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Department of Economics

6: Your feedback and concerns

Your feedback to us

The Department places great value on your feedback and we have a number of mechanisms in place to ensure we receive and act on feedback on all aspects of your experience within the Department and the University in general.

You can provide feedback to us through a number of mechanisms such as:

The Head of Department is also happy to hear thoughts from students regarding all operations within the Department. You may reach him via email or via his PA Gill Gudger: G.E.Gudger@warwick.ac.uk.

We strive to offer every student the best possible experience and it is your feedback that will enable us to continually improve. The University actively encourages feedback on all aspects of the student experience.

Module evaluation

In the Autumn and Spring Terms you will be asked to fill in an online evaluation questionnaire for each Economics module that you take. This gives you the opportunity to express your views on various aspects of the module and all responses are anonymous. Feedback is most useful when it is provided in a considered and thoughtful way. The Autumn and Spring Term online module evaluation also form two of your Monitoring Points.

Why is feedback collected?

We seek to improve our teaching provision and your learning experience on a continuous basis. We need to identify problems in order to mitigate or eliminate them. We need to know what you find helpful so we can disseminate best practices in teaching and learning throughout the Department. Your responses are an essential input into these processes. If you treat it seriously and responsibly, so can we. The information collected from Module Evaluations is reviewed by senior management in the Department and used in staff performance reviews. As a Department, we also look at your suggestions for improvement across modules and consider changes based on these.

What is useful feedback?

You receive feedback whenever your coursework is marked and returned to you with the marker’s comments. Thinking about what you like and dislike as feedback on your coursework will help you recognise what is useful feedback for your module teachers and for departmental management.

Be honest

The process of 'teaching and learning' requires participation by two people — the teacher and you. The benefit to you from taking a module will depend in part on your own input. This is not just your physical presence at lectures and module Support and Feedback classes and the number of essays you have submitted. Amongst other things, it is also your preparation and background reading, your participation in discussion and joint work and so on. If you feel you did not get much out of a module, ask yourself honestly how much you put in. Learning new things is rarely achieved without effort and discomfort and is normally accompanied by temporary confusion. If you experienced boredom or a failure of motivation, consider how you should apportion responsibility between your teachers and yourself.

Try to separate content from personality

During your time at Warwick, you may be taught by dozens of members of staff. It would be surprising if you liked them all equally as people or if some, at least, did not have habits that are irritating to you. Try to distinguish between your reactions to their personality and to their teaching. It is possible for you to dislike someone but still derive benefit from their teaching (and the other way round, of course).

Be considerate

Whilst we value your honest opinions, we would like you to think carefully about putting forward your views in a constructive and non-offensive way. Personal, insulting and derogatory comments about teaching staff are not acceptable. You may like to view the University’s Dignity PolicyLink opens in a new window, as a reminder of the need for both staff and students to be respectful to each other at all times.

Be conscientious

Please complete the online evaluation forms. If only a small proportion of forms are returned, our perceptions of students’ views may be biased as a result. Don’t lose your chance to be heard.

What happens to your feedback?

Our module evaluation form is online and includes space for written comments.

  • The written comments are retained by the module leader, though they are also read by the Deputy Head of Department (Teaching) and the Head of the Department. The written comments will also be reviewed by a small number of senior PSS to enable them to create an overall summary of the data and feedback.
  • A summary of the responses to module evaluations is shared with the Student-Staff Liaison Committee and the will be uploaded to module web pages.
  • At the end of the year each the module leader writes an annual module report, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative feedback results.
  • These reports are reviewed by the Director of MRes/PhD, who summarises the main issues for the Department’s Graduate Management Committee. This identifies causes for concern, suggests action to overcome problems, and monitors trends from year to year. Reports may also be made available to outside agencies such as QAA subject review assessors.

The feedback you provide is an essential input into our quality management process. It will help to improve the teaching and learning environment for yourselves and for future students. We ask you to take part in it thoughtfully and seriously.

Annual Module Review

As part of our efforts to monitor the quality and standards of our degree courses, the Department engages in an annual process of review each year. This forms the cornerstone of the internal scrutiny of our degree courses.

At the end of Spring term each academic year, every module leader is required to complete a report on the operation of their module during that year, commenting on aspects such as the performance of the student cohort, any changes introduced that year and proposed for next year, any issues raised in relation to this module at the GSSLC, and the data and comments generated by Module Evaluation. The module leader also writes a summary of this which is shared with students.

All Annual Module Review Reports are considered by the Director of Postgraduate Studies, who then summarises key points and presents them to the Graduate Management Committee. This identifies causes for concern, suggests action to overcome problems, and monitors trends from year to year. Reports may also be made available to outside agencies such as QAA subject review assessors.

Focus Groups

In the summer term of each year, we hold focus groups with MRes/PhD students to gather further feedback on aspects of the course and the department and to identify any issues which may not have been raised or dealt with during the year. These sessions are led by the Director MRes/PhD or by the Department's Marketing & Communications Team. Participation in the focus groups is usually rewarded with vouchers for food outlets on campus.

Student Surveys: PTES and PRES

In years 1 and 2 of the MRes we will ask you to take part in the PTES survey (Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey). This is a national survey, which all UK universities take part in and the results feed into various national league tables. The survey provides another opportunity for you to provide feedback and we would encourage all students to take part. You can find out how we acted upon feedback provided through PTES in previous years hereLink opens in a new window.

Last year the Department made a charitable donation (for each response received) to two charities voted for by the student cohort. For more information about this survey please visit the Department's PTES webpageLink opens in a new window.

The PRES (Postgraduate Research Experience Survey takes place every other year. Your participation in this survey is greatly valued and will contribute to the continuous enhancement of postgraduate research degree provision at Warwick. For more information about this survey please visit the University's PRES webpage.Link opens in a new window 

For both the PTES and the PRES the Department develops an action plan based on students' responses, which informs the development of policy and procedures in the postgraduate area.

