Planning and developing a new course

This is a two-stage process:

Stage 1 - Sign off of the business case for the new proposal so its feasibility and appropriateness can be agreed before full development takes place. A business case must be developed for all new courses. See below for process , guidance and template.

Stage 2 - Course development and academic approval. These procedures and processes are detailed in the Quality Handbook:

• Section 3 – Course Design
• Section 4 – Course Development and Approval
• Section 10 – Collaborative Provision
• This business case process does not apply to Category 4 and 5 courses. Please see Section 20 – Category definitions; approval & quality management of different categories of course.
• All collaborative provision - due diligence will need to be completed alongside the business case process. Form A (Form B overseas) must be completed in tandem with the business case process. Please contact the Collaborative Partnership Office for forms and further guidance.
• Validation Service – See separate guidance and Validation Services business case template

For help with course design, see also:

• Quality Enhancement pages on the CADQ website
• E-learning support - David.Morris@ntu.ac.uk
• Course Development Learning Room in staff area of NOW

Once a course is being delivered, a third set of processes exists for making changes to an existing course. (Click here to be taken directly to the guidance on making changes)

Designing a new course – Business Case Process, Guidance and Template

• The business case process involves the business sign off process and financial evaluation.
• It is recommended that new course planning begins at least one year, preferably 18 months, before the start date of the proposed course and that the entire process (including academic approval) should be completed at least three months before the course start date. (Note: course teams may need to react quickly to new markets, funding initiatives and potential collaborations. With this in mind CADQ, College Management Teams and School Executives will be able to accommodate shorter time scales as appropriate, with prior approval from the Dean of the relevant School and the Director of Academic Development. In such a case, the business case stages may be combined, but all the academic approval stages must be completed.
• It is the responsibility of the Course Sponsor to ensure that all sign off and academic documentation is completed.
• Contextual document, Course Specification and Module Specifications are not needed at this stage but preparatory work should be undertaken in parallel to the business case sign off process.
• Click here to be taken to the Business Case Template.
• If you require further advice on the Business Case Process, please contact CADQ.

Business Case Process

At any sign off point, if the business case is not approved to progress, this is fed back to the Course Sponsor/Dean to either reconsider areas of the proposal and re-submit, or to take no further action and stop the process.