Achieve More staff FAQs
What is Achieve More?
Achieve More is the over-arching (or “brand”) name for the changes being made to all levels of our
current undergraduate curriculum.
Why are we changing our curriculum?
The University of Sheffield aspires to be known for academic programmes that combine researchinformed disciplinary knowledge and skills, wider transferable skills, professional competence, cultural
agility and real world engagement.
In order to achieve this goal, we need to ensure that all students have the opportunity to extend their
academic and personal development. It’s also driven by a desire to enhance the future employability of
our students.
Is it a one-off activity?
No – there will be activities at undergraduate levels one, two and three:
Level 1
Faculty based group challenge
(from 2014-15)
Level 2
Interdisciplinary cross-faculty
projects built around a series of
global challenges (from 2015-16)
Level 3
Activities that involve
communicating with nonspecialist/external audiences
(from 2016-17)
Opportunities to extend academic and personal development through co and extra-curricular activities
We are currently developing the Level 2 and Level 3 activities.
When does it start?
Achieve More is being introduced for undergraduate students commencing their studies from 2014-15
onwards.
Who should I forward any queries to?
If you would like to contact a member of the central Achieve More team, please email:
[email protected]
There’s also a student-facing web page: http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/undergraduate/why/achieve-more
Faculty Challenges (from 2014-15)
What is a Faculty Challenge?
First year students working in interdisciplinary project groups (i.e. students from different departments
within their faculty) to address current global issues and challenges.
Here are the themes for this year:
Faculty
Challenge Name
Themes
Arts and
Humanities
ThinkCreate
The Digital Age; Power and Social Change;
Cultural Value; The Human Animal.
Engineering
Global Engineering Challenge
Technical issues in engineering developments;
social, ethical and environmental implications
of decision-making
Medicine,
Dentistry and
Health
Health Challenge
Health issues in across Sheffield communities;
cultural diversity and its impact on views and
delivery of healthcare services
Science
Breaking Boundaries
Climate change; food security; reproductive
technologies
Social Sciences
The State of Sheffield – Global
Perspectives on Local Issues
What it means to be a social scientist at the
University of Sheffield
When will they take place?
This depends on the style and format of each Challenge (which varies between faculties).
In 2014-15, Arts and Humanities, Engineering and Social Sciences are running intensive, week-long events
at the end of Semester 1. Science and Medicine, Dentistry and Health have chosen to spread activities
across the semester.
Is it compulsory?
Yes, from 2014-15 all level 1 students will undertake a Faculty Challenge.
What about Dual Honours students?
Dual Honours students will complete the Challenge in the faculty of their home department. E. g. a
History and Politics student would undertake the Faculty of Arts & Humanities Challenge, ThinkCreate.
What are the assessment criteria?
Challenges are assessed on a pass/fail basis. This is to encourage students to learn from the process of
undertaking the activity, rather than focusing solely on their final grade. Each Challenge has its own set of
learning outcomes – some of these are shared across all faculties, and other outcomes are faculty-specific.
Why is it a zero credit module?
The aim of the zero credit, pass/fail approach is to encourage students to explore their discipline in its
wider context - to be bold and step outside of their comfort zone, without the worry of how it will affect
their final degree classification.
Are there resit opportunities?
Yes. In line with University policy, each level 1 undergraduate unit must provide students with three
attempts to achieve a pass. As such, students will be offered three distinct opportunities to pass this
module; the Challenge event itself and two further resit opportunities. The timing and design of resit
opportunities will be faculty-specific.
Will it affect progression to the next level of study?
Yes. Students will not be eligible for progression if they have not attained a pass by the end of the third
resit (i.e. if they do not pass the Challenge or either of the subsequent two resit opportunities).
Reasonable adjustments should be made where necessary (in line with University policy).
What about students who can’t attend?
Students who cannot attend the Challenge as (timetabled within their faculty) will be offered two
opportunities to resit. Arrangements for the timing and format of the resit will be faculty-specific.
Where extenuating circumstances exist, the current guidance should be followed and can be found at
http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/ssid/forms/circs
Is this activity HEAR-able?
Yes, the Faculty Challenge will appear on a student’s HEAR in section 4.3 (academic transcript). Any
additional prizes/certificates awarded to students as part of the Challenge will be recorded in section 6.1
(extra-curricular achievements and prizes).
Who should I forward queries to?
In the first instance, please contact the Academic Lead for your Faculty’s Challenge activity.