Zero Credit Module Request Guidelines

• Faculty
• Professional Staff
• Educational Technologists

To ensure a clear and consistent experience for both the requester and IT Services  the following criteria must be adhered to when requesting a zero credit module:

• Defined Ownership and Maintenance: Each module must have a named owner responsible for its setup, ongoing content updates, and user support. Module Owners should have an awareness of institutional policies related to the VLE and assure these are adhered to. 
• Training and Support Availability : Requesters should confirm that they (or their teams) have adequate training or support to manage the VLE space effectively and to manage queries in relation to their module content, including access mechanisms etc. 

• Avoiding Duplicate Content: To keep the learning environment clear and effective, content should be original or, if not, thoughtfully connected to existing materials, avoiding repetition and confusion.

• Academic use only: The platform is dedicated to academic delivery, not internal staff development—emphasising a clear boundary between pedagogical innovation and professional training.
• Must be able to justify the requirement for a Brightspace module:: To maintain the integrity of Brightspace zero-credit modules, content that can be sufficiently delivered through general file-sharing tools (e.g., Google Drive) is not eligible for inclusion. Requesters may be required to justify why they cannot share the content via these alternative routes. Modules should provide some form of academic merit.
• Student audience only: Zero-credit modules are intended solely for student-facing educational content. Modules that fall outside this scope do not meet the eligibility requirements and therefore cannot be approved.

• Must not require Assessment for credit: While there may be some requirements to complete the module in question, the module must not require the end user to complete assessment components that feed into a general award. 

Evaluation and Review: Module Owners should periodically review modules for effectiveness, continued relevance, and possible deletion/removal.

• Zero-Credit Module: A non-credit bearing module with no accredited academic output or attribution to a programme or major. Within Brightspace we have three types of zero credit modules: Programme Space, Explore and Booking Centre.
• Programme Space: a module designated for Programme or School Office staff to share key information with students regarding their programme. Eg withdrawal dates, career events etc. 
• Explore Modules: additional learning opportunities that don't count towards academic credits. It is designed to give extra learning opportunities outside of a main course, for example: new skills or interesting topics. This type of module would be available to all student users of Brightspace.
• Booking Centre Module:  provides schools or colleges a module shell to deliver subject specific content which does not carry academic credit towards a programme or major of study. Students are required to register to this module type via the Booking centre in Infohub. These modules require annual renewal within the Booking centre.
• College/School Office Director:  Each course (programme in UCD) is supported by a College/School Office. The College/School Office Directors are responsible for the overall management of these offices within their own areas. 
• College/School Office Director nominee: In relation to this policy are the individuals named by College/School Office Director to take their place for a set period of time while there is no in situ College/School Office Director.
• Course Owner: Named contact person and person responsible for zero credit module. 

Educational Technology Services (ETS - UCD IT Services):

• Communicate the zero credit module creation guidelines to stakeholders.
• Allocate resources for implementing and maintaining the guidelines.
• Ensure compliance with regulations and institutional guidelines.
• Provide training and support to users on guidelines requirements and best practices.
• Oversee the implementation of the guidelines and conduct periodic reviews for effectiveness.
• Address exceptions, disputes, or violations of the guidelines as needed.
• Conduct regular audits and assessments of zero credit module creation process and guidelines .
• Document and maintain records of non-academic related activities, exceptions, and audit trails as needed.

Staff:

• UCD Staff members submit these requests outlining their requirements.
• Applicants are required to designate an individual who will have overall responsibility for the module. 
• The designated contact would be responsible for :
  • ensuring the module content is accurate, up-to-date, and relevant.
  • ensuring that the module complies with legal regulations (ie: GDPR, accessibility).
  • handling user data responsibly and according to privacy laws.
  • requesting the module’s deletion once it is no longer needed and being aware of the UCD VLE Retention Policy.
  • responding to security breaches or incidents promptly.
  • addressing user feedback and resolving complaints related to the site.

Any challenges encountered during the process should be promptly communicated to Educational Technology Services - UCD IT Services. 

Access to the module request process is structured to ensure its appropriate use. Requests for zero-credit modules are restricted to staff members, while requests for Programme Spaces are limited to Directors of Schools or Units. In exceptional circumstances where a request is submitted by an unauthorised individual, formal confirmation will be sought from the correct staff member or Director of School / Unit, depending on the zero-credit module type requested.

Retention of zero credit modules will be in line with the UCD Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) Retention Policy. 

Any request for a zero-credit module submitted by an individual who does not hold an appropriate role within the University will be declined.

Modules that are not renewed annually may be deleted as per the VLE Retention Schedule.