Board of Interdisciplinary Studies Meeting 15 AUG 2016sydney.edu.au/secretariat/pdfs/academic-board-committees/bis/2016/bis... · BOARD OF INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES MEETING OF THE

BOARD OF INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES

MEETING OF THE BOARD OF INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES

8AM MONDAY 15 SEPTEMBER 2016 Western Tower Board Room

Attendees: Professor Stephen Garton (Chair); Professor Philippa (Pip) Pattison, Ms Kylie Mayes; Professor Michele Ford; Professor Jeffrey Riegel; Professor Stephen Simpson; Professor Tony Masters; Dr Jennifer Saleeba; Dr Anne Rogerson; Professor David Lowe; Associate Professor Corinne Caillaud; Ms Chloe Smith, Mr Thomas Greenwell, Associate Professor Rae Cooper

In attendance: Associate Professor Peter McCallum, Dr Leah Schwartz, Ms Georgina Wheadon (secretariat)

Apologies: None 2016/1

AGENDA

1 Minutes of previous meeting

Presenter

Chair

Paper

Attached

2 Approval of the course resolutions for the Bachelor of Advanced Studies 2.1 Bachelor of Advanced Studies 2.2 Combined Degrees

Pip Pattison, Peter McCallum

Attached

3 Principles for approving elements of the shared pool and the Open Learning Environment


Attached

4 Approval of the minors, majors and units to be offered in the shared pool (Table S)


Attached

5 Indicative approval of the units funded for development for the Open Learning Environment (Table O)


Attached

6 Approval of unit proposal for interdisciplinary project units Pip Pattison Attached

BOARD OF INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES - MINUTES

11.30AM MONDAY 22 AUGUST 2016 Western Tower Board Room Attendees: Professor Stephen Garton (Chair); Professor Philippa (Pip) Pattison, Professor Michele Ford; Professor Stephen Simpson; Professor Jeffrey Riegel; Professor Tony Masters; Dr Jennifer (Jenny) Saleeba; Dr Anne Rogerson; Professor David Lowe; Associate Professor Corinne Caillaud; Ms Kylie Mayes; Mr Thomas Greenwell In attendance: Associate Professor Peter McCallum, Dr Leah Schwartz

Apologies: Associate Professor Rae Cooper, Ms Georgina Wheadon (secretariat), Ms Chloe Smith 1. Updated constitution and role in the new curriculum

The Board noted its new constitution and welcomed new members. 2. Process, timeline and approval schedule

The Board noted the very tight timeframes and large volume of work likely at its next meeting. The Chair suggested a discussion of core principles for approval of items to be offered in the

shared pool and the Open Learning Environment be held prior to considering approvals. Action: The Education Portfolio will prepare a document on proposed core principles for approval of shared pool items and Open Learning Environment units, to be considered as the first item on the agenda of the next meeting. Action: The Education Portfolio will advise the Board of a sensible division of work for reading the course proposals and the Board will assign readers to each, out of session and ahead of its next meeting. One possible division would be:

1. Course resolutions for the Bachelor of Advanced Studies and its combined degrees. 2. Shared Pool units, with a) elements offered by Arts, b) elements offered by Science, c) elements

offered by Business, and d) elements offered by other faculties to be considered individual by a reader not of the offering faculty.

3. Open Learning Environment units. The Board may therefore wish to appoint six readers. Action: The duration of the Board’s next meeting is to be extended to 1.5 hours. 3. Establishing the non-award subcommittee The Board agreed to establish the non-award subcommittee and for the Chair of the Academic Board to act as Chair. The subcommittee will need to meet in early September to consider CCE courses to be offered in 2017. This will initially be a subset of courses, with the intention to have by late 2018 all CCE courses either overseen by the relevant faculty or having been approved by the subcommittee. The need for institutes or centres that run pan-faculty non-award courses to have them overseen by this subcommittee was noted. A definition of ‘non award courses without a faculty home’ was requested.

Action: Non-award subcommittee to meeting for the first time in early-mid September. Additional representation from faculties to be sought. A definition of ‘non-award courses without a faculty home’ will be considered by that subcommittee. 4. Approval of Open Learning Environment units This item was struck from the agenda as the Education Portfolio reported a delay in the final selection of grant recipients. 5. Approval of a pan-faculty Higher Degree by Research unit of study The BIS approved the unit of study with the following recommendations:

The Director of Graduate Research to become the ‘unit of study coordinator’ for this and all other pan-faculty HDR units offered in this way, with responsibility for quality assurance of these units.

The Director of Graduate Research, as unit of study coordinator, to report to BIS annually on the quality of these courses, whether they remain fit for purpose, their perceived value to students and to staff.

The description and learning outcomes of this unit be changed from “this unit will give you an understanding of your main responsibilities” to “key responsibilities” and “main requirements according to the Australian code” to “key requirements”.

6. Other business The Board noted the Academic Honesty Education Module is a pan-faculty element and as such, considered that it should also have responsibility and oversight of this module, with either the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education or the Director, Education Strategy, taking on the unit of study coordinator role in a similar manner to the Director, Graduate Research for the HDR units.

Submission To Board of Interdisciplinary Studies

Date 15 September

Item No 2.1

Non-Confidential

Page 1 of 4

Author Peter McCallum, Director, Education Strategy

Reviewer/Approver Professor Pip Pattison, DVC Education

Paper title Resolutions for the Bachelor of Advanced Studies

Purpose

To approve the degree resolutions for the Bachelor of Advanced Studies and recommend them to the Academic Board

RECOMMENDATION That the Board of Interdisciplinary Studies approve the degree resolutions for the Bachelor of Advanced Studies and recommend them to the Academic Board. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Bachelor of Advanced Studies is a Liberal Studies degree (as defined in the University of Sydney Coursework Policy 2014) which will be available in combined degrees with the Bachelor of Arts, the Bachelor of Science, the Bachelor of Commerce, the Bachelor of Economics and the Bachelor of Design Computing from 2018. From 2020 an embedded honours component within a Bachelor/Bachelor of Advanced Studies degree will be the default honours pathway for Liberal Studies degrees at the University of Sydney. The Bachelor of Advanced Studies is offered only in conjunction with another bachelor award and is not available as a stand-alone degree. In the case of the combinations mentioned above, the requirements for the Bachelor of Advanced Studies are incorporated into the requirements for the combined degree and specified in their degree resolutions. Notwithstanding this, a stand-alone set of degree resolutions is needed;

for students who transfers from another university with a complete bachelor degree; for students commencing an undergraduate degree in 2017 who wish to add the Bachelor of

Advanced Studies in 2020; for students with a complete University of Sydney bachelor degree returning to undertake an honours

research project; for students in a Liberal Studies/Professional combined degree who wish to do honours in the Liberal

Studies degree; for students in a Liberal Studies/Professional combined degree wishing to take a four-year program in

the Liberal Studies degree (for example, Media and Communications, International and Global Studies)

This mechanism allows a simple solution that offers valuable options to students without creating unnecessary complexity in the University’s degree profile and is in line with the strategic theme of simplification in the Strategic Plan 2016-20. DETAIL Although it is only offered in conjunction with another bachelor degree and not as a stand-alone degree, a set of stand-alone resolutions for the Bachelor of Advanced Studies is needed in order to cater for students seeking to do honours on the basis of a bachelor degree from which they have already graduated (either from Sydney University or from another university), and to avoid undue complexity in the University’s degree profile for Liberal Studies/Professional combined degrees where a student wishes to undertake honours or a four-year programs. These different situations are elaborated below. Students seeking to do an honours year on the basis of a bachelor degree from which they have already graduated.


