Chennai: From the next academic year, the University of Madras will specify the learning outcomes for UG and PG programmes — how a particular BA or MA degree will help the students to take up higher studies or jobs.
It will specify the core competencies a student will acquire after finishing the course and other skills such as research and problem solving.
“Stakeholders including students, teachers, parents and public should know the learning outcome expected from a degree programme and how it helps students take up higher studies or get a job. Recruiters will also come to know the skills acquired by a student through a degree programme,” said P Duraisamy, vice-chancellor of Madras University.
The university will revise its UG and PG programmes from next academic year to conform to the UGC’s learning outcome-based curriculum framework (LOCF). “It includes course outline, references and learning outcome’s specified goals such as skills learned, tools and techniques acquired and the level,” he added. Professor Duraisamy was convener of the UGC committee that developed LOCF for economics.
Professor M Srinivasan, head of department of criminology who was convener of the panel that developed LOCF for criminology, said specifying learning outcomes help students decide which course to take. “It would specify what the graduates are expected to know, understand and be able to do at the end of their degree programme of study,” he added.
Recently, the University Grants Commission developed LOCF for various streams including English, criminology, mathematics, psychology, botany, physics and anthropology.
For example, “The botany graduates are expected to know the fundamental concepts of botany and plant science. These fundamental concepts would reflect the latest understanding of the field and, therefore, are dynamic in nature and require frequent and time-bound revisions,” the LOCF says.
Madras University also proposes to launch new courses relating to entrepreneurship, skill development, startup, innovation and venture capital and capital markets with inputs from Madras Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
Note: News shared for public awareness with reference from the information provided at online news portals