We offers many different ways to study at APU
Our innovative teaching methods and gurukul learning environment make for an experience that is uniquely APU.
At APU, students learn in new teaching spaces designed to inspire creativity, promote collaboration and encourage innovation. Depending on your degree, you’ll attend a combination of lectures, tutorials, workshops or laboratory classes. How you are taught will largely depend on your course content, level of study and your academic tutor – but, however you are taught, you will be required to undertake a large proportion of your study independently.
We’ve also introduced blended learning initiatives, Traditional classroom teaching combined with digital learning and dedicated student advisors to empower students to find the knowledge needed to achieve their goals.
We believe every Student have unique potential
Gurukul Academic System is designed on the framework of the ancient Indian Education system. A stronger emphasis is placed on removing unwanted things from the minds of students. We teach our students Vidya ( Modern Education) , Sadvidya (Traditional education), and BrahmaVidya (Spiritual education) – teaching you not only how to answer, but how to question.
We believe that every Student is unique and has a capability scope whether it is a subject, sports or other co-curricular activities.
We put learning through research at the centre of our teaching. This might mean being asked to answer questions where there’s no right or wrong answer, but scope for opinion and debate. You will be encouraged to read widely, to question and analyse what you have read, and to discuss openly your own ideas in seminars and tutorials.
APU teaching and learning methods here are:
You will attend regular lectures. Lectures are widely used across the University to deliver information, ideas and theories to a large number of students. A lecture is normally a presentation or demonstration designed to give you an overview of a topic. Generally the lecturer will address the audience and you would not normally ask questions in the middle of the lecture, though there is often an opportunity for you to do so at the end.
Compared with a lecture, a tutorial involves much smaller groups of students. Similarly, the session is often led by an academic tutor or guest speaker and can involve a presentation, but the format is normally much more informal and promotes open discussion around specific topics or theories. The University also invites practicing professionals to deliver sessions as part of courses and share cutting edge knowledge and practice.
You will be expected to take responsibility for your own learning and you will need to manage your time effectively to fit this around your academic timetable and any other activities that you are involved in. There are plenty of study spaces on campus.
Studying independently doesn’t necessarily mean you will be studying on your own as there are plenty of opportunities to study in groups and many of our courses actively promote peer mentoring and peer-assisted study schemes.
Learning by doing is an essential part of many courses, particularly if you are studying a science, Technology or Health related degree. These sessions aim to give you an insight into a working environment, knowledge of experimental methods and techniques and an understanding of academic material taught on the course.
You may be asked to work independently, in pairs or as part of a small team and for most courses, where a practical element is incorporated, you will be required to submit a piece of work which will count towards your overall result.
Fieldwork or field trips can be a compulsory element of some courses. Similar to laboratory and practical work, fieldwork can help you to put your theoretical knowledge into practice. Trips can range from one-day sessions to longer, more in-depth expeditions, in India and abroad, that allow you to explore specific areas or learn particular techniques. Each course differs but you may need to pay extra for your field trips, so keep this in mind when budgeting for the year.
Learning through the case method entails discussion of real-life decision scenarios. The instructor acts as a lead facilitator. Students learn from their peers who add to discussion through their varied experiences. In addition to the concepts that are learnt through the discussion, students also learn key skills such as analytical thinking, listening and persuasion through this method.
We learn better in groups than as individuals. Most courses have a Group Evaluation Component, which may be a group submission, project, exercise etc. This enables students to learn from one another. We also learn better when we share our learning with our peers. APU devised an innovative group exam, where students take part in quizzes in groups. We have found that such a group exam is not just an evaluative exercise to check a student’s level of learning, but a learning opportunity itself to learn new things from their peers.
Depending on the type of degree you are doing, you may do a major project, which will generally be in your final year. You will normally choose, within the confines of your project, how much time to spend on it. In some cases you may be asked to give a formal presentation on the results of your project. For example, in one of the courses last year, students worked on a live project under the guidance of course instructors and professionals. Another example is students developing case videos on real life scenarios.
Flipped Classroom: Consider a ‘flipped’ approach by asking learners to watch video content before the class session, and devote in-class time to exercises, projects and discussions.
Blended Learning: Traditional classroom teaching combined with online learning and independent study.
The course coordinators are encouraged to invite practicing professionals to deliver sessions as part of courses and share cutting edge knowledge and practice.
University has used movies / documentaries as part of their courses. Through vivid and easily understood depictions, movies enable students to empathize with the business and moral dilemmas faced by characters and plots.
