Report of the
Curriculum Commission
December 2002
Report of the Curriculum Commission December 2002
Recommendations ...... 1 1. Introduction ...... 5 1.1 The Curriculum Commission ...... 5 1.2 The New Zealand Tertiary System ...... 5 1.3 The New Demographics ...... 7 1.4 International Trends ...... 7 1.5 The Mood for Change ...... 9 2. The University’s Mission ...... 11 2.1 Distinguishing The University of Auckland ...... 11 2.2 Research-based Teaching ...... 11 2.3 Graduate Profile ...... 13 2.4 Equipping our Graduates for Life ...... 16 3. The University’s Academic Programmes ...... 19 3.1 Undergraduate Programmes ...... 19 3.2 Disciplines and their Relationships ...... 19 3.3 Designing Undergraduate Degrees ...... 21 3.4 A General Education Component ...... 21 3.5 120-credits per annum ...... 28 3.6 Conjoint Degrees ...... 29 3.7 Gifted Students ...... 34 3.8 Postgraduate Qualifications ...... 35 4. The Student Body ...... 42 4.1 Entry and Admissions ...... 42 4.2 International Students ...... 45 4.3 Postgraduate Students ...... 46 4.4 Faculties ...... 46 5. Pathways and Partners ...... 49 5.1 Pathways and Partnerships ...... 49 5.2 Work Experience and Community Service ...... 51 6. Appendices ...... 54 6.1 Graduate Profile ...... 54 6.2 Classifying Undergraduate and Postgraduate Qualifications ...... 55 6.3 Additional Analysis ...... 61 6.4 Terms of Reference, Membership and Process ...... 64 6.5 Bibliography ...... 67
Curriculum Commission
Recommendations
Page Recommendation 1 9 The Commission recommends the University’s curriculum serve as a differentiating feature of an institution committed to the quality of its learning experience for students who have the potential to benefit from an education in a research university.
Recommendation 2 9 The Commission recommends the University undertake regular research to ensure it understands and has the capacity to respond to changes in demography and secondary school curriculum and assessment practices.
Recommendation 3 13 The Commission recommends the University encourage a culture of research in the undergraduate community, ensuring no student leaves The University of Auckland without the opportunity to engage in a research experience and to develop research skills, and requiring all undergraduate programmes to encompass significant elements of • Current research and scholarship • Engagement with active researchers • Self-directed learning • Learning through problem-based teaching and assessment • Learning through use of the research resources of the Library and its services • Student engagement with the research of the faculty.
Recommendation 4 16 The Commission recommends the University adopt the amended graduate profiles detailed in this Report.
Recommendation 5 16 The Commission recommends the University promote its graduate profiles to all staff and students by • Inclusion in prospective student information, alongside discussion of their relationship to entry criteria and employment options • Inclusion in all student handbooks, alongside discussion of their relationship to curricula, pedagogy, assessment and student learning • Reference to the profiles in course outlines so that students can see the relationship between their studies and the profile outcomes • Monitoring achievement through Graduating Year Reviews, Programme and Departmental Reviews.
Recommendation 6 17 The Commission recommends the University provide and promote opportunities for students to acquire life skills through both academic programmes and ancillary support.
Recommendation 7 21 The Commission recommends the University’s suite of programmes and courses be subject to on-going review, including examination of emerging trends, sector offerings and the performance of existing programmes.
Recommendation 8 21 The Commission recommends areas of possible duplication, including those identified in the report, be reviewed by Faculties and, if necessary, be remedied by 2005.
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Page Recommendation 9 21 The Commission recommends individual staff members be formally seconded to positions of responsibility for interdisciplinary programmes and be given formal authority to promote and develop them.
Recommendation 10 26 The Commission recommends the University form a working party to implement a General Education requirement of four courses in every undergraduate programme at The University of Auckland by 2005. This working party would • Propose amendments to degree regulations, including conjoint degree regulations, to encompass the General Education requirement • Establish a portfolio of courses, existing and new, that might fulfil the requirements of General Education • Recommend on the terms of reference and membership of a Board of Studies for General Education.
Recommendation 11 29 The Commission recommends the formation of a working party to investigate and oversee the implementation of a 120-credits per annum degree structure by 2005.
Recommendation 12 29 The Commission recommends a standard student workload of 10 hours per week per 15-credit course (including contact time and self-directed study) be adopted across the University. Expectations of student workload should be clearly expressed to all prospective and current students. A working party in each faculty should establish the specifics of this workload for broad groupings of subjects in conjunction with the movement to an EFTS equivalence of 120 credits, and report to Senate through Education Committee.
Recommendation 13 31 The Commission recommends the University complete the suite of conjoint degrees by identifying and offering those combinations not currently available and for which there are both demand and a sound academic basis.
Recommendation 14 31 The Commission recommends the admissions and continuation requirements for all conjoint combinations be set at levels which encourage the enrolment and success of students with the potential to succeed in a conjoint degree.
Recommendation 15 32 The Commission recommends the University review its postgraduate degree regulations to provide greater flexibility for conjoint students to continue with their combined curriculum studies.
Recommendation 16 32 The Commission recommends the University provide a greater level of guidance and information about conjoint degrees to prospective and current students.
Recommendation 17 35 The Commission recommends the University encourage greater use of existing support and incentive mechanisms for gifted students, including greater utilisation of the option for direct entry in to second year courses and the encouragement into honours programmes at an early stage.
Recommendation 18 35 The Commission recommends those suggestions made by the Student Life Commission concerning the implementation of mentoring and cohort experiences be examined for their potential to extend and support gifted students.
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Page Recommendation 19 40 The Commission recommends the adoption of the postgraduate programme structure outlined in this report ensuring, within each discipline, each qualification be categorised as belonging to either a research or coursework stream.
Recommendation 20 40 The Commission recommends the number of postgraduate qualifications offered by the University be reduced by the use of named generic qualifications with specialisations.
Recommendation 21 40 The Commission recommends a working party be established to develop policy and generic regulations governing new postgraduate qualifications. Postgraduate and Scholarships Committee should manage the generic policy and regulations, with all routine approvals being made at faculty level.
Recommendation 22 40 The Commission recommends postgraduate coursework qualifications, which are one year full-time, permit completion within four years.
Recommendation 23 44 The Commission recommends the first year intake of the faculties of Arts and Science and the School of Theology be capped at the average intake for the years 2002-4 so that selection criteria can guide admission from 2005.
Recommendation 24 44 The Commission recommends a working party be established to implement a revised University-wide undergraduate admissions process designed to achieve a diverse and talented student body by 2005. This process would include the use of multi- dimensional admission criteria to admit individual students.
Recommendation 25 46 The Commission recommends the University becomes more active in seeking to create a balanced portfolio of international students.
Recommendation 26 46 The Commission recommends the University reconsider its recognition of credit from international institutions with which the University has an exchange agreement, providing greater certainty and encouragement for students to study abroad during their time at The University of Auckland.
Recommendation 27 46 The Commission recommends all faculties prepare annual development plans for postgraduate programmes, student numbers and quality assurance. Plans should be monitored through Postgraduate Committee.
Recommendation 28 47 The Commission recommends three year rolling plans of faculties reflect discipline and demographic trends and developments, be programme-based and identify targets and strategies for the intake of undergraduate, postgraduate, domestic and international students that are consistent with the growth targets and academic goals set for the University as a whole.
Recommendation 29 51 The Commission recommends the University restrict its pre-degree programmes to a limited suite of programmes designed to bring student up to the standard required for degree study in as short a time as possible and seek to identify, promote and support pathways at partner institutions that have the capacity to prepare students for undergraduate and postgraduate study in a research university.
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Page Recommendation 30 53 The Commission recommends the University develop a formal work experience and community service programme as an option for students, recognising existing arrangements and facilitating opportunities in those areas where such schemes are not currently in operation.
Recommendation 31 53 The Commission recommends a working party be established to develop a multi- dimensional transcript for students encompassing employment and community service undertaken through University schemes in addition to reporting on academic performance.
Recommendation 32 56 The Commission recommends the classification of the University’s suite of undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications as outlined in Figure 5.
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1. Introduction
1.1 The Curriculum Commission
In March 2002 the Vice-Chancellor appointed a Curriculum Commission to consider the University’s academic programmes, its teaching and learning structures and practices in relation to the graduate profile, and the composition of the student body.
The Commission considers that its curriculum should be one of the distinctive and distinguishing features of The University of Auckland. It should reflect the values, knowledge and understanding of the staff, the ability and diversity of its students, and the mission of the University. Our mission is as a research-led, international university, recognised for excellence in teaching, learning, research, creative work, and administration, for the significance of our contribution to the advancement of knowledge and our commitment to serve our local, national and international communities. The curriculum is the means by which we engage our students with our mission and equip them to participate in a knowledge-based society and economy.
Our mission commits us to provide high quality and innovative academic programmes, teaching and learning. In itself, however, it does not mark us off from other institutions with similar aims. To be distinctive, to take a leadership role in higher education and provide a challenging education that attracts the best students nationally from a wide range of backgrounds and prepares them for their roles through the first half of the twenty-first century, we have to engage in continuous self review and improvement. As a research-led University, we have a special role to play in the discovery and transmission of knowledge and a special responsibility to define clearly how we engage with our students and the qualities and characteristics they, as graduates of the University, will possess.
Curriculum review and reform are not new. Individual departments and schools are regularly developing their own curricula in response to new knowledge, to the needs of their students and to new teaching and learning methods. Staff have shown considerable willingness to enhance the curriculum by the introduction of new courses, new qualifications and new emphases within courses. However there has not been a University-wide review of the curriculum, a stocktaking of what we are doing and why, for many years.
The needs of our students must be the most important consideration in any review and revision of the curriculum. New knowledge and new ways of knowing require students to deal with constant change and make complicated decisions. A recent review of curriculum by Duke University (1999) has stated that students:
“will need to be open-minded and see issues from a variety of perspectives, often global and cross-cultural. They will also need skills of integration to deal with the increased fragmentation of knowledge and specialisation, on the one hand, and to be able to synthesize new issues and information, on the other. They will have to be even better at evaluating information and weighing competing claims to make reasoned choices and responsible decisions. Finally, they must learn how to learn, so that they develop fully the capacity for intellectual curiosity, lifelong learning, and community responsibility”.
Aspirational outcomes for students such as these impose a heavy responsibility on the staff and institutions that hold them. They are responsibilities that we embrace.
1.2 The New Zealand Tertiary System
The Government has stated that its policy is to encourage differentiation and specialisation in the tertiary education system, promoting quality education and collaboration among institutions where previous policy placed a premium on participation rates and competition. This policy requires each institution to consider carefully its goals, the place it should occupy
December 2002 5 Curriculum Commission within a connected and linked system of educational providers, and the educational needs of all sectors of New Zealand society.
The University is a large, complex, public, research University. It has a large undergraduate base and a tradition of both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching. It is part of a system of tertiary education that has undergone and is continuing to undergo rapid change. This University saw its student body increase from 18,831 to 28,092 in the years 1991 – 2000. It also witnessed major changes in the student demographic and shifts in student academic choices. While all faculties experienced some level of growth in student numbers, the faculties of Science, and Medical and Health Sciences more than doubled during this period; the Faculty of Business and Economics grew by nearly ninety percent.
This growth in student numbers has had many positive outcomes for the University. It has brought an increasingly diverse and cosmopolitan student body into the institution. Growing student numbers have led to growth in staff numbers, providing opportunities for new, young academics who have added to the breadth and scope of teaching and research. However some submissions to the Commission have argued that growing student numbers have led to a loss of quality in some aspects of the teaching and learning environment. This is explained by pressure on staff and infrastructure, and an increase in the number of students inadequately prepared to handle University studies. These students are often able but lack the communication and language skills or academic grounding that have previously been taken for granted in the University. In other areas, staff and the curricula they offer have been slow to respond to demographic and cultural shifts, creating difficulties for students. While the efficiency and professionalism of teaching delivery have undoubtedly improved, class sizes have increased and specialist tutorial and laboratory teaching have been affected in many faculties. Staff and students alike claim that the classroom environment has suffered because of these changes. Students wish to experience excellent teaching in a supportive environment and to engage with staff and peer groups in learning situations that challenge and extend them. Evidence relating to the experience of first year students suggests that this is particularly important for students in this year (McInnes, 2001).
Within the University, the funding system of the 1990s forced each department and school to compete for students. Co-operation between departments became more difficult; each faculty and, in some cases, departments within faculties attempted to provide service courses for their own students. When a particular field of study became popular with students, a number of departments sought to offer courses within it, claiming in each case that they had a special ‘perspective’ to bring. Majors became more specialised. Majors and specialisations proliferated as departments sought to capture a few more students to increase their numbers and revenue. The under-funding of postgraduate students and the desire to increase their number, led to further increases in undergraduate student numbers to support postgraduate study.
The University has sought to address these trends by developing policies to guide curricula, by requiring faculties to co-operate in academic planning and establishing reference groups to assist faculties where the problems seemed most acute. There have been several indications over recent years of change to more collaborative internal relationships. The University has become more accountable, more transparent both externally and internally.
The New Zealand University system is regulated in a number of ways. Universities must have their qualifications approved by the Committee on University Academic Programmes, an inter- University quality assurance body. The New Zealand Universities Academic Audit Unit carries out regular comprehensive and theme audits. In the post-Tertiary Education Advisory Commission era, Universities will be required to negotiate Charters and Profiles with the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC). The TEC will be seeking clear statements from the University about its qualifications, curriculum and teaching processes and support for learners.
In addition the University will be required by the introduction of the Register of Quality- Assured Qualifications to provide outcome statements for all of its qualifications and to provide information about their structure in a style that is compatible with the Register.
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Although the concepts of differentiation and specialisation may require us to review our curriculum, they are not the driving forces behind this Commission. It is timely that we address our curriculum for all the reasons outlined, but more importantly because of our commitment to enhance the quality of the University and the learning experiences of all our students.
1.3 The New Demographics
During the 1990s there were significant increases in student participation in the tertiary sector. In 1990 20.5% of 18-24 year-olds participated in tertiary education. In 2000 the participation rate of this age group was 32.9%. The proportion of the population over 25 participating in tertiary education almost doubled during the same period. New Zealand’s participation rate at the end of the 1990s was third in the OECD. However it should be noted that Māori and Pacific students remained largely under-represented in University programmes. Although the number of Maori and Pacific students at school grew markedly in the years 1991 – 2000, Māori student numbers at The University of Auckland stayed steady at 6.2%, while Pacific student numbers increased from 5.2% to 6.3% of the student body. Meanwhile, between 1996 and 2000, the number of Asian students at the University increased from 22.9% to 30.3% of the total student body.
More students from all backgrounds are attending University than ever before but there are large gaps in who comes here and which students complete degree programmes. The University is attracting proportionately fewer students from the demographic groups in our society that are growing most rapidly. The Pacific population is expected to more than double from 6% in 1996 to 12% of the total population by 2051, and the Māori population is expected to increase from 15% to 21% over the same period. The University’s ability to recognise and respond to these “new demographics” will be vital if the University wishes to ensure a fair distribution of educational opportunities and a diverse student body and learning environment.
The University has already recognised that the school leaver population is changing. The most striking change is a steep increase in Maori, Pacific and Asian school leavers. Extensive research by the Taskforce on Medicine, Science and Engineering into the subjects taken in the senior secondary school and for the leaving bursary examinations has shown shifts in student experience and choice that impact upon the University. They found that few Māori, Pacific or low decile students take science subjects to an advanced level, or gain A or B bursaries. This presents a major challenge to a research university that wishes its student body to be broadly representative of the wider population.
In addition, fewer students now take five bursary subjects and a number of subjects traditionally taken by A and B bursars have declined in popularity. With major changes about to occur in the school leaving qualifications system, it is likely that we will find students are not as well prepared to enter University as they have been in the past. This will make major demands upon our curriculum and teaching.
In this rapidly changing environment, the University needs to continue the research that will ensure that it understands and can respond to changes in demography and secondary school curriculum and assessment practices.
It is apparent that if the University wishes to attract talented students it must use new means to identify them and provide an experience that they cannot obtain elsewhere. We must leverage off the strengths of our staff and our resources to attract students who have the potential to benefit from an education in a research university and who will share the aspirations and ethos of The University of Auckland.
1.4 International Trends
The 1990s were a decade of introspection for Universities in a number of countries. The United Kingdom had the National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education (the Dearing
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Report); Australia had a Review of Higher Education Financing and Policy (the West Review). In the United States many leading universities undertook explorations of their curricula. In our work we have found curriculum enquiries and redesign at Princeton (1995), Stanford (1996), Duke (1997), the University of California at Berkeley (1998), and Michigan (2000). MacDonald’s 2000 survey of trends in General Education and core curriculum offers a Canadian reflection on the aims and characteristics of curriculum redesign in the US, concluding, “colleges and universities that have made the most ambitious and extensive curriculum changes have registered the greatest gains”.
International reviews of curricula focus on what students need to know, the skills and values they should have. Institutions define the hallmarks of their graduates in graduate profiles. They articulate goals for their students and chart the ways in which they hope to achieve these goals. All research universities believe that they have a responsibility to produce graduates with the skills, knowledge and learning outcomes that promote intellectual independence and provide the nation with informed citizens capable of contributing to economic, social and cultural development.
Much of the thinking of the 1990s has been focused on undergraduate students. This has been particularly true of research universities where there has been a growing awareness of prior neglect of undergraduate education. The US Boyer Commission in 1998 led the way in rethinking undergraduate education in a research environment. The Boyer Commission stated that:
“The research universities possess unparalleled wealth in intellectual power and resources; their challenge is to make their baccalaureate students the sharers of the wealth”.
The Boyer Commission recognised that the great advantage for a student of attending a research university is the opportunity of engaging directly in the process of discovery and the critical evaluation of meaning. Research or enquiry-based learning, learning “based on discovery by mentoring rather than on the transmission of information”, was the standard that the Commission set for the whole of education in the research university.
The Boyer Commission also argued that the research universities needed to cultivate a sense of community within the classroom. This sense of community is enhanced by students listening to and interacting with students and staff from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. The Commission stated “Diversity of backgrounds and approaches enriches the process of discovery, the ways of thinking about problems, the multiple modes of communicating ideas”. Diversity is itself an educational value; it should be recognised and be integrated into curricula and into classroom teaching.
Another challenge that has been faced internationally has been the need to ensure that all undergraduates have the opportunity to become literate and numerate across a broad range of disciplines. As knowledge boundaries have blurred, the need to produce graduates who have both a broad and a deep knowledge has intensified. It is essential for our students’ understanding of the world that they are to inhabit that scientists and engineers have a working familiarity with the humanities and social sciences, that arts and social science graduates have a working familiarity with the ideas and concepts of science and engineering and that both know something of business, economics and the law. In New Zealand, where professional education starts from the first undergraduate year, this need to develop well- rounded graduates is even more essential.
