Programme Approval (PDARF)

PDARF Approvals Flow Chart- shows the overall approval process

UPB/Local Approvals Flow Chart- indicates where Governing Board/UPB approval is required

Download Form: Global Partnerships Proposal Form (formerly PDARF1)

This proposal form should be completed for educational collaborations with partner institutions and agencies external to UCD. This form captures the strategic and business cases for a proposed partnership and ensures a comprehensive due diligence process to support informed decision-making. The Global Partnerships team provides support in completing the form. If you are interested in establishing a new international collaboration, please contact the team at (opens in a new window)global.partnerships@ucd.ie.

The completed form should be submitted to (opens in a new window)global.partnerships@ucd.ie for submission to the UMT Global Engagement Group (GEG). Proposals that require academic approval for a new programme must also seek approval for the partnership from the University Management Team (UMT - (opens in a new window)umt@ucd.ie).

Download form: PDARF2 New Programme Proposal (UMT)

This form should be completed and submitted to the College Executive for approval of the financial aspect & strategic case for new programme requests.

Pending UMT approval, complete PDARF3 form and submit to your Governing Board approval of the academic  aspects.  Pending Governing Board recommendation, PDARF3 is then submitted to (opens in a new window)programmes@ucd.ie for approval by the University Programmes Board (UPB) or to curriculum@ucd.ie depending on the delegation of authority. 

Download form: PDARF3 New Programme Academic Structure Proposal

Submit to the relevant Governing Board for approval of the academic aspects.  Following Governing Board approval,    PDARF3 is then submitted to (opens in a new window)curriculum@ucd.ie for implementation or to (opens in a new window)programmes@ucd.ie for approval by UPB depending on the delegation of authority.

Please note that a PDARF2: New Programme Proposal must have been completed and approved by the College Executive and the University Management Team (UMT) before a PDARF3 form may be considered by Governing Board.

Download form: PDARF4 Collaborative Programme Supplement

For new programmes, PDARF2: New Programme Proposal must be completed and approved by the College Executive and UMT.  PDARF3: New Programme Academic Structure Proposal must then be completed, together with PDARF4, and submitted to the relevant Governing Board for approval, and then onwards to (opens in a new window)programmes@ucd.ie for approval by the University Programmes Board (UPB).

Please note that if this collaboration involves a new external partner, College Executive and UMT approval is required in the first instance (via PDARF1: UCD Partnership Proposal Form).

Download form: PDARF6 Structured Elective

Submit to the relevant Governing Board for approval. Pending Governing Board approval, the form is then submitted to (opens in a new window)curriculum@ucd.ie for implementation. Note that this form is used for both new Structured Elective proposals and changes to existing Structured Electives.

Download form: PDARF7 Programme Change Proposal

Complete this form for changes to existing programmes. Submit to the relevant Governing Board for approval.  Following Governing Board approval, PDARF7 is then submitted (opens in a new window)curriculum@ucd.ie for implementation or to (opens in a new window)programmes@ucd.ie for approval by the University Programmes Board (UPB) depending on the delegation of authority.

Please note that this form is also used for changes to Visions/Values & Programme Outcomes, approved Non-standard Progression Requirements & Additional Standards for Continuation. Please visit the Majors/Programmes section of our website, and view the details on 'Other Programme Information/ Edits.'

Download form: PDARF8 Pathway Programme Proposal

This graduate taught pathways framework is intended for building up to a Masters degree award rather than availing of exit strategies from a Masters degree award. In the context of the Recognition of Prior Learning Policy, a pathway programme is a sequence of UCD programmes at NFQ Level 9 that build to a Masters degree award within that sequence and have been approved as a pathway programme by UPB.

This form should be used to submit a request to have an existing approved taught Masters programme approved as a pathway programme (for the purposes of implementing the Recognition of Prior Learning Policy). Refer to the Implementing the the Recognition of Prior Learning Policy: graduate taught pathway programmes while completing this form.

Submit to the relevant Governing Board for approval.  Following  Governing Board approval, this form is then submitted for approval by the University Programmes Board (UPB). Send all signed submissions to (opens in a new window)programmes@ucd.ie. 

Download form: PDARF14 Derogations

Exceptions from the Academic Regulations require UPB (University Programmes Board) approval as a derogation by submitting a PDARF14 form to (opens in a new window)programmes@ucd.ie
Derogations can be requested/ recorded at programme, major or module level and existing derogation details can be found via the  Derogations reporting menu.

Download form: PDARF 16 Structure Change Proposal

Amending major structures (core/option modules associated with majors) of taught award-bearing programmes after the start of the relevant intake term (September/January/May) or outside of Curriculum Management System (CMS) edit timelines will require Governing Board approval via a PDARF 16 Structure Change Proposal form for submission to the Curriculum Team - (opens in a new window)curriculum@ucd.ie.

