human movement sciences - nvao

Human Movement Sciences

June 2007 versie t.b.v. aanvraag accreditatie

Quality Assurance Netherlands Universities (QANU) Catharijnesingel 56 PO Box 8035 3503 RA Utrecht The Netherlands Phone: +31 (0)30 230 3100 Fax: +31 (0)30 230 3129 E-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.qanu.nl © 2007 QANU Text and numerical material from this publication may be reproduced in print, by photocopying or by any other means with the permission of QANU if the source is mentioned.

2 QANU / Human Movement Sciences

Table of Contents Foreword 5 Preface 7 Part I General Part 9 1. Introduction 11 2. The Committee’s task and composition 13 3. Working method 15 4. Domain-specific frame of reference 17 Part II Assessment of the degree courses 19 1. The Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes in Human Movement Sciences offered by

VU University Amsterdam 21 2. The Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes in Human Movement Sciences offered by

the University of Groningen 55 Appendices 91 Appendix A: Curricula vitae of the Committee members 93 Appendix B: Programme for site visits 95 Appendix C: List of abbreviations 97

QANU / Human Movement Sciences 3

FOREWORD

This report is part of the quality assessment of university Bachelor and Master degree courses in the Netherlands. The purpose of this report is to present a reliable picture of the results of the degree courses submitted for this review, to give feedback to the internal quality assurance of the Institutes concerned, and to serve as the basis for accreditation of the degree courses by the Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders (NVAO). The Quality Assurance Netherlands Universities Foundation (QANU) aims to ensure independent, unbiased, critically constructive assessments using standardised quality criteria as far as possible, while taking specific circumstances into account. The QANU Review Committee Human Movement Sciences has fulfilled its tasks with great dedication in a period marked by the transition to the Bachelor-Master structure. The courses are evaluated in a thorough and careful manner within a clear framework. We trust the judgements and recommendations will be carefully considered by the course providers, the management of the faculties and the Boards of the Universities concerned. We thank the Chairman and members of the Review Committee for their willingness to participate in this assessment and for the dedication with which they carried out this task. We also thank the staff of the university departments concerned for their efforts and for their co-operation during the assessment. Quality Assurance Netherlands Universities Mr. Chris J. Peels Dr. Jan G.F. Veldhuis Director Chairman of the Board


PREFACE

This report presents the assessment of the Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes in Human Movement Sciences of VU University Amsterdam and the University of Groningen. The Assessment Committee consisted of experts from the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Norway, United States of America, and two students from the assessed institutions. The Committee reviewed the quality of the educational programmes and processes, focusing on the topics and facets as defined in the NVAO assessment framework. Assessing the quality of degree programmes is a comprehensive process for all those involved. On the one hand, the institutions have to take a critical look at their own organisation, reflecting both on the activities and results they are proud of, and on those in need of further development. The Committee, on the other hand, has to arrive at a conclusion based upon extensive background material and subsequent interviews with staff, students and others involved in the degree programmes. Although the assessment process is time and energy consuming, it is also highly rewarding. For the involved institutions, self-reflection is a necessary ingredient for continued improvement and growth. For the Committee, the unrestricted access to all aspects of the organisations granted a unique look behind the scenes. The Assessment Committee is grateful to both institutions for their efforts in preparing the self-evaluation reports and for providing all relevant documentation about the degree programmes concerned. The information contained in the self-evaluation reports served as a starting point for the assessment process and proved to be of great importance. During the site visits, the Committee greatly appreciated the open, constructive and stimulating discussions with the Board, management, staff and students. It was gratifying to see that both institutions offer a challenging and motivating environment in which students are given high quality education in Human Movement Sciences. As Chair of the Committee, I also want to express my appreciation for the contribution and commitment of each Committee member. A special word of gratitude goes to Hans Benneker, the Committee’s secretary, for his dedication, care and tremendous effort throughout all stages of the demanding assessment process. It was a pleasure for me to work with all of you, and an enriching experience to be engaged in my own field in this way. Thank you all. Beatrix Vereijken Chair of the Committee


PART I: GENERAL PART


1. Introduction

In this document, the Human Movement Sciences Assessment Committee (hereafter referred to as ‘the Committee’) reports its findings and conclusions. The report consists of two parts: a general part and a part which contains the results of the evaluation and assessment of the degree courses concerned. The general part summarises the tasks, composition and work procedures of the Committee, including a description of the domain-specific frame of reference.


2. The Committee’s task and composition

2.1. Task of the Committee

The task assigned to the Committee was to carry out an assessment of two degree programmes of the Faculty of Human Movement Sciences at VU University Amsterdam and of two degree programmes of the Faculty of Medical Sciences of the University of Groningen. At VU University Amsterdam this concerned: • the academic Bachelor of Science programme ‘Human Movement Sciences’ (CROHO

registration number 56950), launched in September 2002, • the academic Master of Science programme ‘Human Movement Sciences’ (CROHO

registration number 66950), launched in September 2005. Both programmes originate from the combined study programme in Human Movement Sciences that started in 1971 and was terminated in September 2005. At the University of Groningen this concerned: • the academic Bachelor of Science programme ‘Human Movement Sciences’ (CROHO

registration number 56950), launched in September 2002, • the academic Master of Science programme ‘Human Movement Sciences’ (CROHO

registration number 60054), launched in September 2005. Both programmes originate from a new graduation programme that due to the new Bachelor Master structure was immediately implemented and accredited at its start in 2001 as separate Bachelor and Master courses. The two programmes succeeded the Movement Education and Intervention (Bewegingsopvoeding en bewegingsondersteuning) programme that started in 1984 and was terminated in September 2005. The Committee noticed that the programme of the Master’s degree course offered by the University of Groningen consists of 120 EC, while the programme of the Master’s degree course offered by VU University Amsterdam consists of 60 EC. In accordance with its task, the Committee assessed the facet related to the duration of the programme in a formal, quantitative way and not in a qualitative way. The Committee holds the opinion that the duration of a Master’s degree course in the area of Human Movement Sciences (and especially of the research oriented variants within such a degree course) should extend beyond a period of one year and be preferably two years. According to international standards, 60 EC is insufficient for a research oriented Master’s programme. In some countries, such a programme is not even recognized as an adequate preparation for a PhD programme. The Committee did not take this opinion as a point of departure for its assessment. It rather assessed the degree courses as they are, taking the objectives, the final qualifications and the programme of the degree courses as starting points. This evaluation fully complies with the accreditation requirements of the Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders (NVAO).

2.2. Composition of the Committee

The Committee was formally installed by Mr. Sietze Looijenga, MA, Senior Secretary at QANU on October 9th 2006, prior to the start of the university visit. The following experts were appointed as members of the Committee:


• Dr. Beatrix Vereijken, Chair, Professor of Movement Science, Norwegian University of Science

and Technology, Norway; • Carl Foster, PhD, Professor of Exercise and Sport Science, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse,

USA; • Dr. Stefan Lautenbacher, Professor for Physiological Psychology, Otto-Friedrich University,

Bamberg, Germany; • Dr. Romain Meeusen, Professor of Physical Education and Physical Therapy, Vrije Universiteit

Brussel, Belgium; • Dr. Herman van Rossum, Professor of Medical Education, VU Medical Center Amsterdam; • Mrs. D. van Campen, BSc, student of Human Movement Sciences, VU University Amsterdam; • Mr. Stefan Ottenheijm, BSc, student of Human Movement Sciences, University of Groningen. A short curriculum vitae of the Committee members is included in Appendix A. Hans Benneker, MA, QANU office Utrecht, was appointed secretary of the Committee. Mrs. Van Campen did not participate in the site visit to VU University Amsterdam. Mr Ottenheijm did not participate in the site visit to the University of Groningen. The composition of the Committee was formally approved by the QANU Board. All members of the Committee signed a declaration of independence as required by the QANU protocol to assure that: • the members judge without bias, personal preference or personal interest, and • the judgement is made without undue influence from the institute, the programme or other

stakeholders.


3. Working method

Preparation The self-evaluation reports were available in the spring of 2006 and these were handed over to individual members together with the QANU protocol as soon as they had joined the Committee. The Committee held a preparatory meeting on October 9th, 2006, at which Mr. Sietze Looijenga of QANU explained the general working method and instructed about the QANU protocol. The QANU protocol exercised a prominent influence on the choice of working methods. This protocol is an elaboration of the assessment criteria of the NVAO and meets all NVAO criteria in this respect. The Committee discussed the self-evaluation reports and the questions the members of the Committee posed on the basis of the reports. From a list of theses of both Faculties, the Committee chose ten to review and judge their quality and the assessment given. Site visits The programme of the site visits was prepared together with each of the preparatory committees that co-ordinated the assessment and accreditation process on behalf of both Faculties. The site visits took place on October 9-13, 2006. The programme of the site visits is included in Appendix B in this report. In both Faculties, the Committee spoke to the Dean, the management and the authors of the self-evaluation report, members of the Programme Committee, members of the Examination Board and Study Advisors. Separate interviews were held with staff members, students and alumni. The Committee also went on a tour around the facilities and laboratories. No students or staff members made use of the scheduled visiting hour. The programme ended with an interview with the Board of the Faculty and the management of the degree programmes. The Committee then formulated its preliminary conclusions, which the Chairman presented to the Faculty at the end of each site visit. The Committee highly appraised the site visits. The interviews were held in an open atmosphere, and the Committee was able to verify the self-evaluation reports. We were provided with all the information requested. Decision rules In accordance with NVAO’s accreditation framework, the Committee used a scale of one to four for its assessments of the 21 facets: Unsatisfactory – Satisfactory – Good – Excellent, with the exception of facet 9 which is judged on a binary scale (Positive – Negative). • Excellent (4) means that the quality level attained is very good in all aspects and withstands

international benchmarking. It is an example of best practice. • Good (3) means that the quality level attained exceeds expectations and is the result of a well-

considered policy. • Satisfactory (2) means that the level meets the basic standard of quality. • Unsatisfactory (1) means that the level for this facet is below the basic standard of quality. The Committee’s default assessment is ‘satisfactory’. The score ‘satisfactory’ means that all basic requirements for academic education are met and that nothing notable or remarkable has been observed, either in a positive or in a negative sense, relating to a particular facet, or if any negative elements were present, they were clearly counterbalanced by positive elements. The Committee is aware that this approach (with ‘satisfactory’ as the default assessment) may create the impression that it was not very impressed with the quality of the degree courses it assessed. It would like to stress that the main purpose of accreditation is to decide whether a degree course fulfils the criteria defined by the NVAO and not to establish how good a certain degree course is. For each of the six subjects, the Committee assessed the scores for the facets. It used a scale of two in accordance with the NVAO accreditation framework: positive or negative. Because of the relative


weight of the various facets, it is possible that an unsatisfactory score for one facet can be counterbalanced by a good or excellent score for another facet in that subject. The Committee based its assessments on the status at the time of the evaluation: the self-evaluation reports, on other materials provided by the Faculties and on the interviews conducted during the site visits. Materials The Committee examined a variety of materials during the site visits. The Faculties provided the theses and the assessment forms; information material; study material (handbooks and syllabi, readers, study guides); examples of assignments, research papers, trainee reports and examinations; examination guidelines; annual reports; minutes of programme committees’ and examination committees’ meetings. Additional information was provided upon request. Report The secretary of the Committee prepared a draft report. It was first commented on by all Committee members. After revision it was reviewed by the Chairperson. Finally, the Committee agreed on the contents of the report via a written procedure. The Committee also finalised the General part of the report. After the comments put forward had been processed, the Deans of the Faculties and the management of the degree programmes were given the opportunity to identify possible misinterpretations and factual errors in the report. The final version of the report was produced in June 2007.


4. Domain-specific frame of reference

The Committee developed a frame of reference based upon material provided by the Faculty of Human Movement Sciences of VU University Amsterdam and by the Faculty of Medical Sciences of the University of Groningen. It also used the international expertise of its members. Above that, it took into consideration the international position of the discipline and recent international literature on the core of the discipline. Definition of the field Human Movement Sciences is concerned with the body of knowledge related to the systematic and scientific study of human movement (normal and disordered) and factors related to analyzing, improving and recovery of human movement. Emphasis is thus on both typical and atypical movement and conditions of movement. The field of Human Movement Sciences has a strongly multi-disciplinary character, having its roots in psychology, physiology, physical education, functional anatomy, and neuroscience. Research questions focus on understanding how the brain regulates human movement, how movements are learned, and how processes such as recovery, learning and aging are influenced by social and environmental factors. Human movement has many facets that evoke questions about molecular and cellular structures, musculoskeletal functioning, the relation between perception and movement, movement coordination, ergonomics, sports and health care, the development of the motor system, and tools and equipment to support movement. Historical roots Human Movement Sciences as an academic discipline grew out of the traditional teacher training programme in physical education (PE), due in large part to a burgeoning of occupational opportunities outside the school gymnasium (e.g., in exercise, sport, ergonomics, health, and other employment contexts). Its evolution in the Netherlands was closely linked to a diversification of physiotherapy as well as the striving of the latter to become more evidence-based. The first BSc courses in ‘human movement sciences’ or ‘human movement studies’ were established in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the UK. Here, the validation of the first sports science (BSc) degrees later spawned a number of variants (e.g., sports studies, exercise science, recreation management) that seemed more attractive to the British labour market. Consequently, the new academic programmes in the UK since the early 1980s have focussed on ‘sport’ and ‘exercise’ and ‘leisure’ more than on ‘human movement’. A similar trend was evident in the USA where ‘sports science’, ‘exercise science’ and ‘kinesiology’ gradually replaced ‘physical education’ as names of university departments and programmes of study. In Canada, the new programmes in the main adopted the term ‘human kinetics’, but many of them would be indistinguishable from ‘human movement sciences’. The same applied to Australia where ‘Human Movement Sciences/Studies’ became the name of university departments and their core academic work. Although ‘sports science’ has become the preferred generic title throughout many European countries, this title embraces a range of disciplines that in some of the countries include philosophy and history among the social sciences and the humanities. Nevertheless, ‘human movement sciences’ is the chosen nomenclature in a number of European countries, especially where scientific rigour is embedded in the curriculum. Human Movement Sciences in the Netherlands There are two independent Human Movement Sciences studies in the Netherlands, at the VU University Amsterdam (VU) and at the University of Groningen (RUG). Human Movement Sciences can also be studied at the Universities of Maastricht and Nijmegen as a component of a Bachelor in another discipline. As the assessment is at a degree level, the latter two curricula are not part of the current evaluation.


The Human Movement Sciences programme in Amsterdam was set up in 1971, originally as an inter-faculty study program, which later developed into the Faculty of Human Movement Sciences. Over the next couple of decades, a strong orientation has evolved towards the physical and natural sciences and towards a stronger theoretical underpinning of the courses of study. At the VU, there has been an increasing emphasis on ‘scientific research’. It includes an understanding of normal movement and also disordered movements, studying them from a historical perspective. The field at the VU is manifest in three distinct strands: i) the human movement system; ii) movement co-ordination; and iii) movement in specific social contexts. The latter constitutes an opportunity for specialization and the application of theory, but does not extend to professional preparation for later employment. Nevertheless, it gives an intensive ‘taster’ of problem-solving situations in sports science, health science and ergonomics. The Groningen curriculum originated from the Movement Education and Intervention Programme, established as a main subject of the Pedagogics Programme in 1984. After 2002, the subsequent Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes in Human Movement Sciences were co-ordinated by an interfaculty centre, linked to both the Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences and the Faculty of Medical Sciences. In Groningen, human movement is explicitly studied and taught in terms of muscles, joints and biomechanics, while simultaneously regarded as the output of a permanent interaction between motor, cognitive and perceptual processes. The focus lies on understanding how the brain regulates human movement, how movements are learned and how processes such as recovery, learning and aging are influenced by social and environmental factors. Thus, the study in Groningen is primarily concerned with motor behaviour. Up to the present, this has led to the accommodation of research as well as education in four socially oriented and interrelated research fields: i) sport, learning and performance; ii motor recovery and rehabilitation; iii) movement, health and aging; and iv) motor control and coordination. Both the VU and RUG emphasize the scientific rather than the applied nature of the study. In other words, students do not become practitioners. The emphasis at the Bachelor's level is to first acquire then apply existing knowledge. The focus at the Master's level is increasingly on gathering new knowledge through scientific study. Recent development in the field reflects the increasing use of IT resources to link Human Movement Sciences curricula between different higher education institutions. A final characteristic of Human Movement Sciences worth mentioning here is that an essential part of the teaching programmes must be laboratory-based courses in, for example, the use of movement registration equipment, physiological and neurological methods, simulation programs, and so on. Reference frame As no domain-specific frame of reference currently exists for Human Movement Sciences in the Netherlands, the Committee has made use of the two self-evaluation reports submitted by the VU and RUG, the Frame of Reference that was employed by the Association of Universities in the Netherlands in the previous assessment (August 2002), and the combined expertise of the Committee members regarding the related fields of study abroad. Furthermore, the Committee has taken an international perspective, comparing the Dutch programmes in Human Movement Sciences with broadly similar study programmes elsewhere in Europe and the USA. The Committee kept in mind the learning outcomes expected of good Bachelor and Master graduates in Human Movement Sciences, especially with respect to their specialisms in the natural and physical scientific disciplines (physiology, psychology, biomechanics) in sport and exercise science programmes. It has to be noted that this frame of reference is more closely related to the Master-level endpoints, as specification of the Bachelor endpoints is still in its infancy. This international standard provided the Committee with some difficulties, since the educational system in each country is different. However, the experience of the Committee members with the highly international orientation of the field of Human Movement Sciences provided them with sufficient insight to assess the quality of the educational programmes at the VU University Amsterdam and the University of Groningen.


PART II: ASSESSMENT OF THE DEGREE COURSES


1. The Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes in Human Movement Sciences offered by VU University Amsterdam

Administrative data Bachelor’s degree programme Name of the degree programme Bachelor’s degree programme in Human Movement Sciences CROHO number 56950 Expiry date of accreditation 31-12-2007 Study load 180 EC Variants Full-time Location Amsterdam, Van de Boechorststraat 9 Level Bachelor Orientation Academic Master’s degree programme Name of the degree programme Master’s degree programme in Human Movement Sciences CROHO number 66950 Expiry date of accreditation 31-12-2007 Study load 60 EC Variants Full-time Location Amsterdam, Van de Boechorststraat 9 Level Master Orientation Academic 1.0. Introduction The Faculty of Human Movement Sciences at the VU University (Vrije Universiteit) Amsterdam was set up in 1971 at roughly the same time as plans for BSc courses in ‘human movement science’ or ‘human movement studies’ were being established in the UK. For two decades, the programme of study at the VU University Amsterdam was unique in the Netherlands until the start of a programme in Human Movement Sciences (HMS) at the University of Groningen in the 1990s. The Bachelor’s and Master’s study programmes in HMS both originate from the earlier integral (propaedeutic and doctoraal) study programme in HMS. The Bachelor’s study programme was launched in September 2002 and implemented in stages. In each calendar year, the next academic year began according to the Bachelor-Master structure, i.e. the second year in 2003 and the third year in 2004. The Master’s study programme was launched in September 2005. In accordance with this implementation schedule, the inflow was adapted to the Bachelor-Master structure in September 2004, particularly the intake of students from the related higher professional education (HBO) study programmes1 by means of the introduction of a pre-Master’s route. Starting on the same date, the inflow of HBO students into the doctoraal study programme was terminated. According to the self-evaluation report, the starting date for the Bachelor’s study programme in September 2002 implied that when the report was written, only the fastest students who began in 2002 had already received their Bachelor’s degree. As a consequence, information on the educational

1 For years the Faculty has had a substantial inflow of HBO graduates from fields related to HMS. They have

HBO degrees in the fields of Physical Education, Physical Therapy, Mensendieck, Cesar, Occupational Therapy and Movement Technology.


achievement rate is far from complete, and data on the outflow to the labour market for the new BSc graduates are not yet available. As the Master’s study programme was first launched in September 2005, no further quantitative information was available for the self-evaluation report except for the inflow data of that first year. In order to nonetheless present a more or less complete picture of the study programmes, the Faculty decided to write a self-evaluation report covering where possible the Bachelor’s as well as the Master’s study programme. The Faculty also tried to cover both the old doctoraal programme and the Master’s programme in the report. As regards a number of assessment facets, such as internal quality care, facilities, personnel policy and so forth, no systematic changes occurred when the Bachelor’s and Master’s study programmes were launched. According to the Faculty, these facets can be evaluated more efficiently and over a longer period of time if the doctoraal study programme is included as well. Around the time of the self-evaluation report, it had become clear that the artificial split in the former four-year programme in order to create the new 3+1 Bachelor-Master structure insufficiently accommodated the intentions of the Bachelor-Master structure, and that systematic changes and improvements in the Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes were called for. Particularly, omissions were an independent profile for the Bachelor’s programme and the coherence of each of the individual programmes. By the time of the Committee’s site visit, several changes had been implemented or were about to be implemented, leading to sometimes substantial deviations from the description of the study programmes in the self-evaluation report. In those cases, the Committee has based its evaluations on the updated information from the site visit. The curriculum of the Bachelor’s study programme is divided into three years. In the first year the student is acquainted with basic knowledge in each of the five specializations: movement system, movement coordination, ergonomics, sports (including physical education) and health care (esp. rehabilitation and psychomotor therapy). See Appendix 1 at the end of this chapter for an overview of the Bachelor’s study programme. In the second year, attention is focused on developing the knowledge and skills in the field of research methodology, the structure and operation of the nervous system, the coordination of the movement apparatus, training, and a variety of behavioural aspects that play a role in movement in various contexts. In addition, stress is put on expanding the students’ knowledge about the problems and significance of movement with respect to the professional fields of ergonomics, sports and health. The first two combined academic years in the Bachelor’s study programme are followed in the third academic year by the writing of an in-depth term paper and conducting a Bachelor’s research project. Students can take 21 credits in elective subjects, so that in addition to the Faculty specializations students can take courses of their own choice (Appendix 1). The Master’s study programme is equivalent to 60 credits and is taught in English. A large proportion of time is reserved for a research internship (equivalent to 30 credits). In the pre-Master’s route, 24 credits are reserved for differentiation and specialization. The third year of the Bachelor’s programme can be roughly divided into a part focused on courses and a part for the research internship so that a practical internship can also be planned. In the Master’s study programme as well, different specializations can be chosen (Appendix 2). 1.1. Aims and objectives (subject 1)

F1: Domain-specific requirements

The final qualifications of the degree course correspond to the requirements made to a degree course in the relevant domain (field of study/discipline and/or professional practice) by colleagues in the Netherlands and abroad and the professional practice.


