Skills and knowledge of science students entering higher education

1. This document reports the results of a survey of the UK Deans of Science regarding the skills and knowledge of undergraduate students entering university after studying for A-levels or Scottish Highers in the UK.

2. SBS sent a brief questionnaire to all the members of the UK Deans of Science, seeking views about the proportion of their intake of students who had the level of mathematical and practical skills, and relevant knowledge that ought to be expected of a student entering higher education. The responses were equally split between pre-1992 institutions and post-1992 universities, and represent at least 109 separate undergraduate courses in the biological sciences; physical sciences; mathematics, IT or engineering; and other scientific disciplines.

Overall picture:
3. We asked each of the Deans the following three basic questions:
• What percentage of your students arrive with the level of basic mathematical skills that you would consider necessary or appropriate at their level?
• What percentage of your students arrive with the level of practical and experimental skills that you would consider appropriate or necessary at their level?
• What percentage of your students arrive with the elementary knowledge of their subject that you would consider appropriate or necessary at their level?

4. The results are set out in the table below:

Subject differences
5. The worst situation regarding mathematical skills was in the physical sciences, where the Deans reported that on 70% of courses, fewer than half of new students had the appropriate or necessary skills.

6. The worst situation regarding practical skills was in subjects classified as “other”, where the Deans reported that on 54% of courses, fewer than half of new students had the appropriate or necessary skills. Next worst was biological sciences, where on 50% of courses, fewer than half of new students had the appropriate or necessary skills.

7. The worst situation regarding elementary knowledge was in mathematics, IT or engineering, where the Deans reported that on 57% of courses, fewer than half of new students had the appropriate or necessary knowledge.

Changes over time
8. Without reference to variation among subjects, we asked the Deans:
• How do you rate the science and engineering students currently entering university compared with those entering ten years ago?

9. The results are set out in the table below:

Other comments
10. We asked if the Deans had any further comments. A selection is set out below:
• “There seems to be a lack of sub-GCSE maths skills – e.g. elementary graph drawing”
• “Our major concern is the general educational standard of our entrants – language skills are weak and appear to be declining”
• “Students’ IT skills are much improved”
• “Very few students have the relevant mathematics for computer science – i.e. for programming”
• “The skill base worries me less than the indifference to knowledge, and the cynical “do we need to know this for the exam?” mentality”
• “School has given them a mentality which leads them to expect to be taught and not that they should learn”
• “IT skills are much better, communication skills generally better. Students are less knowledgeable about science. Generally more ability to “do” (when their paid employment allows them the time to do anything).”
• “They continue to have problems with sustained argument: they are much happier with bite-sized pieces of the courses. They are also often reluctant to cross the boundaries between modules.”

May 2003