1.3 Curriculum
1.3.1 Study plan of the degree programme
In accordance with the Measures for the Administration of Undergraduate Talent Training Programmes and Teaching Syllabuses of Jiangsu Ocean University (see Appendix 09-3) and the programme’s educational objectives, the formulation of the curriculum adheres to the philosophies of Student-Centredness, Outcome-Based Education and Continuous Improvement, aligns with engineering education accreditation criteria, and is generally revised every two years.
According to the 2024 Talent Training Programme for Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering, please refer to Appendices 08-4 to 08-6 for the distribution of credits by academic year, the distribution of credits by semester, and specific course settings. In addition, it includes 10 credits of quality development courses, 8 credits of general elective courses, and 2 credits of labour education (see Appendix 08-2). The detailed information is also accessible via the following website:
http://coe.jou.edu.cn/info/1296/3400.htm.
1.3.2 Structure of the degree programme
The undergraduate study plan adopts a four-year schooling system. In general, the curriculum design of the study plan is structured into nine competency domains.
Figure 1.1 Curriculum Structure of the Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering Major
The learning content of different competency domains is arranged in a logically progressive sequence. The proportion of credits allocated to each competency module is shown in Figure 1.1. For the semester distribution matrix of each competency module, please refer to Appendix 08-3.
1.3.3 Student mobility
(1) Major Transfer
The university grants students greater autonomy and flexibility in academic selection. In accordance with Document JOU〔2024〕No.60 (Official Circular on the Revised Administrative Measures for Undergraduate Major Transfer of Jiangsu Ocean University, see Appendix 10-4), first-, second- and third-year undergraduates (fourth-year students for five-year programmes) may submit major transfer applications to their respective schools in the second semester. Eligible applicants are permitted to switch into alternative majors. For the 2025 selective major transfer implementation rules of the School of Ocean Engineering, please refer to Appendix 10-1. For the historical statistics on major transfer for Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering programme, please refer to Appendix 10-5.
(2) International Exchange
Through systematic institutional design, diversified financial support, and standardized mechanisms for student status and credit management, Jiangsu Ocean University has established a relatively comprehensive support system for student international exchange.
1) Standardized Policy Management System
The university encourages students to participate in international exchange programmes. According to Document JOU International〔2020〕No.2 (Measures Governing Students’ Overseas Study, see Appendix 13-1), student international exchange programmes are classified into long-term and short-term categories. Long-term programmes refer to international exchange programmes with an overseas study duration of three months or more, including inter-university exchange programmes, joint cultivation programmes, various government scholarship programmes, and other relevant programmes. Short-term programmes refer to international exchange programmes with an overseas study duration of less than three months, including university-organized summer short-term overseas study programmes, various government-sponsored student overseas study programmes, and other relevant programmes.
2) Diversified Financial Support Mechanism
To ease students’ financial burden for participating in international exchange programmes, the university issued the Notice of Jiangsu Ocean University on Issuing the Administrative Measures for the International Exchange Fund of Jiangsu Ocean University, Jiangsu Ocean University Foreign Affairs Document No. 3 [2020] (see Appendix 10-2). Through this document, the university established dedicated funding support programmes. The sources of the fund mainly include special funds allocated by the university and various forms of designated social donations.
3) Refined Credit Recognition and Student Status Management
Document JOU〔2019〕No.31 (Regulations on Undergraduate Course Substitution and Credit Equivalency, see Appendix 13-2) specifies the rules for credit recognition and student status management for courses undertaken during exchange study periods.
4) Services and Consultation
The university provides comprehensive support for students through a combination of online and offline services. The International Exchange Affairs Office arranges seasoned professional staff to offer students one-to-one project consultation and procedural guidance. Statistical data on student mobility, lists of exchange students, and policy documents related to student mobility are provided in Appendices 10-1 to 10-5.
With the support of the above mechanisms, the university has established inter-university cooperative relationships with 72 universities and educational institutions in 25 countries and regions, including the University of California, Riverside, California Polytechnic State University, University of Massachusetts Boston, Wilfrid Laurier University, Technische Universität Dresden, London South Bank University, Manchester Metropolitan University, De Montfort University, as well as universities in Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, and Taiwan, China. The university also carries out credit mutual recognition, student exchange, international student degree exchange, and Sino-foreign cooperative education programmes at the undergraduate level.
In recent years, a total of 313 students from the Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering programme have participated in domestic and international exchange and cooperation programmes. The university has also steadily strengthened educational exchange and cooperation with Ukraine. In 2021, the Makarov School of Ocean Engineering of Jiangsu Ocean University was founded and enrolled its first cohort. It admits 160 undergraduate students and 10 postgraduate students each year, with Chinese and Ukrainian faculty members jointly undertaking talent cultivation, thereby supporting students in developing into application-oriented professionals with an international outlook. For details, please refer to Appendix 10-3.
1.3.4 Periodic Review of the Curriculum
In accordance with the Implementation Measures of Jiangsu Ocean University for the Evaluation of the Rationality and Achievement of Undergraduate Programme Talent Cultivation (see Appendix 02-1) and the Implementation Measures of Jiangsu Ocean University for Quality Tracking, Evaluation and Continuous Improvement of Undergraduate Talent Cultivation (see Appendix 02-2), the programme conducts regular evaluation and continuous improvement of its educational objectives and curriculum system.
The programme is regularly evaluated to ensure that its curriculum system, course content and teaching quality continuously comply with professional standards and requirements. For example, in 2024, the university successfully passed the Undergraduate Education and Teaching Review and Evaluation organized by the Ministry of Education. The evaluation is implemented on a cyclical basis, aiming to ensure that the curriculum system, teaching content and teaching quality consistently meet the objectives of talent cultivation and industry standards, while adapting to the needs of disciplinary development and technological advancement.
The evaluation covers the rationality of the curriculum system, the clarity of educational objectives, the frontier relevance and timeliness of course content, the effectiveness of teaching methods, the adequacy of teaching resources, the reference value of student feedback, and the programme’s adaptability to industry needs. The evaluation process consists of six stages: preparation for evaluation, data collection, expert review, analysis and summary, formulation of revision proposals, and implementation of the revised plan.
Each programme regularly collects feedback from multiple stakeholders, including programme faculty members, current students, graduates, alumni, employers, and industry or enterprise experts. The evaluation focuses on the appropriateness of the curriculum system and the achievement of graduation requirements. Based on the evaluation results, targeted improvement measures are proposed to promote the continuous enhancement of the curriculum system.
In May 2024, the university organized relevant experts to revise the 2024 talent cultivation scheme and related courses for the Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering programme. Courses such as “Professional Innovation and Practice” were newly added to the cultivation scheme to develop students’ innovative thinking and practical competence. For the Expert Evaluation Opinion Form of the Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering programme, please refer to Appendix 09-1.
