Graduate Attributes in Higher Education: Attitudes on Attributes from Across the Disciplines

Graduate Attributes in Higher Education illuminates the value of graduate attributes for students, graduates and lecturers in higher education. A coherent, intelligent, subtle and important enhancement to the field, this text guides readers through a theoretical and historical analysis of graduate attributes, using interdisciplinary and interprofessional lenses.

This unique approach offers pertinent coverage of a wider range of graduate attributes than one usually sees, generating multiple perspectives and discourses that have implications for both theory and practice. Through an open and exploratory analysis, this text asks questions such as the following:

• Are programmes of study which claim ‘postgraduate’ attributes providing something further, deeper or enhanced in comparison, or just more of the same?

• Should we be developing continuing professional development attributes for our professional learning programmes of study, or are attributes of this nature established at the undergraduate level?

• How can we embed graduate attributes in curricula in a wide range of subject discipline-specific and interdisciplinary ways?

• In a culture of lifelong learning and a cross-disciplinary changing global market, are attributes simply a starting point – a launch pad for future and ongoing development required for a world of increasing complexity?

Clearly structured and offering a mix of case study and theoretical frameworks to explore each GA, practical guidance is offered at the end of each chapter on how to embed the relevant graduate attribute whilst providing well-researched theoretical underpinning.

The varied methods applied and methodological attitudes espoused will prove inclusive to a wide range of readers. Bringing together analysis of specific case studies from a wide range of professional and discipline-specific contexts, Graduate Attributes in Higher Education will be a valuable text for educators and professionals focused on curriculum development and professional learning.

Carey Normand is an independent educational consultant for further (FE) and higher education (HE). Formerly (2004–2014), Carey was Senior Lecturer in Education and Head of Learning and Teaching for the College of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Dundee.

Lorraine Anderson is Assistant Director of Student Services and Head of the Centre for the enhancement of Academic Skills, Teaching, Learning and Employability (CASTLE) at the University of Dundee.