Date 15 September

Item No 2.1

Non-Confidential

Page 2 of 4

Currently students who wish to return or transfer to do an honours year on the basis of a degree from which they have already graduated receive a Bachelor (Honours) degree upon completing the appended honours year. From 2018, the embedded honours component within the final year of the Bachelor/Bachelor of Advanced Studies combined degree will be the default honours pathway for Liberal Studies degrees. Although no formal decision on the future of appended honours has yet been taken, the Generalist Undergraduate Degree Working Party of SEG has recommended that the University make no commitment to offering appended honours components for Liberal Studies degrees beyond 2020, except through the Bachelor of Advanced Studies. It was agreed, however, that awarding a full combined degree, Bachelor (Honours) /Bachelor of Advanced Studies, on the basis of one year of further study was inappropriate and that such students should be permitted to graduate with a Bachelor of Advanced Studies (Honours) instead. Such students would receive credit for 48-96 credit points on the basis of work done in the previous bachelor degree but would be required to complete those components of the Bachelor/Bachelor of Advanced Studies which they had not completed in the first award, for example, a second major, or 12 credit points from the Open Learning Environment. The minimum entry requirement for such students would be a completed bachelor degree with a credit average and a major or equivalent. Students commencing a degree in 2017 who wish to add a Bachelor of Advanced Studies in 2020 In order to allow the 2017 commencing cohort to take advantage of the new curriculum, the 4000 level units of of the Bachelor of Advanced Studies will be offered for the first time in 2020. It is not envisaged at this stage that students will seek admission on the basis of a completed bachelor award to do the Bachelor of Advanced Studies at pass level on an ongoing basis. However, the use of the Bachelor of Advanced Studies will be one mechanism by which students commencing a degree in 2017 will be able to take advantage of the curriculum components to be introduced in 2018. While some students commencing in 2017 may chose to transfer to the new combined degree resolutions (2.2 on the agenda) in 2018, others may elect to enroll in the Bachelor of Advanced Studies in 2020 using these resolutions. Students seeking to add honours or a four-year program to a Liberal Studies/Professional combined degree. Rather than construct pathways for each possibility with combined Liberal Studies/Professional combined degrees for students wishing to do honours in the liberal studies degree, or wishing to take a four-year program, a stand-alone set of resolutions for the Bachelor of Advanced Studies permits students to either suspend their candidature in the combined degree, or enroll in the Bachelor of Advanced Studies concurrently with the combined degree. The experience from the candidate’s perspective will be the same as for a student in the Bachelor/Bachelor of Advanced Studies combined degree and students will end up fulfilling identical requirements. However, the mechanism of a stand-alone set of resolutions for the Bachelor of Advanced Studies allows a wider set of options to students in combined Liberal Studies/Professional combined degrees while maintaining clarity in the University’s degree profile. As noted in Undergraduate Degree Profile, 2018 and Beyond, approved by SEG on 7 July, there will be further exploration of vertically integrated combined degrees in Law and Education during 2017 and the stand-alone resolutions will also provide a mechanism for offering additional options to students in these area while these possibilities are being considered. Four-year programs The changes to the curriculum framework for liberal studies degrees specified in the Coursework Policy 2014 and approved by the Academic Board on 29 June contains agreed common definitions for programs, majors and minors. Programs must contain an embedded major and may span over three or four years. Allowing students in Liberal Studies/Professional combined awards to either suspend enrolment in the combined award and take the Bachelor of Advanced Studies or enroll in it concurrently, opens up valuable educational opportunities to niche cohorts of students without complicating the degree profile. The proposed four-year programs in the new curriculum framework are listed below. The first two currently have combined degrees with law.

Media and Communications (BA/BAdvStudies). (The combination of the BA/BAdvStudies (Media and Communications) with the LLB would replace the current BA(Media &Comm)/LLB)

International and Global Studies (BA/BAdvStudies) The combination of the BA/BAdvStudies) (Intenational and Global Studies with the LLB would replace the current BIGS/LLB).

Agriculture (BSc/BAdvStudies)


Date 15 September

Item No 2.1

Non-Confidential

Page 3 of 4

Animal and Veterinary Bioscience (BSc/BAdvStudies) Food and Agribusiness (BSc/BAdvStudies) Medical Science (BSc/BAdvStudies)

Requirements for the Bachelor of Advanced Studies and the awarding of credit The requirements for the Bachelor of Advanced Studies are: 144 credit points including;

a Major (48 credit points) (this Major is a 2nd Major in addition to the Major (or equivalent) completed in the first degree)

a minimum of 12 credit points from the Open Learning Environment; A minimum of 24 credit points in a single subject area at 4000-level including a research, community,

industry or entrepreneurship project of ≥ 12 and ≤ 36 credit points; up to 60 credit points of elective or other units.

A maximum of 96 credit points may be cross-credited between the first bachelor degree and the Bachelor of Advanced Studies. Students admitted to the Bachelor of Advanced Studies on the basis of a previously completed bachelor degree may receive 48-96 credit points of credit for the previously completed degree. Only students eligible for credit comprising a minimum of a major of 48 credit points or equivalent from the prior bachelor degree would be eligible for admission. All students will be expected to complete the same requirements (or equivalent) over both degrees, which are: 240 credit points including:

2 Majors 12 credit points in the Open Learning Environment The degree core for the partner bachelor degree (where relevant) A minimum of 24 credit points of 4000-level advanced coursework including a project of 12 -36 credit

points For honours students, an embedded honours component of 36-48 credit points including a research

project of 12-36 credit points and 36 credit points of honours coursework of 4000-level or higher. A notional distribution of units between the two degrees in a typical enrolment is given below. This would provide guidelines in the awarding of credit for students entering the Bachelor of Advanced Studies on the basis of a completed degree. Table 1. Notional cross-crediting of units between a bachelor degree and the Bachelor of Advanced Studies.

Major 1 Degree core/elective Degree core/elective Major 2 or minor Major 1 Degree core/elective Degree core/elective Major 2 or minor

Major 1 OLE Elective Major 2 or minor Major 1 OLE Elective Major 2 or minor

Major 1 Major 1 Major 2 or Elective Major 2 or minor Major 1 Major 1 Major 2 or Elective Major 2 or minor

Project Project or 4000-level unit

Project or elective Elective or completion of Major 2

Project Project or 4000-level unit

Project or elective Elective or completion of Major 2

Units in the First Bachelor degree (48 credit points) Units in the Bachelor of Advanced Studies (48 credit points) Units that are cross-credited between both degrees (96 credit points) CONSULTATION


Date 15 September

Item No 2.1

Non-Confidential

Page 4 of 4

This proposal has been discussed at the Generalist Undergraduate Degree Working Party of SEG and circulated to faculties involved in liberal studies degrees and relevant professional degrees. Following consideration by the Board of Interdisciplinary Studies the proposal will be forwarded to the Course Curriculum and Planning Committee and the Academic Board for approval ATTACHMENTS Attachment 1 – Degree Resolutions for the Bachelor of Advanced Studies


Date 15 September

Item No 2.2

Non-Confidential

Page 1 of 4


Reviewer/Approver Peter McCallum, Director of Education Strategy

Paper title Resolutions for combined degrees with the Bachelor of Advanced Studies

Purpose

To co-approve the degree resolutions already approved by faculties for the Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Advanced Studies, Bachelor of Economics/Bachelor of Advanced Studies, Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Advanced Studies, Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Advanced Studies and Bachelor of Design Computing/Bachelor of Advanced Studies, .

RECOMMENDATION

That the Board of Interdisciplinary Studies co-approve the degree resolutions previously approved by faculties for the Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Advanced Studies, Bachelor of Economics/Bachelor of Advanced Studies, Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Advanced Studies, Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Advanced Studies and Bachelor of Design Computing/Bachelor of Advanced Studies and recommend them to the Academic Board;

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In pursuit of Initiatives 1 and 2 of Strategy 4 of the Strategic Plan 2016 –20 (transforming the undergraduate curriculum) the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, the Faculty of Science and the Business School have reviewed the curriculum of the Bachelor of Arts, the Bachelor of Economics, the Bachelor of science and the Bachelor of Commerce around a common structure and set of curriculum components in order to embed the graduate qualities agreed by the University in December 2015. Each Liberal Studies degree creates opportunities for students to take a major, minor or electives from the Shared Pool for Undergraduate Degrees (Table S), take a minimum of 12 credit points of study in the Open Learning Environment (Table O), has a stream for high achieving students, the Dalyell Stream, and creates an opportunity for further project and interdisciplinary work at an advanced level through combined degrees with the Bachelor of Advanced Studies. The Faculty for Architecture, Design and Planning has also reviewed the Bachelor of Design Computing, which is a specialist degree, to allow a combined degree with the Bachelor of Advanced Studies in which students take curriculum components from Table S and a minimum of 12 credit points from Table O. The Board of Interdisciplinary Studies (BIS) has delegated authority from Senate for interdisciplinary elements (Table S, Table O and the Dalyell Stream) and has overarching academic governance responsibility for approving the Bachelor of Advanced Studies and co-approving combined degrees with it, for recommendation to the Academic Board. The BIS is asked to:

co-approve the combined degrees already approved by faculties; i.e. the Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Advanced Studies, Bachelor of Economics/Bachelor of Advanced Studies, Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Advanced Studies, Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Advanced Studies and Bachelor of Design Computing/Bachelor of Advanced Studies and recommend them to the Academic Board (Attachments 1 – 5)

Background The role of the Board of Interdisciplinary Studies in the Education Strategy In pursuit of Strategy 4 of the Strategic Plan 2016-20 to transform the undergraduate curriculum, the role of the Board of Interdisciplinary Studies is a crucial one and the first two initiatives of Strategy 4 are particularly


Date 15 September

Item No 2.2

Non-Confidential

Page 2 of 4

relevant to its work. Initiative 1 aims to embed new graduate qualities and a new curriculum framework in all undergraduate degrees. While all the graduate qualities (disciplinary depth, broader skill, cultural competence, interdisciplinary effectiveness, an integrated professional, ethical and personal identity and influence) are relevant in some way to the work of the BIS, the fourth, interdisciplinary effectiveness, has particular pertinence. The second element of Initiative 1, the curriculum framework, creates several elements that facilitate the quality of interdisciplinary effectiveness:

common definitions of the major and minor so that students are able to gain disciplinary depth (the first graduate quality) in more than one discipline;

a common curriculum structure between all Liberal Studies degrees that allows all students to select majors, minors from a Shared Pool for Undergraduate Degrees (Table S);

an Open Learning Environment (OLE) that is again open to all students whatever their discipline; and finally,

the Dalyell stream for high achieving students in all Liberal Studies degrees. Initiative 2, which aims to establish a unique undergraduate degree and vertically integrated degree pathways also relies crucially on the Board of Interdisciplinary Studies. That unique degree, the Bachelor of Advanced Studies is used in a combined degree structure in all Liberal Studies and some specialist degrees. The BIS replaces the role of a faculty in providing overarching academic governance for the Bachelor of Advanced Studies and in co-approving the curriculum and resolutions for those combined degrees, and recommending them to the Academic Board. In summary, the roles of the BIS in giving effect to Strategy 4 are:

approving the curriculum and degree resolutions for the Bachelor of Advanced Studies and recommending them for adoption by the Academic Board;

co-approving the curriculum and resolutions for combined degrees with the Bachelor of Advanced Studies and co-recommending them to the Academic Board;

approving the inclusion of majors, minors and elective units in the Shared Pool for undergraduate Degrees (Table S) as used in all Liberal Studies degrees under the new curriculum framework;

approving the inclusion of units the Open Learning Environment (Table O) available to all students; approving requirements for the Dalyell Stream for high achieving students in Liberal Studies degrees.

