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1 | P a g e A P A D , U W I O C N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 4

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES OPEN CAMPUS

ACADEMIC PROGRAMMING AND DELIVERY DIVISION PROGRAMME PLANNING DEPARTMENT

PROPOSAL FOR UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMME(S)

COVER PAGE

PROPOSED PROGRAMME TITLE: Economics PROPOSED AWARDS: Bachelor of Science (BSc) ACADEMIC UNIT(S) THAT WILL OFFER PROGRAMME: Academic Programming & Delivery Division (APAD) DELIVERY MODE: Distance – Fully Online (with face-to-face examinations for some courses) TOTAL CREDIT HOURS: 90 hours PROPOSED START DATE: September 2015

PROGRAMME SUMMARY:

The proposed BSc Economics degree is a 90-credit undergraduate programme. The programme seeks to engage students in critical analysis of economic theories and their application to a range of real-life issues and problems, including those related to economic growth; firm behavior and strategy; consumers; institutions; financial markets; and economic development within the international and Caribbean contexts. The curriculum emphasizes strong foundational knowledge in microeconomics; macroeconomics; quantitative economics; research methods; and specialized knowledge of other vital areas of study in economics, through rigorous theoretical and empirical study. The programme is designed to provide a structured and supportive online learning experience. Students are encouraged to inquire and articulate their ideas about complex economic issues using economic reasoning and problem-solving skills. It also seeks to equip students with cross-cutting competencies in economic and environmental growth, development and sustainability. The programme affords students the opportunity to strengthen their personal and professional economic decision-making competencies based on sound judgment.

The duration of the programme is 3 years full-time and five years part-time.

PROJECTED ENROLLMENT: Minimum intake of new students in each year is as follows:

The following projection is based on the enrolment pattern over the last 3 years of the BSc Economics (Minor) offered by the Open Campus.

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OCAB P. 26 (Rev.) AY 2014/2015

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Year 1: 50 students Year 2: 50 students Year 3: 75 students

SIGNATURES: DATES:

Head of Department April 22, 2015 Bursar _______________________________ ________________________ Director of APAD _______________________________ ________________________ FOR BUS USE ONLY: � Approved � Conditional Approval � Modify and Resubmit � Not Approved ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Chair, BUS _____________________________________ Date ______________________


PROGRAMME DESCRIPTION

INTRODUCTION

The discipline of economics seeks to explore and explain the factors that influence income, wealth and social well-being of society. It is an important and essential social science discipline that requires skilled professionals with the competencies required for economic analysis and research. These individuals are required to demonstrate strong foundational knowledge and skills in microeconomics; macroeconomics; quantitative economics; and research methods, as well as specialized knowledge of other critical areas of economics such as international trade and finance; public economics; labour economics and the economics of growth and development.

Whilst the three physical campuses of the UWI offer undergraduate degrees in economics, these programmes are inaccessible to hundreds of regional prospective students mainly due to work and family commitments. This online BSc Economics programme is, therefore, geared towards providing access and flexibility to the underserved across the Caribbean region and beyond, who are desirous of pursuing studies at the UWI.

PROGRAMME RATIONALE

This proposed BSc Economics reflects a desire on the part of the Open Campus to offer an online programme which will allow access to students who might experience challenges in pursuing a similar programme at the physical UWI. The majority of the courses in the programme are similar to those offered in other BSc Economics programmes across the UWI. The development of the online programme also represents a desire on the part of the Open Campus to facilitate current UWI efforts towards cross-campus programme harmonization, as well as the implementation of the Single University Virtual Space. It is anticipated that this offering will facilitate student mobility across the UWI.

The proposed programme responds to the many requests from stakeholders across the region for a programme of this nature. Based on the infancy of the UWI Open Campus and the regional economic climate, financial resource is an overarching hindrance to meeting the training and educational needs of stakeholders. With the assistance of the Canadian financial support obtained under the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade & Development (DFATD) for the UWI/Strengthening of Distance Education in the Caribbean (SDEC) project, the Open Campus has been provided with the opportunity to meet the continued requests and make available social science programmes in the distance education format to participants throughout the Caribbean.

