Abstract:

The review, development and design of academic programs have been significant subjects of an ongoing discussions and efforts of higher education institutions, quality assurance agencies, and literatures in the last two decades. In this context, curriculum design is the central result of the review and development processes of an academic program, where the main aim is to enhance and vary students’ learning outcomes in terms of knowledge, skills and competencies. In general, types, numbers, and sequences of courses within a curriculum are critical factors that contribute and support the graduates in the attainment of employment opportunities and/or proceeding in advanced studies.

Typical undergraduate curriculums include compulsory and elective courses, where students are required to earn specified number of credits of both courses’ types to graduate. The percentage of credits assigned to elective courses, out of the total credits of the curriculum, differs from program to another program as well as from a higher education institution to another. However, there is a trend to increase the credits’ percentage of elective courses to provide the students with the opportunity of developing a more specified, advanced, and/or customized knowledge and skills that meet their interests, goals and career plans.

The paper surveys, analyzes and discusses the elective courses that are included in the curriculums of built-environment design programs offered at various higher education institutions according to the following criteria:
• Weight: Credits’ Percentage of Curriculum total Credits
• Type: General or Core Electives, also the specialization (domain) of the core electives
• Number of Courses: Compared to compulsory courses
• Level: Distribution over the study plan
• Sequence: Cross and interrelation with compulsory courses.

The paper examines the role of elective courses in forming the career path of graduates of built-environment design programs, where the intended knowledge and skills of those courses shall be thought and considered in the early stage of designing the curriculum. The paper also considers and discusses relevant factors that affect the students’ selection and enrolment in the elective courses such as:
• Interdisciplinary: access to other study areas and providing opportunities for career reorientation
• Students’ Preferences: performance and progression in the study, background, and gender.
• Role of academic advising: raising students’ awareness on aims and values of electives, also Interrelations with Internship and graduation projects.

The results of the paper will provide educators and program developers with an integrated approach of forming the graduates’ career path through weight, types, number, level and sequence of elective courses within the curriculums of built-environment design programs.

Keywords:

Electives, Career Path, Built-Environment, Curriculum Design.