The common curriculum framework for all Liberal Studies undergraduate degrees As specified in the Coursework Policy 2014 (as revised and approved in June 2016 by the Academic Board), each of the curricula for the BA, the BSc and B Com follow a common framework for both the stand-alone degree and the combined degree with the Bachelor of Advanced Studies. The requirements for the stand-alone degrees are: 144 credit points including; a maximum of 24 credit points from the Degree Core* a Major (48 credit points) from Table A for the degree; a Minor (36 credit points) or second Major from Table S or Table A; a minimum of 12 credit points from the Open Learning Environment (Table O); 12 – 36 credit points of elective units. The requirements for a combined degree with the Bachelor of Advanced Studies are: 196 credit points including: a maximum of 24 credit points from the Degree Core* a Major (48 credit points) or equivalent from Table A for the degree; a second Major (48 credit points) from Table S or Table A; a minimum of 12 credit points from the Open Learning Environment (Table O); 24 credit points of level-4000 advanced units including a project of 12 – 36 credit points elective units from Table A or Table S. Eligible students may also take an embedded honours component in the final year of the combined degree comprised 36 – 48 credit points of honours units at 4000-including a research project of 12 – 36 credit points, and honours coursework of 12 – 36 credit. * FASS has decided not to adopt a degree core for the BA or BA/BAdvStudies, Science has adopted a degree core of 12 credit points, and the Business School has adopted degree core 24 credit points.


Date 15 September

Item No 2.2

Non-Confidential

Page 3 of 4

In the case of the combined degree, Bachelor of Design Computing/ Bachelor of Advanced Studies, the core of 84 credit points is offered as an equivalent of the disciplinary depth normally provided by the major. The Shared Pool for Undergraduate Degrees (Table S) Table S contains minors and majors available as a second major for both the stand alone Liberal Studies degrees and the second major for any combined degree with the Bachelor of Advanced Studies. The Open Learning Environment (Table O) The Open Learning Environment is a collection of short-modular courses of 0, 2 or 6 credit points designed to enable students to build skills and extend knowledge according to their own needs. Approval of the Open Learning Environment Further details are outlined in Item 4 of the agenda. The Dalyell Stream The Dalyell Stream for high achieving students is described in Attachment 6 The Dalyell Stream. The Graduate Qualities The curriculum framework is designed to develop the graduate qualities in the manner illustrated in the table below. The way in which the course proposals develop the graduate qualities in students will be described in greater detail in the full course proposal which goes to CCPC and the Academic Board. Curriculum components Graduate qualities 1. A major or specialisation in two fields of study

Depth of disciplinary expertise Interdisciplinary effectiveness

2. A structured approach to the development of knowledge and skills with each major and foundational knowledge as determined by the faculty in the degree core

Depth of disciplinary expertise Broader skills Cultural competence Integrated identity

3. Collaborative and group-based learning activities and assessments in the 3000 level units of each major

Broader skills Cultural competence Integrated identity Influence

4. Interdisciplinary and inter-professional learning experiences in the 4000 level units of the Bachelor of Advanced Studies

Broader skills Interdisciplinary effectiveness Influence

5. Authentic problems and assessments in 3000 and 4000 level project work

Depth of disciplinary expertise Broader skills Interdisciplinary effectiveness Integrated identity Influence

6. An open learning environment for extension of knowledge and skills

Broader skills Interdisciplinary effectiveness Integrated identity Influence

7. Project-based learning

Depth of disciplinary expertise Broader skills Integrated identity


Date 15 September

Item No 2.2

Non-Confidential

Page 4 of 4

Influence

CONSULTATION The resolutions for the combined degrees have been approved by relevant faculty boards after internal faculty consultation, while coordinating their work through the Generalist Undergraduate Degree Working Party of SEG during 2015 and 2016. The common curriculum framework for Liberal Studies degrees and the common curriculum components were developed in the GUD Working Party and approved by the Academic Board in June 2016. Review of undergraduate degrees to embed the graduate qualities and new curriculum framework has been done by relevant faculties under compacts with the Education Portfolio, which provided resources for this work. The Education Portfolio also provided grants for the development of units in the Open Learning Environment. The design of the Dalyell Stream was undertaken by a subgroup of the GUD with representatives from all participating faculties. Following consideration by the Board of Interdisciplinary Studies a full course proposal will be forwarded to the Course Curriculum and Planning Committee and the Academic Board for approval. ATTACHMENTS Attachment 1 – Degree Resolutions for the Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Advanced Studies Attachment 2– Degree Resolutions for the Bachelor of Economics/Bachelor of Advanced Studies Attachment 3– Degree Resolutions for the Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Advanced Studies Attachment 4 – Degree Resolutions for the Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Advanced Studies Attachment 5 – Degree Resolutions for the Bachelor of Design Computing/Bachelor of Advanced Studies Attachment 6 - the Dalyell Stream

The Dalyell Stream for high-achieving students

Introduction The Dalyell1 Stream is proposed for students enrolled in a liberal studies degree (Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Advanced Studies) including those involved in a combined degree with the Bachelor of Advanced Studies. It will be offered to outstanding students who seek experiences that challenge them to gain greater breadth and/or depth of learning in their degree. Students graduating from the Dalyell Stream will be identified as Dalyell Scholars. All Dalyell Scholars will complete 12 credit points in units that are distinctive to the Dalyell Stream and have the opportunity to select a tailored suite of additional enrichment opportunities that offer depth or breadth of learning. Potentially included in this latter suite are:

Opportunities for talented students who make an early choice of preferred

specialization to undertake an intensive and challenging set of experiences that prepares them to a high level for further study or a specialist career, including possible access to a proposed accelerated, vertically integrated Bachelor/Master program of 216 credit points that can be completed in 4 calendar years;

Opportunities to build capacity for leadership in a global career, developing the University’s graduate qualities to the highest level and hence gaining outstanding skills for intellectual agility and future leadership; and

Opportunities to develop self-awareness and exercise different forms of potential leadership.

The Dalyell Stream emphasises the development of vision, depth of understanding, adaptability, breadth of perspective, societal contribution and a high level of capability in operating across disciplinary and cultural boundaries.

Entry and Progression Criteria Entry to the Dalyell Stream is on the basis of demonstrated academic achievement, either in Year 12 or in the first two semesters of a bachelor degree, and/or demonstration of potential assessed via another means (e.g. a broader skills assessment near the end of the first year of University). Proposed academic criteria are: ATAR of at least 98.00 or equivalent for alternative pathways (e.g. 90.00 for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students); or first year WAM of 80 or more. As noted further below, it is envisaged that entry to the stream would be via a single UAC code, with students admitted making an early indication of their preferred degree combination and, where applicable, degree stream. Students would be required to maintain a specified WAM (75) to remain in the stream. The Board of Interdisciplinary Studies would set entrance and progression thresholds on an ongoing basis.

1 The stream is named after the distinguished alumna Elsie Dalyell (pronounced Dee-el), who was a pioneer resident medical officer at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and the first female full-time academic in the medical faculty. She subsequently travelled to London on a scholarship and, after serving in the First World War, worked as a senior clinician in a Vienna-based research team studying deficiency diseases in children.

2

Stream Features Since the Dalyell Stream would develop the graduate qualities to a high degree, it would include the requirement to complete a small suite of distinctive Dalyell units of study. It would also offer additional enrichment opportunities identified in the University’s new undergraduate curriculum framework. The required features of the stream would be:

Dalyell Units of Study: a requirement to complete 12 credit points from a pool of designated Dalyell units of study (2 or 6 credit points) open only to Dalyell scholars. These units might be either cohort-specific disciplinary or interdisciplinary. There is potential to begin the units with a residential summer program that builds a strong cohort of like-minded students and establishes a challenging and supportive learning environment. Academic, industry and community experts would be involved in the units wherever possible. The units be interdisciplinary in character and take advantage of the intellectual depth and breadth of the cohort. They would be predominantly run by faculties but open to students in other faculties as appropriate.

Enrichment opportunities available in the Dalyell Stream will include:

Advanced units of study: early access to advanced level units of study, primarily in a student’s area of major study. Students would also have early and additional access to opportunities to participate in research and entrepreneurship experiences and undertake projects in industry and community settings. Study at an advanced level could be satisfied by units of study offered at a higher level than the current year of enrolment, or by taking designated advanced-level units.