There are also other kinds of literacy that the twenty-first century demands of its educated citizens. Information and information technology literacy are essential tools that all international universities now strive to give to their students. Technology has a tremendous power to enhance teaching and learning and facilitate access to information. It creates a challenge to students and staff alike to use it creatively for these purposes.
Accountability – to public bodies, to funders and to a diversity of communities – has also marked enquiries into University curricula. The intersection between accountability and
December 2002 8 Curriculum Commission curricula often focuses on admission policies, retention, and success and completion rates. Admission policies have been developed to expand participation and achieve student diversity. Universities, used to keeping data on retention, success and completion rates, have become much more aware of the need to respond to what this data tells them. There is little use in knowing that students from a particular demographic group have low completion rates unless steps follow to change these patterns. Accountability has also led everywhere to quality assurance reviews of departments and programmes.
1.5 The Mood for Change
There is a sense within the University of a readiness to refresh its curriculum. Faculties and departments are demonstrating their willingness to work together in curriculum development and course delivery. The definition of a graduate profile has raised the issue of how we ensure that our graduates achieve the characteristics of a University of Auckland graduate. The University has had a stunning increase in research productivity, but it is also committed to excellence in teaching and the provision of a first class learning experience for its students.
The desire amongst staff to continue to enhance the quality of the learning experience was evident through the generally positive response received following the formation of the Commission. Initial submissions from individual staff, from departments and faculties also indicated an institution open to the prospect of change, where change would further the mission and goals of the University. Almost inevitably, the Interim Report of the Commission produced a more muted response to proposals for change. The Commission has had regard to this caution but considers that there is strong support for the recommendations it is making.
Recommendation 1
The Commission recommends the University’s curriculum serve as a differentiating feature of an institution committed to the quality of its learning experience for students who have the potential to benefit from an education in a research university.
Recommendation 2
The Commission recommends the University undertake regular research to ensure it understands and has the capacity to respond to changes in demography and secondary school curriculum and assessment practices.
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Some responses to the Interim Report - Section 2: The University’s Mission
• The [department] is encouraged that the Curriculum Commission is considering curriculum issues in the context of identifying and developing the distinctive features of the University of Auckland.
• What we need is a greater awareness on the part of all staff of appropriate pedagogical methods, and a wider appreciation of the implications of research into education and learning.
• We support the concept ‘research University’ to characterise the University of Auckland and agree that a curriculum informed by research and research-led teaching is as essential to the undergraduate experience as the postgraduate experience.
• We support the encouragement of undergraduate research and hope that this encourages a move away from over-reliance on essays as a means of assessment.
• We endorse the notion that undergraduate programmes should include a greater amount of interactive activity, including a comprehensive, professionally supported field programme. However it needs to be remembered that this has considerable resource implications. The Faculty is in favour of a mixture of case- based and problem-based learning at senior undergraduate levels.
• The following are important - Experienced researchers who have the ability to captivate students in front of classes; Enquiry-based learning. It is apparent that if we are not asking questions students are not thinking, and the more opportunities we provide for them to think the better, but this should be distinguished from problem-based learning. We will not get sound research at Stage 3 and above without a strong inculcation of skills and concepts at Stage 1 and 2.
• Teaching must be research-based at all levels. Otherwise it will not add up to a truly differentiated curriculum. A research culture should be integral to undergraduate teaching, and actively affirmed through all components of staffing policy and practice.
• We would expect that the profile would become the ‘blueprint’ or framework for an overall programme curriculum. One of the important aspects of an overall curriculum is coherence and integration of the component parts and the graduate capabilities would provide a way in which curriculum coherence could be demonstrated.
• The Faculty endorses the modified graduate profile as an ideal to which we should aspire. However we note that not all the attributes listed are quantifiable.
• There is so much attention to “general intellectual skills and capacities” and so little attention to how this would be evaluated from the current offerings.
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2. The University’s Mission
2.1 Distinguishing The University of Auckland
It is worth restating here the mission of the University as it has been agreed by the communities of the University and approved by the University Council.
The mission of The University of Auckland is as a research-led, international university, recognised for excellence in teaching, learning, research, creative work, and administration, for the significance of our contribution to the advancement of knowledge and our commitment to serve our local, national and international communities.
The University’s Strategic Plan states that a number of factors distinguish and differentiate it from other tertiary institutions. Among these are:
• The breadth and quality of our academic offerings. • The extent, excellence and impact of our research. • Our commitment to research-based teaching. • The quality of our Library and other resources. • Leadership in the development of a knowledge society and economy. • The quality of our student intake and student experience. • Our aspirations to provide opportunities for students from under-represented groups with the potential to succeed at a high level of academic challenge. • The manner in which we fulfil our statutory role as the critic and conscience of society. • Our emphasis on relationships with high-quality international tertiary institutions. • The extent of our relationships with business in research, education and the creation of new businesses.
The challenge for the Curriculum Commission has been not only to address its terms of reference but also to identify and define ways in which the curriculum can meet the aspirations of the University and add to its distinctiveness and identity as a New Zealand university operating in a global environment.
2.2 Research-based Teaching
Universities in New Zealand have a legislative responsibility to engage in research-based teaching. The University of Auckland’s Strategic Plan states that the University should “retain a core commitment to research-based teaching and enhancing scholarship through clearly linking research, professional practice, creative work and teaching”.
The 2001 Academic Plan states “…research skills and experience of staff are integral to the design and delivery of every course…no student should leave the University of Auckland without the opportunity to engage in a research experience and to develop research skills”.
The Academic Plan goes on to make a number of recommendations in specifying how the linkage between teaching and research should translate into policy. These recommendations can be paraphrased as follows:
• Ensure that the curriculum includes core knowledge and new research • Provide students with the opportunity to engage with the best researchers at all levels • Provide students with the opportunity to learn by being involved with research projects • Highlight the research resources available within the University Library and through its services
The rationale behind these recommendations is the belief that a research culture makes the University a more vibrant place to work and study. A research culture “provides the intellectual energy of a university”. The Curriculum Commission also believes that a focus on research serves to establish an image for The University of Auckland that will both enhance
December 2002 11 Curriculum Commission its reputation and distinguish it from other institutions. Evidence for this view is contained in a 2000 survey of seventh formers and employers, which found that both groups perceived The University of Auckland to be “cutting edge”, “serious”, and “traditional”.
It is not clear that all stakeholders share the Commission’s enthusiasm for research. In the first round of submissions to the Commission, few employers mentioned research as essential to teaching and learning. Employers’ responses focused on the acquisition by students of verbal communication skills, debating/oral presentation skills, the ability to relate theory to current practice, and relevance to the needs of the marketplace. Many employers want the University staff to be leaders in research, but do not necessarily expect students to engage with research. However, other employers expressed an expectation that graduates be conversant with the latest advances in their discipline.
The student body seemed at first to be relatively indifferent to research. The Curriculum Commission’s Student Reference Group identified three key desired attributes of a graduate:
• The ability to think • Lifelong love of learning • Skill in written and spoken communication
They considered that these were attributes most wanted by employers and could not see them as bearing much relation to the research activities of the University. However, in later discussions students expressed a greater interest in the research activity of the University. They wished to know more about it, to engage with research at an earlier stage in their academic careers and to feel that they were a part of the University’s research activity.
Students come to The University of Auckland expecting to receive a rigorous education. Anecdotally, some are disappointed with a first year in which they sit in large lecture rooms taking notes from a prepared lecture, to be learnt and repeated in an examination. This impression is also supported by the aforementioned survey, which found that student perception of the University changed after their first year.
The Curriculum Commission considers that the ability to think, a key attribute in the graduate profile identified by both employers and students, is a result of a curriculum and learning environment that inculcates intellectual curiosity, an informed critical approach, independent thinking, and an engaged student body. To achieve this the Commission recommends that the University works to:
• Ensure that the curriculum includes core knowledge and new research There is a core of knowledge that each discipline or field of knowledge considers the vital underpinning to teaching and learning. The University must recognise this and ensure that students acquire this core knowledge. However Universities also have a responsibility to teach a curriculum that presents students with current thinking and advances in knowledge. Peer review ensures that researchers are up to date in their field, and so their input to a curriculum is essential. The Commission considers that academic staff working in all disciplines and fields of knowledge should ensure that curricula are based on current research and scholarship.
• Provide students with the opportunity to engage with the best researchers at all levels The Commission believes that engagement with researchers at all levels is very beneficial for students and enquiry-based learning. The form and extent of this engagement may differ according to the discipline and attributes of the staff involved, and the time available to staff with different levels of research commitment.
• Provide students with the opportunity to learn by being involved with research projects True problem-based teaching is expensive to implement throughout the curriculum. However the Commission sees considerable benefits in encouraging this at later stages in the degree programme. Capstone experiences, in which students can engage closely with staff (for
December 2002 12 Curriculum Commission instance, assisting in research projects) or industry (as in an internship or a case study) provide key opportunities for learning how to think.
• Highlight the research resources available within the University Library and through its services The University has one of the best and largest library collections in New Zealand, with both special research collections, and an excellent and wide-ranging set of databases. These give the University a unique opportunity to provide research-based teaching and learning.
The Commission believes that throughout all stages of the degree the curriculum should be strongly influenced by research and scholarship, so that graduating students are conversant with current research and with research techniques appropriate to their discipline. Emphasis on research will differ according to the level of the student.
The Commission believes that the University should avoid centrally-imposed rules governing the delivery of research-based teaching. Different programmes require different emphases on the role of research or professional practice in teaching and learning. The degree of research incorporated into programmes should be determined by the faculties and departments teaching those programmes. However the Commission believes that a research culture in the undergraduate community should be encouraged. In particular students should be challenged to become independent and enquiring learners. Departments should be encouraged to inform first–year students of ongoing research or professional involvement. Capstone experiences should be encouraged.
Finally, the Commission believes that offering the most academically-able students opportunities for more direct and more challenging research involvement will provide a way of acknowledging the importance of this group to the institution and of enhancing their undergraduate experience.
Recommendation 3
• The Commission recommends the University encourage a culture of research in the undergraduate community, ensuring no student leaves The University of Auckland without the opportunity to engage in a research experience and to develop research skills, and requiring all undergraduate programmes to encompass significant elements of
• Current research and scholarship • Engagement with active researchers • Self-directed learning • Learning through problem-based teaching and assessment • Learning through use of the research resources of the Library and its services
2.3 Graduate Profile
The University has published a graduate profile which both expresses an aspiration for our graduate attributes and a set of goals for graduates which we consider to be attainable within a University such as ours. In part the establishment of the Commission was prompted by a desire to ensure that our curriculum is designed to achieve the graduate profile.
The Curriculum Commission believes that the current statement of the graduate profile, Appendix 6.1, “Generic attributes of graduates of The University of Auckland”, expresses in large part our aspirations for our graduates. It does however wish to recommend some modifications to the expression of some categories and some additional items (additions indicated below in italics).
The role of a graduate profile is to make clear to students and staff of the university, to potential students, to potential employers of our graduates, to the community and to other
December 2002 13 Curriculum Commission academic institutions, the qualities that the university wishes to impart to, or foster in, its graduates. Currently required by CUAP for new programmes, the National Register of Quality Assured Qualifications will require clear and public statements of learning outcomes for all qualifications by 2006.
Responsibility for enabling its graduates to meet this profile does not rest solely with the University and its staff. While the University needs to consider carefully how the educational opportunities it offers can assist in developing these characteristics, students also need to take responsibility for their own self-development and for availing themselves of the opportunities, curricular and extra-curricular, formal and informal, which the University offers.
General attributes of graduates of The University of Auckland
A student who has completed an undergraduate degree at The University of Auckland will have acquired an education at an advanced level, including both specialist knowledge and general intellectual and life skills that equip them for employment and citizenship and that lay the foundations for a lifetime of continuous learning and personal development.
In specific terms, The University of Auckland expects its graduates to have
I Specialist Knowledge
1. mastery of a body of knowledge, including an understanding of broad conceptual and theoretical elements, in the major fields of study 2. understanding and appreciation of current issues and debates in the major fields of knowledge studied 3. understanding and appreciation of philosophical bases, methodologies and characteristics of scholarship and research
II General intellectual skills and capacities
1. a capacity for critical, conceptual and reflective thinking 2. intellectual openness and curiosity 3. a capacity for creativity and originality 4. intellectual integrity, respect for truth and for the ethics of research and scholarly activity 5. an ability to recognise when information is needed and a capacity to locate, evaluate and use this information effectively 6. an awareness of international and global dimensions of intellectual, political and economic activities, and distinctive qualities of Aotearoa/New Zealand. 7. an ability to access, identify, organise and communicate knowledge effectively in both written and spoken English and/or Maori 8. an ability to undertake numerical calculations and understand quantitative information 9. an ability to make appropriate use of advanced information and communication technologies
III Personal qualities
1. a love and enjoyment of ideas, discovery and learning 2. ability to work independently and in collaboration with others 3. self-discipline and ability to plan and achieve personal and professional goals 4. an ability to be leaders in their communities, and a willingness to engage in constructive public discourse and to accept social and civic responsibilities 5. tolerance and respect for the values of other individuals and groups, and awareness of human and cultural diversity 6. personal and professional integrity and awareness of the requirements of ethical behaviour
December 2002 14 Curriculum Commission
A postgraduate profile
When developing a Graduate Profile in 2001 the University did not specifically consider the attributes of its postgraduate students. The Commission considers that it is important for students and employers to develop also a set of generic goals and objectives for graduates of its postgraduate programmes.
The Commission believes that a student graduating from a postgraduate programme offered by The University of Auckland should have achieved those generic qualities and skills expressed in the Graduate Profile above. In accordance with its thinking on identifiable postgraduate streams, the Commission is also of the view that the following supplementary profiles describe the outcomes and additional value of postgraduate study.
Postgraduate Coursework Graduate
A postgraduate coursework qualification will provide students with the ability to explore new and emerging fields of study, to acquire further specialist knowledge and theory, and/or advanced knowledge of professional practice.
Additional general intellectual skills and capacities:
• an advanced capacity for critical evaluation of relevant scholarly literature • an advanced ability to identify, define, analyse and solve problems in a flexible manner • an awareness of design, conduct and reporting of original research
Research Masters Graduate
A research masters graduate will demonstrate mastery of specialist knowledge and theory, a capacity for the definition and management of a research project, and for original research and practice.
Additional specialist knowledge:
• a capacity for the transmission of information and understanding to others new to scholarship in the specialist area
Additional general intellectual skills and capacities:
• a demonstrated capacity to initiate, design, conduct and report independent and original research from a defined project • a willingness to seek continuous improvement in research skills and quality of research • an advanced capacity for critical evaluation of relevant scholarly literature • an advanced ability to identify, define, analyse and solve problems in a flexible manner
Doctoral Graduate
A doctoral graduate will demonstrate advanced skills in the definition, management and communication of original research in a specialist area and a high level of potential for independence, creativity, innovation and leadership throughout their career.
Additional specialist knowledge:
• a capacity for the transmission of information and understanding to others new to scholarship in the specialist area • an understanding of the relevance and value of their original contribution to national and international communities’ knowledge of fact, theory and/or mastery of practice
December 2002 15 Curriculum Commission
Additional general intellectual skills and capacities:
• an advanced ability to initiate, design, sustain and report independent and original research • a willingness to seek continuous improvement in research skills and quality of research • an advanced ability for critical evaluation and contextualisation of relevant, multidisciplinary scholarly literature and perspectives • an ability to identify, define, analyse and solve problems in a flexible manner • an awareness of the implications and potential of their research in terms of intellectual property and commercialisation
Recommendation 4
The Commission recommends the University adopt the amended graduate profiles
detailed in this Report.
Recommendation 5
The Commission recommends the University promote its graduate profiles to all staff and students by • Inclusion in prospective student information, alongside discussion of their relationship to entry criteria and employment options • Inclusion in all student handbooks, alongside discussion of their relationship to curricula, pedagogy, assessment and student learning • Reference to the profiles in course outlines so that students can see the relationship between their studies and the profile outcomes • Monitoring achievement through Graduating Year Reviews, Programme and Departmental Reviews.
2.4 Equipping our Graduates for Life
Lifelong learning has almost become a hackneyed phrase. Universities have always considered that they were equipping their graduates for lifelong learning. They focused in their degree programmes on the development of intellectual autonomy, through critical enquiry and problem-solving; they wished to develop understanding and the ability to apply knowledge and analytical skills in a variety of situations. This was considered to be the basis of intellectual development that would continue through life in whatever roles a graduate entered.
However it is apparent from submissions to the Commission that neither students nor employees necessarily see graduates as equipped either for lifelong learning or for ‘life’. This must be of concern to both the Student Life and the Curriculum Commission.
The life skills that students most want to acquire through the University are those that will assist them in work and community service once they leave University. They include the development of good interpersonal relationships, speaking in public, financial literacy, CV preparation, interview and presentation skills, information literacy and IT skills, working in teams, the capacity to deal with people from a wide range of backgrounds, and an understanding of professional ethics. In many cases these life skills need to be provided in ancillary programmes, such as through the Careers and Employment Service. However the curriculum can also be a vehicle for the development of such skills. The integration of skills with content should not only be seen as the integration of learning skills, but also the integration of life skills that students want and need. The University and its staff need to be conscious of the way the curriculum can be used to develop such skills and need to demonstrate to students that a discipline is more than the sum of its knowledge. It is a way of approaching life.
December 2002 16 Curriculum Commission
Recommendation 6
The Commission recommends the University provide and promote opportunities for students to acquire life skills through both academic programmes and ancillary support.
December 2002 17 Curriculum Commission
Some responses to the Interim Report - Section 3: Academic Programmes
• Movement away from the proliferation of specifically titled qualifications of questionable longevity toward fewer enduring generic degrees with specialisation within them is commended.
• It is important to respect and promote the integrity of the core qualifications (BA, BSc, BCom) as timeless, robust and internationally recognized, and not proliferate named programmes.
• From this department’s point of view our courses do not ‘overlap’; but they are interconnected in positive ways that enhance learning. Perhaps the Commission should more clearly distinguish between benign inter-connection and malign ‘overlap’.
• The Faculty agrees that there should be a reexamination of the teaching of similar subjects across both Departments and Faculties and that duplication should be removed. The operation of inter-Faculty Boards of Studies should be further developed to ensure the success of interdisciplinary programmes.
