This workshop provides advice on how to draft a programme specification, a systematic description of a programme or course of study in higher education.

1. Writing a Programme
Specification
Dr Peter Kahn
University of Liverpool

2. Outline of workshop
• Effective programme specifications
– Introduction
– Issues to consider
– Connections
• Practical exercises

3. Introduction
• 'A programme specification is a concise
description of the intended outcomes in
terms of knowledge, understanding,
skills and other attributes, and the
means by which these outcomes are
achieved and demonstrated.’
http://www.qaa.ac.uk/crntwork/progspec/contents.htm

4. Purpose of a programme
specification
• To provide evidence for quality
assurance purposes
• Other uses:
– as a source of information for students,
potential students, employers and
accrediting bodies;
– to promote discussion on a programme
team.

5. Uses in quality reviews
To assist reviewers in their judgements:
• against national standards for subjects
and qualifications;
• on the quality of learning opportunities
(particularly in relation to aims,
communication, curricula and
assessment).

6. External reference points
• External reference points include: subject
benchmark statements, qualifications
descriptors, requirements of professional
bodies, research into higher education.

7. Writing outcomes
• Programme outcomes should:
– be manageable in number;
– provide a strategic summary;
– apply to all students;
– be understandable by students;
– be neither too vague nor too detailed.

8. Examples
• You will develop ‘thinking skills’ which will
enable you to outline the arguments
employed in publications, identifying where
relevant the following elements: premise,
conclusion, appeal to authority …
• By the end of the programme students will
have an understanding of principles, theory,
philosophy and practice of Human
Geography.

9. A discrete approach
• Consider listing/framing outcomes
under different categories:
– knowledge and understanding;
– intellectual skills;
– practical skills;
– transferable skills.

10. Issues to consider
• It is easy to write a programme specification
that is identical to many other programme
specifications.
• The issue is to write distinctive programme
specifications that convey the thrust of the
programme.

11. Bland skills
• A discrete approach can encourage a
divorce between understanding and
intellectual or practical skills.
• Ensure outcomes which concern
intellectual and practical skills also refer
to specific subject matter.

12. Bland transferable skills
• How to avoid writing bland statements
of transferable skills:
– ability to work in teams
– ability to use word-processing
– ability to give presentations

13. Pay attention to level
• Ensure your programme outcomes
require a high-level command of these
skills.
• Provide one outcome for each key skill,
with further outcomes referring to
application, integration and autonomy in
their development.

14. Dealing with choice
• Programmes usually allow significant
choice.
• One or more outcomes will need to
refer to the additional knowledge and
skills gained by the choices that
students make.

15. Demonstrating progression
• Specifications concern programme
outcomes but outcomes should allow
scope to demonstrate progression.
– Include outcomes from earlier in the
programme.
– Use a Curriculum Skills map to analyse
progression.

16. Joint/multi discipline issues
• Each distinct programme needs to be
specified in some fashion.
– Provide a common set of outcomes with
additional outcomes for each distinct
programme.
– Provide a specification for each subject,
with a rationale for each combination.

17. Connections to programme
The outcomes should:
– deliver the aims;
– be appropriate to admissions profile;
– match outcomes of course units;
– be assessed;
– highlight strength and hide weakness.

18. Teaching and learning
• Programme specifications require you
to outline the teaching and learning
methods employed in the programme.
• Are they suited to the programme
outcomes? How can you make it
evident in the programme specification
that they are suitable?

19. Assessment
• ‘If significant intended learning outcomes
appear not to be assessed , … , it would be
unlikely that reviewers could have confidence
in the standards of the provision.’
http://www.qaa.ac.uk/public/acrevhbook/contents.htm

20. • Programme specifications require you
to outline the assessment methods
employed in the programme.
• Are they suited to the programme
outcomes? How can you make it
evident in the programme specification
that they are suitable?

21. Commendable practice
and weaknesses
• Are there any ways in which you can
use a programme specification to
highlight good practice and minimise
weaknesses?

22. Practical exercises
• Initial writing/advice
– Models of good practice
– Focus on earlier issues
• ‘Consultancy’
– Perform checks on the draft
– Identify areas for improvement

23. Acknowledgments
This workshop was originally developed
while working at the University of
Manchester.
Dr Peter Kahn
kahn@liv.ac.uk
April 2013

24. Further reading
• See also Chapter 5 – ‘Writing for
Development’ by Angela Brew, in
Baume D and Kahn P E (Eds) (2004)
Enhancing Staff and Educational
Development, Routledge.