Mentoring and professional skills development: access to an appropriate mentor (e.g. a

discipline mentor in their field or an external mentor) who would provide advice on study and career pathways and opportunities. Mentoring and professional skills development would also aim to focus on self-awareness, community contribution, and leadership development. The option of using the Gallup Strength Finder approach as part of this developmental work – as used in the MBA program in the Business School – will be explored.

Access to an accelerated, integrated 4-year Bachelor/Master degree: subject to approval by the Academic Board, access to an accelerated 4-year version of an integrated Bachelor/Master programs (see possible course structure presented in Table 2).

Global mobility experience: a winter or summer semester (at least 6 credit points) or a regular semester (24 credit points) abroad, with the possibility of a mobility scholarship (e.g. $2000) as a contribution to cost. Alternatives would need to be available for students who are not able to travel for various reasons, e.g. an international onshore opportunity.

Access to advanced programs in designated disciplines, including mathematics, d languages: subject to agreement and confirmation by the named disciplines.

Degree Structures Tables 1 and 2 set out illustrative course structures for the Bachelor/Bachelor of Advanced Studies and for an accelerated vertically integrated Bachelor/Masters degree for a student undertaking the Dalyell Stream. Students would have the option of completing the combined Bachelor/Bachelor of Advanced Studies degree or of transferring at the end of the third year to a postgraduate award for

3

which they are eligible. The potential vertical integration of a Masters degree with a Bachelor degree for a Dalyell scholar is set out in Table 2 below. Table 1. Illustrative course structure options for a 192cp Bachelor/Bachelor Advanced Studies degree for a Dalyell Scholar*

Year

1 Major 1 Major 1 Core/Elective Core/elective Dalyell Seminar OLE Major 2 Major 2

Year 2 Major 1 Major 1 Major 1 Core/elective

Dalyell Seminar OLE Major 2 Major 2

Year 3

Major 1 (project)

Major 1 (interdisc) Major 1 Elective

Major 2 (Project)

Major 2 (interdisc) Major 2 Major 2

Year 4 Project Project

Project/ AdvCW

Project/ AdvCW

Project/ AdvCW

Project/ AdvCW AdvCW AdvCW

*The eight right-most columns indicate units of study; AdvCW = 4000- or 5000-level and may include professional skills; OLE = Open Learning Environment units; Dalyell Seminar = a sequence of advanced interdisciplinary seminars. Table 2. Illustrative course structure for an accelerated 216cp Bachelor/Master degree*

Year

1 Major 1 Major 1 Major 1 Core/Elective

Core/ elective

Dalyell seminar

OLE Minor Minor

Year 2

Major 1 Major 1 Major 1 Core/Elective Core/

elective Dalyell seminar

OLE Minor Minor

Year 3

Major 1 (project)

Major 1 (interdisc)

Elective AdvCW AdvCW AdvCW AdvCW Minor Minor

Year 4

Project Project Project/ AdvCW

Project/ AdvCW

Project/ AdvCW

Project/ AdvCW

AdvCW AdvCW AdvCW

*The eight right-most columns indicate units of study; AdvCW = 4000- or 5000-level and may include professional skills; OLE = Open Learning Environment units; Dalyell Seminar = a sequence of advanced interdisciplinary seminars. The structure shown in Table 2 is for the proposed accelerated Bachelor/Master model. It affords completion of a major as well as 72 credit points of advanced course and project work. It also includes an extra 6cp of study in each year; this requirement could be completed in the summer semester and would be offered to all students in the accelerated program. Students who complete the first year with a WAM of 80 or more could be offered the opportunity to transfer laterally into the program. The distribution of credit points in the fourth year between advanced coursework and project work could be varied, but at least 12 points and, ideally, no more than 36 credit points should be allocated to project work. The requirements for the Masters degree are set out in Table 3.

Table 3. Master’s degree requirements

Course requirements for a Masters degree

Every student should complete a total of at least 72 credit points at level 4000 or higher including:

the degree’s core units offered at 4000-level or higher elective units at 4000-level or higher a capstone project of 12 credit points

The degree must meet the requirements of an AQF level 9 degree

Admission For purposes of admission, students could identify their preference for the Dalyell Stream through a single UAC code, and be offered the choice of a four-year double Bachelor/Bachelor degree or vertically integrated Bachelor/Master degree, each combination of which involves a liberal studies degree (BA, BCom, BSc, BAdvStudies).

Submission To The Board of Interdisciplinary Studies

Date 15 September 2016

Item No 3

Non-Confidential

Page 1 of 2

Author Leah Schwartz, Program Manager, Education Strategy

Reviewer/Approver Professor Pip Pattison, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Education

Paper title PRINCIPLES FOR APPROVING SHARED POOL ELEMENTS AND THE CURRICULUM OF THE OPEN LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

Purpose To propose principles for approving units of study, majors and minors to be offered in the shared pool for all liberal studies degrees and the units that will form the curriculum of the Open Learning Environment.

RECOMMENDATION

That the Board of Interdisciplinary Studies (BIS) endorse the proposed principles for the curriculum elements of the shared pool and Open Learning Environment.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Board of Interdisciplinary Studies (BIS) is responsible for assessing the suitability of faculty-approved curriculum components for inclusion in the shared pool of subjects for liberal studies degrees, and for assessing the strategic fit and quality of the Open Learning Environment (OLE) units of study. This paper provides a draft set of principles by which the BIS could judge elements for inclusion in either the shared pool or the OLE.

BACKGROUND

As part of its role in the new curriculum, the BIS is responsible for assessing the suitability and quality of the faculty-approved components (majors, minors and other units, as defined under the Learning and Teaching Policy 2015) for the shared pool and for units to be offered in the Open Learning Environment. The BIS will report updated lists of these degree components regularly to the Academic Board.

In developing principles for the approval of curriculum elements to be offered within the shared pool and those to be offered in the Open Learning Environment, the BIS should be guided by the principles of the University Strategy 2016-2020, which include a commitment to simplification. The new curriculum framework, as embedded in the Learning and Teaching Policy 2015 and the Coursework Policy 2015, responds to the ambition of the Strategy by balancing depth of disciplinary expertise (as achieved through well-structured majors and minors) with broader capabilities. As well as a coherent set of learning experiences that build disciplinary knowledge, skills and methods for enquiry, students should have access to interdisciplinary and inter-professional learning experiences. Through the shared pool, students in liberal studies degrees, and selected other degrees will have access to majors, minors and electives outside of their faculty. Attachment 1 details the guidelines, as agreed by the Generalist Undergraduate Degree Working Party, for constructing a major.

The Open Learning Environment (OLE) is also a key part of providing broader and multidisciplinary experiences to students and helping them to build a broad, and uniquely tailored skill base throughout their degree. All students within liberal studies degrees are required to take 12 credit points of OLE units, but OLE units are available to any undergraduate student within the University who wishes to undertake them. Attachment 2 is the guidelines for faculties when developing an OLE unit.

http://sydney.edu.au/policies/showdoc.aspx?recnum=PDOC2015/401&RendNum=0

http://sydney.edu.au/policies/showdoc.aspx?recnum=PDOC2015/401&RendNum=0



Item No 3

Non-Confidential

Page 2 of 2

PRINCIPLES FOR THE SHARED POOL

The Shared Pool will contain majors, minors and electives approved and offered into the shared pool by faculties. The Board of Interdisciplinary Studies will give approval for each major, minor and elective to be listed within the shared pool. The following principles should guide the BIS’ approval of these elements inclusion in the shared pool.

Majors, minors and electives to be offered in the shared pool: 1. should offer a distinct, coherent and valuable set of learning outcomes* that are of potentially broad

interest to students undertaking liberal studies degrees and develop the graduate qualities;2. should be supported by research or disciplinary depth within the school or faculty and draw on the

best available expertise within the University for development and delivery;3. cannot require the completion of prerequisites, or co-requisites, though they may list assumed

knowledge;4. cannot be prerequisites or co-requisites for majors, minors or electives within Table A for a degree;5. should be distinct from other majors, minors or electives within the shared pool;6. should be sufficiently attractive to be sustainable across the shared and Table A pools;7. should represent the broad range of disciplinary expertise within the University and therefore include

most of the majors and minors offered in liberal studies degrees;8. may include an introduction to professional fields but will generally fall short of providing a full

accredited program in a professional field;9. should meet the standards of the faculties offering liberal studies degrees and the BIS in regards to

the development of depth of expertise in a coherent field of study.

*note that work to develop learning outcomes has not been finalised for all elements. It is proposed that BISprovide indicative approval pending provision of learning outcomes at its third meeting.

PRINCIPLES FOR THE OPEN LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

The Open Learning Environment will contain units that can be taken by any student of the University at any time. These units will be developed and approved by faculties, or, approved by the BIS. The BIS gives final approvals for the inclusion of units in the Open Learning Environment. The following principles should guide that approval.