Bachelor/Master: In the Bachelor’s as well as the Master’s study programme, there are five separate specialisations: 1. Movement system

The central subject of the Movement system specialization is the structures and functions of the human body involved in movement either directly or indirectly. The ones directly involved are the passive movement apparatus (skeleton, etc.), the active movement apparatus (muscles), and the structures and functions that play a role in launching and steering movement. The ones indirectly involved are all the structures and functions that play a role in providing energy and maintaining homeostasis.

2. Movement coordination The central subject of the Movement coordination specialization is how the movement apparatus

is coordinated in performing concrete acts. Given a certain action to perform, students learn how the movement system is attuned to the environment and what role perception plays. They also learn how coordination changes during development and as a result of learning.

3. Movement with an emphasis on ergonomics The central subject of the Movement in the context of ergonomics specialization is how

movement occurs during work, how it can be optimized, and the effects movement can have on health. The focus is especially on how the work situation and the movement system affect the performance of work-related acts.

4. Movement with an emphasis on sports, including physical education The central subject of the Movement in the context of sports specialization is movement as it

occurs in sports and physical education. The emphasis is on the study of factors that influence movement in general and movement coordination in particular, and how these factors affect the performance level. The focus is also on how performance can be improved.

5. Movement with an emphasis on health care, especially rehabilitation, physical therapy and

psychomotor therapy. The central subjects of the Movement in the context of health care specialization are (1) the

movement of people with a disturbed or deviant anatomical, physiological or psychological structure and/or functioning, (2) aspects of movement that promote good health and (3) movement as a therapeutic instrument in dealing with psychological problems.

In Appendix 3 at the end of this chapter an overview is given of the objectives of the specializations. These objectives have a number of common elements pertaining to the academic skills, and a number of objectives that in particular apply to the specialization itself. The objectives are in line with the domain-specific requirements of the discipline of Human Movement Sciences, as formulated in Chapter 4 of the General Part. Three ways of approaching HMS are represented in the study programme, with emphasis on the body, how to use the body, and applied knowledge, respectively. Depending on the research question and approach selected, human movement can be studied using research methods from the fields of physics, medical biology or the behavioural and social sciences. The emphasis in the Bachelor’s degree programme is on research methods from the fields of physics and medical biology, which are elaborated further in the Master’s degree programme. Despite this strong natural-scientific profile, the study programme also devotes attention to the diversity of methods in HMS. The Committee studied the aims and objectives and the qualifications which students will acquire during their study, compared these with the domain-specific requirements and concludes that the programme fulfils the requirements for a degree course in HMS. The link between the final qualifications and the professional practice, however, is still unclear, especially for the Bachelor’s programme.


According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Domain-specific requirements’ is satisfactory.

F2: Level The final qualifications of the degree course correspond to general, internationally accepted descriptions of the qualifications of a Bachelor or a Master.

Bachelor/Master: The Faculty provided the Committee with an overview of the aims of the Bachelor’s and Masters’ programmes, and of the extent to which each of the final qualifications meets with one or more of the Dublin descriptors (see Appendix 3 at the end of this chapter). As stated in the self-evaluation report, it was sometimes difficult for the Faculty to match their often concretely defined final qualifications with the various Dublin descriptors, which are more general. It seemed that the existing final qualifications (skills, knowledge and attitude) presuppose the existence of each other. The Committee agrees with the Faculty that the international requirements for academic study programmes are amply met by the total set of final qualifications of the HMS study programmes. The Committee considers the final qualifications to surpass the Dublin descriptors, although the high level of the programme was not sufficiently apparent in the self-evaluation report. In this sense, the site visit should make the Faculty more aware of the qualities of its programme. With the ongoing implementation of programme changes, the level might increase even further. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Level’ is good.

F3: Orientation The final qualifications of the degree course correspond to the following descriptions of a Bachelor and a Master at universities: • The final qualifications are based on requirements made by the academic discipline, the

international academic practice and, if applicable to the course, the relevant practice in the prospective professional field.

• A University (WO) bachelor possesses the qualifications that allow access to a minimum of one further University (WO) degree course at master's level as well as the option to enter the labour market.

• A University (WO) master possesses the qualifications to conduct independent academic research or to solve multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary questions in a professional practice for which a University (WO) degree is required or useful.

Bachelor: According to the self-evaluation report, Human Movement Sciences is an academic study programme. This means that students are taught to formulate and solve theoretical as well as relevant practical problems. To address these problems, students have to be able to combine existing knowledge and, if necessary, supplement it with new knowledge acquired via experimental, conceptual or historical research. The final programme objectives refer clearly to the commissioning of independent academic research, and they reflect the requirements made by the academic discipline. A clear academic and international orientation manifests itself in the attention devoted from the start of the first year to research skills, computer use, data processing and statistics. In addition, attention is paid to the structure and operation of the nervous system, the coordination of the movement apparatus, training, and a number of behavioural aspects that play a role in movement in various contexts. There is also a focus on expanding the students’ knowledge of the problems and on the significance of movement with respect to the professional fields of ergonomics, sports and health.


The first two academic years are followed in the third year by a differentiation and specialization, focused partly on courses and partly on using the skills that have been acquired in writing an in-depth term paper and conducting a Bachelor’s research project in a relatively independent way. Students who have successfully completed the Bachelor’s degree course have direct access to the Master’s degree course. The Committee concludes that the study programme has a strong academic focus. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Orientation’ is good. Master: According to the self-evaluation report, the Faculty is satisfied with the final level of the internships conducted up to now in the doctoraal programme framework, an indication being the very positive evaluations given by colleagues abroad of the students from the Faculty who have done their internships under their supervision. Another indication of the quality of these internships is the relatively large number of publications written or co-authored by students. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Orientation’ is good. Assessment of subject ‘Aims and objectives’ The Committee concludes that the overall score for the subject ‘Aims and objectives of the Bachelor's and Master's degree course’ is Positive. 1.2. Programme (subject 2)

F4: Requirements for university degree courses: The programme meets the following criteria applicable to a degree programme at a University (WO): • The students acquire knowledge on the interface between teaching and academic research within

the relevant disciplines; • The programme follows the developments in the relevant academic discipline(s), as it is

demonstrated that it incorporates current academic theories; • The programme ensures the development of skills in the field of academic research; • For those courses for which this is applicable, the course programme has clear links with the

current professional practice in the relevant professions.

Bachelor: The Committee closely examined the curriculum of the programme. Results of academic research and recent scientific developments are integrated in the teaching, and consequently students acquire knowledge on the interface between teaching and research. In particular, attention is being paid to the development of research skills such as scientific reporting and the presentation of research results, and there are numerous other courses where students have to formulate hypotheses, summarize research results, write papers and take part in discussions, as was also stated under F3. In the last part of the programme, the results of a short research project have to be presented in various symposia. The Committee observes that the programme has been considerably changed since the self-evaluation report. For example, in order to reduce the high teaching load, the management reduced the number of elective courses and shortened the literature review. The Committee noted that students were overall content with the programme they follow, but that they had a rather vague and unclear picture about the link between the study programme and the professional practice in the relevant field. Both students and staff expect Bachelor students to continue with the Master’s programme.


Despite the formulation of three different profiles - researcher, teacher and advisor - the emphasis in the study programmes lies on the academic education of the students. In the Committee’s opinion, the programme fulfils the requirements of an internationally accepted curriculum. All the relevant disciplines have found their place, and recent scientific developments are taken into account. Development of an independent Bachelor profile, however, needs further attention. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Requirements for university degree courses’ is satisfactory. Master: The Master’s study programme is equivalent to 60 EC and is taught in English unless there are only Dutch-speaking students enrolled in the course. A significant part of the 60 credits has been reserved for a research internship in which students do research and report on this in the form of short lectures and articles. The students have to demonstrate that they are able to translate questions in the field into a research problem. Based hereupon, the students have to be able to draw up and carry out a research plan, collect and analyse data, and interpret the research results. They must report on the research in the form of short lectures and written reports and articles. These elements form the criteria for evaluating the internships. All the specializations entail progress meetings where students present their research designs and report on the results. As in the Bachelor’s programme, students are stimulated to participate actively in the discussions. The Committee observes that the Master’s study programme has also undergone some significant improvements since the self-evaluation report. The Committee is impressed by the inclusion of frontier science in the content of the new Master’s programme. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Requirements for university degree courses’ is good. F5: Relationship between aims and objectives and contents of the programme • The course contents adequately reflect the final qualifications, both with respect to the level and

orientation, and with respect to domain-specific requirements. • The final qualifications have been translated adequately into learning targets for the programme or

its components. • The contents of the programme offer students the opportunity to obtain the final qualifications

that have been formulated.

Bachelor/Master: From the self-evaluation report and interviews conducted during the site visit, it became clear that the basic intellectual skills, i.e. the ability to read and write well, to calculate, to distinguish between fact and convention and the capacity for logical reasoning, are well covered in both the Bachelor’s and the Master’s programmes. The Committee observes, however, that a general vision on the concepts of the programme needs to be discussed further. The aims and objectives are partly driven and set by student wishes rather than by the Faculty. In the self-evaluation report, it is noted that the professional profiles at the Bachelor level include a teacher and an advisor function, along with the researcher profile. At the Master level the aim is to prepare students for positions as researchers or lecturers. The Committee notices that the content of the Master’s programme reflects the profiles aimed for better than the Bachelor’s programme does. In


the Bachelor’s programme, it is unclear how the contents of the programme prepare the students for an advisory function. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Relationship between aims and objectives and contents of the programme’ is satisfactory.

F6: Coherence of the programme Students follow a programme of study that is coherent in its contents.

Bachelor: At the time of writing the self-evaluation report, the coherence of the Bachelor’s programme was poor, reflecting the arbitrary split in the old four-year programme in order to create the Bachelor-Master structure. Consequently, the Faculty has put great effort into strengthening the coherence of the programme. In the first year attention is paid to the basic disciplines HMS is based on, to the application of knowledge within three applied fields (ergonomics, sports and health care) and to the different aspects of research methods. In the second year, the subjects are deepened, and the focus moves more towards understanding research and honing research skills. In the third year, the focus is on the student’s specialization. The student chooses one of five specializations: Movement system, Movement coordination, Movement with emphasis on ergonomics, Movement with emphasis on sports, including physical education, or Movement with emphasis on health care, particularly rehabilitation and psychomotor therapy. The students take a number of mandatory courses depending on their choice. The subjects to be taken in the third year are generally selected in consultation with the research project group leader and require the approval of the Examination Committee. In this way, the cohesion and academic level are safeguarded. The Committee notes that students are happy with the efforts to further improve the coherence of the programme. The Committee observes that broadening and deepening of the knowledge and skills in the third year should apply to all areas of the programme. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Coherence of the programme’ is satisfactory. Master: As noted before, the Master’s programme consists of only 60 EC, the minimum size for a Master’s curriculum. This places limitations on the scope of the programme that can be realistically achieved within one year. In order to guarantee the coherence of the programme nevertheless, the Faculty decided to have students choose one of the five specializations upon entering the Master’s programme, rather than giving all students a curriculum covering a fuller range of human movement sciences. Furthermore, in order to preserve the learning opportunities that are present particularly in the research internship, the Faculty has reserved half of the Master’s study programme for the research internship. After agreement has been reached about the subject of the research internship, plans are made with respect to the other half of the Master’s programme. Which study components are mandatory depends on the specialization that is selected. Here again, the student’s choices are made in consultation with the research project group leader and the approval of the Examination Committee is required. The Committee observes that coherence within each of the specializations is sufficiently guaranteed. This, however, is at the expense of a broader coverage of the field of study. The Committee concludes that the Faculty, despite the minimum duration of the Master’s programme, does an acceptable job in ensuring its coherence. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Coherence of the programme’ is satisfactory.


F7: Study load The programme can be successfully completed within the set time, as certain programme-related factors that may be an impediment to study progress are removed as much as possible.

Bachelor/Master: In all years of the Bachelor’s and the Master’s study programme, the schedule consists of two teaching periods of eight weeks, one period of four weeks, then another two periods of eight weeks and another period of four weeks, adding up to an academic year of forty weeks. The norm is 60 EC a year. The students are expected to spend 28 hours on each credit. Various measures are taken to spread the 60 credits evenly over the academic year. The division of the work to be done for each course is shown in the course manuals. At each course or examination evaluation, the students are asked to estimate the amount of time they have spent on the course. On the basis of the results of these evaluations, it is concluded in the self-evaluation report that on average, students spend about 30 to 35 hours per week on their studies instead of the planned 40 hours. This imbalance seems to be a greater concern to the Faculty than to the students, who do not seem to worry about this. There are some bottlenecks in the students’ progress in the first two years of the Bachelor’s degree programme, most notably the science subjects such as Mathematics and Biomechanics in the first year, and Measuring physical quantities in the second one. The study achievement rate in these courses is lower than one would wish. In an attempt to reduce this problem, the course in Biomechanics has been split into two parts, and the decision was made to introduce a ‘drilling class’ in Biomechanics. In 2006-2007, a sub-exam is to be given at the end of each part. By scheduling the two sub-exams in different periods, the students will be given more time to study the material. Another bottleneck stated in the self-evaluation report is the transition from the Bachelor’s to the Master’s study programme. A prerequisite for admission to the Master’s study programme is to have completed the Bachelor’s study programme. In practice though, many of the students cannot meet this requirement because they have not yet completed one or more components of the Bachelor’s study programme. Since there are only two opportunities every year to do each exam, it can take them months and sometimes an entire year to complete the Bachelor’s study programme before they can officially start on the Master’s study programme. To help solve this problem, at least at the transition stage, students who have not yet completed one component of the Bachelor’s study programme are provisionally admitted to the Master’s study programme (the so-called zachte knip). The study load is at an acceptable level in the opinion of the Committee, but Bachelor students lag behind almost from the start and, on average, they do not finish on time. The Faculty puts great effort into identifying and removing study obstacles. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Study load’ is satisfactory.

F8: Intake The structure and contents of the programme are in line with the qualifications of the students that embark on the degree course: • Bachelor's degree at a University (WO): VWO (pre-university education), propaedeutic certificate

from a University of Professional Education (HBO) or similar qualifications, as demonstrated in the admission process.

• Master's degree at a University (WO): bachelor's degree and possibly (content-based) selection.

Bachelor: The inflow of students in the first year of the Bachelor’s study programme has risen from a total of 130 in 2002 to about 150 in 2005.


The minimal requirements for entry in the degree course are either a VWO certificate (the highest level of secondary education) with the profile ‘Nature and Technique’ or ‘Nature and Health’, or a certificate of another propaedeutic exam or doctoraal degree of other university degree courses, provided part certificates are acquired in physics, chemistry and mathematics. In addition, students with a HBO degree (higher professional education) are admitted, as well as people who pass a special entrance exam (a so-called colloquium doctum). The first year of the Bachelor’s programme is perceived as difficult, especially in relation to the natural science subjects, as was stated under F7, and students corroborated this in interviews with the Committee. The Committee notes that there is a wide diversity in starting level for the Bachelor’s programme, and consequently not all students are equally equipped for getting through the Bachelor’s programme in the required time. The Faculty and individual teachers make considerable efforts in repairing the knowledge gaps. In addition, entry tests before intake could be considered to ensure proper qualifications for the students. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Intake’ is satisfactory. Master: The inflow of students in the Master’s study programme in 2005 amounted to 48, while 47 students entered the pre-Master’s study programme. The fact that quite a number of students were still following the old doctoraal study programme contributed to some tensions in the organization of the Faculty. Another bottleneck stems from the provisional admission that has been created for Master’s students who have not fulfilled all obligations in the Bachelor’s study programme and who may suffer study delay caused by these obligations (see also under F7). For students with a degree other than a Bachelor’s degree in HMS, the contents of the Master’s programme are specially adapted. There is a separate admission procedure for these students. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Intake’ is satisfactory.

F9: Duration The degree course complies with formal requirements regarding the size of the curriculum: • Bachelor of a University (WO): 180 credits as a rule. • Master of a University (WO): a minimum of 60 credits, dependent on the relevant degree course.

Bachelor: The size of the programme is 180 EC. The degree course thus complies with the formal requirements regarding the size of the curriculum. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Duration’ is positive. Master: The Master’s study programme is equivalent to 60 EC, which complies with the minimal requirements regarding the size of the curriculum. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Duration’ is positive.


F10: Coordination of structure and contents of the degree • The didactic concepts are in line with the aims and objectives. • The teaching methods correspond to the didactic concept.

Bachelor/Master: From the self-evaluation report, it became clear that there is no standard educational concept and that it is hoped that students can profit from a variety of didactic forms. Students are expected to take part in a wide range of activities, there are lectures and laboratory practicals, and students work on a number of assignments. They are stimulated to develop an active and independent attitude (see also under F5). Students confirmed that they appreciate this variety. The self-evaluation report also states that the basic intellectual skills, i.e. the ability to read and write well, to calculate, to distinguish between fact and convention and the capacity for logical reasoning, are clearly covered in the study programme. Staff members were asked to adopt working methods and didactic forms that would stimulate students to have an active attitude to the subjects that are dealt with. These didactic forms include seminars, laboratory practicals, assignment reports and self-study. The Faculty stressed in particular the importance for students to move away from the rather non-autonomous and dependent role they were used to in secondary school. In interviews with the Committee, students confirmed that they are satisfied with the various didactic concepts and methods. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Coordination of structure and contents of the degree’ is satisfactory.

F11: Assessments and examinations The system of assessments and examinations provides an effective indication whether the students have reached the learning targets of the course programme or its components.

Bachelor/Master: A mixture of assessment methods is used: multiple choice exams, open-end questions, assignments, papers and practical exams. Academic skills are tested especially in the graduation theses, in-depth term papers and short literature reviews. In the specializations, differences in assessment forms can be observed. For example, term papers and reports play an important role in the Sports, Rehabilitation, PMT and Ergonomics specializations, whereas oral presentations receive more attention in Ergonomics and Rehabilitation. According to the self-evaluation report, these differences can be explained at least partly by the different professional occupations the specializations prepare the students for. Exams, term papers and reports are generally graded within ten weekdays. Staff members have to comment on drafts for internship reports and sections of theses within seven days. In general, the supervision of research internships is done by the staff members. This is also the case if a research internship is done at an institute outside the Faculty. If internships are done abroad, the Faculty nevertheless bears the final responsibility. Graduation theses are always supervized by members of the student’s own Faculty. The manuals for the research internship, literature review, in-depth term paper and short literature review explicitly stipulate the number of supervision hours. The manuals also stipulate that interim products are to be discussed with the students within a week after they are submitted. An effort is thus made to keep a certain momentum in the student’s work on the internship or thesis. The assessment criteria for internships and theses are given in the manual as well as the evaluation procedure. For internships, 50% of the final grade is determined by the report, which is mainly in the form of an academic article. The implementation of the research accounts for 40% of the final grade, while the presentation at the work discussion of the specialization accounts for the remaining 10%.


