Taylor’s Curriculum Framework at Taylor’s University Lakeside Campus

Taylor’s Curriculum Framework (TCF)

THE Taylor’s Curriculum Framework, implemented starting from March 2018, will give school leavers the flexibility of combining their passion with fields of study like business, communications, law, architecture among other areas.

Students have the flexibility to experience a multi-dimensional education system and the framework is refined with the building blocks of academic excellence, life skills and emotional well-being.

Taylor’s University deputy vice-chancellor and chief academic officer, Prof Dr Pradeep Nair said that this innovative concept aims to break the conventional, rigid curriculum structure.

“We are moving away from the traditional discipline-centric approach to degrees that are broad-based, flexible and personalised. The change in the curriculum design will then influence the assessment and delivery of our programmes,” Prof Pradeep said.

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Limitless possibilities with Taylor’s Curriculum Framework (TCF) at Top Ranked Taylor’s University in Malaysia

Taylor’s University students will have the opportunity to customise their degree according to their passions. Their study plan will involve them selecting a primary major and specialising in their respective area of interest.

“This could mean that a student who’s enrolled in the Bachelor of Business (Honours) programme can specialise in Marketing or Human Resources or Finance or Banking, and have a minor in Psychology.

“If they feel that they want to go even deeper into Marketing, they can opt to enrol in the Bachelor of Business (Honours) programme, choose to specialise in Marketing, and do an extension in Digital Marketing or Multimedia Studies.

“Alternatively, if they want to study two fields, they can do a Bachelor of Business (Honours), specialise in Marketing, and do a double major in Law. They could opt to do a Bachelor of Mass Communication (Honours), specialising in Advertising and do a minor in Events Management or choose Psychology, which makes for a very powerful combination, to complete their degree,” Prof Pradeep said, adding that the possibilities are limitless.

Flexibility of Choice for Students at Taylor’s University with the Taylor’s Curriculum Framework (TCF)

With this new innovative approach, degree students at Taylor’s University Malaysia can choose a primary major and specialise. The students will also have to do the university core, which focuses on the development of the individual and how they interact with others. Their next step would be to choose to do either five to seven free electives, or package the free electives and do a minor.

“Students will now be able to choose from 21 extensions, 53 minors, 11 second majors and an option of 203 free electives when they enrol with us.

“Free electives mean students can choose one subject from IT, one culinary subject and one psychology subject for example.

“The idea is that students would choose their modules according to their strengths, their career ambition, or their interest,” Prof Pradeep said.

The University of that’s Future Ready

The decision to invoke this change came after taking into account the multiple data sources that highlighted the need for universities to prepare their students with the skills to adapt to different jobs across different sectors.

“We decided to adopt this approach as people, companies and research findings are telling us that the skills needed to survive in the 21st century and beyond are going to be different.

“We have to make sure our degrees provide those skills to our students.

“Students in the future are likely to occupy different jobs, across different sectors.

“So, we need to broaden the scope of what our students learn to be beyond their particular field of study and allow them to build up their ability to learn by themselves,” Prof Pradeep said.

The flexibility of the Taylor’s Curriculum Framework will allow students to go deeper into their area of interest or take up a second major or be good in two fields.

As this decision lies solely in the hands of the students, this will empower the students to make choices on their own, because they feel responsible for their own choices.

It also increases the level of their commitment to what they select to study as part of their degree.

Importance of a Relevant Degree Education in Malaysia

Only 3% of Employers Think That Your Uni Degree Is Somewhat Important*
*Source: The Employment Mismatch, Chronicle of Higher Education, May 14, 2013

How do graduates stand out from the pack? What should they have to be attractive to a wide range of employers?

A degree alone is not a golden ticket to career success and scoring straight A’s does not guarantee a high-paying job.

According to a 2015 article in The Star, about 200,000 students graduate from universities with a degree annually, but a quarter of them struggle to find a job six months after graduation. A survey of employers by JobStreet revealed some of the top reasons for this worrying trend: poor command of the English language, subpar communication skills and negative attitude or character.

Furthermore, the employers surveyed felt graduates lacked adaptability, multitasking skills, decision-making skills and problem-solving skills. Many graduates also have unrealistic salary expectations, with 30 percent desiring a starting salary of RM6,500.

Discovering What Malaysian Employers Want

An increasing number of employers, including top ones like Google and Deloitte, are placing less value on academic credentials. They prize additional qualifications, ranging from aptitude to personality and specific skills and knowledge.

This is supported by studies such as the Corporate Recruiters Survey 2015. The report released by the Graduate Management Admission Council showed that 92 percent of recruiters surveyed would consider a candidate based on their proven ability to perform. It is not so much a question of whether candidates are qualified for a job, but rather what other competencies do they bring to the table that ultimately lands them a job.

What is Taylor’s Curriculum Framework (TCF) ?

Taylor’s University is taking action to future-proof graduates to be ready for the Fourth Industrial Revolution by introducing the Taylor’s Curriculum Framework. The TCF’s goal is to enhance the university’s existing curriculum so our students not only graduate with an outstanding degree, but also future-ready skills that will make them highly sought after in the ever-demanding global marketplace.