For further clarification on the type of changes that require this PDARF form, please refer to the Structure Changes to Majors outside CMS Timelines document. It's important to note that the signature section of the form must be completed before the request can be actioned.

Contact UCD Global and (opens in a new window)UCD Legal for assistance with developing formal agreements. Note that only the UCD President is authorised to sign such agreements.

The relevant Governing Boards and Admissions Officer/Tutor are responsible for determining the admission criteria. The recommendations need to be approved by the Governing Board prior to being published by Admissions. This criteria will be implemented by those who have authority to make applications decisions.

When admissions criteria is agreed jointly between the institutions it is important that the recommendations are routed back to the Governing Board, Admissions in Registry. This also applies when there is a single lead institution or ‘administrative hub’ and when there is a single portal for admission.

When the student’s home institution is not UCD, the other institution will need to share the data about the students on the collaborative programme (preferably at the point of admission) so that they are registered correctly in UCD.

Fee Rate
The fee rate must be negotiated between the partners and will be added to the student’s record. Where there are no fees payable, a ‘no fee’ rate code is applied to the student’s record. Where fees are payable, the normal UCD fee arrangements apply. Schools are responsible for registering students on collaborative programmes and confirming the correct fee rate. 

Fee income distribution
The distribution of fee income must be clearly articulated in the Memorandum of Understanding or Memorandum of Agreement. Where large cohorts of students are taking UCD modules, but few UCD students are going to the other institution, it is necessary to reach a financial arrangement with the partner to ensure that UCD receives appropriate payment. Financial arrangements should be agreed locally together with the College Finance Manager.

Registration Status 

The registration status determines fees and access to services and should be negotiated between the partners. Students from other institutions taking modules in UCD are registered as either RE or VE: 

• A student with a registration status of RE is registered as normal and may be required to pay fees or not, depending on the agreement. These students are entitled to a student card and full use of University Services. Students on joint/dual degree programmes are set up the same way as the UCD students
• A VE registration status is used for external students with another home institution and they are normally not required to pay fees. These students are not entitled to a student card or use of University services, with the exception of UCD Connect and Brightspace 

US Study Abroad programmes 

• Students are set up on occasional programme codes and get a UCD Student Card.
• Students are required to register online
• Students pay fees to UCD or to their home institution 

EU (Erasmus) and non-EU International Exchange 

• Students are set up on occasional programme codes and get a UCD Student Card
• Students are required to register online
• Students pay fees to their home institution 

Non-EU (Erasmus Mundus) programmes 

• Students are required to register online and get a UCD Student Card.
• There are different fee arrangements for different students. A comment should be added to the student’s record by the School
• Students are either set up on occasional programme codes and do not receive a UCD award or they are registered to a UCD programme and receive a UCD award 

Joint (or double degree) programmes 

• Students are required to register online and receive a Student Card from both institutions
• Students are registered to the UCD version of the programme as either registration status RE (fees to UCD) or VE (fees are paid to another institution).
• Students on joint programmes are students of both institutions, and receive a joint (or double) degree award by both institutions.

Recording non-UCD modules 

Where a module is delivered by another institution it should be recorded as follows in Banner: 

• The School’s subject codes will be used
• The current module coding convention will be used
• Indicate the institution in the module title. Example: CHEM40240 – Spectroscopic Techniques (TCD);
• Associate the module with the institution in the Transfer institution field. This can be used to exclude the module from FTE/RAM calculations 

The Programme Director or School administrator will also need to associate the modules to the programme via the Curriculum Management System.

There are three options in UCD to capture the module information offered by another institution: 

Transfer credit block 

• A single block of credits is attached to the student’s record to represent credits from another institution. The partner institution normally sends the list of completed modules to the UCD Programme coordinator
• These credits do not show the details of the individual modules that a student has taken. They are grade point and GPA neutral unless the institutions have agreed on a combined grade for the transfer credit block. For combined grades there must be a ‘Grades/Marks Table of Equivalences’ and the grades must be ratified by a UCD Programme Examination Board. 
• Example: If a student spends a semester at the University of Deusto (Spain) they may be registered to a single module called ‘Transfer Credits (Deusto)’ of a value of 30 credits put up against their record 

Shadow modules 

• ‘Shadow modules’ are external institutions’ modules that are set up on the UCD system. Collaborative Programme coordinators may request shadow modules through the Curriculum Management System in the same way as normal (the delivering institution should be in the title). 
• The grades for these modules need to be converted to the UCD grading system and entered into Gradebook. The grades will contribute to the student’s GPA. There must be a ‘Grades/Marks Table of Equivalences’ included in the Memorandum of Agreement 
• Example: 
  BIOL40337 Environmental Biotechnology (Groningen), 10 credits – for a module offered by Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, The Netherlands 

