2 ...................................... 22

Image Analysis (elective) ............................................................... 23

Functional Imaging (elective) .......................................................... 23

Translational Imaging and Clinical Trials (elective) ............................ 24

Stage 1 - Certificate in Imaging ......................................................... 24

Techniques and Physics .................................................................. 24

Applications in Disease Research (elective) ....................................... 25

Clinical applications (elective) ......................................................... 26

Practicalities and Safety ................................................................. 26

Digital Image Processing & Analysis (elective) .................................. 27

Image interpretation and evaluation (elective) .................................. 28

Stage 2 - Diploma in Imaging ............................................................ 28


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Statistics ...................................................................................... 29

Biomechanics (elective) ................................................................. 29

Light microscopy (elective) ............................................................. 30

Preclinical imaging (elective) .......................................................... 30

Neuroanatomy (elective) ................................................................ 31

Body Anatomy (elective) ................................................................ 31

Study Design ................................................................................ 32

Translational Imaging (and Clinical Trials) (elective) .......................... 32

Cardiovascular imaging (elective) .................................................... 33

Oncologic imaging (elective) ........................................................... 33

Imaging in inflammation and infection (elective) ............................... 34

Stage 3 - Masters in Neuroimaging for Research / Imaging ................... 35

Assessment requirements .................................................................... 35

Methods of assessment ..................................................................... 35

Continuous in-course assessment ...................................................... 35

Collaborative activity-based assessments (marked) ........................... 35

Self-assessment test (not marked) .................................................. 36

Module discussion boards (not marked) ........................................... 36

Final course assessment ................................................................... 38

Marks and feedback ......................................................................... 39

Assignment submissions/deadlines ..................................................... 40

Deadlines ..................................................................................... 40

Assessment submission ................................................................. 40

Assessment cover sheet ................................................................. 41

Late submission and penalties ........................................................ 41

Extensions .................................................................................... 41

Special Circumstances ................................................................... 42

Technical Difficulties ...................................................................... 42

Interruptions of Study (at the College level) ..................................... 43

Course interruptions (internal interruptions at the programme level) ... 43

Withdrawal and Exclusion ............................................................... 44

Plagiarism and academic misconduct .................................................. 44

Using TurnItIn software to detect plagiarism .................................... 44

How to submit your essay via TurnItIn? ........................................... 45

Taught Assessment Regulation 27 – Academic Misconduct .................... 45

Postgraduate Common Marking Scheme ............................................. 46

Marking/examination ........................................................................ 47

Double Marking................................................................................ 47

External Examiner ............................................................................ 47

Board of Examiners .......................................................................... 48

Progression and Awards .................................................................... 48

Regulation 41 Borderlines ................................................................. 49

Academic Appeals ............................................................................ 50

Teaching and learning approach ........................................................... 50

Independent study ........................................................................... 51

Formation of learning community through collaboration ........................ 52

Diversity of learners ......................................................................... 53

Overall time commitment .................................................................. 53

Student Responsibilities .................................................................... 54


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Redirecting your email ................................................................... 55

Masters year ................................................................................... 55

Facilities ............................................................................................ 56

Online library resources .................................................................... 56

Support and welfare ......................................................................... 57

New Student Guide ........................................................................ 57

English Language Teaching Centre (ELTC) ........................................ 57

Institute for Academic Development ................................................ 59

The Advice Place ........................................................................... 59

Comprehensive health service......................................................... 60

Student Counselling Service ........................................................... 60

Student Disability Service ............................................................... 61

Childcare ...................................................................................... 61

Development and alumni ................................................................ 61

Careers Service ............................................................................. 62

The Chaplaincy ............................................................................. 62

Health and Safety ......................................................................... 62

Dignity and Respect ....................................................................... 62

Edinburgh University Student Association (EUSA) ................................ 63

Peer Support ................................................................................ 63

Class Reps .................................................................................... 63

Democracy ................................................................................... 64

Councils ....................................................................................... 64

Referenda .................................................................................... 64

Tandem ....................................................................................... 64

Peer Proofreading .......................................................................... 64

Finance ........................................................................................... 65

Paying Fees 2015/16 ..................................................................... 65

Payment Options ........................................................................... 65

Centre for Sport and Exercise ......................................................... 65

Student feedback and course evaluation ................................................ 66

Appendix 1 – DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY Table .... 67

If you require this document or any of the internal University Of Edinburgh online resources mentioned in this document in an alternative format, please contact the Programme Support Officer, Rachel Sim, via [email protected] or by telephoning 0131 465 9560.


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Introduction with disclaimer

Welcome to the University of Edinburgh, the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine and the School of Clinical Sciences. We are very pleased you have chosen to take this degree, and we very much hope you will enjoy your time studying with us. This handbook guides you to what is expected of you on the Neuroimaging for Research and Imaging Programmes, and the academic and pastoral support available to you. Please read it carefully so as to make the most of your time. Each student must comply with the curriculum requirements set out in:

• the appropriate degree programme table • the programme handbook • the courses of study, including the order in which courses are attended • the assessments for the programme, which are published in the

University Degree Regulations and Programmes of Study. The University degree regulations and programmes of study set out University-wide and programme specific regulations.

http://www.drps.ed.ac.uk/15-16/regulations/index.php

The taught assessment regulations set minimum requirements and standards for students and staff, expressing in practical form the academic goals and policies of the University.

http://www.docs.sasg.ed.ac.uk/AcademicServices/Regulations/Temp/TaughtAssessmentRegulations.pdf

The degree regulations are supported by the code of practice for taught postgraduate programmes; although not regulatory, this provides essential information for staff and students.

http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/academic-services/policies-regulations/codes

Disclaimer Some important general aspects covered in this handbook are amplified in the University’s code of practice for taught postgraduate programmes. This handbook does not supersede the University regulations. Each student is responsible for becoming familiar with the contents of this handbook and also the code of practice for taught postgraduate programmes. The information provided in this handbook is intended to help you avoid unnecessary problems.


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Programme team – contacts and support The Programme Director and Programme Coordinator are responsible for the smooth running of the Imaging and Neuroimaging for Research Programmes, including responsibility for promotion and admission, plus coordination of teaching inputs, assessments, programme evaluation and curriculum development. The Programme Director is charged with facilitating your orientation and smooth progression through the degree, from initial induction to subsequent course choice, and the transition into the Practical Work/Project stage to successful completion. The Programme Coordinator is your first line of support and his role is to: • give preliminary advice on course options and prerequisite structure

before you begin the programme • keep track of your progress throughout the programme of study • provide advice and guidance for course assessments • advise you if you are seeking interruption/withdrawal or extension • provide first line of pastoral support • where appropriate, refer you for further advice to the Programme

Director and others NOTE: You are responsible for informing the Programme Coordinator immediately of any problems that are interfering with your coursework or progress IN ADVANCE of any assignment deadlines. The Programme Director is usually designated as the supervisor for all students on the Programme; when you progress to the Practical Work/Project stage, a new supervisor suitable for your chosen project topic may be allocated. Your Programme Director is: Professor Andrew Farrall ([email protected]) He can be contacted via the eProgramme Support Officer or the Programme Coordinator: eProgramme Support Officer (for Edinburgh Imaging Academy):

Rachel Sim Centre for Cognitive Brain Sciences (CCBS), University of Edinburgh, Chancellor's Building 49 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4SB Phone: +44 131 465 9560


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Email: [email protected] Programme Coordinator:

Dr Charis Alexakis Centre for Cognitive Brain Sciences (CCBS), University of Edinburgh, Chancellor's Building 49 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4SB Phone: +44 131 537 3125

Email: [email protected] (preferred) Contact details of the postgraduate section of the College of MVM: College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine Postgraduate Section The University of Edinburgh The Chancellor’s Building 49 Little France Crescent Edinburgh EH16 4SB Hours: 9-5pm, Mon-Fri Website: http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/medicine-vet-medicine

Personal Tutor All taught students at Edinburgh University are assigned a Personal Tutor (PT). Your Personal Tutor is a member of academic staff from your matriculated School, who is allocated to you at the beginning of the academic year. His or her role is to:

• help you to review your academic progress • provide opportunities for you to reflect on how your learning can help

you pursue your future development • foster in you a sense of belonging to a community of learners

Your Personal Tutor is available if you have any concerns or problems that might affect your studies, for example when there are special circumstances affecting your studies. They can also advise on academic matters such as course choices in your degree programme. Further information and resources (including FAQs) can be found at: http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/institute-academic-development/postgraduate/taught/apsupport/faq The following table includes the name of your personal tutor along with other key people in the personal tutoring process.

Senior Tutor School of Clinical Sciences: Simon Riley


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Personal Tutor: Professor Andrew J Farrall Student Support

Officer: Dr Charis Alexakis

Dean of Students: Professor Allan Cumming

Postgraduate Student Experience

Officer:

Mrs Sharon Pearson

The allocated time for the weekly personal tutoring sessions with Professor Andrew Farrall are: Wednesdays 09:30-10:30 You can approach your personal tutor during the above times to discuss things if you need to. The interactions can be via discussion boards, telephone, Skype or even face-to-face if you happen to be in the vicinity. Please let Professor Farrall know by email at least one day beforehand if you would like to book a session during this time, so that the necessary communication methods can be put in place, and to allow Professor Farrall to ensure there are no double bookings. A complete schedule of the personal tutoring sessions is listed in the programme calendar.

Content Tutors During your progression through the Programme you will meet a number of content tutors who will support your learning. Each module and each activity will have at least one content tutor who will introduce himself or herself to you at its outset. The tutors will moderate online discussions, facilitate your group work and help you clarify academic questions for the module or the activity they are tutoring. Note that the content tutors will only be available for the duration of the support period for the module they are supporting so please make sure you take full advantage of them when they are there. A selection of the content tutors and other academics will also mark your assessments.

IT help and support As a distance online learner, you are dependent on the University’s information systems for access to your courses and to the resources you need for your study. The Introduction to online learning module delivered in the orientation week, aims to give you much of the information you need to access these systems, but – should you run into problems – please use the points of contact given here to get help. Please see advice in Asking for Technical Help document within Help and Support folder on your course homepage before you contact us.


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Local IT and administrative help Your first point of contact should be the Programme Coordinator. Most of the IT and administrative problems can be handled locally by the teaching team (we may refer you to the central IS Helpline/administration if necessary). It is important that the Programme Coordinator be aware of any difficulties you may be experiencing even if he cannot directly deal with the problem. Online: Help and Support discussion board in the Introduction to online learning space (visible to all students so answers can benefit all) Email: “C Alexakis” [email protected] Phone: +44 131 5373125 Contacting online or by email will ensure the most rapid response. We endeavour to respond within 48 hours.

Central IT, library and e-learning help There is a central point for all of the IT, library and elearning enquiries – IS Helpline (Information Services Helpline). The Helpline provides a comprehensive online database of solutions to frequently encountered problems (this should help you resolve many problems without having to ask for help): http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/information-services/services/help-consultancy/help-services They also provide useful information on all University computing services, including using the Library, accessing student email accounts: http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/information-services/students/useful-info www.ed.ac.uk/is/odl-students Learning opportunities to develop your information and IT skills are available through the IS website. These materials include online self-teach learning and workbook resources for personal development, and to help you work and study more effectively. Getting help

If our web pages have not helped you resolve your IT or Library-related request or query, then please contact the IS Helpline. Ways to contact us: Via Web: Self Service Portal (preferred) Via Email: [email protected] Via Phone: +44 (0)131 651 5151


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If you require assistance outside of our working hours (8am – 6pm, Monday to Friday), your request will be automatically transferred to our out-of-hours support team who can deal with a wide variety of common IT queries. If they cannot resolve your request, it will be passed to the central IS Helpline for investigation. Please note that this may result in a short delay in finding a solution. Remember to check the service status pages (link) and twitter page (link) which are updated regularly to reflect current status of the main services. More information on the library services is also included in the Introduction

to Online Leaning module.

