Bachelor of Arts and Sciences degree: call for interdisciplinary modules

Arts and Sciences (BASc) is a flagship UCL project and a major initiative in undergraduate learning and teaching.

Students will engage with interdisciplinary learning throughout the degree, taking subjects from the Humanities, Social Sciences, Sciences and Engineering in relevant and connected combinations.

The Arts and Sciences Steering Group is asking the UCL community for interdisciplinary modules to be taught in the core of the programme at 2nd year undergraduate level. These modules will be taught for the first time in 2013-2014 but in order to be part of the course development and its marketing, proposals are sought with immediate effect.

Proposals should reflect the Pathway structure of Arts and Sciences and the combinations of subjects which students may take. Please see the Arts and Sciences website for more details of the programme structure.

To encourage this approach, modules involving current research interests which combine disciplines from, on the one hand, Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences with, on the other, those from Science, Health or Engineering are of particular interest. Each module should be designed to have a credit value 0.5 cu (7.5 ECTS) and should consider innovative ways of learning, teaching and assessment. Joint proposals or team proposals are also invited.

We are looking for modules which encourage students to explore how the juxtaposition of disciplines (particularly those which are not conventionally allied) can lead to new insights and knowledge. Course content should therefore focus on the practical applications of interdisciplinarity, rather than the theory of interdisciplinary working.

Modules will have a minimum of 10 students in 2013-2014 but numbers could rise considerably in subsequent years. There may also be the option to open the classes to affiliates and students for whom such interdisciplinary modules form a relevant and constructive part of their diet.

A total of 8 modules are sought. Final selection will be by the Vice Provost (Academic and International) in consultation with the Programme Director and Arts and Sciences Steering Group.

A small sum of development money may be available for each module offered. Otherwise, contributing departments benefit from a share of the student load in the usual manner.

Please submit your proposal (no more than 2 sides of A4) using the attached proforma to the Programme Director, Carl Gombrich at c.gombrich@ucl.ac.uk.

Carl is also the contact for any questions you may have in advance of a submission. All proposals should have the support of the Head of Department(s) concerned.

The closing date for proposals is 15 July 2011.

Professor Michael Worton

Vice-Provost (Academic & International)