Quality assurance policies and postgraduate student learning outcomes in the College of Education and External Studies, Makerere University

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to establish the relationship between quality assurance policies and postgraduate student-learning outcomes in the College of External Studies (CEES), Makerere University. The study had three objectives, namely: to establish the relationship between teaching, examination, research and innovation policies on postgraduate student-learning outcomes in CEES. The study was cross-sectional and correlational in design. It involved a number of 107 postgraduate students and 10 administrative staff. Postgraduate students were selected using stratified sampling while the latter were selected purposely. Data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire and an interview guide. It was analyzed using SPSS and presented using frequencies, percentages and standard deviations at descriptive level and at bivariate level. The hypotheses were tested using Pearson Correlation Coefficient method. The findings revealed a positive significant correlate between teachings, examination research and innovation policies on postgraduate student-learning outcomes in CEES. It was concluded that teaching examination, research and innovation policies are significantly correlated with post graduate student learning outcomes in CEES. Recommended was that in order to improve on postgraduate student-learning outcomes, the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) should revisit the teaching policy to come up with a policy that reflects what students have to learn and how to learn it; The University Council and College Administration should ensure that the examination policy is given to students in advance to know regulations, procedure for complaints and grading; and the Directorate of Research and Graduate Training (DRGT) should revisit and design a uniform research policy guiding on how to select topics, supervise, mark and grade the thesis.