Curriculum development

There are sources of support and guidance for curriculum development.  It is suggested that in the first instance, proposers contact the relevant Faculty Education Director for an initial discussion.

Staff in the Academic Quality and Policy Office (AQPO) can provide advice on structuring programmes (unit sizes, credit points, level of study etc.), assessment practices and innovations, engaging with external reference points, for example subject benchmark statements, and formulating programme and unit aims and outcomes. Please email approval-help@bristol.ac.uk for further information.

Schools may undertake Curriculum Review and Development (CRD) outside of the regular cycle of the quality assurance framework. It may be triggered for a variety of reasons, including:

  • a recommendation due to significant change within the discipline itself, approved by the Faculty or the Pro Vice-Chancellor Education. An example of this kind of trigger might be significant change to a relevant curriculum benchmark statement.
  • a concern raised by the Faculty, through the Dean or Faculty Education Director
  • a school wishing to develop its curricula
  • an outcome from a PSRB visit or a change to PSRB requirements.

The purpose of Curriculum Review would be to renew or rejuvenate a large proportion of the content of a programme or group of programmes (outside the normal annual programme review process).

The Bristol Institure for Learning and Teaching work with programme teams in a range of ways to develop and enhance curricula including curriculum festivals and TESTA (Transforming the Experience of Students through Assessment). They can also offer advice on blended teaching, decolonising the curriculum and other curriculum related areas.

Other AQPO Links

University links

External links