Reviewing the Quality of Education
The Aims and Objectives for Philosophy
Curriculum Design, Content and Organisation
Teaching, Learning and Assessment
Student Progression and Achievement
The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) was established in 1997. It has responsibility for assessing the quality of higher education (HE) in England and Northern Ireland from 1 October 1997 under the terms of a contract with the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE). The purposes of subject review are: to ensure that the public funding provided is supporting education of an acceptable quality, to provide public information on that education through the publication of reports such as this one, and to provide information and insights to encourage improvements in education. The main features of the subject review method are:
The HE sector in England and Northern Ireland is diverse. The HEFCE funds education in over 140 institutions of HE and 75 further education (FE) colleges. These institutions vary greatly in size, subject provision, history and statement of purpose. Each has autonomy to determine its institutional mission, and its specific aims and objectives at subject level. Subject review is carried out in relation to the subject aims and objectives set by each provider. It measures the extent to which each subject provider is successful in achieving its aims and objectives. Readers should be cautious in making comparisons of subject providers solely on the basis of subject review outcomes. Comparisons between providers with substantively different aims and objectives would have little validity.
Subject review examines the wide range of influences that shape the learning experiences and achievements of students. It covers the full breadth of teaching and learning activities, including: direct observation of classroom/seminar/workshop/ laboratory situations, the methods of reviewing students' work, students' work and achievements, the curriculum, staff and staff development, the application of resources (library, information technology, equipment), and student support and guidance. This range of activities is captured within a core set of six aspects of provision, each of which is graded on a four-point scale (1 to 4), in ascending order of merit. The aspects of provision are:
Reviewers are academic and professional peers in the subject. Most are members of the academic staff of UK HE institutions. Others are drawn from industry, commerce, private practice and the professions.
The review method has two main processes:
In addition to individual review reports, the QAA will publish subject overview reports at the conclusion of reviews in a subject. The subject overview reports are distributed widely to schools and FE colleges, public libraries and careers services. Both the review reports and the subject overview reports are available in hard copy and are also on the world-wide web.
1. This Report presents the findings of a review in December 2001 of the quality of education in philosophy provided by the University of East Anglia (UEA).
2. The UEA received its Royal Charter in 1961, and admitted its first students in 1963. There are approximately 8,800 full-time and 4,300 part-time students, making a total of 10,257 full-time equivalents. The campus is located on the western outskirts of Norwich, some three miles from the city centre. The University is organised into three subject-based groups representing the humanities and social sciences schools, the science schools, and the health and professional schools. The Philosophy Sector is one of three sectors located within the School of Economic and Social Studies, which is part of the larger university grouping of humanities and social sciences schools. The other two sectors are politics (including sociology) and economics; these combine with philosophy to provide an opportunity for multidisciplinary teaching and learning, which is taken up in several courses which the Philosophy Sector supports. The Sector also enjoys very strong links with the School of English and American Studies.
3. There are 246 full-time undergraduate students enrolled on philosophy courses, together with three full-time and three part-time taught postgraduate students. The courses are supported by six full-time and four part-time members of academic staff, together with one full-time secretarial staff member and one part-time administrative staff member.
4. The following provision forms the basis of the review:
5. The statistical data in this Introduction are provided by the institution itself. The aims and objectives are presented overleaf. These also are provided by the institution.
In all the undergraduate courses for which it is responsible, the Philosophy Sector aims:
1. to provide high-quality teaching over a wide range of philosophical areas;
2. to offer teaching in a variety of different formats (lectures, seminars, classes, and tutorials) best designed to take account of the intellectual demands of different units;
3. to provide a range of degree courses, some of which allow students to pursue philosophy as a main subject, some as a joint subject and some as an equal component in a threefold combination in which philosophy can throw light on the other subjects studied; and to permit students some degree of flexibility in switching between the different philosophy courses, subject to academic guidance from faculty;
4. to introduce first-year students to at least one other subject in the School (except in the case of interschool joint courses, when the non-philosophy subject will be in the other school);
5. to give students a grounding in the great thinkers of the past in a range of philosophical problems (both traditional and contemporary) and in a variety of philosophical approaches (including both 'analytic' and 'hermeneutic'), on the basis of which they can specialise in their third year in a historical or a problems-based approach to the subject, or a combination of the two;
6. to ensure a progression in depth of critical understanding and philosophical sophistication over the degree courses as a whole, in part by providing a range of units which reflect the research interest of the faculty;
7. to provide academic guidance as and when needed;
8. to ensure that students develop a range of transferable and learning skills (see Objective 5).