How to raise concerns

There may be occasions during your time in the Department when things may not work out quite as you would wish or something may go wrong. We are very receptive to resolving any issues you may experience. The difference between providing the Department with feedback and making a complaint is sometimes misunderstood. We define a complaint as "an expression of significant or sustained dissatisfaction where a student seeks action to resolve the problem." 

A complaint may relate to:

  1. The quality and standard of service we provide, including teaching and learning provision.
  2. The failure to provide a service.
  3. Unsuitable facilities or learning resources.
  4. Inappropriate behaviour by a staff member, student or individual associated with the University.
  5. Failure of the University to follow an appropriate administrative or academic process.

Under the University's procedure, a complaint is not classed as:

  1. A routine, first-time request for a service.
  2. A matter purely relating to academic judgement.
  3. An academic appeal against a decision made by an exam board.
  4. A request under the Freedom of Information Act, Data Protection Act, Subject Access Requests.
  5. A request for information on University policy or practice.
  6. A response to an invitation to provide feedback.
  7. An insurance claim.
  8. An attempt to have a complaint reconsidered when the University has already given its final decision.
  9. An accusation of research misconduct.
  10. A challenge to an admissions decision.
  11. A complaint about the Students' Union.
  12. A complaint about matters which have already or are under consideration by the Office or the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (OIA), a court or tribunal.

The University has a three-stage complaints resolution procedure. The information below outlines in brief how to make a complaint, but you are asked to consult the Student Complaints Resolution ProcedureLink opens in a new window for more comprehensive information.

Informal channels (Stage 1)

The first stage of the complaints procedure is the stage where straightforward concerns should be resolved swiftly and effectively at a point at which a complaint is made. You are asked, unless the complaint is of a very complex or serious nature, to start the process at Stage 1Link opens in a new window. All Stage 1 complaints are investigated and responded to within 20 University working days.

You may wish to contact the member of staff in the Department whose actions have caused the issue to occur. You may also want to talk to your Personal Tutor or Year Tutor for advice. If you believe the issue is of a general nature relating to the teaching and learning provision in the Department, you may alternatively contact your SSLC representative, who can raise the matter on your behalf. Should you feel unable to raise your issue with the member of staff directly concerned, you should email economics.quality@warwick.ac.uk.

Complaints submitted anonymously are difficult to investigate and resolve, and as such, we do not encourage them. Such complaints will only be taken forward if sufficient information is provided to enable investigation. However, informal feedback about a service we provide may be submitted anonymously using this formLink opens in a new window.

Occasionally there are disputes of a personal nature. These are rare, but cannot be ruled out in a large organisation like a university. Personal difficulties may arise if you believe that another student or a member of staff is discriminating against your or harassing you on the grounds of personal dislike or broader prejudice. In such circumstances you may take the matter up with your Year Tutor, who will help you refer the issue to the appropriate authority. If you do not feel comfortable doing this, you may contact the Students' Union Education Officer Link opens in a new windowor the Student Advice Centre Link opens in a new windowfor support.

In the event of a personal dispute involving your Personal Tutor, we recommend that you contact the Senior Tutor (who will assign you a new Personal Tutor at your request and without requiring you to give reasons if you do not wish to do so).

Formal channels (Stage 2)

In cases where you have raised an issue in Stage 1 of the complaints process with a member of the Department and have not received a response with which you are satisfied, or in cases which are significantly serious or complex to be dealt with informally, you should follow the University's Stage 2: Formal Departmental Investigation and Resolution.Link opens in a new window 

You should initially seek support and advice and there are a variety of sources available to you: Wellbeing Support Services (including the Dean of Students' Office and Faculty Senior Tutors), the Students’ Union Advice Centre, and/or your Personal Tutor or Year tutor.

You should then download and complete the the University Stage 2 FormLink opens in a new window, and once completed you must submit this onlineLink opens in a new window. You will be expected to provide full details and the resolution you wish to achieve, along with all relevant supporting evidence and documentation.

You can expect to receive a response within 30 University working days. For further information please refer to the Stage 2 procedureLink opens in a new window.

Formal channels (Stage 3)

If you remain dissatisfied with the outcome of your Stage 2 complaint, you may escalate it to Stage 3 of the complaints procedure. This stage is the Formal Institutional Review and Final ResolutionLink opens in a new window, which is where you may appeal to a higher body within the University for a review of the process to ensure that appropriate procedures were followed and that the decision was reasonable. A Stage 3 complaint must be submitted with 10 University working days of receiving the Stage 2 outcome.

A Stage 3 review may be requested when:

  • there is evidence of procedural irregularity or bias at Stage 2;
  • the Stage 2 outcome is considered unreasonable;
  • material evidence is available that was unavailable at Stage 2 and it is determined that it would not be appropriate for the relevant Department to re-open the case within Stage 2.

You should initially seek support and advice and there are a variety of sources available to you: Wellbeing Support Services (including the Dean of Students' Office and Faculty Senior Tutors), the Students’ Union Advice Centre, and/or your Personal Tutor or Year tutor.

You should then download and complete the the University Stage 3 FormLink opens in a new window, and once completed you must submit this onlineLink opens in a new window. You should include full details of the complaint and outcome of the Stage 2 request.

This stage of the complaints resolution procedure is concluded within 28 days.

All students should feel free to contact any member of staff with issues.

Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA)

If your complaint reaches the point where it has exhausted the three stages of the Student Complaints Resolution Procedure, you have the right to refer your complaint to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (OIA)Link opens in a new window. The OIA must receive the complaint within twelve months of the date of the Completion of Procedures Letter from the University, and complainants are subject to eligibility criteria.