PROGRAMME APPROVAL, RECURRICULATION AND HEQF ALIGNMENT Frans du Toit
CATEGORIES OF PROGRAMME APPROVAL A. New formal learning programmes and programme changes subject to both internal and external approval B. Programme changes subject to internal approval only C. Credit bearing short learning programmes (N/A).
A NEW LEARNING PROGRAMME A new learning programme is a programme which has not been offered before, or a programme whose purpose, outcomes, field of study, mode or site of delivery has been changed considerably. HEQC Framework for Programme Accreditation, p 8 (footnote 11).
DISCRETIONARY CONSIDERATIONS A. NEW LEARNING PROGRAMMES The use of a new qualifier to denote the field of specialisation in the formal title of the qualification The incorporation of new second order CESM categories that t constitute t more than 50% of the total credits as well as the credits at the exit level of the qualification Substantial change to the purpose and/or outcomes of the programme as a result of the new specialisation area.
DISCRETIONARY CONSIDERATIONS B. Changes subject to internal approval (existing gprogrammes) The re introduction of an approved programme The de activation of an approved programme The introduction ti of new module(s) )to an existing iti programme Cancellation of module(s) Changes to the learning outcomes, purpose and content of the programme, or some of its constituent modules, that do not lead to a change of 50% or more in terms of the credit value of its modular components Changes to the programme structure including: module pre or co requisites; the status of modules as foundational, core or elective Changes to the titles of module(s) Changes to the credit value of module(s) Changes to the assessment mode of a module Restructuring of modules (e.g. term to semester; year to semester)
THE TEMPLATES INTERNAL & EXTERNAL APPROVAL Form 1: Form to be used for the institutional pre approval of a new programme Form 2: Form to be used for institutional approval Form 3: Form to be used for CHE online accreditation Form 4: Financial viability template INTERNAL APPROVAL ONLY Forms A to R are used for specified items in the recurriculation process of existing programmes (NMMU: D/640/09 (21 04 2011_14h20).
FACULTY COMMITTEES 1. Departmental Academic Planning Committee (DAPC) Academic initiator(s), supportive colleagues, PPRC, HOD 2. The Programme Advisory Committee DAPC, members of the wider NMMU community, representatives of professional bodies and industry experts 3. Departmental Committee The department as a whole considers the proposal, refines it and ensures its readiness for Faculty Board approval 4. Board of Faculty Executive Management Sub Committee The Dean, Director of School, Head of Department, Programme Coordinator and the PPRC Final Faculty Screening and Review 5. The Board of Faculty Executive Management Committee (FMC EXCO) 6. Board of Faculty Once the concept curriculum (Form 1) is approved by Board of Faculty, it is submitted directly to the Academic Planning and Quality Committee (APQC) for pre approval.
CRITERIA FOR PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT & APPROVAL Feasibility Academic and professional standing Coherence Access and articulation Sustainability Site and seat
CRITERIA FOR PROGRAMME DESIGN AND ORGANISATION The specification of admission requirements and selection criteria, including RPL The specification of learning outcomes The selection and organisation of the programme content, sequencing of the modules and the determination of fundamental, core and electives Staffing: appraisal of qualifications, experience and availability of academic staff; additional staffing requirements in the light of existing capacity The design of the learning experience: selection of teaching and learning strategies and methods, educational technologies and strategies for learner support Experiential learning, including work placed learning, field trips and internships The selection of assessment methods and criteria; internal/external moderation The specification of performance indicators e. g. module pass rates, throughput rates, and graduation rates Infrastructural requirements i. e. venues, equipment, the library and ICT facilities) A financial viability plan for the programme.
PURPOSE OF THE SCREENING PROCESS It ensures a well designed system for programme development and approval promotes effective academic planning It supports the University s commitment to the quality of the student learning experience It addresses the requirements of the external regulatory environment (DHET, HEQC, andsaqa) SAQA).
HEQC IMPLEMENTATION PLAN Phase One: 1 May 2011 to end October 2011 Categorising programmes into Category A, B or C Uploading the completed templates onto the HEQF Online System by the end of September 2011. Two sections Section 1: all existing programmes Section 2: amended Category A and Category B programmes (not for Cat C programmes) Phase Two: November (or later) 2011 to end December 2014 February 2012: HEQC to review all institutional submissions to confirm their categorisation of their programmes (Categories A, B and C) and to make a final decision on all programmes categorised as Category A programmes July 2013 to December 2013. : NMMU identified Category B programmes to be submitted to the HEQC for evaluation Institutions will be required to have phased out their Category C programmes by a date that is still to be announced by the Minister of Higher Education and Training. It is anticipated that Category C programmes should be discontinued by 2014 or 2015.
CLASSIFICATION OF PROGRAMMES Category A Category A: Programmes that require minor or no changes in order to be aligned with the HEQF. Changes relate to: Qualification type e.g. National Certificate converted to a Higher Certificate NQF exit level e.g. Bachelor of Arts NQF Exit level 6 to NQF level 7, assuming all else remains the same or similar. E g a three or four year Bachelor s programme may only be classified as a Category A programme if it already complies with the requirements of the HEQF in terms of the minimum and maximum credit values at various NQF levels. Re naming of the qualification, for example Baccalaureus Artium (Media Studies) to Bachelor of Arts in Media Studies
CLASSIFICATION OF PROGRAMMES Category B Category B: Programmes that require a degree of curriculum development (amounting to a less than 50% change) to the programme structure, outcomes or total credits in order to be aligned with the HEQF. The changes will generally relate to: Inclusion of required credits at specific NQF levels e.g. 30 credits of research at NQF Level 8 in a Bachelor Honours degree; 60 credits of research at NQF Level 9 in a Master s degree Differentiation between minimum and maximum credits (where applicable) e.g. In all Bachelor degrees 96 credits maximum NQF level 5, 120 credits minimum NQF level 7, and 96 credits minimum NQF Level 8 in a 480 credit professional Bachelor s degree Distinguishing between qualifiers and specialisations: to make use of qualifiers at least 50% of the minimum total credits for the qualification and at least 50% of the minimum credits at the qualification s exit level must be in the field of specialisation denoted by the qualifier (HEQF 2007:13). A specialisation is not subject to these limitations, but is also not permitted to be included in the title of the qualification.
CLASSIFICATION OF PROGRAMMES Category C Category C: Programmes that require major curriculum development that constitutes 50% or more change to the programme design and programmes that need to be phased out or replaced. The changes will generally relate to: 50% or more change to the programme e.g. eg 240 credit NQF Level 5 Diploma conversion to a 360 credit NQF Level 6 Diploma. Top up stacked and early exit qualifications. Examples include: A 240 credit NQF Level 6 National Diploma top up from a 120 credit NQF Level 5 National Certificate. The programmes can be re designed into combinations to be accommodated on the HEQF such as a three year Diploma, or a Higher Certificate followed by articulation into a Diploma or a Degree. A two year full time Master s s degree that follows on a three year Bachelor s degree, so that the Honours component is integrated into the Master s degree. At present the only stacked qualifications permitted are the Higher Certificate/ Advanced Certificate combination. Early exit qualifications are not permitted. Qualifications that have been removed from the framework e.g. 120 credit NQF Level 7 B Tech, and the M Tech and D Tech degrees.
FLOWCHART FOR NEW PROGRAMMES
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