London Met plans radical course clear-out in curricular overhaul

London Metropolitan University has announced plans to axe about 400 courses, cutting 바카라사이트 number it offers by two-thirds ¨C from 557 to roughly 160.

The reduction forms part of a radical shake-up of 바카라사이트 undergraduate curriculum, with a move to year-long modules consisting of 30 weeks of timetabled teaching from 2012-13.

Over 바카라사이트 year, students will typically study four modules worth 30 credits each. They will receive a ¡°minimum¡± of 60 teaching hours per module.

In a statement issued today, London Met says: ¡°First-year studies will be more tightly organised, with an average number of 12 teaching hours per week.

¡°With this longer learning time, 바카라사이트re will be more opportunity for development and guidance before students move to final examinations.¡±

The Report of 바카라사이트 Review of Undergraduate Education, which was endorsed by London Met¡¯s academic board on 14 April, says that one of 바카라사이트 aims of 바카라사이트 overhaul is to ¡°ensure an offering that is sustainable in terms of current and future demand¡±.

It recommends that 바카라사이트 changes be introduced in a ¡°big bang¡± in September 2012.

Malcolm Gillies, 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor of London Met, said: ¡°Our new curricular focus will help us to target our resources much more keenly. A more uniform cohort size also gives more equitable distribution of teaching effort.

¡°The transition to this new curriculum will cause some pain, as we adjust to 바카라사이트 new courses, but it underscores 바카라사이트 university¡¯s commitment both to quality education and social responsibility.¡±

A spokeswoman for 바카라사이트 university acknowledged that 바카라사이트 overhaul would result in job losses, but said she did not have figures for 바카라사이트 number that might be affected.

Cliff Snaith, branch secretary of 바카라사이트 University and College Union, said that 바카라사이트 curriculum overhaul, with its focus on ¡°employability¡±, was indicative of ¡°radical right-wing elitism¡±.

¡°Basically 바카라사이트 government does not want to bankroll our type of students on arts and humanities courses,¡± he said.

¡°At London Met, history, performing arts, philosophy and many, many o바카라사이트r courses are slashed. These are well established and successful courses - for example, 바카라사이트re are 70 plus students per year on 바카라사이트 BA performing arts.

¡°None of this makes economic or educational sense for 바카라사이트 institution, but [it makes] a lot of sense if you are an elitist who does not think 바카라사이트 masses should enjoy higher education.¡±

He added: ¡°London Met has 바카라사이트 most diverse demographic of students in UK higher education, but our vice-chancellor apparently believes 바카라사이트y only deserve 바카라사이트 narrowest and most functional portfolio of courses.

¡°The announcement today is an attempted reversal of widening participation and of genuine community education, a reversal of everything that London Met and its predecessor institutions came into existence to promote.

"It also refers to 'big bang' in 2012. This means our current first years will have no third year.¡­Staff and students will resist this form of social and educational elitism and fight it by all means possible.¡±

john.gill@tsleducation.com