Central administrative help You can contact the Postgraduate Office of College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine (CMVM) directly with administrative enquiries: College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine Postgraduate Section The University of Edinburgh The Chancellor’s Building 49 Little France Crescent Edinburgh EH16 4SB Hours: 9am to 5pm, Mon-Fri Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/medicine-vet-medicine

In cases of emergency students should dial 2222. This number is only available from the University internal telephone system. Students in Residences or those calling from a mobile phone should dial (0131) 650 2257.

Other help and support Other sources of specialist academic and pastoral support are listed in Appendix III of the Code of Practice for Taught Postgraduate Programmes (http://www.docs.sasg.ed.ac.uk/AcademicServices/Codes/CoPTaughtPGProgrammes.pdf )

Calendar of the Academic Year The full and up-to-date academic calendar for each of the courses is provided online via Google Calendar within each of the course homepages.


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You will also find there a static overview of the calendar provided as a PDF file. You can also find the full university calendar at: http://www.ed.ac.uk/news/semester-dates/201516 Here we give a general outline of the course timetables. The courses fit into the University semester system, with teaching periods running over 10-11 weeks, starting in September and January. The teaching period in Semester 1 starts in mid-September and finishes at the start of December. Teaching in Semester 2 starts in mid-January and finishes at the end of March.

Module discussion boards Module discussion boards become available with the release of each module and close at the end of the timetabled tutor support period. Tutors will only be available for comments during the timetabled slots of 1-2 weeks and we encourage you to focus your discussions within these periods. However, you may submit posts earlier if you think you will not be available at the scheduled slot. Thereafter, the discussion boards will remain accessible only for review. NOTE: Towards the end of the semester we open a revision discussion board where you should be able to discuss the module material and get input from tutors if you missed out on the initial module discussion.

Module self-assessment tests Module self-assessment tests become available with release of each module. They are closed at the end of the teaching period each semester (they are not available during final assessment periods).

Group activities/group discussion boards These activities normally have several stages which have to be completed throughout the semester and each stage has its own deadline. The overview of the activity structure, timetable and penalties is given in the online Activity Instructions for each activity. Activity deadlines are also included in the Google calendar.

Final assessment All of the final assessment must be completed within the final assessment period (normally lasting 2 weeks) at the end of the semester.


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Semester 1 final assessment is delivered over 2 weeks immediately after the teaching period finishes at the start of December. This is a very tight schedule and we encourage you to plan your other commitments to ensure your availability over this period. Spring teaching break after the end of semester 2 in March normally allows you more time for revision before the final assessment period in the last two weeks of April. Please refer to the relevant Google course calendar for assessment dates.

Graduations

All students must register online and pay a compulsory fee in order to graduate from the University of Edinburgh, whether attending a ceremony or not. There are 4 steps to the Graduation process:

� Step 1: read Graduation Information � Step 2: register by submitting the online registration form � Step 3: pay compulsory General Council Membership fee � Step 4: order academic dress if attending a ceremony; apply for extra

tickets if required

Those who have not registered, but who are eligible to graduate will have their award conferred in absentia and will be contacted after the ceremonies with further information.

Please check your address details in MyEd and tell Registry if your permanent home address has changed. You should do this by completing the online form.

Further information on Graduations can be found at:

http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/student-administration/graduations/overview

Programme aims and structure

Programme aims The two online Programmes aim to provide students from a broad range of backgrounds with the knowledge and skills necessary to understand research which uses (neuro)imaging techniques. They also aim to provide students with the tools necessary to design and set up studies which use (neuro)imaging, and to analyse the relevant (neuro)imaging and related data.

Programme Structure The Neuroimaging for Research Programme offers eight core and three elective courses plus one year of practical work and assessments, designed for online, part-time, distance study. The programme structure is outlined in the table below; numbers of credits are listed in brackets.

Stage/Award Semester 1 Semester 2

Stage 1/Certificate

(60 credits)

Techniques and Physics (20)

AND

Applications in Disease (10)

Common Image Processing

Techniques 1 (20)

AND

Practicalities (10)

Stage 2/Diploma

(60 credits)

Anatomy (20)

AND

Statistics (10)

Study Design (10)

Common Image Processing

Techniques 2 (10)

AND

ONE of the following

electives

Functional Imaging (10)

Image Analysis (10)

Translational Imaging and

Clinical Trials (10)

Stage 3/Masters

(60 credits) Practical work/assessments (60)

The Imaging Programme offers four core and fourteen elective courses plus one year of practical work and assessments, designed for online, part-time, distance study. The programme structure is outlined in the table below; numbers of credits are listed in brackets.

Stage/Award Semester 1 Semester 2

Stage 1/Certificate

(60 credits)

Techniques and physics (20)

AND


electives

Applications in disease

research (10)

Clinical applications (10)

Practicalities and safety (10)

AND


electives

Digital image processing and

analysis (20)

Image interpretation and

evaluation (20)

Stage 2/Diploma

(60 credits)

Statistics (10)

AND

TWO of the following

electives

Biomechanics (10)

Light microscopy (10)

Preclinical imaging (10)

Neuroanatomy (10)

Body anatomy (10)

Study design (10)

AND

TWO of the following

electives

Translational imaging (10)

Functional Imaging (10)

Cardiovascular imaging (10)

{TBC: Oncologic imaging

(10)

Imaging in inflammation and

infection (10)}

Stage 3/Masters

(60 credits) Practical work and Assessment (60)


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The relevant Degree Programme Tables (DPT) can be found through the following link: http://www.drps.ed.ac.uk/15-16/dpt/drpsindex.htm . For further details on programme content and learning outcomes you can also refer to our detailed syllabus which is hosted on our website. Enrolment on the Neuroimaging for Research MSc and the Imaging MSc is via part-time intermittent mode (or invoiced at a course level - ICL). You can complete the full Masters Programme within a minimum of 3 years (as per the table above), but you can extend your study over maximum of 6 years to fit your personal and financial situation by electing to enrol on fewer courses per semester. We have found that this flexible format works really well for our students who typically combine work and family commitments with study.

Completing the Programme within 3 years requires a greater time commitment within the study period (i.e. a full 15-20 hours per week during the semester). However, the intermittent mode allows you to take lower credit load and work fewer hours per week. For example, taking a single 10 credit course per semester would require around 10 hours of study per week. You can also elect not to take courses in a given semester.

You may also choose to exit the Programme early with a Postgraduate Certificate or a Postgraduate Diploma.

Planning for intermittent study In the intermittent study mode you will have to identify which courses you would like to take each year. This mode allows you to take a lower load per semester but you may select to complete a full standard load of 30 credits, or take a break if you wish. IMPORTANT: You MUST make a decision about which courses you take BEFORE the semester commences and you cannot enrol into individual courses once they have started.

It is possible to withdraw from courses but you may incur course

fees even if you fail to participate. DEADLINES: You MUST confirm your preferences for each semester by emailing the Programme Coordinator. We recommend that you develop a plan for the full Masters / Diploma / Certificate at the beginning of your studies. This will help you check that you will be able to complete all of the required credits within set time limits. These limits are 2 years for Certificate, 3 years for Diploma and 6 years for Masters. You can discuss your plan with the Programme Coordinator if you wish.


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When you are selecting courses in the Neuroimaging for Research MSc we recommend the following prerequisite structure to get the full benefit from the Programme (see table below).

Neuroimaging for Research Course

Prerequisite course

Techniques and Physics None Applications in Disease Techniques and Physics Practicalities Techniques and Physics Common image processing techniques 1 Techniques and Physics Anatomy None Common image processing techniques 2 Techniques and Physics Statistics None Study Design Statistics

Image Analysis Common image processing techniques 1 Anatomy

Translational Imaging and Clinical Trials Common image processing techniques 1

Functional Imaging Common image processing techniques 1

When you are selecting courses in the Imaging MSc we recommend the following prerequisite structure to get the full benefit from the Programme (see table below).

Imaging MSc Course

Prerequisite course

Techniques and physics None Applications in disease research Techniques and physics Clinical applications Techniques and physics Practicalities and safety Techniques and physics Digital image processing and analysis Techniques and physics Image interpretation and evaluation Techniques and physics Statistics None Biomechanics Techniques and physics Light microscopy Techniques and physics Preclinical imaging Techniques and physics Neuroanatomy None Body anatomy None Study design Statistics Translational Imaging (and Clinical Trials)

Techniques and physics

Functional Imaging Techniques and physics Cardiovascular imaging Techniques and physics Oncologic imaging Techniques and physics


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Imaging MSc Course

Prerequisite course

Imaging in inflammation and infection Techniques and physics You also need to consider whether the course is 10 or 20 credits as the credit rating reflects the amount of work required from you. Taking 2 x 20 credit courses per semester would likely be too much if you also work full time, requiring 30-40 hours of study per week. In any case, the Programme is part-time, so it is not possible to take more than 30 credits per semester.

Suggested Study Plans for the Imaging MSc The mixture of core and optional courses available anticipate the extremely varied backgrounds and wide range of goals that each of you bring to the Imaging MSc. The core courses are designed to bring you to a common understanding of imaging, and to provide a solid grounding in areas of imaging you might not otherwise have had experience of but which relate to your goals. The optional courses will allow you to focus and sub-specialise in aspects of imaging of interest, hence the “themed” approach to structuring the programme. Relevant examples of how those of you with different focuses and goals might progress through the materials are:

Students with

imaging sciences interests

Students with

preclinical interests

Students with

clinical imaging interests

� � �

Year 1, Semester 1

Techniques & physics Techniques & physics Techniques & physics

Applications in disease research

Applications in disease research

Clinical applications

� � �

Year 1, Semester 2

Practicalities & safety Practicalities & safety Practicalities & safety

Digital image processing & analysis

Digital image processing & analysis

Image interpretation & evaluation

� � �

Year 2, Semester 1

Statistics Statistics Statistics


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Students with

imaging sciences

interests

Students with

preclinical

interests

Students with

clinical imaging

interests � � �

Biomechanics Preclinical imaging Neuro-anatomy Light microscopy Light microscopy Body anatomy

� � �

Year 2, Semester 2

Study design Study design Study design

Translational imaging Cardiovascular imaging

Oncologic imaging

Cardiovascular imaging

Oncologic imaging Imaging in infection & inflammation

� � �

Year 3

Project & Activities

Individual course details This section outlines each course and lists course modules. We suggest you complete them in sequence as listed. The module support timetable and tutor lists will be made available via each course’s homepage in the Course Information area.

Stage 1 - Certificate in Neuroimaging for Research • Techniques and Physics • Applications in Disease • Common Image Processing Techniques 1 • Practicalities

Techniques and Physics This core course aims to make sure that you understand the basic principles used to generate computed tomographic (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) images, including basic structural images, perfusion and diffusion images, functional MR, spectroscopy, radioisotope molecular imaging and electrophysiological approaches. This will give you a better appreciation and understanding of the range of techniques available, along with their limitations and drawbacks. This course has one Activity. For more details see the Assignments folder on the Learn homepage and Google calendar in Course Information folder.


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Module Module assessment

Imaging Basics Self-assessment test

CT Basics SMPTE exercise

MR Basics Self-assessment test

MR Spectroscopy Basics Self-assessment test

MR Diffusion Imaging Self-assessment test

Functional Imaging Basics Self-assessment test

MR Contrast Agents

Self-assessment test

SPECT


Activity: Debate

Individual and group submissions, discussion board interactions

Applications in Disease It is important that you gain an understanding of how common neurological or neuropsychiatric disorders affect the brain and how imaging techniques might be used in research to better understand those disorders and the effects of treatment. The aim of this course is therefore to give you a broad overview of how neuroimaging techniques have helped advance the understanding of these disorders and their treatment to date. This will include amongst other disorders, stroke, schizophrenia, depression, brain tumours, the effects of normal ageing and dementia. This course has one Activity. For more details see Assignments folder in Learn homepage and Google calendar in Course Information folder.