The internship report and the thesis are then assessed by a second evaluator, who makes an independent assessment. The two evaluators have to reach an agreement about the grade to be given. From evaluation forms the students fill out about the internship and the thesis, it became apparent that they generally learned much from these components of the study programme and that they evaluate the supervision positively. The students corroborated this information in the interviews with the Committee. The Examination Committee plays an important role in safeguarding the quality level of the study programme. In the third year of the Bachelor’s programme and in the Master’s programme, it monitors the composition, level and weight of each student’s elective components. The committee is responsible for organizing, coordinating and giving the exams. The Committee appoints the staff members who give the exams and monitors whether the exams are given in accordance with the established regulations and rules. The Committee welcomes the attempts of the Faculty to set up a system of peer reviews of exam questions and results. The same applies to the plans to add external members to the Board of Examiners. The Committee agrees with the Faculty that collaboration between students in their graduation projects can be a good learning instrument. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Assessments and examinations’ is satisfactory. Assessment of subject ‘Programme’ The Committee concludes that the overall score for the subject ‘Programme of the Bachelor's and Master's degree course’ is Positive. 1.3. Deployment of staff (subject 3)

F12: Requirements for University The degree course meets the following criteria for the deployment of staff for a degree course at a University (WO): Teaching is largely provided by researchers who contribute to the development of the subject area.

Bachelor/Master: The courses are given by five professors, three of whom work full-time at the Faculty of Human Movement Sciences, ten senior lecturers and twenty-two lecturers, all of whom (except three) have PhD degrees. Three lecturers and senior lecturers are employed part-time as professors at other universities, which are abroad in two cases. Almost all staff members are part of the inter-university research school, the Institute for Fundamental and Clinical Movement Sciences. The Committee observes that the teaching staff consists of excellent researchers with solid international reputations. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Requirements for University’ is good.

F13: Quantity of staff The staff levels are sufficient to ensure that the course is provided to the required standards.

Bachelor/Master: The Faculty devotes special attention to the teaching plan in which all the planned didactic activities of all teaching staff members are monitored. The Faculty requires the permanent staff to spend 50% of their time on the implementation of the study programme, meaning that 800 hours of teaching time are required annually in addition to 720 hours of research and 80 hours for management and administration.


The Committee observes that since the writing of the self-evaluation report, the teaching load has been reduced in order to create a better balance with teaching resources (see under F4). The number of teachers is judged to be enough for the current curriculum. There is sufficient technical support available. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Quantity of staff’ is satisfactory.

F14: Quality of staff The staff is sufficiently qualified to ensure that the aims regarding contents, didactics and organization of the course programme are achieved.

Bachelor/Master: The self-evaluation report states that much effort is given to providing high standards of teaching. The striving for high quality pertains to the contents as well as the didactic aspects. Teaching staff members are stimulated to enhance and further develop their teaching qualities. This is done by the organization of a Teachers’ day in which specific themes are dealt with, by awarding an annual prize for extraordinary educational efforts, and by funding courses in didactics or the theory of education. Furthermore, staff members need to successfully complete a university course for the professionalisation of lecturers. In addition, all of the data from course and curriculum evaluations are regularly monitored. Student members are represented on this Council, and they are satisfied with the didactic qualities of the teaching staff. With respect to the research profile, students are given good models by a staff containing many good to excellent researchers. In addition, the level of technical support to maintain and develop high-tech equipment is impressive. The Committee concludes that the staff is more than sufficiently qualified to ensure that the aims of the programme are achieved. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Quality of staff’ is good. Assessment of subject ‘Deployment of staff’ The Committee concludes that the overall score for the subject ‘Deployment of staff’ is Positive. 1.4. Facilities and provisions (subject 4)

F15: Material facilities The accommodation and material facilities are sufficient to implement the programme.

Bachelor/Master: The Committee observes that the housing of the Faculty is good. Blackboards, overhead and slide projectors, and beamers are available in all of the larger teaching halls. In addition, the Faculty has a number of portable beamers and laptops. The Faculty denotes the collaboration with the Faculty of Medicine as excellent, which enables it to use the large lecture halls when needed. Various laboratories are used to teach classes in Exercise Physiology and Muscular Physiology/Biochemistry. These laboratories have modern equipment. A system of sliding walls makes it possible to adjust the space to the size of the group. The Faculty has a large number of research rooms of various sizes and with various kinds of advanced scientific equipment. There is an exercise physiology laboratory and a morphology laboratory, and recently also research rooms for balance studies and for patient-related studies. The laboratories and research rooms are also used for teaching purposes.


The Faculty has both standard equipment for measuring human movement and specifically designed equipment. To promote collaboration with the clinical field, part of the equipment is located in two Rehabilitation Centres under the condition that it can be used by Master’s students in their research internships. The two libraries, which will be combined in the near future, are well equipped for both teaching and research. Many relevant journals are available online in full text. Via the Faculty network, all the library data files can be rapidly consulted by staff members and students at the work site. There is now also the option of consulting the facilities from home. At the moment, the teaching network has 104 computers in four different halls and laser printers at all the locations. Information and computer technology is mainly used at the Faculty as a tool. In various courses, students learn to work with the available software. Most of the staff members use software packages in teaching situations to do simulations, animations or PowerPoint presentations. Virtually all the teaching material is made available to the students by the teaching staff via the Faculty network, in particular via Blackboard. The Faculty has an elaborate website with extensive information about the Faculty, courses and research. The Study Guide is electronically available via the website, as is the schedule of the courses and exams, allowing for easy updating. The Committee is impressed by the amount, the quality and the diversity of the facilities and equipment for research, teaching and study. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Material facilities’ is excellent.

F16: Student support and guidance • The student support and guidance, as well as the information given to students are adequate for

the purpose of students’ progress. • The student support and guidance, as well as the information given to students meet the

requirements of the students.

Bachelor: The Faculty puts great effort into the process of student support and guidance. In the self-evaluation report it is noted that first-year students who have failed both exams at the end of the first eight-week period are asked to meet with the Student Advisor. If necessary, students are advised to take a study skills course. If there is no improvement in their grades, there is another meeting with the Student Advisor at the end of the second period. This also holds for students who have passed only half of their exams. At the end of the fourth period in May, all the students who are expected to have less than 39 credits by the end of the academic year are invited to come for a consultation with the Student Advisor. At the end of the first academic year, all students are given a non-binding study recommendation on behalf of the Examination Committee. Extra attention is devoted to the supervision of part-time students, students with a handicap, and students who are part of a special arrangement for elite athletes. In addition to the supervision of first-year students by the student advisor, student guidance is provided via meetings of small groups of students with a student tutor. The aim of the meetings is to inform the students about the Faculty, the University and Amsterdam student life in general, to help them develop adequate study methods, discuss problems and complaints about the study and, if necessary, refer students to the Student Advisor or the study skills course. Students highly appreciate this kind of guidance. Third-year students who have less than 40 credits per academic year are approached to explore the reasons for their poor results. In most cases, this leads to remedial or preventive actions focused on the individual student. The Faculty Student Council forms a platform for all student complaints which are then taken to the responsible teacher or the Educational Director. The Educational Director, the Student Advisor and


the Curriculum Coordinator devote special attention to students who have switched from higher professional education study programmes. The programme leaders play an important role in providing information about the various specializations just before the students need to decide which courses to take in the last year of the Bachelor’s study programme. Informative meetings are often followed by individual dialogues. Students have considerable contact with the programme leaders about their choice of specialization and planning of their Master’s study programme. The Committee discussed the process of study support with the actors involved, such as individual staff members, student advisors, tutors and students. The students confirmed that there is an open atmosphere in which remarks and complaints are taken seriously by staff members and student advisors, and that they are quite satisfied with the supervision. The Committee also observes that extra attention is devoted to students with special study needs (both handicapped students and elite athletes). The Committee gets the impression, however, that information about the five different specializations (their profile, content and distinctions) should be made clearer, as there is some overlap in courses in some of the specializations. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Student support and guidance’ is satisfactory. Master: Before they are admitted, prospective Master’s students have to submit their curriculum planning via a standard form. This encourages students to make appointments at the beginning of the academic year to come in and talk about their research internship (subject, supervision) and select their courses. Twice a year, students are monitored to see how many credits they have. If they do not have the required number of credits, they are asked by their programme leader to come in for a talk. A Labour Market Orientation Day is held which is split into bi-annual study afternoons for students in all the various years. Every year different HMS alumni come to talk about their own experiences on the labour market and how they prepared for them. The Faculty has an extensive file on its alumni, including information about their jobs and employers. The Student Advisor plays an important role in making career recommendations and bringing students into contact with alumni and employers. The Student Advisor can also refer students to special activities organized by the VU University Amsterdam for graduates entering the labour market. Students are satisfied with the supervision and the information they receive. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Student support and guidance’ is good. Assessment of subject ‘Facilities and provisions’ The Committee concludes that the overall score for the subject ‘Facilities and provisions’ is Positive. 1.5. Internal quality assurance (subject 5)

F17: Evaluation of results The degree course is subject to a periodic review, which is partly based on verifiable targets.

Bachelor/Master: There is a well-defined evaluation structure in the Faculty. At the end of the first and second year of the Bachelor’s study programme, students are asked to fill in a questionnaire to evaluate the year’s curriculum. The questions concern the didactic quality, study material, contents and number of study hours required, supplemented by questions formulated by the teacher about specific aspects of the course. The results of these curriculum evaluations are discussed by the various relevant committees and are included in the annual reports.


The norm for the internal quality evaluations for the most relevant items holds that in at least 75% of the students’ evaluations, a score of 3.5 or higher should be given on a five-point scale for the material addressed in the course and the quality of the exams. Over the past five academic years, a score of 3.5 or higher was given on the relevant questions in 85.2% of the course evaluations. With respect to the exam evaluations, a score of 3.5 or higher was given on the relevant questions in 76.4%. Feedback on the evaluation data is more or less systematically given, thus closing the quality circle. In general, the evaluation scores have remained more or less constant over the years. Each exam is also briefly evaluated and the feedback on the results of the evaluations is well organized. From discussions with students the Committee learned that the evaluations are highly appreciated. The Committee further observes that little communication exists between staff and students about ongoing courses. Courses are mostly evaluated at the end. From the self-evaluation report and the interviews held during the site visit, the Committee has the impression that the organization of the Faculty is unnecessarily complicated and that it could and should be simplified and be made more transparent. It became clear that the Faculty is already taking steps to improve this. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Evaluation of results’ is satisfactory.

F18: Measures to effect improvement The results of this evaluation form the basis for measures that can be demonstrated to improve the course and that will contribute to reaching the targets.

Bachelor/Master: Feedback on the evaluation data is more or less systematically given, thus closing the quality circle. In general, the evaluation scores have remained more or less constant over the years. The Committee noticed with some amazement that one of the teachers of a first-year Bachelor’s course with persistent difficulty has gone to considerable lengths to figure out what the problem was, including studying current high school exams in physics and mathematics, and asking the opinion of high school teachers in these subjects about his own course and exams. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Measures to effect improvement’ is satisfactory.

F19: Involvement of staff, students, alumni and the professional field Staff, students, alumni and the professional field in which graduates of the course are to be employed are actively involved in the internal quality assurance.

Bachelor/Master: The Faculty collects information about the graduates’ professional jobs through alumni surveys. From the alumni surveys it appears that employers are quite satisfied about the academic and critical attitude of the graduates. Alumni themselves also view the academic nature of the education as a strong point, in particular learning how to conduct research, learning to think critically and the scientific approach. A weak point appeared to be an insufficient orientation to practice, particularly with therapists and advisors, and the self-evaluation report notes that the Faculty cannot remedy this easily without diminishing the academic nature of the study programme. A poor link to the job market was also considered to be a weak point, and the Faculty intends to improve this by giving attention to the design of the study programme. Data from the 2004 Higher Education Monitor show that almost 70% of the respondents are satisfied with the study programme.


It appears to the Committee that students, alumni and the professional field are not particularly strongly involved, although the atmosphere that is created is open and evaluated very positively by students. There seems to be little communication between students at different levels. It strikes the Committee that in general few staff and students seem to have been involved in the self-evaluation report, and many had not read it even after it was printed. The Committee would like to stress the importance of establishing structural contact between student/staff and alumni, particularly since the transition from study to labour market is generally experienced as difficult. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Involvement of staff, students, alumni and the professional field’ is satisfactory. Assessment of subject ‘Internal quality assurance’ The Committee concludes that the overall score for the subject ‘Internal quality assurance’ is Positive. 1.6. Results (subject 6)

F20: Level that has been achieved The final qualifications that have been achieved correspond to the targets set for the final qualifications in level, orientation and domain-specific requirements.

Bachelor: The Committee examined a number of theses that represented the different specializations within the field of HMS. These theses scored from fairly well to excellent. In general, clear research questions were formulated, the methods chosen were appropriate, and the conclusions were logically drawn from the results. As noted under F11, every thesis is assessed by two supervisors. It appears alumni are well qualified for the labour market as long as it concerns the research profile (see F19). The level that has been achieved here is good to excellent. However, the level achieved at the Bachelor’s level for the teacher and advisor profiles is much poorer. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Level that has been achieved’ is good. Master: From an alumni survey, it turned out that only 3.2% of the 219 respondents were unemployed and looking for a job (response rate of 64%). More than half of the respondents started working at their first job either during their studies or within a month after graduation. Within six months after graduation, 80% had their first job. Furthermore, a third of the 219 respondents were working as researchers, often conducting scientific research. Many also had jobs as advisors or policy workers, sometimes at state labour agencies, in the fields of sports or health care, or as therapists. More than half of the graduates who are therapists work in the field of psychomotor therapy, the others work in the fields of physical therapy or occupational therapy. They had all graduated from higher professional education before attaining a degree at the Faculty of Human Movement Studies, and had gone back to their former fields, but now often in a job with greater responsibility. The miscellaneous category includes clinical research associates, administrational staff members, absenteeism consultants, and physical education teachers. More than 36% of the alumni view a degree in HMS as a minimum requirement for their job. In order to see whether and to what extent certain aims are actually achieved by the study programme, a number of aspects were included in an alumni survey recently presented to all the graduates (doctoraal


degree) who started studying HMS since 1995 or the shortened study programme since 1996. From the reactions of the 219 respondents (64.2% of the alumni), it became clear that a vast majority highly appraised the academic level of the programmes. Since the Master’s research internships will bear a close resemblance to those in the framework of the doctoraal study programme, Committee members judged 10 theses from the 25 most recent doctoraal research reports and the grades they were given. Again, the Committee is more than satisfied with the quality of the papers and assessed them as generally good and sometimes as excellent, easily fulfilling academic standards. It is worth noting that about 30% of the Master’s students are authors/co-authors of national or international publications. As so far only one Master student has graduated in the new Bachelor-Master structure, it is not possible for the Committee to evaluate the achieved level. The Committee, however, is confident that the level will be comparable to the results of the former doctoraal study programme, which were more than satisfactory. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Level that has been achieved’ is satisfactory. F21: Success rates To measure the success rates, target figures have been set in comparison with relevant other degree courses. The success rates meet these targets.

Bachelor: In the past, the Faculty had formulated a target figure for the educational achievement rate: 60% after the first year, assuming there was no sizable drop-out during the remainder of the doctoraal period. The actual achievement rate for the original doctoraal study programme was no higher than 50% even after more than six years, which was viewed as unsatisfactory. A number of reasons given for this low achievement rate in a study from 2000 are still valid today. Based on the recommendations of the 2002 assessment committee, measures were introduced to make the specialization requirements less strict for students with less education in the natural science subjects. Since the measures were introduced in September 2002, they have barely affected the doctoraal achievement rate, if at all, though their effects should be visible in the Bachelor’s achievement rate. In the old doctoraal study programme, many students built up study delay particularly in the fourth year when writing their literature essay. The latter is now reduced in size and part of the third year. In the Bachelor-Master structure, students can finish their Bachelor and continue with a different study or enter the labour market. The Faculty instituted a number of measures to improve the feasibility of the curriculum, but these have not improved the output. It was concluded that the study achievement rate might reflect a relatively autonomous process barely influenced by the curriculum and supervision. The students’ financial situation (inadequate grants and the subsequent need to work while studying) might play a role in this. On the exit questionnaire, graduates were asked what factors they thought might have delayed their graduation. A six-point scale was used, with 1 indicating that the Faculty was totally responsible and 6 the student. The average score on this question was 4.6. The students were also asked how they themselves felt about the delay. The responses were somewhere in between “a bit unpleasant” and “it does not bother me”. Since the Bachelor’s programme only started three years ago, no conclusions can be drawn about future developments regarding a success rate. The Committee observes, however, that current Bachelor’s success rates continue to be well below standard, despite many efforts. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Success rates’ is unsatisfactory.


Master: No achievement rate data are available yet on the Master’s study programme, which only started in September 2005. However, based on the quality of the programme content, the quality of staff and the first results, it can be expected that the Faculty will succeed in achieving its targets for the final qualifications. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Success rates’ is satisfactory. Assessment of subject ‘Results’ The Committee concludes that the overall score for the subject ‘Results’ is Positive.


Overview of scores for the Bachelor's degree course in Human Movement Sciences at VU University Amsterdam Subject Assessment Facet Assessment

F1 Domain-specific requirements 2 F2 Level 3

1. Aims and objectives of the degree course

+

F3 Orientation 3 F4 Requirements for university degree courses 2 F5 Relationship between aims and objectives and contents of the programme 2 F6 Coherence of the programme 2 F7 Study load 2 F8 Intake 2 F9 Duration + F10 Coordination of structure and contents of the degree course 2

2. Programme +

F11 Assessment and examinations 2 F12 Requirements for university degree courses 3 F13 Quantity of staff 2

3. Deployment of staff

+

F14 Quality of staff 3 F15 Material facilities 4 4. Facilities and

provisions +

F16 Student support and guidance 2 F17 Evaluation of results 2 F18 Measures to effect improvement 2

5. Internal quality assurance

+

F19 Involvement of staff, students, alumni and the professional field 2 F20 Level that has been achieved 3 6. Results + F21 Success rates 1

Subject: + Positive / − Negative Facet: 1. Unsatisfactory / 2. Satisfactory / 3. Good / 4. Excellent Overall assessment The Committee concludes, on the basis of its assessments of the subjects and facets from the assessment framework, that the Bachelor's degree course meets the quality requirements which are a condition for accreditation.


Overview of scores for the Master's degree course in Human Movement Sciences at VU University Amsterdam Subject Assessment Facet Assessment



+


2. Programme +



+


provisions +



+


Subject: + Positive / − Negative Facet: 1. Unsatisfactory / 2. Satisfactory / 3. Good / 4. Excellent Overall assessment The Committee concludes, on the basis of its assessments of the subjects and facets from the assessment framework, that the Master's degree course meets the quality requirements which are a condition for accreditation.

Conclusion of the Committee Apart from the prescribed assessment of basic standards, which is positive for the six subjects and consequently for the Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes as a whole, the Committee wants to state that the average level of the facets within all subjects, with one exception, is amply sufficient and sometimes even good or excellent. In the opinion of the Committee, this strengthens the reliability of the final assessment. The current assessment is also consistent with the previous assessment from 2002, which likewise praised the Faculty for its high quality study programmes while noting its sub-standard teaching results. Since the previous assessment, the Faculty implemented the Bachelor-Master structure and is currently undergoing internal reorganizations. Despite these changes and ongoing developments, the Faculty continues to deliver high level education to students asserting their satisfaction. Of course, the eventual success of the Bachelor-Master structure in terms of both its level and results can only be assessed properly after the new curriculum has been running several years. The way the Faculty identifies and handles challenges inspires confidence for continued quality assurance.