1. OLE units should:a. offer modular learning experiences with distinctive, identified learning outcomes;b. support delivery [development?] of the suite of graduate qualities;c. have broad appeal across degree programs;d. be able to sustain delivery through for-credit enrolments;e. contain an online component (0 credit points) and optional for-credit assessment and face-to-

face components;f. draw on the best available expertise in the University.

2. In order to obtain course credits for OLE units, students must complete a face-to-face component,such as a workshop, and assessment tasks.

3. All students will have access to the OLE and may take no-credit courses at any time.4. No OLE unit may have a prerequisite and no unit may be a prerequisite for another unit within the

curriculum. Individual OLE units may, however, stack together in modules up to a maximum of 6credit points in such a way as to build depth of knowledge in an individual discipline. There may alsobe prohibitions on students who cover a topic in greater detail in other parts of their degree takingcertain introductory or foundational OLE units.

5. OLEs will be accessible in an online ‘on-demand’ mode or using a blended learning method, asworkshops with supported online learning. This reflects global trends in the delivery of highereducation learning.

ATTACHMENTS

Attachment 1 – Guidelines for majors Attachment 2 – Guidelines for OLE units Attachment 3 – Qualities of the Sydney graduate: foundations for leadership

Submission To: Generalist Undergraduate Degree Working Party Date: 1 September 2016

I Non-Confidential

Page 1 of 3


Reviewer/Approver Peter McCallum, Director, Education Strategy

Paper title Guidelines for Majors and other Curriculum Components

Purpose To consider a set of principles to assist faculties in formulating and approving majors and other curriculum components.

RECOMMENDATION

That the GUD endorse the guidelines in this paper for the development and approval of majors.

ISSUES

A version of this paper was discussed at the GUD meeting on August 18, and subsequent meetings were held with Science, Business and Arts and Social Sciences to discuss a way forward. The following principles and guidelines have been agreed either at that meeting or in discussions since.

1. Core units that are common to both majors may overlap within the first year of majors (up to 12 creditpoints) without additional scrutiny by the faculty beyond that which is normally given to ensure cohesion, rigour and appropriate development and alignment of the learning outcomes for the major. Where overlap within the major core occurs beyond first year, this should be for sound disciplinary reasons, and an argued case should be considered by the faculty in order to ensure its necessity and that the major retains distinctiveness. With this caveat, both core and selective units offered within majors may overlap.

For students, while a single unit of major ‘core’ may be counted against two majors, selectives may not be double counted in this way, and a student wishing to complete two majors with overlapping core must choose unique selectives in order to complete the credit point requirements of those majors.

2. The major; should develop depth of expertise in a coherent field of study that is associated with an identifiable

community of scholars and is recognised as comprising a distinct and valuable body of scholarship; can be supported by demonstrated expertise and staff capacity in the area of the major; can be characterised by a distinctive set of learning outcomes, among which should be depth of

disciplinary expertise

BACKGROUND

In adapting to the new curriculum framework several faculties have developed frameworks for approving majors with particular focus on the extent to which any one unit can be shared between two majors or other components, and whether a student taking both of those majors or components (for example, a major and a minor which both have a shared component) should be exempted from the unit.

At the GUD meeting of 10 May the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences tabled a short paper that raised issues around common units at 1000-level in the conversion of the previous 36 credit point majors to 48 credit point majors. In discussion it was agreed that, in addition to the criteria and requirements in the (then-draft) Learning and Teaching Policy the principles outlined in 2 above would apply.

The intention was that the principles, together with the requirements of the Learning and Teaching Policy would guide decisions in faculties around where overlaps in foundational units were sensible and where they compromised the distinctiveness of the learning outcomes or prevented students achieving the necessary depth of learning. A set of guidelines may assist faculties in ensuring that majors are educationally coherent, academically distinctive, have scholarly acceptance, are supported by faculty expertise, and develop depth of learning through well-defined learning outcomes

Attachment 3.1


I Non-Confidential

Page 2 of 3

In broad terms it is accepted that up to 12 credit points of 1000 level units may provide foundational learning for two or more majors without compromising the distinctiveness of those majors. Similarly, it is acknowledged (and the policy specifically mentions) that a single 3000-level unit may provide the interdisciplinary context for two different majors in a reciprocal manner and that such units could be valuable in developing the graduate quality of interdisciplinary effectiveness in students because of the depth of knowledge they have acquired in both areas. While the issue of “double-dipping” has been raised, the primary considerations should be that the area of scholarship is recognised as distinctive and valuable in the scholarly community, that there were experts in the faculty to lead and guide curriculum development and learning experiences, that distinctive and valuable learning outcomes for each major could be defined and that student acquire disciplinary depth. Since the development of defined learning outcomes for majors, streams and programs is a new provision of the Learning and Teaching Policy (June 2016) it was agreed to extend the August deadline for their completion and faculties have undertaken to provide them by the end of October for inclusion in the course proposals for the Academic Board (some will also be ready for the proposal that is presented to CCPC). Some faculties have indicated interest in students completing more than two majors within their degree using common units to achieve this. At the moment, it is agreed that up to two majors in a single degree will be recognised on the testamur. This issue is canvassed further in item 3. ATTACHMENTS Attachment 1 – Extract from the Learning and Teaching Policy 2015


I Non-Confidential

Page 3 of 3

Attachment 1 - Extract from the Learning and Teaching Policy 2015

Specification for majors [Specifications for streams, majors, minors and programs are in Section 18 (page 17) of the Learning and Teaching Policy.

18 (3)Majors: (a) comprise a defined sequence of units taken by a student that develop depth of expertise in a field of study; (b) must have intellectual and educational coherence and specified learning outcomes as required in clause13; (c)in undergraduate degrees, must require exactly 48 credit points; as specified in this subclause; (d) in undergraduate degrees, must include: (i) exactly 12 credit points at 1000-level units of study; (ii) a minimum of 12 and a maximum of 18 credit points at 2000- level; And (iii) a minimum of 18 and a maximum of 24 credit points at 3000-level (or, higher for degrees requiring more than 144 credit points); (e) in undergraduate degrees, must include at the 3000-level: (i) 1 x 6 credit point unit involving completion of a project requiring the integration and application of disciplinary knowledge and skills; and (ii) 1 x 6 credit point unit requiring the application of disciplinary skills and knowledge in an interdisciplinary context; and (f) are recorded on the student transcript . Note: the requirements of sub clauses (3)(e)(i) and (3)(e)(ii ) may both be met through a single unit. Where a student takes two majors, and a single unit or units of study exists such that the requirement for (3)(e)(i) or (3)(e)(ii) can be met in both majors, thator those units may be used in fulfilment of requirement 3(e)(i) or 3(e)(ii ) in both majors, provided that all other requirements in 18(3) are met for each major.

EDUCATION PORTFOLIO

1

The Open Learning Environment – Undergraduate: Guidelines

The Open Learning Environment (OLE) is a suite of units or modules that offer students opportunities to

build novel skill combinations and extend their knowledge by exploring other fields of study. OLE units

will normally be short, modular courses that are supported by online resources and learning activities

and allow students to acquire, in flexible ways tailored to their specific learning needs, foundational

concepts and methods of other disciplines. Modules will be available to all students and their online

resources and learning activities will be openly available to all students at all times.

Purpose of the OLE for undergraduate students

In all Liberal Studies degrees and a number of other degrees, students will be taking 12 credit points in

the OLE, assembled from 2 and 6 credit point units. Students in any degree could also take any number

of zero credit point OLE units. OLE units might be selected by a student for a number of reasons,

including:

1. As a ‘taster’ on a new area of study, before making a larger commitment.2. As a way of brushing up on required skills.3. As a way of acquiring new broadly applicable skills4. For personal and cultural development.5. For personal interest and to broaden understanding.

Principles to be considered when developing OLE units for undergraduate students

Alongside ensuring that the proposed topic fits with the purpose of the OLE, a unit should:

1. Have broad appeal to students across a range of disciplines.2. Be well aligned with graduate qualities for Bachelor graduates3. Should not have formal pre‐requisites.4. Should not be formal pre‐requisites.5. Be offered as a zero credit point unit alongside any version available for credit points.

Assumed Knowledge:

Whilst OLE units must be designed at a level where pre‐requisites are not required, it will be sensible to

build from a base of assumed knowledge:

Undergraduate OLE units may assume a basic level of knowledge in foundational disciplines,such as high school mathematics. This must be made very clear to students with the assumedknowledge detailed with ideally a self‐diagnostic test available.

Attachment 3.2

Discussion Paper for Feedback: The Open Learning Environment – Undergraduate: Guidelines

2

Where undergraduate OLE units are designed in a sequence, knowledge from the “lower” ones may be assumed. This must be made very clear to students. The assumed knowledge must be covered in the zero credit point version of the “lower” unit in any sequence. For example:

o “Advanced R Programming” could assume an ability to write simple programs in this language. A student might already have this ability or could acquire it by running through the zero credit point version of an “R programming” OLE unit.

Enrolment restrictions:

Whilst OLE units should have broad appeal to students, there may be cases where enrolment is

restricted:

There are no restrictions on enrolments in zero credit point OLE units.

Prohibitions may be approved by the Board of Interdisciplinary Studies if an academic or equity case is made. For example:

o A student taking computer programming units of study in their degree might be prohibited from taking an “Introduction to programming” OLE unit designed as a taster.

