Procedure for developing new study programmes

Purpose of the procedure

The purpose of this procedure is to provide the faculty management with an informed basis on which to decide whether to set up new study programmes, and to ensure that new programme initiatives are coordinated internally in the faculty. The procedure applies to all types of study programmes in the faculty.

Basis for the procedure

This procedure must be understood in the context of the following:

The University of Copenhagen’s annual cycle and procedure describes the process that follows the dean’s office sending its submission to the University administration. The procedure below describes the part of the process that takes place in the Faculty of Social Sciences.

Responsibility

The Dean has responsibility for ensuring that all of the programmes in the Faculty of Social Sciences are of a high enough quality and sufficiently relevant for graduates to find appropriate jobs. The Dean also ensures that the University of Copenhagen’s social sciences programme portfolio reflects society’s need for graduates of the highest calibre.

Preliminary work

A proposal for a new study programme usually comes from an academic environment, but may also come from a head of department, head of studies, the dean’s office or employer panel.

The proposal is discussed with the head of department, who may reject the idea or submit it for discussion by the employer panel and, thereafter, by the Faculty Management Team.

The faculty management team discusses the idea and can either choose to reject it or request a written proposal.

Whoever originally proposed the new programme draws up a description for it and clarifies the various factors described in the University of Copenhagen checklist.

The description must allso include:

  • the name of the programme organiser and the department in which the programme will be embedded
  • a provisional course budget and expected need for classrooms
  • an account of how employers have been involved in the development of the study programme.

The description is presented to the head of studies forum and the strategic advisory panel at faculty level, prior to processing by the faculty management team.

Whoever originally proposed the new programme presents the idea to the faculty management team using the written material circulated prior to the meeting. The associate dean for education relays any feedback from the heads of studies forum to the faculty management team.

The faculty management team’s decision

On the basis of the written material and the dialogue about the proposal, faculty management team decides whether to submit the proposal to University Education Services.

If the proposal is submitted to University Education Services, it then follows the University’s annual cycle for prequalification.

The faculty management team may also decide to ask for additional documentation and information before reaching a decision.

The following factors are heavily weighted in the faculty management team’s decision:

  • Is it likely that there will be relevant employment opportunities for the graduates?
  • Is there a group of academic staff capable of providing research-based teaching?
  • Is it likely that there will be applicants for the programme? And is it likely that there will be international applicants?
  • Is it financially feasible to start the programme?
  • Can the necessary resources be earmarked for the programme, e.g. classrooms and administrative staff?
  • Does the programme fit the Faculty of Social Sciences’ programme portfolio? (In other words, it should not be very closely related to existing study programmes unless they are revised or closed.)

If the faculty management team approves the proposal, the department concerned forwards the written material on behalf of the dean to the Academic Board on Education Strategy.

Drawing up and submitting applications for prequalification

Whoever originally proposed the new programme draws up an application for prequalification, which is approved by the dean before it is submitted.