QAA Subject Benchmark Statements
Background
The QAA has published Subject Benchmark Statements on various academic subject areas. These statements are designed to make explicit the general academic characteristics and standards of degrees in the UK.
The QAA website states: "Subject benchmark statements set out expectations about standards of degrees in a range of subject areas. They describe what gives a discipline its coherence and identity, and define what can be expected of a graduate in terms of the abilities and skills needed to develop understanding in the subject."..."Subject benchmark statements do not represent a national curriculum in a subject area. Rather, they allow for flexibility and innovation in programme design within an overall conceptual framework established by an academic subject community."
Subject Benchmarks are published and are available on the QAA webpage.
Use of subject benchmark statements
Subject Benchmarks are expected to be utilised by Birkbeck academic staff to support programme development and review.
The level of detail and of explicitness varies a good deal from statement to statement, reflecting the different approaches taken by the specialist subject groups which developed them.
The published benchmark statements will form a point of reference for Birkbeck Internal Review and external reviews such as Institutional Review for making judgements about the appropriateness of standards in any programme of study. The relevant benchmark statement should be referred to when the learning outcomes of a programme, or part of a programme, are being specified.