For MA students, in addition to Aim 7 above:
9. by building on the solid achievements of a good first degree, to impart advanced, specialist knowledge of the subject matter of their MA course;
10. to further develop students' skills in analysis, critical reflection, and constructive thought;
11. to lay the foundation for progression to work at a doctoral level.
Successful completion of the undergraduate degree courses for which we are responsible entails that graduates will have:
1. achieved a high level of knowledge of the core areas of philosophy, as well as some knowledge of at least one other discipline;
2. gained an education in philosophy based on a wide range of intellectually demanding units, which provide the opportunity to go on to graduate work;
3. acquired the capacity to read intellectually demanding texts, to select material from those texts and adapt it intelligently to some pre-set question, and to synthesise material from a variety of sources into a lucidly written, well-structured exposition and evaluation;
4. developed a capacity for independent and critical modes of thought;
5. developed some important learning and transferable skills, including mastery of some information technology (IT) skills, the ability to manage their time effectively, the ability to contribute effectively to group discussions; and the ability to be independent learners;
6. developed the capacity to reflect on their academic progress through constructive feedback, provided mainly through extensive written comments on coursework, but also through opportunities for discussion in personal tutorial-based meetings.
While the objectives of all our undergraduate courses are as outlined in 1-6 above, those philosophy students who are not on the BA (Hons) Philososphy course will have selected fewer units in philosophy and thus gained a more limited range or philosophical knowledge, while acquiring a commensurate knowledge of their other subject(s) of study.
On successful completion of their MA degree, in addition to achieving objectives 3-6 above, postgraduates will have:
7. acquired specialist knowledge of the subject matter of their MA course;
8. developed further their skills in analysis, critical reflection, and constructive thought;
9. have had the opportunity to prepare for progression to a research degree.
6. The graded profile in paragraph 7 indicates the extent to which the student learning experience and achievement demonstrate that the aims and objectives set by the subject provider are being met. The tests and the criteria applied by the reviewers are these:
To what extent do the student learning experience and student achievement, within this aspect of provision, contribute to meeting the objectives set by the subject provider?
Do the objectives set, and the level of attainment of those objectives, allow the aims set by the subject provider to be met?
1 The aims and/or objectives set by the subject provider are not met; there are major shortcomings that must be rectified.
2 This aspect makes an acceptable contribution to the attainment of the stated objectives, but significant improvement could be made. The aims set by the subject provider are broadly met.
3 This aspect makes a substantial contribution to the attainment of the stated objectives; however, there is scope for improvement. The aims set by the subject provider are substantially met.
4 This aspect makes a full contribution to the attainment of the stated objectives. The aims set by the subject provider are met.
7. The grades awarded as a result of the review are:
|
Aspects of provision
|
Grade
|
|---|---|
| Curriculum Design, Content and Organisation |
4
|
| Teaching, Learning and Assessment |
4
|
| Student Progression and Achievement |
4
|
| Student Support and Guidance |
4
|
| Learning Resources |
4
|
| Quality Management and Enhancement |
4
|
8. The quality of education in philosophy at the University of East Anglia is approved.
9. The Philosophy Sector provides undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses in which philosophy is the main subject, as well as a variety of courses where philosophy is either the joint main subject or part of a combination of subjects. All programmes have a modular structure and there are opportunities for both full and part-time study.