• Of course anyone claiming to be well-educated should be able to communicate effectively, possess good interpersonal skills, have an awareness of the role of science and the humanities in society at large, be numerate and computer- literate, etc. But is it the role of a research-led University to provide those characteristics?
• I think though, there is an opportunity for AU to do this really well, provided the courses chosen for inclusion are: - truly interdisciplinary and that this is role- modeled by the teaching staff; - is delivered by staff from at least 2 different departments, who bring a different and not similar critical perspective, and who can model different sides to an argument; - do not include didactic teaching of any substance; - do have excellent teachers.
• It should also be noted that attention must be paid to ensuring that students exit with adequate reading as well as writing skills. In this respect, it might be preferable to talk of courses in ‘Literacy’ rather than ‘Writing’.
• I think there would be some virtue in selecting a range of excellent courses that are designed to address the need for general education and enquiry-based learning (and which are monitored to ensure that this remains the case) but that are based in a relatively focused field in one discipline, or no more that a very small and closely related group of disciplines.
• The [department] supports the notion of a general education component but recommends that existing courses should be used. The department feels strongly that the introductory courses put on by each department already present material at a suitable level for the general education component.
• In summary, we support the concept of general education and of breadth in curriculum but the constraints of professional accreditation would make this extremely difficult and jeopardise programmes if this were mandatory through an inflexible approach. Additionally, an arbitrary four courses could jeopardise the coherence of curricula and programmes.
• There is strong support for any attempt to improve the standard of literacy amongst our undergraduate science students but the preference would be to achieve this through entry requirements rather than addressing problems once the students have commenced their studies. Staff are not averse to a general education component but feel that the present suggestions are too generic.
December 2002 18 Curriculum Commission
3. The University’s Academic Programmes
3.1 Undergraduate Programmes
A study of the important factors in shaping a university’s impact on its undergraduate students has concluded that the most important factors are the ‘within-college experiences’. “The quality of teaching, the extent and nature of interaction with faculty and peers, the effectiveness of student affairs programming, the focus and intensity of academic experiences, and the overall level of student engagement… are much more important in defining excellence in undergraduate education than the reputation, selectivity, or resources of the institution attended” (Pascarella, 2001).
The University offers a comprehensive portfolio of undergraduate programmes from foundation certificates, through broadly based Arts and Science degrees to professional degrees and degrees in creative and performing arts. The Curriculum Commission considers that the University’s suite of undergraduate programmes is well benchmarked in scope and nature to civic universities internationally. It does not intend to recommend that the University narrow the range of its qualifications, although it does believe that some subjects can be brought together more creatively to enhance the curriculum offerings and the choice for students.
The Commission considers that faculties and departments must always be thinking about the broad content of their degrees and considering whether or not they have the right mix of subjects and courses. It is perhaps here worth recalling that the University’s Academic Plan states that University programmes should be
• based on the knowledge that they will be in demand by excellent students, • associated with strong scholars who bring their scholarship to bear on their teaching, • at the leading edge in their areas of study, • able to demonstrate innovation in curriculum, teaching and learning methods, • clear about the learning goals and expectations for students, • adequately and efficiently resourced, • capable of being among the top programmes of their type in New Zealand and of being internationally recognised for their quality.
The University has also agreed to
• rationalise the multiplicity of degree and diploma offerings, • minimise duplication and overlap, • improve the efficiency of delivery, • improve the quality of teaching and learning, • better match course offerings with available teaching spaces and resources.
The Curriculum Commission was unable to consider every programme and course in the University to ensure that these goals are being met. It does however consider that faculties and the University should be doing this on a regular basis. If we are to meet our mission we must find ways of ensuring that the curriculum is responding to advances in knowledge, to boundary shifts in disciplines, and to new interpretations and understandings.
3.2 Disciplines and their Relationships
The University has built its curriculum on a range of programmes based on disciplines and, more recently, on interdisciplinary and cross disciplinary study. There are many areas of research and scholarship which overlap traditional boundaries between disciplines, and between departments or faculties. While the University recognises the value of diverse approaches to the same subject, a proliferation of courses in closely related or overlapping areas taught by different departments, each imparting their own particular slant on the subject area, is clearly not a desirable situation. Although not explicitly included in the terms of
December 2002 19 Curriculum Commission reference of the Commission, a broad analysis of current course offerings and potential areas of overlap was undertaken to assess the extent of course duplication in the University. There are areas of duplication between and within faculties. Faculties and departments, working co- operatively, should examine these closely. This recommendation is not aimed simply at identifying and eliminating duplication. The curriculum can only benefit where students and staff are exposed to experts from different disciplines who work in their field of knowledge and interest. The Commission considers that where a common body of material exists, there are academic benefits to be gained from joint teaching and learning which makes both staff and students aware of the diversity of approaches and perspectives that can be brought to bear on the material.
Among areas of possible overlap the Commission identified are: Environmental Science, Geography, Planning and Law; Architecture and Planning; Architecture and Art History; Classics, Ancient History and Philosophy; History, Sociology and Politics; Women’s Studies, Anthropology and Sociology; English, Theatre and Drama; Law, Philosophy and Sociology; Law and Commercial Law; Chemistry, Physics, Geology, Chemical and Materials Engineering, and Civil and Environmental Engineering; Biological Sciences, Anatomy, Human Biology, Molecular Medicine, and Nutrition; Psychology, Behavioural Science, Psychiatry, and Health Psychology; Chemistry and Pharmacy; Sports Science, Physiology and General Practice; General Practice, Psychiatry and Medicine.
A related issue is the emergence of new fields of scholarship and enquiry, which are often interdisciplinary or crossdisciplinary in nature. As the new field develops and matures, synergy in both research and teaching may be facilitated by the creation of new programmes and new academic units. In the research sense this can be accomplished by the formation of research clusters, centres and institutes, which sometimes but not always foster new developments in curriculum. The literature on such developments emphasises how essential it is that they are adequately staffed and resourced or they will always struggle to compete with established disciplines. Individual staff members must be seconded to positions of responsibility for such programmes and be given the authority to promote and develop them.
The task of examining the broad issues of curriculum must encompass not only knowledge within individual disciplines (departments), groupings of disciplines (faculties) and interdisciplinary fields, but also emerging fields of research, scholarship and enquiry that may not yet be represented in the curriculum.
Continual re-evaluation of the curriculum may lead to incorporation of new areas into the curriculum, but may also lead to decisions to delete existing areas where the field of enquiry has stagnated or no longer resonates with the University’s mission.
The broader question surrounding these issues is whether the University has the capacity to be sufficiently self-reflective to address these questions in their widest sense. The University is comprehensive in its range of disciplines, but must continue to be forward-thinking and forward-looking. How does the University remain cutting-edge across the wide spectrum of knowledge? Can we or should we expect to include all frontier areas of knowledge in the curriculum? Are there areas of enquiry not represented in the curriculum because we are simply unaware that they exist?
Some mechanisms for examination of these questions are in place, mostly at the level of discipline, department or profession. For example, the regular departmental review process requires examination of the curriculum. Curricula within the professional disciplines are subject to scrutiny by external moderation and accreditation procedures. A research-led University where a high proportion of the teaching staff are active in research also provides for the incorporation of new knowledge into the curriculum.
The University can evaluate its curriculum against benchmark institutions, but it should not depend on following overseas trends in all areas of scholarship and enquiry. As an international, research-led institution there will be some areas of research and teaching where the University can expect to be a leader rather than a follower. This might be expected for research, scholarship and teaching relating directly to New Zealand, and also for other
December 2002 20 Curriculum Commission selected areas where the impact of research and scholarship at the University is such that others in the world will look to follow our example.
Recommendation 7
The Commission recommends the University’s suite of programmes and courses
be subject to on-going review, including examination of emerging trends, sector
offerings and the performance of existing programmes.
Recommendation 8
The Commission recommends areas of possible duplication, including those
identified on page 20, be reviewed by Faculties and, if necessary, be remedied by
2005.
Recommendation 9
The Commission recommends individual staff members be formally seconded to
positions of responsibility for interdisciplinary programmes and be given formal
authority to promote and develop them.
3.3 Designing Undergraduate Degrees
In designing undergraduate degrees, there are four essential elements on which most academic staff agree. An undergraduate degree should have:
• Breadth • Depth • Structure • Coherence
Breadth is achieved by providing students with choice to take a range of subjects; depth is achieved through a major; structure is achieved through principles of progression and coherence comes from the relationships among the subjects and disciplines studied. In general degrees, these essentials are achieved for individual students through degree structures which still allow for considerable student choice. In professional degrees, breadth, depth, structure and coherence are ensured through more directed curricula. The Commission considers that these four elements should be contained in all undergraduate degrees.
Submissions to the Commission argued, and the Commission concurs, that undergraduate degrees at the University have become too specialised. Faculties need to consider carefully if their degree regulations and the courses they offer incorporate the above elements. The Commission, however, wishes to go further and recommend on ways in which the undergraduate degrees of all students might be broadened. This is addressed in the next section on a General Education component.
3.4 A General Education Component
Identifying a Need for General Education
The Commission came strongly to the view, when it considered data indicating a substantial proliferation of degrees, qualifications and specialisms in the University over the past decade, that many of our undergraduate students are receiving too narrow an education, and that the principles underlying the University’s commitment in the past to a broadly based education (on which and alongside which specialist and professional knowledge and skills are built)
December 2002 21 Curriculum Commission have become eroded. In no other aspect of the University’s curriculum is the gap likely to be so apparent between the professed aims of its Graduate Profile and the actual outcomes for many students.
The generic attributes described in the Graduate Profile are not – at least in a University whose mission is to be a research-led institution – simply ‘skills’, narrowly, vocationally, and technocratically conceived for the immediate needs of the marketplace, but have to do with the value of enquiry-based learning, awareness of the contestable nature of the assumptions and methods on which particular claims to knowledge are based, and the ability to bring critical intelligence to bear on live issues in contemporary society and culture.
There are likely to be many reasons for such a narrowing of students’ learning experiences at university, among them an increasingly vocational view of university education, increasing specialisation in the secondary school curriculum, and an EFTS-focused university funding regime that has tended to turn faculties and departments into silos driven by the need to compete in order to protect and expand enrolments. A further aspect of specialisation in a research-led university is the tendency for research itself to become an activity separate from teaching, especially at the undergraduate level.
Trends in General Education
The phenomenon described above is not unique to this University nor to New Zealand. In the wake of the 1998 Report of the Boyer Commission on Educating Undergraduates in the Research University the redesign of core curricula has been a major thrust in almost all American research universities. There has been some consideration of this in Australia, the United Kingdom and Canada where some of the same concerns have been expressed. The Curriculum Commission has looked in detail at a large number of the undergraduate core curricula introduced in recent years.
Although there is some variation of detail, core curricula contain a number of common features:
• The core curriculum constitutes, on average, approximately 25% of a four-year first degree. • The core curriculum is not conceived as a ‘first year’ of study, but can be done at any point during the degree, ideally during the first three years. • The core curriculum requires students to undertake courses in a range of defined areas, but offers clusters of options within these areas. • Courses in the core curriculum are distinctive courses, distinguished by such features as their interdisciplinary content within a particular field, and by their mobilisation of high calibre teachers and researchers. • The core curriculum is designed to meet only some of the generic attributes expected of all graduates; it supplements, extends, and reinforces the general attributes and skills gained within specialised fields. • Above all, in the Boyer model of undergraduate education in research-intensive universities, the guiding pedagogical principle of a core curriculum is enquiry-based teaching and learning, not the digestion and regurgitation of a quantum of information.
The Aims of General Education
When considering the introduction of a core curriculum or a component of General Education, this Commission had a number of aims in mind:
• To produce more rounded graduates, who find their undergraduate studies intellectually exciting and broadening, are challenged to engage with intellectual fields outside their specialized area of study, and experience significantly more of the cross- disciplinary richness and diversity at The University of Auckland; • To differentiate undergraduate study at The University of Auckland from that in other New Zealand tertiary institutions, giving it a special identity deriving from the
December 2002 22 Curriculum Commission
University’s research-intensive culture and from its address to the broader local and global knowledge ‘literacies’ which New Zealand’s knowledge economy urgently needs; • To break down disciplinary and faculty silos and provide influential models of interdisciplinary teaching and learning, which in turn strengthen the quality of students’ engagement with specialist, discipline-based studies; • To expose undergraduate students to a richer and more diverse range of excellent teachers and researchers, than current degree structures allow.
The Commission also took some direction from a mixture of graduate attributes and skills identified as important by students in the Commission’s Student Reference Group. Aware that a number of the skills they identified could be integrated into the content of existing courses, the Group nonetheless highlighted several core areas as important for increasing breadth within an undergraduate degree. In particular, exposure to different disciplines, and to topical issues from a New Zealand perspective, were seen as candidates for additions to the undergraduate curriculum. Additionally, the Group (from a variety of faculties and departments) was firm in its belief that communication skills (including essay or report writing and presentation skills) are not adequately addressed in current course content. Through submissions to the Commission, employer feedback also suggested that any change to the undergraduate curriculum of the University should be focused upon improving communication skills, on thinking and questioning, and on providing a frame of reference for students as they pursue their chosen field of study.
Identifying Options for General Education
The Commission considered a number of options that might meet the need for a better balance between broadly based education and specialised and professional study in the programmes of undergraduate students:
(a) That all students undertake a general degree before embarking on professional qualifications.
However desirable such an option might be, the Commission considered that such a unilateral move in New Zealand would have a major impact on enrolments and, for this reason, is not feasible. It notes that undergraduate students are able to enter professional qualifications at most of the University’s benchmark institutions.
(b) That a generalist ‘intermediate’ year be a requirement for entry into professional qualifications.
(1) While noting that some professional degrees had moved to incorporate broadly based courses, and/or offered as an option for students the inclusion of courses from other faculties, option (b) would most likely add one year to the length of time students took to complete a professional qualification. It was felt that the impact of such a move on enrolments, as in (a) above, would be significant. (2) Furthermore, such an option would not address the issue of narrowness in Arts and Science degrees, where increasing specialisation has made it possible for very substantial portions of degrees to be done in relatively narrow disciplinary fields. Nor would it address the issue of the separation of research from teaching (especially at the undergraduate level), which is as much a concern in these as in other faculties.
(c) That students be required to undertake a minor (consisting of six courses) in a subject offered in a faculty different from that in which their major is taken.
The Commission considers that alone this option does not offer the same breadth of General Education as (d); that in some instances where the minor subject is cognate with the major, there may be no significant General Education component in this option; and that since courses would be chosen from existing courses within disciplines, the opportunity to encourage interdisciplinary study would be reduced.
December 2002 23 Curriculum Commission
(d) That four courses of General Education be included in every undergraduate degree, to be taken during the first two years of the degree.
This is the Commission’s preferred option. Considering that a move to a full year of generalist education would not be sustainable, it was the view of the Commission that a smaller component of General Education be introduced. The decision to recommend the introduction of four courses is based on several factors. First, an expectation that any more than one semester would add to the length of the undergraduate degree and, as per option (b) this would be likely to have a significant impact upon enrolments. Secondly, a desire to allow students to commence the requirements for their major or majors from an early stage in their undergraduate studies. And, finally, the four-course option is consistent with a recommendation to move to a 24-course degree (see Section 3.5). The General Education component would fill the additional three courses provided by a move from 21 to 24 courses, along with one other.
The Commission also notes that The University of New South Wales, a fellow U21 institution, requires all undergraduate students to take 12 credits of General Education (generally, four courses of three credits each).
The Content of a General Education Component
Many of the submissions received by the Commission in response to its Interim Report focussed on the proposals for General Education. Some individual and group responses were very supportive of the proposal whereas others saw difficulties in making it work, felt that their degrees already contained adequate opportunities for students to study across a broad range of subjects or were concerned about the impact on the ability to deliver the requirements of accreditation bodies.
The Commission considers that our students are faced with a rapidly changing knowledge environment which requires them to have a breadth of learning experiences that will help them understand the world in which they will live. It considers that there should be a portfolio of courses created from across all faculties of the University, some of which may be existing courses, that meet the purposes of General Education. All undergraduate students should be required to take four of these courses, including three from outside their home faculty and outside their major disciplinary area. These courses should be challenging and innovative, reflecting the research-based teaching of the University at its best. They should be chosen specially for their ability to provide students with the intellectual skills and capacities that are identified in the graduate profile. The University should strongly encourage teachers from across departments and faculties to design interdisciplinary courses that might be included in the portfolio of courses for General Education.
Careful thought will need to be devoted to the content, pedagogy, and implementation of General Education. Given its scope – four courses, equivalent to a half year of full time study – it cannot offer the range possible in the American four-year first-degree system. The Commission envisions that a number of areas might be identified, each of which will contain a list of courses designated to fulfil the General Education requirement. Those areas would not be restricted to Arts and Science but would seek suitable offerings from all faculties.
In its Interim Report the Commission suggested that there be five broadly defined areas and that there might be an overarching theme to these areas which would ensure the relevance of the courses to New Zealand. Not surprisingly the areas and the theme attracted considerable attention and some criticism. In particular the components designated as ‘Writing’ and ‘Mathematics and other Quantitative Studies’ were construed as in some way being ‘remedial’. This is not at all what the Commission had in mind. As with the other courses that might be included in General Education, these courses would be designed to challenge students and to meet the aspirations of the graduate profile. The overarching thematic goal was intended to accommodate a range of possible courses – some more locally focused, others more globally focused – through which the characteristic forms of enquiry and approaches to knowledge in the different areas are addressed. It was also designed to ensure
December 2002 24 Curriculum Commission that the changing ethnic and cultural diversity of the student population provide a key focus of both the content and the pedagogy of the programme, and to contain a mix of courses from which all students are able to select a group which they find attractive, challenging, and relevant to their interests. Instead of identifying an overarching theme, the Commission would now suggest that the designation of courses in the General Education portfolio be made with these aims in mind.
General Education requires innovative teaching methods, focused especially on the need to inculcate enquiry-based learning and providing a high standard of teaching and learning. It is not envisaged that the teaching would be done wholly in large lecture-type formats. The Boyer Report offers extremely relevant suggestions about the nature of the pedagogy appropriate to undergraduate studies in a university, such as The University of Auckland, which seeks to define itself by its research-intensiveness. There is an exciting possibility that models developed for the teaching of General Education might have a positive influence throughout the whole institution. Such courses should become exemplars of excellence in teaching and learning.
The place of communication in General Education
The communication skills and literacy of students have perhaps attracted more debate than any other academic issue in the University over the last few years. A changing student demographic, in which many students have English as a second or third language, has created new and urgent issues for teaching and learning. However there has probably never been a time when teachers have not bemoaned falling standards in these skills. This is certainly not a new issue within the academy.
