Programme Approval

What is Programme Approval?

Programme approval is a quality assurance process which ensures that a programme is appropriately designed and structured; adequately resourced; consistent with the provider’s mission; and has stated learning outcomes and assessment strategies that are set at an appropriate level for the qualification awarded.

During the programme approval process, all facets of an education and/or training programme are evaluated except actual outcomes such as learner performance, feedback from learners, staff, and employers of graduates.

 Programme Approval Period

In the first instance, programme approval shall be for six (6) years. Following the initial approval, should the provider applies for programme accreditation and is successful, that programme would not need to undergo further programme approval.  However, if the provider fails to apply for programme accreditation or is unsuccessful, the programme will need to undergo another cycle of the approval process.  The approval review process must continue until the programme is either accredited or discontinued.

 Who conducts programme approval?

 Programme approval can be internal or external.  Internally, programme approval should be carried out by the Programme Approval Committee, sub-committee of an Academic Board, or individual(s) assigned with this responsibility.  The programme approval process should take place before a programme is offered for the first time.  Thereafter, each programme must be monitored and reviewed periodically, usually towards the end of the period of approval or the duration of the programme.

Externally, the Barbados Accreditation Council (BAC) Act, 2004 gives the BAC the responsibility to validate or approve all new programmes of study being offered by providers operating in Barbados.  Programme approval by the BAC provides external validation of the ability, in terms of inputs, of the provider to deliver a ‘quality’ programme.

 Are programme approval and programme accreditation the same?

 No they are not! Programme approval may be considered a precursor to programme accreditation. It evaluates all aspects of an educational programme except actual outcomes such as student performance; feedback from students and teaching staff; and feedback from employers of graduates of the programme.  Actual outcomes are evaluated during the programme accreditation process. Each programme must be internally approved by a provider before it is subject to external review and approval by the BAC.

 Benefits of Programme Approval

 Programme approval offers many benefits to providers, including:

•  assurance that programmes meet specific standards;

• transferability of qualifications from one provider to another;

• national and international recognition of programmes;

• use of the BAC’s stamp of approval for the duration of the approval for placement on the programme and marketing materials;

• listed on BAC’s website together with links to the provider’s website; and

• recognition in the BAC’s BAClight newsletter which is published bi-annually and distributed extensively, by post and electronic means, locally, regionally and extra-regionally.

Criteria for Programme Approval
 

The institution must provide evidence of:

• Authorisation to offer programme by Governing body or relevant authority
• Internal programme approval
• Consistency with mission of institution
• A market case for programme
• Availability of resources- Human, Financial, Material
• A detailed programme specification

• awarding body/institution for the qualification;
• teaching institution (if different);
• details of any accreditation by a professional body;
• name of the final award;
• programme title;
• aims of the programme;
• programme outcomes – knowledge and understanding; skills and other attributes;
• teaching, learning and assessment strategies to enable outcomes to be achieved and demonstrated
• programme structure and requirements, levels, modules, credits and awards;
• criteria for admission to the programme;
• information about assessment regulations e.g. grading scheme, moderation, honours classification;
• support for student learning; and
• date on which the programme specification was written or revised

The process for programme approval

1. The provider must complete and submit an application form with all relevant documentation to the BAC;

2. The BAC will review the application form and supporting documentation and advise the provider on the status of the application;

3. The programme will be reviewed by a team of professionals including independent consultant evaluators contracted by the BAC who have specialist knowledge in the relevant field;

4. The provider will receive a report on the outcome of the evaluation and a statement on the approval or non-approval of the programme;

5. The provider will receive a Certificate of Approval for each programme approved by the BAC;

6. A provider that submits a programme that is granted ‘Conditional Approval’ by the BAC will be given for a period not exceeding one (1) calendar year to correct the deficiencies identified and to re-submit the programme for approval.  No additional fees will apply.

7. Re-application and the payment of fees will be required for programmes that are not approved on the expiration of the 1 year period.

Download the Guidelines handbook

Download the application form

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