The Interdisciplinary Project is a mandatory part of the Scottish Baccalaureate or can be taken as a standalone Unit.
It is intended to broaden the student experience, provide opportunities to apply or extend subject knowledge in relevant contexts, and to develop the generic skills, attitudes and confidence necessary to make the transition into further and higher education, and/or employment.
The Interdisciplinary Project offers increased subject specialisation, enabling candidates to develop knowledge, skills and qualifications in expressive arts, languages, science or social sciences, which will enhance progression opportunities and offer added breadth and value.
The Interdisciplinary Project is intended to:
- provide candidates with valuable opportunities to make connections with the wider world of learning and work
- broaden the student experience and provide opportunities to further apply or extend subject knowledge and further develop generic skills, attitudes and confidence
- raise the status and value of learning and to motivate students in their last year of school, S6, (sixth year)
- encourage greater coherence in study in S5 and S6 (fifth year to sixth year).
A separate UCAS profile is provided for the Scottish Baccalaureate.
A, B, C for the Interdisciplinary Project.
Grading for the Interdisciplinary Project is based upon five pieces of assessment evidence.
Assessment of the Interdisciplinary Project (IP) is undertaken internally by the centre, based on five pieces of mandatory evidence:
- the candidate’s project proposal
- project plan
- record of the presentation of his/her project findings or product
- evaluation of the project
- evaluation of his/her generic and cognitive skills development.
The pieces of evidence are submitted to SQA’s rigorous IP quality assurance procedure:
- internal quality assurance by centres – managed and participated in by centres and their partners
- centre submission of proposed grades and materials for verification
- pre-forum central verifier event – managed by SQA and attended by external verifiers (EVs) and supporting SQA officers
- quality forums – managed by SQA, each chaired by an EV and attended by centre representatives and supporting SQA officers
- post-forum procedures – which involve EVs finalising their verification decisions and reports and may require further dialogue with centres and their partners.
SCQF Level 7 qualification (sitting across level 3 and 4 in England, Northern Ireland and Wales).
SCQF Level 7 is the starting level for Scottish higher education.
Many candidates in S6 receive unconditional offers from Scottish HEPs based on their Highers results in S5.
Several Scottish HEPs make offers based on the achievement of a Baccalaureate, including entry directly into second year of an undergraduate degree.
Some young people use them to gain entry to HEPs in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The practice of making unconditional offers in S6 can affect Interdisciplinary Project uptake and retention.
The Unit specifications for each Interdisciplinary Project are available at: www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/34638.1567.html
The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) website is available at: www.scqf.org.uk