The graduate profile identifies, as a characteristic of The University of Auckland graduate, the ability to access, identify, organise and communicate knowledge effectively in both written and spoken English and/or Maori, the two official languages of New Zealand. Both students and employers have placed a huge importance on this ability.
The University has two issues to deal with. The first issue is to improve and enrich the communication ability of all students and to inculcate an interest in language and other means of communication. Such improvement needs to be a matter of ongoing address within all disciplines and throughout students' academic careers, and would be a primary aim of the General Education courses in communication. There might be some courses already in existence which fulfill such an aim. However, the rationale of the General Education programme requires courses which do more than simply teach skills. The Commission would hope that new interdisciplinary courses would be offered that would provide students with the opportunity to explore and reflect on the nature of language and communication and their use.
The second is to provide for those students who are talented and potentially able to succeed academically but whose language skills need to be enhanced for them to participate fully in the University. The needs of some of these students are currently being diagnosed through the Diagnostic English Language Needs Assessment (DELNA) and ways of meeting these needs are either in place or are being developed. These include: pre-degree English language courses, language support programmes in the Student Learning Centre, the English Language Self Access Centre, degree-level English language acquisition courses offered by the Department of Applied Language Studies and Linguistics, and language supported tutorials in faculties such as Business and Economics. The Commission does not consider that these courses and activities would fulfil general education requirements.
In general the emphasis of the Commission in proposing General Education has been less on the acquisition of discrete sets of ‘skills’ (this ‘training’ model is more appropriate to the valuable work of polytechnics), than on development of the intellectual capacity to analyse, interpret, synthesise, discriminate, and on the capacity for independent, self-motivated, enquiry-based learning. Undergraduate students who have imbibed the values, and something of the range of innovative knowledge, of the research university, play a key role in the transmission of those values and knowledge to society as a whole. That is the challenge,
December 2002 25 Curriculum Commission and the exciting possibility, of a forward-looking, twenty-first century undergraduate curriculum.
Recommendation 10
That the University form a working party to implement a General Education requirement of four courses in every undergraduate programme at The University of Auckland by 2005. This working party would
• Propose amendments to degree regulations, including conjoint degree regulations, to encompass the General Education requirement • Establish a portfolio of courses, existing and new, that might fulfil the requirements of General Education • Recommend on the terms of reference and membership of a Board of Studies for General Education.
December 2002 26 Curriculum Commission
Some further responses to Section 3: Academic Programmes
• Initial comment on the proposal to move to a standard 120-credit fulltime annual load is that the [faculty] could probably accommodate itself to it, so long as it were permissible to structure papers and other course elements in any multiple of 5.
• Even though the current 21-course degree is working well the move to a 24- course degree is supported. However, there needs to be careful consideration of the details of the transfer. With twelve teaching weeks a simple reduction of all courses by a factor of 7/8 is unlikely to work. The introduction of a workload formula is welcomed but it should be specified in more detail than as given on page 25 of the Interim Report.
• The move to a ‘common currency’ (120 credit / 15 credit courses) is considered desirable and we would find this timely. We see no difficulties (other than timing through a transition stage), however note that while the ‘24 course’ degree is appropriate for a three-year general undergraduate degree, some flexibility will be required to take account of several of our professional undergraduate degrees.
• The proposal to move to a 24 course degree is viewed by this Faculty as the most significant recommendation in this report. It has far-reaching implications – about which the [faculty] is greatly concerned. We are concerned about the impact of the inevitable reduced funding on courses with laboratory components.
• The [faculty] is not fundamentally opposed to the introduction of a 120 point per year system but recognises that there will be significant financial, space and time costs involved in both the transition and the continuation of the new system.
• While some believe that the Commission needs to make a better case for the 24 course model, particularly given the absence of additional resources, others are strongly of the view that a 24 course structure with 15 credits per course requiring 150 hours of study is logical, sensible, and important for programme design and delivery.
• Thankfully, the use-life of 21 course, 42 point three year degrees with widely varying work required per point is drawing to an end. The [faculty] would welcome the end date.
• While we realize that the driver for a 120-credit degree is external to the University, we wish to make known the fact that for many of our students an 8- course year is unsustainable. Any definition of a minimum full-time course and other norms would require careful consideration.
• Some members of the Department strongly disagreed with the idea that a conjoint is one degree (p.27). We think students would also reject this idea and their feelings would be reflected in enrolments.
• The Faculty endorses the conjoint as an admirable way of adding breadth and expertise - particularly where professional training is further complemented with a general education. There is no doubt that the “two-for-one” aspect of conjoint is a big drawcard for students and something which is special to the University of Auckland.
• The [faculty] does not see merit in conjoints being seen as a single degree, nor should exceptional students and their success in conjoints be reduced to the ordinary in University ceremonial practices.
December 2002 27 Curriculum Commission
3.5 120-credits per annum
In 1995 the University restructured into 14-point, full year programmes delivered over two semesters. Fourteen points equates to seven courses a year for students and, at the time of the change, a significant proportion of the University argued that this should have been eight courses to provide students with a balanced year and more scope for choice within the degree. This argument is remade from time to time, and the Commission concurs, recommending that the University move to a standard full time student load of 120 credits. A three-year undergraduate degree would therefore consist of 360 credits and 24 courses.
There is currently much variation in the credit or point structure used by each of the country’s eight Universities:
Figure 1 New Zealand University Credit Structures
University Current Structure Notes The University of Auckland 3-year degree = 42 points Courses are commonly worth Full-time first year = 14 points/ 2 points, but courses worth 1, 7 courses 3, and 4 points also exist. Auckland University of Technology 3-year degree = 360 points Modules are commonly worth Full-time first year = 120 points/ 15 points, but also exist in 8 modules multiples of 30, 45, 60 and 90. Canterbury University 3-year degree = 102 points Courses have values of 3, 6 Full-time first year = 36 points/ or 12 points. 6 courses Lincoln University 3-year degree = 24 units Each unit is of the same Full-time first year = 8 units value. Massey University 3-year degree = 300 points Each course generally carries Full-time first year = 100 points/ a point value of 12.5. 8 courses University of Otago 3-year degree = 120 points Courses are commonly worth Full-time first year = 36 points/ 6 points, but also exist in 6 courses multiples of 3, 9, 12 and 18. Victoria University 3-year degree = 360 points A single trimester paper at Full-time first year = 108 points/ 100-level is worth 18 points; 6 papers most one-trimester 200-level papers are 22 points and 300- level papers 24 points. Waikato University 3-year degree = 360 points Level 1 papers are worth 15 Full-time first year = 120 points/ points and Level 2, 3 and 4 8 papers papers are worth 20 points.
The fourth TEAC report has proposed that for consistency across the tertiary system and to enable transfer of credits and recognition of prior academic study, an equivalent full time student be defined as a student taking 120 ‘credits’. CUAP has also proposed that the universities adopt a common degree framework based on 120 credits. Both parties believe, and the Commission agrees, that moving to 120-credits will enable greater portability for students across the tertiary sector. Other New Zealand universities are investigating this change.
The Commission is of the belief that there are administrative and pedagogical arguments supporting a move away from 14 points to a 120-credit structure. Firstly, a move to create a more balanced year for students represents “unfinished business” from 1995, and is supported by a number of faculties and departments across the University. Second, Figure 1 indicates a level of variation in the number of courses taken by students as part of a standard first year workload. Currently, full-time first year students enrol in 8 courses as a standard workload at four New Zealand universities, in 6 courses at three universities, and in 7 courses at The University of Auckland. At most Universitas 21 institutions, students enrol in 8 courses per annum. The Commission is of the view that moving to eight courses per annum would increase flexibility for students when designing their course of study, and facilitate both
December 2002 28 Curriculum Commission national and international portability. Finally, the Commission sees such a move as a way to incorporate a General Education component within the undergraduate degree.
The Commission does not want the change in structure to lead to a proliferation of courses. Nor should it add to the overall student workload. Rather, it is envisaged that students enrol in a greater number of smaller courses, re-sized from current offerings. Accompanying the change in structure will also be the need to re-establish a student workload formula, which is to be observed by all departments. 120 credits are assumed to represent 40 hours work per week for 30 weeks of the year, or 1200 hours of work a year. A normal semester course of 15 credits would, therefore, represent 150 hours of study, or ten hours a week for 15 weeks (this is usually taken as 12 teaching weeks and three weeks of study break and examinations). The student workload in the teaching weeks would comprise 120 hours made up of lectures, tutorials, seminars, laboratory classes and other face-to-face contact, plus independent study as is appropriate in the case of each faculty.
Some departments, particularly those requiring laboratory components, have expressed concerns regarding the re-sizing of current teaching into smaller sized courses. While the proposal suggests a total of 8 courses per annum (at 15 credits each) become the standard degree structure, a limited number of multipliers may be allowed to accommodate faculty and departmental differences. Noting that the advantages of portability and flexibility would be placed in jeopardy if too many combinations were to arise across the University, and that both administrative and pedagogical problems may arise from a proliferation of courses of a short time span, the Commission would seek to limit the multiplier option to 15, 20, 30 and 40 credits. The Commission would also recommend against teaching 30 or 40-credit courses within one semester only. This would not be in keeping with the desired goal of increased flexibility for students.
The Commission recognises that there will be significant administrative costs associated with the change as well as some space and logistical difficulties. The Commission also recognises conjoint degrees are likely to pose some particular complications. It will be vital to form a working party to investigate and work through these difficulties over the next 2 years.
Recommendation 11
The Commission recommends the formation of a working party to investigate and
oversee the implementation of a 120-credits per annum degree structure by 2005.
Recommendation 12
The Commission recommends a standard student workload of 10 hours per week
per 15-credit course (including contact time and self-directed study) be adopted
across the University. Expectations of student workload should be clearly
expressed to all prospective and current students. A working party in each faculty
should establish the specifics of this workload for broad groupings of subjects in
conjunction with the movement to an EFTS equivalence of 120 credits, and report
to Senate through Education Committee.
3.6 Conjoint Degrees
The University has enabled students to undertake ’conjoint degrees’ for a number of years. However it has only recently developed an extensive range of conjoints, thirty in total.
Conjoint degrees permit academically able students to complete the course requirements for two different bachelors degrees simultaneously. They provide an opportunity for students to take a wider range of courses than they can study in a single degree, to put together programmes that cross disciplinary boundaries, and to combine subjects for vocational
December 2002 29 Curriculum Commission purposes and for interest. Students undertaking conjoints are expected to maintain a good grade point average. This Commission considers that this policy should be maintained.
Conjoints are popular with students and employers. The number of students enrolled in conjoints has increased as follows:
Figure 2: Conjoint Students and EFTS 1996 - 2001
EFTS/Headcount 3000 EFTS
2500 Headcount
2000
1500
1000
500
0
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 Year
While overall EFTS in conjoint degrees increased by over 60% between 1996 and 2001, new entrants to most individual conjoint degrees have actually declined or remained static over the last two years. The BE is the exception to this pattern, but the increase is from a low base in this case. In 2001, a total of 592 entering students (or about 11% of all entering students) enrolled in conjoint degrees.
Initially conjoint degrees lost a high percentage of enrolled students after one year, the students re-enrolling in a single component of the conjoint. However, as student understanding of the conjoint has increased, the proportion retained in the degrees has increased. It appears now that, depending on the conjoint, between 70 and 88% of conjoint students remain enrolled in a conjoint for more than two years.
The BA/LLB is the most popular conjoint, with BCom/LLB in second place. The BCom/BSc is the fastest growing conjoint, in large part because of students enrolling in Computer Science, and Management Science and Information Systems.
Conjoints with the highest completion rates are those where the degrees are closely related. Thus the BProp/BCom conjoint has a high degree of success. Students who enrol in a BA, BCom or BSc conjoint have completion rates of the conjoint after six years of between 41% and 53%, with the BSc conjoint students having the highest rates. Overall, in 1999-2000, 263 students completed conjoint degrees; in 2000-1, the number was 423.
However there are some criticisms of our conjoints:
• Students use conjoints to ‘double-up’ on a narrow range of subjects rather than to broaden their education • By engaging the undergraduate student in a longer period of study, conjoints reduce the pool of good postgraduate students. In fact, preliminary research suggests a higher
December 2002 30 Curriculum Commission
proportion of those who entered a conjoint degree in 1996 and 1997 have gone into postgraduate study than those who entered a single degree. • Students find it difficult to schedule their classes in a conjoint • There are some desirable combinations which are not yet offered as conjoint degrees (eg. BE/LLB)
The Commission recommends that the University complete the suite of conjoints by identifying and offering those combinations not currently available and for which there is both demand and a sound academic basis. It considers that each combination should be carefully considered for its purpose, the synergies between the programmes, and the potential they hold for broadening the educational and vocational possibilities for students. The Commission does not support restricting the combinations of majors that might be taken within a conjoint.
The take up of conjoints is lowest in the Faculty of Engineering. Engineering requires a very high grade point average for students to be admitted and to continue in a conjoint. The Commission considers that the Faculty should reconsider its admission and continuation requirements.
The Commission has considered how the University might further encourage students who have taken conjoints to continue with postgraduate study. There already exists the possibility for a student who has satisfied the requirements of one of the component degrees in a conjoint to suspend the conjoint enrolment to enrol for an honours or masters degree or diploma. If the student decides to discontinue conjoint study, suitable points from the abandoned component of the degree can be reassigned to the single degree. Students need to be made more aware of these options. It is also possible that conjoint students, having developed a particular combination of interests would seek to undertake postgraduate work that enables them to build on this basis. The Commission considers that the University should review its postgraduate degree regulations to provide greater flexibility for such students to continue with their combined curriculum studies.
The Commission considers that conjoint degrees should be more widely publicised, possibly as a required component of all faculty prospectuses. Additionally, faculties should publicise and advise students on combinations of subjects within conjoints so as to encourage students to take imaginative and challenging conjoints. Further academic advice should also be provided to students at an early stage to guide them in the structuring and scheduling of conjoint degree study.
A change to the point value of degrees, as well as the introduction of a General Education requirement, will require all conjoint degrees to be reviewed. The University should take this opportunity to review the weighting of the conjoints and the balance between the component parts in each case. A student enrolled in a conjoint degree would be required to complete the General Education requirement only once. We have looked at benchmark institutions to ascertain the duration of conjoint or combined degrees. There is some variability in this with some universities requiring the same length of study as Auckland and others requiring an additional year. The Commission considers that to lengthen The University of Auckland conjoint would make it considerably less attractive to students.
Recommendation 13
The Commission recommends the University complete the suite of conjoint degrees by identifying and offering those combinations not currently available and for which there are both demand and a sound academic basis.
Recommendation 14
The Commission recommends the admissions and continuation requirements for all conjoint combinations be set at levels which encourage the enrolment and success of students with the potential to succeed in a conjoint degree.
December 2002 31 Curriculum Commission
Recommendation 15
The Commission recommends the University review its postgraduate degree regulations to provide greater flexibility for conjoint students to continue with their combined curriculum studies.
Recommendation 16
The Commission recommends the University provide a greater level of guidance and information about conjoint degrees to prospective and current students.
December 2002 32 Curriculum Commission
Some further responses to Section 3: Academic Programmes
• What we should do is draw on our professionalism to ensure that such students find their own ways of stretching themselves within what we do offer.
• The best way to treat gifted students is to give them credit for courses waived. This would enable some gifted students to get a bachelor's degree in five semesters or less.
• Our approach to very able students is to treat each case on an individual basis and to encourage greater breadth rather than automatically waiving first year courses. There are good arguments for the establishment of a programme for gifted students but it should be noted that identification of qualifying criteria is not simple and we must be realistic regarding resource implications.
• [Department] offer no support for the ideas advanced in 3.7. We think the University offers plenty of opportunities for the ‘gifted’, A pluses, scholarships, prizes, etc. It should reaffirm the concept of community learning and the value of the exchange of ideas, while also rewarding meritorious individuals.
• The Faculty is in favour of the development of a programme or programmes for gifted students. Many of these types of students are currently invited into the Faculty’s honours programme. Gifted students require definition.
• There is undoubtedly a need to recognize excellence among our student body (academic, cultural and sporting) in more tangible ways. The establishment of a publishable Dean’s list would be one such measure. However in recognizing and assisting such students there is a fine line between assistance and recognition, and a punitive overload of ancillary activity.
• It is axiomatic that our University should have a gifted student programme based in Faculties across the University.
• The proposed structure (Fig. 2, p.31) has commendable clarity and its implementation will eliminate a lot of double talk about where is the ‘research’ in diplomas and coursework masters.
• The Committee is in general agreement with the proposal to reconsider the range and structure of our postgraduate programmes, and also supports the principles proposed for this structure (p30). However it disagrees with the implication following the second principle that a higher standard might be set for the ‘research’ than for the ‘coursework; stream, since this will tend to devalue the latter. For the coursework stream, faculties may not have sufficient courses and/or staff to sustain two full years of teaching at postgraduate level.
• We agree that within each discipline, each programme should belong to either a research or coursework stream. The Faculty agrees that the number of qualifications should be reduced. Part-time options are important for professional development – therefore the time lines proposed for coursework qualifications are welcomed. A part-time option should be maintained for research masters. The notion of a single set of regulations for research masters is a good one. However the Faculty is strongly opposed to the proposed name ‘MPhil’.
• Our experience has been that even very able students who have the potential to progress from Hons to Doctorate will occasionally ask to complete a two year Masters programme instead to consolidate coursework and extend their knowledge, or test the research process in a more controlled way. Coursework Masters should be rare, and to cater for special circumstances.
December 2002 33 Curriculum Commission
3.7 Gifted Students
Individual departments and staff members do much to identify, support and encourage our most gifted undergraduate students. Letters of congratulations are regularly sent to high achieving students, second and third year students are “shoulder-tapped” for postgraduate study here and abroad, opportunities are provided to participate in extension tutorials or research projects, and many staff play an important role in bringing scholarships to the attention of our most outstanding students. Students taking a BSc may seek direct entry into second year courses and this is also possible for some subjects in other faculties. Additionally, the opportunity to complete a conjoint degree or a four-year honours programme, such as the BSc(Hons) in Biomedical Science, extends many of the exceptional students that enrol in the University each year. In general, most universities deal with gifted students in a similar fashion. However a number of benchmark institutions have created innovative programmes that bring gifted students together, create links between students and staff, and provide opportunities for extension and enquiry during the years of undergraduate study. For example:
• The National University of Singapore has recently established a “University Scholars Programme” designed to bring together gifted students and provide them with the opportunity to “think and write critically, clearly and effectively; synergise existing ideas, and create new ideas and links; make path-breaking connections within a discipline and among diverse disciplines; and reflect deeply on themselves and their place in society”. The programme, to which students are admitted through a combination of past academic and other achievements, a written essay and an interview, consists of four years of study. During this time the scholars take approximately 30% of their classes with other participants in the programme, and the balance of their time is spent in their chosen faculty or school. Students are also encouraged to spend a semester or more of their studies abroad.