The offering of the BSc Economics via online modality will complement the current offerings on the physical campuses by providing relevant programming in a flexible


framework of study to persons within the wider Caribbean. Indeed, the non-campus countries will be better served by this programme. Moreover, the programme targets the matured and employed persons who have challenges in participating in face-to-face offerings at Cave Hill, Mona or St. Augustine campuses.

Strategically, the programme is geared towards equipping persons within and outside of the region with the knowledge, skills and competencies required to address persistent emerging and challenging economic issues. This endeavor allows the UWI Open Campus the opportunity to fulfill its stated mandate and commitment to the region, and to impact the needs of member states.

PROGRAMME DEMAND

Since the inception of the Open Campus several requests have been made by the Heads of Open Campus sites for the offering of more attractive social sciences programmes across the region. These requests reflect the continued calls made by regional stakeholders – governments, private sector entities, and past and continuing students in the respective Caribbean countries.

Presently, the Open Campus offers an online BSc Management Studies (Economics Minor) programme. Student enrolment numbers for the last three academic years are: 2012/2013 – 224 students; 2013/2014 – 227 students: and 2014/2015 – 188 students. However, the offering of the BSc Management Studies (Economics Minor) does not adequately address the needs of persons desirous of pursuing an undergraduate programme to begin their journey of becoming professionals in the field of economics.

The Open Campus recognizes that it now needs to revise and update its current offering of the online BSc Management Studies (Economics Minor) programme to provide a more relevant and attractive economics programme – a programme that will develop and strengthen the capabilities of graduates to function in the diverse social and economic climate, with a focus on sustainability, strategic leadership, economic analysis and accountability. With the financial assistance provided through the UWI/SDEC project, the Open Campus is afforded the opportunity to meet the demand, and make available the BSc Economics programme via distance mode for prospective applicants throughout the Caribbean and elsewhere. The demand is estimated by using current enrolment in the social science programmes offered at the UWI physical campuses.

TARGET AUDIENCE

The BSc Economics is intended for persons who wish to pursue careers as economists in the public and private sectors, as well as those interested in economics education. These include financial analysts, financial examiners, financial advisers, market research analysts,


statisticians, and sales agents. In particular, the banking industry and government ministries of finance and economic affairs provide considerable employment opportunities for prospective graduates of this programme.

The programme specifically targets person who prefer to study via the online mode for reasons such as family, work commitments and financial constraints.

ACADEMIC AIMS & OBJECTIVES

Relationship to the UWI Strategic Plan

The aims and objectives of the proposed BSc Economics are rooted in the Mission, Vision, Core Values and strategic perspectives of the UWI Strategic Plan1.

Specifically they:

• support the Mission by advancing education, creating knowledge, supporting inclusive development of the Caribbean region and beyond

• promote the Vision by serving the diverse people of the region and beyond

• enhance the Core Values of accessibility, diversity and equity

• advance the strategic themes and goals of competency-based development, open and distance education and national and regional development

Aims & Objectives of the Programme

The proposed BSc Economics programme aims to strengthen the academic abilities, transferable skills, and personal and professional qualities that should be acquired by students during their time at the University. The programme, therefore, seeks to produce graduates who are critical, analytical and creative thinkers; effective communicators with good interpersonal skills; IT-skilled and information literate; innovative and entrepreneurial; globally aware and well-grounded in his/her regional identity; socially, culturally and environmentally responsible; and guided by strong ethical values.

Graduates of the programme will demonstrate, both as individuals and as team members:

• Explicit pragmatic knowledge in the areas of micro- and macro-economics • Recognition of contemporary issues faced by organizations - corporate governance,

responsible leadership, financial and economic sustainability and their impact on the economic development.

• Knowledge and skills to function in a diverse and global organizational environment • Competence in the use and application of pertinent technologies

1 UWI Strategic Plan 2012-2017


• Regard for the importance of ethical considerations in the execution of their responsibilities

• Competence in the integration of concepts and theories across all functional domains of economics studies

Additionally, the programme will provide a stimulating and challenging learning experience for students, enabling them to combine research and theoretical knowledge with professional/practical experience. Students will also develop an awareness of regional and global economic issues that impact growth and development in a sustainable global context.

