Programs, Pathways, and Capstones

7.1 Program Object Structure & Required Courses

Definition. A Program is a curated bundle of courses (NB/MB/MC) plus a capstone that awards a tiered credential: PC, AC, or DIP. Programs are first-class objects with their own stable code.

Program code (immutable): PRG-[TIER]-[STREAM|PATH]-NN
Minimum fields (normative):

• program_code, title, tier (PC/AC/DIP), pathway (stream or named path)
• requires[] (course codes with minimum accepted rev)
• capstone (unit code) + rubric & artifact requirements
• hours/NCU totals, credit policy (RPL caps), languages, accessibility flags
• Standards & competencies map (aggregated from courses)
• Progress rules (completion thresholds, allowed substitutions)
• Recognition (CPD/ECTS advisory), admissions (prereqs/RPL)

Example (condensed JSON):

{
  "program_code": "PRG-PC-FIN-01",
  "title": "Professional Certificate — Financial Risks",
  "tier": "PC",
  "pathway": "FIN",
  "requires": ["FIN-MC-311>=25.09", "FIN-MC-312>=25.09", "FIN-MC-313>=25.09"],
  "capstone": "FIN-PC-599",
  "ncu_total": 8.0,
  "rpl_cap": 0.5,
  "languages": ["en","fr","es","ar"],
  "standards": ["Basel","ISSB","SR 11-7","DORA"],
  "competencies": {"ESCO":["13-2099"], "SFIA":["ANL4","AURE5"]}
}

7.2 Minimum Accepted Revisions per Requirement

Programs MUST specify a minimum accepted rev for each required course to ensure currency.

• Format: COURSE-CODE>=YY.MM (patch not required).
• When a course undergoes a MAJOR update (YY bump), the program may raise its minimum. Learners below minimum receive a delta exam invitation for renewal.
• Transcript evaluation engine checks rev at conferral time.

7.3 Capstone Types (Board Defense, Red-Team, Deployment)

Capstones are assessed, artifact-producing units with explicit rubrics:

1. Board Defense (strategy & governance)
   • Deliverables: DSS report, risk/finance map, standards matrix.
   • Assessment: oral defense, stakeholder Q&A, decision log.
2. Red-Team (adversarial validation)
   • Deliverables: threat model, test plan, findings, mitigations.
   • Assessment: live challenge, evidence of fixes, retest results.
3. Deployment (implementation & measurement)
   • Deliverables: running system/playbook (EWS/AAP/DSS), KPI baseline, runbook.
   • Assessment: demo, telemetry review, post-implementation report.

All capstones: provenance via NXS-NSF, artifact license (SPDX), optional DOI for public outputs.

7.4 Pathway Design (e.g., Climate-Finance)

A Pathway is a named cross-stream program (e.g., Climate-Finance = FIN + ENV).

• Composition: 3–6 MCs across streams + a pathway capstone.
• Cross-listing: one canonical owner (e.g., ENV) with mirrored listing in FIN; edits sync within 48h.
• Standards blend: ISSB/Basel + ISO 19115/57 + Sendai; show compliance matrix in the program page.

7.5 RPL within Programs & Advanced Standing

• Up to 50% of a program may be satisfied via RPL (courses only; capstones excluded).
• Accepted anchors (examples): IRM, RIMS-CRMP, FRM/PRM, CRISC/Open FAIR, CERA, PMI-RMP, BCI, IAEM, ISO 31000 Lead RM.
• Recency: normally ≤ 7 years; higher-risk domains may require ≤ 5.
• Advanced standing: granted when RPL covers entire tracks; learners still complete capstone and any delta exams to meet minimum rev.

7.6 Cohort vs Self-Paced Models

• Self-Paced (default): mastery progression; flexible schedule; proctored assessments on demand.
• Cohort: fixed start/finish, mentor sessions, peer review, scheduled defenses.
• Hybrid: self-paced coursework + cohort capstone.
  Policy: Learning outcomes and rubrics are identical across modes; only support structure differs.

7.7 Progress Tracking & Milestone Badges

• Milestones: auto-issued OB3 badges for waypoints (e.g., “3/4 MCs complete”, “Capstone approved”).
• Progress logic: percentage = (NCU completed toward program / NCU required) × 100, bounded by rev currency.
• Dashboards (NXS-DSS): show course statuses (Current / Grace / Renewal Due), standards coverage, and artifact readiness.

7.8 Advising, Mentorship & Fellowship Progression

• Advising: automated planner recommends next courses meeting min rev constraints and RPL options.
• Mentorship: optional expert mentors for cohorts; office hours; artifact feedback.
• Fellowship pathway (FEL): top graduates invited to publish in Nexus Journals, co-teach labs, and steward standards mappings (ORCID/ROR recorded).

7.9 Employer Partnerships & Apprenticeship Links

• Partner models: capstone briefs from employers, joint red-teams, apprenticeships aligned to ESCO roles.
• Verification: partners verify skills via /verify endpoints; may endorse badges (co-badging) with ROR metadata.
• Placement telemetry: anonymized outcomes (hire/role) feed program improvement; privacy preserved.

7.10 Graduation, Conferral & Public Listings

• Eligibility check: all required MCs at or above minimum rev + capstone passed; RPL within cap limits.
• Conferral: issue program certificate (OB3 + VC); transcript updated with program entry.
• Registry: publish to public listings (opt-in) with link to verification and (if public) artifact DOIs.
• Post-conferral: if program minimum rev rises, alumni receive targeted delta exam options to maintain “Current” status.

Acceptance Checklist (Programs)

• Program object lists all required courses with min rev and one capstone.
• RPL cap and recency rules defined; capstone excluded from RPL.
• Capstone rubric, artifact, and provenance requirements published.
• Progress logic implemented; milestone badges configured.
• Cross-listed pathways have a canonical owner and sync policy.
• Employer/partner endorsement (if any) includes ROR and clear scope.
• Conferral flow updates transcript, issues OB3+VC, and registers public listing (opt-in).