Appendix 1. Overview of the Bachelor's degree programme First year of Bachelor’s study programme (the number of credits is shown between brackets): 1st year

Period 1 Period 2 Period 3 Period 4 Period 5 Period 6

Movement System I: Introduction to Exercise Physiology (6) Introduction to Movement Coordination (6)

Mathematics (6) Movement System II: Introduction to Functional Anatomy (6)

Health Care I: Introduction to Behavioural Medicine (3) Sports Sciences I: Psychological Factors (3)

Biomechanics (6) Introduction to the History of Philosophy (3) Introduction to Ergonomics (3)

Scientific Reporting (6) Movement Coordination I: Motor Learning and Development (6)

Statistics (6)

Second year of Bachelor’s study programme 2nd year


Neurosciences (6) Computer Use (3) Measuring using Questionnaires and Athletic Motor Tests (3)

Measuring Physical Quantities (9) Training Physiology (3)

Mechanical Analysis of Human Movement (3) Data Analysis (3)

Philosophy of Movement Sciences (6) Psychology (6)

Movement Coordination II (6) Presentation skills (3) Sports Sciences II (3)

Health Care II: Behavioural Medicine (3) Work-related disorders of the movement apparatus (3)

Examples of courses in the third year of the Bachelor’s study programme

3rd year Movement System


Dynamics of Linear Systems (3) Simulation of Musculo- skeletal Systems (3) Biochemistry (6)

Nervous Musculo-skeletal Models (6) General Physiology (6)

In-depth term paper (3) Mechanical and Adaptive Myology (3)

Exercise Physiology (6) Regulating the Musculo-skeletal System (6)

Anatomy of the Movement Apparatus (6) Bachelor’s research project (6)

Bachelor’s research project (6)

3rd year Movement Coordination


Dynamics of Linear Systems (3) Simulation of Musculo- skeletal Systems (3) Biochemistry (6) or Rehabilitation Context: Paraplegia Rehabilitation and Patient-related Studies (6)

Nervous Musculo-skeletal Models (6) General Physiology (6) or Philsophy of Sports (6)

In-depth term paper (3) Free choice (3)

Coordination Dynamics (6) Regulating the Musculo-skeletal System (6)

Perception and Movement (6) Bachelor’s research project (6)



3rd year Ergonomics


Rehabilitation Context: Paraplegia Rehabilitation and Patient-related Studies (6) Advising and Informing (6)

Research Methods / Epidemiology (6) Ergonomics: Analysis and Design (6)


Clinical Movement Analysis (6) Ergonomics: Prevention and Reintegration (6)

Neuropsychology and Rehabilitation Psychology (6) Pathology of Movement (6)

Bachelor’s research project (6)2*

3rd year Sports-Biomedical


Psychology (6) Biochemistry (6)

Philosophy of Sports (6) General Physiology (6)


Exercise Physiology (6) Bachelor’s research project (6)

Analysis Techniques in Sport (6) Anatomy of the Movement Apparatus (6) or Pathology of Movement (6)


Sports Psychology (6) Diagnostics (FPP) (6)

Philosophy of Sports (6) Social and clinical Psychology (6)


Exercise Physiology (6) Talent and talent development (6)

Analysis Techniques in Sport (6) Bachelor’s research project (6)

Bachelor’s reseach project (6)

3rd year Sports-Psychological


3rd year Sports-Advisory / Policy


Psychology of Sports (6) Advising and Informing (6)

Philosophy of Sports (6) Research Methods / Epidemiology (6) Or Sports, Policy and Management (6) (Utrecht)


Exercise Physiology (6) Bachelor’s research project (6)

Analysis Techniques in Sports (6) Sports and Law(6)

In-depth term paper (3) Sports and Law (3)

3rd year Rehabilitation


Rehabilitation Context: Paraplegic Rehabilitation and Patient-related Studies (6) Advising and Informing (6)

Research Methods / Epidemiology (6) Ergonomics: Analysis and Design (6)


Clinical Movement Analysis (6) Ergonomics: Prevention and Reintegration (6)

Neuropsychology and Rehabilitation Psychology (6) Pathology of Movement (6)


2The remaining six credits of the Bachelor’s research project are done during an earlier period, which means that one elective is eliminated


3rd year Pre-Master’s Route (PMR)


Theory PMR (6) Psychology of Sports (6)

Research Methods / Epidemiology (6) Social and Clinical Psychology (6)


Psychopathology (6) Orientation practical internship (6)

Neuropsychology and Rehabilitation Psychology (6) Bachelor’s research project (6)



Appendix 2. The Master's degree programme consists of five different specializations, of which the students follow one Courses in Master’s study programme Specializations (number of credits between brackets) Movement Systems

Research internship (30)

Theory and History of Movement Sciences (6) Skeletal Muscles: From Molecules to Movement (6)

Two of the following courses: Energy Flow Models (3) Intermuscular Force Sharing (3) 3-D Kinematics (3) Tissue Mechanics (3)

Short literature review (6) Free choice (6)

Movement Coordination

Research internship (30)

Theory and History of Movement Sciences (6) Perceptual Motor Learning and Development (6)

Two courses from: Energy Flow Models (3) Intermuscular Force Sharing (3) 3-D Kinematics (3) Tissue Mechanics (3


Ergonomics Research

internship (30) Theory and history of movement sciences (6) Skeletal Muscle: From Molecules to Movement (6)

Two courses from: Energy Flow Models (3) Intermuscular Force Sharing (3) 3-D Kinematics (3) Tissue Mechanics (3


Sports Research

internship (30) Theory and History of Movement Sciences (6) Skeletal Muscle: From Molecules to Movement (6)* Perceptual Motor Learning and Development (6)*/***

Two of the following courses: Energy flow models (3)* Intermuscular Force sharing (3)* 3-D Kinematics (3)* Tissue Mechanics (3)* Psychological Factors and Mental Training (6)*/***


Rehabilitation Research

internship (30) Theory and History of Movement Sciences (6) Skeletal Muscles: from Molecules to Movement (6)* Disorders of Motor Development (6)* Physiotherapy in the Context of Human Movement Sciences (6)*

Two of the following courses:* Energy Flow Models (3) Intermuscular Force Sharing (3) 3-D Kinematics (3) Tissue Mechanics (3)

Short literature review (6)** Free choice (6)

Psychomotor Therapy

Research internship (24) Psychomotor therapy internship (12)

Theory and History of Movement Sciences (6)

Psychological Factors and Mental Training (6) Clinical Skills PMR (6)

Free choice (6)

* The student selects a total of twelve credits from these courses. ** If a student takes a free choice course that includes a paper of at least three credits, this replaces the

short literature review of six credits. *** Students who combine this course with one or two Bachelor’s courses in the Psychology of Sports and

do their research internship in the Psychology of Sports are given the VSPN Basic Certificate in the Psychology of Sports.


Appendix 3a. Aims of the Bachelor's programme in relation to the Dublin descriptors for each of the five specializations

Specialization Movement System Bachelor Dublin descriptors B1 B2 B3 B4 B5

I. Skills

A graduate is able to

a collect literature pertaining to the human movement system, examine it critically, determine its relevance to insight into the human movement system and summarize the information

X X X X

b carry out a research plan X X X

c process research results and formulate the answer to the research question X X X

d relate fundamental concepts that play a role in the study of the human movement system to concepts that play a role in the study of movement coordination and the study of movement in the contexts of ergonomics, sports and health care

X X X X

e collect relevant material for courses in the field of the human movement system X X X

f give courses in the field of the human movement system X

II. Knowledge

A graduate is knowledgeable about a The structure and functioning of cells as regards the metabolism, resorption, excretion and

secretion, growth and reproduction, irritability, stimulation processing and movement X X X

b the structure and functioning of the passive and active movement apparatus including knowledge on the launching and steering and energy supply of muscles and the limitations this entails

X X X

c the structure and functioning of organ systems, in particular systems that contribute to the energy supply and homeostasis of the human body

X X X

d the possibilities of quantifying movement in terms of force and energy supply and describing the influence of growth, training and ageing on it

X X X

e the possibilities of quantifying external labour in terms of force, work and capacity X X X f classical mechanics and able to apply this knowledge in the quantitative description of

human movements X X X

g theories on the human movement system, the neuromuscular aspects that play a role in the coordination of movement and the role of sensory information in implementing movement-related acts

X X X

h emotional, motivational, cognitive and social factors that play a role in connection with movement

X X X

i the meaning of movement in the contexts of ergonomics, sports and health care X X X j technology in the field of movement registration, the measurement of muscle power and

activity, statistics and computer processing and is able to select and process them X X X

III. Attitude

A graduate exhibits

a openness as regards communicating about the results of his/her own and other research X X b enthusiasm in conveying knowledge and presenting research plans and results X c a respectful and responsible attitude to students, people and animals taking part in

experiments, clients and so forth. X X


Specialization Movement Coordination Dublin descriptors B1 B2 B3 B4 B5

I. Skills

A graduate is able to a collect literature pertaining to movement coordination, examine it critically, determine its

relevance to insight into movement coordination and summarize what he has learned X X X X



d relate fundamental concepts that play a role in the study of movement coordination to concepts that play a role in the study of the human movement system and the study of movement in the contexts of ergonomics, sports and health care

X X X

e collect relevant material for the courses in the field of movement coordination X X X X

f give courses in the field of movement coordination X

II. Knowledge

The graduate is knowledgeable about a the neuronal and neuromuscular launching and steering mechanisms that movement

coordination is based upon X X X

b mechanical interactions between various parts of the movement system and between the movement system and the environment that play a role in the performance of movement-related acts

X X X

c the role of sensory information in the performance of movement-related acts X X X d the neurophysiological, biomechanical and perceptual changes that occur during

development and as a result of learning and are relevant to movement coordination X X X

e the robotics and neural networks in so far as is necessary to evaluate their relevant implications for movement coordination, also in the light of their biological plausibility

X X X

f classical mechanics and is able to apply it in the quantitative description of human movements

X X X

g non-linear dynamics and is able to apply it in the quantitative description of the stability of coordination patterns

X X X

h the various modes of perception and is able to apply them in the quantitative description of information sources relevant to the performance of movement-related acts

X X X

i the recent theories on movement coordination X X X j the structure and functioning of cells, the structure and functioning of the active and

passive movement apparatus and the structure and functioning of the organ systems X X X

k emotional, motivational, cognitive and social factors that play a role in movement X X X l the meaning of movement in the contexts of ergonomics, sports and health care X X X m technology in the field of movement registration, the measurement of muscular force and

activity, statistics and computer processing and is able to select and apply them. X X X

III. Attitude

A graduate exhibits

a openness as regards communicating about the results of his own and other research X X

b enthusiasm in conveying knowledge and presenting research plans and results X c a respectful and responsible attitude to students, people and animals taking part in



Specialization Ergonomics Dublin descriptors B1 B2 B3 B4 B5

I. Skills

A graduate is able to a collect literature pertaining to questions from actual practice about movement in the

context of ergonomics, examine it critically and summarize what he has learned

X X X X


c process research results and formulate the answer to the research questions X X X

d evaluate which measurement environments are suitable for the measurement of variables relevant to the field of ergonomics

X X

e perform measurements of these variables in field and/or laboratory settings X X

f translate the meaning of outcomes for individuals in the field of ergonomics X

g relate fundamental concepts that play a role in the study of movement in the context of ergonomics to concepts that play a role in the study of the human movement system and the study of movement in the contexts of sports and health care

X X X X

h collect relevant material for courses in the field of movement in the context of ergonomics X X X

i give courses in the field of movement in the context of ergonomics X

II. Knowledge

A graduate is knowledgeable about a the structure and functioning of cells, the structure and functioning of the passive and

active movement apparatus and the structure and functioning of organ systems X X X

b theories on movement coordination, the neuromuscular aspects that play a role in the coordination of movement and the role of sensory information in movement-related acts

X X X

c theories on the psychology of learning and performance in so far as they are applicable to movement in the context of ergonomics

X X X

d cognitive, motivational, emotional and social processes and their meaning as regards movement in the context of ergonomics

X X X

e the options for describing labour in terms of the use of energy, force, work, capacity and mental stress

X X X

f occupational disorders related to movement X X X g various concepts regarding ergonomics and the values and norms that play a role X X X h technology in the field of movement registration, statistics and computer processing and

can select and apply them X X X

i the ergonomics field of practice and the legal regulations valid there X X X j the meaning of movement in the context of sports and health care X X X

III. Attitude

A graduate exhibits



experiments, clients and so forth X X


Specialization Sports Dublin descriptors B1 B2 B3 B4 B5

I. Skills

A graduate is able to a collect literature pertaining to questions from actual practice about movement in the

context of sports, examine it critically and summarize what he has learned X X X X


c process and interpret research results and formulate the answer to the research question X X X

d recognize the essential features of various forms of sports that determine the performance level

X X X X

e evaluate which measurement environments are suitable for the measurement of relevant variables for the field of sports

X X X

f perform measurements of these variables in field and/or laboratory settings X X X

g translate the meaning of the outcomes for individuals in the field of sports X X X

h relate fundamental concepts that play a role in the study of movement in the context of sports to concepts that play a role in the study of the human movement system, movement coordination and movement in the context of ergonomics and health care

X X X

i distinguish between experiential knowledge and scientific knowledge in the existing knowledge on various sports

X X

j collect material relevant to the courses in the field of performance and performance improvement in sports

X X X X

k give courses in the field of movement in the context of sports X X X

II. Knowledge

A graduate is knowledgeable about a the structure and functioning of cells, the structure and functioning of the passive and

active movement apparatus and the structure and functioning of organ systems X X X

b theories on movement coordination, the neuromuscular aspects that play a role in the coordination of movement and the role of sensory information in the performance of movement-related acts

X X X

c theories on the psychology of learning and performance in so far as they are applicable to movement in the context of sports

X X X

d the influence of movement and a lack of movement on the human movement system X X X e cognitive, motivational, emotional and social processes and their meaning as regards

movement in the context of sports X X X

f options for describing athletic performance in terms of the use of energy, force, work, capacity and mental stress

X X X

g various concepts regarding sports and the values and norms that play a role X X X h technology in the field of movement registration, statistics and computer processing and

can select and apply them X X X

i the development of individuals who are either highly gifted or handicapped in sports X X X j the athletic field of practice and sports as social phenomenon X X X k the meaning of movement in the context of ergonomics and health X X X

III. Attitude

A graduate exhibits





Specialization Health Care Dublin descriptors B1 B2 B3 B4 B5

I. Skills

A graduate is able to a collect literature pertaining to questions from actual practice about movement in

the context of health care, examine it critically and summarize what he has learnedX X X X



d present the results of the research and its implications orally and in writing to the target group

X X X X

e evaluate which measurement environments are suitable for the measurement of variables relevant to the field of health care

X X

f perform measurements of these variables in field and/or laboratory settings X X

g translate the meaning of the outcomes for individuals in the field of health care practice

X

h relate fundamental concepts that play a role in the study of movement in the context of health care to concepts that play a role in the study of the human movement system and the study of movement in the context of ergonomics and sports

X X X X

i collect relevant material for courses in the field of movement in the context of health care

X X X

j give courses in the field of movement in the context of health care X

II. Knowledge

A graduate is knowledgeable about a the structure and functioning of cells, the structure and functioning of the passive

and active movement apparatus and the structure and functioning of organ systems

X X X

b theories on movement coordination, the neuromuscular aspects that play a role in the coordination of movement and the role of sensory information in movement-related acts

X X X

c theories on the psychology of learning, developmental psychology and performance in so far as they are applicable to movement in the context of health care

X X X

d cognitive, motivational, emotional and social processes and their meaning as regards movement in the context of health care

X X X

e options for describing movement in terms of the use of energy, force, work, capacity and mental stress

X X X

f the meaning of movement to health, absenteeism, and disabilities X X X g the causes of illnesses related to deviant movement behaviour X X X h the meaning of movement as intervention for dealing with psychological,

psychiatric and geriatric syndromes X X X

i recovery processes pertaining to movement coordination X X X j equipment and environmental adjustments to help deal with movement disorders X X X k various concepts regarding health care and the values and norms that play a role X X l technology in the field of movement registration, statistics and computer

processing and can select and apply them X X X

m the health care field of practice and the legal regulations valid there X X X n the meaning of movement in the context of ergonomics and sports X X X


III. Attitude

A graduate exhibits

a openness as regards communicating about the results of his own and other research

X X




Appendix 3b. Aims of the Master's programme in relation to the Dublin descriptors for each of the five different specializations

Specialization Movement System Dublin descriptors M1 M2 M3 M4 M5

I. Skills

A graduate is able to a translate scientific questions in the field of the human movement system into a

research problem X X X X

b draw up a research plan on the basis of a research question X X X X X

c report on the research in the form of a presentation X X X X X

d report on the research in the form of an article for an SCI/SSCI journal X X X X X

e design a course in the field of the human movement system X X X X X

f contribute towards the development of educational programmes X X X

II. Knowledge

A graduate is knowledgeable a about the various levels human movement can be studied at and their meta-

theoretical foundations viewed in part from a historical perspective X X X

III. Attitude

A graduate exhibits

a an honest and critical attitude to research plans and results X Specialization Movement Coordination Dublin descriptors M1 M2 M3 M4 M5

I. Skills

A graduate is able to a translate scientific questions in the field of movement coordination into a research

problem X X X X

b draw up a research plan on the basis of a research question X X X X X

c report on the research in the form of a presentation X X X X X

d report on the research in the form of an article for an SCI/SSCI journal X X X X X

e design a course in the field of the human movement system X X X X X

f contribute towards the development of educational programmes X X X

II. Knowledge

A graduate is knowledgeable a about the various levels at which human movement can be studied and their meta-

theoretical foundations viewed in part from a historical perspective X X X

III. Attitude

A graduate exhibits

a an honest and critical attitude to research plans and results X


Specialization Ergonomics Dublin descriptors M1 M2 M3 M4 M5

I. Skills

A graduate is able to a translate scientific questions in this field into a research problem X X X X

b inform anyone posing questions on the anticipated output of the research about the extent to which the original question from actual practice can be expected to be answered

X X X X X

c draw up a research plan on the basis of a research question X X X X X

d report on the research in the form of a presentation X X X X X

e report on the research in the form of an article X X X X X

f present the results of the research and its implications orally and in writing to the target group

X X X X

g design a course in the field of movement in the context of ergonomics X X X X X

h contribute towards the development of educational programmes X X X

II. Knowledge

A graduate is knowledgeable about a the various levels human movement can be studied at and their meta-theoretical

foundations viewed in part from a historical perspective X X X

III. Attitude

A graduate exhibits

a an honest and critical attitude to research plans and results. X Specialization Sport Dublin descriptors M1 M2 M3 M4 M5

I. Skills

A graduate is able to a translate scientific questions in this field into a research problem X X X X b inform anyone posing questions on the anticipated output of the research about the

extent to which the original question from actual practice can be expected to be answered

X X X X X




f design a course in the field of movement in the context of ergonomics X X X X X

g contribute towards the development of educational programmes X X X

II. Knowledge


foundations viewed in part from a historical perspective. X X X


III. Attitude

A graduate exhibits

a an honest and critical attitude to research plans and results X Specialization Health Care Dublin descriptors M1 M2 M3 M4 M5

I. Skills

A graduate is able to a translate scientific questions in this field into a research problem X X X X b inform anyone posing questions on the anticipated output of the research about the

extent to which the original question from actual practice can be expected to be answered

X X X X X




f design a course in the field of movement in the context of health care X X X X X

g contribute towards the development of educational programmes X X X

II. Knowledge


foundations viewed in part from a historical perspective X X X

III. Attitude

A graduate exhibits

a an honest and critical attitude to research plans and results X


2. The Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes Human Movement Sciences offered by the University of Groningen

Administrative data Bachelor’s degree programme Name of the degree programme Bachelor’s degree programme in Human Movement Sciences CROHO number 56950 Expiry date of accreditation 31-12-2007 Study load 180 EC Variants Full-time Location Groningen, A. Deusinglaan 1 Level Bachelor Orientation Academic Master’s degree programme Name of the degree programme Master’s degree programme in Human Movement Sciences CROHO number 60054 Expiry date of accreditation 31-12-2007 Study load 120 EC Variants Full-time Location Groningen, A. Deusinglaan 1 Level Master Orientation Academic 2.0. Introduction The Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes in Human Movement Sciences (HMS) are provided by the Interfacultair Centrum voor Bewegingswetenschappen, ICBW (Centre for Human Movement Sciences), a joint venture of the Faculty of Medical Sciences (FMW) and the Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences (FGMW). The FMW, as a part of the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), became the responsible Faculty since January 1, 2005. The three-year Bachelor’s degree programme started in September 2002, whereas the two-year Master’s degree programme opened for students in September 2005. The two programmes are also geographically accommodated in the buildings of the UMCG, and co-operation with clinical departments (e.g., Rehabilitation Medicine, Geriatrics, Sports Medicine, Neurology, Orthopaedics and Rheumatology) has increased considerably in the past few years. The formal steering of the two programmes has been delegated to the ICBW, which is responsible for the teaching as well as the scientific research. The ICBW occupies a relatively autonomous position within the UMCG with regard to the organization and substance of the teaching. The HMS programme differs substantially from the Dentistry and Medical Sciences programmes in terms of content as well as working methods and staffing structure. However, a gradual embedding in the structure and working methods of the Medical Sciences will take place. The HMS programme originated from the main subject of Bewegingsopvoeding en bewegingsbehandeling (BOB, translated as Movement Education and Intervention), which was established under the auspices of the Pedagogics programme in 1984.


