Key words
Studium Generale
Objectives
The task of the studium generale of the Hogeschool Gent is offering an additional package of study. It has as aim to organise an informative package of actual transfer of knowledge from an interdisciplinary approach. The emphasis is put on making things problematic and making critical enquiries of topical fields of knowledge in the broad sense of the word.
The series of lectures the Studium offers yearly wants to stimulate participants of all departments to reflect about questions all branches of study are confronted with. Meaning that interdisciplinary work is a first requisite.
A second requisite is the social relevance of actual making a problem of things.
The Studium Generale is meant as a supplement to the existing packages of education. Going from a critique of our present-day culture and society, connections - that are absent in the normal package - will be forged between the different branches of study.
From this thought onwards the Studium Generale makes up a two-piece series of lectures, to which a whole range of manifestations can be linked (debates, cultural evenings, workshops)
Topics
Lectures around themes that start going from the following criteria:- The contemporary in al its representations
- Social relevance
- Make enquiries in a critical way
- Cross-course themes
The fourth year of publication of the studium generale (2005-2006) discusses the issue of the so-called 'heteronomy' versus 'autonomy': are the present-day people really free, is their will as autonomous as they think? On the other hand there are various philosophers and sociologists who say that the old 'heteronomous' structures like for instance fate, government, etc. are giving protection to the individual.
Because of this it is not only handed over to a world that is open, but also threatening. Total will may be total insecurity at the same time.
The course deals with the complex relation between dependence and independence in the various branches of study, with the illusion of freedom and the attraction of marked out freedom and all of this in a present-day perspective.
Prerequisites
The Studium will be organised in such a way that all students from all branches of study are given the chance to join in easily. The requisite is a modal cultural background that may be expected from a student of higher education. For the inaugural lectures - given by internationally appreciated individuals - a standard prescience of French and English may be required.
The emphasis can also be put on letting the participants collect additional topical information. Because of the fact that the themes of the Studium Generale will be broad, topical and critical, the participant will be invited to characterize his own spin-offs through libraries, other manifestations, internet, press and media.
Final Objectives
Skills
Job-related (general):- Communication Skill: ability to communicate information, ideas, problems and solutions both to specialists as to laymen
- Reporting in writing
Attitudes
Job-related (specific):- Adding value to the ready-to-use information
- Sense of structure
- Ability to work in a practical way
- Willingness to gain advice yourself
- Being critical
Materials used
Average equipment for readings: microphones, overhead, beamer, slides, laptop, video-player.The Studium has its own internet-site (www.hogent.be/studiumgenerale).
Study costs
No extra cost, except any possible journeys, documentation and the writing of a paper.
Study guidance
The individual that serves as anchor can give students additional information during the series or delegate this to a third party within his department (preferably OP-members who also act as lecturer of papers, see: assessment).
Teaching Methods
Two series of five lectures in the first and second semester (target date between November and the end of December, and between February and the end of April), given by external speakers from those specific fields, possibly accompanied by a co-lecturer and followed by a debate.
The lecturers will be accumulative.
The departments are free to let their students be inscribed for the autumn or spring series or a combination of both.
Assessment
The Studium Generale organises yearly one exam session in the month May and a second one in September.
First exam session:
The student will be asked to write a paper in which he/she testifies of being present on at least five lectures (possibly combined from the two series), of having critical insight in the offered subject matter, of reflecting going from the own field of work, of being able to give solid comments and having creative documentation.
Elements that play an important role in the evaluation are for instance:- The concrete structure of a text (grammatically and syntactically);
- The developed reasoning
- The way in which a similar text functions in the offered context of the lectures
- The cultural context to which the discussed text belongs, so with decoding of the perspective or the strategy that can be seen in the textVolume of the paper: between 10 and 15 pages of text in correct Dutch.
Second exam session:
revising of paper until it is acceptable for an examination board of the Studium Generale.
The steering committee announces each year next to announcing the order of business when the paper has to be handed in for both first and second exam session.
The board of judgement consists of at least 3 individuals of different departments, among whom at least one member of the department of the student involved (each paper is read by 3 OP-members).
The members of the board read the dissertations and come together to attune their judgements and record them in a definitive mark.
The assessment is conveyed in a total mark on 20, in compliance with A.O.R.
Scope of the course
75 hours, of which 5 times 3 hours for the lectures, followed by 5 times 2 for debate and discussion.
50 hours for documentation, deepening and study and the writing of the paper.
Students only enrolled for taking the exams:- First exam session: 100% writing of a paper
- Second exam session: 100% revising of paper
The student is obliged to take part in the activities. In other words, the student has to take an additional registration for a contract of credit.
Lecturer(s)
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