On the recommendation of the Dean, the Registrar may determine if a quota on enrolment can be applied to OLE units which are offered for credit.

Zero credit point OLE units:

Except where approved by the Board of Interdisciplinary Studies, and to fit with the purpose of the OLE

as a place for students to experience and try out new ideas and to develop themselves academically and

personally, OLE units must be offered in a zero credit point format alongside any version available for

credit. Additional features of the zero credit point format to those discussed above include:

They must have an identified unit coordinator who will act as a contact and be responsible for maintaining the quality of the resources.

The learning activities and associated resources will be delivered or curated online.

The unit would be self‐paced but should be designed with a logical schedule and sequence.

The assessment of student understanding will be through online assessments; such as quizzes, peer marked discussions, mastery tasks and automarked assignments.

Students will be able to withdraw without penalty at any time and, ideally, the unit will be available throughout the calendar year.

Satisfactory completion of the assessment will be recognised as an ungraded zero credit point unit on the academic transcript.

Units not completed would not be recorded in this way: a student cannot “fail”.

The expected workload is best determined by deducting the additional face‐to‐face, study and assessment hours needed for the version available for credit points.

Discussion Paper for Feedback: The Open Learning Environment – Undergraduate: Guidelines

3

Exceptions to this requirement are likely to be rare and approved only for whole‐of‐University,

interdisciplinary experiential units, such as projects involving entrepreneurship, service learning,

research, and other forms of industry, government and community engagement.

Two and six credit point OLE units:

The online resources and assessments in the zero credit point version can be supplemented by

additional activities to produce credit bearing units. As these are for credit, they must follow the quality

assurance processes required for all units of study. Features of these units thus include those familiar in

non‐OLE units:

Face‐to‐face or facilitated online activities such as workshops, seminars and masterclasses.

Assessments designed to align with merit grade descriptors and ensure educational integrity.

Student workloads, including online and face‐to‐face activities, which match the credit pointrequirements of non‐OLE units. A 2 credit point OLE will have a third of the workload of a 6credit point OLE: roughly 40‐50 hours of student effort. A 6 credit point OLE will have the sameworkload expectations as a 6 credit point non‐OLE unit: roughly 120‐150 hours of student effort.

Availability in one or more specified teaching periods, with census dates.

Compliance with the Learning and Teaching Policy:o Having an identified unit coordinator.o Being administered by the faculty of the coordinator.o Approved by the administering faculty with participation of all teaching staff subject to

the approval of their schools or departments.

Inclusion on the transcript, weighted average mark and progression rules.

Evaluation of each iteration through a modified version of the unit of study survey.

More distinctive features of the OLE units include:

A greater emphasis on blended teaching approaches.

The preference for 2 credit point OLEs to be run in an intensive mode, normally over 4 weeks,noting the overall workload expectation outlined above.

Strategy 4: Transform the undergraduate curriculum

As society confronts emerging and ever more pressing challenges, graduates must have the capacity to contribute to and provide leadership in dynamic, changing and globalised environments. Our undergraduate curriculum must prepare our students for careers and lives that will require of them a broad range of academic expertise and skills, as well as exceptional personal qualities and values.

Initiative 1.Embed new graduate qualities and a new curriculum framework in all undergraduate degrees We will adopt a set of graduate qualities that reframes in contemporary terms the enduring purpose of an undergraduate education at the University of Sydney and reaffirms the University’s aim to serve our communities, by providing students with the best possible foundation for future leadership. These qualities, described in Table 2, will be embedded as learning outcomes in all undergraduate degrees.

Table 2: Qualities of the Sydney graduate: foundations for leadership

Graduate qualities PurposeDepth of disciplinary expertise To excel at applying and continuing to develop expertise in

the graduate’s chosen discipline or disciplinesBroader skills:

− critical thinking and problem solving − communication (oral and written) − information/digital literacy − inventiveness

To increase the impact of expertise, and to learn and respond effectively and creatively to novel problems and opportunities

Cultural competence To work productively, collaboratively and openly in diverse groups and across cultural boundaries

Interdisciplinary effectiveness To work effectively in interdisciplinary (including inter-professional) settings and to build broader perspective, innovative vision, and more contextualised and systemic forms of understanding

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity

To build integrity, confidence and personal resilience, and the capacities to manage challenge and uncertainty

Influence To be effective in exercising professional and social responsibility and making a positive contribution to society

Page

32

sydn

ey.e

du.a

u/st

rate

gyTh

e Un

iver

sity

of

Sydn

ey20

16–2

0 St

rate

gic

Plan

Atttachment 3.3

Page 1 of 4

Author Dr Leah Schwartz, Program Manager, Education Strategy

Reviewer/Approver Associate Professor Peter McCallum, Director, Education Strategy

Paper title Table S Shared Pool approvals

Purpose

To approve the elements (majors, minors and elective units) to be offered in the ‘shared pool’, Table S, for all liberal studies degrees.

RECOMMENDATION That the Board of Interdisciplinary Studies approve the elements offered by faculties for the curriculum of the shared pool (Table S) for all liberal studies degrees. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY All faculties of the University have been asked to consider offering majors, minors or elective units of study into the shared pool for all undergraduate degrees. All students undertaking a liberal studies degree will have the option of taking a minor or second major from the shared pool as well as undertake electives from the shared pool, as suits their degree requirements. Students undertaking the Bachelor of Advanced Studies must take a second major. The BIS’ role is to govern the shared pool and consider the quality and suitability of those elements to be offered in this curriculum, with reference to the agreed principles (see Item 3). Some elements that are planned for the shared pool are yet to be submitted for consideration (eg. those that may be offered by the Sydney College of the Arts and the Faculty of Health Science majors and minors) and these are expected to come forward at the BIS’ next meeting in late October, in order to be offered to students commencing in 2018. As a very large amount of material has been submitted in this initial tranche (Attachment 1), the BIS decided at their last meeting to designate members as readers to read in-depth specific items. In addition, the secretariat has provided an initial risk classification of those elements that may need further scrutiny by the BIS (Attachment 2). This classification has been based in part on flagging where majors and minors are being offered by those faculties who have not previously taught into the liberal studies degrees (ie: professional degree faculties) and thus are newly designed for the purposes of Table S. In addition, contributions from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music have been flagged as they appear to be internally contradictory in their rules, and may not conform with the proposed principles for the shared pool proposed in Item 3 – a detailed memo on these issues is at Attachment 3. Contributions from the Faculty of Engineering and IT related to information technology have been flagged for further consideration due to their potential for overlap across the majors in the shared pool. This raises the possibility that a Science student, for whom these majors will be in Table A, could take both the Computer Science and Software Development majors and only be required to complete 72 credit points, with two units at first year and two units at second year shared between the majors. Unlike other majors where overlap in the core occurs (eg. within Business and Science majors) there are no electives in either major to ensure that students can still complete unique credit points for both majors. It is proposed that in reviewing the elements to be offered into Table S, BIS consider categorising them into the following groups:

- No issues, approved for offer in Table S - Further work to be done, but can be approved out of session - Further work to be done, new proposal needed at next BIS meeting

ATTACHMENTS Attachment 1 – List of all elements proposed for Table S to date with links to detailed proposals Attachment 2 – Initial ‘Risk’ classification of all elements proposed for Table S for consideration by the BIS Attachment 3 – Potential issues with the elements offered by the Sydney Conservatorium of Music

Page 2 of 4

Proposed Table S (by faculty of offer)

FASS*** Jewish Civilisation – Thought and Culture - major/minor Immunology and Pathology - major/minor

Agriculture and Resource Economics - major/minor Korean Studies - major/minor Infectious Diseases - major/minor American Studies - honours/major/minor Linguistics - honours/major/minor Marine Science - major/minor Ancient Greek - major/minor Modern Greek - major/minor Mathematics - major/minor Ancient History - major/minor Music - major/minor Medicinal Chemistry - major/minor Anthropology - honours/major/minor Philosophy - major/minor Microbiology - major/minor Arabic and Islamic Studies - major/minor Political Economy - major/minor Neuroscience - major/minor Archaeology - major/minor Politics - honours/major/minor Nutrition Science - major/minor Art History - major/minor Sanskrit - minor Pharmacology - major/minor Asian Studies - major/minor Social Policy - minor Physics - major/minor Australian Literature - minor Socio-legal Studies - honours/major/minor Physiology - major/minor Biblical Studies and Classical Hebrew - major/min Sociology – honours/major/minor Plant Production - major/minor Celtic Studies - minor Spanish and Latin American Studies - major/minor Quantitative Life Sciences - major/minor Chinese Studies - major/minor Studies in Religion - major/minor Soil Sciences and Hydrology – major/minor

Cultural Studies – major/minor Theatre and Performance Studies - honours/major/minor Statistics - major/minor

