Working with frameworks

Sue RipponHead of Curriculum Development

November 2009

QAA’s Academic Infrastructure

• UK higher education institutions are each independent and self-governing.

• The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) provides guidance and checks how well they meet their responsibilities, identifying good practice and making recommendations for improvement.

Academic Infrastructure

Code of Practice

• Section 7: Programme design, approval, monitoring and review (2006)

Programme specification'…the definitive publicly available information on

the aims, intended learning outcomes and expected learner achievements of programmes of study …'(Handbook for institutional audit: England and Northern Ireland, 2006).

Benchmarks

• Subject benchmarks set out the academic characteristics and standards for

55 subjects at honours level

9 subjects at master’s level

• Foundation Degree qualification benchmark (October 2004)

• Master's degree characteristics reference point (currently available for consultation)

Frameworks for higher education qualifications • First published in 2001

• One framework for England, Wales and Northern Ireland and one for Scotland

• Each defining levels of qualifications

• EWNI framework revised in 2008

CreditScotland Scottish Credit and Qualification

Framework (2001)

Wales Credit and Qualifications Framework for Wales (2004)

England and Northern Ireland

Higher education credit framework for England (2008)

Europe Bologna Process - alignment across 46 countries in Europe -European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS)Diploma Supplement

“Higher education credit framework for England” (August 2008):Table 1: Credit values typically associated with the design of programmes leading to main HE qualifications in England

 1 2 3 4 5

HE qualifications as set out inthe FHEQFHEQ level

Minimum credits*

Minimum credits at the level of the qualification

FQ-EHEA cyclesECTS credit ranges from FQ-EHEA

PhD/DPhil

8

Not typically credit-rated Third cycle (end of cycle)qualifications

Not typically credit-ratedProfessional doctorates (only if credit based)

(eg EdD, DBA, DClinPsy)**540 360

Research master's degrees (eg MPhil, MLitt)

7

Not typically credit-rated

Second cycle (end of cycle)qualifications

 

Taught MPhil 360 240

Taught master's degrees (eg MA, MSc, MRes) 180 150

Integrated master's degrees (eg MEng, MChem, MPhys, MPharm)***

480 120

Postgraduate diplomas 120 90

 Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) 60 40

Postgraduate certificates 60 40

Bachelor's degrees with honours (eg BA/BSc Hons)

6

360 90 First cycle (end of cycle)qualifications

180-240 ECTS credits

Bachelor's degrees 300 60

Professional Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE)****

60***** 40

 Graduate diplomas 80 80

Graduate certificates 40 40

Foundation Degrees (eg FdA, FdSc)

5

240 90 Short cycle (within or linked to the first cycle)qualifications

approximately 120 ECTS credits

Diplomas of Higher Education (DipHE) 240 90

Higher National Diplomas (HND) 240 90

Higher National Certificates (HNC)******4

150 120 

Certificates of Higher Education (Cert HE) 120 90

FHEQ in England,Wales and Northern Ireland OU Major Awards

LEVEL Total Credit

Level 4 points

Level 5 points

Level 6 points

Level 7 points

8 Doctoral Degrees Doctoral Degrees

7 Master’s Degrees, Master's Degrees 180 150Integrated Master’s Degrees, M Eng 480 including 120 120Postgraduate Diplomas, Postgraduate Diplomas 120 90Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE), Postgraduate (PGCE), 120 120Postgraduate Certificates Postgraduate Certificates 60 60

6 Bachelor’s Degrees with Honours, Honours Degrees 360including 120

Bachelor’s Degrees Bachelor’s Degrees 300including 60

Professional Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) Professional PGCE 120 120Graduate Diplomas, Graduate Diplomas 120 120Graduate Certificates Graduate Certificates 60 60

5 Foundation Degrees, Foundation Degrees 240 120 120Diplomas of Higher Education (DipHE), Diplomas of HE 240 120 120Higher National Diplomas (HND) N/A

4 Higher National Certificates (HNC), N/ACertificates of Higher Education (CertHE Certificates of HE 120 120

180

240

OU Major Awards

Issues1. QAA not actively promoting the use of credit

1. Aligning OU qualifications with the English, Welsh and Scottish frameworks

2. Positioning our minor awards which don’t fit with the HE frameworks

3. How much of this to explain to students

Qualifications and Credit Framework

Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency at http://www.qcda.gov.uk/19674.aspx