Curriculum Sub-Committee

Subject: Programme Specification guidance and template

Origin: Secretary

Curriculum Sub-Committee has been concerned at the level of revision it has been requesting departments to make to Programme Specifications for new programmes in order to make these acceptable. It has felt that better guidance for departments is required, including the provision of UG and PG exemplars.

At its meeting on 20 April, Programme Quality Team was asked to consider a revised Guidance and Template for Programme Specifications. The attached document has been modified to take account of the comments of PQ Team.

The major changes to the existing guidance and template are highlighted and the QAA Guidelines for preparing programme specifications, currently an annex, have been integrated into the guidance notes as appropriate.

PQ Team felt that, on balance, the side-by side column format for programme learning outcomes was an improvement, but CSC should consider whether the value added was sufficient to justify the efforts that would be involved. However, it is proposed that the revised template be adopted for new programmes only, with effect from the October 2009 meeting of CSC.

PQ Team discussed the various ways in which exemplars could be provided. It felt that the most important consideration was to provide support to departments in writing programme specifications, and it was agreed that this should be provided through the Faculty Quality Enhancement Officers. The QEOs, however, would need agreed criteria to work to. It was therefore suggested that for this purpose:

(i) in the first instance a set of complete existing programme specifications with exemplary sections should be selected for use by the QEOs

(ii) that an annotated version of the template should be agreed for use by the QEOs.

These documents would need to be agreed between the Chair of CSC, the Head of the Teaching Centre and the ADTs.

It was expected that in due course a set of exemplars could be drawn from the new programme specifications that emerged.

As can be seen from the draft Guidance Notes, it is proposed that the Faculty QEO be alerted when a strategic programme proposal is submitted, which prompts them to contact the programme proposer.

CSC is asked to consider the attached draft revised guidance and template for Programme Specifications, to be adopted for new programmes only with effect from the October 2009 meeting of CSC.

Date – April 2009