The Curriculum Framework Graduate Attributes reflect the values of St Mary’s and promote the development of graduates who can be active agents of positive change, addressing and helping to solve some of the big challenges and issues our planet and global society faces in the 21st century. They are informed by the University's values and the World Economic Forum Top 10 Graduate Skills. These, along with additional attributes identified by programmes as relevant to their discipline, are embedded in the learning, teaching and assessment strategy of all programmes.
The 10 graduate attributes identified in the St Mary's Curriculum Framework are set out below, along with examples of how these might be demonstrated:
- Effective speaking and presentations, appropriate for specific audiences and contexts
- Writing coherently and persuasively, appropriate for specific audiences and contexts
- Seeking clarification when unclear
- Sensitivity to others
- Assertiveness and negotiation
- Tactfulness and diplomacy
- Showing the confidence to network effectively and for specific purposes
- Using social media effectively
- Co-operating and collaborating with others
- Working to shared aims
- Taking other viewpoints
- Empathising with other people’s position
- Giving constructive feedback to a team
- Contributing to discussions
- Taking the lead when required
- Showing initiative
- Motivating team members
- Delegating and assigning responsibility
- Taking responsibilities and ownership of action
- Considering implications of actions
- Flexibility and adaptability
- Showing resilience
- Setting priorities and juggling competing demands
- Setting goals and meeting deadlines
- Improvement of performance through reflective learning
- Understanding work cultures and practices, including being ‘professional’
- Identifying problems and their causes
- Analysing facts and circumstances
- Breaking down an issue into component parts
- Considering new angles
- Overcoming set-backs
- Creativity in generating solutions
- Using a range of digital technologies, software, and web platforms for academic and professional career development purposes
- Using appropriate digital technologies and resources to locate diverse types of information for both academic and non-academic purposes.
- Using office software and systems
- Using spreadsheets and other databases
- Developing websites, platforms or systems
- Performing routine calculations, e.g. making estimates, calculating percentages, applying formulae
- Using skilled techniques for academic and professional/career development purposes
- Using statistical or modelling software
- Analysing and interpreting data
- Reflecting on and articulating qualities, strengths and skills
- Researching and evaluating career options
- Networking, developing personal contacts and speaking to employers
- Researching sectors, employers and opportunities for job and career paths
- Creating strong CVs, applications and online profiles for the purposes of securing employment
- Performing well in selection tests and at interview
- Appreciation of the needs and priorities of social and economic actors and communities
- Sector insight, understanding of how to build ‘value’ within an organisation
- Being able to identify opportunities enhance an organisation’s effectiveness.
- Understanding of the link between academic subjects and their wider importance (social, economic and cultural)
- Understanding and prioritising the needs of others (including customers)
- Applying learning from ‘real world’ situations to improve outcomes
- Effective engagement with the public or customers using a range of channels and media
- Taking an idea through to its practical application
- Showing the confidence to introduce and establish something new
- Looking for innovative solutions to problems
- Understanding what is required to launch a business or venture
- Applying an enterprising mind-set to situation
- Taking risks with a new idea or direction
- Understanding your place within local and global communities
- Awareness of one’s own cultural beliefs, norms and attitudes, and those of others
- Awareness of the need to manage shared and finite resources
- An ability to improve the lives of others and lobby for positive change
- Mixing with peers from different cultures
- Understanding equality and diversity
- Appreciation of the benefits of living in another culture