A new teaching strategy

“Underpinned by high-level research, the aim of our degree courses is to nurture experts who are prepared for today’s world. The main objective of our new curriculum is to help our students succeed in their studies and optimize their career prospects. ”

Frédéric Rousseaux, Former Vice-President of Training and Student Life.

Adapting Academic Counselling for first year students and onwards to help students succeed.

From the start of the 2018 school year, the 5,000 students enrolled in the Bachelor’s program are offered “à la carte” training courses in order to match their profile, their aims and their career objectives. With a solid foundation in disciplinary and transdisciplinary skills, the student can gradually prepare for the pursuit of their studies through a Master’s degree or their entry into the world of work.

At the beginning of the degree programmes individual interviews conducted by the teaching staff, together with diagnostic tests to detect serious deficiencies in a student’s skill set, will provide a better understanding of how to ensure success and reduce the number of students who drop-out.

Better guidance, thanks to a clearer skill-based curriculum, make it easier to choose courses that correspond to students’ career choices and will also reinforce the motivation of the students and improve their chance of success.

Career guidance

Thanks to a new system of majors and optional minors, students will be able to build their degree course to suit their needs and expand their range of skills. To this end, La Rochelle Université has decompartmentalised its teaching, allowing each student to enrich their knowledge and skills by choosing courses from different fields of study (Science / Arts/Human Sciences, Law / Computer Science etc.).

The major, providing a solid foundation in the student’s main subject area, may be accompanied by an optional “minor” that can be selected from the other Bachelor’s degree courses. Of course, it will still be possible to take a major and a minor from the same field of study.

In order to provide some work experience and help students in their career choice, an optional internship will be available in the second year of study (License 2), there will be a compulsory internship of at least two weeks in the third year (license 3) and a compulsory twelve week internship for students taking a vocational Bachelor’s degree (license professional).

In addition, all students will have a digital “portfolio” in which they can capitalize on the skills they develop in their courses. This will help them realise the skills they possess and this can be used to guide their career choice. The portfolio is also a means to formally showcase their skills to potential employers.

New teaching adapted to today’s world

To help students successfully complete their studies and begin a career, the university has developed skill-based approaches in its degree programmes. The implementation of active learning makes it possible to better prepare students for the world of work through the development of both disciplinary and transdisciplinary skills (team work, autonomy, development of critical thinking, etc.). The “Transform education together” project, supported by the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation, has already initiated this process.

Bachelor’s degrees will have 1500 hours of teaching over 3 years.

Each year, 300 hours will be dedicated to major courses, 100h to optional minors, and 100h to so-called transversal courses (languages, computer science, modules on the arts, sport etc.)

These 1500h will be divided between Lectures (CM), Tutorials (TD), Practical Work (TP), corresponding to 1200h, and 300h of Tutored Work (TEA). The tutored work has been designed to develop autonomous and active learning through inverted classrooms, tutored projects, professional situations etc..

Developing active learning means allowing students to be more involved in their learning, thereby promoting knowledge acquisition and skill development.

La Rochelle Université has a dedicated service to support teachers in their educational projects, whether they are large scale (teaching transformation) or more traditional (development of active learning methods) with the aim of making a student’s stay at the university a successful one.

An open University : life-long learning

La Rochelle Université offers many possibilities for life-long learning. Whether it be for a change of profession or the development of new skills, our teams can guide you in your new project.