2013-2014: A New Academic Year … Some Major Changes for Undergraduate Students
By Dr. Angus Munro
Starting in Academic Year 2013-2014, the University of Cambodia launched a second undergraduate track where all but language courses are taught in Khmer: the programmes taught on this, the Khmer Track, are otherwise comparable to the existing ones taught through the medium of English in what is now called the International Track.
The aim of this initiative is to attract students who are either weak in their language abilities (like this writer) or who want to proceed to a degree programme without fi rst doing intensive English classes at our Centre for English Studies or elsewhere. However, students in the Khmer track will have to do some basic English courses to give them some exposure to that language.
Foundation Year programmes were started in Accounting, ? : scholarships ? As noted above, these are meant to be comparable the established same programmes in the International Track.
In addition, as a result of MoEYS’ requirement that all Cambodian universities have to impose fi xed degree plans, various other changes have been introduced for our Bachelor’s programmes which will affect all students on the Khmer track and students on the International Track who joined our Foundation Year in October 2012 or thereafter.
- Previously, we have followed the American system, where there is scope for flexibility in the courses which a student can select (especially for ‘Other Electives’).
- This is no longer possible: all students in a particular major will have to follow a prescribed degree-plan, not just in the Foundation Year but during the rest of their programme.
- We recognise that this is a straitjacket for students who wish to change their major at UC or would like to transfer credits from a different programme at another university, but we have no choice in the matter
In preparing these fi xed degree-plans, we have also made some changes to the basic structure of each Bachelor’s programme.
- The number of General Education courses remains the same (16: 36% of the total minimum degree requirement), although now there is no choice.
- The number of Major courses has been increased from 18 to 24 (53% of the total minimum degree requirement): this may also apply for existing Bachelor’s students from earlier intakes, allowing for existing timetabling constraints.
- Thus the number of Other Elective courses has been reduced from 11 to fi ve (11% of the total minimum degree requirement).
- Non-English majors in the International Track take four other English courses to strengthen their confidence and capability in that language.
- Students not in the College of Management also do BUS304 (Leadership Skills); whereas Management students do an extra mathematics course.
- English majors do applied courses on marketing, public relations, etc., from the College of Management instead.