Applied MR in Stroke Self-assessment test

Lacunar stroke Self-assessment test

MND Self-assessment test

Schizophrenia Self-assessment test

Imaging in Depression Self-assessment test

Ageing, Brain Volume and Spectroscopy



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Ageing, White Matter and Cognition Self-assessment test

Neurosurgery Self-assessment test Dementia Self-assessment test Activity:

Database search and critical review Individual submissions and discussion board interactions

Common Image Processing Techniques 1 This core course aims to introduce you to the major forms of image evaluation commonly used in neuroimaging research. This ranges from the “bread and butter” techniques like qualitative and quantitative assessment of whole brain and subregional brain volumes, simple and complex ways of measuring lesion size, region of interest measurements to assess tissue parameters as might be derived from diffusion-weighted or perfusion images, and simple tractography techniques. This course has two Activities. For more details see Assignments folder in Learn homepage and Google calendar in Course Information folder.


Measure Lesion Size Self-assessment test

Assess Volumes Qualitative Self-assessment test

Assess Volumes Quantitative None

White Matter Lesion Rating – Qualitative


White Matter Lesion Rating - Quantitative


MR Spectroscopy – Advanced Self-assessment test

Multi-centre Studies & Combining Data Sets


MR Permeability Imaging


Activity 1: Practical quantitative measurement


Activity 2: Qualitative vs quantitative

measurement


Practicalities All imaging techniques have advantages and disadvantages and all are potentially hazardous to the operator or individual being scanned unless operated correctly. In some cases, there are strict rules and regulations to


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be followed an operators have to have professional qualifications, but in others the rules are less strict. If you come from a non-clinical background you will likely not be aware of these important points. The aims of this course are to make sure that you are thoroughly familiar with the potential hazards, contraindications and safe operating practices for each type of imaging, but particularly magnetic resonance, health and safety issues, the principals of ethics for neuroimaging research and good clinical practice. This course has one activity. For more details see Assignments folder in Learn homepage and Google calendar in Course Information folder.


MR Health and Safety Self-assessment test

Practical MR for Humans Self-assessment test

Ethics and Good Clinical Practice None

MR Scanners 1.5T vs 3.0T Self-assessment test

fMRI Practicalities None

Data Protection Self-assessment test

Activity: Grant proposal and review

Individual submissions, discussion board interactions

Stage 2 - Diploma in Neuroimaging for Research • Anatomy • Study Design • Statistics • Common Imaging Processing Techniques 2 • Functional Imaging (elective) • Image Analysis (elective) • Translational Imaging and Clinical Trials (elective)

Anatomy This core course aims to make sure that you have a good understanding of basic neuroanatomy as seen on common imaging techniques. This includes major lobes and fissures, blood vessels, major connecting pathways in the brain and an appreciation of how these might look with different imaging techniques. This course has one Activity. For more details see Assignments folder in Learn homepage and Google calendar in Course Information folder.


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Major Lobes and Fissures Self-assessment test

Ventricles and CSF Self-assessment test

Major Vessels and Vascular Territories


Major Internal Connections Self-assessment test

Cranial Nerve Nuclei Self-assessment test

Detailed Gyral Identification Self-assessment test

Activity: Relate anatomy, pathology and

function


Statistics The purpose of this course is to make sure that you have a good grasp of the basics of statistics commonly used to evaluate datasets derived from imaging research, how to assess the accuracy of diagnostic tests, and to deal with evaluating imaging changes over time. This will include sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, interobserver reliability (for continuous and categorical variables), and repeated measures analyses. There will also be a section on how to assess a diagnostic paper and on the design, conduct and analysis of systematic reviews of imaging studies. This course has one Activity. For more details see Assignments folder in Learn homepage and Google calendar in Course Information folder.


Introduction to Statistics None

How to Read a Paper Self-assessment test

Assessing Accuracy of Diagnostic Tests


Assessing Differences between Observers

Kappa exercise

Systematic Reviews Self-assessment test

ROC Curves Self-assessment test

Activity: Critical appraisal


Study Design


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This course aims to introduce you to key issues in the design of observational studies, use of imaging as a surrogate outcome in treatment trials, evaluating response to treatment using imaging parameters and distinguishing between associations and causality. Issues such as refining the research question and hypotheses, blinding of assessments, use of randomisation, sample size estimates and feasibility will be covered. This course has one Activity. For more details see Assignments folder in Learn homepage and Google calendar in Course Information folder.


What is My Question? Self-assessment test

Sources of Bias Self-assessment test

Blinding Self-assessment test

Randomisation Self-assessment test

How Many Subjects Do I Need? Self-assessment test

Activity: Assessment of bias


Common Imaging Processing Techniques 2 This course takes you further into more complex aspects of image analysis including spectroscopy analysis, techniques for registering images from different scan sequences acquired contemporaneously or acquired at different times, basic functional imaging, image analysis, and translational techniques. This course has one Activity. For more details see Assignments folder in Learn homepage and Google calendar in Course Information folder.


Retinal Image Analysis Self-assessment test DWI Basic Quantification Self-assessment test MR Perfusion Imaging Self-assessment test

Introducing Tractography Self-assessment test Registration Techniques Self-assessment test Voxel Based Analysis Self-assessment test Image segmentation Self-assessment test

Activity: Literature review and appraisal



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Image Analysis (elective) This elective course is for students with a specific interest in Image Analysis, including those from a more computing background. Students will be able to focus in great detail on computing basics, sampling and quantisation as well as visual effects and their influence on perception; mathematical transformations and modelling as well as validation of techniques will also be taught so that on exit, students will independently be able to assess datasets from imaging experiments for quality, for best analysis approach including selecting the most appropriate analysis tools and algorithms, for sensibility and logic of output, and for usefulness and appropriateness to the original research goals.


Digital Image Basics Self-assessment test Image Sampling and Quantisation Self-assessment test

Image Perception and Morphological Operations


Image Transformations and Modelling Application


Computational Modelling in Medical Image Processing: Basics

TBA

Computational Modelling in Medical Image Processing: Applications

TBA

Validation Techniques 1 & 2 TBA Artefacts and Errors on Image

Processing: How to Remove Them TBA

Activity Validation techniques (sMRI

data)

Functional Imaging (elective) This elective course is for students with a specific interest in Functional Imaging. Students will be able to focus in great detail on techniques such as functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), Electro-encephalography (EEG) and Magneto-encephalography (MEG). Functional Imaging experimental design and data analysis will also be taught so that on exit, students will independently be able to set up and execute Functional Imaging experiments, and extract data appropriately to generate robust outcomes and rigorous conclusions.


BOLD Signal Self-assessment test Experimental Design Self-assessment test

Pre-processing Self-assessment test GLM Self-assessment test

Statistical Inferences Self-assessment test fMRI Issues Self-assessment test

Arterial Spin Labelling (ASL) TBA


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Voxel-based Lesion to Symptom Mapping

TBA

EEG: Equipment, Recording and Physiology


MEG: Data Analysis and Interpretation

TBA

EEG/MEG: Methods Overview TBA Neurophysiology Basics TBA

Activity: Journal Club

Individual and group submissions, discussion and

reflection

Translational Imaging and Clinical Trials (elective) This elective course is for students with a specific interest in use of imaging in clinical trials and observational studies, in humans and experimental studies. This course aims to Introduce Translational Imaging approaches in several emerging fields, covering the use of imaging as a biomarker or surrogate outcome measure in clinical trials in common neurological disorders such as stroke, psychosis, dementia, and multiple sclerosis (MS). Translating from human to animal imaging will also be covered, including implications of differences in anatomy and scanner field strengths as well as imaging techniques appropriate to stroke, ageing, MS, dementia. Management of the experimental imaging environment will also be covered.


Surrogate Outcomes: Stroke TBA Surrogate Outcomes: Schizophrenia TBA

Surrogate Outcomes: Multiple Sclerosis

TBA

Experimental Imaging TBA Quality and bias in animal research

Other translational methods TBA

Activity Reflective essay OR group

activity

Stage 1 - Certificate in Imaging Techniques and Physics Applications in Disease Research (elective) Clinical Applications (elective) Practicalities and safety Digital image processing and analysis (elective) Image interpretation and evaluation (elective)

Techniques and Physics


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This core course will bring students with a wide variety of backgrounds to a basic common understanding of imaging history, imaging techniques - both in research and clinically, what an image is and how images are processed and manipulated. This course has one Activity. For more details see the Assignments folder on the Learn homepage and Google calendar in the Course Information folder.


Imaging Basics Self-assessment test

CT Basics SMPTE exercise

MR Basics wk1 Self-assessment test

MR Basics wk2 Self-assessment test

Ultrasound basics wk1 Self-assessment test

Ultrasound basics/Doppler Ultrasound wk2


Light Microscopy basics Self-assessment test

SPECT & PET Self-assessment test

Contrast agents in imaging Self-assessment test Images – fundamentals Self-assessment test

Activity: Debate


Applications in Disease Research (elective) This elective course will expose students to the applications of imaging techniques to research and how these techniques improve our understanding of diseases, in both human and animal systems. This course has one Activity. For more details see Assignments folder in Learn homepage and Google calendar in Course Information folder.


Ageing, White Matter and Cognition Self-assessment test

Applied MR in Stroke Self-assessment test

Lacunar Stroke Self-assessment test

Dementia Self-assessment test


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Cardiothoracic Self-assessment test

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Surgery Self-assessment test

The Zebra Fish Self-assessment test

Veterinary Applications Self-assessment test Activity:

Database search and critical review Individual submissions and discussion board interactions

Clinical applications (elective) This elective course will introduce students to the clinical use imaging techniques, describing how best to select a technique to investigate a specific clinical problem, advantages and disadvantages of different approaches, and will review the basic strategies and pitfalls of the various techniques in selected clinical contexts. This course has one Activity. For more details see Assignments folder in Learn homepage and Google calendar in Course Information folder.


Plain Film Radiography Self-assessment test

Computed Tomography Self-assessment test

MRI Self-assessment test

Fluoroscopy Self-assessment test

Ultrasound Self-assessment test

Complementary Imaging Strategies Self-assessment test

SPECT -- PET Self-assessment test

Activity TBA

Practicalities and Safety This core course will review the considerations which have to be made for scanning humans and animals in both clinical and research environments, issues around clinical and research legislation, including data protection, regulation of imaging environments, and safety concerns (technique specific, as well as subject and operator focused issues).


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This course has one activity. For more details see Assignments folder in Learn homepage and Google calendar in Course Information folder.


MR Health and Safety Self-assessment test

Practical MR for Humans Self-assessment test

Ethics and Good Clinical Practice None

MR Scanners 1.5T vs 3.0T Self-assessment test

Contrast agent safety Self-assessment test

Data Protection Self-assessment test

Practical ultrasound imaging Self-assessment test

Activity: Grant proposal and review


Digital Image Processing & Analysis (elective) This elective course will address in detail the processing and analysis of digital data derived in the imaging environment, including sampling and quantization, perception and modelling, validation techniques, registration techniques, voxel based analysis, and segmentation as well as storage, protection, archiving and mining of image data. This course has the Activity to be confirmed. For more details see Assignments folder in Learn homepage and Google calendar in Course Information folder.


Digital Image Basics Self-assessment test

Image Sampling and Quantisation, Retinal image analysis


Image Perception and Morphological Operations


Image Transformations and Modelling Application


Computational Modelling in Medical Image Processing : Basics


Computational Modelling in Medical Image Processing: Applications


Validation Techniques 1 & Registration techniques



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Validation Techniques 2 & Voxel based analysis


Artefacts and Errors on Image Processing & Image segmentation

wk1 Self-assessment test

Image segmentation wk2 Self-assessment test

Activity TBA

Image interpretation and evaluation (elective) This elective course will cover the systematic review of images in the clinical context to assess for both normal and abnormal findings, and will provide guidance on how such findings bear relevance to imaging in the clinical context. It will also explore more detailed gross image evaluation as might be required in the research context e.g. measuring lesion sizes. This course has the Activity to be confirmed. For more details see Assignments folder in Learn homepage and Google calendar in Course Information folder.


