Proposed National Degree registration process
The proposed National Degree registration process (outlined below) provides guidance for applicants by raising their awareness of the requirements and possible issues they may encounter when developing and submitting applications to register a National Degree.
Key issues highlighted in the proposed process are:
- Because the Education Act requires that a degree may only be awarded on completion of a "course of advanced learning", the process of registration of a National Degree must proceed in parallel with the process of course approval and accreditation of a tertiary education provider to offer and the award degree
- To develop a successful application national standard setting bodies, including industry training organisations, must work with providers
- Degree course approval and accreditation criteria, and the NQF registration criteria must be considered together when developing and registering National Degrees
- Only an accredited provider can offer a National Degree course
- The critical need for the qualification developer and the tertiary education provider to demonstrate the proposed National Degree qualification and course will provide a sound basis for graduates to pursue postgraduate study in order for the degree course to be approved. Individual tertiary education providers have the authority to establish their own specific entry requirements to postgraduate programmes . There is no automatic right of entry to postgraduate programmes for any degree graduate
- The need for credit transfer arrangements to be transparent and be consistent with the legislated requirement that degrees must be achieved through completion of a course of advanced learning. As such the transfer of NQF credits towards degree qualifications is likely to be different to that applying to National Certificates and National Diplomas where NQF credits are automatically transferable.
This process will be applicable to the initial registration of any particular National Degree. Subsequent applications for the same National Degree will use existing course approval and accreditation processes.
When developing a National Degree the national standard setting bodies (SSBs), including industry training organisations (ITOs), must work with an accredited education provider.
The proposed process for registering a National Degree on the NQF is as follows:
| 1st step: Register standards on the NQF | |
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| Process: | There are existing templates and guidelines for this.
If the standards application is presented with the related National Degree application, it might be possible to take account of the fitness for purpose of the standards in relation to the National Degree as well as to the unit standards' registration criteria. For example, it may be possible to identify which standards would be used to assess that content is progressively developed to the point where a candidate is prepared for postgraduate study and supervised research. A representative from the quality assurance body involved in the course approval and accreditation will have an advisory role for the NZQA Framework Registration Unit during this step. A special note may be included in the unit standard/s that states these units must be achieved as part of an approved degree course in order to count towards the degree. |
| Related considerations: | The registered standards may need to be revised after step 4 (course approval).
The registered standards may need to be revised if some of the requirements for the qualification are not already set out in registered standards. Possible implications for the Accreditation and Moderation Actions Plans should be considered. |
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| 2nd step: Register qualification on the NQF | |
| Process: | This step could take place simultaneously with step 4 (course approval), however the National Degree will not be registered on the NQF until a successful course approval application has taken place. This is to prevent a 'shell' registration (a qualification registered on the NQF which is unable to be awarded as it has no accompanying approved degree course). The initial course approval is conditional on the qualification being registered on the NQF. Subsequent applications for course approval will not need to meet this requirement once the qualification is registered.
The NQF qualification document (purpose statement, requirements for the award of the qualification and/or special notes) must state that candidates must have satisfactorily completed an approved course, delivered by an accredited tertiary education provider, leading to the National Degree in (subject) in order to be awarded the qualification. |
| Related considerations: | The postgraduate question: In order to meet the requirement of the Register of Quality Assured Qualifications and to register the degree on the NQF the standard-setting body must be able to show that there is a realistic pathway for their graduates that lead to postgraduate study. The applicant would most likely have to demonstrate such support from a post-graduate awarding institution. This would be dealt with on a case by case basis.
Possible areas of duplication with step 4 may include the learning outcomes, assessment requirements and delivery mode. Registration of the qualification on the NQF requires the approval of the NZQA Board. |
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| 3rd step: NQF accreditation | |
| Process: | This step can logically be combined with step 5 and involve one panel because many requirements are similar. The accreditation will look at both resources to deliver the course and systems to assess against the standards. |
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| 4th step: Course approval | |
| Process: | Steps 2 and 4 are conditional on each other; whichever process finishes first should make its approval conditional on approval being gained in the other process. A successful course approval application is required before the qualification will be registered on the NQF. Subsequent applications for course approval will not need to meet this requirement once the qualification is registered.
In the case of the National Degree, industry is represented on the degree panel by a representative from the ITO and the professional registration body. While there are additional requirements for the National Degree related to course accreditation, the processes used by the panel for the National Degree are the same as for other degree courses. |
| Related considerations: | The postgraduate question: In order to meet the requirement of the Register of Quality Assured Qualifications and to register the degree on the NQF the standard-setting body must be able to show that there is a realistic pathway for their graduates that lead to postgraduate study. They would most likely have to gain this approval from a post-graduate awarding tertiary education organisation. This would be dealt with on a case by case basis. |
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| 5th step: Accreditation to offer the course | |
| Process: | This step can logically be combined with step 3 and involve one panel because many requirements are similar. The accreditation will address the Gazetted Criteria for accreditation to deliver an approved course, and accreditation to assess against the relevant unit standards. |
| Related considerations: | The SSB (including ITOs) will have a representative on the Panel that considers this part of the process. |
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| Final step: Awarded Degree | |
| Process: | Legally the National Degree must be awarded by the provider i.e. the organisation accredited to deliver the course. This differs from other national qualifications which are awarded by NZQA.
NZQA cannot grant consent to award a degree to itself, as a degree is only awarded on completion of a course. Only institutions can be accredited to provide a course. NZQA does not meet the legal criteria for an institution. The Degree certificate will have NZQA, Provider and ITO (or other SSB) logos on it (as is appropriate). |
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| Changes to the Degree | |
| Process: | It is expected that a National Bachelors degree qualification and/or a course leading to its award will undergo modification in the future to meet changing stakeholder needs.
Changes to the National qualification initiated by the standard setting body will follow the NZQA Framework Registration Unit's existing process. Under this process a transition period is identified to allow providers of courses leading to the qualification an appropriate time in which to make corresponding changes to their course. If the required course changes are "Category 2" (see below), approval from the Quality Assurance Body will be required. |
Category 2 changes require prior approval from the Quality Assurance Body, and can include:
- title and/or type of the course
- type of qualification awarded
- level of the course
- credit value of the course
- outcome statement of the course
- entry requirements
- length of the course
- compulsory components (addition or deletion)
- assessment of a component (qualitative change)
- regulations for award of qualification
- exit qualifications (introduction of new ones)
- new majors (for degree programmes)
- changes to the mode of delivery
- change to allow for delivery at another site (including overseas sites)
- change to the scope of accreditation (e.g. new NQF or NZDipBus accreditations).
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Page updated: 28 July 2009