Guidance Notes for
Validationand Revalidation Submissions
Summary
These notes are designed as guidance in completing the submission for the validation of a new programme or the revalidation of a current programme.
The submission format is divided into four sections plus appendices:
Part 1 – Overview
Part 2 – Programme Specification
Part 3 – Module Specification/s
Part 4 – Supplementary information
Part 5 – Appendices
All validation and revalidation submissions must be submitted to the University in bound format (i.e. spiral bound, ring binder etc.) and must include a front cover stating:
1. The name of the institution
2. The proposed programme title and award
3. Whether it is a validation or revalidation submission
4. The date of the submission
Please contact the Validation and Partnerships Development Managerat the University should you require further advice and guidance on the submission format.
1. Part 1 - Overview
1.1Commencement date of programme
The commencement date of the programme will normally be the start of the academic year after the re/validation visit.
1.2 Projected student numbers for the programme
A five-year projection of student numbers in each year of the programme should be given. These should be given as a range e.g. 20-25 per year. Projected students numbers should also make reference to FT/PT and home and overseas numbers. These overall numbers will form part of the formal Validation Agreement should the re/validation proceed.
1.3 The rationale for the proposed programme
The rationale for the programme should be a broad, high-level statement as to how the proposed programme will contribute to a variety of means, for example, the strategic and educational direction of the institution delivering the programme, the profession/s to which the programme links, an area of society etc. The specific educational aims of the programme should be covered in Part 2, Programme Specification.
1.4 Market Research and Competitor Programmes
In developing a programme, the institution will need to provide evidence to the University that it has researched the viability of, and demand for, the programme (or in the case of revalidation continuing demand and viability). Market research will focus on the proposed student profile, gaps in the market which the programme would fill, unique features of the programme for which there would be/is a demand.
The University also requires the institution to provide evidence that it has researched and identified competitor programmes (local, national and international) and analysed strengths and weaknesses of the proposed programme in relation to such competitors. For the purposes of revalidation, institutions must carry out an up to date analysis to ensure that new programmes that have been developed at other institutions during the current period of validation have been considered.
1.5Recruitment Strategy for the Programme
The recruitment strategy should refer to details of the target recruitment groups, how they will be targeted, timings of activities to be undertaken prior to the recruitment of the first cohort and planned activity for the recruitment of subsequent cohorts. For the purposes of revalidation, this should be an opportunity to propose any changes to the recruitment strategy having analysed, via the Evaluation Report, (see Revalidation Section in Validation and Institutional Partnerships Handbook) strengths and weaknesses of the strategy used during the last period of validation.
1.6Proposals for Marketing
Details as to platforms through which the programme will be marketed should be provided here. Reference should be made to both hard copy and electronic forms of marketing. In the case of a new programme proposal, the timing and schedule of marketing activity should be provided.
1.7Resources to Support the Programme
Details should be provided as to the way in which the institution has assessed the resources required for the programme, or in the case of revalidation, the mechanisms in place for resources to be reviewed prior to making a submission for revalidation. Resources include teaching staff, support staff, teaching and learning support and resources including IT, library, tutoring support, careers support, space within the institution. Where there are proposals for developments in these areas, information and an action plan should be provided here for a new validation submission. In the case of revalidation, information and an action plan should be addressed in the evaluation report (see Section 9 of the Validation & Institutional Partnerships Handbook).
1.8Involvement of Other Partners in Programme Delivery
Information should be provided as to any external organisations that will be involved in the delivery or hosting of the programme. For new programmes, information will be required regarding the formal agreement of other organisations to participate in this activity and this area may need to be pursued further as part of the validation process. In the case of revalidation and where a partnership has been on-going during the previous period of validation, reference to how this has operated will be required in the evaluation report (see Section 9 of the Validation & Institutional Partnerships Handbook).
1.9Approval within the Institution
Confirmation is required that the submission has been considered at appropriate levels and forums within the institution. This includes approval of all matters relating to resources, factual accuracy of the submission and checks to ensure that the submission complies with University requirements. The principal of the institution (or equivalent) is expected to sign-off all submissions confirming that all approvals and checks have been carried out.
2. Part 2 – Programme Specification
Introduction
The programme specification submission focuses on the structure, content and outcomes of the overall programme of study. The programme specification template contains a brief indication of the information required in each section. More detailed guidance on completing the template is provided below.
The purpose of the programme specification format is to describe the important features of a programme and to ensure that clear and transparent information is provided to users, in particular, to students. Information in the programme specification and module specifications should be lifted into programme handbooks so as to ensure students receive documentation that is consistent with that which has gone through the re/validation process.