Image Interpretation Self-assessment test

Computed Radiography (CR) Self-assessment test

Computed Tomography (CT) Self-assessment test

Ultrasound Self-assessment test

SPECT, PET Self-assessment test

MRI brain Self-assessment test

Activity TBA

Stage 2 - Diploma in Imaging Statistics Biomechanics (elective) Light microscopy (elective) Preclinical imaging (elective) Neuroanatomy (elective) Body anatomy (elective) Study Design


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Translational Imaging (elective) Cardiovascular Imaging (elective) TBC: Oncologic Imaging (elective) TBC: Image in inflammation and infection (elective)

Statistics This core course will teach statistical considerations when performing preclinical and clinical studies, including ensuring appropriate sample sizes, assessing the accuracy of diagnostic tests, ROC curves, assessing differences between observers, how to read a paper, and systematic reviews. This course has one Activity. For more details see Assignments folder in Learn homepage and Google calendar in Course Information folder.


Introduction to Statistics None

How to Read a Paper Self-assessment test

Assessing Accuracy of Diagnostic Tests


Assessing Differences between Observers

Kappa exercise

Systematic Reviews Self-assessment test

ROC Curves Self-assessment test

Activity: Critical appraisal


Biomechanics (elective) This elective course will cover both fluid / flow biomechanics as well as musculoskeletal biomechanics. The former will be covered in lectures on biofluid dynamics, the mechanics of solids, of the normal circulation and of ageing and diseased arteries. Blood and blood flow, mechanotransduction, examples of simulation and modelling will allow more in-depth exploration of the fluid / flow biomechanics. This course has one Activity. For more details see Assignments folder in Learn homepage and Google calendar in Course Information folder.


Biomechanics basics Self-assessment test

Ultrasound - advanced Self-assessment test


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Cardiovascular Self-assessment test

Activity

TBA

Light microscopy (elective) This elective course will cover basics of light and fluorescence microscopy, as well as advanced techniques, confocal microscopy, CCD camera technology, and re-enforce taught materials with practical activities. Note that some components of light microscopy will be covered in other courses where these components have broader imaging relevance. This course has one Activity. For more details see Assignments folder in Learn homepage and Google calendar in Course Information folder.


Basics of optics Self-assessment test

Basics of light and fluorescence microscopy


Confocal microscopy Self-assessment test

Samples for light microscopy Self-assessment test

Image formation Self-assessment test

Camera detectors Self-assessment test

Image data handling Self-assessment test

Advanced light microscopy techniques


Activity

TBA

Preclinical imaging (elective) This elective course will cover the basics of preclinical MR, optical, ultrasound, micro-CT and micro-PET imaging, and will re-enforce taught materials with case studies for each modality. This course has one Activity. For more details see Assignments folder in Learn homepage and Google calendar in Course Information folder.



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Practical Preclinical Imaging Self-assessment test

Legislation and ethics governing the use of animals in research in the UK


Practical considerations of preclinical MR imaging


Preclinical MR case studies None

Practical considerations of Preclinical Ultrasound


Preclinical US case study None

Practical considerations of Preclinical optical techniques


Preclinical CT & PET Self-assessment test

Experimental imaging Self-assessment test

Activity

TBA

Neuroanatomy (elective) This elective course will review key neuro-anatomy knowledge including how neuro-anatomy relates to function and how the effects of disease in an anatomical location impacts neurological function. This course has one Activity. For more details see Assignments folder in Learn homepage and Google calendar in Course Information folder.


Major Lobes and Fissures Self-assessment test

Ventricles and CSF Self-assessment test

Major Vessels and Vascular Territories


Cranial Nerve Nuclei Self-assessment test

Activity: Relate anatomy, pathology and

function


Body Anatomy (elective)


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This optional course will review key non-neural anatomy, focusing primarily on cardiothoracic, musculoskeletal and abdominal anatomical knowledge, and relating that knowledge to function and how the effects of disease in an anatomical location might impact function. An overview of preclinically relevant anatomy will highlight key parallels and differences between human and animal anatomy. This course has one Activity. For more details see Assignments folder in Learn homepage and Google calendar in Course Information folder.


Cardiothoracic anatomy Self-assessment test

Abdominal anatomy Self-assessment test

Musculoskeletal anatomy Self-assessment test

Activity

TBA

Study Design This core course will teach key elements of good study design, including for human clinical trials, preclinical studies, microscopic evaluations and basic imaging sciences. This course has one Activity. For more details see Assignments folder in Learn homepage and Google calendar in Course Information folder.


What is My Question? Self-assessment test

Sources of Bias Self-assessment test

Blinding Self-assessment test

Randomisation Self-assessment test

How Many Subjects Do I Need? Self-assessment test

Activity: Assessment of bias


Translational Imaging (and Clinical Trials) (elective) This elective course will provide examples of where laboratory / preclinical / pharmacological research has been applied to humans, and what pathways


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exist that allow this translative process to happen. Successes as well as the many potential pitfalls will be covered. This course has one Activity. For more details see Assignments folder in Learn homepage and Google calendar in Course Information folder.


Surrogate Outcomes: Stroke TBA Surrogate Outcomes: Schizophrenia TBA

Surrogate Outcomes: Multiple Sclerosis

TBA

Experimental Imaging TBA Quality and bias in animal research TBA

Other translational methods TBA

Activity Reflective essay OR group

activity

Cardiovascular imaging (elective) This optional course will concentrate on practical imaging of the chest, including what techniques are best for evaluating various parts of the chest anatomy, and which are best for investigation of major diseases of the chest. The lungs and heart will be the main focus. Research into cardiac function as well as studies into the vasculature, will also be covered, reflecting activity at the Clinical Research Imaging Centre (CRIC) at the University of Edinburgh. This course has one Activity. For more details see Assignments folder in Learn homepage and Google calendar in Course Information folder.


Cardiac Self-assessment test

Vascular Self-assessment test

Pulmonary Vascular Self-assessment test

Activity TBA

Oncologic imaging (elective) (Please check with the programme team as to whether this course will be running). This optional course will cover the diagnostic strategies and problems associated with cancers, including radiological screening methods, staging and follow-up examinations, and imaging the complications of cancers and


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their treatments. Multimodal approaches to liver, lung, colorectal, prostate, breast and brain cancers will be given an overview. This course has one Activity. For more details see Assignments folder in Learn homepage and Google calendar in Course Information folder.


Diagnostic imaging for oncology Self-assessment test

Staging and Follow-up Self-assessment test

Complications of disease and treatment


Imaging for screening Self-assessment test

Head and Neck oncology Self-assessment test

Liver oncology Self-assessment test

Lung oncology Self-assessment test

Colorectal oncology Self-assessment test

Prostate oncology Self-assessment test

Activity TBA

Imaging in inflammation and infection (elective) (Please check with the programme team as to whether this course will be running). This optional course will cover the diagnostic strategies and problems associated with infectious and inflammatory diseases of the brain and body. Key disease processes will be used to illustrate principles and approaches. This course has one Activity. For more details see Assignments folder in Learn homepage and Google calendar in Course Information folder.


Imaging - Infection and Inflammation Self-assessment test

Chest Self-assessment test

Gastro-intestinal Self-assessment test

Musculoskeletal Self-assessment test


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Neck Self-assessment test

Neuro Self-assessment test

Activity TBA

Stage 3 - Masters in Neuroimaging for Research / Imaging See Masters year section above. Also, a more detailed project year handbook will supplement this handbook with more detailed information as to projects and activities in this final year.

Assessment requirements

Methods of assessment Assessments in this Programme are designed to reinforce learning concepts, to encourage thought and discussion about learning concepts, and to guide exploration of modules’ topics beyond what is covered in lectures. For the course-based component of the Programme (Certificate and Diploma), continuous in-course assessment contributes 50% and final assessment contributes another 50% to the overall mark in each course. Marked continuous in-course assessment consists of 1 or 2 online based activities with collaborative components. In addition to the marked continuous assessment, which provides formal feedback on and assessment of your learning, we aim to provide you with more informal feedback via module discussion boards and self-assessment tests. All of these components are discussed in detail below.

Continuous in-course assessment

Collaborative activity-based assessments (marked) As outlined in the Teaching and learning approach section above, each course has at least one online activity, which you need to carry out collaboratively. Part of the task may be to compose a small group essay, or answer a test, or submit individual reflections. Your small group is expected to work independently with minimal involvement from the tutor, who monitors the discussions, occasionally providing comments and feedback. Each of the activities has its own marking criteria which are made clear to you at the outset of the activity within the Activity Instructions page in


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the course homepage. As activities typically consist of several components, there will usually be several component marks contributing to your overall activity mark. In order to ensure fairness, marks for any group submission components are weighted to derive your individual mark, using your mark for contribution to the collaboration on the group submission via the discussion board. The weighting will be done as follows: Individual student’s mark for group submission = Group submission mark X Individual student’s contribution mark / Best student’s contribution mark Marking criteria are typically used to assess your collaboration via discussion boards are shown in the Appendix (other components will have their own criteria). NOTE: When using discussion boards only your contributions made within discussion board posting are assessed, so please do not use attached text-based documents to present your arguments – unless explicitly asked to do so. You can use a word processor to write out your post but then make sure to copy and paste the text into a discussion board post rather than attaching it. You can still circulate drafts of collaborative essays as attachments to your group members, but try to make your points/summarise your edits within the discussion post itself. Please be aware that plagiarism guidelines do apply to your discussion board contributions (see Plagiarism section below).

Self-assessment test (not marked) Almost all of the modules have a self-assessment test (the presence of the test is noted under the Individual course details section). You may use the tests as many times as you want during the semester for a quick check of your understanding and instant feedback. Final assessment has a section in this format so it is worth getting used to it via the module tests.

Module discussion boards (not marked) As outlined in the Teaching and Learning Approach section above, each module has its own online tutorial discussion board moderated by a subject tutor. Here you can interact with the tutor and your peers as a whole class. It is a relatively informal forum which allows you to ask questions, as well as


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to provide answers to your peers’ and tutors’ questions around the subject covered by the particular module. In order to benefit fully from access to these boards, including peer-to-peer feedback and tutor feedback, we encourage you to make meaningful contributions, such as: • Replying insightfully to any questions or comments on module materials

drawing on other’s contributions, external resources, wider reading or professional experience

• Recommending relevant resources outside the module resource lists in accordance with guidelines (see Guidelines for citing of resources in discussion boards section below).

• Contributing new ideas to the discussion

• Asking detailed questions relevant to the topic (both of your tutor and

your peers) – make sure you make some effort to investigate things yourself first.

As these discussions are designed to encourage topic exploration and clarification of any aspects you might not understand, do not worry about asking questions to clarify the material or making factual misinterpretations. You are strongly encouraged to answer each other’s questions as it is an integral part of your learning process promoting deeper understanding of the topics. Tutors will intervene when no answers are forthcoming or to correct misunderstandings and errors. Guidelines for citing of resources in discussion boards When posting a resource into any discussion board (or other online contexts) use these guidelines:

• briefly summarise the content of the posted resource and outline its relevance to the module/task – e.g. do not simply cut and paste an article’s abstract to summarize the content of a resource – instead paraphrase key points and put them into the context of your discussion

• minimise use of any direct quotes (don’t just cut and paste) • attribute any outside sources, e.g. by giving a link to the source or the

full reference – make sure you include enough information for the source to be found easily and quickly

• paraphrase and critically analyse the sources rather than just stating their content

• simple copying and pasting of a link to a resource is not acceptable and will attract no marks!

• Do not attach documents containing published articles as this is in violation of copyright law, instead provide enough information or a link so that others can find it themselves online. Any such attachments


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will be removed from the discussion boards (or other online contributions) by deleting your entire post.

By using these guidelines you will avoid plagiarism, copyright violations and maximise your marks in any assessment.

