Designing a course

Find out about our student-focused, professional approach to programme and course design, including a step-by-step guide for curriculum design teams.

Starting the design process

About our student-focused programme and course design method, and a step-by-step guide for curriculum design teams.

Developing graduate attributes

How to write programme graduate attributes and align them with Victoria University of Wellington’s graduate profile.

Aligning learning objectives, assessments and activities

Using backwards design and constructive alignment to link course learning objectives, assessment tasks and learning and teaching activities in course design.

Graduate profile

Our graduate profile describes the attributes students should have when they graduate.

Redeveloping programmes

The Centre for Academic Development works with Faculties and Schools to assist academic staff in the (re)development of programmes.

Design and redesign

Programme and course design and redesign can happen for a variety of reasons; it's a normal part of academic life at the University.

Here are a few examples of changes that might prompt the redesign of a programme or course:

  • new developments or technology relevant to the subject
  • a change in accreditation, government or university criteria
  • student feedback
  • a change in the pedagogical approach to the discipline itself
  • recommendations of an academic programme review.

Design guides

If you're responsible for designing programmes or courses, you need to be familiar with the Programme and Course Design Handbook (PDF) and the Assessment Handbook (PDF).

These guides set out the requirements and policies you need to take into account. They also recommend good practice and processes to follow.

You can also read about a method of approaching programme and course design on the Learning and teaching hub.

There you'll find resources for creating course learning objectives and developing students' critical and creative thinking skills.

Support for staff

The Centre for Academic Development can help you with any part of the programme and course design process.

The expert team can point you to relevant resources and one-on-one help, or help facilitate team meetings.

You might also find their learning and teaching guides helpful during this process.