New study programmes

Study programmes are either organised within a single department, as a collaboration effort between two or more departments, or between two or more faculties. See attachment for more information on establishing and operating inter-faculty study programmes. The university may also enter into binding agreements on educational cooperation with Norwegian and foreign institutions, in the form of joint degrees or joint study programmes, see chapter 16.2.

The approval process for a new study programme can be divided into two phases. In the first phase an academic programme committee must be appointed. The programme committee’s task is to define the study programme’s objectives, scope (potential courses) and relevance to society, as well as opportunities for further studies. The department/faculty will thereafter assess the financial and resource-related aspects of the planned programme and how its establishment will affect the faculty's overall dimensioning of the study portfolio.

Following approval by the University Board, phase two starts with a decision to establish a representative programme board, and a decision on which department that will have the academic and administrative responsibility for the planned programme.

The full programme description for the new study programme will be developed by the programme board. During this phase, the learning outcomes for the entire programme are defined by describing what knowledge, skills and general competencies candidates are expected to have acquired upon completing the programme. It must be possible to measure or observe expected learning outcomes. The courses to be included in the programme shall also be defined, as well as their scope (number of credits), see table below. Teaching and assessment methods must underpin the expected learning outcomes. The programme descriptions must comply with the requirements set out in the National Framework for Qualifications and the Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education’s (NOKUT) quality requirements for study programmes.

Notification of the establishment of new study programmes must be given in the faculties’ education reports in April the year before the programme is due to start. The results from the initial phase of the development work must be enclosed with the education reports. The proposed plans will be considered by the Education Committee, which will make an assessment based on UiB's overall study programme portfolio. Faculties proposing new study programmes must finalize the programme and course descriptions and be able to provide a plan for the financial aspects by mid-October. A complete programme description must be submitted to the faculty board and Education Committee before the study programme can be finally approved by the University Board. 

Responsibility for and the dynamics of the process of approval of new study programmes are shown in the table below.