This is a very interesting question. My answer is split into general features to help answer Malcolm's part and specific examples to help address Aimee's question.
General features of a good course: A targeted multi-disciplinary course integrates learning from a variety of disciplines through project work or fieldwork. It delivers the learning outcomes and fosters independent thought and a skillset that can be applied to a wide range of situations. Specific course components: I'm familiar with two different approaches to prepare students for a biological work environment. One course sends students on appropriate placements during the penultimate year. Another course sets specific modules based on ecological consultancy-related work, in which students work in communities and in small groups to deliver a particular project. This might be a five year habitat management plan, a local biodiversity action plan or a nature trail. It is a real-life situation, and the students learn to apply their ecological theory, but also take into account the needs and wishes of the community. It has been so successful in the past that some students set up a company to carry out community projects like this. I hope that helps both Aimee and Malcolm. Best wishes Caitriona On 12 November 2010 12:14, Aimee Phillippi <aphilli...@unity.edu> wrote: > Being at a school that is currently revising its biology program, I'm > interested in folks' opinions on this. I'm especially interested in > perspectives on Malcolm's first list item. Specifically, what coursework > and/or curricular experiences have people seen that best prepare students > for moving into "good" biology-related jobs. > ________________________________________ > From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news [ > ecolo...@listserv.umd.edu] On Behalf Of malcolm McCallum [ > malcolm.mccal...@herpconbio.org] > Sent: Thursday, November 11, 2010 10:16 PM > To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU > Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] what makes a biology program good? > > I didn't really have anything specific in mind regarding what you > listed. In fact, though most general bio programs are divided up in > tracts of the programs you listed. I guess I wasn't really looking at > specialized programs when I posed the question but graduate or > undergraduate, generalized or specialized should not really matter all > that much. > > I hear all of the time people say "That school has a good program" or > "that school's program is weak." > But really, what makes it good vs weak? > > > I felt it basically boiled down to the following, but wanted to see if > others had different or refined views: > > 1) Coursework is sufficiently rigorous for students to move on into > good jobs or postgraduate study. > 2) students leaving the program succeed in later pursuits. > 3) faculty are trained in the subjects they teach > 4) courses have sufficient facilities and resources to be effective > 5) courses from other disciplines (chemistry/physics/math, &c) provide > suffienct depth for biologists. > > This is just off the top of my head and pretty open-ended. > > Malcolm >