Criminology - minor Writing Studies – minor Digital Cultures - honours/major/minor Business Diversity Studies - minor Science* Accounting - honours/major/minor Economic Policy - major/minor (*minor not available for Bachelor of Economics students) Anatomy and Histology - major/minor Banking - major Economics - honours/major/minor Animal Health, Disease and Welfare - major/minor Business Analytics - honours/major/minor English - honours/major/minor Animal Production - major/minor Business Information Systems - honours/major/minor Environment, Energy and Economy - minor Applied Medical Science - major/minor Commercial Law - honours/major/minor European Studies - major/minor Behavioural Sciences - major/minor Finance - honours/major

Film Studies - honours/major/minor Biochemistry and Molecular Biology - major/minor Industrial Relations and Human Resource Management - major/minor

French and Francophone Studies - major/minor Biology - major/minor (plant science also articulates to this major) International Business - honours/major/minor

Germanic Studies - major/minor Cell and Developmental Biology - major/minor Management - /major/minor Gender Studies - major/minor Chemistry - major/minor Marketing - honours/major/minor Hebrew (Modern) - major/minor Data Science - major/minor Work and Organisational Studies - honours History -honours/major/minor Ecology and Evolutionary Biology - major/minor Engineering and IT Indigenous Studies - major/minor Environmental Studies - major/minor Computer Science - major/minor Indonesian Studies - major/minor Financial Mathematics and Statistics - major/minor Information Systems - major/minor International Comparative Literature Studies- major/minor Food Science - major/minor Project Management - major/minor International Relations - honours/major/minor Genetics and Genomics - major/minor Software Development - major/minor Italian Studies - major/minor Geography - major/minor Architecture, Design and PlanningJapanese Studies - major/minor Geology and Geophysics - major/minor Design - major

Page 3 of 4

Education and Social Work Sydney Conservatorium of Music Health Sciences** Education - major/minor Performing and Creating Music Health - major/minor History and Philosophy of Science - major/minor Music Analysis and Discourse Human Movement - major Hearing and Speech - major/minor

*Note that Science have separately provided a list of Honours that would be available to students completing a relevant Science major within the shared pool (online here) **Faculty of Health Sciences majors and minors will come forward at the October meeting ***School of Languages and Culture elements will come forward at the October meeting ATTACHMENT 2 - RISK CLASSIFICATION OF PROPOSALS FOR TABLE S

FACULTY ELEMENT REASON

High Risk Sydney Conservatorium of Music All, and Music offered via FASS Structure – see Attachment 3 Engineering and IT Computer Science, Software

Development and Information Systems

Overlap in major core

Science Mathematics minor Structure is either 2+2+2 or 2+3+1 Moderate Risk Science Data Science New, interdisciplinary Engineering and IT Project Management New Architecture Design and Planning Design New Education and Social Work Education New Health Sciences All New

Page 4 of 4

ATTACHMENT 3 – POTENTIAL ISSUES WITH ELEMENTS OFFERED BY THE SYDNEY CONSERVATORUM OF MUSIC A number of inconsistent proposal documents were supplied by the faculty, which have been reconciled as much as possible, however many outstanding issues remain.

Categories of selective units are not consistent between the major and the minor (e.g. 2000 level categories in Music Analysis and Discourse are Cultural Engagement, Music History, and Music Inquiry, but in the minor 2000-level categories are Historical and Analytical). This creates a possibility that a student might start with a minor and do units at 2000 level or 3000 level that don’t map across to the major.

Music Analysis and Discourse Major

Project units are specified in the Music major for FASS as including MUSC3601, MUSC3602, MUSC3603, MUSC3611. BUT – the Music Analysis and Discourse Major requires MUSC36XX as core. There are several 36XX units, including MUSC36XX Music Ensembles Performance, MUSC36XX Music Performance 2, MUSC36XX Advanced Concepts of Music: Avant-Garde.

Also of concern are the different prerequisites etc. in this major. The same units are listed a few times in the Arts major in music, but there are different prerequisites for the Music Analysis and Discourse units.

The rigid format of the selective units means generally students only get to take a single unit from a set. However, many sets of units contain units that have assumed knowledge equal to the content of another unit in that same set. The problem here is that a student will never be able to take both units within the major/minor structure.

Performing and Creating Music Major

A number of units coded at a 2000-level are listed in the 1000-level units A number of units that appear to be part of a sequence have the second unit listing itself as a prerequisite Several instances arise where units in the minor are not in the major. This seems to happen in two-part performance unit sequences. The problem is that students

who do both units in the minor won’t be able to finish the major without having to take extra units. Similarly to Music Analysis and Discourse, the rigid format of the selective units means generally students only get to take a single unit from a set. However, many

sets of units contain units that have assumed knowledge equal to the content of another unit in that same set. The problem here is that a student will never be able to take both units within the major/minor structure, eg. MUSC1504 and MUSC1501.

Music Major (via FASS)

- All units at 2000-level and 3000-level are selective, with no groupings or track within the major to provide coherence.

Page 1 of 4

Author Georgie Wheadon, Senior Project and Policy Officer, Education Strategy


Paper title APPROVAL OF OPEN LEARNING ENVIRONMENT UNITS

Purpose To seek preliminary approval of the Open Learning Environment units proposed for funding via the first round of Strategic Education Grants.

RECOMMENDATION That the Board of Interdisciplinary Studies (BIS) give indicative approval to the Open Learning Environment units of study proposed for funding for development via the first round of Strategic Education Grants. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Curriculum Development Fund is being used to invest in the development of innovative new curriculum initiatives including the OLE units. This funding is administered through the Strategic Education Grants processes, the first round of applications for which were sought between May 9 and June 30 2016. Evaluation of these grants has been completed and are presented in Attachment 1 for the consideration of the BIS, pending final design and approval in 2017 for inclusion within the curriculum (Table O). ATTACHMENTS Attachment 1 – Round one OLE units for consideration

Page 2 of 4

Faculty Leader Title Description

Agriculture and Environment

Willem Vervoort Analysing and plotting data with R This unit is a gentle OLE introduction into coding and popular script languages for students who do not receive these skills in junior units of study.

Willem Vervoort Analysing and plotting data with Python An advanced R and Python unit to teach numerical applications in mathematical modelling in R and Python

Arts and Social Sciences

Richard Miles Global Ethics and Futures

This project seeks funding to develop unit materials for one of two interconnected OLEs; both developed in consultation with Life, Earth and Environmental Sciences (LEES) and the Sydney Medical Program to address identified needs in their degree programs. Global Ethics and Futures considers both concrete challenges and fundamental ethical issues raised by today’s globalised world. The modules will challenge students to not only think about the world they are in and their responsibilities as global citizens working in health and medical industries. They will also develop professional approaches for engaging diverse audiences using creative forms of written, visual and oral communication. The unit will build students' communication, decision‐making, argumentation and writing skills. This unit can be taken alone, but will complement the companion unit, ‘Science, Medicine and Society’ which introduces students to critical themes of race and gender.

Jonathon Paul Hutchinson

Developing and Evaluating an OLE in the Design of Social Media Communication Campaigns

The aim of this project is to design a 6 credit‐point Open Learning Environment (OLE) delivered on the Coursera platform, that draws on the affordances of the MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) model, yet refines it for a local group of University of Sydney students by incorporating additional F2F (face‐to‐face) and P2P (peer‐to‐peer) learning. Rather than students simply undertaking a Social Media MOOC, they are provided with localized experience that draws on up‐to‐date expertise to support their learning. Specifically, undergraduate students will be required to work with potential industry partners to design a social media communication campaign that successfully engages their audience.

Page 3 of 4

Education and Social Work

Fran Waugh Reflective practices in education and employment: establishing an ongoing conversation

This 0/2 credit point Open Learning Environment unit will introduce undergraduate and graduate students to reflective practices online which will enable them to articulate their key learning across their degree in relation to the development of graduate qualities. At the completion of the unit of study students will be able to utilise reflective frameworks developed in the ePortfolio system, to map the development of their graduate qualities. This in turn will form the basis of their graduate qualities portfolio which they will be able to build on across their student experience while enrolled at the University of Sydney. In addition, students participating in this OLE will have the opportunity to connect with a wide range of students who may not have exposure to reflective practice as well as students enrolled in other professional degrees. Developing such connections will be beneficial to students embarking on interdisciplinary projects, etc. in the future.

Engineering and Information Technologies

Zhiyong Wang Promote Programming Literacy with Interactive Media

This project will innovate programming teaching by integrating digital and physical worlds with interactive media and make learning programming more attractive and engaging to every possible student.

Alan Fekete Introduction to Programming for Data Analysis

This OLE will provide the fundamentals of computer programming with a focus on developing skills for data ingesting, quality/format validation, format conversion, and summarization. It will teach these skills in Python, an easy‐to‐learn yet powerful, general‐purpose scripting language used widely in industry and academia, especially for data science projects. The OLE will be delivered largely online using an interactive online tutorial platform with auto‐grading support.

Health Sciences Mark McEntee Radiological anatomy and pathology of the chest The project aims to provide a media‐rich environment for students to learn about the visualization of the human chest through radiological examinations.

Page 4 of 4

Science

Tara Murphy OLE: Introduction to Numerical Computing: Stock market crashes, rocket explosions and other catastrophes.

This OLE will address the foundation of all numerical computing: how numbers are represented and manipulated by computers. Understanding the representation of integers and real numbers, and their fundamental limitations is critical for all empiricists: computer scientists, engineers, mathematicians, scientists and statisticians whose work relies heavily on numerical calculations.

