Trends in Undergraduate Program Curriculum Frameworks

The paper outlines some trends in current frameworks of undergraduate (UG) academic programs, necessitating a fresh look into many local higher education institutions (HEIs) curricula with improvements and reforms in mind. An attempt is made to establish a link between national qualifications frameworks (NQFs) and academic accreditation standards to guide in the process. Focus is on two currently common issues : first, the role of NQFs and second, the adoption of specialization streams in the structure of UG program curricula.  Particular attention is given to revising curricula to include the general education (GE) and the concentration components, within outcome-based education (OBE) environments, in a systematic manner as a way of meeting the demands. Model frameworks that may be adapted for UG programs are proposed based on current practices in many established and accredited UG program curricula to illustrate the intents.