• Australian National University established a “Distinguished Scholar Program” in 1991 to stretch the abilities of high-achieving students in Science and have since extended the programme to Arts, Asian Studies, Engineering and Information Technology. Selection is based upon school or prior tertiary results, outstanding achievement in the chosen field, and two referee reports. Each student admitted into the programme is provided with a mentor, who is a member of the academic staff. Distinguished scholars are also able to participate in research, attend special lecture programmes, enrol in specially designed courses, and accelerate progress through existing courses with additional work.
• The University of Virginia has two scholars programmes offering students alternative or advanced courses. Students in the two programmes live together in a separate dormitory. The Rodman Scholars Program admits 35 first year Engineering students directly into a four-year honours programme. Students in the Program take special courses in design, communications and computers during the first two years of their course. Within the College of Arts and Sciences, between 170 and 200 students exhibiting exceptional academic talent and self-direction are invited to enter the Echols Scholars Program. Echols Scholars have priority registration for the courses they choose, and access to a special interdisciplinary major programme. Staff are selected to serve as advisors to the scholars, who are exempt from the foreign language, writing and area requirements of the core curriculum. All first year applicants to the College are automatically considered for admission to the Echols program. Although there are no absolute criteria for selection, scholars generally come from the top five percent of the entering class and are ”avid, aggressive learners who demonstrate intellectual and personal liveliness as well as strong academic performance”.
• Stanford University has a President’s Scholars programme. Students are identified as scholars upon admission to the University, and are given a US $3000 “Intellectual Exploration Grant” to be used during their first two years at the University. The Grant can be used to pursue any intellectual interest they may have – and can include
December 2002 34 Curriculum Commission
international travel. The programme also includes a number of special and social events during the year.
The Commission considers that gifted student programmes, such as those outlined above can provide three significant advantages for an institution. Namely, they provide opportunities for the identification, support, extension and celebration of outstanding students; they provide opportunities for the formation of relationships between motivated and intellectually curious students; and they provide opportunities for the encouragement and advancement of outstanding students into postgraduate study.
However there are also significant costs associated with developing large-scale gifted student programmes, and there is a sense that the University is already doing much for these students at an individual and departmental level. Accordingly, the Commission is of the view that the University should not develop a University-wide programme for exceptional students at the current time, but should instead encourage students and staff to make greater use of the existing range of mechanisms in a more innovative manner. For example, the early and pro-active encouragement of students into honours programmes, as well as greater utilisation of the provision for direct-entry into second year courses for exceptional students. The Commission also notes the recommendations contained within the interim report of the Student Life Commission and, in particular, those made with reference to mentoring and the creation of cohort experiences. It may be beneficial to develop ways of identifying gifted students through the admissions and enrolment process that may put them in touch with like- minded mentors, peers and staff members early in their time at the University.
Recommendation 17
The Commission recommends the University encourage greater use of existing
support and incentive mechanisms for gifted students, including greater utilisation
of the option for direct entry in to second year courses and the encouragement into
honours programmes at an early stage.
Recommendation 18
The Commission recommends those suggestions made by the Student Life
Commission concerning the implementation of mentoring and cohort experiences be examined for their potential to extend and support gifted students.
3.8 Postgraduate Qualifications
The University has seen relatively rapid changes in the structure of postgraduate programmes and in the patterns of demand for them, and is about to face a very significant change in the way that these programmes are funded.
• The University now offers at least 84 postgraduate programmes. Half of these are masters degrees with a median enrolment of less than 20 EFTS.
• In every faculty the total EFTS for masters degrees is now below the total of five years ago, in some cases well below, and this is especially true of the two-year masters degrees. On the other hand, postgraduate diploma EFTS are above where they were five years ago (except for Engineering) while conjoint EFTS are well above. These trends have accelerated in the last three years. It appears that students are tending to choose qualifications of shorter duration.
• A strong theme to emerge from submissions was the general perception that the quality of students entering some postgraduate programmes has fallen, especially in research masters degrees. Some students have rather modest records and do not have a strong interest in research per se, but are simply seeking to graduate with a higher qualification. On the other hand, some students wishing to progress to a PhD
December 2002 35 Curriculum Commission
now take a bachelors honours route to PhD, so avoiding the traditional masters models altogether. These trends have significantly changed the student profile of the masters degrees, but on the whole these degrees have not been altered in response.
• The generally accepted model of a masters degree is that it is awarded after 5 years of university study, a 3-year bachelor’s degree followed by a two year masters degree (28 points). The 2-year masters degree normally comprises one full time year of courses (14 points) and one full time year of thesis research (14 points). However, candidates entering with a 4-year bachelors honours degree (or other suitable 4-year qualifications) may complete a masters degree in one year, either by thesis only or, in some faculties, following a year of coursework. Other masters degree models also operate, for example in engineering where an ME degree is awarded after 18 months and 21 points of study. The anomalies inherent in the current system are that masters degrees are awarded following 14, 21 or 28 points of study, and that, while normally recognised as a “research” degree, some masters degrees are awarded for courses of study which contain no research component.
• In many cases the same 700-level courses are available to students enrolled in honours, postgraduate diplomas and masters programmes, even though the entry criteria for these programmes are different.
• Under the new tertiary funding model, we expect postgraduate programmes to be funded according to postgraduate completions. This will require us to have a definitive list of the postgraduate programmes we offer, with a clear separation between postgraduate and undergraduate teaching. However at present we have a rather confused array of certificates and diplomas which lie on the boundaries.
• To complicate matters further, there remains some uncertainty regarding the way in which the Performance Based Research Fund (PBRF) will operate with respect to postgraduate programmes, especially regarding the relative funding levels for coursework versus research programmes.
In view of these comments, the Commission considers that it is time to re-think the range and structure of post-graduate programmes offered by the University.
A Structure for Postgraduate Qualifications
Given the high overhead cost of reorganising programmes and uncertainty in the new funding mechanism, any new structure must be both durable and flexible. The principles for a revised structure proposed by the Commission in its interim report were strongly supported by the submissions made to it. These principles and some of their consequences are as follows.
(i) Within each discipline, each qualification should belong to either a research or coursework stream. In order to assist students to make appropriate choices and to set the context in which content and delivery are decided, each qualification should have a clear statement as to its purpose. For each qualification, faculties need to consider questions such as how does the programme advance the aims of the University, what niche it occupies, how the qualification will assist the career or development of the student, whether it should be delivered in distance format, and so on. The ‘research’ degrees are then those with a significant research component, building on and enhancing our research strengths, for which students need to develop a definable set of research and personal skills. ‘Coursework’ degrees are those that aim at transferring a specific body of advanced knowledge in order to assist some specific career aspirations, and will mostly be associated with the professional faculties. As explained below, a significant consequence of this principle is the splitting of the existing 2-year masters degrees into separate and sequential coursework and research qualifications.
Some submissions were unhappy with the term “coursework” stream as it was felt this carried an implication of lower standard or inferior qualification relative to a “research” stream. An
December 2002 36 Curriculum Commission alternative designation for the “coursework” stream could be “professional” stream, especially where such qualifications are offered by the professional faculties.
(ii) The emphasis should be on quality The University of Auckland has set itself very clear goals regarding research and research- based teaching, and postgraduate students play an important and growing part in our ability to meet those goals. We must therefore not only attract the best graduates to our postgraduate programmes but also admit only the best students. This will be even more important under the PBRF model for postgraduate funding, when most of the funding for postgraduate programmes will be awarded on degree completions rather than student enrolments. Inferior postgraduate programmes are not worthy of this University, and the pressure to increase EFTS must be balanced against the strategic need to maintain and improve the quality of our programmes. Although the issues may be different for coursework and research degrees, quality must be a primary consideration both in deciding levels of student entry and achievement and in setting the course content and the standard of delivery.
In order to retain our best undergraduate students, those who demonstrate potential and enthusiasm for research should be identified and contacted early in their undergraduate study. The University should also develop further the guaranteed scholarships schemes as a means of retaining top students. It should also develop a strategy for attracting top students from all parts of New Zealand, and from targeted parts of Australia and other countries.
(iii) The number of qualifications should be reduced Besides being inefficient, the bewildering array of postgraduate qualifications and their myriad regulations hinder the promotion and marketing of postgraduate programmes to prospective students and employers. In many areas it would be relatively easy to reduce the number without restricting choice by using named generic qualifications with specialisations. This is also likely to assist in providing clearer pathways for transition from other institutions or disciplines. This must be balanced against the recognition and standing accorded many of the well-established qualifications, particularly masters degrees (MA, MSc, MCom, LLM, ME, etc) and a strong case can be made on this basis for retaining these qualifications.
(iv) Part-time coursework masters students should have longer to complete their qualification Although most of our postgraduate planning seems to be directed at full-time students progressing directly from undergraduate study, in fact a large proportion of postgraduates are mature and/or part-time students. Nearly half of them are over 30 years old. Students who are active professionals (especially in teaching, health and engineering) are expressing very strong demands to be permitted to complete qualifications while working full-time, when at present they cannot do so without numerous formal extensions of time. Given that significant growth in our coursework degrees is likely to come from part-time students, it is important that our qualifications remain accessible and attractive to them.
It is therefore suggested that coursework qualifications which are one year full-time should permit completion within four years. For part-time research masters, the allowed time should remain as twice the full-time completion period.
This change would cause problems with the award of honours, since students completing in one year would be competing with others who had taken four. This will be an unavoidable consequence of allowing a lengthened part-time completion, but in order to protect at least the concept of ‘honours’ it is suggested instead that coursework degrees may be awarded with pass, distinction or merit. Honours would then be reserved for bachelors honours and research masters degrees.
December 2002 37 Curriculum Commission
Figure 3: Proposed Structure for Postgraduate Qualifications
1yr Bachelors Hons 1yr Masters; research
3yr Bachelors 1yr PG Doctorates Degree Diploma
1yr Masters;
coursework
4-year Bachelors Degree
Notes:
• Entry and continuation is merit-based for each qualification • Not all programmes are appropriate for all disciplines (for example some faculties may not wish to offer a 1-year coursework masters in some disciplines) • A 4–year undergraduate degree in Law and Engineering with Honours would meet the requirements to enter either the research or coursework masters degree. • In all cases admission to doctorates remains subject to entry criteria, particularly the requirement to have demonstrated research ability. • In exceptional circumstances students entering the 1-year research masters degree may be permitted to transfer to PhD without completing the masters thesis (as at present).
Bachelors honours degrees
Under this proposal, Bachelors (Hons) programmes are recommended as a pathway for the most able of students. They should have a uniform entrance standard, require one year of full time study (14 points) and comprise either all taught courses, or taught courses plus a research project and dissertation (minimum 4 points). A minimum pass standard should be required in order for the honours degree to be awarded. If the complete course of study is passed but with a lower standard than that required for honours, then the points may be reassigned to a postgraduate diploma. A bachelors honours course of study which contains a research component can serve as the entry qualification for PhD for outstanding candidates.
Postgraduate diplomas
Under this proposal, postgraduate diplomas would require one year of full time study and may comprise either all coursework or a combination of coursework and research project. The entry standard may be lower than for Bachelors Honours or Masters degrees. The postgraduate diploma is also a useful qualification for students who are not eligible to do bachelors honours (bachelors degree completed at an overseas university, exceeded time limits, etc.). A postgraduate diploma can serve as the entry qualification for either the research or coursework masters, but not the PhD.
Research masters degrees
The research Masters should be a flagship programme for a research University, having high entrance standards and a high level of achievement. It should also be one of the primary routes for entry into a doctoral programme. The Commission proposes that the research Masters should be entered after four years of study and be attainable within one year of full time research.
December 2002 38 Curriculum Commission
A single set of generic masters regulations would greatly simplify the administration of masters degrees across the University and assist in providing clearer pathways for transition from other institutions or disciplines. A strong determinant of both timely completion and student satisfaction is the sense of belonging to a cohort. Unified procedures for research masters degrees would make it easier for faculties to assist students to form cohorts by, for example, providing a consistent set of training courses in personal and research skills.
At present the 2-year masters degrees are normally one year of coursework and one year of research. It would be more consistent with the principles above to split these degrees into a 1- year programme of predominantly coursework (bachelors honours or postgraduate diploma) and a 1-year research masters. This is effectively what happens at present and would not decrease either the time or the course content required to complete the masters degree, so the value and names of the existing masters degrees can be preserved in the 1-year research programme.
The Commission recommends that all research masters degrees (i.e. all 14-point thesis components of existing masters degrees) be subject to a single generic policy and set of procedures, essentially by expanding the existing general masters regulations, while allowing each individual degree to retain an appropriate name, regulations and schedule covering specific faculty requirements. Postgraduate and Scholarships Committee should manage the generic policy and regulations, with all routine approvals being made at faculty level as they are at present.
Coursework masters
In Australia, course-work masters degrees have proved to be a highly successful means of offering specialised tertiary education to particular markets, especially to international students. The concept is less well-developed here, although several of our masters degrees are heavily weighted to coursework and were developed for particular professions. Further development of degrees of this type is partly constrained by CUAP policies on masters degrees, although these are currently under review, and must also be influenced by the level of funding for postgraduate coursework which finally emerges from PBRF. The Commission considers that, subject to the outcome of both of these processes, faculties should seek to identify further markets for specialised postgraduate education via targeted coursework masters degrees. These would be distinguished from the research masters degree by the qualification bearing a different name (as, for example, in Engineering where ME and MEngStud degrees are currently offered).
In order to allow subsequent progression to a doctorate, coursework degrees will also need to allow for the inclusion of a research component of sufficient size to satisfy any doctoral prerequisite for evidence of research ability (which is certainly required for the PhD). A suggestion is that the minimum research component to satisfy the requirements for PhD registration be equivalent to one quarter of a full time year (30 out of 120 credits).
Doctoral programmes
The University offers a number of doctoral programmes including the PhD, professional or named doctorates that combine coursework and a thesis, and doctorates by examination only. It also awards honorary doctorates.
The highest research degree is the PhD. It is the degree taken by students who intend to enter academic life as university teachers and researchers. However, the PhD has also come to serve a wide range of vocational functions.
The PhD Statute has recently been revised and the Commission does not wish to make further proposals about the Statute. However, we are aware that there are some staff and students who wish to change from a British-style PhD, in which the sole examined component is the thesis, to an American-style PhD, which combines coursework and a thesis. The New Zealand definition of a PhD prevents this University from any unilateral move in this regard.
December 2002 39 Curriculum Commission
The Commission regards this as an issue which would need to be widely debated through the New Zealand tertiary system before a change could be made.
Named or professional doctorates are most common internationally in Education, Psychology, Fine Arts and Business. The University has been prepared to introduce and support such doctorates as a way of meeting professional and discipline needs. It would however always seek to confirm that the PhD could not in the first instance meet these needs.
The research stream that the Commission is proposing for postgraduate students is designed to strengthen doctorates by ensuring that students are better prepared for research at this level, and by identifying potential PhD students at an earlier stage.
Recommendation 19
The Commission recommends the adoption of the postgraduate qualification structure outlined in this report ensuring, within each discipline, each qualification be categorised as belonging to either a research or coursework stream.
Recommendation 20
The Commission recommends the number of postgraduate qualifications offered by the University be reduced by the use of named generic qualifications with specialisations.
Recommendation 21
The Commission recommends that a working party be established to develop policy and generic regulations governing new postgraduate qualifications. Postgraduate and Scholarships Committee should manage the generic policy and regulations, with all routine approvals being made at faculty level.
Recommendation 22
The Commission recommends postgraduate coursework qualifications, which are one year full-time, permit completion within four years.
December 2002 40 Curriculum Commission
Some responses to the Interim Report - Section 4: The Student Body
• I would like to see much stricter entry standards, especially for English language, and not only for students with English as a second language. Some realistic test of English competence should be introduced for all entering students, domestic and foreign.
• Given the problems we already experience with delays in the processing of enrolment data, we are very apprehensive about the prospect of a more complex admission process. We support the introduction of limited entry to undergraduate programmes but have yet to identify strategies that address equity issues.
• While we acknowledge the need for the University to position itself strategically, the entry and admissions proposals suggest some form of elitist branding. While it would be nice if all our students displayed some or all (and more) of the characteristics identified, the University has an obligation to achieve this (to the degree possible) via its programmes and by the "culture" of the university.
• The implications of limiting entry into Arts and Science overall would be felt by the whole university funding structure. If entry is to be restricted, this should be achieved in an equitable manner at minimum cost by increasing entry standards.
• We do not favour admissions based on ‘standard admission tests’ if the SATs are conceived as being based on the American model. It is our view that under current conditions, abridging such elements of open entry as now exist at undergraduate level in our University would have serious negative consequences for equal educational opportunities.
• Any imposition of further entry requirements would need to be carefully considered on the balance between attracting and deterring potential quality applications.
• It is our view that all Faculties should have limited entry but that the use of multi- dimensional admission be a Faculty decision and be based on a careful consideration of the costs and benefits of implementing such a system. In the first instance, consideration could be given to the requirement for all applicants for entry to sit a standardized test along the lines of the SAT in the United States.
• The [faculty] wishes to see effective pre-Admission systems put in place to address these chronic issues. We hold the view that Admission Criteria should be respectful of diversity and not unduly intrusive. Faculty is concerned to carefully consider the issues which flow from entry levels, rather than seeing these set at present values.
• The Department strongly encourages the recruitment by the University of a large number of talented international postgraduate students. This would certainly benefit the University’s stated objective of becoming a premier research university and would also help towards making New Zealand a knowledge economy.
• The Faculty endorses this recommendation [greater balance in the country of origin], but notes Human Rights issues need consideration.
December 2002 41 Curriculum Commission
4. The Student Body
4.1 Entry and Admissions
The Commission considers that the nature, shape, attributes and abilities of the student body have a profound impact on the kind of University that we are. Conversely, the kind of University that we are will attract a particular student body. The University needs to pay careful attention to these interrelationships. The University has defined the kind of University it wishes to be. Here we try to define the kind of student body we wish to attract and set out possible ways of achieving this.
We would argue that we should seek to attract a diverse and talented student body that makes the University a dynamic, exciting, enjoyable and challenging place in which to study, teach and carry out research.
Our first question has therefore been: what are the desired characteristics of individual students and of the student body as a whole? We have considered these characteristics under four headings: academic, demographic, motivation and personal.
