Starting your own uni course

[mollykins]

This is something i was discussing wih my cousin and we didn't have a clue, and i thought that people such as 'theprof' might know the answer.

How do you go about creating your own subject that can be taught at university standard. They must have all been created at one time but in the past there wouldn't have been so much bureaucracy. But Especially since computers were invented there must loads of relatively new computing courses. And how were they all moderated and standardised?

How does it work, who decides what the course content would be and how do you instantly become a doctor/ professor in a subject that doesn't properly exist yet?

And any other relevant info would be nice.

[saxy_jag]

What's taught at universities depends very much on staff interests and expertise. If someone has a specialism within another subject, then they may teach that as part of the subject and possibly be able to offer it at Certificate level or as part of joint/combined honours degree. For instance, one of the history staff at my university specialised in sports history, so we got to do a number of modules in that subject and, as I left, a postgraduate certificate was about to come online.

Usually what happens is that the person (usually a Doctor or Professor) who wants to introduce the subject to be taught sets out a course proposal showing exactly what would be covered, how it would meet the necessary academic rigour and how it would fit into the wider curriculum of that particular university, as well as implications such as equipment and costs. This would be put before a panel of university 'bosses' who would decide whether the course could take place.

If the course is successful, further courses can be developed until there is a strong case for a full qualification in that subject - all decided and moderated by various boards and panels. I'm sure someone who's worked in the HE sector will come along shortly and explain exactly which boards and panels.

[mollykins]

ahhh, thanks.

[boxtops]

You can also develop courses which are subsequently accredited by a University or other awarding body - we do that when we need a training course but where there isn't one already available in that subject at that level. Subject experts write the content and assessment material, fitting it in with the awarding body's criteria - if it passes their scrutiny, then we can offer the course as accredited and people completing it successfully get university credits, not just a pass or completion certificate.

[mollykins]

Boxy, you say subject experts but what if it's completely new and nowhere else in the world has done it before?

I know this is American BUT wasn't there a guy who starting doing a dregree course in Klyngon? or however you spell it? It wasn't run anywhere before and so there were no dr or profs in it . . . jsut keen amateurs . . .

[woofgang]

Well but internationally, degrees can be like those purchase online things that will make you a vicar....degrees only have meaning because we all agree that they do.

[boxtops]

If it's something never done before, like cybergenetics, you would have to rely on those who invented or discovered the topic to write an educational programme.

Klingon was already there in the Star Trek films, I remember that one, the people who wrote it made up the language from what was previously in the scripts. However - IMO - a degree in Klingon would serve no useful purpose in later life, I don't understand why any Uni would accredit something so useless.

[DTCwordfan]

Its not useless boxtops, they need care assistants and nurses to wipe out klingons

The methodology would come via another discipline, molly, someone does a PhD in the parent subject and has a major breakthrough - or their research work leads to the fundamentals of a new discipline. In both cases, there would be overseers for the academic work and the financing. If it was that mega, investment case,s both for the academics involved as well as assistants and all the resources rewuired, would be made and presented, and ultimately this would be done to the University senate to establish an independent Chair........

[boxtops]

Well put, DT (both parts ;-))

[saxy_jag]

Thing is, it's very doubtful an entire degree study would consist of a single 'daft' subject like Klingon. Chances are that the Klingon language and its development are used as a case study in some small part of a degree course in, say, language or communication studies. Only the tabloids like to blow these things out of all proportion and ridicule it by saying, 'you can now get a degree in Klingon - what a waste of taxpayers' money!'.

As part of my history degree, I made a study (actually my dissertation - about 1/6 of my time at Uni) on the development of foxhunting and its place in C19th society. I have no doubt that if history were not such a traditional subject then someone would take great delight in pointing out that you can now get a degree in foxhunting.