Specific Aims and Objectives of the Programme The BSc Economics seeks to enable students to acquire:

1. confidence in using relevant economic concepts, principles and theory to frame, delineate and clarify complex economic policy issues within the context of global, regional and local economic developments and trends

2. an understanding and appreciation of the research literature as well as the sources and

uses of economic data relevant to several specialized areas in economics

3. the requisite skills and competencies in planning and conducting basic empirical research relevant to one or more specialized areas in economics

4. proficiency in mathematical analysis, as well as statistical and econometric modeling

and computing in solving theoretical and applied problems in a range of contexts

Specific Programme Competencies

The programme seeks to develop the following competencies:

1. specialized knowledge in international trade and finance; public finance; labour economics; and the economics of development

2. broad integrative knowledge in management information systems, public policy; microeconomics; macroeconomics; econometrics and quantitative methods

3. intellectual skills in analytic inquiry; the ability to engage with diverse perspectives (in terms of creativity, global awareness and regional awareness); information and technological literacy; communicative fluency and quantitative fluency

4. applied knowledge with respect to research, and the application of economic theories to real-life problems

5. civic knowledge with respect to gender, social, cultural and environmental awareness; sustainability, values and ethics


STRUCTURE OF THE PROGRAMME

The programme structure reflects progression of intellectual challenge to students and promotes student success. There are pre-delivery courses which provide foundational knowledge and skills to ensure that those students who need them can function successfully in online learning and to address inadequacies/deficiencies where necessary. The courses at Level 1 are introductory level courses at the undergraduate level. Level II courses build on the Level I courses to a level of intermediate undergraduate training. This is captured in the implied prerequisite system where courses at Level I in part provide the preparatory content for Level II courses that deliver intermediate training. This progression is continued through Level III courses. The three levels are differentiated by course codes, and are based on degree of difficulty of content, learning outcomes and competencies required of learners.

Table 1: Programme Structure

Course Codes Course Titles Credits

FOUN1001 FOUN1101 MGMT1000 MGMT1001 SOCI1002 ACCT1002 ECON1001 ECON1002 ECON1003 ECON1005

Level I

English for Academic Purposes Caribbean Civilization Introduction to Computers Principles of Management Introduction to Sociology Introduction to Financial Accounting Introduction to Microeconomics Introduction to Macroeconomics Mathematics for Social Sciences I Introduction to Statistics

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

ECON2000 ECON2001 ECON2002 ECON2003 ECON2005 ECON2008 ECON2020

Level II

Intermediate Microeconomics I

Intermediate Microeconomics II

Intermediate Macroeconomics I

Intermediate Macroeconomics II

Social & Economic Accounting

Statistical Methods I

Caribbean Economy

3

3

3

3

3

3

3


ECON2023 ECON2015 ECON2016

International Economic Relations

Mathematical Methods of Economics I

Mathematical Methods of Economics II

3

3

3

ECON3005 ECON3006 ECON3016 ECON3029 ECON3034 ECON3049 ECON3051 ECON3057 MGMT3049 ECON3067 NEW

Level III Monetary Theory & Policy International Trade & Finance Public Finance I Labour Economics Resource & Environmental Economics Econometrics Economic Development: Perspectives & Theory Choose one of the following courses Health Economics: Theory and Policy

or Financial Institutions and Markets Applied Econometrics Independent Study in Economics

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

New entrants must meet the University’s normal matriculation requirements in order to be accepted into the programme.

English Language Proficiency Examination

Entrants may be required to take The English Language Proficiency Test (ELPT). This test is

used to assess whether persons applying to pursue undergraduate degree programmes at the

UWI Open Campus possess a satisfactory level of writing and reading proficiency in English

for university academic purposes.


REQUIREMENTS FOR THE BSc AWARD

In order to qualify for the BSc degree students must attain 90 credits as specified in the programme structure.

ASSESSMENT STRUCTURE

Assessment Approach

The Open Campus uses Traditional (Exam) Assessment and Alternative (Authentic) Assessment approaches.

PROGRAMME DELIVERY & SUPPORT

Mode of Delivery

The programme will be delivered fully online using the Open Campus “Learning Exchange”

environment (Moodle) and web-conferencing software, e.g. Blackboard Collaborate (BbC).

