Student Perceptions of Dual-listed Courses

Abstract

<p>Academic departments regularly offer dual-listed courses in which one course has two course numbers, yet are taught in the same place, at the same time, by a single instructor, and in one department to undergraduate and graduate students. While universities discourage their use by subjecting such courses to more rigorous approval processes, academic departments often offer these courses to solve logistic and resource concerns. Little empirical research has examined students’ perceptions of dual listed courses. This pilot study presents quantitative and qualitative findings (<em>n </em>= <em>781</em>) of a survey sent to students enrolled at a Midwestern, land-grant University. The findings reveal that students perceive many benefits of dual-listed courses. Undergraduate students benefited from exposure to graduate school expectations through interaction with graduate students. Graduate students benefited from refreshing their knowledge of basic material and learning how to structure undergraduate courses for their future academic careers. Recommendations for improving dual-listed courses are provided.</p>