10. Flexibility and enhancement of student choice are among the aims of the programme and are successfully reflected in curriculum design. The external examiners have particularly praised the breadth of coverage of the curriculum. The emphasis on multidisciplinary teaching within the curriculum has also encouraged the introduction of new, and at times quite distinctive, courses.
11. The curriculum also ensures that students achieve appropriate depth of knowledge. The attempt to combine breadth and depth within a curriculum taught by a small sector is reflected in the design of the various units and levels. At Level 1, students receive a general but thorough introduction to philosophy. There are three philosophy units offered: a problem-based introductory course; the History of Philosophy from the Greeks to the Twentieth Century; and Philosophical Skills, which concentrates on informal logic and the construction and assessments of arguments, and which includes a brief introduction to formal logic. For students taking philosophy as their main subject, all these units are compulsory. At Levels 2 and 3, students have a wide choice of subjects; the Sector currently offers 28 units. Level 2 and Level 3 units fall into two broad categories: those which focus on specific areas or problems of philosophy, for example, moral philosophy, philosophy of mind, and theories of knowledge, and those which have a historical approach. These familiarise students with the analytic and the continental traditions, as well as giving a grounding in the historical understanding of the subject.
12. The design of the curriculum allows for clear and well-thought-out progression between Levels 1 and 2. The Level 2 units each build upon the introductory courses taught in Level 1. Units offered in Level 3 often have a more specialised content and/or require a greater degree of academic maturity. In response to concerns over cohesion of the curriculum, expressed in the five-yearly review of the subject, and in the interest of a more linear progression through the various levels, a number of constraints governing the choice of units in Levels 2 and 3 have been introduced. In order to allow access to a wider choice of subjects, third-year students can select a limited number of units from Level 2. The reviewers are satisfied that the overall design of the curriculum allows for student progression through the three years of study, in terms of increasing specialisation and acquiring depth of understanding. The reviewers also note the Sector's commitment to monitoring progression and depth within the curriculum. Close monitoring by academic advisors ensures the cohesion and coherence of student choices.
13. The MA Social Philosophy includes six taught units and a dissertation, providing an opportunity for students to advance the knowledge and understanding they have gained in their undergraduate studies. Courses comprise units taught by members of staff from contributing disciplines. Philosophy staff also contribute to courses offered by other sectors. This encourages the introduction of multidisciplinary courses fully in line with the objectives of the Sector and the University.
14. The content of several Level 2 and Level 3 units, and of the MA course, is based on the active research interests of staff. For example, the Level 3 units on Philosophy of Religion, Wittgenstein and Hegel, and the Level 2 units on the Enlightenment and Philosophy of Science, are informed by the published research of members of staff.
15. This aspect makes a full contribution to the attainment of the stated objectives. The aims set by the subject provider are met.
Curriculum Design, Content and Organisation:
Grade 4.
16. Philosophy is taught within the framework of a teaching and learning strategy that places emphasis on lectures supported by seminars. Within this, a variety of methods is used depending upon the demands of unit content. As students progress from the first to the final year of their studies there are greater opportunities for closer contact with teachers. In some Level 3 and postgraduate units, there are small individual tutorials designed to support project work.
17. Teaching at Levels 2 and 3 is delivered by permanent members of staff only. At Level 1, permanent staff are supported by graduate students and part-time staff. The reviewers observed nine teaching sessions. All were of an appropriate level and some were of very high quality. Good use is made of handouts, overhead transparencies and, where appropriate, film, and the seminar programmes effectively support lectures. The better sessions were well structured and effectively planned, offering a well paced and participative learning experience. In a minority of sessions, students were less well engaged with the subject matter. Student learning is supported by study materials available in the short-loan section of the library and in handouts. The teaching and learning strategy develops analytic skills, knowledge of philosophy and key transferable skills. The reviewers commend the sector for integrating presentation and discussion of career prospects into the first-year unit Philosophical Skills. In addition, the introduction of Matrix, a secure IT-based diagnostic tool, will enable students to identify and develop the skills needed for future employment.