Instructional Arrangements

All courses in the programme will be offered fully online. A fully online undergraduate

course entails the following:

1. Materials are made available in the Learning Exchange online through the learning management system of the Open Campus

2. Teaching/learning activities are conducted in the Learning Exchange

3. Courses using Traditional Assessment (Exam) will accommodate face-to-face examination. Use of tests/quiz may be conducted online in the Learning Exchange

4. Other assessment-related activities are conducted/reported in the Learning Exchange

5. In instances where students are required to engage in course-related activity off-line in the real-world environment, all outcomes from such activity, in whatever format, must be submitted in the Learning Exchange.

6. Studying online is intended to facilitate active, interactive learning. Thus, students registered for a single course are organized into groups of 25 students. Each group is supported by a group facilitator/e-Tutor and the Course Coordinator manages the delivery of the entire course. Both the Course Coordinator and e-Tutor/group facilitator are specialists in the field of study.


7. Courses using Alternate Assessment will submit summative assignments in the Learning Exchange.

8. A Programme Manager and Course Delivery Assistant (CDA), from the Programme Delivery Department, are assigned to monitor the teaching and learning process to ensure that all students are facilitated in accordance with the Student Charter and established online standards.

Library Services

The Open Campus Library and Information Services (OCLIS) provides access to a growing collection of e-resources (e-books, e-journals, databases) via UWIlinC. Users may also search UWI repositories and the catalogues of the four UWI Campuses via UWIlinC. Training sessions on how to effectively navigate UWIlinC, and on concepts in database searching are available to Open Campus staff and students by request.

The OCLIS virtual reference service, ‘Ask a Librarian’ allows students to access reference and research assistance via email or live chat with OCLIS staff. Research assistance is also provided to academic staff. The OCLIS also assists with the handling of copyright issues that may arise in the course development and delivery process.

Educational Resources

The OCLIS has an e-preferred collection development policy which includes recommended textbooks. When e-versions are not available for institutional purchase, recommended textbooks may be purchased in print, and will be made available for use at selected Open Campus libraries.

QUALITY ASSURANCE

Monitoring of Academic Quality

The UWI’s quality assurance procedures and guidelines will be applied in different areas of the delivery process: monitoring and evaluation of instructional practice by adjunct personnel, selection and training of adjunct facilitators, and standardization of grading in course assessment in the programme.

The Instructional Development Coordinator (IDC) is accountable for initial training of adjunct facilitators and to work with the Online and Distance Learning Instructional Specialist (ODLIS) to monitor facilitators and provide in-service professional development to deliver curriculum in an online environment. The ODLIS also collaborates with facilitators and provides coaching to improve instructional practice and ensure academic practice is in accordance with UWI policies. As a vehicle for promoting good practice in online teaching and learning, technology training is provided as part of its in-service professional development approach to improve academic quality in the delivery of its programmes.


The assigned Programme Manager (PM) is accountable for management of the delivery of the programme. The PM will work closely with adjunct facilitators (Course Coordinators, e-tutors/Group Facilitators, and Second Examiners), and internal stakeholders such as the Registry, Open Campus Country Sites (OCCS), Programme Delivery personnel, and internal UWI partners, to ensure that all standards are met and that delivery across the region is consistent and in keeping with the University’s policies, and that students’ interests are best served.

Course Coordinators (qualified content experts) in each course take responsibility for providing instructional leadership. This will include design of the instructional plan (Student Guide and Delivery Schedule); course orientation; climate and physical environment of the course space; monitoring of the content delivered in the forums; online discussions; and assessment activities. This is to ensure that there is consistency and alignment of the programme objectives with teaching strategies, feedback, and course assessments. Quality Assurance measures, applicable to all OC programmes will be applied to this programme. These include the following:

• Marking of assessments by a First and a Second Examiner. • Training and coaching of group facilitators and course coordinators to teach online • Training group facilitators and course coordinators • Evaluation of course coordinators and group facilitators • Submission of course delivery reports by course coordinators and group facilitators • Meeting of the Board of Examiners, comprising the Director APAD, Assistant

Registrar (Examinations), the Head of Programme Delivery Department, the assigned Programme Manager, and relevant facilitators to verify examination results for the award of the degree.

Qualification of Academic Staff for Course Delivery

Academic staff (course coordinators, group facilitators and second examiners) assigned to facilitate the delivery of the courses will be contracted on a part-time basis and should have the following minimum qualifications for undergraduate programmes (Appendix 2 provides a list of resource persons who have indicated their interest in this regard.)

