Distribution of work: roles and responsibility in curriculum work

Each school assesses their curricula annually in connection with the annual survey of each degree programme. The assessments create feedback for the next curriculum round.

The Education Services Manager prepares the principles of the curricula and policies. The curricula policies are discussed in the Jamk Management Team.

The curriculum development team coordinates and leads the curriculum reform, annual curriculum preparation and review work.

The person responsible for the degree programme or a person appointed by them (programme coordinator) ensures that the description and curricula of a degree are drawn up on time in accordance with current policies and principles of the curricula. The programme coordinator

  • sets the intended learning outcome, competence areas and competences of the degree together with students, business and industry and possible other networks
  • prepares a description of the degree
  • prepares the structure of the studies (study modules, courses and their descriptions), schedules and structuralisations for each new group
  • examines the contents of their curriculum annually
  • appoints persons for reviewing course descriptions, which is always done in connection with a curriculum reform and whenever new courses are being developed.
  • changes the status of the curriculum to “ready to be approved”.

The school’s Education Coordinator orders group IDs for their degree programme from ICT services.

The Head of Department, the Director of the Institute or a person appointed by them reviews the draft curricula (see section on reviewing the draft curriculum in the school) and then marks the curriculum in Approved status (figure 1). See the Peppi instructions on approving the curriculum (Help).

Curriculum in approved status
Figure 1. Curriculum in approved status

The Student Affairs Board approves the principles of the curricula in connection with a curriculum reform, approving the curricula annually.

The person(s) responsible for a course are responsible for their respective course descriptions and the accreditations assigned to each course.

The teacher of an implementation is responsible for the description of the implementation.

An administrative planner in Education Services transfers the degree descriptions (Finnish/English) and competence areas and competences (Finnish/English) from Teams to Peppi. Note: competence entries for courses are made by the Head of Department responsible for the degree programme or a person appointed by them.

Review of a draft curriculum in a school

Annual reviews

  • The structure includes all necessary studies, including common courses of Jamk that are valid from time to time:
    • Practical training must be at least 30 credits in the degree (excluding midwives and nurses, who have the amount of practical training according to the EU directive)
    • Elective studies at least 10 credits (for midwives and nurses 5 credits)
    • Number of alternative and elective studies vs. economics
  • Descriptions of the modules of the degrees’ own studies can be found in Finnish and English in both Finnish and English-language degree programmes (minimum Learning outcomes and Core content).
  • The recommended scope of the module is at least 15 credits.
  • The degree structure seems to be a logical and cohesive whole.
  • The scope of the degree is 210 / 240 / 270 ECTS credits.

Finally, the curriculum is moved to Approved status in Peppi (see figure 1).

The revisions made in connection with the curriculum reform work

  • Curriculum policies
  • Competence-based approach: does the curriculum enable the attainment of competence in accordance with the degree description?
  • Items related to the structure:
    • Clarity and balance of study modules
    • The structure includes a separate study module for practical training
    • Number of alternative and elective studies vs. economic efficiency.

Finally, the curriculum is moved to Approved status in Peppi (see figure 1).

Reviewing course descriptions

The following matters are reviewed in the course descriptions, and the content and translation are marked as reviewed in Peppi:

  • The competences match the ones selected in the structure.
  • The assessment criteria concern competence.
  • The language is clear and comprehensible (description in Finnish and English).

Translation of the qualification description and curriculum into English

An administrative planner in Education Services has the Finnish degree description translated into English.

All other translations are the responsibility of the Head of Department responsible for the degree programme or a person appointed by them. Other translations may include competence areas and competences as well as the descriptions of courses and implementations.

Sirpa Tuomi ja Anne Luukkonen 29.10.2024