Academic: the University wishes to attract students who are • Academically able • Possessed of a realistic chance of success at this University • Capable of and prepared for University study, proficient in English language or having the ability to acquire this proficiency alongside the first year of study • Capable of taking advantage of degree study involving critical thinking, problem solving, and research-based teaching
Demographic characteristics: the student body should be • Demographically diverse with appropriate representation of • Men and women • Ethnic groups in the New Zealand population • Appropriately balanced between domestic and international students • Representative of the demography of the country and of Auckland • Both local and national • Diversified by age structure
Motivation: the University wishes to attract students who • desire to learn • desire to be challenged intellectually • want to be at the University of Auckland because of the kind of educational opportunities the University offers • wish to contribute to national and global intellectual, social, scientific, economic and cultural development
Personal: the University wishes to attract students who are • Broad based in their interests and abilities • Self-directed and able to think and work independently • Potential leaders • Creative and original • Tolerant and understanding of diverse value systems and views • Able to collaborate and work in teams
What admission processes would provide us with such a student body?
The Commission is aware that universities in other countries consider their decisions about student admission as some of the most important decisions that they make. It considers that the University should use a multi-dimensional set of admission tests designed to achieve the kind of student body outlined above. It also considers that a careful selection of students will
December 2002 42 Curriculum Commission enhance the diversity of the student body and while lifting the success rate of our students, reduce failure rates that are costly to both students and the institution.
The University currently has the ability to limit admission to its programmes where staff or other resources are constrained. It does this already in five of its faculties and several departments. The Commission considers that the resource situation is such that all faculties should apply limits on admission to all qualifications. We would propose that where there are no current limits these be set at or near the current level of admissions. This would mean that those qualifications in the Faculties of Arts and Science and the School of Theology which are currently open would have a maximum first year intake set at the average of the last three years. We do not believe that limited entry and selection of students will necessarily lead to a smaller University. Instead we consider that it will enhance the quality of the students who choose to apply for admission to the University, while maintaining a diverse and representative student body in each of the Faculties.
Transfer students (ie students who are admitted to a programme with credit from another institution) must meet the same entry standards.
The Commission sees the following advantages arising from limiting admission and selecting students into all University qualifications:
• Improved teaching and learning environment • Students will be admitted who have the most potential and who are the most likely to benefit from research-based teaching • Students will be admitted who have the attributes needed to create the diverse student body outlined above • The number of students who have a realistic chance of success will be increased, and there will be a consequent increase in retention and success rates • Students and staff will be happier – staff will teach students who are challenged and challenging, students will work in classes with other students of similar ability • There will be a better use of scarce resources • Improved ability to meet the University’s goals • More predictable and secure planning.
What admission processes would the University need to introduce to achieve these outcomes?
The University currently uses a number of tools for selecting students. The main tool is a grade point average or grade point equivalent derived from prior study, a Sixth Form Certificate or Bursary mark or, in the case of mature students, work and life experience. Other tools are interviews (BHB, BPharm), portfolios (BAS, BFA), statements of intent (FTVMS), and referee reports (BEd(Tchg)).
We would propose that the University extend the use of multi-dimensional admission applications across the University. All students, including international students, would be required to submit:
• Academic results as required for University Entrance • Personal information • Personal statements
Additional information might be used for admission into specific qualifications. This might include:
• Portfolios of work • Interviews • Letters from schools
December 2002 43 Curriculum Commission
In addition consideration might be given to testing of various kinds for admission into some qualifications. Tests might include:
• Standard admission tests • Critical thinking tests • Learning style tests
All applications for all programmes would be reviewed and assessed. However it is our view that there would be a first cut of selected students based largely on academic merit. This is the practice in other Universities where selection takes place. The additional information would be more important in making admission decisions for the next tier of students.
What would need to be done to make this change?
The Commission is aware that such a change would require an expanded functionality in the processing and consideration of admission applications. Comparator Universities in North America that use such a system receive 20,000 – 30,000 first year admission applications a year and select 20-40% of the applicants. We do not think that this University would have to deal with anything like that number of first year admission applications. There might however be 12,000. It is noteworthy that most first year admission decisions in overseas universities are made by specially trained and expert general staff. Changes in our admission will certainly require the University to enhance its capacity in the administration of admissions. This will be necessary in any case as a result of the proliferation and fragmentation of entrance qualifications currently occurring in the senior secondary school and private education sector.
While the process of decision-making would be changed, students would still make on-line admission applications and on-line enrolments.
Admission decisions would be made centrally on clearly stated faculty criteria. Students would be required to rank choices of programmes and would be made the offer of a place in one specific programme. There would need to be the possibility for students to revise their choices in light of information about examination results or other factors.
When could such a change be made?
2005 at the earliest. There would be advantages in this year because it will be the first year in which students taking the National Certificate of Educational Achievement enter the University.
Recommendation 23
The Commission recommends the first year intake of the faculties of Arts and Science and the School of Theology be capped at the average intake for the years 2002- 4 so that selection criteria can guide admission from 2005.
Recommendation 24
The Commission recommends a working party be established to implement a revised University-wide undergraduate admissions process designed to achieve a diverse and talented student body by 2005. This process would include the use of multi-dimensional admission criteria to admit individual students.
December 2002 44 Curriculum Commission
4.2 International Students
The University has seen a very significant increase in the number of international, full-fee paying students, who study in New Zealand on student visas, in the last three years. As at 9 October 2002, the University had 2,928 full-time equivalent international students, representing approximately 11% of the total student body.
The increase of international students has added to the diversity of the student population, assisted in the internationalisation of the University and led to a level of growth over and above that which the University could have achieved by domestic students alone.
The University has determined that it wishes to reach a target of 15% international students. Postgraduate international students are to be in addition to this total. International students will not necessarily be distributed evenly across all faculties nor within faculties, as they have marked preferences for studying Business and Economics, Computer Science, Mathematics and Engineering. However many international students, and in particular Study Abroad students seek opportunities in other faculties and should be encouraged to do so. 2002 international EFTS are distributed across faculties in the following proportions:
Figure 4: 20021 International Student EFTS Taught by Faculty
Total % of International International International Students in Students as a % Faculty Students University of all Students in Faculty Architecture, Property, Planning 67 2% 6% and Fine Arts Arts 441 15% 7% Business and Economics 1,163 40% 21% Engineering 170 6% 9% Law 27 1% 2% Medical and Health Sciences 163 6% 7% Science 840 29% 13% Theology 16 1% 9% Other 2 40 1% 5% TOTAL 2,928 100% 11%
1 As at 2 October 2002 2 Includes New Start, Professional Legal Studies, Wellesley Programme
Just as international students are not evenly distributed across faculties, they are not evenly distributed between undergraduate and postgraduate study. In 2001, a total of 18% of all international student enrolments were in postgraduate programmes. It is possible that the University still has capacity to reach additional international postgraduate students with coursework Masters programmes, or New Zealand may follow the Australian trend of declining international postgraduate students.
The University has grappled with the issue of the diversity of source countries for international students. The Commission considers that the University requires to achieve a greater diversity in its intake of international students. However it recognises that current levels of recruitment effort in under-represented countries will not be sufficient to ensure the achievement of the overall targets set by the University. Accordingly, the Commission is of the view that the University should become more active in seeking a more diverse international student body on campus. This diversity should extend to a more “balanced portfolio” not just in the country of origin of students but also in the backgrounds of those students. For example, lower reliance upon students entering directly from overseas, and greater encouragement of study abroad and exchange students. In this way the University would not only reduce its reliance upon a limited number of income streams but also create a continual movement of students with a wide variety of cultures, experiences and expectations throughout the University community.
December 2002 45 Curriculum Commission
At the same time, a university cannot claim to be internationalised by virtue of the flow of students into its institution without also encouraging and supporting its own students to venture abroad. The Commission is of the view that there is a need for greater opportunities for internationalisation among our own students, including encouragement into study abroad, exchange and postgraduate scholarship schemes. In doing so, the University needs to be more flexible in its recognition of credit from international institutions than is the case at present.
Recommendation 25
The Commission recommends the University becomes more active in seeking to create a balanced portfolio of international students.
Recommendation 26
The Commission recommends the University reconsider its recognition of credit from international institutions with which the University has an exchange agreement, providing greater certainty and encouragement for students to study abroad during their time at The University of Auckland.
4.3 Postgraduate Students
In recent years the University has placed increased attention upon its postgraduate enrolments, particularly postgraduate research student enrolments. The University’s Strategic Plan 2002-2004 continues this theme with the goal, “Recruit increased numbers of postgraduate research and post-doctoral students”. The Commission wishes to endorse this goal. The University’s Academic Plan, however, recognises that both the level of postgraduate activity and the potential to change this level vary widely between disciplines. For example, the current percentage of postgraduate EFTS varies from about 5% to 35% across faculties, while between departments it varies from 1% to 100%. Preliminary benchmarking analysis undertaken by the Commission indicates that most faculty figures are comparable with Australian norms. While further work is required in this area, it is the view of the Commission that it would be more productive to invite faculties to develop individual strategies and benchmarks for postgraduate programmes, numbers and quality in keeping with their own particular circumstances and ambitions than to set numerical targets across the University.
Recommendation 27
The Commission recommends all faculties prepare annual development plans for postgraduate programmes, student numbers and quality assurance. Plans should be monitored through Postgraduate Committee.
4.4 Faculties
The University’s faculties and departments have not uniformly experienced the considerable growth in the New Zealand tertiary sector over the past decade. Some departments have seen student numbers actually fall as a result of increased competition or changes in student preference, while changes in demography, technology and the workplace have driven demand in other areas. Capitalising on increased participation by offering new programmes, some faculties have seen dramatic growth. In many cases, increased numbers of international students have contributed greatly to growth.
December 2002 46 Curriculum Commission
There remain some areas of likely expansion. Pipeline growth in the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences will continue until 2004, while the introduction of the Bachelor of Business and Information Management (BBIM) in the Faculty of Business and Economics in 2001 is expected to continue to grow numbers in this faculty until 2004. Meanwhile, the opening of a School of Creative and Performing Arts (SCAPA) is creating some growth in the Faculty of Arts, while the Faculty of Engineering is projecting a substantial increase in student numbers over the next three to five years (largely attributable to the popularity of Software Engineering). Other, less significant, examples exist across the University.
There is a view held by many in the University that growth has, to date, been driven by individual faculties without a view toward “the bigger picture”. It is difficult to escape the conclusion that an EFTS-based funding system has been at least partially responsible for the desire to expand programme and course offerings throughout the 1990s. There are also some who believe that growth in student numbers in some areas has come from a re- distribution of students from one department or faculty to another. However, while the introduction or reconfiguration of some programmes may have caused initial fluctuations in departmental numbers, all faculties have grown during the past decade indicating an overall increase in the numbers of students wishing to study at The University of Auckland.
The recent formation of a taskforce spanning Medicine, Science and Engineering (MSE) is an example of a new willingness to co-operate to achieve sustainable, high quality growth in specific areas. This initiative partially reflects the realities of the limited number of high-quality students each of these faculties can seek to recruit, but also an awareness of the consequences (both positive and negative) of faculty change upon other disciplines and units in the University. Examples of areas potentially affected include: contributing teaching departments; the library; other student support and administrative units; programme offerings that might otherwise have attracted the students; and the physical campus infrastructure.
All faculties are now projecting slower rates of growth, with the University’s overall rate of growth expected to maintain an average of 2% per annum over the next ten years. In many departments and faculties, much of this growth will come from international students. It is the view of the Commission that this rate of growth is appropriately conservative for the institution as a whole, however a drive toward steady growth (however small) should not be mandated for every department in every faculty. Rather, faculty plans should reflect discipline realities, should be programme-based, and identify targets and strategies for undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as domestic and international students. The dialogue and analysis started with the MSE taskforce need to continue across faculties and departments to ensure faculty plans become University plans – with the assumptions, implications and benefits understood and subject to an institution-wide commitment.
Recommendation 28
The Commission recommends three year rolling plans of faculties reflect discipline and demographic trends and developments, be programme-based and identify targets and strategies for the intake of undergraduate, postgraduate, domestic and international students that are consistent with the growth targets and academic goals set for the University as a whole.
December 2002 47 Curriculum Commission
Some responses to the Interim Report - Section 5: Pathways and Partnerships
• The [faculty] endorses the use of accredited Foundation providers to international students – which will prepare them better for entry. In principle, the [faculty] endorses the notion of identifying pathways at partner institutions to bring students into degree programmes. However the proposal is not without its downsides. If the UoA continues to identify pathways at partner institutions, UoA will move to a situation where we dictate the standard required and provide assistance to some institutions to meet it. This approach may be self-defeating in that we effectively upskill our competitors.
• The [faculty] endorses these proposals. We have been in discussion with a number of institutions who can provide a variety of programmes which could be used as stepping-stones.
• We endorse the use of accredited Foundation providers to acculturate international students and feel that the use of University mediation on standards within these programmes is a very positive activity. Any move to equivalence of level on the national scale regardless of the institution would cause us more problems since we benchmark well above many other Universities in this country (or indeed this City). Working with schools to increase the standard of school leavers makes the most sense, since it provides a concrete link to the community, benefits all students, and not just our chosen, and upskills teachers. Partnering with institutions such as ACE makes sense as long as we are prepared to work with them to raise standards and develop coherent programmes which do not penalize students with excessive commuting.
• In practical terms, in response to the Commissions Report Section 5.1, Faculty is of the view that the University is swimming against an international tide by resolving not to 'embark on further Foundation Programmes'. It is noted (New Zealand Education Review 7 (19), 2002), that a number of distinguished British universities are moving in the opposite direction, and that we have options.
• We have had many suggestions from Faculty members that increasing the number of work experience opportunities available for students would be highly desirable. We have similar comments from employers, although less apparent willingness to provide the opportunities in their own case. Thus, while goodwill is present, the location of actual opportunities is problematic. We believe that the University must not over-promise in this area, and competitive entry to a work experience scheme may be inadvisable unless we can be certain of finding sufficient opportunities. Further, it is insufficient to leave students to find their own opportunities without support.
• This is a laudable suggestion which suits some disciplines but not others. It would be very difficult to find work experience placements for [department’s] students.
• The [faculty] supports all initiatives to improve work experience and community service, but not at the expense of academic achievement.
• The Commission should note that work experience programmes are very demanding and extremely resource intensive to operate. Given the resources required, and the demands on cooperating employers, any such programmes should be limited to top students. Practicums where students get to meet and talk with people from industry might well be preferable to actual work experience programmes.
December 2002 48 Curriculum Commission
5. Pathways and Partners
5.1 Pathways and Partnerships
The Commission has considered the relationship between academic programmes offered at the University and partner institutions in the region, with particular reference to pathway programmes. Pathways incorporate both transitions from foundation to undergraduate programmes, and from undergraduate to postgraduate programmes.
The Tertiary Education Strategy and the Statement of Tertiary Education Priorities support the goal of enhanced differentiation and specialisation among tertiary institutions and emphasise the need for tertiary institutions to have “clearly articulated pathways from specialist foundation skills providers into their programmes”. Universities are encouraged to “support learners to staircase into their higher-level qualifications through bridging courses or links with foundation education providers”.
The University has developed its own foundation programmes and a recent review of these programmes endorsed this strategy. Currently the University offers the following foundation programmes: • a broad-based foundation certificate taught by the Academic Colleges Group for international students • a foundation certificate for domestic students who need enhancement of skills and knowledge to bring them to entrance standard • a programme of skills enhancement for mature students intending to come to University • a specialist foundation programme for students wishing to enter degree studies in medicine and health-related fields • summer programmes for Maori and Pacific students • pre-degree courses in English language for NESB students.
The issue of the involvement of research universities in foundation or pre-degree studies has been a subject of some discussion. The options for the University are:
• to provide in-house foundation programmes • to work with secondary schools to enhance the skill levels of school leavers • to work with other tertiary institutions, both public and private, that might staircase students from their programmes into those of the University • to operate with a mixture of these approaches.
This Commission believes the University, to be consistent to its mission, should seek to admit students who have the necessary skills to embark on degree studies. Any foundation programmes offered directly by the University must have the clear aim of bringing students quickly to a standard at which they have a good chance of success in the University. It is preferable that the University seek to identify pathways at partner institutions that will bring students into degree programmes, rather than to proliferate its own foundation programmes. However, in expressing this preference the Commission also recognises the serious challenge posed by the identification of pathways that can reliably deliver significant numbers of well-prepared students from under-represented groups to each of the faculties.
In the time available, we have not been able to look in detail at the full suite of programmes offered by our regional partners, Auckland University of Technology (AUT), Auckland College of Education (ACE), and Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT), in order to ascertain the possibility of these programmes operating as pathways into either undergraduate or postgraduate programmes at the University. The Deed of Co-operation between The University of Auckland and AUT states that the Joint Board will consider “academic activities with the aim of providing a more rational and clearly differentiated array of programmes” and promote “the recognition for academic credit purposes of relevant courses or programmes of study completed to an appropriate standard by a student at the other institution”.
December 2002 49 Curriculum Commission
AUT offers pre-degree and degree programmes in Faculties of Arts, Business, Health Studies, Science, and Engineering and Te Ara Poutama. The suite of programmes offered within degrees is differentiated from that offered at The University of Auckland to an extent but there is also overlap.
MIT offers a diversity of foundation programmes that could be pathways into The University of Auckland degree programmes. There is little overlap in degree programmes, except Nursing.
Auckland College of Education offers a mix of pre-degree and degree programmes, the mainstream teacher education programmes competing with those offered by The University of Auckland. Through the Institute of Education, a joint body between the two institutions, the relationships between these programmes is being explored.
The University of Auckland also has memoranda of understanding with other institutions, among them Te Whare Waananga o Awanuiarangi which has developed programmes in close collaboration with staff from The University of Auckland.
The Commission considers that the University will have to work more closely with partner institutions to articulate pre-degree programmes and create pathways into postgraduate programmes. It recognises that this will be difficult in cases where the partner institutions offer similar programmes, wish to staircase students into their own degrees or to build postgraduate schools. However the policies of the Government and the introduction of a performance-based research fund related to postgraduate research training will make it essential to develop postgraduate entry routes into the University from other institutions.
It should also be the case that students should reach the standard for entry into a University of Auckland degree from the partner institution’s programme. We do not think it is appropriate for a student to move from one foundation programme to another at The University of Auckland. Foundation programmes must be rigorous and clearly lead into a higher programme of study.
The University will also need to explore the potential for pathways from Waananga and selected Private Training Establishments (PTEs) into degree programmes.
Degrees, and in some cases diplomas, from other New Zealand and overseas institutions also serve as pathways to graduate programmes at this University. In some cases transitional programmes may be necessary to prepare students adequately for their intended graduate study, particularly where this may involve a change from the previous major area of study.
