Page 36 - FSTE A5 Handbook

Chapter Two
Common Core Requirements at the
UGC-funded Universities

Commonalities in the Distribution Model
Despite the diversities in the sequence and distribution of various GE courses within the
undergraduate curricula, the GE programmes of the eight UGC-funded universities have
common areas of focus in their aims, objectives and intended learning outcomes and their GE
models have some surprisingly similar components within the GE curriculum. In this section,
commonalities in the GE structures of the eight UGC-funded universities will be discussed and
the similarities amongst each key component will be explained.

(1) Core-distribution Model
Generally, all universities have adopted GE structures following the core-distribution model.
All GE curricula stipulate:
i. the core requirements that are compulsory for all students; and
ii. the distributional requirements that offer a range of electives to students. It is important
to reiterate that there are differences amongst the eight UGC-funded universities in
defining GE within their own core-distributional models. For example, U1, U2, U7 and
U8 do not take language education as part of their GE requirements, whereas U3, U4, U5
and U6 consider language requirements as part of their GE. As stated earlier, these
differences exist due to administrative reasons, such as departmental structure and
resources. They are in principle, however, still considered as part of the required GE
curriculum.
(2) Core Requirements
The core curriculum is usually regarded as a common set of capacities, skills and knowledge
that are seen by the universities as essential to all students. The core curriculum may vary from
a set of compulsory courses to several core areas from which students may select their courses.
Table 1 shows that language training (in particular, English language skills) is considered an
important area of inquiry in all UGC-funded universities. Culture and values is regarded as another
important area and has thus been made mandatory by most universities as part of their GE core
requirements. To meet the demand of the 21st century knowledge, students are provided with
courses with integrated nature in the form of freshman seminars or interdisciplinary courses.
Regarding the timing for completing the core requirements, different practices among the eight
UGC-funded universities are observed. Some institutions expect their students to complete
the GE core requirements and language courses in the first two years of university studies
while the other institutions allow students the flexibility of taking such core requirements
throughout the entire study period.

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