18. Published guides indicate the aims, nature and content of units and include clearly stated learning objectives, which effectively relate to the criteria for assessment. A variety of assessment methods is employed and includes combinations of coursework, project assessment and examination. Assessment methods and criteria are appropriate, well publicised and known to students. Written work is usually marked promptly and students receive good, comprehensive written feedback. Oral feedback is readily available and appreciated by students.
19. Examinations are taken at the end of each academic year. They are marked anonymously and all examinations, project assessments and dissertations are double-marked. The arrangements for external examination are satisfactory, and the reviewers agree with external examiners that the levels and methods of assessment are appropriate.
20. The Sector makes good use of its place within the School to provide an excellent academic environment for its students at all levels, including postgraduate level.
21. This aspect makes a full contribution to the attainment of the stated objectives. The aims set by the subject provider are met.
Teaching, Learning and Assessment:
Grade 4.
22. The admissions process is conducted at school level and philosophy staff are members of the School Admissions Committee. The ratio of applications to undergraduate places is 5:1.
23. Approximately 20 per cent of philosophy undergraduates come from non-GCE A-Level backgrounds, and 24 per cent of entrants are mature students. Some 43 per cent of students taking philosophy degrees are women, and ethnic minority students constitute approximately 9 per cent. Students reporting some form of disability represent 4 per cent of enrolments in 2001.
24. The Sector attracts well-qualified students: the average GCE A-Level points score rose from 19.6 to 20.1 over the period 1996 to 2000. Over the same period, admissions to philosophy degrees have risen from 73 to 105. Applications to the MA have risen from four in 1999 to 10 in 2001.
25. Transfer between philosophy and other subjects is facilitated by the interdisciplinary ethos of the School. However, before being allowed to transfer between courses, students must satisfy their advisor that the implications of transferring have been carefully thought out.
26. The average withdrawal rate for philosophy is 13.7 per cent, based on figures for 1996 to 2001, but the percentage of students failing undergraduate degrees is commendably low at 2 per cent. No postgraduate students failed over this period. The School monitors the reasons for withdrawals and, in particular, the Sector has looked closely at why philosophy students withdraw. The reviewers are satisfied that dissatisfaction with the philosophy courses is not the primary reason for withdrawal.
27. Over the past five years, student achievement in philosophy has been very strong, with 63 per cent of students graduating with an Upper Second or First class degree. External examiners' comments on students' work are uniformly favourable and testify to the quality of student achievement. The reviewers sampled students' work and conclude that student achievement is high and demonstrates engagement with the subject. Competence in IT is evident in students' work.
28. Philosophy students enter a variety of careers, including administration, banking and the retail sector. The reviewers are impressed with the follow-up employment surveys in 1995 and 1998, which add depth to the normal first-destination surveys. The Sector has close links with the careers centre, and graduates spoke highly of the advice and support they had received; 87 per cent of graduates with known destinations progress to employment or further study.
29. This aspect makes a full contribution to the attainment of the stated objectives. The aims set by the subject provider are met.
Student Progression and Achievement:
Grade 4.
30. The prospectus, course guides and web site provide comprehensive and effective information to prospective applicants. They clearly describe the environment in which courses are taught and detail the entry requirements.
31. The university, school and sector provide good undergraduate and postgraduate induction programmes for incoming students. They include effective introduction to the facilities of the University, including library, IT and pastoral services, together with clear and informative course induction.
32. On arrival, each student is allocated to an advisor who assumes responsibility for academic and pastoral support. Students normally keep the same advisor for their three years of study, but they do not have to give a reason if they wish to change. Regular meetings are used to monitor student progress and, where appropriate, to ensure that students have access to relevant support services. Students reported that they find it very easy to talk over any matters with other staff members, virtually all of whom operate an open-door policy for consultation. There are also excellent informal communications between students and staff, which are greatly valued by students.
33. Unit guides enable students to make rational choices when planning their academic programme and work commitments through the three years of undergraduate study. Similar guidance is available for graduate students taking the MA. Advisers discuss available options, offering guidance on the implications of the choices made.