A main aim of the programme specification is to ensure the coherency between:
- the aims of the programme
- the learning outcomes deriving from these aims that the student is expected to have achieved having successfully completed the programme
- the teaching and learning strategy that will be used to enable the aims of the programme to be delivered effectively and the outcomes to be achieved
- the assessment strategy that will be used to enable the student to demonstrate that learning outcomes have been met
Additional guidance to the explanatory notes provided below can be found in the ‘QAA Guidelines for Preparing Programme Specifications’ and more practical assistance in ‘How to Use Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria’ by David Gosling and Jenny Moon, published by the Southern England Consortium for Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SEEC). Copies of these documents are available from the QAA and SEEC respectively.
1. KEY FACTS
1.1Programme:
This is the proposed title of the programme to be awarded to a student who successfully completes the whole programme, e.g. BA (Hons) in Applied Physics.
1.2Awarding Institution:
As the proposed validating body, this must read City University London.
1.3Teaching institution:
The institution which is delivering the programme.
1.4Type of study:
Information should be provided here on whether the programme will be delivered full time, part time or by distance learning.
1.5UK Credits:
This should state the credit value of the programme overall. The credit value of the programme will be based on the total notional student learning hours for the programme, i.e. all the time dedicated to the achievement of the specified learning outcomes including contact time, private study and assessment. This number of programme credits will be equal to the sum of all the module credit values. Normally, 10 notional learning hours will be equal to one credit.
Further information on credit can be found in ‘Academic credit in higher education in England – an introduction’ which is published by the QAA.
1.6ECTS:
ECTS is the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System. ECTS aims to make programmes of study in Europe easier to read and compare and facilitate the transfer of learning experiences between institutions enabling greater student mobility. Each ECTS credit represents approximately twice the number of learning hours of each UK credit. The total number of ECTS credits are therefore usually half the number of UK credits. Further information on ECTS can be found on the European Commission website.
- OUTLINE
2.1Summary description
Overview
An overview of the programme content and overall structure should be provided.
This should include reference as to the length of the programme and the mode of delivery e.g. face-to-face, e-learning, distance learning, placements etc.
Reference should be made to the number of Parts of the programme. An honours degree programme will normally comprise three parts equating to the three years of study. A masters degree programme will normally comprise one part or sometimes two, depending on whether successful completion of the taught component is a pre-requisite to proceed to the final project.
Programme aims
The overall educational aims of the programme should also be included here,i.e. what is the programme going to provide, or the overarching intentions of learning. Typical phrases that might be used when stating the aims of a programme include:
The programme aims to:
- Provide students with…..
- Enable students to….
- Prepare students for…..
- Develop students’ competence in…..
- Produce graduates who are able to……
Programme aim statements should then be developed further to demonstrate to the student what abilities will be focused on, for example:
- Provide students with a critical knowledge and understanding of…..
- Enable students to demonstrate a broad range of highly developed skills in….
Institutions should ensure that the number of aims are achievable (i.e. not too many) and can be matched up to the learning outcomes (see section 2.11 below).
Examples of programme aims can be found in the QAA Guidelines for Preparing Programme Specifications.
Pre or co-requisite modules
Information on the whether the programme contains pre-requisite modules and/or co-requisite modules should be included here. This information may be general with further details provided in module specifications or it can be specific.
Upgrades
Information on possible upgrades from one programme to another should be provided here. For example, it may be possible for students completing a Foundation Degree to ‘top-up’ their Foundation Degree to an honours degree by completing the third year of a particular honours programme at the institution or a stand-alone honours year.
2.2What will I be expected to achieve?
The overarching learning outcomes for the programme should be included in this section of the programme specification.
What is a learning outcome?
A learning outcome is a statement of what a student is expected to know, understand and/or be able to do at the end of a period of learning and a typical learning outcome may commence:
“On successful completion of this programme, a student will be expected to be able to……”
A programme specification will state the overall programme learning outcomes. Under this, will sit the learning outcomes from each module of the programme that will be provided in the module specifications (see Part 3 on module specifications).
What comprises a learning outcome?
A well-written learning outcome is likely to comprise the following three components:
- An active verb that indicates what the learner is expected to be able to do at the end of the period of learning e.g. demonstrate
- Word/s that indicate the object/objects on which the outcome is based e.g. knowledge and skills of specialised area
- The context of that condition e.g. contemporary music profession
Together these statements could create the following outcome: ‘To demonstrate knowledge and skills of a specialised area related to the contemporary music profession’.
Other factors which need to be considered when constructing a learning outcome
The learning outcomes at programme level need to complement:
- The programme aims i.e. if there is an aim to provide a student with a specific quality or skill, how does the learning outcome demonstrate that this has been achieved?