• At least a Master’s degree from a recognized university or an equivalent technical qualification in the subject matter

• Relevant experience in the subject matter or practitioner in the field • Experience teaching at the tertiary level for a minimum of three (3) years (e-

Tutor/Group Facilitator) First Examiner (Primary Instructor): The Course Coordinator must have the requisite academic qualification, and three years of experience as an examiner of which one year should be as an examiner in the University of the West Indies.


The Second Examiner: The minimum qualification normally required for a Second Examiner is three years of experience as an Examiner of which one year should be as an examiner in the University of the West Indies

MARKETING & ADVERTISING

It is proposed that the marketing strategy of the OC Marketing and Communications Unit be utilized in conjunction with the marketing efforts of the Open Campus Country Sites (OCCS) and related local entities to advertise and promote the programme. It is important that as far as possible direct marketing to educational institutions, government ministries and private sector entities, as well as electronic and print media be utilized to reach a wide audience. The OC Marketing and Communications Unit will include in its marketing strategy an emphasis on gender to attract and increase the enrolment of males in the programme.


PROPOSED BUDGET

Table 3: Proposed Budget

Unit of Estimation

Year 0 US$

Year 1 US$

Year 2 US$

Year 3 US$

TOTAL US$

TOTAL TUITION INCOME (Note 1 shown below) 0 144 000 288 000 792 000 1 224 000 Proposal Planning and Design Costs Programme planning (Internal Staff) 6 0 0 0 0 Programme Design (External Staff-‐ Subject Matter Experts)(Lead SME fee divided across the programmes. Accounting Economics & Finance 5000/3)

1 Lead @ US$ 5 000

1 700

0 0 0 1 700

Market Analysis: Surveys, Focus Groups. 0 0 0 0 0 Course Development Costs Course Development– New-‐ $1700/course = 20 courses*1700

20 34 000 34 000

Academic Peer Review -‐ $250/course= 250*20 20 5 000 5 000 Instructional Designers 1 per 3 courses @ US$9 600 7 67 200 67 200 Other Costs (specify-‐ materials resources for developers Estimate 150*20)

3 000 3 000

TOTAL PLANNING DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT COSTS 110 900 0 0 0 110 900 Programme Delivery Costs (Note 2 shown below) Teaching Costs – External Faculty

Course Coordinators Etutors

48

104

13 600 15 200

27 200 30 400

40 800 53 200

81 600 98 800

TOTAL DELIVERY COSTS 0 28 800 57 600 94 000 180 400 Advertising & Marketing 8 000 8 000 TOTAL PROGRAMME EXPENSES 122 400 28 800 57 600 94 000 302 800 SURPLUS / (DEFICIT) (122 400 ) 115 200 230 400 698 000 921 200 Note 1: Tuition Fee Income (Assuming students take 3 courses per Semester and 2 in the Summer programme) US$ Yr. 1 AY 2015/2016 -‐ 50 students x US$360 per course x 8 courses = 144 000 Yr. 2 -‐ (New) 50 students x US$360 per course x 8 courses = 144 000 -‐ (Returning) 50 students x US$360 per course x 8 courses = 144 000 YR 2 TOTAL = 288 000 Yr. 3 -‐ (New) 75 students x US$360 per course x 8 courses = 216 000 -‐ (Returning Level1 & 2) 100 students x US$360 per course x 16 courses = 576 000 YR 3 TOTAL = 792 000 TOTAL over 3 years = 1 224 000 Note 2: Course coordinators (CCs)-‐ US$1700 for up to 150 student plus 6 Etutors @ US$950 each = US$4000.00 per CC YR 1 8 CCs * US$1700 = 13 600 YR 2 16 CCs * US1700 = 27 200 YR 3 24 CCs * US 1700 = 40 800 Total for 3 years = 81 600 Group facilitators (etutors) -‐ 25 students per group = US$950 per ETutor. YR 1 2 Etutors/course 2*8 *US$950 = 15 200 YR 2 2 Etutors/course 2*16*US$950 = 30 400 YR 3 3 Etutors/course 3*8*US$950 = 22 800 2 Etutors/course 2*16*US$950 = 30 400 = 53 200 Total for 3 years = 98 800


APPENDIX 1A: NEW COURSE OUTLINE

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES

OPEN CAMPUS Undergraduate Programmes

COURSE OUTLINE

2014

Course Title: Independent Study in Economics

Course Code: XXXXX

Credits: 3

Level: 3

Pre-requisite(s):

Course Rationale

This course prepares students for investigating and applying a rigorous approach to research in economics in a professional setting and a real-life context. This course aims at developing students’ skills in theoretical and empirical analysis relevant to one or more areas in economics.

