Hub and Spokes Launch Seminar 2a Undergraduate advising at UWA

Hub and Spokes Launch
Seminar 2a
Undergraduate advising at UWA
Paul Lloyd, Sub-Dean, UWA Business School
Asha Jones, Project Officer, Student Services
Today’s seminar
 Review the basics of the hub and spokes model
 Consider the different types of advisers
 Review the basics of the new course structure (briefly!)
 Tour the undergraduate NC2012 handbook
 Define first-level advice
 Activities to practice first-level course advice skills
The hub and spokes
The 5 H&S pillars
1
We’re all advisers (that’s what student think!).
2
Staff in faculties will give advice on all the NC2012
undergraduate majors.
3
Staff in the hub will be knowledgeable in the new
course structure and be able to give some level of
course advice.
4
Staff across UWA will be familiar with the range of
services available for students and ensure that
students are appropriately referred to the right
source the first time.
5
Complex and detailed advice given to students will
be recorded in askUWA.
Types of advisers at UWA
Directional advisers
 Understands new course structure
 Familiar with course planning tools available to students online
 Shows students where information is online
 Refers students to faculty office for course advice
First-level advisers
 Gives directional advice and can discuss new course structure
 Familiar with set of majors offered
 Relies on handbook and other authoritative sources to give advice
Faculty advisers
 Gives first level advice on all majors offered at UWA
 Gives detailed and authoritative advice on the majors and units
offered by their faculty
Types of advisers at UWA
Directional advisers
 International Centre (Study Aboard / Student Support team).
 Student Support Services (Chaplains, Counselling and Psychological
Services, Housing and financial aid office, reception service,
StudySmarter, UniAccess and Careers Centre staff).
 GRSO staff.
First-level advisers
 Admissions Centre staff.
 International Centre (Undergraduate Admissions team).
 Student Administration
 Student Support Services (UniStart and UniSkills).
Faculty advisers
 Faculties (ALVA, AHSS, Bus, Edu, ECM, Law, MDHS and Sci)
 School of Indigenous Studies
New course structure
The basics…
 5 new undergraduate courses (Arts, Commerce, Design,
Science and Philosophy)
 About 80 majors on offer.
 Majors are made up of 8 units: 2 + 2 + 4 or 2 + 3 + 3
All undergraduate pass degree courses share a common
structure:
 24 units
 a maximum of 12 Level 1 units
 a minimum of 4 Level 3 units
 a degree-specific major
 opportunity for a second major
 4 broadening units (at least one Category A)
 Opportunity for end-on honours
Handbook tour
Giving first-level advice
Giving first-level advice on all majors involves:
 Explaining the course structure, including the rules, different
types of units and broadening requirements.
 Discussing with a student the requirements for a major (as
published) and other components of their course.
 Explaining unit prerequisites, co-requisities and
incompatibilities.
 Assisting a student to create a study plan.
Giving first-level advice
An example from our current courses:
 Student A is a combined course student studying the LLB
BCom.
 They are also completing a Diploma of Modern Languages.
 They approach three faculties for course advice, approvals,
special consideration etc…
Giving first-level advice
But it need not be this way
 We have ample precedent for single degree students
studying units and majors from another faculty and for their
advising within their own faculty.
 Eg-the current Bachelor of Commerce, where students can
have twelve or sometimes more units from other faculties.
 Not our practice to refer these students to the other faculty
for advice.
Giving first-level advice
What this has taught us
 No need for in-depth subject knowledge to support most
advice, provided documentation and materials are adequate
(e.g. handbook).
 Willingness to confer with relevant colleagues across
campus.
 Need for referrals in some specialised situations and how to
handle those situations.
 Students value the ability to receive course advice from one
location and, under the new course structure, course advice
from several ‘hub’ areas as well!
What first-level advice entails
Advice you can give
 Which units to take or select
from to fulfil a major
requirement.
 How a student can fulfil their
broadening requirements.
 Checking of their enrolment /
planned enrolment to ensure
they have satisfied their
course requirements/rules.
 Identify prerequisites and corequisites.
When you should refer
 Guide students between unit
options.
 Unit choices in relation to
career outcomes.
 Undergraduate choices
which may impact on
postgraduate
choices/studies.
 Recommendations relating
to student options for study
abroad.
Other situations when you
should refer
Other situations when you
should refer
Referring across UWA
 In most cases, referring is simply letting the student know
where they can find the information. This means that as staff
we need to be more aware of the services offered across
campus to ensure we can support our students (see
Referrals Information).
 In some cases we can refer a student by using a Referral
Form.
 If you have referred a student to another area, it’s helpful to
record the reasons behind the referral in askUWA.