Joint Honours

Are two subjects better than one?

Dr Fiona Becket

General overview

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Two disciplines for three years

- Combination of ‘familiar’ subjects (A’ level) - One ‘familiar’ plus an untried subject eg. Japanese; International Business - Combination of two new disciplines eg. Chinese & Russian - Combination of Business/ Arts/ Social Science/ Languages/ Maths/ Science - 120 credits per level = 360 credits /Honours degree/

Two subjects, one degree

• • • Work on two subjects, equally weighted, rather than one Not twice the workload (combo of Core/Option/Discovery) Take similar number of modules as single honours (same credit totals per level of study) • In lectures/seminars: students are integrated with single honours – ie JH study alongside SH students - JH can combine an academic and a ‘professional’ discipline eg Modern Language + Management Studies - And less typically (3 subjects): Philosophy, Politics & Economics (PPE);

NEW!

Liberal Arts • - Not harder to get a First Some people in the room will have taken JH!

Considerations

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Employability JH graduates can:

- Demonstrate breadth as well as depth - Demonstrate flexibility/adaptability; multi-skilled; good organisational skills to balance the demands of two subjects • - Employers appreciate the skills required to graduate with an honours degree in two disciplines

Intellectual challenge & satisfaction

- Students benefit from making connections across two disciplines; are likely to experience a wider variety of assessment modes than SH

Leeds: multiple JH combinations

• • • • • Institution-wide, with greatest number of JH programmes located in the Arts (principally School of Languages, Cultures, Society) In the Arts we have applicants for c. 400 JH programmes Some programmes are substantial recruiters (eg. English-History, 141 applicants/120 offers) Some recruit fewer; we can sustain single nos. New programmes include eg. combinations with Film; Ancient History; Enterprise

Supporting JH students

• • • JH students receive the same level of teaching and support as SH, including meetings with a Personal Tutor (to guide students’ academic development; advise about module choice; answer queries) Pastoral support: there is no academic emphasis put on the subject of a ‘parent’ school, but it acts as a centre for JH pastoral support JH students are never excluded from the range of opportunities beyond the curriculum eg.

Undergraduate Research & Leadership Scholarships;

not disadvantaged by poor timetabling; do not have to earn more/fewer credits than other students.

Core/Option degree structure

• • JH balance of ‘core’ and ‘option’ modules: the principle is that JH students study the same core topics as SH students, but are required to choose fewer options because JH programme structure must balance foundational and essential learning at every level (core) with manageable and equitable study time (resulting in 120 per level)

The ethos of ‘discovery’

• • Discovery modules are grouped into 10 themes (eg. ‘Power and Conflict’; ‘Exploring the Sciences’; ‘Creating Sustainable Futures’) and enable students to study outside their degree subject(s) throughout the entire degree This is not ‘pick & mix’ electives provision; aim is coherent pathway of complementary study

The learning experience

• JH students learn through lectures, seminars, tutorials and independent study • Also learn through, eg: practical / laboratory sessions (Sciences) study abroad (Languages) Opportunities for JH Work Placement programmes

Research-based Learning

• • • JH students, like SH students, will find that their programmes embed research skills which are subject-specific Programme learning outcomes are aligned with assessment modes Final Year Project (40 credits): JH students have an opportunity to combine their subject areas if appropriate (eg. French-History)