10 - Ireland - Branches of study, specialisation

Higher education institutions are responsible for deciding which programmes to offer, for the design of programmes, the approval of programmes and the monitoring and review of programmes. Institutions generally offer a wide range of courses but some institutions specialise in certain fields, such as music, art or business. Institutions which were originally set up as, for example, institutes of technology, but which subsequently gained university title, tend to retain their technological specialism. Additional funding is available to encourage diversity, for example for specialist colleges and certain subjects identified as strategically important but vulnerable because of low student numbers.

The Code of Practice for the guidance of institutions subscribing to the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) includes a section (section 7) covering programme design, approval, monitoring and review (QAA, 2006x).

Institutions:

 

Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA)
Southgate House Southgate Street Gloucester GL1 1UB England
Tel.:+44 (0)1452 557000
Fax:+44 (0)1452 557070
E-mail: comms@qaa.ac.uk
Website:  http://www.qaa.ac.uk/


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Date: 2009
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