Academic Catalog

Program Specifications

Policy:

1. Policy Statement
This policy defines the program specifications document and its contents, according to the Standards 2019 - Annex 10.

2. The Program Specifications Document

The program specifications document describes the high-level program structure such as goals, learning outcomes, study plan, list of courses offered, and others. For each program offered at the University of Dubai, the program specifications document provides a comprehensive source of information that:

  1. Is a primary source of information for students and prospective students seeking an understanding of a program; what students need to have achieved in order to enter the program, what will be expected of them during the program, and what they will have achieved having taken the program;

  2. Assists those involved in program curriculum development to appreciate the structure of the program and its learning outcomes;

  3. Allows internal and external reviewers to understand the program's learning outcomes, structure and approach;

  4. Is a source of information for employers, particularly about the skills, knowledge and aspects of competencies that they can expect from graduates of the program;

  5. Assists institutions in communicating essential program information to external stakeholders, such as professional bodies;

  6. Is a guide for receiving feedback from students on the extent to which they perceived that the opportunities for learning were met.

 

3. Contents of Program Specifications Document
Each program specification should include:

  1. Program title and program code/number;

  2. Authoring team;

  3. Date document prepared;

  4. Dates of initial accreditation of the program and, where appropriate, subsequent renewal of accreditation of the program;

  5. Dates of international accreditation and subsequent renewal of accreditation, if applicable;

  6. Academic unit(s) delivering the program;

  7. In cases of interdisciplinary or jointly offered programs, the academic unit primarily responsible for the program;

  8. Delivery support partner (as applicable);

  9. Delivery mode(s);

  10. Educational aims of the program;

  11. Program learning outcomes;

  12. Completion requirements;

  13. Program structure;

  14. Support for students and their learning;

  15. Criteria for admission;

  16. Facilities, including laboratories, studios or other specialist resources supporting the program;

  17. Methods for evaluating and improving the quality and standards of teaching and learning;

  18. Assessment plan for program learning outcomes;

  19. Indicators of quality and standards; and

  20. Program matrices or schematic showing:

    • The schedule of delivery;

    • Program learning outcomes mapped to course learning outcomes;

    • Program learning outcomes mapped to descriptors of the Qf emirates for the appropriate program level;

    • Teaching and learning methods;

    • Assessment methods.