Comparing the student experience during a major educational curriculum reform in engineering: findings of a mixed-method study

Over the past four years, the Faculty of Engineering Sciences at University College London (UCL) has been implementing a multi-disciplinary curriculum review of engineering education – the Integrated Engineering Programme (IEP) – where students, from the very beginning of their degree, engage with the practical application of engineering and skills needed to undertake engineering projects effectively. The IEP was implemented at the start of the 2014/15 academic year for a new cohort of nearly 700 engineering students, and has recently graduated its first class of BEng/BSc students. Since September 2014, approximately 3,000 students have participated in this cross-faculty programme and the current 2017/18 academic year is the first year where all UCL undergraduates studying engineering are IEP students. In order to explore the student experiences in navigating the IEP, data were collected through focus groups and an online survey, based on the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), by the end of second term for five consecutive academic years. This paper reports the findings of a mixed-method study comparing the motivations, expectations and learning experiences of IEP and non-IEP students. The results suggest that IEP students were enthusiastic about their studies, as they were more likely to discuss ideas from their reading or lectures with others outside of class. They were also more likely to agree that UCL is contributing to their ability to solve complex real-world problems. IEP students also considered that the Minors contribute to broadening their skillset education, and enables wider career options.