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. December 2002 1 Curriculum Commission 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