Programme Learning Outcomes (PLO) as a measure for academic success in postgraduate studies: a case study of a Malaysian higher learning institution

Abstract

All Malaysian higher learning institutions (HLIs) must abide by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA). MQA is an essential organisation established by the government to endorse and review the public and private HLIs curriculum. The accreditation complies with the Malaysian Qualifications Framework (MQF). There are three levels of outcomes in MQF. Programme Educational Outcomes (PEO) is the umbrella of Programme Learning Outcomes (PLO) and Course Learning Outcomes (CLO). The scope of this paper only focuses on PLO. The PLO based on MQF under MQA is used to determine Malaysian tertiary level students’ academic success. Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) has outlined eleven PLOs to measure academic success in its postgraduate studies. The PLOs are enacted through Outcome-Based Education (OBE) throughout the entire course of study. Hence, this paper seeks to investigate the level of attainment of the eleven PLOs among one hundred international postgraduate students at UTM. This paper involves one phase of explanatory sequential design using a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire to achieve the aim. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics through Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) to disclose the percentage, mean scores and frequency of the forty-three items in the questionnaire. It is revealed that the students possessed a high level of attainment of the eleven PLOs, which resulted in attaining academic success. It is anticipated that resuming data collection and analysis from other sources will elucidate how students can attain a high level of attainment of the eleven PLOs.