JOINT HONOURS DEGREES

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JOINT HONOURS DEGREES
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Joint Honours
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What is Joint Honours?

• A JH degree combines 2 subjects for an honours
  degree
• Same overall number of credits as a single
  honours degree
• Therefore, in principle, NOT more work than
  single honours
• But more adaptability assumed on the part of the
  student
• Same choice of modules but fewer modules per
  subject
• 2-language degrees advanced language modules in
  both
• Welcomed by employers two specialist subjects
• Evidence that Joint Honours students more
  employable

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What is Joint Honours ?

• Leeds is THE leading UK centre for JH degrees
• 395 BA/BSc JH degree programmes
• 290 JHML / 38 JHSC / 67 JHAS programmes
• Plus study abroad and industrial placement
  options
• CJH currently acts as parent department
• This is due to change slightly in 2011
• One of the named departments will be parent
  department
• Students should notice very little difference

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What is Joint Honours ?

• The University takes student support very
  seriously
• The arrangements will bring JH students into line
  with SH
• This change will be a seamless process
• Students will continue to enjoy a high level of
  support
• The key aspect of student support still JH
  Personal Tutor
• Vital over-arching role across 2-3 subjects

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Why Joint Honours?

• Vast choice of degree programmes
• Breadth of programme (3 subjects in year 1?)
• Individual modules studied to same depth as for
  SH
• Flexibility (lt5 transfer possibilities)
• Try out new subjects? (Chinese? Politics?
  Philosophy?)
• Wider range of transferable skills
• Interdisciplinary perspective
• Higher degrees in EITHER subject
• More marketable
• E.g. better for PGCE two teaching specialisms

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JH Degrees120 credits each year

• Example 1 Level 1 Maths-Philosophy
• Maths 40 credits
• Philosophy 40 credits
• Elective 40 credits
• Example 2 Level 1 Arabic-French
• Arabic 60 credits
• French 40 credits
• Elective 20 credits

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JH - Elective Subject

• Student choice
• 20 or 40 credits
• To be spent in main subjects or elsewhere
• Chosen on arrival at Leeds
• If 40 credits, best to choose a third subject?
• A new language? A science?
• Many elective subjects available from scratch
• Can give huge flexibility at the end of level 1

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JH extreme flexibility (i) (BSc programmes)

• Year 1 Year 2 Year 3

A B
A B
A B D
A B
A B C
A B
A B C
A B
A C
Single Honours
B C
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JH extreme flexibility (ii)(BA programmes)
Level 1 French-History
40 credits French
40 credits History
40 credits Italian (elective)
Levels 2 3
JH French-History
JH History-Italian
JH French-Italian
SH French
SH History
SH Italian
(Subject to the agreement of the Schools
concerned)
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Student Support Network

• Personal Tutor
• University Counselling Centre
• Nightline
• Chaplaincy
• Adviser to International Students
• Disability Services
• Skills Centre
• Student Medical Practice
• Accommodation Service
• Student Advice Centre (student finance)
• Careers Centre

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Degrees - whats in a name?

• Operational Research )
• Artificial Intelligence? )
• Computer Science? )
• Computing? ) do you know the
• Software Engineering? )
  difference?
• Information Systems? )
• Information Science? )

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Degrees - whats in a name?

• Not all degrees in computing include study of
  hardware
• But ALL include software engineering
• And Social Policy/Social Work/Sociology/Social
  Science?
• You have to look at the content of the degree
• Get a course outline / go online
• In a JH programme, you must investigate 2/3
  subjects thus!

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JH - Admissions

• Likely Offers 2010
• AAA English-Hist. of Art, History-Spanish
• AAB Psychology-Management, Japanese-Spanish
• ABB Chemistry-French, Linguistics-Russ.Civilisat
  ion
• BBB Economics-Philosophy
• Apply early - few offers after 15 January
• We interview only non-standard candidates.
  So.....
• MAKE THE MOST OF YOURSELF ON THE UCAS FORM

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UCAS Personal Statement (i)

• The bit you can influence directly. So, more
  than 2 lines!
• Try to say what you want to do with the
  subject I see Physics as a means
  to preferable to I have always liked
  Physics best at school
• Other than exam grades, what kind of things
  help? Duke of Edinburgh awards? Tangible
  evidence of doing/enjoying languages? Seeing a
  relationship between Maths and Music? Time-manage
  ment skills?

