Programmes of Study (Level 1-6)

Introduction

The Guidelines for approval of programmes of study at levels 1-6 explain the requirements of the relevant rules and give detailed guidance on how to address the approval and/or accreditation criteria. The quality assurance processes for education organisations providing programmes leading to qualifications at levels 1-6 listed on the New Zealand Qualification Framework (NZQF) are explained.

A programme is a coherent arrangement of learning that is based on clearly linked aims, outcomes, content, and assessment practices leading to qualification(s) listed on the NZQF.

Specifically, the guidelines explain how education organisations apply for:

• approval of programmes of study leading to qualifications at levels 1 – 6 listed on the NZQF
• accreditation of education providers to provide a programme of study leading to a qualification listed on the NZQF.

Process for Developing a Programme

Developing a new programme involves working directly with industry and stakeholders to establish the need for the development. You will need to gather evidence to support and submit a business case. Once approval is given, the development process begins:

NZQA Guidelines for developing a Level 1-6 Programmes of study

New Zealand qualifications at Levels 1-6 are intended to be achieved through more than one programme offered by a range of education organisations. All programmes leading to a New Zealand qualification must demonstrate how they meet the requirements of the relevant qualification as it is listed on the NZQF.

The requirements for listing a qualification on the NZQF are found in the NZQF Qualification Listing and Operational Rules 2016.

Education organisations must ensure that programmes of study are sufficiently flexible to address a range of needs. NZQA requires evidence that relevant stakeholders have been meaningfully involved in the specification of skill needs and, where appropriate, involved in the design of the programme.

Two sets of information are required in an application for programme approval:

• a self-assessment report that answers relevant evaluation questions
• a programme document

Self-assessment Report

This report illustrates how the education organisation is confident that sufficient information has been included and provides evidence to answer the evaluation question:

How well the programme design matches the qualification outcomes and strategic purpose.

Self-assessment is used by the education organisation to understand that its programme application meets all requirements and answers the evaluation question. NZQA uses the report as evidence that explains why the education organisation considers the programme meets requirements based on its own comprehensive, authentic, robust and transparent self- assessment processes.

The self-assessment report describes:

• capability and resources required to effectively and sustainably provide the programme (human, physical, and teaching and learning).
• overall structure of a programme as it will be delivered, including the assessment schedule and any specific programme requirements (e.g. practical and workplace requirements).

Capability and resources

Applications must include a statement which demonstrates that physical, teaching and learning resources are appropriate, comprehensive and sufficient for the level of the programme and appropriate to the methods of delivery. This includes the experience of the teaching staff, teaching and learning facilities, and learner support services.

Where relevant, the arrangements for workplace training need to meet the needs of the programme and enable the learner to achieve the qualification outcomes.

Evidence of programme approval within the education organisation through the Academic Board is required. Where the programme is jointly owned, the lead education organisation will submit the report via its internal academic approval processes.

Programme Document

The programme document must demonstrate how the programme is acceptable to relevant communities and key stakeholders (including the qualification developer(s)) and:

• meets the strategic purpose, qualification type definition, including all listed qualification requirements and length
• has been designed to match the identified needs of target learner groups and enables them to achieve the qualification outcomes
• includes learning outcomes that map to the qualification(s) graduate profile (e.g. using an explanatory matrix)
• the programme is made up of components structured in a coherent way to achieve the qualification outcomes
• completes the specified data required in the on-line application template.

Target learner group

The target learner group must be identified, including a description of how the programme has been developed to match the needs of the target learner group, industry, key stakeholders and relevant communities.

Meeting the qualification outcomes – coherent programme structure

The programme is structured to achieve qualification outcomes and any strands. It clearly shows how components are designed to form a coherent programme which demonstrates:

• progression and integration of learning and assessment throughout the programme to meet the strategic purpose statement, outcome statement, level and credit value of the qualification
• that programme length and components are clearly defined and appropriate for the level of learning and the qualification outcomes
• modes of delivery are appropriate to the learning outcomes
• required workplace and education provider-based learning (where relevant) are identified
• requirements and regulations detailing how a learner is eligible to enter into and progress through a programme and is awarded the qualification (including the award of any strands, contexts or qualifiers).

Assuring consistency of graduate outcomes

The education organisation should show how it will meet the evidence requirements for assuring national consistency of graduate outcomes

Components

Components are units of learning that make up a programme. They include projects, papers, courses, modules, practicals and outcomes of assessment standards. The programme document should include a brief description of each component:

• an overview of the content of the component
• learning outcomes or outcomes of assessment standards
• level and credits
• approach to assessment of each outcome which is valid for the learner group and the learning context (not the assessment activity).