Course Description

This is an advanced independent study, in which the final year student empirically examines a research question related to an area of interest in economics. Students will work during the semester under the supervision of faculty and on completion must summarize, unify, and interpret their research findings.

Course Objectives

Upon completion of the course students should be able to:

1. Apply economic theory and analytical thinking to real-life problem solving 2. Use statistical software in applied research 3. Employ analytical skills and technical know-how in business, government or other

professional settings 4. Demonstrate their report writing skills of theoretical and empirical analysis

Course Content


Students are required to prepare an outline of their study proposal, which will be approved by the supervising faculty. The study may be either applied or theoretical. If applied, the detailed outline must cover, among other things, the following:

o The hypothesis to be tested and the relevance and importance of this hypothesis

o The method to be employed in this test

o The data to be collected and the procedures to be used in the analysis of the data

o Citations from the literature relating to the matter under consideration

o A tentative timetable which indicates the approximate dates for completion of the several stages of the investigation

For theoretical research, the outline must include:

o A clear statement and motivation of the theoretical issue under investigation

o A brief survey of existing relevant theoretical and empirical results related to the issue

o Preliminary thoughts on possible paths of theoretical analysis

o A timetable for completion of the major stages of the investigation

Teaching Methods

Seminars, workshops, and individual face-to-face meetings

Assessments

Submission of final paper

APPENDIX IB: EXISTING UWI COURSE OUTLINES

Please refer to zipped file, which is attached to this proposal, for the existing UWI course outlines.


APPENDIX 2: RESOURCE PERSONS (QUALIFICATIONS AND CONTACT INFORMATION)

The Subject Matter Expert contracted for this proposal was Mr. Andrew Russell

Qualification: MSc Accounting; MSc Financial Economics

Location: Jamaica

Email: [email protected]

Tel. #: 876-846-4273 / 281-4585

We have no list of resource persons qualified in Economics. For this programme the department recommends that we connect with Economics academics on the three UWI physical campuses, who are well qualified in Economics at the masters and doctoral levels as well as highly experienced in the field.


APPENDIX 3: COMMENTS FROM REVIEWERS AND RESPONSES FROM ACADEMIC PROGRAMMING & DELIVERY DIVISION (APAD), OPEN CAMPUS

Issues/Concerns of Reviewers

Reviewer’s Comments/Observations

APAD’s Responses

Reviewer: Mr. Anthony P. Wood Lecturer, Department of Economics Cave Hill, UWI

1. General comments

”The programme is timely given the current challenged financial position of Caribbean countries.

The programme has a sound rationale and clear academic aims and objectives, and specific aims and objectives.”

We thank Mr. Wood for his generous comments.

2. Change of terminology

“Line 5 of the programme summary on the cover page: change “quantitative research methods” to “quantitative and research methods”.

Line 5 of the introduction on page 3: change “quantitative research methods” to “quantitative and research methods”.

The suggestions have been taken on board and we have separated the term “quantitative research methods” to read “quantitative economics and research methods” as separate items covered in the programme proposal.

3. Programme structure

“With regard to the structure of the programme I recommend that consideration be given to including a course in Research Methods in Level 11 and courses in History of Economic Thought, Economic Planning, Financial Economics, Operations Research, Economic Forecasting and Bank Financial Management in Level 111. To

We recognise the value in the suggestion. We requested and received the Cave Hill’s BSc Economics programme structure and on reflection we have amended the structure to allow for one choice


accommodate these courses you will have to specify a limited number of core courses in Level 111 and the remainder will be electives. This is the case with the BSc Economics programme at Cave Hill.”

where the student can choose Health Economics or Financial Institutions and Markets. This choice allows students to have the choice of two specific areas of application in this discipline. The other courses are core to Economics and therefore not easily relegated to an elective. However in the future we can address the widening of electives in collaboration with the other campuses in the harmonisation process.