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UCAS Personal Statement(ii)

• Give RELEVANT details of outside
  activities/interests
• Like Alan Sugar, we prefer rounded individuals to
  swots!
• Evidence of relevant skills not just a list!
• P/T job trustworthy? time-management?
  communication?
• Prefect etc. reliable? team player?
  communication?
• Sporting/theatrical/musical/debating achievements
  (etc.) time-management? range of skills?
  organising skills? team player?
  leadership? putting something back?

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UCAS Personal Statement (iii)

• Above all, tell us why you are interested in this
  degree
• 2/3 about your motivation
• 1/3 about you
• Try to be reflective and analytical
• Dont just tell us what youve done
• Tell us what you have gained from these
  activities

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UCAS form - be careful!

• 17 years ago I never thought that one day I
  would be 18.
• I have also travelled to Belgium and France by
  ferry.
• I enjoy having the lads round for a few beers
  and a night in front of the telly.
• Cooking is one talent I have, specialising in
  deserts.
• In the past year, I have worked for XXX as a
  bra-fitting specialist and have learnt many
  transferable skills.
• I am committed to a career in the regal
  profession.
• I frequently attend dog shows at which I have
  won many prizes.

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What do JH (Science) students do?

• 10-12 lectures per week
• 1-2 tutorial/seminars
• 3-12 hours practicals/lab work
• c.15-25 contact hours per week
• Plus understanding lecture notes, reading text
  books, doing course-work or projects, revising
  for exams etc
• In all, roughly 40 hours a week.

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What do JH (Arts) students do?

• A small number of lectures (4-5?)
• Many more small-group classes (8-10?)
• Seminars, language/conversation classes
  (linguists)
• personal tutorials
• 12-15 contact hours each week
• Key to success organising the rest of the week!
• (Reading, essay work, preparing presentations,
  language assignments, etc.)
• In all, roughly 40 hours a week

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JH Residence Abroad (i)

• A year abroad is available on all JH degrees
• An integral part of all language degrees
• An optional industrial placement/study year
  abroad available on all other JH degrees
• Quarter fees
• Always a full year in one country

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JH Residence Abroad (ii)

• Linguists have lt3 options university/assistants
  hip/placement
• 2-language degrees at Leeds 4 terms abroad
  (unusual)
• Fr-Ger Fr-year Ger-term (or vice versa)
• Better than one year split between France and
  Germany
• Cash-flow target language
• New language? always a year in that country
• e.g.Ch-Span Ch-year Span-term (no choice)
• Arabic-Chinese year in both countries (giving
  5 years)

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JH - Residence Abroad (iii)

• FENDING FOR SELF
• PROBLEM-SOLVING
• EXTRA CULTURAL AWARENESS
• PAID WORK? REPORTS?
• EMPLOYERS ALWAYS FIND IT IMPRESSIVE
• EXCELLENT GRADUATE EMPLOYMENT PROSPECTS

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JH - a graduates experience

• During my interview with ASDA, and from speaking
  with other employers, I have noticed much
  positive interest in the fact that I spent a year
  as an assistant in France.Questions relating to
  the year abroad cropped up time and time again,
  even though I was being interviewed for an
  accountancy scheme.They were clearly impressed
  by the fact that I had spent a year living and
  working abroad.They seemed to feel that a
  successful year abroad shows ability to adapt and
  face new challenges in a strange environment.In
  their eyes, an assistantship also demonstrates an
  ability to think on your feet while keeping
  control over large groups.In short, prospective
  employers are well aware of these transferable
  skills.I have had more positive replies to job
  applications than friends who have not spent a
  year abroad.Lisa (French-History of Art)

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JH - Some useful web addresses

• University of Leeds homepage http//www.leeds.ac.
  uk/
• Prospective students http//www.leeds.ac.uk/stud
  ents/index.htm
• CJH homepage http//www.leeds.ac.uk/cjh/index.ht
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• Full list of programmes
• http//www.leeds.ac.uk/cjh/prospective/programm
  es.htm
• jhas_at_leeds.ac.uk
• Queries? Email us at jhml_at_leeds.ac.uk
• jhsc_at_leeds.ac.uk

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JH - Conclusion

• Good luck with those results!
• Merits of a gap year?
• We hope to see you again in 2010 (or 2011)
• Questions?

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JH The End

• This PowerPoint Presentation is available at
• http//www.leeds.ac.uk/cjh/documents/