Where assessment standards listed on the Directory of Assessment Standards (DAS) are included in the programme, they need to be clearly identified.

Where a new assessment standard(s) has been identified for inclusion in the programme, the approval of the programme is dependent on the approval of the assessment standard(s).

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes describe the specific knowledge, skills, understanding and application a learner will achieve through each component of the programme. Learning outcomes must be:

• consistent with and demonstrate how learners achieve programme aims and the qualification outcome statement
• measurable and achievable, and integrated to provide a balanced and logical programme of learning
• presented in a logical, progressive way that demonstrates learners’ development of knowledge, skills, understanding and application.

Assessment

Assessment methods should be appropriate for the programme, modes of delivery, the level of learning and the qualification outcome.

NZQA evaluative approach to approval

The decision to approve a programme of study, or to accredit an education organisation to deliver it, is based on the quality and sufficiency of evidence provided in an application. The application should meet criteria set out in the rules described below.

The evaluative methodology enables decisions about quality, value and importance to be reached on a consistent and reliable basis, and requires NZQA to:

• be explicit about the information and evidence on which judgements are made as well as the logic of its interpretation, and
• write the outcome in a clear, concise report which explains the key factors and reasons for the final decision.

Rules and legislation for approval and accreditation

NZQA Rules are made under section 253 of the Education Act 1989 (The Act), which gives NZQA the authority to make rules for the quality assurance processes for which it is responsible.

Approval and accreditation is required under sections 249 and 250 of the Act.

• NZQF Programme Approval and Accreditation Rules 2018 are the NZQA rules covering the approval of programmes of study and accreditation for these programmes.
• Education organisations planning offshore delivery of a programme leading to an NZQF qualification must meet the NZQF Offshore Programme Delivery Rules 2012.

Decision to Approve a Programme of Study

The decision to approve a programme is made by ensuring the application meets the criteria and by answering the evaluation question:

How well does the programme design match the qualification outcomes and strategic purpose?

NZQA reviews the information and evidence provided in the self-assessment report and programme of study document to determine how its learners will match the graduate outcomes of the qualification.

Rubric one (below) sets out the expected levels of performance in relation to the evaluation question for the programme to reach the decision.

“Good evidence” is:

• relevant to answering the evaluation question
• obtained from more than one source (i.e. is corroborated or triangulated)
• of more than one type (e.g. quantitative and qualitative data)
• making sense in the context of the question.

Rubric one: Criteria for rating answers to the evaluation question to approve a programme of study or industry training

Decision to Accredit an Education Provider

A decision to accredit an education organisation is reached by ensuring that the application meets the criteria and by answering the evaluation question:

To what extent does the education provider have the ongoing capability and resources to support sustained delivery of the approved programme?

NZQA reviews information and evidence provided in the self-assessment report using rubric two. Rubric two (below) sets out the expected levels of performance in relation to the evaluation question to decide whether to accredit the education organisation.

Rubric two: Criteria for rating the answers to the evaluation question to accredit an education provider to provide an approved programme of study

Indicative Timelines

See Timelines for New Programme Development Submissions.

Useful Resources

Timelines

Timelines for New Programme Development Submissions

Final Dates for Programme Development & Improvement Approvals for 2020

Templates/Forms

Programme Document Templates

Unitec Programme Document Guidance 2020

Course Descriptor Template

Course Descriptor Template with Guidance

Programme Regulations Template 2020

Programme Regulations Guidance 2020

Consultation Log Template and Guidance

Factual Summary Sheet

New Course Detail Schedule

Relevant Policies and Procedure

AC 1.0 Academic Development and Approval Policy

AC 1.1 Qualification and Programme Development and Approval Procedure

AC 1.2 Programme Regulations Procedure

AC 1.2.1 Admission Requirements Guidelines

AC 1.5 Approval of Delivery Sites Procedure

AC 1.6 Collaborative Arrangements Procedure

AC 1.7 Consent to Assess Assessment Standards Procedure

NZQA Guidance

Listing Qualifications on the NZQF

New Zealand Qualification Framework.pdf

Guidelines for approval of programmes at levels 1-6

Consent to assess against standards on the DAS

Directory of Assessment Standards

TEC Guidelines

TEC Funding Guidance

New Zealand Standard of Classification of Education (NZSCED)