External PhD modules 

• A PhD student may take individual modules that are not part of a UCD Doctoral Programme in an external institution if set out in the Programme Specification. The grades can be converted to the UCD grading system or the student receive the credits but no grade. Recommendations of the Governing Boards are implemented via the Delegated Authority Decision process -   Example: EP601 Terahertz Optics and Long-wave Quasi-optical systems (NUIM), 5 credits – for a module delivered by National University of Ireland, Maynooth
• Example: 
  EP601 Terahertz Optics and Long-wave Quasi-optical systems (NUIM), 5 credits – for a module delivered by National University of Ireland, Maynooth 

Timeframe 

• Collaborative Programme Coordinators should seek to obtain grades for modules as soon as the module has been completed. If the timing of the partner’s Examination Boards is not identical to that of UCD, please consult the Chair of the Examination Board and the Director of Assessment in Registry. 

Award Classification 

• See the UCD Academic Regulations (2.5) for information on award classification. 

UCD classifies research awards as Pass or Fail. For Collaborative programmes there are two options: 

• The partners agree to use one partner’s system of award classification. If this is not the UCD system, the UCD proposer will need to seek derogation approval from the UPB
• The partners agree on a table of equivalence that shows how the award classifications correspond to each other. This option permits both institutions to apply their own award classification simultaneously, and both classifications may appear on official documents

Collaborative Transcripts, Diploma Supplements 

UCD produces transcripts and Diploma Supplements for all programmes, including collaborative. Joint transcripts and Diploma Supplements include the logos and details of all institutions. These transcripts are produced manually and students cannot use the UCD online document self-service function. 


1. Programmes leading to Joint Award 
Each partner institution takes responsibility for developing the joint transcript/Diploma Supplement and parchment. 

Parchments 
Parchments for joint awards will usually have all the partners’ logos and the production and design of the parchment needs to be negotiated between the partners. UCD parchments are produced by the UCD Conferring Unit and follow a standard format 
A student will only receive a parchment with the logos and other details of the institutions they attended. See sample parchment below:

The Conferring Unit is responsible for ensuring that NUI requirements are met. University Secretariat will liaise directly with the UCD Registrar and Deputy President to seek final approval for the parchment. 

Conferring 
For joint degree awards there are different options: 

• A single conferring ceremony for all students at a neutral venue. The entity responsible for production of the parchments must be agreed
• To rotate the responsibility for holding the conferring ceremony for all students
• Groups of students within the same cohort graduate from different institutions simultaneously (depending on which institution they are attending at the time of completion) 
  
  

2. Programmes not leading to Joint Award 
For programmes not leading to a joint award each institution is normally responsible for its own transcripts. The student can also obtain a transcript with information about the modules taken from any other institution they attended. 

Conferring 
The arrangements for the conferring of awards for collaborative programme follow the normal procedures as all other UCD awards. 

UCD conferring ceremonies must be approved by the UCD Conferring Unit, follow the normal timeframes and students who are conferred in other institutions will be conferred in UCD in absentia. 

Collaborative Programme Data Upload 
The Collaborative Programme Upload Process allows for students from other Universities/Organisations to have a record created in Banner via an upload facility. Data for upload must be presented using a spreadsheet in a particular format. Contact (opens in a new window)systems.data@ucd.ie for more information 

Current usage includes: 

• Institute of Banking
• Institute of Public Administration
• University of Ulster
• Study Group Foundation
• Global Schoolroom

Support Information – initiation phase

The following documents are useful when engaging with the initiation phase for a proposal for a collaboration:

• Collaborative Award Types and Taxonomies
• Due Diligence and Risk Management
• Formal Agreements

Support Information – programme development phase 

The following documents are useful when engaging with the programme development phase for a collaboration:

• Programme Structures
• Admissions
• Financial Arrangements (inc. Fees)
• Student Registration and Services
• Assessment (modules)
• Award Classification
• Transcripts/Diploma Supplements, Parchments and Conferring

Support Information – monitoring and review phase

The following documents are useful when engaging with the monitoring and review phase for a collaboration:

• Annual Monitoring and Periodic Review
• External Reporting

Support

• Contact your School/College for assistance with developing your proposal
• Contact UCD Teaching and Learning for support with curriculum development and design
• Contact (opens in a new window)curriculum@ucd.ie for assistance with completing the forms or to submit a proposal that no longer requires UPB approval
• Contact (opens in a new window)umt@ucd.ie to submit a proposal to UMT
• Contact(opens in a new window) programmes@ucd.ie to submit a proposal to UPB
• Contact (opens in a new window)internationalagreements@ucd.ie for international partnership queries

 Useful Links

• Academic Regulations 
• Details of (opens in a new window)changes to Regs from 2024/25)
• University Programmes Board information and schedule of UPB Meetings 2024/25
• Programme Approvals Financial Analysis Template (note: applies to online programme approvals only)