Course Design

Overview

The University provides guidelines to support you in developing new courses and revising existing ones, and completing/amending the relevant course specifications. The guidelines include information on key strategic areas that you should consider, a checklist of questions to guide design and review, and a comprehensive list of pedagogic principles which, if adhered to, would ensure that any design meets current understanding of good educational practice.

The University must ensure that it fulfils its responsibilities for standards and quality through its procedures for course approval. These matters must receive due consideration. The University thus requires you to take account of:

  • external reference points, including any relevant subject benchmark statements, the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework and, where appropriate, the requirements of professional and statutory bodies and employers;
  • the compatibility of programme proposals and developments with University, College or School plans and mission;
  • strategic academic and resource planning;
  • existing provision within the University.

Courses should also reflect the University’s commitment to developing students’ Graduate Attributes.