our future, your future 2007 distance and flexible learning handbook

WHAT PROGRAMS ARE
OFFERED AT USP?
USP PROGRAMS
Continuing and Community
Education Programs
National Programs
At a national level, Continuing and Community
Education courses offered by USP campuses
are determined by local needs and resources.
Subjects taught include computer skills,
languages, bookkeeping, mathematics,
business studies, economics, creative writing,
community development skills, literature,
handicrafts, floral arts, fabric arts, woodcarving,
fine arts, carving, poetry, music, video
production, leadership skills, health studies,
public speaking, problem solving and general
literacy skills.
The USP campuses advertise their courses
in the local newspapers, radio or on noticeboards,
on a semester basis. The duration of
courses varies from 10 to 32 hours of teaching
spread over a number of weeks.
Regional programs
USP offers a range of more formal regional
programs through Distance and Flexible
Learning. The learning and teaching materials
used by regional programs are co-ordinated
by the Centre for Continuing and Community
Education staff based at Laucala Campus in
Fiji. Students who take regional programs are
required to have completed the equivalent of
Form 4 English. The four programs offered are:
Basic Preparatory Program
• aimed at mature age students who may
have left schooling early, or a long time
ago, or recently left Form 4 or Form 5 as a
bridging program before commencing a
Preliminary Program. Th BPP consists
seven basic courses in Accounting,
Biology, Economics, English, Geography,
History and Mathematics
Certificate In Disability Studies
• aimed at providing caregivers of the
disabled with a wide range of knowledge
and skills related to disability issues,
concerns and challenges
Certificate In Early Childhood Education
• aimed at the professional upgrading of
pre-school teachers in the region
Community Workers Certificate
• aimed at those doing community work
involving youth, the aged, human rights,
reproductive health, environment, health,
nutrition, AIDS/STIs, women, etc.).
Pre-degree Programs
USP’s Preliminary Programs and courses
provide preparation for entry into USP
Foundation Programs, which in turn provide
a pathway to degree-level study at USP or
other universities. The qualifications offered at
schools in USP member countries are at the
same level as the USP pre-degree courses
listed below:
11
Country ‘Form 6’ or Preliminary level ‘Form 7’ or Foundation level
Cook Islands NZ NCEA* Level 2 NZ NCEA* Level 3
Kiribati SPBEA** Pacific Senior Secondary Certificate SPBEA** South Pacific Form Seven Certificate
Fiji Fiji School Leaving Certificate Fiji Seventh Form Certificate
Marshall Islands No equivalent No equivalent
Nauru SPBEA** Pacific Senior Secondary Certificate No equivalent
Niue NZ NCEA* Level 2 No equivalent
Samoa SPBEA** Pacific Senior Secondary Certificate NUS Foundation Certificate
Solomon Islands SPBEA** Pacific Senior Secondary Certificate No equivalent
Tokelau NZ NCEA* Level 2 No equivalent
Tonga SPBEA** Pacific Senior Secondary Certificate SPBEA** South Pacific Form Seven Certificate
Tuvalu SPBEA** Pacific Senior Secondary Certificate No equivalent
Vanuatu SPBEA** Pacific Senior Secondary Certificate SPBEA** South Pacific Form Seven Certificate
*NZ NCEA = New Zealand National Certificate of Educational Achievement
**SPBEA = South Pacific Board for Educational Assessment
USP PROGRAMS USP