Eleanor Bruce Geographic Information Systems for interdisciplinary education and training

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is an emergent and highly important technological platform in contemporary research and education, with broad application across the natural and social sciences. Geospatial data analysis and visualization are desirable skills in many professional careers in geosciences, agriculture and land management, economics, planning, archaeology, primary and secondary education, public health and policy. The aims of the proposed cross‐Faculty GIS Open Learning Environment (OLE) is to equip students from across the University with a broad, interdisciplinary skill set in GIS principles, geographic theory and data problem solving strategies.

Veterinary Science Jaime Gongora Introduction to cultural competence and reflections on its relevance to animal, plant, environmental, life and natural sciences

This project will provide students with a reflective open learning space to encourage the development of awareness of cultural competence.



Item No 6

Non-Confidential

Page 1 of 2

Author Maegan Baker, Senior Project and Policy Officer, Education Strategy


Paper title NEW UNIT OF STUDY FOR INTERDISCIPLINARY COMMUNITY AND INDUSTRY ENGAGEMENT PROJECTS

Purpose To approve a new cross-faculty unit of study that can be used for interdisciplinary community and industry engagement projects.

RECOMMENDATION That the Board of Interdisciplinary Studies approves the proposed unit of study. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The University’s Education Strategy includes a commitment to significantly increase the numbers of students completing an industry- or community-related project, the majority of which are to be delivered via partnerships with organisations to identify problems that can be solved by students in disciplinary or multidisciplinary settings, rather than via placements or internships. To support this ambition, the curriculum framework introduced earlier this year now requires, as part of all majors, a 3000-level unit that provides an interdisciplinary experience and a 3000-level project unit. A trial of this approach is proposed to run in semester 1 2017, in partnership with the NSW Department of Parliamentary Services. To allow students to enrol in the trial, the education portfolio surveyed faculties to discover what existing units may allow students to work in cross-faculty teams on an interdisciplinary project and found very few suitable units. Therefore, it is proposed that a new, cross-faculty, unit of study be created that can allow students to undertake interdisciplinary project-based work and be considered by faculties for inclusion in majors as appropriate. This unit will initially be used for the small-scale trial to be run in 2017, but it is anticipated that as industry and community engagement partnerships expand, it will be used to deliver projects from other partners as well. BACKGROUND The University Strategic Plan 2016-2020 (the Strategy) outlined a vision for a University that is significantly more engaged with its industry and community partners in order to deliver both research and education outcomes. In the Education Strategy, this is reflected in a commitment to students completing an industry- or community-related project within the Bachelor of Advanced Studies and a much wider availability of industry or community-based experiences to all undergraduate students. Importantly, this is not ‘work-integrated-learning’ as it is usually conceived – rather, in order to deliver this at-scale and with pedagogic rigor, the ambition is for the majority of engagement experiences to be delivered via the importation of complex industry or community-based problems, to be solved by students in disciplinary or multidisciplinary settings with appropriate academic oversight. For students who will commence in 2018, the new curriculum framework introduced in the Learning and Teaching Policy 2015 requires majors to incorporate a 3000 level unit that deliver interdisciplinary experiences, as well as a 3000 level unit that integrates project work. For existing students, and those commencing in 2017, elements of the new curriculum will be introduced progressively. This new unit will provide an opportunity for these students to experience a key part of the new curriculum. An early trial of an interdisciplinary project approach within this unit is being pursued in partnership with the NSW Department of Parliamentary Services (NSWDPS). The pilot will target an enrolment of 20 students distributed among four to five teams via a selective application process in Semester 1 2017. Development of the pilot is being overseen by a cross-faculty working group.



Item No 6

Non-Confidential

Page 2 of 2

ISSUES It is proposed that INDP3000 be trialled in Semester 1 2017 with students enrolled under the current curriculum in partnership with NSWDPS. Faculties will need to provide special permission for students to enrol in the unit for the purposes of this trial. As the target cohort for the pilot is 20 students across the University, the impact of this permission process for faculties is expected to be small. CONSULTATION The University Strategic Plan 2016 - 2020 and its precedent discussion papers canvassed a range of options for improving levels of industry and community engagement experiences within the curriculum. The proposed approach has now been approved by SEG, and several papers on this model taken to SEG-Education for discussion. In July 2016, the education portfolio along with representatives from the University of Sydney Business School, the Faculty of Architecture, Design and Planning, the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technologies, the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences met with the NSW DPS to discuss the proposed initial trial. ATTACHMENTS Attachment 1 – New Unit of Study Proposal: INDP3000 Interdisciplinary Community and Industry Engagement Projects

NEW UNIT OF STUDY PROPOSAL

PROPOSER’S CONTACT DETAILS

School/Unit offering study Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education

Contact name Pip Pattison

Phone 9351 3517

Email [email protected]

UNIT OF STUDY (UOS) DETAILS

UOS code INDP3000 Session offered SEM 1 & 2

UOS name Interdisciplinary Community and Industry Engagement Projects

Credit point value 6

UOS description for the undergraduate handbook (and Sydney Student) This unit is designed for third year students to undertake an interdisciplinary project that allows them to work with one of the University’s industry and community partners. Students will work in teams on a real-world problem provided by the partner, applying their disciplinary expertise and gaining valuable experience in working across disciplinary boundaries. Note that this unit is selective.

UOS keywords Project, Interdisciplinary, Industry, Community.

UOS entry requirements Assumed knowledge: Upper-level disciplinary knowledge Prequisites: None Corequisites: None Prohibitions: None Note: Required knowledge will vary by project

UOS teaching hours and delivery mode

Blended learning, (Online material, Seminar and groupwork)

UOS assessment Individual or Group Plan 10%

Individual or Group Presentation 20%

Individual or Group project 70%

UOS Textbook N/A

UNIT Content, context, and consultation

Curriculum rationale, review, and development The University Strategic Plan 2016-2020 has introduced a new curriculum framework for undergraduate degrees, which includes majors in which a unit that delivers interdisciplinary experiences, and a unit that delivers project-work must be included. This unit provides the vehicle by which students from multiple faculties may participate in an interdisciplinary project, potentially satisfying both requirements, though it is up to faculties to decide whether this can be credited towards a major or taken in an elective space. The projects to be offered will be developed with industry and community partners, supervised and assessed by University

Office of the DVCE 7 September 20165 September 2016 Page 2

academics and will give students the experience of working in interdisciplinary teams to solve a real-world problem and allow them to gain understanding of the workplace environment, as well as to apply their academic skills and disciplinary knowledge to a specific problem.

Learning objectives and outcomes 1. Disciplinary Depth

a. Students should be able to apply disciplinary knowledge to real-world problems 2. Broader skills. Students should be able to:

a. develop their skills in written and oral communication through presentation, and report writing in a range of contexts to non-specialist and specialist audiences

b. solve complex real-world problems in a group setting c. develop inventive and novel solutions

3. Cultural competence. Students should be able to: a. understand needs of client groups b. see broad societal implications of a problem and its solution c. negotiate solutions that take account of cultural and social difference

4. Interdisciplinary effectiveness. a. Students should be able to develop solutions in team environment

5. Integrated professional, ethical and personal identity. Students should be able to: a. develop insight into client needs b. articulate and analyse dilemmas and difficult choices arising in real world settings c. share responsibility for quality, timeliness and thoroughness

6. Influence. Students should be able to: a. provide leadership in discipline-relevant areas of a project b. gain insight into solving complex problems

Design principles The unit consists of one seminar/workshop per week with accompanying online materials and a project to be determined in consultation with the partner organisation and completed as part of team with academic supervision.

Consultation - An initial partnership agreement with the NSW Department of Parliamentary Services as the first partner

to provide projects for this unit is being finalised. - Early consultation with representatives of Business, Science, Architecture Design and Planning, Arts and

Social Sciences was held to determine the viability of such a unit. - Broader consultation on the final form of the trial and selection of students into the first semester version

is being undertaken via SEG-Ed and the Generalist Undergraduate Degrees working party of SEG. - The results of this trial semester will be used to broaden the approach used and to refine the model, with

additional partners expected to join to provide a wider variety of projects as the DVC Education Industry and Community Engagement team is established.

FACILITIES AND RESOURCES

How will this UOS be resourced? Enrolments will be managed by a faculty, faculties or unit appointed by the Deputy Vice Chancellor Education Faculty staffing is the responsibility of the participating faculties. The Education portfolio will support the development of the unit and the development and management of relationships with external organisations. For cross-faculty initiatives, a steering committee will be appointed by the Deputy Vice Chancellor Education to coordinate teaching, group formation, allocation of projects to groups, and assessment. Individual unit of tudy coordinators will fulfil other coordinator roles as specified in the Learning and Teaching Policy.

Office of the DVCE 7 September 20165 September 2016 Page 3

Are sufficient facilities available to offer this UOS? Yes

ASCED Code

Documents

Board of Interdisciplinary Studies Meeting 15 AUG 2016sydney.edu.au/secretariat/pdfs/academic-board-committees/bis/2016/bis... · BOARD OF INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES MEETING OF THE