Until 2002, the only full-time programme in HMS was provided by the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. In Groningen, there was no possibility of graduating in HMS. However, the BOB programme had been available as a component of the Pedagogics programme since 1984, and it could be chosen as a main subject after the student had gained a propaedeutic (first-year) diploma. The student then graduated as a pedagogue and not as a movement scientist. Although interest in HMS grew rapidly, its position as a main subject within pedagogics was not ideal: it was difficult to develop and present a fully fledged academic curriculum for HMS. Enrolment data and further evaluations indicated that almost all students had already made the choice to follow the BOB programme right at the beginning of their Pedagogics study. Accordingly, the propaedeutic diploma with a strongly pedagogic character was regarded as being of only limited relevance to HMS. An additional problem was that as a consequence of a deficient preliminary education, a considerable number of BOB students had to take basic courses in topics such as Biomechanics and Neuromechanics after they had gained their propaedeutic diploma. It becomes clear from the self-evaluation report that during previous visitations the BOB programme received only marginal attention. The increasing academic and public interest in the phenomenon of movement, the popularity of the programme in Amsterdam, and the steadily growing influx of students in the BOB programme indicated that the time was right to introduce a second HMS programme in the Netherlands. In 2001, accreditation for a five-year graduation programme was granted, and as a result of regulations concerning the Bachelor-Master degree structure, a three-year Bachelor’s degree programme and a two-year Master’s degree programme were developed into independent programmes with their own objectives, features and diplomas. However, the origins, development and implementation of the two programmes in Groningen clearly have a common basis. The programmes are logically linked, and most students consider them a coherent unit. In order to full justice to this coherence and independence, the self-evaluation report contains a special chapter describing the common contours of the HMS curriculum. It clarifies the approach to HMS research and education in Groningen, leading to the formulation of general objectives and educational starting points, and to a specific design of the two separate programmes. The period 2002-2005 witnessed further growth in the number of students in the new Bachelor’s degree programme, without the number of students in the Amsterdam programme declining. From 2004 onwards, responsibility for the programme was transferred from FGMW to FMW. An important reason for this was the fact that the character of the independent Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes in HMS was moving rapidly in the direction of brain-behaviour relationships and the neurosciences. This is also reflected in the classification of HMS in the CROHO Health category. The above-mentioned developments have led to the expansion, revision, and reorganization of ‘old’ programme components to the extent that the current Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes actually can be seen as an almost completely new curriculum. The last cohort of students in the BOB programme began their propaedeutic programme in Pedagogics in September 2001 and the BOB programme in September 2002. The regular programme was rounded off in September 2005. All ‘old-style’ students will be given until September 1, 2007, to gain their doctoraal degree. For modules that are no longer offered regularly after September 2005, equivalent alternative modules have been made available, or an optimal set-up has been agreed upon with individual students. The Board of Examiners will ensure that this programme is rounded off correctly. In October 2004, the Board of Examiners established a transitional arrangement for students who switch from the ‘old-style’ doctoraal programme to the Bachelor’s degree programme in HMS. The Movement Education and Intervention (BOB) programme had several structural restrictions that impeded the provision of a fully fledged curriculum, as stated in the self-evaluation report. One basic restriction was the fact that the propaedeutic diploma, with a primarily social-pedagogical foundation,


did not harmonize with the subsequent programme, which tended more towards the natural and medical sciences. In addition, there was too little control over the intake profile of the students. With the accreditation in 2001 and the subsequent development of a separate three-year Bachelor’s programme and a two-year Master’s programme, a strong orientation towards the desired natural-scientific and bio-medical profile has come into view. The Committee wishes to stress that it did not look separately into the results and procedures of the BOB programme. In this report, the Master’s degree course is handled in a manner comparable with the self-evaluation report. In other words, for a number of facets, no distinction is made between the Bachelor’s and the Master’s degree course in the layout of the text. This concerns especially the subjects Development of staff (3), Facilities and provisions (4) and Internal quality assurance (5), that are relevant for both the Bachelor’s and the Master’s degree course. 2.1. Aims and objectives (subject 1)

F1: Domain-specific requirements

The final qualifications of the degree course correspond to the requirements made to a degree course in the relevant domain (field of study/discipline and/or professional practice) by colleagues in the Netherlands and abroad and the professional practice.

Bachelor: The self-evaluation report indicates that the programme has the following objectives: • the acquisition of academic knowledge and understanding in the field of the human movement

sciences • basic academic development • preparation for a further study career (with the right to follow the Master’s degree programme in

HMS at RUG). Translated into the final qualifications (profile) for the Bachelor’s graduate, this means: he or she is a broadly educated, academically trained graduate with knowledge of movement, movement coordination, motor problems, and ways of influencing motor behaviour. He or she has a good general overview of the field of the human movement sciences, and possesses the skills that are necessary to read and interpret the scientific literature. In addition, he or she possesses knowledge of the field of methodology and data analysis, and has the know-how to collect, analyse and interpret empirical data. Furthermore, he or she is able to translate the acquired knowledge and skills into relevant human movement scientific issues (Appendix 1 at the end of this chapter contains a more detailed overview of the final qualifications of the Bachelor’s programme, Appendix 2 displays the structure of the programme, while in Appendix 3 an overview of the programme can be found). Two examinations are included in the Bachelor’s degree programme, namely the propaedeutic exam and the Bachelor’s degree exam. In both stages, the objectives have been ordered in terms of domain-specific (movement scientific) learning outcomes on the one hand, and learning outcomes for general academic development on the other. A detailed specification of the learning outcomes forms the operationalization of the objectives and is incorporated in the OER (Onderwijs- en Examenregeling; the Education and Exam Regulation). A subdivision has been made in four knowledge areas: medical-biological knowledge and behavioural-scientific knowledge of human movement, methods and research techniques in relation to the human movement sciences, and integrated knowledge of human movement sciences.


It appears from the self-evaluation report that the educational content of the above-mentioned areas is provided in a manner that progresses from the general towards the specific, from knowledge and understanding towards the actual solution of problems. Knowledge and skills have to be applied to relevant problems, whereby students learn to make their own choices and to justify them. Students are expected to view the problems they have to solve in a broad scientific and social perspective. The active contribution of students increases as the programme progresses. In the graduation stage, this cumulates in the design of a movement intervention programme, and the set-up and performance of the graduation research project. According to the self-evaluation report, the Bachelor’s programme does not offer a professional education focused on the labour market. Rather, it provides a general orientation towards professional practice and a further intensification within one of the research fields and the corresponding professional field in the graduation phase (see also F3). The university programmes in HMS in the Netherlands (Groningen and Amsterdam) occupy an exceptional position in the international field of academic programmes. Indeed, as stated in the self-evaluation report, in most European countries and also in the USA and Australia, no comprehensive programme in HMS is offered. The final qualifications of the Bachelor’s degree programme have been generally compared to those offered by a number of foreign universities. The Bachelor’s degree programmes abroad, however, are more oriented to professional practice than the programme in Groningen, the latter being more focused on the development of a scientific attitude and on mastering scientific skills. The objectives are in line with the domain-specific requirements of the discipline of HMS, as formulated in Chapter 4 of the General Part. The Committee concludes that the aims and objectives of the Bachelor’s degree programme are a good representation of the general requirements. However, as the self-evaluation report distinguishes, the final Bachelor qualifications are quite general, and the link of Bachelor requirements to professional practice are relatively unclear. The Committee found that the Faculty has initiated an adequate ‘pragmatic approach’ in order to improve the formulation of the end qualifications into more concrete and specific requirements and through that better attune them to the current programme. In addition, the orientation towards the professional field will be further elaborated, based on the existing organization of research and education into four research fields. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Domain-specific requirements’ is satisfactory. Master: The programme has the following objectives: • the acquisition of theoretical knowledge and scientific skills at the level of a specialist in HMS • preparation for a professional career as an academically trained movement scientist • preparation for a career as a researcher in the field of HMS. Translated into the final qualifications (profile) for the Master’s graduate, this means: the holder of a Master’s degree is an independent and critical academic with a broad vision on human movement sciences and comprehensive knowledge of fundamental interdisciplinary theories, combined with specialist mastery of an elective research theme. Master’s graduates are able to apply the acquired (human movement) scientific knowledge, understanding and skills to existing and new situations, to make their own choices and to justify these (a specification of the final qualifications of the Master’s programme can be found in Appendix 4 at the end of this chapter, Appendix 5 displays the structure of the programme, and an overview of the programme is given in Appendix 6; see also Chapter 4 of the General Part). The Master’s degree programme intends to gear students to professional practice, which takes place in the second academic year. Attempts are therefore made to allocate students for their research year (second year) to an institution that is relevant for their professional development.


International exchange is going to be developed. The research placement in the second year of the Master’s degree programme will be organized in such a way that it can be followed at a foreign university. In the self-evaluation report it is stated that the qualifications of the Master’s degree programme have been generally compared to those offered by a number of foreign universities. Although the Bachelor’s programmes elsewhere are more oriented to professional practice, the Master’s programmes are more oriented towards academic research. The Master’s degree programme in Groningen is also of this type but places emphasis on the link with a specific research field and the corresponding professional orientation. The Committee concludes that there is a good correspondence between the final objectives of the degree course and the domain-specific requirements, though a more specific elaboration is desirable, as the self-evaluation report states. During the site visit it has become clear that the Faculty is systematically working on this, analogous to the improvement of the Bachelor’s degree programme. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Domain-specific requirements’ is satisfactory. F2: Level The final qualifications of the degree course correspond to general, internationally accepted descriptions of the qualifications of a Bachelor or a Master. Bachelor: In the self-evaluation report a summary was given of the extent to which the final qualifications met the Dublin descriptors. The qualifications are divided into five sections: knowledge and understanding, the application of knowledge and understanding, appraisal, communication and learning skills. The Committee notes that the knowledge and insight students acquire in terms of these characteristics match the level of a Bachelor’s degree. See statements in the self-evaluation report like: “The holder of a Bachelor’s degree has broad and general theoretical knowledge regarding the field of Human Movement Sciences, which is linked to a basic understanding of the principles of scientific research.” And: “Bachelor’s degree holders are trained in collecting, analysing and processing research data related to issues in the four research fields. They have learned to use this knowledge for the development of a movement intervention programme and for the design and carrying out of a research project.” A final objective such as “The ability to have learned to analyse movement scientific problems and to form an opinion on the quality of other people’s research as well as of their own” is in accordance with the third Dublin descriptor for a Bachelor’s degree. Also the objectives that a Bachelor’s degree holder “has learned to write research papers and to present findings of their own (or of other people’s) research, and to defend these against fellow students, specialists and laymen in a critical debate”, and that “Bachelor’s degree holders should be able to approach scientific problems in a relative independent way, to have the ability to make choices within the human movement sciences domain and to take initiatives and to learn actively and more or less independently” are consistent with the Dublin descriptors. The Committee notes that Bachelor’s programmes abroad are often profession-oriented, whereas here the goal is to scientifically train movement scientists. In addition, the attention paid in the programme to societal questions that can be investigated in a graduation project is highly valued. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Level’ is good. Master: In terms of the ‘Dublin descriptors’, the holder of a Master’s degree has demonstrable knowledge and understanding of the theories and theoretical developments within the field of HMS, and additional knowledge and understanding within a chosen field of specialization. In the phrasing of the self-evaluation report, Master’s degree holders are capable of analysing movement scientific problems and have the ability to find a solution for these problems. They have


the intellectual capacity to digest new knowledge and to cope with complex problems. They are able to analyse data independently and to use this ability for the evaluation of movement intervention programmes. Master’s degree holders are capable of forming a critical scientific opinion on the basis of the information available. They can analyse and solve movement scientific problems and hold well-considered opinions about the quality of the research of others as well as their own. Master’s degree holders can present and defend ideas and findings from their own research in front of fellow students, specialists, and laymen. In addition, they can take part in a critical debate about them. They are also able to report the results of their own research in an adequate manner in Dutch and English articles. From the self-evaluation report, it can be seen that the final objectives of the Master’s programme match the Dublin descriptors. Furthermore, the Committee considers a two-year Master’s programme to be consistent with international standards. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Level’ is good.

F3: Orientation The final qualifications of the degree course correspond to the following descriptions of a Bachelor and a Master at universities: • The final qualifications are based on requirements made by the academic discipline, the

international academic practice and, if applicable to the course, the relevant practice in the prospective professional field.

• A University (WO) bachelor possesses the qualifications that allow access to a minimum of one further University (WO) degree course at master’s level as well as the option to enter the labour market.

• A University (WO) master possesses the qualifications to conduct independent academic research or to solve multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary questions in a professional practice for which a University (WO) degree is required or useful.

Bachelor: The final qualifications offer students an initial overview of the issues in the HMS field, including the social context. Students recognize the necessity for interdisciplinary co-operation and receive their first training in independent critical reflection on their own work as well as that of others. They gain insight into the historical character of science, and they learn about the ethical implications of experimental work. The final programme objectives also include general characteristics of academic skills (cf. F2). The Bachelor’s degree warrants unconditional admission to the Master’s degree programmes in HMS in Groningen and Amsterdam. The Faculty expects that holders of a Bachelor’s degree will be able to fit in easily with other academic follow-on programmes such as Medicine, Psychology, or Public Health Studies, or with higher professional programmes, such as Movement Technology and Physiotherapy. In principle, the final objectives apply to the professional field, too, although the possibilities for Bachelor’s graduates to enter the labour market are limited. The main function of the final qualifications of the Bachelor’s programme can be found in the development of a broad academic basis for a follow-on study. The Committee notes that in the graduation phase further intensification takes place within one of the research fields and the corresponding professional fields. Although this intensification furnishes students with some initial competence for the labour market, the possibilities in this respect are limited, and the orientation towards professional fields is rather vague. Academic orientation, on the other hand, is excellent. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Orientation’ is good.


Master: The final qualifications offer students a broad academic vision on human movement sciences as well as an in-depth understanding of a specialist domain. Master’s degree holders have performed movement scientific research in a relatively independent manner. Furthermore, the learning outcomes enable graduates to assume a position as a human movement scientist on the labour market or to start working on a PhD project. Much knowledge and experience, relevant for future professional practice, is acquired during the second year of the Master’s programme. The Master’s degree programme is oriented towards the further development of the scientific skills needed to perform independent movement scientific research, either in a university setting or in a more general professional setting. A thorough understanding of the theoretical and technical aspects of research, combined with an extensive and intensive training in application, is regarded in the self-evaluation report as a prerequisite for achieving an acceptable academic (starting) level. It is also indicated there that the aim to develop a specific academic and professional attitude is until now insufficiently described in the learning outcomes. A separate section in the OER will be devoted to this point at the start of the 2007-2008 academic year onward. Besides the intensification within the self-selected specialization, the aim is to create possibilities for students to perform their Master’s research project in a context that fits with the chosen specialization. This is partly realizable within RUG, UMCG and their local partners. The number of extra-regional (national and international) possibilities, however, is gradually increasing. The Faculty expects that the quality and relevance of the professional orientation that already takes place within the educational programme will improve further, resulting in fully fledged starting competencies for the labour market. The Committee holds the opinion that the final qualifications are more than adequate. The general characteristics of academic training are well-covered. The score for the facet ‘Orientation’ is good. Assessment of subject ‘Aims and objectives’ The Committee concludes that the overall score for the subject ‘Aims and objectives of the Bachelor’s and Master’s degree course’ is Positive. 2.2. Programme (subject 2)

F4: Requirements for university degree courses: The programme meets the following criteria applicable to a degree programme at a University (WO): • The students acquire knowledge on the interface between teaching and academic research within

the relevant disciplines; • The programme follows the developments in the relevant academic discipline(s), as it is

demonstrated that it incorporates current academic theories; • The programme ensures the development of skills in the field of academic research; • For those courses for which this is applicable, the course programme has clear links with the

current professional practice in the relevant professions.

Bachelor: Students actively participate in research. Right from the outset, during the Introduction and the Methodology classes, students have to perform research on movement scientific topics, analyse data, and write papers. As a result, the students’ own contribution gradually increases. The graduation project offers students the opportunity to follow their own research ideas. In the self-evaluation report it is stated that often the graduation research has a relationship with the professional arena of HMS, where a role is played by institutions such as sport organizations,


rehabilitation centres, nursing homes, hospitals and universities. The Committee notes that students often have a somewhat vague idea about this and of the links between the Bachelor’s programme and professional practice in the relevant fields. The programme meets the requirements imposed upon academic education: interaction between teaching and research, research performed by the student, a view on current developments, and an initial orientation towards the professional field of HMS. The Committee observes that recent scientific developments have been integrated into the syllabus, and technological developments such as virtual reality are also anticipated. Attention is devoted to social problems concerning aging and rehabilitation, and to the changing role of sport in society. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Requirements for university degree course’ is good. Master: The programme syllabus explicitly aims to meet the requirements of academic education at the Master’s degree level: interaction between teaching and research, harmonization with current developments, active participation in research by the students, and an explicit orientation towards the professional field of HMS. In the first Master’s degree year, the chosen specialization is educationally linked to the practice of the research techniques that are particularly relevant for the selected specialisation. Students have to write a general paper on a theme that is related to the chosen research field. The second year is largely devoted to a graduation project in which students have to apply the acquired knowledge and skills in an integrated manner in the context of their own research question. An attempt is being made to set up activities in line with the already mentioned professional profiles. In the self-evaluation report, it is expected that the coming few years will show whether this approach has resulted in a more pronounced and realistic professional orientation among the students. At the moment, the relationship with the professional practice still requires much attention. The quality of the teaching is closely related to the quality of the research. In 2005, the research performed by ICBW was assessed by an international visitation committee as good/very good. Recent developments in the neurosciences have been integrated in the syllabus, and technological developments such as virtual reality and robotics are also anticipated. Attention is devoted to social problems concerning aging and rehabilitation, and to the changing role of sport in society. Students say that they are quite content with the programme. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Requirements for university degree course’ is good.

F5: Relationship between aims and objectives and contents of the programme • The course contents adequately reflect the final qualifications, both with respect to the level and

orientation, and with respect to domain-specific requirements. • The final qualifications have been translated adequately into learning targets for the programme or

its components. • The contents of the programme offer students the opportunity to obtain the final qualifications

that have been formulated.

Bachelor: From the self-evaluation report it is clear that specific learning objectives are formulated for each module. The learning objectives are related to four general knowledge areas: medical-biological knowledge and skills, behavioural knowledge and skills, methodology & statistics and human movement science knowledge and skills. However, due to the increasingly integrated character of the programme, there is no intention to strictly separate these areas.


The Committee is pleased to see that there is a consistent orientation in the teaching programme to the intended final profile and that tools are offered for the application of the acquired knowledge. The final assessment of the objectives takes place in the third and final year. Indeed, this year is primarily concerned with the integration of the various skills that have been acquired during the programme. Furthermore, a close link exists to the academic qualifications described under F4. Students must demonstrate that they are able to apply their methodological knowledge to solve a scientific problem, as well as apply the theories that have been presented to movement scientific topics. According to the Committee, the programme thus stimulates the ‘academic growth’ of the student towards the final qualifications in a proper way. However, as the self-evaluation report analyses, the elaboration of the programme, in conjunction with the final qualifications on the one hand and the assessment programme on the other, still has its shortcomings. This is partly caused by the speedy introduction and the rapidly growing student population, both of which put the teaching organization under pressure. Now that the programme has had a complete run-through, there is scope to use the experience gained to improve the structure and coherence. A start has already been made on the distinction into four research fields (see F4) and the use of more active working methods such as presentations, discussions, and written assignments (see F10). By further elaborating and specifying the final qualifications (see F1), the Faculty expects to strengthen the course content in the coming years and maintain a constant, high level. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Relationship between aims and objectives and contents of the programme’ is satisfactory. Master: The programme strongly encourages active participation in the educational process. In this way students acquire valuable knowledge and skills related to HMS as a scientific and professional discipline. Right from the start there is a strong interaction between teaching and research. Students receive specific training in research techniques useful for their graduation research. The programme builds upon the knowledge acquired during the Bachelor’s degree programme. The intensification, in terms of substance and academic approach, is linked to an active contribution by the student, and the programme has been structured in such a way that students can assign personal and domain-specific substance to the learning process on the basis of their own choices. The elaboration into specific learning outcomes has primarily functioned as a checklist in the organization of programme modules in terms of learning objectives, contents, and didactic design. They still have their shortcomings, as is noted in the self-evaluation report, and they need further attention in the near future. The Committee notes that one of the main challenges for the future is to establish a set of objective criteria for the final output of the Master’s degree. A specified set of learning outcomes has already been developed for the graduation project in 2006 and will be connected to the final qualifications in 2007 (see also F11). The modules in the first semester are focused on the deepening of knowledge about HMS theories and models. The second semester is oriented towards intensification within a specific domain and towards the first exploration of the professional field. A following step is the choice for more laboratory-based research or for more field-oriented research. The second year of the Master’s degree programme is largely devoted to the graduation project, whereby the students are given ample opportunity to set up their own research within the chosen research field. This occurs in combination with an internship within a setting that is related to the selected professional area of research. In consultation with the supervisor, the students still follow modules worth 10 EC, which furnish extra insight into the issues of the graduation research. The end product, preferably in the form of an English-language article, is regarded as an integrated assessment of the learning outcomes (see Appendix 6 at the end of this chapter).