There is increasing emphasis nationally on cooperation and collaboration among Universities with respect to research centres and projects, and there is a shift away from the climate of competition for students and competitive duplication of courses and programmes. To make best use of available resources nationally, and to further our aims of internationalisation, we need to provide means for students to include credit for courses taken elsewhere as part of this University’s graduate programmes. Proposals are being advanced for degrees offered and awarded in partnership with other institutions (for example, with ACE through the Institute of Education). Adopting the common 120 credit full-time year will remove some barriers to such collaboration, but current restrictions on transfer credit at graduate level may need redrafting to facilitate appropriate transfer while retaining the integrity of the degrees of this University. Further possibilities of cross-institution supervision of research students, both national and international, may also need consideration.
December 2002 50 Curriculum Commission
Recommendation 29
The Commission recommends the University restrict its pre-degree programmes to a limited suite of programmes designed to bring student up to the standard required for degree study in as short a time as possible. In addition, the University should seek to identify, promote and support pathways at partner institutions that have the capacity to prepare students for undergraduate and postgraduate study in a research university.
5.2 Work Experience and Community Service
Student submissions to the Commission expressed a desire to engage more fully and more meaningfully with the workplace while they are studying. Whereas very few students do not undertake some employment while at University, much of this is unrelated to their academic programme and does not necessarily equip them to take up relevant employment when they complete their studies.
Employers’ submissions have a different view on the University’s role in equipping students for the workplace. A number of employers would prefer students to gain high level communication, analytical and problem-solving skills at university and leave the vocational training to the on the job employer.
Benchmark universities in the US, Canada, Australia and, to a lesser extent, the UK, incorporate into their academic programmes optional work experience, community placements and internships. The World Council and Assembly of Co-operative Education defines co-operative learning, the most common form of work experience, as:
“A strategy of applied learning which is a structured program, developed and supervised by an educational institution in collaboration with one or more employing organisations, in which the relevant productive work is an integral part of a student’s academic program and is an essential component of their final assessment”.
The Canadian Association for Co-operative Education considers that:
A Co-operative Education Program is a program that formally integrates a student’s academic studies with work experience in co-operative employer organizations. The usual plan is for the student to alternate periods of experience in appropriate fields of business, industry, government, social services and the professions according to the following criteria:
i. Each work situation is developed and/or approved by the co-operative educational institution as a suitable learning situation. ii. The co-operative education student is engaged in productive work rather than merely observing. Iii. The co-operative education student receives remuneration for the work performed. iv. The co-operative education student’s progress on the job is monitored by the co- operative education institution. v. The co-operative education student’s performance on the job is supervised and evaluated by the student’s employer. vi. The time spend in periods of work experience must be at least thirty percent of the time spent in academic study.
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Some examples of work experience and community service programmes in benchmark universities are:
• University of British Columbia: this University has a long-established co-operative work experience programme. Students compete to enter this programme in their second year and alternate work and study terms. No credit is gained for the work experience term. Co- op education is available in the Faculties of Arts, Commerce, Engineering, Forestry and Science. Students are paid a competitive wage by employers. The University’s Trek 2000 volunteer programme also provides opportunities for UBC students to do volunteer work in a variety of non-profit organisations. • University of New South Wales: UNSW provides an industry placement programme that students may enter in their first year in Commerce, Engineering and Science. Students alternate periods of industrial training with terms of study. They are expected to complete one course while in industrial training. A tax free scholarship is provided during the period of training. • University of Birmingham: Birmingham provides for some students to take a year of work placement, usually between the third and fourth years of study. They usually work in large companies and are paid. • The University of Melbourne: Offers a third year course, Managing Work and Programmes, which consists of 36 hours of instruction and 40 hours of work placement. The course aims to provide students with insights into bridging the gap between study and the workplace. They are introduced to concepts of project management, consultancy career management and working within organisations. A project is completed during the placement. • The University of Melbourne also operates a Student Ambassador Leadership Programme, which gives students the opportunity to become involved in community service and leadership seminars and workshops. Each student in the programme undertakes 40 hours of community service and 20 hours of University service (such as involvement in Open Days). • University of Hong Kong: Hong Kong has a work shadowing programme open to all students in which Rotarians and Alumni volunteer to become work guides. They commit to having a shadow for 16 hours over a month long period. • University of Southern California has a Cooperative Education Program in which undergraduate students can earn degree credit and up to a year's worth of paid industry work experience before they graduate. • A number of benchmark universities also actively encourage students to undertake some form of voluntary work or community service organised through national or international agencies including Student Volunteering UK and Millennium Volunteers.
The University of Auckland currently offers a range of work placements and similar activities, including:
• Faculty of Arts: extensive ‘on section’ in teacher education; internships in Film, Television and Media Studies, and in Translation Studies. • Faculty of Business and Economics: paid internships in the Master of International Business; various one off internships; summer internships offered by major accounting firms; some project work in Departments that is done in conjunction with specific firms. • Faculty of Engineering: each student must complete 800 hours of work experience, fully reported on and assessed by the Faculty, before completion of their degree. • Faculty of Law: small unpaid internship programme for students near the end of their degree, typically undertaken in charitable institutions, NGOs, advocacy groups; summer internships offered by major law firms. • Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences: final year medical students spend the majority of the year in clinical learning environments; pharmacy students are required to undertake a period of work placement prior to completion; there is the opportunity for about 50 students per year to undertake summer studentships both inside the Faculty and in other health institutions. • Faculty of Science: clinical practice for Optometry students; no other formal programmes though some close research relationships with industry.
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In addition, a significant number of students undertake work on the University campuses, as casual staff in the Library, as limited term tutors, as research assistants, in hostels, assisting with student administration, and in other University activities such as mentoring.
The Commission considers that expanded opportunities for work experience would add to the education that the University offers its students and would align it with some of its benchmark partners. It is mindful, as many responses to the interim report noted, that work experience is difficult to organize in a small economy and that some programmes that have attempted to include work-based projects have encountered substantial problems. Nevertheless we consider that the University has a responsibility to be more active in this regard and to support programmes that include such experiences.
The Commission believes that the issue of credit for work or community service schemes depends very largely on the way such work or service is integrated into academic programmes and would recommend that decisions of this sort be left to faculties. It supports the development of a multi-dimensional transcript for students, which would include work or service in University schemes as well as academic performance. Similar moves are underway in the United Kingdom, where a number of benchmark institutions are introducing Progress Files for all students.
Recommendation 30
The Commission recommends the University develop a formal work experience and
community service programme as an option for students, recognising existing
arrangements and facilitating opportunities in those areas where such schemes are
not currently in operation.
Recommendation 31
The Commission recommends a working party be formed to develop a multi-
dimensional transcript for students encompassing employment and community
service undertaken through University schemes in addition to reporting on
academic performance.
December 2002 53 Curriculum Commission
6. Appendices
6.1 Graduate Profile
The current Graduate Profile was approved by Senate 1 October 2001.
Generic attributes of graduates of The University of Auckland
A student who has completed an undergraduate degree at The University of Auckland should have acquired an education at an advanced level, intellectual and life skills that equip them for employment and citizenship and that lay the foundations for a lifetime of continuous learning and personal development.
In specific terms graduates should have
I Knowledge skills
Graduates should
1 have a mastery of a body of knowledge in the fields studied 2 understand and appreciate the current issues and debates in the fields of knowledge studied 3 understand and appreciate the methodologies and characteristics of scholarship and research 4 be able to apply theory to practice in familiar and unfamiliar situations 5 be able to access, identify, organise and communicate knowledge in both written and spoken English and/or Maori 6 be able to recognise when information is needed and have the capacity to locate, evaluate and use this information effectively 7 have appropriate numeracy skills 8 have appropriate computer literacy skills.
II Thinking skills
Graduates should
1 have confidence in their ability to think independently 2 be open to debate and new ideas 3 be capable of rigorous analytical enquiry 4 be able to exercise critical judgement 5 be able to frame questions and seek answers 6 be able to think creatively and imaginatively.
III Personal skills
Graduates should
1 have a lifelong love and enjoyment of ideas, discovery and learning 2 be able to work both independently and collectively 3 be able to contribute knowledge and expertise to their communities 4 be able to plan and achieve personal and professional goals 5 understand what constitutes ethical behaviour and personal integrity in their profession and intellectual vocation.
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6.2 Classifying Undergraduate and Postgraduate Qualifications
The University currently classifies its qualifications as undergraduate or postgraduate according to a number of definitions. These include Ministry of Education funding definitions, CUAP definitions and will, in future, include definitions of the New Zealand Register of Quality Assured Qualifications. In addition, our student statistics distinguish between undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications.
It is apparent to the Commission that there is a level of inconsistency across the institution both of nomenclature and of classification at a postgraduate level. This inconsistency has implications for the marketing of the University’s offerings, for the provision of clear advice to prospective and current students, and for establishing and monitoring goals in the area of postgraduate study.
The Commission has produced a series of recommendations for the classification of each of the University’s current qualifications. These recommendations are based upon a series of principles, and include some re-classifications in the following areas:
Honours Degrees
• It is the Commission’s view that four-year programmes (awarded with or without honours), wherein students do not graduate from the undergraduate degree before pursuing the fourth year, are ‘undergraduate’ programmes in their entirety.
• The Commission considers that Honours degrees (that is, a fourth year equivalent to the first year of a Masters degree and following the completion of a three year Bachelors degree) should be classified as ‘postgraduate’.
Graduate Diplomas
• The Commission believes that any Diploma requiring, for admission purposes, the completion of a degree or equivalent, or a level of equivalent or appropriate competence as approved by Senate or its representative, should be known as a “Graduate Diploma”.
Graduate Diplomas are offered by faculties for a variety of student groups, including students who require an additional year of study for professional reasons, transferring or overseas students who already have a related degree but are in need of specific courses to allow further study at The University of Auckland, as well as students with unrelated degrees or extensive professional experience wanting to achieve a first qualification in a new area.
In the Commission’s views, such programmes do not generally build upon prior study, nor do they always represent advanced or distinguished study. The Commission is aware, however, that some Graduate Diplomas do allow or encourage courses at a postgraduate level. Noting this, the Commission has taken some direction from the approach promoted by NZQA through the Register of Quality Assured Qualifications. While unconvinced of the rationale behind the classification of levels on the Register, the Commission does find merit in the notion that each programme can be awarded a level (from one to ten on the Register) based on the level of the bulk of courses that make up that programme. In this way, it is possible for a programme to be classified as postgraduate (level eight or above) even though a portion of the programme may be below level eight. Similarly, a programme may be classified at level seven and, therefore, as undergraduate, even though some of the programme content may be at a level eight or above.
The Commission considers that Graduate Diplomas should be used to bring students to the point where they might enter specific postgraduate programmes. Following the credit structure outlined in the Register, the Commission considers that Graduate Diplomas allowing students to graduate having gained 60% or more of their credits at undergraduate level should be classified as ‘undergraduate’. Under this criteria some of our current Graduate
December 2002 55 Curriculum Commission
Diplomas, and some Diplomas that should be re-titled as Graduate Diplomas, would be classified as “postgraduate” on the grounds that 60% of more of their points are at 600-level or above.
Postgraduate Diplomas
Currently the Register and CUAP requirements for Postgraduate Diplomas are inconsistent. The University needs to await resolution of this inconsistency before it can fully resolve issues relating to re-titling of qualifications as Postgraduate Diplomas. However in cases where the requirements of both the Register and CUAP are met, this can proceed.
It is the view of the Commission that all programmes should be classified as either postgraduate or undergraduate at the time of CUAP approval. All internal and external reporting should thereafter be consistent in that classification.
Recommendation 32
The Commission recommends the classification of the University’s suite of undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications as outlined in Figure 5.
Figure 5: Recommended Classification of University Qualifications
Qualifications Current Recommended Comments Classification Classification ARCHITECTURE, PROPERTY, PLANNING AND FINE ARTS Bachelor of Architecture Undergraduate Undergraduate Bachelor of Architectural Undergraduate Undergraduate Studies Bachelor of Fine Arts Undergraduate Undergraduate Bachelor of Planning Undergraduate Undergraduate Bachelor of Property Undergraduate Undergraduate Bachelor of Visual Arts Undergraduate Undergraduate Bachelor of Property Postgraduate Postgraduate Faculty asked to bring in (Hons) line with structure of other 1-year Hons programmes. Postgraduate Diploma in Postgraduate Postgraduate Building Science Postgraduate Diploma in Postgraduate Postgraduate Fine Arts Postgraduate Diploma in Postgraduate Postgraduate Property Master of Architecture Postgraduate Postgraduate Master of Architectural Postgraduate Postgraduate Studies Master of Building Postgraduate Postgraduate Science Master of Fine Arts Postgraduate Postgraduate Master of Planning Postgraduate Postgraduate Master of Planning Postgraduate Postgraduate Practice Master of Property Postgraduate Postgraduate Doctor of Fine Arts Postgraduate Postgraduate ARTS Bachelor of Arts Undergraduate Undergraduate Bachelor of Education Undergraduate Undergraduate (Teaching) Bachelor of Music Undergraduate Undergraduate
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Qualifications Current Recommended Comments Classification Classification Bachelor of Music Undergraduate Undergraduate Education Bachelor of Performing Undergraduate Undergraduate Arts Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Undergraduate Postgraduate Bachelor of Music Undergraduate Postgraduate (Hons) Diploma in Counselling Postgraduate Postgraduate Re-title as Graduate Diploma. Diploma in Music Undergraduate Undergraduate Diploma in Music Postgraduate Postgraduate Re-title as Graduate (Advanced) Diploma. Diploma in Performing Postgraduate Postgraduate Re-title as Graduate Arts Diploma. Diploma in Professional Postgraduate Undergraduate Re-title as Graduate Ethics Diploma. Diploma in Teaching Postgraduate Postgraduate Re-title as Graduate (Primary) Diploma. Funding implications to be confirmed. Diploma in Teaching Postgraduate Postgraduate Re-title as Graduate (Secondary) Diploma. Funding implications to be confirmed. Graduate Diploma in Postgraduate Undergraduate Arts Graduate Diploma in Postgraduate Undergraduate Faculty asked to review Education consistency of course levels of various specialisations Graduate Diploma in Postgraduate Postgraduate Re-title as Postgraduate Translation Studies Diploma. Postgraduate Diploma in Postgraduate Postgraduate Arts Postgraduate Diploma in Postgraduate Postgraduate Education Postgraduate Diploma in Postgraduate Postgraduate Educational Psychology Postgraduate Diploma in Postgraduate Postgraduate Language Teaching Certificate in Arts Undergraduate Undergraduate Postgraduate Certificate Postgraduate Postgraduate in Advanced Interpreting Master of Arts Postgraduate Postgraduate Master of Creative and Postgraduate Postgraduate Performing Arts Master of Education Postgraduate Postgraduate Master of Literature Postgraduate Postgraduate Master of Music Postgraduate Postgraduate Doctor of Education Postgraduate Postgraduate Doctor of Music Postgraduate Postgraduate BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS Bachelor of Business Undergraduate Undergraduate and Information Management Bachelor of Commerce Undergraduate Undergraduate
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Qualifications Current Recommended Comments Classification Classification Bachelor of Commerce Undergraduate Postgraduate (Hons) Graduate Diploma in Postgraduate Postgraduate Re-title as Postgraduate Business Diploma Graduate Diploma in Postgraduate Undergraduate Commerce Postgraduate Diploma in Postgraduate Postgraduate Commerce Graduate Certificate in Postgraduate Postgraduate Re-title as Postgraduate Business Certificate Master of Business Postgraduate Postgraduate Administration Master of Commerce Postgraduate Postgraduate Master of Commercial Postgraduate Postgraduate Law Master of International Postgraduate Postgraduate Business Master of Management Postgraduate Postgraduate Master of Taxation Postgraduate Postgraduate Studies ENGINEERING Bachelor of Engineering Undergraduate Undergraduate Diploma in Engineering Postgraduate Postgraduate Re-title as Graduate Diploma. Diploma in Engineering Undergraduate Undergraduate Re-title as Graduate (Transportation) Diploma. Diploma in Geothermal Postgraduate Postgraduate Re-title as Postgraduate Energy Technology Diploma. Certificate in Geothermal Postgraduate Postgraduate Re-title as Postgraduate Energy Technology Certificate. Master of Engineering Postgraduate Postgraduate Master of Engineering Postgraduate Postgraduate Studies
LAW Bachelor of Laws Undergraduate Undergraduate Bachelor of Laws (Hons) Undergraduate Undergraduate Postgraduate Diploma in Postgraduate Postgraduate Legal Studies Master of Laws Postgraduate Postgraduate MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES Bachelor of Health Undergraduate Undergraduate Sciences Bachelor of Human Undergraduate Undergraduate Biology Bachelor of Medicine Undergraduate Undergraduate and Bachelor of Surgery Bachelor of Nursing Undergraduate Undergraduate Bachelor of Pharmacy Undergraduate Undergraduate Bachelor of Human Undergraduate Postgraduate Biology (Hons) Bachelor of Nursing Undergraduate Postgraduate (Hons) Diploma in Paediatrics Postgraduate Postgraduate Re-title as Postgraduate Diploma. Graduate Diploma in Undergraduate Undergraduate Health Science
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Qualifications Current Recommended Comments Classification Classification Postgraduate Diploma in Postgraduate Postgraduate Community Emergency Medicine Postgraduate Diploma in Postgraduate Postgraduate Geriatric Medicine Postgraduate Diploma in Postgraduate Postgraduate Health Sciences Postgraduate Diploma in Postgraduate Postgraduate Medical Science Postgraduate Diploma in Postgraduate Postgraduate Obstetrics and Medical Gynaecology Postgraduate Diploma in Postgraduate Postgraduate Pharmacy Practice Postgraduate Diploma in Postgraduate Postgraduate Public Health Postgraduate Diploma in Postgraduate Postgraduate Sports Medicine Certificate in Health Undergraduate Undergraduate Sciences Postgraduate Certificate Postgraduate Postgraduate in Health Sciences Postgraduate Certificate Postgraduate Postgraduate in Medical Science Postgraduate Certificate Postgraduate Postgraduate in Pharmacy Practice Postgraduate Certificate Postgraduate Postgraduate in Public Health Master of Audiology Postgraduate Postgraduate Master of Health Postgraduate Postgraduate Sciences Master of Medical Postgraduate Postgraduate Science Master of Nursing Postgraduate Postgraduate Master of Pharmacy Postgraduate Postgraduate Practice Master of Public Health Postgraduate Postgraduate Doctor of Medicine Postgraduate Postgraduate Doctor of Pharmacy Postgraduate Postgraduate SCIENCE Bachelor of Optometry Undergraduate Undergraduate Bachelor of Science Undergraduate Undergraduate Bachelor of Science Undergraduate Postgraduate (Hons) Graduate Diploma in Postgraduate Undergraduate Not consistent with Science Register requirements Postgraduate Diploma in Postgraduate Postgraduate Applied Psychology Postgraduate Diploma in Postgraduate Postgraduate Clinical Psychology Postgraduate Diploma in Postgraduate Postgraduate Forensic Science Postgraduate Diploma in Postgraduate Postgraduate Health Psychology Postgraduate Diploma in Postgraduate Postgraduate Science
December 2002 59 Curriculum Commission
Qualifications Current Recommended Comments Classification Classification Certificate in Ocular Postgraduate Postgraduate Not consistent with either Pharmacology CUAP or Register requirements Master of Science Postgraduate Postgraduate Master of Speech Postgraduate Postgraduate Language Therapy Practice Doctor of Clinical Postgraduate Postgraduate Psychology THEOLOGY Bachelor of Theology Undergraduate Undergraduate Graduate Diploma in Postgraduate Undergraduate Not consistent with Theology Register requirements Master of Theology Postgraduate Postgraduate CONJOINT DEGREES All Conjoint Degrees Undergraduate Undergraduate INTERFACULTY Bachelor of Technology Undergraduate Undergraduate Diploma in Postgraduate Postgraduate Re-title as Graduate Environmental Diploma. Management Diploma in Mathematics Postgraduate Undergraduate Education Diploma in Operations Postgraduate Postgraduate Re-title as Graduate Research Diploma. Diploma in Science Postgraduate Undergraduate Education Graduate Diploma in Postgraduate Postgraduate Re-title as Postgraduate Arts Management Diploma Master of Educational Postgraduate Postgraduate Management
Master of Engineering Postgraduate Postgraduate Management Master of Health Postgraduate Postgraduate Management Master of Operations Postgraduate Postgraduate Research Master of Professional Postgraduate Postgraduate Studies Master of Science Postgraduate Postgraduate (Health Psychology) UNIVERSITY PROGRAMMES Doctor of Philosophy Postgraduate Postgraduate
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6.3 Additional Analysis
The Commission has also been involved in a large amount of data analysis through the course of its work. Some examples of this analysis are provided below. a) Summary of Postgraduate Progression Rates 1996- 2001
1996: Students enrolled Progressed to 1998 Progressed to Progressed to Programme in programme in Doctorate from 1997 1997 Masters 1997 Doctorate 1996 Masters Honours 298 23 (8%) 7 (2%) 1 (4%) Masters 2378 - 67 (3%) -
1997: Programme Students enrolled Progressed to Progressed to Progressed to 1999 in programme in 1998 Masters 1998 Doctorate Doctorate from 1998 1997 Masters Honours 345 28 (8%) 2 (1%) 3 (11%) Masters 2494 - 63 (3%) -
1998: Programme Students enrolled Progressed to Progressed to Progressed to 2000 in programme in 1999 Masters 1999 Doctorate Doctorate from 1999 1998 Masters Honours 334 24 (7%) 2 (1%) 0 (0%) Masters 2593 - 105 (4%) -
1999: Programme Students enrolled Progressed to Progressed to Progressed to 2001 in programme in 2000 Masters 2000 Doctorate Doctorate from 2000 1999 Masters Honours * 506 50 (10%) 5 (1%) 6 (12%) Masters 2446 - 91 (4%) - * Bachelor of Arts (Honours) introduced 1999.