Taylor’s University’s focus is to produce graduates who are future-proof while preparing them to have future-ready skills and equipping them with critical X-factors so that they can:

• Enhance their employability in the ever-demanding global marketplace.
• Be globally & culturally adaptive through international mobility/overseas experience/international experiential learning opportunities via short term mobility, semester exchange programmes, study/field trips abroad, international internships.
• Be socially intelligent and enhance emotional well-being through a series of structured life skills modules; with topics ranging from self-discovery to team dynamic management; conducted by 10 dedicated life skills facilitators.
• Be adaptable to high job mobility (agile learners) through independent self-directed own learning.

At the core of TCF is empowering students to explore their passions by giving them more choices and flexibility.

Delving into Taylor’s Curriculum Framework

TCF focuses on:

• Equipping students with critical X-Factors and the competitive edge so they can thrive in the global marketplace
• Offering learners a relevant and dynamic curriculum, where they can enjoy the flexibility to design and personalise their course of study based on their interests and strengths
• Increasing overseas experiences with regard to opportunity, variety and choice

Students who come to Taylor’s University will experience an education that is multi-dimensional, created with the building blocks of academic excellence, life skills and emotional well-being. These three key building blocks will help to nurture eight essential attributes that contribute to future-ready skills. They include:

• Discipline specific knowledge
• Communication skills
• Critical thinking and problem solving
• Entrepreneurialism
• Lifelong learning
• Personal competencies
• Social competencies
• Global perspectives

How does TCF work?

In the new curriculum structure, students can mix and match modules, according to their strengths and interests. Taylor’s University bachelor degree programme standard curriculum structure must consist of the following:

Step 1: Primary Major

Choose common modules across disciplines that provides basic knowledge and fundamentals for a discipline, or choose a specialised module to go in depth in a particular discipline.
Primary major of a bachelor degree programme is the fundamental and core body of knowledge of a discipline required for a degree. It is also known as first major. It consists of school common core modules and discipline core/specialization modules that typically require two (2) years of study for a 3-year degree programme.

School common core

School common core refers to modules that are common across the school that provides common knowledge and skills that all students should demonstrate. The final project and internship modules are considered part of the school common core modules. These modules may be offered to students from other disciplines or schools as complementary study.

Discipline Core

Discipline core refers to modules that are specific to a discipline. It may consist of a list of prescribed choices of compulsory and optional modules (core elective) required for a particular major. Students majoring in that area must complete the prescribed choices of modules. These are alternatively known as specialisation modules or concentration modules.

Step 2: University Core Essentials

Develop critical thinking, build up social intelligence and cultivate civic responsibility as well broaden cultural knowledge with these modules.

Compulsory general modules (“Mata Pelajaran Pengajian Umum” or MPU) required by MOHE, for students to complete as part of the graduation requirement. They are classified in to four main categories:

• U1 – Philosophy, Values and History
• U2 – Personal and Skills Development (Soft Skills)
• U3 – Broadening Knowledge about Malaysia
• U4 – Community Service and Co-Curriculum

Step 3: Complementary Study Component

The Complementary Study Component allows student to study modules in a related or unrelated field from the same or different school to complement the primary major. It may be completed in a form of free electives, extension, minor or a second major that typically requires at least one (1) semester of student learning time.

This approach to learning is immersive, flexible and adaptive to evolving demands of employers. Under this new curriculum structure, students are given the opportunity to mix and match modules. They can complement their primary major with:

• Electives – Choose from five to seven free elective modules in 3 different clusters of which not related to the Primary Major. These clusters include (i) Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (AHSS), (ii) Business, Services and Management (BSM) and (iii) Science, Technology and Society (STS).
• A minor – Gain breadth of knowledge by taking five set modules outside of a particular major field of study. There are 53 minors offered.
• An extension – Expand depth of knowledge by taking five set modules in a specific area within a major field of study. There are 21 extensions available.
• A second major – Master another field of study by taking 12 set modules. Choose from 11 majors.

Differences in Programme Structure Framework

 

Besides the compulsory general modules required by the Ministry of Higher Education, the TCF includes two additional specially designed modules to strengthen students’ life skills and emotional well-being.

• Life Skill for Success and Well-being

This module guides students through the process of self-discovery, which is essential in gaining insight about one’s character, personality, values and beliefs. By discovering their true essence, students can develop personal and professional goals that align best with who they are as a person and what they want to achieve in life.

• Millennials in Malaysia: Team Dynamics and Relationship Management

This module imparts to students the importance of team work and managing relationships. It trains them to become productive members of a team, communicate effectively in both verbal and written forms and sharpen their critical thinking skills.

When these two modules are completed, students can take advantage of the Shine Award Programme, where they will further enrich their learning journey and cultivate capabilities employers want. Taylor’s University students who complete this programme will receive a Second Transcript to certify their co-curricular activities.