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Deciding Whether To Develop Or Revise A Qualification
Decision checklist
Before commencing a development or a revision of an existing qualification, you should look at the list of existing HN qualifications. The schedule for consortium and specialist collaborative developments, which is posted on SQA’s website (HN Modernisation - Status Update), includes details of the timetable for development or revision and the SQA contact for each qualification. If your centre is interested in participating in one of these reviews, you should contact the SQA Qualifications Manager listed on the schedule. If, however, the qualification is unique to your centre, (ie a specialist single centre development) you should consider the following questions before embarking on any review:
- Is the qualification substantially different from other frameworks (ie is it unique)? For example, could it be accommodated within a consortium or collaborative development by the addition of a few options, or does it require a different mandatory and optional structure?
- Is the qualification of national significance?
- Will it be viable? What is the likely number of entries? (This is likely to be 50 or more per session for viability)
- Do you have support from your centre’s senior management to carry out the development or revision of the qualification? If your centre gives informal approval to proceed you should continue, but if they do not you should reconsider your proposal. SQA will assume that the centre’s senior management approves of any developments proceeding past this point.
Recommended reading/further information
- Guide to Validation for Validation Panel Members and Qualification Design Teams
Using the design principles for Higher National Certificates and Diplomas - Guidance on Core Skills
Using the design principles for Higher National Certificates and Diplomas - Guidance on Graded Units
Using the design principles for Higher National Certificates and Diplomas - Higher National Units
This leaflet explains key aspects of the revised format for Higher National Units (HNUs). It will be useful for people who need to understand the nature of the HNU specification but do not need a detailed knowledge of Unit writing
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