Why Aberdeen?

Why should you, as an employer, engage with the University of Aberdeen?

 

Curriculum Reform

What and how should a university really be teaching in the 21st century? To answer this Aberdeen has spent the last two years looking at ground-breaking models elsewhere in the world at leading universities such as Harvard, Yale, Melbourne and Hong Kong. The opinions of employers, professional bodies, educators and students past and present, along with their parents have been canvassed, to ensure that our provision is not only distinctive and places Aberdeen in the forefront of international developments in undergraduate education, but also best meets the needs and expectations of our students, future employers and the needs of wider society.

In 2010, the University of Aberdeen is proud to be introducing a revised undergraduate curriculum.  The new Aberdeen degree programmes underpin the University's strategy to create an experience designed specifically for student learning and life in this century. This will blend the traditions and environment of an ancient university with an internationally bench-marked curriculum, excellent student support and state-of-the-art facilities.

Undergraduate students at Aberdeen will have a more flexible degree structure which retains all the quality and depth of the traditional Scottish degree and adds further benefits:

  • Increased curriculum flexibility, to add further context to core subjects, and to provide opportunities to choose new cross-disciplinary courses focused on real world problems or sustained study in a language or business.
  • Increased opportunities to broaden experience and skills through a wide range of optional activities overseen by the University, such as study overseas, work placements and voluntary work.
  • Flexibility to meet today's changing needs, including increased support for study breaks and a framework to allow entry and re-entry to programmes depending on qualifications.

Aberdeen is the first university in the UK to undergo such a complete review of courses, and its aim is to ensure that the students develop Aberdeen Graduate Attributes.

The overarching aim is to enhance the learning experience for students, and the University is confident that the results of the reform process will ensure that Aberdeen graduates are better informed and more intellectually flexible, but also have the opportunity to enhance their understanding of their degree programme.

 

The Co-Curriculum

The University of Aberdeen has brought together the various opportunities available to our students to broaden their university experience. Called the the Co-Curriculum, its aim is to provide our students with opportunities that will enhance their transferable skills and make them more attractive to you, the employer. Co-curricular activities include (but are not restricted to) the following opportunities: work placements, the BP Student Tutoring Scheme, voluntary activities, enterprise & entrepreneurship, study abroad and the STAR Award initiative.

For more information, please go to the Co-Curriculum section of the website.

 

Aberdeen Graduate Attributes

Any activities undertaken by students will provide them with an opportunity to achieve Graduate Attributes. The University of Aberdeen's Graduate Attributes are a wide-ranging set of qualities which you will develop during your time as a student, in preparation for employment, further study and citizenship.There are four main areas of graduate attributes:

  • Academic Excellence
  • Critical Thinking & Communication
  • Learning & Personal Development
  • Active Citizenship

For more information, please go to Graduate Attributes.