- QAA Subject Benchmark Statements (where published) to ensure that the programme is consistent with the relevant national descriptors (
- The National Qualifications Framework to ensure consistency with the generic descriptor at which the programme is being delivered (
Explicit guidance on learning outcomes can be found in ‘How to Use Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria’ by David Gosling and Jenny Moon, published by the Southern England Education Consortium for Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SEEC). Further examples of learning outcomes can be found in Guidelines for Preparing Programme Specifications published by the QAA.
The three categories of learning outcomes
At programme level, learning outcomes can be described in three categories: knowledge and understanding; values and attitudes; skills. Learning outcomes in these categories should be provided in a bullet point or numbered list. QAA Subject Benchmark statements are helpful in assisting with defining learning outcomes into these categories.
Outcome type 1 - Knowledge and Understanding
Knowledge and understanding learning outcomes relate to the knowledge and understanding of a subject area/s that a student will be expected to gain from having successfully completed the programme. For example:
At the end of the BA (Hons) Human Geography programme the learner will be expected to have a knowledge and understanding of:
- The meaning, character and identity of place, and how landscapes are constructed
- Various processes actively changing the economic, social and cultural landscape
(see QAA Guidelines for Preparing Programme Specifications)
The depth of knowledge and understanding expected from a student will be different for different levels of undergraduate study (i.e. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3) and postgraduate level. For further guidance on this, please refer to the descriptors in the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications. Additional assistance can be found in the ‘How to Use Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria’ by David Gosling and Jenny Moon, published by the Southern England Education Consortium for Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SEEC).
Outcome type 2 - Skills
Further guidance on skills-based outcomes can be found on pages 44 to 47 of ‘How to Use Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria’ by David Gosling and Jenny Moon, published by the Southern England Education Consortium for Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SEEC). QAA Subject Benchmarks will also assist with identifying skills in specific subject disciplines.
Outcome type 3 - Values and Attitudes
Values and attitudes' are affective aims in education (including higher education). These refer to 'attitudes, emotions, motivation, values and interpersonal skills based upon feelings for others' (Bligh et al, 1998:7). All areas of the higher education curriculum are concerned with developing the personal attitudes of students to some extent. General academic values expected of students include tolerance of disagreement, intellectual integrity and respect for human subjects when conducting research. Values and attitudes are particularly pertinent to professional education. Subject-specific examples include woman-centred care in midwifery, respect for customers in business and management education, client confidentiality in clinical psychology or legal education and respect for the environment in engineering education.
Reference: Bligh, D., Thomas, H. and McNay, I. (1998) Understanding Higher Education, Intellect Books, Exeter
2.3How will I learn?
Learning and teaching strategies/methods
Information on the learning and teaching strategies and methods used within the programme should be provided in this section. The learning and teaching methods should facilitate the achievement of the programme learning outcomes.
Learning hours
The following information should be provided in this section:
- Overall number of learning and teaching hours
- Overall statement on average contact hours. For example, “You will spend on average 6 hours in timetabled lectures and classes each week.”
- Number of learning hours required of students in addition to timetabled contact hours. For example, this may be self-directed study or group study.
2.4How will I be assessed?
Overview
Clear information needs to be provided here on the assessment strategies and methods for the programme and how this will facilitate the achievement of the programme’s learning outcomes. Guidance points that are helpful to this (and to module outcomes - see section 3) include:
- Have you used the appropriate assessment(s) to test the students’ learning?
- Is the student being over-assessed?
- Is the student being under-assessed?
- Can the student manage the assessment(s) within the timeframe of the programme/module?
- Are the assessment(s) comparable with similar programme/modules within the institution
- Are the assessment(s) comparable within similar programme/modules provided by competitor providers?
- Do the assessment(s) link with the learning outcomes?
- Are there too many learning outcomes?
- Are the learning outcomes pitched at the right level?
What do I have to do to pass?
This section should include details of programme level assessment criteria and grade-related criteria. A link to grade-related criteria can be provided if this is stored in more detail elsewhere, in which case the criteria must be included with the re/validation submission as an appendix.
The assessment methods used need to enable a student to achieve the learning outcomes and the assessment critieria/grade-related criteria employed need to specify the standard at which the outcome has been met. Further guidance on using assessment criteria with learning outcomes can be found in Part 3 of ‘How to Use Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria’ by David Gosling and Jenny Moon, published by the Southern England Education Consortium for Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SEEC). The University’s expectations regarding assessment and grade-related criteria can be found in section 2 of the Validation & Institutional Partnership Handbook.
2.5What degree can I get?
Details should be provided in this section on what award is available to students who complete the programme and what exit awards for lower level qualifications are available for students who do not complete the programme in its entirety. For each available award, details should be provided of how the overall aggregate degree mark is calculated, how the degree award is classified and what students need to have completed (modules, parts and credits) to achieve the award. Available awards and their classification must be consistent with the University’s Assessment Regulations.