The Committee agrees with the Faculty that more attention should be paid in the coming years to the places where the research is to be carried out. Apart from a significant number of internships within one of the four specializations, the Faculty is currently aiming to extend the number of external internships in so-called academic workplaces. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Relationship between aims and objectives and contents of the programme’ is satisfactory.

F6: Coherence of the programme Students follow a programme of study that is coherent in its contents.

Bachelor: The Bachelor’s degree programme has a structure in which a balance exists between the core modules, the courses devoted to movement scientific subjects, and the attention given to specific academic development. As to the coherence of the programme as a whole, the specific subjects in the various knowledge areas become gradually integrated into more general movement subjects in the course of the programme. Coherence within the knowledge areas is also assured, as subsequent modules are an extension of earlier modules in the same knowledge area. For instance, within the line of the medical-biological courses, Exercise Physiology is an extension of General Physiology. Neuro-anatomy and Biomechanics are based on the knowledge that is provided in Anatomy of the Movement Apparatus and Anatomy of Head and Neck. In the line of the behavioural scientific courses, Psychology of Movement and Exercise builds on Neuro-psychological Aspects of Movement, on Movement Education and on Development of Motor Co-ordination. In the line of Methodology and Statistics, there is a clear follow on to Introduction to Methodology practical classes, while Statistics 3 is an extension of the knowledge furnished in Statistics 1 and 2. Examples of the coherence between the knowledge areas are the use that Motor Control makes of knowledge from Neuro-psychological Aspects of Movement, from Introduction to the Movement Sciences, and also from Development of Motor Co-ordination. Movement Analysis builds upon the knowledge gained in Methodology and Statistics, while at the same time it is presumed that students have knowledge of the Anatomy subjects and Biomechanics. The Committee would like to stress that consistency in the programme can be furthered by not allowing students to deviate from the time schedule that is set. Each step (module) should prepare for the next one. The Committee further notes that in the near future, frictions between specializations may occur when some specializations grow faster than other ones, leading to a competition for scarce resources. Finally, the Committee stresses the importance for students in the last phase of their Bachelor’s course to finish with their specialized graduation project before they continue with the general teaching program in the first semester of the Master’s course. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Coherence of the programme’ is good. Master: In the general compulsory part of the programme, students are given an academic education in the fundamental aspects of human movement and human movement sciences. Knowledge and understanding of the relationship between perceptual, cognitive and motor processes, as well as knowledge on research methods and skills are developed further. The knowledge, understanding and skills are specifically intensified and applied within one of the scientific areas of research: Sport, learning and performance, Motor recovery and rehabilitation, Movement, health and aging, and Motor control and coordination.


The insights gained from the introductory subjects in the first semester are further intensified in the four specializations where an essay has to be written on a specific theme. An example of the way this is elaborated for the area Sport, learning and performance is given in the self-evaluation report. “The knowledge and understanding gained in the first semester are intensified with regard to performance-determining qualities. What is the significance of an optimal relation between perception and movement for the realization of a sporting achievement? Which physiological facets are the most important, and how can (new) skills best be learned? Students interested in the relationship between tactical insight and performance level have to write an essay or a review on ‘aspects of tactical insight and their relationship to performance improvement among young talented team sportsmen’, for example. In the graduation research, they can develop a programme to improve the perceptual skills of young basketball players and subsequently study its effects. In this way, they make a contribution to theory forming on perceptual processes and performances among young sports people.” The first semester concentrates largely on understanding and analysing movement science theories and issues, whereas in the second semester more appeal is made to study and analyse a specific theme and to the development of relevant research topics. The academic qualifications are further developed in the second year by the performance of a research project under supervision, and by writing a paper on the results of this research which has to be defended at a forum. There is a strong relationship between the research and the content of the Master’s degree programme. The lecturers are all researchers within one of the four research specializations. Each lecturer is also a supervisor of a number of students working on their graduation research projects. Because the lecturers themselves are all active researchers, their own research findings can be implemented and discussed in the context of teaching. The same is true for recent insights and findings in the international research arena. External experts are regularly involved in a graduation research project and are able to make a contribution to the quality of the end product. The Committee notes, though, that the programme allows two enrolment rounds for the Master’s course, one in the spring and one in the autumn. But as courses are not doubled, ‘spring’ students start in the specialized second semester, after which they have to ‘go back’ to the general first semester. Students are critical about this, and the Committee as well wonders how useful this structure is. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Coherence of the programme’ is satisfactory.

F7: Study load The programme can be successfully completed within the set time, as certain programme-related factors that may be an impediment to study progress are removed as much as possible.

Bachelor: An academic year of 60 EC is made up of two semesters of twenty weeks, each with a study load of 30 EC. A semester is divided into two blocks of ten weeks (each worth 15 EC). All study modules have a weight of 5 EC or a multiple of this. A block usually has three subjects, each worth 5 EC. The programmed load is in accordance with the expected load, and the program is rather well balanced. The ‘tare time’ at 10% may be a slight underestimation, mainly due to the perceived difficulty of the program, especially in the natural-scientific subjects. Compared to medicine, this tare time is rather low. The Committee notes that students, with the exception of the above-mentioned subjects, give no indication of obstacles of any importance and that they are quite satisfied with the study load. The evaluations of the study load show that, on average, the realized study load (as experienced by the students) is clearly below the planned study load. The evaluation shows also that on average students


spend less time on their study than the programme expects them to do, although the difficulty of most of the subjects is assessed as being average or high. Closer inspection by the Faculty of a number of modules has led to an adjustment in the structure and spread of the study load. For example, for Neuro-physiology, which is experienced as difficult, the decision has been taken to insert two minor assessments by means of which 20% of the final mark can be gained. Students mention also that the mathematics exam in the movement analysis block is a bottleneck. The Committee considers the notion of ‘tare time’ in the study load calculation as an often underestimated yet important factor, especially as the natural-scientific subjects often offer additional difficulties for the Bachelor’s students in their first years. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Study load’ is good. Master: Two periods of enrolment for the Master’s degree programme, as stated in the self-evaluation report, appear to be the most suitable for students who have obtained their Bachelor’s degree (or similar basic knowledge). Only students entering in the first semester have the proper connection. However, RUG allows (provisional) admission to students as soon as they have gained 165 of the 180 EC for the Bachelor’s degree, the so-called zachte knip. The two periods of enrolment and the zachte knip mean that the delay in study progress from the Bachelor’s to the Master’s degree programme is limited. At the same time, due to the extra study load, the zachte knip may unduly influence the substance and order of sequence of the Master’s degree programme and thus also the study success rate. A first evaluation based on consultations among the lecturers and discussions with students on the subjects in the first block (autumn 2005) indicates that the students have to work hard to keep up with the three subjects and to complete them with a passing grade. The weekly assignments and varied working methods were well appreciated. Students can start with the second year of the Master’s degree programme when they have gained at least 40 EC of the credits available in the first academic year. A minimum of 40 EC is regarded as necessary in order to start on the graduation research project. The graduation research is preferably performed in the setting of an academically oriented partner. The total study load of the internship as part of the total graduation project has been provisionally estimated at 30 EC. A precise judgment about the study load for the Master’s degree programme is not possible as the second year has not been fully implemented yet, but the plans are satisfactory. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Study load’ is satisfactory.

F8: Intake The structure and contents of the programme are in line with the qualifications of the students that embark on the degree course: • Bachelor’s degree at a University (WO): VWO (pre-university education), propaedeutic certificate

from a University of Professional Education (HBO) or similar qualifications, as demonstrated in the admission process.

• Master’s degree at a University (WO): bachelor’s degree and possibly (content-based) selection.

Bachelor: In 2002, the Bachelor’s degree programme started with 111 students, growing to 147 students in 2005. A pre-university education diploma with a focus on Nature & Health or Nature & Technology is necessary for admission to the Bachelor’s degree programme. Students with an ‘old-style’ pre-university education diploma must at least have taken the subjects Mathematics B, Physics, and Chemistry or Biology at final school examination level. As stated in the self-evaluation report, one of the main reasons to start a new HMS programme was to gain control over the intake profiles of the students, who in the ‘integral’ degree course had to start with the


propaedeutic year of the Pedagogics programme before entering the BOB programme and as a consequence too often missed essential elements of the natural-scientific and bio-medical orientation. According to the Committee, the first results of the Bachelor’s degree programme and statements of staff and students during the site visit indicate that the Faculty has succeeded in undoing this structural weakness. In general, students have little difficulty with the change to academic education, though specific subjects such as Biomechanics and Statistics do occasionally give some problems, as do English-language literature and the planning of personal study time. From 2002 to 2004, students who had completed a related higher professional education programme such as Physiotherapy or Physical Education could enter a shortened Bachelor’s programme of 90 EC without any further restrictions. However, from 2005 onward this arrangement has been replaced by a transitional year (a pre-Master’s year) comprising 60 EC to which stricter demands apply, such as a science-oriented educational profile and an admission exam. Every year, RUG presents its assortment of programmes at national and local education fairs and at secondary schools. In addition to the website, the brochure ‘Studying Human Movement Sciences in Groningen’ and the prospectus are much-consulted sources of information for prospective students, as is the Study Advisor. Students are given ample opportunity to explore the movement science ‘arena’ within their study programme. Once every two years, a labour market meeting is organized in which former students talk about their work and its relationship to the programme. The program gives a realistic perspective. There is considerable awareness of possible student problems and entrance capabilities, as there is no education in movement sciences in secondary school. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Intake’ is satisfactory. Master: Three groups of students are admitted to the Master’s degree course: • Students with a Bachelor’s degree in HMS who have completed their Bachelor’s programme are

given unconditional admission to the Master’s degree programme. • Students with a different academic Bachelor’s or doctoraal degree are granted conditional

admission to the Master’s degree programme • Students who have completed higher professional education (HBO programme) must pass an

entrance exam and subsequently follow a transfer programme worth 60 EC. Information on the Master’s degree programme is presented on the website. Public information is also provided at a number of locations within and outside the university. Of the first group of Bachelor’s degree graduates, ten have chosen to follow a different follow-on study. Most of these ten graduates consider the Master’s programme to be rather theoretical and primarily oriented towards scientific research. These students tend to choose a follow-on programme that is more oriented to professional practice, such as Psychomotor Therapy or Physiotherapy. On the other hand, there are five students who have completed a different academic Bachelor’s programme and have opted for the Master’s programme in HMS. In addition, there are nine students who have completed an HBO programme and are participating in the transfer year. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Intake’ is satisfactory.


F9: Duration The degree course complies with formal requirements regarding the size of the curriculum: • Bachelor of a University (WO): 180 credits as a rule. • Master of a University (WO): a minimum of 60 credits, dependent on the relevant degree course.

Bachelor: The Bachelor’s degree programme comprises 180 EC. Each EC represents 28 hours of study. The propaedeutic certificate consists of 60 EC, and the main programme of 120 EC. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Duration’ is positive. Master: The Master’s degree programme is a two-year programme worth 120 EC. Each EC represents a study load of 28 hours. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Duration’ is positive.

F10: Coordination of structure and contents of the degree • The didactic concepts are in line with the aims and objectives. • The teaching methods correspond to the didactic concept.

Bachelor: The programme embraces the academic tradition with working methods such as lectures, practicals, tutorials, research, and ample room for personal study. Lecturers as well as students emphasize the importance of a solid basis of domain-specific knowledge and of academic skills. It is one of the main points of departure for the didactic design. The teaching contains activating elements in which issues are often linked to research. Students are stimulated to learn actively and independently, so that they can demonstrate the acquired knowledge and skills in their graduation project. Students indicate that they value working in small groups as an asset. Initially, the emphasis lies on the acquisition of general knowledge and skills, and much contact time is planned with the lecturers. Later the accent shifts towards integrated application of knowledge and skills, contact time diminishes, and the contribution of the students themselves becomes larger. The set-up of the graduation project is of great importance for the final result. It has been decided to combine two related ‘quality tests’, namely, the design of a movement intervention programme (5 EC) and a graduation project (20 EC) within one of the research fields. The focal point lies on the integration of the acquired knowledge and skills. Students must give two oral presentations on the progress of their research, as well as a final presentation. Several lecturers and fellow students comment on the topic, and students must be able to defend their position in a clear manner. The first experiences with the chosen set-up are largely positive, as stated in the self-evaluation report, and students confirm this. The Committee is pleased to see that within the contours of the didactic concept, lecturers are relatively free to select their own teaching methods, which appears to encourage the commitment to their work. One of the challenges in the coming years is to maintain this commitment and simultaneously reckon with the interests of students. For example, according to ‘100 over the RUG’, a large-scale student questionnaire held once every three years, a majority of the students would like to have more contact hours in the form of lectures and practicals. The Committee notes that Faculty staff numbers are a point of concern here (see F13).


According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Coordination of structure and contents of the degree course’ is satisfactory. Master: Similar to the structure of the Bachelor’s degree programme, but at a deeper level, during the Master’s course increasing emphasis is placed upon the students’ own contribution. Students learn to perform the various academic tasks more or less independently so that they have the skills to hand for their graduation project. This didactic concept, partly based on the principles of participative learning, contributes to the required learning outcomes of ‘independent and critical human movement scientists’. The first year starts with a deepening in fundamental human movement science theories concerning the four Groningen research fields, along with specialistic methodological and statistical issues. The students must complete various written and practical assignments, and work out other problems on the basis of the instructions and supervision provided by the lecturers. During the specialization in the second semester, the students acquire knowledge of a specific (individual) theme, and they have to write a review article. A number of relevant facets of scientific work are involved in this process, such as attitude to work, creativity, design and structure of the research, analytical capability, presentation, discussion, and the preparation of a publication. The second year of the Master’s degree programme is devoted to the graduation project. The aim is to integrate the essential elements of scientific and professional competencies. Therefore, the student has to prepare and conduct scientific research (internship) and to communicate the results of this research in the form of a scientific article. The graduation project starts with the research internship (30 EC), including three elements: the development of a research plan, performance of the intended research, and reflection on the internship in the form of a written report. After completing the internship, the student focuses on the writing of a scientific article (15 EC), based on the results of the research. Finally, the student has to present and defend the obtained results in front of a qualified panel. This forms the completion of a number of oral assignments related to the project (5 EC). Apart from that, the student is free to plan one or two optional subjects (10 EC) during the second year. A major target in the coming years is to extend the number of external internships, along with internal projects within the four research fields. As the self-evaluation report stated, an internship in an external setting can offer a major contribution to the development of a professional profile. Students ought to regard the education in this phase more or less as a ‘job’ in which they gain experience with scientific research in a professional environment. Based on the presented plans and the first experiences with the 2005 cohort, the Committee is confident that in the coming years, the didactic concept will find an appropriate balance between several teaching and learning activities. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Coordination of structure and contents of the degree course’ is satisfactory.

F11: Assessments and examinations The system of assessments and examinations provides an effective indication whether the students have reached the learning targets of the course programme or its components.

Bachelor: Students must increasingly demonstrate that they are fulfilling the specified requirements. This process is completed in the third year with the integrated assessment of the movement intervention programme and the students’ own graduation research project, which is rounded off with an


individual Bachelor’s thesis. This thesis reflects the final attainment level of the student and is, as such, an indication of the extent to which the end qualifications have been realized. The self-evaluation report provides an overview of various methods aiming to realize an adequate assessment programme in which students are appraised at a level appropriate to the stage of their study. All modules of the programme have to be concluded with a passing grade (more than 5.5 out of 10). There are fixed and transparent assessment criteria for written papers. Lecturers of related subjects hold regular meetings about the content and weight of the written exams, in order to improve quality in terms of content and form. The aim is to further standardize these meetings. Students are allowed to do a resit shortly after a written exam, with an interval of only two or three weeks. To students, it will be clear that to succeed at all, they will have to work hard for their first exam. The self-evaluation report states that this set-up is appreciated by students and was also positively appraised during evaluation discussions with second- and third-year students. The Committee can only corroborate that the opinions of the students are very positive in this respect. In addition to a marked assessment, students are informed in various ways of their performance and progress. Every written or oral assessment must be discussed with the student on an individual basis if requested. Collective feedback sessions are structurally scheduled. The assessment of individual papers is always explained, either orally or in writing, by the lecturer in question (see also F16). The Board of Examiners is responsible for the organization and coordination of appraisals and exams. Its primary tasks are the formulation of the Rules and Guidelines to make the OER explicit, the appointment of examiners, the determination of exam results and certificates, and the determination of individual arrangements and (compensation) programmes. The Committee notes that the content and procedures concerning assessment and examinations are under permanent construction. Adequate as they are now, much is still to be gained, and high standards should be endorsed. The Committee would like to advise allowing students to defend their theses before an ‘independent’ jury. For example, the faculties of VU University Amsterdam and of the University of Groningen could invite each other to participate in a jury, and maybe complete the jury with the judgment of an external expert. In this way, consistency in endpoint quality can be ensured. The problem of understaffing (see F13) again plays a role here. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Assessments and examinations’ is satisfactory. Master: The assessment involves the qualifications in terms of theoretical knowledge, academic attitude and profession-related issues. Besides specialist knowledge and skills, the ability to learn actively and independently is appraised. Personal supervision and feedback are of great value to the students in this process. A number of aspects concerning the assessments and examinations are the same in the Master’s programme as in the Bachelor’s programme. In particular, the elements personal supervision and the tasks and procedures of the Board of Examiners are almost identical and are not dealt with here again. During the Master’s degree programme, students must increasingly demonstrate that they are fulfilling the specified requirements. This process is completed in the second year with the integrated assessment of the learning outcomes via the graduation research, culminating in a scientific paper that is in accordance with academic guidelines. This paper, written in English, reflects the student's final attainment level. The students’ mastery of theories is assessed by means of exams, papers, and oral presentations. The assessment of theoretical knowledge and understanding takes place primarily by means of written


exams. Furthermore, students are assessed on their various academic skills by means of papers and reports on practical classes. During the specialization in the second semester of the first year of the Master’s programme and certainly in the graduation project in the second year, the supervision acquires a strongly individual character. The aim is thus to make a positive contribution to the choice and development of a suitable professional profile. The Committee finds that the Faculty is in the process of gradually standardizing procedures for the feedback and assessment concerning the research internship, article and oral presentations. A manual with guidelines for students, lecturers and external supervisors, making use of the experiences of the first cohort, will be completed in 2007. The Committee concludes that the chosen design offers a good foundation for an integrated assessment of academic and professional competences. Based on the plans and the first experiences, a high standard will be within reach in the coming years. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Assessments and examinations’ is satisfactory. Assessment of subject ‘Programme’ The Committee concludes that the overall score for the subject ‘Programme of the Bachelor’s and Master’s degree course’ is Positive. 2.3. Deployment of staff (subject 3)

F12: Requirements for University The degree course meets the following criteria for the deployment of staff for a degree course at a University (WO): Teaching is largely provided by researchers who contribute to the development of the subject area.

Bachelor/Master: Teaching and research are interwoven in both the Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes, although this is more pronounced in the Master’s degree programme. Lecturers who teach HMS are all active researchers with a PhD degree. The link with current research is made regularly in the Bachelor’s degree programme, particularly in the third year. All lecturers publish in internationally recognized journals with regularity. They also publish in national magazines and specialist journals in order to demonstrate the practical value of their research and to optimize the relationship with research practice. During a recent research visitation, the human movement science research was appraised as being good/very good. Almost all the researchers participate in the teaching programme, though the Committee observes that the demand on the teachers is rather high. In didactic terms, the lecturers have an important responsibility as process supervisors. They must actively guide and support students in workgroups, practical classes, and individual projects such as the graduation research. The Committee concludes that the motivation and commitment of the staff members are good, even though the number of staff appears to be insufficient. The staff is of an adequate scientific level and lecturers appear to have a good connection with the professional practice. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Requirements for University’ is good.


F13: Quantity of staff The staff levels are sufficient to ensure that the course is provided to the required standards.

