1. THE MERIT OF SANDWICH DEGREES IN COMPARISON WITH POST GRADUATE CONVERSION COURSES Michael Jayne Property Management Division Nottingham Trent University BEECON September 2006

2. In the UK, first degree predominant Real Estate qualification route. Recent years seen apparent shift to postgraduate entry, especially conversion courses. Facilitated by the Government’s drive to increase participation in University education Resulted in increased numbers of graduates with non vocational first degrees. Some real estate employers have also been active in encouraging post graduate into employment.

3. Issues Are they producing distinctly different property professionals? What educational role, if any, does the sandwich have? Is it merely work experience? If not does it provide academic/intellectual skills above a non sandwich degree? Does it go someway to meeting the learning outcomes of a master’s course?

4. UK students achieving 1 ST OR 2.1 honours degrees increased by 20 per cent over the six years to 2001-2. Postgraduate education is the fastest growing sector in higher education. 21 per cent growth in new entrants over the seven years up to 2004. Nearly 500,000 Postgraduate students in UK universities Postgraduates nearly a fifth of all students. (Sastry 2004 ) Background

5. Growth been dramatic Demand for Postgraduate education rose by 21% from 1995/6 to 2002/03. Growth for Professional qualifications overall was 2% but within this Taught master’s courses grown by 42%. Post Graduate numbers rose fastest in the ‘new universities and colleges’ 65% for the same period

6. Perception most graduates come straight from their undergraduate courses is misleading”. Most entrants to all types of Postgraduate course are older than 22 More first-year Postgraduates above the age of 30 than below 25 Over 30s a substantial majority among part-time students starting every type of Postgraduate course.

7. Postgraduate Student Characteristics Research degrees students more likely to have a first- class degree than others...those studying for taught postgraduate qualifications by contrast have a similar profile to the general graduate population “...the possession of a taught postgraduate qualification is a poor indicator as to general ability....”

8. To support the assertion that there is something special about postgraduate students, Their salaries, six months after qualification are almost 18% higher than even those for holders of first class honours degrees. “may be in part due to the fact that,...postgraduate qualifications are strongly associated with entry into professional occupations” (Sastry 2004) However..

9. Future demand Between 2002/03 and 2010/11 in England could be up to 50,000 more postgraduate students. (HEPI) “…postgraduate qualification may become the norm...where...not previously been the case” “…because of the delay between graduating and entering postgraduate education …may be some time before the full impact of increases … postgraduate population is felt.” (Sastry 2004).

10. What is the role of the sandwich year in the education of the undergraduate? Where it is properly integrated and developed within the degree... Does if provide more than work experience? Does it provide some of the learning outcomes required by a master’s student?

11. QAA ( 2001) state: Where placement learning is an intended part of a programme of study, institutions should ensure that The responsibilities for placement learning are clearly defined; the Intended learning outcomes contribute to the overall aims of the programme; and any assessment of placement learning is part of a coherent assessment strategy.

12. Current Undergraduate and Postgraduate Programme Formats YearStandard Full time Degree Activity 1Level 1Graduate learning 2Level 2 3Level 3 4APC year 1Work experience 5APC year 2

13. YearStandard Sandwich Degree Activity 1Level 1Graduate learning 2Level 2 3PlacementAPC year 1 (work experience) 4Level 3**Graduate learning 5APC year 1Work experience ** Placement (work) experience taken as a totality before final year of taught education

14. YearNon Cognate Masters Full time Activity 1Level 1Graduate learning 2Level 2 3Level 3 4Masters**Post graduate learning 5APC year 1Work experience 6APC year 2 ** Placement (work) experience taken as a totality after final year of taught education

15. YearNon Cognate Masters Part time Activity 1Level 1Graduate learning 2Level 2 3Level 3 4Masters year 1Post graduate learning 5Masters year 2** APC year 1Work experience 6APC year 2Work experience ** Placement (work) experience taken during final years of taught education

16. Descriptor for a qualification at (HEQAA) HonoursMasters Honours degrees are awarded to students who have demonstrated: Masters degrees are awarded to students who have demonstrated: AA systematic understanding of key aspects of their field of study, including acquisition of coherent and detailed knowledge, at least some of which is at or informed by, the forefront of defined aspects of a discipline; A systematic understanding of knowledge, and a critical awareness of current problems and/or new insights, much of which is at, or informed by, the forefront of their academic discipline, field of study, or area of professional practice;

17. Descriptor for a qualification at HonoursMasters Ban ability to deploy accurately established techniques of analysis and enquiry within a discipline; a comprehensive understanding of techniques applicable to their own research or advanced scholarship;

18. Cconceptual understanding that enables the student: " to devise and sustain arguments, and/or to solve problems, using ideas and techniques, some of which are at the forefront of a discipline; and " to describe and comment upon particular aspects of current research, or equivalent advanced scholarship, in the discipline; conceptual understanding that enables the student: " to evaluate critically current research and advanced scholarship in the discipline; and " to evaluate methodologies and develop critiques of them and, where appropriate, to propose new hypotheses Descriptor for a qualification at HonoursMasters

19. Dthe ability to manage their own learning, and to make use of scholarly reviews and primary sources (e.g. refereed research articles and/or original materials appropriate to the discipline). originality in the application of knowledge, together with a practical understanding of how established techniques of research and enquiry are used to create and interpret knowledge in the discipline Descriptor for a qualification at HonoursMasters

20. ETypically, holders of the qualification will be able to: apply the methods and techniques that they have learned to review, consolidate, extend and apply their knowledge and understanding, and to initiate and carry out projects; Typically, holders of the qualification will be able to: deal with complex issues both systematically and creatively, make sound judgements in the absence of complete data, and communicate their conclusions clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences Descriptor for a qualification at HonoursMasters