The Vancouver Referencing System

The Vancouver (Numbering) system is preferred for the citation of the references in all activities, discussion boards and essays: References should be cited in the text by sequential numbering in square brackets e.g. [1], [2-6], [1,4,5,7-10] or superscripted. The final list should then be in numerical order, preceded by the appropriate number. Whichever system is used the following information should be given in the reference list: For a paper:

• Authors(s) surname(s) and initials • Year of publication (including a, b, c etc. if appropriate) • The full title of the paper • The journal title • The volume number, underlined or in bold • The first and last page numbers

E.g. Sanger, F. (1981) Determination of nucleotide sequences in DNA. Science 214, 1205-1210. For an article in a book the following details are required:

• Author(s) surname(s) and initials • Year of publication • The article title • The title of the book, including volume numbers • The publisher’s name and place of publication

E.g. Farr, L.A., Gaspar, T.M., & Munn, D.F. (1984) Desynchronization with surgery. In Chronobiology. Eds. E. Hans & H.F. Kabat. Pp. 544-547. Karzer, New York.

Final course assessment Final assessment for each course is an online, timed test composed of short essays (500 words each) and a set of objective questions (in a format similar to module self-assessment tests). You will be given a set time to complete each of the components (e.g. 40 minutes to write an essay). The exact structure and weightings for each course will be made available at a start of the final assessment period at the end of each semester, together with advice on writing the short essays and their marking criteria.


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Marks and feedback We recognise the importance of feedback to your learning and we aim to return your work in time for you to benefit from it in your further study, within the constraints of resources available to us. All of your marks and most of the formal feedback are provided via the My Grades tool in each course homepage and more detailed individual feedback may be delivered via GradeMark tool within TurnItIn. Content tutors and the Programme Coordinator may also use discussion boards or individual emails where appropriate. If you have further questions regarding your marks or feedback please do not hesitate to contact the Programme Coordinator via email with your questions. Tutor marks for all of the components in the small group activities will be returned to you before the commencement of the final assessment period. Where appropriate, tutor feedback and marks will be provided after each of the activity components, and before the next activity stage is finished. In addition to marks, tutors may choose to provide you with some individual or whole class feedback. The Programme Coordinator will usually notify you via email when and where to find this. In addition to tutor feedback at the end, activities are designed so that you benefit from peer-to-peer feedback and self-reflection while they are in progress. Tutors and the Programme Coordinator also provide light touch guidance during the activity and you may ask them for help via Activity discussion boards or emails. Marks for in-course assessment are normally returned within 10 working days. Feedback on summative and formative in-course assessed work is normally provided within 15 working days of submission, or in time to be of use in subsequent assessments within the course, whichever is sooner. Marks for the final course assessment are returned within 1 month of the end of the final assessment period. While we provide a mark for each component, individual feedback for the final assessment short essays is not routinely provided. However, it can be provided on request through the Programme Coordinator. We also provide you with formative feedback opportunities via module discussion boards and module self-assessment tests which are not formally marked – please make sure you take a full advantage of these options. In order to benefit from feedback as a student you will be expected to:

• familiarise yourself with when, where and how feedback is provided • develop an understanding of assessment expectations, criteria and

standards • collect and reflect on the feedback provided, and grasp opportunities

to put it to good use


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For further information please see the University of Edinburgh Feedback Standards and Guiding Principles paper at: http://www.docs.sasg.ed.ac.uk/AcademicServices/Policies/Feedback_Standards_Guiding_Principles.pdf There are also guidelines on making the most of feedback for students provided by the University’s Teaching Learning and Assessment team: http://www.enhancingfeedback.ed.ac.uk/students.html

Assignment submissions/deadlines

Deadlines For deadline details please refer to the Calendar of the Academic Year section. The full and up-to-date academic calendar for each of the courses is provided online via Google Calendar within each of the course homepages. You will also find there a static overview of the calendar provided as a PDF file. While we take care to make the course as flexible as possible (accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week), we also include some deadlines. These are necessary in order to: • Help you pace your study so that you can get most out of the course and

do not risk failing it by leaving everything to the last minute. • Ensure that you receive continuous feedback to help you address any

areas of difficulty. • Ensure that the subject module tutors are available to help you. As they

are not involved in the courses full time it is crucial that you complete activities and use discussion boards within the time they are available to teach in a particular module. Since they are busy professionals with full time jobs, outside these times their availability cannot be guaranteed.

• Enable you to interact meaningfully with other students online.

Assessment submission All of your assessments are submitted in electronic format online via discussion board/other online tools, Learn inbox or TurnItIn inbox. Final assessment essays are submitted via the Short Essay Submission tool.


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Both self-assessment tests and objective tests in final assessments will be delivered using an online assessment tool called QuestionMark Perception (QMP). Introduction to online learning module contains an example QMP test showing the types of questions and the way they are scored. You must complete the test included in the Introduction to online learning module early in the first semester of your first year in order to test whether your computer settings are correct, to allow you access to this essential component of the course. Such technical check tests will also be available with each of the final assessments and you should complete this every time you take such assessments to make sure that your settings still work correctly.

Assessment cover sheet All of the submissions which you make via the Learn or TurnItIn inbox and Short Essay Submission Tool MUST include a cover sheet (you can download it from the course homepage as per assessment instructions). You MUST name your file according to submission instructions. Assessments without cover sheet and incorrect filename will not be accepted.

Late submission and penalties Submission dates must be strictly adhered to. If assessed coursework or final assessment work is submitted late without an accepted good reason, it will be recorded as late and a penalty will be exacted. Normally, penalty is a reduction of the mark by 5% of the maximum obtainable mark per day. This applies for up to five days (or to the time when feedback is given, if this is sooner), after which a mark of zero will be given. For example, if you submit up to 24 hours after the deadline and your mark is 70%, penalties (5% deducted off the mark) reduce your mark to: 70% - 5% = 65%

Further guidance can be found under Regulation 25 in the Taught Assessment Regulations for the current academic session at: http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/academic-services/staff/assessment/assessment-regulations

Extensions Students who have a valid and documented reason for late submission of specific assignments must present that information to the Programme Coordinator as soon as possible and BEFORE the hand-in date. Decisions on the possibility of an extension will be made by the Programme Team.


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The prescribed period of study (stated in the offer of admission) or project year deadline may be extended only in exceptional circumstances. Reasons for an extension might include circumstances where progress has been hampered by unforeseen difficulties with facilities or equipment or in obtaining or analysing data and hence completion of the final project report has been delayed. A request for an extension cannot be based solely on the need for more time to complete. The case for extension should be made before the end date or submission deadline, as soon as the need for an extension becomes apparent. Any student continuing study beyond the period for which annual fees are payable is required to pay an annual matriculation fee until the date of submission (for fee information, see http://www.registry.ed.ac.uk/Fees/PGFees.htm).

Special Circumstances Students suffering from illness during any assessment should obtain a medical certificate from their doctor as soon as possible and report the situation to the Programme Coordinator, who should bring evidence of illness or other mitigating circumstances to the attention of the Board of Examiners via the Special Circumstances committee. Special Circumstances can also apply to students who do complete their assignments but their performance may have been affected. The evidence provided by the student may be taken into consideration for borderline course marks. The Special Circumstances form can be found within the “Introduction to Online Learning” course in Blackboard Learn under the “Programme / Course information” section. Please refer to the following link to view the University’s Special Circumstances policy: http://www.docs.sasg.ed.ac.uk/AcademicServices/Policies/Special_Circumstances.pdf

Technical Difficulties Technical difficulties will only be taken into consideration if they are reported to the Programme Coordinator immediately after they arise. Please note that if you start assessments such as final assessments on the last day before the final deadline, and run into technical difficulties, the extension is unlikely to be granted. As outlined above in Student Responsibilities section, it is your responsibility to make sure that the computer you are using is set up

appropriately to access all of the assessments as early as possible.


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Instructions on how to do this will be given in the Introduction to online learning module at the start of the first semester of first year. The materials in this module are designed to test all of the relevant settings so please make sure you complete it.

Interruptions of Study (at the College level) An interruption of study concession is applicable where a student is unable to study for a significant period of time due to circumstances that are largely beyond their own control. Periods of interruption do not count towards the student’s total permitted period of study and do not incur any additional fees or charges. These circumstances can include, amongst others:

• Medical and health problems • Personal and family problems • Bereavement • Problems experienced because of failure of university equipment or

lack of access to equipment for good reasons that are beyond the control of the student

Changes to UK Border Agency regulations now mean that the University will not accept retrospective applications of more than 30 days so it is vital that you apply as soon as your circumstances change. If you are enrolled via intermittent mode, interruptions of studies do

not apply. Please contact the Programme Coordinator to discuss your options if you think that you may need to take a break from your studies for a while.

Course interruptions (internal interruptions at the programme level) • A 'course interruption' procedure is in place to allow students who enrol

on a course but cannot complete it in the given semester, to interrupt and continue the course where they had left off, next time it runs i.e. they sit the in-course assessment and exams the following year. This is an internal procedure for the MSc (not at School level). The course appears on EUCLID only the first time it is enrolled and fees are charged that first time.

• You will be able to resume the course next time it runs and this does not affect your enrolments on other courses in the meantime.

• The fees are due this semester as the course will be appearing on your Euclid record in the current academic year.

• The fees being charged now will be lower to what would be charged if the course was taken later as they get adjusted every year.

The course interruption form can be found within the “Introduction to Online Learning” course in Blackboard Learn under the “Programme / Course information” section.


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Withdrawal and Exclusion Any student may withdraw permanently from his/her programme of study at any point in the year. Students may be excluded for unsatisfactory academic progress. The College will follow the procedure for Withdrawal and Exclusion from Studies: http://www.docs.sasg.ed.ac.uk/AcademicServices/Guidance/Withdrawal_Exclusion_from_Study.pdf

Plagiarism and academic misconduct

Plagiarism is the act of copying or including in one's own work, without adequate acknowledgment, intentionally or unintentionally, the work of another, for one's own benefit.

The University has a very strict policy on plagiarism, with penalties ranging from deduction of marks to expulsion from the Programme. You can find out more about plagiarism and academic disciplinary procedures at University of Edinburgh at: http://www.ed.ac.uk/academic-services/students/undergraduate/discipline/academic-misconduct If you are not sure what constitutes plagiarism and how to avoid it, please refer to the following link: http://www.ed.ac.uk/academic-services/staff/discipline/plagiarism

Using TurnItIn software to detect plagiarism In this Programme much of your work is processed using plagiarism detection software called TurnItIn. You submit all of your individual in-course essays directly through this software. Additionally all of your exam essays and group submissions are screened via TurnItIn, and a random selection of your discussion board postings may also be submitted. NOTE: Your work will be retained in the plagiarism detection software's database. TurnItIn plagiarism detection service is an online service hosted at www.submit.ac.uk that enables institutions and staff to carry out electronic comparison of students' work against electronic sources including other students' work. The service is managed by The University of Northumbria on behalf of the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) and is available to all UK tertiary education institutions by subscription.


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The plagiarism detection service works by executing searches of the World Wide Web, and extensive databases of reference material, as well as content previously submitted by other users. Each new submission is compared with all the existing information. The software makes no decisions as to whether a student has plagiarised, it simply highlights sections of text that are duplicated in other sources. All work will continue to be reviewed by the course tutor. Once work has been submitted to the system it becomes part of the ever growing database of material against which subsequent submissions are checked. The software is used as a tool to highlight any instance where there is a possible case of plagiarism. Passages copied directly or very closely from existing sources will be identified by the software and both the original and the potential copy will be displayed for the tutor to view. Where any direct quotations are relevant and appropriately referenced, the course tutor will be able to see this and will continue to consider the next highlighted case. There is an on-line demonstration of the system available at https://www.submit.ac.uk/.