2000: Programme Students enrolled Progressed to Progressed to Progressed to 2002 in programme in 2001 Masters 2001 Doctorate Doctorate from 2001 2000 Masters Honours 572 77 (13%) 16 (3%) 1 (0%) Masters 2128 74 (3%)
2001: Programme Students enrolled Progressed to Progressed to Progressed to 2003 in programme in 2002 Masters 2002 Doctorate Doctorate from 2002 2001 Masters Honours 582 85 (15%) 16 (3%)
Curriculum Commission 2002 (based on data provided by Planning Office, June 2002)
December 2002 61 Curriculum Commission b) 1996 & 1997 Conjoint Student Cohort Completions and Progressions (1996 – 2002)
1996 Cohort 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 Total Number of students started 421 with a conjoint degree Total finished with a conjoint 1 0 82 82 50 215 degree Total finished with a single 0 1 44 16 9 70 degree or undergraduate diploma without conjoint Total finished with a 0 0 12 10 6 28 Postgraduate qualification without finishing Conjoint Total completed with one or 1 1 138 108 65 313 more qualification Note: (1) 108 students from the cohort have not yet completed requirements for any qualifications (2) Students might have graduated from more than one programmes at both under and postgraduate levels, the table above only includes the first programme they have completed.
1996 students finished conjoint and re-enrolled in postgraduate programmes Programmes 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 Total Master of Arts 1 1 2 4 Master of Commerce 1 1 1 3 Master of Creative & 2 2 Performing Arts Master of Laws 2 2 Master of Science 3 3 Graduate Diploma in 1 1 Commerce Postgraduate Diploma in 1 1 2 Science Number of students enrol in 0 0 6 5 6 17 PG Programmes after finishing a conjoint
1997 Cohort 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 Total Number of students started 413 with a conjoint degree Total finished with a conjoint 0 0 89 116 205 degree Total finished with a single 0 58 57 7 122 degree or undergraduate diploma without conjoint Total finished with a 0 0 1 1 2 Postgraduate qualification without finishing Conjoint Total completed with one or 0 58 147 124 329 more qualification Note: (1) 84 students from the cohort have not yet completed requirements for any qualifications (2) Students might have graduated from more than one programmes at both under and postgraduate levels, the table above only includes the first programme they have completed.
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1997 students finished conjoint and re-enrolled in postgraduate programmes Programmes 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 Total Master of Arts 1 1 Master of Commerce 1 1 2 Master of Laws 3 3 Master of Public Health 1 1 Master of Science 2 2 4 Master of Taxation Studies 2 1 3 Master of Theology 1 1 Graduate Diploma in 2 1 3 Commerce Diploma in Teaching (Primary) 1 1 Diploma in Teaching 2 2 (Secondary) Postgraduate Diploma in 1 1 Science Doctor of Philosophy 1 1 Number of students enrol in 10 13 23 PG Programmes after finishing a conjoint
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6.4 Terms of Reference, Membership and Process
Terms of Reference
To consider and recommend to the University on the following University-wide issues in the light of the University’s mission to be a University internationally recognised for the quality of its academic programmes, teaching and learning.
i. Whether the University has the best set of academic programmes to enable it to meet its academic goals and, if not, to recommend on the changes that need to be made; ii. The provision of challenging undergraduate programmes, including the relationship between ‘general’ and first professional programmes, conjoint qualifications and interdisciplinary programmes, the inclusion of life skills and work opportunities, and teaching and learning structures and practices that ensure that graduates of the University fit the University’s graduate profile; iii. The composition of the student body with reference to the balance between Faculty intakes, undergraduate and postgraduate students, domestic and international students; iv. Entry standards for undergraduate and postgraduate students; v. The relationship between academic programmes offered at the University and partner institutions in the region, with particular reference to pathway programmes; vi. The place of continuing education, particularly at the post graduate level; vii. The University’s portfolio of postgraduate programmes.
Commission Membership
Professor Raewyn Dalziel (Chair) Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Associate-Professor Penny Brothers Chemistry Dr Jan Crosthwaite Philosophy Professor Peter Jackson Postgraduate Dean Mrs Sue Laurenson Associate Dean, Business and Economics Professor Andy Philpott Engineering Science Associate-Professor Phillippa Poole Medicine Professor Anne Salmond Pro Vice-Chancellor (EO) Associate-Professor Basil Sharp Economics Associate-Professor Bruce Smaill Physiology Professor Linda Smith Education Professor Terry Sturm English
Process
Commission Meetings
The Curriculum Commission was established in March 2002, and the first meeting of all 12 members of the Commission was held in April. The minutes of all meetings were made available on the University’s website. The Commission divided into three subcommittees to address specific aspects of the terms of reference. Each of these subcommittees met, on average, fortnightly from May until August.
Consultation
• This report is the result of the Commission’s analysis and discussions following submissions from students and staff, responses to the Commission’s interim report, and the examination of literature and practice in other institutions (both nationally and internationally).
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• In addition to making a submission, students were able to nominate themselves to join the Commission’s Student Reference Group. Nominations for undergraduate and postgraduate representation on this Group were also called for from each Faculty. Before producing this report, members of the Commission met with these students to gain their input into issues surrounding, in particular, graduate attributes and core curriculum.
• The Chair of the Commission, along with the Chair of the Student Life Commission, also established two additional student groups – a Māori Advisory and Evaluatory Group, and a Pacific Advisory and Evaluatory Group.
• A number of professional and employer bodies, identified by the Commission and Deans as likely to have an interest in the work of the Commission, were also asked for their input and advice.
• Following the release of the interim report in September, a series of forums were held on each of the City, Tamaki and Grafton campuses. These forums invited interested students and staff to hear more about the Commission’s proposals and provided an opportunity for individuals to ask questions or provide feedback directly to Commission members.
• The Commission also invited Deans of each Faculty to meet with members of the Commission to discuss particular concerns with proposals. Meetings were held with several faculties during the month of October.
Sources of Information
The Commission has had a variety of information available to assist it in its task:
• Staff and student initial submissions • Responses to the interim report • Discussions with, and materials from, other institutions • The reports of similar commissions of other institutions • Meetings with student reference groups • Significant amounts of internet-based material • Student statistics • Commission members’ own knowledge or observation of curriculum at this and other institutions • Relevant members of each faculty were asked to provide information about policies or current norms of student workload.
Initial Submissions
A total of 50 submissions were received. There were eight key themes that emerged from the submissions:
• Undergraduate degrees: general structure (13 submissions) • Entry standards: undergraduate students (10 submissions) • Undergraduate degrees: core subjects/common year (9 submissions) • Postgraduate degree structures (7 submissions) • English language proficiency (6 submissions) • Work experience and life skills programmes (6 submissions) • Mentoring of students (2 submissions) • Entry standards: postgraduate students (2 submissions)
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Responses to Interim Report
A total of 45 submissions were received. Responses were concentrated upon 5 main areas, namely the discussion and proposals surrounding General Education, postgraduate qualifications, a 24-course degree, entry and admissions, disciplines and their relationships, and conjoint degrees. The following outlines the number of submissions each section of the report attracted:
• Section 1. Introduction o Why a Curriculum Commission? (1) o The New Zealand Tertiary System (1) o International Trends (1) o Mood for Change (2) • Section 2. The University’s Mission o Distinguishing The University of Auckland (3) o Research-based Teaching (12) o Graduate Profile (9) o Equipping our Graduates for Life (2) • Section 3. The University’s Academic Programmes o Undergraduate Programmes (5) o Disciplines and their Relationships (17) o Designing Undergraduate Degrees (1) o A General Education Component (37) o A 24-course Degree (19) o Conjoint Degrees (15) o Gifted Students (13) o Postgraduate Qualifications (28) o A Postgraduate Profile (2) • Section 4. The Student Body o Entry and Admissions (19) o International Students (9) o Postgraduate Students (3) o Faculties (1) • Section 5. Pathways and Partners o Pathways and Partnerships (7) o Work Experience and Community Service (11) • Appendix o 6.2. Classifying Undergraduate and Postgraduate Programmes (4)
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6.5 Bibliography
Academic Audit Unit (2000) The University of Auckland Audit Report.
Black, P (2001). Masters Degrees as Professional Qualifications and/or Research Degrees. University of Auckland discussion paper.
The Boyer Commission on Educating Undergraduates in the Research University (1998) Reinventing Undergraduate Education: A Blueprint for America’s Research Universities. Available on-line: http://naples.cc.sunysb.edu/Pres/boyer.nsf/
Brew, A and Boud, D (1995) ‘Teaching and Research: Establishing the Vital Link with Learning’. Higher Education, 1995, 29, 261 – 273.
Canadian Association for Co-operative Education (2000) Definition of Co-operative Education. Available on-line: http://www.cafce.ca/e/index-e.htm.
Council of Europe (2002) Bologna Process. Available on-line: http://www.coe.int/T/E/Cultural_Co- operation/education/Higher%5Feducation/Activities/default.asp#TopOfPage
DEST ‘Striving for Quality: Learning, Teaching and Scholarship’. Higher Education at the Crossroads Series, 2, June 2002.
DETYA ‘Factors Associated with Completion of Research Higher Degrees’. Higher Education Series, 37, May 2001, 1-7.
DETYA ‘Which University? The Factors Influencing the Choices of Prospective Undergraduates’. Higher Education Publication, 99, 3, August 1999.
Duke University (1999) Curriculum 2000. Available on-line: http://pmac- www.aas.duke.edu/advc2k/advc2k.html
Gaff, J.G., Ratcliff, J.L. et al (1997) Handbook of the Undergraduate Curriculum – A Comprehensive Guide to Purposes, Structures, Practices, and Change. Jossey-Bass: San Francisco.
Hattie, J. and Marsh, H.W (1996) ‘The Relationship between Research and Teaching: A Meta- Analysis’. Review of Educational Research, 66, 4, 507-542.
Hrabowski, F.A III (1999) ‘Creating a Climate for Success’. The Presidency, Winter 1999, 35-39.
Johnston, C (2001) ‘Student Perceptions of Learning in First Year in an Economics and Commerce Faculty’. Higher Education Research & Development, 20, 2, 169-184.
Kuh, G.D (2001) ‘Assessing What Really Matters to Student Learning’. Change, May 2001, 33, 3.
MacDonald, W.B (2000) Trends in General Education and Core Curriculum: A Survey. Available on-line: http://www.utm.utoronto.ca/~w3asc/trends.htm.
McInnis, C (2001) ‘Researching the First Year Experience: Where to from here?’. Higher Education Research & Development, 20, 2, 104-114.
Ministry of Education (2002) Tertiary Education Strategy. Available on-line: http://www.minedu.govt.nz/web/document/document_page.cfm?id=7130.
Ministry of Education (2002) Interim Tertiary Education Priorities 2002-03. Available on-line: http://www.minedu.govt.nz/web/document/document_page.cfm?id=7366.
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Morris, M. and Jelks, W (1997) ‘Research-Informed Teaching’. The University of Auckland unpublished report.
Nerad, M. and Miller, D.S ‘Increasing Student Retention in Graduate and Professional Programs’. New Directions for Institutional Research, 92, Winter 1996, 61-76.
NZQA (2001) Introduction to the Register: The New Zealand Register of Quality Assured Qualifications. Available on-line: http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/providers/register/.
NZVCC (2002) University Graduate Destinations 2001. Available on-line: http://www.nzvcc.ac.nz/pubs/dest2001.html.
Pascarella, Ernest T (2001) ‘Identifying Excellence in Undergraduate Education’. Change, May 2001, 33, 3, 19.
Pitkethly, A and Prosser, M (2001) ‘The First Year Experience Project: A Model for University- Wide Change’. Higher Education Research & Development, 20, 2, 185-198.
Terenzini, P.T and Pascarella E.T (1994) ‘Living with Myths: Undergraduate Experience in America’. Change, Jan-Feb 1994, 26, 1, 28.
The University of Auckland (2002) Strategic Plan 2002 – 2004. Internal document.
The University of Auckland (2002) Postgraduate Student Experience Survey 2001. Internal document.
The University of Auckland (2001) 2002 Calendar. Available on-line: http://www.auckland.ac.nz.
The University of Auckland (2001) Briefing Papers for Faculties on the NCEA. Internal document.
The University of Auckland (2001) Academic Plan 2001 – 2003.Internal document.
The University of Auckland (2001) Library Survey October 2001. Internal document.
The University of Auckland (2001) Academic Programmes – Guidelines. Internal document.
The University of Auckland (2000) Academic Audit Portfolio. Internal document.
The University of Auckland (1999) A Guide to Benchmarks and Benchmarking within Australian Universities. Internal document.
The University of Auckland (1997-2002) Student Statistics 1996 – 2001. Internal document.
The University of California at Berkeley (2000) Commission on Undergraduate Education. Available on-line: http://learning.berkeley.edu/cue/
The University of Melbourne (2002) Nine Principles Guiding Teaching and Learning in the University of Melbourne. Available on-line: http://www.cshe.unimelb.edu.au.
The University of Michigan (2000) Report on the President’s Commission on the Undergraduate Experience. Available on-line: http://www.umich.edu/pres/undergrad.
Woodhouse, D (1998) ‘Auditing Research and the Research/Teaching Nexus’. New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies, 33, 1, 39-53.
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Programme, admissions and other curriculum-related information was also gathered from the following university websites:
Universitas 21 Members
The University of Birmingham http://www.bham.ac.uk/ The University of British Columbia http://www.ubc.ca/ The University of Edinburgh http://www.ed.ac.uk/ The University of Glasgow http://www.gla.ac.uk/ The University of Hong Kong http://www.hku.hk/ McGill University http://www.mcgill.ca/ The University of Melbourne http://www.unimelb.edu.au/ National University of Singapore http://www.nus.edu.sg/ The University of New South Wales http://www.unsw.edu.au/ The University of Nottingham http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/ The University of Queensland http://www.studyatuq.net/ The University of Virginia http://www.virginia.edu/
Other International Universities
The Australian National University http://www.anu.edu.au/ University of California, Berkeley http://www.berkeley.edu/ University of Cambridge http://www.cam.ac.uk/ Duke University http://www.duke.edu/ Harvard University http://www.harvard.edu/ University of Limerick http://www.ul.ie/ University of Michigan http://www.umich.edu/ Monash University http://www.monash.edu.au/ University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill http://www.unc.edu/ University of Oxford http://www.ox.ac.uk/ Princeton University http://www.princeton.edu/index.shtml RMIT University http://www.rmit.edu.au/ University of Southern California http://www.usc.edu/ Stanford University http://www.stanford.edu/ The University of Sydney http://www.usyd.edu.au/ Syracuse University http://www.syr.edu/ University of Toronto http://www.utoronto.ca/ University of Victoria, Canada http://www.uvic.ca/ The University of Warwick http://www.warwick.ac.uk/ University of Waterloo http://www.uwaterloo.ca/ The University of York http://www.york.ac.uk/
Other New Zealand Universities
Auckland University of Technology http://www.aut.ac.nz University of Canterbury http://www.canterbury.ac.nz/ Lincoln University http://www.lincoln.ac.nz Massey University http://www.massey.ac.nz University of Otago http://www.otago.ac.nz/ Victoria University of Wellington http://www.vuw.ac.nz University of Waikato http://www.waikato.ac.nz
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