21. Fcritically evaluate arguments, assumptions, abstract concepts and data (that may be incomplete), to make judgements, and to frame appropriate questions to achieve a solution - or identify a range of solutions - to a problem; demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems, and act autonomously in planning and implementing tasks at a professional or equivalent level; Descriptor for a qualification at HonoursMasters

22. Gcommunicate information, ideas, problems, and solutions to both specialist and non- specialist audiences and will have: continue to advance their knowledge and understanding, and to develop new skills to a high level; and will have: Descriptor for a qualification at HonoursMasters

23. Hthe qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment requiring: " the exercise of initiative and personal responsibility; " decision-making in complex and unpredictable contexts; and “the learning ability needed to undertake appropriate further training of a professional or equivalent nature. the qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment requiring: " the exercise of initiative and personal responsibility; " decision-making in complex and unpredictable situations; and " the independent learning ability required for continuing professional development. Descriptor for a qualification at HonoursMasters

24. Research Students on the final year following their placement targeted Hyperlinked on line questionnaire sent to their university email address Real Estate Management, Building Surveying, Planning and Property Development Students would be well into their dissertation

25. Questions Addressed the identified QAA Master’s learning outcomes where they exceeded undergraduate outcomes as explained earlier. These outcome statements broken down into their constituent skills Written as a statement Students were then asked to express their agreement with the statements using a5 point Likert scale. 1 strong agreement5 strongly disagree

26. For example Deal with complex issue both systematically and creatively, make sound judgements in the absence of complete data and communicate... conclusions clearly to specialist and non specialist audiences” was broken down in to "I did not always have the data I needed, but I was still able to make a judgment" and "I communicated my conclusions to other professionals/specialists/public/non professionals”

27. Questions did not follow the order of the learning outcomes. They were placed in to a context for the student, to make them more relevant. 1.About your placement 2.How you feel about the placement 3.How you think the placement has influenced you 4.Things you had to do in your placement, and 5.Things you learned on your placement.

28. A …knowledge, and a critical awareness of current problems and/or new insights, much of which is at, or informed by, the forefront of their academic discipline, field of study, or area of professional practice MeanStandard deviation 2.221.070 2.3880.903 1.9171.994 Mean of means 2.175

29. B...a comprehensive understanding of techniques applicable to their own research or advanced scholarship ; MeanStandard deviation 1.97221.135

30. C... evaluate critically current research and advanced scholarship in the discipline; And... to evaluate methodologies and develop critiques of them and, where appropriate, to propose new hypotheses MeanStandard deviation 2.8331.082

31. D... originality in the application of knowledge, together with a practical understanding of how established techniques of research and enquiry are used to create and interpret knowledge in the discipline MeanStandard deviation 2.8331.082 2.751.626 3.3750.976 3.0940.993 2.651.01 Mean of means 2.940

32. E... deal with complex issues both systematically and creatively, make sound judgements in the absence of complete data, and communicate their conclusions clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences MeanStandard deviation 20.956 2.0560.860 1.891.022 2.1291.0185 2.5141.42 1.4170.770 1.6940.749 Mean of means 1.957

33. F... demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems, and act autonomously in planning and implementing tasks at a professional or equivalent level. MeanStandard deviation 1.5700.698 1.7780.898 1.6400.723 1.8610.961 1.8900.854 1.8900.979 2.1340.867 1.6940.749 Mean of means 1.807

34. G.... continue to advance their knowledge and understanding, and to develop new skills to a high level; MeanStandard deviation 1.82860.9230

35. H …decision-making in complex and unpredictable situations; and...the independent learning ability required for continuing professional development MeanStandard deviation 2.1941.037 1.74280.950 21.014 2.1390.990 1.890.979 Mean of means 1.993

36. Relative strength of agreement by rank means RankSectionMean 1 F... demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems, and act autonomously in planning and implementing tasks at a professional or equivalent level. 1.807 2 G... continue to advance their knowledge and understanding, and to develop new skills to a high level; 1.8286 3 E... deal with complex issues both systematically and creatively, make sound judgements in the absence of complete data, and communicate their conclusions clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences 1.957 4B B... a comprehensive understanding of techniques applicable to their own research or advanced scholarship; 1.9722

37. 5 H... decision-making in complex and unpredictable situations; and " the independent learning ability required for continuing professional development. 1.993 6 A... knowledge, and a critical awareness of current problems and/or new insights, much of which is at, or informed by, the forefront of their academic discipline, field of study, or area of professional practice 2.175 7 C... to evaluate critically current research and advanced scholarship in the discipline; And " to evaluate methodologies and develop critiques of them and, where appropriate, to propose new hypotheses 2.833 8D D... originality in the application of knowledge, together with a practical understanding of how established techniques of research and enquiry are used to create and interpret knowledge in the discipline 2.940

38. Conclusions All aspects supported Section D weakest. (where most academics would expect intellectual development in the post graduate arena) Could students who have not graduated, know if they were being original? Section C next least supported figures skewed by the fact that Planning and Property Development students would not have been undertaking a dissertation

39. implications - sandwich students are obtaining an enhanced learning experience above and beyond work experience. Sandwich courses may even warrant their own benchmark statements, above and beyond those of a diploma in professional practice and usual honours degree. As students are paying an increased contribution towards their degree and employers increasingly looking for post graduate qualities these could be important issues.

40. THE MERIT OF SANDWICH DEGREES IN COMPARISON WITH POST GRADUATE CONVERSION COURSES Michael Jayne Property Management Division Nottingham Trent University BEECON September 2006