Bachelor/Master: Due to the rapid growth in student numbers (a rise of almost 30% in 3 years), and the increase of extra duties involved in the development and implementation of the two programmes, the teaching load has increased dramatically. Extra personnel are hired from the Medical Faculty to increase staff resources. Up to now, as is clear from the self-evaluation report, the teaching responsibilities have been carried out in line with the quality requirements. The self-evaluation report notes that on September 1, 2005, 385 students were enrolled in the two programmes and an additional 105 students in the old BOB programme. So the lecturer-student ratio is on average 49 students per unit of fte academic staff, with the number of students still increasing (in 2005 there were 138 new Bachelor’s degree students plus 9 new students in a pre-Master transition year). The Committee agrees with the Faculty that this rise in student numbers will necessitate an increase in the academic and auxiliary staff. The Committee notes that there is little room for capacity building. It is clear that the quality of the staff is good, even though they work under great pressure. It should also be noted that the organizational working methods within the Center for Human Movement Sciences (ICBW), characterized by compactness, a clear demarcation of duties and short lines of communication, has resulted in high efficiency. Nevertheless, the Committee wishes to recommend strongly that finding a solution for the problem of the quantity of the staff receives high priority, without neglecting the quality requirements. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Quantity of staff’ is unsatisfactory.

F14: Quality of staff The staff is sufficiently qualified to ensure that the aims regards contents, didactics and organization of the course programme are achieved.

Bachelor/Master: The Committee finds that in general there is an active policy of improving the quality of staff at both RUG and Faculty levels. Teaching qualities are evaluated in the same way as research quality, e.g. by means of teaching evaluations and annual performance appraisal interviews. It became clear to the Committee during the site visit interviews that students experience teachers as open for criticism and suggestions for improvement. During the recruitment of staff, experience and affinity with teaching responsibilities are fixed criteria, in addition to the specific research expertise. In October 2006, a broad mixture of disciplines was represented in the staff, illustrating the interdisciplinary character of human movement sciences. Permanent attention is paid to interaction and intervision between colleagues who are closely involved in everyday practice. Furthermore, twice a year, a general teaching conference is held on the objectives and programmes offered. The self-evaluation report states that the standard evaluations of each study component over the past few years indicate that, in general, students regard the expertise and didactic qualities of the lecturers as being more than adequate. After discussions with the students and staff, the Committee agrees with this statement. A pleasant teaching climate has been generated, despite the high teaching load (see F13). The self-evaluation report states that the Faculty has been reasonably successful in attracting additional funds for scientific research. In the period 2002-2005, 14 places became available in PhD degree programmes on the basis of various subsidy funds. PhD students and their supervisors use their ongoing research in their teaching, which represents a reinforcement of the link between research and teaching.


The staff itself notices some lack in didactic qualities. Measures for improvement are mostly dependent on the teacher’s own initiative. There is need for the development of more formal structures. According to the self-evaluation report, improving didactic competencies will be encouraged in the coming period, preferably in forms that relate directly to specific teaching practice. In this respect, the staff expressed the need for a long-term personnel plan, in which there is permanent room for adequate didactic training and support and for an increase in the staff numbers. The Committee appreciates the short communication lines between staff and students. Students are very happy with the staff, who are dedicated to their tasks and with whom they have ample opportunities to get in touch. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Quality of staff’ is good. Assessment of subject ‘Deployment of staff’ The Committee concludes that the overall score for the subject ‘Deployment of staff ’ is Positive. 2.4. Facilities and provisions (subject 4)

F15: Material facilities The accommodation and material facilities are sufficient to implement the programme.

Bachelor/Master: The division of the staff over two different, though nearby, locations is not an ideal situation for cooperation and informal conversation. The various teaching facilities are shared with several other programmes. All teaching areas are well equipped and furnished with the necessary audio-visual resources. The infrastructure, such as laboratory space and equipment for practical classes and graduation work, was further extended in the period 2002-2005. With the completion of a new teaching building in 2007, it is expected that the staff will again be accommodated at one location and that the pressure on the facilities will diminish. The Committee visited a number of laboratory areas where students can perform research, including the ‘exertion’ lab, the video observation lab, a room for studying gross and fine motor skills and a lab with a virtual environment, and found them adequate enough to meet the requirements. The morphology lab and its facilities for anatomy practicals were excellent. In almost all the study components, use is made of the Nestor electronic learning environment and the Blackboard program. Students can log in from any workstation within RUG. In the Faculty segment, the university website provides information on HMS. However, the self-evaluation report notes that the potential function of the website as a permanent and up-to-date source of information for the staff, students, and external interested parties remains underused. In principle, the programme makes use of the IT facilities of the Faculty of Medical Sciences. There are 3 computer areas with a total of 115 PCs for all the programmes. There are also various computer access points at several places in the Faculty building where students can log in. Depending on the subject matter, students can make use of the books and journals in the Central Medical Library and the Social Sciences Library. Each library offers places for personal study, and there are computer facilities for seeking electronic information. The libraries are often open in the evenings and at the weekends, and they meet the requirements. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Material facilities’ is satisfactory.


F16: Student support and guidance • The student support and guidance, as well as the information given to students are adequate for

the purpose of students’ progress. • The student support and guidance, as well as the information given to students meet the

requirements of the students.

Bachelor/Master: Students are informed regularly about their progress and the regulations that apply to the programme. In addition, the programme offers support in case of personal or study problems, usually via the Study Advisor, who has a mediating role between the student on the one hand and the lecturer and/or the Examination Committee on the other. The Study Advisor occupies a seat on the Programme Committee, the Board of Examiners, and the Admissions Board for the Master’s degree programme. There is also a tutoring system involving teachers and senior students as mentors. The student tracking system is effective and contributes to the propaedeutic certificate and Bachelor’s degree yield (see also F21). For example, students are approached when they have obtained fewer than 20 of the 30 EC expected in the first semester. The relevant information is displayed on the website, such as the programme guide and (changes to) the timetable. During their first year, students are monitored and offered support and guidance where necessary. This promotes an efficient throughput to the second year, but can also lead to referral to another programme. Besides a selection function, the first year also has an orienting and referring element. Just as in the first year, the results in the second and third year are recorded systematically. Students are called up for an interview with the Study Advisor if they fall too far behind in their studies. For students with special study needs (both handicapped students and elite athletes), special arrangements can be made. The Committee observes that students are quite satisfied with the system of guidance and support, though they indicated that substantial personal initiative is expected from them concerning internships. In addition, students informed the Committee that the attention devoted to professional orientation could be improved, as information about the labour market is minimal. The support and guidance of students in the Master’s degree programme builds upon that offered in the Bachelor’s degree programme. The Study Advisor has the same role as in the Bachelor’s programme. From discussions with both the Study Advisor and the students, the Committee has received a favourable impression about student guidance and support. The Study Advisor knows the students well. She is able to anticipate problems early that the students may encounter. The students were quite satisfied with her. The Committee observes that there is not much information about student exchange programmes. The network of the Medical Faculty could possibly be of some help here. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Support and guidance’ is good. Assessment of subject ‘Facilities and provisions’ The Committee concludes that the overall score for the subject ‘Facilities and provisions’ is Positive.


2.5. Internal quality assurance (subject 5)

F17: Evaluation of results The degree course is subject to a periodic review, which is partly based on verifiable targets.

Bachelor: The evaluation of the programme is performed by the Programme Committee. In the self-evaluation report it was explained that the procedure for the separate study modules consists of five steps that are worked through during a period of a maximum of ten weeks after the conclusion of each module, including a quantitative and a qualitative evaluation, the response of the lecturer, and discussion of the results in the Programme Committee. Finally, the Programme Committee writes a report on every study module, in which the most important results of its evaluations are summarized. Eventually, the Curriculum Co-ordinator, in conjunction with the examiner of the study module in question, decides which improvement measures will be implemented. In the autumn, the Programme Committee evaluates the total study programme of the previous academic year, resulting in a printed report that is available to lecturers and students. At the end of each academic year, the Curriculum Co-ordinator meets with a group of eight to ten students from each year to examine and discuss the programme systematically. Furthermore, discussions about the teaching programme are held with a delegation from the student associations twice a year. Various improvements have been implemented over the past few years, partly on the basis of these discussions. Staff consultations take place once a fortnight and in a workshop that is organized twice a year and largely devoted to the substance and the ongoing determination of the direction to be taken. In the period 2002-2005, a number of improvement measures issued from these discussions (see F18). In other words, the internal quality assurance in the programme has a demonstrably cyclical character. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Evaluation of results’ is good. Master: The quality assurance for the Master’s degree programme that was initiated in 2005 will generally follow the contours of the Bachelor’s degree programme. The specific themes are the level of academic training, experiences within the four specializations, international comparison, and the assessment of the graduation project and the Master’s degree thesis in relation to the learning outcomes. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Evaluation of results’ is good.

F18: Measures to effect improvement The results of this evaluation form the basis for measures that can be demonstrated to improve the course and that will contribute to reaching the targets.

Bachelor/Master: The use of several evaluation methods with a contribution from both students and lecturers have brought about actual changes in the design of the course. Due to the strict timetable, the evaluation at the course level is often completed within ten weeks, and measures can then be implemented adequately and in good time. The same applies to evaluations at the curriculum level in which, in addition to the annual report of the Programme Committee, improvement proposals also originate from the fortnightly staff consultations, discussions with student delegates, and incidental evaluations such as the ‘100 questions about the RUG’ questionnaire. A number of improvements haven been made that originated from the evaluations held in the past few years. Students report that they highly appreciate these procedures.


The internal quality system functions well, and the recommended measures are adequately executed. The committee missed a ‘meta vision’ on the programme, though, a somewhat distant look at possibilities for better or other procedures. For example: why not organise an international jury for the assessment of the theses and some festivities around this event (see also F11). According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Measures to effect improvement’ is good.

F19: Involvement of staff, students, alumni and the professional field Staff, students, alumni and the professional field in which graduates of the course are to be employed are actively involved in the internal quality assurance.

Bachelor/Master: The staff and students are structurally involved in the development and improvement of the programme, as described in F17 and F18, although there is no direct link between students and the management team. Student delegates from each year talk both horizontally with the students of their own year and vertically with other ‘year delegates’. All lecturers are obliged to provide a written response to the outcomes of evaluations and to produce a report for the Programme Committee, as stated in the self-evaluation report. Proposals for improvement that originate from student evaluations are taken into the analysis as a matter of standard practice, and students are represented in various workgroups and committees that are concerned with the teaching. The Committee values this procedure as highly as staff and students do. The participation of lecturers and students in the internal quality assessment is assessed as good, with an active and fully integrated role of the Programme Committee (see also F17 and F18). However, there is insufficient participation by alumni. In the self-evaluation report it was stated that both RUG and the Faculty pay much attention to the alumni policy. The Committee failed to see this happening to any substantial degree. The Faculty should start with bringing alumni closer to the University and bridge the gap by for instance letting alumni lecture twice a year about their experiences in the labour market and the link to their education. The involvement of alumni can thus be improved considerably. In general, the Faculty should make a greater effort in promoting HMS not only in high schools but also among potential employers. In turn, this could offer more possibilities for internships for students and for participation in research projects. In addition, it is recommended to obtain systematic feedback from the professional sphere on the way HMS graduates function. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Involvement of staff, students, alumni and the professional field’ is satisfactory. Assessment of subject ‘Internal quality assurance’ The Committee concludes that the overall score for the subject ‘Internal quality assurance’ is Positive. 2.6. Results (subject 6)

F20: Level that has been achieved The final qualifications that have been achieved correspond to the targets set for the final qualifications in level, orientation and domain-specific requirements. Bachelor: The self-evaluation report indicates that an analysis of the first results supports the statement that those graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in 2005 have achieved the final qualifications with regard to substance, level, orientation and domain specificity.


Both the students and the lecturers believe that the end qualifications are sufficiently achieved with the programme provided, and they are particularly satisfied with the graduation project. The best indication of the achieved qualifications is the quality of the completed graduation project. In 2005, the first 46 Bachelor’s degree holders graduated. Their graduation project had an average mark of about 7. The self-evaluation report mentions that little comparative material is available for analysis. This may be true internally, but externally it can be found at for example the VU and abroad at similar institutions. The Committee judged 10 graduation papers and concluded that the level of all papers was satisfactory and for the most part good and sometimes excellent. Nevertheless, the stated goal that 50% of graduate papers should be publishable is ambitious. In the self-evaluation report it is stated that the question as to the position and possibilities of a Bachelor’s graduate on the labour market is difficult to answer, mainly because a Bachelor’s degree is not seen by most students as an end point. Everyone in the first group of Bachelor’s graduates will indeed continue with a follow-on study which is regarded as a specialist (research) training towards a professional field and/or a professional profile. In 2005, about 70% of the Bachelor’s graduates continued with the two-year Master’s degree programme. The seven graduates who switched in 2005 to the VU Master’s degree programme in Amsterdam all planned to follow the Psychomotor Therapy programme. They stated that, in their opinion, the latter programme is more oriented towards a specific profession and can be completed in a single year. In general, the first group of graduates with a Bachelor’s degree has shown that there are several follow-up possibilities, particularly in the domains of movement and health. This justifies the starting point of the Bachelor-Master degree model and can thus be seen as a positive result for the Bachelor’s degree programme in HMS. The Committee concludes that the final qualifications that have been achieved correspond to the targets. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Level that has been achieved’ is good. Master: There is barely a reference framework for the assessment of the graduation work. As yet, there are no results of similar national two-year Master’s degree programmes available. The self-evaluation report states that the graduation theses of the former BOB doctoraal programme only provide limited points of departure, due to the fact that both the duration of this programme and the substance and extent of the graduation project deviated from the actual Master’s degree programme. In the long run, a comparison with graduation work from similar Master’s degree programmes elsewhere will certainly be interesting. At present, it is expected that the academic and professional starting level of the Master’s graduate will be significantly higher than that of the graduate from the former BOB programme. Based on the structure and content of the two-year Master’s degree programme and the level of the Bachelor’s graduation papers, the Committee considers this to be a plausible expectation. In the self-evaluation report, the expected final level of the graduates, with reference to 12 academic qualifications, has been internally appraised by the academic staff who are responsible for the quality of the Master’s degree programme. The average score on this prognosis is to a large extent sufficient. Of course it is as yet impossible to create a link with the performances realized, but as the self-evaluation report notes, the prognosis is nevertheless important because it designates potential strengths and weaknesses. For instance, the relevant knowledge domains and expertise and the competence to implement an independent empirical study were judged as relatively good, whereas the understanding of the ethical and social context and the competence to estimate an academic discourse at true value were judged as relatively weak. A survey performed previously by the Faculty, particularly among Master’s degree graduates, will be extended in the coming years into a longitudinal career survey with the aim of gaining more insight into the working situation of human movement scientists, including their participation in follow-on


programmes and scientific research. Besides questions about the study, an inquiry is also being performed into the professional experiences and social perspectives of the alumni. The Master’s degree graduates’ careers will be followed and compared with those of graduates from the former BOB programme. Research on the working situation of the latter group indicates that almost 90% of graduates obtain employment within one year, while the others generally continue their studies. The graduates end up in a wide range of functions, especially in public health care, education, and sport, or as a researcher, teacher, policy officer or public information officer. The final qualifications of Master’s graduates cannot be evaluated at this point as no student has graduated yet from the Master’s programme. However, based on the quality of the programme content, the quality of staff and the initial results, the Committee is confident that the Faculty will succeed in achieving its targets for the final qualifications. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Level that has been achieved’ is satisfactory. F21: Success rates To measure the success rates, target figures have been set in comparison with relevant other degree courses. The success rates meet these targets.

Bachelor: In the context of the self-evaluation report, the success rates since the start of the programme in 2002 have been analysed further. The propaedeutic success rate for the cohort of 2002 amounts to 32.7% after 1 year. This concerns 35 students with 60 EC. A group of 32 students left the program either during or at the end of their first year. Half of them switched to medicine, the other half to a variety of other study programmes or abandoned the study for various personal reasons. Students who did not gain admission to their first choice of study and for whom HMS is a second choice have a strongly negative influence on the success rate. For the 19 students who managed to obtain a place in medicine, dentistry or veterinary science at the second attempt, HMS only functioned as a ‘parking study’. Ten of these students did not gain a propaedeutic certificate in HMS and never will. In the self-evaluation report it is noted that when these students are excluded from the calculation of the propaedeutic success rate after 2 years, the rate rises from 62.6% to 69.1%. This means that the target rate of 70% after 2 years is almost reached, whereas the target rate of 30% after 1 year is certainly achieved. Among the cohorts of 2003, 2004 and 2005, the number of students who did not gain admission to the study of their choice elsewhere amounted to approximately 15-20% of the entry in HMS. In academic years 2002, 2003 and 2004, a number of students with a completed higher professional education (HBO) diploma began on an abbreviated Bachelor’s degree programme with a study load of 90 EC. Some 60-70% of these students are on schedule. As of academic year 2005, a pre-Master’s degree year (transitional year) has been introduced for students with a HBO diploma who satisfy the entry requirements (see F8). This transition programme has a study load of 60 EC. No data for the results of teaching were available for this group at the time of evaluation. The Committee feels that the ambitious success rates are met quite well so far. The Committee would like to recommend clarifying how many student numbers take the program as a ‘parking study’ and thereby distort the drop-out rates. These students may never finish their study and may never have planned to either, thereby cluttering the actual success rates. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Success rates’ is good.


Master: In the self-evaluation report, the formulation of target figures for the success rate of the Master’s degree programme is said to be difficult. Indeed, the program is so totally new that unilateral comparison with the previous BOB programme is not useful. Comparison with similar two-year Master’s degree programmes elsewhere in the Netherlands is difficult since such programmes hardly exist. Even abroad there are few Master’s degree programmes in HMS with a length of two years. Parallel to the target figures for the Bachelor’s degree programme, provisional target figures have been determined for the success rate of the Master’s degree programme for 2005 and 2006. Of each cohort that begins the Master’s degree programme: • 30% should gain their diploma in 2 years (the regular time) • 30% should gain their diploma in 2.5 years • 25% should gain their diploma in 3 years • 15% will take longer to gain their diploma, or abandon the programme. This is a considerably higher success rate than was the case with the former integral five-year BOB programme (and also higher than other similar programmes such as pedagogics, psychology and biology), in which success rates only reach 70% after 4 years of study. In the future, the determination and elucidation of success rates for the Master’s degree programme will still not be easy. As stated in the self-evaluation report, there are various entry possibilities, and it is expected that the diversity will increase further due to the different lines of approach from which students come. The following categories will be incorporated in the future: • Students who have obtained a HBO diploma and have followed a pre-Master’s degree year. A

considerable number of these students combine their study with a job. They often want to spread out their programme over a longer period.

• Foreign students with ‘diverse’ educational backgrounds. These backgrounds could have a positive as well as a negative influence on the success rate. The students are often very motivated, but their educational backgrounds may vary considerably, and personal circumstances may also lead to problems with language, academic level, or working methods. In this context, the increasing use of English has a positive effect on the study feasibility.

• Other students who are (conditionally) admitted on the basis of their educational background and possibly work or research experience.

The Committee concludes that the target figures for the results of teaching are realistic and well motivated. It can be expected that the Faculty will be successful in obtaining at least a satisfactory result in the coming years. According to the Committee, the score for the facet ‘Success rates’ is satisfactory.

Assessment of subject ‘Results’ The Committee concludes that the overall score for the subject ‘Results’ is Positive.


Overview of scores for the Bachelor’s degree course in Human Movement Sciences at University of Groningen Subject Assessment Facet Assessment



+


2. Programme +



+


provisions +



+


Subject: + Positive / − Negative Facet: 1. Unsatisfactory / 2. Satisfactory / 3. Good / 4. Excellent Overall assessment The Committee concludes, on the basis of its assessments of the subjects and facets from the assessment framework, that the Bachelor's degree course meets the quality requirements which are a condition for accreditation.


Overview of scores for the Master’s degree course in Human Movement Sciences at University of Groningen Subject Assessment Facet Assessment



+


2. Programme +



+


provisions +



+


Subject: + Positive / − Negative Facet: 1. Unsatisfactory / 2. Satisfactory / 3. Good / 4. Excellent Overall assessment The Committee concludes, on the basis of its assessments of the subjects and facets from the assessment framework, that the Master's degree course meets the quality requirements which are a condition for accreditation.

Conclusion of the Committee Apart from the prescribed assessment of basic standards, which is positive for the six subjects and consequently for the Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes as a whole, the Committee wants to state that the average level of the facets within all subjects, with one exception, is amply sufficient and often even good. In the opinion of the Committee, this strengthens the reliability of the final assessment. Of course, the Groningen curriculum is relatively new. The actual merits of a new Bachelor’s degree programme that has been running for three years and a Master’s degree programme that has just begun can only be assessed properly several years after the graduation of the first ‘new style’ human movement scientists. The embedding in UMCG and support from the Institute for Medical Education with regard to logistics, assessment policy and teacher training inspire confidence for quality assurance in the long run. The thorough and critical self-evaluation was a concrete step along that route.


Appendix 1. Final qualifications of the Bachelor’s degree programme The programme has the following objectives: • acquisition of academic knowledge and understanding in the field of the Human Movement Sciences • basic academic development • preparation for a further study career (with the right to follow the Master’s degree programme in Human

Movement Sciences at RUG).

