Elective Pathways: Students as partners in a co-designed curriculum

Abstract

Keele was founded on the principle of embedding interdisciplinary study in all aspects of education. The Keele Curriculum has been through many stages of evolution and adaptation, yet it has always remained loyal to this originary commitment for 70 years, maintaining a Foundation Year, a rich dual honours offer and an unusually strong, cross-faculty capacity for ‘elective’ study.

In order to re-invent this concept to address the greatest challenges in modern society, a student-staff policy group was co-founded to explore the optionality of interdisciplinary themes – this is called Elective Pathways (EPs). Students were also heavily involved in the co-design process with membership on the working group, over 150 students completing the survey and 10 students attending the focus groups. 

The partnership enabled us to agree innovative approaches to teaching and assessment with regard above all to the development of employability skills and experience.