Programme specification in a flexible, multidisciplinary curriculum environment: an Open University perspective

Abstract

The article examines the implications of programme specification for the distinctive multidisciplinary curricular environment of the Open University. It concludes that, for multidisciplinary programmes, specification is likely to focus on generic outcomes that relate to institutional level descriptors aligned to descriptors in the national qualification framework. These will be connected to more detailed course specifications that describe the curriculum building‐blocks. Generic outcome statements will need to reflect concepts of level, progression, diversity, balance, flexibility, integrity and coherence through an individualised programme that is constructed by the student. It concludes that the adoption of a framework of key skills outcomes benchmarked against the national standards can provide the basis for institutional descriptors against which multidisciplinary programmes can be benchmarked.

Citation

Dillon, C. and Hodgkinson, L. (2000), "Programme specification in a flexible, multidisciplinary curriculum environment: an Open University perspective", Quality Assurance in Education, Vol. 8 No. 4, pp. 203-211. https://doi.org/10.1108/09684880010356192