How to submit your essay via TurnItIn? The guide on how to do submit an essay yourself via the TurnItIn drop box in Learn can be found in the Student Manual here (See How to Submit a Paper, p.5 and Single File Upload, p.6): http://pages.turnitin.com/rs/iparadigms/images/Blackboard_9_Integration_Student_Manual.pdf When you submit one of your first assignments via TurnItIn you will be allowed to see the originality report (an online report that highlights content in your submission which matches text from other sources). These reports are used by the Teaching Team to determine whether your work is plagiarised. You will receive tutor feedback on what your originality report is showing but you should also explore the explanations of originality reports listed below. Interpretation of Originality Reports is explained in the PDF file at: http://www.ed.ac.uk/polopoly_fs/1.22373!fileManager/student_originality-report.pdf

Taught Assessment Regulation 27 – Academic Misconduct

It is an offence for any student to make use of unfair means in any University assessment, to assist a student to make use of such unfair means, to do anything prejudicial to the good conduct of the assessment, or to impersonate another student or allow another person to impersonate him or her in an assessment. Any student found to have cheated or attempted to


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cheat in an assessment may be deemed to have failed that assessment and disciplinary action may be taken. For further guidance on the Application of the regulation see the Taught Assessment Regulations at: http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/academic-services/staff/assessment/assessment-regulations

Postgraduate Common Marking Scheme Final marks for each course will be given in line with the postgraduate common marking scheme:

Mark (%)

Grade Description

90-100 A1

An excellent performance, satisfactory for a distinction 80-89 A2

70-79 A3

60-69 B A very good performance

50-59 C A good performance, satisfactory for a masters

degree

40-49 D A satisfactory performance for the diploma, but

inadequate for a masters degree

30-39 E Marginal Fail

20-29 F Clear Fail

10-19 G

Bad Fail

0-9 H

http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/student-

administration/exams/regulations/common-marking-scheme

Also see section 8.1 in the Code of Practice for Taught Postgraduate Courses

(http://www.docs.sasg.ed.ac.uk/AcademicServices/Codes/CoPTaughtPGProgrammes.pdf). More information on regulations regarding assessment can be found in Postgraduate (Taught) Assessment Regulations at: http://www.docs.sasg.ed.ac.uk/AcademicServices/Regulations/Temp/TaughtAssessmentRegulations.pdf


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Marking/examination

Marking of the assessment will be done by your course tutors and a sample of them viewed by an External Examiner for moderation. External Examiners also have access to the course learning spaces for the purpose of scrutinising continuous assessments. The role of External Examiners is to advise the programme team and ensure equity with a view to helping us ‘quality control’ the student experience.

Double Marking Where possible, assessments will be marked by a 2nd marker. The 2nd marker completes the marking blindly – without prior knowledge of the marks awarded by the 1st marker. Discrepancies of more than 10% are revisited by both markers asking them to converge if possible. A 3rd marker is employed if necessary and cases may also be taken to the Board of Examiners. The External Examiner may be asked to also mark unresolved cases.

External Examiner An External Examiner is appointed for every MSc programme to moderate and adjudicate marking: http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/academic-services/staff/assessment/boards-examiners The University’s Code of Practice on External Examining was revised in 2013 to comply with the UK Quality Code Chapter B7: External Examining. The UK Code introduces the principle of greater transparency of the external examining process, including the names of External Examiners being made available to students. You must not make direct contact with External Examiner. Other routes exist for queries about the assessment process. Should you attempt to contact the External Examiner, the External Examiner will not respond. The External Examiner will report the details immediately to the University through the relevant contact. You have the right to view External Examiners’ reports. Requests for the disclosure of any restricted reports made directly, and separately, to the Head of College or the Assistant Principal Academic Standards and Quality Assurance will be judged on a case-by-case basis in line with the University’s freedom of information obligations. Student representatives are given the opportunity to be involved in the School’s consideration of the comments and recommendations contained in External Examiner reports, including the School’s response. This may be done, for example, through Staff-Student Liaison Committees.


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External Examiners’ reports form part of the documentation considered by review teams in the University’s periodic internal subject review process (Teaching Programme Review and Postgraduate Programme Review). You can read the External Examiners for Taught Programmes Policy here: http://www.docs.sasg.ed.ac.uk/AcademicServices/Policies/External_Examiners_Taught.pdf The External Examiner for the Neuroimaging for Research Programme is: Dr Jonathan Cavanagh, Reader (Mental Health & Wellbeing), Associate Academic (Institute of Infection Immunity and Inflammation), University of Glasgow The External Examiner for the Imaging Programme is: Dr Stavros Stivaros, NIHR Clinician Scientist & Senior Lecturer University of Manchester Honorary Consultant Paediatric Neuroradiologist Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital

Board of Examiners

Please bear in mind that, although your course tutor will return marks to you for individual assessments or for the course, the grades are not formally confirmed until they have been approved by the Programme Board of Examiners, which is held once a year in May-June. The Board will also determine your progression and final degree classification. The Board may also meet as a subcommittee throughout the year to deal with any issues which may arise.

Progression and Awards

The Board of Examiners has the responsibility to decide which students can progress to obtain an award, based on the following criteria.

Postgraduate Certificate in Neuroimaging for Research / Imaging

In order to achieve the award of Postgraduate Certificate in Neuroimaging for Research candidates must: • complete 60 credits of coursework • attain at least a 40% average across the 60 credits of coursework • attain a pass (40%) in courses amounting to at least 40 of these credits

(you will be awarded credits on aggregate for the failed courses)


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Postgraduate Diploma in Neuroimaging for Research / Imaging

In order to achieve the award of Postgraduate Diploma in Neuroimaging for Research candidates must: • complete 120 credits of coursework • attain at least a 40% average across the 120 credits of coursework • attain a pass (40%) in courses amounting to at least 80 of these credits

(you will be awarded credits on aggregate for the failed courses).

Master of Science in Neuroimaging for Research / Imaging

In order to achieve the award of Master of Science in Neuroimaging for Research candidates must: • Fulfil the progression criteria:

• complete 120 credits of coursework, examined at the point of decision for progression, passing all courses at the first attempt

• pass courses amounting to at least 80 credits with a mark of at least 50% in each of the courses which make up these credits

• attain an average of at least 50% across all of the courses making up these 120 credits

• be awarded a mark of 50% or above for the Practical Work and Assessment course, amounting to a further 60 credits.

Taught postgraduate degrees may be awarded with distinction. To achieve a distinction, a student must be awarded at least 70% on the University’s Postgraduate Common Marking Scheme for the Practical work and assessments course (which includes the final project) and must pass all other courses amounting to 120 credits with an average of at least 70%. Borderlines, for both the dissertation and course average elements, are considered for distinctions. Averages across courses are calculated as weighted average, to account for variation in the course credit ratings. These regulations follow the Postgraduate (Taught) Assessment Regulations 53 and 54 which can be found at: http://www.docs.sasg.ed.ac.uk/AcademicServices/Regulations/Temp/TaughtAssessmentRegulations.pdf

Regulation 41 Borderlines Boards of Examiners must consider students whose marks are borderline for passing a course, and for progression, award or classification purposes. Please refer to the Assessment Regulations document above for further details.


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Academic Appeals

An academic appeal is a request for a decision made by a Board of Examiners to be reconsidered in relation to:

� marks � progression � degree classification � degree award

If you are considering lodging an appeal, it is important that you act promptly; this must be done within 6 weeks of the result being issued. It is important to note that the appeal process cannot be used to challenge academic judgment. That is, a student cannot submit an appeal simply because they believe that they deserve a better mark. There are specific and fairly narrow grounds under which an academic appeal may be submitted. These are set out in the relevant university Assessment Regulations in Section 16.

Further guidance and information about the appeals procedure can be found at:

http://www.ed.ac.uk/academic-services/students/postgraduate-taught/academic-appeals Remember that your first point of contact about any problems should be the Programme Director via the Programme Coordinator.

Teaching and learning approach All courses are delivered by distance online learning, using a web based delivery system called Blackboard Learn. For more information on the online learning environment, tools and effective online learning see: • Technical Essentials for instructions on how to set up your computer for

access to materials (these will be sent to you via email and also will be embedded in the online course pages)

• Introduction to online learning online module for more on learning tools, course set up and effective online learning strategies

In this section we provide a general summary of online teaching and learning approaches, and outline expectations of you as a student enrolled in the Neuroimaging for Research or Imaging Programme. Each course is split into several modules. Online materials for all of the modules are released at the start of the semester and each module will be normally allocated 1-2 weeks during which content tutors will be available to address any questions. Content tutors will generally be available starting on


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a Monday and ending on the Monday as specified in the set support time period. This allows as much weekend time as possible for you to go over the materials and to interact with other students, as well as the tutors. Each module has the following structure: • Prerequisites • One or more interactive online lectures, outlining the topic, with

embedded quizzes • Module self-assessments (multiple-choice tests) • Resources listing the reading for the module • Module discussion board – a tutor-moderated discussion around the topic

covered by the module, your chance to ask questions and clarify the material

Each course will also have 1 or 2 online-based group learning activities/tasks (using discussion boards and other online tools), moderated by a tutor, and allowing for in-depth exploration of the topics covered. You will be expected to work individually to view the lectures, explore the resources, and take the embedded quizzes and self-assessment tests. You will also participate in online group discussion boards with your peers and tutors in order to form an effective online learning community. Your study will involve a mix of online and offline activity, and it is essential for your success that your online participation as well as self-guided study be regular.

Independent study As is usual at this level of study, you will be expected to undertake self-guided independent study of the materials, including lectures and required reading, which will help you structure your reflection time and prepare for assessment. You should plan to spend a significant amount of your study time reading widely, starting with the reading list provided for each module and not limiting yourself to the required readings. You will be able to discuss and consolidate your reading in your formal learning activities based around discussion boards, where you are expected to demonstrate critical and analytical thinking. As opposed to traditional residential programmes, in this online Programme, there are no scheduled face-to-face sessions so your study is entirely self-paced and relies on your good time management skills and motivation. It is important for your progress that you study regularly, spending some time on these courses every week. We recognise this can be challenging, especially with a full-time job. To help you spread out your workload, we support the modules and release the assessments sequentially so that you can pace your study in time with these. We also place much emphasis on in-course continuous assessment to encourage your regular participation.


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Another way we try to help you stay focussed and motivated is by creating a supportive online learning community via the discussion board and other tools within and outside the Learn online environment.

Formation of learning community through collaboration Online distance courses can be a very isolating experience and our team addresses this by use of online discussion boards and other collaborative tools to create a supportive learning community within each course. This community is largely focussed around two types of discussion boards: • Module discussion boards – present in each module and moderated by a

tutor, allowing you to explore the module’s topic in more depth as a whole class. There will be as many module discussion boards as there are modules.

• Group activity discussion boards – ‘private’ group discussion boards which you will use in small groups of 5-10 students to carry out group tasks leading to assessment. These activities are designed to bring together topics covered by several modules for exploration in more depth. They will be monitored by the tutor but you will be responsible for the discussion content. There will be 1-2 such group discussion-based activities per course. We will also use other collaborative tools for these activities.

While tutors will be present online, their role is mainly as facilitators and you are expected to share, collaborate with and support your peers to create an active learning community. This means responding to questions posted by your peers as well your tutors, and taking charge of extending the discussion by sharing your own expertise and experience, as well as what you glean from extended reading. Bear in mind that participants in this course are likely to come from diverse professional backgrounds so they will most likely contribute valuable and unique perspectives on the material, beyond what the Programme Team is able to provide. Naturally your tutors will be available to answer your queries, and will be happy to help. There will be one to several tutors for each course, and each tutor is responsible for module discussion boards during the 1-2 weeks when the module of his/her subject expertise is shown as being supported in the timetable. One of the course tutors will also monitor the group activities. Regular monitoring of the online activity in the course and contributions to collaboration are key to a successful learning experience. While we put some deadlines on your contributions, we also make sure that they remain as flexible as possible by keeping them open 24 hours a day 7 days a week so that you can use them any time that suits you.


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Diversity of learners This course is attended by participants from all over the world. This means potentially large cultural differences in the way you communicate, learn and even when you expect to take time off study and work. Please be sensitive to and respect these potential differences when interacting with your peers. Your peers will also most likely come from different professional backgrounds, which creates an excellent opportunity to learn from each other’s experiences. Make sure you take full advantage of this. Additionally, some modules, especially in the first semester of the first year, will be attended by students from outside of the Programme. This is because we share some modules with other Masters Programmes at the University of Edinburgh, as is usual at this level. There may also be students participating in courses via the Neuroimaging Bitesized CPD route. This means that in some cases you will probably ‘see’ unfamiliar ‘faces’. We will let you know when this will happen before each such session begins. Please make these students welcome, as they will probably feel a bit shy, faced with online learning ‘veterans’ like you.