The introductory (propaedeutic) phase has the following final qualifications:

With regard to Human Movement Sciences and supporting academic fields: • knowledge and understanding of the most important concepts and trains of thought in Human Movement

Sciences; • knowledge and understanding of the historical development of Human Movement Sciences; • knowledge and understanding of the social aspects of human movement, particularly with respect to sport,

physical education, movement and health, aging and movement, movement stimulation, and movement disorders and treatment;

• a first exploration of the working areas within which the knowledge and skills referring to Human Movement Sciences occupy an important position;

• knowledge and understanding of the anatomy of the human postural and motor apparatus and biomechanical properties;

• knowledge and understanding of human physiology; • knowledge and understanding of pedagogics, (neuro)psychology, sociology, and their significance for the

understanding of human movement. With regard to general academic training: • knowledge and understanding of the concepts that are used in research within Human Movement Sciences; • knowledge of research methods; • elementary skills in using information technology; • skills in seeking and consulting the academic literature with the aid of information technology; • elementary skill in using SPSS (computer software) to perform statistics calculations; • knowledge of descriptive statistics with the emphasis on its application in research within Human

Movement Sciences; • knowledge of the principles of probability, the theory of distributions, and the theories of statistical

estimation and testing, with the emphasis on their application in research within Human Movement Sciences;

• skill in interpreting statistical calculations; • skill in setting up and implementing limited scientific research, and reporting (verbally and in writing) on

this research. The post-propaedeutic phase has the following objectives/learning outccomes: With regard to Human Movement Sciences and supporting academic fields: • knowledge and understanding of human biological and behavioural aspects of movement, motor learning

processes, and motor development; • knowledge and understanding of scientific-theoretical principles, theories relevant to Human Movement

Sciences, and models; • knowledge and understanding of the determinants of movement behaviour, adaptive capacity, and the

possibility of influencing these; • knowledge and understanding of various methods used for movement analysis; • knowledge and understanding of the cause and progress of disease and disorders that influence the

possibilities for movement; • knowledge and understanding of the scientifically responsible application of knowledge in, and reporting

on, research within Human Movement Sciences;


• knowledge and understanding of developments in sport, aging and old-age-related illnesses, movement stimulation, and rehabilitation, in terms of substance, policy and social issues;

• knowledge and understanding of scientific theories referring to sport, aging and old-age-related illnesses, movement stimulation, movement steering, and rehabilitation.

With regard to general academic training: • knowledge and understanding of the methodology of scientific research in general and of research in

Human Movement Sciences in particular; • knowledge and understanding of the working and application of measuring instruments for research in

Human Movement Sciences and skills in using these instruments; • knowledge of, understanding of, and being able to apply statistics in research on Human Movement

Sciences; • skill in setting up, implementing, and reporting (verbally and in writing) on research in Human Movement

Sciences; • skill in critical (scientific-theoretical) reflection and problem-solving; • skill in the application of relevant forms of information technology.


Appendix 2. Structure of the Bachelor’s degree programme

BACHELOR’S DEGREE IN HUMAN MOVEMENT SCIENCES Broadly academically formed Bachelor’s degree graduate with thorough knowledge and understanding of movement, motor

control, and movement intervention

METHODOLOGY AND STATISTICS

BEHAVIOURAL-

SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS

MEDICAL-

BIOLOGICAL SUBJECTS

BACHELOR’S DEGREE GRADUATION THESIS

TRANSLATION TO THE FOUR RESEARCH FIELDS

GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO HUMAN MOVEMENT SCIENCES

TOWARDS AN INTEGRATED

HUMAN MOVEMENT SCIENCE APPROACH

PROGRAMME DESIGN

YEAR 3 Further intensification and application of movement science knowledge in a research project and in the development of a movement programme. The results have to be defended in a forum.

YEAR 2 Further intensification and application, but now focused on the integration of knowledge and understanding. Increasing interdisciplinary approach in the study of movement and movement problems and the modifiability of motor behaviour.

YEAR 1 Knowledge and understanding of the theoretical basis of human movement science, in terms of medical-biological, behavioural-scientific and methodological perspectives. Application in exams, papers and practical classes.


Appendix 3. Overview of the Bachelor’s degree programme YEAR/SEM. BLOCK

MODULE ECTS TEACHING METHOD

ASSESSMENT METHOD

B1.1.1

Introduction to human movement science

5 Lectures Self-study

Written exam

B1.1 1 Introduction to (neuro-) psychology 5 Lectures Self-study

Written exam

B1.1.1 Anatomy of postural and motor apparatus

5 Lectures Practicals Self-study

‘Walk-around’ exam in the dissecting room

B1.1.2 General physiology 5 Lectures Practicals Self-study

Written exam

B1.1.2 Motor development 5 Lectures Self-study

Written exam

B1.1.2 Introduction to methodology and statistics


Written assignments Written exam

B1.2.3 Biomechanics 5 Lectures Practicals Self-study

Written exam

B1.2.3 General movement pathology 5 Lectures Self-study

Written exam

B1.2.3 Methodology practical 5 Lectures Practicals Self-study

Written report Oral presentation

B1.2.4 Movement and education 5 Lectures Self-study

Written exam

B1.2.4 Neuro-physiology 5 Lectures Practicals Self-study

Written exam

B1.2.4 Statistics 1 5 Lectures Practicals Self-study

Written exam Written paper

B2.1.1 Philosophy of science 5 Lectures

Self-study Written exam

B2.1.1 B2.1.2

Movement analysis 1 10 Lectures Practicals Self-study

Written exam Written report

B2.1.1 Qualitative research 5 Lectures Practicals Self-study

Written exam Written report Oral presentation

B2.1.2 Exercise physiology 5 Lectures Practicals Self-study


B2.1.2 Psychology of movement and performance


Written exam

B2.2.3 Motor control 1 (neuro-mechanics)


Written exam

B2.2.3 Elective subject /general forming subject

5

B2.2.3 Anatomy of head / neck 5 Lectures Practicals Self-study

‘Walk-around’ exam

B2.2.4 Neuro-anatomy 5 Lectures Practicals Self-study

Written exam Oral exam

B2.2.4 Motor control 2 (motor control and motor learning)


Written exam

B2.2.4 Statistics 2 5 Lectures Practicals

Written exam


Self-study B3.1.1 Special pathology 5 Lectures

Practicals Self-study

Written exam Written paper Oral presentation


5

B3.1.1 Statistics 3 5 Lectures Practicals Self-study

Written exam

B3.1.2 Management 5 Lectures Practicals Self-study


B3.1.2 Theory of human movement sciences 3


Written exam

B3.1.2 Experimental research and programme evaluation



B3.2.3 Programme design 5 Lectures Practicals Self-study

Written paper Oral presentation


5

B3.2.3 B3.2.4

Graduation project 20 Lectures Practicals

Written report Oral presentation

TOTAL 180


Appendix 4. Final qualifications of the Master’s degree programme Final objectives/qualifications The programme has the following objectives: • The acquisition of specialist knowledge, understanding and skills in the field of Human Movement Sciences • Preparation for a professional career as an academically formed human movement scientist; • Preparation for a career as a researcher in the field of Human Movement Sciences. Specification of final qualifications 1. The acquisition of fundamental knowledge in the Human Movement Sciences with respect to the value of,

and the relationship between, perceptual, cognitive and motor processes in developing, learning and improving movement and with reference to movement problems in a certain context.

2. Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of how to influence motor behaviour and the role of person-related, task-related and environment-related factors and their mutual coherence.

3. Knowledge and understanding of the relevant social, ethical and theoretical aspects of movement, motor problems, and research into the human movement sciences.

4. The acquisition of academic knowledge and understanding, at the specialist level, of Human Movement Sciences theories and their application.

5. The acquisition of the knowledge and understanding needed to perform independent academic research. 6. The acquisition of the knowledge needed to analyse the results of (independent) research on one’s own. 7. The acquisition of the knowledge needed to analyse and to resolve (where required) any given problem in

an academic manner. 8. The acquisition of the knowledge needed to convert academic knowledge and skills into a self-chosen

application or solution. 9. The acquisition of the knowledge and understanding needed to report in a clear manner, in both English

and Dutch, on human movement sciences research in the Human Movement Sciences. 10. The acquisition of good insight into the position and role of the human movement scientist in the social

and academic professional field.


Appendix 5. Structure of the Master’s degree programme

SPORT LEARNING &

PERFOR-MANCE

MOTOR RECOVERY & REHABILI-TATION

ENGLISH-LANGUAGE MASTER’S THESIS

MOVEMENT HEALTH &

AGING

GENERAL SECTION: STUDY OF MOVEMENT SCIENTIFIC THEORIES AND MODELS

MOTOR CONTROL &

COORDI-NATION

MASTER’S DEGREE IN HUMAN MOVEMENT SCIENCES Extensively academically educated Master’s degree graduate

with thorough knowledge of fundamental interdisciplinary theories. Specialist in the graduation research field and familiar

with that professional field

CLINICAL/ REHAB. SCIENTIST

RESEARCHER

LECTURER/ RESEARCHER

SPORTS SCIENTIST

GRADUATION PROJECT: SPECIALIST STUDY AND RESEARCH

BACHELOR’S DEGREE IN HUMAN MOVEMENT SCIENCES Broadly academically educated Bachelor’s degree graduate with

thorough knowledge and understanding of movement, motor control, and movement intervention

APPLIED RESEARCHER PROFESSIONAL PROFILES

TRAINING IN SPECIFIC RESEARCH TECHNIQUES

YEAR 1 Intensification in fundamental interdisciplinary theories and models of human movement sciences. Specialist intensification in one of the research fields. Intensification in specialized research techniques.

YEAR 2 Application of acquired knowledge in the design and performance of a research project and reporting and communicating on this. Specialist education in the research theme. Elaboration in English-language Master’s thesis

POLICY RESEARCHER

Other suitable pre-education


Appendix 6. Overview of the Master’s Programme Year/ semester/ block

Module EC

Teaching methods

Assessment method

M1.1.1 Neuro-mechanics 5 Lectures Practicals Self-study

Written exam Written assignments

M1.1.1 Perception and movement 5 Lectures Self-study


M1.1.1 Theoretical issues in the human movement sciences



M1.1.2 Motor control and learning 5 Lectures Discourses Self-study

Written exam

M1.1.2 Training physiology 5 Lectures Self-study


M1.1.2 Advanced statistics 5 Lectures Practicals Self-study

Written exam Written assignments Oral presentation

M1.2

Compulsory choice from 1 of the 4 specializations: 20

Motor control and coordination course 1: perception and action course 2: Recent theories on motor control

(20) Lectures Practicals Self-study

Written exam Written paper Oral presentation Review article

Motor recovery and rehabilitation course 1: information, control and recovery course 2: disorders in motor steering and modern theories on recovery processes


Written exam Oral presentation Review article

Movement, aging and health course 1: aging and aging-related illnesses course 2: sensomotorical interventions in aging


Written exam Written assignments Review article

Sport, learning and performance course 1: development, learning and improvement of sport performances course 2: perceptual, cognitive and motor processes


Written exam Written assignments Review article

M1.2 Compulsory choice between the ‘lab line’ and the ‘field line’

10

Matlab

(5) Practicals Self-study

Assignments Lab line

Dynamic systems (5) Practicals Self-study

Assignments

Models (5) Lectures Practicals Self-study

Written exam Written paper Oral presentation

Field line

Programme evaluation and multi-level analysis




Year 2 Graduation project EC

Teaching methods

Assessment method

M2.1 Research Internship 30

All subjects in English language

M2.1.1 Literature study / Research Project Plan

(6)

M2.1.2

Execution of the research- data gathering / analysis - secondary internship activities

(18)

M2.1.3 Graduation research report (6)

Self-study Reports Supervision of progress

M2.2 Writing the article

15 Supervision of progress

M2.3 Oral presentations Panel, presentations, exit interview

5 Oral presentation

M2.4.1 M2.4.2

Optional subjects (in consultation with the supervisor of the graduation project)


Written assignments Internship evaluation Article Oral presentations

TOTAL 120


APPENDICES


Appendix A: Curricula vitae of the Committee members Prof. Beatrix Vereijken (Chair) Prof. Vereijken is Professor in Movement Science and Head of the Movement Science Programme at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway. She received her PhD on the dynamics of motor learning in 1991. She did post-doctoral work on the dynamics of motor development at Indiana University, USA, and was the recipient of a fellowship of the Royal Dutch Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1994. After having worked for four years as Associate Professor at the Psychology Institute of NTNU in Trondheim, Norway, she became Professor and Head of the newly established Movement Science Programme at the same University. Here, she developed Bachelor, Master and PhD programmes in sport, movement science and health. She has been a panel member of several educational audits of university programmes. Since 2005, she has been Chair of the Nordic Council for Higher Sports Education. She is a member of the Royal Dutch Academy of Arts and Sciences and reviewer and member of the editorial board of a number of journals. Prof. Carl Foster Prof. Foster, PhD, is a Professor of Exercise and Sport Science at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, USA. At La Crosse, he is Director of the Human Performance Laboratory and Director of Research in the Clinical Exercise Physiology graduate program. He received his PhD from the University of Texas at Austin in 1976 in exercise physiology, and did post-doctoral work at Ball State University. Before moving to La Crosse, he was Director of Clinical Physiology at the Milwaukee Heart Institute of Sinai Samaritan Medical Center and was Professor of Medicine in the University of Wisconsin Medical School. His publication list includes 200+ scientific articles and chapters and 22 longer works. He was President of the American College of Sports Medicine in 2005-2006. Prof. Stefan Lautenbacher Prof. Lautenbacher is Professor for Physiological Psychology at the Otto-Friedrich University in Bamberg, Germany. He received his PhD on age effects on pain perception in 1990. He was DFG fellow at the University of Western Ontario in London (Canada) in 1991-1992. He was Assistant Lecturer at the Max-Planck Institute for Psychiatry in Munich and managing psychologist at the University Hospital for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy in Marburg. After he received his licence as a psychological psychotherapist in 1999, he was appointed to his current position. Prof. Romain Meeusen Prof. Meeusen, PhD, is Head of the Department of Human Physiology at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. His research interest is ‘exercise and the brain’, exploring the influence of neurotransmitters on human performance and training. His most recent work focusses on thermoregulation. He teaches classes on exercise physiology, training & coaching and sports physiotherapy. Consequently, he created a research line on sports injuries and their prevention. He holds a number of national and international positions and has published about 170 articles in peer-reviewed journals, and given lectures at 250 national and international conferences. Prof. Herman van Rossum Prof. Van Rossum, MD, PhD, is Professor of Medical Education, VU University Medical Center Amsterdam. After graduation as a medical doctor at the University of Groningen, he took his PhD in medical education (1977). From 1978 until 1990 he worked at the Leyden Medical Faculty, developing a training centre for basic medical skills. In 1990-2001 he designed a new medical curriculum for Groningen University. From 2001 until now he has been in charge of designing the new medical curriculum at the VU University Medical Center Amsterdam. He teaches the international Master in Medical Education Course of the University of Bern. He is past president of the Dutch Association of Medical Education and member of the European Union taskforce to develop quality assurance standards for the process of medical education in Europe.


Dilene van Campen Mrs. D. van Campen, BSc, is a Master student of Human Movement Sciences, VU University Amsterdam. Stefan Ottenheijm Mr. S. Ottenheijm, BSc, is a Master student of Human Movement Sciences, University of Groningen.


Appendix B: Programme for site visits Programme of the site visit at the University of Groningen October 9-11 Monday, October 9 19:00 - 22:00 Dinner for the assessment panel together with a representative of the

Executive Board of the RUG, the Dean and representatives of the ICBW Tuesday, October 10 08:00-08:30 Arrival at the UMCG, Antonius Deusinglaan 1:

- Petrus Camper Room (= headquarters during the site visit) documentation and electronic learning environment available - Room 032 (where the interviews take place):

08:30-09:30 Interview with the Dean, management and the editors of the self-evaluation report

09:30-09:45 Break 09:45-10:30 Interview with students of the Bachelor’s degree programme 10:30-10:45 Break 10:45-11:30 Interview with lecturers of the Bachelor’s degree programma 11:30-11:45 Break 11.45-12.30 Interview with students of the Master’s degree programme 12:30-13:30 Lunch 13:30-14:15 Interview with lecturers of the Master’s degree programme 14:15-14:30 Break 14:30-15:00 Interview with (former) members of the Board of Examiners 15:00-16:00 Visiting hour (appointment required) 16:00-17:00 Guided tour of the Faculty (ICBW, lecture theatre, laboratories, dissecting

room, etc.) 17:00-17:30 Interview with student members (current and former) of the Programme

Committee 17:30-18:00 Interview with lecturers (current and former) on the Programme Committee 18:00-18:15 Break 18:15-18:45 Interview with alumni from the Bewegingsopvoeding en bewegings-

behandeling BOB (Movement Education and Intervention) programme 19:00 Dinner for panel members, rounding off discussion and preliminary

conclusions Wednesday, October 11 08:30-09:15 Interview with support staff (education office) 09:15-09:30 Break 09:30-10:15 Interview with students participating in year delegations, Education and

Research Council, Studiosi Mobilae, etc. 10:15-10:30 Break 10:30-11:30 Final interview with the management 11:30-14:00 Lunch and formulation of preliminary findings 14:00-14:30 Verbal communication of preliminary findings (Boeringzaal) 14:30-15:30 Informal drink and close of visit


Programme of the site visit at the VU University Amsterdam October 11-13 Wednesday, October 11 19:00 - 22:00 Dinner for the assessment panel together with a representative of the

Executive Board of the VU, the Dean and Educational Director of the Faculty of Human Movement Sciences

Thursday, October 12 08:00 - 08:30 Arrival at the VU, Van der Boechorstststraat 7 - 9 te Amsterdam (room

G-602) 08:30 - 09:30 Interview with the Dean (the editor of the self-evaluation report) and the

Educational Director 09:30 - 09:45 Break 09:45 - 10:45 Interview with students of the Bachelor’s and Master degree programme 10:45 - 11:00 Break 11:00 - 12:00 Interview with lecturers of the Bachelor’s and Master degree programme 12:00 - 13:00 Lunch 13:00 - 13:45 Interview with lecturers on the Departmental Committees (Bachelor and

Master) 13:45 - 14:00 Break 14:00 - 14:45 Interview with student members of the Departmental Committees (Bachelor

and Master) 14:45 - 15:00 Break 15:00 - 15:45 Interview with the members of the Board of Examinors 15:45 - 16:00 Break 16:00 - 17:00 Guided tour of the Faculty (lecture theatre, laboratories, dissecting room,

etc.) 17:00-18:00 Visiting hour (appointment required) 19:00 Dinner for panel members, rounding off discussion and preliminary conclusions Friday, October 13 08:30 - 09:15 Interview with student advisors and members of the Committee of

International Affairs 09:15 - 09:30 Break 09:30 - 10:15 Interview with students participating in the Faculty Student Council, Teaching

Council and VIB (Vereniging in Beweging) 10:15 - 10:30 Break 10:30 - 11:30 Final interview with the members of the Faculty Board and Educational Committee 11:30 - 13:00 Formulation of preliminary findings 13:00 - 14:00 Lunch 14:00 - 15:00 Continuation with formulating preliminary findings 15:00 - 15:30 Verbal communication of preliminary findings 15:30 - 16:30 Informal drink and close of visit


Appendix C: List of abbreviations BOB Bewegingsopvoeding en Bewegingsbehandeling (Movement Education and Intervention) CROHO Centrale Registratie van Opleidingen in het Hoger Onderwijs (Central Register of Higher Education Study Programmes) CvB College van Bestuur

(Executive Board of the University) EC European Credit ECTS European Credit Transfer System FGMW Faculteit der Gedrags- en Maatschappij Wetenschappen

(Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences – till September 2004: PPSW) FMW Faculteit der Medische Wetenschappen (Faculty of Medical Sciences) Fte unit of full-time employment HBO Hoger Beroeps Onderwijs

(Higher Professional Education) HMS Human Movement Sciences

(Bewegingswetenschappen) ICBW Interfacultair Centrum voor Bewegingswetenschappen

(Interfaculty Centre for Movement Sciences) O&O raad Onderwijs en Onderzoeksraad

(Education and Research Council) OER Onderwijs- en Examenregeling (Education and Examination Regulations) PhD Doctor of Philosophy PMT Psychomotor Therapy QANU Quality Assurance Netherlands Universities Foundation RUG Rijksuniversiteit Groningen

(University of Groningen) UMCG Universitair Medisch Centrum Groningen (University Medical Centre in Groningen) VU Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

(VU University Amsterdam) VWO Voorbereidend Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs (pre-university education) WO Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs

(higher education)


human movement sciences - nvao

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