INSCAPE EDUCATION GROUP

 

Student Support Policy & Procedures

                                                                                                             R1.1

                                                                                                  2006/09/04

 

Student Support Policy

It is the nature of education to be developmental and supportive.  Inscape has at the base of its principles the best interests of its students while enrolled and after graduation.  To this end, the college puts in place mechanisms to support and develop its students to achieve their potential.

 

Student Support Procedures

Student support falls into several categories:

 

Career Guidance

Inscape conducts an in-depth, personalised career counselling interview with every person wishing to enrol for a design programme, whether or not they meet the legal admission criteria. 

 

The interview is intended to ensure, as far as is humanly possible, that there is a reasonable likelihood of the student successfully completing the programme.

 

A copy of the Inscape Selection Application Form and the Interview Application Form are attached.

 

Support Programmes

The Inscape Design Foundation access programme is essentially a support programme. 

 

Life skills - including study methods, time management, inter-personal skills, stress management - form an important part of the course.


The practical workshop approach to the course means that students develop a personal relationship with art through experimentation, discovery and practice.

 

Financial Support

Inscape provides a limited number of bursaries.  The college receives no state subsidy so bursaries are paid out of fees received. 

If a person wishes to apply for a bursary, the following conditions will apply:

·      only South African citizens may apply;

·      applicants who are more deserving AND disadvantaged are more likely to qualify for a partial bursary;

·      Inscape usually only considers applicants who have successfully completed one year of studies at Inscape and have a good fee-payment track record;

·      applications cannot be accepted after enrolment;

·      applicants must have an average academic mark of at least 60% and 80% attendance for the past year;

·      if the application is successful, Inscape will fund - at its sole discretion – a maximum of 50% of the applicant’s tuition fees for the current year only.  The balance of the fees for that year and any subsequent years' tuition will have to be sourced elsewhere;

·      Inscape will not provide materials, transport or accommodation to bursary students.  If the applicant cannot attend all lecture sessions, or will not have the necessary materials to satisfactorily complete assignments, the applicant may not make application;

·      if the application is successful, the applicant will be required to perform certain tasks/duties for the college. The applicant will be required to enter into a written agreement with the college in which our respective duties and responsibilities to one another will be detailed and agreed to by both parties.

The applicant must:

·    provide a typed motivation explaining why Inscape should grant a bursary,

·    have applied for loan to a financial (or other) institution and include the notification indicating that the application to that institution was unsuccessful.

 

Student Placement

As part of the Business Practice module of the Interior Design and Graphic Design programmes, students embark on a new phase of their learning experience: In-service Training (experiential training). 

 

This is intended to be the preparation for a career in design whether it will be in private practice or in the employ of a company.  The transition from the academic world into the working world is made significantly easier and the graduate becomes significantly more employable because of it.

 

Students are expected to undertake at least the equivalent of six weeks full-time in-service training in an appropriate design environment or in a design office or practice. 

 

Sourcing an in-service host is the students’ responsibility, but this is done under the supervision and guidance of the lecturer.  This helps to make the student more self-sufficient and thereby prepares him or her for the realities of the design industry.

 

A letter of introduction is provided to the student for presentation to the representative of the business.  The letter explains what will be expected of the student.

 

During in-service training, the student needs to become aware of how a design business is run, take particular note of: the nature of the enterprise, management hierarchy, office systems and documentation, design processes, professional interface and project management, be aware of contracts, accounting procedures and procurement procedures.

 

As the Design Foundation programme serves as an access for the Interior Design and Graphic Design programmes and is not an exit qualification in itself, there is no need for learner placement in this programme.

 

HIV / Aids Programmes

Although it has not developed policies for the following, Inscape provides what is termed ‘support services’ to cater for financial aid, bursary schemes, student counselling, library services, IT provision, and support for students with HIV/AIDS.

 

 

           

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