Overall time commitment One of the advantages of online distance learning is that it is flexible and allows you to study at times that suit you. However, it is important to remember that this is a masters level programme and as such demands a significant time commitment. Please give serious thought to how you will integrate your study with the rest of your working and personal life. As a rough guide, you should expect to spend around 15-20 hours studying weekly if you are taking 30 credits of courses, with time spent on each course depending on the number of credits it carries (i.e. a 20 credit course would require roughly twice as much time as a 10 credit course). Total workload for a 10 credit course is about 100 hours and for a 20 credit course – 200 hours over the whole semester. While we strongly encourage regular participation, we recognise that in some weeks your professional workload may prevent you from participating fully, and this is taken into consideration in the course structure, timing of deadlines and assessment. If you do experience any problems and find that you are struggling at any point, please let the Programme Coordinator know as soon as possible and IN ADVANCE of any assessment deadlines. The Programme team appreciates that this is a part time course and that most participants will also be working professionally, therefore we are happy to help and support you in any way that we can.


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Be aware that your time spent logged onto the online courses is also tracked which allows us to spot whether you are having difficulties early on and enables us to offer assistance.

Student Responsibilities As a student, you have a number of responsibilities, adhering to which should optimise the benefit you derive from the Programme. It will be your responsibility to: • Ensure that you set up your computer to effectively access all aspects of

the course during the early weeks of the first semester, especially in relation to assessments. The requirements are explained in Technical Essentials attached in the Appendix of this Handbook. Participation in the Introduction to online learning module in the orientation week of the first semester will allow you to test your computer set up and seek help from our Technical Support. You MUST complete all of the tasks in this module in order to be allowed to progress with your courses.

• Study regularly on a weekly basis, including participating in online tests,

assessments and discussion boards. • Know the timetable and deadlines for assessment and meet them (this

will be facilitated by use of Google calendar – please see Keeping up with deadlines section below for details).

• Report any difficulties which may affect your ability to complete the

coursework and assessment within deadlines to the Programme Coordinator IN ADVANCE of the assessment deadlines. If involved in a collaboration you MUST also let your group members know that you will not be participating.

• Report any technical problems as soon as they arise to the Programme

Coordinator. • Check your university email account as the University level

announcements/correspondence will be forwarded only to this address, including notices regarding your fee payment. If the Registry does not receive your responses to any payment overdue notices your access to the courses will be revoked. This is beyond the control of the Neuroimaging for Research and Imaging Programme team. Please see Redirecting your email section below for how to set up your university account to forward your email to your private account.

• Deal promptly with emails from the Programme Coordinator, University or

MVM Postgraduate Office - preferably reply immediately, even if just to send a "holding reply" or acknowledgement of receipt.


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• It is vital that you inform registry Services of any change to your details (e.g. home postal address). Registry will use your postal address to send important information. You have the functionality to maintain your own personal details in EUCLID, accessed via your MyEd ‘Student Personal Details’ channel. You can maintain your: • Personal email address and mobile phone number • Preferred first name (the name you like to be known as) • Current and future home and semester addresses • Details of who the University should contact in the event of an

emergency

You also have access in EUCLID to basic Programme information and details of the Additional Achievements that will appear on your Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR). The user guide for student self-service is available at: http://www.euclid.ed.ac.uk/student/Student_Self_Service.htm

• You must comply with the University Computing Regulations:

http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/information-services/about/policies-and-regulations

Redirecting your email When you join the University you will get a University of Edinburgh (UoE) e-mail account and address which will be used for a variety of essential communications. You must access and manage this account regularly as the University will send you vital information from time to time and will assume that you have opened and acted on these communications. Failure to do so will not be an acceptable excuse or ground for appeal. If you already have a web-based e-mail account and think that you are unlikely to check your UoE e-mail account, it is your responsibility to set up a forward on the UoE account to ensure that all official University communications are received. There are on-screen instructions available at: http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/information-services/services/computing/comms-and-collab/email/webmail/help/imp/filters/forwarding

Masters year This is the final course in the Neuroimaging for Research and Imaging Masters Programmes and will require less structured and more independent study than previous courses in the Programme as you undertake practical work over the two semesters. Practical activities in this course are designed to allow you to explore, evaluate and contribute to (neuro)imaging research and resources. They will include a project where you will investigate an


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aspect of (neuro)imaging of interest to you, and which will culminate in a written summary in the format of a journal paper (no more than 5,000 words). The project is an opportunity for you to explore, summarize and present (neuro)imaging focused research. The project may be physically based at your own institution, may involve developing a theme relevant to your current working environment, or might explore new areas of interest to you which have arisen during your study period on the MSc. You will probably need a local supervisor to help with your project for many types of work, and you will likely need to work closely with senior staff at your home institutions. Existing staff at the University of Edinburgh will also act as supervisors in conjunction with your local advisors. Literature-based review is about the only type of work where you can only have a single, online supervisor. The project will require a high level of commitment and application and will provide a valuable exercise in the writing and presenting of information to a standard that engages appropriately with academic conventions in relation to style, tone, structuring and referencing. We anticipate that your written summary would be of a standard likely to secure at least one publication. The project work will be accompanied by more structured activities designed to allow you to apply and consolidate your learning from the previous years' courses e.g. generating an imaging database based around a specific pathology; measuring lesion sizes; or basic evaluation of images. The supervisors’ and students’ rights and responsibilities during the dissertation stage are described in section 7.2 of the Code of Practice for Taught Postgraduate Programmes: http://www.docs.sasg.ed.ac.uk/AcademicServices/Codes/CoPTaughtPGProgrammes.pdf Project work and summary (max 5,000 words) will account for 70% of the final mark in this course. The remainder of your mark will be based on your participation in and your submissions for the more structured activities. The project requires submission of a proposal by the end of August before your final year course commences in September. Draft proposals for discussion and editing must be submitted around 2 months before that deadline, after your progression to MSc is confirmed. More details will be provided in a separate Project Year Handbook which will be circulated in time for your project year.

Facilities

Online library resources


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As an online distance learning student the main facility relevant to you will be online resources accessible through the University of Edinburgh library: http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/information-services/library-museum-gallery More guidance on the use of these resources will be provided in the Introduction to online learning module at the start of semester 1.

Support and welfare Visit the University website to view an A-Z list of all University Support Services: http://www.ed.ac.uk/staff-students/students/student-services

New Student Guide The website http://www.ed.ac.uk/staff-students/new-students, is aimed at all new students (UK/EU and international) and provides guidance on a range of necessary actions such as obtaining a visa, securing accommodation and completing the process of registration, as well as useful advice on money, health, orientation events and student support.

English Language Teaching Centre (ELTC) Online distance learning (ODL) students can access a range of ELTC self-study materials, fully accessible online through the University website. These language materials include: 'Effective English Learning', 'Essential Grammar', 'Writing Postgraduate Assignments' and 'Preparing for Exams', and all are available at: http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/institute-academic-development/postgraduate/taught/learning-resources/english In-session English language support is provided free under the University’s English Language Support for International Students (ELSIS) programme and is now available to online distance learning Masters students. There are two routes of access to ELSIS support: by English test score at entry, or by referral to ELTC by School staff: • To access ELSIS language support, students should send their English test scores to [email protected] by 18 September 2015 in order to receive ELTC advice on places in online ELSIS course. • Personal Tutors or other staff can refer PG students to ELTC at any time, if their performance suggests a need for support, by sending a summary of the individual’s difficulties to [email protected]. ELTC support may comprise of online tuition, or access to independent study materials. Anton Elloway is the ODL ELTC contact person for students and staff. Further information about ELTC services can be found on the ELTC website:


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http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/english-language-teaching Telephone: 44 (0) 131 650 6200 Email: [email protected]

Institute for Academic Development

The Institute for Academic Development (IAD) provides a number of workshops and resources for University of Edinburgh postgraduate taught students, to help you gain the skills, knowledge, and confidence needed for studying at postgraduate level. Virtual Workshops

The IAD will be offering various workshops/events for ODL students during 2015-2016. Details of these can be found on the IAD website or via MyEd. Resources

There are various resources available on the IAD website, including: • Preparing for your studies • Studying at postgraduate level • Developing your English • Literature searching • Managing research workloads • Writing a postgrad level • Assignments: planning and drafting • Critical Thinking • Using Digital Media • Guides and Codes

Contact Details:

Institute for Academic for Academic Development 7 Bristo Square Edinburgh EH8 9AL Blog: http://iad4masters.wordpress.com/ Website: http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/institute-academic-development Email: [email protected]

The Advice Place The Advice Place is the free advice and information centre for all students at the University of Edinburgh. The service is run by EUSA and offers independent and confidential advice. Our professional advisers are available throughout the year, including the summer vacation period.


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Get in touch with us if you have questions about anything and everything related to university life, from finance and funding to accommodation and tenancy. We also have specialist Academic Advisers, who can offer guidance on issues related to your studies. Many of our information resources are available online and can be downloaded from our website. ODL students are also eligible to apply for online discretionary funding. More information about the services provided to ODL students can be found on The Advice Place website: http://www.eusa.ed.ac.uk/adviceplace/info/distancelearners/ How to contact The Advice Place: Phone - 0131 650 9225/ 0800 206 2341 (9:45-4:45 weekdays, except Wed 10:30-4:45) Email - [email protected] ; [email protected]

Comprehensive health service The University Health Service provides comprehensive medical care under the National Health Service (NHS) for those who wish to register as patients and live within the practice area. The health service also provides contraceptive, antenatal, child welfare and nursing services, and physiotherapy and psychiatry clinics. More information can be found at: http://www.health-service.ed.ac.uk/

Student Counselling Service When you embark on further studies at a distance you are able to contact your tutors regarding all issues relating to your course. However the pressures of study on top of an already busy life can bring unexpected stresses or other personal issues arise which you may not wish to discuss with your tutor. Sometimes it can be helpful to talk in confidence to a counsellor. You can find further information on how to access the Service and what counselling can offer at: http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/student-counselling We are aware that face to face counselling is not possible for most distance learning students and offer an e-mail option to ensure that the Service is accessible to you all. Further information on the email counselling service and suitability: http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/student-counselling/includes/services/email-counselling Telephone: 44 (0) 131 650 4170 Email: [email protected]


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Student Disability Service Disabled students, including those with specific learning difficulties, are warmly welcomed to the University of Edinburgh. The Student Disability Service offers information and advice on all aspects of support for disabled students and can help you plan your studies at Edinburgh. The Student Disability Service provides advice and support to students with dyslexia, mental health issues and students on the autistic spectrum, as well as those who have physical and sensory impairments or ongoing and fluctuating health conditions. The Service is keen to offer support in a flexible way in order to meet the needs of all students, including distance learners. If you think you are eligible for adaptations, adjustments to teaching, assessment practice, or personal assistance, it is essential that you contact the Student Disability Service as soon as possible if you have not done so already. The Service is keen to offer support in a flexible way in order to meet the needs of all students, including distance learners. Arrangements here may be different from those you already have, so an early consultation is essential. Student Disability Service 3rd Floor, Main Library, George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9LJ Tel: 0131 650 6828 Email: [email protected] Web: http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/student-disability-service

Childcare The University currently provides two on-campus nurseries. The Day Nursery provides full-time and part-time care for children aged six weeks to five years. The Uni-Tots Nursery, situated within the School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, also provides nursery facilities for children aged 30 months to five years. More information can be found at: http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/day-nursery/ http://www.unitots.psy.ed.ac.uk/

Development and alumni As an alumnus, you will belong to a worldwide community of over 130,000 individuals connected to the University of Edinburgh. The Development and Alumni Office, The Edinburgh Campaign, offers a range of services and activities, and acts as a point of contact for the world network of alumni clubs and groups. More information can be found at: http://www.ed.ac.uk/development-alumni


