Review of Academic Programs

1
Review of Academic Programs

• Academic Senate
• May 6

2
Governance

• Green Paper
• Describes the thinking and processes
• Consultative document
• White Paper
• Recommends the structure
• Requires approval from Academic Senate and
  Council
• To be implemented in 2010

3
Why is a Review Necessary?

• Whole university review not done since the
  original degrees developed
• To meet aspirations of MQ_at_50 we need to refresh
  our approach to L and T to attract high quality
  students
• From the original 1 BA in 1964 we have 142
  undergraduate degrees
• Ensure specialist learning and depth
• Need to ensure that the research-teaching nexus
  is systematically addressed in the curriculum
• Use the diversity of the student population as a
  resource
• Work force readiness and recognition of student
  work pressures
• Globalization and global citizenship

4
Benefits

• A coherent MQ approach to curriculum and
  program design
• Reduce internal competition for students
• Flexibility for students
• Common value for credit points
• Simplified and more accurate academic advising
• Common set of graduate capabilities
• Consistency in unit outlines
• Greater sense of academic community
• know what we stand for
• Participation
• learning is applied and engaged with community

5
Benefits for students

• Introductory unit gives students an
  understanding of learning at MQ
• Dont expect to include everything in this unit
  learnings will be embedded in subsequent units
• Capstone unit pulling learning experiences
  together
• Diploma Supplement students can list work
  integrated learning, volunteering etc and how
  they were able to demonstrate their graduate
  capabilities
• Students would build evidence for their Diploma
  Supplement by reflecting on their embedded
  learning experiences during their study

6
The structure and content of programs should be

• Intellectually robust
• Transparent and accessible
• Coherent
• Practical and relevant
• Distinctive
• Recognizable and valued
• Promote excellence
• Inclusive

7
Process to date

• A Framework Paper containing rationale, guiding
  principles, process and goals made available to
  staff and students for comment
• Focus Groups have been held with a number of
  senior students from MQ Partner Schools. Career
  Advisers and Principals of several schools have
  been interviewed
• Workshop held with Student Administration staff
  and system staff to identify system constraints
• Academic Working Group met to consider a
  structured set of questions, with input gathered
  from responses to internet questionnaire

8
Process to date

• Development of a Green Paper which is out for
  discussion
• Web questionnaire to obtain feedback from Alumni
• Workshops with representatives from Science, Arts
  and the Professions
• Faculty Forum
• All contribute to the development of a White Paper

9
Curriculum Frameworkoutcomes

• Ensure positive transition experience into
  University life
• Develop an introductory module building in and
  expanding the present Transition program.
• Improve English competency
• Embed a research experience into students
  programs
• A common set of values

10
Overall aims

• Reduce the number of degrees
• General Arts and Science degrees
• Keep Professional named degrees
• Simplify existing system of study patterns
• Majors and minors
• Retain 100, 200, 300 and 400 level units
• Consistency in credit point value
• 6 credit points
• Credit points on the basis of student workload
  and assessment
• Examine articulation between UG and PG
• Integrate 3 Ps into program design

11
Participation

• We want MQ students to be engaged in the
  community, to contribute to solving issues facing
  society and to help shape a civilized, inclusive
  society
• Develop a major focus on learning through
  structured international and domestic work
  experiences as part of the academic program
• Establish partnerships with NGOs to help
  facilitate this
• Examine courses to ensure that they are
  appropriately local, global and international in
  their approach and content
• Strengthen opportunities for work experience,
  internships and other practical learning and
  research experiences

12
People and Planet

• Core units from People and Planet strands
• Ensures students have a broader education
  experience
• Departments from across the University to submit
  units which do not have pre-requisites
• Distributes resources across the University
• Gives students an experience in science or arts
• Up to departments to develop appropriate units
  not dumbing down content

13
Degree structure

• 3 year degrees
• generalist degrees,
• 144 credit points
• 4 year degrees
• May require professional accreditation
• Research stream (hons)
• 192 credit points
• A number of prestige named degrees with higher
  cut offs
• Research pathway for high performing research
  focussed students
• Majors and minors the shape of these to be
  developed by Faculties
• Develop introductory and capstone units.

14
Next Steps

• Staff forum held on 24 April
• Academic Senate to discuss implications of review
• During May response to Green Paper with comments
  incorporated in White Paper
• Discussion of Green Paper at Executive, Senate, L
  and T committee.
• White Paper completed by end of June and
  presented to Council
• Faculties begin the review and development of
  degrees
• New degrees in place for 2010 academic year

15

• Questions