4. Proposed award of undergraduate Certificate and Diploma

“With regard to the Requirements for the BSc Award, I agree with the issue of an undergraduate Certificate in Economics after successful completion of Level 1. However, it is not clear to me what the fifteen common courses of Levels 1 and 2 are for the issue of the undergraduate Diploma in Economics. While I agree with the concept in principle I recommend that students should successfully complete Levels 1 and 2 (60 credits) to be issued with the undergraduate Diploma in Economics.”

After the proposal was submitted for cross-campus review, APAD decided that it would withdraw the request for consideration of the undergraduate Certificate and Diploma awards. These proposed awards have since been removed from the proposal.

Reviewer: Dr. Marlene Attzs Head, Department of Economics St. Augustine, Mona

1. Alignment of content and discipline

“Yes. The Proposal for the BSc Economics from the Open Campus is based on approved course outlines currently in use either at the Cave

The Open Campus thanks Dr. Attzs for confirming this, as much


Hill or St. Augustine Campuses so the content is adequate.”

effort was made during the development stage to ensure that the programme structure is pertinent to the discipline and as far as possible harmonised to the programmes on the other campus.

2. Appropriateness of the programme to the target audience

“Yes the level of the programme is appropriate to the target audience.” We again thank Dr.

Attzs for this positive comment.

3. Suggestions for changes

“The following points are worth considering:

• There will be little to no distinction among UWI Campuses in the award of the final BSc Economics Degree

• There should be comparability and harmonisation (as far as possible) among the four (4) UWI Campuses in respect of the BSc Economics degree and the courses offered therein

• Students reading the BSc Economics degree should be able to transfer seamlessly between and among campuses

“Harmonisation efforts to reduce significant variations in economics programmes offered at Cave Hill, Mona and St. Augustine were conducted over the past 2-‐3 years. The Open Campus should also seek to ensure its offerings are in sync with what is offered at these 3 other Campuses.”

The Open Campus endorses the suggestions put forward. Indeed we support the consideration for harmonisation of programmes across the UWI as is made explicit in the proposal, under the section ‘Programme Rational’ which reads:

This proposed BSc Economics reflects a desire on the part of the Open Campus to offer an online programme which will allow access to students who might experience challenges in pursuing a similar programme at the physical UWI. The majority of the courses in the programme are similar to those offered in other BSc Economics programmes across the UWI. The development of the online programme also represents a desire on the part of the Open Campus to facilitate current UWI efforts towards cross-campus programme harmonization, as well as the implementation of the Single University Virtual Space. It is anticipated that


this offering will facilitate student mobility across the UWI.

4. Support for the delivery of the programme by the Open Campus

“Yes, the Department of Economics St. Augustine is supportive of this initiative to deliver the BSc Economics by the Open Campus."

The Open Campus thanks the St. Augustine Department of Economics for its support for the proposed delivery of the programme.

Reviewer: Dr. Andre Haughton Lecturer, Department of Economics Mona, UWI

1. Programme structure “The programme description is similar the one we have here at the department of Economics. It contains all the necessary courses to create rounded economists who understand how to apply the theory to real-world scenarios. The proposed programme is welcoming and will serve the students well.”

The Open Campus thanks Dr. Haughton for his generous comment and support.

2. Relevance and currency of the courses

“The courses required for all three years are in line with global economics degrees.”

We value this comment and we thank Dr. Haughton for making this declaration.

3. Inclusion of electives “My only concern is that you leave no room for the students to make their own choices where free electives are concerned. The students are mandated to do every single course in the degree programme, There should be at least three free electives to all the student some amount of flexibility

We duly note the concern raised. We regard this matter as very important as a similar concern was highlighted by the Cave Hill campus reviewer, Mr. Wood. We have


in their choice of courses. “Here in the Department of Economics, students can choose at least three free electives, which makes the programme a little bit more flexible.”

amended the structure to allow for one choice where the student can choose Health Economics or Financial Institutions and Markets. This choice allows students to have the choice of two specific areas of application in this discipline. The other courses are core to Economics and therefore not easily relegated to an elective. However in the future we can address the widening of electives in collaboration with the other campuses in the harmonisation process.

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