34. Resident tutors, in halls of residence, offer an effective point of student contact and provide a valued support network. A large number of resident tutors are students; after passing a suitable training programme, undergraduates and postgraduates may become resident tutors.
35. The central services of the University, co-ordinated by the Dean of Students, provide a comprehensive network of support and guidance. These services include the careers service, the counselling service, the health centre, and the facilities and arrangements available for students with disabilities. They provide a framework able to respond effectively to both long-term problems and short-term crises by operating facilities on both a drop-in and appointment basis. These services are linked closely to the support available in halls of residence and in schools of study, constituting an impressive integrated whole, which is appreciated by both students and staff.
36. The careers service, in particular, was commended by students for the well-organised careers fairs, drop-in services, one-to-one career counselling and the support available for curricula vitae development and interview preparation.
37. This aspect makes a full contribution to the attainment of the stated objectives. The aims set by the subject provider are met.
Student Support and Guidance:
Grade 4.
38. The Philosophy Sector's learning resources strategy, set within the framework of the University's plan, attempts to integrate the provisions for library and IT resources.
39. The library has over 12,000 volumes of philosophy books and 40 philosophy periodicals in printed format and 86 in electronic format. Philosophy students also have access to CD-ROM and on-line databases such as the Philosophers Index and the Routledge Encyclopaedia of Philosophy. Effective and enthusiastic liaison between the library subject specialist and the individual lecturers in the Sector greatly facilitates the efficient use of the resources. Short-term loans and interlibrary lending are available. The library is open every day of the week, throughout the year, 73 hours a week. There are facilities for student induction, and special induction sessions are arranged for postgraduate students.
40. Approximately 450 Windows NT machines are available to students in IT suites located in the library and other buildings across the campus. There is open access to the computer room in the library and it is in use 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Many student bedrooms are linked to the campus network while two help-desks deal with student enquiries. The Sector provides IT training for first-year students who require it. Students acquire the skills for word-processing and the use of email and internet resources. The Philosophy Sector's homepage, available through the UEA intranet, is an important source of information for the students, and the use of email is one of the important modes of communication between staff and students.
41. The Philosophy Sector is located within an area in the Arts Building designated for the School of Economic and Social Studies. Within this designated area, there are computing facilities in IT suites, a general office, offices for individual staff members and a staff common room. The offices of staff members of the School are intermingled. This physical proximity enhances the interdisciplinary intellectual climate of the School. For instance, members of staff hold lunchtime informal seminars to discuss topics of common interest. Lectures take place in centrally allocated teaching rooms, usually in the lecture theatres and seminar rooms in the Arts Building. These are well lit and usually of appropriate size, and they are equipped with overhead projectors, blackboards or whiteboards, a television and video recorder.
42. The Sector benefits from effective technical and administrative support. An IT technician has been allocated to the School and is readily available to the staff for help with problems in this area. Both staff and students praised the departmental secretary for her helpfulness and support.
43. This aspect makes a full contribution to the attainment of the stated objectives. The aims set by the subject provider are met.
Learning Resources:
Grade 4.
44. The Philosophy Sector manages quality and enhancement within the overall context of the School. The School's Teaching Committee and the Graduate Studies Committee are responsible for overseeing the proper delivery of the philosophy provision. This includes the scrutiny of external examiners' reports, reviewing examination regulations, the scrutiny of proposals for new courses and units, and overseeing the production of the five-yearly review of courses. The School and the Sector manage these processes in accordance with the well-documented procedures laid down by the University.
45. The School Teaching Committee's philosophy representative is the undergraduate Course Director. The Course Director chairs the Philosophy Review Committee (PRC), which is responsible for the review of all taught philosophy units. The Course Director has a number of other crucial duties, which include monitoring the course profile, monitoring the transfer of students to philosophy and consulting other sector directors about the course profiles of joint courses. At postgraduate level, a Graduate Convenor plays a similar role to that assumed by the undergraduate Course Director.
