Information for Members of Curriculum Committees

Support of curriculum committees

In reference to conceptual considerations of the Teaching Evaluation Work Group about quality of curricula, the curriculum committees at the Angewandte are in the advantageous position that they can activate comprehensive support measures for the whole process. This includes the documentation of meetings, moderation of processes, advise for text-development that is in congruence with legal regulations, access or acquisition of relevant data (for example, graduate surveys, surveys focusing directly on the completion of study programs, comparative statistics or research about relevant trends in Europe), and more.

This support is being organized by Academic Affairs, University and Quality Enhancement. If necessary, external expertise can also be arranged for.

Tasks of curriculum committees

  • The crafting of a curriculum or adaptations of already existing curricula
  • Reflection and joint discussions about goals, content and organization of study programs
  • Reflection and joint discussions of requirements for graduates
  • Reflection and monitoring of the implementation of a curriculum
  • Analysis of materials (for example, graduate surveys in a longer and shorter time perspective)
  • Possible contacting and consulting of experts for selected areas


Important deadlines

  • Submission of proposals for new or revised curricula to the Senate (no later than the Senate meeting in March, if an enactment is to be brought about in the same year).
  • A curriculum can come into effect only on October 1, each year.

Guidelines for curriculum development by the Teaching Evaluation Work Group (see What Constitutes a Good Curriculum?)

The Teaching Evaluation Work Group sees the design of study programs in three phases: the crafting, the implementation, and the quality assurance and further development of curricula. The following quality criteria must be recognized for the drawing-up of a curriculum:
  • The selection of commission members should ensure that the following competences are being represented in the commission: professional competence; didactic competence; knowledge of the university law (UG 2002) and of university regulations; further competences for team development, management (leadership), moderation, and gender; and the competence to formulate texts that meet the needs of communication.
  • Perspectives of graduates, of external experts from the professional practice, of representatives of professional associations, and furthermore the knowledge and insights of curriculum research should also be recognized.
  • First, the objectives and expected qualifications of graduates must be defined, to develop on this basis the structure of the study program.
  • The structure must allow the students to set themselves goals and priorities, and to select between different artistic positions. Project work must be meaningful and possible, and students should have the time to test, discover and explore their own interests and strengths.
  • Components of the study program may be internships and work practicums (traineeships) in organizations of the arts.
  • The preparation and supervision of diploma or master theses must be regulated.
  • The scope (volume) of the curriculum must be expressed in ECTS credits. The Diploma or Master thesis should be manageable in one semester (30 ECTS credits). Further 30 ECTS credits the students themselves ought to be free to design the way they want to (for example, also within the framework of stays and visits abroad).
  • All decisions must take into account whether they have different effects on women and men or whether they reproduce gender-related inequalities.
  • At regular intervals it should be examined systematically, whether the curriculum corresponds with the quality requirements in terms of structure and implementation, or whether changes (adaptations) are necessary.