Cornerstone Institute offers a multi-disciplinary series of foundational (core) and academic development modules to new entry students as part of its commitment to realise graduate attributes – a programme for general education, or the GenEd programme. The programme provides students with a broad philosophical foundation and academic skills to support academic success.
GenEd modules are required for all Bachelor undergraduate and Higher Certificate students. All new students must complete six GenEd modules, with four required and two selected from elective modules, or as may be needed for the purposes of academic development. These basic level modules may be spread across a selected programme.
Required modules form part of the modules of the qualification a student is enrolled in and the credits earned count toward the required number of credits to complete a qualification. Elective modules are modules that a student may choose between to complete the minimum number of GenEd modules required, or as determined by entrance testing (in the case of academic development modules).
A student may enrol for any GenEd module as an additional learning opportunity for nondegree purposes and gain credit in doing so, which is transferable to full programmes at Cornerstone or other Institutions.
Assessment
Assessments in GenEd include assignments designed per module, and a capstone project as a final assessment across modules to test the integration of learning and the achievement of graduate attributes.
Capstone assessment refers to a combined assessment design, assessed by all lecturers of GenEd modules together as a capstone panel, with the assignment counting as the final mark toward the full grade of each GenEd module individually. Capstone projects as a rule, focuses on practical experience and integrated analysis; touching on all major themes of the GenEd programme as a whole.
Subjects
The main subjects are Citizenship 1 and Academic Development 1, including either term or semester modules to complete the two subjects, as follows:
- Ethics and Global Citizenship (12 credits) – Required
- Worldviews of the South (6 credits) – Required
- South and African History (6 credits) – Required
- Group Studies and Communication (12 credits) – Required
- Change Leadership (6 credits) – Elective
- Economics (6 credits) – Elective
- Conflict Resolution (6 credits) – Elective
- Entrepreneurship (6 credits) — Elective
- Academic Reading and Writing (12 credits) – Required
- Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Portfolio of Experiential Learning (12 credits) – Elective
- Information & Technology Skills (4 credits) – Required
GenEd modules form part of the bachelor’s degree fee structure and cost R515 per credit.
Module descriptions and credits
For a description of each module, see ‘Module descriptions’ towards the end of this document. Otherwise, get in touch with us via helpdesk for further inquiries.