Development of NZ Diploma in Business Prescriptions

NZ Diploma in Business prescriptions are developed or reviewed as the need is identified and/or according to a published schedules.

See 2010 national external moderation schedule (PDF, 55KB) and 2011 national external moderation schedule (PDF, 130KB). 

For a list of current prescriptions see NZ Dip Bus prescriptions.

National prescription development or review

Any individual or organisation may suggest the development or review of a national prescription, either to NZQA's Tertiary Assessment and Moderation (TAM) team or to the National Advisory Committee for Business Studies (NACBS). A suggestion for development or review should be supported by a rationale.

A suggestion from a national organisation such as the New Zealand Applied Business Education Forum (NZABEF), and made on behalf of a number of TEOs, is more likely to be considered than one received from an individual person or institution.

TEOs are encouraged to provide feedback on approved national prescriptions. Send a feedback form (DOC, 78KB) at any time to TAM.

Note: In some cases, legislation that affects a national prescription may be enacted before there is time to review the prescription. Lecturers/tutors need to be aware of such changes, and any changes required by new legislation must be incorporated into their teaching programmes. NZQA external moderation decisions are based on legislation, standards, regulations and industry/business practice current and relevant to the subject at the time of course delivery.

The development/review process

The development or review of national prescriptions is authorised by NZQA, on the recommendation of the NACBS. Once authorised, TAM, in consultation with the Academic Committee of the NACBS, determines the process, including the timeframe and the consultation to be undertaken.

Typically, a committee is formed to complete the task. Committees consist of three persons, including training provider and industry representation. Nominations are sought from national provider and industry organisations.

Local prescription approval

Local prescriptions are developed by individual TEOs for content not covered by national prescriptions, but for which there is local industry demand.

A local prescription must be approved by NZQA before:

• promotion to learners as a potential source of NZDipBus unspecified credit
• results can be reported as unspecified credit to the NZDipBus.

Approval

Approval of a local prescription is for a limited period or number of delivery cycles – usually for one to three years (or delivery cycles, whichever comes sooner). TEOs are notified of the approval period and any conditions relating to approval.

Prescriptions must be submitted for re-approval before the initial approval period lapses.

Submitting a local prescription for approval

TEOs seeking approval for a local prescription must prepare a proposal to TAM, setting out:

• the title of the proposed prescription and its level, which must align with the New Zealand Qualifications Framework level descriptors
• the purpose of and rationale for the proposed prescription
• the aim, learning outcomes and key elements of the proposed prescription
• evidence of demand and support for the proposed prescription by the relevant industry sector and/or national user body or professional organisation, including evidence of support by the TEO's NZDipBus local advisory committee
• evidence of estimated total annual up-take by candidates for the proposed prescription
• evidence of appropriate academic approvals, e.g. Academic Board, Quality Assurance Body.

Submissions must address the evaluation criteria for NZDipBus prescriptions used by the Academic Committee of the NACBS.

Proposed prescriptions should be presented in the NZDipBus prescription format for 400-600 prescriptions.

The approval process includes review and endorsement by the NACBS, which normally meets three times per year. Submission dates for these meetings are advertised in tertiary circulars reporting on each NACBS meeting.

The submission must be accompanied by a completed cover sheet (DOC, 131KB).

When completed, the full submission is sent to Tertiary Assessment and Moderation:
Tertiary Assessment and Moderation
PO Box 160
Wellington 6140
or by email to: tam@nzqa.govt.nz

What happens next?

TAM completes an initial evaluation of the proposed prescription before it is evaluated by the Academic Committee of the NACBS. This evaluation considers whether the prescription:

• fits appropriately within the NZDipBus framework
• is consistent with and contributes to the NZDipBus graduate profile
• does not conflict or significantly overlap with existing prescriptions
• meets the requirements of, and is endorsed by, user groups
• is likely to be taken up by sufficient candidate numbers to justify inclusion
• has a user-provider partnership evident in its development.

Approved local prescriptions

For information regarding any of the following approved local prescriptions, contact the Tertiary and Assessment Moderation (TAM) team.