- Home
- Qualifications and standards
- NCEA
- Māori and Pasifika
-
Providers and partners
- About education organisations
- NZQA's quality assurance system for tertiary education organisations
- Guidelines and forms
- Consistency of graduate outcomes
- Approval, accreditation and registration
- Monitoring and Assessment
- Self-assessment
- External evaluation and review
- Assessment and moderation of standards
- Submitting results and awarding qualifications and micro-credentials
- Tertiary and International Learners Code of Practice
- Offshore use of qualifications and programmes
- Reform of Vocational Education
- International Education planning
- international
- About us
Degree approval, accreditation and monitoring
Tertiary education organisations may choose to offer degrees and related qualifications at levels 7-10 on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework (NZQF).
Each new degree or related qualification needs a programme(s) that leads to it, and any institution that intends to deliver the programme needs accreditation to provide the programme.
NZQA evaluates applications for degree programme approval and/or accreditation from tertiary education organisations, other than universities, against NZQA rules made under the Education and Training Act 2020. These rules ensure that all approved qualifications and programmes leading to degrees or related qualifications meet a consistently high standard.
After the degree qualification and programme are approved, NZQA monitors delivery to ensure the institution is delivering the programme as intended and to an acceptable standard.
The qualifications that tertiary education organisations can provide include:
- Bachelor degrees
- Graduate certificates
- Graduate diplomas
- Honours degrees
- Postgraduate certificates
- Postgraduate diplomas
- Master's degrees
- Doctoral degrees
Relevant NZQA Rules and Guidelines
To ensure the degree and programme are fit for purpose they must meet the relevant criteria listed in the NZQA rules:
- criteria for programme approval and accreditation (levels 7-10 on the NZQF)
- criteria for listing qualifications on the NZQF.
All degrees and related qualifications must be taught mainly by people engaged in research and emphasise general principles and basic knowledge as the basis for self-directed work and learning.
See section 454 of the Education and Training Act 2020 for the relevant legislation on granting degrees.
NZQA Guidelines for degree programmes and related qualifications
The Guidelines for approving and maintaining degrees and related qualifications explain the requirements of the relevant rules and give detailed guidance on how to address the approval and/or accreditation criteria.
They also detail what information may be included in an application for a degree programme or related qualification.
Consult the Guidelines before submitting an application, and inform NZQA at least 3 months before submitting the application. Talk to the Approvals and Accreditation contact person (listed under 'NZQA contacts' on the TEO profile) if you have any questions.
NZQA quality assurance processes for providing degrees and related qualifications
Programme approval is confirmation that a programme meets the NZQA rules made under the Education and Training Act 2020 for degree programmes.
Accreditation to provide a degree or related qualification is confirmation that an institution has shown it is capable of delivering the approved programme.
Only registered and accredited institutions can deliver approved programmes of study, including degree programmes.
Applying for degree approval and accreditation
The degree programme approval and accreditation application process
Degree and related qualification monitoring involves an independent monitor with relevant subject expertise or sector experience reviewing the degree or related qualification to ensure it is being delivered as intended. Institutions may also monitor programmes and related qualifications through an annual self-review report, known as the Annual Programme Evaluation review (APER).
Changes to degree and related qualification approvals occur when an institution amends the structure, outcomes, mode of delivery or credit value of a degree programme. Depending on the impact of the change, NZQA may have to approve it before amended programmes are provided to learners.
Site-specific accreditation is granted for degree programmes at L7 and above therefore NZQA approval is required before delivering a programme from any new or additional site (permanent or temporary site).