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Careers Service The Careers Service provides extensive support via its website and is also able to support students through email and telephone. The best starting point for ODL students is the section of their website specifically for postgraduate students: http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/careers/postgrad You can contact the Careers Service at: phone: +44 (0)131 650 4670 email: [email protected] http://twitter.com/uofedcareers http://www.facebook.com/EdinburghCareersService

The Chaplaincy The Chaplaincy is for students and staff of all faiths and none. Through the Chaplaincy you have access to a wide range of multifaith chaplains and humanist contacts; to streamed services, debates, and other events; and to pastoral support, regardless of religious affiliation, and wherever you are in the world. The Chaplaincy can provide telephone, email or skype contact, as well as links to specialist sources of help or information. As a distance learner, it may be difficult for you to come and visit in person, however you are always welcome to telephone or email the Chaplaincy in confidence. To find out more about the Chaplaincy go to their website at: http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/chaplaincy Information about the Chaplain and the Chaplaincy Team is at: http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/chaplaincy/about/staff-and-team phone: +44 (0)131 650 2596 email: [email protected] The Chaplaincy Office number is +44 (0)131 650 2595

Health and Safety Information about the people, structure and role of the Health and Safety Department at the University can be found at: http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/health-safety/

Dignity and Respect The University is currently developing a framework on Dignity and Respect and is committed to creating a culture where all staff and students are treated with respect and feel safe and fulfilled within our community. Information about the University’s policy on dignity and respect can be found at:


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http://www.ed.ac.uk/equality-diversity/innovation-development/dignity-respect

Edinburgh University Student Association (EUSA) Staff members at the University of Edinburgh work closely with student representatives. Edinburgh University Students' Association (EUSA) coordinates student representation and provides training and support for student representatives across the University. Student representatives (‘Reps’) listen to you to identify areas for improvement, suggest solutions, and ensure that your views inform strategic decisions within the University, building a stronger academic community and improving your student life. Schools share students’ emails with their student representatives as a matter of course; any student wishing to opt out from this should tell the School’s Teaching Office/Graduate School or equivalent.

Peer Support Peer Support in the context of the University means a student with more experience sharing their knowledge, skills, abilities and expertise with a new or less experienced student. Peer Support may focus around advancing your academic work, providing opportunities to socialise with other students within your School or offering additional support to ensure your wellbeing while at University. Edinburgh University Students' Association (EUSA) and the University have been widely developing the Peer Support Project across the University since 2012.

Class Reps Class Reps are the link between students and staff at course and departmental level. They play a crucial role in ensuring the University listens to, and learns from, students’ academic experiences so that the quality of teaching can be continually monitored and improved. In the first or second week of teaching, your course organiser will ask for volunteers to take on the role of class rep, giving details of the number of class rep positions available, and the way in which you can put your name forward. Class Reps are asked to find out any issues coming from their peers and feed them back to the teaching team. This can be done through a variety of methods (emails, forums etc.) and Class Reps should discuss with their peers and course organiser the most effective ways of gathering and feeding back opinion. Being a class rep should be a very rewarding experience for students, with plenty of scope to gain and develop a whole host of skills. Further information about the class rep system, including a role description and details of training and support offered to class reps, can be found here: http://www.eusa.ed.ac.uk/getinvolved/yourvoice/classreps/


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Email: [email protected]

Democracy Decisions are taken by the University or government which hugely impact on your student experience and it is important that you are represented so that those decisions benefit you. University of Edinburgh students are automatically members of Edinburgh University Students’ Association (EUSA) and can vote – and stand - in EUSA elections, and get involved in everything we do. EUSA campaigns to improve the Edinburgh student experience, and represents your views to the University to make sure that the student voice is heard.

Councils Any student can get involved with EUSA’s Academic Council, Welfare Council or External Affairs Council to improve student life in the areas they care about. All three Councils have an online presence.

Referenda If you feel strongly about an issue, you can put it to a vote among your fellow students in a EUSA online referendum; you can also vote on any issue raised by other students. Find more information at https://www.eusa.ed.ac.uk/getinvolved/yourvoice/referendum/

Tandem Launched in Edinburgh in 2007, Tandem is a popular language exchange programme run by EUSA. All students are welcome! Tandem is designed to help you meet people and learn languages in a fun, relaxed, social environment without tutors, exams or lectures. Tandem can be accessed remotely online through Skype, and also includes many face-to-face events, from a weekly Language Café, to monthly speed language matching. Students create a profile on the Tandem Partner Database, and can then connect with thousands of other language partners, who may be on-campus, or elsewhere. For more details about Tandem, check out http://www.eusa.ed.ac.uk/getinvolved/eusaglobal/languages/tandem/

Peer Proofreading Powered by student volunteers, EUSA’s Peer Proofreading provides free writing support for non-native English speaking students. www.eusa.ed.ac.uk/proofreading


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Finance

Paying Fees 2015/16 Full guidance is provided at: http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/finance/students

Payment Options Online distance learning students have the same rights and responsibilities for payment of fees to the University as on-campus students. The payment options are: • sponsorship/scholarship funding • in advance and/or at programme start • by instalment http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/finance/students/fees/payment-options Students paying by instalment must follow the same rules and timetable as for direct debit instalments: http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/finance/students/fees/payment-options/direct-debit For UK based students instalment payment is by direct debit only from a UK bank. Non-UK based students can also pay by instalment; on-line, bank-to-bank transfer or by phone. Income Section contact details: http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/finance/students/fees/comments Telephone: 44 (0) 131 650 9214 Email: [email protected] You can also find information about potential scholarships and student funding opportunities here: http://www.ed.ac.uk/student-funding/

Centre for Sport and Exercise The University of Edinburgh’s superb sport and exercise facilities are ranked among the very best in the UK. The University of Edinburgh’s main gym facilities and indoor sport centre are based at the Pleasance, situated in the heart of the city. The Pleasance complex houses two multi-purpose sports halls, catering for a diverse range of indoor sports - everything from badminton to ultimate frisbee. More information can be found at:


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http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/sport-exercise/home

Student feedback and course evaluation Student feedback provides invaluable input to the review and development of curriculum and programme/course organisation. Students have three potential avenues for conveying their views: through individual programme evaluations; through representation on relevant committees; and through the survey of taught postgraduate students. The Programme team will be gathering evaluation data formally using questionnaires at the end of each course. Students are welcome to send further feedback by email throughout the year, if necessary. At the beginning of the session students will be asked to elect programme representatives. The representative(s) can raise academic, welfare, resource, and any other issues of general and particular concern on behalf of class members individually or severally, either informally with the Programme Director or through the formal structures and procedures. However all students should feel free to approach staff at any time throughout a session. If you wish to raise specific policy or school issues you can do this via your school or class postgraduate representative. For details of your representative please contact your School Postgraduate Director or Edinburgh University Students’ Association (EUSA). EUSA sabbatical officers also represent students on many University committees. You can contact them by email at: [email protected]. Student feedback All evaluation questionnaires for each programme are analysed, and all staff-student meetings are recorded in detail. On the basis of these sources and any further informal student feedback, course organisers are obliged to write a report for each course or module. These course evaluation reports should indicate the range and strength of student feedback, any issues of concern raised by students, and any action to be taken by staff to improve the programme, or courses within it, in future years. The course evaluations, and any changes in the individual course or the degree programme as a whole, are discussed annually by the programme team, under the responsibility of the Programme Director. National taught postgraduate survey The University participates in the Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES). Postgraduate students are asked to complete this online questionnaire about their experiences at the University. This provides an opportunity to collect comments about the University’s services and facilities as well as on individual degree programmes. The resulting information is invaluable in comparing the experiences of students in different Colleges and Schools and this informs decision making at all levels within the University.


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Programme reviews In addition to annual course evaluation and School reviews, the College Committee with responsibility for taught postgraduate matters must conduct reviews of all degree programmes at least once every six years. Some programmes may also be reviewed or accredited by external bodies. Student feedback is a vital and highly valued aspect of all such reviews. College Postgraduate Taught Committee A Student Representative sits on the College Postgraduate Taught Committee. He or she is able to raise concerns and issues which may be felt relevant to this Committee. The Committee provides liaison between postgraduate students and the structures of the College. The University carries out its own reviews of postgraduate provision through the Postgraduate Programme Review process. A student representative will be elected to sit on the Postgraduate Programme Review Panel. Representatives are also welcome to participate in the Edinburgh University Students’ Association (http://www.eusa.ed.ac.uk/). Informal feedback is welcome at any time.

Complaints

The University of Edinburgh is committed to enhancing the experience of our students. We aim to ensure that our teaching, support services and student union activities provide positive experiences and opportunities for our students. If we are to achieve that aim, it is important that we know what is and is not working. We endeavor to listen to concerns and to ensure they are dealt with appropriately. If you are considering making a complaint to the University, you should first go to: http://www.ed.ac.uk/university-secretary-group/complaint-handling-procedure/procedure

Academic Regulations

The University’s academic regulatory framework is set out in its regulations, codes of practice and guidance.

This is available from: http://www.ed.ac.uk/academic-services/policies-regulations/regulations

Appendix 1 – DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY Table

This is available from:

http://www.drps.ed.ac.uk/15-16/dpt/drpsindex.htm

Criteria used to assess quality of your individual contributions to collaboration in group activities

Criteria Insufficient (0%) Novice (30%) Competent (55%) Proficient (80%) Exceptional (100%)

Following instructions (10%)

Instructions not followed.

Some contribution made but in the amount AND manner not congruent with the instructions (e.g. too little or too much, posted in an inappropriate location or at an inappropriate time).

Contributions made but either the amount OR manner not congruent with the instructions (e.g. too little or too much, posted in an inappropriate location). Some use made of the relevant features of the online tools.

Contributions made in a manner and amount specified by the instructions and taking full advantage of the relevant features of the online tools.

Contributions made in a manner and amount specified by the instructions and with initiative and embellishment that enhances the online experience for others. Exceptional use of the relevant features of the online tools.

Working with others (45%)

No collaboration evident.

Limited interaction with peers. Contributions largely not in time to be taken on board by others (not letting others know about availability to participate). Limited contribution to practicalities of collaboration. Using online tools with no awareness of their limitations/affordances.

Some interaction with peers but not much evidence of incorporating / reacting to their ideas / contributions (could also be contributing too much and stifling contributions by others). Most contributions made in a timely manner. Moderate contribution to practicalities of collaboration. Some awareness of the affordances/limitations of collaboration using the online tools.

Evidence of reactions to postings by others and incorporating and expanding their ideas. Timely contributions (including making arrangements to account for the temporary lack of availability).Substantial contribution to practicalities of collaboration by initiating discussion, collating inputs, allocating tasks, submitting group essays etc. Proficient awareness and use of the affordances / limitations of collaboration of the online tools.

Exceptional reaction to postings by others and incorporation and expansion of their ideas. Timely contributions (including making arrangements to account for the temporary lack of availability).Exceptional contributions to practicalities of collaboration by initiating discussion, collating inputs, allocating tasks, submitting group essays etc. Exceptional awareness and use of the affordances / limitations of collaboration of the online tools.


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Academic quality of contributions (45%)

No academic contributions made.

Little evidence of critical thinking - very brief postings not contributing much to the discussion / not drawing on wider resources or posts of others (e.g. "I agree"), very poor spelling and grammar, inadequate referencing of resources.

Some evidence of critical thinking - mainly descriptive contributions, some use of the relevant sources/contributions by others. Slight problems with quality of writing making it difficult to follow at times (spelling, grammar and referencing and clarity).

Evidence of critical thinking, analysis and synthesis based, as appropriate, on contributions by others, own knowledge and experience, and other relevant academic sources. Proficient quality of writing (no spelling and grammatical errors, clarity of expression, appropriate citation and referencing).

Exceptional critical thinking, analysis and synthesis based, as appropriate, on contributions by others, own knowledge and experience, and other relevant academic sources. Exceptional quality of writing.

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