46. The University requires a two-yearly unit review. The PRC has, however, made a practice of reviewing each unit in the semester after it has been taught, which means that units taught annually are being reviewed more often than the University requires. Unit review requires the lecturer to submit a report based on student questionnaires to the PRC. The reviewers saw evidence that the PRC, which includes student representatives, refers unit reviews back to the lecturer when it is dissatisfied with the review. Both unit reviews and student questionnaires are retained on files in the Sector, and they are available to any staff or student member who wishes to consult them. The reviewers commend the transparency of this system of monitoring the students' experience of teaching and learning.
47. The review of degree courses, as distinct from unit reviews, is carried out by the Sector every five years, in accordance with the University Code of Practice. The last review of philosophy took place in 1998. The reviewers commend the Sector for making course alterations on an ongoing basis, where they are thought to be desirable, rather than waiting for the outcomes of five-yearly reviews. Recent philosophy course changes include the introduction of the first-year unit in Philosophical Skills.
48. Each course has one external examiner in philosophy. When external examiners are appointed they receive comprehensive guidelines outlining their duties. The reviewers saw evidence that the reports of external examiners are properly fed into the quality management process. They are commented upon by the Sector, considered by the School Teaching Committee, which in turn submits a report to the School Board, and finally go to the Learning, Teaching and Quality Committee of Senate.
49. The reviewers are impressed by the importance given to students' views in quality management and enhancement. One example is the redesign of the undergraduate questionnaire by students. Students are represented on the PRC, the School Teaching Committee and the School Board. Current and former students are highly complimentary about the opportunities to raise concerns, and about the responses they receive.
50. The Sector's annual staff appraisal system is well established. New members of staff attend a university induction course. In addition, a senior member of staff in the School acts as mentor. The Sector employs a number of part-time staff. They are normally required to attend a 30-hour Teaching Skills Development Programme, with unit organisers monitoring their marking and teaching.
51. The Centre for Staff and Educational Development provides a wide range of staff development courses. Members of the Sector have attended training courses on such topics as giving lectures to large groups of students.
52. In the opinion of the reviewers, the self-assessment document does not give an adequate account of the merits of philosophy at UEA. It lacks clarity in a number of key areas, underplaying the role that philosophy plays in the School and the extent of student participation.
53. This aspect makes a full contribution to the attainment of the stated objectives. The aims set by the subject provider are met.
Quality Management and Enhancement:
Grade 4.
54. The quality of education in philosophy at the University of East Anglia is approved. All aspects make a full contribution to attainment of the stated objectives and the aims are met. The reviewers come to this conclusion, based upon the review visit together with an analysis of the self-assessment and additional data provided.
55. The positive features of the education in philosophy in relation to the aspects of provision include the following:
a. The curriculum is flexible and offers wide choice within a multidisciplinary setting that fosters innovation (paragraphs 10 to 13).
b. Effective teaching through lectures, seminars and tutorials promotes student learning and successfully develops knowledge and skills (paragraphs 16; 17).
c. Students' work is returned with comprehensive written feedback (paragraph 18).
d. Students are well qualified on entry and are recruited from a range of backgrounds. Progress is closely monitored and student achievement is high, with good progression to employment and further study (paragraphs 23 to 28).
e. The University's comprehensive range of support services is highly effective and integrates well with provision in the School and the Philosophy Sector (paragraphs 31; 34 to 36).
f. The adviser system operated by the Philosophy Sector works well, and the informal open-door policy adopted by staff presents a supportive and friendly atmosphere (paragraphs 32; 33).
g. Good-quality library and information technology facilities are complemented by enthusiastic staff and suitable induction and training (paragraphs 39; 40).
h. Well documented and comprehensive systems maintain quality in the provision and effectively incorporate student opinion (paragraphs 44 to 49).
i. There is a well-established staff appraisal scheme, with effective induction and training supported by a wide-ranging staff development programme (paragraphs 50; 51).